Published 23 October 2006
I have noticed something in my observations of the various blogs and commentators on the internet, and that is that there is no single “enemy” organisation for conservatives. Bill O’Reilly,…
Published 22 October 2006
I’ve been looking forward to watching Torchwood – the new Doctor Who spinoff series “for adults” – for a long time, and didn’t mind the prospect of seeing it first…
Published 21 October 2006
Paul Waters has died. Starting his career with ATV, then moving on to BBC telefilm and then BBC radio, “Paulie” did mostly behind-the-scenes jobs until the invention of “Wake Up…
Published 19 October 2006
David Brockman looks back at the seventies and the then-massive BBC commitment to Network Production Centres outside London
Published 19 October 2006
The most original Scottish comic
Published 17 October 2006
Samsung launches BluRay player in the UK (BBC Radio 4, Today, Business Report) The first player from one of the two high-definition optical disc formats has been launched in the…
Published 11 October 2006
Well, there are a few surprises coming out of the latest publicly viewable ratings. On the channel side, we see that the joint highest rating channels right now, according to…
Published 11 October 2006
BBC threatens to abandon Manchester move It seems fairly obvious that the BBC won’t get all of its own way relating to the forthcoming licence fee settlement. Although Tessa Jowell…
Published 1 October 2006
The recent sad passing of naturalist and TV presenter Steve Irwin inevitably raises questions about how we produce television programmes about the natural world. The BBC spends vast amounts of…
Published 1 October 2006
Roddy continues his journey through the Transdiffusion archives.
Published 1 October 2006
Auditioning at the BBC and STV couldn’t be more different
Published 30 September 2006
Such a little word. And we’ll be coming back to “but” shortly. However (which is “but” in adult clothing, I know; don’t write in). However, let us start by not…
Published 26 September 2006
An incident that only occurred in the mind of a Daily Mail journalist provides a Transdiffusion writer the opportunity of venting his spleen. Again. As a professed fan of the…
Published 21 September 2006
BBC News: TV host seriously hurt in crash Top Gear has been a runaway success for the BBC in its recent incarnation, with its mix of irreverent humour and factual…
Published 2 September 2006
ITV1’s decline and the future of TV as we know it.
Published 2 September 2006
Roddy Buxton looks into the TBS basement files
Published 2 September 2006
Saving Scottish Television from certain ruin
Published 1 September 2006
So, the World Cup has long since passed, and as a result you’re probably watching the crop of available HD channels on your Sky box and wondering what to do…
Published 28 August 2006
A slightly unfortunate side-effect of Charles Allen’s recent MacTaggart lecture in Edinburgh is that it has reignited a rather annoying debate around the metaphorical water-cooler and elsewhere, on the future…
Published 28 August 2006
The caterer’s revenge Charles Allen’s MacTaggart Lecture at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival was either judged a ‘success’ or ‘failure’ depending on the person you spoke to afterwards, but…
Published 27 August 2006
Cracker creator blasts ‘chav’ TV – The Observer I’ve been saying it – here and in other places – for years. Now Jimmy McGovern, one of Britain’s most talented writers,…
Published 10 August 2006
Guardian: Loss of the “networked generation” Ofcom’s “The Communications Market 2006 – Overview” One thing Ofcom seems to be good at – apart from annoying people – is publishing surveys,…
Published 8 August 2006
BBC News: Charles Allen quits as ITV chief MediaGuardian: ‘ITV needs content king’ It’s still uncertain who will properly replace Charles Allen, let alone whether ITV plc will survive until…
Published 1 August 2006
“What ITV is up to” is a subject that occupies our minds from time to time here at Transdiffusion, especially in the wake of the 50th anniversary last year, which…
Published 28 July 2006
ITV is losing two useless items, one very quickly, one after a long, painful demise. Some terrible rubbish that ITV had cluelessly thought would steal Saturday nights has bit the…
Published 19 July 2006
ITV lunchtime news could be cut to 30 mins 18th July 2006, 10pm: BBC One – 10 O’Clock News, 4.5 million viewers Channel Five – CSI: NY, 2.4 million viewers…
Published 12 July 2006
Neighbours could air on BBC3 This is interesting. The originally planned remit of BBC Three was intended to have a higher percentage of imported programmes as part of its schedule,…
Published 9 July 2006
Many thanks to Malcolm Smith for bringing this to our attention. Alexandra Palace Television Group Chairman: Richard E Norman CBE; Treasurer: Tony Wilding; Secretary: Frank Phillip ****URGENT PRESS RELEASE**** Alexandra…
Published 7 July 2006
Thompson: BBC faces ongoing change To be honest I’m not entirely sure that Mark Thompson is fully aware or even prepared for the possible long term consequences of what he…
Published 4 July 2006
BBC risks rivals’ ire with fantasy radio MyBBCRadio is precisely the sort of technology-led innovation that the BBC has the capability to do extremely well and will be totally different…
Published 3 July 2006
An insight into Medical Photography & TV, 1966 to 1980
Published 1 July 2006
I wonder if you invested in an HDMI/HDCP-equipped flat panel display and an HD box to watch the World Cup in Hi-Def? Well, let’s not talk about that then. But…
Published 25 June 2006
The media can rally a nation – but how far will they go for an exclusive?
Published 22 June 2006
by Joseph Gallant Living in the United States, I only got to see one season of BBC’s long-running Top Of The Pops: in 1987-88. That season, CBS transmitted the programme…
Published 20 June 2006
ITV to end kids’ TV production It has been suspected for some time that ITV was losing interest in childrens’ TV, even when it was still going ahead with the…
Published 20 June 2006
Show’s over for Top of the Pops Over ten years ago, the (then) controller of BBC1 Alan Yentob was in a meeting with various other BBC employees, and during that…
Published 20 June 2006
CBBC: bosses to axe Top of the Pops It’s bad news from the point of view of television history – the loss of any show after 40+ years is always…
Published 12 June 2006
Ofcom threatens Radio 1 over swearing The advent of the podcast has meant that people can download the so-called ‘best bits’ of Radio 1’s high profile shows such as Chris…
Published 12 June 2006
BBC to create single news brand Ah, the fun of corporate branding. Mention Sky News to someone and unless they work for Sky they are most likely to think of…
Published 9 June 2006
Tango Clear – Bravo Sony Bravia – Balls You know that commercial… the one that starts with aerial views of a city; gently-edited shots of streets and street corners… beautifully…