LATEST NEWS
Channel fined £80,000 over Comedy Awards phone-in scandal
Channel TV has been fined £80,000 by Ofcom for its part in the phone-in scandal that saw Ant and Dec wrongly given a 2005 British Comedy Awards.
Channel TV calls for police action on awards scandal
Channel TV has called for a criminal investigation into the British Comedy Awards phone-in scandal, after members of the TV production team “deliberately” changed the 2005 People’s Choice Awards from Catherine Tate to Ant and Dec.
BBC staff vote on Salford move
The BBC is to begin recruitment for around 800 jobs at BBC North after almost half of London-based rank-and-file staff agreed to the move to Manchester.
Boyle quits Mock the Week
BBC2’s topical panel show Mock the Week will return for two more series – but without outspoken panellist Frankie Boyle.
Bradshaw and Starkey clash over Marr interview
Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has stepped up his criticism of Andrew Marr’s interview with Gordon Brown, lambasting an “error of judgement” that was “part of the trivialisation and degradation of our political discourse”.
Absolute Radio makes programming changes
Absolute Radio has made a series of senior programming team changes, including the promotion of Jo Russell Show producer Paul Sylvester to head of the station’s programme schedule.
C4 to mark tsunami anniversary
Channel 4 is to mark the fifth anniversary of the 2004 Asian tsunami with a feature-length documentary that edits amateur footage of the disaster.
BBC gives go-ahead for second pregnancy series
BBC3 has greenlit an extended eight-part second run of Underage And Pregnant from Mentorn Media.
North East strategy shapes up with STV/ITV execs
Screen agency Northern Film & Media has hired former STV and ITV Productions executives to help develop the creative industries across the North East.
Five mulls switch to pay-TV
Five is considering taking its main terrestrial channel into the pay-TV market as it investigates radical survival strategies.
THE BROADCAST INTERVIEW
Tom Toumazis and Cathy Payne, Endemol Worldwide Distribution
Tom Toumazis and Cathy Payne reveal Endemol’s plans for its new distribution business - and tell Michael Rosser what they’ll be up to at Mipcom.
THE COMMISSIONER
Mark Bell, BBC arts
The man with the BBC’s arts tick is looking to throw off cultural programming’s elitist image and prove that there is more to arts coverage than just music.
NEW COMMISSIONS
Boyle quits Mock the Week
BBC2’s topical panel show Mock the Week will return for two more series – but without outspoken panellist Frankie Boyle.
LATEST INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Living snares Cougar Town
Living has acquired US comedy Cougar Town, featuring Courtney Cox as a newly single woman on the prowl for younger men.
LATEST TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Sony devises single lens 3D camera system
Sony has developed a camera system for shooting stereoscopic 3D content that requires just a single lens to capture the left and right eyes.
RATINGS
Bill boosted by New Tricks no-show
ITV1 won the Thursday night 9pm battle for the first time since moving The Bill to a post-watershed slot last night, with 4.2m tuning in.
CRITICS
2 October, '09
“Utterly, utterly charming, brimming with off-kilter observations.” Read on for the verdict on last night’s TV.
COMMENT
Every penny counts
If you thought Mipcom and the AFM were the last remaining events in the calendar year that could impact on your bottom line, think again, writes Cate Hemmings.
International inspiration
Despite the recession, there is much to be optimistic about in the international marketplace.
DISTRIBUTORS SURVEY 2009
Distributors Survey 2009
Welcome to Broadcast’s fifth annual survey of the UK distribution sector. This year’s survey includes 32 of the UK’s leading distributors.
Poll
Is STV right to ditch ITV dramas for Scottish programmes?
