The BBC has admitted coverage of the launch of U2 album No Line On The Horizon last February, went too far – giving “undue prominence” to the band.

Critics said the BBC had given U2 “the sort of publicity money can’t buy”.

The corporation’s editorial complaints unit (ECU) acknowledged that radio coverage of the event, including a rooftop concert, breached guidelines.

The Edge & Bono

It added the use of the slogan U2 = BBC “gave an inappropriate impression of endorsement”.

RadioCentre, the trade body for commercial radio companies, made a formal complaint over the coverage.

Complaints over the free publicity given to the band on BBC TV, radio and online included those of Conservative MP Nigel Evans, who said it was “the sort of publicity money can’t buy”.

“Why should licence fee-payers shoulder the cost of U2’s publicity?”

The ECU admitted that a reference to the BBC being “part of launching this new album”, in an interview between Radio 1 presenter Zane Lowe and U2 singer Bono, was inappropriate.

The body also upheld a complaint that it was inappropriate for the Radio 1 website to contain links to the websites of ticket agents for the band’s concerts.

‘Potentially sensitive’

“The Radio 1 leadership team have reminded executive producers and presenters about the issues to be considered in relation to judgments about undue prominence, and the distinction between the reporting of new artistic work and commercial promotion,” it said, earlier this week.

“The management of BBC Marketing, Communication and Audiences (the Division responsible for the U2 = BBC graphic) has reminded all staff of the need to consult the editorial policy team in a timely manner for advice when potentially sensitive issues such as commercial interests are involved.”

However, complaints about an edition of Jo Whiley’s Radio 1 show, and a BBC News online report of the U2 concert on the roof of Broadcasting House, were not upheld.

A crowd of around 5,000 watched the rooftop show, which capped off a day of promotion for the Irish band’s 12th studio album, with U2 appearing as special guests on Radio 1.

The band performed four tracks during the 20-minute gig, which was broadcast live on DJ Chris Evans’s BBC Radio 2 show.

- BBC

Elevation Partners, the Silicon Valley private equity firm that counts U2’s Bono among its investors, announced Wednesday that it has committed up to $100 million in funding for reviews site Yelp.

It’s initially investing $25 million in the Series E round, and plans to increase the investment to up to $100 million through the purchase of stock from employees whose stock has vested, as well as other eligible shareholders. Elevation co-founder Marc Bodnick will join Yelp’s board of directors.

The funding round comes just a month after Yelp was reportedly close to a $500 million acquisition by Google, and then is believed to have turned down the deal at the 11th hour. At the time, it was widely believed that Yelp may have made the about-face because a better deal came along.

“We have been able to grow and scale our business quickly, even in the tough economic environment of the last year–a clear indicator that we’ve only begun to realize the potential of local search,” Yelp CEO and co-founder Jeremy Stoppelman said in a release. “This investment in Yelp provides us with even more capital to focus on scaling our already proven business model and we are thrilled to have Elevation as a new partner.”

Translation: They think they can get much bigger than $500 million.

- CNET

The American Ireland Fund’s annual New York spring gala should easily be a sell-out this year, as Bono will be the special guest of honor.

The 35th annual dinner, set for Thursday, May 6, will take place at The Tent at Lincoln Center. Always one of the best nights on the Irish American social calendar, this year’s gala should be extra-special given the presence of Bono, one of the world’s most famous humanitarians . . . and, of course, rock stars.

The desire to provide music education to Irish schoolchildren brought U2 and the AIF together last year. Irish kids don’t learn music as a core subject in school, unlike students in most other parts of the world. In 2009, the worldwide Ireland Funds and U2 committed $10 million to bring music education to Irish schools, and U2 so far have provided $7 million in funding.

The New York dinner will undoubtedly help to provide a healthy chunk of financing for the worthy goal, so mark your calendar! For more information on the dinner, visit www.irlfunds.org.

- IrishCentral.com

In case you nodded off before they did their superstar thing together early this morning, here’s the ‘Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)’ song that U2 have recorded with Jay-Z and Rihanna to help Haiti’s earthquake victims.

Premiered in London as part of George Clooney’s Hope For Haiti telethon it will be available for iTunes download here on January 25, with 100% of the money going to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Oxfam America, Partners In Health, Red Cross, UNICEF, United Nations World Food Programme, and Wyclef Jean’s Yéle Haiti Foundation.

“Sitting in the studio and watching Haiti hurting, I knew immediately I had to do something,” says producer Swizz Beatz who’s co-ordinated the ‘Stranded…’ project. “I reached out to my friends Bono and Jay-Z and asked for their help. Jay and Rihanna sent their vocals and that same night Bono and I went into the studio. It’s important we as a global community all come together to help. Haiti needs us right now.”

There will also be a Hope For Haiti download album featuring the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Beyoncé and Jennifer Hudson who all participated in the global TV event, which aired in Ireland on MTV.

- Hotpress.com

The Edge talks about new album progress and reveals it could be premiered before the band begin touring again.

U2’s new album is well underway and could be released this year. At the recent Golden Globe Awards, which U2 were nominated for Best Soundtrack, The Edge told Entertainment Weekly:

‘We are working on a lot of new songs. Some of them are really, really happy. We’re convinced that we have something really special”.

The guitarist also mentioned the album could be released earlier than expected.

‘It’s like deciding whether we are going to release the album before the tour starts or leave it for a while, we don’t really know yet. Literally, within a day of getting off the road, Bono and I were working on new songs’.

The Edge revealed that the album’s sound was also still to be decided.

‘We are experimenting with a lot of different arrangements, and electronic is one of the things we are playing with. But there are other songs that are very traditional, almost folk. In some ways, that’s the thing we haven’t figured out yet, is where this album is going to end up’.

- Music-news.com

Bono

Bono is one of several top international acts who will perform at the Hope For Haiti TV fundraising show on January 22.

Others confirmed for the event include Sting, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys. The event is being organised by George Clooney who said that more than over 40 artists are expected to attend the show.

The aim of the concert, Clooney explained, is “to show the people of Haiti that the whole world is paying attention”.

The benefit, likely to be broadcast on a dozen American TV networks, will be hosted by Clooney and the Haitian-born perfomer Wyclef Jean.

According to actor Mark Wahlberg: “Haiti has been one of the poorest countries in the world for such a long time. And it’s important for people to continue to help and change that.”

The Hope For Haiti event will benefit the Red Cross, Unicef, Oxfam America, Partners in Health and Yclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Foundation.

Songs from participating artists will be available on iTunes, with proceeds going towards the fund.

- Hotpress