Steve in Pudsey post_id=400 time=1617022571 user_id=942 Wrote:Michelle Dewberry is an interesting choice. I really hope that isn't an attempt to replicate the career trajectory of somebody else who came to prominence as a contestent on The Apprentice
I know Dewberry was a panellist on The Pledge, but I think this will be the first time she'll have to present an hour daily by herself.
Looking at this is so far, I have a few worries about the new channel but I also like that they are trying something different.
I like what they are trying to do with the format, have presenter based shows and make each show feel different rather than your usual rolling news channel that can feel like to the casual news watcher that the news is being repeated too much. I just hope that if there is any serious breaking news that needs extensive coverage that they have the right people to cover them and that they actually give the coverage to it.
My other worry is impartiality. I say this without being political, no matter what political side you are on, but can you imagine the likes of Alex Phillips, Tom Harwood and Michelle Dewberry, if there is something newsy involving the EU or something Brexit related that affects us further in the future, trying to show impartiality on these topics considering their well known views and political actions? Maybe the causal viewer won't know but if you are a news channel that boasts about impartiality then you should show it. It's very basic, cause you have the impartial side where you give both sides a fair hearing or you have what I called the 'Piers Morgan impartiality' where the interviewer puts their own views ahead of balance.
I'll give the channel a go anyway and I look forward to watching Andrew Neil's show. I just hope he doesn't lower himself from the highs that he had on the BBC.
I personally expect it to pick up where the Murdoch-owned Sky News left off, if that makes sense. We know it'll be right-of-centre but I do get upset at the way it's been written off as "Gammon TV" before a single frame of output has been screened. There's still speculation Piers Morgan will end up here, but lest we forget that on his CV is a tenutre of the editor of a staunchly left-wing tabloid, The Daily Mirror.
i trust Andrew Neil to play it right. I actually think he's the most balanced guy in the game, it's just that he'll tear all sides a new one in equal measure as we saw with the 2019 Election interviews. Yes, he made mincemeat of Jeremy Corbyn but he also completely demolished Boris Johnson in the VT where he called him out for not facing him on television. He's a fearsome interviewer, but he takes no prisoners on any side of the argument.
Ash101 post_id=283 time=1617010447 user_id=936 Wrote:If this project doesn't end up being profitable and ends up being shut down, you end up with a lot of 'good' journalistic people out of work & potentially having burnt bridges with their previous place of work?
I've been thinking the same with Times Radio, as there's a few great hires there - but I suppose they have the luxury of being able to redeploy people across News UK assets should they call time on Times Radio.
But is the aim of GB News to be profitable? There are a lot of news channels out there that are being run, not for money, but to (a) provide airtime for different viewpoints (while remaining within Ofcom's due impartiality rules) and (b) to select news stories that fit their agenda, while either omitting or only briefly mentioning other stories.
If the aim is to shift and maintain the news agenda to the right of centre, influencing the public and politicians based on a filter of the types of news featured, in turn ensuring that the commercial interests of the billionaire backers are secure, then I would guess it doesn't need to make a profit.
Incidentally, I hope Times Radio isn't given the chop, it's quite a welcome change to the radio landscape. While RAJAR data is been suspended in recent months, other metrics including app data may already give them an indication of their audiences.
TheMike post_id=473 time=1617028069 user_id=924 Wrote:Ash101 post_id=283 time=1617010447 user_id=936 Wrote:If this project doesn't end up being profitable and ends up being shut down, you end up with a lot of 'good' journalistic people out of work & potentially having burnt bridges with their previous place of work?
I've been thinking the same with Times Radio, as there's a few great hires there - but I suppose they have the luxury of being able to redeploy people across News UK assets should they call time on Times Radio.
But is the aim of GB News to be profitable? There are a lot of news channels out there that are being run, not for money, but to (a) provide airtime for different viewpoints (while remaining within Ofcom's due impartiality rules) and (b) to select news stories that fit their agenda, while either omitting or only briefly mentioning other stories.
If the aim is to shift and maintain the news agenda to the right of centre, influencing the public and politicians based on a filter of the types of news featured, in turn ensuring that the commercial interests of the billionaire backers are secure, then I would guess it doesn't need to make a profit.
Incidentally, I hope Times Radio isn't given the chop, it's quite a welcome change to the radio landscape. While RAJAR data is been suspended in recent months, other metrics including app data may already give them an indication of their audiences.
Yes - good point. I can only presume that is the aim for this because, like you stated, news channels are not known for being cash cows!
In a similar vain to Times Radio, I presume the investors in this have deep pockets and would've probably agreed a series of benchmarks which they would accept as it being 'successful' which aren't necessarily the bottom line.
That one is a surprise! Who is backing this, financially?
Has it been clarified if GB News will have free-to-air HD carriage on satellite?
I'd speculate that GB News are going heavy on sport during weekend afternoons.
Some interesting hires in recent days. I'd originally written this off as Gammon Broadcasting News, but might give it a go now depending on the general feedback after it does launch.
IanJRedman post_id=511 time=1617032705 user_id=958 Wrote:Has it been clarified if GB News will have free-to-air HD carriage on satellite?
I've not seen anything officially from GB News or broadcast partner Arqiva specifically mentioning HD, but it will be free-to-air on satellite. I'm keeping an eye out for potential test transmissions across Astra 2E/F/G.
IanJRedman post_id=511 time=1617032705 user_id=958 Wrote:Has it been clarified if GB News will have free-to-air HD carriage on satellite?
Yes, Andrew Neil has mentioned Freesat as one of the platforms.
James Martin post_id=503 time=1617031990 user_id=872 Wrote:That one is a surprise! Who is backing this, financially?
GB News has received funding from hedge fund manager Paul Marshall and Legatum, a Dubai-based investment group. This is addition to support from Discovery.
Ittr post_id=517 time=1617033467 user_id=1040 Wrote:Some interesting hires in recent days. I'd originally written this off as Gammon Broadcasting News, but might give it a go now depending on the general feedback after it does launch.
I'll confess, I did much the same when I first heard of it. Gammon Broadcasting being an image that sprung to mind.
That said, with Simon M and the recent other names it has made me sit up a bit. An exciting time for rolling news channels I think.
Has GB News channel got any weather presenters lined up yet??
Maybe Tomasz Schafernaker will be a great fit for the channel (however he has sort of toned down his unique presenting style over recent times)
Who will be providing GB's weather? Met Office or maybe Meteo Group?