• Broadcast Greenlight

    The results of the Indie Survey 2011

Broadcast
Chris Curtis

Chris Curtis is deputy editor of Broadcast.

  • Hunt begins for the next DG

    27-Jan-2012

    The BBC has done its best to manage the news that Mark Thompson’s time as DG is coming to an end – but the race to succeed him is now really on.

  • Bill Patrizio, Red Bee Media

    26-Jan-2012

    ‘The EPG on steroids’ is how Red Bee’s chief executive describes the company’s latest offering. He tells Chris Curtis why viewers’ desire for interaction is driving the content delivery agenda.

  • Zodiak Media gets French reshuffle

    24-Jan-2012

    Zodiak Media Group is rebranding, made three top level Paris-based appointments, and re-jigged its banking so it is managed from the French capital.

  • Ridley Scott to tackle Lincoln assassination for Nat Geo

    13-Jan-2012

    The assassination of US president Abraham Lincoln is to be recreated for a historical thriller by directors Ridley and Tony Scott.

  • North One Australia lands series with child star

    9-Jan-2012

    North One’s Aussie arm has won a commission to make a kids adventure series featuring ‘Australia’ child star Brandon Walters.

  • Shine Group acquires ChannelFlip

    6-Jan-2012

    ChannelFlip, the online producer behind David Mitchell and Harry Hill’s web series’, has been bought by Shine Group.

  • Plans for MediaCity phase two unveiled

    5-Jan-2012

    Plans for how MediaCity UK could look in 20 years time – including a hotel and new public spaces – have been submitted by developer The Peel Group.

  • Nutopia lands second History mega-doc

    4-Jan-2012

    Nutopia’s latest mega-doc will be a 12-hour series for History detailing the building of the Pyramids, the construction of the Great Wall of China and the creation of Easter Island statues.

  • Radio Fast Train tickets up for grabs

    3-Jan-2012

    Tickets for the Radio Fast Train day for radio indie staff, freelancers and community radio workers will become available on 10 January.

  • Sony Entertainment Television secures Virgin carriage

    15-Dec-2011

    Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks has struck a UK carriage deal for its Sony Entertainment Television channel with Virgin Media.

  • Time Warner back in for Endemol

    13-Dec-2011

    Time Warner is ready to pay €1bn in cash for Endemol, which is itself focused on restructuring its €2bn of debt.

  • Indies in frame to run first 20 local TV licences

    13-Dec-2011

    Preston, Grimsby and Swansea are among 20 locations earmarked by Ofcom as the first to receive a local TV licence – and the government will consult on allowing indies to run them.

  • ChannelFlip deal puts classic clips on YouTube

    13-Dec-2011

    Online video broadcaster ChannelFlip has struck a deal with European film distributor Studio Canal that will give it access to shortform clips of 2,500 classic titles.

  • Edgar-Jones takes Sky entertainment reins

    8-Dec-2011

    Sky has snapped up former Big Brother executive producer Phil Edgar-Jones to become head of entertainment just a few weeks after he quit Running Bare.

  • C5 adds channels on Freesat

    6-Dec-2011

    Channel 5 is adding a raft of multichannel and +1 options to its portfolio on Freesat.

  • Chorion completes Mr Men sale

    6-Dec-2011

    IP firm Chorion will turn its attention to finding a buyer for Agatha Christie and other key brands after sealing the sale of Mr Men to Hello Kitty owner Sanrio.

  • Eight hires to reinvent The Garden

    1-Dec-2011

    The Garden is ramping up the scale of its ambition by making eight appointments, tripling its core team.

  • FilmFlex set for 2012 move into TV content

    1-Dec-2011

    White-label VoD supplier FilmFlex is set to offer TV content for the first time next year, according to chief executive Jeff Henry.

  • Directors UK opens to wider membership

    28-Nov-2011

    Directors UK is opening its membership to directors beyond TV and film for the first time.

  • BBC bosses: local radio DQF cuts not set in stone

    22-Nov-2011

    The BBC’s Mark Thompson and Caroline Thomson have both indicated the corporation could rethink DQF plans to cut local radio services.

  • Geoff Hill named 5 News editor

    14-Nov-2011

    CNN International director of coverage Geoff Hill will be the launch editor for 5 News under ITN.

  • Ant & Dec renew ITV deal; Takeaway to return

    9-Nov-2011

    ITV has secured Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly for a further two years and will revive Saturday Night Takeaway, which has been on hiatus since 2009.

  • Concerned C5 News staff attend ITN briefing

    8-Nov-2011

    ITN’s John Hardie and Channel 5’s Andrew O’Connell have met with C5 News staff to reassure them about their future – but there are concerns about the level of resource they will be given and their ability to produce distinctive stories.

  • Structured reality to get own Bafta category

    8-Nov-2011

    Reality and constructed factual is to get its own Bafta category category as part of a reworking of the Bafta TV Awards.

  • ABC pulls out of BBC2 drama over casting

    7-Nov-2011

    Australia’s ABC has pulled out of BBC2’s Jane Campion co-production Top of the Lake because of the decision to cast Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss in the lead role.

  • Salt Beef to grow Friday Download brand

    3-Nov-2011

    Salt Beef hopes to turn CBBC show Friday Download into a fully-fledged brand after winning a 13-part recommission for the youth magazine show.

  • Is VoD finally coming of age?

    27-Oct-2011

    Netflix may find it hard going in the UK, but the market is developing.

  • Ofcom clears Sri Lanka's Killing Fields doc

    24-Oct-2011

    C4 head of news and current affairs Dorothy Byrne has hailed ITN Production’s journalism and the broadcaster’s “meticulous legal and compliance scrutiny” after Ofcom rejected almost 120 complaints about Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields.

  • Netflix to hit UK in early 2012

    24-Oct-2011

    Subscription video-on-demand service Netflix, which has 25 million members across the US, Canada and Latin America, will launch in the UK and Ireland early next year.

  • Fast Train freelancer project to focus on radio

    18-Oct-2011

    Freelancer training programme Fast Train is to turn its attention to the radio sector in February 2012.

  • Newell joins Bellamy at Discovery

    17-Oct-2011

    Rosemary Newell, who spent 13 years at Channel 4 working across areas such as scheduling and commissioning strategy, has joined Julian Bellamy at Discovery Networks International.

  • 20% of drama viewing now time-shifted

    14-Oct-2011

    A fifth of all drama viewing is now taking place on a time-shifted basis, Barb has revealed.

  • Scripps mulls launch of a UK travel channel

    13-Oct-2011

    Scripps Networks Interactive is analysing the potential for launching The Travel Channel or a similar travel lifestyle brand in the UK.

  • Take Me Out spin-off for ITV2

    13-Oct-2011

    ITV2’s next spin-off show will be based on ITV1 Saturday night dating format Take Me Out.

  • Educating Essex / Rugby World Cup commentary

    13-Oct-2011

    Broadcast’s Catherine Neilan and Chris Curtis cast their eye over two of the week’s shows.

  • DQF: winners and losers

    6-Oct-2011

    With the BBC outlining where it will find 20% savings, where will the cuts bite deepest? And which areas have escaped relatively unscathed?

  • Ronan Bennett on C4's Top Boy

    6-Oct-2011

    The writer of BBC1’s Hidden and C4’s Top Boy tells Chris Curtis why he’s uncomfortable taking creative control and likes to keep people guessing both on and off screen.

  • A game changing idea

    6-Oct-2011

    Dutch gameshow is opening up a potential new revenue stream for TV.

  • Talkback wins CBBC order for science sitcom

    6-Oct-2011

    Talkback Thames is moving into the children’s space with a CBBC commission for a science-based kids’ sitcom.

  • Netflix snaps up Being Human in first UK deal

    6-Oct-2011

    Netflix has signed one of its first UK content deals, buying the UK original of Being Human and the US remake.

  • ITV's Best House to be remade in Canada

    4-Oct-2011

    MIPCOM: Shiver-made ITV daytime format May the Best House Win has been commissioned by broadcasters in Canada and Belgium.

  • Zodiak launches Being Human Facebook game

    4-Oct-2011

    MIPCOM: Zodiak Active has launched a Facebook role-playing game based on BBC3 and Syfy US drama Being Human.

  • FremantleMedia revives The Villa; doubles kids investment

    3-Oct-2011

    MIPCOM: FremantleMedia is to revive late ’90s Sky1 reality format The Villa and the company’s distribution arm is doubling its investment in kids content.

  • FME sells two scripted series into UK

    3-Oct-2011

    MIPCOM: FremantleMedia Enterprises has sold Australian high school reunion drama Winners and Losers to ITV2 and blokes-in-a-band US drama The Wedding Band to 5* in the UK.

  • Sir Alex Ferguson slams power of TV

    26-Sep-2011

    Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has attacked the power that TV has over English football, claiming “when you shake hands with the devil you have to pay the price”.

  • BBC’s Debonnaire makes in-house switch to ITVS

    5-Sep-2011

    Sally Debonnaire is leaving BBC Vision Productions to join ITV Studios as its UK production supremo.

  • Twitter reveals TV production golden rules

    27-Aug-2011

    Twitter director of business development Glenn Brown has outlined best practice principles for TV producers wanting to make the most of the burgeoning social network.

  • Google: regulation is crippling British TV

    26-Aug-2011

    EDINBURGH: Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt has warned that the UK TV industry is being stifled by having to “jump through endless hoops”. [Includes full speech]

  • C4 wants Comms Act to address data

    26-Aug-2011

    EDINBURGH: Channel 4 will push for the forthcoming Communications Act to ensure that it gets access to the viewer data that the likes of BSkyB generate from its content.

  • Waterloo Road move ‘can build Scottish hub’

    25-Aug-2011

    Shed founder Eileen Gallagher is convinced Waterloo Road’s move from Rochdale to Glasgow can help create a genuinely sustainable drama hub in Scotland.

  • ITVS America options NFTS student's format

    17-Aug-2011

    ITV Studios America has optioned a format created by a graduating student at the National, Film and Television School.

  • Spooks to end after series 10

    11-Aug-2011

    Kudos Film and Television is confident of discovering a fresh raft of returning series after calling time on Spooks this autumn after 10 series and 86 episodes.

  • Trio launch animation producer

    8-Aug-2011

    New production company Factory Transmedia has bought Altrincham’s Hullabaloo Studios and has 30 people working on its first project, CBBC animation Strange Hill High

  • Tribal series not faked, producers claim

    5-Aug-2011

    FremantleMedia Enterprises and the former managing director of Cicada Productions have defended their documentary series about an Amazonian tribe against accusations of fakery.

  • BBC1 teams with NT for restoration project

    5-Aug-2011

    BBC1 is teaming up with the National Trust to create a series in which a team of experts renovate a 500-year-old manor house to reflect four classic periods of its history.

  • Ideal latest to go in Bennett's BBC3 comedy clear-out

    5-Aug-2011

    BBC3’s comedy clear-out has continued with the cancellation of Johnny Vegas-fronted sitcom Ideal.

  • Bid Media puts new Freeview slot up for sale

    4-Aug-2011

    A new Freeview EPG slot has been put up for grabs with the aim of getting a channel on air as early as October.

  • Harrison revisits world of pedigree dogs for BBC4

    4-Aug-2011

    BBC4 has ordered the filmmaker behind 2008’s controversial Pedigree Dogs Exposed to make a follow-up documentary three years later.

  • Ofcom clears EastEnders despite 14,000 complaints

    1-Aug-2011

    EastEnders’ controversial baby swap storyline has been cleared by Ofcom despite the watchdog and the BBC receiving more than 14,000 complaints combined.

  • Sky and Atlantic form 3D production company

    29-Jul-2011

    Sky has teamed up with Flying Monsters 3D indie Atlantic Productions to create a joint venture producer that will specialise in 3D content.

  • BBC: full service cuts unlikely

    25-Jul-2011

    The BBC believes it can make its 20% cuts for Delivery Quality First without closing full services, and has ruled out cutting local radio or merging it with Radio 5 Live.

  • Sky reveals fresh comedies

    25-Jul-2011

    A playground comedy, a talent show-cum-gameshow and a hidden camera series from Ant & Dec’s Gallowgate Productions are among Sky 1’s line up for autumn.

  • DCMS select committee to call Rupert Murdoch

    12-Jul-2011

    The DCMS select committee has called Rupert and James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks to give evidence to it next Tuesday.

  • BBC annual report: at a glance

    12-Jul-2011

    The BBC’s annual report has highlighted a mixed picture in the nations and regions, a bumper year for BBC Worldwide, and the challenge of reducing headcount and talent pay.

  • News International closes News of the World

    7-Jul-2011

    News International has shocked the media world by closing The News of the World – and potentially eased to the path for parent News Corp’s full takeover of BSkyB.

  • Pressure grows to delay BSkyB takeover

    7-Jul-2011

    The DCMS will have to wade through 100,000 responses to the proposed takeover of BSkyB by News International, after a surge in submissions following the phone hacking scandal.  

  • Patten's BBC Trust public debut

    7-Jul-2011

    What does the new chair of the BBC Trust think about BSkyB, moving to the regions, and cutting 20% of spending? Chris Patten’s public debut delivering the RTS Fleming Lecture provided the answers.

  • ESPN signs first darts rights

    6-Jul-2011

    ESPN has won the rights to the BDO Winmau World Masters darts tournament, which was previously aired by the BBC, as it looks to push beyond its core sports of footabll and rugby.

  • Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner

    30-Jun-2011

    A love of high-concept blockbusters unites the creator and executive producer of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood. They tell Chris Curtis how a tie-up with Starz has taken the show to the next level.

  • Atalla and Buxton join forces for 5*'s Silent Library

    24-Jun-2011

    Ash Atalla’s Roughcut TV is behind Channel 5’s keep-quiet-to-win gameshow Silent Library, the broadcaster has revealed.

  • Formula 1 boss makes free-to-air vow

    20-Jun-2011

    Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has vowed that the sport will stay free-to-air after it emerged that the BBC could halt coverage to save money.

  • BBC1 orders 1950s midwife drama

    17-Jun-2011

    BBC1 has revealed details of an adaptation of the memoirs of a 1950s East London midwife from Neal Street Productions.

  • BBC to apologise for Primark Panorama

    16-Jun-2011

    Panorama’s 2008 film Primark: On the Rack contained footage that was probably not genuine, the BBC Trust has ruled.

  • Shine’s Humphreys off to Glasgow to join BBC

    16-Jun-2011

    BBC Vision Productions has appointed the executive behind BBC2’s History Cold Case to the new role of head of specialist factual, based in Scotland.

  • Jeroen Oerlemans & Andrew Hornett, ESPN

    16-Jun-2011

    ESPN set up a UK channel in just six weeks after picking up Setanta’s Premiership games. With the rights up for grabs again, it is stepping up its ambitions.

  • Food Network hires former ITV execs

    14-Jun-2011

    Food Network UK has appointed two ex-ITV execs as it gears up for a push on content.

  • Parent company pulls plug on Pepper Post

    10-Jun-2011

    Pepper Post has ceased trading after its parent company decided to pull out of the post production sector.

  • ITV reveals its serious side

    2-Jun-2011

    Gritty docs add to broadcaster’s brand value - and its viewing figures.

  • Luis Silberwasser, Discovery Networks International

    2-Jun-2011

    Discovery Networks International’s content supremo has lured Julian Bellamy to execute his programming strategy. Can he get the production community on board?

  • Abraham: data will drive C4

    24-May-2011

    Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham has reiterated his vision of using viewer data to reinvent free-to-air advertising and inform programming.

  • Ruby ramps up TV push with new hire

    19-May-2011

    Ruby Film & Television has appointed Helen Gregory as its first head of TV in a bid to bring its high-end drama values to the world of returning series.

  • Ofcom: C4 series infringed privacy

    9-May-2011

    Ofcom has censured Channel 4 doc The Ugly Face of Beauty after a row between a contributor and the producer, Crackit Productions.

  • Bellamy takes Discovery reins

    5-May-2011

    Discovery Networks International has made Julian Bellamy its content supremo, handing him control of all production, development and commissioning outside of the US.

  • Ofcom clears raunchy X Factor performances - just

    20-Apr-2011

    Ofcom is to revise the rules governing family entertainment shows after ruling that The X Factor final performances by Rihanna and Christina Aguilera were “at the very margin of acceptability”.

  • Trade body warns against heavy regulation of connected TV

    20-Apr-2011

    The trade body representing tech manufacturers such as Sony, LG and Panasonic has warned that heavy regulation could seriously undermine innovation and consumer take-up of connected TVs.

  • Iannucci's US satire picked up by HBO

    19-Apr-2011

    HBO has ordered a US “cousin” of The Thick of It that is written, directed and executive produced by Armando Iannucci.

  • BBC1 orders live weather show

    8-Apr-2011

    BBC1 is hunting live and interactive programmes and has kicked off by ordering The Weather Show Live (w/t) from

  • Miriam O'Reilly back on BBC1

    8-Apr-2011

    Miriam O’Reilly, the woman who won an ageism industrial tribunal against the BBC, is to become co-host of BBC1 daytime’s Crimewatch Roadshow.

  • Thomson: DQF process a success

    7-Apr-2011

    BBC chief operating officer Caroline Thomson has given her full backing to the bottom-up DQF process and hinted it could become the model for how the BBC effects change in the future.

  • Downton Abbey edges out Sherlock at BPGs

    25-Mar-2011

    Downton Abbey edged out Sherlock at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, with the ITV1 period drama landing two prizes to the BBC1 series’ one.

  • BBC soap budgets revealed

    22-Mar-2011

    The cost per hour of the BBC’s continuing drama has tumbled by 20% over the last eight years – but the National Audit Office said it was unable to tell if the shows represent value for money.

  • Discovery on hunt for head of format factory

    17-Mar-2011

    Discovery Networks International is understood to be recruiting for a heavyweight exec to head up a London-based initiative to come up with international formats.

  • Sony to make UK debut with SET channel

    8-Mar-2011

    Sony Pictures Television will make its debut as a linear UK broadcaster next month with a scripted channel targeting 25-to 54-year-old women.

  • More than a family affair

    24-Feb-2011

    Shine Group deal shows acquisitions are firmly back on the agenda.

  • The Garden: seeds of success

    24-Feb-2011

    Having left Shine Group to set up The Garden, Nick Curwin and Magnus Temple are putting quality first, they tell Chris Curtis.

  • ITV scores Royal Variety coup

    21-Feb-2011

    ITV has won the rights to the Royal Variety Performance for the next ten years, ending the long-term practice of sharing the event with the BBC.

  • Holler bought by Leo Burnett

    17-Feb-2011

    Agency giant Leo Burnett has bought Holler, the digital content & social agency behind web content for Skins, Seven Days and Supersize vs Superskinny.

  • The Garden pays visit to A&E for C4 fixed-rig doc

    17-Feb-2011

    Nick Curwin and Magnus Temple are making their biggest ever fixed-rig show, using 70 cameras to film a London hospital’s accident and emergency department for Channel 4.

  • McGrath heads to Shanghai to help indies break into China

    17-Feb-2011

    Former Gecko Productions and Redback Films boss Viv McGrath is heading to Shanghai to become a consultant helping UK indies do business in China.

  • Wild Rover BBC1 quizshow set for US remake

    11-Feb-2011

    Wild Rover’s forthcoming BBC1 quizshow Secret Fortune looks set for a US remake after Nigel Lythgoe picked up the rights.

  • The view from Osterley

    4-Feb-2011

    BSkyB’s Mike Darcey on Andy Gray, Sky Atlantic and 3D.

  • Darcy slams ITV's "lemmings" online strategy

    4-Feb-2011

    BSkyB chief operating officer Mike Darcey has accused ITV and Channel 4 of “leaping like lemmings” into a strategy of making content available for free online.

  • Abraham: C4's ad sales growth will match ITV

    20-Jan-2011

    David Abraham has revealed that Channel 4 will report bumper ad sales numbers later this year and that the broadcaster has kept pace with ITV’s 2010 recovery.

  • David Abraham, Channel 4

    20-Jan-2011

    Eight months into his tenure, C4’s chief exec has built his team and laid the foundations for post-Big Brother creative renewal. He tells Chris Curtis what to expect from the revamped PSB.

  • Bennett in final talks over BBCW move

    2-Dec-2010

    Jana Bennett is in final negotiations to take a London-based role for BBC Worldwide, as rumours that she will quit as director of BBC Vision come to a head.

  • ITV1 takes Pride as Wallace and Gromit tumble

    11-Nov-2010

    WEDNESDAY: ITV1 will have been proud of The Pride of Britain Award’s 6.2m viewers last night, but 2 million viewers deserted BBC1’s Wallace and Gromit show at 7.30pm.

  • Fine tuning of BBC offer could prevent NUJ strikes

    11-Nov-2010

    A telephone call between BBC HR director Lucy Adams and Bectu general secretary Gerry Morrissey may have set the wheels in motion to avert the NUJ strike planned for next week.

  • BBC News calls for compromise

    11-Nov-2010

    BBC newsroom managers have urged Helen Boaden and Lucy Adams to extend an olive branch to the NUJ or risk the prospect of long-running strikes.

  • Diversity’s retail therapy

    8-Nov-2010

    Forget the endless handwringing, PhoneShop is TV diversity in action.

  • BBC1 must take more risks, Trust demands

    8-Nov-2010

    The BBC Trust has given new controller Danny Cohen just over 12 months to make BBC1 early peaktime more surprising and to show more creative ambition at 9pm.

  • Great Migrations, National Geographic

    5-Nov-2010

    Nat Geo’s animal epic is a masterclass in using technology, but storytelling is at its heart. Chris Curtis uncovers a shoot ranging from tracking butterflies’ wings to stalking elephants on foot.

  • Thompson urges staff to cross picket line

    4-Nov-2010

    Mark Thompson has urged BBC staff not to “let down” licence fee payers by refusing to cross NUJ picket lines during the two day strike planned for Friday and Saturday

  • C4 to boost comedy slate by £5m

    29-Oct-2010

    Channel 4 is to spend £5m more on comedy in 2011, including new projects from Noel Fielding and Chris Addison.

  • BBC pensions: NUJ to strike, Bectu accepts proposals

    28-Oct-2010

    BBC staff who are NUJ members will go on strike next month - but their counterparts at Bectu have accepted the corporation’s latest pension proposal.

  • Sony set for Sky EPG slot in move into UK market

    28-Oct-2010

    Sony Pictures Television is poised to move into the UK linear channel market for the first time and is on the brink of a deal to buy a Sky EPG slot.

  • Brooke to rejoin Channel 4

    27-Oct-2010

    Dan Brooke, previously managing director of Discovery UK and indie Rare Day, is to become Channel 4’s first director of marketing, communications and corporate relations.

  • Controversial Islam doc cleared by Ofcom

    25-Oct-2010

    Channel 4’s Britain’s Islamic Republic, which attrated more than 1,000 complaints and was branded a “dirty little programme” by former MP George Galloway, has been cleared by Ofcom.

  • Viewers to choose Sky Movies' Christmas schedule

    22-Oct-2010

    Sky Movies will offer viewers the chance to create their own Christmas and Boxing Day schedules.

  • BBC hires digital media director

    21-Oct-2010

    The BBC has appointed a US gaming expert as its new director of digital media.

  • No cause for celebration

    21-Oct-2010

    The BBC battled hard over the licence fee, but the real work starts now.

  • Cohen's appointment: predictable but astute

    15-Oct-2010

    Danny Cohen’s appointment to run BBC1 is predictable and safe – but it’s also spot on, writes Chris Curtis.

  • Jowell adds to BBC pay criticism

    15-Oct-2010

    Former culture secretary Tessa Jowell has joined the chorus of voices criticising the BBC over executive pay.

  • Government reveals Ofcom shake up

    14-Oct-2010

    Ofcom is to undergo a major overhaul as part of the government’s “bonfire of the quangos” that will “return the policy-setting role to the secretary of state, reduce unnecessary expense and avoid duplication”.

  • BFI in pole position to land UKFC lottery funding role

    14-Oct-2010

    The BBC and Channel 4 are out of the running to take over the UK Film Council’s (UKFC) lottery funding distribution role, with the British Film Institute emerging as the industry’s favoured solution.

  • Mark Byford to leave BBC as deputy DG role axed

    12-Oct-2010

    The BBC is axing the role of deputy director general and will make Mark Byford redundant next April after more than 30 years service.

  • C4 ad sales to pass £1bn

    8-Oct-2010

    Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham has issued a rallying cry for free-to-air TV and predicted the broadcaster will sell more than £1bn of airtime in 2011.

  • Lambert: Big Brother successor label damaged Seven Days

    7-Oct-2010

    Stephen Lambert has admitted the public perception that Channel 4’s Seven Days was a successor to Big Brother may have impacted on the interactive format, which is struggling in the ratings.

  • Mipcom hits optimistic note

    7-Oct-2010

    An upbeat Mipcom shrugged off a stormy opening on Monday as distributors pointed to improved market conditions and brandbuilding content.

  • Downton Abbey / DCI Banks

    30-Sep-2010

    Catherine Neilan and Chris Curtis give their verdict on two of the week’s new shows.

  • The Bill studios given new life

    29-Sep-2010

    Merton Studios, home to The Bill since 1983, has been sold along with 45,000 costume pieces and sets including a pub and police cells, to property investment company Panther Securities for £4.75m.

  • Zig Zag splits from Banijay

    24-Sep-2010

    Zig Zag’s founders have bought the company back from Banijay Entertainment after just nine months.

  • Ex-ITV exec to oversee int'l Shine productions

    24-Sep-2010

    Shine Group has named a former ITV commissioner as its new creative director for international production and collaboration.

  • Diverse relocates to Bristol in Zodiak rejig

    23-Sep-2010

    Diverse Productions is moving to Bristol and losing two key execs as a result of a shake-up of the UK operations of the newly rebranded Zodiak Media Group (ZMG).

  • David Frank: plotting a stellar course for Zodiak

    22-Sep-2010

    The chief executive of the rebranded Zodiak Media Group tells Chris Curtis about managing creativity and plans for a £1bn IPO.

  • Sir Martin Sorrell: ushering in an era of partnerships

    16-Sep-2010

    From Project Canvas and the iPad to the new regimes at ITV and Channel 5, the WPP chief executive tells Chris Curtis why TV needs to open up, broaden its horizons and embrace change.

  • Frozen licence fee hints at tough future

    16-Sep-2010

    Cutting £144m from the BBC for the sake of saving people less than £3 a year seems out of kilter, writes Chris Curtis.

  • ‘Feisty’ Hunt to offer C4 vision

    16-Sep-2010

    Jay Hunt’s ability to face down her critics and deliver a clear vision to producers won her the role of Channel 4 chief creative officer.

  • C4 names Jay Hunt as programming boss

    14-Sep-2010

    BBC1 controller Jay Hunt is Channel 4’s new chief creative officer and will move to Horseferry Road in early January.

  • Wayne Garvie heads to All3Media

    9-Sep-2010

    Wayne Garvie is to leave BBC Worldwide to become All3Media’s managing director of international production.

  • Execs head for exit at ‘super-lean’ Channel 5

    9-Sep-2010

    Andrew O’Connell and Steve Gowans are the only top-level commissioners left at Channel 5 as its £5m redundancy programme draws to a close.

  • Living staff await Sky’s proposals for integration

    9-Sep-2010

    Staff at Living TV Group (LTG) are bracing themselves to learn next week how the broadcaster will fit together with new owner BSkyB.

  • Ruby celebrates haul of five Emmys

    2-Sep-2010

    UK producer Ruby Films is celebrating five Emmy awards for its HBO drama Temple Grandin, including outstanding made for television movie.

  • Restructure takes shape as N&S finalises C5 cuts

    2-Sep-2010

    Northern & Shell’s restructure of Channel 5 gathered pace this week, with staff waiting to hear who had been accepted for voluntary redundancy and speculation that there may not be a direct replacement for chief executive Dawn Airey.

  • Pact digs in on Terms of Trade

    2-Sep-2010

    Pact is ready to battle the BBC after Mark Thompson’s surprise MacTaggart revelation that the corporation believes the Terms of Trade need to change.

  • ITV to get fresh factual Perspectives

    28-Aug-2010

    EDINBURGH: ITV has finally revealed details of its strategy for serious factual - unveiling a strand called Perspectives.

  • C5 plans in-house production push

    28-Aug-2010

    Channel Five is planning to introduce in-house production as part of Northern & Shell’s strategy to re-invigorate the broadcaster.

  • Jay Hunt favourite for C4 role

    28-Aug-2010

    EDINBURGH: Speculation that Channel 4 wants Jay Hunt as its new creative boss has reached fever pitch at Edinburgh.

  • Thompson ramps up exec pay crusade

    27-Aug-2010

    EDINBURGH: Any senior staff joining the BBC will be paid less than their predecessors as part of Mark Thompson’s crusade on executive pay.

  • Thompson "up for the fight" with critics

    27-Aug-2010

    EDINBURGH: Mark Thompson has proclaimed himself “up for the fight” of leading the BBC and taken aim at the newspapers that harangue the corporation.

  • Leading indies take aim at Channel 5

    26-Aug-2010

    The prospects for Channel 5 under Richard Desmond are bleak, according to a group of 40 top indie programme-makers.

  • BBC’s Sanderson swaps Storyville for Review Show

    19-Aug-2010

    BBC factual exec Greg Sanderson is swapping docs strand Storyville for The Review Show.

  • UKTV adds Peep Show to Dave

    19-Aug-2010

    Dave will add Peep Show to its roster of comedy series after 4Rights sold 30 hours of programming to UKTV.

  • Greenlit in administration

    17-Aug-2010

    Vexed producer Greenlit Rights has ended up in administration as part of the fall out from the acquisition of Target Entertainment by Metrodome.

  • BBC to air Scotland Euro qualifiers

    16-Aug-2010

    BBC Scotland has picked up the rigths to air Scotland’s away qualifiers for the Euro 2012 football tournament.

  • Metrodome on brink of Target deal

    13-Aug-2010

    The deal between distributor Metrodome Group and Target Entertainment Group is back on and will be concluded in a matter of days.

  • Desmond at C5 will be top TV drama

    12-Aug-2010

    Richard Desmond has wasted no time making his mark on Channel 5 and will run the broadcaster in a unique way, writes Chris Curtis

  • Five shocks staff with plans for 80 job losses

    11-Aug-2010

    Channel Five staff at risk of redundancy are already in consultation after Northern & Shell shocked the broadcaster with plans to cut it down to around 200 employees and cull senior management.

  • Airey's contract guaranteed RTL role

    11-Aug-2010

    Dawn Airey’s contract with RTL Group meant her departure from Channel Five was a fait accompli once the broadcaster was sold to Richard Desmond.

  • Thompson to face BBC staff over pensions

    9-Aug-2010

    Mark Thompson will face a grilling from BBC staff today over the controversial proposals to overhaul the corporation’s pension scheme.

  • Hunting for ITV’s pay-off

    5-Aug-2010

    A direct relationship with viewers could be the broadcaster’s best hope.

  • Henrietta Conrad, Princess Productions

    5-Aug-2010

    Her legendary people skills have helped the company she co-founded win a series of high-profile commissions. Chris Curtis speaks to the hard-working boss of Princess Productions.

  • Childs leads race for UKTV top job

    28-Jul-2010

    Darren Childs, the BBC Worldwide managing director of channels, is understood to be in pole position to be named UKTV chief executive.

  • C4 hands Mykura and Jain new roles

    27-Jul-2010

    Channel 4 is asking Hamish Mykura to focus on docs and preparing to hand Angela Jain a major new role after passing responsibility for More 4 and E4 to new channel managers.

  • Desmond on brink of Five deal

    23-Jul-2010

    Richard Desmond, the owner of the Daily Express, OK! and Portland TV, is understood to be on the brink of a deal to buy Five after offering its parent RTL Group the quickest route to a sale.

  • Edgar-Jones set to depart Endemol

    22-Jul-2010

    Big Brother executive producer Phil Edgar-Jones will stand down from Endemol UK after a decade when the reality show comes to an end in the UK.

  • DCMS plans 2012 Communications Bill

    16-Jul-2010

    Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has revealed a structural reform plan for the DCMS that promises a new Communications Bill – but not until the end of 2012 at the earliest.

  • VMTV to become Living TV Group

    13-Jul-2010

    Virgin Media Television is to be renamed Living TV Group after its sale to BSkyB was cleared by Republic of Ireland competition authorities.

  • Pension fury at BBC

    9-Jul-2010

    The BBC’s overhaul of its pension scheme has provoked a furious reaction on the letters page of Ariel, the corporation’s in-house magazine.

  • BBC Daytime to get £5m boost to aid reinvention

    8-Jul-2010

    BBC Daytime is closing in on a budget boost of between £5m and £10m as it prepares to fast-track its transformation in the wake of strong criticism from the BBC Trust.

  • Miller lands top GMG job

    5-Jul-2010

    GMG Media Group, owner of the Real Radio, Smooth Radio and Rock Radio brands, has promoted Andrew Miller to chief executive.

  • BBC Trust saves 6 Music

    5-Jul-2010

    Lukewarm reaction to BBC executive proposals sees digital station saved and daytime TV set for shake up

  • BBC selects indies for XM25 scheme

    2-Jul-2010

    The BBC has revealed the 25 companies that will take place in the third annual XM25 scheme, including four from each of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

  • Talkback Thames to cut 20% of staff

    2-Jul-2010

    After the cancellation of The Bill and the shock departure of chief executive Lorraine Heggessey, super-indie Talkback Thames is planning to shed around 30 jobs as part of a restructure designed to cope with “very tough market conditions”.

  • CBBC orders war season

    2-Jul-2010

    CBBC has ordered a drama, documentary and Newsround special about how war impacts on children’s lives.

  • Sorrell: News Corp's Sky move is "shrewd"

    1-Jul-2010

    WPP chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell has branded News Corp’s attempt to take full control of BSkyB a “shrewd” move and predicted that platform owners rather than broadcasters or content creators will be the big winners over the next 10 years.

  • Kim Longinotto, documentary maker

    1-Jul-2010

    She loves X Factor, thinks her new film knocks C4’s India season for six and is personally handling its distribution. Kim Longinotto tells Chris Curtis why docs have a duty to tackle issues head on.

  • Glastonbury / World Cup docs

    1-Jul-2010

    Michael Rosser and Chris Curtis cast their eye over two of the week’s highlights.

  • BBC3 to pilot Jason Lewis comedy

    24-Jun-2010

    Young black comedian Jason Lewis has won a pilot from BBC3 that will mix sketches and musical parodies.

  • Katie Price quits ITV2 for Living

    24-Jun-2010

    Katie Price’s indie is to become Virgin Media Television’s biggest supplier after the glamour model signed an exclusive multimillion pound deal with the broadcaster.

  • Top-heavy C4 gets overhaul

    24-Jun-2010

    David Abraham has made his first major mark on Channel 4 with a pruning of senior roles, but has told staff his restructure will not usher in a further round of significant job cuts.

  • RadioCentre slams Radio 1

    24-Jun-2010

    The RadioCentre has launched a stinging attack on BBC Radio 1 after the BBC Trust ruled that the station’s Harry Potter Day last July stepped too far into commercial waters.

  • What's up with docs?

    24-Jun-2010

    Hunting down funding opportunities and winning over cautious commissioners was on the agenda at Hot Docs.

  • Abraham unveils major C4 shake up

    21-Jun-2010

    Channel 4 is embarking on a massive restructure that will cut 25% of senior management positions and see Kevin Lygo and Julian Bellamy’s roles combined under a single chief creative officer position.

  • Shed MBO takes fresh twist

    8-Jun-2010

    The saga of Shed Media’s planned MBO has taken a fresh twist, with a new potential backer emerging.

  • BSkyB to buy VMTV for £160m

    4-Jun-2010

    The much-anticipated sale of the Virgin Media Television portfolio of channels to BSkyB has finally been confirmed. The £160m deal will create a multichannel powerhouse that combines the likes of Living and Bravo with Sky 1.

  • Sons Of Anarchy & Million Pound Drop

    3-Jun-2010

    Chris Curtis passes judgement on two of the week’s highlights.

  • Airey joins LoveFilm board

    1-Jun-2010

    Five chairman and chief executive Dawn Airey has become a non-executive director of subscription film business LoveFilm.

  • Radio news trusted more than TV or web

    18-May-2010

    The public trusts news on the web more than it trusts TV news, according to research from Ofcom – but trust in radio news trumps them both.

  • MF Management to merge with PFD

    18-May-2010

    MF Management, the company that represents Chris Evans and Trinny & Susannah, is taking over literary agency PFD.

  • C4 committee to sign off commissions

    10-May-2010

    David Abraham is to sit on an interim commissioning team that will sign off all Channel 4 programming orders in the wake of Kevin Lygo’s new role at ITV Studios.

  • Ten Alps buys print publisher

    10-May-2010

    Multimedia producer Ten Alps has broadened its print publishing interests with the acquisition of Grove House Publishing.

  • Shaps to front new docs trade body

    7-May-2010

    Mercury Media has revealed plans to set up a trade body for documentary distributors that will be chaired by former ITV programming boss Simon Shaps.

  • Lygo’s battle on the home front

    30-Apr-2010

    Will Kevin Lygo win over ITV Studios’ most demanding customers – the broadcaster’s own commissioners, asks Chris Curtis.

  • Sky v Ofcom: CAT delivers compromise

    29-Apr-2010

    A compromise ruling by the Competition Appeal Tribunal means BT Vision, Virgin Media and Top Up TV will have to continue to pay the full price for Sky Sports while BSkyB’s appeal against Ofcom’s controversial pay TV ruling is heard.

  • Sky vs Ofcom hearing extended

    26-Apr-2010

    The crucial hearing to determine whether BSkyB must abide by Ofcom’s controversial Sky Sports ruling for the start of the 2010/11 football season has been extended into today.

  • Crucial ruling looms for firms chasing Sky Sports

    22-Apr-2010

    BT Vision should find out within days if it can offer Sky Sports for the start of the next football season.

  • Lynne Frank to leave ESPN

    20-Apr-2010

    Lynne Frank, the exec who led ESPN’s emergence as a serious player in UK sports broadcasting, is to leave the company.

  • Pinewood lodges development appeal

    19-Apr-2010

    Pinewood Studios has stepped up the battle to win planning permission for its live/work development, Project Pinewood, claiming it will help create jobs in an area where unemployment is increasingly rapidly.

  • Home Secretary: politics will "never be the same"

    16-Apr-2010

    Home Secretary Alan Johnson has claimed politics will “never be the same again” after last night’s first TV prime ministerial debate.

  • ESPN production contract up for grabs

    15-Apr-2010

    ESPN is to end its production agreement with Sky - putting a multi-million pound contract to produce its Premier League, SPL and FA Cup match coverage up for grabs.

  • BBC pension rules prompt exodus

    15-Apr-2010

    The number of BBC staff taking early retirement has tripled since the start of the year as employees opt to leave early rather than see their pensions become subject to new rules.

  • Broadcasters reveal PM debate details

    6-Apr-2010

    The BBC, ITV and Sky News have revealed TX details of their Prime Ministerial Debates, with the last one scheduled to take place exactly one week before polling day on 6 May.

  • Beamups beefs up news roster

    1-Apr-2010

    Online news marketplace Beamups has added Chinese news agency Xinhua and Turkish agency Ihlas to its roster of content providers.

  • Ten Alps raises cash with placing

    1-Apr-2010

    Ten Alps has raised more than £1m by placing additional shares on the Stock Exchange.

  • Ofcom v Sky: the match with no winner

    31-Mar-2010

    Two years after Ofcom kicked off its review, the battle over TV sport is finally getting interesting, writes Chris Curtis.

  • iPlayer guru moves to Canvas

    29-Mar-2010

    Anthony Rose, a key player in the success of the BBC’s iPlayer, has been drafted in to Project Canvas as chief technology officer.

  • BBC4 sends Richard E Grant on safari

    26-Mar-2010

    Oxford Scientific Films has secured Richard E Grant to front a 90-minute special on safaris for BBC4.

  • ITV: no IFNC discussions before election

    25-Mar-2010

    The celebrations of the winning IFNC bidders have been cut short after ITV said it would not begin contractual discussions with them until after the imminent election.

  • C4 bolsters Embarrassing brand with spin-off

    25-Mar-2010

    Channel 4 has extended what has become one of its key brands by ordering an Embarrassing Bodies spin-off series and another 18 episodes of the main show.

  • Touch lands Tyson for pigeon pilot

    24-Mar-2010

    Touch Productions is behind a Animal Planet US pilot that will see boxing bad boy Mike Tyson make his pigeon racing debut.

  • FlashForward returns with 2m

    23-Mar-2010

    US drama FlashForward made a reasonable return to Five at 9pm yesterday, in an otherwise fairly unremarkable night for ratings.

  • GMTV censured for promoting Lewis's website

    22-Mar-2010

    GMTV has been criticised by Ofcom for indirectly sending viewers to moneysavingexpert.com, the website run by regular guest Martin Lewis.

  • Stephen Gately tribute draws 7.5m

    22-Mar-2010

    BBC2’s Wonders of the Solar System and Channel 4’s Restoration Man were strong factual performers on Sunday night, but ITV1’s Boyzone: a Tribute to Stephen Gately led the way.

  • Kudos joins overseas exodus of UK drama

    18-Mar-2010

    Kudos Film & TV is considering making a drama in Colombia as the industry-wide exodus of UK drama overseas gains momentum.

  • Lyons: public will see through BBC's critics

    9-Mar-2010

    Sir Michael Lyons has warned BSkyB and other critics of the BBC that the public will see through any attempt to undermine the corporation for self-serving reasons.

  • BBC2 to get scripted shake-up

    2-Mar-2010

    BBC1 and BBC3 have effectively been given a clean bill of health by the the corporation’s strategy review - but BBC2 is to get a new emphasis on state-of-the-nation drama and riskier comedy.

  • C4's Sarah Mulvey dies

    19-Feb-2010

    Channel 4 documentaries commissioning editor Sarah Mulvey has died.

  • TalkSport doubles Premier League rights

    19-Feb-2010

    TalkSport has struck a further blow for commercial radio by winning the right to broadcast commentary on 64 Premier League games for the next three seasons - twice as many as it currently airs.

  • Animal Planet commissions triple bill from OSF

    18-Feb-2010

    Oxford Scientific Films has won a trio of commissions from Animal Planet, including a dark psychological series about people who own dangerous pets.

  • Jeffrey swaps TV for bid to unseat Labour

    18-Feb-2010

    Nat Geo’s European boss, George Jeffrey, is to quit TV to pursue his dream of becoming an MP.

  • Strictly exec spearheads Gallowgate format push

    18-Feb-2010

    Ant & Dec indie Gallowgate has hired Strictly Come Dancing’s executive producer, Sam Donnelly, to develop new formats.

  • Dinner With Portillo / Great Office of State

    18-Feb-2010

    Chris Curtis and Emily Booth cast their eye over two of the week’s shows.

  • Absolute swoops on Premier League rights

    11-Feb-2010

    Absolute Radio has pulled off a shock move by securing the rights to air commentary on 32 Premier League football matches from next season.

  • Friends to swap C4 for Comedy Central

    11-Feb-2010

    Comedy Central UK will become the new home of Friends next year after succeeding with a 12-month “all-singing, all-dancing” campaign to land the show from Warner Bros.

  • "Cautious" product placement approved

    9-Feb-2010

    Product placement is to be allowed on British TV but the Rovers Return won’t be able to sell real beer brands after the government opted for a “cautious approach”.

  • Motive raises £400k to develop DTT

    9-Feb-2010

    DTT technology firm Motive Television has raised £400,000 by issuing new shares and has an eye on making acquisitions.

  • Sky will cut ITV stake - finally

    8-Feb-2010

    BSkyB has ended its lengthy battle to hang on to its 17.9% stake in ITV and will reduce it to the 7.5% threshold set by regulators.

  • Freeview slots up for grabs

    8-Feb-2010

    The BBC and Arquiva have been given the green light to auction off two new Freeview slot thanks a major spectrum reshuffle.

  • ESPN to launch Euro SportsCenter

    8-Feb-2010

    ESPN is to air a European version of its flagship SportsCenter news show on ESPN America from next month.

  • Lib Dems call for radio WoCC

    5-Feb-2010

    The fight by the radio sector to guarantee more BBC commissions has taken a step forward, with the Lib Dems calling for the corporation to extend the Window of Creative Competition (WoCC).

  • London to get digital radio signal boost

    4-Feb-2010

    New digital radio transmitters will be installed across London later this year as part of a drive to boost digital listening.

  • Heart topples Magic as LBC surges

    4-Feb-2010

    Rajars: Global’s Heart 106.2 leapfrogged Bauer’s Magic 105.4 to become the top London commercial station by reach last quarter – but the real success story in the capital was its stablemate, LBC 97.3.

  • Jonathan Wall, Radio 5 Live

    4-Feb-2010

    Radio 5 Live’s Jonathan Wall is making a plea to indies to help establish the station as a genuine alternative to Radio 4 - and it’s not all about sport, as he tells Chris Curtis.

  • Shed upbeat over start to 2010

    3-Feb-2010

    Shed Media has already had more than half of its production revenue target commissioned for 2010 – but has kept quiet about discussions of an MBO.

  • C4 orders Haiti doc

    29-Jan-2010

    Pioneer Productions is making a fast-turnaround doc for Channel 4 on the scientific causes of the Haiti earthquake.

  • Norman: New media world has left ITV behind

    28-Jan-2010

    ITV chairman Archie Norman has outlined the “enormous challenges” facing incoming chief executive Adam Crozier, and tasked him with making a “substantial transformational change” to its business model.

  • Crozier's pay will not be in "the Tony Ball league"

    28-Jan-2010

    ITV is yet to finalise Adam Crozier’s complete pay package – but chairman Archie Norman has revealed it will not be “in the Tony Ball league”.

  • Abraham ready to shake up Channel 4

    28-Jan-2010

    Incoming Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham is prepared to take brave decisions - and shake up his programming team if he feels it is required.

  • BBC hoping to land 2012 Paralympics radio rights

    27-Jan-2010

    The BBC has begun talks to secure radio rights for the London 2012 Paralympics having lost out to Channel 4 for the TV coverage.

  • R5 Live's Fogarty and Derbyshire to head to Salford

    27-Jan-2010

    Radio 5 Live controller Adrian van Klaveren has revealed that Shelagh Fogarty and Victoria Derbyshire will both follow the station to Salford next year, having committed to presenting their shows from its new home.

  • SeeSaw eyes March launch as beta goes live

    26-Jan-2010

    SeeSaw is gearing up to enter the UK VoD market in March and will attempt to build momentum with a major TV ad campaign.

  • Abraham: TV's deep thinker

    22-Jan-2010

    C4’s new chief executive is a strategic thinker obsessed with converging media in a digital world, writes Chris Curtis

  • Hunt: we'll tear up IFNC contracts 

    21-Jan-2010

    Oxford Media Convention: Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned bidders for the IFNC pilots that they risk having wasting their time and money if the Tories win the forthcoming election.

  • NAO poised to publish Broadcasting House report

    21-Jan-2010

    Oxford Media Convention: The National Audit Office will publish a report into the overspend on the BBC’s revamp of Broadcasting House within a month.

  • Andy Duncan attacks terms of trade

    21-Jan-2010

    Oxford Media Convention: Former Channel 4 boss Andy Duncan has made a public call for the terms of trade to be overhauled, claiming the power balance has shifted too much from broadcasters to major indies.

  • Sky gears up to commission first mainstream 3D TV content

    21-Jan-2010

    BSkyB will fire the starting gun on mainstream 3D TV content next month when its top creative execs call for its first pitches.

  • Rights groups seek change to Pay-TV terms

    21-Jan-2010

    Producers’ rights association Agicoa and royalties collector Compact Media Group are calling for a change to UK legislation that would force pay-TV operators to stump up for rights-clearance fees.

  • Fuller extends Idol exec deal

    15-Jan-2010

    Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller has agreed to continue to executive produce American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance for US entertainment giant CKX in return for a share of the profits.

  • Cinemas to air England rugby in 3D

    13-Jan-2010

    Two of England’s Six Nations rugby matches will be broadcast in 3D in 40 cinemas across the UK.

  • MPs propose 9pm watershed for alcohol ads

    8-Jan-2010

    The House of Commons health select committee has suggested banning TV ads for alcohol before 9pm.

  • Panel named to choose regional news pilots

    8-Jan-2010

    Fru Hazlitt, Stewart Purvis and former Ofcom deputy chair Richard Hooper are among those who will help decide which companies win the right to produce the forthcoming independent regional news pilots on ITV.

  • TV hits back in placement row

    7-Jan-2010

    ITV and Pact have joined forces to slam the “alarmist hype” around product placement, urging the government not to be swayed by the views of “ill-informed” opponents.

  • Litton to leave Nickelodeon after 15 years

    6-Jan-2010

    Howard Litton is to step down as managing director of Nickelodeon UK after 15 years with the children’s broadcaster.

  • Major TV manufacturers support Sky 3D

    6-Jan-2010

    BSkyB’s forthcoming 3D TV service will be compatible with the first raft of 3D Ready TV sets to be widely available in the UK.

  • Foulkes to run Mentorn Scotland

    5-Jan-2010

    Jerry Foulkes has been named the new boss of Mentorn Scotland and will kick off by executive producing an extended run of its BBC daytime show Cowboy Trap.

  • George Gently heads to North East

    5-Jan-2010

    BBC1 drama Inspector George Gently will be shot in the North East for the first time after securing a £150,000 injection from NFM’s North East Content Fund.

  • TV election debates get the go-ahead

    21-Dec-2009

    Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg will go head-to-head in three TV debates that will be hosted by ITV, Sky and the BBC in turn.

  • BBC Persian reveals signal jamming battle

    21-Dec-2009

    The BBC World Service has revealed that an un-named organisation is unsuccessfully attempting to jam the signal for the BBC Persian TV channel.

  • Jamie too hot for The Restaurant

    18-Dec-2009

    Jamie’s Family Christmas continued its impressive run for Channel 4 last night, taking the shine off the final of BBC2’s The Restaurant at 8pm.

  • Nat Geo UK reorders Greatest Machines

    18-Dec-2009

    National Geographic Channel UK has reordered Britain’s Greatest Machines with Chris Barrie from indie The Gamma Project.

  • Billie and Belle to meet on ITV2

    18-Dec-2009

    ITV2 has ordered a Billie Piper-meets-the-real-Belle de Jour doc from Tiger Aspect.

  • Shine France teams up with de Mol's Talpa

    17-Dec-2009

    Shine France, the newly created French arm of Elisabeth Murdoch’s super indie, has launched a 50/50 joint venture with media entrepreneur John de Mol’s company Talpa.

  • C4 and Talk Talk join Project Canvas

    16-Dec-2009

    Channel 4 and ISP Talk Talk have become partners on IPTV joint venture Project Canvas.

  • Pinewood to open Malaysian studios

    16-Dec-2009

    Pinewood Shepperton is making its first move into Asia with the development of a film and TV studio in Malaysia.

  • C4 reorders Brooker panel show

    16-Dec-2009

    Charlie Brooker’s satirical panel show You Have Been Watching has been recommissioned by Channel 4.

  • UKTV's Eden picks up Animal Armageddon

    15-Dec-2009

    UKTV channel Eden has bought natural disaster series Animal Armageddon from distributor Parthenon Entertainment.

  • Shed MBO back on agenda

    14-Dec-2009

    The Shed Media management team is trying to take the super-indie private for the third time.

  • ESPN to tackle Sky with rugby rights

    14-Dec-2009

    ESPN will show significantly more Guinness Premiership rugby fixtures than rival Sky Sports from next season, after picking up rights previously held by Setanta.

  • Huggers: NHS and Job Centre could use Canvas

    14-Dec-2009

    BBC director of Future Media & Technology Erik Huggers has raised the prospect of public sector organisations like the NHS and the Job Centre creating apps for Project Canvas – and insisted there is space for Sky as well.

  • Sky shares surge on election broker note

    11-Dec-2009

    Shares in BSkyB surged again this morning after broker Cazenove issued a note yesterday suggesting a Tory election victory could be good news for the company.

  • Input Media scores with Chelsea deal

    8-Dec-2009

    Sports producer Input Media has extended its contract to make Chelsea TV until 2013.

  • STV names Partyka channel controller

    7-Dec-2009

    STV has appointed Elizabeth Partyka as its first channel controller, giving her responsibility for commissioning and scheduling.

  • C4 or ITV could spring chief exec surprise

    4-Dec-2009

    C4 needs a creative leader as its next chief executive and ITV a business strategist, according to a panel of industry experts – but the smart money could still be on at least one of them making a surprise appointment.

  • Celeb proves a trial for Gavin & Stacey

    4-Dec-2009

    The penultimate episode of ITV1’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! was on fighting form last night, giving BBC1 comedies Gavin & Stacey and QI a ratings bloody nose.

  • BBCW seals Strictly holiday deal

    1-Dec-2009

    BBC Worldwide is to launch Strictly Come Dancing holiday breaks, featuring the likes of Craig Revel Horwood and Len Goodman, after reaching a deal with Warner Leisure Hotels.

  • Laverty named Horizon editor

    30-Nov-2009

    Aidan Laverty will become Horizon editor in the new year, replacing Andrew Cohen.

  • Indie trio win BBC football commissions

    30-Nov-2009

    The BBC has handed contracts to produce its new Football League magazine show to three regional indies.

  • Power secures £10m debt deal

    27-Nov-2009

    Power, the producer of The Day of the Triffids, has struck an innovative £10.8m financing deal partly based on the value of its intellectual property.

  • Hands off the BBC, Thompson tells politicians

    26-Nov-2009

    Mark Thompson has challenged the UK’s politicians to safeguard the independence of the BBC – and to give it the freedom to carry out a “radical and open-minded review” of its activities.

  • ITV snaps up Disney's GMTV stake for £22m

    26-Nov-2009

    ITV has spent more than £22m buying out Disney’s minority stake in GMTV.

  • James May's Toy Stories / Defying Gavity

    26-Nov-2009

    Chris Curtis and Robin Parker share their views on two of the latest shows.

  • RTS rewards Being Human werewolf

    24-Nov-2009

    Being Human’s werewolf transformation, Wallander’s title music and the make-up for Moses Jones were all honoured at the RTS Craft & Design Awards 2008/9 last night.

  • Jones: stamp out unfair TV work experience

    24-Nov-2009

    GMTV and Skillset chairman Clive Jones has called for the TV industry to “stamp out” the culture of low and unpaid internships as part of a new code of practice.

  • Analysis: C4's dark horse chairman

    5-Nov-2009

    Terry Burns was the name on everyone’s lips at the RTS event earlier this week, but he was not on the radar as a potential candidate in the run up to his appointment.

  • Lord Burns confirmed as C4 chairman

    5-Nov-2009

    Lord Burns will take over as Channel 4 chairman from Luke Johnson on 27 January after Ofcom confirmed his appointment.

  • Tranter turns to Pharoah and Graham

    5-Nov-2009

    Jane Tranter has turned to Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham to try to kickstart BBC Worldwide Productions’ US drama ambitions.

  • The Family / Dollhouse

    5-Nov-2009

    Robin Parker and Chris Curtis give their verdict on the latest shows.

  • Lord Burns set to be named C4 chair

    4-Nov-2009

    Ofcom is poised to make economist Lord Terry Burns Channel 4’s new chairman in a surprise appointment.

  • Berger adds Spain to Warner Bros remit

    3-Nov-2009

    Warner Brothers Entertainment’s UK boss Josh Berger will also run the company’s operations in Spain from next month.

  • Hollyoaks producer named EastEnders EP

    2-Nov-2009

    EastEnders executive producer Diederick Santer will step down in February to be replaced by former Hollyoaks producer Bryan Kirkwood.

  • Robinson to front BBC2 series on wills

    2-Nov-2009

    Sir Gerry Robinson will help people write their wills and divide up their estates in a Talkback Thames series for BBC2.

  • BBC launches political iPlayer

    2-Nov-2009

    The BBC has launched a political iPlayer-style website, offering live and on-demand coverage of Parliamentary sessions across the UK.

  • BBC4 to make MPs expenses drama

    2-Nov-2009

    BBC4 is to turn the MPs expenses scandal into a comedy drama directed by Simon Cellan Jones.

  • Five creates live online bingo show

    30-Oct-2009

    Five is to stream a daily online bingo show in a bid to drive traffic to its web gaming operation.

  • BBC orders successor to The Street from new McGovern indie

    29-Oct-2009

    The BBC has ordered the ‘spiritual successor’ to The Street from Jimmy McGovern’s new production company.

  • Question Time exec defends BNP show

    26-Oct-2009

    Question Time executive editor Gavin Allen has defended last week’s episode, claiming it was driven by its audience and was “Question Time as normal”.

  • Griffin: Question Time was a "lynch mob"

    23-Oct-2009

    BNP leader has called for a re-run of his Question Time appearance, claiming the show’s format was changed to turn it into a “lynch mob”.

  • Branson attacks Sky dominance

    23-Oct-2009

    Sir Richard Branson has personally waded into the row over BSkyB’s alleged dominance of the pay TV market, comparing the satellite operator to British Airways of the early 1990s.

  • Location presenter to front DIY Christmas series

    22-Oct-2009

    Location, Location, Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp will reveal how to have a DIY Christmas in a 3 x 60-minute series for Channel 4.

  • ITV1's Murderland kills BBC1's Life

    20-Oct-2009

    BBC1’s David Attenborough series Life was dead in the water last night as ITV1’s Robbie Coltrane drama Murderland debuted with 6.3m (25.9%) at 9pm.

  • Jeff Henry to work on STV digital strategy

    20-Oct-2009

    Former itv.com boss Jeff Henry is helping Scottish broadcaster STV develop its web strategy after being drafted in as a consultant.

  • Home secretary slams Question Time BNP decision

    16-Oct-2009

    Home secretary Alan Johnson has hit out at the BBC’s decision to allow BNP leader Nick Griffin on Question Time, live on the show.

  • ITV orders Ant & Dec Christmas show

    15-Oct-2009

    Ant & Dec will front a Christmas variety show for ITV1 made by their indie, Gallowgate.

  • C4 feels The Force as ITV1 struggles

    14-Oct-2009

    Channel 4’s feature length, ‘real life CSI’ doc The Force was a surprise hit last night, as ITV1’s Joan Collins makeover show floundered.

  • Films of Record lands Panorama childcare doc

    13-Oct-2009

    Films of Record is making a Panorama investigating the pressures facing childcare social workers following the Baby P scandal.

  • ITV to raise £120m and keep SDN

    13-Oct-2009

    ITV has revealed a raft of measures designed to put the company on more secure financial footing – including raising £120m by issuing bonds and calling off the sale of Freeview spectrum business SDN.

  • ITV's Cresswell to take reins - and then depart

    12-Oct-2009

    ITV’s John Cresswell will become its interim chief executive and lead its search for a new boss - but he will then leave the company.

  • CBS to revive Hawaii Five-O

    9-Oct-2009

    Hawaii Five-O is set to follow Knight Rider and the Bionic Woman as the latest classic TV franchise to get a US remake.

  • Skillset's biggest grant to train "next gen" leaders

    5-Oct-2009

    Skillset has made its biggest ever training grant to help a creative leaders develop the skills to face TV’s most pressing issues, such as the emergence of multiplatform delivery and falling production budgets.

  • McKellen to star in DLT comedy

    5-Oct-2009

    MIPCOM: Sir Ian McKellen is to star in a mockumentary about a failing drama school to be made by DLT Entertainment.

  • NBC Universal in content and branding push

    5-Oct-2009

    MIPCOM: NBC Universal is to launch a global push to acquire and order original, exclusive and first-run content, and to put its emphasis on five channel brands, led by Universal Channel.

  • CBS channels to launch in UK

    1-Oct-2009

    CBS Reality, CBS Action and CBS Drama channels will launch in the UK on 16 November via the US network giant’s recent deal with Chellomedia.

  • Bradshaw: BBC faces "fight for its life" if Tories win

    29-Sep-2009

    Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has warned that a Tory general election victory would leave the BBC “fighting for its life”.

  • Bouncing back after Ball

    25-Sep-2009

    After missing out on HMV’s Simon Fox and failing to agree terms with Tony Ball, how can ITV bounce back?

  • Soccer Saturday / Panorama

    24-Sep-2009

    Chris Curtis and Kate McMahon share their views on two recent shows.

  • BBC kids to get £25m windfall

    22-Sep-2009

    BBC Children’s budget is set to increase by at least £25m over the next three years thanks to cost savings at the corporation.

  • Duncan: C4’s future is secured

    18-Sep-2009

    RTS CAMBRIDGE: Andy Duncan has defended his tenure as Channel 4 chief executive, insisting the broadcaster’s future is secure and that it is better shape than when he took over five years ago.

  • Hunt: C4 may have to scale back its ambitions

    18-Sep-2009

    RTS CAMBRIDGE: Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has hinted that a Tory government may not look to prop up Channel 4’s finances and that it should instead follow the BBC’s lead in scaling back its ambitions.

  • STV to opt out of 6.30pm ITV network news

    18-Sep-2009

    RTS CAMBRIDGE: STV will tomorow reveal plans to introduce a one-hour Scottish news programme at six o’clock that would mean it opting out of the 6.30pm ITV national news bulletin.

  • Harries: I’m a product placement convert

    17-Sep-2009

    RTS CAMBRIDGE: Wallander producer Andy Harries has admitted the crisis in drama funding has changed his attitude to product placement.

  • Sky: free-to-air drama is getting bland

    17-Sep-2009

    RTS CAMBRIDGE: BSkyB chief operating officer Mike Darcey has predicted that free-to-air drama will become increasingly bland as it chases audiences, compared to edgier programming on pay TV.

  • The Reunion - The Proms

    17-Sep-2009

    Robin Parker and Chris Curtis give their verdict on two of the weeks shows.

  • Bradshaw attacks BBC Trust

    16-Sep-2009

    RTS CAMBRIDGE: The BBC Trust is at loggerheads with the government after culture secretary Ben Bradshaw said its role as both “regulator and cheerleader” was unsustainable.

  • Waking the Dead kills opposition

    15-Sep-2009

    BBC1’s Waking the Dead added more than 500,000 viewers on the previous week to dominate at 9pm yesterday, as BBC2’s new design show struggled.

  • Broadcasters repeat strategy is flawed, says report

    15-Sep-2009

    Broadcasters are employing “20th century tactics with 21st century technologies” such as +1 channels and failing to capitalise on ad sales around repeats, a report has claimed.

  • BBC ready to share iPlayer technology

    14-Sep-2009

    The BBC has officially kicked off its initiative to share iPlayer technology with commercial rivals.

  • CBS to launch UK channels with Chellomedia

    14-Sep-2009

    Six CBS-branded channels will launch in the UK later this year after the US giant’s international arm struck a joint venture deal with multichannel operator Chellomedia.

  • BBC3 comedies have low-key launches

    11-Sep-2009

    Two new BBC3 comedies got off to a slightly underwhelming start last night, with neither Lunch Monkeys nor Off the Hook managing to beat their slot averages.

  • Watchdog back with 4.5m

    11-Sep-2009

    Watchdog was back with a bite at 8pm last night as 4.5m (20.9%) tuned to BBC1 to see Anne Robinson return to the consumer affairs show.

  • BBC1 off to Oz for latest search for star format

    11-Sep-2009

    BBC1 is looking for a Dorothy and, bizarrely, a Toto the dog as it turns to The Wizard of Oz for in its latest search for a star format.

  • Sky 1 forced to drop Moors Murders doc

    8-Sep-2009

    Sky 1 has dropped its planned doc on the search for the remains of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett after his mother pulled out of the show.

  • Butler named Film 4 commissioner

    7-Sep-2009

    Film 4 has promoted head of development Katherine Butler to senior commissioning executive.

  • BNP's Question Time invitation "quite straightforward"

    7-Sep-2009

    The BBC’s chief political adviser has justified the corporation’s forthcoming invitation to the BNP to appear on Question Time as a “quite straightforward” decision.

  • BBCW chairman to stand down

    7-Sep-2009

    BBC Worldwide is on the hunt for a new chairman after revealing Etienne de Villiers will step down later this month.

  • Moyles takes pay cut to "help out" BBC

    7-Sep-2009

    BBC Radio 1 breakfast show host Chris Moyles has signed a one-year contract extension and taken a pay cut to “help the BBC out a little bit”.

  • Keeling lands role as Arqiva content boss

    4-Sep-2009

    Arqiva has appointed former UKTV chief operating officer John Keeling as the top content exec for its new VoD service.

  • Five seals Sony TV VoD deal

    2-Sep-2009

    Five has struck a deal with Sony that could see owners of new, web-enabled TV sets watch shows such as Neighbours online.

  • ITV mulls micropayment plans

    30-Aug-2009

    ITV is yet to fully commit to a micropayment strategy for some online content and is wrestling with where to pitch charges and agreeing a common payment system with other players.

  • Comedy emerges as iPlayer success

    30-Aug-2009

    Michael MacIntyre’s Live at the Apollo is the fifth most watched show on BBC iPlayer over the last 12 months as comedy proves one of the best performing genres in on demand content.

  • Richards expects BBC to publish star salaries

    29-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards believes it is inevitable that the BBC will have to publish the salaries it pays its stars in the future.

  • C4's Duncan tight-lipped on exit rumours

    29-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan has told Broadcast he has nothing to announce, despite rumours of his departure sweeping the Edinburgh TV festival.

  • Murdoch: give TV same freedom as newspapers

    28-Aug-2009

    MACTAGGART: James Murdoch has launched a furious attack on Ofcom’s “half a million words every year telling broadcasters what they can and cannot say”, and called for TV news to be granted the same freedom as newspapers.

  • Hadlow eyes female-friendly panel shows

    28-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: BBC2 boss Janice Hadlow’s comedy plans include uncovering a “broad comic” success in the vein of Goodness Gracious Me and Ab Fab, and solving the problem of men dominating panel shows.

  • Stellar comeback for Shooting Stars

    27-Aug-2009

    Vic and Bob were back on BBC2 with a bang last night as revived panel show Shooting Stars grabbed an impressive 2.7m (13.7% share) at 10pm.

  • Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley

    27-Aug-2009

    The partnership between Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley is the glue that holds The One Show together.

  • Pinewood upbeat despite tough times

    25-Aug-2009

    Pinewood Shepperton suffered only a small drop in TV revenues as it battled against the downturn during the first half of the year.

  • X Factor reject to star in slimming show

    24-Aug-2009

    Daisybeck Productions is tracking the attempts by an X Factor reject to lose weight for a new six-part series.

  • The Street ends on 4.4m

    18-Aug-2009

    BBC1’s The Street concluded its consistent run with 4.4m (20%) viewers at 9pm last night, as ITV1 drama Monday Monday continued to struggle.

  • MOTD kicks off with 4m

    17-Aug-2009

    The return of Match of the Day lit up an otherwise lacklustre Saturday as 4m (25%) tuned in to BBC1’s first highlights show of the new season.

  • Bolt fires BBC2 to the top

    17-Aug-2009

    BBC2 raced to the top of the ratings pile on Sunday as Usain Bolt’s world record-breaking 100m sprint at the World Athletics Championships was watched by 5m (22.3%).

  • Virgin Media cuts customer service jobs

    14-Aug-2009

    Virgin Media has cut around 250 jobs from its Dudley customer services centre after a consultation with at-risk staff came to an end.

  • Stars come out for BBC2's Office night

    13-Aug-2009

    BBC2 will dedicate an entire evening to airing the first series of The Office later this month, including new footage of Ricky Gervais and the team talking about its impact alongside comedy stars such as Friends’ Matthew Perry and Spinal Tap’s Christopher Guest.

  • ITV1 wins with football coverage

    13-Aug-2009

    ITV1 scored with its coverage of England’s football friendly with the Netherlands last night, which peaked at 6.8m (33%) and beat a revitalised Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC1.

  • Katie Price launches production company

    13-Aug-2009

    Katie Price has teamed up with former ITV Studios talent exec Mark Wagman to launch an indie.

  • Mitchell murdered by ITV1

    6-Aug-2009

    ITV1’s Midsomer Murders attracted 5.8m (26.3%) viewers between 8pm and 10pm last night, comfortably outperforming Peep Show comedian David Mitchell’s appearance on BBC1’s Who Do You Think You Are?.

  • In-house production falls at ITV

    6-Aug-2009

    ITV Studios generated significantly more revenue from rival UK broadcasters during the first half of the year – but significantly less from the ITV channels themselves.

  • Endemol reshuffles senior team

    5-Aug-2009

    Endemol has made group head of programming Paul Römer its chief creative officer as part of a re-jig of its senior management team.

  • Rough Aunties goes global

    5-Aug-2009

    Kim Longinotto’s African children doc Rough Aunties has been sold to five territories by Rise Films.

  • Viewers leave Hotel Babylon

    3-Aug-2009

    Just 3.1m viewers checked out BBC1’s Hotel Babylon on Friday as it was comfortably beaten at 9pm by a repeat of Doc Martin on ITV1.

  • ITV shares hold up despite pension problems

    3-Aug-2009

    ITV’s share price held up well today despite reports that the broadcaster’s pension deficit has surged to around £500m.

  • One Show given hour-long episode

    3-Aug-2009

    BBC1 is to show a 60-minute episode of The One Show each week from September after trialling the format back in May.

  • BBC reveals new local news plans

    31-Jul-2009

    The BBC is to overhaul its local TV and radio services as an alternative to its rejected proposal for on-demand local video news services.

  • ESPN team shapes up for new season

    31-Jul-2009

    Jon Champion, Mark Chapman and Kenny Dalglish’s daughter Kelly are joining ESPN as its commentary and presenting teams for the new season take shape.

  • Shed upbeat despite downturn

    31-Jul-2009

    Shed Media suffered a dip in global drama sales for the first half of 2009 but is still outperforming last year in terms of production revenues and pre-tax profit.

  • Motive turns back on production after tech deal

    30-Jul-2009

    Motive Television has given up on buying production companies to focus on technology, after striking a licensing agreement for a revolutionary DTT system.

  • Five joins Project Canvas in drive for partnerships

    30-Jul-2009

    Five has joined IPTV venture Project Canvas in the first of a planned series of major industry partnerships.

  • Serials and the stripped show making waves

    27-Jul-2009

    With Torchwood on the BBC and the upcoming Collision on ITV1, highprofile stripped drama is making an impact on the schedules. But TV execs warn getting it right is a balancing act.

  • Politicians fear for BBC NI's Let's Talk

    27-Jul-2009

    Politicians from the Northern Ireland Assembly fear the BBC’s political panel show Let’s Talk is on the brink of being axed.

  • David Abraham, UKTV

    23-Jul-2009

    UKTV chief executive David Abraham tells Chris Curtis why distinctive brands, not generic labels will achieve cut-through, and why the gap between pay-TV and terrestrial is closing.

  • BBC expenses: what the drama team is reading

    17-Jul-2009

    The new BBC expenses reveal Ben Stephenson and predecessor Jane Tranter to be a well-read and researched pair – claiming for the likes of War and Peace and Catch 22.

  • Hardy examines horror legends in first work for Five

    16-Jul-2009

    History specialist Hardy Pictures has won its first commission from Five, examining the origins of the best-known horror legends and why they have survived so long.

  • Top-slice licence fee by 5%, says ex-ITV exec

    13-Jul-2009

    Former ITV news and regions chief executive Clive Jones has accused the BBC of suffering “delusions of grandeur” and called for the licence fee to be top-sliced by 5% going forward.

  • Huggers: Canvas will give indies access to TV

    8-Jul-2009

    BBC FM&T boss Erik Huggers has claimed that IPTV venture Project Canvas will give indies, content creators and web operators the kind of access to TV traditionally reserved for broadcasters.

  • Greenaway to run MediaCity

    7-Jul-2009

    Salford MediaCity has ended its eight-month wait to recruit a top executive by appointing Virgin Media TV’s Sinead Greenaway.

  • Bentley to replace Emma B on Heart

    6-Jul-2009

    Neil Bentley is to take over Heart 106.2’s weekday drivetime show from Emma B.

  • Grade slams BBC partnerships

    30-Jun-2009

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has rubbished the BBC’s partnership proposals and criticised the corporation’s efforts to avoid top-slicing the licence fee.

  • BBC4 drama to chart 1980s computer battle

    30-Jun-2009

    The 1980s battle between the ZX Spectrum and the BBC Micro will be played out in a BBC4 comedy drama starring Martin Freeman and Alexander Armstrong.

  • Connery slams BBC Glasto coverage

    29-Jun-2009

    Sir Sean Connery has slammed the BBC for sending more than 400 staff to Glastonbury but “not one” to cover the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

  • Premier League attacks Ofcom plan

    26-Jun-2009

    The Premier League has waded into the row between BSkyB and Ofcom, claiming the regulator’s plan to review its rights auction process is an attempt to fix something that isn’t broken.

  • Sky boss Darroch comes out fighting

    26-Jun-2009

    BSkyB chief executive Jeremy Darroch has launched a blistering attack on Ofcom, accusing the regulator of “punishing success” with its proposals to limit what the satellite operator can charge for its premium sports and movie channels.

  • Peaktime proves a Trial for ITV1

    26-Jun-2009

    Two hours of Trial and Retribution repeats fell flat for ITV1 last night, as it floundered either side of News at Ten.

  • Somethin' Else wins 606 contract

    26-Jun-2009

    Multiplatform indie Somethin’ Else has won a three year contract to make 606, BBC Radio 5 Live’s flagship football phone-in.

  • STV waiting on Taggart decision

    26-Jun-2009

    STV is confident its ITV1 drama Taggart will be recommissioned – despite extending its financial borrowing facility in case it is not.

  • BSkyB and Ofcom on collision course

    26-Jun-2009

    BSkyB is set for a legal battle with Ofcom after the regulator proposed forcing the satellite giant to offer its premium sports and movie channels to rival pay TV operators for fixed sums.

  • Expenses: the hidden cost of Sachsgate

    25-Jun-2009

    The BBC paid more than £2,200 to fly Mark Thompson’s family home after the director general cut short his holiday to deal with the Sachsgate affair.

  • Cowell eyes tie-up with Topshop owner

    24-Jun-2009

    Simon Cowell is poised to team up with Topshop owner Sir Philip Green to create a global entertainment company.

  • Setanta loses survival battle

    24-Jun-2009

    Around 200 staff will lose their jobs after Setanta finally fell into administration.

  • Pulse lands Hollywood director

    23-Jun-2009

    Andrew Douglas, the director of feature film The Amityville Horror, has signed a deal to work exclusively for content creator Pulse Films in the UK.

  • ESPN lands Premier League deal

    23-Jun-2009

    Disney-owned sports giant ESPN will go head-to-head with Sky next season after it won the rights to 46 Premier League games previously help by Setanta.

  • Premier League set for new TV player

    22-Jun-2009

    Premier League football will be shown by a new broadcaster from this August – with the prospect of the likes of ESPN having just eight weeks to put together a channel and infrastructure to show the matches.

  • C4 drives into future with BBCW and kids content

    18-Jun-2009

    Channel 4 is on the brink of entering the next phase of its evolution after the government backed a tie-up with BBC Worldwide and called for it to put renewed emphasis on content for older children and multiplatform delivery.

  • £200m digital surplus will fund broadband push

    16-Jun-2009

    DIGITAL BRITAIN: The government has earmarked £200m of the money handed to the BBC to help with digital switchover and provide universal broadband access by 2012.

  • Kudos boss calls for action on piracy

    16-Jun-2009

    Kudos Film and Television boss Stephen Garrett has called for ISPs to be made responsible for illegal file-sharing ahead of the publication of today’s Digital Britain report.

  • Setanta deal could kick-start Endemol Sport

    15-Jun-2009

    Endemol could be about to kick-start its Endemol Sport division after it emerged as part of an investment consortium working towards a rescue deal for Setanta.

  • Five wins final Freeview HD slot

    11-Jun-2009

    Five has been allocated the fourth and final HD Freeview slot by Ofcom.

  • Sky 1 to bolster sports with panel show duo

    11-Jun-2009

    Sky 1 is to kick off a sports entertainment drive with two panelshow pilots, a search-for-a-star format featuring José Mourinho and a second series with Wayne Rooney.

  • Nesbitt: drama funding crisis is killing roles

    9-Jun-2009

    James Nesbitt is being forced to look for Hollywood acting roles because of the funding crisis in British drama.

  • Bradshaw: Apprentice row is matter for BBC

    8-Jun-2009

    New media secretary Ben Bradshaw sparked Tory protests in the Commons today when he insisted the question of whether Sir Alan Sugar should continue to front The Apprentice following his appointment as an advisor to Gordon Brown was a matter solely for the BBC.

  • Five to launch online casino

    8-Jun-2009

    Five will launch an online casino and bingo service later this year after signing a deal with web gaming company PartyGaming.

  • MediaCity gets £8m boost

    8-Jun-2009

    MediaCity UK has been given a shot in the arm after the University of Salford won an £8m grant to build a 103,000sq ft facility at the development.

  • Sky 1 adds twist for Are You Smarter...?

    8-Jun-2009

    Sky 1 is revamping its kids-vs-adults quiz by asking mums and dads Are You Smarter Than Your 10-Year-Old?

  • Setanta faces crunch week

    8-Jun-2009

    England’s 4-0 victory over Kazkhstan could be their last match on Setanta, with the ailing sports broadcaster facing the prospect of going into administration this week.

  • Fincham to chair Broadcast Entertainment Forum

    5-Jun-2009

    ITV director of television Peter Fincham is to chair Broadcast’s TV Entertainment Forum in September, which will kick off with a keynote from Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan.

  • ITV regulation may be relaxed

    5-Jun-2009

    The government has hinted that ITV will have its regulatory burden dramatically reduced by the Digital Britain report.

  • BBC1 to follow stay-at-home Brits

    5-Jun-2009

    BBC1 will investigate how the recession will prompt millions of Brits to stay at home this summer in a series from Crackit Productions.

  • CRR report could open possibility of ITV1+1 launch

    4-Jun-2009

    ITV1+1 could launch on Freeview and satellite if the Office of Fair Trading gives the broadcaster the CRR reforms it wants.

  • Sky to ramp up VoD service

    3-Jun-2009

    Sky is set to go head-to-head with Virgin Media in the ‘pull VoD’ market with plans to launch a service in about a year’s time.

  • BGT's Susan Boyle taken to clinic

    1-Jun-2009

    Gordon Brown has made personal enquiries about Susan Boyle’s health after the Britain’s Got Talent star was rushed to a private hospital yesterday.

  • Virgin 1 gets Red-y for relaunch

    1-Jun-2009

    Virgin 1 will relaunch with a new logo and idents next week – and with an impish character called Red as the face of the channel.

  • Doctor Who selects new companion

    29-May-2009

    Karen Gillan, a relatively unknown 21-year-old, will star alongside Matt Smith as Doctor Who’s new companion.

  • Shed lands Seinfeld for landmark commission

    28-May-2009

    Shed Media has landed the contract for its US arm to produce an NBC Universal show devised and executive produced by comedy legend Jerry Seinfeld.

  • Sky admits to phone vote errors

    22-May-2009

    BSkyB has admitted it charged Republic of Ireland viewers to enter three votes and competitions by text message, despite them having no chance of affecting the outcome.

  • BBCW completes ad sales team reshuffle

    22-May-2009

    BBC Worldwide has completed a revamp of its senior global ad sales team with two new appointments.

  • Michael Hirst, The Tudors

    21-May-2009

    Michael Hirst, the man behind swashbuckling soap opera The Tudors, talks to Chris Curtis about scripting sexed-up history and facing criticism of taking right royal artistic licence.

  • BBC1 to hunt Junior Apprentice

    21-May-2009

    Sir Alan Sugar will challenge 10 teenagers to win a £25,000 career boost in spin-off series Junior Apprentice.

  • Indies plough £190m into programming

    18-May-2009

    Indies ploughed £190m of their own cash into bridging the programming funding gap last year, according to new figures from Pact.

  • BBC reveals £440m indie spend

    18-May-2009

    The BBC invested £440m in the indie sector across TV, radio and new media in 2008/09, according to provisional figures released today.

  • BBC presenter clashes with peer over salary

    12-May-2009

    Labour peer Lord Foulkes has hijacked a BBC News Channel interview about MPs expenses to launch a blistering attack on BBC presenter salaries.

  • C4 orders McCain-funded sports show

    12-May-2009

    Channel 4 has ordered a grass roots athletics show that will be sponsored by frozen food manufacturer McCain Foods.

  • Richard and Judy chatshow dropped

    8-May-2009

    Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan's UKTV Watch show will end in July after the presenting duo admitted it had failed.

  • Christian O'Connell to front 5 Live topical show

    8-May-2009

    Absolute Radio's breakfast host Christian O'Connell has landed a Fighting Talk-style show on BBC Radio 5 Live - and it is up for grabs for indies to make.

  • Love & Loathe: Endgame/The Justin Lee Collins Show

    6-May-2009

    EndgameMonday 4 May, 9pm, Channel 4

  • Five in a hurry to add entertainment boss

    6-May-2009

    Five is looking for a head of entertainment - and will have a shortlist of candidates drawn up in less than a fortnight.

  • Wire star to feature in BBC4 period drama

    6-May-2009

    The Wire's Dominic West is to star as straight-talking Australian scientist in a BBC4 drama about the discovery of penicillin.

  • Grade: family honour prompted Times legal action

    5-May-2009

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has revealed it was a sense of family honour that prompted him to take legal action against The Times over a heavily critical column by Greg Dyke.

  • Virgin Media iPlayer goes HD

    1-May-2009

    The BBC and Virgin Media have launched HD content on the iPlayer service on the cable company's TV platform.

  • Heartbeat leaves Baftas behind

    27-Apr-2009

    ITV1's Heartbeat easily outstripped BBC1's coverage of the TV Baftas at 8pm last night, although the awards ceremony came back strongly to overtake Hell's Kitchen at 9pm.

  • Hour-long The One Show starts strongly

    23-Apr-2009

    The first hour-long episode The One Show performed well for BBC1 last night, stealing some share from Coronation Street.

  • Michael Grade to step down as ITV executive chairman

    23-Apr-2009

    ITV is hunting for a new chief executive after revealing Michael Grade will step down as executive chairman.

  • Dyke to chair Tory industry review

    20-Apr-2009

    Greg Dyke, Lis Murdoch and Ashley Highfield are among a host of high profile figures who will review the state of the UK's creative industries for the Conservatives.

  • Charge pay-TV players for PSB content, report urges

    17-Apr-2009

    A report commissioned by Digital Britain has urged the Government to consider making the likes of Virgin Media and Sky pay to carry public service broadcasters.

  • STV heads to South Park

    14-Apr-2009

    STV has bought animated series South Park as part of its drive to take greater control of its schedule and be less reliant on ITV network shows.

  • Current TV cancels float due to 'market conditions'

    14-Apr-2009

    Current TV, the Al Gore-backed UGC broadcaster, has cancelled its plan to raise $100m (£67m) by floating on Nasdaq.

  • Huggers discusses iPlayer 3.0

    9-Apr-2009

    BBC future media and technology director Erik Huggers has promised a new look and feel for the iPlayer and vowed to boost its number of users.

  • Tennant: final Doctor Who scripts made me cry

    8-Apr-2009

    Outgoing Doctor Who actor David Tennant has admitted he cried when he read the scripts for his final episodes as the Timelord.

  • Love & Loathe

    7-Apr-2009

    Five Minutes to Heaven and All the Small Things

  • Shed shops around for ent indies

    7-Apr-2009

    Shed Media is eyeing entertainment specialists and quiz show producers as it returns to the acquisitions trail.

  • Rein in BBCW, say MPs

    7-Apr-2009

    The Commons media select committee has called for BBC Worldwide's commercial activities to be reined in and its first look option on BBC shows to be ditched.

  • Sky airs 3D Keane gig

    3-Apr-2009

    Sky successfully broadcast the UK's first live 3D TV event to a domestic 3D TV set last night.

  • BBC strike called off

    2-Apr-2009

    The BBC strike planned by NUJ members for tomorrow has been called off.

  • Back 2 Back first deal for Shaps' indie network

    1-Apr-2009

    Simon Shaps has struck a deal with producer Back 2 Back in his first step to creating a “virtual super-indie”.

  • BBC unveils HD idents

    1-Apr-2009

    Video: The BBC HD channel launches new idents at 4pm today pushing its great cinematography.

  • Airey: I'll bring fun back to resilient Five

    1-Apr-2009

    Five chair and chief executive Dawn Airey has vowed that the channel will have the resources it needs to reassert its identity - but has warned indies it still wants to shake up the terms of trade.

  • Allen joining Campbell in 5 Live Salford move

    31-Mar-2009

    BBC Radio 5 Live drivetime presenter Peter Allen has joined Nicky Campbell in committing to moving to Salford MediaCity.

  • Wire star attacks British drama

    30-Mar-2009

    The Wire's Dominic West has criticised British TV for its lack of “high end” drama and its reliance on period pieces.

  • Docherty to chair DTG

    27-Mar-2009

    The Digital TV Group (DTG) has appointed David Docherty as chairman, replacing Professor David Youlton who has stepped down after more than 10 years.

  • Shine launches German division

    27-Mar-2009

    Shine Group has created Shine Germany as part of a drive to expand the super-indie across the world in the next 12 months.

  • BPG Awards - the winners in full

    27-Mar-2009

    The 35th annual Broadcasting Press Guild Awards winners are:

  • Bertelsmann reassures Five staff

    26-Mar-2009

    Bertelsmann has moved to reassure Five staff after revealing earlier this week that the UK broadcaster could not survive unless it joined forces with another company.

  • Bertelsmann: Five needs a partner

    25-Mar-2009

    Five's ultimate parent company Bertelsmann has made it clear that some sort of merger or consolidation is vital for the UK broadcaster to survive.

  • UKTV to unveil Home and Really channels

    24-Mar-2009

    UKTV Style will become Home and UKTV Gardens will relaunch as Really as UKTV continues its overhaul of its channel portfolio.

  • Kids indie lands debut commission

    24-Mar-2009

    Everything Works, a start-up indie run by two former Cartoon Network executives, has won its first ever commission.

  • STV takes stake in start-up indie

    23-Mar-2009

    STV and Scottish Enterprise have both taken stakes in a start-up indie run by a former Firefly executive producer.

  • Broadcast Interview: Bal Samra

    18-Mar-2009

    The man who takes care of business at the BBC tells Chris Curtis how a mixture of new technology and a change of mindset could help the whole industry save and survive.

  • BBC extends HD service

    17-Mar-2009

    The BBC HD channel has upped its output to nine hours a day - the maximum allowed under its current BBC Trust service licence.

  • Grade demands apology from The Times

    16-Mar-2009

    ITV and Michael Grade have demanded an apology from The Times after it ran an opinion piece from Greg Dyke attacking the executive chairman and his strategy.

  • RTL slashes Five value to£232m

    13-Mar-2009

    RTL Group has written down the value it places on Five by more than 50% as a result of the plunging ad market.

  • BBCW wins NBC commission

    13-Mar-2009

    BBC Worldwide is making a travelogue/gameshow hybrid series for NBC from its LA production studio.

  • ITV and BBC plan for regional news partnership

    12-Mar-2009

    ITV and the BBC have published a roadmap for a regional news partnership that could be worth more than£7m a year to the commercial broadcaster by 2016.

  • BSkyB: C4 should re-enter pay-TV market

    9-Mar-2009

    BSkyB has called on Channel 4 to re-enter the pay-TV market as part of a raft of measures that would provide an alternative to striking a PSB joint venture or merger.

  • Product placement verdict looms for ITV

    9-Mar-2009

    ITV should learn this week whether product placement will offer some respite from the recession.

  • Diverse makes Roberts head of factual

    6-Mar-2009

    Diverse London has promoted The Real Slumdog Millionaires exec producer Mark Roberts to head of factual.

  • Landmark to make BBC4 mobile doc

    6-Mar-2009

    Landmark Films will track the life cycle of a mobile phone and investigate the phenomenon of “that text you shouldn't have sent” in an off-beat doc for BBC4.

  • BBC1 orders more Lark Rise

    6-Mar-2009

    BBC1 has ordered a third series of Sunday night favourite Lark Rise to Candleford.

  • Landmark to make BBC4 mobile doc

    6-Mar-2009

    Landmark Films will track the life cycle of a mobile phone and investigate the phenomenon of “that text you shouldn't have sent” in an off-beat doc for BBC4.

  • Grade: Don't overlook ITV progress

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has defended the company's performance during 2008 and asked that its cost cutting measures do not overshadow its progress.

  • Analysis: Project Canvas

    4-Mar-2009

    Project Canvas is the IPTV initiative from the BBC, ITV and BT - and unlike its cousin Kangaroo, it stands a good chance of becoming reality. Chris Curtis explains its plans.

  • Five goes Mad for Dance

    4-Mar-2009

    Five and the Community Channel will air a series of Arts Council England-backed films about the benefits that dance can offer people with mental health issues.

  • Paxman: 'Rules are rules'

    3-Mar-2009

    University Challenge host Jeremy Paxman has admitted he feels sorry for the dethroned Corpus Christi team - but has insisted that “rules are rules”.

  • Nat Geo hires Mark Wild

    3-Mar-2009

    Mark Wild, who commissioned and exec produced Meerkat Manor for Animal Planet, has joined National Geographic Television.

  • Horrocks to lead BBC World Service

    26-Feb-2009

    Head of the BBC multimedia newsroom Peter Horrocks has been named as director of the BBC World Service.

  • 1 vs 100 to return

    24-Feb-2009

    BBC1's The National Lottery: 1 vs 100 will move to Glasgow when the Initial show returns later this year.

  • British Comedy Awards land ITV in hot water

    23-Feb-2009

    ITV has been censured by Ofcom after Highland Spring, the sponsor of British Comedy Awards, used the event to promote its water.

  • iPlayer to offer friend recommendations

    23-Feb-2009

    BBC iPlayer is developing an application that will allow users to link to their friends and share programme recommendations.

  • Shed reveals failed MBO bids

    19-Feb-2009

    Shed Media's board rejected two MBO offers last year, it has emerged.

  • Ten Alps heralds 'creative success'

    16-Feb-2009

    Ten Alps has taken the unusual step of heralding the start of 2009 as its “most creatively successful period ever in factual TV” in a statement to the stock exchange.

  • The Business Channel hits the buffers

    9-Feb-2009

    The downturn in the TV sector has claimed an unlikely victim - The Business Channel has gone into administration.

  • ITV Drama: The quiet revolution

    6-Feb-2009

    With a raft of major new shows and the axe for several old favourites, a quiet revolution is going on at ITV Drama, writes Chris Curtis.

  • Switch to Minder, Five urges ITV1's football fans

    5-Feb-2009

    Five attempted to hijack ITV1's coverage of the Everton v Liverpool FA Cup tie last night with guerrilla pitch-side advertising that implored TV viewers to turn over to watch its new version of Minder.

  • Digital Britain

    4-Feb-2009

    Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report urges content commissioners and the independent sector to work together. But how will negotiations progress, asks Chris Curtis.

  • BSkyB seals Premier League rights

    4-Feb-2009

    BSkyB will remain the dominant force in live Premier League TV coverage until at least 2013 after it retained its existing rights to the competiton.

  • UBC agrees£9m commercial arm sale

    2-Feb-2009

    Radio content company UBC has agreed to sell its commercial division to Global Traffic Network for£9m, with further performance related payments.

  • 5 Live's Nicky Campbell ad

    30-Jan-2009

    Video: Nicky Campbell battles through a studio packed with listeners in the TV trail for his new breakfast phone-in show.

  • Mac users to get Demand Five

    29-Jan-2009

    Five's VoD service Demand Five has been made available to Mac and Linux users for the first time.

  • BBC Trust sets up Gaza decision committee

    29-Jan-2009

    The BBC Trust is setting up a special committee to examine complaints about the BBC's decision not to broadcast the DEC Gaza appeal.

  • BBC extends MOTD deal

    28-Jan-2009

    Match of the Day's future has been safeguarded until the end of the 2013 football season after the BBC extended its Premier League highlights deal.

  • More than 4.5m watch Gaza appeal

    27-Jan-2009

    More than 4.5 million people saw the Disasters Emergency Committee's Gaza appeal last night despite neither the BBC nor Sky News showing the charity plea.

  • Outline exec joins Mentorn

    27-Jan-2009

    Mentorn Media has hired The House of Tiny Tearaways exec producer Helen Hawken.

  • Ofcom: ITV's Home Office deal broke rules

    26-Jan-2009

    Ofcom has criticised ITV's sponsorship agreement with the Home Office for its Beat: Life on the Street series.

  • Former Sky exec named Current boss

    26-Jan-2009

    Current TV, the UGC broadcaster backed by Al Gore, has appointed former Sky executive James Baker to lead its UK operation.

  • BBC would have to publish star salaries under Tories

    22-Jan-2009

    A new Tory government would force the BBC to publish top stars' salaries and scrap the BBC Trust, shadow culture minister Ed Vaizey has revealed.

  • Five to push USA brand with channel relaunch

    21-Jan-2009

    Five US will relaunch as Five USA on 16 February and it plans to mark the channel name and identity change by airing a new drama.

  • Ofcom unveils radical regional news plan

    21-Jan-2009

    Ofcom believes the proposed partnership between the BBC and ITV will only safeguard local news in the short term and has recommend the creation of a series of independently-funded news consortia in the devolved nations and English regions.

  • BBC1's Hunter withstands ITV1 pressure

    19-Jan-2009

    BBC1's Five Days spin-off Hunter got off to a solid start last night, with 5.4m (20.9% share) tuning in at 9pm.

  • C4 and Five clash over merger plan

    19-Jan-2009

    Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson has claimed a merger with Five would be 'a tragedy' - but RTL Group boss Gerhard Zeiler has insisted it would help secure the future of public service broadcasting.

  • BBC to serve up Murray's matches

    16-Jan-2009

    The BBC has signed a deal to air all of Andy Murray's tennis matches on terrestrial TV during the forthcoming Australian Open.

  • Emmerdale exec producer stands down

    16-Jan-2009

    Emmerdale executive producer Keith Richardson is stepping down after 24 years.

  • Bazalgette links up with Cowell at Sony Music TV

    14-Jan-2009

    Peter Bazalgette will work alongside Simon Cowell's Syco TV after being drafted in as non-executive chairman of Sony Music TV.

  • Balancing act in an asymmetric war

    14-Jan-2009

    With the BBC receiving over 1,000 complaints about its latest Gaza coverage, Chris Curtis and Katherine Rushton examine how news bulletins have handled this politicised conflict.

  • CBeebies picks up Yoko! Jakamoto! Toto!

    14-Jan-2009

    CBeebies has bought Collingwood O'Hare's Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!, which previously aired on CiTV.

  • Channel TV appoints chief executive

    9-Jan-2009

    Channel Television, the ITV franchise holder for the Channel Islands, has named Rowan O'Sullivan as its first chief executive since 2006.

  • Kangaroo kicks off competition battle

    22-Dec-2008

    Project Kangaroo has begun the battle for clearance by the Competition Commission, suggesting its partners compete with one another to sell catch-up content to third parties to help ease competition fears.

  • Noel's Christmas Presents delivers for Sky 1

    22-Dec-2008

    Sky 1's returning Noel's Christmas Presents grabbed more than 1.4m viewers (7.4% share) in multichannel homes at 6pm last night.

  • BBC1/ITV1 boosted by Xmas dramas

    22-Dec-2008

    Christmas dramas boosted BBC1 and ITV1 yesterday with Lark Rise to Candleford and Clash of the Santas doing well for the channels respectively.

  • Britannia High bows out with a whimper

    22-Dec-2008

    ITV1's Britannia High ended with a whimper on Saturday, with twice as many people watching a Dad's Army repeat on BBC2 as watched the talent show drama's live final.

  • Strictly final watched by 50% of all viewers

    22-Dec-2008

    Victory for Holby City star Tom Chambers helped the final of Strictly Come Dancing peak at 12.6m viewers - more than half of all people watching TV at the time - but the show remains dogged by last week's voting problems.

  • Shed to open Glasgow office

    19-Dec-2008

    Shed Media is to open an office in the new Digital Media Quarter (DMQ) at Glasgow's Pacific Quay.

  • Silverton to host live New Year show on BBC1

    19-Dec-2008

    Kate Silverton has been chosen to present BBC1's New Year Live alongside Nick Knowles.

  • C4 cooks rivals with Jamie Oliver special

    19-Dec-2008

    Channel 4 won the 9pm slot last night as Jamie Cooks Christmas left both BBC1 and ITV1 trailing.

  • Smithsonian posts wish list

    17-Dec-2008

    Smithsonian Channel programming boss David Royle has urged UK producers to bring him HD programming that offers “new ways of looking at the world”.

  • Merlin to return to BBC1

    15-Dec-2008

    The BBC has ordered a second spell of Shine Television's family drama Merlin.

  • Pedigree Dogs producer hails victory after BBC suspends Crufts coverage

    12-Dec-2008

    The producer/director of Pedigree Dogs Exposed has hailed the BBC's decision to drop coverage of Crufts as a victory for public service broadcasting - and is planning a sequel to the film.

  • Indies back C4 in PSB review

    12-Dec-2008

    Indies have rallied round Channel 4 in the final stages of the PSB review, urging Ofcom to find a funding solution that will allow the broadcaster to flourish.

  • Shared iPlayer leads£120m BBC PSB partnership plans

    11-Dec-2008

    The BBC has unveiled partnership proposals that it claims will be worth£120 million a year to its rival public service broadcasters, including sharing the iPlayer.

  • Industry unites for online TV project

    11-Dec-2008

    The BBC, ITV and BT are to work together to bring on-demand content delivered to TVs into the mainstream, via a new kind of set-top box.

  • Shaps seeks indies for£5m investment slate

    10-Dec-2008

    Simon Shaps is poised to invest around£5m in a raft of small to medium-sized indie producers, Broadcast can reveal.

  • Love and Loathe

    10-Dec-2008

    This week: Spooks and The X Factor's excess emotion

  • DCD sells Haunted Homes

    10-Dec-2008

    DCD Rights has sold Haunted Homes to NBC Universal Global Network's UK lifestyle channel Diva TV and to Fine Living Network in the US.

  • BSkyB hints at Tiscali broadband bid

    10-Dec-2008

    BSkyB's chief financial officer Andrew Griffith has hinted that a bid for Tiscali UK's broadband operations could be in the offing.

  • BBC plans iPlayer open-day

    9-Dec-2008

    The BBC will celebrate the one year anniversary of the iPlayer this Friday by lifting the lid on how the catch-up service works.

  • ER bosses talk up prospects

    8-Dec-2008

    Entertainment Rights' new chief executive and finance director have talked up the company's prospects following a deal with its bank that will safeguard it until next March.

  • ER lands£13m lending and new boss

    8-Dec-2008

    Entertainment Rights has secured£13m in facilities from HBOS to safeguard its future until the end of February and has appointed the boss of its US operations as its new chief executive.

  • Sky News goes HD with Obama inauguration

    5-Dec-2008

    Sky News will make its first HD broadcast for its coverage of Barack Obama's inauguration as US president on 20 January 2009.

  • Carter sends mixed messages on terms of trade

    4-Dec-2008

    Communications, technology and broadcasting minister Lord Carter has sent out mixed messages over the future of the terms of trade - claiming they have been a great success but suggesting they may be re-evaluated as part of securing C4's future.

  • BBC children's looks at theme park spin-off

    3-Dec-2008

    BBC children's controller Richard Deverell wants to take his young viewers on a roller-coaster ride - by considering the potential for a CBBC/CBeebies theme park.

  • Pact slams ‘bully boy' ITV over terms of trade plan

    3-Dec-2008

    Pact has slammed ITV's “bully-boy tactics” over its plans to circumvent the terms of trade and called on the broadcaster to look for a more creative solution to dealing with the advertising downturn.

  • Ent' Rights boss to leave

    2-Dec-2008

    Nick Phillips, the chief executive of embattled kids company Entertainment Rights, is to leave the company in three days time.

  • Jeff Anderson to report to Jermey

    1-Dec-2008

    ITV controller of current affairs and documentaries Jeff Anderson will begin reporting to Michael Jermey as part of the commissioning shake up at ITV.

  • Cohen: There's still life in Phoo Action

    28-Nov-2008

    Media Festival: BBC3 controller Danny Cohen has said the corporation may revive canned drama format Phoo Action - but that he could not justify spending£3m on taking it to a full series in its current state.

  • Carter: BBC sharing plans should go beyond PSBs

    28-Nov-2008

    Media Festival: Minister for communications, technology and broadcasting Stephen Carter has called on the BBC to extend its soon-to-be-announced information sharing initiative beyond the usual public service broadcasters.

  • C4/BBC3: Sachsgate will not kill risk-taking

    27-Nov-2008

    Media Festival: BBC3 controller Danny Cohen and Channel 4 director of television Julian Bellamy have both pledged that their channels will not lose their nerve by “playing safe” in the wake of the Sachsgate affair.

  • Redmond: PSB broadcasters disconnected from real life

    27-Nov-2008

    Media Festival: Brookside creator Phil Redmond has kickstarted The Media Festival by accusing PSB broadcasters of being disconnected from the cultural life of the UK and insisting they must change or face extinction.

  • Video: Peter Fincham

    27-Nov-2008

    ITV director of television Peter Fincham talks to Broadcastnow about shaking up the weekday schedule, the tension between ITV Studios and the indie sector and why there will always be a place for mainstream television.

  • Fincham: indies should forget terms of trade

    26-Nov-2008

    Indies need to be prepared to ignore the terms of trade when negotiating with ITV during the financial downturn, Peter Fincham has warned.

  • The Broadcast Interview: Peter Fincham

    26-Nov-2008

    ITV's director of television, channels and online is one of mainstream TV's biggest cheerleaders. But can he stay optimistic as the recession bites? Chris Curtis finds out.

  • De Agostini unveils €1bn goal/new brand

    26-Nov-2008

    Pan-European media business De Agostini Group has revealed ambitious plans to become a €1bn player in the global TV content market.

  • BBC World Service director quits

    25-Nov-2008

    BBC World Service director Nigel Chapman is leaving the corporation after almost 31 years service.

  • BBC Children's reveals winter highlights

    25-Nov-2008

    A new show for CBeebies presenting pair Chris Jarvis and Pui Fan Lee and the return of Aardman's Timmy Time are on the cards as the BBC gears up to launch its kids' versions of iPlayer.

  • CBeebies orders first web-only show

    24-Nov-2008

    CBeebies has commissioned its first standalone web project based around letters that come to life.

  • DCD backed by biggest shareholder

    24-Nov-2008

    DCD Media's largest shareholder Gartmore Investment Management has moved to shore up the super-indie's share price by buying£2.6m of loan notes from un-named parties.

  • DCD boss steps down

    24-Nov-2008

    DCD Media is hunting for a new chief executive after Chris Hunt stepped down to return to programme-making.

  • Stelling sticks with Soccer Saturday

    21-Nov-2008

    Armchair football fans can relax - the quick witted Jeff Stelling will continue to host Soccer Saturday despite landing the job presenting Countdown.

  • Sachsgate: Thompson scolds Ross but blames staff

    18-Nov-2008

    BBC director general Mark Thompson has personally told Jonathan Ross that his behaviour on the Russell Brand Radio 2 show was unacceptable - but has placed the blame for Sachsgate firmly on editorial staff.

  • Keo Films makes double hire

    18-Nov-2008

    Meet the Natives producer Keo Films has added two key executives to its production team.

  • Attenborough backs Ross

    17-Nov-2008

    Sir David Attenborough has defended disgraced presenter Jonathan Ross and insisted that comedians “on the edge of taste” have a place on the BBC.

  • C4 drama to recreate Battle of Hastings

    12-Nov-2008

    Hardy Pictures has called on more than 800 extras to recreate the three key battles of the Norman Conquest for Channel 4.

  • Televisionary appoints Sergeant

    10-Nov-2008

    Televisionary has appointed Will Sergeant as senior executive producer to develop and oversee all broadcast commissions.

  • Mark Sharman to leave ITV

    10-Nov-2008

    Mark Sharman, the man who helped bring England football back to ITV, is leaving the broadcaster.

  • BBC plans WWII series

    7-Nov-2008

    BBC1 is to mark the 70th anniversary of the Second World War with a week-long, live daytime event focusing on those who helped win the war back at home.

  • Fulcrum names head of development

    7-Nov-2008

    Factual specialist Fulcrum TV has appointed Lawrence Wright as head of development.

  • Ex-C4 exec joins STV in management reshuffle

    7-Nov-2008

    Former Channel 4 director of strategy and development David Brook has joined STV as director of programmes and marketing on an interim basis.

  • Virgin reveals cost of Sky channels

    6-Nov-2008

    Virgin Media is forking out as much as£38m a year to allow its customers to return to the mysterious island in Lost or spend their evenings with Homer Simpson as part of the deal that will see the likes of Sky 1 and Sky Sports News return to the cable platform.

  • ITV retains share of TV revenues

    5-Nov-2008

    ITV expects to hold onto its full-year share of net television revenues for the first time in more than quarter of a century.

  • ITV makes Fincham online chief

    5-Nov-2008

    ITV is merging its online web and TV businesses and handing extra responsibility to Peter Fincham by making him director of television, channels and online.

  • Hardy Pictures to open in NI

    3-Nov-2008

    The Relief of Belsen producer Hardy Pictures is to open an office in Belfast later this month.

  • Brand resigns from BBC

    29-Oct-2008

    Russell Brand has resigned from his BBC Radio 2 programme after his prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs escalated into a huge public scandal.

  • Blog: Bright new Dawn for Five?

    24-Oct-2008

    Five welcomes its new chair and chief executive today. Can she rally the troops, asks Chris Curtis.

  • BBC holds Downturn Day

    24-Oct-2008

    The BBC is spending today “taking the economic temperature” of the UK and has defended itself against allegations that it is downplaying the financial turmoil.

  • Desperate Housewives face wardrobe clampdown

    22-Oct-2008

    Wisteria Lane's residents could be kitted out in cut-price outfits after US network ABC issued new wardrobe guidelines that limit spending.

  • Reality TV goes wild

    21-Oct-2008

    As Autumnwatch prepares to hit our screens, Chris Curtis talks to executive producer Tim Scoones about the show's popularity and his unwavering passion for conservation.

  • Natural World celebrates 25th with three-year order

    21-Oct-2008

    BBC2's Natural World is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a three-year recommission.

  • NBCU to cut 2009 budget

    20-Oct-2008

    NBC Universal is planning to cut $500m (£286m) from its 2009 budget, according to The Wall Street Journal.

  • Discovery to launch Freeview channel

    16-Oct-2008

    Pay TV specialist Discovery Communications is to move into the UK free-to-air market with the launch of a Freeview channel early next year.

  • Lynda La Plante Productions up for sale

    16-Oct-2008

    Lynda La Plante Productions is up for sale, with bids for the Trial and Retribution producer expected imminently.

  • BBC unveils iPlayer Freeview proposal

    13-Oct-2008

    The BBC has revealed proposals to take the iPlayer onto Freeview.

  • Banker joins BBC Trust

    10-Oct-2008

    Investment banker Anthony Fry has been made a member of the BBC Trust for the next four years.

  • Grade: Non-PSB ITV is real option

    8-Oct-2008

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has outlined two stark choices for the future of the broadcaster: guarantee to provide national news as a public service broadcaster or become a purely commercial brand with no guarantee of any kind of programming.

  • ITV exec named Input Media MD

    7-Oct-2008

    Input Media, the company behind Chelsea TV and Arsenal TV, has appointed former ITV Worldwide executive David Johnson as it managing director.

  • Carter made broadcasting minister

    3-Oct-2008

    Former Ofcom chief executive Stephen Carter has been handed a new government role of minister for communications, technology and broadcasting.

  • Freed R1 DJ speaks out

    3-Oct-2008

    BBC Radio 1 DJ Grooverider will give an insight into his 10 months in a Dubai prison for possessing drugs on the station's Surgery show this Sunday.

  • Channels to set out PSB funding plans

    1-Oct-2008

    The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are all poised to make their final PSB lobbying positions clear after media secretary Andy Burnham promised speedy government decisions about future funding models.

  • Newsround revives classic theme

    1-Oct-2008

    The BBC's Newsround has been relaunched featuring a remixed version of the classic theme tune from the John Craven era.

  • ITV regional staff to know fate by December

    30-Sep-2008

    ITV regions director Michael Jermey has told ITV News Group (ING) staff facing redundancy that they will “know where they stand” by early December.

  • US commissions boost Shed results

    30-Sep-2008

    Shed Media generated more than a third of its£12.6m gross profit in the first half of the year from US broadcasters.

  • Burnham: PSB decisions by early '09

    26-Sep-2008

    The government will announce its decisions on the future of PSB in the new year, culture secretary Andy Burnham has promised.

  • Government to review sports 'Crown Jewels'

    26-Sep-2008

    The government is to review the make up of the 'Crown Jewels' listed sports events for the first time in 10 years, culture secretary Andy Burnham has revealed.

  • Ofcom: ITV wants reduced indie quota

    25-Sep-2008

    ITV wanted Ofcom to help it lobby the government to reduce the 25% quota of ITV1 programming that it has to source from indies, it has emerged.

  • Behind the business: Robert Peston

    24-Sep-2008

    Billion-pound scoops have made the BBC business editor a key face for the corporation.

  • Stephenson lands BBC drama supremo role

    22-Sep-2008

    Ben Stephenson has landed the new role of BBC controller of drama commissioning, handing him full commissioning power alongside the corporation's channel bosses.

  • BBC confirms Tranter US move - finally

    22-Sep-2008

    BBC Fiction controller Jane Tranter is to move to Los Angeles to head BBC Worldwide's US production arm, the corporation has confirmed.

  • Five orders Flesh Eating Monster

    17-Sep-2008

    Icon Films Production will travel to northern India to investigate an animal that has caused the death of several people for Five's Nature Shock strand.

  • UKTV to reveal eye-opening Watch logo

    17-Sep-2008

    UKTV will unveil a “loveable and huggable” giant eye as the logo for new entertainment channel Watch next month.

  • Grade: Google is a parasite

    15-Sep-2008

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has branded Google and YouTube “parasites” at technology conference IBC.

  • Geldof launches peace channel

    12-Sep-2008

    Bob Geldof's Ten Alps has launched an online video and user-generated content channel dedicated to resolving global conflict.

  • Blog: All is fair in love and football

    11-Sep-2008

    Setanta has been given a kicking from all quarters for keeping its England football coverage to itself. What do people expect it to do? asks Chris Curtis.

  • 'Supporters want answers', Brown tells Setanta

    11-Sep-2008

    Gordon Brown has waded into the debate over Setanta's coverage of yesterday's England World Cup qualifier, saying supporters would “want answers” about why they could not see the game on terrestrial TV.

  • Ratings Focus: ITV1's The Children

    10-Sep-2008

    ITV1 scores a hit with new three-parter The Children.

  • Behind the business: Cody Hogarth

    10-Sep-2008

    Endemol's New State has been rattling out AFP and product placement deals since it was created earlier this year.

  • Chellomedia buys Spektrum

    9-Sep-2008

    Extreme Sports Channel owner Chellomedia has bought documentary channel Spektrum from HBO Central Europe.

  • Griffiths named ITV finance chief

    9-Sep-2008

    Former Emap group finance director Ian Griffiths has landed the same role at ITV.

  • C4 hails BB despite viewer dip

    8-Sep-2008

    Channel 4 has heralded Big Brother 9 as a success, despite its final on Friday attracting fewer viewers than ever before.

  • SBC: Move BBC channel to Scotland

    8-Sep-2008

    The Scottish Broadcasting Commission has called for one of the four major BBC channels to be moved to Scotland - but has stopped short of recommending a dedicated Scottish Six news bulletin.

  • BBC to relaunch Working Lunch

    5-Sep-2008

    The BBC will relaunch Working Lunch next month, BBC business and economics unit editor Jeremy Hillman has revealed.

  • ITV1 gets vote of confidence in authored Clunes doc

    4-Sep-2008

    Authored documentaries are all the rage with ITV's factual team, and given the performance of the recent Martin Clunes: a Man and his Dogs, it's easy to see why.

  • Virgin Radio gets Absolute rebrand

    2-Sep-2008

    Virgin Radio has today kicked off its relaunch as the “cheeky and unapologetic” Absolute.

  • Kirstie and Phil beat Ofcom rap

    1-Sep-2008

    Channel 4's Location, Location, Location has been cleared of political bias by Ofcom after its presenters launched a campaign to get stamp duty reformed.

  • VMTV overhauls commissioning

    29-Aug-2008

    Virgin Media Television has appointed a commissioning supremo and a scheduling counterpart to work across its channel portfolio.

  • Pinewood to submit£3m planning application

    29-Aug-2008

    Pinewood Shepperton will spend around£3m on the planning application for its ambitious Project Pinewood scheme, which it expects to submit before the end of the year.

  • Snowdon replaces Van Outen at Capital

    28-Aug-2008

    Lisa Snowdon has stepped into Denise Van Outen's shoes as the permanent co-host of Johnny Vaughan's Capital 95.8 breakfast show.

  • RTL promises Airey ‘budget for success'

    28-Aug-2008

    RTL chief executive Gerhard Zeiler has pledged to hand Dawn Airey the “programming budget she needs to be successful” after negotiating her early release from ITV gardening leave.

  • Video: Peter Fincham

    28-Aug-2008

    Peter Fincham speaks to Broadcastnow about how popular entertainment shows are at risk at the BBC and Channel 4, as well as at ITV, in an interview following his MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV festival.

  • Fincham: Cotton would understand MacTaggart

    28-Aug-2008

    ITV director of television Peter Fincham has invoked the spirit of Bill Cotton to help defend entertainment programming, after claiming in his MacTaggart lecture that the genre is under threat at all the major broadcasters.

  • Behind the business: William Van Rest

    27-Aug-2008

    A revived ITV Play is attempting to shake off the PRTS scandal to boost traffic on itv.com.

  • Airey to join Five in October

    26-Aug-2008

    Dawn Airey will begin her tenure as Five chief executive at the end of October, six months earlier than first anticipated.

  • Endemol boss hits out at BBCW

    24-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: BBC Worldwide has come under fire for investing in indies from Endemol's Tim Hincks.

  • Five eyes Milkshake channel

    24-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: Five is investigating the launch of a dedicated kids channel under its pre-school Milkshake brand.

  • MacTaggart: Fincham slams Ofcom

    22-Aug-2008

    Ofcom's 'box-ticking' PSB review could kill televison by sidelining entertainment, Peter Fincham has warned in the 2008 MacTaggart Memorial Lecture.

  • MacTaggart: Fincham slams Ofcom

    22-Aug-2008

    Ofcom's “box-ticking” PSB review could kill televison by sidelining entertainment, Peter Fincham has warned in the 2008 MacTaggart Memorial Lecture.

  • MacTaggart: Fincham slams Ofcom

    22-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: Ofcom's “box-ticking” PSB review could kill televison by sidelining entertainment, Peter Fincham has warned in the 2008 MacTaggart Memorial Lecture.

  • BBC puts more channels online

    22-Aug-2008

    BBC4, CBBC and CBeebies will become the next of the corporation's channels to be simulcast online next month.

  • Oliver: No trust in talent-led indies

    22-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: Jamie Oliver has said talent-led production find it difficult to convince commissioners to take them seriously.

  • Ready-meals won't get any tastier than this...

    21-Aug-2008

    Shine Group is planning to use the MasterChef brand to launch a range of ready-meals and cooking ingredients.

  • NBC Universal to buy Carnival

    20-Aug-2008

    NBC Universal is to buy drama specialist Carnival Films in its first acquisition of a UK indie.

  • The Banana Splits to reform for TV comeback

    18-Aug-2008

    Cartoon Network is resurrecting arguably the world's greatest animal-based rock band - The Banana Splits.

  • Test Match Special under fire

    18-Aug-2008

    The BBC's Test Match Special (TMS) is under fire following the departure of experienced summariser Mike Selvey and an influx of Radio 5 Live presenters to the on-air team.

  • Tories hint at allowing TV product placement

    13-Aug-2008

    Shadow media secretary Jeremy Hunt has hinted that a relaxation of the rules governing both product placement and impartiality of non public service news services might be on the agenda of a new Conservative government.

  • Behind the Business: Alex Connock

    13-Aug-2008

    The Ten Alps chief executive is first in a new series that puts the spotlight on the people behind the financial headlines.

  • ITN furious over Ray arrest in Beijing

    13-Aug-2008

    ITN has vowed to make “the strongest possible protest” to the Chinese authorities after ITV News China correspondent John Ray was arrested and detained.

  • BBC names Gaelic service

    13-Aug-2008

    The BBC's Gaelic digital service will be called BBC Alba and will launch on 19 September.

  • ITV reveals 12 Yard format

    12-Aug-2008

    12 Yard's first gameshow pilot for ITV will feature contestants trying to win money from 20 different coloured cash machines.

  • Clarkson and BBCW form joint venture

    8-Aug-2008

    The BBC has formed a joint venture with Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman that will see the pair take a cut from international sales of the show.

  • Olympics: 10 iconic TV moments

    6-Aug-2008

    The Olympics has brought staggering feats of athleticism and moments of controversy into the world's living rooms since the 1960s. Chris Curtis selects 10 iconic events from the TV-era Games.

  • ITV predicts gloom in September as profits slump

    6-Aug-2008

    ITV has said next month's net advertising revenue will slump 20% after revealing a 28% fall in first half profits.

  • Sky extends England cricket deal

    5-Aug-2008

    BSkyB has extended its rights to live England Test cricket in a four-year deal that will run from 2010 to 2013.

  • Pritchard lands C4 strategy role

    1-Aug-2008

    Channel 4 has appointed Gill Pritchard as its group director of strategy and public value.

  • Unions continue ITV news battle

    1-Aug-2008

    Bectu and the NUJ believe they are winning the campaign to prevent ITV merging the Border and Tyne Tees news regions - but have rejected a proposal to trim 15 minutes from the Border bulletin.

  • ITV buys into US online producer

    1-Aug-2008

    ITV has taken a 10% stake in US multiplatform producer Electric Farm Entertainment for $2m (£1.01m).

  • Comedy Demon inks first DTO content deal

    30-Jul-2008

    RDF Digital has signed its first content deal for its Comedydemon.com venture, snapping up download-to-own (DTO) episodes of The Catherine Tate Show as part of a deal with BBC Worldwide.

  • BBC Trust: WoCC works, but is confusing

    28-Jul-2008

    The BBC Trust has heralded the WoCC a success - but says the corporation must still do more to “de-mystify” the commissioning mechanism.

  • Blog: Life after Roly

    22-Jul-2008

    Roly Keating will be a hard act to follow at BBC2, writes Chris Curtis.

  • The Hits to relaunch as 4Music

    17-Jul-2008

    Channel 4 and Bauer Media are to rebrand music channel The Hits as 4Music.

  • Currie: Switchover surplus exists

    17-Jul-2008

    Ofcom chairman Lord David Currie has insisted the£800m licence fee surplus from the cost of digital switchover does exist, and has rejected Sir Michael Lyon's assertion that it is a myth.

  • Ofcom: ITV needs more PSB freedom

    17-Jul-2008

    Ofcom chairman David Currie has kicked off the next phase of the PSB debate by giving a clear indication that ITV will have its PSB requirements reduced.

  • ITV stock in for roller coaster ride, says City

    16-Jul-2008

    Analysts have predicted a volatile short-term future for ITV's share price after it surged earlier this week before immediately falling back.

  • Freesat adds BBC/ITV regions

    16-Jul-2008

    Freesat will offer the full complement of regional BBC and ITV services after adding 22 more variants today (16 July).

  • ITV shares ease back

    15-Jul-2008

    ITV shares eased back more than 5.5% today (15 July) after surging 12% yesterday on takeover speculation.

  • TVC takes major UTV stake

    15-Jul-2008

    Investment firm TVC Holdings has paid almost£15m to become UTV Media's largest shareholder.

  • De Mol backing RDF MBO

    14-Jul-2008

    RDF Media Group's planned management buy-out is being backed by Cyrte Investments, the company that handles John de Mol's investments.

  • BT Vision to offer free Setanta channel

    14-Jul-2008

    BT Vision is to offer Setanta Sports 1 for free to encourage take up of three new viewing packages.

  • Charles Wheeler dies

    4-Jul-2008

    Sir Charles Wheeler, one of the BBC's most respected foreign correspondents, has died aged 85.

  • McGovern to make daytime BBC1 series

    4-Jul-2008

    Jimmy McGovern will make an unlikely move into daytime drama next year, with a stripped, week-long series for BBC1.

  • Passion adds ID duo to bolster sales team

    3-Jul-2008

    Sally Miles' new company, Passion Distribution, is taking shape with the hire of two senior executives.

  • UKTV puts focus on home improvement

    3-Jul-2008

    UKTV Style has ordered a “credit crunch” home improvement show that will focus on people revamping their homes rather than preparing them to be sold.

  • VMTV launches gaming channel

    2-Jul-2008

    Virgin Media Television has launched a fully interactive gaming channel in collaboration with Two Way Media.

  • Comcast bringing Style to Sky

    1-Jul-2008

    Comcast International Media Group will launch female skewing channel The Style Network on the BSkyB satellite platform later this month.

  • NetPlay TV lures Leggo

    1-Jul-2008

    Former BBC head of light entertainment Michael Leggo has joined interactive gaming firm NetPlay TV as director of television.

  • Tern wins double BBC order

    1-Jul-2008

    Tern Television will give six people the chance to beat their modern lifestyle addictions in an 8 x 30-minute series for BBC Northern Ireland.

  • Big Brother ejects Dennis

    27-Jun-2008

    Channel 4 has ejected a second housemate from this series of Big Brother - kicking out Dennis McHugh for spitting in the face of another housemate.

  • Ofcom slaps£1m fine on GCap

    26-Jun-2008

    Ofcom has slapped a£1.1m fine on GCap Media and strongly criticised the broadcaster for “effectively hindering” its investigation into a competition it ran unfairly last year.

  • Playhouse Disney buys Tinga Tales

    25-Jun-2008

    Tiger Aspect's ambitious Tinga Tinga Tales kids project, which is being animated in Africa, will air on Playhouse Disney in the US and be distributed by Entertainment Rights worldwide.

  • ITV planning pay channel in Asia

    23-Jun-2008

    ITV plans to launch a pan-Asian pay TV channel and is previewing the offering to broadcasters in the region.

  • Ant & Dec in talks to Double Your Money

    18-Jun-2008

    Ant & Dec indie Gallowgate Productions is in talks to revive the classic Hughie Green quizshow format Double Your Money.

  • Talkback's got talent

    18-Jun-2008

    Talkback Thames CEO Lorraine Heggessey and COO Sara Geater tell us why they believe their new model for indie start-ups is going to bring them the next generation of comedy and drama shows.

  • Primark axes suppliers after Panorama investigation

    17-Jun-2008

    A Panorama investigation into Primark has prompted the value fashion retailer to ditch three suppliers from southern India.

  • Five to send Rory and Paddy pig racing

    16-Jun-2008

    Comedians Rory McGrath and Paddy McGuiness will go cheese rolling in Gloucestershire and pig racing in Dorset as part of a new IWC Media series for Five.

  • Discovery chief calls for contestable PSB pot

    12-Jun-2008

    Broadcast conference: Discovery Networks UK managing director Dan Brooke has called for a pot of contestable funding to be set up, to ensure the future of the single documentary.

  • Rob Brydon launches indie with Talkback

    11-Jun-2008

    Rob Brydon is launching an indie in conjunction with executive producer Miles Ross and Talkback Thames.

  • BBC leads UK success at Banff

    11-Jun-2008

    A bumper performance by the BBC led a strong night for British television at the 29th Banff World Television Festival Award.

  • UBC drops Cliq mobile service

    11-Jun-2008

    UBC Media is ditching the mobile phone version of its Cliq music download service after just five months.

  • Bartlett lands Airey's ITV role

    10-Jun-2008

    Lee Bartlett is to succeed Dawn Airey as ITV managing director of global content.

  • C4 Livingstone doc cleared

    9-Jun-2008

    Channel 4's controversial Dispatches investigation into Ken Livingstone has been cleared by Ofcom of allegations that it was biased.

  • C4 spared after Simpsons swearing

    9-Jun-2008

    Channel 4 has escaped censure after broadcasting the word 'wankers' twice during an episode of The Simpsons at 6pm.

  • Bob and Thomas get CGI makeover

    9-Jun-2008

    Hit Entertainment has agreed deals to produce the next series of Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends in CGI.

  • DCD Media restructures board

    5-Jun-2008

    DCD Media has restructured its board, handing September Films boss David Green a chief creative officer role across the group and appointing former ITV commercial director Jim Hytner as a non-executive director.

  • Five lands first choice Uefa deal

    4-Jun-2008

    Five will have first choice of matches in each round of the Uefa Cup for the next three years after signing a new deal with the European football governing body.

  • Ford homes in on Silver River C4 show

    4-Jun-2008

    Bafta-winning executive producer Simon Ford is working on a show for Channel 4 about the UK's obsession with property.

  • UTV rights issue to raise£50m

    4-Jun-2008

    TalkSport owner UTV is planning to slash its debt by raising just under£50m through a rights issue.

  • IRN signs major video deal

    2-Jun-2008

    The UK's biggest commercial radio groups will carry a 24/7 video news service on their stations' websites after a ground breaking deal with IRN.

  • Lyons: BBC does not overpay talent

    2-Jun-2008

    BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons has said the corporation needs to be “bolder at walking away” from some talent deals despite a report concluding that the corporation is not paying above market rates for its stars.

  • Piers Morgan signs ITV deal

    30-May-2008

    Piers Morgan will front a celebrity chatshow for ITV after signing an exclusive two year deal with the broadcaster.

  • GCap chair Eyre savages radio websites

    27-May-2008

    Outgoing GCap chairman Richard Eyre was among a host of senior figures to attack the quality of the commercial radio sector's online offering at Broadcast's Radio 3.0 conference.

  • Zodiak mulls£109m takeover

    27-May-2008

    Zodiak Television, the Swedish company that owns Diverse Productions, Lucky Day and Red House, is considering a takeover offer from Italian publisher De Agostini Communications.

  • Eyre: Privatise Radio 1 and 2

    23-May-2008

    Outgoing GCap chairman Richard Eyre has joined Peter Bazalgette in calling for BBC Radio 1 and 2 to be privatised.

  • Hazlitt and Eyre quit GCap

    22-May-2008

    GCap Media chief executive Fru Hazlitt and chairman Richard Eyre will both leave the company when its sale to Global Radio completes on 6 June.

  • RDF chief: Fincham's ITV will do business with us

    21-May-2008

    RDF boss David Frank has been personally assured by ITV director of television Peter Fincham that the broadcaster is “open for business” with the super-indie.

  • Frank: RDF USA could overtake UK business

    21-May-2008

    RDF Media Group chief executive David Frank has predicted the company's income from the US could overtake its UK revenue in the next few years.

  • RDF reveals cost of Queengate

    21-May-2008

    RDF Media Group has revealed the full financial cost of last summer's Queengate scandal with full-year pre-tax profits tumbling from£6.2m to£2m.

  • Frank: Fincham will work with RDF

    20-May-2008

    RDF boss David Frank has been personally assured by ITV director of television Peter Fincham that the broadcaster is “open for business” with the super-indie.

  • Lisa Opie quits

    2-May-2008

    Five managing director of content Lisa Opie has resigned, following chief executive Jane Lighting out of the business.

  • Jane Lighting resigns

    1-May-2008

    Jane Lighting will leave Five tomorrow (2 May), paving the way for Dawn Airey to become the broadcaster's new chief executive.

  • RTL: Lighting knew about our plans

    1-May-2008

    RTL has squashed suggestions that the first Jane Lighting knew of her departure from Five was when ITV issued a statement about Dawn Airey leaving to join its rival.

  • Airey bows out with stake in Hackett indie

    30-Apr-2008

    Dawn Airey's final deal at ITV was to buy a 25% stake in a start-up indie created by former Brighter Pictures managing director Elaine Hackett.

  • ‘Iconic leader' needed for ITV job

    30-Apr-2008

    Michael Grade will have to find a charismatic and high-profile replacement for Dawn Airey if ITV is to stay on course with its plans to buy into the UK indie sector, sources have warned.

  • RTL won Airey with whirlwind approach

    30-Apr-2008

    RTL took just a few weeks to convince Dawn Airey to quit ITV to become Five's new supremo.

  • STV to expand genre swith Clements at helm

    30-Apr-2008

    SMG's TV production arm will target a wider range of genres and attempt to build stronger relationships with broadcasters after finally securing Alan Clements as director of content.

  • Kangaroo under investigation

    29-Apr-2008

    The Office of Fair Trading is to give rival broadcasters the chance to air concerns about the creation of Kangaroo, the BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 video-on-demand joint venture.

  • Rajar to trial online diaries

    28-Apr-2008

    Rajar is planning to introduce an online survey for recording radio listening and give up on its trial of electronic devices as an alternative to its traditional diary system.

  • Excelsior takes ITV to court

    24-Apr-2008

    A Touch of Frost indie Excelsior Group Productions has issued a multi-million pound claim against ITV in the High Court of Justice today (24 April) over unpaid royalties.

  • RDF and Clements settle dispute

    24-Apr-2008

    RDF Media and Alan Clements have settled their long-running dispute, with the former IWC creative director now free to join a competitor from 15 September this year.

  • Digital channels help C4 break even

    23-Apr-2008

    Channel 4 broke even in 2007 despite spending more on content than ever before - but it has warned it will move into the red this year under its current funding model.

  • Tern South lands ITV1 order

    22-Apr-2008

    Tern South has won its first commission from ITV1, to make a film about the failed Millennium Dome diamond robbery in 2000.

  • Ent Rights ends takeover talks

    21-Apr-2008

    Postman Pat-owner Entertainment Rights has ended the takeover talks it began back in January.

  • Bafta in soundbites

    21-Apr-2008

    There may not have been many tears or an obvious controversy, but this year's Bafta winners didn't disappoint with their acceptance speeches. Here are some of the best extracts.

  • Somethin' Else boosts factual team

    18-Apr-2008

    Cross platform producer Somethin' Else plans to ramp up its factual TV output by appointing Nina Davies as executive producer.

  • Sofia's Diary makes first web-to-TV leap

    16-Apr-2008

    Teen drama Sofia's Diary will become the first major web show to air on British television after being snapped up by Five in a ground-breaking deal.

  • Celebs add to charity coffers in Attic spin-off

    16-Apr-2008

    John McCririck, Brian Conley and Michael Winner will sell off their unwanted possessions in a celebrity spin-off of long-running BBC daytime show Cash in the Attic.

  • Shine Reveille to pitch MySpace content to broadcasters

    10-Apr-2008

    MySpace has signed a deal with Shine Reveille that will see the distributor pitch a selection of the website's new original content to TV broadcasters.

  • Talkback makes Hole pilot for BBC1

    9-Apr-2008

    Talkback Thames has made a UK pilot of “human Tetris” format Hole in the Wall for BBC1.

  • SPTI eyes producers after Gogglebox deal

    9-Apr-2008

    Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) is keen to take stakes in a raft of “complementary” UK producers after agreeing its first deal with factual entertainment start-up Gogglebox Entertainment.

  • Lion Man roars around the globe

    9-Apr-2008

    MIPTV: All3Media International is approaching worldwide sales of£500,000 for New Zealand producer Great Southern's The Lion Man.

  • Singing Bee flies worldwide

    9-Apr-2008

    MIPTV: The Singing Bee will go into production in 12 more countries over the next six months following more sales of The Gurin Company/Juma Entertainment format by Zeal Entertainment.

  • Liz Murdoch warns super indies over stifling creativity

    7-Apr-2008

    MIPTV: Shine Group chief executive Liz Murdoch has warned to the emerging global super producers not to allow their size to stifle creativity in a keynote speech.

  • Fremantle ties with Japanese producer

    7-Apr-2008

    MIPTV: Fremantle Media has struck an alliance deal with Japanese producer TV Man Union to swap formats and develop original content for the Japanese market.

  • ITV plans global production bases

    7-Apr-2008

    ITV has handed its top German executive the responsibility of setting up production operations across Europe and in emerging markets around the world.

  • Cranford dominates BPG Awards

    4-Apr-2008

    Cranford has stormed the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, winning four categories, while Andrew Marr picked up two awards.

  • ITV cleared over Osbourne rant

    31-Mar-2008

    ITV has escaped censure over Sharon Osbourne's Brit Awards rant at comedian Vic Reeves, despite 128 complaints.

  • Coolabi warms up on deals

    31-Mar-2008

    Kids group Coolabi is eyeing more acquisitions after reducing operating losses in the six months to 31 December 2007.

  • Union staff approve BBC deal

    28-Mar-2008

    The prospect of a strike at the BBC over compulsory redundancies has been all but eliminated after union staff voted to rubber-stamp a deal with the corporation.

  • Jamie to teach Rotherham to cook

    28-Mar-2008

    Jamie Oliver will attempt to teach the entire town of Rotherham to cook in a new series for Channel 4.

  • Five cleared to bid for World Cup

    28-Mar-2008

    Five could show live World Cup football after being added to the broadcasters that can bid for rights to listed sporting events.

  • Lambert forms indie with All3Media

    25-Mar-2008

    Stephen Lambert has formed a start-up production company called Studio Lambert in conjunction with super-indie All3Media.

  • C4 strategy boss moves to Ofcom

    20-Mar-2008

    Channel 4 director of strategy and research Jonathan Thompson is to join Ofcom as director of strategy.

  • BBC wins bumper crop at RTS

    20-Mar-2008

    The RTS Awards honoured Sir David Attenborough and Glenwyn Benson last night as the BBC walked away with a bumper 15 awards across its channels.

  • Gale set for Five DoP job

    14-Mar-2008

    Five is poised to name the BBC's Ben Gale as its new director of programmes.

  • C4 outlines fresh PSB credentials

    13-Mar-2008

    Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson has called on the Government to provide new forms of public support for the broadcaster after unveiling its blueprint for the future.

  • C4 outlines digital PSB plans

    13-Mar-2008

    Channel 4 will plough£20m into creating public service content on digital platforms as part of its blueprint for its post-switchover future.

  • Corrie and Heartbeat drama chief Hollingworth quits ITV

    12-Mar-2008

    The executive responsible for The Bill and Heartbeat is leaving ITV.

  • Motive lands RTE pilots

    11-Mar-2008

    Irish indie Motive Television has won two pilot commissions from Irish broadcaster RTÉ to make its first entertainment shows.

  • Nohr leaves Granada International

    10-Mar-2008

    Granada International managing director Nadine Nohr is leaving the distributor.

  • BBC launches mobile browser

    7-Mar-2008

    The BBC has re-launched its bbc.co.uk site for mobile devices ahead of a major push into covering sports events on the platform.

  • BBC to sell OB but keep studios

    7-Mar-2008

    The BBC has agreed to sell its outside broadcast arm but will now retain its studios business.

  • Berkett lands top VM job

    7-Mar-2008

    Virgin Media has appointed Neil Berkett as its permanent chief executive - but is now hunting for a finance director.

  • Welsh Assembly creates broadcasting committee

    6-Mar-2008

    The Welsh Assembly has set up a committee to investigate the future of public service broadcasting in Wales.

  • Behind the news: Peter Fincham appointment

    4-Mar-2008

    The hiring completes a high-powered quartet at ITV - but the pressure is on.

  • Sky lines up next Prachett film

    4-Mar-2008

    Sky One's next Terry Pratchett project will be an adaptation of Discworld novel Going Postal.

  • WDYTYA poised for US commission

    29-Feb-2008

    Wall to Wall is developing a six-part version of geneology series Who Do You Think You Are? for a major US network. The Shed Media-owned producer is currently casting for six celebrities to uncover their family heritage in the show, and will be hopeful of securing a full commission from the unnamed US broadcaster. It said it was unable to identify the broadcaster for commercial reasons.

  • ITV shares fall after shake-up

    29-Feb-2008

    While the industry was busy hailing Peter Fincham as ITV's saviour yesterday, the broadcaster's share price fell by almost 3.5%.

  • S4C to ramp up kids output

    29-Feb-2008

    S4C will begin broadcasting a six-and-a-half hour block of pre-school programming from June after plans for an overhaul of it kids output were given the green light.

  • Indies hail Fincham appointment

    28-Feb-2008

    Peter Fincham's move to ITV has been welcomed by the independent production sector, which expects his mainstream programming touch to go down well.

  • Blog: Will Fincham ease the pressure on Grade?

    28-Feb-2008

    Peter Fincham's shock move to ITV buys under-pressure Michael Grade more time, writes Chris Curtis.

  • Silver launches Red House with Zodiak

    27-Feb-2008

    John Silver, the former Shine executive responsible for relaunching Masterchef, has set up a production company in partnership with super-indie Zodiak Television Group.

  • Precious deal paves way for new model

    27-Feb-2008

    Whizz Kid chief executive Malcolm Gerrie believes the company's purchase of Precious Media will allow it to establish a new model for content creation and distribution.

  • Boomerang boosts profits in maiden results

    25-Feb-2008

    Boomerang Plus has claimed it has been transformed in the last six months after posting more than£1m in operating profit in its maiden interim results.

  • BSkyB to fight ITV stake ruling

    21-Feb-2008

    BSkyB is to fight business secretary John Hutton's decision to make it dispose of the majority of its 17.9% stake in ITV.

  • Leopard scores international and UK deals

    20-Feb-2008

    Leopard International has secured a slew of secondary rights UK deals, including selling the Kate Adie-fronted Found to Sky Real Lives

  • Bravo pumps up drama with Kill Point debut

    20-Feb-2008

    Bravo has boosted its primetime drama armoury by acquiring drama series The Kill Point from Lionsgate.

  • Shine eyes show remakes after sealing Reveille deal

    20-Feb-2008

    Shine Group is gearing up to offer remakes of Reveille shows to UK broadcasters after sealing its£97m acquisition of the US producer and distributor.

  • Release of kidnapped journalist delayed

    18-Feb-2008

    The release of the British journalist kidnapped in Basra, Iraq, has been delayed.

  • Boomerang dramas to return

    18-Feb-2008

    Welsh indie Boomerang Plus has won more than 16 hours of drama recommissions from S4C and a major sports order from Channel 4.

  • Shine completes Reveille deal

    14-Feb-2008

    Shine has completed its deal to buy US producer and distributor Reveille for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around£97m.

  • Fremantle names Talent Fund scout

    12-Feb-2008

    Fremantle Media has tasked Stephen Flint with identifying new investments for its €40m (£28m) Talent Fund.

  • British journalist kidnapped in Iraq

    12-Feb-2008

    A British journalist working for US television network CBS has been kidnapped in Iraq.

  • Jamie's Shaker lands C4 in hot water

    11-Feb-2008

    Ofcom has criticised Channel 4 after Jamie Oliver prominently used one of his self-branded utensils in the Jamie at Home series.

  • Shed restructures board as execs invest

    8-Feb-2008

    Shed Media has restructured its board and its key directors have upped their stakes in the listed producer.

  • BBC gets on board Chuggington

    8-Feb-2008

    Ludorum has sold children's train property Chuggington to the BBC as well as a host of other major international broadcasters.

  • ITV rises on bid rumours

    4-Feb-2008

    ITV's ailing share price has been boosted this morning (4 February) after weekend reports that three private equity firms are considering a bid.

  • Blue and Tiger Aspect clash over multi-skilling

    1-Feb-2008

    Executives from Blue post production and indie Tiger Aspect have clashed over whether the trend towards shooting with user friendly cameras and employing multi-skilled staff is a positive thing for TV production.

  • GCap revenues jump in January

    31-Jan-2008

    GCap Media has enjoyed a bumper January with like-for-like revenue and radio advertising both up 7%.

  • Hardy & Sons in Left Bank/BBCW deal

    30-Jan-2008

    Relief of Belsen producer Hardy & Sons is poised to sell a combined 30% stake to BBC Worldwide and Andy Harries' Left Bank Pictures, with the latter planning similar deals with other emerging indies.

  • BBC fights back over Scottish shows

    29-Jan-2008

    The BBC has defended its position on commissioning from Scotland after the Scottish Broadcasting Commission warned that some broadcasters' Scottish output actually had little to link it to the country.

  • SBC attacks fake 'Scottish' shows

    28-Jan-2008

    The Scottish Broadcasting Commission has called on the BBC and Ofcom to address the practice of network programmes being labelled Scottish productions despite having very little connection with the country.

  • ITV orders modern-day Ripper drama

    25-Jan-2008

    Rupert Penry-Jones will play a detective hunting for a modern-day Jack the Ripper in one of three ITV drama commissions for autumn.

  • 3i buys 40% of Spain's biggest domestic indie

    23-Jan-2008

    UK-based private equity firm 3i has bought a 40% stake in Spain's biggest independent producer and has predicted a wave of consolidation across Europe.

  • Target hires Simple Life exec

    23-Jan-2008

    Target Entertainment has appointed its first chief creative officer for the US.

  • Entertainment Rights in takeover talks

    21-Jan-2008

    Under-pressure kids producer Entertainment Rights has admitted it is in takeover talks.

  • Katz named Box TV boss

    21-Jan-2008

    Emap and Channel 4 music TV venture Box Television has appointed Gidon Katz as its managing director.

  • Carnival parent looks for buyer

    21-Jan-2008

    Hotel Babylon producer Carnival Film & Television is up for sale.

  • PSB legislation may be accelerated

    18-Jan-2008

    Channel 4 boss Andy Duncan has called for the PSB debate to be accelerated and culture secretary James Purnell seems to agree, suggesting that planned legislation will be brought forward.

  • Purnell: BBC licence fee could be shared

    18-Jan-2008

    The prospect of the next BBC licence fee being shared with other broadcasters has edged closer after culture secretary James Purnell said that public sector broadcasting needed to change radically to survive after switchover.

  • Hell's Kitchen escapes Ofcom rap

    14-Jan-2008

    Ofcom has cleared Hell's Kitchen of breaking its broadcasting code despite receiving almost 200 complaints about the ITV1 show in September.

  • BBC boosts Salford staff numbers

    11-Jan-2008

    The BBC is to move 10% more posts to Salford than originally planned, boosting the total of relocations from under 1500 to more than 1620.

  • RDF stabilises after share tumble

    11-Jan-2008

    RDF Media Group's share price seems to have bottomed out after a torrid run that has seen it lose more than 11% of its value over the last week.

  • Carter gets Downing St role

    7-Jan-2008

    Former Ofcom chief executive Stephen Carter has been appointed to the new post of chief of strategy and principal advisor to the Prime Minister

  • Drama the key to ITV1 overhaul

    4-Jan-2008

    Forget the return of News at Ten - Echo Beach, Honest and The Palace will be the real benchmark for ITV1's new schedule, writes Chris Curtis.

  • Boaden: integrity crucial to regain trust

    3-Jan-2008

    BBC News director Helen Boaden has claimed “good old-fashioned integrity” will be the key to the corporation reviving viewers' “battered” trust in the BBC in 2008.

  • PSB review to kick start Ofcom's year

    2-Jan-2008

    Ofcom will kick off a busy 2008 with phase one of its crucial public service broadcasting (PSB) review, before publishing its findings on participation TV and competition in the pay TV market.

  • Discovery to join Sky's Picnic

    2-Jan-2008

    Sky has signed Discovery Networks UK as a programming partner for its proposed pay DTT service, Picnic.

  • Broadcast parent sold to Apax/GMG

    21-Dec-2007

    Emap Communications, the company that publishes Broadcast, is to be bought by venture capitalist Apax Partners and Guardian Media Group for£1.2bn.

  • Sky boosts Anytime service

    21-Dec-2007

    Sky has added movies from Paramount and Warner Bros to its on demand Anytime on PC service, making it the first online download service to offer films from all six major US studios.

  • ITV stake in SMG is slashed

    20-Dec-2007

    ITV’s refusal to take up its option on SMG’s recent rights issue has cut its shareholding in the Scottish broadcaster from 16.7% to 5.57%.

  • Eckoh to fight C4 case

    20-Dec-2007

    You Say, We Pay phone line operator Eckoh has come out fighting after Channel 4 announced plans to take legal action against it.

  • C4 launches legal action against Eckoh

    20-Dec-2007

    Channel 4 is taking legal action against Eckoh to recover the costs it has incurred as a result of the mismanagement of the You Say We Pay competition.

  • C4 fined£1.5m for phone-in mistakes

    20-Dec-2007

    Channel 4 has been slapped with a£1.5 million fine by Ofcom for misconduct in viewer competitions aired in Richard and Judy and Deal or no Deal.

  • Competition Commission says Sky should cut ITV stake

    20-Dec-2007

    The Competition Commission has recommended BSkyB reduce its controversial 17.9% stake in ITV to below 7.5%.

  • Leon won 'fair and square' says ITV

    19-Dec-2007

    ITV has taken the unusual step of revealing that Leon Jackson won The X Factor by 10% in a bid to crush rumours that the result was affected by problems with phone voting.

  • ITV: Leon won 'fair and square'

    18-Dec-2007

    ITV has taken the unusual step of revealing that Leon Jackson won The X Factor by 10%, in a bid to crush rumours that the result had been affected by callers being unable to vote.

  • Ofcom reveals pay TV views

    18-Dec-2007

    Ofcom’s initial assessment of the pay TV market has revealed mixed messages for BSkyB.

  • ITV stands by X Factor voting

    17-Dec-2007

    ITV and Talkback Thames have continued to robustly defend the integrity of the voting on The X Factor final after complaints leapt to 700.

  • Tory's plan to share licence fee

    17-Dec-2007

    The Conservative Party is understood to be considering plans to allocate funding from the BBC licence fee to other broadcasters.

  • Casualty too gory says Ofcom

    17-Dec-2007

    BBC1’s Casualty has been censured by Ofcom for showing images of a bomb victim's stomach ripped open before the 9pm watershed.

  • BBC2 to air Hatton repeat

    14-Dec-2007

    BBC2 has cleared space in this Sunday’s schedule (16 December) to screen boxer Ricky Hatton’s failed attempt to become WBC welterweight world champion.

  • BBC revamps web homepage

    14-Dec-2007

    The BBC is overhauling the homepage of its website to allow users to customise the design and content of the site.

  • ITV finishes year strongly

    13-Dec-2007

    ITV has claimed it is finishing 2007 strongly and that late money entering the market in December is boosting its estimates for the month.

  • Talent TV chair Bate lands deal-maker role

    12-Dec-2007

    Former TV Corporation chief executive Terry Bate will be handed a deal-making role at listed indie Talent TV, where he has been appointed chairman.

  • Sky to air Golden Globes

    11-Dec-2007

    Sky has agreed a deal to cover the 65th Golden Globe Awards, with Ruggie Media producing live red carpet coverage and a highlights package for Sky One.

  • City positive over Darroch appointment

    7-Dec-2007

    City analysts have welcomed the appointment of Jeremy Darroch to succeed James Murdoch as chief executive of BSkyB, saying he is well placed to fight the company’s corner on regulation issues.

  • Hit founder Peter Orton dies

    6-Dec-2007

    Hit Entertainment founder Peter Orton has died after an 11-year battle with cancer.

  • Shed lands double BBC order

    6-Dec-2007

    Shed Media and its newly acquired subsidiary Wall to Wall have received a double commissioning boost, getting major orders from the BBC for Waterloo Road and Who Do You Think You Are?

  • Doctors prescribed RTS Awards

    4-Dec-2007

    The Doctors BBC Birmingham production team led the winners at the Royal Television Society Craft and Design Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London on 29 November, picking up the Judges’ Award.

  • Drama leads BBC1 winter schedule

    4-Dec-2007

    Richard Curtis and Anthony Minghella have teamed up to adapt Alexander McCall Smith’s novel The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency for BBC1.

  • Dispatches film wins Rory Peck Award

    16-Nov-2007

    Sean Langan’s Fighting the Taliban film for Channel 4’s Dispatches was among the winners of the Rory Peck Trust Awards last night (15 November).

  • What’s up with docs?

    14-Nov-2007

    Commissioners spent last weekend’s Sheffield Doc Festival trying to reassure film-makers that things are not as bad as they seem for the genre.

  • Curtis: lie to commissioners

    12-Nov-2007

    Filmmaker Adam Curtis has urged his peers to 'cheat and lie' to commissioners in order to get innovative films on air.

  • Setanta Sports News to kick off this month

    6-Nov-2007

    Setanta Sports News, the Virgin Media and Setanta Sports-owned rival to Sky Sports News, will launch on 29 November.

  • Revenues double at DCD

    5-Nov-2007

    DCD Media is eyeing further acquisitions after more than doubling turnover for the year to 30 June.

  • SBC to avoid Scottish Six debate

    29-Oct-2007

    The Scottish Broadcasting Commission (SBC) will not be sidetracked from investigating the stuttering Scottish TV sector by the political issues surrounding a “Scottish Six”, chairman Blair Jenkins has insisted.

  • SBC to avoid Scottish Six debate

    26-Oct-2007

    The Scottish Broadcasting Commission (SBC) will not be sidetracked from investigating the stuttering Scottish TV sector by the political issues surrounding a “Scottish Six”, chairman Blair Jenkins has insisted.

  • Garvie not in frame for BBC1 controller

    26-Oct-2007

    BBC Worldwide director of content and production Wayne Garvie has not been contacted about the BBC1 controller job.

  • A new split in BBC factual

    24-Oct-2007

    A restructured BBC factual splits in-house and indie commissioning as part of plans for a leaner, fitter corporation.

  • Ofcom backs BBC HD plans

    18-Sep-2007

    Ofcom has ruled that the BBC's plan to introduce a mixed-genre HD digital TV channel is unlikely to have a significant negative impact on the market. [ALL]

  • History sails with Columbus

    13-Sep-2007

    The History Channel has ordered a feature-length HD special from Lion Television on Christopher Columbus' ill-fated fourth voyage.

  • Sir Trevor escapes racism censure

    10-Sep-2007

    Sir Trevor McDonald has escaped censure from Ofcom for calling comedian Bernard Manning a 'fat, white b*stard'. [ALL]

  • Wall to Wall creates head of talent role

    10-Sep-2007

    Wall to Wall has appointed its first head of talent, luring back Discovery Networks Europe producer Susie Worster. [ALL]

  • Disney to close abc1

    7-Sep-2007

    Walt Disney Television is to axe US entertainment channel abc1, which has a valuable Freeview slot. [ALL]

  • C4 pays out£5m in bonuses

    7-Sep-2007

    Channel 4's staff bonus package totalled£5.2m in 2006, with more than 40 staff receiving in excess of£20,000 each on top of their standard salary. [ALL]

  • Fireman Sam to return in HD

    7-Sep-2007

    Hit Entertainment is to make kids show Fireman Samin high definition CGI animation for the first time. [ALL]

  • Fremantle's Carter to lead Broadcast 360

    6-Sep-2007

    Fremantle Enterprises chief creative officer Gary Carter will headline a raft of top speakers at Broadcast's Content 360 conference this month.

  • Shine aims to uncover the next musical prodigy

    6-Sep-2007

    Shine is hunting for the UK's next classical music prodigy in a Fame Academy-meets- Young Musician of the Yeartalent format for BBC2.

  • Roberts stokes Storyville debate

    26-Aug-2007

    Edinburgh:Tom Roberts has stoked the campaign to save Storyvilleby claiming he received a letter from BBC director general Mark Thompson saying that 'if you feed rats half rations, they work better'. [ALL]

  • C4 indie pledge will keep status quo

    25-Aug-2007

    Edinburgh:Channel 4 head of programmes Julian Bellamy has said the broadcaster's commitment yesterday (24 August) to deal with the smallest indies will only sustain the status quo, rather than offering extra opportunities. [ALL]

  • C4 to up spend with smallest indies

    24-Aug-2007

    Edinburgh:Channel 4 is planning to send more business the way of the UK's smallest independents by ensuring that 20% of indies producing content for it have an annual turnover of less than£2m. [ALL]

  • Watson defends craft of film-making

    24-Aug-2007

    Edinburgh:Veteran filmmaker Paul Watson has defended 'manipulation' in documentary making, claiming it is essential in order to get to the 'inner core' of a film. [ALL]

  • C4 headquarters to get giant logo

    24-Aug-2007

    A 48-foot steel Channel 4 logo will be constructed on the steps of Horseferry Rd as part of the channel's Big Artproject in November. [ALL]

  • Aardman to make Jamie Oliver cartoon

    20-Aug-2007

    Aardman Animations will create an animated Jamie Oliver as part of a new series being made in partnership with the chef's indie, Fresh One Productions.

  • Brook Lapping tracks teacher Antarctica trip

    16-Aug-2007

    Teachers TV has commissioned two 30-minute documentaries from Brook Lapping on the experiences of four teachers travelling to Antarctica.

  • Classic FM hires three new exec producers

    16-Aug-2007

    Classic FM has strengthened its programming team with the appointment of three executive producers.

  • LBC pay-podcasts reach 14,000 subs

    16-Aug-2007

    LBC 97.3FM's emerging commercial podcast business has surged to 14,000 subscribers who download between 200,000 and 250,000 shows a month.

  • Setanta grabs 350,000 for debut match

    14-Aug-2007

    Setanta's first ever Premier League football match, which saw a late Steven Gerrard free-kick seal a 2-1 win for Liverpool over Aston Villa, attracted 355,000 viewers on 12 August - a 3.5% share in multichannel homes. [ALL]

  • Setanta secures new set-top box deal

    13-Aug-2007

    Setanta has kicked off the new football season by sealing a deal that will see electrical retail giant Currys carry its set-top boxes. [ALL]

  • GCap: no more profits from phone-ins

    9-Aug-2007

    GCap Media will no longer run premium rate phone-in competitions for profit after being rapped by regulator Icstis over a competition it ran on its One Network stations in January. [ALL]

  • C4I scores raft of Beckham sales

    9-Aug-2007

    Channel 4 International has pre-sold Zig Zag Production's Beckhamto seven overseas broadcasters.

  • The Human Footprint off to the US

    9-Aug-2007

    Touch Productions is making a US version of The Human Footprintfor National Geographic as part of plans to turn the show into an international brand.

  • Xfm picks up live Man Utd rights

    6-Aug-2007

    GCap Media's 97.7 Xfm Manchester will air live commentary on all Manchester United fixtures this season, taking over the rights from GMG's Century FM. [ALL]

  • Mobiles to support radio download service

    3-Aug-2007

    UBC's Cliq service, which allows radio listeners to download music tracks they hear, will be made available on most of the UK's mobile phones later this year. [ALL]

  • Indie Century wins Live Earth film commission

    2-Aug-2007

    Century Films has become the first UK indie to win a commission from the US film producer behind the Al Gore documentary An Inconvenient Truth.

  • Stephen Merchant to headline Comedy Forum

    2-Mar-2007

    The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant will provide the keynote speech at Broadcast's TV Comedy Forum later this month.

  • NUJ names work experience abusers

    27-Feb-2007

    The NUJ will launch its Work Experience Guidelines today by delivering a letter to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs naming and shaming employers who exploit journalists on work experience.

  • Darling asks Ofcom to investigate BSkyB's ITV stake

    26-Feb-2007

    Trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling has ordered Ofcom to investigate whether BSkyB's acquisition of a 17.9% stake in ITV is in the public's interest.

  • Zodiak buys Swedish producer Yellow Bird

    26-Feb-2007

    Scandinavian producer Zodiak Television Group has continued its acquisitions spree with a deal to buy Swedish crime drama specialist Yellow Bird.

  • Blog: Race row spells big bother for C4

    19-Jan-2007

    Earlier in the week the TV industry felt the controversial Celebrity Big Brotherrace row was just what Channel 4 needed to reignite interest in the show.

  • Carphone Warehouse drops Celeb BB sponsorship

    18-Jan-2007

    The Carphone Warehouse has dropped its Celebrity Big Brothersponsorship deal with immediate effect. The decision is an about face from yesterday, when it said it had no intention of pulling out.

  • Tories slam licence fee negotiations

    18-Jan-2007

    The Conservatives have labelled the BBC licence fee settlement as 'realistic' but launched a scathing attack on media secretary Tessa Jowell over how the negotiations were handled.

  • Thompson defends public licence fee debate

    18-Jan-2007

    BBC director general Mark Thompson today defended the decision to negotiate the licence fee settlement in public but admitted it had not always been a comfortable process.

  • BBC children's expects to lose staff in Salford move

    18-Jan-2007

    BBC Children's controller Richard Deverell believes his department's planned move to Salford is an 'opportunity to create a department fit for the internet age', but said he expects between just 30% and 50% of its London staff to make the move permanently.

  • Brown joins Celeb BB race debate

    17-Jan-2007

    Chancellor Gordon Brown has waded into the Celebrity Big Brotherracism row, saying remarks by the housemates had 'rightly' been seen as offensive.

  • BBC licence fee will be settled on Thursday

    16-Jan-2007

    Broadcasting minister Shaun Woodward has confirmed that media secretary Tessa Jowell will announce the BBC licence fee settlement to the House of Commons on Thursday.

  • Five escapes swearing censure

    15-Jan-2007

    Ofcom has cleared Five of broadcasting the word c**t unedited in a documentary just 12 minutes after the watershed.

  • C4 could take space in Salford

    12-Jan-2007

    Channel 4 taking space at the Salford Media City development is a 'distinct possibility' according to the broadcaster's head of nations and regions Stuart Cosgrove.

  • BBC's Salford move could spark talent exodus

    11-Jan-2007

    BBC Children's controller Richard Deverell has admitted the move of his department to Salford could result in an exodus of talent and that he expects between just 30% and 50% of staff to make the move permanently.

  • Look4Love loses licence

    8-Jan-2007

    Sex chat channel Look4Love has had its licence revoked by Ofcom after it failed comply with a series of directions from the regulator or pay a£175,000 fine.
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