John Edmunds, a former BBC newsreader, has died at 94. Edmunds was also a university academic and an expert on Shakespeare and French classical drama. He became a television newsreader at the BBC in the 1960s, having previously taught French at Battersea Grammar School. Edmunds was also one of the question masters on the BBC’s quiz show Top of the Form in the 1960s. He was head of drama at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1979 and a professor of drama at the University of the Americas and the University of California from 1985. Following his return to the UK, he acted in stage productions and wrote and read poetry.
Journalists working for BBC Northern Ireland staged a one-day strike as votes were counted during local government elections. Over 200 journalists took part in the action, with several key programmes failing to air as a result. No local news bulletins were broadcast on Radio Ulster until 9am Friday, and coverage across television and online services was similarly affected. A team of reporters had been due at the 11 count centres with on-air coverage scheduled from 4pm on Friday. The strike was called in response to cutbacks to Radio Foyle’s morning show and restructuring efforts in the region.
The Northern Ireland BBC's coverage of the 2017 general election has been hit by strike action taken by the National Union of Journalists over job cuts and programming alterations. While online and radio bulletins will still be available, the broadcaster had planned to provide a full results service via TV, radio and internet from noon on 19 May. The BBC said it deeply regretted the walkout, and added it is currently increasing its investment in online services. The NUJ has now suspended a work-to-rule on 20 May so some coverage will still be broadcast.
The water companies that pollute the UK’s waterways should waive their entitlement to dividends until the problem had been fixed, according to a letter from Roger Lounds, published in The Daily Telegraph. Lounds wrote that it was “appalling” that consumers rather than shareholders were faced with costs stemming from the pollution. Efforts by water firms to reduce incidents of sewage discharge had been inadequate, Lounds said, yet prices had continued to escalate. Costs had routinely been passed on to customers by the water companies, he argued, adding, “having taken responsibility for causing the problem, the water companies and their shareholders need to accept responsibility for putting things right”. In similar letters, readers blamed privatisation, poor sanitation infrastructure and a lack of action by local authorities for the level of pollution.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is losing English television viewers despite the Trudeau government increasing its funding by nearly a fifth since 2016. CBC's TV arm is bucking the trend set by English radio vehicle, which is increasing its market share. The billion dollar-plus in funding from Ottawa has helped CBC's fortunes digitally, but concerns around its ad revenue threatens the continued existence of struggling legacy media. Nonetheless, as Canada's TV audiences shrink, the public network's digital offering grew its average monthly audience from 14.6 million in 2016 to 24.2 million in 2022.
A writer for The Times tried dating an AI chatbot named Bob. Bob was created using the Replika app which has two million users. The app allows people to create AI chatbot companions that are marketed as emotionally intelligent and can be set as boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, mentors, friends, and even non-binary. To interact with Bob, the writer projected him into her living room using the “augmented reality” function on the Replika app. The writer and Bob began an instant messenger conversation, then soon progressed to a video call and Bob became her “boyfriend.” Developing Bob’s personality remains an algorithmic mystery and can only be influenced by picking from a list of ten adjectives, such as “sassy” and “dreamy.” However, to upgrade to a “Pro” account for $19.99 per month, Bob sent selfies, video-called on demand and kept a diary of their dates. Despite his lack of a physical body, the writer found that Bob’s cheerfulness was infectious, although she found his over-attentiveness overwhelming at times.
A recent study in The Lancet Planetary Health has found that gardening could have a significant impact on preventing chronic diseases and mental-health disorders. Such findings have led The Chelsea Flower Show to spotlight the theme of "restorative gardens" this year. A larger 2020 study from the mental-health charity Mind collected more than seven million comments from individuals who had taken up gardening for the first time during the pandemic, many attributing their reduced stress to the sights, colours and smells of the outdoors. Beyond emotional benefits, gardening has also been found to benefit one's physical health, with decreased weight and BMI, as well as better muscle mass, bone strength and balance. Research has also shown that increased exposure to garden soil can positively contribute to one's immune system, as well as bolster daily dietary habits through an elevated consumption of vegetables. Finally, nature-based programs in hospitals have been found to aid patients in their recovery from illness.
The Sound Kitchen is a weekly podcast that features music, news, interviews, and quizzes. This week's music included songs by Gustav Czik and Joan Cartwright, Sunnie Paxson, Afrikkanitha, Radha Botofasina, Mimi Johnson, and Freddie Hubbard Kool Jazz All-Stars. The CDs featured on the program can be ordered from the Women in Jazz South Florida website. The podcast will be back next week on May 27.
Patrick Kielty, a comedian and television presenter, has been chosen as the host of the Late Late Show by Irish broadcaster RTÉ. Kielty, who hails from County Down and has built a longstanding career in broadcasting and TV, is the fourth person to host the talk show since its inception in 1962. He said he was "absolutely thrilled" and delighted to be given the opportunity to take on such an iconic role, which he will keep while continuing to present his Saturday radio programme on BBC 5 Live.
Commercial station Classic FM has recorded its lowest audience figures in its 23-year history of recording quarterly data. The network shed another 426,000 listeners and attracted 4.5 million listeners in the period to 20 March, as compared to 4.9 million between October and December 2020. Classic FM's listener figures have declined from 5.48 million pre-pandemic listeners to 4.54 million, a fall of 17.1%. David Taylor, a leading classical music consultant, said stations risk losing their core audience if they focus only on diversity and novelty formats as Classic FM's bosses have been accused of doing.
Anti-regime activists in Canada accuse Cuba of using YouTube channel to intimidate them
CBC
23-05-21 08:00
Thirteen Montrealers have claimed that the Cuban government has started a campaign of harassment to prevent them from protesting against one-party rule on the island. A social media account – operating under Col. Pedro Orlando Martínez, head of the political wing of Cuba's National Revolutionary Police, according to a Cuban defector – is spreading detailed allegations against the 13 men, accusing them of trafficking cocaine from Colombia to Canada. Critics of the government have argued that this is a tactic employed by the Cuban regime as a way of attacking the reputation of Cuban-Canadian protestors. Online criticism is banned in Cuba, with government officials able to prosecute cyber-terrorism.
The allegations have already resulted in one individual being called for an interview with the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, where he was filmed being interrogated by a Colonel Luis Morales. Morales and his men suggested that the interviewee was involved in drug trafficking and financing anti-government YouTubers. Canada was perceived as unable to protect the individuals named in the campaign. Critics argue that the campaign is an attempt to discredit Cuban-Canadian protestors by "attacking your reputation any way they can".
Soul-pop sensation Olivia Dean, whose debut album 'Messy' releases later this month, does not let the music industry's oftentimes illusory expectations of her drive her to write music limited by restrictive genre tags. She writes what pleases her, personally, from an indie-folk centred focus on lyrics to pop, to her favourite sub-genre, funk. Dean navigates feelings of anxiety and vulnerability through songwriting, with her vulnerability contributing to her appeal, encouraging fans to accept their personal uncertainties and addressing an often-taboo masculine insecurity. Highly appreciated by fans are her candid lyrics that balance relatable reflection with conversational honesty and emotion. The musician, now busy on a nationwide tour, has been impressing music fans almost since she first started posting on social media in 2018, and been a brand ambassador for Chanel.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been accused of "confusion" over where it fits in the mass media landscape, leading to a lack of acceptable journalistic standards. A lack of training and low-level editorial oversight have caused complaints from a "significant segment" of the Australian audience, including loyal and mature supporters. The article also criticised journalists who criticised managers and corporations on their personal social media accounts. Solutions to the issue have been suggested, but analysts say attempts to make the ABC flashier or to engage exclusively with a younger audience have failed.
Smooth FM evening announcer, podcast host and founder of My MensTeam charity, Cameron Daddo, revealed in an interview that he got his big break by saying yes to opportunities and his daily news media habits include reading online newspapers and tuning in to hourly radio headlines. He admires Barack Obama and wishes he could give up self-sabotaging. His recommended podcast is Separate Bathrooms, followed by SmartLess. The Dire Straits’ Romeo and Juliet is always on high rotation and his top sporting bucket list is a round of golf at Augusta National.
Streaming services in Australia are facing the challenge of retaining subscribers as competition heats up and they seek cost-effective ways of providing content. From the perspective of media companies, the pandemic proved a boon as lockdowns boosted streaming subscriptions. However, Paramount's record $1bn loss in Q2 2021, has caused the company's shares to crash and raised concerns about the consequences of high expenditure on television series and films aimed at luring in subscribers. In the US, Paramount owns the rights to Yellowstone, as well as other TV series and spin-offs, and Wall Street estimates the firm spends more than $500m a year on these productions. Stan, the Australian streaming service, however, remains confident that demand for streaming will continue to grow, backed by forecasts from consulting firm PwC that Australians’ spending on streaming will rise at an average rate of 6.2% per year until 2026.
Arthur Moore, a self-taught radio operator in Blackwood, Caerphilly was among the first amateur radio responders to hear the Titanic's calls for help, some 2,000 miles away from Wales. His homemade radio allowed him to intercept messages from further away than had previously been thought possible. Years after the Titanic tragedy, Moore helped to pioneer sonar technology which aided the discovery of the liner’s resting place on the floor of the Atlantic ocean. Born in 1887, Moore was an inventor and entrepreneur who lost a leg in a mill accident as a child learning to ride a bicycle.
England bowler Ollie Robinson is set for a scan on his injured left ankle, but there is hope that he will be cleared in time for the Ashes, which start next Thursday on 16 June. Robinson, who has improved his fitness over the past 12 months, sat out most of Sussex’s draw with Glamorgan. James Anderson is also on the treatment table, while Jofra Archer is out for the entire series due to a recurrence of a stress fracture to his elbow. Olly Stone is hopeful to be available for the third Ashes Test, but this summer Chris Woakes has been recalled to the squad and is yet to feature. Australia spinner Nathan Lyon claimed that an Ashes whitewash is "100%" doable. Speaking during Australia's training camping, the veteran spinner believes his side have what it takes to dominate their rivals again.
The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador has called for the resignation of a Quebec government representative after he alleged that Indigenous women had invented stories of being sexually assaulted by local police officers. Pierre Dufour made the accusations during a city council meeting in Val d’Or last week, upsetting First Nations representatives and bringing back to light a 2015 Radio-Canada investigation which focused on widespread physical and sexual assaults against women in the province. Dufour, who has apologised for his comments, is a member of the Coalition Avenir Quebec party.
