Latest news with #NewsUK
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
News UK Expands Original IP Ambitions With 14 Projects In Development Based On Its Archive
EXCLUSIVE: Rupert Murdoch's News UK is co-developing more than a dozen licensed TV projects based on its original journalism. The Times, Sunday Times and The Sun owner launched a partnership last year to mine its vast archive for scripted projects that could work on U.S. stablemate Fox. Richard Halliwell, who runs film and TV IP development for News UK, said in recent months this has expanded well beyond Fox and beyond the scripted genre. More from Deadline 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming Josh Segarra Joins Fox's Medical Comedy 'Best Medicine' As Series Regular Abigail Spencer Joins Cast Of Fox Medical Comedy 'Best Medicine' News UK's first big project under Halliwell, Channel 4 documentary Poisoned: Killer in the Post, launches tonight, and the executive revealed that News UK licensing has a further 14 projects in various stages of development on a 'very deep slate,' around half of which are for Fox and half are with UK producers. 'We have a vast treasure trove of content [at News UK],' Halliwell told Deadline. 'There are a bunch of projects with writers and a bunch sat here with UK indies. Poisoned: Killer in the Post will be the first but not the last show with our masthead. We have a scale of ambition that we can service over the next three to five years.' When Halliwell joined News UK last year, he said a 'grown up conversation between us and the execs at Fox' found that the pair 'should formalize what we are doing more between businesses, using the well of IP coming out of this building and the massive studio operation in L.A.' But while Fox has something of a first-look deal in place on licensed News UK articles, the News UK team is now open to talking to all and sundry. 'We quickly realized that we don't need to limit to a single genre and the other obvious realization was that the content coming out this building is vast, so what happens when Fox doesn't want to take something forward?,' explained Halliwell. 'Poisoned: Killer in the Post was never going to find a scripted outlet at Fox but was perfect for Chanel 4. So the role is serving Fox but then recycling IP or finding homes for projects that aren't suitable for a U.S. studio.' Halliwell and the team were initially seeking a development exec to mine its newspaper portfolio for scripted TV projects, but this job has effectively been filled by Halliwell, a former TV distribution exec who ran DRG and Nent Studios out of the UK and is an EP on upcoming James Norton-starrer King and Conqueror. Halliwell pointed out that News UK already has three business units producing original shows ranging from podcasts to YouTube series, including a recent Madeleine McCann doc in partnership with ITN and Channel 4. Yet it is licensing that is 'opening a new door to working with production companies to develop original programming around our peerless archive of award-winning journalism.' 'We were attracting brilliantly talented programme makers [for the development exec role] who wanted to grow flowers but what we really needed was someone to plant seeds,' he explained. 'The breadth of experience I have allows me to see commercial opportunities and understand how producers work. We wanted to follow a licensing model, not a production model.' That being said, Poisoned: Killer in the Post, which launches tonight, is far more than a licensing deal, according to Halliwell. The series produced by David Abraham's Wonderhood Studios is hosted by The Times journalist James Beal, who wrote the original Times investigation and made a podcast on the subject. The doc spotlights the barely believable story of how a Canadian chef was accused of sending more than 1,000 packages of poison to suicidal young people across the globe, leading to hundreds of deaths worldwide. 'Not everything we do will be a massively commercial project but on this one we are not licensing a headline and walking away,' added Halliwell. 'We are not trying to be programme makers but want to earn our seat at the table in other ways. There are 400 journalists sat around me researching and digging into stories, a resource that no production company will have.' The move is reflective of how the TV industry has leaned heavily into IP over the past few years, according to Halliwell, who said this has now gone way beyond just adapting novels. 'It has become a much more important part of the commissioning process and perhaps we have focused too much on the book publishing market and not enough on the newspaper and journalism business,' he added. 'We have been licensing articles to producers who want to go and make a show but have never leaned into that process. I think we are just being more proactive now and one of the reasons I am doing the job rather than a programme maker is that I have this network I can reach out to.' More info about the 14 projects in development is coming in due course, Halliwell of Deadline The Story Behind Homer's 'The Odyssey': Illustrated Artworks Of The Legendary Tales Related To Gods, Monsters & Odysseus' Epic Return 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
The Guardian
26-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Ministers refuse to name companies that lobbied them over foreign ownership of UK newspapers
Ministers are refusing to name the media companies that lobbied them over laws restricting foreign state ownership of British newspapers, the Guardian can reveal. The government announced last month it was tripling the proportion of a British newspaper that could be owned by an overseas power to 15%. The change paves the way for the Telegraph to be bought by a consortium including an investment vehicle backed by the United Arab Emirates. However, ministers have taken the unusual step of ordering secrecy over the names of four media companies who responded to a consultation on the issue. A crossbench group of peers scrutinising the proposed law change said they had been told not to reveal the companies involved. The group, which includes Labour peers, said: 'We were asked by the department not to reveal the identity of the organisations which responded. We are concerned about the department's decision to treat information about the respondents to a public consultation confidentially. 'This is an unusual approach, especially as the published consultation document made clear that a summary of the key points raised would be published on the department's website, including 'a list of the organisations that responded'.' The Guardian understands that Rupert Murdoch's News UK was one of the companies to respond. Lord Rothermere's Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) group, which owns the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and the i Paper, has also reportedly given its view to ministers. It is not known what position either company took. News UK and DMGT declined to comment. The Guardian has already revealed that a UAE delegation met Downing Street officials weeks before the law change was announced. DMGT has links to the Gulf, where it has focused its events business. Lord Rothermere was also spotted among the high-profile media figures in Doha last month meeting the US president, Donald Trump, and the Qatari emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The law change, which is to be subjected to a House of Commons vote, is seen as part of Keir Starmer's drive to woo overseas investors as part of his search for UK economic growth. But there are concerns in parliament over easing of the state ownership law. Max Wilkinson, the Lib Dem spokesperson for culture, media and sport, said: 'It's unbelievable that ministers will not reveal who advised them. Many people will assume the worst: that vested interests have bent the will of the government on this vital issue. 'Our country has a proud history of free and independent journalism. It's a principle that lies at the heart of our democratic tradition. The willingness of our government to water that down is deeply concerning. The ministers involved must come clean. Meanwhile, me and my Lib Dem colleagues in parliament will work fearlessly to stand up for our free press and block this legislation from passing.' According to the government's summary of the arguments presented to it over the proposed law change, one unnamed company pushed for the threshold for state ownership to be raised to 25% of a newspaper. It pointed to national security laws that currently allow foreign states to own 25% of vital infrastructure, like nuclear power plants. Such pressure to relax the rules around state ownership is a sign of the increasing role in the media played by funds backed by Gulf states. While the UAE is poised for a share of the Telegraph, Saudi Arabia is already invested in television sports rights via the streamer Dazn. The law change effectively paves the way for the Telegraph to be acquired by US fund RedBird Capital, with a minority stake held by IMI, a UAE-controlled vehicle. The Guardian understands Lord Rothermere is still in talks over his own minority stake in the Telegraph Media Group, as part of RedBird's consortium. However, the takeover has still not taken place. A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: 'In deciding whether to reveal the names of individual consultation respondents we must balance the public interest of transparency with the needs of commercial confidentiality. 'Our approach in finalising the foreign state influence rules will safeguard our news media from foreign state control whilst recognising that news organisations must be able to raise vital funding.'
Bloomberg
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Farage's Reform UK Appoints Murdoch TV Station Anchor as Chair
Television presenter David Bull will become the new chairman of Nigel Farage's Reform UK, after his predecessor Zia Yusuf quit the party and then rejoined days later following a disagreement about whether burqas should be banned in Britain. Bull, a former medical doctor and long-time ally of Farage who previously served as Reform's deputy leader between 2021 and 2023, was unveiled as chairman by Yusuf in a press conference on Tuesday. He is a presenter on TalkTV, an online channel run by Rupert Murdoch's News UK.
Daily Record
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
BBC's Naga Munchetty diagnosed with adenomyosis following panicked 999 call
The BBC Breakfast presenter's husband had to make a panicked call to 999, saying 'she can't move' in 2022. BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty was left in extreme pain when a night at the theatre ended in her being unable to move. Her husband, News UK's James Haggar, was unable to drive her to hospital as he'd been drinking, forcing him to make a panicked call to 999. Naga revealed that her husband had pleaded with emergency operators, saying: "She cannot move." A gynaecologist subsequently diagnosed the presenter with adenomyosis after the incident in 2022, a condition affecting the uterus lining and causing it to grow into the muscle of the womb's wall. The NHS states that although some sufferers have no symptoms, others experience debilitating pelvic pain and very heavy menstrual bleeding. The star had been struggling with chronic pain since the age of 15. However, it wasn't until she was 47, and this incident took place, that she was diagnosed. Naga told Saga: "I'm very lucky because you have to pick your moments with partners to tell them about everything you go through - you don't want to do it on the first date or the first time you sleep together. "Many of the women I speak to have wonderful husbands, but they'd had to learn as adults about what their partners were going through, because we're not taught any of it in school." Naga also shared that she underwent surgical sterilisation when she was in her mid-forties, as she and her husband made an early decision not to have children, reported The Express. The BBC Breakfast star confessed they "liked the life" they led and her mother eventually understood her choice. The NHS explains that adenomyosis, where the lining of the womb (uterus) starts growing into the muscle in its wall, is more commonly diagnosed in women over the age of 30, and can affect anyone who has periods. Symptoms of adenomyosis The NHS explains that some symptoms of adenomyosis affect your periods, such as: painful periods heavy bleeding during your period Other symptoms can happen any time in your menstrual cycle, such as: pelvic pain (pain in the lower part of your tummy) bloating, heaviness or fullness in your tummy (abdomen) pain during sex Some people with adenomyosis have no symptoms. The NHS website also explains the difference between adenomyosis and endometriosis. While adenomyosis involves the lining of the womb growing into the muscle in the wall of the uterus, endometriosis is a different condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes. Treatments for the condition include: the IUS (intrauterine system, also called Mirena or hormonal coil), which thins the womb lining, making your periods lighter and less painful other types of hormonal contraception if you cannot or do not want to have an IUS, such as the progestogen-only pill, the combined pill or the contraceptive patch medicines such as tranexamic acid or NSAIDs If these treatments do not work, you may need surgery, explains the NHS. This could be a hysterectomy, or surgery to remove the lining of your womb (endometrial ablation). Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Piers Morgan warns rise of YouTube is a ‘wake-up moment' for traditional media
The media world is undergoing a 'sea change' in which some traditional titles disappear, Piers Morgan has predicted, as he said some YouTube channels would soon have as much power as traditional network television. The presenter and former newspaper editor, who is holding funding talks to expand his YouTube business, predicted more established media figures would soon follow him to the increasingly influential streaming service as audience habits continue to shift. 'It'll be like when vinyl music moves to digital,' he said. 'People thought it would take a long time. Actually, it was like that. 'Certain newspapers just won't exist in the UK. Which newspapers will still have a print edition in 10 years' time? Look at what young people do. I don't see anyone under 45 buying a print newspaper. So there's a ticking clock. If people don't listen to that ticking clock beating loudly in their ears, they're going to get a very nasty surprise. This is the wake-up moment.' Morgan now owns the rights to his YouTube channel, Piers Morgan Uncensored, which he secured from Rupert Murdoch's empire after the expiry of a News UK deal that paid him a reported £50m over three years. After just turning 60, he admits the transition has been a 'learning curve', but he is now an evangelist for YouTube and its combination of flexibility and low costs. He said his decision to go 'full fledged' into the streaming service was driven by his four children. 'All of them watch YouTube,' he said. 'None of them watch actual television, other than for live sport. Until a year ago, I was trudging into an old-fashioned, structured, 8pm live news show, when in fact there was no need to do that. It was a very expensive way of disseminating something I can do to a global audience, a lot cheaper – but also much faster and much longer.' While Morgan is a figure who divides opinion, his move into YouTube is part of a wider trend that has seen media figures – particularly on the US political right – forge channels with millions of subscribers. Morgan is aiming to replicate the success of The Daily Wire, a US conservative media company co-founded by the rightwing political commentator Ben Shapiro. Its roster includes the Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson. YouTube is becoming hugely influential right across the media, with broadcasters such as ITV and Channel 4 now placing some content on it. Podcasters also increasingly stream their shows there. It has led to significant financial muscle. In the first three months of 2025 alone, YouTube's advertising revenue was $8.9bn (£6.64bn), an increase on the previous year of more than 10%. Meanwhile, revenue at Channel 4 for the whole of 2023 was about £1bn, the latest year available. Morgan pointed to the US election last year. YouTube said more than 45 million people in the US watched election-related content on polling day. Meanwhile, an average of 42.3 million viewers watched across 18 cable and broadcast networks that evening. While the figures are not directly comparable, Morgan said: 'If that doesn't tell you where the eyeballs are going, I don't know what will.' He said some 'big, big names' in journalism have been in touch to ask if they could make the switch. 'I also think that legacy media companies have to look at people like me and others and think, why are they going off on their own and into this world,' he said. 'A lot more people will do what I'm doing. I'm getting a lot of very interesting calls from journalists.' Morgan is now drawing up plans to attempt something similar to Gary Lineker's Goalhanger Productions, which has created a series of successful podcasts in the UK. Morgan wants to create channels under the Uncensored brand covering genres like true crime, history and sport. However, he is aiming squarely and apologetically at the US and a global audience, not Britain – whose audience he describes as 'pretty well irrelevant' to his plans. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'You've seen what Gary Lineker has done, he's a good friend of mine, with Goalhanger in the UK, but he would be the first to tell you that the most successful [podcast for Goalhanger] in terms of revenue is The Rest is History, because it's big in America,' he said. 'It's not the football one with him on it. It's the history one. Those guys go over to America and do big live shows, and it's huge over there. 'I hardly ever cover UK news. We didn't even touch the last election, because my whole prism is through the lens of: 'Will an American want to watch this? Will somebody in the Middle East want to watch this? Will someone in Australia want to watch this?.'' Morgan said his expansion plans were in part to lower the reliance on him personally and build something that could stand on its own – a much harder task than building a following around an established figure. He said it was 'early days', but was being bullish with potential investors as the business was already profitable. 'I don't need the money,' he said. 'We've got nearly 4 million subscribers … My question to investors is not so much, 'Give me your money.' It's 'Why should I take your money and what are you going to bring to the party?''
