BBC News - Will the 4G mobile auction meet the £3.5bn target?

Will the process raise the government's 3.5bn target 4G is being introduced to ultimately replace existing 3G coverage, and will give smartphone users faster data downloads. Following the passing of Tuesday's deadline for applicants, the auction will start next month, with licences granted in February and March and services set to be launched in May and June. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Fifteen years of BBC Online

This week marks an important anniversary for the BBC, online. Fifteen years ago bbc.co.uk first went live to the public and BBC Online was born. Innovation is at the heart of the BBC and has been since its inception. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

WSJ reports Apple has tested TV designs -- don't get too excited

In a saga that makes its lawsuit against Samsung seem like only a brief moment in time, the rumors of an Apple-built HDTV are going around again. Since this rumor will never die, and the hype will continue to flow when Apple and HDTV are mentioned in the same breath, we'll spell it out for you one more time no matter what they say or don't say, Apple is -- like nearly every other technology company -- extremely interested in developing products for your living room. Unfortunately, for reasons ranging from studio licensing agreements to DRM to a lack of access to pay-TV provider data/content, it's very difficult to do with the level of polish and control of experience Apple would like. - engadget.com

www.engadget.com

Robert Beveridge: A missed chance over STV - TV and Radio - Scotsman.com

How good is the coverage beyond news into current affairs and cultural portrayal etc Are the citizens of Kelso able to access equivalent television-based information about the referendum, for example Maria Miller, the Secretary for Culture Media and Sport, has decided to renew the existing channel 3 licences without the costs and dangers of going to competitive bidding. It does give some security to the companies, though one might ask what happened to the Conservative insistence on the benefits of competition - scotsman.com

www.scotsman.com

The enduring Apple TV Fantasy - Monday Note

We imagine Apple will put all the pieces together. I cant say more than that. These words and similar ones in a substantial Bloomberg interview launched yet another round of frenzied speculation about the mythical Apple TV. Piper Jaffrays Gene Munster insists that an Apple TV in 2013 is a sure thing. - mondaynote.com

www.mondaynote.com

BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's on BBC Red Button 8 - 15 December

It's been an exciting week for us here on the Red Button. As well as bringing you a raft of great new specials, we've also taken our first step into the future with the launch of the BBC's Connected Red Button. This reinvented version of our service brings together TV, radio and online with one, simple press of a red button. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

D Love says buy a digital radio for Xmas : Radio Today with RCS

A new industry digital radio campaign running on TV and radio starts tomorrow, but the majority of UK radio stations are not spreading the D Love. However, the majority of UK radio stations are not running the campaign, either because they have not been asked or because they refuse to do so. Group CEO William Rogers even labels it an expensive waste of time and money saying he wants his 16 radio stations to have nothing to do with it. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

BBC News - BBC finishes Radio Times archive digitisation effort

The BBC Genome project is designed to help the organisation identify shows missing from its archive. It will be used to create an online database allowing, where possible, the public access to old broadcasts - or available photos, scripts and other materials for missing shows. Missing material The project has involved scanning in the pages of about 4,500 copies of the Radio Times. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Richard O'Dwyer's two-year extradition ordeal ends in New York - UK news - The Guardian

The 24-year-old spoke only to confirm his name and his understanding of the three-page agreement, which was reached last week by his legal team and US prosecutors. Outside court, O'Dwyer and his family criticised the British government's response to the case, saying they had received little support from the Home Office. Theresa May, the home secretary, approved O'Dwyer's extradition to the US despite opposition from the public, press and some politicians. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

EU approval for UK local TV funding

The European Commission has given the green light to state funding towards the capital infrastructure needed for UK local television service. The multiplex will be built by the winner of the multiplex licence, which Ofcom is expected to award before the end of this year. Under the decision the BBC has also received approval for a funding agreement with the successful multiplex operator. - broadbandtvnews.com

www.broadbandtvnews.com

BBC News - BBC agrees to change squeezed TV credits

The BBC has now pledged to make sure at least one episode per series will feature the show's credits in full. It said it has introduced a range of new commitments in light of Equity's approach, and will now not squeeze the credits for ideally the first or last episode of a drama or comedy series. The broadcaster confirmed it has written to Equity to say it is willing to discuss the issue with them. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC News - TV makers in record 1.47bn-euro fine for price-fixing

EU regulators fined the firms for fixing prices of TV and computer monitor cathode-ray tubes for a decade. Dutch-based Philips faces the biggest penalty of 313.4m euros, followed by LG Electronics with 295.6m. Taiwanese firm Chunghwa Picture Tubes escaped a potential 17m-euro fine for blowing the whistle on the cartel. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC iPlayer - Help - BBC iPlayer on Sky

In addition, viewers can find and play a range of regional, signed and HD programmes. See the Sky On Demand website for details about how to get the service. - iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk

iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk

BBC News - BBCs Red Button service gets a makeover

Connected Red Button will allow viewers with internet-enabled TVs the chance to watch some channels even if they are off air and catch up with previous episodes of shows. It will launch initially with Virgin Media's Tivo service. Other internet-connected TV services will be added over the coming months. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Connected Red Button Launch

It enhances the traditional Red Button service by bringing TV, news, sport, radio and weather together on the big screen enabling you to Discover more shows from your favourite channel or station. Catch programmes you missed with BBC iPlayer at the press of a button. Read or watch the latest news clips and stories that matter to you. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Ariel - Doctor Who from 1970 gets remastered

3 December 2012 Last updated at 1540 The first Doctor Who to be filmed in colour has been digitally remastered in time for the television show's 50th anniversary next year. Spearhead from Space, first transmitted in colour in January 1970, has effectively been given a face lift with state-of-the-art tools. The four-part story is the only one from the original Doctor Who series that can be remastered into HD because it was filmed on location on 16mm due to industrial action at Television Centre in 1969. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Scoop! The inside story of the news website that saved the BBC • The Register

Special report Fifteen years ago this month the BBC launched its News Online website. Remarkably, it operated at a third of the cost of rival commercial online news operations unheard of in public-sector IT projects. Devised before there were really any content management systems, the technical architecture became a template for all major news systems, and one thats still in use today. - theregister.co.uk

www.theregister.co.uk

BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's on BBC Red Button 1 - 8 December

We've got special live music performances and exclusive footage of Bollywood celebrities who joined us during this exciting year. Join former Strictly champion and professional dancer Karen Hardy and 2010 contestant Ann Widdecombe as they commentate live on the couples' performances. Delve into his remarkable 60 years in wildlife broadcasting with specially selected clips from the collection on the Red Button. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadcasters/dqf-cuts-bbc-takes-daytime-risks/5049500.article

The BBC is preparing to take more creative risks in daytime as it unveils its new-look schedule following the Delivering Quality First cuts. The changes set out last year under the savings programme mean that from the start of 2013, BBC2s daytime output will be radically scaled back and content will transfer over to its sister channel, BBC1. We have weeded out the stuff that didnt bring anything new and fresh, he said, adding that the bulk orders will allow for more experimentation with shorter runs of new programmes. - broadcastnow.co.uk

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

BBC praised for improving science coverage - Media - guardian.co.uk

The corporation also put a new system of training in place and measures to expand the range of voices it featured from the science community to redress a preponderance of men and institutions from the south-east of England. The corporation is also looking to recruit more female presenters of TV science programmes, pointing to three editions of BBC2's Horizon fronted by women. The trust asked the BBC to report back in 18 months on a number of issues including the gender balance of presenters and contributors. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

BBC News - Piracy student Richard ODwyer avoids US extradition

Richard O'Dwyer, from Sheffield, is accused of breaking copyright laws. Mr O'Dwyer will travel to the US voluntarily in the next few weeks for the deal to be formally ratified, it is understood. The High Court heard as a result of the deal struck by Mr O'Dwyer, an appeal would no longer be necessary. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Lord Patten: BBC needs sufficient heft to take on Google and Apple - PressGazette

The peer also accused the press of trashing the reputation of former director-general George Entwistle, who quit the corporation over his handling of the Jimmy Savile and Newsnight scandals, by portraying him as a hapless or inadequate figure. Globalisation has made the world more connected than it used to be. If that promotes the free exchange of ideas, technology, and culture it can only be a good thing. Patten told the conference that an important dimension to the Lord Levesons report, which is due out on Thursday, was his examination of plurality of media ownership. But the problem may be one further down the road, as the market changes, he continued. - pressgazette.co.uk

www.pressgazette.co.uk

James Hunt dismisses accusations that Sky Arts is a cultural 'fig leaf' for BSkyB - Media - The Guardian

Mariella's Book Show, presented by Mariella Frostrup, had the dreaded zero rating at 6pm on Sky Arts 2. The two channels' ratings tend to be well below BBC4's, where a breakout hit will be watched by a million viewers the third series of The Killing began with 1.04 million two Saturdays ago. Relatively small, then, but 1.,333 up on the slot average over the previous three months. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

DTG :: News :: DTG Testing tests its first HbbTV product

DTG Staff 26.11.2012 Links open in a new window. The DTG is not responsible for the content of other web sites. - dtg.org.uk

www.dtg.org.uk

BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's on BBC Red Button 24 November-1 December

Our valuation game is simple, fun and free to play - simply consider each of the objects featured in the programme, select an option before our experts give their valuation and see how many you get right. Press red to see this previously unseen footage. There is also space in the consultation to raise any other points not covered by our questions. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Ofcom - TV white spaces - A consultation on white space device requirements

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stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

ITV Border News: A research report for Ofcom

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stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

Ofcom delays awarding local TV licences - News - Broadcast

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

UKTV secures fourth Freeview slot - News - Broadcast

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

Ofcom delays local TV licence decision - Media - guardian.co.uk

Ofcom has delayed the decision on awarding the eight remaining local TV licences, including Londons, which will cater for 4.3 million households. This delay means the local TV licence for the London area, which caters for 4.3 million homes, is expected to be awarded by the end of February. The five London bidders had been told informally by Ofcom to expect a decision in November. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

Pollard findings delayed until December - News - Broadcast

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

DTG :: News :: Ofcom consults on white space devices

Ofcom has published detailed proposals for a framework to allow white space technology to be used in the UK. Use of white spaces, which exist in between frequency bands that have been reserved for TV broadcasting, would allow devices to transmit and receive wireless signals for applications such as broadband access for rural communities or machine-to-machine networks. Ofcom's proposed framework is designed to ensure that the devices do not interfere with existing licensed users of the spectrum, which include DTT and wireless microphone users.As part of that framework, Ofcom proposes to allow white space devices to operate without the need for a licence. - dtg.org.uk

www.dtg.org.uk

BBC News - Hall has hands full with BBC job

Lord Patten has revealed that he talked to Lord Hall about the requirements of the post, before George Entwistle was appointed as director general in the summer. At that stage, the head of the Royal Opera House made it clear he would not apply because he was also tied up running the Cultural Olympiad, and, at 61, he also felt it was a job for someone younger. To start with there is the immediate fallout from the two separate BBC crises over Newsnight investigations into child abuse. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Ariel - Tony Hall is new director general

Lord Hall is currently chief executive of the Royal Opera House, and was chairman of the board for the Cultural Olympiad. The 61-year old is expected to take charge of the Corporation as its 16th director general in early March, with acting DG Tim Davie to remain in the role until then. He believed Hall was 'the right person to lead the BBC out of its current crisis and help rebuild public trust in the organisation'. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

News - 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. - ses.com

www.ses.com

A Peek at TV's Future, Via Google Fiber - Peter Kafka - Media - AllThingsD

The Google Fiber experiment/maybe-not-an-experiment in Kansas City is important because it shows Googles ability to compete directly with broadband providers for control of the Internet pipe itself. If Google doesnt need to rely on the Comcasts/Time Warner Cables of the world to connect with your computer, then all kinds of interesting stuff could happen if Google really does want to get into the business of becoming a broadband provider. Google says thats the case, but its hard to imagine the company really following through. - allthingsd.com

allthingsd.com

Ofcom - Ofcom sets out process for ITV, STV, UTV and Channel 5 licence renewal

This means that Ofcom can now work towards issuing new 10-year licences ahead of the expiration of the current licences at the end of 2014. However, the Secretary of State has also indicated that she is willing to extend the Channel 3 and 5 licences for a period of one year at Ofcoms request in the event that Ofcom is unable to reach renewal settlements before the required date. Ofcom will carry out an assessment of the financial terms on which the new licences should be offered with a view to publishing a statement in summer 2013. - media.ofcom.org.uk

media.ofcom.org.uk

Ofcom - Licensing of Channel 3 and Channel 5: A report to the Secretary of State under section 229 of the Communications

Ofcom has a duty under the Communications Act 2003 'the Act' to report to the Secretary of State about matters which are relevant to the question of renewal. 1.2 In this report, we are required to give our opinion as to whether the existing licence holders will be able to contribute, at a commercially sustainable cost, to the fulfilment of the public service broadcasting purposes in the 10 years from 2015. 1.3 The Secretary of State's powers in relation to relicensing provide for three options intervention to block licence renewal, requiring Ofcom to auction the vacant licences no intervention, so that Ofcom proceeds with the renewal process and extending the existing licences, potentially until after the Communications Bill is completed. - stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

10 new HD channels for Freeview as Ofcom backs BBC plan - CNET UK

After some confusion over airwaves during the switch from old-fashioned analogue telly to 4G, Ofcom is looking far, far in advance -- to 5G,the next, next generation of super-fast mobile Internet. The telecoms watchdog already plans to sell the 700MHz frequency to mobile operators in 2018 to carry 5G signals. Peeved that they'll have to switch frequencies after spending the last couple of years getting people to switch to digital TV in the first place, the broadcasters want to start making use of 600MHz spectrum now to spread out the transition before 700MHz is sold off in 2018. - crave.cnet.co.uk

crave.cnet.co.uk

Sky magazine tax loophole saved broadcaster up to £40m a year - Media - The Guardian

Accounts show most of the income from Sky magazine was recycled back to Sky TV. The broadcaster had been saving millions in VAT by charging satellite customers a nominal 2.20 a month for the Sky magazine, using a tax loophole that has now been closed. The saving, at about 3 to 4 per person, would have amounted across Sky's 10 million subscribers to at least 30m to 40m a year. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

informitv - Tablets becoming first screen for some online video

Tablets are encouraging more viewing of long-form online programming. Online video platform provider Ooyala reports that the usage it has seen highlights continued growth in mobile and tablet video consumption. The overall share of tablet video viewing has increased by 90 in over six months. - informitv.com

informitv.com

informitv - Releasing more spectrum for mobile broadband

This is in addition to the planned auction of spectrum released by the recently completed switch off of analogue television services in the United Kingdom. The latest proposals aim to draw on the 700 MHz band, currently used for digital terrestrial television, as part of future harmonised spectrum planning across Europe and the rest of the world. A final decision will be taken at the conference in 2015. - informitv.com

informitv.com

Cutting the cord UK-style: can the Brits succeed where the US has failed? - The Verge

Over in the UK, however, things are starting to look a little brighter. The past five years has seen virtually all of the major players embrace digital content in some way, while American giants like Amazon and Netflix have invested heavily to capture the attention of the worlds second-largest native English-speaking population. The state of play The UK has around 50 free-to-air, terrestrial channels that can be accessed by anyone with an aerial or a satellite dish. - theverge.com

www.theverge.com

Ofcom - Ofcom unveils plans to avoid mobile ‘capacity crunch’

New mobile spectrum to avert a capacity crunch as usage doubles Protective measures to maintain digital terrestrial TV Ofcom today published plans to enable the release of new airwaves for future generations of mobile devices, which will help meet consumers growing demand for data on the move. Alongside the announcement, Ofcom has published new data on the UKs communications infrastructure, which shows that 20 million Gigabytes of data is now being consumed in amonth over the countrys mobile networks more than twice as much as last year 9 million Gigabytes. That is the equivalent of downloading 5 billion music tracks. - media.ofcom.org.uk

media.ofcom.org.uk

Press releases - Programme press releases - ITV reveals first details of major rebrand - ITV Press Centre

Therebrandwill also extend to ITVs buildings, internal branding and services. When the logo appears on coloured background, such as marketing images for ITV programmes - it will adapt and change according to the background colour scheme of the image. The on-air changes will be visible from January 2013, and in addition to new brand identities, the ITV network broadcast business will have a brand new creative style in promotional junctions. - itv.com

www.itv.com

BBC - Research and Development: IRFS Weeknotes #130

Well, I'm supposed to be across all of the work from the Internet Research and Future Services team so today's weeknotes is a look at the current state of projects. Chris Newell is currently looking at Storm for distributed and fault-tolerant data stream processing. Michael has fallen in love with the seer gem for his graphs, we've been grappling with analytics and trawling through the feedback we've received. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Ofcom admits to local TV gaffe - News - Broadcast

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 drops '1' from channel branding - News - Broadcast

16 November, 2012 By Balihar Khalsa ITV is to drop the 1 from its main channel logo and adopt a handwritten-style design which will constantly change colour in a major re-brand. 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

TVs will need retuning again to make room for mobile services - Technology - The Guardian

Some rooftop aerials will need replacing in another round of disruption for TV-lovers. Photograph Graham Turner for the Guardian You may only just have worked out how to use your set top box after the digital switchover, but there is bad news for the nation's TV lovers on the horizon it will soon be time to adjust your television sets again. It took five years of wall-to-wall advertising and engineer visits to complete the digital switchover, which saw flatscreen digital televisions replace bulky cathode ray sets. - guardian.co.uk

www.guardian.co.uk

DTG :: News :: Report: Connected TV in 55% of UK homes

The study found that more than one in ten 11 Brits intend to purchase a Connected TV in the next year. According to YouGov projections, sales of Connected TVs over the next year could equate to nearly 2.54 billion. The bad news is that there are a lot of competing technologies out there that can be confusing to the consumer. - dtg.org.uk

www.dtg.org.uk