hello and welcome to the media year 2018. in the next half an hour, we are going to look at the intersection between technology and the media over the past 12 months, a golden age of tv and audio and the increasing impact of data on all our lives. this has been the year of the techlash, a global backlash against silicon valley's biggest companies prompted by controversies over privacy, misinformation, foreign interference and much else besides. and one company has been in the spotlight and feeling the heat more than any other. facebook‘s wobbles and worries morphed into constant woe. revelations emerged about a british data firm, cambridge analytica, misusing data on a massive scale. when the revelations first came to light, the company aggressively said this was not a data breach. the truth is it could have been something much worse. the mass harvesting of the personal data of tens of millions of people without them knowing about it. in the uk, the parliamentary select committee looking into fake news and misinformation has repeatedly called for facebook‘s chief executive and chairman mark zuckerberg to appear in front of it. he's repeatedly declined. but he did turn up when summoned by us congress. it was the interrogation he feared and had long resisted. mark zuckerberg has never testified before congress. and now with the eyes of the world on him, this moment in the spotlight promised high drama and delivered it. in his prepared statement, zuckerberg said this was on him. we didn't take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake. and it was my mistake, and i'm sorry. i started facebook, i run it and i'm responsible for what happens here. the charge at his door — that by building perhaps the most astonishing network in human history, he had created a mass surveillance tool that imperils us all. if you and other social media companies do not get your act in order, none of us are going to have any privacy any more. mr zuckerberg recognised the company made a huge error in not telling 87 million users that they had been targeted by cambridge analytica. why didn't you inform those 87 million? we did take action. we took down the app, and we demanded that both the app developer and cambridge analytica delete and stop using any data that they had. they told us that they did this. in retrospect, it was clearly a mistake to believe them. next up, he accepted that he was wrong to describe the idea of russian interference in the presidential election as crazy. one of my greatest regrets in running the company is that we were slow in identifying the russian information operations in 2016. intriguingly, zuckerberg seemed to leave open the possibility of moving to a paid service at some point. but his core business model will always be based on our personal data. yes, there will always be a version of facebook that is free. how do you sustain a business model in which users don't pay for your service? senator, we run ads. the extraordinary power of these companies stems above all from their ownership of data. today, data is the most valuable commodity on earth, and the richest companies own almost unimaginable quantities of it. regulators across the world want to transfer power back from these companies to consumers. this year in europe, we saw implementation of the most effective tool yet, general data protection regulation, or gdpr. how clear are you about what gdpr is? i'm not at all. gdpr? what is that? gdpr? what is that exactly? gdpr gives consumers much more control over their data. they can now expect to be told who their data has been shared with, they could opt out of profiling and challenge automated decisions about issues such as whether or not they should be offered a loan. and beyond that, consumers can now demand free access to data about them held by a company within a month. economic history is infinitely complex, but it does display clear patterns. the agrarian economy was based on land and the cultivation of crops. the industrial revolution was based on manufacturing. that in turn was followed by the growth of services and the knowledge economy, which places a premium on information. capital today is shifting toward a new type of economy, where the most precious resource is not something we can touch, smell or hear. this is the data economy. today, the most powerful companies in the world are those who hoard almost unimaginable quantities of data. these companies are a new kind of media and technology giant, powered by algorithms that allow them to monetise information about all of us. the world is watching this european attempt to take back control of our data. the companies who hoard all this data have also had to contend with allegations about fake news and misinformation. but when donald trump uses the term fake news, he is generally talking aboutjournalists that he just doesn't like very much. cnn's fake news. i don't take questions from cnn. cnn is fake news. i don't take questions from cnn. john roberts of fox. let's go to a real network. of course, both trump and the media have benefited from this mutual antagonism. but as i discovered, when filming another report, a new emerging technology, facial manipulation, could make worries about fake news pale in comparison. the hit bbc drama luther has been sold around the world. but the dubbing used for international versions rather removes the subtlety of the original. i charged one and let the other one off. algorithms figure out where is the eyes... in a rented space in north london, young entrepeneurs are using algorithms figure out where is the eyes... in a rented space in north london, young entrepeneurs are using artificial intelligence to improve the viewing experience. their software understands and rapidly models the intricacies of the face. i grew up in a very small country with 5 million people, which means that we are too small for anyone to want to dub content, so we had subtitles. and reading subtitles, it does take away a certain element of the experience. how do we make sure that this technology is used for its commercial benefits rather than through its political dangers? i think it's very important to have good access to the space that understands the technology and helps shape it, and also build some sort of public awareness perspective and also very much develop safety nets to ensure it is not used for bad. let me give you an example of how this ai technology can be used. so for instance, i might say my name is amol and i love reggae music and my favourite band is the wailers. how about i say that again in vietnamese? not a language i speak. he speaks vietnamese but in the age of information overload, truth can be hard to find. when you report fake news, which cnn does a lot, you are the enemy of the people. go ahead. the white house shared a video of donald trump's confrontation with a cnn reporter which the network claimed had been modified. cnn say it had been manipulated by conspiracy theorists who support the president. what if concerns over fake news on facebook are but nothing compared to the potential harm from fake video? people will not be able to trust the truth. they will not be able to tell what is real, what is not real and in some cases, they may be faced with reports that are real but they will not trust them. a war for the truth is raging in our media today. this technology will make television better, but it could make already fragile democracies much worse. over at google, a huge walk—out amongst staff globally in response to the mishandling, as they saw it, of sexual—harassment allegations, shows the fight for gender equality is raging in the media. and not least at the bbc. several of the most high—profile female presenters on bbc news went to westminster to support their colleague carrie gracie. do the bbc need to do more on equal pay for women? that's why we're here. thank you. i was appointed china editor at the end of... she resigned her post as china editor in protest at unequal pay. in blistering testimony to a select committee of mps, she accused the bbc of institutionalised discrimination when it had paid her less than other international editors. we knew there was inequality. we did not know the details because the bbc is extremely secretive on pay, but we knew we were underpaid, and i was determined at this point where i knew i would give the china job every last ounce of my skill and stamina, i knew i would do thatjob at least as well as any man. the corporation dealing with her grievance was, she said, insultingly shambolic. and she added she had been declined nearly £100,000 in back pay. her grilling went on for two and a half hours. when management emerged in the afternoon, the director general apologised for the situation. i am sorry. i am sorry it went to a grievance. i said up front at the beginning that i would very much like to resolve the case of carrie gracie with her. and i am sorry it has taken so long and sorry we are in this position, yes. he went on to explain for the first time in public why the bbc believe there is a hierarchy of roles among correspondents. the idea that every single editor home and abroad, i would imagine, should be paid exactly the same, i don't agree with. it should not be a matter of gender, completely agree. 0utrageous if it was. but you have balances between different editors and we need to be very upfront about the pecking order. equal pay for equal work! the bbc has a clear plan and is largely ahead of the industry on gender equality. but many feel there is still a long way to go. the bbc battled on many fronts, not always successfully. big existential challenges from cash—rich american rivals mixed with more local headaches. sir cliff richard won his privacy case in response to the bbc‘s coverage of a police raid on his home. we welcome today's judgement and sir cliff would wholeheartedly wish to thank everyone who supported him throughout. his family, friends and of course his fans. it has meant a huge deal to him. thank you very much. i cannot really answer too many questions at the moment. it is going to take a little while to get over the whole emotional factor, and so i hope you will forgive me. i will talk to you some other time. thank you very much. the bbc is very sorry for the distress caused to sir cliff. we understand the very serious impact this has had on him. the judge has also made clear that even if there had been no footage of the search, and the story had less prominence, the very naming of sir cliff would have been unlawful. this creates a significant shift against press freedom. this means police investigations and searches of people's homes could go unreported and unscrutinised. it will put decision—making about naming individuals in the hands of the police over the public's right to know. we do not believe this is compatible with liberty and press freedoms. the bbc eventually decided not to appeal. now then, at this point in our review of the media year 2018, let's shift focus from the producers of media to us, the consumers. this is a golden age in tv. in terms of scheduled tv alone, this year saw massive hits from bake—0ff and strictly to bodyguard and of course the world cup. in the planet of box sets, there is now unprecedented choice. over 10 million uk households now have access to subscription video—on—demand services, and as a result, the distinction between film and tv is basically collapsing. are you 0k? what happened? you fainted. one of the summer's big—budget original films released and streamed on netflix. to all the boys i've loved before is about a teenager whose secret love letters are taken by her little sister and sent out to five boys she has crushes on. i appreciated it but it's never going to happen. i'm sorry, what? it's created a buzz on social media but here's the thing, no cinema is going to show it. the letters are out. streaming services from the likes of amazon and apple first revolutionised tv. now movies are getting the same treatment. and it's changing the economics of the industry. franchises such as the marvel film ant—man and the wasp have dominated the list of top grossing films in the last few years. they appeal to international and especially chinese audiences who in precarious times are often vital to make productions viable. the rise of the golden age of tv and the franchising of film are connected. you will have almost all the content that you want to see except for the biggest superhero films. you'll be able to see everything else at home if you prefer but for those who love theatres, it might be a bit sad. front row please, mate. as a result of this revolution, cinemas are changing. they are diversifying to become hubs for community events, from live conversation to meeting places for new mums. box office sales are no longer the sole metric of success. in fact, so far this year, box office receipts are down while cinema admissions are up. and the electric here in birmingham, founded in 1909 and the oldest working cinema in the country, is at the forefront of this very modern trend. i think if the smaller cinemas want to compete, they need to continue to reinvent themselves and come up with new ideas. and if that means pairing cinema with food or wine, it gives people a reason to leave their living rooms and head back into the cinema again. in the age of the smartphone, competition is unprecedented. 0ne former boss of bbc films, who is now an independent producer, can see power shifting towards smaller television screens. a lot of talented producers are probably feeling that film is less worth their while. i think they get to the point where it's exhausting and it often doesn't work and they are seeing that many of the things they enjoy about film are happening in television. and they want to be a part of that. they can build a business on the back of that. i'm cooperating. don't shoot! the final episode of political drama bodyguard was one of the tv stories of the year. peaking at over 11 million viewers and a 50% audience share, it also brought in 1.3 million viewers between 16 and 3a, those who have been fleeing traditional tv. each episode, people felt that they couldn't wait, that rather than catching up and being behind the conversation, they felt a pressure to watch live and so the proportion of our audience watching live went up as the series went on. and i think that shows that there is still an appetite for appointment—to—view television. for commercial channels who don't enjoy the privilege of the licence fee, standout shows like bake—0ff and love island subsidised more risky and ambitious programming. the executive producer who turned love island into a bafta—winning sensation among young viewers says scheduled tv still has a future. young people want to watch tv. they want to watch good tv and i don't think we should patronise them not knowing they don't want to watch the kind of television. i think since neftlix came along, everyone panicked and thought oh no, we cannot do it, we can't do it but you can. make a great programme that is, engaging people are going to watch it. i had nothing to do with julia's assassination. i tried to save her. shows like bodyguard, filmed here, tense plot lines that unfold in scheduled bursts rather than box sets can still appeal to a younger audience reared on smartphones. in fact, the gap between broadcast can actually boost ratings with days to generate huge buzz on social media and to heighten the anticipation. and there have been lots of big moves in the world of uk radio. on radio 2, chris evans has announced a move from the breakfast slot to the same slot on virgin. he is going to be replaced by zoe ball and sara cox is going to replace simon mayo and jo wiley in the drivetime slot. on radio 4, moving from pm in the afternoon to bbc and all the while, podcasts are changing the very nature of listening. estimates suggest weekly listeners to podcasts in the uk have almost doubled in five years, from 3.2 million in 2013 to 5.9 million this year. the steepest growth is among young adults, with nearly one in five listening to podcasts each week. so bright that we can clearly see... the dark side of the moon, this is a classic. now the bbc is making a big play for this growth market. the bbc sounds app is the biggest product launch from the corporation for a decade and combines live, local and national radio with music mixes, recommendations and podcasts. for advertisers, this new market is exciting. podcasts are a medium that is redolent of trust. so once you have found your tribe on a podcast, you trust the podcast host and that is a really valuable ingredient. something remarkable is stirring in the world of radio. a new generation is tuning in and turning up the volume. now in our review of the media year 2018, let's turn our attention to a massive global industry that sometimes is neglected by the news agenda. for a new generation of screen addicts, it is irresistible, sometimes dangerous. it's gaming. you could be fighting dragons or taking out a terrorist force. anything you want. save a princess at the speed of sound. it's crazy. star wars and gaming and put them into the one thing and it is absolutely amazing. you can be any character, you can be a stormtrooper, you can be a rebel and you can be absolutely anything and do whatever you want and you can change your character. from angry birds and candy crush to the latest craze, fortnite, industry figures suggest over 37 million britons have played an electronic game in the past six months. whether on pcs, consoles or mobiles, digital technology has made games widely accessible and generally cheap. and for some, it's notjust a form of entertainment, but a lucrative career. by building a vast following on social media platforms, some gamers can make millions of pounds annually. 0n sites like twitch, hundreds of gamers live stream their experience, often while talking live to their followers. i've got some ideas in my head. i've got some ideas. it's a digital universe largely beyond the view of many parents. there are professional players now. under the pseudonym tommyt999, ross is building a brand and following. how do people make money these days out of gaming? the basics are just ad revenue that you will see from your videos or your content and then you have the likes of sponsorships, donations from the community and then there are also opportunities to have deals with brands. but for some, gaming can become a distraction and an adiction. australian neil robertson became snooker world champion in 2010 but away from the game, he immersed himself in gaming. the thing is you don't realise it's 12 or 14 hours, it goes like boom. i was heavily addicted, i have no doubt about that. i denied that for many years. saying that i really need it when i travel away, it's so important, whereas i was not confronting the real issue itself. the world health organisation has created a new classification. gaming disorderfor digital or video gaming now officially has three characteristics. impaired control when gaming, prioritising gaming over other interests and daily activities and an escalation in gaming despite the negative consequences. to be diagnosed, such behaviour needs to be of sufficient severity for at least a year. the gaming industry takes a different view. jo twist, the ceo of the games trade body, said: new technology means millions of gamers are today immersing themselves in virtual worlds. most do so without causing harm to themselves or others, but for a growing number, gaming is an addiction like any other. concerns over the impact of new technology on our lives from the effects of screen time on our minds to the polarising power of social media has perhaps given some old media a new chance. maybe newspapers and scheduled tv bulletins have life in them yet, even if some giants have bowed out. paul dacre left his perch as editor of the daily mail after a quarter of a century, prompting the paper to take a softer stance on brexit. it was the end of an era. i think i'll remember him as a great campaigning editor, someone in touch with his readers, someone who it has often been said understood middle england. i always felt that paul dacre is the worst of british values posing as the best and i think there has been a poisoning in our culture of which he is a very big part. and it's been a momentous year for rupert murdoch. the media billionaire sold most of his us entertainment empire to disney and after a bidding war, the british and european broadcaster sky was sold to another us giant, comcast. some industries are in terminal decline. local newspapers prime among them. a few weeks ago, i visited the west midlands to talk to keith harrison, the editor of the wolverhampton express and star, who has just left after 25 years. just a few decades ago, work in a local paper came with esteem, influence and a solid wage. titles like the independently—owned express & star in wolverhampton were treasured in their communities. these days, their importance has grown further but their commercial clout is diminishing. now if you want a second—hand car, you look online and if you want local news, fewer and fewer turn to print. it's challenging. i think if you look at the size of the audience compared to say 20 years ago, more people are reading our stories now than they were in that time, but that's if you take the print audience and the digital audience together. the difficulty we have got is, of course, a large proportion of those people who are reading are not paying for the content. it's how we start to monetise the digital segment. the romance and nostalgia of local papers is at odds with the brutal reality of digital news. now that we all have the equivalent of the printing presses in our pockets, classified ads have disappeared and are not coming back. what's more, it is hard for these guys to drive subscriptions. so while everyone agrees local news matters, no—one agrees on how to save it. and while these guys are up for a fight, they'll probably be needing some kind of subsidy. it may come from silicon valley. facebook say they want to help train local reporters just as the bbc now do. at a recent training camp in cardiff, google were teaching freelancers in the way of new digital tools. what google is trying to do is figure out how to partner with local newspapers to find the new digital business models, helping them find new advertising streams and making sure that we supply them with the technology that helps them generate that digital advertising. the industry is on its knees and many blame silicon valley for stealing ad revenue and content. but if silicon valley retreated, it would not bring local papers back. in november, the 250—year—old johnston press went into administration, triggered by an unmanageable debt of more than £200 million. a company run by the bondholders has been set up and mostjobs should be saved for now. the dame leading the review into the future of news is pragmatic about the local business model. i think it's going to be very hard to revive it because it depended so heavily on classified advertising and indeed other advertising. and of course the end of advertising makes people pay more for their copies and local newspapers tend to have much smaller circulations than national newspapers. so it's very hard to see how you rebuild the model in its present form. the cairncross review will report back early in the new year and we'll also hear more about government plans for new laws to tackle online harms. 2018 has been a riveting year in media and 2019 promises to be even more so. thanks for watching. they weather out there it's pretty quiet for most as we head through the remainder of the day. fairly cloudy skies but the sunshine has been breaking through at times and this is the picture in worcestershire ta ken this is the picture in worcestershire taken earlier in the day. the rest of the day we keep spells of sunshine before the sun sets and things are looking mostly dry with high pressure the dominating factor out there at the moment. into the evening, slightly cloudy skies for a time, clearer conditions, but then we start to see more rain working across scotland and northern ireland overnight and it will turn quite windy. with outbreaks of rain and the wind, temperatures staying at 3—8, and across england and wales, a largely frost free night. the odd misty patch in the south first thing tomorrow. high pressure still driving the weather but we have the weather fronts moving their way from west to east and they are also bringing pretty mild air. the yellow colours are with much of the country, a bit cold across the far north and east of scotland. a few showers rattling in for northern scotla nd showers rattling in for northern scotland and also the odd spot of light patchy rain moving south through wales into the midlands, but behind that clearer skies developing and so sunny spells during saturday and so sunny spells during saturday and a very mild with temperatures around 11—13. you will notice the strength of the wind especially in northern ireland and scotland, you can see that we could have in excess of 50 mph. a blustery day in the north. for sunday, rain across the far north but dry elsewhere around the uk, any cloudy conditions for most with light winds as well, and the best of the sunshine will develop in eastern england and eastern scotland and once again the temperatures are above average, 10-13. temperatures are above average, 10—13. looking ahead to monday, new year's eve, looking mostly dry, high pressure still with us, but a lot of cloud around and if you are expecting to see fireworks, it is looking mostly dry, some clear spells, but a fair amount of cloud and patchy fog possible as well. this is bbc news i'm simon mccoy. the headlines at 3. three men have been found guilty of the murder of five people who died after an explosion in a shop in leicester in february. the music retailer hmv is being put into administration placing more than 2000 jobs at risk. after a surge in the number of migrants crossing from france — calls to step up patrols in the english channel. potholes are getting worse — more than half a million were reported for repair last year, according to research. and coming up — one of the rarest birds in the world — the madagascar pochard — gets a new home. a british team of conservationists have released a small group of the birds at a lake in the north of madagascar. agony for ascoli as one of the ‘goals of the season‘ is scored by the italian side's goalie — into their own net. and in 100 women — kirsty wark speaks to acclaimed