Northern Visions Radio - news archive

This is an archive of news about Northern Visions Radio. Some links may no longer work, due to the transient nature of the internet.

New chapter for Bloomsbury
From Financial Times. Posted August 30 2008, 3.00am
Bloomsbury Publishing is shifting its affections from Harry Potter to the Sage of Omaha. The book publisher, which reported strong first half financial results... (more)

Been left on the shelf? Read on
From Financial Times. Posted August 30 2008, 3.00am
Last week Penguin launched a dating site in association with match.com. The book publisher, part of Pearson, which also owns the Financial Times, claims the site will... (more)

Ex-BBC head of comedy killed in van collision
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 11.52pm
Geoffrey Perkins, a former BBC TV head of comedy, has died after being hit by a van in London (more)

Giggle bytes: Tim and Eric are being tipped as the 'future of comedy'
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 11.07pm
Web-crawling absurdists Tim and Eric are being tipped as the 'future of comedy'. Julia Raeside takes a trip into their colourful universe (more)

Grace Dent on Ross Kemp as an investigative reporter
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 11.07pm
Grace Dent: 'There mere sight of Ross Kemp has gangsters bringing out the Peek Frean's assortment' (more)

Viewer 'physically sick' at EastEnders violence
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 5.24pm
The BBC has defended violent scenes in last night's edition of EastEnders following complaints from viewers. By John Plunkett (more)

Bremner rules himself out as Countdown host
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 4.48pm
Impressionist Rory Bremner has turned down the chance to become the next host of Channel 4's Countdown. By Tara Conlan (more)

Are online maps ‘whitewashing’ the UK? Not in the hands of the news providers
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 4.34pm
Online maps are erasing the UK’s history and geography, according to the president of the British Cartographic Society. Quoted in a BBC report, Mary Spence said internet maps, such as those provided by Google and Microsoft’s Multimap, are missing out ‘crucial data’ on local landmarks and history. It’s not all bad news online, however: mash ups like [...] (more)

'Your wit is so hopelessly toothless,' artist Jake Chapman tells Observer journalist Carole Cadwalladr
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 4.16pm
Read artist Jake Chapman's email to Observer journalist Carole Cadwalladr in response to her column describing him as a 'narcissistic phallus' (more)

ABC News: Fairfax staff strike over job cuts
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 3.50pm
Australian journalists at several Fairfax newspapers, including the Sydney Morning Herald, the Melbourne-based The Age, and the Australian Financial Review will go on strike until Monday. (more)

Media Guardian: Pew survey shows growing podcast popularity
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 3.48pm
Online users are spending more and more time downloading podcasts to watch or listen to later, a new US study has shown. (more)

Special live broadcast from Radio Sweden on 3 September
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 29 2008, 3.34pm
On Wednesday, 3 September Radio Sweden will be celebrating its 70th birthday with special broadcasts, a panel discussion, and live music. The first English broadcast of the day, at 1230 UTC, will be a live programme from Studio 5 at Broadcasting House in Stockholm. Radio Sweden will be looking back at some of the major stories it has covered over the years, [...] (more)

Short-skirted woman sues newspaper
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 3.13pm
A woman, who was forced to leave a local shopping mall for wearing a short dress, is suing an anonymous online user for a post to a Kentucky newspaper’s forum. The Associated Press (via Editor&Publisher) reports that 20 year old student Kymberly Clem was escorted by security from the Richmond Mall on August 9 after a [...] (more)

Short-skirted woman sues newspaper commenter
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 3.13pm
A woman, who was forced to leave a local shopping mall for wearing a short dress, is suing an anonymous online user for a post to a Kentucky newspaper’s forum. The Associated Press (via Editor&Publisher) reports that 20 year old student Kymberly Clem was escorted by security from the Richmond Mall on August 9 after a [...] (more)

Latest DRM capable receivers and DRM+ developments on display at IFA 2008
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 29 2008, 2.57pm
The DRM Consortium introduces its most recent advancement at IFA in Berlin, one of the key events for the global consumer electronics industry. This year the DRM Consortium will be showing the latest DRM capable receivers at the Digital Radio Stand, Hall 2.2, booth 107. DRM+ will be featured in the Science and Technology Forum [...] (more)

Veoh copyright win could set precedent
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 2.41pm
The news that video-sharing site Veoh have won their copyright case could set a precedent for similar sites, according to a host of bloggers today. In a legal analysis by the Electric Frontier Foundation, Fred von Lohmann writes: “the ruling should be required reading for the executives of every ‘Web 2.0′ business that relies on ‘user-generated [...] (more)

Richard Koci Hernandez named multimedia fellow at Berkeley, resurrects Multimediashooter
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 2.37pm
The University of California at Berkeley has given a Ford Foundation multimedia fellowship to Richard Koci Hernandez, current deputy director of multimedia at the San Jose Mercury News. His aim is to develop digital news sites for under-served communities, according to the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), where Hernandez has led a series of multimedia [...] (more)

Washington Post uses mobile phone video for Clinton speech
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 2.28pm
Over on Lost Remote, the Washington Post is claiming that it’s live stream of Hillary Clinton’s speech at yesterday’s Democrat convention in the US was one of the first times a newspaper has carried out this type of live video coverage using a mobile. Reporter Ed O’Keefe used a mobile phone and software by Comet Technologies [...] (more)

Washington Post uses mobile phone video for live stream
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 2.28pm
Over on Lost Remote, the Washington Post is claiming that its live stream of Hillary Clinton at yesterday’s Democrat convention in the US was one of the first times a newspaper has carried out this type of live video coverage using a mobile. Reporter Ed O’Keefe used a mobile phone and software by Comet Technologies to [...] (more)

Glossy launch for Candace Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle on Living TV
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 1.59pm
Virgin Media TV is promote Candace Bushnell's new show with a campaign including selling 'Lipstick lattés' in coffee shops. By Mark Sweney (more)

World?s first DAB Surround broadcast at IFA in Berlin
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 29 2008, 1.30pm
The next generation of digital audio broadcasting (DAB) has arrived: at the Fraunhofer stand at IFA in Berlin, which opens today until 3 September, the German radiostation Rock Antenne will be the world’s first radio station to broadcast its programme in DAB Surround and MP3 Surround Internet radio. DAB Surround will lend a whole new quality to digital radio [...] (more)

TV ratings - August 28: Mock the Week gets one over on Big Brother
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 1.07pm
The increasing popularity of Mock The Week on BBC2 saw it edge past Big Brother for the first time. By Oliver Luft (more)

The Times raises its cover price into line with rivals for first time in 15 years
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 12.01pm
The Times is taking the major step of raising its cover price to match its quality daily newspaper rivals for the first time in 15 years. By Stephen Brook (more)

Harry Potter magic rubs off on Bloomsbury profits
From Daily Telegraph. Posted August 29 2008, 11.50am
Harry Potter continued to work his magic at Bloomsbury Publishing, helping the company increase its cash pile and boost first-half investment income by more than 200pc. (more)

Time called on Slough station
From Radio Today. Posted August 29 2008, 11.22am
Time 106.6 FM is to leave Slough, following approval from Ofcom for the station to co-locate with Sunrise Radio in nearby Southall, outside the station's TSA.The regulators have approved the request, citing difficult market conditions for a small-scale ILR station with the London marketplace. (more)

Ecuador orders broadcasters to transmit government programmes
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 29 2008, 11.20am
Ecuador has ordered television and radio stations to transmit government programmes that inform the public about a plan to reform the constitution that will bolster President Rafael Correa’s powers. In a letter, the education ministry told the country’s media watchdog to enforce a law that obliges private radio and television stations to broadcast up to one [...] (more)

Media Talk podcast: Democratic convention and Skins creator Brian Elsley
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 11.18am
The panel tie up the loose ends of the Edinburgh TV Festival, the creator of hit teen drama Skins is interviewed and Ben Green reports from the Democratic convention. With Matt Wells, Maggie Brown, Steve Hewlett and Gareth McLean (more)

Bloomsbury reports a wizard life after Harry
From The Times. Posted August 29 2008, 11.09am
Bloomsbury, the publishing group, reported a 40 per cent jump in pre-tax profits in the first half of the year after strong performance of its adult and specialist divisions, and strong sales of bestsellers such as The Kite Runner. (more)

Telegraph Media Group criticises NUJ strike ballot
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 10.56am
Telegraph Media Group has condemned the NUJ's decision to ballot union members working at its titles and website on possible strike action. By Oliver Luft (more)

Tom Daley interview boosts newspaper's online profile
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 29 2008, 10.50am
Herald video gets massive hits on video sharing website (more)

Daily newspapers dip in latest circulation figures
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 29 2008, 10.50am
Express and Star continues to be biggest seller as regional titles see further fall (more)

Weekly newspapers join forces for new-look title
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 29 2008, 10.50am
More sport, new website and a bigger paper for Sussex town (more)

Editor bids farewell after 17 years in hotseat
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 29 2008, 10.50am
Yorkshire news chief retires after long career in local press (more)

Kirsty Gallacher to leave Gladiators
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 10.20am
Gladiators co-host Kirsty Gallacher will not present the new series of Sky1's entertainment show. By Tara Conlan (more)

Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk - browse the Newseum
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 29 2008, 8.54am
Research: Newseum is a world map where you can view the front pages of papers local to that area just by moving your cursor. Only three listed in UK (Telegraph, Herald and Guardian) but a fascinating tool. Tipster: Colin Meek To submit a tip to Journalism.co.uk, use this link - we will pay a fiver for the best ones published. (more)

Fiona Phillips quits GMTV
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 8.54am
GMTV's Fiona Phillips is to leave the breakfast show after 12 years its main presenter, her agent has confirmed. By Oliver Luft (more)

UBC trading down 15 per cent
From Radio Today. Posted August 29 2008, 8.39am
UBC Media, currently selling its commercial division to Global Traffic Network, has reported trading in the first four months of the current financial year is down 15 per cent on the same period last year. (more)

Melissa McEwan: Slaying the dragon of disunity in Denver
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 8.30am
Melissa McEwan: Who needs to see Obama's speech when Fox News can tell you what to think about it before it even happens? (more)

SMG Disputes Financial Relationship with ITV
From allmediascotland - Spike. Posted August 29 2008, 7.45am
The owners of Scottish television station, stv, are to hire an independent auditor to ascertain the financial relationship it has with ITV plc - which owns all the ITV regional franchises in the UK except in Scotland, Ulster and the Channel Islands. It follows yesterday’s... (more)

Merlin: BBC to launch TV and cinema ads
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 6.17am
The BBC is to launch a TV and cinema ad campaign to support Merlin, BBC1's fantasy drama featuring John Hurt and Michelle Ryan. By Mark Sweney (more)

Watch a trailer for BBC's Merlin
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 6.14am
Ad to be shown in cinemas and on BBC channels for BBC1's Merlin drama, featuring Colin Morgan, John Hurt, Anthony Head and Michelle Ryan (more)

Podcasts' popularity surges in US, says Pew survey
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 6.11am
Internet users are increasingly time-shifting their media consumption by downloading podcasts to watch or listen to later, according to a US study. By Oliver Luft (more)

Battle between ITV and RTL over Dawn Airey's start date rumbles on
From Media Guardian. Posted August 29 2008, 6.04am
ITV and RTL have still not agreed a final deal over when Dawn Airey will become Channel Five's chief executive - despite an announcement that she would start in October. By Tara Conlan and Mark Sweney (more)

Bertelsmann signals RTL stake sale to fund possible UK move
From Financial Times. Posted August 29 2008, 3.00am
Bertelsmann, Europe's largest media group, yesterday signalled the sale of 15 per cent of RTL, the television group, possibly to finance the acquisition of ITVin the... (more)

Global's big Heart re-brand
From Radio Today. Posted August 29 2008, 2.23am
Global Radio's plan to create dozens of Heart branded radio stations across the country is no longer the worst kept secret in the industry. The latest OFT report over the purchase of GCap Media contains confirmation of Global's plans for mass re-branding. Every station will become part of a refocused brand, either Heart, Galaxy or a network of locally-focused large city stations. (more)

Bob Strong leaves Town
From Radio Today. Posted August 29 2008, 12.32am
After a 300 strong campaign to find out where Town 102's mid-morning presenter Bob Strong had gone, owners Tindle finally release a statement to local press saying he has left the radio station. (more)

SMG helps bring £75m to ITV
From Daily Telegraph. Posted August 29 2008, 12.01am
Scottish broadcaster SMG claimed that combined with the other two regional ITV franchise holders it contributes £75m a year to ITV plc. (more)

Media stocks: glimmers of hope amid the doom and gloom
From The Times. Posted August 29 2008, 12.00am
It is no secret that bad news fills more column inches than good news. This has certainly been true of the media sector in recent months: “Shares dive on ad slowdown”, “Newspaper group close to breaching banking covenants”, “Television audiences decline”. You get the idea. (more)

SMG in �50m argument with ITV over 'value' of Scottish franchise
From The Scotsman. Posted August 29 2008, 12.00am
SMG yesterday promised to engage independent experts to prove that ITV has underestimated the value of its regional franchises by as much as �50 million. (more)

Sainsbury's magazine launches new look with McCartney exclusive
From Press Gazette. Posted August 29 2008, 12.00am
Sainsbury’s magazine has celebrated its redesign with an exclusive interview with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. (more)

Popular bestsellers help Bloomsbury in publishing strong six month results
From The Scotsman. Posted August 29 2008, 12.00am
PUBLISHING house Bloomsbury has announced a 38 per cent rise in profits and is confident that releases like the new JK Rowling novel can help it maintain growth in the second (more)

Telegraph expresses astonishment at union strike ballot
From Press Gazette. Posted August 29 2008, 12.00am
Telegraph Media Group has expressed astonishment that the National Union of Journalists has decided to ballot for strike action days after it announced 40 new jobs. (more)

Nurse sacked for talking to press goes to tribunal
From Press Gazette. Posted August 29 2008, 12.00am
Karen Reissman, the NHS nurse who was sacked for criticising her employer in a magazine interview, begins her unfair dismissal appeal at an employment tribunal on Monday. (more)

Staff vote for strike action at Sheffield Star over five job cuts
From Press Gazette. Posted August 29 2008, 12.00am
Strike action is set to hit the Sheffield Star after NUJ members voted 68.1 per cent in favour of a walk-out over five redundancies and the closure of two district offices. (more)

Radio pick of the day: Journey of a Lifetime
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 11.09pm
Journey of a Lifetime (more)

Emine Saner interviews the king of hangover TV, Steve Jones
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 11.07pm
The king of hangover TV, T4 presenter Steve Jones, talks to Emine Saner about his reputation as a 'Welsh lothario' (more)

Marina Hyde: Calling all wannabe Jade Goodys: the reality TV school is now open
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 11.06pm
A new educational establishment has recently opened its doors. Its name? The New York Reality TV School (more)

Journalism students will learn to adapt to changing industry, says Harlow's Phil Hall
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 11.00pm
The new ambassador for Harlow Journalism Centre talks to Journalism.co.uk about getting trained - and getting a job (more)

Former KGO Talker Bernie Ward Sentenced to 7 Years
From radio.about.com. Posted August 28 2008, 9.55pm
Former KGO-AM/San Francisco radio personality, Bernie Ward, was sentenced to 7 years and 3 months in prison today by Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker. (Right: Bernie Ward on-the-air at... (more)

Bertelsmann eyes sale of RTL stake
From Financial Times. Posted August 28 2008, 8.21pm
Europe's largest media group suggested it could sell 15 per cent of RTL, the TV group, to finance a large acquisition, possibly the UK's ITV (more)

VIDEO: Toss the Boss at City
From Radio Today. Posted August 28 2008, 8.04pm
City Talk 105.9’s breakfast co-host Kim Hughes and City boss Richard Maddock abseiled 200ft down the Royal Liverpool Hospital today as part of the Toss your Boss off the Roof event. (more)

In pictures: Strictly Come Dancing Contestants
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 5.49pm
A look at the 16 celebrities who will be lining up in this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1 (more)

BBC launches special news programme for Afghanistan
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 5.09pm
BBC World Service launches today a special news and current affairs programme for audiences in the Southern and Eastern regions of Afghanistan. Stasu Narray, from the BBC Pashto service, will bring 30 minutes of news and in-depth analysis to Pashto-speakers, including those on the Pakistan border, every day at 1630 UTC. Stasu Narray will discuss a wide [...] (more)

The Australian: Australian print media to release web traffic audits by end of year
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 4.53pm
Audited data for online traffic to Australia's newspapers and magazines will be produced by the end of the year. (more)

Bloomberg runs false obituary for Apple’s Steve Jobs
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 4.51pm
The death of Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs was prematurely announced yesterday afternoon by Bloomberg. A pre-prepared stock obituary was accidentally posted to Bloomberg’s corporate client wire service, even through the story was marked ‘Hold for release – Do not use’. It was quickly spotted by a user, and sent to Gawker.com, where the obituary can [...] (more)

ABC gloom outside England continues
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 4.09pm
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, regional newspaper circulations continued their downward path with few bright spots in the first six months of the year. By Stephen Brook and Oliver Luft (more)

Planet Rock leaves GCap in October
From Radio Today. Posted August 28 2008, 3.12pm
Newly independent digital station Planet Rock is to move to new studios at UBC's Lisson Street base in Marylebone. Staff and presenters will move from the current studios in GCap's Leicester Square offices in October. (more)

Channel 4 creates 'home for animation'
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 2.46pm
Channel 4 has created what it hopes will be an online home for the UK's animation community. By Jemima Kiss (more)

IRIB urged to set up network broadcasting films with Arabic subtitles
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 2.28pm
The establishment of a TV network broadcasting films and serials with Arabic subtitles, has been proposed to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Announcing this, the deputy director for international affairs of IRIB noted that once the proposal is approved, the 24-hour network will be launched for the Middle East region. “As per the latest studies, most of [...] (more)

Azerbaijan National Television and Radio Council to establish monitoring centres to observe regional channels
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 2.24pm
Azerbaijan’s National Television and Radio Council plans to establish monitoring centres to observe the TV channels in the Azerbaijani regions, council member Gafar Jabiyev told the Azeri Press Agency. Jabiyev said that the increase of regional channels made it necessary to monitor them. The council member said the first monitoring centre would be possibly established in Gandja. [...] (more)

SMG attacks ITV network payment claims
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 2.24pm
SMG intends to call in a third-party auditor to disprove ITV plc's claim that its TV business does not pay enough for network programming. By Mark Sweney (more)

Myanmar: Cyclone survivors look to radio
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 2.17pm
Squatting on the floor of his hut in the cyclone-affected Ayeryarwady Delta, Kyaw Kyaw gingerly adjusts his radio to hear the latest news from Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s newly established capital. “Radio is now part of our life,” the 30-year-old said. “We don’t pass a single day without listening to the weather report.” In post-cyclone Myanmar, much of [...] (more)

Planet Rock leaves Leicester Square
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 2.14pm
Digital radio station Planet Rock is moving out of the Leicester Square home of its former owner, GCap Media, to the west London HQ of UBC Media. By John Plunkett (more)

Saturday broadcasts of IDF Radio under threat
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 2.11pm
Almost 60 years have passed since Army Radio (Galatz) was opened in Israel, and now a petition to the High Court of Justice is threatening the continuance of its Shabbat broadcasts. The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel has demanded that the High Court prevent the station from forcing soldiers in obligatory army service, career [...] (more)

ABCs: Birmingham Post lone riser among morning regionals
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 2.03pm
Trinity Mirror's Birmingham Post is the only title to buck the trend of falling circulation across large English regional daily morning newspapers. By Oliver Luft (more)

Fiona Keenaghan to replace Dianne Nelmes at ITV
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 1.14pm
The creator of ITV1 show Ann Widdecombe Versus ... is to take over as ITV Productions controller of daytime and lifestyle. By Tara Conlan (more)

Growing effect of online advertising in US, OPA study suggests
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 12.11pm
Online advertising is going to overtake radio in the advertising market, MediaGuardian reported today. Richard Wray’s article stated that while Carat - part of the Aegis marketing empire - had reduced its forecasts for the global advertising markets for 2008/9, it also said online advertising will continue to grow, overtaking radio as the third most popular [...] (more)

Wired.com: Wikileaks to auction Hugo Chavez aide emails
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 11.57am
Leaked documents website Wikileaks is to auction off emails from a 'top aide' of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to the highest media bidder. The site is experimenting with the auction as a new revenue model. The successful bidder will receive embargoed access to the messages, which will later be made publicly available by the site. (more)

BBC Editors Blog: BBC not influenced by Home Office counter-terrorism unit
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 11.56am
The BBC has responded to claims made in a Guardian article that its coverage of al-Qaeda had been influenced by a Home Office counter-terrorism unit. "The programme was called 'al-Qaeda's Enemy Within' and explored how the war of ideas within the Jihadi movement is becoming as important as the military frontline," explains Nicola Meyrick, executive editor of radio current affairs. "Was it the result of a "push" from RICU? Absolutely not. The truth couldn't be more different." (more)

Daily Mail: London journalism student reported raped on assignment in Calais
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 11.53am
A young British journalism student has reportedly been raped whilst on assignment in Calais. The female student, allegedly from London, was investigating a story about asylum seekers when the attack occurred, the Mail reports. (more)

Brand Republic: Launch of the Jakarta Globe
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 11.44am
Indonesia's large conglomerate, The Lippo Group, is to launch the Jakarta Globe, an English-language daily newspaper. (more)

MediaGuardian: O’Brien says that financial crisis could cause sale of Independent
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 11.43am
Irish entrepeneur Denis O'Brien says that Independent News & Media (INM) needs to sell its Independent titles along with the Belfast Telegraph, as a result of the financial situation. (more)

TV ratings - August 27: 6.5m watch Jerry Springer trace his roots
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 11.26am
Jerry Springer's appearance on BBC1 genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? got the better of ITV1's Champions League coverage. By Tara Conlan (more)

In pictures: Hugo Blick's career in television
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 11.17am
A look at the career of TV writer, producer, director - and occasional actor - Hugo Blick, whose The Last Word Monologues have won critical praise, adding to an already impressive comedy CV including Marion & Geoff (more)

Dutch radio listening figures June/July 2008
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 11.03am
Research Bureau Intomart GfK has today published the Dutch radio listening figures for June/July 2008. Market leader Radio 538 has lost share, but it still comfortably ahead of its nearerst rival, public network Radio 2. The other big loser this month, perhaps surprisingly, was Q-music, which saw its share slip by 0.5 percent after many [...] (more)

Sports agency hits gold with tailored coverage for regional titles
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 28 2008, 10.50am
More than 50 daily regional and weekly newspapers got news from the Beijing games (more)

Black armband tribute to journalist at Huddersfield Town cup tie
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 28 2008, 10.50am
Players follow up donor clinic visit with show of support (more)

E-mail call for support from Sheffield journalists in job cuts protest
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 28 2008, 10.50am
Major campaign targets colleagues around the country (more)

SMG 'on track' despite tough TV market
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 10.24am
Scottish media company SMG has posted a pre-tax profit of £4.2m in the first half of 2008. By Mark Sweney (more)

Lisa Snowdon replaces Denise Van Outen on Capital 95.8
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 9.40am
Lisa Snowdon is to join Johnny Vaughan as the permanent breakfast show co-presenter on London's Capital 95.8, replacing Denise Van Outen. By John Plunkett (more)

Axe could fall on pre-press jobs at Newsquest Hampshire
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 28 2008, 9.40am
Company looks to merge operations and outsource work overseas (more)

Newspaper publisher sheds 21 jobs
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 28 2008, 9.40am
Archant Norfolk wields the redundancy axe and closes newspaper sales shop (more)

New breakfast presenter for Capital
From Radio Today. Posted August 28 2008, 9.36am
Lisa Snowdon has been announced as the new co-presenter of Capital 95.8's breakfast show.The host of Britain's Next top Model becomes the fourth co-presenter on the show in four years, following the departure of Denise van Outen. (more)

West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin to write Facebook movie
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 9.20am
West Wing co-creator Aaron Sorkin is to write a film about the creation of Facebook - and has launched a group page on the site. By Oliver Luft (more)

Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk - creating a slideshow
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 28 2008, 9.17am
Multimedia: To quickly create a slideshow for your website, try Soundslides. Drag and drop to upload images and audio and tweak slides. The site also has an efficient forum for troubleshooting. Tipster: Laura Oliver To submit a tip to Journalism.co.uk, use this link - we will pay a fiver for the best ones published. (more)

Summer of Sport boosts High Definition Penetration throughout Europe
From Press Release, via webitpr. Posted August 28 2008, 9.00am
-High Definition TV reaches one third of European Households- August 28th, 2008 ? Euro 2008 and The Olympics has generated a surge in the penetration of High Definition technologies throughout Europe , according to DEG Europe, a non-profit, pan-industry body to educate consumers on the visual home entertainment paid-content choices available to them. According to DEG Europe and based on GfK Retail tracking, it is predicted that by the end of summer 2008, one third... (more)

Online ad spend will overtake radio
From UTalk Marketing. Posted August 28 2008, 8.48am
Online spend up 23.7% (more)

Abe Nathan R.I.P.
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 8.25am
We are sorry to have to announce the death of Abe Nathan, who died last night at 20.56 local time in Tel Aviv. Abe, who had several brain strokes through the past years, was during the last weeks in an hospital in Tel Aviv where his condition became worse. His daughter Sharona, who lives in the [...] (more)

Abie Nathan R.I.P.
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 28 2008, 8.25am
The leading Israeli peace activist Abie Nathan has died in Tel Aviv at the age of 81. Mr Nathan, who was born in Iran, was educated in India and served in the British Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He immigrated to Israel in 1948. In 1966 he made headlines worldwide by flying [...] (more)

Content Plans Ahead of Schedule at 'Very Different' SMG
From allmediascotland - Spike. Posted August 28 2008, 8.06am
Plans announced last year by the owners of stv, to increase the number of hours devoted to programmes made in-house and to encourage more people to its website, are ahead of target, according to the company’s latest figures. This morning, SMG revealed its interim results to the Stock... (more)

Melissa McEwan: Groundhog Clinton day in Denver
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 7.30am
Melissa McEwan: How bad can American cable news coverage of politics get? TV pundits reading emails off their Blackberrys, that's how bad (more)

Xfm Scotland to become part of Global's Galaxy network
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 6.16am
Indie music station Xfm Scotland is to be rebranded as part of the Galaxy dance network by its new owner Global Radio. By John Plunkett (more)

Telegraph hires Laura Roberts for Mandrake column
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 6.13am
Telegraph Media Group has appointed Daily Mail showbusiness reporter Laura Roberts to work on its Mandrake column. By Stephen Brook and John Plunkett (more)

BBC fiction director Jane Tranter looks to next role
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 6.10am
Speculation has been mounting over the summer about the future of BBC controller of fiction Jane Tranter. By Tara Conlan and Leigh Holmwood (more)

BBC fiction controller Jane Tranter looks to next role
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 6.10am
Speculation has been mounting over the summer about the future of BBC controller of fiction Jane Tranter. By Tara Conlan and Leigh Holmwood (more)

Voice of Peace founder dies
From Radio Today. Posted August 28 2008, 6.04am
Abie Nathan, the founder of Middle East pirate radio station The Voice of Peace has died at the age of 81. Abie suffered strokes in 1996 and 1998 and never fully recovered. (more)

James Murdoch paid £5.23m as chief of BskyB
From Financial Times. Posted August 28 2008, 3.00am
James Murdoch, who resigned as chief executive of British Sky Broadcasting last December, was paid a total of £5.23m by the satellite broadcaster, according to the... (more)

IN&M sales hurt by advertising slump
From Financial Times. Posted August 28 2008, 3.00am
The chief executive of Independent News & Media believes the Ireland-based newspaper group will achieve annual results in line with expectations in spite of a... (more)

Old Time Radio Fans Ready for 33rd Convention
From radio.about.com. Posted August 28 2008, 1.00am
It happens yearly and the "2008 Friends of Old Time Radio Convention" is slated to be held October 23 - 26 in Newark, New Jersey. Each year, the gathering features live... (more)

Mark Lawson's TV matters: Wogan's Perfect Recall
From Media Guardian. Posted August 28 2008, 12.13am
Mark Lawson: Wogan's Perfect Recall is the first quizshow in which knowledge is optional (more)

Avon benefits as women look for second jobs
From Daily Telegraph. Posted August 28 2008, 12.01am
It became famous in the 1960s with its "Ding-Dong Avon Calling" television advertisements, but the US cosmetics company Avon is experiencing a renaissance thanks to the credit crisis. (more)

RBS investors still expecting 'deeper shake-up' of board
From Daily Telegraph. Posted August 28 2008, 12.01am
Royal Bank of Scotland shareholders have demanded further boardroom changes after the appointment of three new non-executive directors to bolster governance at the bank, as revealed yesterday by The Daily Telegraph. (more)

Chinese disease stalks orange groves of Florida
From The Times. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
Real estate is not the only industry in Florida to be suffering from an economic blight. While the Sunshine State ranks as one of the foreclosure capitals of America, its huge citrus fruit industry is fighting a disease that threatens to devastate the orange business within a decade. (more)

Johnston Press classified collapse makes gloomy reading
From The Times. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
Johnston Press, owner of The Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post, admitted yesterday that newspaper advertising revenues had plunged 23 per cent in the first three weeks of August - the fastest rate of decline that the group had experienced this year. (more)

How Press Association is repositioning itself to face the digital future
From Press Gazette. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
The Press Association announced a raft of job changes this week to reflect the changing demand from its regional and national press customers. Managing director Tony Watson speaks to Patrick Smith about what it means for the 140-year-old... (more)

Chief executive Sly Bailey: Trinity Mirror problems are cyclical
From Press Gazette. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
Trinity Mirror chief executive Sly Bailey has made a spirited defence of the troubled publisher and said that the deterioration of advertising revenue and support from City investors in the company is based on cyclical trends. (more)

Regional press ABCs at a glance
From Press Gazette. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
Press Gazette has scrambled the figures and found that print circulations across the UK regional press make fairly grim reading this time around. (more)

Regional ABCs: MEN has top circulation but no dailies put on sales
From Press Gazette. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
The Manchester Evening News increased its circulation by 85.8 per cent year on year to 161,545 making it the country’s largest regional newspaper in terms of circulation thanks to its part-paid, part-free distribution model. (more)

Regional ABCs: 38 weeklies increase sales year-on-year
From Press Gazette. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
Only 38 of the UK's 388 paid-for weekly newspapers put on sales in the first half of this year. (more)

Telegraph NUJ chapel confirms strike ballot over contract changes and axing of casuals
From Press Gazette. Posted August 28 2008, 12.00am
Journalists at Telegraph Media Group NUJ chapel are to ballot for strike action over the axing of more than 30 casual staff and changes to staff contracts. (more)

Radio pick of the day: Crossing Continents | Jon Ronson On ...
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.56pm
Crossing Continents | Jon Ronson On ... (more)

Johnston Press' advertising revenue slumps 21%
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.11pm
Regional newspaper group Johnston Press has said advertising revenues slumped 21% year on year in the first seven weeks of the second half of 2008. By Oliver Luft (more)

Julia Raeside meets the entrepreneurs who triumphed after the Dragons' Den grilling
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.10pm
Julia Raeside: Those brave souls who do parade their wares in that dread attic usually meet with short shrift from the panel of sneering millionaires (more)

Question time: Mica Paris
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.09pm
Mica Paris on the trials of teenage fame and how she overcame bankruptcy, paranoia and a damaging cycle of yo-yo dieting (more)

Advertising: Online about to overtake radio in slow ad market
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.09pm
Newest platform set to become third most popular medium behind TV, newspaper and magazines (more)

Newspapers: Cash crisis will force sale of Independent, says O'Brien
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.09pm
Comments are likely to escalate the war of words between O'Brien and INM'S chief executive (more)

Channel 4 introduces the new Family
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.09pm
Six-strong Hughes family, from Canterbury, are the protagonists of a new documentary (more)

Obituary: David Hammond
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.06pm
Obituary: A 'natural force' for good in Irish life with a gift for television film-making and song (more)

Reuters using mobile journalism for US political coverage
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 11.00pm
'Citizen experts' will produce video reports from the Democrat and Republican conventions (more)

Telegraph staff could strike for first time in 19 years
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 11.00pm
Staff at the Telegraph Media Group are to ballot for strike action, the NUJ officially confirmed today (more)

First Radio wins Jazz contract
From Radio Today. Posted August 27 2008, 10.44pm
First Radio Sales has won the contact to provide national sales for latest reincarnation of Jazz FM. The digital only station is set to launch on October 6th 2008. (more)

SAB TV to launch saas sitcom next week
From Biz Asia. Posted August 27 2008, 10.15pm
Sony Entertainment Network's comedy positioned channel SAB TV will be launching Deepti Bhatnagar's produced 'Main Kab Saas Banoongi' on Monday (1st September). SAB TV revamped its schedule in July to become a comedy-only channel. To coincide with the change, it launched two new shows 'Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Is Ghar Ki' and 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah'. 'Main Kab Saas Banoongi' is a saga around the aspirations of a 'Bahu' to occupy the power throne of the house by becoming a 'Saas'. In a good-humoured manner, the show throbs with her fond fantasy to progress to an upper level of the pedigree, the so called 'Saas'. SAB business head Anooj Kapoor said, "The show is a saga around the fond aspirations of 'The Bahu' to become 'The Saas' and the humorous obstacles that she encounters in fulfilling such a seemingly simple and innocent fantasy, thanks to her own "Saas", who is unwilling to abdicate the throne. I am confident that this show will definitely add to our impressive line up of family comedies like Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah, Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Iss Ghar Ki, which are a hit with our audience." 'Main Kab Saas Banoongi' will air Monday to Thursday at 20:00. Related links: SAB TV to axe 'Left Right Left' in September SAB TV launches new 'Taarak Mehta" show (more)

XFM Scotland to become Galaxy
From Radio Today. Posted August 27 2008, 6.18pm
Global Radio has announced it will re-brand Xfm Scotland as Galaxy Scotland. (more)

IN&M sales hurt by advertising fall
From Financial Times. Posted August 27 2008, 5.37pm
The chief executive of Independent News & Media believes the Ireland-based newspaper group will achieve annual results in line with expectations in spite of a weakening advertising market (more)

Korean broadcasters face sanctions for comments during Olympics
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 27 2008, 5.12pm
Korean broadcasting companies face sanctions for their commentators’ inappropriate or racial comments during the coverage of Olympic Games in Beijing. The Korea Communications Standards Commission said on Monday that it will hold a committee this week to determine the level of penalty on major national television networks – MBC, KBS and SBS. The Commission will also review [...] (more)

Online revenues up for Independent and Johnston Press, but print ads fall
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 4.49pm
At the same time as reports of significant decline in UK and US print advertising, online advertising revenue is up for the Independent News Media Group (INM) and Johnston Press. Johnston Press, the publisher of the Scotsman and over 300 regional newspapers and websites, announced that digital revenues had grown by 52.1 per cent to an [...] (more)

ZBC journalists get retrenchment letters
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 27 2008, 4.46pm
The state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcast Holdings (ZBH) has formally notified the seven journalists, who it once suspended on accusation of supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the run-up to the March 29 harmonised elections, of its intention to retrench them. The seven were served with letters on Tuesday, notifying them of the company’s intention [...] (more)

Mail on Sunday to apologise to Salman Rushdie over claims made in serialised book
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 4.32pm
The Mail on Sunday will apologise to Sir Salman Rushdie for publishing allegations from a discredited book written by an ex-policeman once involved in protecting the author. By Stephen Brook (more)

Christian O'Connell's producer promoted at Virgin Radio
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 4.30pm
Virgin Radio has appointed Christian O'Connell's breakfast show producer to a senior programming role ahead of the station's imminent relaunch. By John Plunkett (more)

Chicago Tribune: Sports news a ‘website business’, says Sun-Times columnist
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 4.22pm
Sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune Jay Mariotti has quit the paper after 17 years, claiming sports journalism has an online-only future. (more)

Chicago Tribune: Sports news a ‘website business’, says Trib columnist
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 4.22pm
Sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune Jay Mariotti has quit the paper after 17 years, claiming sports journalism has an online-only future. (more)

Japan International Broadcasting Inc. names new President and CEO
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 27 2008, 4.20pm
An extraordinary shareholders’ meeting of Japan International Broadcasting Inc. has today elected Hatsuhisa Takashima, former Chief Commentator at NHK, to the company’s board of directors. Takashima is to be appointed President and CEO on 1 September 2008. Japan International Broadcasting Inc. is to launch Japan’s first 24-hour all-English broadcasting service in February 2009. Japan International Broadcasting Inc. [...] (more)

Zena quits 1Xtra breakfast
From Radio Today. Posted August 27 2008, 3.57pm
BBC 1Xtra's Zena is leaving the breakfast show which she co-presents with Trevor Nelson. Her last show on the national digital station will be this Friday.The presenter joined the station last October as part of a revamp of the schedules. (more)

Trinity Mirror launches Welsh language website
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 3.11pm
Trinity Mirror newspaper the Daily Post Wales has launched its first Welsh language news website, in North Wales. By Oliver Luft (more)

BSkyB chief exec Jeremy Darroch's pay package nears £2m
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 3.09pm
BSkyB chief executive Jeremy Darroch's total remuneration package rose almost 40% last year to just under £2m following his promotion to the top job. By Mark Sweney (more)

France magazine editor writes for Times Online
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 3.01pm
The editor of Archant-owned France Magazine, Carolyn Boyd, has been commissioned to write a monthly article for the Times Online travel section. Hoping to attract interest in her own magazine, the article links to the magazine’s website and its subscriptions page. “I’d written for them before I joined France Magazine, so it’s a great way of carrying [...] (more)

Zena quits BBC 1Xtra breakfast show
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 1.26pm
A year after joining Trevor Nelson on the BBC 1Xtra breakfast show, Zena is to leave the digital radio station to move to the US. By John Plunkett (more)

Lee Byong-soon appointed new president of KBS amidst staff opposition
From Media Network Weblog. Posted August 27 2008, 1.01pm
President Lee Myung-bak appointed KBS Business President Lee Byong-soon as the new president of the Korean Broadcasting System on 16 August. The new appointee will complete the term of former KBS President Jung Yun-joo, which will last until November 2009. Lee began working for KBS in 1977 and was previously the president of KBS Media. In [...] (more)

The Australian: Jaspan sacked from The Age
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 1.00pm
One day after Fairfax announced 550 job cuts Andrew Jaspan has been sacked as editor-in-chief of the company's Melbourne newspaper, The Age. (more)

Comedian Joan Rivers to go live on Smooth Radio
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 12.51pm
Comedian Joan Rivers, who was famously booted off ITV1's Loose Women for swearing, is to be let loose on live radio. By John Plunkett (more)

ITV to air Guinness Premiership English club rugby highlights
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 12.47pm
ITV has secured the rights to show highlights of the Guinness Premiership English club rugby union matches this season. By Mark Sweney (more)

Daily Mail tries to lure users with free international texts
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 12.35pm
Following the launch of their MailTXT texting service earlier this year, the Daily Mail has now announced that new users will get 50 free international SMS messages to any phone when they sign up. The intention of the scheme is to ‘build a more interactive relationship with its readers’, a press release said. According to the [...] (more)

Technorati buys blogging community Blogcritics.org
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 12.27pm
Blog search website Technorati has acquired online magazine and blogging community site Blogcritics.org. Bloggers publish their posts on Blogcritics, which acts as a source of news and reviews ‘covering all aspects of contemporary culture and society’, to gain wider exposure, an introduction to the site explains. According to a press release, Technorati will seek to help bloggers [...] (more)

Trinity Mirror launches Welsh-language news site
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 12.06pm
Trinity Mirror’s Daily Post Wales has launched a Welsh news website. DailyPostCymraeg.co.uk, which went live today, will focus on North Wales, but also feature main UK news headlines, a release from the publisher said. The site includes forums, blogs and video content aimed at a Welsh-speaking audience, and will be published alongside the Daily Post’s English-language site. (more)

Football club gives local newspapers red card
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 27 2008, 12.00pm
Commercial deal row sees two north-east dailies banned from local stadium (more)

Independent: Response to Paxman’s middle-class white male comments
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 11.58am
After Jeremy Paxman's comments that there's no hope for a middle-class white male to succeed in television, Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy has hit back. He said, "I feel awfully sorry for white, middle-class men who went to Oxbridge... but I'm not sure they are the ones at the greatest disadvantage." (more)

MediaGuardian: Johnston Press advertising continues to fall
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 11.56am
In their half-yearly report the regional newspaper group Johnston Press announced that advertising revenues are down by 21 per cent year on year, for the first seven weeks of the second half of 2008. (more)

Rivers runs Smoothly in London
From Radio Today. Posted August 27 2008, 11.54am
American comedian, actress and talk show host Joan Rivers is joining Smooth Radio London’s Lynn Parsons as a guest co-presenter next week. (more)

TV industry faces financial crisis
From Financial Times. Posted August 27 2008, 11.53am
Speakers at the Edinburgh TV festival drew attention to the economic problems facing the industry, with the prospect of recession threatening funding for public-service broadcasting and net-produced programmes taking audiences from traditional media (more)

Third series of Celebrity Scissorhands commissioned for BBC Three
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted August 27 2008, 11.50am
BBC Three has commissioned a third series of Celebrity Scissorhands to air in Autumn 2008 from Brighter Pictures. (more)

Third series of Celebrity Scissorhands commissioned�for BBC Three
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted August 27 2008, 11.50am
BBC Three has commissioned a third series of Celebrity Scissorhands to air in Autumn 2008 from Brighter Pictures. (more)

M&S suspends pay 'whistleblower'
From BBC News. Posted August 27 2008, 11.47am
Marks & Spencer suspends a member of staff who told the press about its plans to cut redundancy payments. (more)

M&S suspends whistleblower
From BBC News. Posted August 27 2008, 11.47am
Marks & Spencer suspends a member of staff who told the press about its plans to cut redundancy payments. (more)

Online Journalism Scandinavia: Behind the spin of Mecom’s half-year results
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted August 27 2008, 11.43am
Even former Mirror boss David Montgomery, who has a reputation as a ferocious cost-cutter, admits his new pan-European newspaper group Mecom cannot cost-cut its way out of a recession. Shares in the company tumbled on the London Stock Exchange last week after the newspaper group failed to impress the market with its interim half-year results. Perhaps jittery [...] (more)

New threat to UK broadcasters in web TV sector
From UTalk Marketing. Posted August 27 2008, 11.31am
US eyes up British market (more)

TV ratings - August 26: Mutual Friends proves popular with viewers
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 11.17am
BBC1's new comedy drama Mutual Friends won the 9pm slot with 4.6 million viewers. By Jemima Kiss (more)

Trinity Mirror launches Welsh language news website
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 27 2008, 10.50am
News, videos and blogs for Welsh speakers on new Daily Post website (more)

Profits fall 35pc at Independent News and Media
From Hold the Front Page. Posted August 27 2008, 10.50am
Belfast Telegraph publisher also sees falls in ad revenue by 14pc (more)

Independent News & Media's UK profits slide
From Media Guardian. Posted August 27 2008, 10.45am
Half-yearly profits tumbled 35.6% at the Independent and Independent on Sunday titles, the papers' parent company has said. By Stephen Brook

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