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The Herald Scotland
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
The TV channel that saved us, and heralds the change to come
In case you want to catch it yourself, and I recommend it, Public Eye is currently running on Monday nights on Virgin channel 445, Freesat 306, Freeview 82 and Sky 328, or Talking Pictures as it's known. The channel pretty much only shows TV and film made before the 90s and to the surprise of quite a lot of people, especially people in the TV industry, it's become the biggest independent channel in the country, with over five million viewers a month. Monday is also its tenth anniversary and I'm pleased about that because not only is it brilliant, it's the channel that saved us. What I mean by that is it's saved us, those of us who know it and love it, from what was happening to TV ten years ago and still is. Quick point: my therapist, if I had one, would point out here that overly dwelling on the past is unhealthy which is true, but what I would say to my therapist, if I had one, is that it's also not a good idea to ignore the past, or assume it was all a bit rubbish and racist, or that the present is much better. That's part of what Talking Pictures is about, but only part. The other part is that it underlines what's been happening in TV for the last few years and why Talking Pictures has been such a success. Noel Cronin, the former film producer who created the channel, mentioned some of it the other day when he was doing interviews about the anniversary. Asked what he thought of modern telly, he said he tries to watch but struggles. 'It's too quick,' he said, 'they mumble, you turn it on and know what's going to happen.' Read more Mark Smith: The death of Pride and the people who killed it I know that, to some people, this will sound like the grumblings of a curmudgeonly old man but curmudgeonly old men can speak the truth. It is much harder to make out what people are saying on TV, partly because of the mumbling, partly the overbearing music. The pace has also quickened, for fear that the eyes of the viewers will drift to their phones, which they probably will. And it's also true that you often know what's going to happen because the modern TV landscape – the need for a profitable hit in a world of dwindling audiences and dwindling ad revenue – encourages producers to stick to what's worked before. There are other trends that have led a lot of us to drift away. For instance: the habit in TV shows of recapping what's happened every few minutes in case you haven't been paying attention, by which I mean a recap of what's happened every few minutes in case you haven't been paying attention. The problem with a recap of what's happened every few minutes in case you haven't been paying attention is that it becomes very tiresome for people who are paying attention. This has led to me giving up on a number of series I otherwise quite liked. Another issue, and I realise you may think this is curmudgeonly served with a slice of gammon, is that messages on gender, sex and other issues have got considerably louder and more obvious. Drama with a message or a point is perfectly fine, it's a good thing in fact and it's always happened – including in shows like Public Eye. But if the message is too loud or unsubtle, as it often is now, it starts to feel more like a lecture than fun, and if I want to be lectured, I'll go to a lecture. Alfred Burke in Public Eye (Image: Free) We know why this is happening – the bosses at Channel 4 talked about it the other day. What they said was that they're planning to produce new videos for social media in an attempt to get their shows noticed, by which they mean noticed by the under-30s who only watch TV if they discover it through TikTok or some other platform. That reality – that the under-30s rarely watch telly – is driving most of what's going on: the fast pace, the repetitiveness, the sledgehammer messages, but it's a strategy that's doubly flawed: the young ones don't care and the older ones don't like it. And ultimately, the destination we're heading for can't be avoided anyway: there's going to be a profound reorganisation of TV within ten years and ironically, it's Talking Pictures, who some would see as old-fashioned, that's pointing the way. In the past, we all watched the same stuff on the big four channels, and some people at the big four channels think it's a past we can back to (we can't). Instead, we're heading for a world of highly specialised, subscription channels that cater to particular demographics: Talking Pictures for the likes of me and some god-awful channel for the likes of the under-30s. I'm aware of course, because my imaginary therapist tells me so, that closing ourselves off to new experiences and only watching stuff from the past would not be a good idea so I won't do that. But I would also suggest – and there are signs of it happening already thanks to Talking Pictures – that TV schedulers try to remember that the over-50s will be around for a while yet and still watch TV. So how about some more black and white. And more old movies. And old TV shows. And how about we go easy on the same old formulas and the repetition and the mumbling. A different future is coming and we cannot return to how TV used to be. But the least we can do is learn some lessons from it.
News18
22-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
From Traffic Super Cop To Karnataka's DGP: The Journey Of MA Saleem
Last Updated: Saleem is known as a man respected for his calm authority, people-friendly approach, and tackling a monster many governments have had to deal with: Bengaluru's traffic management Saleem is best known for introducing one-way systems on a record 122 roads to decongest traffic. (Saleem's Website) When the official confirmation arrived that Dr MA Saleem was appointed the new Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) of Karnataka, many of his peers and friends in the department said he was the right man for the job. Born on June 25, 1966, Saleem hails from Chikkabanavara, located in northern Bengaluru. He is a 1993-batch IPS officer who will now take charge as the 42nd DG&IGP of the state, a post he has reached after a long and eventful career marked by innovative ideas for people-first policing. But his appointment hasn't come without a ripple or two. Saleem's elevation has meant superseding a senior officer, DGP of Fire and Emergency Services Prashant Kumar Thakur. However, sources within the government indicate that Saleem was a strong frontrunner, with his track record in administrative efficiency in handling operational posts and effective policing tipping the scales in his favour. What makes Saleem stand out is not just his rank, but his reputation. Within the ranks of the Karnataka Police, Saleem is known as a man respected for his calm authority and people-friendly approach. 'Junior officers admire him, seniors trust him, and the constabulary relates to him," one officer said, adding that 'he's a low-profile officer, never showy. But his work speaks". Back in 2022, when Bengaluru made global headlines for being the second-slowest city in the world in terms of average traffic speed, it became a national embarrassment and also made international headlines. The average speed during peak hours had dropped to a crawl of less than 18 kmph. The then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who held charge of Bengaluru development, set traffic management as a top priority. The Bommai government brought in Saleem for a rare second stint as Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic)—on a specially created post—with the responsibility given to him to once again do what he had done earlier: manage Bengaluru's traffic chaos. 'He (Saleem) is the right candidate for the post. He has vast experience in handling Bengaluru's traffic and has a PhD in traffic management as well," Praveen Sood, who was then DGP Karnataka, had told News18. Saleem's doctorate degree was on his pet subject—traffic management. He obtained it from Bangalore University in 2010, and his thesis was 'Traffic Management in Metropolitan Cities: A framework to provide sustainable strategies to overcome traffic congestion and ensure greater safety on road." Saleem is best known for introducing one-way systems on a record 122 roads to decongest traffic. Apart from this, he created 'Safe Routes to School', Automated Traffic Challaning System, the Public Eye' initiative for citizen-led enforcement, and Local Area Traffic Management Plans to decentralise traffic management. His earlier tenure had already seen the introduction of helmet and seat belt enforcement, display cards for auto drivers, and citizen engagement programmes—all with one aim: making traffic management less about punishment and more about participation. A personal episode of this reporter is an anecdote that captures his people-first approach. At a private event, a young child met Saleem who was introduced as the traffic commissioner and a senior police officer. Hearing the word 'police", the child took a step back and held the mother's hand firmly. Gently, Saleem crouched down and said: 'You shouldn't be scared of the police. We are your friends." Then he turned to the mother and said, 'We have to build trust in the police. That is how people, and even kids, will feel safer." Another senior colleague of Saleem recounts an incident that spoke of his character as a police officer. Back in 2006, when a speeding BMTC Volvo bus ploughed into a crowded bus shelter near HAL Airport Road, killing two and injuring 20, a furious mob went on a rampage—torching vehicles, attacking police, and bringing the entire area to a standstill. The senior officer who was present that day recalled, 'Saleem sir was DCP Traffic then. But he rushed to the spot with me, knowing fully well that it was technically not his jurisdiction — it was a law and order situation. But he showed up, stood with us, helped control the mob, and ensured that backup forces could enter the area. He never for a minute thought that it was an issue of traffic or law and order to handle — it was only about being a police officer." Saleem also launched 'Aasare" helplines for the elderly, 'Spandana" for women, 'Makkala Sahayavani" for children, and the 'Garuda" police patrol system. He was instrumental in developing the Special Action Force in several districts and introduced Simputers for traffic enforcement in Bengaluru long before digital policing became the norm. 'He started Makkala Sahayavani when he was SP—a helpline exclusively for children. It was such a hit that we SPs in other districts replicated it immediately," said DGP Pronab Mohanty, who served in another district as an SP. As Director General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Karnataka, he headed the CID and has overseen several high-profile and sensational Special Investigation Teams (SITs), including the IMA fraud case involving over 74,000 victims; the multi-crore cryptocurrency hacking cases; the Hassan multi-sexual harassment case; the misappropriation of Rs 94 crore at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation; the Police Sub-Inspector Recruitment Scam; and the sexual harassment and extortion allegations against a sitting MLA, among others. He was also awarded the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2017), the Medal for Meritorious Service (2009), a National Award for e-Governance, and the IRTE Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for his contributions to road safety. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Bengaluru Traffic karnataka police news18 specials Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: May 22, 2025, 11:35 IST News india From Traffic Super Cop To Karnataka's DGP: The Journey Of MA Saleem
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Can Shein Improve Garment Workers' Lives Without the ‘Flashy PR Play'?
When David Hachfeld saw Shein's press release extolling what the e-tail Goliath said was the continuation of its 'drumbeat of support' for the factories in its supply chain, his immediate thought was that it sounded like the 'same old PR tactics.' Hachfield is the textiles expert at Public Eye, a Swiss watchdog group whose investigations into Shein's Chinese supply chain, most recently in 2024, uncovered widespread evidence of excessive overtime, poverty wages and dangerous conditions, often in violation of local labor laws. He greeted with skepticism the Singapore-headquartered firm's claims that it would be earmarking $70 million until 2028 to 'empower its ecosystem of third-party manufacturing suppliers and the workers within.' It was the same feeling he felt when he saw Shein's photos of gleaming factory floors, polished canteens and even a newly renovated 'multipurpose' recreation room. More from Sourcing Journal Asia-to-US Air Cargo Buoying Global Demand, Rates China's Antitrust Regulator Preps Probe of Panama Ports Deal 'A Stain on Humanity': What Canceled ILAB Grants Mean for Fashion Production 'It's quite telling that while they boast in detail about every square meter renovated at a supplier, they still steadfastly refuse to disclose their authorized supplier list,' he said. 'Credibility and secrecy don't go together. And this lack of transparency makes it impossible to independently verify their claims of improvement.' Shein, which doesn't operate its own facilities but rather contracts from a vast network of partners, said it has to date upgraded 203 factories spanning 500,000 square meters as part of its so-called Supplier Community Empowerment Program, which it unveiled in 2022 on the heels of allegations by Britain's Channel 4 that employees at two Guangzhou suppliers were toiling 18-hour days, with only one day off per month, for as little as 3 cents per hour. The Temu nemesis refuted most of the claims, denying, for instance, that the factories withheld or deducted wages if mistakes were made or quotas unmet. As of 2024, Shein has disbursed more than $33 million to SCEP initiatives in southern China, including $7.5 million for factory upgrades and expansion, $280,000 for the construction or renovation of canteens for workers and $430,000 to build or enhance free accommodation options for migrant workers. But Hachfeld would need to see it to believe it, he said. 'In 2023, when we looked into Shein's claims about their Supplier Community Empowerment Program and revisited production clusters in Guangzhou, we unfortunately couldn't confirm any tangible improvements on the ground,' he said. 'In fact, workers interviewed at different manufacturing sites reported again severe violations of labor standards, including shocking 75-hour work weeks. We asked Shein to disclose the facilities supposedly covered by the program back then, but they refused to be transparent, and they continue to refuse their suppliers to this day.' These were the days, as rumor had it, when Shein was still pursuing a U.S. initial public offering. But bipartisan backlash from Capitol Hill, which urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to hold off with registration until the fast fashion purveyor could independently certify that it didn't use forced labor from China's persecuted Uyghur minority, sent Shein—reportedly—to seek a float in London, where it was criticized at a parliamentary hearing for failing to say whether it uses Chinese cotton, 90 percent of which hails from Xinjiang. (The answer, as it turned out? It depends, Shein appeared to say in a written response later.) By all appearances, Shein's provision of summer camps for hundreds of workers' children, a commitment to establish and staff dozens of childcare centers for free afterschool care, and its offer of financial assistance for funding medical expenses, children's education or 'other personal challenges' would be good things. Not so, however, for author and Columbia University fashion policy and sustainability lecturer Elizabeth Cline, who said that she found all of this 'honestly disturbing.' 'Why should a person working for multi-billion dollar Shein need 'financial aid' for health expenses?' she said. 'These programs raise questions that urgently need to be answered: Are the childcare services running after school, or do they exist so parents can work well into the night? Are parents paid enough to feed and house their kids, or does the company-owned dormitory exist to keep wages at a level of dependence?' Ditto with the 'technology enhancements' that the Missguided owner says it's investing in through research and development at its sprawling Centre of Innovation for Garment Manufacturing in Guangzhou—the same one that a group of influencers toured in 2023 to public ridicule and outrage. Shein said it has spent more than $23 million on developing innovative 'lean production' solutions for garment manufacturing, such as the use of automated guided vehicles. In 2024, the center submitted 30 patents for new technology that Shein says are employed in complex craftsmanship methods, including dealing with specialized fabrics. Cline isn't sold. 'Shein is primarily investing in more automated machinery to speed up production,' she said. 'We do not need faster fast fashion. It threatens to push garment workers to sew faster, does nothing to improve the lives of workers, and will add more waste and consumerism to our world that only benefits these giant companies and their shareholders.' Katrina Caspelich, chief marketing officer at the fashion advocacy group Remake, is well-versed in PR speak. She said that at first glance, Shein's Supplier Community Empowerment Program 'reads like a well-crafted PR play: full of big numbers, strategic facility upgrades and worker-focused initiatives.' But she also urged those scanning it not to be 'blinded by the flashy headline.' 'Let's focus on the root cause of why Shein's supply chain has needed such a massive overhaul in the first place,' Caspelich said. 'Shein built its empire on an ultra-fast fashion model that thrives on rapid production speeds, low costs, and a lack of transparency. The brand's historical issues with worker exploitation, unpaid wages, excessive overtime and even child labor allegations aren't solved by upgrading canteens or adding robots to factory floors.' A $70 million largesse may sound impressive, she said, but Shein was valued at $66 billion—with a b—in 2023. It's Caspelich's belief that its commitment is a 'tiny drop in the bucket' that is more about making a good public impression than driving meaningful improvements. 'The true test isn't how many childcare centers they open or how many QR codes workers can scan for financial assistance; it's whether Shein will fundamentally change the exploitative business model that fuels its success,' she said. 'Genuine change would mean slowing down production, ensuring living wages, embracing transparency, and allowing independent audits—not just controlled, self-reported narratives.' Shein has said that any supply chain partner that signs its code of conduct must agree to shun the use of forced labor, including prison and bonded labor, while complying with the International Labour Organisation's forced labor conventions in their direct or indirect procurement activities. Even so, audits, as experts have previously pointed out, are especially inadequate when it comes to state-sponsored forced labor, which is what Beijing is being accused of promoting both in and outside of Xinjiang. Hachfeld didn't mince words. 'Honestly, Shein should stop trying to distract with summer camps and charity programs for workers in need,' he said. 'What they really need to focus on is [to] ensure that all workers in their supply chain, from the seamstress to the warehouse picker, earn living wages within regular working hours and social security so they don't need charity in the first place.'
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rita Braver will retire from 'CBS Sunday Morning' after 50 years at the network
After 50 years on CBS News, where she "grew up" as a journalist, Rita Braver is heading into retirement. The award-winning "CBS Sunday Morning" national correspondent will retire at the end of March, per a memo that Rand Morrison, the program's executive producer, sent to staff Wednesday. "It's time to share some news that most of us already know but are reluctant to accept. Our beloved, longtime Sunday Morning colleague… national correspondent Rita Braver will retire at the end of this month," Morrison's memo, which was obtained by USA TODAY, began. "Those who know Rita and Sunday Morning realize how essential she's been to our work. ... To call it this end of an era barely does justice to the challenges we'll face now that we can no longer pick up the phone and call on Rita," the note continued. Braver embarked on her broadcast journalism career at the New Orleans CBS affiliate WWL-TV and was hired as a news desk editor at CBS News' Washington bureau in 1972. She worked her way up to chief White House correspondent in 1993, then was named a national correspondent in 1997 During her tenure, she worked on programs such as "48 Hours," "Street Stories," "Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel," "Face the Nation" and "CBS Evening News with Dan Rather." She contributed "Eye on America" segments for "CBS Evening News," where she also served as chief law correspondent from 1983 to 1993. 'God-like days' are over: Why Norah O'Donnell, Hoda Kotb, Lester Holt and more have exited Braver, who has interviewed big names from former Presidents Bill Clinton to Gloria Steinem, U.S. Rep John Lewis, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor and Sheryl Crow, celebrated a half century with the broadcaster in 2022. "Over the years, I got to cover some of the biggest events of my lifetime, starting – when I was just an apprentice on the news desk – with Watergate," she said in a "CBS Sunday Morning" segment that aired May 15, 2022. "When I started, we shot our stories on 16 millimeter film. If we needed to call in from the field, we had to find a pay phone. There were no computers, much less internet. Yet, we got our stories in every day." TV news exodus: All the anchors exiting their roles, including Lester Holt and Joy Reid She concluded the segment by saying, "That first day was really the beginning of my 50-year love-affair with CBS News. Like my marriage, which started about the same time, it's had its highs and lows, some exasperating moments, and some too magical to ever forget. "Yet, I count myself lucky, after all these years, to have the kind of job I always dreamed about." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rita Braver to retire from CBS News after 50 years
