A Times executive and former picture editor Andrew Moger said that swapping was

A Times executive and former picture editor, Andrew Moger, said that swapping was not a disciplinary matter at his paper, but a matter “for dialogue”. While he understood the pressures, the short-term solution was “neutering” talent.Eamon McCabe, out-going picture editor of The Guardian, said: “I don’t want to be pious, because photographers have been helping each other out for years, but it has got out of hand.” He said that Sky’s coverage of sport had increased the pressure on sports photographers. They were now expected to cover everything, including the sending-off captured on the TV screen. TV, he said, was dictating the newspaper agenda.But McCabe did offer some optimism. He said he believed there were moves afoot on certain popular newspapers to bring swapping under control. There was a growing recognition in some quarters that “borrowing” did not foster distinctive newspaper styles..

MILLIONS OF people are unaware of the existence of Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live, according to internal BBC research revealed last week. But the “revelation” was no news to Radio4’s controller, Helen Boaden. Even when she was making programmes herself for File on Four, it was known that listeners were not always sure which station they were hearing But they did recognise the programmes. MILLIONS OF people are unaware of the existence of Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live, according to internal BBC research revealed last week. But the “revelation” was no news to Radio4’s controller, Helen Boaden.

Even when she was making programmes herself for File on Four, it was known that listeners were not always sure which station they were hearing. But they did recognise the programmes.
So, while she is always looking for new ways to raise the network’s profile, she is conscious of the need to avoid alienating the audience she has Nearly nine million people tune in every week Their average age is 53. And she is certainly not about to abandon them to chase some elusive new market ­ such as the young. “I know it’s fashionable to do that, but it would be misguided for Radio 4,” she says.Older members of the population have much to cheer in the 45-year-old Helen Boaden, who believes that the time is ripe for a radical revision of our views on age, old or otherwise. She has chosen ageing as the theme for this year’s prestigious Reith Lectures, which begin on Radio 4 tomorrow. And on a practical note, she is keen to retain her older staff. Amid persistent rumours that older presenters such as Sue MacGregor on Today may leave, she makes it clear that she has no desire to get rid of them.”I’m very much encouraging the older end in the presenting field to stay on,” she says.

The BBC has lost too many producers in their forties and fifties over the past decade, and Ms Boaden believes their experience is hard to replace. “They’re the people who probably best understand our audience.”Such thinking is almost revolutionary in a broadcasting industry oriented toward youth as never before, yet there has been nothing revolutionary about Helen Boaden’s first year in charge ­ and that is exactly how she planned it.After the turmoil created by her predecessor, James Boyle, and his raft of swift and controversial changes, calm and consolidation were what she offered when she took over at Radio 4 this time last year. She aimed to revive the battered egos of her staff and reassure the listener. To achieve the first, she has become adept at firing off hero-grams, tries to give feedback and is about to implement team-building staff lunches. For the latter, she has spent a large part of the year “putting on a posh frock and going to see the outside world, because there are a lot of people who feel they have a stake in Radio 4.” And they make their views very clear.The first demand for her resignation came on her second day in office, after an interview by John Humphrys on Today. And when she announced her decision to broadcast eight hours of Harry Potter readings on Boxing Day, she received some aggressive communications “You selfish bitch.