91Èȱ¬

I'm the 91Èȱ¬'s media correspondent and this is my brief selection of what's going on.

Facebook has reportedly raised funds from Goldman Sachs and a Russian investor in a deal valuing the social networking site at $50bn (£32.3bn). The 91Èȱ¬ reports that a Facebook spokesman would not comment on the reports in The New York Times and the Financial Times.

The 91Èȱ¬ admitted last night that it had been a "tough decision" to kill off long-running Archers character Nigel Pargetter from the 60-year-old radio soap. The that many Archers fans are not happy - either that Nigel has been killed off, or that the much-hyped storyline would really "shake Ambridge to the core" as the programme's editor had predicted.

The Vanessa Whitburn, the Archers' editor, appeared to give the plot twist away on Monday's Today programme by suggesting Nigel had died after falling from a roof in the series' 60th anniversary episode on Sunday.

Graham Seed, who has played Nigel Pargetter for 30 years, that he was grieving his exit.

The the attorney general's concern at reporting of the Joanna Yeates murder case emphasises how laws on contempt of court are falling into contempt.

Conservative MP that Cumbria is finding a way to bring superfast broadband to rural communities:

"In Great Asby, one volunteer discovered there was already fibre, paid for by the taxpayer, for the school. The school let him splice off the fibre to a cabinet that he calls a 'parish pump'.... Local farmers have agreed to lay the fibre, at a fraction of the commercial cost. This is not just impressive technology, it's astonishing community action. And it suggests a model for rural Britain."

Jeremy Hunt is considering Ofcom's report on whether News Corp's BSkyB bid should be referred to the Competition Commission. The he is expected to accept the report, which has not been made public but is thought to recommend a further enquiry. Mr Hunt is expected to announce his decision in mid-January.

The 91Èȱ¬'s newspaper review shows the papers are mulling over the VAT rise. The Telegraph says retail experts are warning that many businesses will use the 2.5% VAT rise to mask a bigger increase in their prices. The Daily Mail says many stores will not adjust their price tags straight away, but will add on the extra tax when shoppers come to pay, leading to rows at the checkout.

Links in full

• 91Èȱ¬ | Facebook investment 'values firm at $50bn'
•
•
•
•
•
•
• 91Èȱ¬ | Newspaper review

• Read

• Read

• Read My last Media Brief