Top story on MediaGuardian
Rupert Murdoch and top News Corp bosses ‘met ministers 10 times in a year’
Media Reform Coalition says meetings between mogul’s executives and the government show little has changed since hacking scandal and Leveson inquiry
Top comment on MediaGuardian
BBC Radio 1 head of music to join Spotify UK
George Ergatoudis, who has steered station’s music policy for the past decade, to lead curation strategy and content programming at streaming service
Today’s headlines
The Guardian
Radio 1 head of music quits BBC for Spotify. P7
Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery’s fiance dies aged 34. P13
Tyson Fury protest planned at BBC Sports Personality of the Year. P13
Spanish journalists take legal action overt ‘gag law’. P26
Daily Telegraph
Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery’s fiance dies aged 34. P9
Cilla Black tops list for Google searches as internet users favour celebrity over news. P9
Allison Pearson: Why it’s the Strictly judges were waltzed off. P27
PR Newswire sold in £554m deal. Business P4
Financial Times
Trinity Mirror looks at launching cheaper tabloid. P4
Helen Lewis: Messy complexity that separates Serial from crime fiction. P11
Vivendi steps up battle to bolster role at Telecom Italia. P16
Vodafone calls the tune as talk of deal with Liberty Media intensifies. P17
UBM sells PR Newswire unit. P23
The Times
Second Leveson inquiry is abandoned. P10
Nine out of 10 Britons still watch live television. P10
Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery’s fiance dies aged 34. P15
Matthew Parris: My moment as Today’s pantomime villain. P24
Is Apple’s number up as we reach peak iPhone? P36
UBM looks to make an exhibition of itself with PR Newswire sell-off. P48
The Independent
Rupert Murdoch executives had more access to ministers than other media groups. P5
France’s ‘Spitting Image’ has critics spitting mad. P26
Sir David Attenborough to be immortalised in new bespoke font. P34
i
Heartbreak for Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery as fiance dies aged 34. P17
Sir David Attenborough to be immortalised in new bespoke font. P27
UBM to focus on events after sale of PR Newswire. P39
Wall Street Journal
EU reaches deal on privacy law. B1
Vivendi wins Telecom Italia seats. B2
Alibaba and Walt Disney team up in China. B3
PR Newswire sold for $841m. B3
Daily Mail
Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery’s fiance dies aged 34. P1,14-15
Public bodies accused of using Freedom of Information Act to dodge questions from the media. P4
No social media ban for under-16s under EU rules. P4
Mail readers’ cash for flood victims hits £500,000. P9
Editorial: officials misusing Freedom of Information Act. P16
Richard Littlejohn: Neil Fox’s sex assault trial was another example of CPS lynch mob justice. P16
Why is everyone in thrall to Anna Wintour? P24-25
Krankies star in Ab Fab racism row. P36
BBC Sport expected to announce that Thierry Henry will be star pundit for European Championship. P79
Daily Express
Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery’s grief as fiance dies aged 34. P5
Ann Widdecombe: BBC scared of introducing too much Christianity into Christmas. P13
The Sun
Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery’s fiance dies aged 34. P1,7
Strictly Come Dancing star Ola Jordan held talks with BBC over claims the show is fixed. P3
The Apprentice coverage. P35
Daily Mirror
Katie Derham insists Strictly Come Dancing is not fixed. P3
Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery’s grief as fiance dies aged 34. P7
Mirror writers remember tea-time telly favourites. P8\
Lionsgate buys 25% stake in firm behind kids’ TV hit Dinopaws. P44
Daily Star
Celebrity Big Brother coverage. P3
The X Factor coverage. P5
Radio 1Xtra DJs pull out of New Year Eve’s gig after venue accused of turning away 11 black men. P8
Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery’s grief as fiance dies aged 34. P11
BBC chiefs branded sexist as there are no women in the MasterChef: The Professionals final 10. P18
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