Tuesday 24 September 2013, PM
DTG :: News :: Sony launches TV dongle
The Bravia Smart Stick can be controlled via a remote which can be operated either by voice commands or its keyboard. Once installed, viewers can search for apps via Google Chrome by voice or typing, and download them straight onto their device. The Smart Stick's Picture-and-Picture feature allows viewers to surf the web and watch TV at the same time in two independent windows on the television screen, without interfering with one another. - dtg.org.uk
dtg.org.ukCan HbbTV save-free to-air TV? - WhaTech
That may well be true, but Freeview is keeping very quiet about it. There is not one mention of HbbTV on its website. Channels Nine and Ten are also reported to be working on hybrid television plans. - whatech.com
www.whatech.com
Al Jazeera English set to be available to majority of UK households - Rapid TV News
Since its launch in 2006, the international news and current affairs channel broadcasts to over 260 million households across 130 countries, and its arrival on the Freeview digital terrestrial TV DTT platform is a coup for both the channel and the network provider. Our partnership with Arqiva lets us provide the highest quality journalism with the highest quality picture and technical standards, said managing director of Al Jazeera English, Al Anstey. Over a third of Freeview homes are currently able to watch HDTV channels and it is likely that this will increase to over 80 penetration by 2018. - rapidtvnews.comwww.rapidtvnews.com
Ariel - Trust says BBC children’s services perform ‘very well’
However the Trust added the services, which are the most watched children's channels in the UK, face a challenge in maintaining audience reach and impact. Compared to viewing figures for 2011/12, which were at a five-year high, CBeebies and CBBC saw a slight drop in ratings for 2012/13, respectively reaching 48 and 36 among their target audiences of under-sixes and 6-12 year olds. This will result in CBeebies and CBBC commissioning fewer original shows in the next two years. - bbc.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk
After botched debut, new Apple TV update is back with fixes - 9to5Mac
The new version is labeled Apple TV Software 6.0, and it comes in at build number 11A502. This is a substantial increase from pulled11A470e version. - 9to5mac.com
9to5mac.comBBC - BBC Trust - Review of the BBC's children's services
The Trust has published its second review of the BBC's services for children. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Radio Today - North West MXR DAB multiplex falls silent
The North Wests regional digital radio multiplex has ended service today after 12 years on-air. MXR Yorkshire, the final of five, will continue to operate for now. Of the 11 stations carried, just three will move to a number of local multiplexes to achieve the same coverage. - radiotoday.co.uk
radiotoday.co.ukMonday 23 September 2013, AM
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/bbc-has-too-many-chiefs-admits-patten-8833145.html
The BBC could be set to axe a raft of senior managers, its chairman Lord Patten has suggested. The former Governor of Hong Kong praised the corporation for becoming more efficient but said viewers do not expect BBC bosses to be paid massive salaries and he wants a smaller group in charge. Speaking at the Prix Italia in Turin on Sunday night, he said There are still too many senior managers, around 2.5 per cent of the workforce at the last count. - independent.co.uk
www.independent.co.ukSunday 22 September 2013, PM
We must halve numbers of senior BBC managers, says Lord Patten - Media - The Guardian
Lord Patten said that the BBC has too many senior managers. His comments back the director general's plans to cut the number of managers at the corporation following a bruising battle with parliament over executive pay. I'd like to see this cut to more like 1 by 2015 at the latest to create a smaller group of people more clearly accountable for spending the licence fee. - theguardian.com
www.theguardian.comIt's the BBC Trust that's created this crisis, not the charter - Media - The Guardian
Second, it was that the BBC Trust was not to put too fine a point on it bust. Dealing with controversial payoffs to departing executives was always going to be tricky especially since the BBC appeared to have been insufficiently rigorous in the way it went about it, as was so clearly exposed by the National Audit Office inquiry into the matter. At the same time, by adopting an especially legalistic interpretation of the BBC's royal charter under which they operate, in effect saying that the trust was specifically prohibited from addressing the issue of executive remuneration in any detail, they made the trust itself appear anything but fit for purpose. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comSaturday 21 September 2013, AM
BBC - Blogs - Internet blog - What's on BBC Red Button 21-27 September
Also from CBBC, there's a blog from presenter Chris, horoscopes and jokes to make you laugh. Our valuation game is simple, fun and free to play. For a full list and times of sport coverage on Red Button see the BBC Sport website. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
BBC News - Apple fingerprint tech raises privacy questions
Apple has yet to comment on the letter. Mr Franken has asked Apple to answers his questions within a month of receiving his letter. Meanwhile, hackers are gearing up to try to crack Apple's Touch ID technology. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukFriday 20 September 2013, PM
Federal judge in Boston 'inclined' to rule for Aereo - The Verge
Spokespeople for Aereo and Hearst declined to comment. Hearst's suit accuses Aereo of unlawfully distributing its programming, and is similar to the one brought last year against Aereo by two separate groups of broadcasters in New York district court. Aereo, which streams live TV over the internet, won there and later at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. - theverge.com
www.theverge.com
BBC News - RSA warns over NSA link to encryption algorithm
Privacy In the 1990s, the NSA tried to claim the right to unlock all encryption systems, but lost the battle after privacy rights and freedom of speech advocates objected. The NSA maintains that it needs to be able to decipher encrypted communications to protect the US against terrorism and organised crime. As the documents leaked by the former government security contractor Edward Snowden have demonstrated, the NSA has been intercepting communications data from all over the world through its Prism surveillance programme. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Pact: GroupM Entertainment threatens PSB system - News - Broadcast
Pact chief executive John McVay has warned that the growing control of GroupM Entertainment over programming could threaten the ability of broadcasters to meet their PSB obligations. Speaking on Radio 4’s The Media Show earlier this week, McVay said as GroupM Entertainment funds more PSB programming there could be a negative impact on output.. - broadcastnow.co.uk
www.broadcastnow.co.ukIndependent TV producers 'forced to sign unfair deals' with WPP - Media - theguardian.com
McVay said the problem first started to emerge about three years ago and that Channel 5, with the smallest programming budget of the main terrestrial broadcasters, was particularly prone. He added that programming deals done directly with broadcasters saw indies keep all rights beyond a limited window, allowing for the channel that commissioned the show to repeat it. At times, this can mean difficult negotiations with media owners around volumes and pricing but GroupM is no different from any other media agency in that respect. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comSES And Arqiva Sign Capacity Agreement For The UK Market - SES.com
Ses And Arqiva Sign Capacity Agreement For The Uk Market - ses.com
www.ses.comFriday 20 September 2013, AM
Home : Salford Media Festival - 2013
Salford Media Festival brings together the biggest names in the industry. Celebrating 20 years as the Nations and Regions Media conference, Salford Media Festival promises to showcase new work and provide a wider international perspective. The festival will also allow the next generation of media professionals to discover how to succeed in a fast moving business, as well as to showcase their talent to key players in the sector. - salfordmediafestival.co.ukwww.salfordmediafestival.co.ukThursday 19 September 2013, AM
Wednesday 18 September 2013, PM
BBC News - Dr Who and other BBC shows to appear on Hulu service
Most will be available through Hulu's subscription service, called Hulu plus. Shows on Hulu at the moment include The Simpsons, Modern Family and Glee. It has more than 30 million monthly visitors and generates sales of more than 700m 440m through subscriptions and a free, advert-supported service. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC faces major review by MPs following recent scandals - Media - theguardian.com
The review by the Commons committee is expected to begin later this year ahead of crucial charter renewal talks on the future of BBC governance in 2014. The corporation has also initiated its own review of the relationship between the trust and BBC management. To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editormediaguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comMedia: Media Agencies; "journalese"; Twitter Floatation.
downloads.bbc.co.ukTVCatchup expands service - with actual catchup TV - Technology - theguardian.com
In March, TVCatchup was defiant over a European Union ruling that required online rebroadcasting of content to be licensed from the original rights holder. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comDaily Mail backs the BBC Trust - Index on Censorship - Index on Censorship
The Trust has faced criticism as excessive remuneration and severance packages have led to accusations of waste and cronyism. So why on Earth would the Daily Mail defend this The Leveson report of 2012 suggested that, should a self-regulatory body established by the press fail to meet the criteria set out by the Lord Justice, OfCom could step in as a backstop regulator. - indexoncensorship.org
www.indexoncensorship.orgBBC local radio embraces female presenter challenge - Women in Leadership - Guardian Professional
Photograph Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Local radio is rather like a broadcasting Tardis it is a lot bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside. They're not to know that we're a network of 39 stations, generating over 5,000 hours of programming each week to an audience of more than seven million people. In fact, the scale of local radio often takes people inside the BBC by surprise. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comTuesday 17 September 2013, PM
Ofcom - Summary
1.2We concluded in the SRSP 2010 that where we authorise rights to use spectrum through licensing, we can employ three mechanisms for setting fees cost based pricing, administered incentive pricing and auctions. We also determined that cost based fees which reflect our spectrum management costs should apply to spectrum licence classes where AIP which is calculated based on the opportunity cost of the spectrum used is not appropriate. 1.3We signalled our intention to review cost based fees in our 2013/14 Annual Plan, and this document serves as the first in a series of cost based fee reviews. - stakeholders.ofcom.org.ukstakeholders.ofcom.org.ukhttps://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Working_Papers/Is_There_Still_a_Place_for_Pu
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reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/itv-brand-to-launch-24hour-shopping-channel-8822507.html
The format, which falls somewhere between chat show entertainment television and advertising, has been described in the television industry as a chatmercial. ITV sources said the channel was categorised as advertising and that responsibility for content rested with JML. The show has been trialled over two hours from 12.40am on Monday mornings on ITVs main channel and will continue to be shown on the channel. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.uk
Ariel - What price a safe pair of hands?
The scale of his salary and the terms of his 1m settlement have become a kind of shorthand for cushy jobs and lax management. It is hard to feel sympathy for people leaving the BBC with six, let alone seven-figure compensation but, taking the case of Mark Byford in particular, I have felt there is a side to his story that hasn't been heard. He spent 32 years at the BBC and held a sequence of high-level jobs before becoming deputy director general in 2004. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukMonday 16 September 2013, PM
Video isn t breaking the internet: The industry giants are Tech News and Analysis
The web cant handle video, goes the common refrain. For example, Comcast estimates that if people wanted to watch the television content they watch on its pay TV service using the web, each home would consume 648 gigabytes per month. Were at the point where the web giants, ISPs, backbone providers and content companies are all trying to make their own set of rational decisions about delivering video to avoid having their servers or network assets sit idle while also trying to avoid over-investment. - gigaom.com
gigaom.com
Ariel - Trust seeks audience views on BBC news
16 September 2013 Last updated at 1211 Audiences are to be asked what they think of the BBC's news and current affairs output. The BBC Trust has opened a public consultation to gather views on everything from Newsnight to Newsbeat, with the focus on their quality and distinctiveness. 'Now the Trust is going to ask in detail what those audiences expect of the BBC, what they appreciate most, and where they think we could give them an even more distinctive service. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukMonday 16 September 2013, AM
With 30 tuners and 30 TB of storage, SnapStream makes TiVos look like toys - Ars Technica
When you've got 30 or more channels that you need to be recording simultaneously, your cable company's DVR isn't really up to snuff anymore and it's time to call in the big guns. Enlarge / The SnapStream offices near downtown Houston are filled with neat TV memorabilia. For example, a SnapStream cluster is just as good at repackaging, transcoding, and distributing content for re-use as it is for recording it in the first placefunctionality you won't find on a consumer-grade DVR. - arstechnica.comarstechnica.comSaturday 14 September 2013, PM
UTV goes HD on Sky and FreeSat - UTV Live News
- u.tvwww.u.tv
Ofcom - Spectrum Pricing: A framework for setting cost based fees
-stakeholders.ofcom.org.ukBBC measures success of programmes by asking if they are 'fresh and new' - Media - theguardian.com
Fresh and new director of television Danny Cohen says the BBC needs to find out what the audience thinks is distinctive. Cohen said it was a mistake to obsess with how many people watched or didn't watch Netflix' acclaimed BBC drama remake, House of Cards. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comOfcom could easily regulate BBC, says chief executive - Media - theguardian.com
Richards said there needed to be a debate in the next year or two about electronic programme guides and the prominence given to public service broadcasters. He said his toughest time in the job was when David Cameron, then still in opposition, announced his intention to abolish Ofcom. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comBBC Trust uncertainty could affect hunt for new chairman - Media - theguardian.com
Chris Patten due to step down in April 2015. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has admitted that both charter renewal negotiations and the task of finding a successor to Lord Patten could be begin sooner than expected and may run alongside each other. Ministers had been planning to start the process of looking for Patten's replacement next year as he is due to step down in April 2015. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comSaturday 14 September 2013, AM
DTG :: News :: New Freesat HD with freetime box from Humax launches
The new box is made by Humax and expected to retail for only 99. DTG Staff 13.09.2013 Links open in a new window. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.ukBBC hires Whitehall veteran PR to repair its tarnished image - Media - theguardian.com
Image change John Shield has been hired to repair the BBC's damaged reputation. The director general will be publishing his vision for the BBC over the next decade next month, as the corporation gears up for charter renewal negotiations with the government. Julian Payne, who has been acting head of communications since Mylrea's departure, is moving to a new role leading the BBC's recently announced review of trust and executive working practices, reporting in to Hall. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
BBC - Blogs - About the BBC - A broadcast tour of Sussex
To mark the 30th anniversary of BBC Sussex, the station has embarked on a 30 day tour broadcasting live from across the county. I first mentioned the idea of marking the 30th anniversary of BBC Sussex in January. Easy enough, you might think, but lots to do, from arranging parking and permits through to getting a good mix of guests to talk about each of our featured destinations. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
BBC - Blogs - Internet blog - What's On BBC Red Button 14-20 September
Also from CBBC, there's a blog from presenter Chris, horoscopes and jokes to make you laugh. The play along is not available on Virgin TiVo but remember you can also download the BBCs free mobile play along app. For a full list and times of sport coverage on Red Button see the BBC Sport website. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukFriday 13 September 2013, AM
Media Talk podcast: Dave Gorman
download.guardian.co.uk
Apple’s iOS 64-bit iUpgrade: Don't expect a 2x performance leap • The Register
Apple has said the chip is compatible with all the iOS out there that is still 32-bit. Apple hasnt said how much RAM the 5S contains, but its not going to be of the order that the new 64-bit chip makes possible. Software could use some extra headroom with 64-bit pointers, although that may boil down to effectively 48 bits of useful virtual address space per app the upper bits being reserved for the operating system and unmapped space. - theregister.co.uk
www.theregister.co.ukTwitter / premrugby: Don’t forget you can try ...
Enter Open Tweet details g f Go to user... - twitter.com
twitter.com
BBC News - Audio pioneer Ray Dolby dies aged 80
Mr Dolby had suffered from Alzheimer's disease for several years and was diagnosed with leukaemia this summer. Mr Dolby was born in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in the San Francisco area. He began his career in the Ampex Corporation, helping to develop early videotape recording systems while he was still a student. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukThursday 12 September 2013, PM
Harman warns against more scrutiny of BBC finances by spending watchdog - Media - theguardian.com
I don't think we should do a Dangerous Dogs Act on the BBC, rush to do something everyone agrees is good but doesn't really work. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comBBC ex-chair says NAO more interested in headlines than value for money - Media - theguardian.com
Bland also said the corporation should be regulated by an outside body such as Ofcom, instead of the BBC Trust, which is under fire. The idea that the BBC should be looked at in the same way as departments of state does not fill me with enormous enthusiasm. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
Burns and Bland back BBC regulation change - News - Broadcast
Channel 4 chairman Terry Burns and former chair of the BBC board of governors, Christopher Bland, have suggested that a single board, plus Ofcom, is the best method for regulating the BBC. Speaking on a hastily organised panel session at the RTS Cambridge Convention following Mondays PAC hearing, the pair suggested that a unitary board structure, with input from the TV regulator, addressed the issue of the BBC Trust having to act as both regulator and cheerleader. - broadcastnow.co.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.uk
Ofcom - Request to change frequency of Herefordshire Worcestershire local DAB multiplex: Statement
These statutory provisions require Ofcom to consult on any such requests before it makes a decision, and so a public consultation was held between 13 August and 10 September. As MuxCo's proposal to change the frequency of the local radio multiplex service would have no impact on the range of local digital sound programme services proposed to be available in the Herefordshire Worcestershire area, Ofcom was satisfied that this statutory criterion had been met. Provided the request meets the terms of the statute, the decision whether or not to agree to the request is at Ofcom's discretion. - stakeholders.ofcom.org.ukstakeholders.ofcom.org.ukNews - SES.com
The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements. - ses.comwww.ses.compick a page