Media

Melanie Phillips sets up her own media empire

Jennifer Lipman — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:30:28 +0100

Journalist and political commentator Melanie Phillips has launched her own media company publishing high-brow books as well as selling branded tote bags and mobile phone covers.

Ms Phillips, a high-profile columnist for the Daily Mail and the JC, and a prolific author, has set up EM (short for Electric Media) in an effort, she said, to stand up for the little guy.

The company will bypass traditional publishers to release books on digital platforms, as well as producing a range of merchandise.

Topics being covered by EM publications include the parenting of teenagers, royalty and the scapegoating of intellectuals.

The company will publish Ms Phillips’s own work — top of the list is her autobiography, Guardian Angel, My Story, My Britain — as well as work by her husband, legal journalist Joshua Rozenberg.

She said: “ EM books will have broad appeal over a wide variety of topics, all aimed at the centre ground of public opinion — and the Middle East will have a place within that”.

Ms Phillips explained that the aim of the company was “speaking truth to power, standing up for the little guy and giving voice to those on the decent, commonsense, middle-ground who find themselves marginalised by the gatekeepers of public discourse”.

Radio show goes back on air

Jonathan Kalmus — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:04:17 +0100

Manchester’s only regular Jewish radio programme, which was axed by BBC Radio Manchester after 20 years, is to resume broadcasting on Salford City Radio.The show’s team of volunteers say they will continue to provide a mix of local Jewish news, interviews and coverage of Israel on the community station which reaches most Jewish homes in the north of the city.

From next week it will air at 7pm on Mondays.

Canadian Jewish News to fold

Zoe Winograd — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:50:26 +0100

The Canadian Jewish News has announced it will cease publishing from June 20.

The independent newspaper has been in print for 42 years with a regular circulation of 40,000 copies a week.

The paper’s president, Donald Carr, wrote on the CJN website on Monday: “I never dreamed that I would be writing this. No nightmare of mine envisioned it. For some time, we have known of the ravages that printed newspapers and magazines have been experiencing across the world. The digital age, in which news and commentary are retrieved instantly on smart phones, on computers and on all kinds of new devices, has overtaken the printed word.”

According to Mr Carr, CJN struggled to secure advertising as a result of online competition, which led to the paper’s downfall. He wrote: “Newspapers depend for their existence on advertising. It is their lifeblood. Growing numbers of advertisers are no longer convinced that they will get responses to what they pay for in printed publications.”

The president also thanked CJN’s “committed staff” of 50 employees.

Bernie Bellan, publisher of the Jewish Post and News in Winnipeg wrote on the CJN website: “What a great loss it will be, not only to Torontonians, but Canadian Jews as a whole.”

It is unclear whether an online edition will continue.

The newspaper was an initiative of the late businessman and philanthropist Ray Wolfe in 1960. The company operated from Toronto and Montreal with correspondents around the world.

The Jewish Tribune, published by B'nai Brith Canada, will be the community's sole national Jewish publication.

Danny Cohen to be BBC's director of television

Jennifer Lipman — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:23:57 +0100

BBC executive Danny Cohen is to be the corporation's next director of television.

Mr Cohen, who is currently the controller of BBC One, has been asked to take on the role by director-general Lord Hall as part of a shake-up in senior management roles. Last week former editor of The Times, James Harding, was named director of news.

Mr Cohen, who is not yet 40, has enjoyed a speedy rise in his career, moving from head of youth channel E4 to the controller of BBC3 in 2007.

He switched channels to BBC One in 2010, and has since overseen a string of hits, including Call The Midwife, Ripper Street and The Voice.

His new position, which comes with a salary of £327,800, will see him take charge of the four main BBC channels, along with BBC Films and the BBC archive.

Mr Cohen, who grew up in Edgware, was educated at Rosh Pinah primary school, City of London and then Oxford University. He now lives in Primrose Hill with his wife, economist Noreena Hertz.

He said it was an honour to be appointed as director. "Our ambition is to be the finest broadcaster and producer in the world and our values will be based on talent, creativity, storytelling and innovation."

Lord Hall, recently installed as the BBC's director-general, described Mr Cohen as the "driving force behind an extremely successful period in BBC One's history".

He added: "Key to his success has been an ability to provide viewers with a mixture of high quality programmes they enjoy whilst also introducing them to new subjects they might not have considered before."

Mr Cohen's new role will give him a say in the development of the BBC's digital content, something he has said he sees as likely to become more important in the future.

Speaking to the JC in 2009, he said: "The big question is over how much is going to be on telly and how much on the internet. Will TV and the internet essentially become just one screen in the same box? I think that that is where we will get to. There will still be a schedule but I think on-demand services will become more important."

Recession? What recession? Billionaires getting richer

Jennifer Lipman — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:00:38 +0100

Britain’s Jewish billionaires, including Sir Philip Green and Sir Martin Sorrell, have seen their wealth rise this year despite continued economic gloom, according to the findings of the annual Sunday Times Rich List.

The list, now in its 25th year, profiles the 1,000 richest people in the country based on assets including land, property, art and shares. It will be published in full this weekend, with the least wealthy featured worth £75 million.

According to Ian Coxon, editor of the list, it will “reflect a very rosy picture of the wealthiest families and individuals in Britain”.

“The entry point is up £3 million on last year, and there is a record number billionaires in the new list,” he said.

Likely to be positioned high up is Chelsea Football Club owner, Roman Abramovich, whose £9,500 million fortune placed him third on the 2012 list and made him by far Britain’s wealthiest Jew.

Others who usually appear high up on the list include the Reuben brothers, placed eighth in 2012 for their £7,083 million fortune. Property entrepreneurs David and Simon Reuben, who are of Iraqi Jewish descent, have seen their wealth steadily increase since 2010, and have appeared in the top 10 for two consecutive years.

Certainly, purse-tightening has not found its way to those parts of the high street controlled by retailing entrepreneur Sir Philip and his wife, who were ranked 17th on the 2012 Rich List. Their fortune has risen by nearly £600 million in the past 12 months, following the £2 billion sale of a stake in Topshop and Topman.

In advertising, brothers Maurice and Charles Saatchi have enjoyed a £5 million rise in their worth, while WPP chief executive Sir Martin has had a bumper year, with his wealth increasing from £174 million to £210 million.

Bernard Lewis and his family, owners of the River Island fashion chain, saw no change in their fortunes, while sportswear entrepreneur Stephen Rubin is £100 million better off than he was last April.

Harding’s battle for balance

Alex Brummer — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:50:38 +0100

The re-emergence of James Harding, former editor of The Times, as the BBC's director of news, will be watched with interest in the Jewish community. He inherits a news culture that remains under siege and needs to re-establish the integrity that was badly damaged by the Jimmy Savile affair.

Given the scale of the task, it is hard to believe that the Middle-East will be top of the agenda. But he could go a long way towards demonstrating a new transparency by releasing the long-suppressed 2004 Balen report on coverage of Israel-Palestine.

As Times editor, Harding was fortunate enough to have, in proprietor Rupert Murdoch, a long-time supporter of Israel. At the BBC, he faces something very different. Even though coverage of the recent Pillar of Defence campaign in Gaza was more balanced - with quality air-time given to Israeli officials - sympathy with the Palestinian cause remains deeply embedded.

Much of the material on the BBC website relating to the Israel-Palestine issue is tendentious. The strained neutrality of the Beeb's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen is not helpful either.

At least the Jewish community will feel that, in Harding, they have a sympathetic ear. But it must also recognise that he will at times find himself conflicted between his own Jewish background and the BBC's pro-Palestinian tendencies.

We think BBC news is biased against Israel — but watch it anyway

Simon Rocker — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:40:38 +0100

Almost four out of every five Jews in the UK believe the BBC is biased against Israel in its news coverage, according to a report out this week.

While 36 per cent thought that the corporation was "heavily biased" against Israel, 43 per cent thought that it was "somewhat biased" - compared with a mere three per cent who felt that the BBC favoured Israel and 14 per cent that its coverage was "balanced".

The findings - released as the Jewish former Times editor James Harding was announced as the BBC's new director of current affairs and news - are based on an online poll of more than 4,000 respondents conducted three years ago by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research. The original analysis of the data, published in 2011, showed the strong attachment of British Jews to Israel.

The BBC remains by far the biggest source of broadcast news for British Jews with 88 per cent watching it - compared with 49 per cent for ITV and 44 per cent for Channel 4, according to the report, "Jews and the News", which was written by JPR senior research fellow David Graham.

Conservative supporters were "twice as likely" to see the BBC as heavily weighted against Israel as Labour supporters, he found.

Religious Jews also were "twice as likely" as secular Jews to regard the BBC as heavily biased.

The Times or Sunday Times were by far the most popular printed papers among Jewish readers, with 46 per cent saying they had read them in the week before the poll.

The now-free Evening Standard came next with 26 per cent, followed by the Daily Mail/Mail on Sunday with 24 per cent, The Guardian/Observer 22 per cent and the Daily Telegraph with 21 per cent.

But the survey also demonstrates the impact of the internet, with 40 per cent of 18-39-year-olds saying they had read a paper online compared with 30 per cent in print.

In the month before the poll, 34 per cent said they had looked at the JC's website for news about Israel.

Dr Graham said: "It is apparent that the BBC news coverage does not reflect the way most Jews see Israel." But as the survey was about attitudes to Israel, the results, he said, "may over-represent individuals with an interest in politics and international affairs".

The numbers

36% - The proportion of Jews who believe BBC news coverage is "heavily" biased against Israel, according to the report

14% - The number who say that the corporation reporting is "balanced"

88% - The percentage of Jews who say the BBC is their biggest source of broadcast news.

46% - The number who said they read The Times or Sunday Times, making them the most popular national newspapers

Press watchdog still considering Scarfe cartoon

Jennifer Lipman — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:27:14 +0100

The Press Complaints Commission is still considering what, if any, action it will take over Gerald Scarfe's cartoon about Israel, nearly three months after it appeared in the Sunday Times.

The watchdog has resolved three complaints about the publication of a drawing depicting the Israeli Prime Minister wielding a bloodied knife over a wall dripping with blood on Holocaust Memorial Day.

After the Sunday Times admitted error for the cartoon and printed an apology, three people withdrew their complaints.

But a PCC spokesman said others had confirmed that they did wish to pursue the matter, and their complaints are still under consideration.

In its February summary, the PCC also confirmed the resolution of a complaint over a Daily Mail story about Auschwitz, which incorrectly referred to the Nazi death camp as Polish. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an apology.

Strictly Kosher nominated for broadcasting award

Jennifer Lipman — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:23:14 +0100

A reality series that shed light on the lives of religious and secular Jews in Manchester has been nominated for a religious broadcasting award.

Strictly Kosher, which was broadcast on ITV last summer to mixed reviews, is in the running for a Sandford St Martin Trust TV award.

Director Chris Malone will find out if his programme has won on June 3 at a ceremony at Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Also nominated in the television category is the 4thoughttv series on antisemitism, which appeared on Channel Four last year. The series included short films featuring Jews and non-Jews discussing the subject, including Israel supporter Richard Millett, Auschwitz survivor Yisrael Abeles and Aharon Cohen of the extremist Jewish sect Neturei Karta.

In one of the clips, Birmingham teenager Eden Simones-Jones, who was physically attacked for being Jewish, commented: "If people say there is no problem with antisemitism, I think they should wake-up, open their eyes and really look about what's going out there."

A radio programme about Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner whose story, along with that of Jewish athlete Harold Abrahams, formed the basis for the film Chariots of Fire, is also nominated.

"The media play an incredibly important and challenging role in interpreting how the world is, and why it is this way," said The Rt Rev Nick Baines, who chairs the Sandford St Martin Trust. "They can increase understanding, tolerance and thoughtfulness in this increasingly busy world. Good religious broadcasting is crucial to this."

Former Times editor takes the role of BBC news director

Zoe Winograd — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:25:35 +0100

James Harding, former editor of the Times, has been confirmed as the new director of news and current affairs at BBC.

Mr Harding, who has previously expressed his views on the pressures of being a Jewish editor, is due to commence his new role in August.

The member of Belsize Square synagogue said in a statement: "The BBC's newsroom strives to be the best in the world, trusted for its accuracy, respected for its fairness and admired for the courage of its reporting. I am honoured to be a part of it."

BBC director general Tony Hall said: "James has a very impressive track record as a journalist, editor and manager. I believe he will give BBC News a renewed sense of purpose as it moves away from what has been an undeniably difficult chapter. As an organisation, the BBC will also benefit from his external perspective and experience which he will share as a member of the BBC's executive team."

When Mr Harding became editor of the Times in 2007 he was thought to be only the fifth Jewish editor of a national paper in recent times.

He will replace Helen Boaden, who is expected to become director of radio.