Monday 15 February 2010, AM
Sky closes in on deal to buy Virgin Media TV channels |Media |guardian.co.uk
Sky chief Jeremy Darroch has said he would be interested in buying Virgin Media's channels business. Virgin Media is understood to be in the final stages of selling its wholly-owned television channels, including Virgin1 and Living, to BSkyB after months of negotiations. A Virgin Media Television spokesman declined to comment. - guardian.co.uk
www.guardian.co.ukFriday 12 February 2010, PM
First Freeview HD box launches in John Lewis
The new receivers were available exclusively at the John Lewis flagship store over the weekend before going on widespread sale with other retailers from 15th February 2010. Channel 4 HD and S4C in Wales will launch shortly. In addition to the high definition channels viewers also have access to 50 standard definition digital TV, 24 radio channels and the interactive red button service. - dtg.org.uk
www.dtg.org.ukRegional news bids must be put on hold |Media |guardian.co.uk
I don't say this because I necessarily take sides on whether they are a good thing, or a bad thing. If I was a member of the selection panel which has just held public meetings in the areas concerned, I would be tempted to resign. What we are dealing with here is the provision of valued 6pm regional news programmes and ancillary bulletins and online services, serving millions of people, that are currently produced by ITV and STV. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukToshiba reveal Freeview HD enabled LED TVs
Although the 3m or so LED TV's sold in 2009 represented just 16 of the total flat screen market, most manufacturers are planning models for 2010. They are all anxious to get a slice of a market which is predicted to achieve 16m unit sales in 2010 and account for the majority of LCD TV's sold by 2013. If you would like to find out more about the technology you might like to read our LED Guide. - hdtvorg.co.ukhdtvorg.co.ukWindows Activation Technologies Update for Windows 7
In the coming days, well be deploying a new update for Windows Activation Technologies, the set of built-in activation and validation components built into Windows 7. Called Windows Activation Technologies Update for Windows 7, this update will detect more than 70 known and potentially dangerous activation exploits. Activation exploits are sometimes called hacks, and attempt to bypass or compromise Windows activation technologies. - windowsteamblog.comwindowsteamblog.comMedia Talk: Carolyn McCall and more BBC expenses
download.guardian.co.ukThursday 11 February 2010, PM
April launch for Toshiba Freeview HD IDTVs
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Govt to clash with BBC over DAB rollout - Digital Spy
Outgoing creative industries minister Sion Simon yesterday put the government on a collision course with the BBC over buildout funding for the digital audio broadcasting network. Before the proposed digital radio switchover can go ahead in 2015, the government wants DAB coverage to reach 98-99 of the UK population. Simon believes that the corporation is obligated under the Royal Charter to take up the estimated annual cost of 10m to 20m from ensuring universal coverage of DAB services. - digitalspy.co.uk
www.digitalspy.co.ukToshiba Freeview+ HD recorder due in June
-blog.wotsat.comThursday 11 February 2010, AM
BBC News - Final chapter for the understated home of broadcast TV
The end of February marks the start of a whole new chapter for both the tech team and the building, when the BBC hands over the keys to Kingswood's new owner, property developer Octagon. The broadcast experts are moving to new premises in a refurbished building in west London - and some will head on to the corporation's new HQ in Salford in 2011. They are currently busy packing away 60 years worth of kit - everything from FM radio and colour TV to the interactive red button was painstakingly perfected in the calm surroundings of leafy Kingswood's wood-panelled offices and labs. - news.bbc.co.uk
news.bbc.co.ukBBC In Our Time - 1998-2002
-bnb.bpweb.netBBC RD - Homepage
Multimedia Classification Developing a system for searching audiovisual archives based on a computer aided analysis of the content itself. Standards BBC RD is an active member of many bodies that set broadcast standards. Video Compression H.264 enhancements The next generation of video compression technologies. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukRadio Today with RCS: BBC turns on two transmitters
-www.radiotoday.co.ukMedia: Covering climate change and BBC Pay 10 Feb 10
downloads.bbc.co.ukToshiba intros first Freeview HD-compatible PVR | Electronista
The drive can record 120 hours of HD programming, and users can also plug in external hard drives through two USB ports. The HDR5010 will cost the equivalent of 545 when it arrives in the UK in June. - electronista.comwww.electronista.com
Freeview: 350,000 Sky subscribers might switch to free HD |Media |guardian.co.uk
The figure fell to 12 for homes with Virgin Media's digital cable service. The digital platform's HD offering is a fraction of the more than 30 HD channels currently available on Sky. It also depends on how much new capacity can be found for new channels on the Freeview service, more of which was being freed up all the time, she said. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukToshiba Freeview HD sets landing in April | T3 magazine
- t3.com
www.t3.com
Freeview HD keeps Canvas at arms length | Broadband TV News
Freeview is to concentrate its marketing power on the launch of its new high definition channels, leaving BBC iPlayer to individual manufacturers, and putting the hybrid broadband platform Canvas to one side. Howling said that although manufacturers including Samsung were planning to incorporate the iPlayer as part of their receivers through BBC syndication, this is not something Freeview would be promoting itself. Unlike the Freeview personal video recorder and the new Freeview HD, Canvas would be represented by a distinct and separate logo. - broadbandtvnews.com
www.broadbandtvnews.comWednesday 10 February 2010, PM
Toshiba commits to Freeview HD Register Hardware
TVs with Freeview HD tuners are coming too. The HDR-5010 digital video recorder will contain a 500GB hard drive and a pair of tuners so you can record one channel while viewing another. So feed in content from other sources USB 2.0 - two ports - and an Ethernet jack. - reghardware.co.ukwww.reghardware.co.ukWednesday 10 February 2010, AM
Humax HD-FOX T2 Review on CNET UK
You might not believe it, but digital terrestrial TV in the UK is well over ten years old now. Since then, we've had Freeview, offering a free selection of channels for people to enjoy once they buy a digital TV or Freeview box. To get HD, we've needed to invent new transmission standards. - reviews.cnet.co.ukreviews.cnet.co.ukTuesday 09 February 2010, PM
Tories: well block regional TV news plan from getting through parliament |Media |guardian.co.uk
Last month he said that, if the Conservatives won power at the general election, they would do their best to unpick any contracts that had been signed with news providers. Hunt has now promised to prevent the proposal even becoming law, instead fighting to have it removed from the digital economy bill. Hunt would prefer a market-led approach to supplying regional news and has advocated reform of media ownership laws. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
TV product placement ban to be lifted -TV Radio, Media - The Independent
Product placement will be allowed on British TV programmes under new legislation announced by the Government today. It said that continuing to ban product placement would damage the finances of the British TV industry. Alcohol, tobacco, and food and drinks which are high in fat, salt or sugar are among the products that will not be allowed. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukWhy did Ofcom back down over DRM at the BBC? | Cory Doctorow |Technology |guardian.co.uk
After all, DRM doesn't actually prevent copying even the BBC agrees that the scheme it's proposed won't stop a determined copier, and once that copy is on the internet, everyone else will be able to get at it with a couple of clicks. You see, the BBC's plan is to scramble some key information needed to watch high-def broadcasts, a block of data that includes subtitles and other information used by disabled people, who are making increasing use of open devices that can be readily repurposed to add assistive features. Let's look at the record on threats to boycott non-DRM broadcasting from these companies. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukTechniSat launches Freeview USB
DTG Staff 09.02.2010 Links open in a new window. The DTG is not responsible for the content of other web sites. - dtg.org.ukwww.dtg.org.ukTuesday 09 February 2010, AM
TV viewing at highest since 1992 |Media |guardian.co.uk
Viewers watched an average of 3.75 hours of TV a day last year, the highest figure since 1992, according to research. This was down from 10.1 three months earlier and 14.3 at the start of 2009, illustrating the effect of the digital switchover process and the continuing takeup of digital TV ahead of the final switchoff in 2012. Three years ago, at the start of 2007, 28.3 of homes were analogue-only. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
Sky drops ITV court fight as it cuts stake -Business News, Business - The Independent
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced yesterday that Sky had given formal commitments to sell the stake. Sky bought the whole stake in ITV for 940m in 2006, when the shares were valued at 130p. Morgan Stanley last night said it was acting as sole bookrunner to place 10.4 per cent of ITVs shares in the market at a price between 48.5p and 49.5p, which would raise about 200m. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukSky loses the battle over ITV, but its already won the war |Media |guardian.co.uk
If the biggest commercial terrestrial broadcaster and the cable operator had got together, Sky might have found itself with a rival it couldn't batter into submission. Meanwhile, NTL became Virgin Media but did not become a Sky-threatening giant. So, Sky will lose a few hundred million on the deal in cash terms. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukMore digital power for London
-www.radiotoday.co.ukMonday 08 February 2010, PM
radioarchive.cc : Home
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radioarchive.ccBBC - BBC Internet Blog: Drama on BBC HD
Drama has moved faster than any other area of programming in the UK to working in HD. If you leave out the soaps, the BBC probably makes a higher proportion of drama programmes in HD than we do any other type of programming. The drama production community has taken to HD fast and wholeheartedly for a couple of reasons HD can offer producers a closer approximation to film than any other format, and therefore help production teams to produce work which looks like cinema on television drama budgets. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukSky gives undertaking to sell ITV shares
-nds.coi.gov.uk
BBC, Arqiva to sell DTT slots
C21Media.net is Everything about content in the 21st Century, from television to web, mobile, tablet and beyond. - c21media.net
www.c21media.netTellyLinks site fails on first night
TellyLinks aims to provide relevant web links synchronised to television programmes. Unfortunately, the service was withdrawn shortly after launch, apparently due to an unexpected high volume of traffic, so it is too early to tell whether it will work or if viewers would be better off simply using Google or Twitter. With the strapline You think it we link it the aim is to link television viewing and web browsing by providing links related to on screen programming. - informitv.com
informitv.com
Freeview slots up for grabs | 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.ukITV fined over Im a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here rat killing |Media |guardian.co.uk
The raw footage indicates that, from the first attempt, it took about 90 seconds before it actually died. 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.ukMonday 08 February 2010, AM
DAB debate in the House
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radiotoday.co.ukBBC iPlayer for Apple TV jonathan.tweed.name
-jonathan.tweed.nameDigital Radio UKs Ford Ennals and a switch thats very far from over |Media |The Guardian
The radio industry's efforts to secure its future in the digital age suffered a blow last week when the latest Rajar figures revealed that growth in digital radio listening had gone into reverse. Digital platforms accounted for 20.9 of all radio listening in the last three months of 2009, down from 21.1 in the previous three months but up from 18.3 in the same period in 2008. If radio is to achieve switchover by 2015 as outlined in the digital economy bill now going through parliament then 50 of all radio listening must be via digital platforms by 2013. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukLuke Johnson: What I really think of UK media |Media |The Guardian
Photograph David Levene In my first interview to be the chairman of Channel 4, the panel asked me what I thought of public service broadcasting. Obviously I had no idea what they meant, so I waffled and got away with it. It is a malleable phrase designed to cover a multitude of projects and expenditures. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukInterview: Michael Lyons fights the BBC Trusts corner |Media |The Guardian
The price of things, especially buildings, is a particularly sensitive issue for the BBC at the moment. Allied with criticism from commercial rivals of the corporation's expansionist ambitions, it is the issue most likely to annoy members of the public, although most polls suggest they still support the BBC. Next month, the director general, Mark Thompson, is expected to publish a strategic review demanded by the trust. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
Channel 4 cant play it both ways when it comes to the law |Media |The Guardian
Channel 4 is in court for a documentary it aired last year on the pressing issue of the putative relocation of the Jacksons, the American musical family, to a seaside resort in Devon. Now it is not, as you may think, that the broadcaster is in the dock for wasting the public's time and some of the earth's dwindling resources on this criminal act of televisual inanity rather it is a libel hearing revolving around accusations of elements of fakery. In an attempt to make sure that the jury was not swayed by coverage of an initial hearing, C4 sought, but was denied, an injunction on reporting of the proceedings. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukSunday 07 February 2010, PM
Digital Economy Bill: Govt Survives Tories IFNC Downsizing Bid| paidContent:UK
Howards opposition is philosophical We do not believe that public subsidy should be used to prop up the current system of regional news. He managed to get Labour Lord Davies, who is steering the bill through Lords committee stage for the government to concede the government has not considered long-term funding for the consortia. - paidcontent.co.uk
paidcontent.co.ukGloucestershire households given digital TV warning
Thursday, February 4th 2010 by Editorial Homeowners in Gloucestershire have been urged to prepare for the imminent digital TV switchover in the region. People living across Gloucestershire have been advised to prepare for the upcoming digital TV switchover which is set to take place in the region. According to the Stroud News and Journal, the switchover to a digital-only signal is set to take place in two stages in the region over the next couple of months. - cable.co.uk
www.cable.co.ukSunday 07 February 2010, AM
Digital TV - News - JML fails in Freesat EPG listing appeal - Digital Spy
All channels pay Freesat an annual fee of 30,000 for listing on the EPG, along with a 1,500 registration charge which provides the not-for-profit satellite platform with a revenue stream. However, the firm objected to the positioning after realising that neither of its listings would appear on the first page of the shopping channels section. JML then opted to bring a legal case against Freesat on grounds that its decision was based on irrational judgements and criteria not include in agreed listing policy. - digitalspy.co.ukwww.digitalspy.co.ukTV industry demands closer involvement in Project Canvas
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Welsh regional news bidders line up for beauty contest |Media |guardian.co.uk
I felt a surprising sense of deja vu attending yesterday's public meeting in Cardiff at which the three bidders for the contract to supply ITV's news service in Wales paraded their wares. In the current climate, public money is a highly desirable commodity, and the winner can make their return from a management fee. In total 40m of public funding is up for grabs. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukSaturday 06 February 2010, AM
Media Talk Extra: Gagging the press
download.guardian.co.ukMedia Talk: John Terry and the superinjunction
download.guardian.co.ukThursday 04 February 2010, AM
The Times splash is another front in James Murdochs war with the BBC |Media |guardian.co.uk
There is a reason Sky thinking James Murdoch. In October Jeremy Hunt said they would abolish the trust in an interview with the Financial Times. Attempting to goad the BBC into some sort of ill-thought-out reaction - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
TV makers and retailers voice concerns over Project Canvas |Media |guardian.co.uk
A key pledge has been that the technology underpinning the service, which would make video on demand programming available via TV sets to viewers with Freeview and Freesat set-top boxes, would be an open specification. We intend to continue our extensive work with the DTG's connected TV working group and resolve any confusion or concerns they may have. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukpick a page