http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/5/5584604/this-is-android-tv

Google is stripping away unneeded features like telephony, cameras, touchscreen support and near-field communication to keep developers focused, and handing them ready-made interfaces where they can hopefully just plug in shows, games, photos, music, and films. Perhaps theres room for inventive new applications that harness the big screen, but the entry point is people lazing on the couch. Google had been sending the message that developers didn't actually need to build apps for TV at all simply special webpages for TV that could receive commands from a phone. - theverge.com

www.theverge.com

TV industry take note: this is what being disrupted by Amazon looks like Quartz

Amazonyesterday thrust itself into the increasingly crowded battle for control of your living room, with the launch of its own streaming device, FireTV. The online retailerhas an uphill battle aheadin streaming videoa sector dominated by Netflix and, to a lesser extent, Hulu, with Apple also trying to crack the code.Butthose populating the television ecosystem would do well to remember just how disruptive a force Amazon has been in Americas economy in recent years. Its share price has relentlessly marched higher while the established players in the industries it has taken onfirst book-selling, thenelectronicsand office supplies, among othershave all gone backwards. - qz.com

qz.com

BBC News - BBC iPlayer shows to be made available for 30 days

The changes are expected to be brought in this summer, following a formal assessment and advice from broadcasting watchdog Ofcom. The iPlayer receives around 10.7 million requests to stream or download TV and radio programmes each day. Research published today as part of the Trust's assessment found that 91 of 1000 iPlayer uses questioned would be 'very' or 'quite' interested in the window being extended. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC iPlayer - Help - Why has hi/lo option disappeared in radio console?

In the pop-up radio player we've removed the hi/lo option as we are now able to detect your bandwidth. We deliver the best quality stream based on your connection. If your connection drops, we'll change the quality version automatically so playback will not buffer and we'll increase the quality if your connection improves. - iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk

iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk

a516digital: BuzMuzik closes

The channel invited viewers to interact using facebook, twitter and text messaging, with a selection of messages posted alongside the music video being played. BuzMuzik boasted thousands of fans on Facebook and Twitter, before both accounts were deleted. BuzMuzik launched under two years ago on the 30th May 2012. - a516digital.com

www.a516digital.com

Market report: Tullow and BSkyB in the spotlight - Telegraph

The first is that, while the status quo is unchanged and the split of games is broadly similar, there is significant cost inflation of about 35pc. Worries about both possible outcomes are likely to return and weigh on BSkyBs shares, the analysts warned clients, sending the broadcaster down 26 to 892p, a 2.9pc fall. Two years ago, Tullow stock changed hands for more than 16 apiece, but a series of offshore drilling disappointments knocked the companys once-glowing exploration track-record. - telegraph.co.uk

www.telegraph.co.uk

RadioToday - RNIB Insight Radio launches on Freeview

The station, operating a community radio licence in Glasgow, is now available on channel 730 in addition to its position on Freesat channel 777 and Sky channel 0188. The station broadcasts a mix of news, information, audio books, magazines, newspapers and general entertainment programmes presented by blind or partially sighted people. It aims to reduce the isolation felt by the up to two million people in the UK living with serious sight loss and provide a relevant point of contact and source of information for those directly affected. Insight Radio is usually live from 8am till 5pm Monday to Friday and voice-tracked or repeats at other times. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

Do I need fibre optic broadband? - Broadband reviews - Computing - Which? Technology

Are the increasing number of fibre optic broadband packages over-priced and over-hyped, or the only way to stay connected We ask whether superfast fibre optic internet is really worth the extra cost, or if your best bet is to stick with the cheaper option of an ADSL connection, at least until prices for fibre start to fall. Find out what noticeable differences the extra speed will make to your everyday browsing and TV streaming experience, how urgent the need is to splash out on a superfast internet connection for your home, and when you can expect fibre optic broadband to become available across the UK, including in rural areas. - which.co.uk

www.which.co.uk

BBC News - Net neutrality law adopted by European Parliament

Operators have said the move would hinder their efforts to manage traffic. The law still needs to be approved by Europe's Council of Ministers. It would also prohibit mobile networks and broadband providers from blocking services - such as WhatApp messages or Google Drive storage - that compete with their own offerings. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BSkyB tells staff it will not intervene in Scottish independence debate - Media - theguardian.com

BSkyB has confirmed its commitment to remain in Scotland but has not explained the outcome a 'yes' vote would have on its products, such as Premier League football coverage. Sky is one of Scotland's largest private sector employers, with several of its largest customer service centres in sites such as Livingston. The company employs 6,400 staff directly and another 1,600 through its contractors. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

Media Talk podcast: Advertising Week Europe 2014

download.guardian.co.uk

What Waterloo Road taught us about long-running dramas - Television radio - theguardian.com

Until today, the parenthesis for Waterloo Road read 2006- , but now we know that its televisual death will come in 2015. After the completion of the 10th series that is about to begin shooting, school's out forever. Ten is a neat number another BBC1 drama perennial, Spooks, also ran to that number of seasons. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

Aereo Gets Support From Dish Network More Ahead Of Supreme Court Hearing

Supporters of theBarry Diller-backed company have until 1159 PM ET to add their voices to the cause. More briefs are expected throughout the evening well update as more come in. Here are a few highlights from ones submitted so far today Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen has good reason to support Aereo. - deadline.com

www.deadline.com

Those Who Insist Aereo Ruling Won't Impact Cloud Computing Don't Seem To Understand Cloud Computing - Techdirt

A few weeks ago, we wrote about how the Aereo case, which will be heard by the Supreme Court in a few weeks, is likely to have a huge impact on the future of cloud computing, and went into detail to explain why. The primary issue is that, under copyright law, what Aereo is doing is effectively indistinguishable from what most cloud computing services do. However, a number of folks who really seem to dislike Aereo continually insist that the case will have no impact whatsoever on cloud computing. - techdirt.com

www.techdirt.com

Media: Local TV; Johnston Press; Geordie Greig

downloads.bbc.co.uk

Amazon announces Fire TV, an Android-powered streaming set-top box

We've been waiting for it for quite sometime, but now Amazon is finally ready to make its play for the living room. Fire TV is not a barebones device like the Chromecast, it's a powerful Android-driven platform with ties to the broader Amazon ecosystem. Browsing through the Amazon video store is basically just scrolling through an endless barrage of movie posters presented in a moving 3D bar. - engadget.com

www.engadget.com

BBC News - Attempt to cut off illegal websites advertising revenue

It is hoped that firms that handle advertising will use the resource to make sure they do not serve advertising on those sites, cutting off revenue. Top piracy sites generate millions of pounds thanks to advertising. One estimate, from the Digital Citizens Alliance - a group backed by rights holders - suggested that piracy websites worldwide generated 227m 137m from advertising revenue each year. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC - Media Centre - Tim Davie to re-join the BBC’s Executive Board

A biography of Tim Davie is available here. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Government accuses BBC of creating false balance on climate change with unqualified sceptics - Environment -

In a damning parliamentary report, the BBC is criticised for distorting the debate on man-made climate change for which it says the scientific evidence is overwhelming through its determination to put the other side of the argument across. Radio 4s Today and World at One programmes come in for particular criticism, as do the BBCs television news programmes. The BBCs determination to give a balanced view has seen it pit well-respected scientists arguing for climate change against far less qualified opponents such as Lord Lawson of Blaby, who heads a campaign group lobbying against the governments climate change policies. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

MPs criticise BBC for 'false balance' in climate change coverage - Environment - The Guardian

The MPs called on the BBC to develop clear editorial guidelines for all commentators and presenters on the facts of climate change. Lawson is also the chairman of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, a thinktank that casts doubt on climate change science and questions the economic costs of responding to it. The report stated unequivocally that warming was already occurring and that the dominant force behind it was human activity, but the BBC gave considerable airtime to sceptics who did not accept the findings. - gu.com

gu.com

BT executive: 'count us out' of Channel 5 bid - Media - theguardian.com

Richard Desmond's Channel 5 BT executive John Petter says there is 'not a lot to hang your hat on' at the channel. BT's apparent lack of appetite for the broadcaster will be a blow to Desmond, who acquired the business for just 103.5m almost four years ago. He is targeting a 700m sale price for Channel 5, 10 times its estimated profit of 70m this year. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

BT befriends Google's lonely TV dongle – and saves YouView • The Register

The caveat, unsurprisingly, is that only BT Broadband customers will be able to view the footie via Chromecast. This entails a streaming box the standalone cost is under a tenner, with either five sports day passes, or five months of Sky Movies, for 34.99. BT this week helped assure the future development of YouView for another five years, after the broadcaster shareholders slashed their commitment to the platform. - theregister.co.uk

www.theregister.co.uk

The new British invasion: Why Amazon, Hulu and Netflix love UK TV shows Tech News and Analysis

The irony, of course, is that British television has consistently been heralded as some of the best in the world well, maybe Doctor Who isnt for everyone, but we can all agree about the original British Office. By supporting our originals with well-targeted advertising and publicity, weve seen a meaningful uptick in awareness not only for The Wrong Mans, but for Hulu Originals overall, Koh said. Of course, the British TV boom in America might have to do with the fact that its not seen as primarily British. - gigaom.com

gigaom.com

BBC News - Rural broadband: MP slams secretive BT

Her committee said that many of the maps released lacked sufficient detail about coverage and the speeds that would be provided. BT highlighted that it was audited by the National Audit Office and said it delivered value for money. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Ariel - World Service makes its move

1 April 2014 Last updated at 0919 The World Service moves from Foreign Office to licence-fee funding today. Ariel asks Peter Horrocks, World Service Group director, what this means for staff. Apart from a new name on the pay cheque, will World Service staff notice any difference - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

London Live: anarchy and diversity as community TV station launches - Media - The Guardian

Evgeny Lebedev, the neatly bearded Russian media tycoon who owns the Standard and though up for sale the Independent titles, has gambled that there is an audience for more about the English capital. The launch of London Live certainly saw it live up to the first word in its name at 8.15pm peak-time, we got a Chelsea fan trying to eat a pie named after an Arsenal star and the second word as well. The Lebedev version looked like any other TV panel show except for the guests. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

BBC News - Rural broadband maps criticised for lacking detail

A committee of MPs said that many of the maps released lacked sufficient detail about coverage and the speeds that would be provided. Since then BT has secured all of the 18 further contracts offered. Pac also raised concern that the maps published by local bodies showing where broadband would be offered often lacked detail. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

London Live launch review: Hollywood A-listers, sharp chat, great food – and that’s just the first course - Reviews - TV

The very first face we saw belonged to Maleena Pone, one of the roving presenters on daily entertainment-news show London Go and a sunny enough presence to shine through this overcast evening on the Southbank. It wouldnt be live TV if there wasnt one unplanned interruption, but its an auspicious start that this one was in keeping with the housing theme two Russell Brand-a-likes shouting Its better to squat than let homes rot in the middle of one of Pones interviews. This player is used within article copy as first element. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

Why a Loss for Aereo Wouldn t Threaten Cloud Services - Variety

If the broadcasters succeed, the consequences to American consumers and the cloud industry are chilling, Aereo said this week, in a statement after filingits response brief with the court. A decision against Aereo would upend and cripple the entire cloud industry. But thats just not true. The reasoning An individual user not Cablevision initiates recording and playback, from dedicated hardware, ergo its a private performance. - variety.com

variety.com

UK copyright tweak in June will finally allow ripping of CDs - Technology - theguardian.com

Fifteen years after the first MP3 players went on sale in the UK, it will soon be legal to copy music you've bought on to them from a CD you own. Record labels have known about this for years - but have turned a blind eye, because prosecuting everyone who bought a music player or transferred files to their phone would be both ruinously expensive and terrible publicity. If you give away or sell a CD that you have backed up, you'll have to destroy the backup copy to stay within the law, the guidance notes. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

ITV commercial director: 90% of content is crap - World news - theguardian.com

Simon Daglish, ITV group's commercial director, hits out at media companies producing sub-par content. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

Information Commissioner investigating alleged data protection breaches in latest BBC Panorama investigation - TV

The Mayor who has denied allegations from opponents that he has used public funds to promote himself and build his power base promptly published a statement online, accusing the BBC of making a racist and Islamophobic programme. I believe the programme is being used for political campaigning and electioneering purposes just weeks before local and Mayoral elections in May, the statement said. It said We can confirm that there has been a breach of data protection at an independent production company working with the BBC on a Panorama investigation as a result of unauthorised disclosure by a former researcher on the production team, in breach of her obligation of confidentiality. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

RadioToday - BFBS launches Brize Norton DAB station

The Brize breakfast show on weekdays will broadcast music, local news and information for the regions military community, but the daily schedule will also include live bulletins from British Forces News with national and international military stories. Posted on Monday, March 31st, 2014 at 705 am by Radio Today UK. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

ITV commercial boss warns brands that 90% of content is 'crap' - Media - theguardian.com

He said ITV still sometimes got it wrong despite 57 years of experience and a 1bn annual programme spend. He said ITV had experimented with advertiser-funded programmes but said it had not worked because it interfered too much in the relationship between the broadcaster and viewer. Daglish used his appearance on the conference's opening day to announce ITV had signed up with sponsored content service, Twitter Amplify. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

BBC's Peter Horrocks: 'It's not that easy to get advertising in Somalia' - Media - The Guardian

It is not the only revolution being overseen by Horrocks, the 54-year-old former editor of Newsnight and Panorama, as his organisation is about to become the first BBC licence fee-funded operation to take advertising and sponsorship. The BBC's international news services now have a record worldwide reach of 256 million 192 million via the World Service in its various forms, including digital. Plus, it has nearly 2 million listeners in the UK every week including its overnight broadcasts on Radio 4. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

Can Tony Hall's plans for the BBC win over the arts crowd? - Media - The Guardian

Conducting an arts drive BBC director general Tony Hall. Looked at dispassionately, the package is one that might well improve the visibility and accessibility of BBC arts coverage of which there is already probably more than many people realise. It contains very little new money, though, and with no budget or commissioning power the new director of arts could struggle to make an appreciable impact on ratings-driven channel controllers and commissioners. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

BBC News - BBC must protect World Service, MPs say

A report by the foreign affairs committee was published as the BBC prepared to take over responsibility for funding the service. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

Ofcom - Ofcom announces its priorities for the coming year

Ofcom today published its 2014/15 Annual Plan, confirming its strategy and work programme for the next financial year. This work is designed to build on some significant developments in the UKs communications infrastructure. Network rollout Ofcom will continue to monitor and promote new network deployment. - media.ofcom.org.uk

media.ofcom.org.uk

Cable Forum: Virgin Media wins High Court patent battle

The findings echo a previous case Rovi brought against Virgin Media in 2011, in which three other of its patents were ruled invalid. A Virgin Media spokesman said Of the five Rovi patents to reach judgment, all five have been found invalid by the Court. Were pleased the Court has dismissed Rovis claims. - cableforum.co.uk

www.cableforum.co.uk

Licence fee shake-up ‘will cost BBC £500m’ - TV Radio - Media - The Independent

The sum would be required to cover the cost of introducing a new system to cut off television signals to non-payers, which is seen as an inevitable consequence of reforms that would make licence-fee offences civil rather than criminal matters. Management has been shocked by the potential impact of the proposals, which are outlined in an amendment to the forthcoming Deregulation Bill, and backed by ministers, on its future income. It has calculated that a probable rise in non-payment would cost 200m in lost income each year, equivalent to the combined annual budgets of Radio 2 and CBeebies. - independent.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk

How not to digitally relaunch a radio station

We know that younger stations need to really focus on online - because that's where you'll find new listeners, and increasingly that's how listeners consume you. The station launched this morning with some nicely produced audio - and with almost no thought put into their digital future. Despite Phantom FM closing down on the 16th March, their website is still there pic. - mediauk.com

www.mediauk.com

a516digital: BBC World Service makes the funding switch

The BBC World Service becomes a licence-fee funded service this week. It's the result of the 2010 licence fee agreement, which sees the international service switch from Foreign and Commonwealth Office FCO funding. As a result, in 2011 the BBC announced that up to 650 jobs would be cut. - a516digital.com

www.a516digital.com

Ofcom - Local commercial analogue radio licence durations

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stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

BBC - Media Centre - BBC Two celebrates 50th anniversary with raft of new comedy and entertainment programmes

As well as making us laugh, the channel has had an incredible cultural impact on the music weve listened to and the sport weve watched. From being the first to broadcast snooker in colour to our recent ground-breaking Glastonbury coverage, two new documentaries celebrate how BBC Two has led the way in mind-expanding entertainment. Harry adds They kindly asked us to do a homage to 50 years of BBC Two. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

YouView future to be secured by £100m-plus shareholder deal - Media - theguardian.com

YouViews seven backers have agreeda 100m-plus funding deal which should secure the future of the internet-based TV service. YouView's backers are set to sign a 100m-plus deal to secure the future of the internet-based TV service with all seven partners, including the BBC, remaining on board as equal shareholders in the venture. Under the terms of the new deal, it is understood that the seven shareholders will each retain equal ownership a 14.3 stake and have agreed a multi-year funding plan thought to be more than 100m. - theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com

BBC - Blogs - About the BBC - What's on BBC Red Button 29 March - 5 April

Watch them play old favourites and new tracks all this week on the Red Button. The valuation game is simple, fun and free to play. The play along is not available on Virgin TiVo but remember you can also download the BBC's free mobile play along app. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk

RadioToday - BBC to test DAB+ radio service this year

Speaking at the RadioDaysEurope event, Helen shared stats on digital radio, but said high quality distinctive content will win but we need cheaper conversations for in-car listening. In UK radio, 20 of listening is in car, 90 of vehicles do not have digital radio. 40 of new cars come with DAB as standard, but 60 dont. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

RadioToday - Ofcom consults on duration of FM licences

Ofcom has started a consultation on the duration of local commercial analogue radio licences in light of the current DAB situation. Since 2010, Ofcoms policy has been that re-advertised licences should have a seven year duration. However, the regulator has the power to set the duration up to 12 years. - radiotoday.co.uk

radiotoday.co.uk

BBC News - MPs back moves to decriminalise TV licence fee non-payment

They voted in favour of an amendment to the Deregulation Bill, which could become law later this year, proposing a subsequent review of non-payment penalty options. Ministers could then decide to move to a system of civil penalties, probably around the summer of 2015. The BBC has said possible financial losses could cause channels to close. - bbc.co.uk

www.bbc.co.uk