Wednesday 13 May 2015, PM
Digital Radio UK welcomes return of Ed Vaizey
He has been an active supporter of our industry and worked closely with Digital Radio UK to back expansion of local DAB coverage and authorise Ofcom funding for trials of small-scale DAB radio. Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK, said quotWe welcome the return of Ed Vaizey as Culture Minister. He is passionate about radio and a great advocate for the sector. Ed's reappointment will ensure strong leadership and continued Government support for delivering UK radio's digital future. - radiotoday.co.uk
radiotoday.co.ukWednesday 13 May 2015, AM
Tony Hall tells BBC staff to be 'bold and inventive' as licence fee battle looms
Tony Hall has said that the BBC should be quotBold and inventive about the futurequot in a note to all staff, which comes amid rightwing criticism of anti-Tory bias during the election and fears over the future of the licence fee. After the BBC won 11 awards at the Baftas on Sunday night, Hall said quotThe best argument for the BBC lies in the quality of its programmes. But there can never be any room for complacency. The challenge for us all over the coming months is to push ourselves to do even better. - www.theguardian.com
www.theguardian.comArmando Iannucci to deliver MacTaggart lecture
quotMore and more people are poking their heads up and saying, 'do you think the licence fee is going to last' It would be lovely but I really don't. Inevitably it's going to fall apart, or it's going to be more difficult to collect or sustain,quot he said. Festival advisory chair Zai Bennett, who is also director of Sky Atlantic, said quotI promised when I became advisory chair that we would strive to make the festival more international and more entertaining than ever and I can't think of a more appropriate MacTaggart than Armando. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comTuesday 12 May 2015, PM
but does the public back a mauling?
quotFront pages of the Telegraph, Times and Mail as well as the leader column of the Sun all declared, with ill-disguised glee, that the appointment of John Whittingdale as culture secretary was aquotdeclaration of warquot against the BBC which leaves the very future of the licence fee in doubtquot. In the long 18 months ahead before the BBC charter is confirmed, any tiny transgression will be seized on by the BBC's enemies in the same way that they picked on a man eating a bacon sandwich. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comJohn Whittingdale backed BBC paying £500m cost of TV licences for over-75s
The BBC faced the prospect of having to pick up the tab for free TV licences for over-75s in the 2010 negotiations around its future funding that saw the licence fee frozen until 2017 and the BBC take on a number of other funding responsibilities including the World Service and Welsh language channel, S4C. With a new government in place, negotiations around the future shape of the BBC and the way it is funded, including the level of the licence fee, will now begin in earnest. quotSome of my friends work at the BBC and they are either open or privately Tory supporters. What has always been a concern, it has never been as simple as political bias. It's not that the BBC has a load of Labour supporters, the Labour party would never allow one to suggest that. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
BBC faces being cut back to basics
The BBC’s tough past few years are nothing compared to the pain it will face under the new government, says John Mair The Conservatives’ victory last week was arguably the worst possible result for the BBC, which had kicked negotiations over a new licence fee into the long grass until after the election.. - www.broadcastnow.co.uk
www.broadcastnow.co.uk
David Cameron paves way for shake-up of the BBC as licence fee critic John Whittingdale joins all-Tory Cabinet
Three Eton-educated ministers will attend Cabinet - Mr Cameron, Oliver Letwin, head of the Cabinet Office and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, who will attend quotPoliticalquot sessions when civil servants are not present. 43 per cent of cabinet ministers went to comprehensive schools - double the 21 per cent in the Coalition cabinet. - www.independent.co.uk
www.independent.co.ukMonday 11 May 2015, PM
Chris Bryant named as shadow culture secretary
Chris Bryant has been named as shadow culture secretary, replacing acting party leader Harriet Harman who has held the position since 2011. Bryant, who won a pound30,000 damages payout in January 2012 after his phone was hacked by the News of the World, has been a shadow minister for culture, media and sport since December last year. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comBBC licence fee in doubt as John Whittingdale is named culture secretary
As culture secretary Whittingdale will push for much more rigorous oversight of the BBC, including giving the National Audit Office unrestricted access to the BBC's accounts and creating a new public service broadcasting commission. The 55-year old has said that the BBC Trust is quotFar too close to the BBC and blurs accountabilityquot. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
Freesat expands Freetime footprint as it beams down in 1.9m homes
Freesat's managing director, Alistair Thom, said quotI'm thrilled to report another strong quarter for Freesat that clearly demonstrates the continuing growth and strength of the UK's free-to-air proposition. With critically acclaimed programmes such as Breaking Bad now available through Spike, Freesat continues to support our ever expanding content offering with connected technology that empowers customers and their viewing habits. As well as streamlined access to catch-up and on-demand services including ITV Player, 4oD, Demand 5 and YouTube, Freetime also lets Freesat viewers remotely manage recordings through a mobile app, available for iOS, Android and Kindle devices. - recombu.com
recombu.comEuropean plans for digital single market
The ambitious aim is to bring down regulatory walls and move from 28 national markets to a single digital market with over 500 million potential customers. Rus Ansip, the vice-president for the digital single market, said quotThey will give people and companies the online freedoms to profit fully from Europe's huge internal market. - informitv.com
informitv.comMonday 11 May 2015, AM
DTG :: News :: DTG prepares R-Book update for the post-switchover environment
With the increasing potential for interference from services such as LTE 800 and TVWS as well as the changes to DTT services such as local TV, it was thought that it would be useful to include guidance on some of these issues. The second section will provide some more practical details such as guidance on aerials, faceplates, cabling, interference mitigation, de-rating for amplifiers and such like. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.uk
Michael Wolff: Why Is the U.K.'s ITV on a Hollywood Buying Spree?
There is, too, a subplot here, the sure comedy of the mismatch between the high-flying Weinstein brothers - who will continue to run their arm of ITV and whose TV company has yet to establish a real track record - and the quite unshow-business London banker types who run ITV. Rather than a closed distributor, ITV strategically was turning itself into a supplier to the new glut of worldwide channels, including by 2014 providing more than 60 shows to U.S. channels, and buying, before the Weinstein play, four other U.S. production companies Gurney Productions, which makes Duck Dynasty High Noon Entertainment with Cake Boss Thinkfactory Media with Hatfields McCoys and DiGa Vision with Teen Wolf. - www.hollywoodreporter.com
www.hollywoodreporter.comFriday 08 May 2015, PM
Wednesday 06 May 2015, PM
Media: Journalists on the election trial; Sky News' Alex Crawford; CEO of Bloomberg Media
downloads.bbc.co.ukSunday 03 May 2015, PM
Apple TV, BT YouView and EE TV boxes
We put 11 models in our latest test Apple TV, Microsoft and Netgear streaming devices, plus 8 Freeview/Freesat boxes such as EE TV, a Panasonic PVR and Blu-ray player, and new sub-pound100 BT YouView box. Do you want a set-top box to watch Freeview or Freesat TV, a PVR to watch/record, or a way to stream films and catch-up TV such as BBC iPlayer In our latest batch we've tested a variety of models and found the best of the crop. - www.which.co.uk
www.which.co.ukWednesday 29 April 2015, PM
Friday 24 April 2015, PM
Feedback: Impartiality: 24 Apr 15
downloads.bbc.co.uk
#28 - BBC3 move postponed, Adblock Plus - The Media Podcast with Olly Mann
feedproxy.google.comWednesday 22 April 2015, PM
Saturday 18 April 2015, PM
Have Sky customers reached the limit?
A Eurogroup meeting on 11 May seems to be the new cut-off point, but before that Greece needs to scrape enough cash together to fulfil its imminent payments, with the International Monetary Fund on Thursday ruling out any postponement of what it is owed. quotThe ratio of chief executive pay to average employee pay is also considered excessive. Lastly, the balance of the chief executive's realised pay with financial performance is not considered acceptable as the change in chief executive total pay over five years is not commensurate with the change in total shareholder returns over the same period. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comDTG :: News :: Who will win the battle for OTT TV supremacy? Find out at the DTG Summit 2015: Driving Global CollaborVat
Don't miss this debate and discussion with your peers from Arqiva, Channel 4, BBC, Sky, EE, Disney, ITV, Dixons Retail and many more. More than 400 executives attend every year so register your place today using the link on the right. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.ukFriday 17 April 2015, PM
Thursday 16 April 2015, AM
Norway to switch of FM radio in two years
STATS FOR DIGITAL RADIO IN NORWAY . - 56 of radio listeners use digital radio every day. quotOle Joslashrgen Torvmark, CEO of Digital Radio Norway saysquotThe White Paper from 2011 and a unique collaboration between the radio industry is the main reason why Norway is far ahead in the transition to digital radio. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukWednesday 15 April 2015, PM
Monday 13 April 2015, PM
Job cuts in News on hold until June
13 April 2015 Last updated at 0942 The BBC has extended its moratorium on compulsory redundancies in News until the end of June, after signing a deal with the unions. A BBC spokesperson said 'We've agreed to extend the moratorium on compulsory redundancies for staff in BBC News, BBC Scotland and BBC Wales until the end of June. - www.bbc.co.uk
www.bbc.co.ukBig increase in cars with DAB digital radio
Ed Vaizey, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy, says quotOver 61 of new cars with digital radio demonstrates the welcome commitment of the car industry to providing drivers with the full range of radio available today. Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK, says quotDigital radio in car is on a roll - 450,000 new cars with digital radio in a single quarter is a significant milestone, and the introduction of DAB across most models of the UK's best-selling car will ensure the growth of digital radio in car continues. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukMonday 13 April 2015, AM
TV industry faces its 'ketchup' moment: 'Mobile is now the first screen'
Among the trends picked out by Scherer was the emergence of quota new syntax, a new grammar, a new vocabularyquot for news, particularly when delivered through quotThe new kids on the blockquot in the form of apps including Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope. quotThese are the kids now ruling the entertainment, and it's just the beginning of it. Again, new grammar, new syntax, new vocabulary. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comFriday 10 April 2015, PM
Feedback: Stand-in presenters: 10 Apr 15
downloads.bbc.co.uk#27 - Seiken’s legacy, Periscope up... Snapchat down - The Media Podcast with Olly Mann
feedproxy.google.comThursday 09 April 2015, PM
Engineering a more flexible and efficient BBC for the future
UPDATEAt BBC Engineering, when we talk about taking advantage of internet technologies or being 'internet first' we aren't talking about the BBC doing more with online content or only putting content and programmes online. My role is to make sure that the BBC's technologies that underpin everything we do - from our newsroom infrastructure and new in-the-field production and editing tools, to how we keep the BBC on air and online - are set up in the best possible way, and take advantage of new internet-based technologies. - www.bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukHelp Receiving TV and Radio
Station In-service date ERP NGR Antenna height Betws-y-Coed 28th March 2014 600W SH824582 43m. Calver Peak improves coverage in the Derbyshire Dales, bringing coverage to an additional 2,500 households and improving coverage for a further 2,300. Station In-service date ERP NGR Antenna height Icomb Hill 28th February 2014 1kW SP202229 40m. Leamington Spa improves coverage of BBC National DAB in areas of Leamington Spa and Warwick, and surrounding areas of Warwickshire, bringing coverage to an additional 1,800 households and improving coverage for a further 44,000 households. - www.bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukThursday 09 April 2015, AM
BBC aims to go 'internet first' to attract younger audiences
Matthew Postgate, the corporation's chief technology officer, said he was tasked with making sure the broadcaster was quotRelevantquot to younger viewers and could compete with online rivals such as Netflix and Amazon. The corporation announced last year that TV channel BBC3 would be moving online only and Postgate said that move was indicative of its quotDirection of travelquot. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comWednesday 08 April 2015, PM
Media: Victoria Derbyshire; Leaders' debates; Telegraph chief's exit; Lib Dem media policy.
downloads.bbc.co.ukSeven more BBC Radio DAB transmitters
In total, the new transmitters bring 34,000 households into the BBC's national coverage area and improves digital radio reception for a further 56,000 households. Helen Boaden, Director of BBC Radio, says quotIt is fantastic that more listeners will be able to enjoy the full range of BBC services. Extending national DAB coverage is an important part of building a digital future for radio. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukTuesday 07 April 2015, PM
Lights, camera and very little action: brace yourself for Norway's Slow TV
quotI don't think we are particularly stupid or weird in Norway to like this sort of thing,quot said Thomas Hellum, a Slow TV pioneer and production manager at Norway's public broadcaster, NRK. quotI think really it could work in other countries. Hellum then got the go-ahead to shoot Hurtigruten Minute by Minute, a boat voyage that clocks in at 134 hours and 42 minutes. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comFeedback: 2015 General Election on R1: 3 Apr 15
downloads.bbc.co.ukWednesday 01 April 2015, PM
Media: Spider memos; Dermot departs X Factor; mental health headlines; Plaid Cymru media policy.
downloads.bbc.co.ukBBC bright sparks put out searchlights for new 'director of better'
An advert that went out for the deliciously-plausibly-named BBC director of better is, of course, an April Fool for the forthcoming second series of brilliant BBC2 satire W1A. A bunch of bananas to the Beeb though for fooling BuzzFeed's Tom Chivers, who fell for it but admirably 'fessed up later. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comBBC WORLD NEWS NOW IN HD ACROSS EUROPE VIA ASTRA 19.2E
quotWe know from our viewers that they value HD services. BBC World News originates in pure HD, so it's fantastic to be able to bring this service to our European heartland,quot said Colin Lawrence, Director of Distribution for BBC Global News Ltd. quotFollowing the investments we made in our content and presentation on BBC World News, last year we saw an audience increase in daily reach. HD is undoubtedly becoming the default viewing preference, and this new partnership enables delivery of our world class service to European audiences. BBC World News and BBC.comThe BBC's commercially funded international 24-hour English news platforms, are owned and operated by BBC Global News Ltd. BBC World News television is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, and over 385 million households and 1.8 million hotel rooms. - www.ses.com
www.ses.comMonday 30 March 2015, PM
New names for FM and Technology
30 March 2015 Last updated at 1614 Future Media is to be renamed BBC Digital, while BBC Technology will become BBC Engineering. 'Our digital offer will be central to Charter Review and the new name better reflects BBC Digital's role in delivering the best possible online experiences for our audiences, while helping us transition to an internet-first BBC.'. - www.bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukUnblocking digital services across Europe
The European Commission describes the internet as quota goldmine of digital opportunitiesquot but says that digital services are often confined to national borders. Rus Ansip, the vice-president for the digital single market, said quotLet us do away with all those fences and walls that block us online. People must be able to freely go across borders online just as they do offline. Innovative businesses must be helped to grow across the EU, not remain locked into their home market. This will be an uphill struggle all the way, but we need an ambitious start. Europe should benefit fully from the digital age better services, more participation and new jobsquot. - informitv.cominformitv.comRed button evolution
The BBC is pushing the red button on a range of connected televisions with an interactive experience it now calls Red Button. The history of the red button services on the BBC can be traced back to the BBC Text service introduced in late 1999 as an alternative to the BBC Ceefax teletext service, which was first broadcast in 1974. - informitv.cominformitv.com
'Death threats' made against BBC's Tony Hall investigated
Lord Hall is reported to have received a threatening email after dropping presenter Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear because he had punched a producer. Lord Hall announced his decision not to renew Clarkson's contract on Wednesday - after an internal inquiry found the presenter had subjected producer Oisin Tymon to an quotUnprovoked physical and verbal attackquot at a North Yorkshire hotel. - www.bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukMonday 30 March 2015, AM
All 4
Requires a Now TV membership Requires a broadband internet connection to your Now TV Requires an HDMI-compatible TV Roku. Requires a Roku account Requires a broadband internet connection to your Roku box Requires an HDMI-compatible TV Sky. - apps.channel4.com
apps.channel4.comSunday 29 March 2015, PM
Cutting the cord: a look at the pros and cons of quitting cable
In any event, I'm already paying nearly 25 a month on top of that cable bill for services that I use far more than I use the cable. Canadian regulators have ordered the country's cable providers to offer their customers quotSkinnyquot basic cable packages and to give them the ability to add the channels they want on an la carte basis after that. - www.theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comSaturday 28 March 2015, AM
Labour wants strong BBC
The Labour Party has vowed not to weaken the BBC if it wins the election, publishing a policy paper which backs the licence fee and the corporation’s plans to commercialise in-house production. Speaking at a Bectu-hosted event about the UK film industry earlier this week, shadow arts minister Chris Bryant said he wants a “strong BBC” and promised not to “undermine the licence fee”. The message of support came ahead of the publication of today’s Labour-commissioned report which set out policy options for the creative industries during the next parliament. Compiled by former UK Film Council chief executive John Woodward, the review said the licence fee should be extended to account for the growth of on-demand viewing on BBC iPlayer. The paper, titled Leading the Field: A Review of the Creative Industries, also argued that it has “much sympathy” with BBC concerns over top-slicing the licence fee to free up funding for projects unrelated to the corporation’s core purposes. Instead, it said there is “more". - www.broadcastnow.co.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukDTG underpins Freeview Play with D-Book 8, the DTT requirements for interoperability in the UK
The D-Book 8 not only supports the Freeview and YouView platforms, it is also an essential reference for other UK platforms based on DVB-T and DVB-T2, such as EE TV, and is referenced by Freesat and the Freeview platforms in Australia and New Zealand. The tools for Freeview Play have been created alongside DTG Testing's development of test suites to ensure products for the new platform continue deliver the high standards of reliability for which Freeview is recognised. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.ukSound Digital wins national DAB multiplex
Sound Digital has a board of three directors, consisting of a senior executive director from each of Sound Digital's shareholder companies. Sound Digital plans to co-site transmitters for D2 with Digital One and the BBC national networks to avoid adjacent channel interference to existing digital radio services, and use the same dual satellite distribution feeds that are used by the Digital One network. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukReasons why Sound Digital won D2 licence
Ofcom considered Listen2Digital's technical coverage plan offered a slightly wider geographic scope of coverage of the UK than that offered by either of Sound Digital's technical plans, but that Sound Digital's technical plans overall offered more contiguous and reliable coverage in those areas where it was available. In reaction to the news, Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK, said quotThe award of the second national commercial DAB network to Sound Digital is a defining moment for digital radio and an unprecedented expansion, which will more than double the number of national commercial stations on DAB. Nearly 50 of UK households already have a digital radio, and over 60 of new car registrations have digital radio as standard, so if you don't have digital radio at home or in your car, the time is now. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukpick a page