BBC gains 1bn punds from R

Innovation has delivered between £5 and £9 on every £1 spent, study reveals The BBC gained up to £1.4bn from R&D over its last ten-year charter period, according to a report and cost/benefit analysis published today. The net benefit from the corporation’s £160.8m R&D spend between 2007 and 2017 was between £5 and £9 of every £1 spent, a total of between £827m and £1.4bn. It also said that had the benefits of smaller R&D projects been considered, the figure could have risen up to £1.73bn, or £11 for every £1 spent. The new BBC charter specifies that the BBC must maintain a “leading role in research and development”. The broadcaster currently employs around 200 R&D staff in London and Salford. “These results demonstrate that R&D generates significant net benefits from its work and that even our most conservative estimates show that the value created per £1 invested are in line with findings from other studies on the value of research and development,” said the report. The wide-ranging document, which was partnered with a cost/benefit analysis conducted by economic consultancy DotEcon, also highlights how the launch of three additional HD and two SD channels over the period had saved between £77m and £152m from a £2.8m spend. The BBC’s Redux archiving system, which was launched in 2007, saved between £53m and £59m from a £1.4m spend. For the next decade, the report said BBC R&D would be focusing on three key areas: distribution, production and content, to “manage the transition to an Internet-led media distribution and consumption environment” and shift from creating the toolkit for IP production to “reaping its benefits”. The report stated: “While traditional long-form TV and radio will continue to deliver great audience value, the growth of adaptive, dynamic, responsive, interactive, immersive and sharable technologies will open up new ways to fulfil the BBC’s public purposes and reach new audiences.” The BBC has recently experimented with new technologies, such as VR, 360 Video and AR. This year, it will start testing the potential of voice-controlled internet devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, and it has partnered with eight universities on a data and machine-learning project. R&D spend was responsible for the Super Hi-Vision used for Olympics coverage and funded its 3D binaural sound technology, which is used for the Proms. In a blog post, BBC R&D controller Andy Conroy said the R&D team had provided significant contributions to the likes of Freeview Play, Freesat and YouView. “These platforms helped ensure public service and free-to-air UK broadcasting – whether broadcast or online – remained universally available, prominent and widely used,” wrote Conroy. - www.broadcastnow.co.uk

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

#86: The Media Podcast Predictions Special - 2018 Edition

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Motorsport.tv launches on Freesat |

Freesat, the UK's subscription-free satellite TV platform, has added Motorsport. Tv's quality programming will keep any motoring enthusiast's attention at maximum RPM. Freesat viewers will get to enjoy the latest Motorsport. - advanced-television.com

advanced-television.com

Small Scale DAB radio consultation launched – RadioToday

A consultation with the aim of including community radio stations on the DAB platform has been launched today by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media Sport. C-DSP licence holders would benefit from being able to access the Community Radio Fund and other social/third sector funding and the reserved capacity for community radio stations on small-scale radio multiplexes. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

Changes to some BBC local radio medium wave services

We know how much you love your local radio services, with more and more of you listening in different ways using FM, DAB or internet-based services such as BBC iPlayer Radio. On changes to medium wave coverage specifically, to identify areas where the impact would be felt the least, we conducted detailed assessments of the coverage of each BBC local radio station on FM, MW and DAB. Following this process, we trialled the switch-off of a number of medium-wave transmitters and asked for audience feedback. - www.bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

22/12/2017 Radio 4 Feedback

www.bbc.co.uk

Freeview vs on-demand – the best place to watch festive films – Which? News

The good news is that 12 of the films are available on Freeview channels and you can still get some exclusive movies that you won't see on Freeview by subscribing to one of the streaming services. Watch Christmas movies on the best TV. Whether it's to avoid a family squabble, or a third successive game of Scrabble, many of us watch a fair bit of TV at Christmas, and if you're sat in your living room thinking the colours on Santa's red clothes aren't very vibrant and the crisp snow swirling around his sleigh looks more like grey sludge smearing across your screen, then it may be time to upgrade. - www.which.co.uk

www.which.co.uk

#85 - Murdoch Joins The Magic Kingdom, British Journalism Awards - The Media Podcast with Olly Mann

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15/12/2017 Radio 4 Feedback

www.bbc.co.uk

BT strikes deal with Sky for Now TV and sports

Sky will make the full Now TV service, which includes content such as Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and the Sky Atlantic channel, available via BT TV set-tops. Sky customers will now be able to buy BT Sport from Sky as well as from BT. Carrying Now TV means that BT customers will have direct access to Sky Sports. - tbivision.com

tbivision.com

Bribes for TV soccer rights allegedly paid with 'agreement and support' of Murdoch's Fox executives

Senior executives at Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox corporation are alleged to have agreed for millions of dollars in bribes to be paid to South American soccer officials to secure major broadcast deals, according to US prosecution documents. It identified Carlos Martinez, the chief executive of Fox Networks in Latin America Hernan Lopez, who departed last year as head of Fox International Channels and James Ganley, the former chief operating officer at Fox Pan American Sports, which has been wholly owned by Fox since 2011 and was partly owned by Fox before then. - www.theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

Consultation: EPG Accessibility

Ofcom previously published an initial consultation in 2015 and has taken into account the responses to that consultation, together with other relevant factors, in developing the proposals outlined in this document. Please submit responses using the consultation responses form. - www.ofcom.org.uk

www.ofcom.org.uk

TV channels have 'up to 10 years' to meet tech threat

Under UK broadcasting regulations, public service channels must be prominently displayed in the electronic programme guides of cable and satellite providers. Freeview, the UK's free digital television service owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky and Arqiva, is working towards getting its Freeview Play, a live and on-demand service, built into every TV set sold in the UK - which would ensure that viewers have easy access to PSB channels and the programming they produce. - www.ft.com

www.ft.com

HDMI 2.1 can support 10K resolution, assuming devices ever catch up

The HDMI Forum, the governing organization that creates specifications for HDMI cables, has officially released the next version of the HDMI standard HDMI 2.1. As my colleague James Vincent pointed out when he first covered the specification back in January, HDMI 2.1 is more a future-facing update than one that will directly affect current devices, seeing as we're still just starting to reach the point where 4K video is becoming commonplace, to say nothing of 8K resolution or technologies like dynamic HDR video that HDMI 2.1 in theory will be able to support. - www.theverge.com

www.theverge.com

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/107775/statement-spectrum-audio-pmse.pdf

Eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/uriCELEX32016D0687fromEN 1 Use of 694 to 703 MHz band by audio PMSE Decision sets out uses for which the 700 MHz band may be made available by Member States, including the option of use of the guard band by PMSE. 1.6 We consider that there are benefits in allowing PMSE users to have continued access to the guard band. Our response Making available the guard band and unknown spectrum quality 3.16 We acknowledged in the consultation on the proposed use of the guard band that there may be some risk to PMSE users operating in the guard band from mobile uplink data services in the adjacent band, 703 to 733 MHz. It remains our view that PMSE users would, in most cases, be unlikely to operate immediately adjacent to the 703 MHz boundary and could apply a suitable frequency separation to ensure the necessary quality of service while maximising the utility of the guard band. - www.ofcom.org.uk

www.ofcom.org.uk

4K internet TV boxes from Amazon, Apple, Google and Roku are all here – but are they any good? – Which? News

With the release of the new and improved Amazon Fire TV with 4K the whole gang is here, which also includes Apple TV 4K, Google Chromecast Ultra and Roku Streaming Stick. Amazon Fire TV with 4K70. While this may have been the last big name model we were waiting for, this isn't actually Amazon's first 4K streamer. - www.which.co.uk

www.which.co.uk

BBC News channel 20th anniversary special - 9.11.2017 1729 - YouTube

- www.youtube.com

www.youtube.com

Freeview bosses warn of SVoD challenge |

The companies responsible for UK free-to-air DTT platform Freeview have called on industry and policy makers to 'step up' to meet the profound changes in television being driven by American tech firms. To this end, he revealed a new online Freeview 'Bundle Builder' service as a response to growing demand for skinny bundles based on free TV. North suggested that Freeview Play was becoming increasingly important in the growth of on-demand viewing. - advanced-television.com

advanced-television.com

Which? campaign win: Broadband providers told to advertise more realistic speeds – Which? News

This is also a win for our Broadband Speed Guaranteed campaign, supported by more than 120,000 people who signed our petition calling for broadband providers to be more transparent with their advertising. Our Fix Bad Broadband campaign calls on providers to do more to fix the problems people suffer with their home internet and deliver the speeds they've promised. - www.which.co.uk

www.which.co.uk

Google to 'derank' Russia Today and Sputnik

He then named two of Russia's biggest media outlets RT, a TV and online news organisation, and Sputnik, an online media network. Russia has repeatedly denied claims that it interfered in the 2016 presidential elections. - www.bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC plots £500m debt-fuelled bid for full control of Dave broadcaster UKTV

The BBC is manoeuvring towards a 500m bid for full control of UKTV, the broadcaster behind the Dave and Gold channels, in what would be a major expansion into the advertising and pay-TV markets. Under a change of control clause in the UKTV joint venture agreement, the BBC will have the right to buy out Discovery when the Scripps deal is completed early next year. - www.telegraph.co.uk

www.telegraph.co.uk

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/93400/Aetha_Consulting_-_The_Defragmentation_Dividend_15_November

Cost savings from operating fewer bands Following the award of the 700MHz band, most UK operators are likely to have spectrum in two or three low-frequency bands. Figure 5-3 Summary of key constraints 1-Large FDD band 2 - Three TDD bands 3 - One TDD band Transitional licencing o o o Technical constraints o o Migration costs - o/- -- All of the proposed options will require transitional licencing as they include changes to the current band plans. - www.digitaluk.co.uk

www.digitaluk.co.uk

GroupM: young will 'erode TV viewing' as they age - TBI Vision TBI Vision

- tbivision.com

tbivision.com

Scoops from Paradise

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC keen to take World News free-to-air | News | Broadcast

BBC keen to take World News free-to-air Tony Hall has urged the government to provide financial support to enable it to offer BBC World News free to viewers across Europe as Brexit negotiations gather pace. The international news channel is currently distributed as part of pay-TV packages but Hall said he was keen to bring it in front of paywalls to enable larger audiences to access its coverage of issues such as the UK’s exit from the EU. He added that going free-to-air in highly-populated regions such as sub-Saharan Africa would have a significant impact on viewing levels, while the channel could also help bring trade benefits to the UK in other regions. Appearing in front of a DCMS committee on Tuesday (7 November), director general Hall said that he was keen for the distribution of World News to mirror BBC Radio World Service but warned such a move would require public investment. Hall said the extra funding was required to improve the service’s editorial output and make up the shortfall which would result from moving out of a pay-TV environment. “The World Service is a great export for us in the UK and highlights the need for us to be out there. So we’ve approached DCMS and others to see whether there is a different way of funding world television news,” said Hall. “In some territories it goes against interests of the BBC and the broader UK to try to make money. In Europe for example, if we removed the subscription barrier then people would be able to see what we were reporting on Brexit.” He said the extra investment would be used to expand the channel into territories in which many of its competitors from China and Russia were being funded by the state. - www.broadcastnow.co.uk

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Analysis: why would Fox sell to Disney? - TBI Vision TBI Vision

- tbivision.com

tbivision.com

Virgin Media subscribers could face losing ITV should the two companies not agree on £80m bill – Which? News

Virgin Media currently pays for smaller ITV channels such as ITV2 and ITVBe, but now would be faced with a hefty bill in order to carry the main channel. Should the unthinkable happen and Virgin Media and ITV do ungraciously part ways, then it certainly seems like you would, in theory, no longer be able to watch ITV via your Virgin Media PVR. The bad news is you'd need a new way to watch ITV. The good news is that there's no shortage of ways to do so, and it shouldn't cost you much either. - www.which.co.uk

www.which.co.uk

U.S. radio's biggest opportunity in years

No local studios, no local voices, no local office, no local address, no local telephone number. They can invest in the biggest and best radio programming, junk all these pointless old-fashioned local callsigns and horrible underinvested office space to offer a great-sounding, national, real, and relevant radio station. - radioinfo.com.au

radioinfo.com.au

BBC extends Met Office weather contract due to delays in switch to rival

The BBC has been forced to turn back to the Met Office for its weather information after a high-profile switch to a new provider was beset by delays. The Met Office has provided data for the BBC's weather forecasts since the corporation's first radio weather bulletin in November 1922. - www.theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

DTG :: News :: THE DTG'S D-BOOK 10 DEFINES LATEST UK TV REQUIREMENTS

The DTG's D-Book 10 is the industry determined, next generation, universally deployed specification which supports future interactive services and enables the continuing transition towards HbbTV. Where D-Book 9 introduced HbbTV references for Freeview Play at the MHEG to HbbTV transition which included the introduction of support for HEVC and HDR for IP delivered services, D-Book 10 continues to support the development of HD products and services with the introduction of Single Frequency Network support for the migration of COM 78 T2 multiplexes into the 700 MHz band. An IP Software Upgrade Option has been included in response to the requirements of manufacturers handling software upgrades to today's complex TVs, avoiding the need for SSU Broadcast updates. - dtg.org.uk

dtg.org.uk