Government Stuff
The government has announced its new online harms legislation, with tech firms given a legal ‘duty of care’ to users, fines of up to 10% of turnover and tough new powers for Ofcom.
Applications are now open for a share of £100m of repayable finance in round two of the Culture Recovery Fund… and more than £1bn has been distributed so far.
The government has unveiled its Energy White Paper setting out how the UK will clean up its energy system and reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The UK’s first battery ‘gigafactory’ is to be built in Blyth, costing £2.6 billion and creating 3,000 jobs.
The next Budget is to take place on 3rd March 2021.
The ACE-CSE programme, led by the NCSC and DCMS, has recognised eight UK universities for their commitment to cyber security education.
The International Trade Committee has launched an inquiry into the opportunities and challenges posed by digital trade.
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Culture Stuff
Arts & Culture
According to new ONS stats, we’ve seen 89,000 fewer people on the company payroll in the cultural sector since February. Yeesh.
The Southbank Centre has rehired 40 workers who were made redundant in the wake of the bug.
The Genesis Foundation, founded and chaired by John Studzinski, has organised a Christmas concert online to raise money to support arts freelancers.
Portraits of local heroes are to go on show at London’s Kings Cross Station.
David Hockney has sketched out a festive cover on his iPad for the New Yorker. No word on how long it took, but, HEY! That’s the magic of Christmas!
The best and worst things to happen in the world of art in 2020, according to The Art Newspaper. Highlight for me is this statue in Spain being restored to look like a potato.
Design
Creative Boom with the biggest web design trends set to dominate in 2021 and, wow, newsletters in Arial (size 14) comes out on top? Amazing.
Season 2 of Open/Ended Design has kicked off with a chat with design and inclusivity supremo Marquise Stillwell, founder of Openbox.
I’m fine. Honestly, leave it. I’m fine. Ok, it’s just that IKEA has discontinued its catalogue. Feel so flat… pack.
Theatre & Dance
The Beeb looks at the impact of the new tier 3 restrictions on London theatres – as the National Theatre dashes to record this year’s Dick Whittington before curtains fell.
Classical Music & Opera
The Guardian looks back at classical music and opera in the weird world of 2020.
Tourism & Heritage
Ernst Shackleton’s sledge and flag from his South Pole expedition are to stay in the UK after a successful bid from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Very ice.
Over 400 historic places have been added to the National Heritage List in 2020, including Selfridges on Oxford Street. Bit harsh on Primark.
Inbound tourism forecasts from VisitBritain for 2021 are predicting the first signs of a slow recovery for overseas visits to the UK.
Museums
The Black Country Living Museum in the Midlands is the most popular museum in the whole wide world on TikTok. Love it.
Books, Press & Libraries
A great piece from The Guardian on how the writing of late novelist John Le Carré changed television and paved the way for box-set culture.
Up-and-coming author Barack Obama has revealed the list of his favourite reads of 2020.
And a lovely long read on how Julia Donaldson, creator of The Gruffalo, became the biggest-selling author of the past decade in any genre… and she published her first book in her 40s.
Exhibitions and Events
The V&A Museum has opened (or will again after lockdown) the UK’s most comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the ultimate accessory: the bag. Totes amazing.
Bristol Old Vic has released its second set of on-demand productions as part of its At Home series including The Grinning Man and Swallows and Amazons.
Stylist with the best exhibitions to book next year, such as the immersive Infinity Rooms at Tate Modern from Yayoi Kusama for if you want to completely get away.
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LOVE THIS. Rebellion has announced it is publishing a Code of Chivalry business and lifestyle guide from CEO Jason Kingsley.
Penguin Random House and Rebellion have announced the first 2000 AD series to be adapted for audiobook, including Judge Dredd: America.
2000 AD has unveiled the star-studded audio drama adaptations of classic Future Shocks, featuring the likes of Konnie Huq, Al Murray and Janet Ellis.
TIGA have produced a summary of the Government’s full response to Online Harms White Paper for the games industry.
From arcades to VR, here’s Rebellion charting 40 years of Battlezone.
And maybe you could kick off 2021 by joining the Rebellion family? They have openings in their growing code teams in Oxford, Wakefield and Warwick.
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Creative Industries & Tech Stuff
Film & TV
The Beeb has released its first Creative Diversity Report, outlining work to change internal culture and boost representation both on and off screen.
Likewise, Netflix has outlined how it aims to be a ‘force for good’ by diversifying its programme, plus a whole slate of new UK original content and a new UK documentary talent fund.
The TV Collective is looking for 50 future leaders in TV from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds for a career-defining opportunity.
2022 is getting a Buzz Lightyear spinoff… and he’s not voiced by Tim Allen? Disney is cancelled.
ACTUALLY FAIR ENOUGH TOM NOW COME AND SHOUT AT PEOPLE IN TESCO FOR ME PLEASE. Tom Cruise went IN at a film crew for not being covid-safe.
Fashion
Edward Enninful has been honoured for his services to diversity at the Fashion Awards 2020 – and he’s been promoted to Europe’s Vogue boss.
The Guardian catches up with Bristol Old Vic theatre designer Ti Green who started her own fashion label due to the bug.
Apparently Adidas is considering selling Reebok which it paid $3.8bn for in 2006. Just got a last minute Christmas jumper from their Mexico branch. Fleece Adidas.
Music & Radio
Meghan and Prince Harry have put pen to paper on an exclusive multi-year deal with Spotify to host and produce podcasts. I think you inspired them, Ed.
Little Mix fans have come out in force to back Jesy Nelson’s ‘powerful and brave’ decision to quit the band for mental health reasons.
If you’re Mariah Carey, you probably don’t want a lot for Christmas… But there is probably just one thing you… need? A Christmas number one 26 years in the making, perhaps?
Dua Lipa has been named Music Week’s artist of the year for 2020. So many awards, must feel like she’s levitating.
Justin Bieber has teamed up with the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS choir for a new Christmas single. Nice work, Biebz.
Youth Music and YouTube are partnering to support the next generation of music creators through the second round of the £2m Incubator Fund.
Eight of 2020’s top 10 most viewed music videos on YouTube were from hip-hop, rap or grime. Including our man Stormzy, of course.
Sometimes I think it’s kinda funny… how life can change. Can flip 180… in a matter of days. Or years! Blue are planning a comeback for their 20th anniversary!
Gaming
EA has elbowed in at the last minute with a $1.2bn deal for British game-maker Codemasters.
EA Sports has also won Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising Award for its ‘authentic portrayal’ of British black, Asian and minority ethnic cultures.
Tech & Telecoms
The European Commission has finally unveiled the EU Digital Services Act, with Big Tech facing yearly checks on how they’re tackling illegal content and possible fines of 10% of European turnover.
Facebook plans to move UK users to US terms in order to avoid EU privacy laws – and is disabling a bunch of features for European users because of these rules, too.
Just Eat is shaking up the UK gig economy world by offering its workers hourly wages.
The European Commission has approved Google’s $2.1bn takeover of Fitbit.
One in four homes in the UK can now access gigabit broadband, according to Ofcom.
Three of the 10 biggest tech IPOs ever happened in 2020 – including two last week (Airbnb and DoorDash).
Twitter has been fined £400,000 in Ireland for breaching EU GDPR rules.
Several US government agencies were hacked by Russian hackers and didn’t notice for months. Ideal.
Apple has announced that apps on its App Store will now have to display what they do with users’ data.
Zoox (owned by Amazon) has unveiled a fully autonomous electric vehicle with no steering wheel that can drive day and night on a single charge. Wild.
And as battery costs continue to decline, the number of electric vehicles available to consumers is expected to triple in the next four years.
Gmail and other Google services were down worldwide for 45 MINUTES this week. I sent them the most furious fax. Should have seen it.
You could be charged £9 a year soon for having a dormant PayPal account. Get spending.
SpaceX is seeking to double its valuation to $92bn. Same tbh.
Homes in Ireland are to be warmed by excess heat from an Amazon data centre. Our research suggests that me stress-ordering all my Christmas presents this week will keep them ‘almost too hot’.
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Appointments & Movers
Anna Wintour is to become worldwide chief content officer (same as my newsletter role. Weird) and global editorial director of Vogue; Sky Studios CEO Gary Davey is to retire; Wretch 32 has been named as creative director of the new 0207 Def Jam; Hakan Kousetta has been appointed as chair of Pact for two years; Stella Duffy and Sarah-Jane Rawlings, co-founders of Fun Palaces, are leaving the company; Lauri Haav has been announced as the Estonian e-residency CEO; Lisa Nowell has stepped down as chief risk officer at Monzo after a year; BBC Scotland has appointed Glenn Campbell as political editor
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...And Finally
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me….
FIVE years in prison for finding gold coins from a historic shipwreck and refusing to say where.
FOUR family members who only ever wear red and white and live in a red and white house.
FREE WiFi for 18 years for this couple who called their baby Twifia.
TWO year old pigeon breaking a world record and being sold for $1.89m. What a coo.
And a pug driving a van into a diiiiiitch.
HO HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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