Snippets
foxy
NEWS in association with Streets Online - DVDs, CDs, Books and Games
http://www.streetsonline.co.uk/cgi-bin/SetAffiliate.cgi?a=3D15997
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---------------------------
OpenTV Interactive=20=20
OpenTV, the leading interactive television and media solutions compan=
y, has announced a new division - OpenTV Interactive - in a "proactive effo=
rt to fill the interactive television content pipeline and offer immediate =
brand-building solutions for service operators and content producers".=20
"OpenTVi gives television network operators worldwide the power to =
leverage the most robust iTV solution out there and additionally, they bene=
fit from OpenTV's experience and expertise as they adopt and deploy ITV ser=
vices," said James Ackerman, Chief Executive of OpenTV who will also head t=
he new division . "OpenTVi is at the forefront of content development and w=
ith this new division, OpenTV is playing the leading role in shaping the fu=
ture of ITV"=20
OpenTVi will create, package and deliver compelling ITV services for =
its clients around the world, further gaining momentum of ITV deployments o=
n a local, regional and global level. For example, with its recent acquisit=
ion of CableSoft Corporation, OpenTVi can supply a wide range of local cont=
ent services to digital cable and advanced analogue systems including commu=
nity yellow pages and classified advertisements.=20
Currently, the OpenTVi division provides clients including EchoStar, =
BSkyB and La Television Par Satellite (TPS) with a variety of exciting new =
services, applications and tools produced by OpenTVi, creating enhanced pro=
gramming, instant news, shopping by remote control and banking on TV.=20
=20=20=20=20=20
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30.11.00
Channel Four Unveils "Diverse And Intelligent" Winter Schedule
=20
Is Tim Gardam, Channel 4's director of programmes, still giddy with the suc=
cess of summer sensation Big Brother? It seems likely, given the fighting t=
alk with which he introduced his channel's winter offerings: "Channel 4's s=
chedule this winter is proof, I hope, that the future of quality television=
does not have to be two episodes of EastEnders sandwiching The Weakest Lin=
k. It is a source of justifiable pride to everyone at Channel 4 that despit=
e the suffocating competition of today's TV market, we are still able to of=
fer a more diverse and intelligent mix of programming than any commercial b=
roadcaster in the world." This from the channel which counts amongst its bi=
ggest recent successes a programme whose main attraction was the chance of =
seeing people in the shower...=20
Shaky moral high ground aside, C4's winter schedule appears on the face of =
it to contain a happy marriage of the popular and the high brow. Something =
old - the return of popular comedy offerings Trigger Happy TV and Spaced fo=
r second series. More of the 100 Greatest... strand and a follow up to the =
docusoap history lesson The 1900 House, in the form of The 1940 House.=20
Something new - a drama called Teachers, which "portrays a group of young s=
econdary school teachers whose unruly lives and loves are not noticeably di=
ssimilar from those of their adolescent charges." Another drama series look=
s set to maintain C4's reputation for less mainstream programming. Metrosex=
uality was written and directed by its star, Rikki Beadle-Blair, who also c=
omposed the soundtrack, while As If, a drama about six 18-year-old friends,=
apparently has the "feel of a real-life documentary".=20
It is more than possible that a couple more of the new offerings will be do=
cumentaries with the feel of a drama, as Boy Meets Girl follows the exploit=
s of volunteers living as the opposite sex for three months, while Living b=
y the Book follows more volunteers, living according to popular self-help b=
ook rules for a month. Essential viewing for the Bridget Jones generation..=
.=20
Something borrowed, as ever with Channel 4, is sourced Stateside, as Americ=
an heroes Frasier and Sex and the City return, and are joined by The West W=
ing. If the latest real-life saga about the US presidency hasn't put you ri=
ght off, this award-winning drama series stars Martin Sheen as the man in c=
harge of the big red button.=20
More borrowings, this time from author Evelyn Waugh, come as C4 steps into =
classic series territory with a two part epic adaptation of WWII trilogy Sw=
ord of Honour.=20
Which leaves something blue. Teachers, As If and Metrosexuality are more or=
less guaranteed to up the adult factor on the channel this winter, along w=
ith Position Impossible, in which actor and comedian Sanjeev Baskhar looks =
at the mysteries surrounding possibly the world's most famous love manual, =
the Kama Sutra. In the course of the programme Baskhar tries to discover if=
the book is still relevant to lifestyles 1500 years after it was written. =
Presumably this isn't one of the titles covered in Living by the Book...=20
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Front Row rebrands and repackages=20
Pay-per-view (PPV) movie service Front Row is almost doubling the num=
ber of films its shows each day as part of a wider re-packaging and re-bran=
ding, writes Simon Ellery.=20
As part of the re-vamping of Front Row, which is a joint venture serv=
ice between Telewest Communications and NTL, programming strands will be la=
unched as well as a matinee slot and a late film slot. The service currentl=
y shows 12 films a day but extra films will also be bought-in with up to 30=
extra studio films to be shown
Currently headlining James Bond The World is Not Enough, since its la=
unch in 1998 Front Row has increased its audience figures from 300,000 to 3=
m.=20
A new on-air look, including idents designed specifically for digital=
use, has also been created by English and Pockett.
According to Front Row chief executive Andy Birchall the designs pred=
ict future technological advances to bring on video-on-demand.
Birchall told Broadcast: 'There are things that we have done in this =
that make it easy for us to grow the service from pay per view to near vide=
o on demand and finally video on demand.'
It is expected that a Front Row branded VOD service will be launched =
as both Telewest and NTL have confirmed that they are running engineering t=
rials for VOD.
=20=20=20=20=20
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Watershed stays in multi-channel age=20
The Government plan to reaffirm, in a broadcasting White Paper shortl=
y, that the 9pm watershed must remain in the multi-channel age. With the nu=
mber of channels growing almost daily, there are concerns that the Independ=
ent Television Commission (ITC) may struggle policing some 400 plus service=
s. Observers have already questioned the availability of 15 rated pay-per-v=
iew films, such as Fight Club, outside the watershed, while others criticis=
ed the earlier 8pm start for the Playboy Channel following a merger. The br=
oadcasting White Paper, presented to Parliament on December 12th, is expect=
ed to begin the complex task of placing all the regulatory bodies under one=
roof. Likely to be known as Ofcom, the body could replace the role of the =
BBC governors, the ITC, and the Broadcasting Standards Council, to name but=
three. However, concerns over the watershed may be short-sighted. An ITC r=
eport earlier this month claimed that television is less of an influence on=
children's behaviour than family, friends and teachers.=20
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--------------------------=20
SKY NEWS in association with BUY - the technology site
http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/tracker.asp?pid=3D1000&code=3D259633
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---------------------------
--- Please visit our sponsors ----
Video Production Services: ATV Lorimar Studios
www.atv-lorimar.co.uk
----------------
Talk Gospel has launched on Channel 949.=20
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--------------------------=20
ONDIGITAL NEWS in association with Pricerunner - the online price compariso=
n site
http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/tracker.asp?pid=3D1000&code=3D259644
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---------------------------
ONdigital forced to delay floatation=20
More woe this week for ONdigital, with news that their rumoured flota=
tion is destined to be delayed. Granada's Charles Allen, joint owners of th=
e digital terrestrial broadcaster, blames a general decline in media stocks=
for the disappointment. Allen's admission is the clearest indication that =
Granada and its ONdigital partner Carlton, do not believe they can obtain, =
for the time being, a fair value on the stock market for their digital terr=
estrial venture. In results released this week, Granada's profits fell 45 p=
er cent, thanks to the cost of running and developing digital television ch=
annels. The company, spun off from Granada Group Plc in July, is investing =
in digital television and internet sites to compete with other free and pay=
-television channels, particularly Sky Digital, for viewers and advertisers=
. Granada Media reportedly lost =A333m on digital ventures such as Men & Mo=
tors, and related websites. Meanwhile, ONdigital has begun a Christmas tele=
vision campaign, in a bid to lure new subscribers, at a time of year that t=
raditionally attracts record viewing figures. Television ads currently bein=
g broadcast promise "something for everyone" this festive season. In a rece=
nt advertising campaign, a party are shown passing around a take-away meal,=
that includes a =A399 pre-paid ONdigital receiver. Bosses predict that ONd=
igital will pass the psychological one million subscriber mark, in time for=
Christmas.=20
TEST TRANSMISSIONS
Editor; Paul Kendall
Assistant Ed: Daniel H
*******************
TEST TRANSMISSIONS - Email to: pken...@totalise.co.uk
*******************
=20
I must first of all apologise for the strange "Test Transmissions"
section in Tuesday's bulletin. As there was no Digi News on Sunday
last, I asked Andy to include the report I made for Sunday's Dig Nnews
in the Tuesday edition.=20
=20
More changes in the transponder allocation between the satellites.
Because of this, I have presented this list in a
satellite-by-satellite style, with each transponder listed. This way,
you get a fuller picture. However, this is a section for test
transmissions, so I have not listed the stations on the EPG, or other
well established broadcasters like Costcutter. Where a transponder is
used for Open, I have indicated this.
=20
The following were logged between 11:15 and 12:10 on Thursday 30
November:
=20
=20
Astra 1D - SR 22000, FEC 5/6
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D 10.714H tp41 No signal found
=20
10.862H tp51
Dnew - ** NEW **
Another new Disney channel? Currently transmitting programs.
=20
10.921H tp 55
SU1 - **CHANGE **
Was showing banner: "Programmes start at 6.00 a.m." Now black screen.
=20
Hallmark - ** NEW **
Last weekend was just HM. Transmitting as EPG 190.
=20
st n - ** CHANGE **
Star News - no tx. "Technical fault ..."
=20
10.936V tp 56
[blank]
No tx.
=20
Sky Spts Extra
=20
11.836H Now gone to Astra 2A - ** CHANGE **
11.856V Now gone to Astra 2A - ** CHANGE **
11.914H Now gone to Astra 2A - ** CHANGE **
11.934V Now gone to Astra 2A - ** CHANGE **
12.032H Now gone to Astra 2B - ** CHANGE **
=20
=20
Astra 2A - SR 27500, FEC 2/3
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=20=20
11.720H tp 1 - ** CHANGE **
Olympics } Gone
Olympics ni } at last!
=20
=20
11.739V tp 2
No test activity.
=20
11.758H tp 3
Spare
No tx.
=20
Sky Spts 1 test
Sky Sports 1*
=20
Spts Uefa
Sky Sports 2*
=20
11.778V tp 4
TestService
Was 16:9 testcard. Then showed Box Office sports trailer (Lewis-Tua
boxing). Now no tx.
=20
11.798H tp 5
Olympics wa } Also gone
Olympics sc } at last!
=20
11.817V tp 6 No test activity.
=20
11.836H tp 7
SU2
No tx.
=20
11.856V tp 8 No test activity.
=20
11.876H tp 9 No test activity
=20
11.895V tp 10
Service9
Black screen. Have been Asian programme titles on banner.
=20
N/A
No tx.
=20
Rx
(Radio) No tx.
=20
Ry
(Radio) No tx
=20
11.914H tp 11 No test activity.
11.934V tp 12 No test activity.
=20
11.954H tp 13
S1
NTL Newman Street testcard in widescreen.
=20
12.051V tp 18
5606
Radio feed.
=20
12.129V tp 22
TViC
No tx.
=20
12.148H tp 23
st+
Star Plus. No tx. "Technical fault ..."
=20
12.168V tp 24
4Ln
Channel 4 London. With sound.
=20
4Sh
Channel 4 South. With sound.
=20
4Md
Channel 4 Midlands. Without sound.
=20
4Nh
Channel 4 North. Without sound.
=20
4Ur
Channel 4 Northern Ireland. Without sound.
=20
4Sd
Channel 4 Scotland. Without sound.
=20
F4
Film Four. FYI banner.
=20
F41
Film Four +1hr. FYI banner.
=20
E4
E4. FYI banner.
=20
F4e
Film Four Extreme. FYI banner.
=20
4Xtra
Channel 4 Extra. "Technical fault ..."
=20
12.226H tp 27 No test activity.
=20
12.246V tp 28 No channels found.
Open Interactive.
=20
12.285V tp 30 No signal found.
=20
12.422H tp 37 No test activity.
=20
12.480V tp 40
Awd
Artsworld. No tx. Starts 02 December.
=20
mutvdual - ** NEW **
Looks like another MUTV frequency. Why?
=20
=20
Astra 2B - SR 27500, FEC 2/3
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=20=20
11.973V tp 14
PR - **NEW/CHANGE **
Was CrossRhythms (with an s). Has someone
been reading this column and decided to get rid
of the confusion? Thanks to Nads for his emails
to me on this.
=20
BTV24 - ** CHANGE **
As Bangla TV.
=20
11.992H tp 15 No channels found
Open Interactive.
=20
12.012V tp 16 No channels found.
Open Interactive.
=20
12.032H tp 17 No test activity.
12.070H tp 19 No test activity.
12.090V tp 20 No test activity.
=20
12.110H tp 21
ucbi
(Radio) Union of Christian Broadcasters (International?). No tx
=20
LBH - ** NEW **
(Radio) No tx.
=20
12.188H tp 25
1946, 1947, 1948
Three radio stations from Music Choice. No encryption. Enjoy!
=20
1950
(Radio) Music Choice, but no tx. "Technical fault".
=20
meta1
Music Choice. Presumably will be new Music Choice mini-EPG, page 850,
from 01 Dec.
=20
meta2
Music Choice. Presumably will be new Music Choice mini-EPG, page 851,
from 01 Dec.
=20
12.207V tp 26 No test activity.
12.266H tp 29 No test activity.
=20
12.304H tp 31 No channels found.
Open interactive.
=20
12.324V tp 32
talkGospel - ** CHANGE **
(Radio) Was Tgos. Now on EPG 949.
=20
12.363V tp 34 No test activity.
12.382H tp 35 No test activity.
=20
12.402V tp 36
Mag
Magazine Review Channel. Broadcasting Liberty TV.
=20
fam
(Radio) Family Radio, from California. Transmitting Christian radio.
=20
rem 1
Test transmission for Anjuman.
=20
Faml1
(Radio) Family Radio, from California.
=20
Faml2
(Radio) No tx.
=20
trk - ** CHANGE **
(Radio) Total Rock Radio. Now transmitting. Should appear on EPG 950
soon.
=20
gntw
??? No tx.
=20
12.460H tp 39
Sky Sports Extra
But transmitting Sky Sports 2*
=20
=20
* Txs marked * above are sports transmissions that I monitored
on 10 November. Since then, due to pecuniary disadvantage (!)
I no longer subscribe to the sports or movie channels. If you
spot any changes that I will not, please do let me know!
=20
Hope you like this satellite-by-satellite presentation. The idea was
to have a full list of frequencies so that everyone can play around
with "Add Channels". But let me know if you'd prefer the list in
frequency order, as it was before.
=20
=20
More on Sunday.
=20
**************************
----------------
Web; www.diginews.co.uk
That's it for this edition of Digi News UK, if you have any news, or you
would like to comment on these and any other news/debate/information articl=
e
or if you have any comments or suggestions on how to improve this FREE
service please send them to us direct in one of the following ways.
Email: digi...@look2.co.uk
Messenger Services;
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MSN Messenger; moo...@hotmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger; moose17hotmail
Steve (Look2) ICQ:1181342
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: If you are a member of egroups, simply send a blank
message to diginews-...@egroups.com. If you are not yet a member, sig=
n
up at www.egroups.com. Remember, it's FREE and it will take a maximum of 30
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All contents (C) 2000 Digi News UK (Look2 Networks UK), except where
indicated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
retransmitted/published without the express prior permission of the editor
(digi...@look2.co.uk) and/or credit to Digi News UK (www.diginews.co.uk).
Information is subject to change and/or may be incorrect.
- - - - - - - -
------
ICQ: 72793645
MSN Messenger: moo...@hotmail.com
Yahoo! Mesenger: moose17hotmail
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
(c)2000 Look2 Networks UK www.look2.co.uk=20
foxy
BSkyB and Viacom clash leaves Nick UK head-less
A clash between BSkyB and Viacom boards is thought to be preventing the selection of a new
managing director for joint-venture kids channel Nickelodeon UK, writes Simon Ellery.
Sources warned of growing tension between the boards of the media giants, which are joint
Nickelodeon share holders, since Viacom took the contract to handle Nickelodeon UK advertising sales
in-house earlier this year. Sky previously held the contract.
UK children's channels - including Fox Kids and Nickelodeon UK - are also known to be
aggravated at Sky One general manager David Bergg's aggressive drive to target kids.
The boards have failed to name a new chief for Nickelodeon since former managing director
Janie Grace resigned in July to join ITV. Sources said that while Viacom wants a creative person,
BSkyB would prefer a commercial expert. Interviews were understood to be continuing last week.
One senior source claimed the board was split: 'It is inconceivable that it could take this
long.'
Internal candidates, such as Nickelodeon UK general manager Paul Lindley and director of
programming Howard Litton, are believed to be out of the running.
External candidates being considered include former Nickelodeon staffer and BSkyB head of
content and creative affairs James Baker and Fox Kids managing director Annie Miles.
www.produxion.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SKY NEWS in association with BUY - the technology site
http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/tracker.asp?pid=1000&code=259633
Entertainment and media store BOL is to be made available for the first time on a non-web platform,
namely BSkyB's interactive television channel, Open. At first only books, CDs, DVDs and videos will
be available to shoppers on this platform, but the range will be expanded shortly to include
computer games and software.
The BOL store on Open will categorise books by subject, 'Best of the Best', 'Greatest Books Ever'
and children's. Music will be categorised under 8 different genres as well as the top 20 and artist
of the week, while films will be arranged by genre, a special feature chart and BOL Top 10 list. To
launch the site, BOL is to participate in the half price number ones promotion currently running on
Open, offering 2 top books, CDs and DVD/videos a week at 50% off.
foxy
THERE is a minute to go. Michael Owen slips past two Brazilian defenders an=
d fires the ball into the net. The goalkeeper has no chance. England win th=
e 2006 World Cup.=20
The match is screened live on pay-per-view television. A pensioner who can =
barely afford to pay his household bills, let alone a subscription to satel=
lite television - never mind an additional PPV fee - listens to the game on=
the radio and imagines the scene as Owen is mobbed by the England team.=20
He imagines it, that is, until he can see the goal for himself on the next =
terrestrial news bulletin. Sport is news and ITN have the right - legal and=
moral -to report that news, regardless of which company have paid millions=
for the television rights.=20
Not everyone sees it that way; some sports rights-holders see it as little =
short of theft when news programmes show clips of sports events. One Americ=
an TV executive actually told me at a conference on sports rights that he t=
hought ITN were "stealing" Wimbledon pictures.=20
Of course, television news broadcasters do not steal pictures. We have a le=
gal right, enshrined in the Copyright Act, to report the news using picture=
s of sports events.=20
There is also a voluntary agreement between the main broadcasters, called t=
he Sports News Access Code. The code turns the law into simple rules that c=
an be used in newsrooms and allows ITN, the BBC, Sky and others to show up =
to a minute or so of pictures from any sports event broadcast in Britain.=20
So our pensioner can see the shot that takes Michael Atherton to his centur=
y, the final chase as Papillon wins the Grand National or, if he really wan=
ts to, see the missed chances in England's 0-0 draw with Finland.=20
If we are not stealing pictures, then was the American TV executive at leas=
t right when he said we damaged his precious product? I would say no, in fa=
ct just the opposite - we actually boost the value of his event. That is ce=
rtainly not why we do so, but by reporting on major sports events in news b=
ulletins we increase the profile of the sport, making more people want to w=
atch events.=20
The viewers who do find the cash for pay-per-view TV are currently measured=
in tens or hundreds of thousands; a major TV news bulletin will be watched=
by millions. The people who pay for subscription TV are already converts t=
o the sport they watch; news brings the message to everyone, to the unconve=
rted, not yet hooked on Naz, Beckham or Kournikova.=20
If sport is about money, then it is also about exposure for the sponsors an=
d the advertisers. Again, it is not why news organisations like ITN report =
on sport, but by doing so we happen to promote it. Rights holders should co=
nsider this when they try to frustrate or deny our right to report the news=
on television and the Internet.=20
Sports organisations want, and need, to be on the news. From boxing to Form=
ula One, from horse racing to football, every sport stages pre-event and po=
st-event press conferences, interviews and photo opportunities and offers f=
ilming facilities. It would be quite wrong to cover all these and not show =
what happened when the event itself took place.=20
Of course, rights-holders need protection for the millions of pounds they h=
ave invested. ITN cannot use news as an excuse to run Match of the Day. But=
there is protection. The law and voluntary sports news access code allows =
for only limited access to pictures, enough and no more to tell the news st=
ories people have a right to see.=20
So, at the Olympics in Sydney, non-rights holders such as ITN and Sky, Amer=
ica's CNN and CBS, and Australia's Channel 9 and ABC had access to only a f=
ew minutes of action for their news programmes, while rights holders could =
run hours and hours. But those few minutes were enough to tell the news sto=
ries that made Sydney the greatest Olympic Games yet.=20
The next football season will see a proliferation of matches available only=
on pay-per-view and subscription television. We have already seen an Engla=
nd World Cup qualifier on PPV through a channel called Udirect.=20
It is not just news broadcasters who are concerned at the efforts of pay-TV=
operators to get an exclusive stranglehold on sport. Arne Wessberg, the pr=
esident elect of the EBU, the industry association of Europe's main public =
service broadcasters, has called for a guarantee that major sporting events=
are shown free-to-air.=20
He warned that pay-TV was driving up costs and damaging the complex relatio=
nship between sport and society and also the essential values of sport.=20
It is early days for pay-per-view in this country, but there have already b=
een attempts to restrict news access to televised boxing shown on PPV.=20
It would be a great shame for viewers and for sport itself if Michael Owen'=
s joy or Gazza's tears were denied to everyone but the few who could afford=
to pay to see what are newsworthy national events. There should not be an =
embargo on news just because it happens to be sports news.
SKY TEXT AVAILABLE
The much over-hyped Sky Text has been launched today - simply press 'text' =
on Sky Sports 1,2 or 3 or channel 998 to view this free service. Full detai=
ls of the service are sparse, however, initial reactions from viewers seem =
to be positive.=20
What do you think? Send your views now to digi...@look2.co.uk (I'll prepar=
e for a flood of emails!) and I'll include some in the next mailing.=20
OFT to investigate BSkyB's pay-TV deals=20
Jason Deans=20
Tuesday December 5, 2000=20
The Office of Fair Trading is to investigate BSkyB's pay-TV channel supply =
agreements with cable operators and ONdigital to see if they fall foul of t=
he beefed up new Competition Act.=20
The six-month OFT inquiry will consider whether BSkyB's wholesale programmi=
ng deals with other pay-TV operators amount to either an abuse of a dominan=
t market position or constitute agreements that will damage competition in =
the UK.=20
An OFT spokesman confirmed that the investigation had not been triggered by=
a formal complaint, unlike the competition regulator's last major inquiry =
into BSkyB's wholesale programming business in 1996.=20
The OFT said "no assumption could be made at this stage that there had been=
an infringement".=20
But the spokesman added that for an investigation to be launched there had =
to be "reasonable grounds for suspecting that the [Competition Act] has bee=
n infringed".=20
BSkyB rival ONDigital said it welcomed the inquiry. "This is exactly what w=
e have been asking for," said a spokesman.=20
The move follows an OFT review of the undertakings BSkyB gave following the=
1996 investigation to meet the regulator's concerns about competition.=20
This inquiry began in January and was prompted by consolidation in the UK c=
able industry and the launch of digital TV.=20
Now the OFT, under director general John Vickers who took over from John Br=
idgeman in October, has decided to launch a full inquiry under the terms of=
the new Competition Act.=20
The Act came into force on March 1 and gives the OFT a beefed up role in po=
licing competition.=20
A BSkyB spokesman said the company noted the transition of the OFT's curren=
t inquiry to one under the new legislation. He added: "We look forward to a=
n early conclusion of this inquiry."=20
In 1996, following the OFT's last investigation of BSkyB's wholesale progra=
mming deals, the company undertook not to bundle certain channels and publi=
sh a ratecard with a discount structure agreed in advance with the regulato=
r.=20
The pay-TV operator was also required to submit separate accounts for its r=
etail and wholesale programming businesses.=20
Insiders at ONDigital said that BSkyB's dominant market position has seriou=
sly affected margins on the pay-TV services the operation offers.=20
One option would be to drop the price of premium services such as Sky's spo=
rts and movie services and boost subscriber numbers. However, ONdigital is =
restricted in what it does by prior agreements with Sky.
ONDIGITAL NEWS i
ONrequest goes cheap for Xmas
Between 22nd December and 2nd January, all movies ordered will cost =A31.99=
, as opposed to the normal =A32.99 charged.
foxy
BBC Reveals Line-Up For Christmas and Winter
=20
The BBC has unveiled the schedules which will take its ratings war with ITV=
into the season of goodwill and the New Year. =A342m has been spent on the=
two week Christmas line-up for BBC1, while the =A3158m spend on the winter=
schedule includes =A359m spent on drama.=20
Pay-TV may have reduced the pull of terrestrial film premieres, but this ha=
sn't stopped the Beeb placing Hollywood hits in prime positions in its Chri=
stmas schedule. Christmas Eve will see sci-fi action movie Independence Day=
sandwiched between homegrown stalwarts Auntie's Sparkling Bloomers and a s=
easonal They Think It's All Over. Christmas Day will see a similar story, w=
ith two episodes of EastEnders flanking Titanic. Kids choice will come on B=
oxing Day with 101 Dalmations.=20
Most press attention has been grabbed by one-off comedy, Mirrorball, going =
out on 22 December. Written by and starring the original Absolutely Fabulou=
s line-up, transported to the world of West End musicals, it has apparently=
inspired Jennifer Saunders to revive Ab Fab for a new series in future. Ot=
her comedy specials over Christmas include Jim Davidson, Victoria Wood and =
The Royle Family on Christmas Day, Caroline Quentin in Kiss Me Kate on Boxi=
ng Day and Lenny Henry on 30 December.=20
The main drama offering over Christmas will be an adaptation of the classic=
Lorna Doone, showing in two parts on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Meanwhi=
le Colin Firth appears without breeches (calm down, its a modern day story)=
on 28 December, in the title role of Donovan Quick, a story of a latter-da=
y Don Quixote who builds a successful one-bus company against the odds.=20
Drama is the biggest gong being banged by the Beeb for the winter schedules=
, thanks to a =A320m increase in spending since last year. The results are =
to include Ronan Bennett's Rebel Heart, about a young man's coming of age a=
round the time of the Easter Uprising in Ireland, the return of Paul Abbott=
's Clocking Off and his new series about a married woman living a double li=
fe, Best of Both Worlds. Nostalgia will be provided by the adaptation of Na=
ncy Mitford's tale of the upper classes in wartime Love in a Cold Climate, =
and for those with shorter memories, by the return of tortured schoolboy Ad=
rian Mole in The Cappuccino Years, with Mole having grown up to be a celebr=
ity chef and Pandora a "Blair Babe" MP.=20
BBC1 has signed physical comedian Lee Evans as part of its comedy and enter=
tainment line-up for a show called Lee Evans- So What Now?. He will be join=
ed on the schedule by Pauline Quirk in her first sitcom since Birds of a Fe=
ather, in which the life of the modern day office worker provides the backd=
rop for Office Gossip.=20
New Year's Eve will have seen the end of the Castaway 2000 experiment, but =
those hooked on survival reality TV will be sated by Surviving the Iron Age=
, which takes a group of 17 people, including children, back to Iron Age co=
nditions to see how they cope. Some of the participants are the children of=
people who undertook the experiment when the BBC pioneered the idea 30 yea=
rs ago- which goes to show that watching Big Brother's wall painting and ca=
veman politics was not necessarily an original idea...=20
The Human Face sees the unlikely team of John Cleese and Elizabeth Hurley e=
xamining the "mysteries of identity, beauty, creativity and fame hidden beh=
ind the mask of life itself" as they chart the story of the face over the p=
ast 500 million years. Iron Age participants, presumably denied facial scru=
bs and night cream, will probably want to give that one a miss.=20
Interactive TV takes another step forward...
=20
At 1500 today INVEST TV launched SIMPLY MONEY interactive on digital
satellite television. Viewers of SIMPLY MONEY (SKY Digital channel 522) can
access pages of information and advertising just by pressing the red button
on their remote control. In more than 4 million UK homes viewers can surf
the interactive service and and watch TV at the same time.
=20
This is the first time an independent broadcaster has launched an enhanced
TV channel in the UK, and it has been done in partnership with SONY Digital
Interactive Broadband Services (DiBS). Over the next twelve months the
service will develop - offering more information - and a range of direct
sales and promotional opportunities to advertisers.
=20
For more information you can contact SIMPLY MONEY on 020 7758 3000 or visit
the website at www.simplymoney.net.
=20
Ed Hall
Group Managing Director, Invest TV www.invest-tv.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----
SKY TEXT AVAILABLE
Sky Text is now also available on Sky News 501 and Sky One 106
---------
Sky text has one main advantage over OnDigital: you can enter a page =
number
just like teletext.
As long as these numbers are kept the same it will make it much easie=
r to
get to the information required.
Very good.
-----
My initial reactions are very favourable. In comparison to On digital=
,
the page access times are lightning fast and I am delighted that Sky
have chosen, initially at least, to retain many of the page numbers
from their analogue service. In fact I am delighted they have retaine=
d
page numbers as navigation is hugely easier than with On digital.
Another benefit over DTT text is the ability to leave the service=20
temporarily by simply re-pressing the text button which gives a
small screen info button allowing you to instantly re-enter the servi=
ce.
Graphics, colours and text font and size appear excellent and, strang=
ely,
the channel picture in the corner of the index page appears to be bet=
ter
quality than the actual picture! With On, it is the other way around.
Another bonus is that it is now up to the reader to decide when to
access page 2/3, for instance.
It is obviously early days and the number of pages remains relatively
small but for speed, ease of navigation and readability, Sky beats
On and Cables (webpage text) offerings hands down.
Well done, Mr Sky!
- David Munro
----------
A flood of e mails from ondigital and skydigital subscribers, s=
aying that
sky text is soo much better (on a panasonic box) but when i use=
the
pace box downstairs (sky) its shite and slow, and about as bad =
as ondigitals digi text...
it is a very quiet launch!
What do you think? Send your views now to digi...@look2.co.uk (I'll prepar=
e for a flood of emails!) and I'll include some in the next mailing.=20
Travel Channel Language
4th December 2000
Dear viewer
Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding the changes to Travel Channel's=
broadcast hours. On November 15, Travel Channel reduced its transmission h=
ours on digital satellite to two hours per day, 7-8am and 12 midnight to 1a=
m.
We know that this change has upset Travel Channel viewers and we are sorry =
for their disappointment it has caused. Here is the reason for it:
Travel Channel is offered as a subscription service throughout the UK, Euro=
pe and Africa. This means that part of the monthly subscription that the co=
nsumer pays to the satellite operator or the cable operator comes back to t=
he channel in the form of a small monthly amount in the respect of each sub=
scriber. Although most of the channels you receive as part of the ' Family =
Pack' receive payment, Sky has declined to make any payment to us in respec=
t of Travel Channel. That means that while Travel Channel has to incur cost=
s such as satellite charges in order to make the channel available, it gets=
no subscription income passed through to defray these costs.
This is why we have had to make the reluctant decision to shrink Travel Cha=
nnel to two hours only. You may have noticed that there is a new channel li=
sted in the Specialist EPG section, channel 648, called "Travel Deals Direc=
t" This is in fact a sister channel of the Travel Channel that acts as a TV=
-based travel agent. As such, it relies on commissions from the holiday com=
panies for its main income rather than asking any subscription fee. So, for=
the time being at least, we have to devote most of our Astra satellite cap=
acity to Travel Deals Direct, which is able to receive its proper source of=
income, rather than to Travel Channel, which unfortunately is not.
Although Travel Channel is "taking a break" as far as digital satellite is =
concerned, it continues to move from strength to strength in bringing toget=
her the best travel programmes from around the world. And we are now steppi=
ng up our own production of the in-depth, independent reports on holiday de=
stinations that are hard to find anywhere else on television.
Bear in mind that in certain parts of the country it is possible to get Tra=
vel Channel programmes through cable television and, most recently, through=
"Video-on-Demand" services operated by companies like Home Choice and King=
ston. Viewers with access to the Astra satellites at 19 degrees east (where=
your Sky dish used to point before digital came in) can still see the full=
18-hour per day version of Travel Channel, (or, if they prefer, they can h=
ave the channel streamed onto their PC through a company called Europe Onli=
ne!) These opportunities to receive Travel Channel through "new media" will=
grow. Let us know if you would like further information about them, and we=
will be sure to keep you posted about our progress in getting back on digi=
tal satellite.
We greatly appreciate your interest and we'll keep in touch
Yours sincerely
Richard Wolfe
Digi News UK Translation
1) We've run out of money and we don't have any viewers anyway
They did until they started showing Travel Deals Direct!
2) We make more money showing Travel Deals Direct
Despite the fact that they are 'rip-off' merchants!
3) We hate Sky
We can't afford them!
TEST TRANSMISSIONS
Editor; Alex Lees
Assistant Ed.; Daniel H
Astra 1D
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
If someone could provide me with the Astra 1D frequencies available on Sky=
=20
Digital I will post them here.
Astra 2A
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
11.758H
-------
Spare
No transmission.
Sky Spts1 Test
Same transmission as Sky Sports 1.
Spts Uefa
Same transmission as Sky Sports 2.
11.778V
-------
TestService
No transmission.
11.836H
-------
SU2
No transmission.
11.876H
-------
DK
Broadcasting Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings.
DW
Same transmission as above. May mean these Discovery channels are moving=20
transponder as they currently share the same transponder as Music Choice.
11.895V
-------
Service 9
No transmission. Possibly Paramount's extended service.
N/A
No transmission.
Rx
No transmission.
Ry
No transmission.
11.973V
-------
PR
No transmission.
12.051V
-------
5606
No transmission.
12.110H
-------
UCB Insp
Religious radio. Now on EPG 951.
LBH
No transmission.
12.129V
-------
TViC
No transmission.
12.148H
-------
st+
Star Plus. Asian broadcasting from Sky. No transmission.
12.168V
-------
4Ln
Channel 4 London. Same transmission as Channel 4.
4Sh
Channel 4 South. Same transmission as Channel 4.
4Md
Channel 4 Midlands. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
4Nh
Channel 4 North. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
4Ur
Channel 4 Ulster. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
4Sd
Channel 4 Scotland. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
Thank god! Another Glasgow accent would be over-kill!
F4
Filmfour. Same transmission as EPG 324.
E4
E4. Channel 4's new general entertainment channel. Currently transmitting=20
Ch4 London testcard.
F41
FilmFour +1. Channel 4's time-shifted film channel. Currently transmitting=
=20
Ch4 London testcard.
F4e
FilmFour Extreme. Currently transmitting Ch4 London testcard.
4Xtra
Tech. fault.
12.188H
-------
1946
Music Choice.
1947
Music Choice.
1948
Music Choice.
1950
Music Choice.
Meta 1
Sky's new interactive Music Choice. Same transmission as EPG 851 with Music=
=20
Choice logo.
Meta 2
Same transmission as above.
12.324V
-------
snr
Was thought to be Sky News Radio. Not available.
Costcutter
Costcutter radio.
12.402V
-------
Mag
Magazine Review Channel. Currently broadcasting Liberty TV.
Fam
Family Radio. Religious broadcasting from the US.
rem1
Anjuman. More Asian TV from Rem. TV.
Faml1
Family Radio. More audio channels from Family Radio - Asian language
Faml2
Family Radio. No transmission.
gntw
No transmission.
12.480V
-------
mutvdual
No transmission. Information banner showing subscription information from=20
Sky Premier movie channels.
Astra 2B
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
No transmissions at present.
ONDigital
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
800
---
Test Transmiss
Channel 4 Digital Services logo with music. Possibly E4 for ONDigital=20
viewers.
If you have any further information or believe anything is missing/incorrec=
t=20
you can e-mail me at alex...@lineone.net and I will include it in the nex=
t=20
post.
-
foxy
eGroups eLerts
It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free!
BEFORE the crowning of Steve Redgrave as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year - and unless he wins
we should call for a recount - tomorrow night's two-hour programme on BBC1 will celebrate a good
year for British sport. For once, the bigger sports will give way to some minorities like yachting,
rowing, cycling, amateur boxing and the pentathlon, to honour our gold medallists from Sydney 2000.
As we raise a glass to them, it is worth recalling that the BBC team worked tirelessly to bring a
memorable Olympic Games to our screens. But what is next for BBC Sport? The calendar looks short of
big occasions, so here's a thought for the new boss, Peter Salmon. It is time for some good
old-fashioned investigative journalism along the lines dealt with in these pages by Mihir Bose.
No shortage of issues: the future of Wembley Stadium, the financial problems in rugby, the millions
that Bernie Ecclestone seems to collect from motor racing, the new jockey club rules, the lack of
world-class British tennis players, the problems surrounding the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in
2002 and choosing a stadium for the athletics World Championships, due to be held in London in 2005.
In the past the BBC have shied away from controversy because of a fear that it might affect future
contracts. But now the BBC can step away from membership of sport's form club, the forelock-touchers
who will not question the people who run our sport so inefficiently.
It is an idea that might also find favour with Greg Dyke, the BBC director general. Some time ago,
between jobs in the commercial sector, Dyke turned reporter for similar assignments with Channel 4.
Now is the time for the BBC to be brave.
WHAT does the new television deal for racing mean for viewers at home? Not much. The BBC and Channel
4 will continue in much the same vein. The major change is that the Derby will move to the BBC.
In all the tricky negotiations that went on, the BBC stayed in the weighing room, leaving the only
two runners - Carlton and Go Racing (a consortium comprising Channel 4, BSkyB and Arena Leisure) -
to face the judge. The BBC's sole interest was the Derby, which the corporation first televised in
1938.
I have in front of me a copy of the letter Sir John Reith, the BBC's first director general, wrote
to the Epsom Grandstand Association: "We find it inconceivable that the televising of the Derby
would affect in any way the attendance of the public on the course." The fee the BBC paid at the
time was 300 guineas.
It will be multiplied many times next year when the BBC cameras take over. It is hard on Channel 4's
high-flying racing team, who won the BAFTA award for the best outside broadcast with the Derby in
1997.
However, the BBC's propaganda machine kept hammering away that they would get a bigger audience and
it is likely to be true: the Grandstand formula still works on big occasions and the sponsors were
swayed by the BBC's arguments.
Whether Go Racing's bid to show all racing - every race - on one digital channel will be a success
will depend on their television partners, BSkyB and Channel 4. Although Channel 4 will be the
picture provider, it will be no longer prize-winning television: simply one race after another, not
all that different from the coverage available in betting shops. But then this is all about
interactive television (which is where BSkyB come in), the effective use of which is still somewhere
in the distance. In the meantime, there will be changes. The first demand from the television
paymasters will be a showcase race each day at 1pm to fit in with Channel 4's weekday magazine
programme.
Other changes will follow, as happened with Premier League football and rugby league, and now it is
racing's turn to dance to the tune of the television schedule.
THE FIRST chance for most people to see England's victorious rugby team will come on Feb 3 when BBC
cameras will be at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for Wales v England. Because of the cack-handed
attitude of the Rugby Football Union, England's great performances against Australia and South
Africa were seen by a television audience of hundreds of thousands on Sky Sports instead of several
million on the BBC.
The same division persists for the Six Nations Championship. England's games at Twickenham will be
available only on Sky Sports but all the other matches will be on BBC1, with the authoritative voice
of Bill McLaren. But the last year of this arrangement is in sight. After 2002, the Six Nations
might act as one and have one television deal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SKY NEWS in association with BUY - the technology site
http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/tracker.asp?pid=1000&code=259633
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SKY TEXT AVAILABLE
Sky Text is now also available on Sky News 501, Sky One 106, Sky Sports 1-3, Sky Sports.comTV, .TV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ONDIGITAL NEWS in association with Pricerunner - the online price comparison site
http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/tracker.asp?pid=1000&code=259644
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prebble backs BBC's channel plans
Jason Deans
Friday December 8, 2000
Stuart Prebble, chief executive of digital terrestrial pay-TV operator ONdigital, has backed the
BBC's controversial plan to develop a range of niche free-to-air channels.
Mr Prebble is supporting the move because it will help drive the take-up of digital TV.
He said: "The idea that if you're only receiving BBC1 and 2 you've only got half the set is exactly
the one I want to convey.
"Very few brands are strong enough to just extend themselves numerically - and you have to be as
powerful and ubiquitous as the BBC to believe that viewers will come to understand the differences
between BBC 1, 2, 3 and 4 just as they currently understand the differences between Radio 1, 2, 3, 4
and 5. Good luck."
In his MacTaggart speech at the Edinburgh TV festival in August, BBC director general Greg Dyke set
out his plan for BBC1 to become more focused on mainstream entertainment, BBC2 to be aimed at older
viewers, BBC Choice to become BBC3 and target the youth audience, and for BBC Knowledge to become
BBC4 - a Radio 4 on TV.
The announcement met with howls of protest from critics who argued that the proposals would lead to
less popular programming, such as documentaries, current affairs and coverage of the arts, being
banished to little-watched digital channels.
Mr Prebble, speaking last night at the monthly Royal Television Society dinner in central London,
also praised Channel 4 for launching FilmFour and E4.
He added that ITV was now, "thanks to consolidation and common cause among its shareholders, in a
position to bring about a seismic shift in the landscape of pay television in the UK", with a "small
number of strong and well-resourced ITV multi-channels".
Mr Prebble also dismissed forecasts that the growth of multi-channel TV would mean existing
advertising revenue being spread ever more thinly.
He reckoned online and interactive services would open up new revenue streams.
"When TV can do for advertisers lots of things for which they previously had to rely on other media,
more advertising money will move into television, producing better content."
Mr Prebble also announced that ONdigital was to sponsor the first ever RTS award for innovation in
interactive TV content. The prize will be open to producers, format originators and scriptwriters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TEST TRANSMISSIONS is assossiation with Waterstone's - Britain's best-loved bookshop
http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/tracker.asp?code=259658
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editor; Alex Lees
Assistant Ed.; Daniel H
Astra 1D
========
If someone could provide me with the Astra 1D frequencies available on Sky Digital I will post them
here.
Astra 2A
========
11.758H
-------
Spare
No transmission.
Sky Spts1 Test
Same transmission as Sky Sports 1.
Spts Uefa
Same transmission as Sky Sports 2.
11.778V
-------
TestService
No transmission.
11.836H
-------
SU2
No transmission.
11.876H
-------
D'covry Kids
Broadcasting Discovery Kids.
D'covry Wings
Broadcasting Discovery Wings. May mean these Discovery channels are moving transponder as they
currently share the same transponder as Music Choice.
11.895V
-------
Service 9
No transmission. Possibly Paramount's extended service.
N/A
No transmission.
Rx
No transmission.
Ry
No transmission.
11.973V
-------
PR
No transmission.
12.051V
-------
5606
No transmission.
12.110H
-------
LBH
No transmission.
12.129V
-------
TViC
No transmission.
12.148H
-------
st+
Star Plus. Asian broadcasting from Sky. No transmission.
12.168V
-------
4Ln
Channel 4 London. Same transmission as Channel 4.
4Sh
Channel 4 South. Same transmission as Channel 4.
4Md
Channel 4 Midlands. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
4Nh
Channel 4 North. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
4Ur
Channel 4 Ulster. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
4Sd
Channel 4 Scotland. Same transmission as Channel 4. No sound.
F4
Filmfour. Same transmission as EPG 324.
E4
E4. Channel 4's new general entertainment channel. Currently transmitting Ch4 London testcard.
F41
FilmFour +1. Channel 4's time-shifted film channel. Currently transmitting Ch4 London testcard.
F4e
FilmFour Extreme. Currently transmitting Ch4 London testcard.
4Xtra
Channel 4 Extra. Tech. fault.
12.188H
-------
1946
Music Choice.
1947
Music Choice.
1948
Music Choice.
1950
Music Choice.
Meta 1
Sky's new interactive Music Choice. Same transmission as EPG 851 with Music Choice logo.
Meta 2
Same transmission as above. Sound quality has improved on this channel, which may mean Sky will be
launching this service soon.
12.324V
-------
snr
Was thought to be Sky News Radio. Not available.
Costcutter
Costcutter radio.
12.402V
-------
Mag
Magazine Review Channel. Currently broadcasting Liberty TV.
Fam
Family Radio. Religious broadcasting from the US.
rem1
Anjuman. More Asian TV from Rem. TV.
Faml1
Family Radio. More audio channels from Family Radio - Foreign language with English translation.
Faml2
Family Radio. No transmission.
gntw
No transmission.
12.480V
-------
mutvdual
No transmission. Information banner showing subscription information from Sky Premier movie
channels.
Astra 2B
========
No transmissions at present.
ONDigital
=========
800
---
Test Transmiss
Channel 4 Digital Services logo with music. Possibly E4 for ONDigital viewers.
If you have any further information or believe anything is missing/incorrect you can e-mail me at
alex...@lineone.net and I will include it in the next post.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSMISSION EXTRA!
Email from Digi News UK Reader Adam Cartledge;
"There are now new channels at 28.2 East that are not UK Originated, and can
be received on a Digibox!!! The Kopernikus satellite at 28.5 East has been
replaced by a Eutelsat (IIF4M), and the channels that were on Kopernikus are
now on Eutelsat. The Czechlink package now has new parameters which the
digibox can cope with, being:
Frequency 11.554 H
SR 27.500
FEC 3/4
(this is Eutelsat IIF4M tp. 32)
The satellite is much weaker than the Astras, but I'm picking up the signal
fine in South Central England with a 60cm dish in pretty poor weather. I'm
not sure how the minidish will cope though.
In the package you will find:
Hallmark Czechia (encrypted in Cryptoworks)
Prima TV (encrypted)
CT1 (encrypted)
CT2 (encrypted)
TV3 (clear!!)- you may have to reload the channels several times-the digibox
really doesn't like this for some reason
and radio stations....
RadioZurnal (clear)
Radio Praha (clear)
Radio Vlatava (clear)
Radio Proglas (clear)
In-Store Music 1+2 (clear)
Your best best for a full set of listings for Eutelsat IIF4M is on
There are other transmissions on Eutelsat IIF4M, but they do not fall within
the parameters of the digibox. There are a couple of Belgian radio stations,
German TV chanels K-TV and Deejay TV and numerous news feeds, but these
mostly have a SR of 5.632. However there are several vacant transponders at
the moment, so who knows what will fill them!! "
Thanks to Adam for this email - looks promising!
Web; www.diginews.co.uk
That's it for this edition of Digi News UK, if you have any news, or you
would like to comment on these and any other news/debate/information article