Professor Tanya Byron: UK a world leader on internet safety - but progress needs to speed up
Professor Tanya Byron has confirmed the UK as a world leader in child internet safety but advised that Government and Industry need to make faster progress in delivery if the UK is to stay ahead of advances in technology.
Ofcom Media Literacy eBulletin 31/3/2010
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Teachers being 'victimised' on Facebook
 More than one in seven staff members said they or a colleague had been bullied by children spreading malicious rumours about them on-line, according to research. One member of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers told how a false Facebook account had been set up under the name of another teacher saying that he enjoyed "under age sex with both boys and girls".
A survey - published to coincide with a debate on the issue on Tuesday - said around 14% of teachers had either been victimised on-line or knew a colleague who had been attacked using the internet. This included compromising film of one teacher posted on YouTube, the video-sharing website.
Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary, said: "There have been some horrendous incidents of cyberbullying reported in this survey, which have made people's lives miserable. Schools and colleges need to have clear policies to deal with it, and make sure that pupils will face appropriate punishment."
Telegraph 31/3/2010
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Ofcom orders Sky Sports price cut
The media regulator Ofcom today ordered BSkyB to reduce the amount it charges rivals to offer Sky Sports by more than 20%.
BSkyB must reduce the wholesale price at which it sells Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 to rivals such as Virgin Media and BT by 23.4% from the current £13.88 to £10.63 per subscriber per month. On the basis that most subscribers buy packages including the sports channels, the reduction for a bundle is 10.5% from £19.15 to £17.14.
The new wholesale pricing is effective immediately, the regulator said, and BSkyB now has six weeks from today to make a "reference offer", effectively a template contract, to other pay-TV providers. BSkyB, however, intends to apply to the Competition Appeal Tribunal for a stay on implementing the ruling.
mediaGuardian 31/3/2010
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English Cricket Board 'greatly concerned' at BSkyB price ruling
The English Cricket Board has reacted furiously to Ofcom's decision to force BSkyB to sell sports rights to rival broadcasters more cheaply. A spokesman for the ECB said UK cricket's governing body was "greatly concerned at the implications of this decision".
mediaGuardian 31/3/2010
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Radio 4's Today editor under fire over comments on female presenters
 The BBC has pledged to put more female news presenters on television. But they are unlikely to find their way onto BBC Radio 4's Today after its editor said most female journalists did not have a thick enough skin to deal with the programme's "incredibly difficult" environment.
Ceri Thomas is facing criticism from Radio 4 listeners over his comments about the station's flagship news programme on which four of the five regular presenters - and the majority of its correspondents - are male. Thomas admitted the gender mix on the programme was "not ideal".
mediaGuardian 31/3/2010
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Jail for teenage girl who posed with machine gun on Facebook
 Shocking images show a teenage girl posing with a replica of one of the world's most powerful machine guns as she fulfils her dream of becoming a gangster's moll. A court heard how Goodman thought it would be 'cool' to hang out with hoodlums but the pictures were found on her Facebook page when she was arrested for taking £300 to hide a loaded gun for a thug from a vicious crime gang.
Today Goodman, now 18, sobbed as she began three years in jail after the impressionable youngster was said to have got a 'buzz' out of associating with gangsters. 'From access to your computer it is clear that at the time you saw it was cool to be associated with lads who were on the fringes of gun culture in the area. Various images show that it was something that gave you a buzz.'
Mail Online 31/3/2010
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Digital radio ad banned for giving wrong signals
ASA censures campaign for misleadingly implying that, unlike analogue, there would never be interruptions in digital signal.
mediaGuardian 31/3/2010
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BBC compliance staff under growing resources pressure, report finds
An independent report into the BBC's overhaul of its compliance procedures since the Ross-Brand scandal has warned of a "growing pressure on resources" with "little room for slack".
The review, commissioned by the BBC Trust and published today , said there had been "significant cultural changes" in the way the BBC's audio and music department monitors its output to prevent a repeat of the Ross/Brand scandal, which led to the resignation of Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas in October 2008.
 Today's report was broadly positive about the changes brought in by BBC management after the scandal, when Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand left lewd messages on actor Andrew Sachs's answerphone that were broadcast on Brand's Radio 2 show.
The report said senior management had "made strenuous efforts to ensure that compliance measures are effective and widely understood" and that "responsible staff put it into practice with diligence and effectiveness". But the review called for further training and a "spring clean" of compliance processes, as well as a periodic review to deal with the growth of digital media.
BBC Online 30/3/2010
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ITV, C4 and Five are given boost as regulator launches ad review
Ofcom has opened the door to scrap rules that force ITV, Channel 4 and Five to sell all their advertising airtime, potentially driving up profits. The move would be a welcome lift for broadcasters after a punishing recession and increased competition from digital rivals.
The communications regulator yesterday launched its consultation into the TV Airtime Sales Rules, which were last reviewed in 2003. The regulation was designed to ensure fair and effective competition in the sales of TV adverts. Commercial public service broadcasters (PSBs) were governed by a "must sell" rule to ensure they did not limit advertising and consequently drive up the price.
Since then, however, Ofcom believes the market has significantly changed.
Independent 30/3/2010
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Rod Liddle's Spectator blog first to be censured by PCC
Spectator columnist Rod Liddle has become the first blogger to be censured by the Press Complaints Commission. On the Spectator's website, Mr Liddle wrote that the "overwhelming majority" of London's violent crime was carried out by young, African-Caribbean men." But the PCC ruled the former BBC Radio 4 Today editor's words breached Clause 1 (Accuracy) of its code.
It said the "significant ruling" showed publications' websites would be held to the same standards as print editions. A reader had complained after the article was published in December 2009.
BBC Online 30/3/2010
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BBC urged to delay iPhone apps
 The BBC Trust has asked the corporation to delay its controversial plans to deliver content through dedicated smartphone applications while it carries out an investigation. The Trust has been urged to block plans to launch a smartphone news service because it is claimed it will ''distort'' the market.
The BBC announced in February that it is to launch specially tailored applications (apps) for iPhones and other high-end mobiles allowing access to BBC news and sport. These would also see every kick from the BBC's World Cup matches in South Africa being broadcast live to smartphones via the apps.
But the Newspaper Publishers Association (NPA) has accused the BBC of barging into the market and trampling over commercial news firms which were exploring this growth area. The BBC Trust previously said that the proposals had not been referred to it for approval.
Telegraph 30/3/2010
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Wales will be first UK digital TV nation
Wales is poised to become the first nation in the UK to go digital as the analogue television signal is completely switched off.
BBC Online 30/3/2010
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Freeview to launch new HD service
 Freeview is to launch a new free high definition (HD) TV service later. BBC, ITV and Channel 4 HD channels will be offered on Freeview HD, as well as up to 50 standard definition channels. Viewers will need a new set top box connected to an HD Ready TV, or a TV with built-in Freeview HD to receive the service.
The launch comes just before the football World Cup this summer, when both the BBC and ITV will be showing matches in HD on Freeview.
BBC Online 30/3/2010
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Calll for better mobile phone internet controls
 Mobile phones should be fitted with better parental controls to stop children accessing harmful websites, says a government adviser. Psychologist Professor Tanya Byron says industry must keep pace with changes, such as children increasingly accessing the internet via their phones.
She wants industry to agree a code of conduct to show how they are providing "safe places" online for children. Her recommendations come in a report on her child internet safety review.
BBC Online 29/3/2010
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Action to tackle online threats to children 'must speed up'
 Tanya Byron called for ''less talk... more action'' on issues such as parental controls on mobile phones and warned youngsters could now access adult sites with ''extraordinary ease''.
The TV child psychologist said the creation of Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) and a national safety strategy had made the UK a world leader in tackling the issue. But, in a progress report two years since she first suggested the body - a coalition of Government, charities and industry - Professor Byron said it must ''speed up to stay ahead''.
She also criticised a lack of sufficient consultation with young people and parents and urged the Government to push through new rules on video game classification before the election.
Telegraph 29/3/2010
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US voices 'concerns' over Australia's internet filter
 Washington is worried about the impact of proposal, which would force internet service providers to block offensive material, including child pornography, bestiality and details on how to carry out criminal activity.
Opponents of the plan claim the scope of the material that could be filtered out is too wide and that the restrictions could be applied to media organisations reporting details of criminal activity. As part of its assault on internet censorship by governments around the world, the US government has weighed in on the debate.
"Our main message of course is that we remain committed to advancing the free flow of information which we view as vital to economic prosperity and preserving open societies globally," Michael Tran, a US State Department spokesman, said.
"We don't discuss the details of specific diplomatic exchanges, but I can say that in the context of that ongoing relationship, we have raised our concerns on this matter with Australian officials," he said.
The Australian government has refused to comment on the matter. The proposed filter would make Australia one of the strictest internet regulators among the world's democracies, with some critics claiming it will put the country in the same league as China.
Telegraph 29/3/2010
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Tories attack BBC cuts to niche stations
The shadow Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has questioned the BBC's decision to cut niche radio stations such as 6 Music and BBC Asian Network. Mr Hunt suggested that the Corporation's most popular music stations were too similar to commercial services such as Absolute Radio and London-based Capital FM.
Independent 29/3/2010
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Peers warn of backlash fears over digital radio
 The government could face a public backlash over its plans to switch national radio stations over to digital transmission, peers have warned. The Communications Committee of the House of Lords says there is "public confusion and industry uncertainty". It said people were still buying analogue radios which will be out of date in a few years' time.
BBC News Online 29/3/2010
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UK internet adviser Tanya Byron's call to parents
Government internet adviser Tanya Byron says parents make the biggest difference to child online safety. Two years after launching a review into how to protect children from dangers on the internet, the child psychologist has told the BBC that families who oversee children's internet use can limit the risks more than any other controls. She says young children should be discouraged from using social networking sites.
BBC News Online 29/3/2010
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Spam a lot: Why filters still trash harmless web content as obscene
Ham-fisted cyber prudery might have been forgivable in the internet's infancy. But why are some filters still apparently unable to distinguish between clean and dirty content? Are their chastity belts fastened too tight?
The problem, technology experts say, is that with a worldwide web awash with filth, broad blocking rules often result in a false positive, meaning innocent content is binned just to be on the safe side.
BBC News Online 29/3/2010
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Ofcom proposes removing 'must sell' rule around TV advertising
Ofcom has launched a consultation to look at scrapping rules that force ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel Five to sell all their advertising minutes and allowing all UK commercial broadcasters to freely offer bundled airtime deals across services. The proposals, which Ofcom previously outlined in January, could theoretically allow ITV, Channel 4 and Five to earns tens of millions of pounds of extra ad revenue each year.
Ofcom is proposing to remove the "must sell" rule around ad minutes, which was introduced in 2003 because at the time the commercial public service broadcasters (PSBs) could have withheld ad slots to drive up prices - digital TV channel proliferation has reduced the impact of such a strategy.
The Guardian 29/3/2010
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Games developers celebrate tax breaks boost
 The incendiary combat shooter game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 recorded sales figures of over $500m in its first five days on sale, dwarfing the opening weeks of blockbuster movies such as The Dark Knight ($203.8m) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($394m).
Having now made over $1bn, it competes with just four movies: Titantic, Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Avatar. James Cameron's movie has eclipsed the game, but then, it cost four times more money to make - and Activision can churn out a new Call of Duty game every year.
Such statistics helped to convince the government to offer support to the growing industry in last week's budget, just a year after it did not even get a mention in the Digital Britain report. The government has agreed to work out a range of tax breaks for UK games companies after months of persistent lobbying by the industry's trade body Tiga.
The sector, worth £1bn a year to the British economy, has never benefited from the kind of tax relief enjoyed by the film industry, even though it generates greater revenues.
The Guardian 29/3/2010
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3View unveils connected-TV Freeview box
3View has unveiled what is claimed to be the UK's first set top box offering access to free-to-air television channels and internet content. On April 7, the electronics manufacturer will start taking advance orders for its new hybrid Freeview HD receiver, which is priced at £299.
Along with offering all standard definition and high definition channels available on Freeview, the IP-enabled box will also allow users to browse web services, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Digital Spy 29/3/2010
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Families Hit by BBC 'Filth'
 Children as young as five are watching horrific post-watershed TV scenes of sex and violence at the click of a button. An investigation has revealed millions of children are bypassing strict guidelines and parental controls and watching shows meant for adults by using popular TV internet services such as BBC iPlayer.
The result is that highly impressionable children are becoming hooked on TV programmes which have unsuitable images and dialogue, leading to long-term concerns for their mental health.
The Sunday Express 28/3/2010
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Lonely children of the high-tech age worry commissioner
 New technology could leave children lonely, according to the Children's
Commissioner for England. Maggie Atkinson questioned if activities and
video games left children with "nobody close to them". She also said
parents needed to allow young people to take risks, in a speech
organised by the children's charity Barnardo's in London on Thursday.
BBC News Online 26/3/2010
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A quarter of internet users aged 8-12 say they have under-age social networking profiles
 A quarter of children aged 8-12 who use the internet at home say they have a profile on Facebook, Bebo or MySpace, new Ofcom research revealed today. These sites have a minimum user age of 13.
But 83% of these children have their profile set so that it can only be seen by friends, and 4% have a profile that can't be seen. Nine in ten parents of these children who are aware that their child visits social networking sites (93%) also say that they check what their child is doing on these types of sites.
However one in six (17%) parents of this group are not aware that their child visits social networking sites.
Ofcom 26/3/2010
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Channel Five owner approaches Channel 4 about commercial tie-up
The owner of Channel Five, RTL, is understood to have made a renewed approach to Channel 4 about a possible commercial tie-up between the two broadcasters, MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal.
mediaGuardian 26/3/2010
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Sports threaten legal action over threat to Sky's TV dominance
 Furious sports governing bodies are considering legal action against the media regulator Ofcom over its attempts to force Sky to cut the prices at which it sells its sports channels to rivals, arguing that the move will "irreparably damage" investment at grass-roots level.
Next week's ruling will spark a high-profile legal challenge from Sky that now looks likely to be accompanied by parallel appeals from the biggest governing bodies.
Ofcom's decision, which follows an investigation into the pay TV market spanning almost three years, is likely to lead to lower prices for subscribers to Sky Sports through BT, Virgin Media and Top Up TV.
mediaGuardian 26/3/2010
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ITV regional news bidders told: don't count on BBC licence fee funds
Consortiums bidding to run ITV regional news pilots have been told to develop plans to operate without funds from the BBC licence fee, a move designed to thwart Conservative threats to block legislation enabling long-term public funding in the digital economy bill.
Richard Hooper, the chair of the selection panel responsible for choosing the preferred bidders for the pilots in England, Wales and Scotland, said that "political uncertainty" over the project meant consortiums should plan for life with no public funds.
If Labour wins the general election, which is expected to be called within days for 6 May, the pilots can be run until the end of 2012.
However, the Tories have pledged to block the necessary clause in the digital economy bill that would then enable Ofcom to fund an ongoing, national and regional ITV news services with public funds after 2012.
mediaGuardian 26/3/2010
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Teenage girl missing after going to meet a man she had fallen for on Facebook
A north London teenager has been missing since Tuesday, after meeting a man she met on Facebook. Demi Wright, 15, described as 'naive' by her mother, has a heart condition requiring daily medication, but she has not been heard from since she travelled across London to meet the self-styled gangster going by the name 'Sefa'.
Her mother, 40-year-old Johanna Shaw, told The Sun: 'It's a nightmare, this is completely out of character.' She said she had discovered sexually explicit messages that the pair had traded, as well as a comment on MSN messenger from Sefa bragging that he had almost been shot while with his gang.
'Demi is so trusting, naive and immature and she's been lured away by someone on the internet. I'd have sworn she'd never have done this. Before social networking sites this never would have happened. She'd have stayed with people she knew and could trust.'
MailOnline 26/3/2010
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Facebook: what social networking site 'is blamed for' amid syphilis claims
There are, it seems, few social ills that have not at one stage or another been blamed on Facebook. Since its creation in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg the site has been held responsible for everything from the breakdown of marriage to childhood obesity. Most recently, a public health official even linked social network sites to a resurgence in the sexually-transmitted disease syphilis.
Below are a few examples of the more unexpected outcomes which have been pinned on social network sites by everyone from the head of the Catholic church in Britain to University researchers.
Telepgraph Online 25/3/2010
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Islamic TV show 'backed marital rape' and promotes extremist groups, claims Muslim think tank
Britain's leading Islamic TV channel has regularly broadcast demeaning material about women and promoted extremist groups, it was alleged yesterday. Programmes on the Islam Channel have told women they should not refuse to have sex with their husbands or leave home without their permission, an inquiry by the Islamic think-tank the Quilliam Foundation found. Women who wear perfume in public have been labelled prostitutes.
The Islam Channel, launched in 2004, is the most watched satellite channel aimed at a Muslim audience and the think tank is now calling for an investigation by regulator Ofcom.
MailOnline 25/3/2010
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Facebook 'linked to rise in syphilis'
 Facebook has contributed to a resurgence in the sexually-transmitted disease syphilis, a health expert has claimed.Case have increased fourfold in Sunderland, Durham and Teesside, the areas of Britain where Facebook is most popular.
Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health in Teesside, claimed staff had found a link between social networking sites and the spread of the bacteria, especially among young women. He said: "Syphilis is a devastating disease. Anyone who has unprotected sex with casual partners is at high risk. There has been a fourfold increase in the number of syphilis cases detected with more young women being affected.
"I don't get the names of people affected, just figures, and I saw that several of the people had met sexual partners through these sites. Social networking sites are making it easier for people to meet up for casual sex."
In Teesside there were 30 recorded cases of syphilis last year, but the true figures are expected to be much higher. Research has shown that young people in Sunderland, Durham and Teesside were 25% more likely to log onto social networking sites than those in the rest of Britain.
Telegraph 25/3/2010
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Product placement goes before Parliament
 The government yesterday put controversial legislation before Parliament to enable product placement on UK television programmes. Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw officially gave product placement the go ahead on February 9, despite staunch opposition from cabinet colleagues and public health groups, including the British Medical Association.
The legislation, which is an amendment to the 1972 European Communities Act, will include a raft of exemptions and conditions, reports The Guardian. Bradshaw has maintained the exclusion of all alcohol, junk food, tobacco and gambling products from placement on UK television, along with the national lottery and infant baby milk.
Children's shows aimed at under-18s, religious programming, news and current affairs will also remain exempt from product placement. Broadcasters will be unable to place commercial products until Ofcom has launched a full public consultation and amended the broadcasting code. However, programme makers will be able to use placement in their current productions on the proviso that they are not screened until the new regulations are agreed, most likely in late autumn.
DigitalSpy 25/3/2010
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West TV homes report 'Welsh problem'
 Certain Freeview households in the West TV region have complained about receiving Welsh TV signals during the digital switchover in a recurrence of the 'Welsh problem'.
Yesterday, the Medip transmitter group covering Bristol, parts of Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire switched off analogue BBC Two in the first stage of the switchover process. On April 7, the remaining analogue channels - BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and Five - will be permanently switched off, with Freeview signals boosted in their place.
However, around 30,000 people in the region were left receiving television signals from Wales after retuning their equipment as advised. Known as the 'Welsh problem', the issue occurs because a Welsh mast transmits at a similar frequency to other relays, but at a much stronger signal.
Similar problems were reported last October in North Devon following a nationwide Freeview retune and after the switchover started in the Granada TV region last December. Speaking to BBC News, Digital UK South West regional manager Bill Taylor advised any affected viewers to visit the organisation's website to get advice on manual retuning.
DigitalSpy 25/3/2010
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Bradshaw confirms ITV News pilot winners
Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has confirmed winning bidders for pilot schemes in England, Wales and Scotland for the government's ITV regional news replacement service.
DigitalSpy 25/3/2010
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Broadband: from a slow start to ultrafast
 In 2002, BT's chief executive, Ben Verwaayen, stood up at a press conference and told the assembled journalists that his company was, essentially, betting the house on broadband. By 2006, he said, the company would have five million high-speed internet subscribers, because he was going to slash prices.
His audience burst out laughing - at the time the company had just 135,000 broadband customers. And indeed, Verwaayen did get it wrong - there were 13 million connections in the UK by the end of 2006, and now there are some 18 million, and the majority of them use BT's network. That's around two-thirds of all households.
Subscribers get an average speed of between four and five megabits per second, for which they pay an average of £15 per month - that's roughly half what it was in 2003.
All is not rosy with British broadband, however - although as the telecoms regulator Ofcom has pointed out, very few people thought we would end up where we are now, with many Britons agreeing with the idea that broadband is becoming a basic human right. Today, in the words of the Ofcom head Ed Richards, "We are at a point of change in the development of the UK broadband industry."
Telegraph 25/3/2010
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Budget 2010: Video game developers get tax relief
Calls from the UK's video games industry for government help have finally been heeded with chancellor Alistair Darling announcing plans to introduce tax relief for game developers in the final budget before the general election.
But homeowners and businesses will have to pay a new 50p-a-month tax for every phone line they have in order to help pay for the roll-out of the next generation of superfast broadband networks.
mediaGuardian 24/3/2010
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Fury as Mrs Ross's shocker gets a 15 rating
Film censors were blasted last night for handing a 15 rating to a film peppered with obscenities and violence. Kick-Ass, written by Jonathan Ross's wife Jane Goldman, is billed as a comedy action adventure.
But critics have highlighted its gratuitous violence and sexual swear words and insist it should be given an 18 certificate. They attacked the British Board of Film Classification over its decision not to enforce a higher age limit, saying it sets the wrong example to teenagers.
Vivienne Pattison, of Mediawatch UK, said: 'It just sets up a context of behaviour for 15-year-olds that they can go and see this and it reinforces this sort of behaviour.'
The Daily Mail 24/3/2010
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Premier Inn 'horror' ad banned from children's network
A TV advert for Premier Inn parodying the horror film The Shining has been banned from children's programming. The Advertising Standards Authority said the scene in which comedian Lenny Henry smashes a door with an axe was likely to frighten young viewers.
BBC News Online 24/3/2010
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Faster broadband roll-out urged by Ofcom
Ofcom has unveiled new proposals to encourage the rollout of super-fast broadband across the UK. The regulator is proposing that BT's fibre lines are opened so rival firms such as Sky and TalkTalk can provide their own services to consumers.
BT would then be able to set prices for these new wholesale products to enable them to make a fair rate of return. Ofcom hopes its plans will lead to millions more consumers enjoying speeds of up to 20 megabits per second. The plan is similar to the way BT's copper telephone network was opened to rival phone and broadband services.
BBC Online 22/3/2010
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BBC unveils digital radio expansion plans
Over a million more people will soon be able to receive the BBC's digital radio services under expansion plans to the UK's digital radio network.
Following recent criticism of its proposed closure of digital stations 6 Music and the Asian Network, the BBC has moved to demonstrate its commitment to digital radio in the UK. The corporation has pledged to invest in a further 60 digital radio transmitters to fulfil its Royal Charter commitment to reach 90% of the UK population.
DigitalSpy 23/3/2010
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Middle class parents 'buy off' their children
Middle class parents are attempting to "buy off" their children with computers and TVs and encouraging bad behaviour, a teachers' union leader has warned. Some children failed to respect authority or consider the needs of other pupils after leading "isolated lives" at home, said Dr Mary Bousted.
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers general secretary spoke ahead of the union's conference next week. She suggested some children were not taught how to "give and take".
BBC Online 23/3/2010
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David Jason: 'BBC has a lot of dead wood'
Veteran actor David Jason has criticised the BBC for "empire building" rather than investing in TV shows. The Only Fools And Horses comic claimed that the broadcaster's decision to axe radio stations 6 Music and the Asian Network was correct as it should be focusing its efforts on high quality drama and comedy.
DigitalSpy 23/3/2010
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Gordon Brown's super-fast broadband for all plan
Gordon Brown has said Labour plans to give every home in the UK access
to super-fast broadband. In a speech, the prime minister called high-speed web access "the
electricity of the digital age" which "must be for all - not just for
some".
The Conservatives say they have made a similar pledge and have attacked a
£6-a-year landline levy planned by Labour.
In his speech, Mr Brown set out his plans to make Britain "the world
leader in the digital economy" by 2020 - although there was no date set
to provide the faster broadband for all homes. He argued that faster broadband speeds would allow for cheaper and
better public services as well as ushering in more sophisticated
entertainment options and making trade easier.
But leaving this to the market alone would lead to coverage "determined
not by need or by social justice, but by profitability" and "a lasting,
pervasive and damaging new digital divide". Instead, he said it was up to government to create a fair digital
future, adding: "The alternative is our vision: ensuring, not simply
hoping for, universal coverage."
Jim Knight, the minister responsible for digital inclusion, said the
government had to intervene to ensure super-fast broadband reached
remote areas of the country. He told BBC Radio 5 live: "You offer incentives to the market to get to
those areas that otherwise they're not going to be able to make a profit
out of going to. By having universal access to this very high bandwidth which allows
more streaming video, allows people to watch TV and listen to radio
online, it means that we can also release the business and employment
potential of this."
BBC NewsOnline 22/3/2010
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GMTV rapped over consumer expert
GMTV was wrong to allow consumer expert Martin Lewis to promote his commercial website on Lorraine Kelly's show, broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has ruled.
In its March bulletin, Ofcom said GMTV had breached its broadcasting code by re-directing viewers to Lewis's website from the morning show's own web page. The ruling referred to a segment on 14 January in which Lewis claimed free gym passes were available on GMTV's site. To obtain them, however, viewers had to "click through" to Lewis's own site.
GMTV said that any suggestion the item in question was intended to direct traffic to its gm.tv site and then Lewis's was "inaccurate and disingenuous".
BBC NewsOnline 22/13/2010
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OFT to examine Project Canvas
 The Office of Fair Trading is to examine Project Canvas, the video-on-demand service backed by the BBC and others, giving critics including BSkyB and Virgin Media a chance to submit their concerns to competition authorities for the first time.
Project Canvas, the joint venture to bring VoD content to digital viewers with Freeview and Freesat that has backers including the BBC, BT, TalkTalk and ITV, has been heavily scrutinised by the BBC Trust but has not been the subject of examination by a wider regulatory body.
Critics of Project Canvas, including Sky and Virgin Media, will be pleased to get a chance to air their grievances to officials, after having argued that media regulator Ofcom should have conducted a market impact assessment of the proposed service.
mediaGuardian 22/3/2010
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Virgin Media outlines 3D on-demand plans
Virgin Media has confirmed plans to start offering 3D content to subscribers via its on-demand platform rather than launching a static channel.
Digital Spy 22/3/2010
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BBC One 'should have more over-50s,' report says
A leading provider of housing and care for the elderly has accused the BBC of not having enough older people in its programmes, compared to rival ITV. The Anchor Trust has commissioned an "older faces audit" that claims only 20% of presenters and actors on BBC One are aged over 50. This compares to 27% on ITV1, based on figures collated during one week.
The BBC said it did not believe that the study provided an accurate reflection of its output.
BBC Online 22/3/2010
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Ofcom 'to greenlight Sky's Picnic service'
Ofcom reportedly plans to give the greenlight to Sky's long-mooted Picnic service on Freeview as part of its new regulatory framework for the digital TV industry.
Under the approach, which could reportedly be approved within the next ten days, the media watchdog will also order Sky to cut the price of its premium sport and movie channels for rival operators. Ofcom's new model, known as the 'wholesale must offer', will force Sky to charge its rivals £10.50 per subscriber for its main channels, representing around a 20% rate cut.
The media watchdog sees a clear dominance of Sky over the UK market for sports content and first-run Hollywood films. Should the approach go ahead, though, it would most likely lead to a price war as BT Vision and Virgin Media use the situation to grab subscribers.
Ofcom's new policy is the culmination of a three-year consultation into the pay-TV industry, but Sky has already signalled its intention to challenge the price cuts.
DigitalSpy 22/3/2010
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YouTube parliament ban 'could be lifted'
 The ban on video clips of sessions in the House of Commons being broadcast on YouTube could be lifted in the coming weeks, it has emerged. Current regulations stop the Google-owned YouTube or any other website, including newspapers, from carrying video footage of parliamentary proceedings.
Under the approach, the public are forced to rely on news clips from the main broadcasters or material hosted on the Westminster or BBC Parliament sites. MPs are allowed to place clips of their own speeches on YouTube, but they have to ensure that third parties cannot embed the material.
The ban was implemented to protect copyright of the footage, which is jointly owned by broadcasters and the Palace of Westminster. According to The Guardian, MPs are also wary that users could "mash up" parliamentary sessions to make the speakers appear foolish.
DigitalSpy 22/3/2010
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The DVD player that censors your movies
 Ever sat down to watch a DVD with the family, thinking there's nothing up ahead likely to cause embarrassment or shock, only to find the stars undressing or blasting each other's brains out? Well, help has arrived for parents caught out by moments of movie nudity, violence or swearing. Experts have developed an electronic film filter which edits potentially offensive scenes.
The ClearPlay system uses patented technology integrated into the next generation of DVD players to skip and mute content based on seven categories that can be set to meet viewing preferences. These are violence, blood, nudity, sex, swearing, blasphemy and offensive content.
ClearPlay bosses claim that many films - especially those that are rated 15 - lend themselves to such treatment because their rating is based on only one or two brief scenes which can be edited without spoiling the rest of the movie.
MailOnline 20/3/2010
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Texting teen faces surgery on both wrists after sending 100 messages a day
 A schoolgirl is facing surgery on both wrists after sending more than 100 text messages a day from her mobile phone. Annie Levitz, 16, who has lost the feeling in her hands and is unable to pick up some objects, has to wear braces on both wrists and also needs pain-killing injections.
Doctors say she is suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, whereby nerves in the wrist become trapped. The condition is usually associated with frequent computer keyboard use.
MailOnline 20/3/2010
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Technology addicts offered treatment
 Technology addicts can now seek treatment at a London hospital which has launched bespoke treatment for those diagnosed with the condition. The programme is designed for young people who spend large amounts of time each day playing computer games or using social network websites.
When deprived they become "chronically agitated and irritable" said the treatment's founder Dr Richard Graham. Dr Graham's treatment programme lasts 28 days if done intensely. However it is not designed to wean people entirely off using technology, he told BBC News. "It's not realistic to have an abstinence programme," he said.
BBC Online 19/3/2010
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BBC iPlayer to link with social networks
BBC director of future media and technology Erik Huggers has confirmed
that the next iteration of BBC iPlayer will integrate with social media
networks. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Huggers said that the BBC
has already agreed partnerships deals with Facebook, Twitter and Bebo.
All three social networks will be embedded on the catchup platform when
the iPlayer 3.0 beta goes live. "We are close to launching the third
version of the iPlayer in beta which will have many more social
functions embedded within it," said Mr Huggers.
Digital Spy 19/3/2010
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BBC Bias Against the Tories
A SUN investigation has unearthed an alarming BBC bias against the Tories in the run up to the Election. Covert smears on David Cameron's Conservatives are being made right across the state-owned network - sparking hundreds of viewers' complaints. News coverage, chat shows and even kids' TV are guilty.
Watchdog Mediawatch-UK director Vivienne Pattison stressed: "Under the BBC charter they are required to be neutral. It's important - after all, we fund them."
The Sun 19/3/2010
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ITV on course for ad revenue surge
ITV's bullish start to the year looks set to continue, with its TV ad revenue in May expected to be up as much as 25% year on year. Rupert Howell, managing director of brand and commercial at ITV, said that the TV market for May was looking "very strong" but cautioned that this did not necessarily indicate a sustained recovery.
"May is looking very good but it is against very easy comparables [with the same months in 2009]," said Howell, speaking at the annual conference run by UK advertiser's body, Isba, yesterday. "Our problems are by no means over. Last year's progress [ITV returned to profit in 2009] just means we now have a significant platform for changes that have to be made."
The Guardian 19/3/2010
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BBC apologises for 6 Music, Radio 4 clash
The BBC has apologised after Radio 4 programming was yesterday interrupted by transmissions from 6 Music. During Radio 4's 7pm news bulletin and at the start of long-running drama The Archers, the broadcast clashed with a track by The Undertones played on 6 Music. In response, a BBC spokesman said that the problem occurred due to a "technical error" and listeners will be able to hear The Archers again without interruption at 2pm today. "We are very sorry to listeners for loss of service. Transmission was interrupted for just under two and a half minutes at 19.01," he said.
Digital Spy 19/3/2010
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Youtube accuse Viacom of 'secret uploads'
YouTube has accused media conglomerate Viacom of secretly uploading content to the video-sharing site whilst publicly complaining about its presence. YouTube said it deliberately "roughed up" any uploaded videos to make them look stolen or leaked.
The accusation was made as a court prepares to rule in a $1bn suit brought by Viacom against Youtube for "massive intentional copyright infringement". Viacom said it had identified 150,000 such infringements on the site.
BBC News Online 19/3/2010
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World wakes up to digital divide
The digital divide, like many other economic or social problems, is a global issue. From the most switched on countries such as Sweden to the poorest nations in Africa there is a widening gap between those with access to technology and those without.
The gap between countries on the same continent is also getting wider. According to figures from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Sweden has a mere 12% of its population offline compared to 56.5% in Greece.
BBC News Online 19/3/2010
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Ofcom hands VOD regulation to ATVOD
The Association For Television On Demand (ADVOD) has today confirmed a series of senior appointments as it takes over video on-demand regulation from Ofcom. Last December, the media watchdog started regulating "TV-like" VOD content under a revised version of the European Union's Audio Visual Media Service directive.
Today, Ofcom has officially handed over statutory powers to independent body ATVOD for "light touch" regulation of the fast-moving market for long-form online video, including all consumer protection standards and guidelines for taste, decency and sponsorship requirements.
Digital Spy 18/3/2010
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Hacking 'fun' for British teens
One in four young Britons attempts to access the Facebook accounts of their friends, a survey claims. The most common route of access was by working out - or "cracking" - each other's passwords.
The poll of 1,150 under-19s found that nearly half of those who accessed other accounts did so from either their own computer or one at school. The main reason given for doing it was for fun, and a further 21% admitted they hoped to cause disruption.
BBC Online 18/3/2010
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More Google TV details emerge
More details have leaked about Google's reported move into the set top box market, including the firm's partnership with Sony and Intel to develop new software. Last week, it emerged that Google is running trials of STB software to enable users to browse television programmes and web video content from providers such as Hulu and YouTube.
According to the New York Times, the initiative - dubbed Google TV - has the ultimate aim of making navigation of web applications as easy as changing channels on a TV.
Digital Spy 18/3/2010
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ITV: no plans to put shows on YouTube
A senior ITV executive has said today that the broadcaster had "no plans" to do output deals to put its programming on video-on-demand aggregation services such as Hulu, YouTube, SeeSaw and MSN Video Player. The ITV director of online and interactive, Ben McOwen Wilson, told a session at the MediaGuardian Changing Media Summit that the broadcaster would instead seek to build online viewing of its programming via its own VoD service, ITV Player.
The Guardian 18/3/2010
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Condom TV ads get prime-time all-clear
After decades of protecting the public from prophylactics, advertising regulators have confirmed there are to be less stringent rules governing condom ads on prime-time television. A change in the advertising code allowing the contraceptive to be advertised before the 9pm watershed was included as part of efforts to cut Britain's high rate of teenage pregnancy.
Under the biggest shake-up of TV advertising rules for decades, several other products may be promoted on television for the first time including betting tips, herbal medicines and pornographic films and magazines - although the latter can only appear on "adult" channels protected by pin code.
The changes are the result of a review by the advertising industry of 400 pieces of legislation, which produced a series of proposals last May. The most controversial of these was a plan, revealed in The Independent, to allow the advertising of abortion services, which has since been postponed.
MediaWatch, an organisation which campaigns for "decency and accountability" in broadcasting, said: "This is not about promoting health messages, it's about shifting a product, pushing up sales."
Independent 17/3/2010
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ITV reconsiders regional news cuts
.jpg "Image") Archie Norman, the new chairman of ITV, is understood to be reconsidering the broadcaster's decision to dump regional news, as part of a wider strategic review of all the channel's activities.
The move would potentially affect current government plans to test independently financed news consortiums in several regions including Wales, Scotland and the Borders, which would produce regional bulletins for ITV1. Eight bidders are currently in a tender process for three pilot schemes with a decision expected next Thursday.
Independent 17/4/2010
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BBC triumphs at Royal Television Society awards
 The BBC has scooped 18 prizes out of 25 main categories at the Royal Television Society Awards. Awards at the TV industry ceremony included best drama series for The Street and best soap for EastEnders.
BBC Four's news review show Newswipe beat Simon Cowell's two ITV1 shows Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor in the best entertainment section.
BBC Online 17/3/2010
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Playboy accidentally played out on children's TV
 TV bosses in the US have apologised after preview clips of the Playboy channel were accidentally played out on two children's channels.
A Time Warner Cable (TWC) spokesman said an "technical glitch" was to blame for the mistake which lasted two hours in parts of North Carolina on Tuesday. The company was made aware of the error after parents called in to report it. TWC said it had procedures in place to catch errors, but it was not picked up as it affected only a small area.
BBC Online 17/3/2010
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Tighter rules coming for violent game ads
 Advertising regulators have reportedly revealed plans to introduce stricter guidelines for all television and radio commercials promoting violent video games.
According to The Guardian, changes to the advertising code will mean that ads for games carrying age restrictions will be banned from airing around programming popular with children under 10. The move is designed to bring the code in line with current regulations for the advertising of violent films on broadcast platforms.
Following a lengthy consultation, which has attracted over 30,000 responses, the Broadcast Committee on Advertising Practice has opted to relax the frequency and timing of TV adverts for condoms, but delayed a similar move for abortion clinics.
Condom ads are currently banned from appearing before the 9pm watershed and before 7.30pm on Channel 4, but from September 1 they will be allowed at run at any time in the schedule, except around programming popular with children. The move is part of efforts to cut teen pregnancy rates in the UK.
DigitalSpy 16/3/2010
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Tax breaks for video games possible in budget
Video games are looking increasingly likely to benefit from the forthcoming Budget. Stephen Timms MP, Minister for Digital Britain, told GamesIndustry.biz that the Government would "be able to provide an update of where we've got to" regarding tax breaks for the industry during the March 24 announcement.
He said that the government was looking to support businesses that could drive Britain out of recession and that there was "no doubt that the computer games sector is one part of the economy where we can see very good prospects for growth in the future".
Telegraph 16/3/2010
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Isn't it a bit early for that? Demo of sexual positions on This Morning branded 'inappropriate' by shocked viewers
 It was enough to make even the most stoic of viewers splutter into their mid-morning coffee. Those tuning into This Morning yesterday, eager to see their favourite cookery and fashion features, were instead confronted by two couples simulating sex live on air.
In one scene a young couple were shown testing out how to have sex when there is a height difference, while an older pair revealed the best positions to adopt when one party is tired. It then featured a short interview with 23-year-old Dannii Frost, who complained she had never had an orgasm with her partner of three years.
Although presenter Philip Schofield kept a straight face as the spectacle unfolded, it was too much for co-host Holly Willoughby, who spent most of the time giggling and pulling faces.
But not everyone was laughing last night. Scores of viewers have turned to internet message boards and to media groups to complain about the ITV daytime programme, which is dedicating much of its output this week to dealing with viewers' sexual problems and questions.
Vivienne Pattison, director of MediaWatch UK, which campaigns for responsible broadcasting, said: 'I've had people ringing in to complain about this and they are right to do so. Lots of people were offended. This was broadcast well before the watershed and when young children are likely to be watching. It is not appropriate. ITV have crossed a line here.'
MailOnline 16/3/2010
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Lords pass controversial internet piracy bill
Legislation to tackle internet piracy, including bans for illegal file-sharers, has been passed by the Lords. The Digital Economy Bill is now expected to be rushed through the Commons before the general election.
Peers had earlier rejected a bid by ministers to include wide-ranging powers over future online piracy law. But despite criticism, the government said it was still committed to giving courts the power to block websites which are infringing copyright.
The bill, put forward by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, has been welcomed by the music industry because it includes plans to suspend the internet accounts of people who persistently download material illegally. But firms such as British Telecom, Google and Facebook say that would be unfair and illegal file-sharers should be fined instead of cut off.
BBC Online 16/3/2010
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John Simpson 'pessimistic about BBC'
BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson has said that he is "very pessimistic" about the corporation's future due to the "endless attacks" over its funding situation.
Simpson said that critics of the BBC, including culture secretary Ben Bradshaw and Conservative shadow Jeremy Hunt, are like "mechanics going into a Rolls-Royce garage with a spanner and starting to lay about the bodywork".
Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Simpson said that the future viability of the corporation could be diminished if its funding is cut. "I'm very pessimistic about the future of the BBC. This is something I really disagree about with [BBC director general] Mark Thompson. When I saw him recently we argued it out," he said.
"He's very upbeat about the future of the BBC, not just for public consumption but also in private, but I'm not because I think it's an anomaly in today's world and the licence fee is under such an intense amount of pressure."
Digital Spy 16/3/2010
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Facebook removing stalker applications
Facebook says it is "aggressively disabling" applications that claim to allow users to see who is viewing their profile. It has also confirmed that the programmes do not work and won't allow access to private information.
Several variants of the so-called "stalker apps" have appeared on Facebook in recent days.
BBC Online 16/3/2010
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Tories may 'lose broadband vote'
The Conservative policy on rural broadband could see its own voters miss out on fast services, research has shown. Analysis from research firm Point Topic suggests some of the Tories' key rural constituencies could suffer most from its decision to hold back on subsidising rural super-fast broadband.
The Tories have vowed to scrap Labour's 50p per month tax on landlines, designed to fund rural broadband. It favours a "wait and see" approach.
BBC Online 15/3/2010
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'Sleep lessons' aim to sharpen up grumpy teenagers
 Pupils at schools in Glasgow are being given lessons in how to sleep. The sessions, run by the charity Sleep Scotland, aim to teach pupils tips such as the importance of a bed-time routine and avoiding late-night television.
Experts say teenagers who seem grumpy and uncommunicative could actually be sleep deprived because they go to bed after midnight - even on week nights. The advice for pupils is that they should be sleeping for more than nine hours a night.
Researchers found that after going to bed at 2300 or midnight, teenagers were staying awake for hours watching television, playing on games consoles, or browsing the internet. Some pupils were getting as little as four or five hours sleep a night.
BBC Online 15/3/2010
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No Channel Five on Freeview HD before 2012
Channel Five will not be launching a high definition TV service on Freeview before 2012 after failing to give a launch date or programming schedule to the media regulator, Ofcom.
Ofcom, which last June reserved a slot on Freeview for a HD service for Five, said today that it would no longer reserve capacity on the service for the broadcaster, which made a loss last year. It is understood that the BBC, which already has a HD channel on Freeview, is likely to step in to provide another HD service.
Five had been unable to "resolve certain key criteria by the end of 2009" asked for by Ofcom, including committing to a launch date for a HD channel and providing satisfactory details and a commitment to a schedule.
mediaGuardian 15/3/2010
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Police receive complaint about TV's controversial ‘Pain Men'
Scotland Yard has received a complaint about a Channel 4 alternative comedy series in which two men inflict extreme pain on each other for fun.
The programme - Balls Of Steel - features Michael Locke and Matthew Pritchard, who perform masochistic acts including giving each other electric shocks and stapling paper to their tongues. The pair - who go under the name Pancho and Pritchard, The Pain Men - are shown trying to outdo other performers to win an audience vote.
Following initial complaints to Channel 4 by Mediawatch-UK, the broadcaster defended the programme saying there was ‘a need' to push comedy boundaries. The campaigners have now written to the Metropolitan Police asking the force to investigate further. Yesterday, Scotland Yard said a criminal investigation was ‘not appropriate'.
Mail Online 13/3/2010
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Evan Williams says Twitter fundamental to government
 Social networks will become a fundamental way we communicate with our governments, businesses and loved ones, Twitter co-founder Evan Williams has told the BBC. He said that Twitter will be expanding into regions where only the simplest of technology is available.
In areas where censorship hinders freedom of speech, he hopes the "open exchange of information will prevail". There are still no plans to charge end users to use the site.
"Our goal at Twitter is to be a force for good," he told the BBC's Carrie Grace on The Interview.
BBC News Online 12/3/2010
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Peers 'set to offer digital economy bill concessions'
Peers will reportedly offer concessions over controversial anti-piracy legislation that would lead to websites being blocked without due judicial process, following criticism from internet companies including Google, Facebook and Yahoo.
The Liberal Democrats are planning to publish changes to an earlier amendment to the digital economy bill, 120A, that seek to address concerns about the anti-piracy proposals raised by internet service providers and leading web companies, according to today's Financial Times.
mediaGuardian 12/3/2010
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BBC criticised for scant coverage of Winter Paralympics
The BBC has been criticised for scheduling just one hour of TV highlights of the Vancouver Winter Paralympics, despite dedicating 160 broadcast hours to the Winter Olympics on BBC2. Lewis Wiltshire, the editor of the BBC Sport website, said TV coverage was restricted because of "budget restrictions and the time zone factor".
The Winter Paralympics, which start today in Vancouver and run until 21 March, follow the BBC's extensive coverage of the Winter Olympics which ran for 17 days from 12 to 28 February. The BBC published a detailed press release highlighting what it called its "most comprehensive coverage in Winter Olympic history".
mediaGuardian 12/3/2010
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Young people self-harming with sharp objects up 50%
The number of young people admitted to hospital after cutting themselves deliberately is up by more than 50% in five years, according to new figures.
"We are sure this is just the tip of the iceberg," said Professor Keith Hawton at Oxford University. "Pressures have increased and there's much more expected of young people." The number of young people admitted to hospital after cutting themselves deliberately is up by more than 50% in five years, according to new figures.
"Another factor could be publicity," said Prof Hawton. "It's being discussed more in the media and by that I include the internet." The Royal College of Psychiatrists says it is now "seriously concerned" about the growing number of websites which glamorise the problem or show gory images of cuts and scars.
"The kinds of things we are worried about are the graphic videos of self-harm [injuries] that are posted to sites like YouTube," said Dr Margaret Murphy, chair of the College's child and adolescent section. "Young people tell us that images can trigger memories and that makes them much more likely to self-harm."
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is now calling for website owners and moderators to remove material which might promote or trigger self-harm and to link directly to sites which offer professional support. Tens of thousands of videos dealing with self harm and cutting have been uploaded to sites like YouTube.
BBC Online 12/3/2010
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Buckinghamshire village in Street View fight against Google
In one corner was a group of villagers keen to guard their privacy from the prying eyes of the outside world. In the other was Google, the internet giant that has set out to photograph every street in Britain and put the images online.
"I think it's an invasion of privacy," said John Neale, 76, a retired builder who lives on the street. "These photos are looking over your fences and walls - it's an intrusion and I'm not sure it's a necessity."
Edward Butler-Ellis, 28, a Tory councillor for Milton Keynes and one of the residents who led the protests, said: "The fact is they should have asked or at least let people know that they were photographing their houses.
"What really gets me is people have to opt out of being on it when they should have to opt in. A lot of older people without the internet are unaware that they are able to opt out of this." Street View was launched last spring with above eye-level photography of cities including London and Manchester.
Telegraph 12/3/2010
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Say what? A parents' guide to UK teenage slang
One of the themes of BBC School Report News Day is language, so we asked children in different parts of the country about their language and found that teenage slang differs wildly.
We are all British, right? We all speak the same language, surely? Not according to a very unscientific survey carried out by BBC News School Report.
Many phrases were used universally - for example LOL (Laugh Out Loud) - and for that you can probably blame rap music, text messaging, Facebook and popular TV programmes like Skins and Hollyoaks.
BBC NewsOnline 11/3/2010
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BBC plans spin-off stations to push digital radio after closure of 6 Music
The BBC is to reinvent its digital radio offering around brand extensions of its main five radio networks following the proposed closure of BBC 6 Music and the Asian Network.
It is understood that the BBC plans to spend some of the money saved by closing the two stations on digital spin-offs and extensions to programmes already being broadcast on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live. The BBC spent £16m on content for 6 Music and the Asian Network in the year to the end of March 2009.
A similar tactic has proved successful on the BBC's TV channels, with spin-offs such as BBC3's Doctor Who Confidential and BBC2's Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two and The Apprentice: You're Fired.
mediaGuardian 11/3/2010
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Digital Economy Bill undermines plans for digital inclusion, warns BCS
The Institute believes the Bill, which is currently being considered by the House of Lords, could have "huge consequences" for internet users.
"The Institute is highlighting the importance of the internet to citizenship, and the opportunities for everyone to participate," said Elizabeth Sparrow, president of the Institute. "These opportunities could be curtailed and even diminished if some of the proposals being discussed make it in to law."
Telegraph 11/3/2010
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RTL cuts value of Channel Five by half after tough 2009
 The owner of Channel Five, RTL, has cut the value of its subsidiary by more than half as the UK broadcaster reported losses of €41m (£37m) last year.
mediaGuardian 11/3/2010
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TV licence fee to increase to £145 from 1 April
The cost of the BBC licence fee will increase by 2 per cent to £145.50 from 1 April. This year's rise from £142.50 for the colour licence is part of a six-year BBC funding settlement agreed in 2007.
The increase was set at 3 per cent for the first two years of the settlement and 2 per cent in years three, four and five - with 2010 being year four.
Indepdent 10/3/2010
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Bob Geldof accuses BBC of 'total collapse of standards' following Live Aid weapons claim
Bob Geldof branded the BBC World Service a 'rotten old cherry' yesterday for claiming that millions of pounds raised by Band Aid and Live Aid were spent on weapons.
In a vitriolic attack, the singer accused the radio station of a 'total collapse of standards'. He threatened to take legal action against the corporation after it reported that more than £70million of the money raised to fight famine in Ethiopia was intercepted by rebel fighters.
MailOnline 10/3/2010
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BBC's Thomson defends 6 Music axe plans
BBC chief operating officer Caroline Thomson has defended the
controversial decision to axe BBC 6 Music as part of last week's
strategy review of the corporation. Speaking to the Westminster Media
Forum, Thomson reiterated that the digital station needs to be closed as
it competes directly with commercial radio rivals.
According to The Guardian, Thomson said that the "tough" decision to
close 6 Music was reached due to serious questions over why the BBC
needs to run three popular music stations - Radio 1, Radio 2 and 6
Music. "The average age of [6 Music's] listeners - 37 - is at the heart
of the demographic targeted by commercial radio," she said.
Digital Spy 10/3/2010
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Libby Purves: BBC should stop playing it safe
The BBC Radio 4 presenter, Libby Purves, said the corporation should back intelligent, risk-taking content rather than "fretting how to get an extra million idiots" watching programmes such as BBC3's Snog, Marry, Avoid? "on phone screens the size of a dog biscuit".
Purves, who presents Radio 4's Midweek, urged the BBC to get over its "failure of nerve and taste" and "crisis of confidence" and back its in-house talent. She said the corporation "sometimes scrabbles for audience before excellence" and said the licence fee "need not be an embarrassment but a spur to exploration and risk".
The Guardian 10/3/2010
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ASA clears Durex 'pleasure gel' ad
A TV commercial for a Durex "pleasure gel" featuring women apparently having orgasms has escaped a ban from the advertising watchdog, despite being aired by Channel 4 before 11pm. The ad, for Durex's Play O gel, featured head shots of a number of women singing along to an opera aria while apparently experiencing sexual pleasure.
The ad was cleared by Clearcast, the body responsible for clearing TV ads at script stage, to be run after 11pm. However, Channel 4 aired the ad twice after 10pm, during Gordon Ramsay's The F Word and a Derren Brown show, in a "measured decision" to schedule the commercial earlier than recommended by Clearcast.
The Guardian 10/3/2010
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Lyons defends BBC Trust from critics
 Sir Michael Lyons has defended the BBC Trust against its critics, saying that the organisation's dissolution could leave a "glorified complaints office" in its place.
The Trust has recently faced criticism from various corners, including a reported pledge by the Conservative Party to axe the body if it secures power at the general election. However, Trust chairman Lyons told the Manchester Statistical Society yesterday that he views the organisation's primary mission as being to halt the "imperial compulsion" within the BBC.
Digital Spy 10/3/2010
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Tech chiefs attack digital economy bill
 Amendments made to the digital economy bill by the House of Lords threaten freedom of speech and will lead to British websites being blocked without due judicial process, the chief executives of leading technology companies said today.
The heads of the four largest UK internet service providers - BT, Orange, Virgin Media and TalkTalk - as well as Google, Facebook, eBay and Yahoo have all co-signed the letter, along with consumer groups, academics and the technophile television host Stephen Fry, objecting to amendment 120A to the bill, which was added to the bill last week with support from Liberal Democrat and Conservative peers.
Ministers had been seeking powers to amend copyright law and impose conditions or fees where infringements were taking place.
The Guardian 10/2/2010
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Tories' media policy is their own, not Rupert Murdoch's, says Ed Vaizey
The shadow culture minister, Ed Vaizey, has denied that Conservative media policy is dictated by Rupert Murdoch and executives at his News Corporation media empire, dismissing the suggestion as "completely laughable".
Vaizey told delegates at a Westminster Media Forum event in London that Tory policy on the BBC, in particular, has been "wilfully misrepresented".
mediaGuardian 10/3/2010
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Microsoft launches free rival to BBC iPlayer - the MSN Video Player
Microsoft is launching a free online video player - the first serious rival to the BBC's iPlayer. The MSN video player, which goes live tomorrow, will feature a thousand hours of television programming that is aimed mainly at the youth market, young families and professionals.
Rather than providing a "catch-up" service like the iPlayer, where people can watch programmes for only a few days after they are aired, Microsoft says that it will allow viewers to enjoy full series of their favourite shows.
The new service features programmes including the cult comedy Peep Show, the teen drama Skins and the reality show Wife Swap. The service is free, but viewers will have to watch single 30-second advertisements before, during and after the programme. The system is available only in the UK.
Times Online 10/3/2010
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Former Telewest chief executive appointed Digital Radio UK chairman
Former Telewest chief executive Adam Singer has been appointed chairman of digital radio switchover body, Digital Radio UK. Singer, deputy chair of media regulator Ofcom's content board, will work alongside Digital Radio UK chief executive Ford Ennals to oversee radio's switch to digital.
mediaGuardian 10/3/2010
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BT boss criticises Digital Economy Bill
Ian Livingston, chief executive of BT, says plans to disconnect illegal filesharers are 'unfair'. Instead, people who illegally download and share music online should be fined, he said.
Mr Livingston argued that revenue generated from fines could be used to compensate the creative industries or finance the roll-out of next-generation broadband, and would also ensure that entire families or small businesses were not penalised for the illegal behaviour of an individual.
"If someone is accused, a fine can be issued, a bit like a speeding offence," he told the BBC. "They can appeal it. If they don't appeal it, then they pay a fine."
Telegraph 10/3/2010
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BBC teams up with citizen journalists' network Global Voices
Over the next two weeks, the BBC will work closely with non-profit blogging network Global Voices Online. BBC news will engage with blogging posts from the network, while Global Voices's managing editor, Solana Larsen, will get involved in news production in the BBC's newsroom.
"The idea that citizen journalism is somehow opposed to, or in conflict with, traditional journalism is now clearly past. It's evident that both exist in a symbiotic relationship with one another, with many opportunities to collaborate on the creation of news, storytelling and distribution of content," said Global Voices's executive director, Ivan Sigal, about the project.
mediaGuardian 10/3/2010
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Bob Geldof anger at BBC over Band Aid allegations
Bob Geldof has launched a furious attack on the BBC World Service over its claim that 95% of the $100m aid raised to fight famine in northern Ethiopia was diverted by rebels and spent on weapons.
Writing in today's Guardian, the musician and mastermind of the 1985 Live Aid concerts accuses the World Service of a "total collapse of standards and systems", threatens it with legal action and calls for the sacking of the reporter behind the story, his editor and the head of the World Service, Peter Horrocks.
mediaGuardian 9/3/2010
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Trust should review BBC mobile apps, says newspaper body
The Newspapers Publishers Association has called on the BBC Trust to launch an investigation into the corporation's plans to launch a series of mobile applications to deliver sport and news content to smartphones such as the iPhone and BlackBerry.
The NPA, which represents the UK national newspaper industry, has written to the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, and the BBC Trust chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, arguing that the corporation should not be allowed to launch the applications without an assessment of the impact of such a move on commercial rivals.
mediaGuardian 9/3/2010
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.xxx internet domain name plan resurrected
A plan to create an internet domain specifically for adult websites will be resurrected three years after it was rejected by internet regulators. The net's governing body Icann will reconsider the .xxx scheme on 12 March.
Icann had previously given the domain the go ahead in 2005, but reversed the decision two years later amidst protests from US conservative groups. An independent review recently concluded that decision was unfair and that the plan should be reconsidered.
"If the contract is signed, we could be selling names by the end of the year," said Stuart Lawley, chairman of ICM Registry, which put forward the plans for .xxx and would sell the domain names.
The idea for a .xxx domain was first proposed in 2001 and was approved by Icann four years later. The scheme is intended to create a silo for pornography on the internet. "Those that do want to see it can; those that don't can filter it out," explained Mr Lawley.
BBC News Online 9/3/2010
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Facebook forced to warn members to use 'extreme caution'
Facebook today issued an unprecedented warning after a teenage girl was lured to her death by a serial rapist she met online.
The social networking site urged its members not to meet strangers they only know from the internet and exercise 'extreme caution'. It made the rare public statement following the appalling case of Ashleigh Hall, which highlighted the astonishing ease with which potential predators can trap victims online.
Lacking in confidence and simply wanting a boyfriend, Ashleigh, 17, was lured by a picture of a bare-chested teenager who was muscular and good looking. Tragically for the trainee nursery nurse, the image of her young suitor on Facebook was bogus and he turned out to be shaven-headed Peter Chapman, 33.
The registered sex offender, previously jailed for raping and robbing two prostitutes at knifepoint, would lure her to her death and dump her in a ditch. It later emerged Chapman was registered on at least ten social networking sites which he used to look for girls. By posing as a 19-year-old, he amassed more than 6,000 friends.
Mail Online 9/3/2010
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Use eBay and online television to bring the poor to the internet, says watchdog
Promote money-making sites such as eBay and internet TV services to encourage poorer people to get online, a consumer watchdog has told the Government.
The report was based on interviews with people earning less than £11,500 a year and without home internet and found there was a ''limited motivation'' to get connected.
Consumer Focus's Broadband Minded report said online savings were of ''limited relevance'' to low income homes because many of them lacked bank accounts or debit cards to see the benefits. It recommended promoting how the internet could make money - giving the example of online auction site eBay.
The watchdog also said internet TV and video-on-demand services ''are likely to be the most fruitful way to motivate consumers''. The Broadband Minded report also found pay-as-you-go mobile use was common among its low income interviewees and believes a similar internet model could prove equally popular.
Last week the Government launched a national drive to get 7.5 million more people using the internet within four years, specifically targeting the elderly and the poor. At the time, Stephen Timms, the Minister for Digital Britain, said being online was ''crucial for participation in the 21st century society''.
Telegraph Online 9/3/2010
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Google 'trialling TV search service'
Company working with satellite provider on feature that would let users search both TV content and web videos on set-top boxes
Once again, rumours are making their rounds that Google is going to make some sort of set-top box play. The latest: the Wall Street Journal reports that the company paid
content.org is working with Dish Network on a new feature that would let users search both TV content and web videos on set-top boxes "using elements of Google's Android operating system".
mediaGuardian 9/3/2010
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Children are harder to motivate with traditional teaching methods in the internet age as they expect instant results, a head teachers' leader said yesterday.
 Websites and computer games have over the past decade made children impatient with the pace of steady learning, John Dunford, head of the Association of School and College Leaders, said. He added that children spend on average 1.7 hours a day online, 1.5 hours on games consoles and 2.7 hours watching television.
"They live in a celebrity-dominated society where success appears to come instantly and without any real effort," Mr Dunford told the associations's annual conference."It is difficult for teachers to compete. Success in learning just doesn't come fast enough."
Times Online 8/3/2010
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Is there such a thing as internet addiction?
.jpg "Image") Ben Alexander always struggled to fit in. Teased at primary school and beaten up in senior school, he turned to the internet, where he found a whole new world of friends.
Subscribing to the hugely popular online game World of Warcraft, he joined 12 million other people — including the actor Vin Diesel, the presenter Jonathan Ross and his wife Jane Goldman — in a quest reminiscent of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
In the game, players create avatars in whose guise they spend hours joining guilds of other players to fight battles. "There's lots of working together," says Alexander."That's what made it so attractive, because the social thing was something I always had trouble with. It was a lot easier to socialise and make friends online than it was in real life."
The 19-year-old's interest in the game soon developed into an obsession. He began skipping his biology lectures at university and spending up to 17 hours a day online. Eventually he had depression diagnosed and was put on medication. He was also treated for internet addiction.
Alexander admits that he needed help: "I don't think I would have been able to get out of it myself."
TimesOnline 8/3/2010
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Internet generation 'expects instant results'
Children are harder to teach because the internet and celebrity culture lead them to expect instant gratification, a head teachers' leader warned. Youngsters are even ' spoon-fed' to pass A-levels, said Dr John Dunford, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.
'Nobody under the age of 21 would subscribe to the dictum of Mae West that "anything worth doing is worth doing slowly",' he lamented in a speech yesterday. 'Teachers' jobs have become significantly tougher over the past decade because they must compete against the internet, computer games, TV and celebrity culture for youngsters' attention, he added.
MailOnline 8/3/2010
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Convicted sex attacker admits rape and murder of girl, 17, he groomed on Facebook by posing as a teenager
A prolific sex offender today admitted kidnapping, raping and murdering a teenager who he ensnared on the Facebook social networking site. Peter Chapman, who had previously been jailed for raping two teenagers, dramatically changed his plea as he was due to face trial at Teesside Crown Court for the killing of Ashleigh Hall.
Chapman, 33, posed as an attractive teenager on his profile page to lure the 17-year-old childcare student to him.
MailOnline 8/3/2010
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Tally ho: why Hunt has the scent of BBC blood in his nostrils
 The Shadow Culture Secretary details his plans to transform the media landscape.
BBC Three and BBC Four might think they've escaped the chop. After all, last week's strategic review saw the director general Mark Thompson spare those networks while taking the knife to other parts of the corporation's empire; the website, digital radio and magazines.
But the two digital television channels should think again because there may have to be further bloody incisions. Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative shadow culture secretary, is unconvinced such "expensive" services offer value for money. "These are channels costing nearly £100m each to run, but with very, very small audiences," he says.
"There may be good public service broadcasting reasons why this investment is sensible but I'd like to hear arguments beyond the simple one that everyone pays the licence fee. The reality is that there isn't enough money even in the BBC's generous licence fee pot for it to produce programming for every single niche that exists."
Independent 8/3/2010
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Saturday Kitchen Live rapped over swearing incident
 Popular TV show Saturday Kitchen Live has been rapped by the broadcasting watchdog after a guest chef swore while attempting to cook an omelette.
In the weekly BBC1 programme's Omelette Challenge, two cooks compete to cook the meal in the quickest time. On December 5 last year, top chef Tom Kime said "fucking hell" under his breath when his three egg omelette started to stick to his pan.
The remark went undetected by the show's presenter James Martin and the production team, so no apology was made. It was not until after the show, which is broadcast on a Saturday morning, when another guest was asked about the swearing, that the BBC became aware of the matter.
The BBC decided that Mr Kime would not be returning to the programme and apologised to viewers who contacted it to complain.
Independent 8/3/2010
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Revealed: The horror image drawn by Jon Venables just weeks before he killed James Bulger
 At first sight, it appears to be a child's attempt at illustrating a terrible nightmare.
But what makes this image so horrifying is that it was a violent fantasy, inspired by the 18-rated horror movie Halloween, and that the ten-year-old artist was close to committing a deadly act of his own in real life. Jon Venables drew the stick-men style picture weeks before he and Robert Thompson abducted and murdered James Bulger in 1993.
MailOnline 8/3/2010
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Harman criticises TV debates format
 Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman has criticised the rules governing audience participation in the forthcoming TV election debates. Last week, Sky, the BBC and ITV confirmed that they have reached an agreed debate format with Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and Conservative leader David Cameron.
Under the plans, the 200-strong audience at each debate will be prevented from applauding, jeering, booing or heckling while the leaders are speaking, but will be able to make noise at the start and end of each 90-minute programme.
Speaking on BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show, Harman said: "Why do we have to control the British audience? I mean are Brits going to sit there and be told: 'Don't groan, don't laugh, don't clap'. I don't think people will do that, I think people will engage."
DigitalSpy 8/3/2010
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Tom Conti: 'BBC think people are stupid'
Tom Conti has complained that the BBC thinks its audience is stupid.
The actor stars in a radio adaptation of Frederick Raphael's novel Final Demands, but argued that it should have been broadcast on television like the first book in Raphael's trilogy.
He said: "You can't get such a thing onto television anymore because it's full of big words and, of course, the British public are so stupid in the eyes of the television executives that they couldn't possibly understand words longer than two syllables. You can't speak good English or dress well on TV, so it's on Radio 4.
DigitalSpy 8/3/2010
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Ad rules to take in use of Twitter and Facebook
Tighter controls on the how Twitter accounts and Facebook profiles are used in company promotions are set to be introduced under new digital advertising restrictions partly designed to protect children.
The Advertising Association, the industry body which represents the UK advertising and media industry, has agreed a set of proposals to tighten some digital advertising practices so that they are policed by the Advertising Standards Authority in the same way as TV, press, poster and radio ads.
The ASA regulates all paid-for digital advertising, such as banners and display ads on websites, but so far does not police advertising activity on a company's own website, a campaign microsite or the via profiles on sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.
"The industry has delivered a clear mandate that first and foremost will protect consumers and children [and] that will also protect editorial content," said Rae Burdon, chief operating officer at the AA.
mediaGuardian 8/3/2010
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Sky and Ofcom: the pay TV review will turn into a battle
Barring any last minute hiccups, the media regulator Ofcom will later this month publish its final word on its Pay TV Review, one of the longest-running consultations in the history of media regulation in the UK.
After more than three years of work, hundreds of pages of analysis and enough financial modelling to satisfy even the most principled of economists, the intervention will start a process that could see BSkyB's stranglehold on premium sport and movies loosened.
It could allow several competitors to challenge Sky in the £4bn pay-TV market, leading to lower consumer prices for Premier League football.
mediaGuardian 8/3/2010
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Film 4 HD, E4 HD coming to Virgin Media
Virgin Media has confirmed that Film4 HD and E4 HD will become available soon on the cable TV platform.
Launching in the summer, Film4 HD will offer a daily lineup of British, American and foreign films in high definition, alongside interviews and exclusive programming. The channel will also carry movies produced by Film4, such as Mike Leigh's Happy Go Lucky, Ken Loach's Looking For Eric and the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire.
DigitalSpy 8/3/2010
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BBC Worldwide completes 2entertain deal
BBC Worldwide has completed negotiations with the administrators of Woolworths for the remaining 40% stake in DVD publishing business 2entertain.
DigitalSpy 8/3/2010
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Gamers overwhelm Australian ratings inquiry
 The Australian government has received 55,000 submissions as part of its public consultation concerning the introduction of a restricted 18+ age rating for videogames.
DigitalSpy 8/3/2010
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Katie Taylor to head BBC entertainment production
Katie Taylor is to be the new BBC head of entertainment and events, overseeing production of shows including Strictly Come Dancing, Top Gear, Eurovision, Dragons' Den and Children in Need.
Taylor, currently BBC executive editor, comedy entertainment, replaces Jon Beazley, who is leaving the corporation.
mediaGuardian 8/3/2010
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Internet access is 'a fundamental right'
Almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll for the BBC World Service suggests. The survey - of more than 27,000 adults across 26 countries - found strong support for net access on both sides of the digital divide.
BBC Online 8/3/10
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Sex Romana
 If you thought the television series Rome was lewd, wait till you see Spartacus
Imagine the Roman empire, some 75 years before the birth of Christ, and the wife of a local governor addressing a gladiator. "Does it excite you," she asks the gladiator, her gauzy red robe agape, "to know that your very footsteps moisten my thighs?" Moments later the beefcake is flat on his back as her errant garment exposes two metallic, enthusiastically jiggling nipple tassels.
This is just a taste of the historical orgy that is Spartacus: Blood and Sand, a swords-and-sandals television drama that, after conquering the US, is set to invade Britain.
As well as full-frontal nudity, the show features scenes of extreme gore. In one gladiatorial fight, the winner slices off his opponent's face and wears it as a mask. Perhaps not surprisingly, not everyone is keen to tune in and last week there were calls for the show to be banned even before it has arrived.
Vivienne Pattison, director of the campaign group Mediawatch UK, said: "I'm not saying the Romans weren't violent. And I don't have a problem with bodies per se. But porn is filtering into society and it's worrying. This programme absolutely encapsulates this problem."
To critics, the graphic nature of the series is a symptom of our own decline and fall. Pattison said: "Broadcasters can tell us they're holding a mirror to that society and reflecting back on our own; but I'd argue we are just taking all that in and becoming immune to it.
"Is it necessary to see the knife go in, turn round, come out, blood spurt, all the rest of it? You've only got to look at how casual violence has grown to a level that didn't exist before it was so widespread on television. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"
Sunday Times 7/3/2010
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BBC's Erik Huggers promises cuts will leave 'greater space for others'
Erik Huggers, the BBC digital chief, has promised its closure of 200 websites is not simply an exercise in cutting dead wood and will help rivals. Huggers, in an interview with MediaGuardian, said the BBC expansionist tendencies that had angered commercial rivals were a natural consequence of the internet being a medium with no boundaries.
"Our mistake was allowing our web presence to sprawl, a natural consequence of not being constrained by spectrum," he said. "We need to be more focused, and do it much better we need to improve the quality level, and reprioritise on what we do best."
mediaGuardian 7/3/1020
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BBC under fire for Band Aid 'slur'
Bob Geldof and the Band Aid trust are to report the BBC to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom over a World Service report that millions of pounds raised for famine victims in Ethiopia in 1985 were actually spent on weapons.
A group of Britain's most respected agencies - including Oxfam, the Red Cross, Unicef, Christian Aid and Save the Children - are joining Band Aid in writing an official complaint to the chairman of the BBC Trust, Sir Michael Lyons.
Independent 6/3/2010
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S Korea child 'starves as parents raise virtual baby'
 A South Korean couple who were addicted to the internet let their three-month-old baby starve to death while raising a virtual daughter online, police said.
The pair fed their own premature baby just once a day in between 12-hour stretches at an internet cafe, the official Yonhap news agency reported.
BBC Online 5/3/2010
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Public schoolgirl, 15, leapt to her death after Facebook sex taunts from classmates
A girl of 15 jumped from a bridge to her death after being bullied by her private school classmates, an inquest heard yesterday. Holly Grogan had been tormented by taunts in person and by messages on Facebook over accusations she had sex with another girl's brother.
Holly was said to have been extremely upset by the allegations and died a few hours later after falling 30ft onto a busy dual carriageway. Yesterday her father Steve Grogan, 45, told an inquest of his regrets at not raising issues of bullying with £11,000-a-year St Edward's School in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
'There were three girls who spread rumours about her and called her names. They even made up a syndrome called 'HGS', Holly Grogan Syndrome, which was put on Facebook and discussed by other girls. Holly didn't have access to that because she'd been taken off the group of friends. I forwarded it to her and she was very upset and started crying.'
St Edward's headmaster Dr Andrew Nash said he had been informed about 'unpleasant comments' about Holly written online and in text messages. He added: 'Facebook is something we worry about because it is so completely outside of our control. We know that in the evening pupils can go home and write something on it.'
Speaking after her death, Holly's family warned parents to be aware of the dangers of websites like Facebook, Bebo and MySpace. In a statement, they said: 'Holly struggled to cope with the huge pressures placed upon her by the modern complexities of 'friendship groups' and social networking.'
Mail Online 5/3/2010
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Digital economy bill likely to be pushed through before election
The digital economy bill will become law before Parliament is dissolved at the beginning of April ahead of a likely general election in May, senior media industry figures believe. That will usher in controversial laws enabling rights owners to cut off or restrict internet access for users who download films and music illegally.
mediaGuardian 5/3/2010
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YouTube adds video captions for deaf
YouTube is making the tens of millions of videos it hosts more accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing by putting automatic captions on them. The Google-owned company said this use of speech recognition technology is probably the biggest experiment of its kind online.
BBC Online 5/3/2010
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Battle to ban full-frontal Roman epic from our TV
Campaigners are fighting to prevent a sexually explicit American TV series about the Roman Empire from hitting Britain, it emerged yesterday. Spartacus: Blood And Sand has featured full-frontal nudity, extreme violence and explicit scenes of orgies since it first aired in the US in January.
The show, which stars Scottish actor John Hannah and pulled in more than a million viewers this week, is looking for a post-watershed UK home. But Mediawatch-UK, the lobby group which campaigns for higher standards in broadcasting, says the programme should not be allowed in Britain, even late at night. "We can no longer ignore the fact that what viewers see on television has an impact on society," said director Vivienne Pattison.
"Even the Government is asking the producers of soap operas to include safe-sex messages in their programmes now. There are numerous studies linking exposure to violence on TV with violent behaviour at large and if there is the slightest possibility that explicit sex and violence on screen can cause this harm, is it worth the risk in the interests of entertainment?"
The lobby group - which was set up in 1965 by Mary Whitehouse - also said it was concerned that children might eventually find the programme online. "Once this programme is shown on television it will be much easier for children to access - particularly via video-on-demand online services," she added.
"Ofcom research shows that fewer than a third of parents use the password-protected services available to screen what their children can access." The controversial TV show focuses loosely on the historical figure of Spartacus - a Thracian gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic in 73BC.
Daily Express 4/3/2010
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Rome's Orgy of Excess
The Italians used to call them "sword and sandal" films but that description makes the latest screen depiction of ancient Rome sound overdressed. With its scenes of full-frontal nudity, extreme violence and explicit orgies, the US-made series Spartacus: Blood And Sand - about the slave revolt in 73BC - has already faced calls to be banned in Britain.
"Once this programme is shown on television it will be much easier for children to access - particularly via video-on-demand online services," said a spokeswoman yesterday for Mediawatch-UK, the lobby group set up by the late Mary Whitehouse.
Daily Express 4/3/2010
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Archie Norman: 'ITV not ready for pay-TV'
 ITV chairman Archie Norman has said that the broadcaster is not ready for a move to pay-TV services, but such a strategy is definitely under consideration. Former Asda boss Norman confirmed yesterday that incoming chief executive Adam Crozier will run a strategic review of the firm when he starts on April 26.
Despite Norman previously dismissing talk of a pay-TV move, the chairman has now admitted that it could be a "good idea in the future". However, he said that the problem for ITV is that it currently has "no suitable product for a pay platform" and so must further develop that side of the business.
DigitalSpy 4/3/2010
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Pupils in England and Wales to get 'download lessons'
 A third of 11 to 17-year-olds who subscribe to premium rate services on their mobiles have no idea what they cost, according to new research. Industry watchdog PhonepayPlus says teenagers need lessons to help them avoid running up big bills.
They've launched a new initiative called PhoneBrain 2010, which aims to educate pupils about download charges.
BBC Online 4/3/2010
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BBC's Tim Davie: I'm passionate about 6 Music, too - but it has to go
The BBC's director of audio and music, Tim Davie, said today that he is "passionate" about BBC 6 Music but it had to go because the BBC's network of nine standalone national radio stations had grown too big. Davie said take-up of digital radio had been slow and he wanted to use his budget to invest in "unique, high quality radio, not supporting a large number of services".
mediaGuardian 4/3/2010
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Ofcom to examine UK net neutrality
 Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, said that several media companies had raised concerns about the issue of net neutrality - the principle that all internet traffic should be treated the same by internet service providers - in the last few months.
"It has been a big issue for historic reasons for many years in the US. It is now beginning to be an issue here," he said. "The deployment of traffic management techniques and policies is now happening in scale."
Bandwidth-hungry services, such as the BBC iPlayer catch-up TV platform, are a source of consternation for internet service providers, which say their networks are being overburdened with video traffic. Some ISPs are slowing this network traffic in order to provide consistent connections and reliable service to all customers.
Telegraph 4/3/2010
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YouTube 'under threat' from Digital Economy Bill changes
Proposed amendments to the Digital Economy Bill could see sites such as YouTube forced offline, say campaigners. The change, proposed by the Liberal Democrats, will give the High Court the power to issue an injunction against a website accused of hosting "substantial" amounts of copyright-infringing material.
It means that websites such as YouTube - which has, in the past, been criticised by record labels and media companies for hosting unsanctioned video clips of their artists or TV shows - could be shut down.
Telegraph 4/3/2010
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Lords force rethink of government's online piracy plans
 The government has been defeated in the House of Lords over measures to tackle online piracy after opponents said the plans could hamper digital innovation.
Ministers want the power to change laws on online copyright in future without the need for further legislation. The Lords said the "blanket nature" of the clause was "objectionable". But their chosen replacement - giving courts the right to block internet sites which are infringing copyright - has also prompted criticism.
BBC Online 4/3/2010
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Protesters turn up volume on campaign to save 6 Music
 "Trust open to 6 Music 'rethink'," ran a headline yesterday on the entertainment page of bbc.co.uk, Britain's most popular website.
The story of the planned closure of one of the BBC's smallest national radio networks was also running on the BBC News channel, having the previous evening been aired on BBC 2's Newsnight, where presenter Jeremy Paxman questioned the corporation's director-general Mark Thompson, who appeared in front of a large 6 Music logo.
Independent Online 4/3/2010
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ITV secures IPL cricket rights
 ITV has acquired UK television rights to broadcast live games from this year's Indian Premier League season. Announced today, the deal enables the commercial public service broadcaster to air 59 live IPL matches on ITV4, starting on March 12. Matt Smith and Bollywood actress Mandira Bedi will present the IPL coverage after they fronted the Cricket World Cup in India. Sony will supply the live world feed for ITV.
DigitalSpy 4/3/2010
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ITV returns to profit after cost cuts
 ITV has returned to an annual profit thanks to cost-cutting and increasing its share of a declining television advertising market. The broadcaster made a pre-tax profit of £25m in 2009, compared with a loss of £2.7bn in 2008.
ITV said that while its advertising revenues for the year were down 9%, the wider market fell by 11%. It says the advertising market is now recovering, and it expects a 7% rise in advertising revenues for January-March.
BBC Online 3/3/2010
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Party leaders agree TV election debate rules
The format of three ground-breaking TV election debates between the political party leaders was agreed when the parties and broadcasters published a 76-point agreement covering everything from handshakes and podiums to the eyeline of the moderators.
The debates are to allow predetermined questions, asked directly from a carefully selected studio audience, but not known by the leaders in advance. Audiences will be prevented from applauding or jeering, save at the start and end of the 90-minute programmes.
mediaGuardian 3/3/2010
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Tories to 'name and shame' top earning BBC stars as corporation wields (a very small) axe with £600m 'cuts'
The BBC will be forced to reveal its stars' salaries under a Conservative government. Those earning more than the Prime Minister - about £200,000 a year - would be 'named and shamed' within weeks of a Tory General Election win.
Culture spokesman Jeremy Hunt said there would be 'total transparency' on the salaries of top earners. He also refused to rule out a cut in the licence fee from £142.50. The BBC spends £54million on stars earning more than £150,000 a year and a further £16million on those earning £100,000 to £150,000.
Yesterday BBC Director General Mark Thompson set out plans for £600million of 'cuts' in an attempt to placate mounting public and political anger over the size of the Corporation and how it spends licence fee money. But the corporation has faced new criticism for making 'token sacrifices' while failing to address much larger concerns over its operations.
MailOnline 3/3/2010
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Spanish police arrest masterminds of 'massive' botnet
Spanish police have revealed that they have arrested three men responsible for one of the world's biggest networks of virus-infected computers. All are Spanish citizens with no criminal records and limited hacking skills.
BBC Online 3/3/2010
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BBC's new look may never reach our screens
In January of last year, the BBC director-general, Mark Thompson, announced with much fanfare a "series of new partnerships" which, the corporation said, could deliver £120 million of benefits annually to public service broadcasting beyond its walls.
But it also said that the date by which that figure might be reached was... 2014. As of today, what benefits have these proposed partnerships delivered to ITV, struggling with the cost of its regional news output? And to Channel 4, which spent much of last year in frustrating joint venture discussions with BBC Worldwide? Zero.
Telegraph 3/3/2010
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BBC's flight to quality in bid to satisfy Tory critics
 The BBC claimed yesterday that it was embarking on a historic "step change" in its priorities, shifting more money into the production of "quality" programming while cutting the amount spent on the website and closing two digital radio stations, 6 Music and Asian Network.
What had been widely billed by the director-general Mark Thompson as a cost-cutting exercise that would significantly reduce the scale of the BBC's operations - in the face of criticisms about overspending - turned out to be a statement of renewed ambition.
The BBC Strategic Review will lead to £600m being "reprioritised" to what the BBC describes as "higher quality content", with particular attention being paid to strengthening BBC2 and improving the standard of daytime television and the output for children.
The review pledged that overheads will be cut by £100m a year and that by 2013 the BBC, which receives £3.4bn a year from the licence fee, would be spending 80p out of every £1 on the creation of "content".
Indepdent Online 3/3/2010
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BBC cuts won't help us, says ITV's Archie Norman - but pay-TV might
TV gains nothing from the proposed cutbacks at the BBC, its chairman Archie Norman said today, as he promised a "day zero" revamp of the broadcaster that could include a fresh look at pay TV.
Norman, who also highlighted ITV's digital strategy and programme-making divisions as key targets for revitalisation, said he did not believe that the broadcaster would be helped by director general Mark Thompson's proposals, which were in part designed to give commercial players more breathing space.
"I don't see any benefit," he said. "The savings the BBC will make on cutting back on peripheral activities will be re-invested in programming. I can't see how that will be of any benefit to ITV."
mediaGuardian 3/3/2010
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BBC Trust open to 6 Music 'rethink'
BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons has said "public concern" might mean the corporation will have to "rethink" plans to axe two radio stations.
There has been growing opposition to the announcement by director general Mark Thompson on Tuesday, earmarking 6 Music and Asian Network for closure. The proposals will go through a public consultation before being approved.
BBC Online 3/3/2010
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BBC: 80% of licence fee to be spent on programmes
.jpg "Image") The BBC has committed to spending at least 90% of the licence fee on "high-quality content and distribution" by 2013. Within that 90p guarantee, at least 80% of the licence fee will be spent on "content creation".
The BBC has also promised to cut £100m a year from overhead costs as part of a package of cuts unveiled today by the director general, Mark Thompson, which include proposals to close BBC 6 Music and the Asian Network and halve web output.
The proposals, which will free up £600m a year to be reinvested in content, also include cutting web budgets by 25% and spending on foreign shows such as Mad Men by 20%, as well as capping investment on sports rights and potentially selling off BBC magazines such as Top Gear.
They will be the subject of a 12-week public consultation by the BBC Trust, and could affect up to 600 BBC staff and freelancers.
mediaGuardian 2/3/2010
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Ex-army sergeant 'directed' webcam child abuse
 An ex-army sergeant has been jailed for five years for directing child sex abuse films thousands of miles away via his webcam. Michael Charnley, 52, of Denbigh, instructed how the children - possibly in the Philippines - should be abused. He admitted a variety of offences, including four charges of inciting children to engage in sexual activity.
Judge Philip Hughes, at Mold Crown Court, said in some cases the victims' "distress is audible". The court heard he paid about £20 a time online to tell adults what to do to their victims. The children were all aged under 13, and one of them was just two.
BBC Online 2/3/2010
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New era for internet security amid increased attacks
 Internet security techniques must adapt to keep up with the rising tide of net attacks say officials. The issue is top of the agenda at the world's biggest security conference hosted by vendor RSA.
Recent incidents such as the high-profile attacks on Google in China have highlighted the new challenges. "The attacks are getting more malicious, sophisticated, and from different directions," said the chief executive of Verisign Mark McLaughlin.
BBC Online 2/3/2010
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Dyke: 'BBC's Mark Thompson is overpaid'
Former BBC director general Greg Dyke has described his successor Mark Thompson as overpaid and out of touch with the corporation's staff.
Dyke, who is producing a creative industries review for the Conservative party, said that BBC programming is "in pretty good shape", but the corporation itself is a "bit short of friends". Speaking to The Guardian, Dyke claimed that the way in which Thompson has handled the BBC's strategic reshuffle has failed its staff.
"On air, it's in pretty good shape but it's a bit short of friends. It didn't manage [Jonathan] Ross and [Russell] Brand very well. It doesn't have to pay its director general £800,000," he said.
DigitalSpy 2/3/2010
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BBC confirms where the axe will fall
.jpg "Image") The BBC plans to close two radio stations - 6 Music and the Asian Network - the corporation confirmed today in a wide-ranging strategy review.
In a report to the BBC Trust titled Putting Quality First, the corporation said it wants to reprioritise nearly £600 million a year to higher quality content. It wants to halve the number of sections on its website, close "lower performing sites" and spend 25% less on its online offering.
The closure of teen offerings BBC Switch and Blast! is also recommended. Spend on imported programmes and films would be reduced by 20%, capping it thereafter at no more than 2.5p in every licence fee pound. Spending on sports rights would be capped at 9p in every licence fee pound.
The BBC said the licence fee would focus on five priorities - "the best journalism in the world, inspiring knowledge, music and culture, ambitious UK drama and comedy, outstanding children's content and events that bring communities and the nation together".
Telegraph 2/3/2010
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How Pop became Porn
.jpg "Image") The woman is naked - or looks like she is. Only a flesh-coloured
leotard covers her body. Her long blonde hair tumbles down her back.
She's in a cage, sliding her fingers provocatively in and out of her
mouth. A scene from a cliched pornographic film? Sadly not. The
woman in question is Shakira, a pop superstar and the fourth richest
singer in the world.
On Woman's Hour a week ago, David Cameron spoke about how he wanted
to stop his very young daughter listening to Lily Allen's music because
of the provocative lyrics, but that he had failed miserably. This
is because parents are powerless to police all these images and their
dangerous messages. MTV - which pumps this stuff out all day long - and
You Tube are just too powerful.
As well as a moratorium on
sexually explicit videos on television, stricter measures need to be
introduced as to what can be viewed by children on the internet,
because the safeguards are laughable.
MailOnline 1/3/2010
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What do we want from the BBC?
Twenty-four years ago, the respected media correspondent Michael Leapman published a book called The Last Days of the Beeb. Leapman had contributed to BBC shows for years and knew its internal culture well. By 1986, he found "an institution in disarray".
mediaGuardian 1/3/2010
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The BBC can't do everything. We need to know our limits
The BBC has one mission: to inform, educate and entertain audiences with programmes and services of high quality, originality and value.
It strives to fulfil this mission not to further any political or commercial interest, but because the British public believe that universal access to ideas and cultural experiences of merit and ambition is a good in itself. The BBC is a part of public space because the public themselves have put it there.
Public space is an open and enriching environment. There are no paywalls in public space. While commercial media companies have to assign different values to different target audiences - favouring the affluent, for example, or the young - in public space everyone is as important and as valuable as everyone else.
There is no place in it for censorship or bias. Citizens have the right to receive impartial and accurate news, to encounter and engage with the full range of opinion. Government and state perspectives are there to be explored and scrutinised like everything else, and do not enjoy special privileges or vetoes.
mediaGuardian 1/3/2010
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Bradshaw questions licence fee
 Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw has questioned the future of the
licence fee and raised the possibility that it could be scrapped if
Labour remain in power.
There was "good reason" to have a
wide-ranging debate on the £3.6 billion settlement and if it should
continue in the long-term "as the best funding mechanism" for the BBC,
he said. This would include the size of the corporation and the size of the annual licence fee, as well as its future.
Mr
Bradshaw told Sunday Live on Sky News: "The BBC is free at any time to
say 'Look we don't need all the money we have got, have some back. But
it is very, very important that political parties in between the years
when the licence fee is set don't give a running commentary like that
because that would be a very serious breach of the BBC's independence."But
I think there is a good reason to have a debate in the run-up to the
next licence fee, which we shall have if we are in government, as to
how big the BBC should be, how big the licence fee should be, even if
we should continue to have a licence fee in the long-term as the best
funding mechanism.
Press Association 1/2/2010
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