Keep up with the daily developments that effect free TV in the UK. This list is updated often - you can follow
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Podcasts
First, here are some podcasts to listen to - click the link for direct play.
Media: Loss of listeners to Radio 1 22 May 13
Media Talk podcast: Nick Grimshaw and the missing million
Media Talk podcast: Nick Grimshaw and the missing million Recommended reading
And here are the daily recommendations for developments with Freeview, Freesat, Freesat from Sky, Digital radio, free HD and online viewing. Summaries are done by
Clipped-Your articles and documents summarizedMonday 15 October 2012, PM
Local TV network plan could be hit by signal black spots - Media - guardian.co.ukMedia regulator Ofcom has so far awarded eight of the 21 local television licences in cities and towns across the UK. It has emerged there could be significant holes in broadcast coverage in places where households would expect to be able to tune in, according to a document provided to bidders. The document, providing coverage maps for all the local TV licence areas, shows issues with a number of areas including south London and areas close to Oxford. - guardian.co.uk
Saturday 13 October 2012, PM
BBC News - BBCs devolution message better - bbc.co.uk
Saturday 13 October 2012, AM
BBC - Research and Development: Digital HD Radio Camera: Taking halfRF to IBCAt this stage our project had advanced to the stage where ourtransmitter comprised of what we call the wedding cake, which is a rather large unit about 300mm x 300mm x 200mm plus an antenna pole. This large transmitter was based on a DSP board that we had built with at least four purposes in mind. These four purposes were to be the main board in our receiver, a platform to test advanced RF algorithms, a channel emulator and a channel sounder, so it had a lot more functionality than would be required for a transmitter back. - bbc.co.uk
Heart and Capital TV start broadcasting : Radio TodayAs announced in July, Global Radio has launched two television channels to mirror their biggest radio brands, Heart and Capital. We want our brands to lead the way in delivering great content to people wherever and however they enjoy music, and the launch of Heart TV and Capital TV is the next step in deepening and extending the relationship weve already built with our audiences. These channels are absolutely stunning, they look gorgeous, are incredibly slick and represent the next generation of music TV channels. - radiotoday.co.uk
Heart TV and Capital TV - what it should be?The Italian radio stations RTL102.5s Radiovisione is something a little different. Have you watched Heart TV or Capital TV yet - mediauk.com
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: BBC Future Media AmbassadorsThe Olympics was a huge success for our division. However what we achieved this summer is now the baseline of what we expect from our teams. To do this we need to keep on attracting and recruiting top talent. - bbc.co.uk
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's On BBC Red Button 13th - 20th OctoberWe are doing this because these services rely entirely on linear broadcast technologies, which are not cost-effective for an interactive service like the red button. This change in no way signals the demise of BBC Red Button. The BBC is committed to maintaining a vibrant and popular red button service. - bbc.co.uk
Thursday 11 October 2012, PM
DTG :: News :: Report: HD channel growth increases in EuropeThe figure represents growth of 54 in the number of HD channels over nine months and highlights three strong years of HD growth. The UK, followed by Germany and France, is home to the highest number of HD channels. Sport channels are the most popular HD genre, closely followed by film channels. - dtg.org.uk
Thursday 11 October 2012, AM
BBC's coverage of religion, immigration and Europe to be scrutinised in review - Media - g…It will compare BBC news coverage from five years ago with today. The report is to be published in early 2013. The inquiry will examine whether editorial decisions to include or omit certain perspectives from news coverage have been carefully reached and with consistent judgment across the corporation. - guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer - Help - Frequent questions about the Android BBC Media Player AppThis means that we need to move to another way of playing back our video and audio files. No. The current BBC iPlayer app will continue to exist. Currently, we have only integrated it with the BBC iPlayer mobile website. - iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk
Wednesday 10 October 2012, PM
Ariel - BBC wants your old radio recordingsPeople are being asked to turn in their recorded audio clips, especially pre-1990, to participating BBC buildings tomorrow as part of an open day. 'Chimney sweep' The project has sparked interest with collectors and radio enthusiasts, who might now be able to share their old recordings with a wider audience. The best audio clips will be aired on a special show for Radio 2 hosted by Simon Mayo on November 14. - bbc.co.uk
Wednesday 10 October 2012, AM
BBC News - Northern Ireland digital switchover now under way10 October 2012 Last updated at 0136 ET The switch from analogue to digital television is under way in Northern Ireland. Analogue BBC Two was permanently switched off in the early hours of Wednesday 10 October. Freeview digital channels, including BBC Two, are available for the first time to thousands of viewers served by local relay transmitters. - bbc.co.uk
Alliance raises RTE Digital switchover concerns - Newry Times - Newry TimesAnyone with any further questions concerning the Digital Switchover should visithttp//www.digitaluk.co.uk/ Both comments and pings are currently closed. - newrytimes.com
Polish channels come to Vision TV NetworkVision247 is launching up to 18 Polish channels on its Polska service on the Vision TV Network. Polska is available on Freeview Channel 225, Roku streaming players and on the Polska online portal. TVN24 is Polands first 24-hour news and current affairs television channel covering both Polish and global news. - broadbandtvnews.com
informitv - BBC offers solution for fragmented marketThe BBC has developed an abstraction layer to decouple its own applications from these underlying device complexities. The corporation is planning to make its TV Application Layer available to third parties to help stimulate the market for connected television applications. The BBC iPlayer, News and Sport apps are available on around 650 different connected television devices, from smart televisions and set-top boxes to media players and games consoles. - informitv.com
informitv - 4K TV demandConsumer demand for 4K ultra-high-definition televisions, with a resolution four times that of high-definition screens, will exceed 2 million units by 2017, forecasts research company IHS iSuppli. That still represents less than 1 of the global market for LCD screens. However, the trend towards ever-higher resolutions seems clear. - informitv.com
Tuesday 09 October 2012, PM
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Connected Studio: the first pilotsAs we enter the autumn and Connected Studio starts its next wave of Studio events, I'd like to bring you up to date with the first 10 concepts that have been selected to be developed into functional pilots. The concepts are not necessarily going to become future products and their pilots will be testing certain key unknowns - some of which will be going through user testing. - Red Badger 'BBC Now' offers a dynamic updating element to the homepage to encourage the audience to discover new and latest content in real time. - bbc.co.uk
The Space (and John Peels record collection) to remain online for another six months - New…A free digital art service set up to give everyone access to the Cultural Olympiad from their living rooms is to be extended for another six months. The Space thespace.org is a 2m website and integration with digital television channels providing on demand and livestream access to theatre, dance, music and poetry performances, visual art exhibitions, film and literature. The portal has also given the nation access to John Peels record collection. - independent.co.uk
Tuesday 09 October 2012, AM
BBC News - 5G research centre gets major funding grantThe money would be used to create a 5G Innovation Centre, said the university. Prof Rahim Tafozolli said work had already begun. - bbc.co.uk
Ariel - Biggest move ever gathers pace9 October 2012 Last updated at 0900 Moving is up there with divorce, debt and Saturdays in Ikea as the most stressful things life can throw at us. The shift of another 2800 staff around the W12 campus - 500 of them moving within the same building - is now also gathering pace. Red Bee has moved many of its people from the Broadcast Centre to its own base, freeing up space. - bbc.co.uk
Monday 08 October 2012, PM
Dixons website closing: what you need to know - October - 2012 - Which? News08 October 2012 The owner of Currys and PC World is closing Dixons.co.uk tomorrow, but existing orders will be honoured. Dixons high street stores were closed six years ago and now its owner is closing down the website in a bid to harmonise its high street stores and websites. The Dixons group said that as Dixons uses the same network as its other companies, it will be able to service returns, repairs, and other agreements through its existing channels. - which.co.uk
Review: BBC iPlayer Radio websites and smartphone appsIn a context-setting introduction, Mark said that more than half 52 of people who listen to radio are listening on a digital platform. These are good, healthy statistics for radio, and it's nice to see them stated. Mark then pointed out the differences of radio vs TV. - mediauk.com
BBC iPlayer - Help - Using BBC iPlayer Radio on mobilesYou can listen live to any BBC radio station, view programme and track information, access the schedule, see photos and download podcasts. Why is the app only available on iPhone and iPod Touch The Android version of the app was developed alongside the iPhone version. - iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's On BBC Red Button 6th October - 13th OctoberConsider each of the objects featured in the programme, select an option before our experts give their valuation and see how many you get right. Play along with the BBC One programme by pressing red and using the colour buttons on your remote control to select a value. Here on the Red Button we get to peek behind the scenes and get the inside story on the investments made in the Den each week. - bbc.co.uk
Friday 05 October 2012, PM
BT Vision YouView review – hands on - Expert ReviewsPosted on 3 Oct 2012 at 1651 One of the benefits of YouView is that it was designed for companies to take the base platform and add custom apps to give people new TV services. BT is one of the first customers to launch with its own products and we were there to find out how YouView fits into its Vision platform. The first thing to note is that switching to YouView alters how much involvement the company has in the development of the box and its software. - expertreviews.co.uk
informitv - DTG Connected TV specification openly availableThe DTG will also propose such requirements for inclusion in the next version of the HbbTV standard. The specification builds on the specification for Freeview HD, extending this into the connected television world. It uses the latest version of the HbbTV specification as the minimum requirement, with additional features to meet the requirements of service providers in the United Kingdom. - informitv.com
informitv - YouView has lots of catching up to doMore than three quarters of YouView boxes sold so far in the United Kingdom have been used to view on-demand programming for more than three minutes per session. Sky is responding with a box with a two terrabyte hard drive that can store over 350 hours of high-definition programming and its own On Demand offering. Sef Tuma form Accenture, who is the technical delivery lead for YouView, said that more than 75 of an unstated number of boxes sold so far have been used to view on-demand content for at least three minutes a session, a figure that the industry magazine Broadcast originally incorrectly quoted as three minutes a week. - informitv.com
Ariel - James Stephenson to be newsrooms deputy headStephenson joined the BBC in 1988 as a researcher on Panorama. He went on to be duputy editor of Newsnight, editor of 2005's general election night programming, executive editor of Question Time and Middle East Bureau editor. He became editor of the Six and Ten in 2009. - bbc.co.uk
http://www.mediauk.com/article/34319/review-the-new-uk-radioplayer-mobile-appAs previewed at last week's http//nextrad.io conference, the UK Radioplayer's iPhone app has just gone live in the Apple iTunes store. They've launched a number of apps based on this a Chrome app, a downloadable desktop player, and a Facebook service, but this is the first time Radioplayer has moved away from desktop to mobile. So, at first glance, this is a mobile app which is not too dissimilar from TuneIn. - mediauk.com
Friday 05 October 2012, AM
RadioPlayer Launches Native iOS App for UK Radio FansShortly after, RadioPlayer announced it was drawing in almost 6m unique listeners a month, a figure now sitting at around the 7m mark. Then back in January this year, RadioPlayer teamed up with Stephen Frys favorite social sound platform Audioboo to roll out a new instant listen-again service. When you first launch the app, youre presented with a perennially shifting and scrolling screen with all the stations listed seemingly in a random order, which I cant say Im particularly keen on. - thenextweb.com
Thursday 04 October 2012, AM
BBC News - Ceatec: Home environment 'not right' for 3D TVThe Ceatec electronics show in Japan is underway, featuring new technology like an entire home controlled by a smart phone, robots and all the innovations of the industry. Click editor Richard Taylor talks to presenter Gareth Mitchell about the lowering of interest in 3D technology in the home. - news.bbc.co.uk
Wednesday 03 October 2012, PM
Ariel - Red Button streams to be cut this month3 October 2012 Last updated at 1254 The BBC is to cut its red button service on satellite and cable. From October 15 it will reduce the number of video streams on red button from five to one. This will bring it in line with the Freeview offering. - bbc.co.uk
Wednesday 03 October 2012, AM
Ofcom - Television Broadcast Licensing Update September 2012Television services that have ceased to be licensed handed back or revoked in this period The following services are no longer licensed. The relevant licence is either no longer required by the licensee so has been handed back, or the service has been removed from a licence covering multiple services, or revoked as a matter of routine usually for non-payment of the annual licence fee. Licence transfers The following licence has been transferred to a new company who is now the legal licensee. - licensing.ofcom.org.uk
MW switch-off remains at BBC Local Radio : Radio TodayA trial to turn-off medium-wave transmitters at some BBC local radio stations is to continue after hardly any listeners complained. As Radio Today revealed in August, the BBC is testing the switch-off of medium wave transmission for certain stations. The BBC is also committed to a full roll out of local radio stations across the DAB network. - radiotoday.co.uk
BBC - Blogs - About the BBC - Satellite Shuffling: reducing BBC Red Button and expanding B…This will mean we close our DSat7 transponder Astra 2A tp 13. They will each be available on terrestrial, satellite and cable platforms. In order to carry these services on satellite well be opening a new transponder Astra 1N tp 61 which we will be referring to as DSat8. - bbc.co.uk
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Changes to BBC Red ButtonOver the next few weeks, there will be some changes made to the BBC's red button service. I also want to share our exciting plans for how we are reinventing the red button for the future, bringing audiences with internet connected TVs the best BBC content, multiple video streams and interactive services by still pressing red. We are doing this because these services rely entirely on linear broadcast technologies, which are not cost-effective for an interactive service like the red button. - bbc.co.uk
4G auction to be brought forward - October - 2012 - Which? NewsThe 4G auction is when Ofcom will sell access to radio spectrum previously used by analogue television and air traffic control. This spectrum will then be used by the networks to provide the latest mobile phone technology, 4G. 4G allows users to access the internet up to five times faster than current 3G handsets. - which.co.uk
Tuesday 02 October 2012, AM
C4 raises "serious concerns" over Barb ratings gaffe - News - Broadcast2 October, 2012 By Jake Kanter Channel 4 has written to Barb raising serious concerns after the audience measurement body misreported its ratings last month. It takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
BBC News - 4G: UKs mobile phone networks in crunch meetingMobile operators, Culture Secretary Maria Miller and communications regulator Ofcom will discuss bringing forward the allocation of spectrum to allow faster mobile download speeds. Ofcom has told the government that the process could be accelerated to launch 4G networks in many places by May or June. It had been thought that it would take until the end of the year. - bbc.co.uk
Ariel - Sam Taylor is appointed controller of BBC News ChannelTaylor said 'The BBC News Channel has been part of my life since its launch 15 years ago. Over an average month, 33 of UK adults will tune in. BBC News director Helen Boaden said that Taylor's 'creative flair, digital savvy and editorial experience make him the ideal controller at a time of great change'. - bbc.co.uk
Monday 01 October 2012, PM
Young Americans switch from television to online news - Media - guardian.co.ukThe transformation of America's news landscape from old media to new is advancing at a steady pace, as the latest Pew research centre study illustrates. We have long known that print was giving way to screen, but it appears that people across the United States are gradually turning away from the TV screen to computer and mobile screens. The stand-out finding of Pew's biennial study of news consumption habits is that fewer and fewer young Americans are watching TV news. - guardian.co.uk
SES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRA 2F SATELLITE
This is SES' 36th successful launch on Ariane. The new satellites in this neighbourhood will, as of October 2013, also use additional frequency spectrum for which the right of use was granted to SES by Media Broadcast pursuant to an agreement entered into in 2005. This orbital neighbourhood today serves close to 13 million DTH homes in the UK and Ireland. - ses.com
Monday 01 October 2012, AM
Ian Burrell: How public lost its appetite for breakfast tellys bland fare - Opinion - Medi…Breakfast television, once a morning requisite as rich and piquant as a smoked haddock kedgeree, has turned into its modern day equivalent a few mouthfuls of froth, taken on the move. Last month, ITV launched its hapless early morning show Daybreak for effectively the third time, bursting on to the schedule with all the crackle and pop of a soggy rusk. Over on early morning Channel 4, they are showing double helpings of Everybody Loves Raymond, an American family sitcom which, as it finally wrapped in 2005, will be of limited use as a daily briefing on current affairs. - independent.co.uk
DTG :: News :: STV launches on YouView -
Saturday 29 September 2012, AM
Shortlist drawn up for BBC News channel job - Media - guardian.co.ukSam Taylor, the BBC's head of editorial development, is also believed to be in the running for the role. The job became vacant with Kevin Bakhurst's departure earlier this month to become managing director of news and current affairs at Ireland public service broadcaster RTE. To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editormediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. - guardian.co.uk
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's On BBC Red Button 29th September - 6th OctoberYou will be able to join in all the fun by watching the sessions live on the 6 Music homepage and see highlights on the BBC Red Button from 7pm each evening. Plus, you can discuss the exclusive sessions in our live conversation on the 6 Music homepage. Here on the Red Button we get to peek behind the scenes and get the inside story on the investments made in the Den each week. - bbc.co.uk
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Building Connected TV AppsIt has actually been a tremendous challenge to build multiple applications, in different presentation technologies, with little or no standardisation, and across such a wide range of devices. Every device seems to have its own way of playing back video, and many devices have memory constraints we haven't seen on a PC or mobile phone for years, with some having to cope with as little as 1MB We're delighted when our audience doesn't even notice the hoops we've jumped through to deliver a graceful experience across so many devices, but the engineers among us know what a mammoth task this has been. - bbc.co.uk
BBC - Radio 4 and 4 Extra Blog: Feedback: Operation DropoutOf course in these daydreams you save the day and leave the studio to the acclaim of your colleagues, who look at you in a new light, and with the admiration of listeners. In radio at least the blushes go unseen, but the voice tells all. I remember in my early days on the Sunday programme losing my way in the script, having to tell the audience that I had done so, and waiting for an understandably irate producer to rush into the studio and sort me out. - bbc.co.uk
Friday 28 September 2012, PM
DTG :: News :: DTG Connected TV specification now openly available to industryDTG Staff 28.09.2012 Links open in a new window. The DTG is not responsible for the content of other web sites. - dtg.org.uk
Friday 28 September 2012, AM
http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1152212/bt-plans-overhaul-pay-tv-brand/However, sources close to BT insisted that no firm decision has been made on scrapping the brand itself. However, in June, BT captured a chunk of the Premier League football rights from the 2013/14 season in a move to boost subscriber numbers. BT will offer YouView to customers as part of broadband packages from next month, but the current generation of boxes do not allow the platform's partners or third parties to retail pay-TV. - campaignlive.co.uk
YouView: Look out Sky Plus! New set-top box mimics Murdochs TV service – and it costs ju…The future of television has arrived, and its great advantage is going backwards. A new set-top box that allows viewers to watch popular programmes like Strictly and Sherlock days after they have been screened has gone on sale to millions of homes for 50. As well as showing Freeview's 70-plus channels, YouView can pause and rewind TV. - independent.co.uk
Thursday 27 September 2012, PM
TalkTalk readies second YouView push - News - Marketing WeekTalkTalk is reading the second wave of its multi million pound YouView marketing activity with a call to action campaign encouraging its customers to request a set top box. It will be created by Chi and Partners, the agency behind its current Model Britain activity. The company is currently offering all its Plus customers, who pay 14.50 a month for unlimited phone and broadband, a free YouView set top box. - marketingweek.co.uk
Wi-Fi: are there any health risks? - Technology - guardian.co.ukIf it is possible for a microwave oven to interfere with Wi-Fi signals I just read something like that on your blog because they operate at the same frequency, is Wi-Fi then not dangerous to your health Would having Wi-Fi in your home not be like leaving your microwave door open Is having a baby alarm in your home not like leaving your microwave door open - guardian.co.uk
BBC - Media Centre - BBC iPlayer Performance Pack June to August 2012 - bbc.co.uk
Jenkins: TV Will Be Apple's Undoing - WSJ.com You must enter the verification code below to send. - online.wsj.com
YouView ready for major content push in phase two - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
BBC - FAQs - Information on changes to BBC HD services on satellite from Thursday 27 Septe…This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so. - faq.external.bbc.co.uk
ITV plans regional news job cuts - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
Wednesday 26 September 2012, PM
Ofcom - Television Access Services: Report for the first six months of 2012The first bi-annual report for 2012 on the provision of access services subtitling, signing and audio description by broadcasters under the Code on Television Access Services shows the cumulative position from January to June 2012. An explanation of the obligations applying to broadcasters is given in the Code of Television Access Services and is available on the Ofcom website. http//stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/code-tv-access-services/ This report shows that most broadcasters are exceeding their obligations for subtitling, audio description and for signing of programmes. In the final report for 2011 -1-, Ofcom noted that Nickelodeon had missed its subtitling and audio description targets, and Sky Livingit and Challenge had missed their subtitling targets. - stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk
Tuesday 25 September 2012, PM
Analogue telly snuffs it TONIGHT on UK mainland • The RegisterTyne Tees will switch off its analogue TV transmission at midnight tonight. The shutdown will mark the last region of the mainland to go entirely digital despite the obituaries written in April. Exactly how the signal will be killed off is described in quite terrifying detail by the A516 Digital blog. - theregister.co.uk
Regional MXR digital multiplexes to close : Radio TodayThe three shareholders of the MXR regional DAB multiplexes have decided not to renew their licence to operate the services. However, some stations are committed to being on DAB as part of their licence extension agreement. The mutliplexes will close between July and September 2013 except Yorkshire which will continue till 2015. - radiotoday.co.uk
Age UK launches DAB station - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
Tuesday 25 September 2012, AM
Challenges face BBC network radio - Comment - Broadcast25 September, 2012 The BBCs first national syndicated evening show to 39 local radio stations is welcome. It takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
BBC1's Watchdog presenter takes the piss - Media Monkey - Media - guardian.co.ukThe in-your-face presenter of BBC1's Watchdog is used to getting unsuspecting tradesmen he confronts slamming doors in his face. To find out more information about driving traffic to your content or to place this widget on your site, visit outbrain.com. We welcome your feedback at userhelpguardian.co.uk or feedbackoutbrain.com. - guardian.co.uk
Monday 24 September 2012, PM
Comment: This time we ll make local TV work.Just because the current television infrastructure hasnt allowed us to provide local television until now should not be confused with a lack of demand. Its this presumptuous and dismissive attitude towards non-national media that has festered in recent years and the concept that only national matters is unhealthy. - politics.co.uk
Monday 24 September 2012, AM
Astra 2f Satellite Launch Re-Scheduled For Friday, September 28The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements. - ses.com
Sunday 23 September 2012, PM
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's On BBC Red Button 22nd - 29th SeptemberHere on the Red Button we get to peek behind the scenes and get the inside story on the investments made in the Den each week. Studio contestants compete to win their Secret Fortune, anything from 100 to 100,000. Press the Red Button during the show to play along at home with the contestants. - bbc.co.uk
Friday 21 September 2012, PM
BBC looks for bridge between CBeebies and CBBC - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
Benedict Cumberbatch and Gary Barlow feature in £10m YouView push - Media - guardian.co.u…The launch campaign will focus heavily on TV advertising. The scale of the marketing budget is pretty heavy from launch. A prime target for the campaign is the 10m-plus Freeview households that might be persuaded to upgrade to an enhanced TV service. - guardian.co.uk
Friday 21 September 2012, AM
Ariel - BBC One and Two to drop childrens blocks in DecemberApproved by the BBC Trust in May, the blocks' removal will follow the completion of digital switchover this October and is expected to save on repeat fees as the corporation aims to cut costs by 20. Although regarded as one of the jewels in the BBC's crown, the channel has drawn some complaints over the prominence of male-led series. - bbc.co.uk
Thursday 20 September 2012, PM
ITV explores launch of pay-TV channels - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
Thursday 20 September 2012, AM
BBC: ‘bring coding to life’ - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
Sky response to Ofcom statementCommenting on the announcement, a Sky spokesperson said Ofcom is right to conclude that Sky is a fit and proper broadcaster. As a company, we are committed to high standards of governance and we take our regulatory obligations extremely seriously. As Ofcom acknowledges, our track record of compliance in broadcasting is good. - corporate.sky.com
Wednesday 19 September 2012, PM
BBC News - Norwich to get local TV news and entertainment channelMustard TV, a joint venture led by newspaper and magazine publisher Archant, has been awarded the licence by Ofcom. The station is expected to start broadcasting in autumn 2013 on terrestrial channel eight. It will be on air from 0600 to midnight, seven days a week offering news, weather and traffic information. - bbc.co.uk
BBC - Research and Development: RadioDNS at the IBCThe IBC is one of the broadcast industry's most important trade shows and conferences, and the BBC regularly demonstrates new and exciting developments there. James Cridland, secretary of RadioDNS, gave a thorough overview of the technology and aims of the project here. It's good to see our research getting out in front of users, and it demonstrates that the radio industry is best when it works together on technology. - bbc.co.uk
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: New BBC Media Player for Android phones and tabletsNext week we plan to release a new version of BBC iPlayer on Android which will use this player. I want to reassure you that Android is an important platform for us. The Android operating system is constantly evolving and has been upgraded several times in the last two years. - bbc.co.uk
Tuesday 18 September 2012, PM
George Entwistle: first speech to BBC staff - Comment - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
BBC - Media Centre - BBC must deliver world-class creativity, says new Director-GeneralUnveiling his plans to staff a day after taking over as Director-General, he asked everyone in the BBC to challenge themselves to deliver more creative and distinctive output for licence fee payers. I intend to change the way were led to put the emphasis where it belongs on creative people doing creative things on our audiences and the exceptional quality of work they deserve, he told staff across the BBC. Citing the London 2012 Olympics as an example of how good the BBC can be when everyone pulls together to deliver outstanding coverage, he asked staff to use this as a template for all their work. - bbc.co.uk
Ariel - Chief operating officer Caroline Thomson to leave the BBCGeorge Entwistle announced the change in a speech to staff on his second day in the job as director general. Thomson started as chief operating officer six years ago. In his first press interview, published on Tuesday morning, the new director general said he will fight for originality and quality. - bbc.co.uk
ITV set for licence renewal - News - Broadcast18 September, 2012 By Balihar Khalsa ITV could have its licence renewed for another decade without any major changes to terms of the licence. It takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
ITV to get licence renewal - Media - guardian.co.ukITV looks set to win a renewal of all its broadcast licences covering England and Wales. The decision, expected from the government later this autumn, would give the company security, but could make it a more likely takeover target. ITV owns all 11 channel 3 regional licences for England, Wales and the Channel Islands. - guardian.co.uk
BBC director general calls for more women's sport coverage - Media - guardian.co.ukEntwistle, who started his job on Monday, said that the BBC could not compete with Sky to buy the rights to some sports but added that he believed there may be an opportunity tap into the growing interest in women's sport, where the cost of buying up the rights is likely to be lower. Entwistle added that he was keen to repeat the success of the live Olympic red button channels for other major sporting events, such as Wimbledon. I don't have a passion for creating tiny niche stuff that only incredibly small numbers of people see. - guardian.co.uk
Monday 17 September 2012, PM
Local London licence to be awarded in November - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
Ariel - What is on George Entwistles To do list?1 Digital Even the most design-chic tv might look like a museum piece by the time the new DG nears the end of his tenure. Keeping on top of rapid advances in technology could be a job in itself. Pay and grading is being overhauled because the current arrangement is deemed to lack transparency. - bbc.co.uk
Matthew Bannister wins BBC Local evenings : Radio TodayWe were looking for an organisation that understands the local radio audience and can deliver real experience and expertise in what we know is a very demanding slot. Husain Husaini and I both started our careers in local radio. We know it is a much loved service for millions of listeners and were really looking forward to creating a new and very special show for them. - radiotoday.co.uk
Monday 17 September 2012, AM
Entwistle begins BBC DG role - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
Sunday 16 September 2012, PM
Grimsby-based TV station to go live on Freeview 24/7 as Lincolnshire Living - This is Grim…DO YOU ever feel that the news and programmes on TV just don't relate to the area you live in Well, all that is about to change as a local Grimsby-based TV station has been granted one of Ofcom's new-generation licences. The new channel which will begin broadcasting on Freeview channel eight next year will be available from Driffield in the north to Horncastle in the south and across from the Lincolnshire coastline to Goole. - thisisgrimsby.co.uk
George Entwistle takes over as BBC boss - TV Radio - Media - The IndependentGeorge Entwistle starts work as director-general of the BBC tomorrow and is expected to explain his vision of the corporation's future to staff later in the week. Entwistle will take on a much-reduced salary of 450,000, a 200,000-plus reduction on that paid to the outgoing boss. He will send a short email message to staff on Monday but is expected to speak at greater length and outline some of the challenges facing the corporation in a speech a few days later. - independent.co.uk
Saturday 15 September 2012, AM
BBC readies connected red button rollout - News - BroadcastIt takes just 2 minutes and offers full, instant access to the Broadcast website along with a copy of the magazine delivered every week. - broadcastnow.co.uk
BBC - Blogs - About the BBC - BBC and the Big ScreensAs part of work to deliver savings across the BBC, we have been considering our involvement in Big Screens. Today we have told staff that we propose to close the Big Screen department at the end of March 2013. Big Screens first began in 2002 when 5 screens around the UK were set up as part of the Public Space Broadcasting project for people to gather and share great moments in sport, music and world events. - bbc.co.uk
Ariel - What mistakes should Entwistle avoid?We have a few suggestions that might help us get a better licence fee settlement in 2016. You probably know most of this already, but just to let you know your staff are on your side Beware us trying to second-guess you Some of us are still doing things or not doing them because we thought it would please the previous boss, or the one before that. In fact, beware us trying to second-guess anyone. - bbc.co.uk
Ariel - BBC Big Screens department to close13 September 2012 Last updated at 1614 23 BBC roles are to go following the decision to close the Big Screens department. 'Staffing and production for the Big Screens costs the BBC almost 1.4m per annum. The budget of the Operations division, under which Big Screens falls, is being cut by 25 and having carefully considered all possible options over the last few months, we regrettably believe this is no longer an area that the BBC can continue to fund,' she said. - bbc.co.uk
BBC - BBC Internet Blog: What's On BBC Red Button 15th September - 22nd SeptemberWatch highlights on the Red Button of the best Bond themes performed from the day of the live shows Red Button episodes will also be available on BBC iPlayer. Red Button episodes will also be available on the Doctors website. - bbc.co.uk
Wednesday 12 September 2012, PM
Freesat downplays Netflix deal News C21MediaThe UKs Freesat has dismissed as speculation a report that it has teamed up with Netflix, and denied it will launch a partnership with the US video rental firm at a press event tomorrow. A spokesman for the firm said he could not confirm or deny a deal with Netflix was in the works, but that any such deal was not the purpose of the press launch. Freesat are planning to offer optional pay services in the future and are talking to a number of different service providers as we have been for some time. - c21media.net
Digital Switchover gets underway in the Tyne Tees region - Tyne Tees - ITV NewsThe second stage of digital switchover is due to take place on 26th September when all remaining terrestrial analogue channels will be switched off. Anyone watching on a TV that is not digital ready will no longer be able to watch any of the main channels. Television sets can be converted with a digital box whic Satellite and cable services are not affected by the digital switchover. - itv.com
Ofcom awards local TV licences to Brighton and Grimsby - Media - guardian.co.ukBrighton and Grimsby are the first towns to get licences as part of the planned new generation of local TV broadcasters. Ofcom said it will award further licences in the coming months and hopes some local TV services will be on air before the end of 2013. The media regulator has received a further four bids for licences to operate local TV multiplexes. - guardian.co.uk
BBC - Research and Development: The Challenges of Adaptive StreamingThere are few things that are universally hated always a fun start to a blog post but I would be willing to bet that the experience of trying to watch internet videos on a temperamental network connection is one of them. Adaptive streaming works by encoding the same media file at a number of different bit-rates, which produces multiple representations of the content, each at different qualities. As the quality of the internet connection varies, the streaming client can switch between the different representations to provide a smooth viewing experience. - bbc.co.uk
Tuesday 11 September 2012, PM
BBC to network all radio stations for 90th : Radio TodayIn a planned first for BBC Radio, all stations owned by the corporation around the UK and the world will broadcast the same output for a three minute show. The three-minute transmission will be based on recorded messages from listeners around the world on the theme of the future. Each of an estimated 60 BBC radio stations will choose one message and many of them will then be mixed together and set to a musical score specially composed by Blur frontman Damon Albarn. - radiotoday.co.uk
DTG :: News :: Culture Minister hails UK innovation at DTG Taskforce launchThe Taskforces key findings and proposed solutions will be presented to industry at the DTG Summit in 2013. Videos of the launch are available at dtg.org.uk/innovation. DTG Staff 10.09.2012 Links open in a new window. - dtg.org.uk
BBC News - 4G launch: Speed testing the mobile serviceThis page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so. - bbc.co.uk