BBC NEWS | Business | BT to pump 1.5bn into broadband

BT plans to plug some homes straight into the fibre-optic network BT is to invest 1.5bn in fibre optic cables, giving up to 10 million UK households access to faster broadband. The plans would bring 40 of homes in reach of an ultra-fast service by 2012. BT is also planning to put fibre-optic cable into about 1 million homes, making the service even faster for those customers. - news.bbc.co.uk

news.bbc.co.uk

BT challenges Skys dominance of pay TV - Business News, Business - The Independent

BT has renewed calls for greater regulatory control of Sky's alleged dominance of the pay television market as the telco's on-demand entertainment service upped the ante by offering customers free access to Setanta Sports 1. The service also has 5,000 hours of on-demand content that can be bought either on a pay-per-view basis or as part of its three tariff packages all of which will now come with Setanta Sports 1 bundled in. The upgraded deal also includes exclusive access to 28 on-demand Scottish Premier League games. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Digital TV: iPlayers play for online eyes - Media, News - The Independent

Before the Australian-born Rose was appointed to his post last September, he had been the chief technology officer for six years at Kazaa, the notorious peer-to-peer website that has been the subject of many anti-piracy copyright lawsuits since its creation back in July 2002. Rose says that the BBC was looking for someone with expertise in digital-rights management, peer-to-peer technology and mass-market consumer applications. The iPlayer automatically remembers programmes you've watched before, he says. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

SelfSats Flat Antenna replaces the satellite dish | Electricpig

Code NoSuchKey Message The specified key does not exist. - electricpig.co.uk

www.electricpig.co.uk

Ten Network drops Australian Big Brother after Pamela Anderson fails to save show | Media | guardian.co.uk

Pamela Anderson meets housemates in Australian Big Brother. The Australian commercial TV broadcaster said it had decided to end its association with the Endemol format after the end of the current series because it was no longer able to surprise viewers. Ratings for the current run, which is due to end on July 21, have been averaging little more than a million viewers per episode, down from a high of 2.8 million in 2001. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Now, live from the cutting-room floor | Media Monkey | guardian.co.uk

If you're one of those people who thinks Telly Savalas is a Brazilian satellite channel, then you'll probably enjoy this bumper selection of goofs and gaffes - well, one of them, anyway - from Sky News. 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. - blogs.guardian.co.uk

blogs.guardian.co.uk

BBC NEWS | Business | Bid speculation lifts ITV shares

ITV's shares have dropped sharply in value recently amid concerns about the outlook for the economy. Research published on Monday suggested companies were reducing their marketing spend at the fastest rate since 2001. ITV's financial performance is heavily influenced by the willingness of companies to maintain advertising budgets, something which is in doubt as the economy slows markedly. - news.bbc.co.uk

news.bbc.co.uk

Setanta offers free deal head of new season - Brand Republic News - Brand Republic

All new customers who sign up to Setanta Sports 1 on Freeview will be offered three months' free subscription, giving consumers access to premium sports at the lowest entry price possible. The offer is subject to a 14.99 connection fee. The Setanta Sports 1 channel has been broadcast on Freeview since March 2007. - brandrepublic.com

www.brandrepublic.com

Buyers circle ITV ahead of ruling on BSkyB stake - report - Forbes.com

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www.forbes.com

Ideal to relaunch flagship channel after web revamp

It only takes a few minutes to do and you will have immediate access to Retail-Week.com, plus Retail Week delivered to your door every week. - retail-week.com

www.retail-week.com

BT pins TV hopes on Setanta - Times Online

- business.timesonline.co.uk

business.timesonline.co.uk

Dyke: Scrap the licence fee

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

BBC iPlayer To Go PrePlayer? - AVReview News and comment

The Beeb in all its mighty wisdom has begun a consultation about whether or not to add a pre-order function to its popular iPlayer service catch-up download service. Currently, content is only available for viewing after it has been broadcast on one of Auntie's channels within a seven-day watch window, but this service would make content available before it has appeared on the box. Users would thus be able to pre-order and in theory watch shows earlier than before, though the BBC's Digital Rights management would theoretically prevent viewers from seeing content until it has been aired. - avreview.co.uk

www.avreview.co.uk

Marketing Trends: From a remote chance of success... - Marketing Week

Caroline Parry Now in over a third of homes, Freeview has crashed through expectations after taking over failed ONDigital, but times are getting tougher as the digital switchover date looms. By Caroline Parry When Freeview launched in October 2002, many feared it had taken on a poisoned chalice. Six years on and Freeview's free-to-air digital TV channels, radio station and interactive services have undoubtedly been popular. - marketingweek.co.uk

www.marketingweek.co.uk

Ofcom invites pitches for new HD channel slots

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

ITV ad revenue expected to fall in tough final quarter | Media | guardian.co.uk

The ad market is expected to fall by at least 10 as worsening economic conditions hit marketing budgets. Ad revenue at ITV's flagship network - the UK's largest commercial channel and a bellwether for the industry - is anticipated to be about 118m in September, according to early media buying agency forecasts. ITV1's fall is exacerbated to some extent by last September's ad revenue rise of 5 year on year, with the network buoyed by its coverage of the Rugby World Cup. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Borkowski appointed for Freesat account - PRWeek UK

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www.prweek.com

BRISTOL DIGITAL TV SWITCHOVER TO START IN 2010

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www.thisisbristol.co.uk

HD News - Freesat set-top boxes in short supply

The amount of consumer interest generated by the new free to air Satellite service 'Freesat' has led to a shortage of set-top boxes, an essential item of kit required to connect to the new service. They say every cloud has a silver lining and Panasonic have witnessed strong demand for their Freesat equipped PZ81 series of plasma TV's which are currently available in 42in, 46in and 50in sizes. Panasonic are planning to release a further three 'Freesat' equipped TV's later this year and other manufacturers are being encouraged to release their own 'Freesat' equipped TV's to alleviate supply problems. - hdtvorg.co.uk

hdtvorg.co.uk

BetaNews | Television is king, although younger viewers turn to the Web

The stereotypical picture of senior citizens spending their days in front of the television is not far off from the truth, although the nation's youth is increasingly turning to the Internet, Nielsen finds. The average American 65 and older watches nearly 178 hours of television a month, far above the national average of 127 hours a month, up 4 from the previous year, according to findings published today by the Nielsen Company. Made popular by TiVo, and now a staple of DVR offerings industry-wide, usage was up 56 to nearly 6 hours per month. - betanews.com

www.betanews.com

BBC chiefs cash in after year of turmoil - Media, News - The Independent

The director general, Mark Thompson, and nine other corporation bosses earned 4.96m in 2007-08, a rise of 17 per cent on the previous year. Most BBC employees received pay increases of 4 per cent over the same period, broadly in line with inflation. Mr Thompson's salary rose from 788,000 last year to 816,000, while that of Mark Byford, his deputy, rose from 437,000 to 513,000. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Boycott Viacom

fromhttp//www.gopetition.com/petitions/boycott-viacom.html Petition Background Preamble Viacom was founded in 1971 and was refound in 2006. In 2007 Viacom raked in over thirteen billion dollars and has 9,500 employees. YouTube complied and Viacom then made a deal with Joost, an online video service just like YouTube. - boycottviacom.blogspot.com

boycottviacom.blogspot.com

Hauppauge puts Freeview in your pocket -- Electronics NEWS - about-electronics.eu

Were a tad sceptical about how good reception will be via the extendable antenna as Freeview is notoriously temperamental on portable devices, but there is at least an SD card slotif you move out of coverage. They should be pretty watchable on the generously large 3.6in screen too, although the QVGA resolution wont worry the iPod Touchs 480320 display. - about-electronics.eu

www.about-electronics.eu

Letter to ITV Regions staff

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

ITV unveils new regional current affairs show Here and Now to rival BBCs Inside Out | Media | guardian.co.uk

The commercial broadcaster will roll out Here and Now early next year across its different English regions. The use of the Here and Now name has surprised some, as the BBC had a current affairs programme under the same moniker in the 1990s. Here and Now, which launched in 1994 as a BBC1 networked show, was fronted by Sue Lawley and featured regional reports from across the country, although it was axed several years later. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Barry Fox's Inside View: T2: Judgement Day

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blog.wotsat.com

Elgato transmits MacBook Air-friendly Freeview tuner | Register Hardware

TV-on-Mac specialist Elgato has rolled out its first truly MacBook Air-friendly digital tuner. There's no analogue tuner on board, but Elgato indicated the new unit packs in improved signal processing hardware, allowing it to deliver a lossless image straight to the screen. - reghardware.co.uk

www.reghardware.co.uk

BBC NEWS | Technology | Making punishment fit the crime

Some suspected copyright pirates could have their net connection pulled Regular columnist Bill Thompson asks how severely we should punish those who infringe copyright. Making laws in the European Union is a long, complicated and often tedious process that involves a delicate ballet featuring the Council of Ministers, the Parliament and the Commission. Before a Directive is passed there will be numerous committees, occasional votes, multitudinous amendments and many, many occasions for lobbyists, campaigning groups and special interests to try to influence things in their favour. - news.bbc.co.uk

news.bbc.co.uk

DTG News: Growth in sales of set-top boxes in the UK

Value sales also grew significantly from 169.1 million to 172.9 million. Over the same period, average prices of these devices have fallen from 31 to 24. Gfk report that this had a negative effect on value sales, which decreased from 155.7 million to 104.9 million. - dtg.org.uk

www.dtg.org.uk

Sky set to miss its customer target as pay TV sector slows

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www.customer-strategy.co.uk

To keep its licence fee, the BBC needs to stop being so shy - Media, News - The Independent

The licence fee is under more serious attack than it has been for a long while. The BBC needs not only to perform well but to remind us that what it does and how it does it could only come from licence fee funding. On the evidence of last year's report there will be 60 pages of detailed financial information, the most thumbed pages of which tell us how much the executive get paid. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Exclusive: Thousands of Scots face TV blackout after Freeview signal change - The Daily Record

Bosses at Freeview decided to bring in a new transmitter signal which doesn't work on several types of set-top boxes. It's believed that around 16,000 Scots who get their telly through Freeview are now saddled with useless boxes. Millions of viewers signed up for Freeview on the promise that they would be guaranteed TV for life. - dailyrecord.co.uk

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Watch, record, avoid? | Media | The Guardian

Deciding what to watch on TV used to be a romantic affair happy nuclear families huddled around the Radio Times in their sepia-tinted living rooms, circling next week's appointment TV. Even with the introduction of the remote control, couch potatoes slowly flicked through the channels, tasting everything on offer before deciding to tuck in. A single push of the button pulls up a grid containing the title of everything that is on - and they go all out to attract your attention. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

BSkyB considers bid for Spains Digital+

Printed from http//www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dfe10268-4933-11dd-9a5f-000077b07658.html Print a single copy of this article for personal use. - ft.com

www.ft.com

BBC Worldwide plans to close troubled Audiocall subsidiary | Media | guardian.co.uk

Worldwide chief executive John Smith has told staff he wants to shut down the business, which provides premium-rate phone lines to many BBC shows and those on other channels. Audiocall hit the headlines in May after it emerged that it banked more than 100,000 earned from two dozen shows. The money should have been given to charity. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Channel 4 in talks over regional news service

The link you clicked, or the URL you typed into your browser, didnt work for some reason. Here are some possible reasons why We have a bad link out there to a page that has been moved or removed You may have typed the page address incorrectly We have a problem with the server. - broadcastnow.co.uk

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Freesat moves into Virgin territory

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blog.wotsat.com

BetaNews | TiVo cleverly converts commercial skipping into a commercial feature

Approximately everyone who has ever used one of TiVo Inc.'s digital video recorders has skipped over commercials. However, the devices also report, anonymously, every click of a remote back to the main offices, and track that aggregated information for clients of the company's StopWatch service, which it has offered since 2006. For example, the first and last commercials in a group are most likely to be watched, at least partially, as people leap for the remote. - betanews.com

www.betanews.com

Podcasts help boost live radio audiences, Rajar-commissioned report reveals | Media | guardian.co.uk

This means that internet listening was up by 2.5 million people on the previous survey, which was conducted in October and November 2007. In the 2007 survey, listen again use was 8.1 million in any given week, 1.3 million fewer than the latest survey's figure. In the latest research, Ipsos Mori found that podcast listening occured throughout the day, with an evening peak when 44 of podcast users click on the play button. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Saturday slump for ITV1

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

Terrestrial - News - Freeview NIT change rollout continues - Digital Spy

The method of broadcasting the network information table, which tells equipment which services are carried Freeview, is being altered region-by-region to accommodate more channels and stations. Some early receivers are unable read the new-format NIT. The change was first carried out in the West Midlands on June 2 and, though no timetable has yet been given, it is expected to continue UK wide. - digitalspy.co.uk

www.digitalspy.co.uk

Goodmans GFSAT200HD HD Freesat Receiver - TrustedReviews

In the meantime, you can enjoy over 80 standard-def channels and radio stations available on the platform, all of which can be accessed without having to pay any ongoing subscription costs. - trustedreviews.com

www.trustedreviews.com

BMB beats two for 5m Freeview brief - Brand Republic News - Brand Republic

BMB's first task will be to develop a campaign for Freeview's digital TV recorders in the run-up to Christmas. The brief will also be to raise brand awareness of the service ahead of the completion of the digital switchover in 2012. - brandrepublic.com

www.brandrepublic.com

Row brewing on television over internet

- nebusiness.co.uk

www.nebusiness.co.uk

Tech Digest: Hyundai intros BlueH HM22D multi-function monitor

The monitor uses under three watts of power even at full brightness 300cd/m2, can handle 1080i high definition content, has a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, 1,0001 contrast ratio, and 5ms response time. Related posts Asus monitor with DisplayLink NEC 19-inch monitor with carbon footprint meter - techdigest.tv

techdigest.tv

Tech Digest: TVonics MFR-300 - teeny tiny Freeview box for even the oldest TVs

Naturally, it has an apparently easy to use remote control and retails at 59.99, although I have just spied the more basic MFR-200 for 39.99 that doesn't appear to be a whole lot different. - techdigest.tv

techdigest.tv

Sky attacks BBC blockbuster film bids in Ofcom submission | Media | guardian.co.uk

Sky also said the assumption that ITV and Channel Five should be able to drop their public service broadcasting obligations as the value of analogue spectrum subsidies dwindle needs to be looked at more closely. BSkyB also pointed out the value of PSB privileges, such as prominent electronic programming guide listings. The satellite broadcaster is also sceptical of Channel 4's claim that it cannot continue to deliver its PSB obligations without the equivalent of as much as 150m a year in support. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

informitv - Interactive standards debate promotes war of words

He claims that MHEG-5 has only been successful in the United Kingdom because manufacturers have no choice, not because broadcasters really use it or even offer sophisticated interactive services. MHEG-5 was originally developed in the mid-1990s and was accepted as an open ISO standard. It provides primitive support for basic interactive television functions but is regarded by some as rather limited compared to more complete programming languages. - informitv.com

informitv.com

BBC starts HD Freeview test trials | Absolute Gadget

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www.absolutegadget.com

BBC - Newsbeat - Technology - Freeview HD without a satellite

The trial in south-east England will let engineers test out a new signal that works through a standard aerial and HD set-top box. If successful the first full HD transmission could start in 2009. Four, free high definition channels will be available, including the BBC's own HD service. - news.bbc.co.uk

news.bbc.co.uk