Hamish Mackay

1.
A new UK Government survey is asking journalists to share their experiences of threats and abuse. The research has been commissioned by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as part of the national action plan for the safety of journalists which was launched last year.

The survey aims to capture information that will feed into ongoing work to improve the safety of journalists by shaping informed and targeted measures implemented by bodies including the police, employers and government. The Society of Editors (SoE) and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have also been involved in the launch of the survey.

The DCMS explains: ‘This survey is to capture information needed to improve protection for UK-based journalists against online abuse and physical threats or danger. Threats to or abuse of journalists can be distressing – or worse – and it is essential we capture a full picture of what is happening; who it is happening to; and why it might be happening, so that it can be effectively addressed.

‘We need to understand the full range of experience – so we are asking journalists who have and those who have not encountered abuse or threats to fill out this questionnaire. We also need to capture what support journalists understand is available to them.’

The survey can be found here.

2.
Scottish-born broadcaster Eddie Mair is leaving London-based radio station LBC in August, apparently because his Monday to Thursday Drivetime show was cut to just two hours instead of three to make way for the new Tonight With Andrew Marr programme. However, Eddie has revealed he has been planning retirement for some time now.

The Scottish Daily Mail reported one of Mair’s friends as claiming: ‘He didn’t like it at all when an hour of his show was sliced off to make way for Andrew Marr, who was suddenly the big new star from the BBC’.

This is perhaps not the first time Dundee-born Mair, 56, has quit a top job on a matter of principle. He moved from the BBC to LBC in 2018 after more than 30 years at the corporation, following a refusal to take a drastic cut to his £350,000 salary. He was thought to be the only top-earning male presenter who refused to take a pay cut to help tackle a BBC’s equal pay cash crisis at that time.

Tom Cheal, managing editor of LBC, hailed Mair as ‘one of the finest broadcasters of our time’ and thanked the presenter for being ‘an integral part of LBC’s success’. Cheal added: ‘During his four years presenting Drivetime, Eddie has built an incredibly powerful connection with our audience – blending razor-sharp journalism with his trademark wit and warmth’. LBC is Global’s commercial news and talk radio station.

Mair commented: ‘My only regret about LBC is not joining sooner. I’m having a ball and all things being equal would probably carry on forever. They love radio at Global and support it. But the one thing I don’t have on my side is time. Like many others, during COVID-19 I had a rethink about life and in the summer of 2020 told my bosses and close friends and colleagues about my plans to leave. I have been at this for 40 years and I want to have a little time for me before I croak’.

Mair began his career at Radio Tay where he hosted the breakfast show, weekly phone-ins and news programmes. He joined the BBC in 1987 as a sub-editor for Radio Scotland and later joined BBC Radio Five Live after its launch in 1994 – presenting the Midday with Mair news show before moving to BBC Radio 4’s PM programme which he presented for 20 years.

Mair still has his admirers from his BBC days. Scottish Daily Mail columnist Emma Cowing told us: ‘I used to love Mair’s style on BBC Radio 4’s PM. His gentle questioning, dry wit and genuine ability to tell difficult stories with clarity and respect made him one of the finest voices on radio and, to be honest, when he left the increasingly left-leaning BBC Radio 4 in 2018, so did I. He will be missed’.

Reflecting on not getting the opportunity to succeed Jeremy Paxman on BBC 2’s Newsnight, Mair recalls being told his television manner resembled ‘someone who’s having an AK47 pointed at him by the camera operator’. He was also told sweetly: ‘You have a face for radio’.

Glasgow-born Andrew Marr defected to LBC from the BBC in February, declaring: ‘I am keen to get my own voice back’. Other leading BBC journalists following Marr to LBC include Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis and former North America editor Jon Sopel.

3.
STV’s highest viewing share since the financial crash helped propel the company to its highest-ever advertising revenues and the company expects further growth this year.

Scottish business news website, Daily Business, reports: ‘The Glasgow-based broadcaster said total revenue came in at £144.5m – up 35% on 2020 and 17% on 2019, reflecting continued momentum in STV Studios and a resurgent advertising market. It posted profit before tax of £20.1m against £6.7m in 2020 and £18.4m in 2019. Adjusted operating profit was £25.2m – 39% up on 2020 and 12% on 2019’.

Simon Pitts, chief executive, said: ‘2021 was an exceptional year of growth for STV which saw us deliver the highest revenue; operating profit; and lowest net debt on record. We continue to support our people, partners and communities as we emerge from the pandemic with momentum and confidence.

‘We are taking full advantage of the growth in video viewing, with STV recording its highest viewing share since 2008 and our streaming service STV Player growing streams by 63% – thanks to huge audiences for new dramas and Euro 2020.

‘This viewing success propelled us to our highest-ever advertising revenues, plus 24% on 2020 and 11% ahead of 2019, with growth continuing into 2022.

‘Our strategy of creating a more diversified media business through a relentless focus on digital streaming and production growth is delivering, with these new areas now making up 36% of our total profit.’

Pitts said they had added 1,000 hours of drama boxsets to STV Player and grew active users by 54%, with over 20% of VOD streams now coming from outside Scotland.

He added: ‘STV Studios enjoyed its best-ever creative and financial performance in 2021, winning 16 new programme commissions across the genres, with plenty more to come as we aim to become the UK’s leading nations and regions producer’.

Meantime, I hear they are splashing the cash at ITV with chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall handed bonuses of £2.4m on top of her fixed pay of £1.1m which included a basic salary of £943,000. Former Easyjet boss McCall, 60, will this year enjoy a bumped-up salary of nearly £972,000 following a 3% pay rise. She has been paid £11.5m in the four years since being appointed ITV’s chief executive.

4.
Newspaper publishing group Archant has been sold to fellow publisher Newsquest in a deal understood to be worth £10m, which will create the UK’s second largest regional publishing group.

Newsquest, which in Scotland owns The Herald, Evening Times and The National titles, as well as a number of Scottish weekly newspapers, has bought Archant from the private equity firm Rcapital, which has owned it since September 2020.

Norwich-headquartered Archant has 760 staff and publishes the Eastern Daily Press, the East Anglia Daily Times, Norwich Evening News and Ipswich Star along with a number of County Life magazines.

The aquisition of the four East Anglian daily titles adds to Newsquest’s powerful presence across most regions of the UK. It already operates national news brands in Scotland and Wales and also has English daily titles in the North East, North West, Yorkshire, the West Midlands and the South.

5.
A number of newspaper offices across the UK have come to resemble aid depots as journalists rally to help Ukrainian refugees. For example, English regional titles, including the Driffield and Wolds Weekly and the Bishop’s Stortford Independent, have pitched in to help folk fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

More than 500 readers turned up to donate goods at the Wolds Weekly’s office within five days of an appeal’s launch, while the front reception area and empty rooms upstairs at the Independent’s HQ were transformed to hold donations awaiting transport across Europe.

The Wolds Weekly’s editor and owner, Andy Stabler, told Scottish Review: ‘I just felt we had to do something after seeing the harrowing footage on TV news bulletins. It shows the value of having an office in the town centre. It has allowed us to become a focal point of the community. We knew the people of Driffield and the Wolds would be incredibly generous with their response… but none of us expected this level of support’.

The Independent’s editor Paul Winspear said: ‘The response has been phenomenal – in my 39 years in journalism I’ve never known an appeal’s cause connect with people to such an extent. Our depot has become something of a refuge and small comfort for one particularly fearful and anxious Ukrainian woman living in Stortford with family in her homeland. She has made connections and even new friends through it’.

6.
BBC News’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg will take over the BBC1 Sunday morning TV politics slot in September – replacing Andrew Marr who has moved to radio station LBC.

Scottish-born Laura, who is stepping down from her current role after the May local elections, said: ‘I couldn’t be more delighted. For decades, Sunday morning has been the moment to explore the events that shape us and to challenge and listen to our politicians. It’s an honour to take the chair for that conversation in the 2020s’.

The programme’s interim presenter Sophie Raworth will continue in the role until parliament breaks for its summer recess.