Monday 25 October 2010, AM
BBC director general says licence fee deal will strengthen independence | Media | The Guardian
Photograph Graeme Robertson Britain will have a strong and independent BBC for the foreseeable future. That's the main consequence of last week's licence fee settlement. Indeed, the BBC's operational and editorial independence will actually grow as a result of the deal. - guardian.co.uk
www.guardian.co.ukBBC close to meltdown before last-minute licence fee deal | Media | The Guardian
Mark Thompson called the governments attempt to offload the cost of providing TV licences for the elderly 'wholly unacceptable'. The deal, which will see the licence fee frozen at 145.50 until 2017, was agreed last Tuesday after 48 hours' of frantic negotiations. The BBC management stress that further cost savings are likely to fall heaviest on executive jobs rather than content. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukStephen Glover: BBC independence was a mirage - Stephen Glover, Opinion - The Independent
At any other time, what happened to the BBC last week would be a sensational story. As it is, it has been largely ignored because of even more spectacular cutbacks. According to George Osborne, this amounts to a 16 per cent cut by 2015. - independent.co.uk
www.independent.co.uk
BBC settlement: Taking licences| Editorial | Comment is free | The Guardian
Just under a fortnight ago, the government launched an extraordinary ambush on cash that is expressly raised through the licence fee to pay for the BBC's domestic output. The BBC was dragged into the comprehensive spending review as if it was just another Whitehall department. White City's defence case goes like this far from undermining the corporation's independence, it has been strengthened. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukFriday 22 October 2010, PM
BSkyB chief: questions remain over BBC | Media | guardian.co.uk
Sky has been a staunch critic of YouView. Typically the licence fee settlement takes up to a year to negotiate, giving the BBC's commercial rivals the opportunity to argue for a reduction in the corporation's future funding and scope. Anytime will give Sky subscribers access to more than 600 movies from the Sky Movies and Sky Box Office collections, as well as entertainment, documentaries, children's programming and classic sport. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
The YouView from the Riverside | Broadband TV News
Ofcom has given its qualified approval to YouView, but the future is still not entirely clear, writes Julian Clover. There is a lot to puzzle about in the Ofcom decision that YouView does not need a full-blown investigation. The regulator has clearly examined all the points, just that the outcome is in the negative. - broadbandtvnews.com
www.broadbandtvnews.com
BSkyB close on 10m customers target - Business News, Business - The Independent
Satellite broadcaster BSkyB moved closer to its target of 10 million customers today as it added 96,000 subscribers in the first three months of its financial year. The group's customer base stood at 9.956 million households at the end of September - and it wants to hit the 10 million target, set in 2004, by the end of the year. The broadcaster also saw a 39 leap in the number of customers who take TV, broadband and telephone services from the group - a total of 2.3 million customers. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukBBC - The BBC Radio Blog: Sir Michael Lyons on the new licence fee settlement
One of her three main responsibilities, it said, was preparing for the renegotiation of the licence fee which was expected to start in 2011 and take a considerable amount of time. The S4C Chairman is now talking of going to judicial review. In the view of some the BBC's independence has been revealed as a mirage since the Corporation has been treated like a Government department caught up in a spending - or rather a cutting - round. - bbc.co.uk
www.bbc.co.ukBBC - Pestons Picks: Why the Murdochs are furious about BBC settlement
He and his son James, who runs News Corp's European and Asian operations, genuinely see themselves as true-hearted crusaders in an economic war - and not as defenders of enormous, dominant market shares in newspapers, television and other forms of communication, which is how they are widely seen by others. They would simply deny that the market shares of their myriad businesses - which allow them to generate buckets of cash for investment in new products and services - might conceivably starve worthy competitors of the cash these competitors could employ in innovation that might be beneficial to consumers. So, for the Murdochs, the opposition that has arisen in much of the rest of the media to News Corp's plan to acquire the 61 of BSkyB it doesn't already control is simply the wounded yelp of a threatened ancien regime. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukFriday 22 October 2010, AM
Life With Google TV: My First Day Review Impressions
Here are my impressions, after my first day well, first evening with Google TV. Instead, a set-top box that could work with my existing TV coincidentally, its a Sony was all I needed. My local Best Buy had about 10 of the Sony Blu-ray players in stock, so I picked one up. - searchengineland.com
searchengineland.comThursday 21 October 2010, PM
IPTV news - In a couple of years, everyone will get the benefits of multicast
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www.iptv-news.com
YouView reveals IP-only option | Broadband TV News
YouView CTO Anthony Rose has been giving details of future products to support the hybrid broadcast platform. Their planning, said Rose, was different to set-top box developers that tended to release products as and when they were ready. In the future there might be versions that are IP only or they might have a flash drive or no hard drive at all, said Rose. - broadbandtvnews.comwww.broadbandtvnews.comBBC Funding Settlement: the details : | OfcomWatch |
-www.ofcomwatch.co.ukTalkTalk claims network upgrade will boost IPTV | Broadband | News | PC Pro
According to TalkTalk, the content delivery network will run over its existing IP network, but put content closer to the end user, with hardware storing content near the extremities of the network. It also lowers bandwidth costs from our point of view. The potential improvements involved a deal with Alcatel-Lucent and the French companys newly-acquired Velocix 7810 hardware. Content may be downloaded directly into the Velocix infrastructure and then dynamically distributed across the TalkTalk network to end users, the company said in a statement. - pcpro.co.ukwww.pcpro.co.ukThe BBC One HD channel is ready for launch
High Definition HD from the BBC will take another giant step forward in just a few weeks time. The channel will show exactly the same programmes as BBC One in standard definition, but wherever a programme has been made in HD you will be able to experience it in all its glory. We'll open with The One Show, of course, at 7pm, which shifted to HD this summer. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukTalkTalk and Alcatel-Lucent develop on-demand TV system for YouView: CommsUpdate : TeleGeography Research
Content may be downloaded directly into the Velocix infrastructure and then dynamically distributed across the TalkTalk network to end users. TalkTalk is using the Velocix solution to deliver YouView traffic, namely UK television content. YouView is expected to launch to UK homes in mid 2011. - telegeography.comwww.telegeography.com
YouView picks CHI Partners for advertising account - advertising news - Campaign
CHPartners to handle advertising The agency picked up the business following a final shootout against Adam Eve in a process run through the intermediary Oystercatchers. YouView is expected to launch in the first half of next year, and will offer consumers a subscription-free set-top box that will provide a number of digital channels as well as a range of on-demand, interactive and catch-up services. CHI Partners will now be responsible for handling all of the launch advertising for the venture, with a total of 50 million expected to be spent on marketing and brand development in the first four years. - campaignlive.co.ukwww.campaignlive.co.ukYouView set to appoint Clemmow Hornby Inge | Media | guardian.co.uk
YouView will have a marketing budget of almost 50m for its first four years, according to figures submitted to the BBC Trust. It is not clear which agency has won the media planning and buying account for YouView. Agency appointments are being handled by YouView's marketing director, Tim Hunt. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukThursday 21 October 2010, AM
Media Talk: BBC hit in licence fee freeze
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BBC: Freeze on licence fee is an act of cultural vandalism - UK Politics, UK - The Independent
The BBC agreed to take on the funding of the World Service, having been alarmed that it might be saddled with the greater 556m-a-year cost of funding free licence fee provision for the over-75s. The BBC's bargaining position in the frantic final hours of talks this week was not strengthened by the fact that Sir Michael has already signalled his intention to leave next year. The shadow Culture Secretary also rejected the suggestion that the BBC would be able to protect programming while absorbing the cuts from its 3.6bn budget, the size of which has been criticised by some commercial rivals. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukWednesday 20 October 2010, PM
BBC Trust considered resigning over demand to fund over-75s TV licences | Media | guardian.co.uk
The BBC Trust board is understood to have considered resigning on mass earlier this week if the government had pressed ahead with a proposal to make the corporation pay for free TV licences for over-75s out of the licence fee. However, it is understood that on Monday at a point when an impasse had been reached in the negotiations between the BBC and the government the trustees considered resigning if the corporation was forced to foot the bill for the 556m annual cost of free TV licences. Lyons did not disagree and said the BBC Trust would now consult the public about what the future of the corporation should be in light of the flat licence fee and the requirement to make more savings. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
Mark Thompsons email to staff about the BBC cuts in the spending review | Media | guardian.co.uk
The licence fee will remain at its current level 145.50 until the end of the Charter in the year 2016/17. This is a realistic settlement, one which will require the BBC to find stretching savings. Instead of a long and uncertain licence fee setting process which some would have attempted to turn into a fundamental attack on the breadth of the BBC's services to the public, we have an agreement which will protect our editorial and operational independence all the way to the next Charter review. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC Trust escapes axe as part of licence fee deal | Media | guardian.co.uk
In addition, the BBC Trust keeps the ability to conduct its own strategic reviews of the corporation. To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editormediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC licence fee to be frozen under tough new settlement - TV Radio, Media - The Independent
The corporation's budget will take a huge 16 per cent cut in real terms as a result of the deal hammered out with the Treasury, which will see the licence fee remain at 145.50 until 2016. Mark Thompson, the BBC's director general, also agreed to provide an additional 150m a year to fund the roll-out of broadband in rural areas from 2013, while an extra 25m will go on local television and online services. The corporation also agreed to a 25 per cent reduction in spending on its website and will dispose of many of its magazines as part of a government plan to reduce its impact on other media outlets. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukProtecting the integrity of the BBC | Jean Seaton | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk
BBC editorial and operational independence has been preserved despite cuts proposed in the chancellor's spending review. Then, the Conservative government threatened to cut the corporation's funding by 20, on the spot, unless its overseas services immediately complied with government policy over the ill-fated invasion of Egypt. This week's threat to the BBC was similar in speed, equally ad-hoc, but far more radical. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukS4Cs budget to fall by a quarter over four years | Media | guardian.co.uk
Pobol y Cwm the BBC already produces S4C's soap. The deal will see S4C's budget for next year fall by just over 10 to 90m. In 2012 the fall will be 7.7 to 83m, which is where S4C's budget will remain up until 2015. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC budget cut by 16% in spending review, George Osborne confirms | Media | guardian.co.uk
Chancellor George Osborne announces details of the 2010 spending review. He said this will save the government 340m from general taxation. Together with the licence-fee freeze, that is the equivalent of a 16 cut, Osborne said. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukHow the BBC licence fee deal was done | Media | guardian.co.uk
So how did the government and the BBC go from that to tying up a licence fee deal within the past two weeks including a frantic final 48 hours of negotiations from Sunday BBC sources admitted it was clever, as the corporation could not be seen to be denying the over-75s free TV licences. Lyons shocked colleagues and the industry when he announced last month that he would be stepping down next year after earlier saying he would seek a second term as BBC Trust chairman. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukUK Broadcasters Expected To Benefit From BBCs Budget Cut - WSJ.com
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. Apache/2.2.15 CentOS Server at online.wsj.com Port 80 - online.wsj.com
online.wsj.comToday: 'Revolution' at the BBC
downloads.bbc.co.ukMichael Crick: Background to the BBC settlement
When a Newsnight colleague tested this idea with a senior minister several days later - ie. less than two weeks ago - he was surprised to be told that the BBC itself had actually proposed the idea, but it had subsequently been rejected. Why should the BBC suggest an idea which would only add a huge extra burden to BBC budgets Far better for the BBC to come up with a way for the corporation to contribute its bit to the Spending Review process than have something far worse imposed from above. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC cuts in licence fee deal brutal but realistic, say corporation executives | Media | guardian.co.uk
Events moved so fast in the last 48 hours that only the corporation's most senior executives knew what was in train and as the news leaked late yesterday, even controllers of BBC services at the Radio Festival in Salford looked shellshocked. As the initial shock began to subside, BBC executives began to focus on the six-year guarantee for the licence fee, despite being frozen at the current level of 145.50 annually. The BBC's funding is being cut by 16 in real terms. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukS4C seeks judicial review of BBC merger | Media | guardian.co.uk
John Walter Jones said the government had shown 'contempt' towards S4C. The S4C Authority faces extinction if the government plan is implemented. The deal will see S4C's budget for next year fall by just over 10 to 90m. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC will have to cut 140m a year after licence freeze | Media | guardian.co.uk
A senior source at the corporation said a reduction of 4 a year for the life of the new licence fee settlement, which will run until 2017, will be enough to meet the combined annual cost of about 560m. The senior source pointed out the BBC is already making yearly efficiency savings of 3 a year, mainly by pushing ahead with a long-term plan to reduce overheads from 22 to 10. The cumulative effect of the 4 annual cuts with 140m saved each year from April 2011 will mean no channels or services have to be axed. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC Trust - licence fee settlement
Please visit the BBC Trust homepage to find the information you want. you may have typed the web address incorrectly - please check the spelling, or that there are no spaces or capital letters. Alternatively, please try the other links and search box on this page. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Most newspapers ignore the BBCs 16% funding cut | Media | guardian.co.uk
The Financial Times carried a page one story, while the Daily Telegraph and The Times published only front page cross-refs. None of them carried leading articles or commentaries by columnists though the story did break late in the day. The Daily Mail's page 4 news story was very straight, eschewing any hint of glee following its long-term assault on the corporation. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukWednesday 20 October 2010, AM
Analogue End for North of Scotland
The last analogue television signals in the STV North region have been switched off, marking the start of an all-digital era. Help with the switchover is available online, here, and by telephone 08456 50 50 50. - allmediascotland.comwww.allmediascotland.com
Television licence fee to be frozen for next six years
All the changes mean a 16 real terms cut in BBC funds over six years. The arrangement was to freeze the licence fee for the next six years, he added. BBC Alba - the Scottish Gaelic language service - is funded by the corporation in partnership with the Scottish government. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC licence fee to be frozen under tough new settlement -UK Politics, UK - The Independent
The corporation's budget will take a huge 16 per cent cut in real terms as a result of the deal hammered out with the Treasury, which will see the licence fee remain at 145.50 until 2016. Mark Thompson, the BBC's director general, also agreed to provide an additional 150m a year to fund the roll-out of broadband in rural areas from 2013, while an extra 25m will go on local television and online services. The corporation also agreed to a 25 per cent reduction in spending on its website and will dispose of many of its magazines as part of a government plan to reduce its impact on other media outlets. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukNick Robinsons Newslog: Carry on broadcasting
In the space of 24 hours the government has gone from proposing a plan that would have cut the BBC's budget by over a quarter to freezing the licence fee for six years, which, combined with additional costs, amounts to a 16 real terms cut in funding. Trust members argued the move would turn the BBC into an arm of the welfare state and undermine its independence. Discussions ended with all-night consideration of a package that the corporation decided would be tough, but would preserve its size and scope and guarantee its finances until after the next election. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukTuesday 19 October 2010, PM
Nick Robinsons Newslog: BBC funding future
The BBC licence fee is to be frozen for the next six years at 145.50. It will mean a 16 real-terms cut in the BBC's funds over the next six years as against a 25 cut over four. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukMichael Crick: World Service costs to come from licence fee
This will come into effect with the next licence fee settlement due in 2012. I am told today's deal was not linked to last night's story about free TV licences. Two deals were on the table - the BBC paying for the over-75s and paying for the World Service. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC licence fee frozen at 145.50 for six years | Media | guardian.co.uk
BBC executives have staved off the threat of being forced to take on the 556m a year funding of free TV licences for the over-75s, but at a heavy price. In addition it will provide 150m a year for the rollout of superfast broadband to rural areas from 2013 and 25m a year for local TV and online content. A further one-off capital investment in local TV and online services of 25m will also come from the licence fee and the BBC will also underwrite the rollout of the digital radio network nationally. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC offers to pay for World Service to avoid licence fee raid | Media | guardian.co.uk
Mark Thompson willing to pay some or all of 300m annual costs of running the World Service. That would be an alternative to making the BBC pay out 556m to fund the costs of free television licences for anywhere home to an elderly person a bill that may force existing television and radio budgets to be slashed. By contrast, if the BBC were forced to fund the cost of free TV licences for the elderly there would be no benefit for most viewers on screen or on air. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC funding cannot escape George Osbornes cuts | Media | guardian.co.uk
Jeremy Hunt wants the BBC to take its share of the painful spending cuts. So we are left with a frankly surreal public spending choice an aircraft carrier with no aircraft, or the equivalent of several years' funding for BBC2. It was March last year when David Cameron, then leader of the opposition, first started talking publicly about freezing the BBC licence fee, an idea that prompted squeals of protest from the corporation. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC warns Government over free licence fee funding -TV Radio, Media - The Independent
The BBC Trust warned the Government today it would fight any move to force it to meet the cost of free television licences for the over-75s. BBC2's Newsnight said the proposal was for the bill - which is rising rapidly as the population ages - to be transferred from the time of the next licence fee settlement, due in 2012. Increases in the licence fee were unlikely to cover the cost, it said, which were the equivalent of a 26 real-terms cut in the BBC's present budget. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukNokia launches DAB headset
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radiotoday.co.ukAnnouncing Radioplayer
The fact that we're showing our 'work in progress' to the great and the good of the radio industry speaks volumes about the spirit behind this project. It's amazing that such a game-changing initiative has attracted widespread support from across radio - an industry not always noted for its unanimity. This is largely down to the spirit in which we've approached the project - which in itself was largely invented 'on the hoof'. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC Internet Blog: Net Neutrality and the BBC
It is very easy to take the internet for granted. For many of us, it has become an integral part of our lives. It has transformed how we work, communicate, access media, and contribute to debate. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukTuesday 19 October 2010, AM
UK regulator will not probe Project Canvas TV plan| Reuters
The project also involves creating technical standards which can be used by participating services to deliver content via a single set-top box, which will be branded YouView. Ofcom said it would continue to monitor developments concerning the YouView project. - reuters.com
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