Most popular and commented – Page 1897
-
Ratings
BBC debate draws solid ratings
BBC1's Panorama debate over the role of the corporation brought the current affairs programme a respectable 2.4 million (15%).
-
News
Quickfire scores two BBC series
Former Granada head of history Mark Fielder's new indie, Quickfire Media, has picked up its first commissions with orders from the BBC and for a South Bank Show film for ITV, writes Paul Revoir.
-
News
BBC4 cash earmarked for science and ethics
BBC4 controller Roly Keating - who was given a£10m budget increase last month - has commissioned a range of science and ethics series in a bid to create more 'appointment to view' slots on the channel, writes Leigh Holmwood.
-
News
ITV Saturday night show gives the talentless hope
RDF Media is to produce a new Saturday night entertainment show for ITV in which two of Britain's top music managers will each have to transform a talentless group of friends into a credible band of performers, writes Glen Mutel.
-
News
Heggessey brings back drama favourites
BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey has recommissioned three of the channel's dramas. Filming on a new 8 x 60-minute run of Down to Earth - now in its fifth series - begins in May with Sharon Houlihan returning as producer and Mervyn Watson executive producing. A ...
-
News
C4 pays tribute to influence of friends
Channel 4 is to mark the final episodes of Friends by airing a 90-minute documentary about the series. What Friends Did for Us , produced by indie Shine, looks at the effect the hugely popular sitcom has had both on ...
-
News
Mentorn takes a look at foreign affairs
Indie Mentorn has been commissioned by Five controller of history Alex Sutherland to make a 60-minute documentary on women who fall in love with foreign men. Leaving for Love - produced by Nathalie Goldberg and executive produced by Rob Carey - will follow the stories of women who have left ...
-
News
It's all in the worst possible taste
Sky One head of factual Matthew Paice has commissioned three independents to make 4 x 60-minute programmes each about medical mishaps, sick movies and other tasteless subjects. The as-yet-untitled 12-part series will be made by Shine, Ten Alps and Bullseye Television.
-
News
Year of the deal
Deals and mergers are set to change the face of the indie sector as size becomes increasingly important.
-
News
Post industry body given name
UK Post has been confirmed as the name for the trade body representing the UK's post-production industry which last week attracted 250 people to its inaugural meeting. The new body has been given around£45,000 by the Department of Trade and Industry and the UK Film Council and post companies will ...
-
News
BBC checked for misleading advertising
The BBC has been rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority for promoting six digital channels as 'new'. The advert carried the line: 'Six bright new channels for your bunch - BBC.' The ASA upheld a complaint from a member of the public who pointed out that some of the channels ...
-
News
SMG divisions suffer fall in profits
SMG, the owner of Scottish TV, Grampian TV and Virgin Radio, has recorded a 28% slump in pre-tax profits for 2003, pulling in£17.5m compared to£24.2m in 2002. Turnover from continuing operations fell 6% from£199.8m in 2002 to£188.2m in 2003. Turnover from STV and Grampian fell by 5% and total revenue ...
-
News
BBC4 to invite tenders for media series
BBC4's flagship new media series, announced last month as part of an£8m corporation-wide boost to cultural programmes, is to be tendered out to indies. Pitches for the working-titled The Media Programme are set to be invited within the next six weeks once an editor ...
-
News
Silent Witness producer joins BBC NI
BBC Northern Ireland has appointed former BBC head of drama series development Patrick Spence as its new head of drama. Spence, who previously executive produced Silent Witness , replaces Robert Cooper, who left in December to set up his own independent production company. Spence joins ...
-
News
If...the Lights Go Out (BBC2) - Peter Paterson, Daily Mail
'Unfortunately, the dramatic input was so inept and half-hearted that it fatally detracted from the shocking messag...
-
News
If...the Lights Go Out (BBC2) - James Walton, Daily Telegraph
'The basic information was genuinely interesting. Unfortunately, the makers never appeared to realise it. The drama...
-
News
If? the Lights Go Out (BBC2) - Thomas Sutcliffe, Independent
'While If? the Lights Go Out was elementary as drama, it was interesting as documentary.'...
-
News
If? the Lights Go Out (BBC2) - Sam Wollaston, the Guardian
'It's Panorama meets Home Alone.'...
-
RatingsBBC2's If... casts shadow over BBC1
BBC2's If? the Lights Go Out took full advantage of its elder sibling's weakness on Wednesday's with 3.1 million (13.1%), as the corporation's flagship channel was humbled into fourth place.
-
News
An impossible jigsaw
When it was first suggested, the idea of a merger between Channel 4 and Five seemed absurd. But, as speculation intensifies, Steve Clarke asks what the advantages are of such a marriage of convenience