Which? Tech weekly podcast 29 July 2010 - TV, music and radio - Which? Advice

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60 Second Spot: Richard Halton, Project Canvas - Media news - Media Week

RH Project Canvas is an open internet-connected TV platform that will combine broadband and broadcast content and deliver it to consumers through digital terrestrial television. RH Over the summer, all six partners will sign the shareholders agreement to constitute a formal Joint Venture and so become an independent business. Were submitting new specs to the DTG at a rate of three or four every month, with the last set due to be published on 19 August. - mediaweek.co.uk

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BBC Media Show: 28 Jul 10 Channel 5, Ed Richards, Ed Vaizey.

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Ofcom: ITV subsidising channels licensees by as much as 15m a year | Media | guardian.co.uk

Analysts at Liberum today noted that if the way costs are calculated are overhauled in ITV's favour it could prompt mergers and consolidation among the holders of the Channel 3 licences. It is thought that Ofcom's analysis identified a disproportionate payment of about 15m per year. However analysts at Liberum reckon that ITV could benefit by as much as 25m per year in overall savings if there was a restructure. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Ofcom scraps must sell rule for TV ads | Media | guardian.co.uk

Ofcom has scrapped rules that force ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel Five to sell all their advertising minutes in a move that theoretically could make the broadcasters millions of pounds of extra ad revenue each year. However, since the rule was introduced in 2003 digital TV channel proliferation has reduced the impact of such a strategy. Ofcom's ruling could still benefit Channel 4 and Five to the tune of millions of pounds by giving them more scope to control their TV sales deals. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Humax to announce portal services at IBC 2010

Humax is to announce new portal services for its internet-enabled set-top boxes, at the IBC conference in Amsterdam, in September. The web portal provides access to online TV services and other content. - techwatch.co.uk

www.techwatch.co.uk

Channel 4 axes channel controller role in management shakeup | Media | guardian.co.uk

The boost in budget, which will take Channel 4's programming clout back to 550m, follows a series of cuts aimed at protecting the broadcaster's profitability. The increase follows a blistering performance in terms of TV ad sales with Channel 4 recording double-digit year-on-year increases in ad revenue each month so far in 2010. Separately, the Channel 4 chief executive, David Abraham, has announced that the broadcaster's channel controllers will be removed. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

House of Lords launches TV ad market inquiry | Media | guardian.co.uk

The Lords committee will investigate the recent decline in revenues of commercial television companies from the sale of advertising. It will examine the various changes to the regulation of television advertising, which are currently under discussion, and will look at the CRR mechanism. To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editormediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Sky+ Remote Record app hits Android | Electricpig

Sky subscribers with an Android phone in their pocket can finally record shows on the go. The Sky Remote Record app which landed on iPhone last year has migrated to the Android Marketplace. The nifty little app lets you set recordings on your Sky box wherever you are. - electricpig.co.uk

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Channel Five chief reassures staff as experts question strategy | Media | guardian.co.uk

Dawn Airey told Channel Five staff it was 'business as usual'. However, given Desmond's history of cost-cutting, media analysts have already raised the prospect of job cuts among the almost 300 Five staff. Five posted a loss of 41m 34m last year, while operating losses were 10m, with 22m in programme writedowns. - guardian.co.uk

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Ofcom - Increase in UKs average actual broadband speed

The UKs most comprehensive broadband speeds research reveals that the UKs average actual fixed-line residential broadband speed has increased by over 25 per cent over the past year. It reveals that nearly a quarter 24 per cent of UK fixed-line residential broadband connections had a headline or advertised speed of above up to 10Mbit/s in May 2010, compared to just 8 per cent in April 2009. Growing gap between advertised and actual speeds However, the move to faster headline speeds has led to a growing gap between the actual speeds delivered and the speeds that some ISPs use to advertise their services. - consumers.ofcom.org.uk

consumers.ofcom.org.uk

Ofcom: Broadbands broken promises

In fact, he resisted pressure from journalists to be a little more black and white, but that was certainly the regulator's message as he took us through the latest study of the broadband speeds consumers are actually getting. The survey shows there has been a small increase in average speeds but nearly all of that is due to a doubling of what cable customers are getting. Customers still getting their broadband down a copper wire from BT or one of the firms using its Openreach network have seen their average speeds nudge up just a tad from 3.7Mbps to 4.0Mbps. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Broadband speed gap widening, says Ofcom -Business News, Business - The Independent

The gap between the broadband speeds advertised by internet service providers and the actual speeds customers receive has widened in the past year, the communications watchdog revealed yesterday. The actual average speed of 5.Mb in May was less than half that of the 11.5Mb headline speed, Ofcom reported. A year earlier, the actual speeds were 42 per cent lower than the figure advertised. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Jana Bennett says "we will see more of the UKs nations and regions on the BBC"

I believe there is more we can do to unlock the creative potential that exists across the UK and reflect its communities to our audiences. The BBC will now sharpen its focus on ensuring its content reflects the nations and communities of the UK accurately and authentically. There has been a 50 per cent increase in the level of network production in the nations in the past twelve months, from 7.9 per cent of total network programme spend in 2008 to 11.7 per cent in 2009. - bbc.co.uk

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Transmitter changes will offer partial Freeview service

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Councils in Wales offer services via digital television

26 July 2010 Last updated at 0814 ET Councils across Wales are trialling a digital system for people to contact them via their television. Using their remote control, people can report faulty street lamps, uncollected rubbish or update council tax or benefit details. Cardiff council is the latest to launch a Looking Local service but the Welsh Assembly Government is funding a trial for all 22 councils in Wales. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC may be a global force but needs to be championed at home | Media | The Guardian

His thesis rested not on the power of the BBC's international reach so much as a potential resolution to the current crisis in American journalism. For someone who is now employed by Bollinger but has spent a large part of my career as a media journalist trying to fathom the contradictions of the BBC, it seems like a very apposite subject for this week. The idea that the BBC is a template for a public presence in a converged media world should make us all feel proud. - guardian.co.uk

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Richard Desmond has big plans for Channel Five | Media | The Guardian

It didn't take long for Richard Desmond, a man whose photo is regularly published in the newspapers he owns, to make an appearance on Five. Desmond will be barred from promoting his newspapers on Five under European rules, but he can give as much free publicity as he chooses to Five's shows in his papers. Digital age Despite the interview in which he committed to keeping news and current affairs, the mood at Five's London offices in Covent Garden is one of anxiety, tinged with regret that a terrestrial channel launched at the dawn of the digital age just 13 years ago has failed to take off in the manner its owners had intended. - guardian.co.uk

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Stephen Glover: Why the kid gloves for Mr Desmond? -Stephen Glover, Opinion - The Independent

Last Friday, Richard Desmond bought the television channel Five for 103m and there was barely a murmur of protest in the media. Yet his purchase of the Daily Express in December 2000 created a terrific hullabaloo. Many thought that a man whose fortune was founded on pornography might not be a proper person to own a national newspaper. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Culture Secretary wants BBC to be open about star pay

Earlier this month the BBC Trust said details of star pay would be revealed in bands, but not individual salaries. The BBC recently announced it would reduce the pay of its top executives and slim down its senior management. - bbc.co.uk

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Vow to fight digital dictatorship From Daily Echo)

Housing bosses want to make sure TVs in council homes dont go blank when traditional analogue signals are switched off in 2012. The council handed a lucrative 2.3m contract to Firstline Digital to install new communal aerials and satellite dishes so that every home to will be able to get Freeview channels or subscribe to Sky or other channels. One new TV socket will be fitted into every home. - dailyecho.co.uk

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Richard Desmond buys channel Five owner for 125m euros

RTL said a recovery in the UK TV advertising market meant now was a good time for it to sell. Last month, Mr Desmond indicated that he wanted to buy the Sun newspaper. Continue reading the main story Analysis Channel Five has always struggled to establish a clear identity - and in the digital world, where advertisers, and most viewers, have dozens of channels to choose from, its place is even less secure. - bbc.co.uk

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Media tycoon Desmond buys TVs Five -TV Radio, Media - The Independent

Newspaper and magazine proprietor Richard Desmond has bought TV channel Five, it was announced today. This might include a revival of Big Brother, which is in its final series on Channel 4. Today's Times newspaper said Mr Desmond had had direct discussions with Endemol, the owner of the programme, about broadcasting it next year. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Desmond: Ill spend on shows and keep Airey | News | Broadcast

It takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Richard Desmond promises Channel Five investment, drive and leadership | Media | guardian.co.uk

Sources close to Desmond say that was a statement of intent, with further acquisitions to come. RTL announced its deal with Northern Shell, the private company which controls Desmond's newspaper and magazine titles, to the stock market this evening. Desmond's bid is believed to be twice what his closest rival offered for the company, which made an operating loss of 41m in the last financial year. - guardian.co.uk

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Richard Desmond buys Channel Five for 103.5m | Media | guardian.co.uk

The disposal is in line with RTL Group's strategy of being number one or two in each of our markets. Desmond, who still owns a raft of porn channels, also spent money on OK magazine which lost money for the first six years of his ownership but is now highly profitable. It is unclear what chief executive Dawn Airey's position will be although she is rumoured to be able to move to RTL following any departure from Five. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

TV ad spend recovery stronger than expected | Media | guardian.co.uk

Fears that the recovery in TV ad spend could run out of steam after the World Cup appear to have been unfounded, with expectations for September running as high as a 13 year-on-year increase. However, Channel Five is predicted to post a fall in ad revenue. Current predictions by media agencies forecast total UK TV ad spend for September will be up by about 11 year on year with gross spend at 358m, a 37m increase over last year. - guardian.co.uk

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Feedback: 23 July 2010: 5Live's Men's Hour

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Channel Five: a timeline | Media | guardian.co.uk

1987 The idea of a fifth television channel is placed on the political agenda after two government studies identify spare frequencies. 1988 Booz Allen Consultants recommend a fifth channel, saying it will reduce ITV's monopoly power and reduce advertisers' costs. Fifth channel formally included in broadcasting white paper. - guardian.co.uk

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BBC Mobile Apps go live

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BBC concludes Public Value Test not required for mobile apps

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.uk

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Richard Desmond shakes hands on Five buyout | Media | guardian.co.uk

Richard Desmond reached an agreement with the owner of Bertelsmann in the early hours of this morning, according to sources. The deal is still to be ratified by the board of parent company Bertelsmann in Germany later this afternoon but few insiders expect a hitch. Desmond, who still owns a raft of porn channels, also spent money on OK magazine which lost money for the first six years of his ownership but is now highly profitable. - guardian.co.uk

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BBC News iPhone and iPad app to launch in UK

The free-to-download apps for Apple products were originally due to be made available in April 2010. The UK launch was delayed while the BBC Trust, the corporation's governing body, assessed the proposals and their impact on the rest of the industry. Similar apps for BBC Sport and iPlayer will also be coming soon. - bbc.co.uk

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Richard Desmond to bring back Top of the Pops if Five bid successful | Media | guardian.co.uk

If he does press ahead with plans for a music show, Desmond may simply dust down the format and choose a different name. 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.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

S4C faces 24% cut in grant | Media | guardian.co.uk

Sources close to the channel and to the DCMS say that they expect S4C to face a 24 cut overall, phased in with a 6 reduction for each of the next four years, starting in 2011. The level of annual grant is announced in November, and under the format established in 1996 has traditionally been tied to the RPI. The channel initially received a grant of 101.647m for 2010, and also benefits from free programmes, including Welsh news and Pobol-y Cwm, its soap opera, worth an extra 25m. - guardian.co.uk

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Richard Desmond to face MPs if he wins Channel Five bid | Media | The Guardian

Desmond is likely to be named tomorrow as the preferred buyer for the company, according to industry sources. The deal is unlikely to be blocked by regulators because there are no competition issues. Desmond's combined share of the UK media market will still be relatively small if the purchase goes ahead. - guardian.co.uk

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Media Talk: Richard Desmond prepares to bid for Channel Five

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DTG circulates draft Connected TV specs | Broadband TV News

However, the organisation made clear it was committed to international harmonisation and is fully engaged with international standards bodies and havereciprocal agreements with them. Lindsay-Davies said the specifications represented a very clear framework for Connected TV in the UK. Theres a very tight timeline and were working very closely, not just with Canvas, but weve had requirements through from Virgin, Lovefilm and Sky and were evaluating those at the moment. - broadbandtvnews.com

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Delivering Broadband Britain slower than expected

The problem of providing adequate universal broadband access across Britain may be bigger than originally believed. Universal access to a minimum of 2 megabits per second is now not expected until 2015. The original aim may have been unambitious but even that target is being postponed as the coalition government cuts public spending. - informitv.com

informitv.com

Melvyn Bragg: ITV taken over by slide rules and suits | Media | guardian.co.uk

I think they are wrong, wrong and wrong. Then it was taken over by slide rules and suits and on the whole a lot of the programmes that they used to be proud of they dropped and they're finding it hard to make a living. To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editormediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. - guardian.co.uk

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BBC Media Show: 21 Jul 10 Melvyn Bragg, Five, killing of Greek journalist, Times online.

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BT s FTTH trial begins

Once completed these trials will take in around forty thousand premises. - techwatch.co.uk

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Decision on listed free-to-air TV sports events deferred until 2012 | Sport | guardian.co.uk

Hugh Robertson has delayed a decision on free-to-air events. That will be welcomed by sports governing bodies, many of which were vehemently opposed to Davies's recommendations, which the previous Labour government had provisionally endorsed. Group B events must be shown at least in highlights form on free-to-air television. - guardian.co.uk

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Remote areas of Scotland switch to digital TV

21 July 2010 Last updated at 0614 ET More than 12,000 homes in remote parts of Scotland have had their analogue television channels switched off permanently. The move enables extra channels to be broadcast from local relay transmitters serving thousands of homes. Some channels for existing Freeview viewers have moved to new frequencies and can be restored by retuning Freeview TVs and boxes. - bbc.co.uk

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Can Richard Desmond repeat his OK! success with Channel Five? | Markets Analysis

Reports indicate that Desmond is likely to pay its owner, RTL Group, no more than 100 million, which roughly equates to its book value. Hopes by RTL's chief executive, Gerhard Zeiler, that he would do much better have come to nought. Desmond, it is said, presents fewer complications in terms of regulatory hurdles. - thisislondon.co.uk

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Eitshal goes digital

The changes also affect existing Freeview viewers who may find some of their channels missing. DTG Staff 21.07.2010 Links open in a new window. The DTG is not responsible for the content of other web sites. - dtg.org.uk

www.dtg.org.uk

Superfast 4G mobile broadband arrives in Cornwall - Broadband Genie

A trial has been launched in the Caradon Hill area of Cornwall that is aimed at bringing superfast mobile broadband to the rescue of many rural internet users if tests prove successful. Following the switch from analogue TV to digital in the Caradon Hill area, where there is already a television transmitter mast, the company is using the spare airwave spectrum, which has become available as a consequence. As a result, Clear Mobitel is hoping that their trialling will be able to deliver much faster 4G mobile broadband services, which could be a dream come true for rural communities used to poor or non-existent broadband speeds. - broadbandgenie.co.uk

www.broadbandgenie.co.uk

Channel Five decision due on Friday | Media | guardian.co.uk

Desmond, the owner of the Daily Express, the Daily Star and OK magazine, is understood to have tabled the highest bid at around 100m. His bid also poses the fewest potential regulatory issues of the remaining contenders and would therefore be potentially the quickest sale. NBC Universal and Channel 4, which has held strained discussions in the past over a potential tie-up with Five, are understood to be in the running but have not tabled deals with terms as attractive as Desmond's. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

BBC: how to save 25% by making radio better - James Cridland

So, as a nice man, I thought Id show them how they can save around 25 of their radio costs. Close down all English-language BBC local and nations radio stations. Shift BBC Radio 4 FM to broadcast on the local radio frequencies. - james.cridland.net

james.cridland.net

OFT looks into BSkyB-Virgin Media TV deal

The OFT is considering whether arrangements are in progress or in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the Enterprise Act 2002. Should it be found to be a relevant merger situation, the OFT will further consider whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition and warrants reference to the Competition Commission. - bfnnews.com

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