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Five - news archive

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

Average age of viewers hits 50 as more turn to web
From Media Guardian. Posted July 6 2008, 11.05pm
Go figure, Ravi Somaiya: A study of the big five broadcast networks shows that the average viewer no longer falls within the coveted 18-49 range (more)

'Amy Winehouse would be a great Doctor'
From Media Guardian. Posted July 6 2008, 11.05pm
The man responsible for bringing the Time Lord back to life is standing down as head writer after five years. He talks to Ben Dowell about the importance of fighting monsters, mosquitoes - and the Daily Mail (more)

'Street' creator to make BBC1 daytime dramas
From Digital Spy. Posted July 4 2008, 2.09pm
The Street creator Jimmy McGovern is making five dramas exploring "contemporary issues" for BBC One daytime. (more)

French public TV chief slams ?stupid? Sarkozy claims
From Media Network Weblog. Posted July 2 2008, 4.13pm
The head of French public television hit out today at President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plans for broadcasting reform, saying his arguments were “false” and “stupid.” Sarkozy last week confirmed plans to end advertising on France Télévisions’ five channels from January, arguing that French public TV stations were too similar to private broadcasters and must be freed from commercial [...] (more)

TV ratings - June 30: 10 million watch Murray power to thrilling victory
From Media Guardian. Posted July 1 2008, 10.14am
Andy Murray's epic four-hour, five-set battle to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals provided the BBC with a ratings bonanza, with viewing peaking at more than 10 million viewers. By Caitlin Fitzsimmons (more)

TV ratings - June 30: Andy Murray's Wimbledon heroics draw 10m viewers
From Media Guardian. Posted July 1 2008, 10.14am
Andy Murray's epic four-hour, five-set battle to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals provided the BBC with a ratings bonanza, with viewing peaking at more than 10 million viewers. By Caitlin Fitzsimmons (more)

Sky News revamps website with Pluck and Daylife
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted June 30 2008, 11.00pm
Video is at the forefront of the revamp; a revolving carousel of the top five news stories has been added to the home page and short video clips accompany headlines (more)

America's got our talent!
From The Independent. Posted June 30 2008, 12.00am
The easiest way to find out what really makes America tick is to turn on the television. Then you should pour an ice cold Diet Coke – or Budweiser, if you're feeling particularly daring – and settle down to watch the nation's five highest-rated TV programmes. According to last season's network TV chart, which is as good a guide as any, you'll start with an episode of American Idol, which boasts nearly 30 million viewers. Then you'll sit through the rival talent show, Dancing With The Stars (20 million) before finishing-up with a trio of dramas: Desperate Housewives, House, and CSI. (16-18 million respectively). (more)

Korea to launch IPTV broadcasting this autumn
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 29 2008, 11.53am
The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) has fixed its guidelines for new TV broadcasting channels to be delivered via broadband Internet, paving the way for private firms to start this service around this fall.  The regulatory body’s executive committee passed the final long-pending bill on Internet-Protocol TV (IPTV) on Friday after heated debate among its five [...] (more)

Channel Five commissions children's fly-on-the-wall documentary series
From Media Guardian. Posted June 26 2008, 3.46pm
Channel Five has commissioned a series of fly-on-the-wall observational documentaries for children. By Tara Conlan (more)

'CSI' binge delivers ratings for Five US
From Digital Spy. Posted June 24 2008, 2.13pm
A CSI binge made Five US the most-watched multichannel for a good chunk of primetime last night. (more)

Turksat readies to launch two new satellites in five years
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 24 2008, 12.09pm
Having successfully launched Turksat 3A, a new-generation communications satellite, earlier this month, Turksat is preparing to launch two others, Turksat 4A and 5A. Turksat 3A was launched from French Guiana on 12 June and was put into orbit shortly after its launch on board the Ariane-5, a European expendable launch system. The satellite will enable satellite and [...] (more)

BBC rules out licence fee cash to aid rivals
From Media Guardian. Posted June 23 2008, 11.08pm
Funding model underpinning ITV, Channel 4 and Five come under pressure from technological change (more)

Five new regional BBC News websites planned
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted June 23 2008, 11.00pm
New sites for Northern Ireland, Cheshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey proposed (more)

Journalism training body gives thumbs up to five UK centres
From Hold the Front Page. Posted June 23 2008, 6.30am
NCTJ panel accredits fast-track and MA courses (more)

Why I decided to call full time on BBC job
From Press Gazette. Posted June 23 2008, 12.00am
Lawrence Dallaglio’s retirement as a player was the occasion for another departure of a well-known figure in the sporting world – Alastair Hignell, match commentator for the BBC’s Radio Five Live. (more)

Alastair Hignell: Why I decided to call full time on BBC job
From Press Gazette. Posted June 23 2008, 12.00am
Lawrence Dallaglio's retirement as a player was the occasion for another departure of a well-known figure in the sporting world: Alastair Hignell, match commentator for the BBC's Radio Five Live. (more)

Five announces Isla Traquair and Matt Barbet as Kaplinsky stand-ins
From Media Guardian. Posted June 20 2008, 9.26am
Matt Barbet and Isla Traquair are to stand in for Channel Five's star news anchor Natasha Kaplinsky when she goes on maternity leave. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Video: Watch a trailer for Superstars
From Media Guardian. Posted June 19 2008, 2.40pm
See a trailer for TV sports contest Superstars, set to return on Channel Five on July 11, with contestants including Steve Redgrave, Roger Black, Mike Catt and Kelly Holmes (more)

Reviews Reveal Dodgy Product Designs
From Press Release, via webitpr. Posted June 18 2008, 10.50am
18 June 2008 An egg tray that only holds five eggs and a dishwasher that doesn't wash standard size plates are among a list of badly-designed household appliances currently on sale in the high street. The hall of shame also featured a television which won't turn off unless the plug is pulled out of the wall socket, a children's outdoor slide - in bright yellow - which attracts thousands of bugs in summertime making it... (more)

Music sales fall to their lowest level in over twenty years
From The Times. Posted June 18 2008, 12.00am
Worldwide music sales have tumbled to their lowest level since 1985, the year that Jennifer Rush topped the singles charts in Britain with The Power of Love and Dire Straits released Money for Nothing. The equivalent of 1.86 billion albums were sold last year, counting ten sales of individual songs as the equivalent of one album, according to figures published yesterday by the IFPI, which represents music companies worldwide. Album sales were down 11 per cent, from 2.09 billion, in figures that include paid-for downloads. In 1985, unit sales were 1.8 billion, as the CD began to increase in popularity, a run of growth that peaked in 1996 with sales of 3.4 billion. The main cause of the decline continues to be collapsing CD sales, hurt by illegal copying, that are not being offset by growth in download sales. Record company revenues tumbled 8 per cent last year to $19.4 billion, after CD sales fell 13 per cent $– more than offsetting the 34 per cent growth in the smaller digital business. In Britain alone, revenues tumbled 13 per cent to £1.02 billion, with Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black as the top-selling album. Industry revenues from CD sales plunged 16 per cent to £871 million, while digital sales in the world’s third-biggest music market increased 28 per cent to £132.2 million. Presenting the statistics, the IFPI called for internet providers to work with the music business to stop illegal copying. John Kennedy, its chief executive, said that between 50 per cent and 80 per cent of internet service provider traffic was accounted for by illegally swapped content. The IFPI wants internet providers to reveal details of their customers who illegally share music and possibly cut off any subscriber who breaches copyright three times. Mr Kennedy said that providers should engage constructively, before the tools of legislation or litigation were invoked to require them to act. Governments are beginning to look hard at copyright enforcement. Ministers have considered legislating for a “three-strikes” policy that could punish internet users with disconnection, but they want music companies to try to reach voluntary agreements with internet suppliers first. Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, said that while regulation was not the first preference, he did not feel that he could stand by and ignore wholesale breaches of copyright. “British music is one of our biggest success stories. I don’t want to see it wasted away,” Mr Burnham told the Broadcasting Press Guild yesterday. Music companies and lobbyists are trying to reach agreement with internet providers. This month Virgin Media agreed that it would write to consumers who were engaged in large amount of music copying, based on information supplied to it by the BPI, Britain’s record company trade body. However, industry executives said that the gloomy data was nothing new. A spokesman for Vivendi’s Universal Music, the market leader, said: “This must be the tenth consecutive year we’ve read the obituary for the music business, but we are still here.” We hummed Top five songs in 1985 We Are The World — USA for Africa Take On Me — Aha I Want to Know What Love Is — Foreigner Shout — Tears for Fears Into The Groove — Madonna (based on worldwide chart positions) Bestselling UK single: The Power of Love — Jennifer Rush (it did not chart in the US) For the record Top ten global bestselling albums of 2007 1 High School Musical 2 — High School Musical 2 (Walt Disney Records/Universal/EMI) 2 Back to Black — Amy Winehouse (Universal) 3 Noel — Josh Groban (Warner) 4 The Best Damn Thing — Avril Lavigne (Sony BMG) 5 Long Road Out of Eden — Eagles (Eagles Recording Co/Universal) 6 Minutes to Midnight — Linkin Park (Warner) 7 As I Am — Alicia Keys (Sony BMG) 8 Call me Irresponsible — Michael Bublé (Warner) 9 Life in Cartoon Motion — Mika (Universal) 10 Not Too Late — Nora Jones (EMI) Source: IFPI (includes physical and digital formats) (more)

Rory McGrath and Paddy McGuiness to tour UK for Channel Five
From Media Guardian. Posted June 16 2008, 3.53pm
Comedians Rory McGrath and Paddy McGuiness are to take a sporting road trip around Britain in a new series for Channel Five. By Ben Dowell (more)

Rory McGrath and Paddy McGuinness to tour UK for Channel Five
From Media Guardian. Posted June 16 2008, 3.53pm
Comedians Rory McGrath and Paddy McGuinness are to take a sporting road trip around Britain in a new series for Channel Five. By Ben Dowell (more)

BBC1 to air Criminal Justice over five consecutive nights
From Media Guardian. Posted June 13 2008, 6.11am
BBC1 is to screen new thriller Criminal Justice over five consecutive nights - the first time it has scheduled a drama in such a way. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

NYTimes.com and BBC scoop prizes at Webby awards
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted June 12 2008, 10.00am
The New York Times website won two awards for best news and newspaper at last night's Webby awards. BBC News also picked up an accolade for news, while its world service website won an award for radio. The Financial Times blog Alphaville was also named best business blog. Winners at the Webbys were asked to make a five-word [...] (more)

TVB Hong Kong launches multi-channel Chinese platform for Europe
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 11 2008, 12.04pm
Television Broadcasts Ltd (TVB) of Hong Kong has selected capacity on Eutelsat’s Eurobirdâ„¢ 9 satellite [9.0°E] to launch its new multi-channel digital platform of Chinese-language channels for satellite homes across Europe. For the first time in Europe, TVB’s subsidiary ‘The Chinese Channel’ is offering a line-up of five of the Group’s flagship infotainment channels including “TVBS-Europe” which specialises [...] (more)

Guardian/Observer merger - four out of five new heads of content are Guardian section editors
From Press Gazette. Posted June 11 2008, 12.00am
Guardian News and Media has appointed five new senior, platform-neutral editors who will oversee coverage in news, business, sport and consumer news for the Guardian, Observer and Guardian.co.uk - four of whom are existing Guardian section... (more)

Guardian/Observer integration - four out of five heads of content are Guardian section editors
From Press Gazette. Posted June 11 2008, 12.00am
Guardian News and Media has appointed five new senior, platform-neutral editors who will oversee coverage in news, business, sport and consumer news for the Guardian, Observer and Guardian.co.uk - four of whom are existing Guardian section... (more)

ITV global: Lee Bartlett replaces Dawn Airey
From Media Guardian. Posted June 10 2008, 9.47am
ITV has promoted Lee Bartlett to managing director of ITV global content, replacing Dawn Airey after her abrupt departure to Channel Five. By Mark Sweney (more)

Peter Snow: presenter to front Five series on engineering heroes
From Media Guardian. Posted June 9 2008, 9.30am
A new Channel Five series fronted by the BBC presenter Peter Snow will track down unsung heroes behind great British technological achievements. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Kathryn Flett on television: The great British body on ITV1 | Strangelove on Five
From Media Guardian. Posted June 7 2008, 11.02pm
Kathryn Flett on television: (more)

Lucy Mangan: Taggart is now in its 852nd year. And guess what - this week they're hunting a murrrderrerrr
From Media Guardian. Posted June 5 2008, 11.11pm
Lucy Mangan on Taggart (ITV1), House (Five) and Heroes (BBC2) (more)

AP: WAN 2008: Digital will be primary source of news in five years, says report
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted June 3 2008, 2.42pm
A report from the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) has said the internet will become the primary source of news and information in five years in some countries. "Newspapers will lose the dominating position they have held for more than a century," the report, which contains research from 71 groups, said. (more)

Are ads on children's social networking sites harmless child's play or virtual insanity?
From The Independent. Posted June 2 2008, 12.00am
As social networking spreads to users as young as five, makers of toys and TV shows are making the most of new opportunities to reach children online. But with more than 100 youth-focused virtual worlds now either up and running or about to launch – over half of which are aimed at under-sevens, according to one estimate – regulators and parents are struggling to keep up. (more)

'Jonathan Creek' revived for Xmas special
From Digital Spy. Posted June 1 2008, 7.34am
BBC One is planning a Jonathan Creek Christmas special nearly five years after the series ended. (more)

Five sends celebs on extreme holidays
From Digital Spy. Posted May 30 2008, 8.32am
Celebrities including Dom Joly will take extreme holidays for a new Five series. (more)

Architecture Award for BBC HQ
From allmediascotland - Spike. Posted May 30 2008, 8.09am
BBC Scotland’s new headquarters have been chosen among the winners at the UK’s most prestigious architecture awards. Pacific Quay, in Glasgow, has been picked among the top five Scottish recipients, this year, of a Royal Institute of British Architects’ regional... (more)

Celebs sign up for Channel Five's Rough Guide to Ultimate Escapes
From Media Guardian. Posted May 29 2008, 6.36am
Channel Five is to launch a spin-off of its Rough Guides series in which celebrities including comedian Dom Joly and Green Wing actor Stephen Mangan will undertake adrenaline-fuelled adventures. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

TV deception scandal prompts C4 and Five to issue joint guidelines
From Media Guardian. Posted May 29 2008, 6.32am
Channel 4 and Channel Five have collaborated on a programme-makers' handbook designed to stamp out the TV deception incidents that dogged the industry last year. By Tara Conlan. (more)

TV viewing figures defy talk of decline
From Financial Times. Posted May 28 2008, 3.55am
Commercial television enjoyed its best April in five years thanks to poor British weather, new statistics compiled by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board shows (more)

TV ratings - May 26: Britain's Got Talent dances off with honours
From Media Guardian. Posted May 27 2008, 9.44am
ITV1's Britain's Got Talent ratings juggernaut rolled on, with the first of five nightly elimination shows attracting nearly 11 million viewers. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Viasat to sell pay-TV packages in Telia?s Swedish IPTV network
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 25 2008, 1.15pm
Modern Times Group, the international entertainment broadcasting group, today announced that Viasat Broadcasting has signed a five year agreement with number one Swedish Telecommunications operator, Telia, to enable Viasat to market and sell its pay-TV channel packages to Telia’s more than 300,000 IPTV customers and broadband subscribers, from 1 June 2008. Viasat’s free-TV channels TV3, [...] (more)

Five new stations for Midlands
From Radio Today. Posted May 23 2008, 11.13am
Ofcom has awarded five new community radio licences for Staffordshire and the Midlands.The regulators also considered three further applications from across Staffordshire and Walsall, but decided not to award licences. (more)

Top Kit Sets Bachelors Back Five Grand
From Press Release, via webitpr. Posted May 22 2008, 7.00am
Kitting out a bachelor pad with top-rated ?boys-toys? costs almost £5,000, according to research. Huge plasma televisions, top of the range laptops, games consoles, high-end stereos with surround speakers and other gadgets put the bill up to £4,678.97. The cost emerged in a study by online review site www.reevoo.com which named the 15 must-have items for any self-respecting bachelor. Among the items to appear on the list is a Panasonic 50 inch HD ready plasma... (more)

Danny Baker returns to BBC Radio Five Live
From Media Guardian. Posted May 20 2008, 9.44am
Controversial DJ Danny Baker is making another return to BBC Radio 5 Live next month as part of the station's coverage of Euro 2008. By Jemima Kiss (more)

Airey might have more 'garden leave' options
From Financial Times. Posted May 20 2008, 3.00am
From Ms Yvonne Gallagher. Sir, I was interested to note your coverage of Dawn Airey's move from ITV to Five and subsequent significant changes at senior level in both... (more)

Newsquest 'astonishment' at planned five-day strike by journalists
From Hold the Front Page. Posted May 16 2008, 10.20am
Company believes its offer is looking "increasingly attractive" (more)

Edward Lands ITN Corr Post
From allmediascotland - Spike. Posted May 16 2008, 8.13am
A co-presenter on stv’s new, news magazine show has been appointed ITN’s Scotland correspondent. Debi Edward - who had previously worked on stv’s news flagship, Scotland Today, before joining ‘the five thirty show’, with Stephen Jardine - will... (more)

ITV, Five prepared to give up PSB roles
From Digital Spy. Posted May 15 2008, 10.16am
ITV and Five say they do not want to be given handouts to sustain their public service roles. (more)

York Press management express 'astonishment' at five-day strike action
From Press Gazette. Posted May 15 2008, 12.00am
The management at Newsquest’s York Press has expressed its "astonishment" at the NUJ chapel decision to stage a five-day strike over a rejected three per cent pay offer next week. (more)

Newsquest staff poised for five-day strike action
From Hold the Front Page. Posted May 14 2008, 1.00pm
Editorial departments could be slashed as 34-strong NUJ membership votes overwhelmingly for walkout (more)

Five-day strike planned at York Press and Gazette & Herald papers
From Media Guardian. Posted May 14 2008, 12.37pm
A five-day strike will hit the York Press and Gazette & Herald titles from Thursday next week. By Stephen Brook (more)

Journalists vote for five-day strike at York Press
From Press Gazette. Posted May 14 2008, 12.00am
Journalists at Newsquest York have voted to take five days of strike action after rejecting a pay offer of three per cent. (more)

Sony TV India sells 32% stake to MCorp?
From Biz Asia. Posted May 13 2008, 9.46pm
Industry reports have suggested that Sony Entertainment Television Asia in India (Multi Screen Media) is close to selling a 32% stake to Indian businessman Bhupendra Kumar Modi's MCorp. Global for $320 million. Online portal Exchange4Media, reported that MCorp. Global - whose interests include Spice Telecom and planned forays in entertainment - has bought out the 32% stake in MSM held by five SET India founding promoters including Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff and Mumbai-based home video company Shemaroo Entertainment MD Raman Maroo who were looking to offload their shareholding timed with a probable IPO by SET. While SET has still not gone public, observers feel that MCorp's buyout could be the exit route the promoters were looking for. Reportedly, following MCorp's acquisition, SET India's shareholding would now see parent Sony Corp. continue to own 60% along with U.S.-based Capital International owning 8%, with the balance 32% owned by MCorp. Global. Sony Entertainment Television Asia refused to comment. Related link: SET India rebranded Multi Screen Media (more)

Aljazeera English expands reach in Philippines
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 13 2008, 4.29pm
Aljazeera Network today announced that it has closed, in recent weeks, five distribution agreements in the Philippines - where the reach of Aljazeera English now tops 500,000 households. The Philippines distribution agreements license the carriage of Aljazeera English on Global Destiny Cable, Royal Cablevision Corporation, Eaglevision, Ultravision Cable TV and the simulcasting of Aljazeera English [...] (more)

Job swap, anyone?
From Media Guardian. Posted May 11 2008, 11.04pm
Today, three of the five terrestrial television channels get new bosses. Maggie Brown unravels the media reshuffle (more)

ABC to set up university news bureaus at five US journalism schools
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted May 8 2008, 11.00pm
The news network, in return for filing stories for digital and broadcast platforms, will mentor a paid staff of students (more)

BBC Urdu bulletins return to Pakistan FM stations after six-month ban
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 6 2008, 10.39am
BBC Urdu is relaunching its live five-minute news bulletins on local Pakistan FM partner stations today. This follows their disruption by Pakistani regulators after the imposition of emergency rule on 3 November last year. Pakistan’s Information Minister Sherry Rehman told the BBC that, in keeping with the new Government’s media policy, there were now no restrictions [...] (more)

Dawn Airey owed £2.3m by failed TV company
From Daily Telegraph. Posted May 5 2008, 12.01am
Dawn Airey, who left her job at ITV last week to become chief executive and chair of Five, is owed £2.3m by Iostar, the failed independent television producer of which she was briefly chief executive last year. (more)

Dawn departure leaves Grade livid as ITV struggles
From Media Guardian. Posted May 3 2008, 11.03pm
Richard Wachman looks at the politics and fall-out of a television drama as Airey returns to Five (more)

Opie quits Five day after Lighting goes
From Financial Times. Posted May 3 2008, 3.00am
Lisa Opie has became the second casualty in as many days of Dawn Airey's move from ITV to Five, leaving the smaller UK broadcaster with its two most senior roles... (more)

Dawn Airey's flight to Channel Five casts doubts on ITV
From Daily Telegraph. Posted May 3 2008, 12.01am
Unachievable targets may have prompted Dawn Airey's surprise move to rival, reports Juliette Garside. (more)

Opie quits Five ahead of Airey's arrival
From Financial Times. Posted May 2 2008, 4.29pm
Lisa Opie, managing director of content, is leaving the broadcaster after its parent RTL poached Dawn Airey from ITV as its new chief executive (more)

Five plans "upmarket" sex advice series
From Digital Spy. Posted May 2 2008, 12.20pm
Five is to air a ten-part series called Sex: How To Do Everything. (more)

ITV considers legal action over Dawn Airey's move to Channel Five
From Media Guardian. Posted May 2 2008, 9.50am
ITV has threatened to take legal action against Dawn Airey, who quit to rejoin Channel Five. By Mark Sweney and Tara Conlan (more)

Media Talk podcast: the future of DAB and the Dawn Airey returns to Five
From Media Guardian. Posted May 2 2008, 9.21am
The panel discuss the future of the UK radio industry and Dawn Airey's shock return to Five. And Gareth McLean reports from behind the scenes of the BBC's drama department. With Matt Wells, Paul Robinson and Janine Gibson (more)

Media Talk podcast: the future of DAB and Dawn Airey returns to Five
From Media Guardian. Posted May 2 2008, 9.21am
The panel discuss the future of the UK radio industry and Dawn Airey's shock return to Five. And Gareth McLean reports from behind the scenes of the BBC's drama department. With Matt Wells, Paul Robinson and Janine Gibson (more)

Could RTL and ITV do a deal over Dawn Airey?
From Media Guardian. Posted May 2 2008, 6.24am
Analysis: Some in the TV industry believe that the Channel Five owner could broker a compromise over Dawn Airey's start date with her former employer. By Mark Sweney (more)

Second exec at Five resigns in top level shake up
From Press Gazette. Posted May 2 2008, 12.00am
Second exec at Five resigns in top level shake up (more)

Five moves from Lighting to Dawn
From Financial Times. Posted May 1 2008, 8.16pm
RTL, the parent of Five, has poached Dawn Airey from head of content at rival ITV, to be chairman and chief executive of the young broadcaster (more)

Five to endure a long wait for Dawn
From Financial Times. Posted May 1 2008, 8.16pm
RTL, parent of Five, faces a long wait for Dawn Airey, poached from rival ITV, to be chairman and chief executive of the young broadcaster (more)

Five's Jane Lighting strikes out as Dawn Airey returns
From The Times. Posted May 1 2008, 1.24pm
Jane Lighting has been ousted from her job as Five’s chief executive as the broadcaster’s owner decided to bring back Dawn Airey, who earlier this week dramatically quit her job at ITV. (more)

Swiss start-up?s re-broadcast of UK TV may not last, says expert
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 1 2008, 1.17pm
An Internet start-up is re-broadcasting UK television from Switzerland without the stations’ permission. It is re-broadcasting all five UK terrestrial channels online but claims it is not breaking the law. One legal expert, though, said that the company’s re-broadcasting could be short-lived, and that the Government could close the loophole at any time. Read the story [...] (more)

Five chief executive Jane Lighting resigns as Mark White steps in
From Media Guardian. Posted May 1 2008, 12.23pm
Channel Five chief executive Jane Lighting has resigned, with Mark White, the broadcaster's executive director of sales, taking the post until Dawn Airey's arrival. By Mark Sweney (more)

Five to revive 'Superstars' sports comp
From Digital Spy. Posted April 30 2008, 1.03pm
Sir Steve Redgrave, Dame Kelly Holmes and others are to lead a Five revival of Superstars. (more)

Maggie Brown: Why did Dawn Airey jump ship from ITV to Channel Five?
From Media Guardian. Posted April 30 2008, 12.10pm
Analysis: What prompted Dawn Airey's surprise return to Channel Five? By Maggie Brown (more)

Dawn Airey hints at ITV worries
From Media Guardian. Posted April 30 2008, 12.10pm
Before she left ITV, Dawn Airey gave pointers to some of the reasons for her surprise return to Channel Five. By Maggie Brown (more)

Jane Lighting writes to Channel Five staff over Dawn Airey's appointment
From Media Guardian. Posted April 30 2008, 10.41am
Channel Five's Jane Lighting has sent an email to staff following the shock appointment of Dawn Airey to succeed her. By Chris Tryhorn (more)

ITV's Dawn Airey rejoins Five as chief
From Daily Telegraph. Posted April 30 2008, 12.01am
Dawn Airey has quit her role as director of global content at ITV to rejoin her old employer Five, as chairman and chief executive. (more)

Airey switches from ITV to Five
From The Independent. Posted April 30 2008, 12.00am
Dawn Airey has quit ITV after just eight months at the broadcaster to take over as chair and chief executive of channel Five. (more)

Airey quits ITV to return to her old stamping ground on Five
From Media Guardian. Posted April 29 2008, 11.26pm
She takes over as chair and chief executive of the broadcaster following surprise defection (more)

Sony TV to launch new weekend music show
From Biz Asia. Posted April 29 2008, 9.57pm
Sony Entertainment Television Asia will be launching a musical show, which will simply see seven professional celebrity singers performing for the viewers. The show will see seven singers namely Kailash Kher, Kunal Ganjawala, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sukhwinder Singh, Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan performing for five weeks. The musical show that is being hosted by Mini Mathur will have each singer showcasing some of his /her favorite songs, solo or duet, singing with an aspiring fan, singing a request song by the audience...all interspersed with interesting anecdotes and milestones from the singer’s musical career. Sony Entertainment Television EVP and business head Albert Almeida said, "Over the years the country has seen some truly magical talent. This show endeavors to celebrate music and the lives of these great artists by putting them on a platform that takes them into the homes of their biggest fans. So sit back and enjoy your most intimate rendezvous with your favorite singing stars." 'Yeh Shaam Mastani' will occupy the Friday - Sunday 21:00 slot, starting 3rd May. (more)

Airey quits ITV to rejoin Five
From Financial Times. Posted April 29 2008, 8.32pm
Dawn Airey has left ITV to join rival Five as chairman and chief executive just eight months after Michael Grade lured her to take charge of ITV's content division (more)

Is Dawn Airey set to lead an RTL bid for ITV?
From Media Guardian. Posted April 29 2008, 5.56pm
Dawn Airey's move to head Channel Five has puzzled analysts and raised the possibility that she may spearhead a bid for ITV. By Chris Tryhorn and Mark Sweney (more)

Blow to Grade as Airey quits ITV
From Financial Times. Posted April 29 2008, 5.12pm
Dawn Airey has resigned from the broadcaster's board to join Bertelsmann's RTL, where she will become chairman of Five. The move is bound to reignite speculation that RTL may bid for ITV (more)

Dawn Airey's path to Channel Five
From Media Guardian. Posted April 29 2008, 5.03pm
Dawn Airey's surprise move to Channel Five is the latest turn in a career that has included stints at broadcasters including ITV and Sky. By Jemima Kiss (more)

'Dirt' makes muted return for Fiver
From Digital Spy. Posted April 29 2008, 5.02pm
Fiver failed to make a mark in the ratings last night with the return of Dirt to UK television. (more)

ITV boss Airey goes back to Five
From BBC News. Posted April 29 2008, 5.01pm
ITV's programming boss Dawn Airey is leaving the broadcaster to take charge of rival Five. (more)

Dawn Airey to be Channel Five chair and chief executive
From Media Guardian. Posted April 29 2008, 4.44pm
Dawn Airey will be chair and chief executive of Channel Five when she joins the broadcaster from ITV, MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal. By Chris Tryhorn and Mark Sweney (more)

Airey quits ITV to become chair of Five
From The Times. Posted April 29 2008, 4.26pm
Dawn Airey, the former chief executive at Five, will return to the company after announcing her resignation from ITV following just six months at the broadcaster. Five's chief executive, Jane Lighting, is set to resign from channel in the next few days. (more)

Dawn Airey quits ITV for RTL
From Media Guardian. Posted April 29 2008, 3.43pm
Dawn Airey has left ITV to join RTL Group in a role that will include chairing Channel Five. By Chris Tryhorn (more)

Sport on TV: Smarter than a 10-year-old? Not these parents
From The Independent. Posted April 27 2008, 12.00am
Forget Riise and Ronaldo, Thursday night brought far more shame to hang one's head in than the previous two nights put together. I blame the parents. If you thought the ones who stand on football touchlines berating their children were bad, you should have seen them at ringside in 'Strictly Baby Fight Club' watching their five-year-olds beating six bells out of each other. Actually, you're better off not seeing it. (more)

O'Sullivan Signing off from GMTV Slot
From allmediascotland - Spike. Posted April 25 2008, 8.27am
The launch editor of GMTV's Scottish news opt-out is signing off this morning, five months after the service took over from stv. Kirsteen O'Sullivan, who presented the central Scotland bulletins from the Glasgow base of production company, Macmillan Media, is leaving to work in... (more)

RTL, Saban 'interested in Sky's ITV stake'
From Digital Spy. Posted April 21 2008, 5.40pm
Five owner RTL and media mogul Haim Saban are reportedly interested in buying Sky's stake in ITV. (more)

Blue Peter's Gethin Jones moves to BBC Radio Five Live
From Media Guardian. Posted April 21 2008, 3.45pm
Gethin Jones, who is leaving Blue Peter after two years, is to join BBC Radio Five Live to present a new Saturday morning show. By Mark Sweney (more)

TRT lays out plans to broadcast in five languages
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 21 2008, 3.10pm
The state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) has announced plans to broadcast in five languages, including Arabic, Persian and Kurdish. At hearings on the proposed changes at Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission, State Minister Mehmet Aydin, who is responsible for TRT, said that other international news channels also broadcast in various languages. “This new policy [...] (more)

Channel Five reveals digital channel idents
From Media Guardian. Posted April 21 2008, 1.38pm
Channel Five has unveiled a range of promotional idents to support the rebrand of digital channel Fiver. By Mark Sweney (more)

Somali government shuts radio station, arrests five
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 18 2008, 9.44am
Somali police yesteday raided and closed an independent radio station, arresting five employees in the latest crackdown on media, staff said. Clutching AK-47 rifles, three policemen stormed into the newsroom of Mogadishu-based Radio Voice of Peace, the station’s director Mohamed Ali Irole told Reuters. “They ordered the staff to close down the radio,” he said. President [...] (more)

Shortlist up for five Independent Publisher Awards
From Press Gazette. Posted April 18 2008, 12.00am
Free weekly men’s magazine Shortlist is leading the way with five nominations in this year's Independent Publisher Awards. (more)

Five TV picks up Bebo online hit
From The Times. Posted April 17 2008, 7.59pm
Sofia’s Diary, the online soap opera that attracted 5 million viewers in its first two weeks on social networking site Bebo, has become the first online show to be picked up by a major British broadcaster. (more)

Internet show and sex series join Fiver
From Digital Spy. Posted April 17 2008, 12.32pm
Online drama Sofia's Diary and factual series Generation Sex join Five Life successor Fiver. (more)

?Sofia?s Diary? crosses over to TV in UK first
From UTalk Marketing. Posted April 17 2008, 11.28am
Online series signed to Fiver (more)

Fiver to air Bebo drama Sofia's Diary
From Media Guardian. Posted April 17 2008, 9.54am
Sofia's Diary, the online drama that debuted on social networking website Bebo, has been acquired by Channel Five to run on new digital channel Fiver. By Mark Sweney (more)

Channel Five sets date for Five Life's relaunch as Fiver
From Media Guardian. Posted April 16 2008, 9.00am
Digital channel Five Life will be relaunched on April 28 as Fiver in an attempt to attract a more youthful audience. By Mark Sweney (more)

five thirty show Producer Leaving?
From allmediascotland - Spike. Posted April 16 2008, 7.59am
A blow for stv’s new, early evening news magazine programme? Spike hears that the producer of the five thirty show, Hayley Valentine, is standing down. It’s believed her last day is on Friday and the departure is because she was looking to work reduced hours on the show,... (more)

ProPublica bolsters editorial team with five appointments
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted April 15 2008, 11.00pm
The investigative reporting website appoints Eric Umansky, Susan White, Sheri Fink, Christina Jewett,Abrahm Lustgarten and Joaquin Sapien (more)

'Foyle' conquers Sunday for ITV1
From Digital Spy. Posted April 14 2008, 7.02pm
The series five opener of Foyle's War draws 7.1m viewers on a strong Sunday night for ITV1. (more)

TV Masterclasses Invite to Young People
From allmediascotland - Spike. Posted April 14 2008, 7.38am
Young people aged over 18 with ambitions to work in television are being invited to apply for places on an offshoot of the Edinburgh International Television Festival. The project - which will comprise workshops and masterclasses - will last for five days and involve some of the... (more)

Fiver adds raft of US reality shows
From Digital Spy. Posted April 10 2008, 2.08pm
A raft of new shows - mainly US factual entertainment - are announced for Five Life successor Fiver. (more)

9X surges to fourth position in India
From Biz Asia. Posted April 8 2008, 4.25pm
INX Media's 9X has stormed into fourth position amongst Hindi General Entertainment Channels (GEC) in India. Launched just under five months ago, 9X continues to maintain a steady growth, week on week with it now hoping to catch up with established channels ZEE TV, STAR Plus and Sony Entertainment Television Asia. In Week 14 of data released for India's West, North and East amongst C&S 4+ audiences, 9X is at 83 GRPs. Other GEC channel ratings are as follows: STAR Plus (346 GRPs), ZEE TV (188 GRPs) and Sony (88) GRPs. In terms of time spent, 9X was at number three amongst the GECs in terms of viewing time; viewers spent 58 minutes on 9X. Time spent on other channels was as follows: STAR Plus (176), ZEE TV (105), Sony (57), Sahara One (57), NDTV Imagine (57), STAR One (53), ZEE Next (32), SAB (29). As BizAsia.co.uk exclusively reported earlier this week, 9X is set to launch in the UK with tests beginning this week. Related links: EXCLUSIVE: 9X UK launch imminent NDTV Imagine set for UK launch Bolly stars lead panel on new 9X reality show Music channel establishes lead position in India 9X & Bindaas begin eating into popular channels New channel 9X opens to a mixed response INX Network to launch channel in India this month STAR India's legal head quits network It's official! Top bosses quit STAR India Siddhartha Basu turns producer for ZEE TV soap (more)

Konnie Huq to front 'Zoo Days' for Five
From Digital Spy. Posted April 7 2008, 6.44pm
Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq will front Five's third series of Zoo Days. (more)

Five takes on 'My Shocking Story'
From Digital Spy. Posted April 7 2008, 3.41pm
Five will air two series of medical show My Shocking Story under a deal with Discovery UK. (more)

Fiver adds US fashion reality series
From Digital Spy. Posted April 7 2008, 12.16pm
Five Life, soon to be renamed Fiver, will air US reality series The Fashionista Diaries. (more)

The great telly shuffle
From Media Guardian. Posted April 6 2008, 11.02pm
On May 12, new channel controllers take up posts at BBC1, ITV and Channel Five. What will their first days be like? By Stephen Armstrong (more)

Brightcove does video distribution deal with five social networks
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted April 6 2008, 11.00pm
Deal with Bebo, Meebo, RockYou, Slide and Veoh opens up new audiences to online video news publishers (more)

Kaplinsky won't receive maternity pay
From Digital Spy. Posted April 4 2008, 4.11pm
Five news presenter Natasha Kaplinsky won't be getting maternity pay. (more)

'Rock Rivals' leaves ITV1 in fourth place
From Digital Spy. Posted April 4 2008, 10.26am
BBC One, Channel 4 and Five shows outgun ITV1 as Rock Rivals attracts its lowest audience yet. (more)

Fincham, Hunt and Gale to start on May 12
From Digital Spy. Posted April 3 2008, 4.18pm
Peter Fincham, Jay Hunt and Ben Gale will start new jobs controlling ITV1, BBC One and Five on May 12. (more)

Jay Hunt, Peter Fincham and Ben Gale set to start new jobs on May 12
From Media Guardian. Posted April 2 2008, 12.08pm
The new heads of BBC1, ITV1 and Channel Five will all start work on May 12. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Investors switch off ITV over ad revenue fears
From Daily Telegraph. Posted April 1 2008, 12.01am
Worries that a slowdown in advertising will hit ITV caused the broadcaster to crash to within a whisker of its five-year low. (more)

MacIntyre to look behind CCTV for Five
From Digital Spy. Posted March 31 2008, 1.13pm
Donal MacIntyre is making a series about the experiences of people who operate CCTV for Five. (more)

Donal MacIntyre to make series on CCTV for Channel Five
From Media Guardian. Posted March 31 2008, 6.19am
Channel Five has commissioned a series in which Donal MacIntyre lifts the lid on CCTV operators across the UK. By Ben Dowell (more)

Jackson Five pair sue Daily Star over 'flat broke' allegations
From Press Gazette. Posted March 27 2008, 12.00am
Two former members of the Jackson Five are planning to sue the Daily Star, just over a week after it printed an unprecedented front page apology to the family of missing girl Madeline McCann. (more)

The Big Question: What does the 'Kaplinsky effect' at Channel Five mean for TV news?
From The Independent. Posted March 26 2008, 12.00am
(more)

NDTV Imagine to launch first afternoon soap
From Biz Asia. Posted March 25 2008, 7.45pm
One of India's fastest growing channels NDTV Imagine has announced the launch of a new soap, the first to occupy its afternoon slot. So far, NDTV Imagine, which launched in India in January (in the UK earlier this month) has had success with only five-hours of original programming. The afternoon band titled 'Indiadhanush' will showcase fascinating facets of India's diverse artistic culture, lifestyle and heritage. Starting 31st March 2008, Indiadhanush, which is being produced by Siddharth Kak's Cinema Vision India, will air on the channel from Monday to Friday at 12:30. Each episode will focus on a series of subjects ranging from history, people, culture, arts and craft, music, dance, folk, wisdom and philosophy, showcasing amazing discoveries. This new series is hosted by Kak and Ami Trivedi. Announcing the launch of this show, NDTV Imagine EVP of content Shailja Kejriwal said, "People have become so busy in their day to day lives that they do not get the time to open their eyes to the beauty around them! While NDTV Imagine offers a range of programming that is distinctive and memorable, Indiadhanush will capture the myriad scenes, rich culture and vibrant personalities which will help our viewers rediscover our own country!" Kak added, "Indiadhanush is a show for everyone who loves India and will appeal to everyone across age groups! The show is an attempt to highlight the diversity of the country and will showcase a new discovery in each episode, in an entertaining manner!" Related links: Two Asian TV channels make Sky launch NDTV Imagine set for UK launch NDTV Imagine begins EPG testing on Sky? NDTV Imagine launches on a high note NDTV Imagine sets India launch date NDTV's Hindi GEC to launch in January Karan Johar joins reality TV show bandwagon NDTV's Hindi GEC to launch in January INX Network to launch channel in India this month New ZEE Network channel branding revealed Another STAR executive leaves for NDTV Chandra appointed NDTV (UK) CEO & MD Confirmed: STAR's Sameer Nair to join NDTV It's official! Top bosses quit STAR India 'KBC' and 'Koffee With Karan' to move to NDTV? UK set up for new NDTV Entertainment channel Dharma Productions buys stake in NDTV channel (more)

Five confirms Gale as programmes chief
From Digital Spy. Posted March 25 2008, 2.23pm
The BBC's Ben Gale will be the new director of programmes at Five, it is confirmed. (more)

Gale crosses over from BBC to Five
From The Stage. Posted March 25 2008, 2.10pm
(more)

Gale confirmed for Five job
From Media Guardian. Posted March 25 2008, 1.00pm
Channel Five has confirmed that BBC commissioning editor Ben Gale will be its new director of programmes. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Ben Gale confirmed for Channel Five job
From Media Guardian. Posted March 25 2008, 1.00pm
Channel Five has confirmed that BBC commissioning editor Ben Gale will be its new director of programmes. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Tuesday's Media Briefing
From Media Guardian. Posted March 25 2008, 9.11am
ON MEDIAGUARDIAN.CO.UK TODAY: 'Natasha Kaplinsky effect' boosts Five News viewing figureshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/25/channelfive.televisionBBC appoints two new political correspondentshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/25/bbc.televisionK-Y jelly asks 'Are you British in bed?'http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/25/advertising (more)

Video: Famous Five get on case for Disney
From Media Guardian. Posted March 25 2008, 7.17am
Watch a clip from Disney Channel's new animated series Famous Five: On the Case, to premiere on April 5. It was co-produced with Famous Five rights owner Chorion and French studio Marathon (more)

'Natasha effect' boosts Five News
From Media Guardian. Posted March 25 2008, 7.16am
Channel Five has hailed the 'Natasha effect' on its early evening news bulletin, saying the programme has seen its ratings grow by 72% since Natasha Kaplinksy joined. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Venezuelan publicity drive spreads wide
From Financial Times. Posted March 23 2008, 5.48pm
The Venezuelan government's self-promotion strategy, which has been stepped up dramatically in the last five years, makes liberal use of television adverts, giveaways and printing presses (more)

Sport on TV: Rohit teaches Ishwar a lesson in the school of hard knocks
From The Independent. Posted March 23 2008, 12.00am
After his outburst at referee Mike Riley in midweek, Radio Five Live described Ashley Cole as "divorced from reality" (as opposed to divorced from Cheryl). He is living up to the image of Premier League players as spoilt brats whose salaries somehow put them beyond the law as well as beyond the pale. It's a foul reflection of our culture. You can only hope that the kids watching don't copy him. It's just not cricket. (more)

BBC defends £30m-a-year F1 broadcast rights
From Financial Times. Posted March 22 2008, 12.40am
Company executives said the five-year deal to bring motor racing back from ITV is a more cost-effective way of reaching elusive young male audiences than football rights (more)

Governor must do more to help banks, says Burt
From The Times. Posted March 22 2008, 12.00am
The former deputy chairman of HBOS accused the Bank of England yesterday of failing to support British banks through the global credit crisis.<br/> <br/> Sir Peter Burt, who was chief executive of Bank of Scotland before its merger with Halifax to create HBOS, told the BBC’s <i>Today</i> programme that the Bank risked sending Britain into a “depression” because of its worries over moral hazard.<br/> <br/> Speaking two days after the Bank was forced to make an unprecedented statement denying that any bank had sought emergency state funding, Sir Peter said that Mervyn King, its Governor, should “go the extra mile” by offering more cash and accepting a wider range of collateral, as had the US Federal Reserve.<br/> <br/> Institutions have complained that its auctions of extra liquidity were sporadic and that it accepted only asset-backed securities based on AAA-rated credit card and mortgage debt. The Bank said on Thursday it would auction an additional £5 billion a week until April 9 and Mr King is thought to be sympathetic to the pleas for a more relaxed attitude to collateral.<br/> <br/> Thursday’s auction was three times oversubscribed, while the auction of an extra £5 billion on Monday was almost five times oversubscribed, indicating the desperate need among Britain’s banks for additional liquidity.<br/> <br/> The renewed attacks on the Bank’s handling of the credit crisis come at a time when it is involved in talks with the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank that could yet see it surprise its critics with new measures.<br/> <br/> Central banks are thought to be examining potentially radical action to combat continuing financial upheavals. There are suggestions they may consider large-scale purchases of the devalued mortgage-backed securities that lie at the heart of the turmoil. (more)

Video: Five Life unveils new branding
From Media Guardian. Posted March 20 2008, 7.13am
Take an exclusive look at the new idents for Five Life, to be rebranded as Fiver in April, in a trailer for magazine spin-off Glamour’s Best Dressed (more)

Five Life to relaunch as Fiver
From Media Guardian. Posted March 20 2008, 7.13am
Channel Five's digital channel Five Life is to be rebranded Fiver as part of a drive to make it 'younger, faster, louder'. By Mark Sweney (more)

Five sends stars and sons on adventures
From Digital Spy. Posted March 20 2008, 6.00am
Five will send stars on adventures with their sons in a series based on The Dangerous Book for Boys. (more)

Five steams past BBC2
From Media Guardian. Posted March 19 2008, 2.56pm
Channel Five's Monster Moves saw the channel triumph over BBC across the peaktime period and the entire day. By John Plunkett (more)

Five years on, Rageh Omaar returns to Iraq to see old friends - and count the cost of war
From Media Guardian. Posted March 18 2008, 12.08am
Sam Wollaston on Rageh Omaar: The Iraq War By Numbers | Alternative Therapies | The Things I Haven't Told (more)

Sport on TV: A brush with royalty but not 'Off with his head'
From The Independent. Posted March 16 2008, 12.00am
Sport Relief came up with the intriguing concept of 'Sport Portraits' (BBC1, Monday and Tuesday), with five celebrated artists (and ex-cricketer Jack Russell) painting portraits of four sporting icons for a charity auction. The pop artist Sir Peter Blake, Jack Vettriano, Stella Vine, cartoonist Gerald Scarfe and photographer Rankin depicted the royal three-day eventer Zara Phillips, boxing funnyman Ricky Hatton and football's Fabio Capello and Didier Drogba. (more)

CNBC Africa secures TV distribution deal in Ghana
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 15 2008, 11.49am
Africa’s premier television business network, CNBC Africa, has secured a terrestial television distribution deal in Ghana, that will deliver CNBC Africa’s internationally known business news contents to an estimated five million viewers in the capital city of Accra, the organisation’s chief operati ng officer, Gary Alfonso, disclosed. The deal, concluded with Kencity Media Group, will [...] (more)

Gale tipped for Five job
From Media Guardian. Posted March 14 2008, 3.45pm
BBC factual entertainment executive Ben Gale is poised to become Channel Five's new director of programmes. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

MacIntyre joins Five Live
From Media Guardian. Posted March 14 2008, 11.06am
Donal MacIntyre is to return to the BBC, presenting a new series of investigative programmes on Radio Five Live. By Ben Dowell (more)

Channel 4 switches away from US imports
From Media Guardian. Posted March 13 2008, 6.03pm
Channel 4 has confirmed it is to scale back its investment in acquired US series, spending £35m less on imports over five years. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Bidding war kicks off for TV football rights
From Media Guardian. Posted March 13 2008, 12.08am
The BBC, ITV, Five, Setanta and Sky have delivered their first round bids to Uefa for the TV rights to Champions League football for three years (more)

Diet-led Charity Earns Five-star Epilepsy Award
From allmediascotland. Posted March 13 2008, 12.00am
Raising awareness of the ketogenic diet for children with epilepsy has earned Daily Telegraph’s senior feature writer Cassandra Jardine the Epilepsy Scotland Journalist of the Year Award.  She collects her £500 prize and trophy tonight from award judge and former Talk... (more)

Sony TV buys 200 movies from Shemaroo
From Biz Asia. Posted March 12 2008, 10.41pm
Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India has acquired the worldwide satellite rights for about 200 films from Shemaroo Entertainment for an undisclosed amount for a period of five years. Some of the movies are Jeans, Mahaan, Hulmaa, Love In Shimla, Oh Darling Yeh Hai India, Maya Memsaab, Udhar Ki Jindagi, Sanam Bewafa, Khwahish, Kis Kis Ki Kismat, Joroo Ka Ghulam, Zindagi Zindagi, Ek Nazar, Baaz – A Bird In Danger, Heer Ranjha, The Great Gambler, Benaam, Khuda Gawah, Do Raaste, Around The World, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Aaj-Ke-Sholey, Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye, Shiva, Souten, Kaalia, Namak Halaal, Hadh Kar Di Aapne, amongst others. These rights have been exclusively acquired for cable, satellite, pay TV, satellite subscription TV, DTH, direct broadcasting service, cable through distribution and PPV. Non-exclusive rights for VOD and IPTV have also been acquired for the movies. Related link: Sony TV acquires 16 new films from Eros Int. (more)

MySpace to carry Five News bulletins
From UTalk Marketing. Posted March 11 2008, 11.35am
Social network changes face of TV news (more)

Video: MySpace to host Five News
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted March 11 2008, 12.00am
Five News MySpaceTV channel launches today (more)

Egyptian TV spat risks closing channels
From Rapid TV News. Posted March 9 2008, 2.41pm
Recent rules put in place to curb inflammatory statements on air might lead to the closure of five satellite channels in Egypt. (more)

Sport on TV: Pistorius pursued by prejudice, Harmison chased by demons
From The Independent. Posted March 9 2008, 12.00am
Oscar Pistorius is indeed an extraordinary person, as "The Fastest Man On No Legs" (Five, Wednesday) proclaimed. As an infant, he had both feet amputated at the ankle. Now the International Association of Athletics Federations are running scared of him running away with a sprint medal at the Olympics – with the aid of his state-of-the-art carbon fibre limbs. (more)

Luxton to front Five's property shows
From Digital Spy. Posted March 7 2008, 11.48am
Architectural designer Charlie Luxton will present across Five's portfolio of property programmes. (more)

Luxton to front Channel Five's property shows
From Media Guardian. Posted March 6 2008, 4.25pm
Channel Five has signed an exclusive deal with architectural designer Charlie Luxton to be the new face of its property shows. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

Focus on cost helps Five switch back to profit
From Daily Telegraph. Posted March 6 2008, 12.01am
Five, the television channel, returned to profit in 2007 even as its German parent RTL sliced €123m (£94m) off the broadcaster's value. (more)

Channel Five's Neighbours bet has 'paid off'
From Media Guardian. Posted March 5 2008, 2.57pm
Channel Five's £300m 'big bet' on Neighbours has paid off, said RTL chief executive as audience share rose 13%. By Mark Sweney (more)

Royal documentary is US ratings hit
From Media Guardian. Posted March 5 2008, 11.59am
An edited-down version of the BBC1 'Crowngate' series has picked up the US ABC network's highest rating for its 20/20 current affairs strand for five years. By Leigh Holmwood (more)

ITV results reveal broadcaster has already curbed regional programmes
From Press Gazette. Posted March 5 2008, 12.00am
ITV has already cut its regional budget by almost five per cent ahead of a drastic reorganisation of its news output over the next two years, the broadcaster revealed today. (more)

Conrad Black expected to serve five years in prison
From Press Gazette. Posted March 4 2008, 12.00am
Riding in the rear of a green Cadillac with tinted windows, Conrad Black made the four-hour trip from his seafront home in Palm Beach to a prison in northern Florida. (more)

S4C boosts children's programming
From Media Guardian. Posted February 29 2008, 10.58am
Welsh-language broadcaster S4C is launching an extra five-and-a-half hours of pre-school shows. By Mark Sweney (more)

Breaking earthquake story on local news website 'within five minutes'
From