Great things to read about British TV from March 2008 to today

#33 - BBC Three cut gets Trust approval – The Media Podcast with Olly Mann

#32 - Chris Evans gets BBC out of a tight corner - The Media Podcast with Olly Mann

#31 - Broadcast Backs the Beeb, Lineker’s BT Transfer and Creative Week 2015

Thursday 27 August 2015, AM

Sinclair Fight With Dish Could Spur Action on TV Blackouts

Sinclair blocked Dish customers' access to 129 stations in 79 markets on Tuesday, Dish said in a statement. Dish in a filing with the FCC said Sinclair unfairly coordinated negotiations for stations the broadcaster doesn't own. - www.bloomberg.com

www.bloomberg.com

Wednesday 26 August 2015, PM

John Whittingdale claims he is not 'dismantling the BBC' and that it's future is not under threat

BBC sympathiser Dame Judi Dench The decision to make the BBC cover the cost of providing free licences to the over-75s and the consultation on the broadcaster's future role has prompted high-profile sympathisers, from Dame Judi Dench and Stephen Fry to former Tory minister Lord Fowler, to warn of the consequences of damaging the BBC. Similar sentiments were voiced last night by Armando Iannucci, in a lecture at the festival. Read more BBC wanted to make royal epic but 'could not compete' with Netflix financiallyBBC experiment finds licence fee completely justified and 'incredibly good value'. - www.independent.co.uk

Whittingdale: Channel 4 privatisation 'not under discussion' but not ruled out

Whittingdale said a sale of Channel 4 was not currently being discussed, but said whatever its future, its remit to cater for minority audiences and take risks must not change. The question comes in the wake of several reports in July that the government is considering proposals to privatise Channel 4, which is state-owned but supported by advertising, in a move that could raise more than 1bn to aid deficit reduction. - www.theguardian.com

Unless you want TV by diktat, defend the BBC

Here's the thing that's exactly how the BBC worked some 15, maybe 10 years ago. Let's stop playing games, let's talk properly, and honestly, about what we value and want to preserve in the BBC. The question shouldn't be how do we cut it down to size, but why should we. - www.theguardian.com

BBC considers replacing news channel with mobile streaming service

The BBC is thought to be considering whether to close the channel as it looks for ways to cut costs, and the corporation's head of news, James Harding, on Wednesday refused to say whether it would still exist in 10 years. Speaking on the same panel as Harding, Channel 4 News editor Ben De Pear said the prospect of the channel being privatised was worrying because news was not profitable for Channel 4. - www.theguardian.com

Edinburgh TV Festival, BBC director of strategy James Purnell, Channel 5 director of programming Ben Frow, Spotify

Tuesday 25 August 2015, PM

'Proper debate' needed over ownership of Channel 4, says former chairman

The question comes in the wake of several reports in July that the government is considering proposals to privatise Channel 4, which is state-owned but supported by advertising, in a move that could raise more than 1bn to aid deficit reduction. Channel 4 executives have fiercely defended the broadcaster's unique status and made clear their opposition to privatisation. - www.theguardian.com

Treasury refuses to publish BBC funding deal details despite FoI request

Chris Bryant, the shadow culture secretary, has threatened to turn to the Information Commissioner to get the full details of the BBC's shotgun licence fee deal revealed after the government admitted it has more documents but refused to make them public. Last month, Bryant forced the publication of the licence fee deal letter from chancellor George Osborne and culture secretary John Whittingdale to BBC director general Tony Hall. - www.theguardian.com

BBC deprivation study made people change their views on the licence fee: "Being without the BBC was absolutely dreadful"

More than two-thirds of those originally opposed to paying the 145.50 licence fee changed their minds after being cut off from BBC services for a nine-day period, according to a study commissioned by the corporation. Of the seventy households, 48 had initially said that they would prefer either to pay no licence fee and have no BBC access, or pay a reduced licence fee. - www.radiotimes.com

www.radiotimes.com

Tuesday 25 August 2015, AM

Danny Cohen: no public desire for market failure BBC

BBC director of television Danny Cohen has claimed that there is no public desire for the corporation to become a “market failure” broadcaster. Writing in the Radio Times ahead of the Edinburgh International Television Festival this week, Cohen warned the government that the BBC must not become an organisation that “fills the gaps” left by commercial rivals. “I believe we need a strong BBC that offers a wide range of British-made programmes – dramas, documentaries, news and entertainment,” said Cohen. “I don’t believe the public want a ‘market failure’ BBC that fills the gaps by only making the kind of niche television that commercial TV simply won’t make. They want a BBC that can compete with the very best the world has to offer, driving up standards and delivering for them night after night.” - www.broadcastnow.co.uk

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Ely entrepreneur Pete Dawe celebrates the launch of his latest venture, Cambridge TV, 'for bright, curious people'

The channel features a schedule of local shows and programmes from the community on Freeview channel 8 and Virgin 159 in the Cambridge area- the TV station hopes to attract viewers, too, from the Ely area. As part of the scheme, Mr Dawe was to give away three mini-buses in return for a commitment to pick up and drop off fellow commuters at three designated stop-off points in Ely and Cambridge Science Park. - www.cambstimes.co.uk

www.cambstimes.co.uk

Monday 24 August 2015, PM

The BBC must resist Alex Salmond's attempt to control its coverage

Of course the BBC can never be immune from attempts to influence it by those who set its income and appoint its governors or trustees - witness the current debate and controversy about cuts to the licence fee or the future of the BBC Trust. Others want to see the creation of a new Scotland editor to work alongside the BBC's political, business and UK editors to lead coverage of news from Scotland for the UK audience. - www.theguardian.com

Sunday 23 August 2015, PM

The Media Column: Culture Secretary John Whittingdale will be the centre of attention as telly types gather in Edinburgh

Self-identification as a creature from Hades fits with Whittingdale's positioning at the festival as the spectre haunting the future of the BBC and public-service broadcasting in general. Not since Whittingdale loaded the BBC with a 650m bill for covering the cost of free licences for the over-75s, then launched a consultation paper which leaves the organisation anxious about its future. - www.independent.co.uk

Media Monkey's Diary: best of Edinburgh International TV Festival

Most self-defining grooming/fashion item Mark Thompson's beard, which as two-time MacTaggart lecturer served him equally well as maverick creative renegade when Channel 4 chief executive and as bleak broadcasting prophet and BBC boss forced to agree to radical austerity. Frostiest interview session Krishnan Guru-Murthy's tough cross-examination of rookie BBC1 controller Charlotte Moore last year, after which her furious colleagues Danny Cohen and Ben Stephenson confronted the Channel 4 News presenter. - www.theguardian.com

ITV to acquire Northern Ireland's channel, UTV, say reports

Irish newspapers have reported that ITV is to acquire UTV, the Northern Ireland television channel, in a multi-million pound deal. According to the reports, UTV Media will retain its profitable radio portfolio, built around TalkSport. - www.theguardian.com

Met Office loses BBC weather forecasting contract

The Met Office has lost its BBC weather forecasting contract, it has confirmed. The UK's weather service has provided the data used for BBC forecasts since the corporation's first radio weather bulletin on 14 November 1922. - www.bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday 23 August 2015, AM

What next for the BBC?

BBC One is Britain's most watched TV channel, Radio 2 is the most listened-to radio station and BBC News Online is the most used news website. Its business model does not lead to BBC levels of investment in British TV. Even if half of all UK households signed up, the total subscription fees would be well below the current cost of BBC One. - www.ft.com

www.ft.com

Friday 21 August 2015, PM

BBC radio stations failing northern listeners, report says

BBC Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live are failing to appeal to northern listeners, according to a report published by the BBC Trust. A BBC Trust report said BBC Radio 4 has become even more skewed towards listeners in the south-east, while 5 Live's move to Salford has so far failed to resonate with northern audiences. - www.theguardian.com

BBC allowed to premier radio shows online

The plans have been approved as part of the Trust's service review of Radio 4, 5live, and their digital sister stations Radio 4 Extra and 5live Sports Extra, and apply only to speech radio. The approval of 'online premiering' is in place with immediate effect and while the BBC expects that it will mostly be used by Radio 4, all other BBC radio stations will, except for 5live Sports Extra whose output is entirely live, be able to premiere some speech programmes online first. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

Thursday 20 August 2015, PM

Government publishing 'anti-BBC propaganda', says Labour's Chris Bryant

The Labour MP said that a post on the department's blog, which was recently given a 5,500 redesign, about the government's green paper on the future of the BBC was undermining attempts to run a consultation on the proposals. A DCMS spokesperson said the post reflected the content and language of the government's green paper on charter renewal. - www.theguardian.com

Wednesday 19 August 2015, PM

Royal pictures, Managing talent, Archant's positive performance

CBS Drama to launch on Freeview

Not sure yet Take a FREE ONLINE TRIAL or REQUEST A FREE DIGITAL ISSUE OF BROADCAST and see for yourself how Broadcast can benefit you. There's a package to suit everyone.... - www.broadcastnow.co.uk

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Wednesday 19 August 2015, AM

Solent Wireless starts small scale DAB service

Express FM - the popular local community radio service Portsmouth featuring music, talk and live Portsmouth FC commentary will be simulcast on digital radio. These small scale DAB trials are very exciting as they encourage innovation and competition delivering six great new stations broadcast on DAB digital radio and encompassing stations from all sectors of the radio industry, including community, student and small local stations. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

BBC iPlayer takes on Netflix with new catchup features

BBC iPlayer is introducing new catch-up features, as the on-demand TV service looks to keep pace with popular streaming services such as Netflix. Cross-device pause and resume - the ability to pause a stream on one device and then pick it up on another - has also been added, as has the My Programmes section, which already works on the iPlayer website, but will now expand to mobile devices. - www.theguardian.com

Tuesday 18 August 2015, PM

BBC among broadcasters to repeatedly breach Ofcom code over propaganda content

Read more BBC Let the public, not politicians, decide our future'The future of the BBC needs to be driven by evidence'BBC hits back after Government calls for 'cheaper' broadcaster. Ofcom's investigation into FBC's programmes for the BBC was hampered by the fact that the company went into liquidation months after The Independent expos. - www.independent.co.uk

Mediatel: Newsline: Revealed: the botched affair between government and the BBC

The BBC had to warn that major imminent service closures would be inevitable unless the government backed down on its initial insistence that the BBC would have to accept the more than 650 million funding of free licence fees for the over 75s without any guarantee in advance of compensation. BBC Two would have to close- BBC Four would also go- All of the BBC's local radio stations, which provide an important media outlet for local MPs, would be taken off the air- And, in a further blow to the nations and regions, the national radio news services for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would be shut down. - mediatel.co.uk

mediatel.co.uk

Monday 17 August 2015, AM

Tomorrow's BBC: 'The future of the BBC needs to be driven by evidence and fact, not by prejudice'

Audiences have higher expectations of the BBC than of other broadcasters, and they want the BBC to be held to higher standards. If the regulation of the BBC is to be kept beyond the immediate direction of ministers, any future regulator should be established, like the BBC itself, under royal charter. - www.independent.co.uk

Sunday 16 August 2015, AM

Portsmouth DAB trial sets launch date

Listeners in Portsmouth will gain access to additional stations on DAB digital radio from Wednesday 19th August, when a new multiplex serving the city goes live. The nine-month trial is one of ten across the UK that aims to look at the feasibility, from a technical and cost point of view, of broadcasting services on DAB digital radio across a smaller area than traditional local services, which generally cover entire counties. - www.a516digital.com

www.a516digital.com

These sites accept Cookies: how streaming almost killed Sesame Street

As people turned their backs on cable, they embraced streaming services like Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Apple TV. HBO was not far behind - striking a deal with Apple TV to launch a standalone HBO Now streaming service to be available on the device for just 14.99 a month. In addition to streaming of the Sesame Street, they partnered with PBS, Disney Channel, DreamWorks, Cartoon Network, Mattel, Hasbro, Lego and Scholastic to bring children's programming to the 24/7 world of online streaming. - www.theguardian.com

Friday 14 August 2015, PM

Apple Said to Delay Live TV Service to 2016 as Negotiations Stall

Without enough content deals in place, Apple has scrapped plans to announce the service at a Sept. 9 event in San Francisco, which would have coincided with the beginning of the new network TV season, the people said. In addition to securing content, Apple has encountered problems creating a computer network that will ensure a fast, glitch-free viewing experience throughout the U.S. Such a network requires storing popular shows close to viewers, so each time a customer in New York for example wants to see local baseball game or the evening news, the shows don't have to be streamed all the way from one of Apple's four data centers in California, Nevada, North Carolina and Oregon. - www.bloomberg.com

www.bloomberg.com

Friday 14 August 2015, AM

DAB+ figures released in Australia

The figures are compiled for Commercial Radio Australia, who also report on the most listened-to commercial DAB-only stations. There are now more than 45 extra DAB only stations on offer in the five metropolitan capitals, including targeted formats such as sport, talk and news, children's programming, country, chillout and dance music and short term pop-up stations focused on events or particular seasons. - media.info

media.info

Thursday 13 August 2015, PM

Celebrity injunctions; Economist sale; FT editorial independence; football bans

07/08/2015 Radio 4 Feedback

Tuesday 11 August 2015, PM

BBC accused of 'abandoning' Birmingham after removing almost all TV and radio shows from city's production hub

The relocation is the latest in a series of setbacks for BBC Birmingham, which has been stripped of popular TV shows Coast, Countryfile and Hairy Bikers and lost prestigious BBC Radio 4 shows You and Yours, Farming Today and Costing the Earth. The Mailbox building, home of BBC Birmingham For 33 years, Pebble Mill, which was opened by Princess Anne as the UK's first purpose built broadcasting centre, was a familiar location to millions of BBC viewers as the backdrop for programmes such as The Clothes Show and Pebble Mill At One. - www.independent.co.uk