Tonight:
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Rupert Murdoch is such a convert to the world of Apple iPad and mobile apps that he has made the creation of a digital-only newspaper a top priority in the US. The working name for the digital paper is The Daily Planet and there are rumours that the UK operation, News International, is also working on a similar proposition. Those close to NI in Wapping are
playing down such talk, indicating that they are focused on “existing digital products”. Translation: NI is busy with plans for its next internet paywall — for the News of the World. After a string of top scoops, it will be fascinating to see how many readers are willing to pay for the Sunday red-top's exclusives. Happily, the paper is believed to have already got back a chunk of that £150,000 it handed over during the Pakistani cricket match-fixing exposé.
* Forget the row over ex-News of the World editor Andy Coulson and allegations of who knew what about illegal phone-hacking. Staff at Wapping are intrigued by what plans former Daily Telegraph editor Will Lewis has in his new role as the general manager in charge of the four national titles. Lewis is said to be keen to import the management methods that he learned at Harvard Business School after studying there last year and already the talk is of “new workflows”.
* Guardian News and Media has just cut back its troubled US operations, with Caroline Little departing as chief executive of GNM America, but its ambitions apparently remained undimmed. Former Channel 4 chief executive Michael Jackson has been spotted at Guardian HQ in Kings Place where he is doing a “freelance project” for its US operation. Suggestions he might take a permanent role are apparently wide of the mark. Meanwhile, The Guardian is looking for a new head of business to run its City coverage across the daily paper and The Observer. Columnist Nils Pratley has been seen as the leading internal contender but it is understood he is not in the running.
* Another former Channel 4 chief executive, Andy Duncan, has landed a new job. Few expected him to stay in the media business after his uncomfortable reign at C4 but it's still a surprise that the ex-Unilever marketing man is to be the chief executive of the “luxury motor retailer” HR Owen. No jokes please about the similarities between TV executives and second-hand car dealers...
* Not everyone welcomes Lucy Neville-Rolfe's appointment as a non-executive director at ITV. In her capacity as director of corporate and legal affairs at Tesco, she has overseen the, ahem, robust pursuit of libel actions against the media in the UK and Thailand as the supermarket giant fought to head off critics. “So now she's decided to join the board of a media company,” says someone who has sparred with Neville-Rolfe. “I look forward to the next Tonight With Trevor McDonald show when they choose to do an exposé of Tesco's activities.”
* The BBC is looking for two non-executive directors for its management board, as well as a vice-chairman for the BBC Trust — amid rumours of a lack of top candidates. It is hard to believe the current structure will remain for much longer when the Tories are in combative mood. Barclays chairman Marcus Agius, who has just picked Bob Diamond as his chief executive on a £11.5 million deal, is also the BBC's senior non-exec in charge of setting executive pay. Some say Agius is to blame for failing to grasp that BBC bosses' salaries are too high...
