BBC Studios denied claims that it blocked some of Britain’s biggest right-wing news websites from streaming the Royal Funeral of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, laying the blame solely on the Royal Family, Politicalite can exclusively reveal.
Fresh from causing a slight rise in Republican sentiments in Britain after North Korean-esque wall-to-wall coverage of the Duke’s death across the BBC last Friday, our ‘national’ broadcaster blocked Politicalite and other major UK tabloid outlets from gaining access to live video ‘pool’ feeds in a ‘tit-for-tat’ war over tabloid royal coverage and right-wing working-class media.
The Mail on Sunday revealed out-of-touch staffers – who we’ve dubbed the ‘snoots in suits’ at Buckingham Palace started a a petty fight with the likes of The Sun, Mail Online, Metro and Mirror Online claiming they did not want the royal event to be turned into ‘clickbait’ and told readers that they could only watch on the BBC, ITV or Sky.
The Beeb and Palace officials allowed exclusive online streaming another website, the US celebrity gossip rag TMZ – a ‘clickbait’ outlet best known for breaking major news stories such as Tiger Woods’ car crash on Thanksgiving, a 2009 Video of Ray Rice knocking his fiancee unconscious in a casino elevator and the death of Wacko Jacko.
Politicalite spent most last week attempting to secure streaming rights to funeral – after successfully broadcasting The Queen’s Speech on our website and across our social channels on Christmas Day in 2020 for the first time.
PA attempted to broker rights for online streaming on behalf of Politicalite, but the BBC blocked it.
A content broker told us last Tuesday: “Broadcast feed of ceremony is being arranged by BBC Events. We’ve started dialogue, but they haven’t confirmed anything yet.”
We tried again on Thursday, but the Beeb blocked it. “We are still negotiating with the BBC for access, but it will not be for a live feed it will be for rights to clip up the feed for video.” our media broker said.
A source told Politicalite that the BBC also blocked a bid by Ruptly – an award-winning international news agency that provides real-time and archive visual news content to all media, from broadcast networks large and small to online content providers, including broadcast, digital and mobile platforms.
The BBC’s refusal to hand Ruptly pool access meant independent social media outlets such as LAD Bible could not broadcast the national event – an online outlet massively popular with younger people – the key group to the Royal’s longterm future.
The Mail On Sunday slammed Buckingham Palace for its petty war on the tabloid press and argued that “younger people increasingly get their news online rather than through terrestrial TV channels.”
The stuffy Establishment officials in Buckingham Palace threw shade at the Mail – Britain’s most-read news outlet in print and online, with a staggering 252 million global unique users: “Your comment on a younger audience and their preference for digital consumption of information is why we are making the feed available on digital channels but not allowing it to be used far and wide by media outlets where an intensely personal service is at risk of becoming clickbait.” said the Palace.
They doubled down: “I am sorry to inform you that the streaming of the service will only be available via the host broadcasters of BBC, ITV and Sky or the Royal YouTube channel.”
The Mail said The Royal Family’s YouTube channel has 779,000 subscribers – Mail Online has 252 million global unique users.
Responding to the row, a BBC spokesperson told Politicalite: “The conditions of the pool footage are set down by the Royal Family not the BBC therefore it is inaccurate to suggest that BBC Studios blocked UK news websites from streaming the Royal Funeral of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh”
Politicalite also approached Buckingham Palace for comment, but has not yet received a reply.
PIONEER PRINCE EMBRACED NEW MEDIA, BEEB & SNOOTS IN SUITS SHOULD’VE FOLLOWED HIS BOLD LEAD
PIONEER Prince Philip would turn in his grave at the Establishment Royal Staffers and the out-of-touch BBC’s blatant contempt for the modern media, after all – he opened the gates in 1953.
A young Prince Philip brought in sweeping changes to the coronation ceremony.
Philip forced the Establishment ‘men in suits’ to allow BBC TV cameras into Westminster Abbey for a Live broadcast of the Queen’s coronation for the first time in history despite opposition whilst he was Chair of The 1952 Coronation Commission.
The old guard commission members tried to block the televised proceedings, but Philip, the chair of the Coronation Committee forced them to allow the BBC into the Abbey.
The Queen gave her permission for this departure from tradition, against official advice – revealing the monarchy’s willingness to “move with the times.”
It was a roaring success and the Royal event was watched by over 10.4 million Brits and made a young Elizabeth a global celebrity.
The Duke’s funeral was watched by over 15 million Brits, but many younger social media savvy Brits are unengaged.
The BBC’s Coronation coverage was broadcast around the world.
In the United States, 85 million people watched recordings of the highlights, while in Germany all 11 hours of coverage were transmitted.
Since then Weddings, Funerals and Royal Events have all been televised. Now it’s seen as the norm and helps the Monarchy stay relevant and part of the British psyche.
Phillip’s commitment to modernisation also made the Royals more popular. He was a pioneer, it’s sad the once pioneering BBC the men in suits won in the end.