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Leonardo DiCaprio
Documentary
Channel 4 is to broadcast The 11th Hour, the polemical
documentary about the environment fronted by Leonardo DiCaprio.
In the documentary, which will be broadcast on May 25, leading scientists,
environmentalists, politicians and activists advance the argument that the
Earth is facing environmental disaster, and ask what can be done.
Notable figures featured in The 11th Hour include professor Stephen Hawking,
former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari
Maathai speak about global warming, deforestation, mass species extinction
and the depletion of the oceans' habitats.
The film, narrated and produced by DiCaprio, was written and directed by
Leila Conners Petersen and Nadia Conners.
It received critical praise when it premiered at the Canned Film Festival
last year, with Times film writer James Christopher describing it as
"brilliant and terrifying".
20:22
May 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk
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BBC Chairman - No
Cash For C4
BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons has spoken out against
calls to use the licence fee to help fund Channel 4.
Sir Michael told the Royal Society of Arts today that "well-meaning"
intervention could risk turning Channel 4 into "BBC Five".
Using some of the licence fee to fund unprofitable Channel 4 programmes was
recently suggested by Ofcom.
The plan, it said, would help the BBC's rivals pay for public service
programming, such as news and children's shows.
But Sir Michael said there was no "excess" licence fee and if
such a thing did exist, it should be up to viewers to decide what to do with
it.
He argued that giving Channel 4 public money could "weaken rather than cure
the patient" and that it would lead to a change in the character of the
broadcaster.
"Has Channel 4's audience been properly consulted about the risks such an
arrangement might entail?" he said.
"Put bluntly, the question is this. Who gains if the effect of well-meaning
regulatory intervention is to turn Channel 4 into BBC Five?
"The debate about the future of public service broadcasting in the UK must
be about much broader issues than the future of Channel 4."
17:56
May 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk
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James
Nesbitt Quashes Doctor Who Rumour
Actor James Nesbitt has apparently ruled himself out of being
the next Doctor Who, saying he is too old for the part.
The Cold Feet actor had been touted as playing the 11th incarnation of the
time-travelling Doctor when rumours surfaced the David Tennant was planning
to quit the series next year.
But the 43-year-old, who is currently starring in ITV's Midnight Man, has
quashed speculation that he will play the Time Lord if David decides to
leave the show, according to a newspaper report.
"I couldn't follow Ecclestone and Tennant," he reportedly said. "They're too
good. Also, if they wanted me to be the Doctor, they'd probably want me to
be a cheeky chappy - but they've probably got their eye on much younger
people.".
13:56
May 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk
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New Ralf Little Comedy
Filming has begun on Massive, a new comedy series for BBC
Three that sees the launch of Manchester's hottest new record label – Shady
Records.
Starring Ralf Little, Carl Rice and Johnny Vegas, Massive follows Danny and
Shay as they call time on their dreary temping jobs to follow their dream
and bring their music obsession to the masses.
The series follows their attempts to get the label up and running – signing
bands, losing them again, always on the lookout for the next big thing.
Massive has been written by Damian Lanigan whose music credentials go back
to 1984 when his band The Twentieth Legion played the Hacienda.
12:52
May 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk
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Olympics To
Replace Parliament
The BBC is to replace BBC Parliament this summer with
coverage of the Beijing Olympics.
BBC Parliament's Freeview capacity will be used to "enhance"
the quality of the interactive TV streaming the BBC is planning to use for
the Olympics, which take place between August 8 and 24.
The BBC said that as all the UK's parliaments and assemblies will be in
recess during August, using the channel for Olympics coverage would make the
best use of its capacity during a busy sports period.
BBC Parliament has previously filled its summer schedule with repeats of
major political and state events such as coverage of old general elections
and last year Princess Diana's funeral, to mark the 10th anniversary of her
death.
The BBC is due to officially unveil its Olympic coverage plans next month,
but the event is expected to dominate the main BBC television channels and
Radio Five Live.
It is thought that BBC Three and BBC Four will remain
Olympics free.
The BBC will launch a number of specialised Olympic "red button" interactive
streams, which it has previously used during major sporting events including
the 2004 Athens Olympics.
These interactive services will be broadcast on some of the DTT spectrum
normally used by BBC Parliament.
08:06
May 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk
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