Thursday 19 June 2008, PM
Ofcom public service broadcasting review: deadline day | Organgrinder | guardian.co.uk
Today was due to be the deadline for responses to Ofcom's ponderous but important second public service broadcasting review, launched in April, in the belief that the UK TV industry was at a crossroads, facing crisis. Actually, I understand the deadline has been put back to early next week to allow broadcasters to get their homework completed. As scores of interested lobbyists scramble to submit their proposals, trying to bend their prose to fit Ofcom's string of nine carefully structured questions, here are clues about some of the potential solutions that have emerged from the seminars, convergence think tank and private debates I have attended on the PSB review. - blogs.guardian.co.ukblogs.guardian.co.ukThursday 19 June 2008, AM
Marketing News: Freeview reviews 5m ad account after nine months - Marketing Week
The broadcaster is seeking an agency to promote its service in the run-up to digital switchover in 2012 and to drive sales of its recordable digital TV service, Freeview Playback. Farmer joined Freeview in April and is a former partner at CHI. - marketingweek.co.ukwww.marketingweek.co.ukJapans outrageous Human Tetris show to be remade for the BBC - Media, News - The Independent
A cult Japanese series in which Spandex-clad contestants in hard hats try to hurl themselves though a series of holes in a wall is being adapted for the BBC. The BBC said a production company, Talkback Thames, has bought the rights and was creating a series based on the original. It will be aired on BBC1 this year. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukWednesday 18 June 2008, AM
Manufacturers starting to lose confidence
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.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukTuesday 17 June 2008, PM
Culture secretary damns ITVs regional quota failure | Media | guardian.co.uk
Only 44 of ITVs network budget was spent outside the M25 in 2007. The commercial broadcaster faces an Ofcom investigation after admitting it had missed its licence quota of spending 50 of its network programme budget outside the M25 for the past two years. They are important legal requirements that have not been met. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukSky wins TV licence cash to aid digital switchover | Media | guardian.co.uk
At the end of two months, people can opt in to Sky's pay-TV channels or continue to get the free TV and radio services the satellite broadcaster offers. The deal with Sky will only be valid for the ITV Border region. People yet to switch from analogue terrestrial TV will be offered the help if they are 75 or over or are eligible for certain disability benefits. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukUKTV plots younger Gold channel - Brand Republic Login - Brand Republic
The broadcaster, a joint venture between the BBC and Virgin Media, plans to launch the as-yet-unnamed channel in October. It will not join successful lads' channel Dave on the Freeview platform. UKTV Gold1 currently attracts about five million viewers a week, in addition to 6.5 million for the core channel. - brandrepublic.comwww.brandrepublic.comThompson: Regional newsrooms holding back best stories
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.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukTuesday 17 June 2008, AM
How to save money on phone, broadband digital TV | Money | The Guardian
For example, the Primus Saver 2 tariff offers free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines without any monthly fee most companies charge around 4 per month. To sign up you need a BT line call Primus on 0800 036 0094 or visit primussaver.co.uk Alternatively, you can save a small fortune by signing up to service such as 1899 or 18185, which charges a flat fee of about 5p per call to a UK landline. Go to call1899.co.uk or 18185.co.uk Advanced saving tips 1. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukMonday 16 June 2008, PM
Four years to digi switch - Whitby Gazette
- whitbygazette.co.ukwww.whitbygazette.co.ukGoodmans GHD2521F2 Twin-Tuner PVR - TrustedReviews
Despite the unit's budget background, its design is surprisingly attractive. The sloping fascia is another nice touch, and Goodmans keeps it relatively uncluttered with only a few essential buttons adorning the front. From the outset it's clear that the GHD2521F2 is designed with ease of use in mind. - trustedreviews.comwww.trustedreviews.comPhilips 7603D Ambilight TVs: 2008 LCD range invades Blighty - Crave at CNET.co.uk
The range is made up of four models, starting with the 32-inch 32PFL7603D. It's a 720p TV and Philips claims it'll cost 800, but we've seen it online for less than 650. The other three screen sizes are all 1080p models. - crave.cnet.co.ukcrave.cnet.co.ukIMPALA Welcomes Latest MHEG Breakthroughs And New Members
- www.broadcastbuyer.tvMonday 16 June 2008, AM
informitv - BBC plans web page for every programme it has ever made
The BBC is planning to provide a permanent web page for every episode of every programme it has ever broadcast. Separately, the BBC has outlined multi-million pound plans for a permanent multiplatform interactive sport service it is calling Mysportnow. She noted that the life expectancy of our programmes has just increased significantly with the advent of iPlayer. The online service provides 400 hours of programming a week, adding up to over 20,000 hours of television over a year. - informitv.cominformitv.comDigital switchover: Murdochs delight is the BBCs fright | Media | The Guardian
Well, it may well be about to hand a chunk of the licence fee over to Rupert Murdoch. Rupert Murdoch given BBC money to help those in need. Behind the headlines is the sort of bureaucratic jungle that you suspect would drive a libertarian mad. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukSunday 15 June 2008, PM
iPlayer to include radio content
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.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukBroadcasting - News - ITV channels suffer nationwide outage - Digital Spy
A few minutes later, ITV1 returned but viewers from around the country reported prolonged sound dropouts. ITV2, 3 and 4 came back on air at around 1pm but did not initially resume scheduled programming. - digitalspy.co.ukwww.digitalspy.co.ukBBC set to expand interactive digital TV sports service - Telecompaper
The BBC plans to launch a permanent interactive digital TV sports service as part of a multi-million project to deliver sports content over multiple platforms, writes Broadcast. The interactive service will be accessed through a red button and will be available on digital cable, digital satellite, Freesat and Freeview. The launch is part of the 'Mysportnow' project and will launch after the 2008 summer Olympics. - telecom.paper.nlwww.telecom.paper.nlFreesat one month on : Broadband TV News
The first few weeks of Freesats life have been like almost any other multichannel TV platform, a glitzy launch, followed by set-top box shortages, before everything begins to settle down. There are currently a total of 56 TV channels and 18 radio services. More must surely come on stream soon to take Freeview towards the 200 total promised at launch. - broadbandtvnews.comwww.broadbandtvnews.comTerrestrial - News - US report questions switchover readiness - Digital Spy
Many homes relying on analogue terrestrial television in the US have inadequate plans to prepare for digital switchover, a government report has found. Of those, 54 had inadequate or no plans to prepare for the analogue switch-off, which the government has ordered to be complete by February 17 next year. The figures appear to suggest more than 7 of US homes could lose reception. - digitalspy.co.ukwww.digitalspy.co.ukDave, TV for blokes, starts motoring - Times Online
- business.timesonline.co.ukbusiness.timesonline.co.ukEvening News 24 - Long-term concerns over post offices
- www.eveningnews24.co.ukSaturday 14 June 2008, PM
iPlayer to include radio content
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.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukFriday 13 June 2008, PM
BetaNews | What do consumers want in an HDTV?
Evidently, some CE manufacturers are gambling they will. Whalen said that he even consulted with Hitachi's aeronautical folks about what kind of frame to use for the ultra-thin display. - betanews.comwww.betanews.comThursday 12 June 2008, PM
DTG News: 7% penetration for UK HD-DTT by 2012: report
Heavy bandwidth constraints are crippling digital terrestrial broadcasters and imposing barriers to their future HDTV offering. The report authors argue that the future for HD-DTT may be 'bleak', placing public service broadcasting at a disadvantage and creating a viewing hierarchy of haves and have-nots. According to the report, the UK is currently taking the lead in addressing some of these issues and has two separate sets of proposals. - dtg.org.ukwww.dtg.org.ukThursday 12 June 2008, AM
BBC3 faces 10m budget cut | Media | guardian.co.uk
BBC3's budget is expected to stay at 83m for the next BBC financial year, the 12 months to March 31 2010. This would involve BBC3 beginning its 12 hours a day transmission period earlier, perhaps at 3pm or 4pm, instead of 7pm. Switch as it is currently set up, with a branded programming zone on BBC2 on Saturday afternoons, is considered to have made little headway. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukWednesday 11 June 2008, PM
Sullivan: The future will reveal Freeviews flaws
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.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukWednesday 11 June 2008, AM
BBC to create web-pages for every episode of every TV show - Telegraph
Executives at the corporation have privately admitted that there is often more information about the programmes produced by the broadcaster on third-party websites than on bbc.co.uk. The corporation has already created more than 160,000 individual web pages over the past three months for the project, with developers looking to create content for shows going back to the 1930s. Each web-page will include basic information about each show as well as where it could be seen, either on television, the iPlayer broadband catch-up service or elsewhere on the internet, as well as video or audio clips. - telegraph.co.ukwww.telegraph.co.ukTuesday 10 June 2008, PM
Get Ready For Tv Switchover In Swindon (from Swindon Advertiser)
The analogue signals which have been used for more than 60 years will be switched off and around the UK. Switchover will take place gradually as each transmitter is converted to provide high-power digital signals, which will reach virtually all households, including those unable to receive Freeview today. Most people can't fail to have seen the eye-catching television adverts from Digital UK with the friendly robot character Digit Al driving around the country in a pink van. - adver.co.ukwww.adver.co.ukTuesday 10 June 2008, AM
August DA110CD LCD TV - AVReview Home cinema reviews
The screen has 800x480 pixel resolution so it can offer a 43 widescreen picture. The term 'widescreen' is of course relative here considering the dimensions of the device, and at 29mm across, slightly less than the length of an average desk ruler, it's certainly compact. It's lightweight too at just 1.62kg so anyone, from primary school kid to elderly outpatient should be able to move it around without difficulty. - avreview.co.ukwww.avreview.co.ukMonday 09 June 2008, PM
Pictured: The 51-year-old television | Mail Online
Instead of buying a fancy new TV he's keeping the 1957 flame walnut encased set and has had it converted to receive digital channels. His father bought the set when he was aged eight and the television has been a cherished feature in the family home ever since. Antique enthusiast Richard Howard bought his television for 113 in 1957 Not only is it in perfect working order, the classic set, which enthralled Mr Howard through his boyhood years and brought him the first images of the moon landing, is now wired up to receive the 20 plus channels of the digital age. - dailymail.co.ukwww.dailymail.co.ukMonday 09 June 2008, AM
What ITV needs is a commercial breakthrough | Media | The Guardian
Writing about the ongoing misery of ITV is like shooting some rather sad and slothful fish in a small barrel with a big harpoon. It is particularly churlish given that ITV has produced the show of the year so far in the profoundly dysfunctional but rather marvellous Britain's Got Talent. When you have an investment bank lecturing you about poor progress you really know you're marooned in a creek of ordure. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukSunday 08 June 2008, PM
Media: Buy a package, save a bundle - Scotsman.com Business
Get digital TV, broadband and phone services from a single provider to cut your bills, writes Emma Lunn. A bundle is basically a package of services where customers get several products for one price. In telecoms the most common bundle comprises digital TV, broadband and a home phone service, and experts say householders can save money by switching to a bundle instead of buying separate products. - business.scotsman.combusiness.scotsman.comFriday 06 June 2008, PM
Nolan leaves DTG : Broadband TV News
The Digital TV Group has confirmed the departure of Dermot Nolan as director-general of the organisation after just six months in the post. Often outspoken, Nolan took over from Richard Lindsay-Davis after 20 years as a strategic consultant in international broadcasting. - broadbandtvnews.comwww.broadbandtvnews.comFriday 06 June 2008, AM
ITV starts planning for regional news cuts | Media | guardian.co.uk
ITV is pressing ahead with plans to make regional news cuts, despite not yet receiving official approval from Ofcom. The broadcaster wants to slash the number of regional news bulletins and axe jobs to save around 40m a year. Last September, the ITV executive chairman, Michael Grade, announced that the number of news regions will be reduced from 17 to nine. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukThursday 05 June 2008, PM
ITV revenue warning: Lehman Brothers trims forecast for broadcaster | Media | guardian.co.uk
Lehman Brothers' report branded the relaunch of ITV1's 9pm weekday slot a failure and argued that investors should not be satisfied with the pace of Grade's plan to revitalise the broadcaster and called for greater urgency. The bank has cut revenue estimates for ITV's broadcasting, production and online operations for 2008. In production operation, which has a target of doubling annual revenue to 1.2bn by 2012, the report has cut revenue growth estimates from 14 to 10 in 2008. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukThursday 05 June 2008, AM
BBC - Topics - Full list of topics
The iPlayer category will only appear in the search results if there is a relevant TV or radio programme currently available on iPlayer. On BBC Online am I able to sort the search results by date or relevance News is sorted by date, as most users want to see the most recent news articles first. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukVideo: Watch EuroNews revamped idents | Media | guardian.co.uk
- www.guardian.co.ukBroadcasting - News - Sky begins defence of its stake in ITV - Digital Spy
Sky today began a defence of its stake in ITV against the assertion of regulators and Virgin Media that the holding is anti-competitive. The government, which ordered Sky to reduce the holding to less than 7.5, had not proven the need for the change, lawyers for Sky said. Sky claimed that even if it had chosen to exercise its board voting rights it would not have been able to exert a significant influence. - digitalspy.co.ukwww.digitalspy.co.ukthinkbroadband :: Catch-up TV on BT Vision no longer free
Technical issues are cited on DigitalSpy as for the reason why BT has made this move. The BT Total usage allowances recently changed from being just download allowances to be a combined total for both upload and download usage, this means people using peer to peer services may need to carefully watch their upstream usage. One interesting issue to consider is that modern digital cameras can easily produce pictures that are 3MB or more in size. - thinkbroadband.comwww.thinkbroadband.comWednesday 04 June 2008, PM
BBC1 to be shown live on internet | Media | guardian.co.uk
All of the channel's programmes will be simulcast as a live video stream via bbc.co.uk BBC1 is to air live on the internet, making it the first of the corporation's analogue TV channels to be simulcast on the web. For the first time in the flagship channel's 44-year history, viewers will not need a television to watch BBC1 live. The channel will be available as a live video stream via bbc.co.uk, which is being relaunched with improved listings and programme information. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukChannel 4: EU minded to block BBC aid for digital switchover | Media | guardian.co.uk
It is understood that the culture secretary, Andy Burnham, and media regulator Ofcom will also be lobbying on Channel 4's behalf in Brussels on this issue. However, the EC ruling, if confirmed, could potentially spell trouble for Ofcom's public service broadcasting review and in particular the unresolved issue of Channel 4's future funding. Channel 4 has argued that it faces a potential 150m a year funding shortfall as the growth of digital media squeezes its ad revenue and is lobbying for some form of assistance to bridge this financial gap. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukWednesday 04 June 2008, AM
DTG News: Switchover Roadshow to begin tour of Border
The roadshow kicks off in Duns, in the Scottish Borders, on Thursday June 5th. After Duns, the roadshow will head to other towns served by the Selkirk transmitter group, which will begin the switch to digital on November 6th this year. Visitors to the roadshow will have the opportunity to find out what they need to do for switchover, what help is available in their area and will be able to put general or technical questions to Digital UKs specially trained advisors. - dtg.org.ukwww.dtg.org.ukTuesday 03 June 2008, PM
Trust says BBC is paying its stars the market rate - Media, News - The Independent
There are about 40 television and radio stars who earn more than 1m a year, an independent report into how much the BBC pays talent has revealed. Out of that elite group of comedians, actors and lifestyle and cookery presenters, the top 10 earn 2m from appearance fees, while most of the top 40 who work for the BBC and commercial broadcasters can earn an additional 1m from tie-in publishing deals and royalties from repeats and DVDs. Critics seized on the findings, saying the BBC had failed to address concerns over the salaries of stars such as Ross, who is reportedly being paid 18m in a three-year deal. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukBudget-busting bbc.co.uk threatens digital revolution, says Telegraph chief | PDA: The Digital Content Blog | guardian.c
The world's biggest news and entertainment website breached its 2007/2008 budget by a staggering 48. In part, because no one, it turns out, is in charge of the sprawling bbc.co.uk network. Instead, the trust's recommendation is simply to accept the overspend, integrate it into the budget and add an extra 4.4m of additional padding. - blogs.guardian.co.ukblogs.guardian.co.ukTuesday 03 June 2008, AM
BetaNews | Dish, EchoStar sue TiVo to keep their DVR offerings afloat
Dish Network says their new software no longer infringes on TiVo's patents, but the DVR maker disagrees. On Friday, EchoStar responded by launching a new suit, essentially asking the court to validate its software as legal and non-infringing. Such a ruling would give EchoStar and Dish a leg to stand on in the nearly four year old battle between the two companies. - betanews.comwww.betanews.comMonday 02 June 2008, PM
spEak You re bRanes The Twat-O-Tron
on 29 May 2008 at 345 pm fucko the clown twat tastic on 29 May 2008 at 348 pm Roffle caught between laughing and crying. on 29 May 2008 at 348 pm Hitler This is beautiful. Im going to start dropping this into random comment boxes to see what happens - ifyoulikeitsomuchwhydontyougolivethere.comifyoulikeitsomuchwhydontyougolivethere.comMonday 02 June 2008, AM
EXETER IS PREPARED FOR DIGITAL SWITCH
- www.thisisexeter.co.ukMarketing News: Amazon overtakes Google as most respected brand in UK - Marketing Week
The online retailer pushed Google, last year's winner, into second place, with the BBC coming third and Freeview in fourth place. Amazon scored a total of 60 points, compared with Google's 57 and the BBC's 52. The rankings are based on the average BrandIndex scores over the fourth quarter of 2007. - marketingweek.co.ukwww.marketingweek.co.ukinformitv - Zattoo claims copyright case for channel carriage
Zattoo, which is now offering live online streams of the leading British terrestrial television channels, is claiming it has the right to do so under the United Kingdom Copyright Act. Zattoo says it operates strictly legitimately on the basis of agreements with broadcasters and the copyright law but the British broadcasters say they have no agreements with the streaming startup company. Zattoo issued a press release saying that it had extended its channel line up in the UK, showing all five UK terrestrial channels online via one media player for the first time ever. - informitv.cominformitv.compick a page