Sky to cry foul as Ashes football qualifiers set for return to free TV |Media |The Guardian

The England team celebrate after winning the Ashes at The Oval. Photograph Paul Harding/Action Images A furious backlash from sport's governing bodies will greet tomorrow's recommendation that the Ashes and international football qualifiers be added to the list of events reserved for live broadcast on free-to-air television. The proposals, which, if adopted by the government, would represent a serious blow to Sky, could become the latest ammunition in the escalating battle between Rupert Murdoch and No 10, and lead to claims from sports that they are being used as a political football or cricket ball. - guardian.co.uk

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EchoStar integrates Latens conditional access for hybrid DVR

DTG Staff 09.11.2009 Links open in a new window. - dtg.org.uk

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Ashes and qualifiers set for free-to-air return -Cricket, Sport - The Independent

A review of sport's 'listed events' will tomorrow recommend that the England cricket team's home Ashes Tests should be screened on free-to-air television. The review is also likely to announce the ditching of the 'B' list for highlights. The Government are not obliged to follow the recommendations and the England and Wales Cricket Board will argue vociferously that the financial impact would be devastating for the sport which has a 300million deal with Sky. - independent.co.uk

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Gordon Brown takes his revenge as Murdochs Sky loses Ashes | News

The Ashes series was cut from the list in recent years and this summer millions of fans missed out on live TV coverage of England's victory because they did not subscribe to the Sky channel. The England and Wales Cricket Board warned that it could lose cash for grass roots sport if the 300 million deal with Sky was hit. The BBC will now be expected to put in a bid for the Ashes. - thisislondon.co.uk

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Animated Doctor Who Series, Dreamland, to Premiere on BBC Red Button, November 21st | Interactiv

By having additional content delivered or streamed via a broadband connection, the traditional limitations of the broadcast model are to a degree circumnavigated and to the viewer this may well provide a whole host of additional choice, involvement with and enjoyment of BBC content in new and exciting ways. As a Northerner myself, and after 10 years in London, I've recently moved to Manchester in order to lead this advance team. - itvt.com

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Packard Bell offers up Freeview-certified PCs | News | TechRadar UK

If you do want to go for the Blu-ray option, then we would recommend getting the L series which, at 23 inches, has a bigger screen which is 1080p Full HD Ready. Sound-wise, there's 5.1-channel surround sound support with additional speakers. The systems also use Packard Bell's TouchPortal tech which makes use of Windows 7 touch controls. - techradar.com

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Thousands shun colour television

The advent of colour sets transformed television Almost 30,000 people across the UK still tune into their favourite programmes on black and white TV sets. The 28,000 black and white licence holders included 1,950 in Scotland. The figures showed the black and white sets have not yet been consigned to history despite the rise of flat-screens and the iPlayer. - news.bbc.co.uk

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Has Cameron done a deal with Murdoch? -UK Politics, UK - The Independent

There was no gain for the BBC in the climbdown, because David Cameron had already said that the Tories will freeze the licence fee. The following year, David Cameron announced that a Conservative government would cut Ofcom down to size. Mr Brown, who is blind in one eye, has admitted that his handwriting is bad and has apologised to Mrs Janes, whose 20-year-old son, Jamie, was killed by a makeshift bomb in Afghanistan last month. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Sky provokes backlash after iPhone viewing offer -News Comment, Football - The Independent

It costs nothing, and when downloaded by owners of an iPhone or iPod touch, it facilitates access to a package of live sport for a 6 per month subscription. Subscribing to those via conventional television costs a minimum of 43.50 per month 34.50 for a basic Sky deal with sport, and 9 per month on top for ESPN. One effect of the new product is that some users an unscientific straw poll of feedback on iTunes and message boards suggests up to 5 per cent are cancelling their TV subscriptions. - independent.co.uk

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What a relief: BBC2 unveils a season packed with intelligent programmes | Maggie Brown |Media |guardian.c

Other things that catch my eye from the new season show a sense of what a grown-up BBC2 audience cherishes. I noted last night that she seems to have a very supportive team from all the key genres around her too. I Just hope she isn't distracted by the siren calls of the reconstruction project that is Channel 4. - guardian.co.uk

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BBC iPlayer wins Royal Television Society award

Last night, the Royal Television Society hosted its annual Innovation awards. Our team work incredibly hard to try and make iPlayer the very best of its kind. It's of course always exciting to receive awards recognising these high standards, but we're especially proud to be seen to be helping establish the future of TV. - bbc.co.uk

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BBC Media Show: The Sun; Libel; X Factor - 11 11 09

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Digital switchover dates in Mid Wales and Hay-on-Wye From Hereford Times)

Radio and satellite services will not be affected. - herefordtimes.com

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Bbcs drm gets a kicking from ofcom - The Inquirer

Ofcom has penned an angry letter to the BBC wanting more information about the DRM as it cannot see how it can be in the best interests of consumers. The Beeb is a little surprised by Ofcom as it expected the regulator to rubber stamp the move. Pressure groups like the Open Rights Group claim that the system would prevent things such as recording HD content for personal use. - theinquirer.net

www.theinquirer.net

Skelmersdale complaints over digital TV problems

Skelmersdale residents are facing a digital dilemma this week after finding some of their favourite channels had disappeared from their TV screens. Digital UK, the organisation tasked with overseeing the North West's switchover from the analogue signal, said in a statement it urged viewers to upgrade their equipments, and to contact them if they encountered problems. - champnews.com

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6,000 Darwen homes affected by Freeview problems From Blackburn Citizen)

Viewers in the central and western parts of the town have been told they will have to buy Sky subscription or sign up for Freesat if they want to view the full range of commercial channels. The issue has arisen because certain areas are in a signal blackspot and receive transmission signals from an aerial booster relay in Blacksnape, not the main Winter Hill transmitter. Until seven years ago, viewers in these parts could not receive Channel Four, and until now had not been able to receive Channel Five. - blackburncitizen.co.uk

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Sagem Freesat HD+ PVR on sale Monday

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BBC NEWS | Technology | Ofcom knocks back BBC DRM plans

It has written to the BBC asking for more information about what the benefits would be for consumers. Initially it looked as if Ofcom would approve the plans but, during its two week consultation, it has received many responses opposing the plan. Under original plans submitted to Ofcom, the broadcaster had requested that it be allowed to encrypt certain information on set-top boxes, using a method known as Huffman compression. - news.bbc.co.uk

news.bbc.co.uk

Murdoch may sue BBC over copyright |Media |guardian.co.uk

It gets a further 775m from its commercial activities, 294m from government grants and 41m from other income, such as providing content to overseas broadcasters and concert ticket sales. To find out more information about driving traffic to your content or to place this widget on your site, visit outbrain.com. We welcome your feedback at userhelpguardian.co.uk or feedbackoutbrain.com. - guardian.co.uk

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Oh dear, now Ive upset the DAB radio-loving DRDB |Technology |guardian.co.uk

I certainly don't expect them to enjoy their marketing being undermined by an independent journalist, but you have to wonder why they can't manage to retain at least a dignified faade. Of course, they could have informed the trade that pays them that I am much more in favour of digital radio's development than they seem to be, despite their name. I want it to develop into DAB as soon as possible, rather than hang on to creaky old DAB. - guardian.co.uk

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What Sky knows about you, and what they can do about it | BitterWallet

For example, do we ever consider there are companies that aggregate our information in order to profile us All very sinister and paranoid, but then Sky isnt making any bones about what theyre up to. Yesterday customers received an email about changes to the Sky Player terms and conditions the changes primarily focused on a new contextual advertising system called AdSmart, which was announced in September with little fanfare. - bitterwallet.com

www.bitterwallet.com

UK product placement consultation launched |Media |guardian.co.uk

The government has launched a consultation looking at how product placement could work on UK television, with a view to restricting the promotion of alcohol, junk food and gambling. Ofcom has estimated that within five years of it launching, product placement could make UK broadcasters as a whole 25m to 35m a year. The consultation is calling for responses on whether to ban or restrict placement of products from the alcohol and gambling industries as well as food high in fat, salt and sugar. - guardian.co.uk

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BBCs plea for anti-piracy measures on Freeview is turned down |Media |guardian.co.uk

The BBC is trying to change the Freeview multiplex licence to allow copy protection technology so shows on its HD channel, which will be rolled out nationally from next month, do not become the target of pirates. 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

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Ofcom holds on HD licence change | Broadband TV News

In his letter Harrison has asked the BBC how it proposes to address the potential disadvantages to consumers within the market and to set out possible alternatives. Should Huffman be introduced it should be done so without the need for a licence. In the meantime the corporation has been instructed to continue in transmitting the data in the clear. - broadbandtvnews.com

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Freeview expands early access to HD

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BBC - BBC Internet Blog: BBC HD: Interview with Danielle Nagler on Points of View

Among the topics covered was picture quality which has provoked a lively discussion on Danielle's previous posts. The interview with Danielle is the first item. There are discussions about the programme on the Points of View message board, Digital Spy and a post on Radio and Telly. - bbc.co.uk

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New chair Lord Burns means business at Channel 4 |Media |The Guardian

After a career mostly spent in academia and government, Lord Terry Burns was very much the businessman rather than the showman when his appointment as chairman was confirmed last week. And, more importantly, where will he take an advertising-supported company that has flirted with public funding and private takeover A former permanent secretary at the Treasury who once chaired Marks Spencer and now chairs Abbey National, Burns is a liberal economist who believes firmly in competition. - guardian.co.uk

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Row looms over free-to-air shakeup for TV sport |Television radio |The Guardian

The Epsom Derby and the rugby league cup final are expected to be dropped from the list, which could reduce their chances of attracting sponsorship and maintaining their visibility beyond core fans. Governing bodies are preparing to go on the attack, arguing the new rules will severely damage their ability to fund grassroots sport. The England and Wales Cricket Board has argued that the 300m Sky pays for exclusive rights has enabled a huge investment programme in state schools, community clubs and the women's game. - guardian.co.uk

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Digital switch brings last minute surge

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Greg Dyke thinks the unthinkable on the BBC licence fee |Media |The Observer

The BBC, of course, sees the licence fee as its badge of independence. Technology is taking us near to the end of the line already and Greg is a moving, not static, target. To find out more information about driving traffic to your content or to place this widget on your site, visit outbrain.com. - guardian.co.uk

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Innovate within the mainstream, documentary makers are told |Media |guardian.co.uk

That was the question at the heart of a session at the Sheffield Documentary Festival today that was packed with independent producers eager to find out how and where best to pitch their film ideas to broadcasters. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the commissioners professed to be interested in programmes that would enhance their reputation as well as ratings. ITV was looking for three or four signature documentaries by top-end producers as well as cheap half-hour programmes to run against Eastenders at 7pm, she said. - guardian.co.uk

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Switching off and switching over

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Project canvas: an interview with Richard Halton

Richard Halton We talk about Canvas 'democratising' access to the living room. If you want to be on a tv set at the moment, you have to be a big broadcaster with Freeview or Sky. The great thing about IPTV is that it will allow different forms of content, like video on demand or web services, to get to the tv screen. - bbc.co.uk

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Humax will fix Freeview set top boxes

It is over a month since the infamous digital retune took place and for most owners of Freeview set top boxes the whole experience went off without a hitch. However, for some owners of Humax set top boxes the retune has meant a poor quality of service or in some cases no digital TV service at all. Finally, the company has decided to do something about this issue and provided that the set top box is still within its two warranty period. - techwatch.co.uk

www.techwatch.co.uk

Elgato EyeTV DTT Deluxe review | Electricpig

Its a beautifully tiny bit of kit, but can it live up to expectations Its tinier than a 10p coin, and it could be argued there was never any need to make a TV adapter this miniscule. The fact that Elgato have managed it, however, is testament to its ingenuity. - electricpig.co.uk

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Sony brings HD recording to the PS3 | News | TechRadar UK

Sony has released the 1.21 firmware update to PlayTV, allowing it to record free to air HD channels. Sony has also promised better upscaling from standard definition broadcasts, meaning that if you're watching a programme in non-HD quality PlayTV will bust its little guts to polish it up before it gets to your eyeballs. Tweaked As part of the update, Sony says it has tweaked the interface slightly for mobile phones too, so users can watch the content more easily on a smaller screen. - techradar.com

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STV to launch GBP35m action against ITV - and press ahead with Taggart |Media |guardian.co.uk

The company also reported that it expects national television ad revenues to be up 2 in the fourth quarter with November up 3 and December up 5. In the Scottish TV ad market, fourth quarter revenue will be flat, with October down 13, November down 5 and December even. STV said that the failure to secure a recommission of Taggart across the ITV network this year meant that the company will take a 2m hit in earnings - analysts had estimated that the failure to strike a deal would cost 3m. - guardian.co.uk

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Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002

What to do when several channels are missing, but they are all on the same 'multiplex'Published on 30th September 2007 at 1409 by Brian Butterworth There are several different type of interference that cause problems. This page deals with the situation where Freeview reception is perfect or near-perfect most of the time Several channels are missing, but they are all on the same 'multiplex' There are two main causes of this type of intermitted interference The current Freeview mulitplexes are shown in this diagram. See, for example, How do I change the RF output channel on a Sky Digibox - ukfree.tv

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Flogging a DAB horse |Technology |guardian.co.uk

One of the prime quotes is used as a headline Let us get on this horse or get off it. It is currently costing us over 100,000 a year and we get absolutely nothing back from it . Therefore, our proposition to Carter's Review was let us get on this horse or get off it. - guardian.co.uk

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Media Talk: Lord Burns confirmed as Channel 4's new chairman

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Terry Burns appointed Chairman of Channel 4 | Ofcom

Independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. 4G auction bidders announced December 20, 2012 Ofcom has today announced the bidders in the forthcoming 4G mobile spectrum auction the largest ever sale of mobile airwaves in the UK. npower fined for making abandoned calls December 6, 2012 The conclusion of an Ofcom investigation has today found npower, the gas and electricity supplier, to be in breach of rules on abandoned calls. - ofcom.org.uk

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Switchover put viewers out of the picture - News - Manchester Evening News

Around 250 people contacted a special helpline to complain that yesterday's digital switchover had left them watching the wrong regional channels. Problems arose for Freeview customers after they retuned their sets following the digital switchover and were left receiving signals from transmitters outside the North West broadcasting programming from Wales and the Midlands. They added that viewers should resume watching BBC programming from the North West today. - manchestereveningnews.co.uk

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Technisat Freesat PVR update released

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Long Mountain switchover underway

Digital television switchover is underway in parts of east and central Wales, bringing Freeview coverage to 24,000 households for the first time. Shortly after midnight on 4th November all TV services were temporarily switched off at the Long Mountain transmitter group. A new digital signal is being made available from Long Mountain and its relays, broadcasting the full range of BBC channels in digital form. - dtg.org.uk

www.dtg.org.uk

ITV: ad revenue up next month |Media |guardian.co.uk

ITV promised to break an almost 18-month run of sinking revenue figures today, reporting that its TV advertising revenues will be up by 4 year on year in December and flat across the fourth quarter. The broadcaster, which controls more than 40 of UK TV advertising across its channels, said that the ad market was stabilising. It predicted that total TV ad revenue would be down 12 for the full year, and said that it expected to trade ahead of the market. - guardian.co.uk

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Rise in dumped TVs due to digital switchover, figures show |Environment |guardian.co.uk

The number of TVs thown away in Cumbria has risen by 70 in the past year. Figures from Cumbria county council, which administers a region of nearly half a million people, show that the number of TVs dumped at waste and recycling sites has risen by 70 in the past year. This year, the council has recycled 50,000 analogue TVs thrown away by households, of which 30,000 could have been upgraded to receive digital TV signals with a simple 20 set-top box. - guardian.co.uk

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Humax makes Freeview retune pledge | Electricpig

Humax has pledged to fix faulty Freeview boxes effected by the recent retune, as long as theyre within their two year warranty and cant be brought back to life by their own telephone support staff. Speaking to us after we reported faults which were still occurring a month after the retune, Humax said customers with boxes that arent working should contact them for guidance. In a statement, a Humax spokesperson told us, Humax will repair or replace any faulty products if they are within the warranty period. - electricpig.co.uk

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BBC Media Show: Reporting drugs and comedy and offence - 04/11/09

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informitv - Freesat gets iPlayer without waiting for Canvas

The BBC iPlayer online video service will soon be available to Freesat viewers over broadband. A trial service on the subscription-free satellite platform will launch before the end of November. It calls into question the need for the proposed Canvas approach. - informitv.com

informitv.com

Powys starts digital switchover

Instead, a new digital signal is being made available, broadcasting the full range of BBC channels in digital form. The new digital signal means thousands of homes in the area will be able to receive digital TV through their aerial - Freeview - for the first time. Terrestrial TV services will be off air for some viewers until the first stage of switchover is completed by about midday on Wednesday. - news.bbc.co.uk

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