Sunday 15 January 2012, PM
Moms PC is Google TV
The weekend before Christmas, mom phoned, excited, to tell me about her new 46-inch TV. She lives on a tight budget, but received an unexpected 350 windfall from Social Security. The purchase inspired her holiday present, which I hadn't yet decided on Google TV. - betanews.combetanews.com
Reed Hastings interview: 'Everybody would welcome a rival to Sky' - Media - The Guardian
Not that the gently spoken Californian looks like a revolutionary but the company he helped found, Netflix, will change the nature of film and television. Spend five minutes using Netflix and it is obvious that all the things that were on DVD will soon be consumed this way press a button and video starts playing within a few seconds and the quality, if not high definition, matches standard definition down an ordinary broadband connection. Netflix dates back to 1998, when it was founded as a mail-order DVD business, but Hastings says the company always planned to get into digital distribution. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
BBC News - CES postscript: Smart TVs get ready for prime time
Fast-forward to CES, and the newly unveiled smart TVs may have avoided this pitfall, but other limitations were apparent. Voice instructions were often misunderstood, or ignored altogether, if operators added an unapproved word to their commands. Unleash the apps At the end of 2011 there were 82 million connected TVs in homes worldwide according to research group Informa. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukSunday 15 January 2012, AM
Traditional TV has survived the net threat, but for how much longer? - John naughton - Comment is free - The Observer
The show is one of the few TV programmes that still attract a mass audience. It's all based on the realisation that, since the 1990s, most media print, audio, video, graphics have been reduced to the lowest common denominator bits, the ones and zeroes of binary arithmetic. Finally, after these two decades of promise, we might now have reached a tipping point in this convergence story. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukFriday 13 January 2012, PM
Ariel - BBC considers archive fees for viewers
13 January 2012 Last updated at 1135 The BBC is considering whether to charge people who want to watch or listen to archive programmes outside the iPlayer catch-up window, as more of its back catalogue becomes available through digitisation. The idea is one of a number of options being looked at in order to recoup the expensive cost of transferring many decades of BBC content onto the internet. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukCES 2012: the rise of smart TV - Technology - guardian.co.uk
Samsung showed a range of TV sets with voice and motion-controlled interfaces. The smartness is more than internet-deep Samsung, LG and a number of others showed off voice and motion-controlled interfaces which in the latter case could give you a way to control games, as well as changing channels and surfing the net, rather than wrestling with a remote. Samsung, which sold 57m sets worldwide last year and has been the world's biggest TV maker for the past six years, also reckons the TV will become like a giant computer screen in the corner of your lounge so we will share photos from our phones on to it and use them to make video calls. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukThursday 12 January 2012, PM
The future of the BBC: Auntie’s big year - The Economist
Celebrations in June to mark the 60th anniversary of the queen's reign will remind people that Auntiethe BBC's nickname combines familiarity with respectis the narrator of the national story. In July the Olympic torch should cast a benign light on the corporation, as sports devotees use smart new interactive tools to replay favourite moments. Lord Patten, chairman of the BBC Trust, which oversees the corporation, wants to make a mark and is thought to be keen to see a change at the top. - economist.comwww.economist.comQ
new media age gives you practical, expert knowledge on how to demystify the latest digital trends and make them work for your business. Sorry, were not currently accepting new online subscriptions to nma.co.uk. - nma.co.ukwww.nma.co.ukDTG :: News :: Ofcom revises 4G mobile coverage proposals
Ofcom has announced new measures expected to extend 4G mobile coverage to at least 98 of the UK population and revised plans to promote competition. Between March and May 2011, Ofcom consulted on its assessment of how 4G spectrum is likely to affect future competition in mobile electronic communications services markets. The responses to the consultation and the evidence submitted, together with further analysis by Ofcom, have resulted in today's revised proposals. - dtg.org.ukwww.dtg.org.ukWednesday 11 January 2012, PM
C4 planning repeats channel - News - Broadcast
11 January, 2012 By Balihar Khalsa Channel 4looks set to launch a new station that would show the last seven days most popular programmes. 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.ukDTG :: News :: Virgin Media boosts broadband speeds
Virgin Media has announced it will double the speeds of over four million of its broadband customers and boost its top speed to 120Mb, in order to meet the growing demand for next generation broadband. Starting in February 2012, the upgrade programme will continue over 18 months and is expected to be complete by mid 2013. 120Mb broadband will allow users to download an entire music album in 4.4 seconds and a high definition movie in around 5 minutes. - dtg.org.ukwww.dtg.org.ukTech Weekly podcast: Netflix arrives in the UK - Technology - guardian.co.uk
Neil Hunt is the interviewee on this edition of Tech Weekly. He's the chief product officer at Netflix, the online streaming service from the US that delivers movies and TV online to more than 20 million subscribers. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
The industry speaks: what will 2012 mean for media? - Media news - Media Week
In TV, for example, they will increasingly want to find, watch and share TV/video experiences in ways that suit them. With good execution and the right marketing mix TV can make companies their fortunes as well in 2012 as ever before. As a result in 2012 we will continue to see TV stations grow as in 2011, particularly those that work hardest at creating value for advertisers through genuine collaboration and partnership. - mediaweek.co.ukmediaweek.co.ukWednesday 11 January 2012, AM
BBC News - CES: Companies showcase new internet TV technologies
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukTuesday 10 January 2012, PM
Apple scares TV manufacturers into Googles open arms
There's something strange happening at Consumer Electronics Show 2012 that many pundits -- and, of course, the Apple Fanclub of bloggers and journalists -- pegged as impossible just six months ago. The peripherals maker gave up on Google TV, leaving Sony to go it alone. At CES, television-set makers are simply falling over one another to be a Google TV partner, as judged by the number of announcements so far. - betanews.combetanews.com
BBC News - Threat to 350 Bristol TV licensing jobs
Capita said it was proposing to move 350 jobs from its office in the city to Darwen in Lancashire and India. The union held a series of strikes over pay at Capita's TV Licensing sites during 2011. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Pink Tube Train For Digital Switchover - Londonist
A special pink Tube train is trundling around somewhere on the Central Line. The roseate rolling-stock is to remind Londoners that the switch to digital TV is coming soon. As well as sporting special branding on the outside, all 272 of the trains seats have fuchsia covers, while the hand rails are similarly hued. - londonist.comlondonist.comMonday 09 January 2012, PM
informitv - Google TV increases volume with LG and Samsung
Google TV will also run on processors other than Intel, its initial launch partner, which is no longer targeting the connected television market. New processors promise higher performance at lower cost, which will make the Google TV platform a more attractive proposition. They will initially be available in the United States in 2012. - informitv.cominformitv.cominformitv - Zeebox gains Sky as a strategic investor
BSkyB has taken a 10 stake in Zeebox, just months after the launch of the social media platform. The deal will give Sky the exclusive rights in the United Kingdom to integrate the technology into its own mobile applications, starting with its Sky app. Sky Media will sell sponsorship and product placement around Zeetags that are automatically generated in response to programming. - informitv.cominformitv.comMonday 09 January 2012, AM
Will Robert Kyncl and YouTube Revolutionize Television? : The New Yorker
Kyncl holds a senior position at YouTube, which Google owns. He is the architect of the single largest cultural transformation in YouTubes seven-year history. People went from broad to narrow, he said, and we think they will continue to go that wayspend more and more time in the nichesbecause now the distribution landscape allows for more narrowness. Kyncl puts his whole body into his whiteboard performances, and you can almost see the champion skier he used to be. - newyorker.comwww.newyorker.comSunday 08 January 2012, PM
Netflix enters UK video on demand market with tempting deals - Business - The Guardian
The US video on demand service is expected to launch in UK this week. In October Reed Hastings, the Netflix chief executive, warned investors of the scale of the task admitting that the venture is expected to take more than two years to achieve profitability in Britain, longer than in previous launch markets such as Canada. Hastings' warning was responsible in part for the shares in the one-time internet darling plunging 27. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukSaturday 07 January 2012, PM
BBC's Christmas Day shows attract iPlayer viewing boost - Media - guardian.co.uk
EastEnders the Christmas Day episode received more than 500,000 views in the following week. The biggest beneficiary of additional viewing after the day of broadcast was Absolutely Fabulous, which the BBC reckons saw a 75 increase in total audience over the course of the next seven days. Doctor Who received a total viewing boost of 45 in the week post-broadcast, and notched up 434,000 views on the iPlayer. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukBBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's On BBC Red Button 7th - 15th January
Now in its tenth year, the Sound of 2012 is a list of the most promising new music acts for the year ahead. Those included are chosen by a panel of UK-based tastemakers who each named their favourite three new acts, with the top 15 making up the long list. The top five were ranked and revealed in reverse order live on Radio 1 during the week beginning 2nd January 2012, with one act named each day. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC - BBC Internet Blog: BBC News app for Connected TV: update Sony launch
Today I want to tell you about a new launch and share some details about the way the product has been used to date. Today, the product launches on the Sony connected TV platform in the UK. Im delighted that weve been able to get the product now developed from BBC Future Medias Salford base onto three sizeable platforms so quickly after launch audience response has been fantastic, but first a quick recap of the product and its key features. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Explore global television with TVNations
There are plenty of TV stations all across the world that stream at least some of their content online. Like many similar applications, the program organizes its channels by both genre and location. So you can click Movies, Music or News in the left-hand pane to find offerings of a particular type, for instance, or just choose your preferred location in the right-hand pane to see everything from that country. - betanews.combetanews.comFriday 06 January 2012, PM
ITV gains but BSkyB loses after analyst report, while FTSE ends up on week - Business - guardian.co.uk
The bank's analysts raised their recommendation on ITV from equal weight to overweight, with an 80p a share price target. They believe ITV may get off to a slow start for the year although rival analysts at Deutsche Bank predicted a stronger advertising performance in the first quarter than previously expected but said business should pick up after that. Its analysts have moved from overweight to equal weight and cut their price target from 800p to 790p. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.uk
LoveFilm Signs Deal With ITV and BBC Worldwide
- thenextweb.comthenextweb.comFriday 06 January 2012, AM
The incredible shrinking TV replacement cycle Online Video News
Those in the consumer electronics industry sometimes cite TV replacement cycles in the range of anywhere from six to eight years. Thats up from about a sixth of all households two years ago, and 4 percent in 2006. What that speaks to is much more frequent purchasing among consumers than TV manufacturers typically see. - gigaom.comgigaom.comThursday 05 January 2012, PM
UKTV scores highest ratings ever in 2011 - 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.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.uk
BBC submission to Ofcom media plurality review - Media - guardian.co.uk
- www.guardian.co.uk
Google will debut new Google TV at CES 2012
Google, however, still has big plans for the platform and rolled out a major update in October that endowed Google TV with Android Apps, improved search, and an overall more simple interface. If there's anything you want to know about the platform, or Marvell's partnership with Google in the Google TV project, let us know in the comments. - betanews.combetanews.comAll the latest news from Harlow, Essex. - Harlow viewers still in the dark as digital switchover looms
With less than four months to go until the final analogue transmitter covering Harlow is switched off, the council has yet to confirm whether Virgin Media will continue to provide a free service on the towns piped network. If a deal is not agreed, viewers will either have to pay hundreds of pounds to install aerials or subscribe to paid-for services provided by Virgin or Sky as Freeview set-top boxes will not work if connected to the network. The two other transmitters which cover the town at Sandy Heath and Sudbury were switched over last year. - harlowstar.co.ukwww.harlowstar.co.ukWednesday 04 January 2012, AM
Online TV viewing stalls - 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.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukBBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's On BBC Red Button 24th December - 8th January
On the Red Button we'll show you how the relatively fearless cast and crew coped with steam cameras, on-set urchins and the occasional behind-the-scenes cholera outbreak. Discover more recipes on the BBC Food website. The top five will be ranked and revealed in reverse order in the week beginning 2nd January 2012, with one act named each day. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukTuesday 03 January 2012, PM
Freeview or Freesat: which to choose? - Ask Jack - Technology - guardian.co.uk
When choosing a digital TV setup, is Freeview or Freesat best I remember an article in the Guardian when Freesat first appeared stating that, because of its greater capacity and therefore space for HD channels, it would ultimately conquer Freeview. With Freeview and Freesat, the set-top boxes are cheap, and neither requires you to buy either tapes or discs. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukThursday 22 December 2011, PM
BBC - Research and Development: Bringing audio to the web, and the web to audio
Some of the exciting research work we do on Audio requires 50 microphones or a State of the art listening room. Some just need a web browser and our will to cooperate with the best in the industry. For almost two years now, the BBC has been active in the audio effort of the W3C, the forum where new web standards are being discussed and developed. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukThursday 22 December 2011, AM
BBC iPlayer - Help - Non-BBC programmes and content
The BBC does not provide any guarantee to the quality, content or availability of programmes available on other websites. Why aren't all UK on-demand video services listed in BBC iPlayer In the future, radio programmes from other broadcasters will be available via the UK Radio Player. - iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.ukiplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk
BBC News - BBC radio cuts may threaten advice messages in crises
The LGA said proposals to share more programming and stop some medium wave services would threaten advice messages during emergencies like flooding. The BBC said local radio would continue to have a key role in an emergency. The corporation wants to axe medium wave output in areas where alternative FM services are available. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukWednesday 21 December 2011, PM
BBC - Research and Development: iPlayer3D update
Generally 3D requires a high bitrate to achieve good stereoscopy. If the video bitrate is too low, depth cues are lost and the 3D becomes tiring to watch. So we had the challenging task of trying to producing high quality 3D at as low a bitrate as possible. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Ariel - Last call for DQF comments
Whilst the corporation has tried to weight the savings towards 'back-room' functions and has promised that money made available from economies will be re-invested in content, audiences, particularly those for local radio, will notice the cutbacks. Lord Patten told the select committee the Trust would 'come forward with our conclusions in the early New Year.' - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Channel 5 snubs Freeview HD again • The Register
Channel 5 is giving up on filling a Freeview HD channel, so fans of Celebrity Wedding Planner will just have to live with standard definition. The BBC is technically out of the running for the fifth Freeview HD slot, having got two of the channels already. - theregister.co.ukwww.theregister.co.uk
Ofcom - An approach to DAB coverage planning – interim statement - Summary of responses and update on further work
1.2 In June 2011, Ofcom published An approach to DAB coverage planning, a consultation which set out our approach to that task. 1.3 We were explicit that the document was not a policy consultation on a regulatory decision by Ofcom, given that the decisions that may follow this work are primarily to be taken by multiplex operators and by Government. Rather, we outlined that we were consulting to give a wider public and stakeholder audience the opportunity to express any views on the issues in this document, before we submit a final report to Government. - stakeholders.ofcom.org.ukstakeholders.ofcom.org.uk
MediaTel: Newsline: 2011 - definitely not a vintage year
Raymond Snoddy looks back at the events of 2011 - maybe not a total Bah Humbug year but we hope for much better in 2012... Let's face it, 2011 was a non-vintage year for the media, with few memories worth bottling and saving for posterity. It was a hanging on recessionary sort of year when many things didn't happen, others nearly happened and most of those that did were wholly negative if not downright depressing. - mediatel.co.ukmediatel.co.ukTuesday 20 December 2011, AM
Monday 19 December 2011, PM
YouGov should leave radio research to the experts - James Cridland
Heres a paragraph from a press release heralding a new YouGov report which appears to slag off broadcast radio. Digital Radio needing a stronger signal Just over one in five 22 of 18-24 year olds have listened to the Radio via a portable radio set including DAB. However, over one third 38 of this age group has listened to radio streamed over the internet. - james.cridland.netjames.cridland.netBBC TV Programme Pages: new design
Frozen Planet programme page Just over four years ago, we launched bbc.co.uk/programmesto provide apermanent, addressable page for every episode of every programme the BBC broadcasts acrossradio and television. The pages were pretty basic at launch-both visually,andinthe information they offered.Since2007they'vecontinued to evolve, growing intoan increasingly richresource.There are nowpagesfor over a million episodes, which together attract overthreemillion unique UK browsers each week. Everyprogrammenow has an Episode guideon the horizontal navigation bar. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukWTF? EPG takes offence to Alfred Hitchc**k and Charles D***ens - Media Monkey - Media - guardian.co.uk
Virgin Media's electronic programme guide It is only right that viewers should be protected from the gratuitous use of swearwords. Charles Dickens became Charles Dens and Arsenal became Anal. We can only imagine what happened would have happened to Scunthorpe had they also featured on the broadcaster's EPG over the weekend. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukTalkTalk joins BBFC's online classification service for YouView - News - New Media Age
new media age gives you practical, expert knowledge on how to demystify the latest digital trends and make them work for your business. Sorry, were not currently accepting new online subscriptions to nma.co.uk. - nma.co.ukwww.nma.co.ukMonday 19 December 2011, AM
YouGov releases consumer predictions for 2012 - Econsultancy
The main points suggest that connected TV will not be taken up with gusto just yet, smartphone users largely ignore advertising on mobiles, and that DAB digital radio hasnt quite lived up to the hype. Dan Brilot, media consulting director at YouGov, says that a main driver for adoption of smart TV in the future could be the increasing availability of content which is currently only available on broadcast television. Just over one third 36 of UK respondents aged 18-24 claimed that they would be encouraged to purchase a smart set if more of the TV content they normally watch was available on the internet. - econsultancy.comeconsultancy.comWill this be ITV's Christmas? - Media - The Guardian
ITV is pinning its hopes on Downton Abbey's Christmas special. People, programmes, channels and even whole broadcasters rise and fall on tides they appear only vaguely capable of affecting. The company talks with conviction about its five year plan to relieve its structural dependence on volatile advertising revenues by generating more profit from production and online. - guardian.co.ukwww.guardian.co.ukpick a page