Farewell
Ok then, I'm off.
After four years at Newsnight this is my final editor's blog. I'm off to Google, which has provoked some head scratching in the blogosphere.
My reasoning was pretty straightforward - I was looking for something at least as interesting, eventful and as much fun as Newsnight. That leaves a short list of options.
Experimenting with new media has been one of the joys of running Newsnight. There have been new products and possibilities almost every week. We've piled into many of them although so far, unlike Downing Street, we've resisted Twitter.
Some of our wheezes proved controversial but four years on I don't think anyone - and certainly not Jeremy - would argue that Newsnight should be simply a TV programme shown once at 10.30pm.
The digital revolution means I've been the first Newsnight editor to look after a programme which can be accessed at any time of the day or night anywhere in the world. You can engage us in conversation and we can - and should - explain our inner thinking.
So I'd like to take this chance to thank publicly the brilliant, creative and committed team who put together Newsnight five nights a week. To thank the six million or so viewers who stick with Newsnight week in week out despite the proliferation of competing demands for their eyeballs.
And to say thanks and farewell to those diehard Newsnight fans who subscribe to the e-mail, read blogs like this one and visit the website every day to catch up on the programme and have fun picking holes in it.
From Friday I'll be joining your number.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~57~RS~)
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Have fun at Google.
I do. It gives me all sorts of varied options around topics on top of immediate answers.
And I trust them to be balanced and objective in how it all gets sourced delivered and presented. At least to date. Unlike most sources.
How Cuil is that?
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Thanks.
I will watch out for you on Google, no doubt you'll have a blog on there.
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it could not have been easy to drag NN into the 21st century given the initial comments of 'support' for the project on the programme from Kirsty the website slayer and 'Yorrrrkshire' JP.
and how we loved the game of wits with the first software for posting comments.
As for moving to PR what can one say? The usual jokes about the dark side?
Public relations is one of a quintet made up of Advertising, Promotion, Publicity, Public Relations and Marketing.
For those who do not know the standard explanation is
When the circus is coming to town and you put up posters in the shops that is Advertising. When the Elephant walks through the town with signs on its side that is Promotion. When the Elephant tramples the Mayor's roses that is Publicity. Getting the mayor to laugh about it is Public Relations and if you planned it all that is Marketing.
good luck with the jokes.
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BLOGZHEIMERS
Hey Peter, any chance you can hack into this blog from Google, and shove some cyber-pills down its virtual gullet to fix the counters and links? Ta muchly.
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TUSK TUSK (#3)
When the Elephant dumps at the wrong moment, thats not a disaster but an opportunity. If you varnish the offering and sell it on Ebay, that is coals to Newcastle. If you have to pay the elephant its share, that is equality gone mad and if the whole deal stinks - thats Britain.
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Farewell Peter!
Newsnight certainly isn't just a programme that is shown at 10.30 every night, it is so much more.
I am glad you have ensured the programme has kept up with the times and consequently maintained its edge- it would have been very easy for the programme to resist the online world and just stick to-admittedly- what it does best- making a fantastic and informative programme every night.
So well done, and good luck. I hope you have found a competent replacement!
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Congrats and all the best. Google should count themselves lucky...
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Farewell to Peter Barron
Off to Google - bet you enjoy the rest
On Newsnight you always gave your very best
No more viewers rants
Or Jeremy's whinging about his pants
Defending Kirsty Squalk
preventing Salmond's talk
RIP dear Newsnight -and last out - turn off the light !
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I think I love you.
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Newsnight and some good weed; that's my idea of a perfect night-in.
Thank you.
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Farewell, Peter.
Many thanks for keeping Newsnight a thought provoking and vibrant current affairs programme.
Well done for the introduction of an online version of the programme. It proved that someone in the team had a heartbeat for the fast moving arena of the internet.
I fear for the programme now. Let's hope that Jeremy, Mark and Paul can put up a rear guard aciton against any 'Bazelgetising' of the programme.
All the best at Google.
Did you know that 30% of the staff at that company are millionaires?
Good night and good luck.
Ron Taylor
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LOW PROFILERS... PLUS CA CHANGE...
Does a change in editor mean that we'll see less, or more Muslim/terrorist/Axis of Evil bashing on behalf of Israel?
Will we have more, or less investigative reports by intrepid (and eligible_for_Israeli_citizenship) investigative journalists keen to reveal the dastardly exploits of any remaining non-liberal, i.e. despotic, democracies (other than Stalinist China which holds so much of the USA's debt that they could seriously cause dollar grief if they got annoyed)?
Will we have more or fewer interviews with book plugging fund-raisers (and other favoured publicists/donors) keen to offer invaluable tips on how to get rich quick without ever resorting to nepotism in our hypomanic, predatory, supermarket culture?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/2501466/David-Milibands-dinner-guest-raises-eyebrows.html
Plus ca change....
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JadedJean
its still a neo con world in the uk-usa political scene.
dont expect any sense of impartiality on that score.
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