Media Brief

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

The BBC has confirmed in a press release that its deputy director general Mark Byford is to be made redundant. The story first appeared on the Financial Times website [registration required] last night. It says he is expected to get a redundancy package of between £800,000 and £900,000. The BBC reports Mr Byford's salary is currently £475,000.

The Guardian reports that several of Britain's largest media organisations have written to the Business Secretary Vince Cable urging him to consider blocking News Corporation's planned bid for 100% ownership of BSkyB. The move was predicted last week. The heads of the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Guardian Media Group, BBC, BT, Trinity Mirror and Channel 4 say the "proposed takeover could have serious and far-reaching consequences for media plurality". Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation already owns four UK national newspapers and 40% of BSkyB. It points out that the signatories are all its competitors and says its plans are not finalised.

Former Sky executive David Elstein and former BBC and BT chaiman Sir Christopher Bland debated the issue on Radio 4's Today. David Elstein said it was very unwise for the BBC and Channel 4 to get involved in "a commercial spat".

The BBC is publishing new editorial guidelines this morning, after the BBC Trust asked licence-fee payers for their views. The BBC reports that they include new restrictions on the use of "humiliating and derogatory remarks" for entertainment purposes. Controversies in religion and science must be covered with "due impartiality", as applies in cases of political and industrial controversy.

The BBC's newspaper review shows new revelations about the death of kidnapped British aid worker Linda Norgrove in Afghanistan during a rescue attempt feature heavily in the papers.

Links in full

• BBC | Press office Post of Deputy Director-General to close and Mark Byford to step down after 32 years service
• BBC | BBC deputy director general Mark Byford to leave
• Financial Times | BBC deputy director general to be let go in cuts
• Dan Sabbagh | Guardian | British media join forces against Murdoch takeover of BSkyB
• BBC | Today Programme Arguments against BSkyB takeover 'tenuous'
• BBC | New BBC guidelines to restrict 'derogatory' remarks
• BBC | Newspaper review

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