Government Stuff
The Competition and Markets Authority is to officially launch a market study of streaming platforms and the remuneration of artists. Big.
DCMS has published the findings of its Digital Radio and Audio Review and said that there will be no FM radio switch-off until at least 2030.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has given the green light to a series of AI-based projects that aim to tackle racial inequalities in the NHS.
142 heritage sites across England are the latest to benefit from the Culture Recovery Fund, with grants worth a total of £35m.
Baroness Floella Benjamin is leading calls for the government to protect a £60m public service TV and radio fund - the bulk of which supports content for young audiences.
The government is undertaking research to explore how AI R&D is successfully commercialised and brought to market.
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Culture Stuff
Arts & Culture
Ten commissions have been announced as part of UNBOXED – the newly named, government-backed celebration of creativity taking place across the UK in 2022.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is to invest £1m to diversify London’s public spaces, including artwork and murals.
Nearly 14,000 people have called on the government to ensure its promised £90m ’arts premium’ is delivered to schools.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and King’s College London have opened applications for the second Award for Civic Arts Organisations.
AHRC has launched a new scheme for researchers to apply for funding to engage the public with the BBC centenary in 2022.
In the lead-up to COP26, a singer-songwriter and visual artist have teamed up to create The Wonderland Project, using music, art and nature to inspire change.
Design
The McGrath Road housing project by Peter Barber Architects in east London has been named as the UK’s best new affordable housing scheme by RIBA.
The controversial Tulip tower by Foster + Partners is set to be approved by Housing Secretary Michael Gove after all. Bloomin’ heck. I can’t keep up!
They’re at it across the pond, too. A massive top-heavy, inverted skyscraper has been proposed for New York by Adjaye Associates.
Theatre & Dance
Subsidised theatres in England saw earned income plummet by almost 90% last year. Yeesh.
Michael Balogun and Marisha Wallace are among the nominees for the 2021 Black British Theatre Awards.
Tourism & Heritage
New VisitBritain research shows that overseas visitors spent £1.4bn on attending football matches in the UK in 2019. So a single ticket to the Emirates then?
The world’s first ever UNESCO digital trail has launched in Scotland.
A long read to devour over a cream tea from The Guardian on the behind-the-scenes battles at the National Trust.
Quite cool. A diver has found a 900-year-old crusader sword preserved in perfect condition in the Med.
Museums
The Science Museum has announced a major new climate change gallery which is set to open in 2023.
Press, Books & Libraries
Press Gazette on how the major broadcasters and news outlets will cover COP26 next month, including a hologram Jon Snow for Channel 4. Very Star Wars.
Lucy Caldwell has won the BBC national short story award for her ‘masterful’ All the People Were Mean and Bad.
Exhibitions and Events
through the noise have announced a winter run of noisenights, classical music concerts in alternative venues, including Sheku Kanneh-Mason in a nightclub. Nice.
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Rebellion Publishing is teaming up with the National Literacy Trust to donate 5,000 books to young people in literacy target areas.
The Liar of Red Valley from Walter Goodwater (part of the Rebellion Publishing family) has been named by The Times as one of their best new sci-fi books.
In the latest Modern History, Jason Kingsley explores social classes and slavery in Medieval England.
The PERFECT chance to immerse yourself in a new literary world. Rebellion Publishing has kicked off its Series & Sequels Sale.
The University of Hertfordshire has ranked as the top animation and games school in the UK (and 22nd in the world), according to TIGA.
TIGA reports on the new partnership between Creative Assembly and Into Games to help more underrepresented young people get a start in the games industry.
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Creative Industries & Tech Stuff
Film & TV
Netflix is opening a gigantic new film and TV studio in North London. The LA Times also has a summary of the walkout this week by transgender employees and allies.
Sir Lenny Henry is among those who have written to the BBC over the alleged blocking of Marcus Ryder from a senior role due to his diversity campaigning.
This year’s live spectacular Stand Up to Cancer from Channel 4 has raised a record-breaking £31.2m for cancer research.
Also, Channel 4’s subtitles, signing and audio description are not likely to return on TV until mid-November after a massive fault two months ago.
The Beeb has set out its path to Net Zero by 2030. They’ve also unveiled a new logo for the first time in 24 years. Hardly recognised it.
Fashion
Burberry has poached Versace boss Jonathan Akeroyd as its next chief exec with a £6m ‘golden hello’. Business of Fashion looks at the challenges in his in-tray.
The Guardian snaps some pics of the fashionable folk of Frieze.
Music & Radio
One in three jobs in the UK music biz were wiped out by COVID, according to a new UK Music report calling for government action.
He’s still standing, baby! Elton John has just bagged his first no. 1 single in 16 years with the help of Dua Lipa and Pnau.
Abbey Road Studios is celebrating the big 9-0 this November with a lil’ festival.
London’s historic KOKO venue is to reopen in 2022 following a £70m restoration.
Music Week has announced this year’s roll of honour for their Women in Music Awards 2021.
Tech & Telecoms
45 million UK adults were targeted by call and text scams this summer, according to new Ofcom research.
Facebook has been fined £50.5m for breaching an order imposed by the CMA in during an investigation of their takeover of Giphy.
They (Facebook) are also creating 10,000 new jobs across the EU to help build its ‘metaverse’. The Verge on how they may be set to rebrand too, à la Alphabet.
Amazon is to offer sign-on bonuses of up to £3,000 in the UK to boost Christmas recruitment. They’re also retraining hundreds of staff to drive lorries.
After ditching MagSafe, SD card slots and basically every other port from their MacBook Pros in 2016… Apple is now reinstating them.
Tesla has just reported record quarterly earnings despite global supply chains having a moment.
Tesco are sticking it to Amazon Fresh with their new GetGo store where you just walk out with your shopping.
Could PayPal be about to buy Pinterest for $39bn? Could it? They both begin with P after all? But then so does Poundland? More when we have it.
Inevitable really… Donald Trump is launching a new social media platform called TRUTH where you can only SHOUT YOUR OPINIONS. CNN on why it’ll fail.
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Appointments & Movers
Evening Standard editor Emily Sheffield is to leave after 15 months; Screen Yorkshire CEO Sally Joynson is retiring after 20 years at the organisation; Glyndebourne managing director Sarah Hopwood is to retire after 25 years at the opera house; The Guardian has appointed Joseph Harker as its first senior diversity exec; Piers Morgan is leaving ITV show Life Stories; Gregory Batsleer has been named as the new festival director of the London Handel Festival
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...And Finally
Some hailstones the size of really big hailstones have been battering our pals over in Oz. Windscreen-breakers? Yep. Record-breakers? Unconfirmed.
ALEEEEEX. DINNEEEEEER. Give me a minute, I’m just watching some otters being spun around and going absolutely mad for it.
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