Thursday 20 November 2014, AM
DTG :: News :: Ofcom sets 2020 for next digital TV/mobile broadband spectrum reshuffle
Digital terrestrial TV frequencies could be reshuffled as early as 2020 under Ofcom's latest plan to accommodate rising demand for mobile broadband. Communications regulator Ofcom claims that the move will deliver at least 900m in benefits to the economy, and will cost up to 660m to modify TV transmitters, replace aerials and compensate other users of the spectrum. This decision ensures that we are making the raw materials available with which investors and companies can build the services which will support the digital economy of the future. - dtg.org.uk
dtg.org.uk
Ariel - Sajid Javid reassures MP on licence fee
'The government has said that the charter review will not be starting in advance of the election in 2015,' Javid adds. In a publicised letter to the culture secretary, Bridgen called for the BBC licence fee to be replaced with a system of voluntary 'subscription-based payment options'. 'Sky is universally available and half choose to subscribe. - bbc.co.uk
www.bbc.co.ukWednesday 19 November 2014, PM
Ariel - Radio 4 has to 'dazzle' in digital world
18 November 2014 Last updated at 1614 The biggest challenge for Radio 4 is to carve out a 'dazzling digital life' for itself, but that does not mean commissioning digital extras for every programme, says controller Gwyneth Williams. 'Making the digital side of Radio 4 come to life in an exciting way is a tremendous challenge,' she admitted, alongside 'delivering creative content of the highest standard, within budget'. Radio first The fact that, as panel chairman Robin Lustig pointed out, there was 'no radio version of YouTube' was part of that challenge, currently being tackled by 'a lot of very smart people on Radio 4'. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC losing out on hundreds of millions due to international users pirating iPlayer - Online - Media - The Independent
Its a missed opportunity for the BBC, he said. The report was based on interviews with 170,000 people in 32 countries over the past year and 500,000 since 2009. The BBC said it would not advertise to people who were accessing its services unlawfully. - independent.co.uk
www.independent.co.uk
BBC continues to switch off local radio AM transmitters | RadioToday
In a new trial to save money, three of the stations are now broadcasting a message asking listeners to re tune to FM or DAB instead. The BBC is required to make savings and one potential way to do this, and maintain value for money, is to switch off medium wave transmitters in those places where FM or digital radio coverage is also available, the corporation said today. At BBC Surrey, all medium wave listening is affected. - radiotoday.co.uk
radiotoday.co.ukOfcom chief says regulator has to be involved in politics to function | Media | theguardian.com
Ed Richards, the outgoing Ofcom chief executive, has said it would be delusional to think the regulator is not involved in political circles. He also said that it was too easy for media companies to appeal Ofcoms regulatory decisions and on any given week it was defending up to 10 of its rulings in the courts. Richards added that when he joined Ofcom in 2003, it employed 10 lawyers, now it has a team of about 40. - theguardian.com
www.theguardian.comOfcom appoints director Steve Unger as interim chief executive | Media | theguardian.com
Ofcom has appointed director Steve Unger to take over as interim chief executive when Ed Richards leaves at the end of the year. Unger is currently director of the media regulators strategy, international, technology and economist group. Unger, like Edwards, joined Ofcom at its inception in 2003. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comTuesday 18 November 2014, PM
BBC News - Ultra high definition video gives firms clearer picture
Hybrid photography Several photographers told me they are not waiting for 2015 - they are ready to jump in now. Still pictures that move 4K video heralds a new era of hybrid photography This is good enough quality to print at a decent size, although it's still way below the 18-to-22 megapixels professional-grade stills cameras can now achieve. In many circles - including the porn industry, which invariably can be found at technology's cutting edge - this facility could see photography and videography merging into one discipline. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukBBC licence fee: MP calling for voluntary system expects fast reply | Media | theguardian.com
The Conservative MP calling for the BBC licence fee to be replaced with a voluntary subscription is expecting a response to his request for a review of the matter from the culture secretary by the middle of the week. Up to 50 MPs could back Bridgens call for a review of the licence fee, outlined in his letter to Javid, according to the Sunday Express. It is thought that some of the BBCs political supporters may also write to Javid, countering some of Bridgens suggestions. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comOfcom to investigate over 50 community radio stations | RadioToday
A quarter of all community radio stations are to be investigatedby Ofcom about not sticking to their Key Commitments. In community radio terms, the Key Commitments is the equivalent of a Format for commercial stations, but the content is written by the stations themselves when they apply for a licence. The regulator says it has launched investigations at 53 stations as a result of issues raised in the relevant Community Radio Licensees Annual Reports, which keeps Ofcom informed of what each station is doing. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.uk10 powerful adverts that changed the way we think | Media Network | The Guardian
If done properly, it broadens and enhances the way we see the world, getting us to think, feel and consider the space and issues around us in a new light. Below are 10 ads that we believe do just this. Nike If You Let Me Play This film is a mini masterpiece which tackles a big issue in a very elegant way, with swagger and irony. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comMonday 17 November 2014, AM
Panorama makes headlines with ‘Fake Sheikh’ – but faces a narrower outlook | Media | The Guardian
The BBCs venerable current affairs series Panorama of which, by way of a declaration of interest, I was once editor has been very much in the news. This proposal comes straight from director general Tony Halls core strategy for the imminent charter and licence fee renewal debate compete or compare. In Westminster efficiency and the level of the licence fee are major concerns and Hall and his top team, including former culture secretary James Purnell, know they must confront it. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
BBC News - Broadband speed adverts targeted by watchdog Which?
17 November 2014 Last updated at 0048 Consumer watchdog Which has called for regulators to change the way broadband services are advertised. Currently providers can use a headline speed for services even if only 10 of customers will actually get that speed. Which found that a quarter of people would have chosen another deal if they had been better informed about the actual speeds they would receive. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukSaturday 15 November 2014, PM
Friday 14 November 2014, PM
Broadcasters Get Court To Stop Consumers From Seeing How Much Cable Companies Pay For Content
Broadcasters Get Court To Stop Consumers From Seeing How Much Cable Companies Pay For Content - consumerist.comconsumerist.comFeedback: Newsbeat: 14 Nov 14
downloads.bbc.co.ukBBC Local Radio programmes get 30 days on iPlayer | RadioToday
The change happens at 6am this Saturday, when content will move from the current seven day catch-up window to a month. The change brings the local radio network in line with regional and national radio stations which changed to 30 days in October, along with television programmes. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukFriday 14 November 2014, AM
ITV chief admits ratings slump but advertising revenue is up 6% | Media | The Guardian
ITVs total revenues rose 8 in the first nine months of the year to 1.8bn, with advertising revenues up 6 in the first nine months to 1.16bn. Adam Crozier said the broadcaster would see TV ad revenue up 5 for the full year, which will be ITVs best outperformance of the market for five years. However, Crozier said ratings across its family of channels was not as good as would like, with its share of viewing down 5 so far this year. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comThursday 13 November 2014, AM
Don’t Buy TVs revealed in our latest testing - November - 2014 - Which? News
13 November 2014 We don't name products as Don't Buys easily, but sometimes our tests reveal TVs that just aren't up to the standards we'd expect. We've seen big advances in television design and production in recent years, but almost half of the TVs in our latest batch scored so poorly that they qualify as a Which They'll be frustrating to use, with badly designed menus and fiddly remote controls, and you'll likely miss out on the latest, premium TV features. You may tempted by their low price tags, but we find that with these poor TVs, you won't be getting the best overall value for your cash. - which.co.uk
www.which.co.ukFuture of BBC3 to be discussed before Christmas by BBC Trust | Media | theguardian.com
The BBC intends to save 50m annually by shutting the TV channel in autumn next year. A handful of shows will be broadcast on BBC1, while BBC3 will become online-only. The prospect of an alternative commercial future for the channel or its TV programming content has enticed the BBCs rivals. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comJulia Davis to star in Channel 4 sitcom about failing TV breakfast show | Media | theguardian.com
Julia Davis is to star in a new Channel 4 sitcom about a failing breakfast TV show in which any resemblance to real-life programmes past or present is presumably entirely coincidental. In recent years C4 dramas have tended to air at 9pm or 10pm. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comWednesday 12 November 2014, PM
Tuesday 11 November 2014, PM
BBC mulls paying local newspapers for content and fund to pay for court reporting | Press Gazette
BBC head of news James Harding said the corporation is investigating buying content from local newspapers and setting up a fund to pay for court reporting. He told editors that the BBC wants more partnerships, more openness, more trying things out. The newspaper industry is in much worse shape. - pressgazette.co.ukwww.pressgazette.co.uk
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/revelation-tv-britains-first-televangelist-station-facing-investigation
The statutory investigation, which was opened on 8 September but only announced this week, is the most serious form of inquiry available to the Charity Commission. It said it had decided to launch the probe after receiving a number of complaints that the charity was being used for private advantage. In a statement, the regulator said it had scrutinised the Revelation Foundations accounts and had identified a number of concerns including potential significant loss of charitable funds, trustee benefits, conflicts of interest and connected party transactions. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukRadioplayer extends to Ireland in a new deal with RTE | RadioToday
Radioplayer is extending to Ireland after a deal was made with RT and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland. Itll launch on all 43 Independent and RT stations next month, for an initial three year term. This now means we have four territories outside of the UK using Radioplayer, which clearly demonstrates that broadcasters working together in a territory is a vital part of the future of radio. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.uk
Sky demands clarity from ITV over retransmission fees | News | Broadcast
Sky has called on ITV to provide “concrete details” in the retransmission fees debate and has raised the prospect of potential blackouts. A blog titled Three Questions for ITV to Answer this Week, was posted earlier today by Sky group director of corporate affairs, Graham McWilliam to coincide with ITV’s interim results due out on Thursday. McWilliam claimed that ITV had “gone silent” after publishing a report in September which called for pay-TV operators such as Sky and Virgin Media to pay retransmission fees to public service broadcasters in line with the model adopted in the US. - broadcastnow.co.uk
www.broadcastnow.co.ukTuesday 11 November 2014, AM
London is digital radio city with over 60 DAB stations | RadioToday
Much of London can also receive local DAB stations from the Home Counties. In London homes, the share of digital listening now exceeds the share of analogue listening. 54 of Londoners now have a DAB digital radio Rajar Q3 2014. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukMonday 10 November 2014, PM
Signalling a change | Comment | Broadcast
There will be enough room to move multiplexes into the 600MHz band, but there will need to be a public campaign to tell some households to retune their set-top boxes, and considerable replanning of the network. Some 250 million people across Europe rely on DTT. Viewers need to be warned because equipment will need to be retuned and there could be interference issues. - broadcastnow.co.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukAmazon.co.uk: The future of TV? It?s in the cloud
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www.amazon.co.ukhttps://gigaom.com/2014/11/10/obama-tells-the-fcc-to-implement-real-net-neutrality-and-hes-serious/
Proving himself the policy nerd who pundits deride, President Obama has issued a comprehensive statement on network neutrality that covers all of the points left uncovered in his generic praise for the policy a few weeks back. Such rules would seek to prevent ISPs from blocking or slowing lawful content on both their last mile networks and at interconnection points. The president also called for network neutrality rules to apply to wireless networks, something that the original Open Internet Order from 2010 didnt even do. - gigaom.com
gigaom.com
CBSN - Live Streaming Video News Channel - CBS News
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cbsn.cbsnews.comDTG :: News :: Britons want smart smart homes but we don't want to pay for them
Smart entertainment, energy, heating and appliances have captured the imagination of British consumers but not their spending power. A GfK survey found that 76 of adults want smart home technology but only 35 are willing to pay for the upgrades. The most desirable feature is a smart energy meter at 84, but only 24 of us are willing to pay for them. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.uk
BBC News - TV technology for the 2020 Olympics
Japanese broadcaster NHK is planning to go super hi-tech for its coverage of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The games will be offered in Super 8K - 16 times sharper than high definition televisions and microphones that can zoom in on sound anywhere in the stadium. BBC Click's Dan Simmons went to see the technology in action. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukGlobal to launch Smooth Extra on national DAB | RadioToday
The new sister station will play melodic music from December 27th, on the slot currently used by Smooth Radio on Digital One, at 80kbps in mono. Smooth Xmas was previously broadcast in 2011 and 2012 by previous owner GMG Radio but disappeared in 2013. The format for music from the 70s, 80s and early 90s was added to Digital Ones licence in 2013. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukRussia Today threatened with Ofcom sanctions due to bias | Media | theguardian.com
Russia Today has been threatened with statutory sanctions by media regulator Ofcom after the Kremlin-backed news channel breached broadcasting regulations on impartiality with its coverage of the Ukraine crisis. The regulator flagged up four separate reports, all broadcast in March this year, all dealing with the situation in Ukraine. Ofcom said it recognised that RT, which is funded by the Russian government and launched a UK version last month, would want to present the news from a Russian perspective. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comMonday 10 November 2014, AM
Cory Doctorow: "We??re all sharecroppers in Google??s fields for the rest of eternity"
Either you frolic in an endless bounty of free i.e., stolen media without a care for its creators doomed to receive less than a pittance for their hard work and talent, or you stand by the corporate entities who, however futilely, battle pirates and intellectual-property thieves. If youre an artist, you must side with the heavies or resign yourself to keeping that day job forever because these days no one is willing to shell out for your books, music or films unless theyre forced to. The novelist and journalist Cory Doctorow, a longtime critic of zealous copyright protection, advocates a middle way, which may come as a surprise to those only superficially acquainted with his writings on technology. - salon.com
www.salon.com
Youview eyes app push | News | Broadcast
YouTube and Spotify could be among the next wave of services to follow Netflix onto Youview, as it prepares to launch a dedicated apps section. The connected TV service, which launched Netflix last week, is preparing an aggressive push into the apps space next year. Youview plans to launch an ‘Apps’ section on its EPG menu to sit alongside the ‘Players’ area. The likes of iPlayer, 4oD, Now TV, UKTV Play and now Netflix sit in the latter, but the idea is that YouTube music streaming service Spotify and emerging providers with limited catalogue could feature in the former.. - broadcastnow.co.ukwww.broadcastnow.co.ukSaturday 08 November 2014, AM
DTG :: News :: DCMS wants DTT and mobile spectrum users to 'co-exist happily'
The UK government's head of spectrum planning wants digital terrestrial TV and mobile platforms to reach a deal on sharing sub-700MHz frequencies without regulators getting involved. The 3.4GHz band is currently used for wireless broadband in six countries including the UK, Canada and Spain. Ofcom wants to release 190MHz of spectrum currently reserved for the Ministry of Defence, with a consultation on the proposed auction open until January 23, 2015. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.ukFriday 07 November 2014, PM
Feedback: Re-discovering Hancock's Half Hour: 7 Nov 14
downloads.bbc.co.uk
#16 - Radio 1 to launch iPlayer channel, BT wins access to Sky Sports and the TV ads going viral for Christmas - The Med
feedproxy.google.comThursday 06 November 2014, PM
Ariel - Worldwide names its Store director
BBC Store is due to launch next year, after the trust approved plans last February, with a longer term aim to make it part of iPlayer. The idea is that people will be able to use iPlayer to search for shows, buy them through links to BBC Store and watch them via the catch-up service. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukDTG :: News :: UK's ?41m 5G mobile broadband research test bed to launch in 2015
Next-generation mobile broadband technology will be developed in the UK at a 41.6 million 5G Innovation Centre from January 2015. It will be home to 150 researchers and around 100 PhD students, who will develop advanced technologies for a 5G network of the future, and test them in a real world environment. DTG Staff 06.11.2014 Links open in a new window. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.ukNew news service to launch for radio stations | RadioToday
An alternative hourly news bulletin will soon be available from a team of journalists setting up a new company, Radio News Hub. The service is aimed at English speaking radio stations both home and abroad and launches early in 2015, providing a 60 second bulletin Monday to Friday 6am to 7pm, delivered online. Stations also have the option of adding twice daily sport, showbiz and business bulletins along with a classified football results package on a Saturday afternoon. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.uk
BBC News - Made in Leeds TV channel launches on Freeview and cable
6 November 2014 Last updated at 0757 Leeds's local TV channel is set to launch on Freeview and cable for the first time later. Made in Leeds will be screened on Freeview and on a local cable network. The channel will launch at 2000 BST and follows the introduction of Sheffield Live in September. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukThursday 06 November 2014, AM
UPDATE 1-Court says Sky must allow BT to carry its sports channels | Reuters
That was over-ruled by the Competition Appeal Tribunal, a decision which itself was later challenged by the Court of Appeal. A spokesman for BT, which has itself moved aggressively into sports programming, said the channels would be offered to its YouView customers very shortly. Sky said the judgement was purely an interim measure. - reuters.com
www.reuters.comWednesday 05 November 2014, PM
The time is right for streaming TV says EE boss
The head of EE TV has said that he is excited about the level of public interest in the as yet unlaunched streaming content service. Weve been working closely with a host of industry partners for a number of months to create a compelling range of Freeview and on-demand services that will be in place at launch. Consumers have a lot of choice today in how they access their favourite TV shows and increased competition encourages everyone in the industry to improve. - cable.co.uk
www.cable.co.ukMedia: Al Jazeera English chief; BT Sport and Sky sports; BBC R1 on iPlayer; pay-per-view news
downloads.bbc.co.uk
Mobile phone coverage maps are SO confusing - BBC Newsbeat
The government says it wants to make phone operators share coverage to cut out so-called notspots - areas where there's no signal. At Newsbeat we admit we're finding it a bit difficult to get our heads around the various maps. It's the coverage map by the regulator Ofcom, the people in charge of keeping the phone companies in check. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukSky Sports must be offered to BT’s YouView customers, says regulator | Media | theguardian.com
The decision by the Competition Appeal Tribunal follows four years of legal wrangling, and, while it is an interim ruling, it nevertheless marks a major victory for Skys rivals and media regulator Ofcom. In 2010, Ofcom first tried to force BSkyB to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 at a 23 discount to rivals as a curb on the satellite broadcaster abusing its dominant position in the market. The new pricing structure proposed by Ofcom is referred to as wholesale must offer. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comComplete guide to 4G - Phones - Which? Technology
4G is a step up in speed from the 3G network that most current phones use to access the internet. 4G is all about faster internet speeds it offers no improvement in making calls or sending texts. With 4G, your phone can open webpages instantaneously, download apps and songs in seconds, and stream videos without any annoying buffering. - which.co.ukwww.which.co.ukpick a page