Top story on MediaGuardian
George Osborne forces BBC to pay for over-75s’ TV licences
Former director general Lord Birt says ‘deeply shocking deal’ before charter renewal negotiations was reached with no public discussion
More on MediaGuardian
Wimbledon 2Day: BBC admits defeat over format
A straight-sets victory for disgruntled viewers as broadcaster moves highlights show back to Centre Court and scraps studio audience
Today’s headlines
The Guardian
BBC wins licence fee guarantee – but at cost of subsidising over-75s. P9
Makeover for BBC’s Wimbledon 2Day as broadcaster bows to critics of ‘dreadful mistake’. P9
NME to go free in an attempt to strike a chord with readers. P11
Daily Telegraph
Makeover for BBC’s Wimbledon 2Day. P7
Free TV licences for over-75s could end by 2020. P10
Financial Times
BBC agrees funding deal over licence fee. P4
NME becomes a freesheet. P4
Editorial: George Osborne’s misguided BBC licence wheeze. P12
Creative Artists Agency casts dealmaker in growth role. P19
The Times
Andy Coulson was driving force behind phone hacking, court told. P5
TV licence fee may rise to fund over-75s. P6
NME goes free. P7
BBC to revamp Wimbledon 2Day. P15
Editorial: BBC’s online presence needs to be reined in. P25
The Independent
NME to be given away free after collapse in sales. P13
BBC told to cover cost of free licence fees for over-75s. P16
Sir Christopher Bland: George Osborne has silenced BBC debate with accounting worthy of an Enron finance director. P16
BBC to sell digital copies of hit shows for the first time. P17
News of the World’s Jules Stenson gets four-month suspended sentence. P18
Ipso rules Daily Telegraph’s Nicola Sturgeon story was misleading. P18
i
NME to be given away free after 63 years. P2, P17
BBC forced to cover £650m cost of free TV licences for pensioners. P7
Comment: BBC Trust has failed to learn from past mistakes. P7
Wall Street Journal Europe
Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 and Axel Springer in merger talks. P15
Why advertising has been a boon to the internet. P15,20
Daily Mail
BBC could force more OAPs to pay licence fee. P8
Radio 3 presenter Suzy Klein says listeners who don’t like dance music at Proms are ‘snobs’. P22
How will Simon Cowell cope without his mother? P24-25
Rihanna video boycotted by big adverisers. P26
NME goes free. P33
Daily Express
BBC to pay for free TV licences for the over-75s. P1, P6
Clare Balding’s Wimbledon show climbdown. P3
Ant and Dec meet Prince Charles. P6
Hickey: Robert Peston mocked by Lord Prescott for his floppy hairstyle. P25
The Sun
Triple blow to viewers as licence fee is set to rise. P2
Ally Ross on Clare Balding. P11
The X Factor auditions cancelled as Simon Cowell’s mother dies. P12-13
Channel 4’s Married at First Sight. P27
Interview with Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones. P28-29
Daily Mirror
BBC wins a fee deal after £650m grab. P2
Jeremy blocked from joining ITV for two years due to non-compete clause. P3
Proms presenter blasts critics of decision to include dance music. P14
Daily Star
Prince Charles shares a joke with Ant and Dec. P9
Ex-Towie star signs up for Asian version of the show. P26
