All News articles – Page 3925

  • News

    Mentorn wins ITV class order

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    ITV has commissioned Mentorn Scotland to make an ambitious 90-minute documentary, The Estate , in which members of an upper class family swap places with those on inner city estate, writes Paul Revoir.

  • News

    Producer chosen for doctor who revival

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Phil Collinson, the producer of BBC1 dramas Sea of Souls and Linda Green , has been confirmed as the producer of the BBC's new version of Doctor Who. Queer ...

  • News

    Millar buys studios

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Record producer Robin Millar has acquired Whitfield Street Studios from its current owner, Sony Music. Negotiations have been going on between Millar and Sony since September when Sony decided to pull the plug on the facility. Purpose-built in 1965 and originally owned by CBS, the central London facility consists of ...

  • News

    Discovery offers pay per view broadband

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Discovery Networks International has launched a UK pay-per view and subscription broadband service, giving viewers access to up to 20 hours a month of new content, writes Paul Revoir.

  • News

    Top-Up TV signs set-top box deal

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Top-up TV, the new pay-TV network set to be offered to almost a million Freeview viewers, has secured a deal with a major electrical manufacturer to create a series of smartcard set-top boxes.

  • News

    Blackpool lights up musical show

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    The bright lights and faded grandeur of Blackpool is to be the backdrop for a major BBC1 'musical drama' - one of a number of new projects from BBC head of drama serials Laura Mackie, writes Leigh Holmwood.

  • News

    The safe bets for DG role

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Three names are emerging as favourites to lead the BBC through Charter review after the forced resignation of Greg Dyke two weeks ago. They are acting director general Mark Byford, Channel 4 chief executive Mark Thompson and Jenny Abramsky, director of BBC radio and music.

  • News

    BBC unveils disability targets

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    The BBC has set strict new targets to increase the number of disabled people on screen and has launched an£800,000 fund to encourage new talent and ideas from people with disabilities.

  • News

    BBC NI head of drama sets up indie

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Former BBC Northern Ireland head of drama Robert Cooper has unveiled details of his new indie, which will be called Great Meadow Productions. Based in London it will be staffed by Cooper and ex-BBC Northern Ireland executive producer Kate Triggs.

  • News

    Know Comment wins BBC contract

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Ten Alps subsidiary Know Comment has won the BBC contract to provide live TV coverage of the four 2004 political party conferences in Scotland. It marks the first time conference coverage has been contracted out to the indie sector by BBC Scotland. The company will work with Bowtie Television, which ...

  • News

    Fraud case teaches BBC costly lesson

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    BBC Worldwide wanted to do direct deals with Chinese manufacturers to make Tweenies toys. Conor Dignam reports on how the plan led to a£500,000 fraud case

  • News

    Buyers line up for BBC Tech

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    The BBC has revealed the shortlist of bidders for its technology arm, BBC Technology (Broadcast, 6.2.04). After receiving 40 bids for BBCT, the BBC pared these down to a shortlist of eight: EDS, Capita, Accenture, IBM, Logica, CSC, Fujitsu and HP. These companies will now move forward to the next ...

  • News

    Clocking Off writer pens BBC cop show

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Clocking off writer Bill Gallagher is penning a cop series for BBC1 and BBC3.

  • News

    BBC ents exec jumps ship to indie Mentorn

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Indie Mentorn has poached one of the BBC's key entertainment development executives to become its new head of entertainment.

  • News

    ITV gains terrestrial rights to Ali G films

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    ITV has snapped up the terrestrial premiere rights to Ali G in da House , the cinematic debut of Sacha Baron Cohen's comic creation, despite the fact that the character was developed by Channel 4. The acquisition is part of an output deal with Working ...

  • News

    MP warns against Commons TV freedom

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    broadcasters should not be given more freedom to cover House of Commons debates because MPs' behaviour could damage the dignity of Parliament, a former BBC producer turned MP has warned, writes David Rose.

  • News

    Action time does format deals in Europe

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Distributor Action Time has secured a raft of format deals with broadcasters across Europe. Music gameshow All Together Now , created by Keshet Formats, has been picked for an additional 18 episodes by Star Channel in Greece and a second series on Show TV in ...

  • News

    C4 orders two new Wife swap series

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Channel 4 commissioning editor, documentaries Hilary Bell has ordered two series of the reality show Wife Swap. Both 6 x 60-minute runs will air this year. RDF media has now appointed the show's executive producer Jenny Crowther on a full-time basis. She will also ...

  • News

    C4I does brisk business with Australia

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Tiger Aspect's high-school drama Teachers has been sold to ABC in Australia as part of a package deal with Channel 4 International. ABC has also bought Lion Television's two-part documentary Island of the Minotaur , RDF Media's Carthage, The ...

  • News

    C4 moves to up rights revenue

    2004-02-12T08:30:00Z

    Channel 4 has bolted together its distribution and sales arm with its consumer products division in a bid to increase its secondary rights revenue in the wake of the new broadcaster codes of practice, writes Glen Mutel.