Michael Savage
@michaelsavage
Media Editor for @theguardian.com. Likes ≠ endorsements, obv. Story? 👇👇👇 Michael.savage@theguardian.com Need a secure way to contact me? Signal username: word_builder.20
NEW: The legendary Tina Brown confirms Meghan Markle "has a job", landing an acting role... tinabrown.substack.com/p/meghan-has...
Am sure you could have a whole AI culture war about Husk’s videos, but the thing is, they’re just very funny
Last week, the Telegraph published what could be a very significant editorial column about Restore Britain. "The Right’s task now must be to help build an integrated, patriotic, multi-racial country – not to preach the language of racial purity & pit Briton against Briton." One to watch.
Sure, ruin our best player, who struggled with it last time. Hasten his retirement. Hard to think sentient humans making these decisions.
Fair to say the Mail revelling in its court victory over Prince Harry and others. Just the 11 (and a bit) pages of coverage this morning…
The Mail’s declaratory front page after winning a case that could draw a line under new phone hacking-era claims. Prince Harry and other claimants have yet to say whether they will appeal. A huge day for the Mail and Paul Dacre.
That Paul Dacre statement on the Mail’s court victory. Quite something. I’m sure Hacked Off will have something to say about it. A lot of anger at the Mail after the win.
The story of social media’s problem with news, in two posts (these are from X)
For them, it goes against the whole creator economy idea... and again, who decides? David Wheeldon, from YouTube, Europe, gave a punchy statement... These are just proposals for consultation. Will ministers really want another battle with Big Tech?
I can’t believe they’re actually going to make it! Any other Crawlers out there? #DungeonCrawlerCarl
The endless World Cup studio war discourse has now gone political, with the Tory Party chair taking view that "licence fee payers deserve better". BBC also deemed to have "lost the World Cup" over the weekend. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the numbers.
It's been fascinating to watch the World Cup studio wars. Proof the BBC can't win (US studio = waste, staying in Salford = "disappointing"). But the beeb has been out there explaining the decision - the right move. Key fact still to come - will any of it impact viewing figs?
The end of the FT's review of the BBC's Brexit: A Very British Civil War pretty much sums up politics since 2015.
Dungeon Crawler Carl makes it to The Economist - well, there is a lot of politics. Cc. @mattdinniman.bsky.social
NEW: Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor, raises concerns about David Ellison’s CNN takeover. “I’m concerned based on what’s happened to the other things that he’s taken over already, like CBS News - hemorrhaging viewers, probably hemorrhaging money”: Full quotes:
A classic of the politician oped, in which Rishi Sunak states the obvious and then recommends the BBC does what it’s already doing. Bizarre. The real question is why does Sunak keep writing about the BBC?
According to LinkedIn, Matt Brittin tried to save the newspaper industry in 2006, but gave up in 2007. Should I be worried?
Guardian overtakes Times to be most-read newspaper brand among MPs, according to survey of MPs. But social media becomes their primary news source. Politico's London Playbook is their newsletter of choice. Survey by MessageSpace.
Head of product at X promises an "Iron Slopdome", taking away the financial incentive to post AI slop. Fascinating development. Will it work?
Press pics of an older man in a doorway give a misleading account of modern homelessness. So a good project by Centre for Homelessness Impact, providing pics of real people suffering from the housing crisis. Families, young people, temporary accommodation issues a major part:
Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner: "Axel Springer was founded in 1946 under a British press licence. He built his company inspired by the tradition of Fleet Street. The Telegraph was his North Star." Full statement:
Not saying YouTube is dominating culture, but it’s only been around 20 years and it’s already in a museum… I went to have a look. Features the first YouTube video I ever saw! (It’s still awesome)
NEW: Cathy Newman joining Sky News. Here We Go! She'll front Sky News’ 7 o’clock flagship daily politics slot, present a new podcast and work on investigations/docs. Sky leaning into brand-making journalists model...
Gregg Wallace has said he was "stupid, defensive, and arrogant" for making the “middle-class women of a certain age" comment. He's written a - yes - Substack post about his behaviour. Admits to sexual comments, but says no worse than other shows... blames a change in "culture".
Something triggered deep in my bones when I heard about the end of Trans World Sport. I'm sure like many others, for years I caught up with everything from jai alai to Greco-Roman wrestling - usually while waiting for cartoons to start. RIP!