News Round Up: Tesco gold, MySpace cutbacks, Apple alarm woes continue, BBC MediaCity worries
This lunchtime's news round up includes cutbacks at Myspace, BBC doubts over star names moving north and Tesco moving into another business area.
The Times is reporting that Tesco is moving into a market dominated by pawnbrokers and cash-for-gold specialists by promising to exchange customers’ unloved jewellery for cash. The country’s biggest retailer is pledging to raise standards and prices in an industry that has been tarnished by accusations of sharp practice. In a trial involving at least 15 stores, it is encouraging shoppers to turn unworn jewellery into cash so that they can “spend it on something more worthwhile”, presumably in a branch of Tesco. The supermarket is offering £7.81 a gram for 9-carat gold. http://
Massive Layoffs Loom at MySpace, 50% of staff could go
Rumours over the New Year weekend claim that ailing social network MySpace may be looking to reduce its staff, with up to 50% of employees in danger of losing their jobs. Yahoo News claims that owners News Corp. have demanded drastic cost-cutting measures in the wake of decreased revenue and traffic. In December MySpace partnered up with Facebook, making it possible for users to log in with Facebook. There are also rumours online that the site will be sold in 2011 for a significant loss: News Corp. bought MySpace in 2005 for over £330million.
Apple woes continue as alarm fails for third day running
iPhone users in the UK and across the world have this morning reported faults with the alarm functions of their handsets, despite Apple’s reassurances that the problems will be fixed. A report from Reuters claims that users across the world were late for work, missed flights and meetings over the New Year weekend. The iPhone alarm system failed to recognise changes in daylight savings time in 2010, causing some users to sleep in an hour longer. This morning, Apple CEO Steve Jobs Tweeted: “Until Apple issues an official fix for the iPhone alarm glitch, please do not open your iPhone's clock app. Doing so may void the warranty.”
A-list stars unlikely to appear in Salford says BBC chief
The editor of BBC Breakfast has admitted that tempting A-list stars to appear on programmes broadcast from their new Salford base will be tough. Alison Ford told the Manchester Evening News that it was "naïve" to assume that star guests would appear on programmes broadcast from MediaCityUK later this year. "There are things we’ll have to do differently because we are in Salford. There are certain people who at the moment are more accessible and they won’t be in the future – politicians, celebrities, opinion formers" said Ford. The move from Shepherds Bush in London will cost £877m and see 2,300 people working at the new site.