TH
TH
For that to become a reality, there has to be a political will to do it. There is none at present and the entire TV industry has various selfish reasons to keep BBC ad-free.
For the BBC, programmes that aren't interrupted or influenced by advertising are one if its USPs. Even limited advertising would have to be noticed by viewers and could undermine the license fee funding.
For the commercial broadcasters, they would loose a large chunk of their ad revenue. I you put adverts on the BBC it would dramatically increase the supply of ad space, while the increase in demand would be negligible.
Politicians would also agree. Conservatives are generally sympathetic to the arguments from commercial broadcasters, while socialists don't want the BBC to be influenced by commercial considerations.
Where adverts exist on publicly funded broadcasters in Europe, it is usually a remnant from the monopoly days. As it is built into the system, it is hard to abolish, but there is probably not a great movement to increase the amount of advertising on public broadcasters.
Has the BBC had its day?
I was wondering if there's any chance the UK could opt for the Continental European model of having the BBC supplement its license fee income by carrying
limited advertising
(i.e., much less than the commercial channels, but enough to tap a new source of revenue) on some of its services? Granted, France has moved away from this set-up recently by banning all advertising on the France Televisions channels, but this combined license fee / advertising system is still how most EBU member broadcasters operate (from, say, RTE in Ireland to ARD and ZDF in Germany).
For that to become a reality, there has to be a political will to do it. There is none at present and the entire TV industry has various selfish reasons to keep BBC ad-free.
For the BBC, programmes that aren't interrupted or influenced by advertising are one if its USPs. Even limited advertising would have to be noticed by viewers and could undermine the license fee funding.
For the commercial broadcasters, they would loose a large chunk of their ad revenue. I you put adverts on the BBC it would dramatically increase the supply of ad space, while the increase in demand would be negligible.
Politicians would also agree. Conservatives are generally sympathetic to the arguments from commercial broadcasters, while socialists don't want the BBC to be influenced by commercial considerations.
Where adverts exist on publicly funded broadcasters in Europe, it is usually a remnant from the monopoly days. As it is built into the system, it is hard to abolish, but there is probably not a great movement to increase the amount of advertising on public broadcasters.
TH
Many of the arguments for the supposed independence of the license fee were proven wrong by the last settlement that imposed cuts on par with some that have been made for broadcasters more directly funded by the state. The calls for overhauling the BBC's governing structure whenever it is at the centre of a journalistic scandal are also a threat to its independence.
ABC differs from the BBC in that it is a more niche broadcaster and thus weaker and less popular. If the BBC was a one-channel niche broadcaster in a world with three ITVs, it would be under more threat. But there is definitely more stability and less political influence in funding that is decided six years at a time and not by the annual budget.
Has the BBC had its day?
Rather than abandoning the license fee, you could tweak it or replace it with something similar. One problem with the current TV license is that it is highly regressive, you have to pay the same amount whether you are rich or poor. A more proportional system would be more fair. As the license becomes less connected to owning an actual TV set, I also think it should at least be considered if the license could be collected by the HMRC and funnelled directly to the BBC without passing the Exchequer.Many of the arguments for the supposed independence of the license fee were proven wrong by the last settlement that imposed cuts on par with some that have been made for broadcasters more directly funded by the state. The calls for overhauling the BBC's governing structure whenever it is at the centre of a journalistic scandal are also a threat to its independence.
ABC differs from the BBC in that it is a more niche broadcaster and thus weaker and less popular. If the BBC was a one-channel niche broadcaster in a world with three ITVs, it would be under more threat. But there is definitely more stability and less political influence in funding that is decided six years at a time and not by the annual budget.
TH
New studio for Germany's Tagesschau news
ZDF's satirical news programme "Heute Show" had a short (and rather pointless) spoof of the new Tagesschau studio at the beginning of its last episode.
TH
ITV said they intended to launch ITV Encore this year when they first announced it. "2015" comes from Digital Spy, where a writer misinterpreted the original press release.
ITV Encore coming June 2014
Launching in June? That's seven months earlier than the thread title implies, could someone change it please?
ITV said they intended to launch ITV Encore this year when they first announced it. "2015" comes from Digital Spy, where a writer misinterpreted the original press release.
TH
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2014040933171/spain-sees-seven-dtt-channels-close-to-closure.html
Atresmedia has produced a short video where they thank their viewers for watching:
International Presentation
After the Spanish Supreme Court decided that the government had illegally granted broadcast licenses to several Spanish broadcasters, several DTT channels will be closed down in May. Atresmedia (formerly Antena 3) have decided to close down Nitro, Xplora and LaSexta3 while Mediaset (Telecinco) will close down La Siete and Nueve.http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2014040933171/spain-sees-seven-dtt-channels-close-to-closure.html
Atresmedia has produced a short video where they thank their viewers for watching:
TH
Switch from old studio to new:
http://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/bilder/neues-studio116.html
Old studios:
http://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/bilder/studio118.html
More old pictures:
http://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/bilder/tagesschau210.html
New studio for Germany's Tagesschau news
Tagesschau has been a bit indulgent and posted several picture galleries relating to the new studio.Switch from old studio to new:
http://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/bilder/neues-studio116.html
Old studios:
http://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/bilder/studio118.html
More old pictures:
http://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/bilder/tagesschau210.html
TH
http://www.s4c.co.uk/e_press_level2.shtml?id=912
S4C New logo
S4C sent out press release about their relaunched website on Thursday. The fact that they also changed their logo and idents is only mentioned in passing, they apparently didn't feel it was that important.http://www.s4c.co.uk/e_press_level2.shtml?id=912
S4C posted:
And as part of the latest developments, the site has been given a fresh new look which is reflected across the entire S4C service, online and on TV.
TH
Yes, TV2 Denmark have an obligation to provide opt-out windows to publicly funded reigonal stations. They are otherwise organisationally unrelated. TV4 and ITV are the only ones to provide regional news that they fund themselves (again, AIUI).
TV4 made a large organisational change a couple of years ago when their news department was split off to a separate company. Since then, TV4 has remained quite profitable while the news company has posted losses.
Apparently TV4 and their owners don't feel compelled to spend to much on news that isn't profitable. The local news were just there to make the combined blocks of national and local news better and more popular. They probably didn't bring in that much money on their own.
Likewise, the news channel was probably several years from profitability and TV4 didn't have the patience to continue loosing money for all those years.
International News Presentation: Past and Present
TV2 in Denmark has regional news although I think it's funded by the government and provided by regional companies.
TV4 closed their news channel down last year after only a year on the air so it looks like they've dramatically changed their policy towards news.
TV4 closed their news channel down last year after only a year on the air so it looks like they've dramatically changed their policy towards news.
Yes, TV2 Denmark have an obligation to provide opt-out windows to publicly funded reigonal stations. They are otherwise organisationally unrelated. TV4 and ITV are the only ones to provide regional news that they fund themselves (again, AIUI).
TV4 made a large organisational change a couple of years ago when their news department was split off to a separate company. Since then, TV4 has remained quite profitable while the news company has posted losses.
Apparently TV4 and their owners don't feel compelled to spend to much on news that isn't profitable. The local news were just there to make the combined blocks of national and local news better and more popular. They probably didn't bring in that much money on their own.
Likewise, the news channel was probably several years from profitability and TV4 didn't have the patience to continue loosing money for all those years.
TH
The local news for Stockholm were already discontinued last year.
TV4 Sweden and ITV are the only national commercial broadcasters in Europe that provide regional news (AIUI).
An article in English:
http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5832394&playaudio=4914895
More news in Swedish (use Google Translate):
http://www.svt.se/kultur/tv4-lagger-ner-lokala-nyhetssandningar-1
International News Presentation: Past and Present
More cutbacks in news: Swedish TV4 has announced that they will close down all their local news stations. At present, TV4 has 24 local newscasts produced by 165 people around the country. 140 of them will be sacked, while the remaining 25 will deliver news stories to national bulletins.The local news for Stockholm were already discontinued last year.
TV4 Sweden and ITV are the only national commercial broadcasters in Europe that provide regional news (AIUI).
An article in English:
http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5832394&playaudio=4914895
More news in Swedish (use Google Translate):
http://www.svt.se/kultur/tv4-lagger-ner-lokala-nyhetssandningar-1
TH
Wow, are the broadcasting from a train station? I quite like the idea, St. Pancras would look nice has a backdrop.
I like the idea as well, perfect location for a morning show. The Danish Wikipedia says they have been broadcasting from the Copenhagen central station since 2002.
Here's an older clip from 2002. The train station makes a great backdrop.
International News Presentation: Past and Present
Wow, are the broadcasting from a train station? I quite like the idea, St. Pancras would look nice has a backdrop.
I like the idea as well, perfect location for a morning show. The Danish Wikipedia says they have been broadcasting from the Copenhagen central station since 2002.
Here's an older clip from 2002. The train station makes a great backdrop.
TH
In France, pay-DTT has never been much of a success and many of the encrypted channels have struggled to break even, paying transmission fees for broadcasts that reach no-one. They have wanted to switch to free-to-air for years, but have been prevened from doing so by their respective licenses. Last year, the government finally gave up of pay-DTT and passed a law that allowed the CSA (french equivalent of Ofcom) to change the license terms.
TF1's news channel LCI and M6's cultural channel Paris Première were quick to file requests to allow their channels to go free-to-air. Hearings will be held in May, and decisions are expected in June.
http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2014/04/02/csa-sets-dates-for-dtt-pay-channels-hearings/
A thread on the subject from Lenodal, the French equivalent of TV Forum:
http://forums.lenodal.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16105
Similarly, Canal+ has also announced that it intends to start a similar process to make their documentary channel Planète+ free-to-air.
Eurosport may have to leave the platform anyway, as it was recently sold to Discovery and there is a law in France that prevents foreign ownership in terrestrial channels from rising above 20 percent.
That only leaves the three Canal+ premium channels, which will probably remain encrypted indefinitely, and entertainment channel TF6 (co-owned by TF1 and M6).
International Presentation
An update on DTT in France:In France, pay-DTT has never been much of a success and many of the encrypted channels have struggled to break even, paying transmission fees for broadcasts that reach no-one. They have wanted to switch to free-to-air for years, but have been prevened from doing so by their respective licenses. Last year, the government finally gave up of pay-DTT and passed a law that allowed the CSA (french equivalent of Ofcom) to change the license terms.
TF1's news channel LCI and M6's cultural channel Paris Première were quick to file requests to allow their channels to go free-to-air. Hearings will be held in May, and decisions are expected in June.
http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2014/04/02/csa-sets-dates-for-dtt-pay-channels-hearings/
A thread on the subject from Lenodal, the French equivalent of TV Forum:
http://forums.lenodal.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16105
Similarly, Canal+ has also announced that it intends to start a similar process to make their documentary channel Planète+ free-to-air.
Eurosport may have to leave the platform anyway, as it was recently sold to Discovery and there is a law in France that prevents foreign ownership in terrestrial channels from rising above 20 percent.
That only leaves the three Canal+ premium channels, which will probably remain encrypted indefinitely, and entertainment channel TF6 (co-owned by TF1 and M6).