| British TV & Radio News January 2011 |
| Sky Atlantic HD to launch on 1st February |
| Wednesday, January 5 2011 |
Sky has confirmed the launch of Sky Atlantic HD, a brand new channel providing entertainment, drama and films to Sky customers across the UK and Ireland.
Designed to bringing together innovative and distinctive original productions from home and abroad, Sky Atlantic will be free to Sky customers from its launch on 1st February 2011.
Sky Atlantic will include content from Sky's exclusive output deal with HBO and series deals with Lionsgate Television for Mad Men and CBS Studios International for Blue Bloods and The Borgias; as well as UK commissions, including original comedy.
This Is Jinsy , Paul Abbott's new drama, Hit and Miss, and Sir David Attenborough's ground-breaking documentary, Flying Monsters. |
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Stuart Murphy, Director of Programmes for Sky 1 HD and Sky Atlantic HD, comments:"Sky Atlantic HD is unashamedly dedicated to quality. As the home of HBO in the UK, it's the place where the world's best talent—whether on screen or off, American or home-grown—come to do their most creative work."
All the major series on Sky Atlantic HD, whether acquisitions or commissions, will be available on-demand through Sky Anytime + , Sky's video-on-demand service. This will also include many HBO originals, such as The Pacific, The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Flight of the Conchords and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Sky Atlantic will also be available in standard definition in non Sky + HD homes. |
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| Freeview testing radio services in Scotland & Wales |
| Thursday, January 6 2011 |
The BBC national stations for Wales and Scotland will be off-air on Freeview for about one hour on January 10th 2011
This will happen during the "small hours" of next Monday, January 10th, 2011.
Only the Freeview services are part of this test.
This is to allow the BBC to test the critical infrastructure. Analogue radio, DAB and satellite radio services will continue as normal during the testing. |
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| ITV1+1 has launched |
| Tuesday, January 11 2011 |
ITV1 +1 launched on 11th January 2011 on Virgin Media Channel 114, Sky Channel 131, Freeview Channel 33, and Freesat channel 112. the new channel should be added automaticly to the EPG on Sky or Freesat and Virgin media.
If you have a Freeview, you will need to manually retune to get ITV1+1. There’s no need to retune on Sky, Freesat or Virgin.
ITV are unable to offer full regionality on ITV1+1 and some ITV1+1 regions will not show the correct regional news.
Viewers are encouraged to continue watching on the main ITV1 service for full regionality. ITV1+1 will not be launched in the Channel TV region. |
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In order to offer the new ITV1+1 service, ITV2+1 will transmit with reduced hours on the Freeview platform, from 7pm until 4am from January 11th until March 11th, then from 7pm until 6am from March 11th onwards. ITV hope to relaunch ITV2+1 as a full 24 hour service on Freeview in the near future.
On Sky, ITV2+1 moves to EPG 179. ITV4+1 will no longer available on the Sky platform. ITV hope to relaunch ITV4+1 on Sky in the near future. |
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| Heart launches on Freesat |
| Tuesday, January 11 2011 |
Freesat, the subscription-free satellite TV service, today announces the addition of the radio network Heart to its line-up of over 140 TV, radio and interactive channels. Heart is the most popular commercial radio network in the UK reaching nearly 8 million people every week.
Playing ‘More Music Variety’, Heart has become one of the UK’s strongest national radio brands, featuring a host of well-known personalities including Toby Anstis, Jason Donovan and Emma Bunton.
Freesat, the UK’s subscription free digital satellite television service with around 1.5 million customers, is making Heart available on Channel 733 in the Freesat radio genre. |
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| BBC urged to review digital channels |
| Thursday, January 13 2011 |
The BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons has said that the BBC's digital channels should be reviewed as the corporation seeks to make major cost savings, potentially putting in doubt the futures of BBC Three and BBC Four.
In an open letter to the BBC director general Mark Thompson, Lyons said that efficiency savings alone would not be sufficient to secure the at least £300 million of savings required under the corporation's new licence fee settlement.
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He stressed that the BBC should try to do "fewer things better", and concentrate on its areas of strength, such as BBC One, BBC Two, Radio 1 and Radio 2.
Lyons - due to step down from the Trust in May - also called on Thompson to "assess how the shape of the BBC's television portfolio as a whole might develop" after the digital switchover reaches completion in late 2012, suggesting that cuts could come in this area.
In 2009/10, BBC Three had a total budget of £118.6 million, while £74m was spent on operating BBC Four. Elsewhere, BBC HD cost £2m, BBC Alba £4m, the BBC News channel £48m and BBC Parliament £2m.
The Trust chairman said that "more can be done" to reduce the BBC's cost base in terms of back office savings and more efficient work practices.
However, he warned: "We do not expect that such efficiencies will fully meet the funding gap alone and some hard choices about content and services may need to be made as part of this process.
"In line with this, we are clear that the licence fee payer will not be best served by equivalent reductions in each area of BBC activity, rather that savings should be targeted in those areas where the BBC's public value is lower."
Lyons added: "We also want to emphasise the importance of not compromising your pursuit of greater distinctiveness on the BBC's main television channels, BBC One and BBC Two, and those radio services that operate in markets where there is the broadest range of commercial provision, particularly Radio 1 and Radio 2.
"We have also previously signalled that this process is a good opportunity to assess how the shape of the BBC's television portfolio as a whole might develop after digital switchover is complete in 2012."
Today, Thompson will address BBC staff about the impending cuts and reveal how the corporation will operate under the new licence fee settlement. |
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| ITV appoints new communications chief |
| Friday, January 14 2011 |
ITV has appointed former Royal Mail corporate affairs director Mary Fagan as its new head of communications.
Later this month, Fagan will officially join ITV as group communications and corporate affairs director, replacing Ruth Settle, who is leaving to set up her own PR firm.
Fagan will report directly to ITV chief executive Adam Crozier, who she previously worked with when Crozier was chief executive of Royal Mail. She will also take a place on ITV's management board.
ITV director of communications Mike Large, director of programme publicity Zoe McIntyre and director of public affairs Nigel Warner will all report to Fagan.
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In a statement issued to Broadcast, Crozier said: "Mary has a wealth of government, corporate affairs and communications experience. I'm looking forward to working with her as the transformation plan unfolds over the next five years.
"Ruth is a great communications professional and has played a key role in both promoting and protecting ITV in the press over the past eight years. I'd like to thank her for the terrific contribution she has made and wish her all the very best for the future."
Also today, it was announced that ITV's director of group development and strategy Carloyn Fairbairn is to leave the broadcaster after four years. She will be replaced by Simon Pitts in the newly-created role of director of strategy and transformation. |
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| S4C shuts down S4C2 |
| Monday, January 17 2011 |
Struggling Welsh-language broadcaster S4C has shut down second channel S4C2 in response to major forthcoming cuts to its budget.
Following a "consultation period", S4C opted to terminate the S4C2 channel over the weekend in order to make the "best use of current resources". However, the broadcaster pledged to provide viewers with more live coverage of events such as the National Eisteddfod and The Royal Welsh on its main network.
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From 2013, responsibility for funding S4C will transfer from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to the BBC. S4C will also face a cut of around 25% to its annual budget.
A spokesman for S4C said: "In light of recent budget cuts announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, S4C has been reviewing how to make the best use of current resources. As a result, a decision has been made to terminate the S4C2 channel.
"S4C is aiming to provide more live daytime coverage from events such as the National Eisteddfod and The Royal Welsh Show on the main service. We are also aiming to make more use of online services during live events."
S4C2 provided live coverage of proceedings at the National Assembly in Cardiff Bay until the broadcasts moved to the BBC Democracy Live website in early 2010. Coverage of events at the Assembly can still be seen on S4C late on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.
Speaking to the Western Mail, a Welsh Assembly government spokesman described the closure of S4C2 as "disappointing news".
"It clearly means less opportunity to further develop Welsh language television services for viewers. However, it is unfortunate that due to its reduced budget from the UK government, S4C is being forced to take some very difficult decisions with regard to the services the channel is able to provide," he said.
"This re-enforces the need for a root and branch review of S4C including its future funding, governance and most importantly the service it provides to Welsh audiences." |
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| UK digital TV take-up nears 93% |
| Tuesday, January 18 2011 |
Digital television take-up in UK households has reached 92.6%, up by 3.1 percentage points year on year, according to Ofcom figures for the third quarter of 2010.
Consumers are continuing to convert additional sets in the home—almost three-quarters (74%) of all secondary TV sets had been converted to digital by the end of June 2010, according to the Digital Television Update report. This was up by 6.7 percentage points in a year and also up by 3.3 percentage points quarter on quarter. |
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Taking these figures together, 82.4% of all TV sets had converted to digital television by the end of Q3 2010. The remaining 17.6% of sets continue to receive analogue terrestrial broadcasts.
The survey also identified sales of DTT-enabled equipment reached 2.5 million units in Q3, this total was down by 12% on Q3 2009. Integrated digital television sets (IDTVs) accounted for almost 76% of sales in the quarter (1.9 million units). In the year to Q3 2010 13.7 million DTT units (IDTVs and set-top boxes) were sold, compared to 13.4 million in the previous year.
Ten million homes (39.1%) claimed that DTT was their primary means of digital TV reception. 1.6 million homes claimed to have access to some form of free-to-view digital satellite device on any set in the home, according to the report.
Almost 9.4 million (36.8% of homes) received pay-satellite TV services, up 1.8 percentage points year on year while 13.1% of homes took cable television, up from 12.4% a year before. |
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| Government supports DTG plans for Freeview's future |
| Tuesday, January 18 2011 |
The government has approved proposals to draw up a long term future for Freeview and digital terrestrial TV.
The recommendations were made by the Digital TV Group following a consultation on the questions facing Freeview after Digital Switchover in 2012.
The Digital TV Group, which represents the UK TV industry and product manufacturers, said the consumer must be placed at the heart of of its thinking.
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It said developments to the Freeview platform must bring the maximum benfit to both consumers and the industry.
The DTG has been placed at the centre of drawing together the digital TV and internet industry to address post-switchover challenges and ensure consumer benefit.
A letter from BIS and the DCMS to the DTG said: 'We agree with the majority of respondents that continued management and communication of platform integrity is needed to ensure stability and, importantly, safeguard the consumer.
'This can happen only if all the elements of the TV market come together, and we are grateful for your efforts in capturing views from across the industry.
'We encourage you and the industry to continue working towards a robust future for the DTT platform.'
Detailed recommendations include establishing fundamental principles for digital TV products and services to work together, and maintain a map of the different organisations involved in digital terrestrial TV.
The DTG should also monitor the testing regime for Freeview kit and decide what to do with the Digital Tick mark after 2012. |
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| Government unveils local TV action plan |
| Wednesday, January 19 2011 |
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has launched an action plan for introducing local TV.
Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention, Mr Hunt said the initiative would offer communities a "new voice" and provide local perspectives directly relevant to them.
The Action Plan, which builds on the Shott report published last month, proposes broadcasting the channels on Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and displaying them prominently on the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG).
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New and existing media providers have been invited to register their interest by 1 March and come forward with suggestions on how a channel dedicated to local news and content could work best.
Mr Hunt said the goal was to award licences by the end of 2012 and for local TV to be "up and running" soon after.
"For consumers, what this will mean is a new channel dedicated to the provision of local news and content—one that will sit alongside other public service broadcasters, offering a new voice for local communities, with local perspectives that are directly relevant to them," Mr Hunt said. "So I am inviting all potential providers to register their interest with my department by 1 March, with the formal process scheduled to begin early this summer."
He added that the Government will not be prescriptive about the number of areas around the country that will be involved and will wait to see what commercially viable proposals come forward.
The Culture Secretary also told the conference that a thorough review of media and communications will be carried out, leading to a new Communications Act.
The new act will aim to allow the UK's digital and creative industries to move to the next stage and play their fullest possible role in promoting competition, innovation and economic growth. Mr Hunt said Government would talk to industry about the key issues in the coming months and publish a Green Paper at the end of the year that will set out the full scope of the Bill. |
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| Sky News held hostage in Sky takeover row |
| Tuesday, January 25 2011 |
Sky has repeated its threat to close Sky News if the government refuses to let News Corp's takeover go ahead. News Corp wants to take 100 per cent control of Sky, adding it to its stable of newspapers and publishing. And it's warned that it might not want to keep Sky News going if it can't complete the buyout.
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Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt today said he he is considering referring the merger to the Competition Commission on the advice of media regulator Ofcom.
Ofcom's report said the merger 'may be expected to operate against the public interest', and recommended a full investigation.
But Sky described Ofcom's report as 'distorted' and 'idiosyncratic', and warned that preventing the merger could 'undermine the incentives which have resulted in the provision of Sky News to date'.
However, Hunt said an investigation could be avoided if Sky can offer concessions which might protect the public's choice of news providers.
These could involve separating Sky News from News Corp - although the loss-making channel might struggle to survive on its own.
Less radical concessions could involve installing an independent editorial board to protect Sky News from interference by News Corp.
Any concessions will be published for a 15-day consultation, while they are examined by Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading. |
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| Sky3 to become Pick TV |
| Thursday, January 27 2011 |
Sky is to relaunch its free-to-air channel Sky3 as Pick TV from next month. On February 28, Sky3 and its timeshift channel will take on the new branding on Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview. Ofcom and BARB have been informed of the change.
Launched in 2005, Sky3 generally airs repeats of Sky1 shows such as Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old?, Road Wars and Coach Trip.
The rebranding exercise is part of Sky's reshuffle of the channel lineup on its electronic programme guide, including the creation of a new entertainment power trio of Sky1, Sky Living and Sky Atlantic.
From February 1, Sky3 will move from channel 108 to 152 on Sky's EPG to make way for Sky Atlantic. Sky3 +1 will move from channel 223 to 153.
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| Sky Anywhere to launch through The Cloud |
| Thursday, January 27 2011 |
Sky is preparing to combine Sky Player and Sky Mobile TV into a single mobile entertainment service. The new service will launch later this year, supported by Sky's takeover of public WiFi operator The Cloud.
Sky chief executive, Jeremy Darroch, said: 'In anticipation of continued growth in sales of mobile data devices and increasing demand for flexible access to content, we will launch Sky Anywhere later this year, a new service allowing Sky TV customers to enjoy our programmes wherever they choose.
'Sky Anywhere will combine access to the existing Sky Player and Sky Mobile TV services to make it easy for customers and their families to access our content on multiple devices both inside and outside the home.' |
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The Cloud operates more than 5,000 WiFi hotspots around the UK, and Sky's three-million-plus broadband customers will soon be offered WiFi access as part of their packages.
Other broadband operators, including BT and O2, already package WiFi hotpot access in with their broadband subscriptions.
The announcement of Sky Anywhere came as Sky announced quarterly results for the end of 2010 which showed the fastest growth in broadband subscriptions for more than two years. |
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| BBC Red Button video arrives on Freesat |
| Friday, January 28 2011 |
The BBC Red Button video service has launched on Freesat, bringing a range of video content to the platform, starting with the Being Human spinoff show. BBC Red Button was part of the Freesat launch in 2008, but the service lacked the video and rich media available on Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview.
From today, Freesat viewers using both broadcast and IP-connected set top boxes will be able to enjoy video content via the Red Button, as well as access the Sport Multiscreen service that accompanied the initial launch.
The move brings Freesat viewers a wide range of the BBC's video-based content, starting with the new Being Human spinoff, Becoming Human, on January 30. There will also be exclusive content from new BBC Two comedy Episodes.
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Writing on the BBC Internet Blog, BBC Red Button service delivery manager Ronald Bullen said: "We are aware that still not all services offered on our legacy platforms are available on Freesat; however, this is an exciting development for the BBC Red Button team and one we hope to build on in the future."
Last November, the BBC Trust called on the corporation to reduce the cost of running BBC Red Button and improve audience appreciation of the interactive TV service. |
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| Bliss coming to Freesat |
| Friday, January 28 2011 |
Bliss, part of the CSC Media Group, have confirmed they will launch on Freesat on February 1 2011.
Bliss offers a mixture of classic and contemporary hits from the biggest artists in music including Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Micheal Buble and Cheryl Cole. Get up close and personal with your favorite music stars in Bliss Meets!
Join in the fun, with our popular music quiz Guess the Year, which tests how well you know your hits! And enjoy a selection of mellow movers in Lunch Time Break, everyday at 12pm! Bliss caters for your every music need.
Bliss will appear on channel number 518 on the 1st February 2011.
CSC Media should also be launching Dance Nation (channel 517) and NME TV (channel 516) on Freesat at the same time. |
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