Culture Politick

Media

News Corporation has posted a $254m TV and film profit. Rupert Murdoch also announced yesterday that he is moving closer to imposing charges for access to all News Corp’s newspaper websites and that the company is in ‘advanced discussions’ with handheld device manufacturers about a ­subscription model allowing consumers to access media content ‘whenever and wherever they want it’. With reference to iPad hype he said that without quality creative content ‘ingenious and fabulous devices’ would be ‘unloved and unsold… empty vessels’:

‘Content is not just king, it is the emperor of all things digital… We’re on the cusp of a digital revolution from which our shareholders will profit handsomely…’ More in the Guardian HERE; Times HERE; and FT HERE.

Last week we covered Editor of the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger’s calls for caution on the issue of paywalls. Rupert Murdoch has now responded ‘I think that sounds like sounds like BS to me.’ More HERE.

Alexander Lebedev looks to be joined by an Egyptian billionaire, Samih Sawiris, in taking over The Independent. The details of the proposed agreement with one of three billionaire sons from Egypts’s wealthiest family are unknown but the Sawiris are Coptic Christians with a track record of opposing Muslim extremism. More on the Lebedev deal HERE and Sawiris family HERE.

UPDATE: Sawiris has now denied joining Independent talks:  ‘If I had that much spare money, I would use it to buy a boat, not a newspaper.’ More HERE.

Theatre

The Royal Court is going to stage ‘a really significant experiment’, artistic director Dominic Cooke has announced. One of Britain’s most important producing theatres is, via ‘Theatre Local’, transferring Royal Court plays to units of a shopping centre in Southwark. Seating 80 and with tickets at £8, the idea is to build a new audience, one that would probably never buy a ticket for Sloane Square. Cooke said the west London theatre was in an area dripping with money:

‘Buildings can be an obstacle to the relationship between audiences and the work we want to put on. I think there are many, many people who are willing to engage but don’t like the idea of coming to our building – they find it intimidating, not in their orbit.’ More in The Stage HERE; Guardian HERE and Telegraph HERE.

In other theatre news, Elton John and David Furnish are to produce a Broadway about the relationship between two gay men and religion, on which more in the Guardian HERE and Telegraph HERE.

Television

Jeff Henry launches TellyLinks on Channel Five tonight, in a bid to target internet-television users with the strapline ‘You think it … we link it’. While people are watching a TV show TellyLinks.com will deliver live up to 150 web links relevant to the action as it is happening on screen. More in the Guardian HERE.

The TV dance boom has makes primetime stars of the ­hitherto hidden artistic ­director. Take Strictly’s household names – ­Arlene Phillips, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli – all basically ­telegenic choreographers. So You Think You Can Dance (‘the search for Britain’s favourite dancer’) now features announces choreographers with X Factor-style fireworks ahead of the dance they have created: Henri Oguike, one of Britain’s most celebrated contemporary choreographers; Emmy award-winner Tyce Diorio; musical theatre’s Stephen Mear. In the world of dance, these men are legends. So why are they devising 90-second performances for frequently untrained dancers, on a show that goes out after Total Wipeout? Is the dance world excited by this – or horrified? More HERE.