BBC

Six Nations future on terrestrial TV uncertain – what are the implications for rugby and its fans?

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

But the high-octane drama risks being overshadowed by off-field events that could also threaten the principles of public service broadcasting.

Key Points: 
  • But the high-octane drama risks being overshadowed by off-field events that could also threaten the principles of public service broadcasting.
  • Viewing figures for the Rugby World Cup in 2023 were 19% higher than the 2019 tournament, and 30% higher than in 2015.
  • Free-to-air Six Nations games regularly draw between 3 and 4.5 million viewers in the UK.
  • So, when the current broadcasting deal ends in 2025, the Six Nations could very well end up behind a paywall.

Financial woes

  • It faces a stark future both on and off the field, with players leaving Wales for more money and salary caps being introduced for those who stay.
  • The SNP’s Gavin Newlands recently reiterated calls for broadcasting to be devolved so that the Six Nations remains free-to-air.
  • The Irish Rugby Union has also previously warned about the “substantial financial damage” to rugby if the Six Nations was classified as free-to-air.

Lessons from cricket

  • Free market proponents point, for example, to how Sky’s long-lasting commitment to cricket has led to innovation and technical advances such as multiple cameras and data-rich, TV-friendly statistical analysis.
  • It results in a quality of coverage that the BBC or ITV might struggle to match with more meagre budgets.
  • But test cricket offers a cautionary tale.
  • Having hauled in millions of new enthusiasts, cricket failed to keep them watching.


The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

ALCS & RSL announce shortlist for V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

LONDON, Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Society of Literature is delighted to announce the shortlist for its V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize. The prize is an annual award for unpublished short stories between 2,000 to 4,000 words in length. The winner will receive £1,000 and their entry will be published in Prospect magazine online and the RSL's Review.

Key Points: 
  • The prize is an annual award for unpublished short stories between 2,000 to 4,000 words in length.
  • The winner will be announced on Thursday 22 February 2024 at the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) annual awards ceremony.
  • The RSL is grateful to ALCS for supporting this Prize for over a decade.
  • Pritchett Short Story Prize was founded by the RSL in 1999 to commemorate the centenary of an author widely regarded as the finest English short story writer of the 20th century.

Retired FBI Agent Shares His Inspiring World Travel and Involvement in High Profile Cases

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

NAPLES, Fla., Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Reminiscing on his career, author, former police officer, and FBI agent Phillip Reid came to the realization that over his 36 years in law enforcement, he had achieved the majority of his dreams and goals with the help of his chosen career. With his book, "Three Sisters Ponds: My Journey from Street Cop to FBI Senior Executive – from Baltimore to Lockerbie, Pakistan and Beyond," he wants to inspire others to chase their dreams, and even consider a career of their own in law enforcement.

Key Points: 
  • From his humble beginnings to his time patrolling the streets of Baltimore, to traveling the world as an FBI agent, Reid chronicles how he reached his dreams and goals.
  • In his time as an accomplished FBI agent, he had the opportunity to work on the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing investigation as part of their international extra-territorial terrorism.
  • I am grateful to have been able to bring those criminals, and others, to justice during my time with the FBI."
  • "Three Sisters Ponds: My Journey from Street Cop to FBI Senior Executive – from Baltimore to Lockerbie, Pakistan and Beyond"

Leading Digital Lawyer Rafi Azim-Khan Joins Crowell's London and San Francisco Offices

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rafi Azim-Khan has joined Crowell & Moring to lead the firm's Digital Law practice in Europe and advise clients on cybersecurity, data privacy, artificial intelligence, intellectual property, e-commerce and advertising and marketing matters.

Key Points: 
  • He previously led Pillsbury's European Privacy and Marketing Law practices and was co-head of the firm's Global Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice.
  • "We are thrilled to welcome Rafi to the firm" said Philip T. Inglima , chair of Crowell & Moring.
  • "Rafi is a genuine thought leader with rare transatlantic and global experience in areas of increasing, and often critical, importance to our clients.
  • He also is chair of the Ad/Brand Law Group, a leading lawyer group.

Synthetaic Raises $15 Million in Series B Funding to Unlock Insights from Image Data with AI

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Synthetaic , a leading provider of advanced AI solutions, raised $15 million in Series B funding from new and existing investors.

Key Points: 
  • Synthetaic , a leading provider of advanced AI solutions, raised $15 million in Series B funding from new and existing investors.
  • Synthetaic’s RAIC platform offers a streamlined solution for quick and cost-effective object search within raw image data.
  • This innovation significantly reduces the complexities associated with unlocking the full potential of massive, unstructured image datasets, providing businesses with immediate insights via rapid search and iterative AI model training.
  • For example, Synthetaic successfully traced the full path of a suspected Chinese spy balloon in geospatial satellite data.

Canada-based Cinim included as part of international digital series, In Pursuit of Wellness

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024

Core to the pursuit of wellness is a desire to better care for our communities, our spaces and ourselves – something interpreted and embraced in difference ways in different places around the world.

Key Points: 
  • Core to the pursuit of wellness is a desire to better care for our communities, our spaces and ourselves – something interpreted and embraced in difference ways in different places around the world.
  • Cinim’s extensive research culminated in the production of BreathingRoom ™, a digital, award-winning mental wellness program for young people.
  • “Cinim is proud to be a part of the influential In Pursuit of Wellness series.
  • Being a part of In Pursuit of Wellness allows us to effectively communicate and promote Cinim’s vital messages."

HR Technology Conference & Exposition® Europe Launches Agenda, Spotlights Keynotes from Global Industry Leaders

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024

Ahead of the approaching HR Technology Conference Europe, Bersin shared, “I'm excited to keynote the HR Tech Europe event this year.

Key Points: 
  • Ahead of the approaching HR Technology Conference Europe, Bersin shared, “I'm excited to keynote the HR Tech Europe event this year.
  • Thursday afternoon, Madeline Laurano of Aptitude Research will present the “Global State of HR Technology,” drawing on new research set to be unveiled at the HR Technology Conference Europe.
  • Produced by the team behind the annual HR Technology Conference & Exposition® in the U.S., the agenda for the HR Technology Conference Europe also includes HR Tech Talks and breakout sessions hosted by renowned industry voices and organizations.
  • HR Technology Conference Europe will provide a forum to address those topics, giving attendees a chance to connect and learn from industry leaders as well as one another.”
    To register for HR Technology Conference & Exposition® Europe, please visit https://hrtechnologyeurope.com .

Ear seeds: what are they and why have they been controversially linked to ME without scientific evidence?

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024

Despite presenting no clinical evidence for the efficacy of Acu Seeds, Boxer made TV history by attracting offers of investment from all six of the Dragons.

Key Points: 
  • Despite presenting no clinical evidence for the efficacy of Acu Seeds, Boxer made TV history by attracting offers of investment from all six of the Dragons.
  • It’s little surprise, then, that her suggestion of a simple treatment such as ear seeds could help attracted such attention.
  • Ear seeds are used in a form of alternative therapy known as auricular therapy or ear acupressure.
  • However, robust scientific evidence supporting their therapeutic use does not exist.

No cure

  • Over half of patients are unable to work and a quarter of patients are bed- or housebound.
  • The exact disease mechanism is unknown, with research suggesting disturbances in the immune and nervous systems, the gut and energy production.
  • There is no cure for ME.
  • A serious under-investment in rigorous biomedical research into ME has meant that the illness remains somewhat of a mystery.
  • The absence of proven or effective treatments has created an environment allowing unproven treatment claims to thrive and potentially mislead vulnerable patients.
  • Addressing this gap in research funding is crucial for promoting scientific integrity and ensuring that treatments are grounded in robust scientific evidence.


Katharine Seton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Nest Seekers International Transforms Greek Real Estate with Top Agents, Global Reach, and Upcoming TV Series

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Nest Seekers International, a leader in luxury real estate, is reshaping the Greek real estate landscape with its skilled team, international reach, and outstanding property listings.

Key Points: 
  • Nest Seekers International, a leader in luxury real estate, is reshaping the Greek real estate landscape with its skilled team, international reach, and outstanding property listings.
  • The expansion across Greece reflects the nation's appeal as a prime European destination for real estate investments and the Golden Visa program.
  • Dimitra Giakoumaki, the Managing Director at Nest Seekers Greece, is a passionate and experienced leader in the real estate industry, having contributed significantly since 2003.
  • Together, they embody Nest Seekers' commitment to linking global clients with luxury properties, leveraging global insights and local market expertise to guide investors and homebuyers through the promising landscape of Greek real estate​.

Jason Palmer's Democratic Presidential Campaign Gains Momentum in Nevada

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 2, 2024

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Democrat Jason Palmer, competing in the 2024 Nevada presidential primary, is experiencing a surge in momentum as he campaigns across the state ahead of the February 6th election.

Key Points: 
  • LAS VEGAS, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Democrat Jason Palmer, competing in the 2024 Nevada presidential primary, is experiencing a surge in momentum as he campaigns across the state ahead of the February 6th election.
  • At 52 years old, Palmer stands out as among the youngest Democratic candidates on the Nevada ballot, offering a fresh perspective based on his experience as an entrepreneur and a businessman.
  • Palmer's campaign in Nevada has received consistently positive feedback from voters and local leaders eager to send a powerful message to Washington signaling their strong desire for meaningful change, execution expertise, and visionary leadership.
  • Beyond Las Vegas, Palmer also met with the Red Rock Democrats and the Rural Nevada Democratic Caucus, where he shared his vision for a progressive and inclusive America.