Sky News

Sky News was named Best News Channel at last night’s Broadcast Digital Awards, beating off several international broadcasters including Al Jazeera English.
The judges commended Sky News saying: “Sky is generally about two minutes ahead of BBC News 24. It is an excellent channel – first to the spot every time a story breaks.” Clearly impressed, the judges added: “It engages a wider audience than the BBC.”

Head of Sky News John Ryley, who picked up the award at the ceremony in London, said it was “a tribute to our hard work, energy and imagination.”

Sky News demonstrated its strengths through coverage of the two defining stories of the year – one home, one foreign. The foreign story was the Israel-Hezbollah war, during which Sky News presented live from Northern Israel, Jerusalem and Beirut for 18 hours a day. This led to a series of firsts – Sky News was first to report the secret chat between Tony Blair and George Bush at the St Petersburg summit and, live in vision, first to report and first to cross the border.

When shortly before Christmas five women were murdered in Suffolk, Sky was the first broadcaster to report the discovery of the second and fourth bodies and was the first to report the arrest of and to name suspect Steve Wright.

The relentless ability of Sky’s Crime Correspondent to break lines ahead of his rivals was such that, on the morning that Steve Wright appeared in court charged with the murders, a police press officer advised a newspaper reporter to, “Call Martin Brunt. He knows everything before we do”.

Sky News also took the lead on many other stories during the year. It broke almost every key line in the cash for peerages investigation, including the arrest of Lord Levy and was ahead of other media with the news that the police and security services had foiled a plot to blow up airliners mid flight last August.

Last night’s award follows the success at the RTS Awards in March where Sky News also won News Channel of the Year.

Apologies if this has been mentioned, but caught a few minutes of Sky News last night and their latest self congratulatory promo, which was based on the concept that "you need" Sky News!


So if we "need" it so much, why are Sky all in favour of taking it off Freeview and Cable then?

Apologies if this has been mentioned, but caught a few minutes of Sky News last night and their latest self congratulatory promo, which was based on the concept that "you need" Sky News!


So if we "need" it so much, why are Sky all in favour of taking it off Freeview and Cable then?

Because they want you to know how much you need it, silly . That is it, isn't it?

Eamonn Holmes is returning to ITV1 to co-present flagship daytime show This Morning over the summer with his partner Ruth Langsford.
The couple will front the daily magazine show for seven weeks from Monday July 16 until August 31.

Holmes and Langsford have previously presented This Morning together during half-term holidays.

However, this will be the first time they have fronted the show for such a long stint.

It is thought to be the longest period for which a couple have fronted This Morning since the show's original presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan quit the show six years ago.

Holmes and Langford said, in a joint statement: "This Morning is an institution in British broadcasting. It's as if Fern and Phillip have left us their car to use while they are away.

"We thoroughly intend to hand it back in one piece, but you can't blame us if we did the odd handbrake turn while they weren't looking."

This Morning will be "more cutting edge and interactive" over the summer, according to senior development producer, Melanie Christian.

There will be more input from viewers, with some taking part in the regular feature Beat the Stylist, instead of celebrities.

Another weekly feature will be what has been dubbed internally, "tranny transformation", with a trans-sexual given a makeover for a special occasion. Also on the cards is a special psychic week.

The executive producer of This Morning, Siubhan Richmond, said: "Our viewers often ask why This Morning cannot continue over the summer and we are flattered to have been asked to extend this winning format.

"We will continue with the usual mix of showbiz, news and lifestyle features but there will also be some unique new strands to ring the changes."

Contrary to recent press speculation, Holmes will continue doing his Sky News Sunrise show, which is simulcast on Sky One - in addition to his stint on This Morning.

Prior to joining Sky News in 2005, Holmes was a presenter on GMTV for 12 years. He also presents shows for the BBC, including a weekend show on Radio Five Live, which returns in the autumn.

Langsford regularly hosts This Morning on a Friday with Phillip Schofield. The rest of the week, the long-running flagship show is presented by Schofield and Fern Britton.

Eamonn to present This Morning over the summer, but continue on Sky aswell:

Did anyone see the unfortunate lady who deliberately drove straight into floodwaters live on Sky News? Funniest thing I've seen in ages! It happened at around 2:10 and they stayed with it for about five minutes. It'll be on youtube at some stage no doubt

Did anyone see the unfortunate lady who deliberately drove straight into floodwaters live on Sky News? Funniest thing I've seen in ages! It happened at around 2:10 and they stayed with it for about five minutes. It'll be on youtube at some stage no doubt

EDIT: The Skycopter filmed a man (who later spoke to Sky) picking up the woman in his 4x4 and bringing her to her parent's house. He saw her on Sky and drove the short distance to pick her up. In fairness though, it's hard to feel sorry for someone who decides to drive into such deep water!