WASHINGTON: CBS News and the BBC on Thursday announced a new editorial and newsgathering partnership that aims to boost their global strength against rivals such as CNN.
The US and British television news giants will share video, editorial content, and other resources in New York, London, Washington and around the world, according to a joint statement.
“There’s never been a more important time for smart, courageous coverage of what’s happening in the world,” said James Harding, the BBC’s director of news and current affairs.
“This new partnership between the BBC and CBS News is designed to bring our audiences — wherever you live, whatever your point of view — news that is reliable, original and illuminating. Our ambition is to deliver the best in international reporting on television.”
The deal brings together two major television news organizations and comes weeks after US-based NBC finalized a deal to take a 25 percent stake in France-based Euronews to boost its global scale.
CBS News president David Rhodes said his organization “is completely committed to original reporting around the world — a commitment clearly shared by the BBC.”
He added, “There’s no better partner to strengthen and extend our global coverage than BBC News.”
The two groups sharing of content between CBS News and BBC News will begin immediately and that additional newsgathering elements would be rolled out in the coming months.
BBC News claims to be the largest broadcast news operation in the world with more than 2,000 journalists and 48 newsgathering bureaus, according to its website.
CBS News is part of the large CBS television network with offices around the United States and a handful of overseas locations.
This new partnership replaces the BBC’s current arrangement with Disney-owned ABC News, according to Harding who called that relationship “long and fruitful.”
CBS, BBC announce global newsgathering tie-up
CBS, BBC announce global newsgathering tie-up
Apple, Google offer app store changes under new UK rules
LONDON: Apple and Google have pledged changes to ensure fairness in their app stores, the UK competition watchdog said Tuesday, describing it as “first steps” under its tougher regulation of technology giants.
The Competition and Markets Authority placed the two companies under “strategic market status” last year, giving it powers to impose stricter rules on their mobile platforms.
Apple and Google have submitted packages of commitments to improve fairness and transparency in their app stores, which the CMA is now consulting market participants on.
The proposals cover data collection, how apps are reviewed and ranked and improved access to their mobile operating systems.
They aim to prevent Apple and Google from giving priority to their own apps and to ensure businesses receive fairer terms for delivering apps to customers, including better access to tools to compete with services like the Apple digital wallet.
“These are important first steps while we continue to work on a broad range of additional measures to improve Apple and Google’s app store services in the UK,” said CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell.
The commitments mark the first changes proposed by US tech giants in response to the UK’s digital markets regulation, which came into force last year.
The UK framework is similar to a tech competition law from the European Union, the Digital Markets Act, which carries the potential for hefty financial penalties.
“The commitments announced today allow Apple to continue advancing important privacy and security innovations for users and great opportunities for developers,” an Apple spokesperson said.
The CMA in October found that Apple and Google held an “effective duopoly,” with around 90 to 100 percent of UK mobile services running on their platforms.
A Google spokesperson said existing practices in its Play online store are “fair, objective and transparent.”
“We welcome the opportunity to resolve the CMA’s concerns collaboratively,” they added.
The changes are set to take effect in April, subject to the outcome of a market consultation.
