The Media Club · 1 December 2023 · 34 min

Telegraph saga, Newsnight trim and Bauer re-brand

With Tara Conlan, George Butler

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• Telegraph Sale
• Newsnight Cuts
• Government Interference in Media
• Bauer Rebrand
• Squid Game: The Challenge
• Channel 4 Ad Slump
• Regional Media Coverage
• Streaming Impact on Broadcasting

In this episode of The Media Club, hosts Matt Deegan and Tara Conlan are joined by George Butler, head of commercial marketing at Bauer, to discuss the ongoing saga of The Telegraph's sale and Jeff Zucker's insistence that Abu Dhabi will not interfere with editorial. They also cover the confirmed cuts to BBC's Newsnight, reducing it to 30 minutes, and the broader implications for public service broadcasting. The panel debates the role of government in media, the challenges of regional media coverage, and the impact of streaming on traditional broadcasting. Additionally, they touch on Channel 4's ad slump, Bauer's rebrand and strategic changes, and the success of 'Squid Game: The Challenge' on Netflix.

Key takeaways

• Jeff Zucker insists Abu Dhabi will not interfere with The Telegraph's editorial, despite concerns.
• BBC's Newsnight is being cut to 30 minutes, with around 30 jobs lost, partly due to the licence fee freeze.
• Channel 4's chief exec Alex Mahon told a select committee the ad slump is the worst in 15 years.
• Bauer is rebranding, removing stations from satellite and cable, and focusing on smart speakers.
• Netflix's 'Squid Game: The Challenge' has been a hit, with 20 million views in its first week.

In this episode

• News round-up0:00 · Matt Deegan covers Elon Musk's comments, Ofcom's criticism of Netflix, and Spotify Wrapped.
• Squid Game discussion2:00 · Tara and George discuss the success of Squid Game: The Challenge.
• Telegraph saga10:00 · Panel discusses Jeff Zucker and the Telegraph sale.
• S4C and regional media18:00 · Discussion on S4C's troubles and the London bubble.
• Newsnight cuts25:00 · Panel debates the Newsnight cut to 30 minutes.
• Channel 4 ad slump35:00 · Discussion on Channel 4's financial difficulties.
• Bauer changes40:00 · George Butler discusses Bauer's rebrand and strategic changes.
• Media quiz50:00 · The Fine Print quiz with questions on Netflix, Guardian-Sony deal, and Doctor Who.

Notable quotes

“if someone's going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money. Go fuck yourself.”

Elon Musk · 0:00

“as long as I'm relevant to the business.”

Alex Mahon · 0:00

“uncertainty is the kryptonite of advertising.”

George Butler · 0:00

Discussed

Bauer Media · BBC · Channel 4 · Netflix · The Telegraph

Also mentioned: Jeff Zucker · Elon Musk · Michael Grade · Lucy Fraser · David Montgomery · Sean Doyle · Alex Mahon · Deborah Turness · Sam Thompson · Marvin Humes · Lucy Cave · Tony Blackburn · Jordan North · Jane Martinson · Graham Bryce · Steve Parkinson · Wayne Garvey · Ian Katz · S4C · X (formerly Twitter) · Ofcom · The Guardian · Studio Lambert · The Garden

Mentioned or recommended

• Squid Game: The Challenge · tv show · Studio Lambert and The Garden
• Newsnight · tv show · BBC
• I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! · tv show · ITV Studios
• The Crown · tv show · Peter Morgan
• Clarkson's Farm · tv show · Jeremy Clarkson
• Doctor Who · tv show · BBC
• The News Agents · podcast · Global
• The Rest Is Politics · podcast · Goalhanger
• Staying Relevant · podcast · Bauer Media
• The Media Leader · publication · New Digital Age
• Broadcast Magazine · publication · Media Business Insight
• Royal Television Society · other