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Leaders' Debate
Agreed
The three main parties have reached agreement with
broadcasters over the first televised leaders' debates in a UK general
election, it has been announced.
Three live face-to-face debates between Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick
Clegg will take place in mid-evening weekday slots in front of studio
audiences on BBC, ITV and Sky News.
Members of the audience will be able to put questions to the Labour,
Conservative and Liberal Democrat leaders directly and viewers will be
invited to submit their own questions by email in advance of the programmes,
said the three broadcasters in a joint statement.
Each programme will have a pre-determined theme for half of its airtime,
with the remaining time open to questions on any election issue.
The broadcasters drew lots to determine the order of the debates and the
allocation of themes, while representatives of the parties drew lots to
determine the order of speaking. Mr Clegg will open the first debate, Mr
Brown the second, and Mr Cameron the third.
According to a strict set of rules thrashed out in negotiations between the
broadcasters and parties, each leader will make an opening statement on the
programme's theme before taking questions. Each leader will answer all
questions and be given time to react to opponents' answers and make further
points of their own. A period of free debate may follow.
The leaders will have no prior notice of questions and all statements,
answers and rebuttals will be subject to time restrictions - usually one
minute, but with a longer 90-second closing statement at the end of each
programme.
The first debate, screened on ITV1 and moderated by Alastair Stewart, will
be filmed in the North West of England and look at the theme of domestic
affairs.
The second debate will be screened on Sky News and moderated by Adam Boulton.
Its themed section will be on international affairs and it will come from
the South West.
The final debate will be screened on BBC One, moderated by David Dimbleby,
and will focus on the theme of economic affairs. The programme will be based
in the Midlands.
17:00
March 02
2010 - waveguide.co.uk
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Sky 1 On The
Internet
Sky1has launched as a live channel over the internet.
Later this month Sky Movies Premiere and Sky Movies Showcase will also be
added to the service providing access to upcoming blockbusters such as Fast
And Furious, The Boat That Rocked, I Love You Man and Knowing. World War II
mini-series, The Pacific, which premieres on Easter Monday exclusively on
Sky Movies, will also be available on Sky Player.
In the coming months Sky Player viewers will be able to access live channels
from Living and Bravo, following the addition of on-demand content from both
brands in February 2010.
Griff Parry, Sky’s Director of On-demand said: “Sky Player offers an
unrivalled choice of live and on demand pay TV content, making it the
natural destination for online viewing. It’s about providing people with the
most convenient way to access the channels and programmes they enjoy.”
Stuart Murphy, Director of Programmes at Sky1 said: “We’re passionate about
great TV and passionate about ensuring our viewers can access Sky1 where and
when they choose. We’re delighted that we’re now able to offer the best of
Sky1 on Sky Player TV.”
Existing Sky TV customers can access a range of content on Sky Player for no
extra cost based on their core subscription, whilst for non Sky TV
customers, online only subscriptions start from £15 a month.
Sky Player is available over the internet on PC, Mac, Windows 7 via Window
Media Center, Xbox 360 and will soon launch on the FetchTV hybrid Freeview
set top box.
17:00
March 02
2010 - waveguide.co.uk
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Question
Time Panel Announced
The panel for the First Time Voters' Question Time has been
announced today.
The panel will include David Lammy MP, Higher Education Minister; Jeremy
Hunt MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; and Julia
Goldsworthy MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Communities and Local
Government, and one of the youngest MPs in the Commons.
First Time Voters' Question Time is hosted by Dermot O'Leary tomorrow.
Recorded in front of an audience of first-time voters, the programme will be
broadcast live from Canary Wharf, London, on BBC Three at 20:00
Joining the politicians will be political satirist Rory Bremner and Tim
Campbell, the first winner of The Apprentice and a social enterprise
ambassador. After working for Sir Alan Sugar for two years, he left Amstrad
to set up the Bright Ideas Trust, which aims to give young people a chance
to start up in business with funding and advice.
The sixth panellist will be Jamelia, singer and Prince's Trust ambassador.
12:40
March 02
2010 - waveguide.co.uk
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BBC Cutbacks
Confirmed
BBC 6 Music and Asian Network are facing closure, Mark
Thompson, director general of the corporation, has said.
In an email to staff, Thompson also announced that half of the websites on
BBC online will close by 2013.
Among the closures will be teen services Switch and Blast, with Thompson
admitting Channel 4 should lead the way with these audiences.
The strategy review has now been submitted to the BBC Trust and a public
consultation period will take place.
Thompson pledged that in the future 90p of every licence fee
£1 will be spent on programming and that the corporation would spend 25%
less on BBC online.
The review says more money will be ploughed into international news and the
BBC must put a higher proportion of the licence fee into quality programmes
to make "fewer things better".
As a result of the changes Thompson said he expected the plans would see an
extra £600m diverted into programme-making.
Broadcasting workers' union Bectu, said up to 600 jobs could go.
General secretary of the organisation, Gerry Morrissey, said: "These cuts
are totally unnecessary and are purely politically motivated.
"It is obvious that the BBC is being bounced by its competitors and by the
political climate ahead of the upcoming general election.
"It is not acceptable for the BBC to be offering up services and jobs as
some kind of sacrifice ahead of the general election."
Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, added:
"Public pressure can help persuade the BBC to put its viewers and listeners
first, rather than allowing the corporate media barons to have their way and
begin dismantling a vital national service.
"These plans smack of an attempt to appease commercial and political
interests. Hard-working staff shouldn't be used as a political football and
we will fight any compulsory redundancies."
Union leaders will meet Thompson on Wednesday but have already warned
industrial action might take place to fight the cuts.
11:02
March 02
2010 - waveguide.co.uk
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