Thursday 31 July 2014, PM
If anyone can make local TV work then it's the KM group in Kent | Media | theguardian.com
By chance, news broke that morning of the latest two local TV licences being granted by Ofcom to Maidstone and Basingstoke. It's interesting because it will be a real test for the local TV initiative. Secondly, the KM group has broadcasting experience through its radio outlets and already has good facilities. - theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com
Ofcom must be brave and revoke London Live licence | Comment | Broadcast
Local station is not living up to its promise of community-led content, says Jonathan Kaye With increasing incredulity, I read of London Live’s attempt to persuade Ofcom to reduce the number of hours it is required to devote to local content – and that the regulator is publicly consulting on this possibility. I helped London Live to bid for its licence, promising to assist it with disability issues and attracting the 1 million Londoners with disabilities, who collectively comprise London’s largest minority audience (as Boris Johnson has stated), if it won. However, once it had won, I was then told that it thought it could do this for itself. With programming that fails to appeal to, let alone focus on and attract, diverse minority audiences, I’m sure many would agree that it is little surprise that London Live is failing.. - broadcastnow.co.uk
www.broadcastnow.co.uk
BT's TV customer growth slows but broadband market share grows | Business | theguardian.com
Photograph Guardian BT has outperformed City forecasts thanks to strong demand for fibre broadband lines, but growth in its pay television business has slowed. Group revenues in the June quarter were ahead of forecasts, but down 2 on last year to 4.4bn, with only the consumer division posting growth. BT television added just 5,000 customers in the quarter, because some 35,000 inactive set top box owners were removed from the numbers. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comThursday 31 July 2014, AM
BBC remains tight-lipped over recruitment process for 23 high-profile journalists - citing data protection in FOI reject
The BBC has rejected a Freedom of Information request for more details about the recruitment of 23 high-profile journalists, citing data protection. The corporation came under fire last month when it appeared to indicate that two external recruits had been taken on through a closed process. A BBC insider told Press Gazette at the time There is only one recruitment process that me and my colleagues know is competitive and that's a recruitment process. - pressgazette.co.uk
www.pressgazette.co.ukAMC Networks Said to Discuss BBC America Stake - Bloomberg
A deal isnt assured, the people said. AMC would pay cash for the stake, said one person. AMC bought Chellomedia in October for 750 million euros 1.04 billion. - bloomberg.comwww.bloomberg.com
RadioToday | RAJAR: 6 Music more popular than Radio 3
BBC 6 Music has been chasing Radio 3 in the last few quarters, and today actually took over them in terms of people listening. 6 Music has attracted 1.89m people listening on digital radio only, whilst BBC Radio 3, which has a full network of FM transmitters across the country pulls in 1.8m. The figures are due to Radio 3s 5.6 year on year loss, and 6 Musics renewed popularity since it was suggested for closure. - radiotoday.co.uk
radiotoday.co.ukWednesday 30 July 2014, PM
4K video on terrestrial TV? Not if the WRC shares frequencies to mobiles
The other end of the spectrum Will we be retuning TVs again in 2021 On the first of those two points, it's important to remember that there aren't many sets out there which have HEVC decoders, and some of those are still pretty experimental. As I written before, there's still a mass of conflicting standards, regarding bit rates, colour depth have and more. - theregister.co.ukwww.theregister.co.ukTuesday 29 July 2014, AM
Sebastian Coe ruling out run for BBC Trust chairmanship – report | Sport | theguardian.com
Sebastian Coe has signalled he has pulled out of the race to become the next chairman of the BBC Trust. - gu.comgu.comMonday 28 July 2014, PM
BBC iPlayer - The Radiophonic Workshop live in concert
-www.bbc.co.ukSky goes for growth through European expansion | informitv
Despite increased competition in the United Kingdom, Sky continues to grow its customer base, adding 76,000 television subscribers in the last quarter and 264,000 year on year, taking it to 10.69 million homes. Sky believes bigger is better, with headroom for further growth, particularly in Germany and Italy, which have relatively low pay-television penetration. The enlarged Sky will be the leading pay-television provider in three of the four largest markets in Europe, with a combined total of over 19 million homes taking Sky television. - informitv.cominformitv.comTop Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson ‘deliberately used offensive racial term’ | Media | theguardian.com
During the special Clarkson and co-presenter Richard Hammond were observing their handiwork in building a makeshift bridge across the river Kwai, on which an Asian man was seen walking towards them. Clarkson said That is a proud moment ... but ... there is a slope on it. Hammond said You are right ... pointing ... it is definitely higher on that side. Clarkson then narrated, over images of the bridge We decide to ignore the slope and move onto the opening ceremony. Ofcom received two complaints from viewers who complained that the word Clarkson used was an offensive racist term. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
BBC News - Man arrested over Bath mast 'arson'
25 July 2014 Last updated at 1807 A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire at a communications mast near Bath. The fire at the Bathampton mast, which feeds television and radio broadcasts to 80,000 homes, started in the early hours of 3 January 2013. Police said a 30-year-old man had been arrested and was in custody. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukMonday 28 July 2014, AM
Britain's black actors must be given a better choice of roles, says star of Spielberg series | Film | The Observer
Speaking to the Observer this weekend from Hollywood, Etienne called for a better balance of parts for black newcomers at home. Etienne believes these talented actors are there because they had more chances as teenagers. Although some of these groups are still going, many have lost funding, and Etienne argues that all Britain's bigger cities should have projects like these. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comFriday 25 July 2014, PM
Feedback: BBC iPlayer last weekend: 25 Jul 14
downloads.bbc.co.ukLondon Live chief insists channel remains committed to local TV | Media | theguardian.com
The boss of London Live has said the station will still be local, despite planned cuts to its primetime local content, but admitted the challenge for the fledgling station had been tougher than anticipated. The station, which launched just four months ago, has also proposed a number of other changes, including reductions to the amount of local content it has to repeat, and fewer hours of local content in the years ahead. This is a new sector and we need to be able to grow as a business and evolve the business model to make sure we have something that makes sense. Kirkman said the official ratings body, Barb, has underestimated the size of London Lives audience because its panel of viewers in the capital is too small. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
London Live's experience proves that local TV is a dead duck | Media | theguardian.com
The TV channel is seeking to reduce its commitment to produce primetime local content from three hours a day to just one. Local TV is asking if the regulator wouldn't mind if it stopped broadcasting so much local content. This is a vindication of what I first said years ago when Jeremy Hunt first mooted his misguided local TV innovation - the public are just not interested. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comFriday 25 July 2014, AM
DTG :: News :: The Winners are announced!
The final four winners were Chirpan application which can send messages through an audible trigger from a television broadcast to a mobile app device to send the user interactive content such as links, video or images. CrowdEmotionInnovative facial recognition software which can read television viewers expressions to what they are watching on a television broadcast in real time. StreamHubAnalytics software for big data which combines viewing figures with social media, app and youtube data. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.ukWhy Rupert Murdoch's takeover of Time Warner would be bad for TV viewers | Media | theguardian.com
Rupert Murdoch has made a 80bn bid for rival Time Warner. He questioned, in an article in the Hollywood Reporter, the wisdom of companies getting bigger and bigger. Increasing size is a sickness that possesses us every quarter must show growth. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comLenny Henry is right about quotas for ethnic minorities in TV and film | Media | theguardian.com
Broadcast executives are perplexed by the statistics that Lenny Henry has recently exposed. Children of migrant parents have long been disproportionately encouraged to take vocational subjects in order to enter the professions, but the downturn of 2008, coupled with students increased reliance on parental income to support studies, means this pressure has increased considerably. They just arent black. Those from minority backgrounds are more likely to also come from economically disadvantaged families, and like most sectors of the creative industries, entry level applicants can expect to work as interns. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comThursday 24 July 2014, AM
BT tackles BSkyB in court before new Premier League season - Telegraph
BT is attempting to force its rival to allow it provide the channels to subscribers to its YouView internet-based television service. BT claims BSkyB refuses to strike a reasonable commercial deal and is abusing its dominance. A quick decision in its favour would be a fillip for BT, allowing it to market its main television with Sky Sports platform in time for the new Premier League season next month. - telegraph.co.ukwww.telegraph.co.uk
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/sky-access-control/
-stakeholders.ofcom.org.ukWednesday 23 July 2014, PM
Media: MH17 and Gaza reporting, Al Jazeera English journalist Sue Turton, Murdoch's media moves
downloads.bbc.co.uk
BBC News - BBC trials TV innovations at Commonwealth Games
Immersive viewing using virtual-reality technology is also being trialled. UHD streams, which have a native resolution of 4K or higher, roughly four times the resolution of standard 1080p high definition were already tested during the World Cup, earlier this year. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukWednesday 23 July 2014, AM
RadioToday | DAB digital radio turned-on in Derbyshire
The new transmitter at Quarndon takes local digital radio coverage for these stations from zero to over 350,000 listeners in the area, and adds over 259km of roads into DAB coverage for the first time. A further two transmitters will be switched on in Lichfield and Stanton Moor towards the end of the year. When all three transmitters have been launched around two thirds of people in the area will be able to listen to digital radio. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukITV confirms ITVBe launch date | presscentre
The new channel will be dedicated to lifestyle and entertainment programming, celebrating real life and real people. Details of schedule and broadcast hours will be confirmed closer to launch. - itv.comwww.itv.com
Ariel - Distribution moves into Future Media
The 40-strong team ensures that the BBC's public services are carried on all radio, television and digital platforms. The teams will continue to be based in London, but a new head will be appointed to look after the strategic direction of both Distribution and Business Development. The change is the result of a BBC Trust review into the broadcaster's distribution of its UK services. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukYouView expansion plans as shareholders agree | Advanced Television
The service has passed well over 1 million connected UK homes in less than 18 months since its marketing launch and claims industry-leading levels of satisfaction and VoD usage. YouView continues to target a long term goal of 10 million connected homes. YouView has signalled its continued success and growth by recently announcing a major recruitment drive that will expand its technology team by well over 50 per cent. - advanced-television.comadvanced-television.comTuesday 22 July 2014, AM
BBC Worldwide chief receives £231,000 bonus despite fall in profits | Media | theguardian.com
The BBC Worldwide chief executive was paid a bonus of more than 230,000 last year, despite a drop in profits partly resulting from the loss of Lonely Planet income. Tim Davie received total remuneration of 670,000, including a base salary of 400,000 and a bonus of 231,000, in the year to the end of March. Davie received the payout despite the corporations commercial arm suffering a 7 fall in revenues to 1.04bn, and a 21.5 fall in pre-tax profits to 126.5m over the period. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comMonday 21 July 2014, PM
BBC annual report: Tony Hall announces ?374m in annual savings - TV Radio - Media - The Independent
Lord Hall said the BBC had delivered 374m in annual savings and was on course to reach its target of 700m a year by 2016-2017, following the freeze in the Licence Fee in 2010. Although the BBC has reduced overall expenditure on senior management, the number of managers on more than 220,000 has increased. The BBC also managed to reduce its spending on presenting talent, although the numbers of such staff earning between 250,000 and 750,000 grew, from 14,100 to 14,800. - independent.co.uk
www.independent.co.uk
BBC News - Technical problems plague BBC online services
21 July 2014 Last updated at 1239 The BBC's flagship iPlayer service has been hit by technical problems that started over the weekend. Faults have also meant only a simplified version of the BBC's homepage can be shown, while online video and audio clips have also been disrupted. Internal investigation The corporation put out statements via Twitter apologising several times for the inconvenience the problems were causing. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/emp/embed/smpEmbed.html?playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fiplayer%2Fplaylist%2Fp0239dgq
-www.bbc.co.ukBBC - Annual Report - Annual Report
Each year the BBC reports to licence fee payers and audiences. The Annual Report and full financial statements are formally laid in Parliament in accordance with the requirements of the Charter. They are also published on the BBCs website. The Annual Report is made up of three parts. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
BBC News - BBC Annual Report 2013-14: At a glance
21 July 2014 Last updated at 1428 The BBC's annual report has been published for the financial year 2013-14. The BBC said it is on track to achieve the 700m savings per year it must make as part of its Delivering Quality First programme by 2016/17, having saved 374m in 2013/14 so far. Here are some of the key points from the review, which is conducted by the management and the corporation's regulatory body, the BBC Trust. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Date set for Derbyshire's DAB switch-on
A number of local stations will be broadcasting live from the official switch event of Arqivas new DAB digital radio transmitter in Derbyshire. The much-awaited multiplex has caused a number of local press articles asking questions about its delayed launch, after owners were granted a licence almost seven years ago. One new transmitter at Quarndon will be switched on this Wednesday morning after 8am, whilst a further two will launch later in the year, covering over 350,000 people. - radiotoday.co.ukradiotoday.co.ukBBC’s Evan Davis to join Newsnight following Jeremy Paxman’s departure | Media | theguardian.com
Daviss Newsnight move, confirmed on Monday by the BBC, ends months of speculation about who might replace Paxman, who was the shows main presenter for more than 20 years. The BBC announced that Paxman was leaving the show in late April and he presented his final edition on 18 June. Davis, 52, will present the show three nights a week with its existing team of presenters, Kirsty Wark, Emily Maitlis and Laura Kuenssberg, remaining on the show, sharing the other two nights a week. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comHalf of BBC Viewers are over 60 | informitv
Around half of all viewers to the two main BBC television channels are over 60 years of age, yet this age group makes up less than a quarter of the population of the United Kingdom. A quarter of those aged 25-34 barely watch BBC television. Television audiences have traditionally skewed to an older demographic, with younger adults generally watching less, but will this generation ever watch as much as their parents - informitv.cominformitv.comMonday 21 July 2014, AM
Media Monkey’s Diary: John Sweeney, Sky News and Game of Thrones | Media | The Guardian
Did the two big announcements really need to be simultaneous Wasnt this exactly the kind of burying of bad news if only temporarily that Harding would have condemned in his previous job as Beeb-bashing Times editor Among the trusts findings that made headlines was data showing that a handful of mostly aged programmes dominate evening air-time on BBC1, which was slated as too safe. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comBBC's cost-cutting drive prunes extra £6m off talent costs | Media | The Guardian
BBC Breakfast presenter Susanna Reid was the most high profile departure during the last financial year. Unveiling the corporation's annual report, the director general, Tony Hall, reveals that the corporation spent 194m on presenters and other on-air talent in the year to the end of March, down from 200m the previous year. He will also seek to raise morale among staff battered by years of cost-cutting another 415 job losses were announced in BBC News last week by revealing that some of the money freed up by the efficiency drive will be reinvested in a 4 boost to the content budget over the next three years. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comSunday 20 July 2014, PM
BBC iPlayer glitch takes down top TV shows | Media | The Guardian
The issues also affected publication of videos on the BBC website. The BBC News website appeared to working normally again on Sunday afternoon. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.comFox, Time Warner, and Rupert Murdoch's last game of thrones | Media | The Observer
After a two-week hiatus that had some wondering if he'd gone for good, Rupert Murdoch is back on Twitter. Murdoch had been organising the biggest deal of his storied career an 80bn bid for Time Warner by 21st Century Fox, his entertainment conglomerate. Disney, Fox, Time Warner, Viacom are all big businesses, but Google and Apple are each worth more than the combined market values of the media firms. - theguardian.comwww.theguardian.com
Ofcom | The Scheduling of Television Advertising
-stakeholders.ofcom.org.ukFriday 18 July 2014, PM
Feedback: Biased coverage? 18 Jul 14
downloads.bbc.co.ukBSkyB prepares to roll the dice again with European expansion | Reuters
Analysts have put the likely price at between 7 billion and 10 billion euros. Sources familiar with the deal have told Reuters the talks are progressing well but that there are still many areas they need to find agreement on. BSkyB, which declined to comment, has history in making expensive but ultimately winning gambles. - reuters.comwww.reuters.comDTG :: News :: Ed Vaizey MP promoted to newly created Digital Industries Minister role
Ed Vaizey has been promoted to a new role covering digital industries, as part of David Cameron's reshuffle. It's so far unclear what aspects of Vaizey's former role will fall under his new remit, nor whether his old position will remain open. DTG Staff 18.07.2014 Links open in a new window. - dtg.org.ukdtg.org.uk
City awaits ITV takeover bid as Liberty Global takes ?481m stake - Business News - Business - The Independent
Under City takeover rules, Liberty cannot make an offer for six months, unless another bidder emerges. However, ITV shares raced up 6 per cent to 195.1p, with analysts reckoning a take-over move is on the agenda. Fox has also made an audacious 80bn 47bn bid for Americas Time Warner amid a frenzy of TV industry consolidation. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.uk
BBC under fire after sharp decline in audience reach of young and ethnic minority viewers - News - TV Radio - The Inde
The Trust reported that a proportion of viewers do not find BBC1 sufficiently distinctive and it called on the flagship channel to take more creative risks. The review found that 63 per cent of BBC1s peak time 7pm-9pm schedule was taken up by just ten shows, all but one of which is at least seven years old. Some BBC1 viewers find the channel over-reliant on familiar programmes and believe that it has a tendency to play safe in programming and scheduling, the report said. - independent.co.ukwww.independent.co.ukThursday 17 July 2014, PM
Ariel - BBC One should be riskier, says trust
The trust's conclusions are detailed in a 37-page report about the health of the television channels and how they perform against their service licence. The 87,000 review - which happens every five years - included a public consultation with 5000 responses, extensive research, data from audience councils, and feedback from industry figures and BBC executives. Chief among them is the need for BBC One to 'take more creative risks while serving loyal audiences'. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
What Do Consumers Hate More Than TV Ads? Online Video Commercials - CMO Today - WSJ
A recent survey of about 700 consumers found that about 36 of those polled said they find online video ads more irritating than TV ads. Nearly half found both TV and online video ads equally annoying while only about 12 thought TV ads were more annoying. The online survey, conducted last month by ad buying software company Strata, found that younger viewers find targeted online video ads more invasive and annoying than older viewers. - blogs.wsj.comblogs.wsj.com
BBC News - BBC News to cut a further 415 jobs
The move is part of 800m efficiency savings required after the licence fee was frozen in 2010. The latest cuts are expected to save 48m by 2017. BBC News currently employs around 8,400 people, including around 5,000 journalists, based in London, around the UK and overseas. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Ariel - News cuts 415 posts to help save ?48m
The 'heavy impact' of the cuts on staff - jobs account for roughly half the total savings - was acknowledged by director of news James Harding, who said he shared their 'distress, concern and anxiety'. Speaking to staff at Broadcasting House's Radio Theatre, he said that the job losses were likely to affect around 500 people, taking part-time workers into account. 'Strenuous effort' would be made to fill these new posts through redeployment,' insisted Harding, who said requests for voluntary redundancy from across the News Group would also be granted wherever possible. - bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.ukpick a page