Michael Savage
@michaelsavage.bsky.social
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
As media battles for workable biz models, the New York Times prints money. NYT made an adj profit of $155m in THREE MONTHS, adding 280,000 digital subs. Success with bundling puzzles/food/news. Can't help feel it's gained a kind of special status. Interested in what people think is going on here.
NEW: Another sign of the rise of vertical video... Disney just announced a scheme to let TikTok creators use its characters (officially, at least). Darth Vader incoming. Shades of the ditched deal with Sora/OpenAI. There'll be no one to stop it this time... www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Darth Vader to become a TikTok star as Disney strikes deal on short video
Iconic characters and memorable scenes from back catalogue made available to group of creator fans
theguardian.com
NEW: In recent days, a series of striking warnings about climate change appeared in the Telegraph. It has some wondering whether new ownership means a new stance. But this has as much to do with the Tory Party as it does with the Tel. My analysis: www.theguardian.com/media/2026/a...
Right turn on green: is the Telegraph changing its tune on the climate?
Flurry of articles has raised eyebrows and prompted a response from Kemi Badenoch defending stance on net zero
theguardian.com
NEW: GB News has now spent a year as the leading news channel (though Ofcom treats its shows as "current affairs"). BARB data says it has been ahead of BBC News Channel and Sky News for 12 months in terms of average views. Still losing money, but gaining influence.
NEW: Radio presenter Tony Livesey leaves BBC after David Sullivan allegations Staff at 5 Live told he will not return following claims about his previous career at Sullivan’s Sport newspapers www.theguardian.com/media/2026/a...
Radio presenter Tony Livesey leaves BBC after David Sullivan allegations
Staff at 5 Live told he will not return following claims about his previous career at Sullivan’s Sport newspapers
theguardian.com
NEW: Tony Livesey OUT at the BBC... 5Live presenter exit comes after allegations were raised about his previous career as the editor-in-chief of David Sullivan’s Sport Newspapers. Story soon...
NEW: UK journalists are self-censoring stories about Trump and the right over safety fears Government-backed investigation finds risks are normalised in newsrooms. The abuse now means some journalists are changing what they write about… Grim findings: www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
UK journalists are self-censoring stories about Trump and the right over safety fears’
Government-backed investigation finds risks are normalised amid ‘a narrowing of the public conversation’
theguardian.com
Sure, ruin our best player, who struggled with it last time. Hasten his retirement. Hard to think sentient humans making these decisions.
BFI site appears to be down as people (like me) scramble to buy the last IMAX tickets for the Odyssey in London....
NEW: Lobbying firm secretly paying journalists for articles favourable to clients faces calls to reveal full details of the payments. Practice denounced as “attack on democracy”. MPs, senior lobbyists, transparency campaigners condemn tactics of CT Group www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Lobbying firm pressed for details about payments to journalists for favourable stories
MPs and others condemn behaviour of CT Group, which offered cash for positive coverage of clients
theguardian.com
An extraordinary story from @peteapps.bsky.social... Lobbying giant filmed offering reporter payment for flattering client coverage in national press www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Lobbying giant filmed offering reporter payment for flattering client coverage in national press
Exclusive: Guardian investigation of CT Group uncovers practice that appears to seek hidden influence over public opinion
theguardian.com
NEW: What happens when you have a model that relies on tech giants? It can go south very quickly... Reach, owner of Mirror/Express, saw a *40%* fall in its websites' audience. Google referrals fell *55%*. It managed to offset the impact, but extraordinary numbers.
NEW: After the unrest in Belfast last month, a GB News presenter said there was “no riot” and no burnt homes, despite reports and pictures. Despite 400+ complaints, Ofcom has opted not to investigate. Critics say its bar for accuracy now set far too low www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
GB News will not be investigated over ‘no riot in Belfast’ claim
Media regulator to take no action despite receiving 446 complaints about comments by Bev Turner
theguardian.com
For all the talk of studios, pundits etc, the BBC maintains almost exactly the same lead over ITV for the World Cup final. It had more than three times the ITV average audience. 2026: BBC: 9.7m ITV: 2.4m 2022: BBC: 9.2m ITV: 2.8m Data from @Digital_i_
NEW: A furious Farage clashed directly with Times editor. An expletive was delivered. Anger was over story about his house. But clash comes at fragile moment generally for Reform’s relations with rightwing media. Farage citing Leveson has caused anger. Story: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Farage’s furious clash with Times editor stuns figures close to him
‘Strong confrontation’ comes at fragile moment for Reform’s relations with rightwing media as coverage turns negative
theguardian.com
NEW: Meta trying to destroy whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, US senator says Josh Hawley accuses Mark Zuckerberg’s firm of relentlessly pursuing her. She gave evidence to his committee. Meta denies claims/says she's using legal process to sell books... Story: www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Meta trying to destroy whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, US senator says
Republican Josh Hawley accuses Mark Zuckerberg’s firm of relentlessly pursuing and attempting to bankrupt her
theguardian.com
NEW: Donald Trump’s administration planning to hand $12m to UK organisations founded by Jacob Rees-Mogg & Toby Young. This is US tax dollars going to funding UK orgs on the right - a Trump public fund to boost right politics in Europe. Important story: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Trump administration to grant $12m to groups founded by UK conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young
Exclusive: Controversial grants are part of package criticised as misuse of public money to influence European politics
theguardian.com
England football finishing the World Cup with Dan Burn up front 🤝 England cricket finishing the Ashes with two part time spinners #tactics
Wider implications - previously, if a reader could get the context of headline/pics from reading the whole article, then essentially publishers were fine. Judges here seem to question that - we skim headlines and pics without getting to the fifth paragraph. An interesting development in media law.
Michael Savage@michaelsavage.bsky.social · 3w agoNEW: In June 2023, the Daily Mail ran a piece headlined: “Labour repays £100,000 to sex pest donor” - accompanied by pics of Dale Vince. But Vince was not the donor the headline referred to. Vince sued and won at the Court of Appeal - damages incoming: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
NEW: In June 2023, the Daily Mail ran a piece headlined: “Labour repays £100,000 to sex pest donor” - accompanied by pics of Dale Vince. But Vince was not the donor the headline referred to. Vince sued and won at the Court of Appeal - damages incoming: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Dale Vince to get damages from Daily Mail publisher over misleading article
Court of appeal rules Labour donor suffered ‘obvious injustice’ over use of his photo with headline referring to different man
theguardian.com
Deschamps will get criticism, but Spain have restricted and then strangled this French team. Rodri doing Rodri things, subs all know the system. A wonderful performance. #FRAESP
💰 BBC top earners, 2025-26 (max salary): Scott Mills: £749,999 Greg James: £444,999 Stephen Nolan: £429,999 Laura Kuenssberg: £409,999 Vernon Kay: £409,999 Alan Shearer: £394,999 Justin Webb: £379,999 Naga Munchetty: £364,999 Fiona Bruce: £349,999 Sophie Raworth: £344,999
This is now the reality of the new media world really biting - all the long talk of the licence fee being outdated is a here and now question. So what to do? Expanding fee to streaming being pushed, but expect a backlash from streamers and their subs payers... 1/2
Michael Savage@michaelsavage.bsky.social · 3w agoNEW: BBC licence fee non-payment accelerating faster than expected - fall of *more than 500k* licence fee payers in last year, bigger than internal projections. Streamers/YouTube hitting hard - big push now to include streaming in when licence is needed www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
NEW: BBC licence fee non-payment accelerating faster than expected - fall of *more than 500k* licence fee payers in last year, bigger than internal projections. Streamers/YouTube hitting hard - big push now to include streaming in when licence is needed www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
BBC faces ‘real jeopardy’ as licence fee payments fall faster than expected
Director general, Matt Brittin, says funding model ties corporation to the past as number of licences falls by 539,000
theguardian.com
NEW: Licence fee could well be added to Netflix & other streaming subs - Lisa Nandy raises it repeatedly, while ruling out other options (no new household tax for the BBC). Says decline in licence fee payment is "existential threat". 94% use BBC - fewer than 80% households pay.
Throughout the World Cup, I've had a problem. House renovations mean I have no TV aerial plug. So watching via wifi. Heat means windows always open. So I hear cheers/groans about a minute before I see anything..! Good FT piece on why: www.ft.com/content/7f2f...
The fastest way to find out the World Cup score? Old-fashioned radio
BBC and ITV are exploring tech advances to cut down lags that have frustrated viewers of sporting events
ft.com
Fair play to Tuchel. He screwed up his changes, but was on it enough to fix it. But we got lucky.
NEW: John Humphrys criticises successors on ‘irritating’ Today programme Ex-presenter of BBC Radio 4 show complains of ‘gratuitous gratitude’ and ‘gushing’ between host and guest. Am sure the current team will thank John for his feedback: www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
John Humphrys criticises successors on ‘irritating’ Today programme
Former presenter of BBC Radio 4 show complains in Guardian of ‘gratuitous gratitude’ and ‘gushing’ between host and guest
theguardian.com
