Media & Communication: Research Guide

For nearly 50 years, he was ubiquitous on British television — first as a reporter and then as an imperturbable presenter on Independent Television’s “News at Ten.”

The real-life inspiration for the famous toxic bachelor on “Sex and the City” left the Big Apple for the Green Mountain state.

She oversaw fashion coverage beginning in 1957, when hemlines made headlines. She later made groundbreaking ads for Henri Bendel with her photographer husband, Gösta Peterson.

Top party officials consider the president’s sweeping domestic policy bill to be cruel and fiscally ruinous — and they’re betting the American public will, too.

Ben de Pear hits out at ‘PR person’ Tim Davie and claims corporation attempted to use legal gagging clausesThe producer of a film about medics in Gaza that was dropped by the BBC has accused the corporation of trying to gag him and others over its decision not to show the documentary.Gaza: Doctors under Attack, which was finally broadcast on Channel 4 on Wednesday night, recounts how hospitals in the territory have been overwhelmed, bombed and raided. Medics recount being detained and claim to have been tortured. It had originally been due to run on the BBC. Continue reading...

Far-right activist allegedly told journalists: ‘I’m coming to get you’ and ‘I’ll be knocking at your door’The far-right activist known as Tommy Robinson has denied harassing two journalists by allegedly telling them: “I’m coming to get you” and “I’ll be knocking at your door”.Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, appeared at Southwark crown court where he denied two offences of harassment causing fear of violence. Continue reading...

Broadcaster admits making mistakes before and during punk duo’s show in which they chanted ‘death to the IDF’The BBC has said it was wrong to believe the punk duo Bob Vylan were “suitable for live streaming with appropriate mitigations” for their performance at Glastonbury festival, despite ranking them as “high risk” before the event.In a statement signalling there would be repercussions for those blamed for the failure, the corporation said any musical performances deemed to be high risk would now not be broadcast live or streamed live. Continue reading...

Wildlife photographer involved in making Flight of the Snow Geese and other films for ITV’s Survival seriesJen Bartlett, who has died aged 93, was part of a husband-and-wife team that brought groundbreaking natural history films to television audiences around the world, including to ITV as part of its long-running Survival series. Des Bartlett did most of the cinematography, and Jen was the stills photographer. Five of her photos were selected by National Geographic magazine for their top 100 wildlife images of the 20th century.Their first Survival films were shot in North America and helped establish stand-alone wildlife documentaries as components of peak-time television schedules on bot..

The actor, best known for his collaborations with Quentin Tarantino, was found unresponsive in Los AngelesMichael Madsen – a life in picturesPeter Bradshaw’s appreciationThe actor Michael Madsen has died aged 67 at his home in Malibu, according to authorities and his representatives. No foul play is suspected, the sheriff’s department confirmed, after deputies responded to the Los Angeles county home following a call to the emergency services on Thursday morning.He was pronounced dead at 8.25am. In an email, Madsen’s manager, Ron Smith, confirmed his client had died from cardiac arrest. Continue reading...

American hellfire Pentecostal preacher brought down by sex scandals who tearfully begged for forgiveness on TVThe American televangelist hellfire preacher Jimmy Swaggart, who has died aged 90, fell by the wayside not once but twice with sex workers, spectacularly ending his previously successful TV ministry that screened in 140 countries and was reputed to bring in $150m a year in merchandising sales.On the first occasion, when he was filmed with a woman at a motel near his church in the suburbs of New Orleans in 1988, he prayed for forgiveness in a tearful TV address. On the second occasion three years later in California when he was caught with a woman in his car, he just told his congrega..

The ‘obscene’ movies once banned in the UK are now mostly freely available. Are these tales of cannibals and the undead antiquated schlock or genuinely repellent?Later this month, the cult film service Arrow will do something that would once have plunged the UK into screaming fits of utter chaos. That’s right, it’s going to stream Zombie Flesh Eaters.The film comes with a tremendously confusing backstory. In Italy, George A Romero’s Dawn of the Dead was recut by Dario Argento and retitled Zombi. Zombi, no relation to Bambi, was such a success that a sequel was commissioned, using the script of an unmade movie entitled Nightmare Island. This film became Zombi 2. In the UK, Zombi 2 w..

The Reservoir Dogs and Donnie Brasco actor had a rare, sometimes scary power, as well as a winning self-awareness and levityMichael Madsen, star of Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill and Donnie Brasco, dies aged 67Michael Madsen– a life in picturesUntil 1992, when people heard Stuck in the Middle With You by Stealers Wheel on the radio, they might smile and nod and sing along to its catchy soft-rock tune and goofy Dylan-esque lyrics. But after 1992, with the release of Quentin Tarantino’s sensationally tense and violent crime movie Reservoir Dogs, the feelgood mood around that song forever darkened. That was down to an unforgettably scary performance by Michael Madsen, who has died at the age of ..

Regulators suspect some social media accounts have broken the law by giving unlicensed financial advice. Here’s how to avoid them.

There’s been plenty of futile talk of ceasefires before in the Gaza conflict.

After an astonishing concession to a sitting president, the country’s most popular television news program faces the prospect of new ownership and a chilled environment for the First Amendment.

Journalists face an increasing number of attacks from Argentina’s highest office, raising concerns about the undermining of press freedom.

With the sale of Kotaku, a video game site, to the European publisher Keleops, all but one website remains at G/O Media, which is shutting down.

President Trump had sued over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. The company needs federal approval for a multibillion-dollar sale.

British No 7 says some abuse appears to be from gamblers who have lost money as she calls on companies to ban trollsThe tennis player Jodie Burrage has said she has had to stop herself looking at her phone due to online abuse after her first-round Wimbledon exit.The British No 7 urged gambling companies and social media companies to do more to tackle online trolls, who she says often attack her appearance. Continue reading...

Tim Davie tells staff that comments during Glastonbury show streamed live by BBC were ‘deeply offensive and totally unacceptable’The BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, has offered to meet Jewish staff to discuss their concerns after telling them he was appalled by “deeply offensive” comments made during Bob Vylan’s performance at Glastonbury festival.In the first comments from Davie since the BBC said it regretted not pulling the live stream of the punk duo’s set, he said it must have been “challenging the last few days” for Jewish colleagues at the corporation. Continue reading...

Paramount agreed to pay $16m to Trump’s future library or other cause, but not to him, but made no apologyDonald Trump has reached a $16m settlement with Paramount, the parent of CBS News, over what he claimed was false editing of a pre-election interview with the Democratic candidate for president, Kamala Harris, in what is likely to be seen as a further example of capitulation by media companies hoping to smooth the waters with Trump.Trump had filed a $10bn lawsuit against the company in October, one of a string of legal actions against US media conglomerates over what the US president maintains was biased, incorrect or “fake” news reporting. Continue reading...

The craven failure to broadcast Gaza: Doctors Under Attack is just the latest example of skewed journalistic values over Israel’s warTonight, audiences can finally watch Gaza: Doctors Under Attack on Channel 4 and Zeteo. This timely film was originally produced for the BBC by award-winning production company Basement Films. The BBC has been delaying it since February, arguing it couldn’t go out before a review into an entirely different film, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, had culminated. That was a poor editorial decision with no precedent. But poorer still: after months of leaving the film in limbo, last week the BBC announced it wouldn’t air it – leaving it for Channel 4 to pick ..

The director general’s position looks perilous, but I hope he is not forced out. The institution faces many threats – it needs himUneasy lies the head that wears the BBC crown. Tim Davie, the beleaguered director general (DG), must be checking in the mirror to see if he is still wearing it and fearing the phone call which will summon him to the chair’s office for an urgent word.Many BBC leaders have been made to fall on their sword, usually as the result of animosity from political leaders and a media furore. The stress is largely believed to have caused Ian Trethowan (1977-82) to have a heart attack. His successor, Alasdair Milne (1982-87), resigned rather than be sacked on the orders..