CMU Daily 19.07.18: Cliff Richard w ins £210,000 in legal battle with B BC, Seymour Stein announces departu re from Warner Music after 42 years

Cliff Richard wins £210,000 in legal battle with BBC
Cliff Richard yesterday won his long running legal battle with the BBC over its coverage of a police raid at his Berkshire home back in 2014. However, the broadcaster has already indicated it will appeal the judgement. It argues that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent that could impact on the reporting of police investigations by all British media.

The singer sued both the BBC and South Yorkshire Police over the former's coverage of the latter's investigation into claims of sexual abuse that were made against Richard in 2014. The star objected in particular to the broadcaster's filming of a police raid on his Berkshire property that was conducted as part of that investigation.

It wasn't only Richard who criticised the BBC's coverage of the raid, which many saw as being unusually sensationalist for the broadcaster. Its reporting was sufficiently controversial at the time to be reviewed by the Home Affairs Select Committee in Parliament. However, the Beeb hit back and insisted its coverage didn't break any journalistic rules or breach Richard's privacy rights.

No charges were made in relation to the allegations of historical sexual assault that had been made against the singer, with the Crown Prosecution Service dropping the case because of insufficient evidence. Meanwhile, Richard went legal claiming that the BBC's coverage of the case had in fact breached his privacy rights and, in doing so, inflicted "profound and long-lasting" damage on his reputation.

Richard subsequently reached an out of court settlement with South Yorkshire Police. The police force had argued that - while it had liaised with the BBC on its coverage of the raid - that was mainly to stop the broadcaster from reporting on its investigation prior the property search, something it had indicated it might otherwise do.

For a time last year it looked like Richard might also reach a settlement with the BBC, but that wasn't to be and the case got to court back in April this year, wrapping up in May. In a summary of his judgement published yesterday, judge Anthony Mann stated that: "Cliff Richard succeeds in his claim against the BBC and will receive substantial damages".

Confirming that his judgement was based on individual privacy rights contained in the Human Rights Act, the judge added: "I find that Sir Cliff had privacy rights in respect of the police investigation and that the BBC infringed those rights without a legal justification. It did so in a serious way and also in a somewhat sensationalist way. I have rejected the BBC's case that it was justified in reporting as it did under its rights to freedom of expression and freedom of the press".

Mann has awarded Richard £190,000 in general damages and an additional £20,000 in aggravated damages because of the Beeb's decision to nominate its already controversial coverage of the police raid for the Scoop Of The Year prize at the Royal Television Society's annual awards (it didn't win). Additional special damages relating to Richard's claims that the BBC's reporting directly caused him financial losses are still to be ascertained, but could add considerably to the overall damages bill.

Needless to say, Richard and his legal team welcomed yesterday's ruling. Accompanied in court to hear the verdict by his friends Gloria Hunniford and Paul Gambaccini - both current BBC presenters - an emotional Richard told reporters: "I'm choked up. I can't believe it. It's wonderful news". Fans outside the courtroom sang part of the singer's hit 'Congratulations' as he departed.

Subsequently talking to ITV News, Richard said that senior managers at the BBC should be held to account for the infringement of his privacy rights. He told the Beeb's rival broadcaster: "They have to carry the can. I don't know how they are going to do it, but they'll have to. If heads roll then maybe it's because it was deserved. It's too big a decision to be made badly. It was nonsense".

For its part, the BBC again apologised for the distress it may have caused Richard, and added that, with the benefit of hindsight, it now feels that it could and should have handled the story in a different way. However, it then noted that Mann's ruling suggests that the simple naming of Richard in its report constituted an infringement of the singer's privacy right. This, the BBC reckons, sets a new precedent that basically changes UK law with regard to the rules around reporting on active police investigations.

The Corporation's Director Of News And Current Affairs, Fran Unsworth, wrote in response to yesterday's ruling that: "We have thought long and hard about how we covered this story. On reflection there are things we would have done differently, however the judge has ruled that the very naming of Sir Cliff was unlawful".

She then added: "So even had the BBC not used helicopter shots or run the story with less prominence, the judge would still have found that the story was unlawful; despite ruling that what we broadcast about the search was accurate. This judgment creates new case law and represents a dramatic shift against press freedom and the long-standing ability of journalists to report on police investigations. This impacts not just the BBC, but every media organisation".

There has been much debate over the years regarding whether or not media should name suspects in police investigations who are yet to be charged. The debate is all the more fierce when investigations relate to allegations such as sexual assault, which can severely tarnish an individual's reputation even if no charges follow. But many media argue that their reporting on police investigations and the people involved can lead to more victims or witnesses coming forward, and therefore ultimately aid the investigation.

In her statement, Unsworth argued that the unhindered reporting of police investigations has other benefits for society at large too. She wrote: "This isn't just about reporting on individuals. It means police investigations, and searches of people's homes, could go unreported and unscrutinised. It will make it harder to scrutinise the conduct of the police and we fear it will undermine the wider principle of the public's right to know. It will put decision-making in the hands of the police".

Concluding, the BBC news chief stated: "We don't believe this is compatible with liberty and press freedoms; something that has been at the heart of this country for generations. For all of these reasons, there is a significant principle at stake. That is why the BBC is looking at an appeal".

The BBC is likely to be supported by many of its media rivals - including newspapers that are often critical of the Corporation - in its bid to fight this judgement. Sun editor Tony Gallagher called the ruling "shockingly bad" on Twitter, adding that the judgement was a "victory for (alleged) criminals and money-grabbing lawyers" and "terrible for media".

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Human rights court orders Russia to compensate Pussy Riot over 2012 jailing
The European Court Of Human Rights has ordered Russia to compensate the members of Pussy Riot who were jailed after they performed a protest song in a Moscow church back in 2012.

Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich all spent time in prison after being convicted for their involvement in the protest. The controversial legal case and the backlash against the convictions assured the wider Pussy Riot group and the political causes they promote a global profile.

Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova filed a complaint with the European Court Of Human Rights in 2014. And on Tuesday it ruled that Russia had violated multiple articles of the European Convention On Human Rights in its arrest, conviction and jailing of the three Pussy Riot members.

Among other things, the court criticised the "overcrowded conditions" suffered by the accused when they were transported to and from court, the "humiliation" of the defendants' exposure in a glass dock during the trial, and various free speech violations. The court has ordered Russia to collectively pay the three Pussy Riot members just under 50,000 euros in damages.

The human rights court - part of the Council Of Europe and nothing to do with the European Union - has jurisdiction in Russia because the country is a signatory of the human rights convention.

The Russian government could appeal the ruling, though it has ultimately complied with the court's judgements in the past. However, there have been reports of the Russian government considering withdrawing form the human rights convention and therefore no long cooperating with the European court.

The ECHR ruling came as four current members of Pussy Riot were jailed for fifteen days in relation to a protest at the recent World Cup in Russia.

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Seymour Stein announces departure from Warner Music after 42 years
American record industry veteran Seymour Stein has announced his departure from Warner Music after four decades working with the major. His announcement coincided with being handed the Trustees Award by Grammy owners the US Recording Academy.

Stein has been allied with Warner Music since 1976, when the label he had co-founded in 1967 - Sire - signed a distribution deal with Warner Bros Records, which subsequently bought the indie. He has had an assortment of roles at the major since then, as well as continuing to head up the Sire label. He recently published an autobiography detailing his career in the music industry.

Accepting his award, he said: "Writing and promoting my autobiography, 'Siren Song', along with the news of my Grammy Award, brought a flood of memories from my earliest days at Sire right up to the present".

"I was very fortunate during my youth to learn from so many great indie label people, like Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun and Jerry Wexler at Atlantic, and my greatest mentor, Syd Nathan at King Records", he continues. "I went on to work with so many other great indies around the world as Sire grew to become the legendary brand it is today. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all the amazing artists - far too many to name - who have called Sire home over the years".

We don't have to worry about disappointing anyone, so I can go ahead and name some of those "amazing artists", which include Madonna, The Ramones, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Ice-T, The Cure and The Pretenders.

Stein's departure from Warner at the age of 76 does not mean that he's retiring though. He continued: "I've enjoyed much of my time at Warner, but in truth I long for my indie roots and the greater independence that I experienced back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. So the time has come to move on to the next phase of my career".

He added that he was leaving Sire "in the hands of Rani Hancock, whom I sincerely wish all the luck in the world". Hancock was named President of Sire Records a year ago.

"Rest assured", Stein concluded, "I intend to remain active, and I'll be back in action again soon. I'm looking forward to the future and continuing to develop new artists in the music business that I love so much".

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V&A's David Bowie Is exhibition turned into VR experience
The V&A's touring 'David Bowie Is' exhibition has taken various forms since its original incarnation at the London museum in 2013. It was a boring old exhibition, like anyone could do. It became a filmed walk around that exhibition. And now it's a virtual reality experience. Obviously!

Later this year, Sony Music Japan plans to release a digital version of the exhibition in collaboration with the David Bowie Archive and the V&A. It'll allow you to wander round it all from the comfort of your own home, simply by strapping some special goggles to your face. Or a cardboard box that you've stuck your phone in. Whichever you like.

The show documents Bowie's creative progression through various costumes and artefacts from across his five decade career. For the digitised version, these items have been 3D scanned to allow virtual viewers to get up close and explore them.

A press release says that the app "may even allow a spectator to virtually step into one of Bowie's outfits and see themselves in it". So also, it may not. The intrigue!

Find out more at davidbowieisreal.com

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Ed Sheeran documentary coming to Apple Music next month
Apple Music will make new Ed Sheeran documentary 'Songwriter' available worldwide next month. Directed by Murray Cummings, the film will also receive a limited theatrical run in New York and LA.

"'Songwriter' gives viewers a unique glimpse into the songwriting process", claims Sheeran. "Murray's film brilliantly documents the hard work and DNA that goes into creating a song from start to finish".

Cummings adds: "I decided to make something different. I wasn't going to show fame. I didn't want paparazzi, screaming fans or big stadiums. I didn't want to have sit down interviews because I didn't want to tell the audience how something came to be, I just wanted to show them. And I wanted the focus to be the songwriting".

Premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, 'Songwriter' documents Sheeran's work on songs ahead of recording his last album 'Divide'. It'll be available on Apple Music from 28 Aug. Here's a trailer.

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BTS announce final release in 'Love Yourself' series
K-pop phenomenon BTS have announced that they will release the fourth and final part of their 'Love Yourself' series of albums, titled 'Answer', next month.

Following the release of 'Love Yourself: Tear' in May, the new record will feature seven new songs alongside some previously released tracks.

Pre-orders for 'Love Yourself: Answer' are open now and its 24 Aug release date will mean it's available well in advance of the band's upcoming two night run at The O2 in London on 9-10 Oct.

Watch the video for 'Fake Love' from 'Love Yourself: Tear' here.

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The Orchard, Mike Patton, MJ Cole & Kojey Radical, more

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• Get a daily news summary, our latest job ads and more via our Messenger bot. Click here to get started.

• Sony Music's label services business The Orchard has named Chris Manning as its General Manager for the United Kingdom and Europe. Manning has been with the company for a decade in various roles. "This is a thoroughly warranted promotion", swears UK MD Ian Dutt.

• Mike Patton has released new track 'Dead Woman's Secrets'. It's taken from his score for Stephen King's '1922', an expanded version of which will be released as an album this Friday.

• MJ Cole and Kojey Radical have released the video for 'Soak It Up'.

• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy has released new single 'Blueberry Jam'.

• Spring King have released new single 'The Hum'. Their new album, 'A Better Life', is out on 31 Aug.

• Ross From Friends has released the video for 'Pale Blue Dot'. It's made up footage shot by his (then future) mum, documenting his (then also future) dad's trip driving a sound system around Europe in a bus to put on spontaneous raves in 1990.

• UK drill crew 67 has released new mixtape 'The 6'. Here's the video for a track from it, 'She Wants'.

• Holychild have released new track, 'Wishing You Away'.

• Half Waif has shared a new Kate NV remix of her track 'Keep It Out'.

• Eliza has released new single 'All Night'. She'll play the Jazz Café in London on 10 Oct.

• Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily - updated every Friday.

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Dua Lipa does give a French version of IDGAF
Dua Lipa fans - the francophone ones, at least - have apparently been clamouring for her to record a version of 'IDGAF' in French. Well, even if they haven't, she's done it.

"Your wish is my command BBs", she wrote on Twitter. She then switched to French, which I have helpfully (unless you're a French-speaker) translated for you: "To all my French fans, I just recorded a version of 'IDGAF' on which I sing in French aahhh! There is also a version with Master Gims, my favourite rapper. I hope to be able to play it very soon!"

Regardless of what languages you do or don't speak, I'm sure you're now very keen to know how "I don't give a fuck" translates into French. Well get ready to be disappointed, because she only sings the verses in French on this new version. So your international swearing dictionary will not be receiving an update today.

While we're on the subject of Dua Lipa, word has it that she might be recording the next Bond theme. Appearing on BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday, Years & Years' Mikey Goldsworthy said he thought they might be a shoo-in for it, as they've recently worked with Judy Dench and Ben Whishaw, both of whom have appeared in James Bond movies.

"I thought they'd ask us to do the theme tune", he said. "But I think Dua Lipa is doing it".

That's not exactly confirmation, but I guess it's as good a place as any to start speculation. People like to speculate about who's doing the next Bond theme, don't they? Je m'en fous.

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