Read this: UK broadcasters back BBC's call for top spots on programme guides
Summary: The House of Lords will debate an amendment to the digital economy bill on Monday that would extend rules that give the UK's public service broadcasters top billing on electronic programme guides. Purnell has said that BBC channels such as CBBC and CBeebies, which account for the bulk of UK-made children's shows, should be further up the programme guide than commercial channels aimed at children, most of which show US programming. - www.theguardian.com
www.theguardian.comUK broadcasters back BBC's call for top …Transcriptions done by Google Cloud Platform.
Lots more recommendations to read at Trends - ukfree.tv.
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Wednesday, 22 March 2017
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Trevorjharris11:54 AM
This is an outrageous proposal. We are already forced to pay for this corrupt organisation
This is one more step towards the state control of the media.
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Trevorjharris: Why is it outrageous, exactly?
Firstly, its not just the BBC (we'll ignore your usual hyperbole) - C4 has publicly supported it, and ITV/C5 are known to agree. And it wont cost anyone any more money - its just where in any streaming guide programming/channels go.In essence, its much the same as the sytem for the EPG now.
And the BBC is right - these are the most popular channels, either via terrestial/dish/cable, or streaming, so there is nothing wrong with them being easy to find. Sky does game their system, favouring their own channels. Thats not a surprise, nor is that illogical, but its far too easy for a content provider/platform owner to skew viewers their own way - and Sky would obviously try to hide any rival content away, and promote either its own or those that paid it enough. Its again trying to be a gatekeeper. And that could applied to a cable operator, etc as well.
The DCMS seems to be opposed, but thats not a surprise, considering how its very unlikely to turn down Murdochs complete takeover of Sky.
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Thursday, 23 March 2017
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Trevorjharris12:04 PM
Channel guides should be free to promote what ever they consider worthy of promotion. Personally I find many of the BBC programs offensive in their excessive use of bad language and obsession in promoting gay and lesbian relationships. The BBC already has privileges it does not deserve. All television companies should be treated equally and be allowed to promote their own products.There is how ever an issue with the licence fee which does restrict the income of the BBC.I think this has come about because of the increase of competition. Netflix, Amazon prime, and Sky have been increasing their own original content.
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Trevorjharris: 'Personally I find many of the BBC programs offensive in their excessive use of bad language and obsession in promoting gay and lesbian relationships.'
I'm trying to figure out which BBC programmes obsess about promoting gay/lesbian relationships - although I am watching the C4 '24 Hours in A & E', which is featuring a lovely lesbian couple. Can you enlighten us as to which programmes these are?
As for bad language, etc, Netflix do Narcos, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, amoungst others. Amazon has Bosch and Sneaky Pete. I havn't seen any of these programmes, but I suspect they are not entirely free of swearing, and more than the excellent Line of Duty (new series!). Sky shows HBO's Game of Thrones, which is known for a bare breast shot in every episode.
In other words, the BBC is hardly alone. And channel guides are not neutral - where that channel is put on an EPG, or if a programme is featured on a streaming site are important, and means that your choices are being influenced by them. If thats OK with you, fine. But how would you know otherwise?
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Saturday, 25 March 2017
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Trevorjharris5:53 PM
A recent example was Call the Midwife. Many of the programs I don't remember because I delete them from my series link and forget them. It is true that bad language has become prominent in many channels and has been an issue for me in many films. Even one edition of the BBC program New Tricks included the f word completely unexpectedly. More recently there were complaints of bad language on the red nose evening. The 9 o'clock watershed is meaning less in the context of catch up tv.
My main point is the the BBC should not be given any prominence in guides. I don't even understand why the BBC should be given any prominence in listings. Guides should be free to make their own judgement as to which programs to promote. This particularly applies to independent or specialized guides. The BBC is hardly neutral in the programmes it promotes.
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Trevorjharris: I'd be surprised if that was that much bad language in Call The Midwife, since its broadcast at 8pm, which is pre watershed. I must admit my wife likes it, and I seldom watch it, but I havn't noticed that much bad language, or at least no more than I'd expect for a drama series set in East London!
New Tricks has ended its run of original programmes on the BBC, was always post watershed, and the occasional F word should hardly have been a shock, considering the programme.
Iplayer does have parental controls, and does have warnings of content, and will ask if the viewer is over 18.
Its logical for Sky/Virgin to want to control EPG's - its commercially valuable. But Sky is a platform and therefore a gatekeeper. Remember, you dont have the choice you think you do when someone else is already making choices for you, and showing what it wants to you have. Its not just the BBC that wants PSB content to be prominate, ITV, C4 and C5 all want the same. And I have no idea what 'The BBC is hardly neutral in the programmes it promotes' even means - if its the standard 'Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation' stuff, I sepnt days asking people for actual examples, and got zip.
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