VIEWS ON SKY NEWS

Views on Sky News

Leaders’ Debate

The Economist – 10 September 2009
…Britain

looks increasingly likely to hold its first televised debates among prime ministerial candidates during the general-election campaign due to start shortly. Sky News has said that it will stage one with or without Mr Brown. If he fails to turn up, he risks being represented by an empty chair…

Mr Brown’s stance is part of a broader reticence to engage with the public that helps to explain why his ratings have sunk so low. His experiments with new media, such as a famously absurd appearance on YouTube, have not always been successful. Yet taking on Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg might soften his aloof image. So as well as being good for the country, the debate, if and perhaps when it happens, might even be moderately good for Mr Brown.

Iaindale.blogspot.com – 2nd September 2009 I have always believed that there should be debates between the three main party leaders in general election campaigns. Sky News have now upped the ante and issued formal invitations to the three party leaders to take part in an election debate. David Cameron has already accepted and it is safe to say that Nick Clegg will follow suit. It’s a clever move on Sky’s part.

Spectator.co.uk – 2nd September 2009, James Forsyth The first televised leaders’ debate will be a hugely hyped event. One has to imagine that it would draw a huge TV audience and a ton of media coverage. It would provide the clunking fist with the perfect platform to land a blow on David Cameron.

The Sunday Times, News Review – 6th September 2009 So, the great prime ministerial television debate may soon be upon us. The Americans have been doing it for 49 years and it looks like we may finally catch up, with a bid by Sky News for a live confrontation in the run-up to the general election.

The Sun – David Wooding, Whitehall Editor, 4th September 2009 The Prime Minister refused to take up the challenge after 5,500 viewers backed a Sky News campaign in just 24 hours.

Financial Times – 5th September 2009 Sky television...has launched a campaign to host Britain’s fist election debate between the three main party leaders: Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Tory David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg.
Through wrapped up in the gimmickry of modern television, this is a serious and welcome initiative. Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg have signed up; Mr Brown should follow suit. Sky is to be thanked for the extra entertainment provided as Britain’s broadcast journalists coyly wonder aloud who will moderate such a debate, while jostling for the position in private. 
 
The Guardian - Zoe Williams - 24th April 2010 - There was a clear winner of the second debate: Adam Boulton. He was brilliant… I got the strong impression that if the public would just pipe down a bit, he could get a really interesting conversation going on… It seems a shame we can’t vote for him.

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General Views

Guardian Editor, Alan Rusbridger, in this year's Cudlip Lecture,  said: “there is another really excellent broadcaster with an irritatingly good news website – Sky News.” 25th January 2010.

Vernon Kay tells his 115,000 Twitter followers:@SkyNewsBreak for the best news updates on Twitter! Worth a follow especially if you’re travelling this Chrimbo!!!

Francis Wilson is quite simply the daddy of weather broadcasters, managing to combine the suavity of Des Lynam with the authority of a David Coleman.
The Observer (Sport) p. 17 – 29/11/09 (Will Buckley for the Observer)

Lord Woolf is reported to have learnt about reforms to the Law Lords and the office of Lord Chancellor from Sky News. Daily Mail, 9th September 2009

The Guardian’s overview of the Edinburgh TV Festival notes in its “News” section that “Sky News is widely acknowledged to be a service of genuine quality with real verve and energy.” Guardian Eyes on p3, 24th August 2009

“I know I really shouldn’t mention this but if you get a chance to see Sky News at some point today, Noel gives this big interview to Sky News, it’s brilliant, it’s really really good, bizarrely talking about everything that’s going on in politics at the moment but he ends it by saying that wherever he goes in the world he watches Sky News because he wants them to turn him into one of those trails that they have where they turn people into cartoons at the end, with a black outline drawing and ‘you heard it first on Sky News’ so I think they’re going to turn that now into a ‘you heard it first on Sky News”. BBC Radio 1, Chappers and Dave, Sunday 7th June 2009

Lord Mandelson, who is now the deputy prime minister in all but name after the cabinet reshuffle he effectively orchestrated, was "shocked and upset" at Mr Purnell's decision to quit. He found out seconds before it broke on Sky News shortly before 10pm on Thursday. Independent on Sunday, 7th July 2009

'I am a news junkie and watch Sky News in my office all day.  It's edgier than BBC News. Mark Austin, Radio Times, 20 May 2009

George Galloway comments on former Justice Minister Shaid Malik, noting that he "took on Sky news, with disastrous results. And within the hour, he'd been ordered to step down from the Government." Daily Record, 18 May 2009

Alice Thomson comments on the life of MPs’ spouses: “One Shadow Cabinet minister’s wife sees her husband for eight hours a week. ‘Half of that time is when I am watching him on Sky News or Newsnight.’“ Times, 15th May 2009

Robert Fisk's comment on the BBC's reporting of Israel advises "I can certainly advsise viewers to turn to Sky TV's infinitely tougher coverage of the Middle East." Independent, 16th April 2009 

Hugh Muir reports that intelligence officials have compiled a who's who of British journalists for Barack Obama. The entry for Adam Boulton reads: "Despite Sky's small market share, Boulton enjoys wide viewership among Britain's political elite" Guardian, 26th February 2009

I have two televisions on permanently in my office; one of them is permanently tuned to Sky News. I think it’s a marvellous product. Lord Carter, The Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on Communications, 11th February 2009

Hadley Freeman reports from the Obama inauguration party hosted by Elisabeth Murdoch and friends in London’s Notting Hill, where coverage of the ceremony came courtesy of Sky News Guardian, 21st January 2009

We Like column on Jeff Randall Live: "We enjoy the snarling man of the people approach adopted by Randall, the face of Sky's business coverage, so we like that his evening show has moved to four days a week." Campaign, 16th January 2009

Former chief FA chief executive David Davies lists his favourite media, with Adam Boulton's book on the Blair years being among the books he is currently reading. Guardian Media, 12th January 2009

Alex Brummer comments on the media's reporting of the Israel’s war with Hamas, arguing that the BBC's coverage has shown signs of bias: “Sky has been more careful. Every report about an Israeli raid has been counterbalanced by details of rocket attacks .. It also gave Israel's old campaigner president Shimon Peres, prime breakfast airtime - virtually uninterrupted - to give his account of Israel's goals.” Guard Media, 12th Jan 2009

'You will recall that when things happen there is that period of real uncertainty where all of us, in a sense, are watching Sky TV and it would be wonderful if somehow central government really knew better than Sky TV what was going on, but it is hard.' Mr Nicholas Macpherson (Permanent Secretary of the Treasury) Departmental Report, 2005. Minutes of evidence 16 November 2005 

'Would he object if Sky News morphed into a UK version of Fox News? "It's not going to happen. Sky News knows that audiences want it to remain an impartial news channel. It is not pushing to relax the impartiality requirement because it's very happy with it' - Steve Clarke on Jeremy Hunt, Broadcast, 15th August 2009

“A superpower on the brink of war and hundreds of reported deaths not a natural story? Sky News led with Georgia, the BBC — having sent so many staff to China — led with Jon Sopel from Beijing instead”- The Guardian Media Monkey, 11th August 2008

 “A Royal correspondent told us this week that The Queen likes Sky News' Sunrise show - particularly at  weekends. But prefers Andrew Marr to Adam Boulton.” www.popbitch.com 10th July 2008

"Well done Sky News for their week of reports from Afghanistan and back at the barracks of the brave boys, girls and their families who are serving this great country.

The reports have been informative and thought-provoking. They have illustrated both the dedication and sense of duty the soldiers possess and also the immense sacrifices the families make every day.

It has been public service broadcasting at its best." - Jon Gaunt, The Sun, 20th June 2008
 

 “This has been a painful week for Sky's extensive and admirable coverage of the conflict in Afghanistan. The pictures of the fighting and the coffins coming home have shown something of the reality of the conditions faced by troops”, Foreign Secretary David Miliband's blog, 19.06.08 

“Sky News, it really is a superb news channel, especially for breaking stories.”Marie O’Riordan, The Independent, 16.06.08

“I’m telling you, not to boast, but because a large chunk of it was from our coverage of the HMS Cornwall hostage crisis when you guys played an absolute blinder for us.  Can you pass on my thanks to your Sky team for your continuing help – it’s left us clutching another award!” Tristan Hunkin, Boss of Pirate Radio (a Sky News client), Cornwall, in a message to Andy Ivy, 12.06.08

"I normally get home around 10pm and tend to watch Sky News. The breadth and pace of information fits my attention span perfectly, and the delivery is well balanced" -Sammy Jacob, MD of NME Radio, interviewed by Sophie Morris, Independent Media Weekly, 09.06.08 

'Televsions in every room at the base show Sky News when they are not showing football' -Julian Glover, The Guardian, 24.05.08

"The ever excellent Sky News is teaming up with the Crewe blog to cover the election." http://lightwater.wordpress.com 15.05.08 

"The Crewe & Nantwich candidates bellied up to laptops rather than podiums for Sky News Online's live debate today. The verdict? So far, so good; no emphatic emoticons in sight. Hosted by Martin Stanford, the live blogging session was completely interactive, enabling readers to submit questions and to watch the blog in real time." http://www.politicsonline.com 19.05.08

"There’s no stopping CoverItLive, the specialised live-blogging app. It’s becoming a regular feature on some of the leading political blogs… and now the Sky News website has arrived at the CIL party, carrying a live three-way interview (you can’t really call it a ‘chat’) with the leading candidates in the Crewe & Nantwich by-election this morning." http://puffbox.com 19.05.08

"Sky News is the latest news organisation to experiment with the liveblogging service Coveritlive. The rolling news channel used the service yesterday to run a live three-way online debate between the candidates in the Crewe by-election, Simon Dickson notes on the blog of his Puffbox consultancy." http://blogs.pressgazette.co.uk/wire/3196 20.05.08

“And the truth is that today’s internet is so radically transforming traditional journalism as to make the terms ‘new’ and ‘old’ media increasingly redundant.  Take, for example, Sky’s innovative news show Sky News Unplugged, launched last Wednesday.  Is this irreverent and interactive show, which is only available online or on Sky News Active, old or new media?  As a professionally managed news broadcast which incorporates user-generated-content into its programming, Sky News Unplugged is both, of course.  And this hybrid model is the future of journalism.  It is where all news media is headed.”  Andrew Keen, The Independent, 19.05.08

 “But the best justification for the licence fee is that people turn to the BBC for serious news. When the BBC didn’t provide it on Thursday night we switched to Sky, which put the BBC to shame with the simple strategy of treating the audience with respect.” Nick Cohen, Evening Standard, 07.06.08

“In order to get up to date results I decamped to my local pub and watched it on Sky news. There was no sound, but then there was no Jeremy Vine making a spectacle of himself. What there was in the bottom right hand corner of the screen was up to date results which were missing from the BBC.”

“I had to watch Sky news at the pub for the mayoral result, as they seemed to be following it whilst the BBC was not. Incredible.” Benedict White, Conservative’s blogs online, 03.06.08

"....Naturally GMTV. However, I obviously keep in touch with the opposition - especially Sky News, who remain brilliant news reactors.I remain a great fan of Parky. I have a huge admiration for Jon Snow, Sky's Jeremy Thompson and ITV's Julie Etchingham." John Stappleton, Independent Media Weekly, 21.04.08

"I am one of those really irritating people that has a TV on in every room, on BBC or Sky News..." - Amanda Platell, Independent Media Weekly, 07.04.08

"I did view 'live breaking news' television coverage on Sky News (news of which I could not receive through BBC24 until 2.17am, about one hour and 20 minutes after the event). How else could I have known what was happening?" - Nick Pearson, Yorkshire Evening Post, 25.03.08

“I also work my way through my “favourites” list, reading every British National Newspaper, the BBC, Sky News, and return for updates during the day..” Fidelma Cook, The Herald, 22.03.08

(ITV's digital 24 hour News).... struggled to compete with BBC News 24 and Sky News, and had a short life' -The Times, 10.03.08

'Eamonn Holmes loves what he does for a living and that really rubs off on everyone else' Charlotte Hawkins, interviewed by Sophie Morris, The Independent 10.03.08

'It is important if you are doing radio to be up to date, and so I watch Sky News.....' -Tony Blackburn, interviewed by Sophie Morris, Independent 10.03.08 

“I get The Sun, Mirror, Mail, Telegraph, Times and Independent delivered. I used to get The Guardian, but cancelled it in protest at the utterly brilliant Roger Alton getting turfed out of The Observer. I read them with Sky News on in the background…..” Piers Morgan, Independent Media Weekly 03.03.08

'Interviewed by Adam Boulton of Sky News, Branson talked about future fuel from algae.....' - Carol Lazar, The Star (South Africa), 26.02.08

"By the more intelligent media...... go to the Sky News blog" -Conservativehome.blogs.com 23.02.08

“I dare say, however, that if, like the Brits, the lobby had a "top British live act" award, Boulton of Sky News would win it every year.” –Bill Blanko, guardian.co.uk, 21.02.08

"Congratulations to Sky News for the forward thinking way in which it covered the minute's silence at Wembley in honour of the Munich victims......it's nice to know that even if Wembley cannot guarantee a minute's silence, at least television news can." - Giles Smith, The Times, 09.02.08

"Sky is always first with a story" -Joel Ross (Virgin Radio), Guardian 04.02.08

“Of all the sites I looked at, only Sky News still retained a bespoke 'Advanced search' form with features for refining search.” – Martin Belam’s online blog, 24.01.08

“Sky.com News TV (weeknights, 7.30pm),....... by no means as clunky as the title of the show....... is actually very watchable.” – Mersey Blogs, 22.01.08

"I don’t understand why in this multimedia world there are some who still cling to the idea of news by appointment. If I want news, I’ll simply switch to BBC News 24 or Sky News or EuroNews depending on my mood" – Guardian Blog 21.01.08

"Yet again Sky News demonstrated just how the internet should be used to break a story. At around 1.30pm today, January 15, Sky News’ Breaking News section stated that two anti-whaling activists were being held ‘hostage’ after boarding a Japanese ship. The story consisted of one grainy picture and less than two paragraphs of text. Most sites such as the BBC had, to the best of my knowledge, no reference to the story at all. Within just half an hour Sky had updated their story three times, adding more detail, colour, background information and pictures. A few hours later there was a full picture story. Being able to build on a story quickly like this is the biggest advantage of the internet – especially for a newspaper website. Broadcasters have always been able to use their mediums of television or radio to keep a story rolling, but newspapers have only ever been able to print the story as they knew it, up to the time of going to press. Now though they can compete for people’s interest in news via the web - they can develop a story just as quickly as anybody else. And Sky News show how this should be done". Christian Dunn, blogspot.com 15.01.08

"Dermot Murnaghan reckons he’s got his life back by switching from pre-dawn starts at BBC breakfast to the more civilised hours of Sky News Today". –Jane Bell, Belfast Telegraph 08.01.2008

‘Not only does he get to test himself in a new environment working for a broadcaster he has “always admired from afar”’ Ian Burrell on Dermot Murnaghan’s move to Sky News, Media Weekly, Independent 07.01.08 

"...the Corporation's coverage of news lies at the centre of its public service remit.  There are many things that commercial television does as well or better than the BBC: game shows, soap opera, reality television, police dramas and such like.  But, apart possibly from Sky News, no commercial channel comes close to the BBC, now that ITV News has declined so spectacularly.  This is partly because the BBC has greater resources than its rivals, and partly because, despite everything, the old public service ethos persists."- Stephen Glover, Daily Mail 18.10.07

"(Sky News) has stayed on course to strengthen its course outside the UK" Patrick Melville, Media Manager. MPG MM Pocket Guide September 2007
 
“The media, as a whole, has been warmly praised by the family of Madeleine McCann, and Sky has certainly been at the forefront of keeping the story at the top of the news agenda – on the hour, every hour.”   
- Liverpool Echo 16.05.07

“I am also obsessed with Sky News: it’s invaluable and there are so many great features, like the interactive menu.”
-Sadie Frost, Grazia, 07.05.07

"Auntie will be looking over her shoulder at Sky's updated [web] offering.  An image-heavy home page has one main story dominating the layout, while video stories are also pushed to the fore."- New Media Age, Site Inspection, 03.05.07

“Compare BBC News 24 and Sky News.  While News 24 rarely breaks a story, Sky has about 10 crews out picking up events all day.
Crime correspondent Martin Brunt gets everywhere first, and the story delivery of Sky News editors Tim Marshall and Adam Boulton and anchor Jeremy Thompson is far superior to anything the BBC can offer.”
- Evening Standard, 26.04.07

"Nobody does breaking news like Sky."
- Mike Anderiesz, Guardian Arts Blog on Sky News' coverage of the Virginia Tech killings, 17.04.07

“It was not until late afternoon that news of the arrest began to leak. First with the story was Sky News which, at 3.53pm, flashed the words ‘Lord Levy arrested’ across its screens.”
- The Sunday Times, 16.07.06

“Sky’s news service for Five is highly regarded.”- Steve Clarke, Television 17.04.07

"High praise for the Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt. When a hack from (another) newspaper phoned Suffolk police press office with a query on the serial killer case, he was told 'Call Martin Brunt. He knows everything before we do.' A little concerning."
- Hugo Rifkind, The Times, 22.12.06

“In my radio studio I have the TV permenantly switched to Sky News in case of any breaking news.”
- Jon Gaunt, 21.11.06

"If you are ever looking for innovation and enterprise you’ll see it on Sky News"
- Evening Standard 10.05.06

“As soon as the Press Association broke the story (of the Whale in the Thames) at 11.18 am, Sky News scrambled its ‘Skycopter’. By 12.31 pm it was beaming out the first live aerial pictures, about half and hour before BBC News 24”.
- The Independent 21.01.06

“China piece was spot on. The article by Dominic Waghorn, Beijing crorrespondent for Sky News shows the real China. This article should be sent to media all over Britain and the US to show the truth of how Chinese people really are. I worked in China for 12 years and I believe this article 100 per cent”. Press Gazette 20.01.06

“The suicide attacks on London in July brought the most shocking carnage of British peacetime history and a supreme test for journalists in all media. The rolling television news channels came into their own, with BBC News 24 recovering well from a shaky start, and Sky News correspondent Martin Brunt consistently ahead of the opposition as the investigation unfolded”.
- The Independent 30.12.05

"Throw Adam Boulton a question, and he'll fire back an instant camera-ready opinion. On a live 24-hour channel like Sky this rare ability to extemporise provocatively yet thoughtfully has made him one of Britain’s highest paid reporters."
- David Rowan, Evening Standard, April 2005

"Kay’s been there, done it and clearly hasn’t forgotten her first duty is to deliver a story. On the day, she was an absolute star."
- Daily Mirror commenting on Kay Burley's coverage of Charles and Camilla's wedding, April 2005

"You can't beat Sky News for updates on breaking news stories."
- Dawn Neeson, Daily Star Editor, My Life in Media, The Independent, 6.12.04

"What's the first media you turn to in the mornings?"
"Sky News - their coverage is superb."
- Christ Tarrant, My Life in Media, The Independent, 22.11.04

"Sky News is always on in the house."
- BBC Broadcaster Marc Riley, My Media, The Guardian, 22.11.04

"I have great respect for Sky News. It is the daddy of rolling news."
- Krishnan Guru-Murphy, Channel 4 News Presenter, Metro, 17.09.04 "Sky News...has deservedly won every broadcast news award going. It's a genuinely 24-hour service, and it's the channel that's always on during the day in the office of every executive editor in serious newspapers."
- John Walsh, The Independent, 24.07.04

"I am reluctant to write positively about Sky, which shares a stable with The Sunday Times...But Sky had a good war in Iraq, and along with Jon Snow's thoughtful Channel 4 News, it is about the only news worth watching."
- Jasper Gerard, The Sunday Times, 22.02.04

"Sky News...a remarkably good service that has managed to use its slimness to wriggle into places other news channels were far too fat for, and it is the station of choice for most print newsrooms."
- A.A. Gill, The Sunday Times: Culture, 15.02.04

"I have met them all. Rock stars, actors, footballers but my all-time hero is Francis. I’m serious. I’ve been watching him on Sky for nine years and he is always so laid-back and well turned-out. He’s the coolest man in the world."
- Rod Stewart, Virgin Radio Breakfast Show, May 1998

Iaindale.blogspot.com – 2nd September 2009
I have always believed that there should be debates between the three main party leaders in general election campaigns. Sky News have now upped the ante and issued formal invitations to the three party leaders to take part in an election debate. David Cameron has already accepted and it is safe to say that Nick Clegg will follow suit. It’s a clever move on Sky’s part.

Spectator.co.uk – 2nd September 2009, James Forsyth
The first televised leaders’ debate will be a hugely hyped event. One has to imagine that it would draw a huge TV audience and a ton of media coverage. It would provide the clunking fist with the perfect platform to land a blow on David Cameron.

The Sunday Times, News Review – 6th September 2009
So, the great prime ministerial television debate may soon be upon us. The Americans have been doing it for 49 years and it looks like we may finally catch up, with a bid by Sky News for a live confrontation in the run-up to the general election.

The Sun – David Wooding, Whitehall Editor, 4th September 2009
The Prime Minister refused to take up the challenge after 5,500 viewers backed a Sky News campaign in just 24 hours.

Financial Times – 5th September 2009
Sky television...has launched a campaign to host Britain’s fist election debate between the three main party leaders: Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Tory David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg.
Through wrapped up in the gimmickry of modern television, this is a serious and welcome initiative. Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg have signed up; Mr Brown should follow suit. Sky is to be thanked for the extra entertainment provided as Britain’s broadcast journalists coyly wonder aloud who will moderate such a debate, while jostling for the position in private. 
 
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