BEGINS Magnus Gardham, on the front page of today’s The Herald newspaper: “[Former First Minister] Alex Salmond has sought to pressure the BBC ahead of the General Election, claiming the corporation will continue to be biased against the SNP unless power over broadcasting is transferred to Holyrood.
“The former First Minister launched a fierce attack on the BBC during a Q&A session at the SNP conference in Glasgow.”
Read more, here.
And in a similar vein, Scott McNab, in today’s Scotsman, begins: “Alex Salmond has called for control of the BBC to be handed to the Scottish Parliament following the corporation’s coverage of the referendum campaign.
“The former First Minister said the BBC allowed itself to be ‘dominated’ by the agenda of ‘metropolitan newspapers’ largely opposed to a Yes vote.
“During a question and answer session to promote his book at the SNP conference yesterday, he told delegates: “Some of the experience of the referendum has scarred the BBC and there has been some gain from it already from our perspective.”
Read more, here.
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AND begins Greig Cameron, also in The Herald: “STV chief executive, Rob Woodward, has seen his pay package surge by £60,000 after receiving a higher bonus.
“The broadcaster’s annual report shows Mr Woodward was paid a total of £661,000 in 2014.
“That was made up of a basic salary of £380,000, an annual bonus of £189,000, pension payments worth £76,000 and other benefits to the value of £16,000.”
Read more, here.
And The Scotsman’s report of the story, here.
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STARTS an announcement from Dundee-based newspapers, comics and magazines publisher, DC Thomson: “The Scots Magazine is releasing its stable of archived columns by world-renowned adventurer and naturalist, Tom Weir.
“The columns will be published on the title’s website continuing the celebrations that marked 100 years since his birth in December of last year. The Scots Magazine will post a new column every Friday on www.scotsmagazine.com.
“Weir produced monthly column, ‘My Month’, for The Scots Magazine for more than 50 years.
“In his columns, he reflected on the natural beauty of his home country, focusing on life in Scotland’s countryside.
“His columns are widely known for his keen sense of observation and his shrewdly humorous style of writing.
“Tom Weir was one of the first to raise awareness about the environment and natural heritage which he talks about in many of his columns.”
Read more, here.
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BEGINS The Drum media and marketing magazine: “News UK has appointed Richard Bogie as general manager for Scotland, which will see him work across titles including The Scottish Sun and Scottish editions of The Times and The Sunday Times.
“From 7 April, Bogie will be responsible for delivering commercial targets and developing new opportunities for News UK’s Scottish business.
“Mike Darcey, chief executive officer of News UK, said there was ‘great potential’ to grow the Scottish business.”
Later, the magazine notes: “Bogie previously served as group advertising sales director at Johnston Press and assistant managing director at Scotsman Publications.”
Read more, here.
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WRITES John Mullin, the Scots former editor of The Independent on Sunday: “The Westminster bubble is bigger now, and more cut off. This is less about Scotland and England, and more about London, dominated by a specific elite and world view, and the rest of the UK.
“The media plays its part. Journalists meant to hold our politicians to account know as much about life on a council estate as I do about life on Mars. They allow the parties to set the dull agenda rather than getting under the surface of what’s going on.”
The sentiments are included in a column in Saturday’s edition of The Scotsman, which begins: “In happier times, I ran a newspaper. True, it may not quite have been one of the global giants of news publishing, but, though I say so myself, it was a lovely, intelligent and bouncy package, and a delight to edit.”
And goes on to get angry about inequality.
Read it here.
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BEGINS an announcement from the Scottish Government: “Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop will travel to Los Angeles to meet representatives of the film studios behind smash hits including the Hunger Games, Twilight and The Dark Knight Rises.
“Ms Hyslop will undertake high-level meetings in the creative capital of the United States with representatives of Warner Bros and Lionsgate. The meetings will build on our existing strong relationships and encourage further investment in Scotland’s creative industries, including the film and screen sectors.”
Read more, here.
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A FEW Scots winners – including allmediascotland clients, Pagoda PR and the Holyrood Partnership – from the north section of the UK-wide PRmoment Awards.
As outlined, here.
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BEGINS The Observer: “An extensive report by the BBC into how men and women feel about the way their gender is portrayed on television and radio has revealed an audience that wants more ‘real’ women in the media and fewer scantily-clad females in reality shows.
“The lack of older women and more ‘normal’ women – both in terms of appearance and of the lives they’re portrayed as leading – was a key finding of the research, which found that news and documentaries were failing in this respect more than drama and sports.”
Read more, here.
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HEADS up: there will be no Noon Briefing either this Friday or a week today.
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SEEN anything you think readers of www.allmediascotland.com should be made aware of? Then just send the weblink to here and we’ll do the rest. All suggestions gratefully received. We’re back at noon tomorrow.
