How army recruited amputees to make Afghanistan training exercise as realistic as possible
From Daily Mail. Posted February 10 2010, 12.59am
The MoD employed actors from Amputees in Action, an agency specialising in supplying amputees as extras for the film and television industries. (more)

Portugal 'will not' quit the euro
From BBC News. Posted February 9 2010, 10.19pm
Portugal 'will not' leave euro, Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos has told the BBC. (more)

Dudgeon confirmed for 'Midsomer Murders'
From Digital Spy - TV. Posted February 9 2010, 9.56pm
Neil Dudgeon is announced to replace John Nettles in ITV1 drama Midsomer Murders. (more)

How do you spend £639 on a taxi? Ask the BBC's technology chief
From Media Guardian. Posted February 9 2010, 9.55pm
Silicon Valley and Las Vegas provide backdrop for limousine journeys by BBC whizz behind the iPlayerAs the BBC's director of future media and technology, Eric Huggers is accustomed to wrestling with the most tricky questions relating to the corporation's role in a rapidly changing digital age. (more)

Institutional dogs bark up wrong tree
From Daily Telegraph. Posted February 9 2010, 7.47pm
The guard dogs are barking. Marks & Spencer's £15m golden hello for Marc Bolland and a £16m pay package for Adam Crozier, ITV's new chief executive, has put executive pay firmly back on the agenda. (more)

TV product placement ban lifted in UK
From Daily Telegraph. Posted February 9 2010, 6.20pm
Commercial broadcasters will soon be allowed to accept payment for promoting branded goods in hit TV shows. (more)

Tories: we'll block regional TV news plan from becoming law
From Media Guardian. Posted February 9 2010, 6.01pm
'This is a redline for us', says shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt of plan for independently funded news consortiumsThe shadow culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has ratcheted up his opposition to the government's plan for regional TV news consortium... (more)

Channel 4's Royal Mail witch hunt | Roy Mayall
From Media Guardian. Posted February 9 2010, 6.00pm
Monday's Dispatches programme was an exercise in one-sided journalism. Where was the coherent analysis?The opening lines of Monday evening's Dispatches programme on Channel 4 set the tone for the next 40 minutes. "Once Royal Mail was your friend," it said. "Not any more. (more)

TV product placement plan confirmed
From Digital Spy - Broadcasting. Posted February 9 2010, 5.42pm
The government announces that product placement will be allowed on television for the first time. (more)

BBC reveals it spent £229 million on talent
From The Stage. Posted February 9 2010, 5.41pm
(more)

Business Travellers "Escape 2 Africa"
From Press Release, via realwire. Posted February 9 2010, 5.16pm
9 February 2010 – European business travellers escape the stresses of working away from home by unwinding with comedies and animated movies, according to data analysis by hotel technology solutions provider, Quadriga. (more)

Accelerating towards crisis: a PR view of Toyota's recall
From Media Guardian. Posted February 9 2010, 5.09pm
The Japanese carmaker has seen its reputation for quality take a serious dent. (more)

TV ratings: Hustle edges ahead of Law & Order UK
From Media Guardian. Posted February 9 2010, 5.05pm
BBC1 con artist show ends sixth series with 5.6 million viewers, 200,000 ahead of ITV1 rivalThe final episode of BBC1 con artist drama Hustle scored a narrow ratings victory over ITV1's Law & Order UK last night, Monday 8 February.Hustle ended its sixth series with 5. (more)

Turkmen president reprimands Communications Minister, fires TV boss
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 9 2010, 4.50pm
The President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, has signed a decree severely reprimanding Minister of Communications Ovlyaguly Dzhumagulyev for “unsatisfactory performance of official duties, poor management of subordinate agencies an... (more)

MasterChef takes on the big boys | Media Monkey
From Media Guardian. Posted February 9 2010, 4.30pm
Prepare for a ratings showdown next Thursday night. In the blue corner is MasterChef, which is returning to BBC1 for a new series with a 90-minute special at 8.30pm. In the red corner is ITV1 soaperstar Coronation Street, followed by an hour of The Bill at 9pm. (more)