The Newsroom

Sky News

Nick Pollard quits (May 2006)

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SN
SN2005
James Hall posted:
If you wanted the other headlines, why didn't you press red for Sky News Active?
You'll lose.


I'm hardly going to allow sky to line their pockets with my money am I?Oh don't tell me you do, oh more fool you, eh? I don't care who I pick a fight with. OK

Sad Oh cat.....don't go on my account. Sad
MA
Matrix
Can we try and bring this on task?

Nick Pollard and Sky News. Not whom to pick a fight with.
MU
Musey
so why exactly did he quit??
SP
Spencer
More details here.

Quote:
Normally, MediaGuardian.co.uk takes a break for the weekend. But we've just found out that Sky will make a statement later today confirming a story we've been working on - namely that the head of Sky News, Nick Pollard is on the way out. We hear that Sky will He'll leave the broadcaster in September, to be replaced by his deputy, John Ryley.

There has been pressure on Mr Pollard since Sky News, which pioneered 24-hour news in Britain when it was launched in 1989, was revamped in October. The multi-million pound relaunch did not go down well with viewers or TV critics, and it did not make a big difference to viewing figures.

In January, Mr Pollard admitted that recent months had been "the toughest time in Sky News's history". But he defended the decision to relaunch the channel with shows built around high-profile presenters such as Eamonn Holmes and the former aide to Bill Clinton's administration, James Rubin. "It is fair to say the new programmes are not perfect," Mr Pollard told a debate organised by the Media Society in London.

Sources at Sky News have told us that James Murdoch, the chief executive of BSkyB, wants to make cuts. That's not surprising: Sky will have to pay £1.31bn for rights to four out of an available six packages of live Premiership matches, it's about to launch a high-definition TV service, and it will launch a broadband service following its purchase of Easynet. Apparently Mr Pollard was resistant to the cuts. The sources said this was more significant than the shaky relaunch.

Full story in the Guardian tomorrow, with reaction on MediaGuardian.co.uk
JL
jli4637
What can you say, he's a great guy. If its true its a sad day for sky news.
MA
Matrix
Spencer For Hire posted:
More details here.


Thanks Spencer. I'd be trying the Guardian but like they say "we don't do weekends"

Sky reporting this yet?
JO
Joshua
Deleted post
MA
Matrix
josh205 posted:
Do we know if he has quit anyway? there is no mention on BBC News or anything?
Anyone could say hes quit.. weres the proof?


There are reports, which the Guardian seem to support, that Nick Pollard is leaving Sky News this September, replaced by his deputy John Ryley.

A statement is expected today.
DU
Dunedin
I hate people who come on fora and say "I told you so".

But I just can't help myself.

As I've been saying for months, you can't spend £20m relaunching a news channel, lose viewers and expect to keep your job.

He should have gone a long, long, long time ago IMO. I'm amazed he's lasted this long, but I predicted that he, alongside the ATV schedule, would be history by 12 months after relaunch.

I think it's safe to say that Rubin will be gone within hours of Pollard leaving Osterley for the last time.

EDIT: By the way- welcome back Cat...I know that you'll disagree with almost everything I've just written, but I hope you stick around to tell me why. It hasn't quite been the same around here since we lost your regular postings.
ST
STV Today
Dunedin posted:
I hate people who come on fora and say "I told you so".

But I just can't help myself.

As I've been saying for months, you can't spend £20m relaunching a news channel, lose viewers and expect to keep your job.

He should have gone a long, long, long time ago IMO. I'm amazed he's lasted this long, but I predicted that he, alongside the ATV schedule, would be history by 12 months after relaunch.

I think it's safe to say that Rubin will be gone within hours of Pollard leaving Osterley for the last time.


Rubin and many more I suspect.
DU
Dunedin
Another point- which I'm sure will be fleshed out with reports tomorrow- I suspect the title "Pollard quits" is being far too generous to the man.

Time will tell.
NS
NickyS Founding member
Matt Wells is normally a very good source - he'd be unlikely to put it on his blog like he has unless it was true.

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