Tim Montgomerie writes:
"I hope you'll tune in later for 18 Doughty Street launch night.
I'll be opening the evening at 8pm with a daily news programme called Up Front. It will all be about what's being said about the day's news on the blogs. If you've written or spotted something punchy and opinionated on any blog please email me or leave a comment below. For tonight's show I'm particularly interested in blogs on crime and BBC/ Channel 4 bias.
At 8.30pm Alan Mendoza will be presenting his weekly programme - WorldView. As well as a discussion of the situation in North Korea, Alan will be leading a debate on neoconservatism.
At 9pm Iain Dale will be presenting his magazine programme Vox Politix. The Spectator's political editor Fraser Nelson and LibDem MP Lynne Featherstone will be his two guests. With regular sofa companion Rena Valeh, Iain will be talking about political blogging and other issues to be revealed during the day...
At 10pm I'll be joined by the Australian High Commissioner Richard Alston for a one hour discussion of the John Howard years. My exclusive interview with the Australian Prime Minister will be the key feature of the programme.
And at 11pm it's our regular End of the Day show - a preview of the next day's papers and lots and lots of talk...
Once we are on air please send us your comments... txt us on 83222 and type your message after the keyword COMMENT. Texts cost 50p. Or, free of charge, you can email the show at [email protected]."
Perhaps questioning why a Chancellor is making a speech about security. We seem to be having job shares at the top of Government now. Blair does Beckett's job and now Broen is doing Reid's.
Good luck with the launch. I'm sure it will be a great success.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | October 10, 2006 at 11:32
Perhaps questioning why a Chancellor is making a speech about security.
Why? Hmmm, let me think....
Could it be for the same reasons that:
(a) the Education Secretary made a speech about the need to improve the UK's international competitiveness;
(b) there was a leak about the incompetence of the Education Dept; and
(c) the Home Secretary made a speech about leadership?
Posted by: William Norton | October 10, 2006 at 12:17
Is radio 4's 'thought for the day" slot free of political impartiality rules?
Yesterday the thought for the day contributor (his name escapes me) made it crystal clear that he thought George Bush's "axis of evil" line had been a mistake.
Meanwhile over on radio five live Nicky Campbell was providing a similar anti-Bush narrative, focussing again on the "axis of evil" speech and also repeatedly referring to Bush's actions rather than the actions of the US administration or even the Bush administration.
The BBC's centre left demonisation of George Bush continues and the debate is retarded as a result.
Posted by: Tory Solicitor | October 10, 2006 at 12:33
Quite William. There seems no point in actually being permanant secretary of state. They might as well draw lots weekly on which one runs which department. What a way to run a Government.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | October 10, 2006 at 13:03
Interesting how all this prisons mullarkey kicked off after a ten day period in which Reid made a good conference speech, and a number of polls indicated he'd be in with a good chance.
Posted by: William Norton | October 10, 2006 at 13:08
Yes. I suppose it suits Mr Brown that funding for new prisons is withheld. Don't want a rival coming up from there or am I being too cynical?
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | October 10, 2006 at 13:15
Apparently Reid has offered Brown private assurances that he won't stand against him.
If His Gordship starts taking a keen interest in work and/or pensions, suspicions about John Who-ton being the Cabinet-level challenger may start to carry a bit more weight.
Back to 18DS and the subject of this thread, good luck for tonight, however don't you think you should be concentrating on your own message and promoting your own agenda rather than repeating tired attacks on respected mainstream broadcasters like BBC and Channel 4?
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | October 10, 2006 at 14:18
I suspect the info on BBC and C4 is order for the channel to make a case for its existance.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | October 10, 2006 at 14:25
How do we access the programme? If it is on SKY, then what number do we use?
Posted by: Sally Stewart | October 10, 2006 at 14:34
"I suspect the info on BBC and C4 is order for the channel to make a case for its existance."
Yes, but surely if 18DS is to succeed, it will need to stand on its own two feet and promote its own agenda without having to resort to attacking the BBC and C4 to justify its existence?
Surely the case can be built positively, rather than negatively?
Somebody claiming to be Krishnan Guru-Murthy of C4 News posted some observations about 18DS on Iain Dale's blog yesterday and he pointed out that when the Editor appeared on C4 News t'other day, 'he was more interested in having a go at the BBC and Channel 4' than speaking about how 18DS could be used as a vehicle for promoting his agenda.
As Krishnan says, "You [the Editor, Iain Dale and Stephan Shakespeare] have an agenda and that is absolutely fine. But you don't need to slag off what we do in order to succeed at what you do."
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | October 10, 2006 at 14:44
How do we access the programme? If it is on SKY, then what number do we use?
It will stream live from the 18DS website, and will be available for download afterwards.
Posted by: Deputy Editor | October 10, 2006 at 15:10
That sounds fair enough Daniel although discussing and debating bias is different to simply slagging off. Anyway, it's not for me to speak for the editor on why he wants the info.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | October 10, 2006 at 15:11
My legal experience leads me to believe that 18 Doughty Street may get a writ for "passing off" from the team at voxpolitics.com. Hope you checked the trade marks, Tim!
Iain Dale could have picked a more original title for his programme instead of pinching one from another organisation. Very poor show!
Posted by: TFA Tory | October 10, 2006 at 17:39
I wish this bold new venture every success. I just hope Iain Dale won't try to extinguish debate about the European Union, as he does on his blog. On one of his TV newspaper reviews before the start of the Conservative Party Conference, Iain predicted that the EU would not be an issue. How wrong he was, as the packed BETTER OFF OUT and Bruges Group fringe meetings etc. demonstrated. Even Matthew Parris - hardly a Eurosceptic - admitted that the Eurosceptic movement was "alive and kicking" in Bournemouth last week.
Posted by: Simon Richards | October 10, 2006 at 17:53
I can't watch this simply because I'm on steam driven dial-up but wishing you (sort of ;) ) good luck with this anyway.
If you are aiming for the primetime audience, I think you made need to look at going on Sky and cable in the long term, simply because most people don't have PCs in the living room, which is where most people are at 8pm. But of course that doesn't come cheap......how do you plan to fund the channel anyway, Tim?
Posted by: comstock | October 10, 2006 at 17:59
'I wish this bold new venture every success. I just hope Iain Dale won't try to extinguish debate about the European Union, as he does on his blog.' Simon Richards @ 17.53
I cannot give sufficient support to what Simon has written. I was privileged to assist at the Better Off Out fringe meeting at the Conservative Party Conference. It attracted one of the largest audiences Bournemouth '06 has seen. Hundreds of people packed the De Vere Suite at the Royal Bath Hotel, leaving standing room only, to hear Philip Davies MP, Roger Helmer MEP, Laura Midgley (Campaign Against Political Correctness) and Daniel Hannan MEP make the case for freeing Britain from the EU.
Highlighting the facts that the EU makes the majority of British laws, promotes political correctness, controls all trade and hobbles economic growth and competitiveness, they made the case for withdrawal to loud cheers and enthusiastic applause from the 400-strong audience.
Mark Wallace, Better Off Out Campaign Manager, said, "David Cameron may not want to 'bang on' about the EU, but we think it absolutely right to bang on about how to achieve a successful economy, a healthy democracy and a free society. Leaving the EU is crucial in achieving those goals."
Better Off Out is a cross-party campaign run by The Freedom Association, a non-partisan pressure group campaigning for personal and political liberty. Better Off Out has the support of Peers, MEPs, MPs and Councillors from a wide variety of parties and political backgrounds. It also enjoys the support of thousands of members of the public, actively leafleting and campaigning around the country.
Posted by: Cllr Keith Standring | October 10, 2006 at 21:30
A 'Doughty Street Debate' on our relationship with the EU----IN or OUT ,would certainly draw in the punters to this new venture which I commend (provided it is not censorious).
I have found the 'moderation' on Iain's blog a tad repressive,whilst ConHome has been very fair.
Posted by: michael mcgough | October 10, 2006 at 23:38
This is actually well worth a listen. Even on dial up this audio stream works. Had it on most of the evening.
Posted by: comstock | October 11, 2006 at 21:45