Map, apparently of internet blogging; the sort of thing we want. Photograph: Science Photo Library

Two futures have emerged in the digital newspaper business. You know where Rupert Murdoch is: with the closed paywall model, in which readers pay and the readership is restricted. That replicates the traditional newspaper model, where editorial control comes from the top down, where the content is produced by a narrow group of professionals and the readership is similarly elitist (it's hard to imagine millions of online newspaper sign-ups).

It'll be no surprise, though, to hear that the Guardian takes a different view. The open approach means there are no barriers for readers, which encourages mass audiences – in the Guardian's case nearly 2.5m uniques a day. It also demands a more collaborative approach to journalism. We like to think we can write a news story or two – but there's a lot of sharp, informed writing out there, often from experts for whom writing is a adjunct to their main source of income. Continue reading...

Radio 5 Live's Victoria Derbyshire. Photograph: BBC

So, the service licence review of Radio 5 Live by the BBC Trust is under way, and we are at the centre of a lively debate. In truth, we are delighted by that. Established in 1994, in relative terms we are one of the new kids on the block for BBC national radio and to be talked about, and analysed, in the same way as our colleagues at Radio 1, 2 and 4 have been previously, confirms we've arrived on centre stage.

And that's where we've worked hard to get to. We have record audience figures of more than 7 million and we have built a good reputation across the industry with another record last month – 16 Sony award nominations, nine of which are for our news programmes.

Our friends at TalkSport (yes, there's a lot of mutual respect between us) have been keen to contribute to the debate. We respect their right to challenge us on our news content but it's not really a debate about what they think. The debate should start with the views of what our 7 million listeners think, that's who the BBC Trust really want to hear from over the next few weeks. Continue reading...

Sir Michael Lyons (centre), chairman of the BBC Trust, flanked by trustees Richard Tait and Diane Coyle discuss the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand phone call incident in 2008. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

When Lord Patten went before the Commons culture, media and sport select committee last month to lay out his credentials as the new chairman of the BBC Trust, he deliberately alighted on a key issue for programme makers and viewers: whether the BBC has become too risk-averse in its commissioning.

Patten volunteered his opinion that there were concerns that the BBC's editorial policy controls were inhibiting programme makers from taking risks. As chairman it was a subject he intended to look at. The compliance culture needed to ensure the best programme makers are not "bound by a rather labyrinthine bureaucracy", he said, a view which caused an immediate stir at the BBC.

The central issue is whether a succession of blunders and scandals – including the Iraq dossier row and ensuing Hutton inquiry, faked competitions, "Queengate" and the broadcast of the Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand lewd voicemail messages – has resulted in an overly heavy-handed response, through stricter editorial policy guidelines and an expanded 19-strong editorial policy unit of advisers, who some critics see as the equivalent of political commissars. A recent report by the International Broadcasting Trust found, after interviewing 25 producers anonymously, that "concern about risk aversion within the BBC was shared by the majority of those interviewed". Continue reading...

Gill Phillips: Two tier system is being created as rich male stars take advantage of privacy protection

K-pop: TVXQ, though now a duo, were massive sellers for SM Entertainment

South Korean music has, traditionally, never been on the radar of major labels and publishers. Being one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world (out of a population of 48.6 million, 39.4 million use the internet), the country's music industry suffered from rampant piracy for most of the past decade.

There was little revenue to be collected internally, and there wasn't much demand for Korean artists outside the territory. Though Universal Music Group opened an office in the country over a decade ago, the only local artists it would invest in were classical ones. Continue reading...

Gabby Logan: is her lunchtime Radio 5 Live show a real replacement for the news? Photograph: Terry George/WireImage

It's been a while since Kelvin MacKenzie owned TalkSport, when he would regularly fire broadsides at his licence fee funded rival, BBC Radio 5 Live.

TalkSport's critique of Radio 5 Live today, in its submission to the BBC Trust's service licence review of the station, is rather more nuanced, but may be no less effective for that. Continue reading...

Gloves off: Mark Thompson was given an iPod Nano and remote control glove, but donated it to Children in Need. Photograph: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA

Like all publicly funded bodies, the BBC is often criticised for its wastefulness. But the publication today of another tranche of management expenses suggests its most senior executives are increasingly parsimonious, at least when it comes to claiming back taxis, hotels and meals.

The BBC's 108 highest-paid bosses – including those on salaries of £150,000 or more – reduced the total amount of expenses they claimed in the first three quarters of this financial year by 14.1% compared with the equivalent period in 2009/10. Continue reading...

The Only Way is Essex ... should it win? Photograph: Tony Kyriacou / Rex Features

Vicky Frost: The Only Way is Essex, Downton Abbey, Sherlock, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, Miranda and The Killing are shortlisted. Which would you pick?

Crowning achievement ... Google makes the most of its UK presence. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/PA

Not so long ago car salesmen used to call Britain "Treasure Island", because they could charge much higher prices here than on the continent. It wasn't because the cars needed right-hand drive; Japan drove on the left too but had nothing like the price disparity. No, Britain was just a special case of us handing over our money to, mostly, foreign carmakers.

And so with Google. The UK really is its Treasure Island. Almost from the moment it started selling advertising space on its search engine here, the revenues generated have been more than 10% of its total – the only country in the world where that's the case. You can find out for yourself on Google's financials page, which goes back to 2004 (when it first began detailing results). For the most recent quarter, announced last week, the UK made up 11% of revenue; the US was only 47%. Continue reading...

Dan Sabbagh: Both EMI and Warner Music are in need of new owners that have robust balance sheets

For two years the BBC's controllers of drama and BBC2 have been hatching a plan to reintroduce dramas of "sheer grownupness" to BBC2. And with the channel's drama budget boosted by £30m, the first fruits of Ben Stephenson and Janice Hadlow's labour are arriving on screen. Viewers already swooning over sexy Victorian romp, The Crimson Petal and the White, while hot on its heels comes noir thriller The Shadow Line, revealed to critics earlier this week. Continue reading...

The BBC is "putting a stake in the ground" by airing a promo for new BBC2 dramas under the banner Original British Drama.

The promo shows highlights from forthcoming BBC2 dramas including the The Shadow Line, starring Christopher Eccleston, and an adaptation of Sarah Waters' The Night Watch.

BBC drama controller Ben Stephenson says: "This line [Original British Drama] goes to the heart of what we believe in here. It's an opportunity to put our stake in the ground and exemplify our attitude."

Why does the British Broadcasting Corporation feel the need to emphasise the Britishness of its dramas right now? After all, it has been making original British TV drama for about 60 years. Could it be that BSkyB banging on about all the high end drama on its new channel Sky Atlantic – mostly from HBO and other US broadcasters – has got up the noses of BBC executives?

Sky also says it has increased its original drama investment by 400% between 2009/10 and 2011/12 – without giving an indication of what this means in millions of pounds.

Last autumn Stephenson had a pop at BSkyB's commitment to homegrown drama and labelled as a "myth" the common refrain that US TV is better at making drama than its UK counterparts.

He seems to be warming to his theme with the Original British Drama campaign. So is it a response to Sky?

Stephenson says: "The fact is we invest more than anyone else and we don't have to appeal to a specific demographic. We're the best place to do the best work without commercial pressures, we don't have to be looking constantly to appeal to a specific audience or US audiences."

BBC4 has had success this year – in digital ratings terms – through airing Scandinavian drama The Killing and Stephenson admits "much can be learned" from abroad, but says: "It's about having the best of British talent. We're always trying to be original and proud to be British. These things sometimes get lost in the argument. But at the end of the day, we should be incredibly proud of our talent, who are making world-class drama."

Sky marketing department, over to you...