Media Brief

Post categories: mediabrief

Torin Douglas | 09:49 UK time, Monday, 8 March 2010

I'm the BBC's media correspondent and this is my summary of what's going on.

The debate continues over the decision not to explain why John Venables, one of the killers of James Bulger, is back in jail. Several newspapers have given details of what he is alleged to have done. The BBC and Guardian pick up the story. The Justice Secretary Jack Straw is interviewed by John Humphrys, following media criticism of the decision not to explain why John Venables is back in jail. Radio 4's Today.

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On International Women's Day, Katherine Bigelow has become the first woman to win the Oscar for best director. Her film The Hurt Locker dominated the night with six Oscars. Avatar won three of the technical awards. The BBC article outlines the winners.

Women are outnumbered two to one on the TV screen and tend to be younger than their male counterparts, according to a Channel 4 diversity analysis to mark International Women's Day and reported by the BBC and the Guardian.

Bob Geldof has challenged the BBC to prove its claim that aid to Ethiopia was spent on weapons. He and leading charities have denied it. The BBC says it stands by its story and the Times has more.

The BBC head of future media and technology Erik Huggers tells the Guardian that the BBC had allowed its website to "sprawl". By cutting it back, it wants to do better with less.

The Sunday Times profiles Alexander Lebedev, the former KGB agent expected to complete his takeover of the Independent shortly.

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