BBC Condemns China Jamming

The BBC has "strongly condemned" what it sees as deliberate attempts to prevent BBC World Service English broadcasts in China.

In a statement issued today the Corporation said that, while it couldn’t definitely attribute the jamming to the Chinese authorities, “the extensive and co-ordinated efforts are indicative of a well-resourced country such as China.”

“The BBC strongly condemns this action, which is designed to disrupt audiences’ free access to news and information,” said the statement.

Last week the BBC opened up about similar blocking of its BBC Persian broadcasts in Iran, though the Corporation insists that shortwave jamming is rare nowadays.

Commenting on the situation, BBC director of global news Peter Horrocks said: “The jamming of shortwave transmissions is being timed to cause maximum disruption to BBC World Service English broadcasts in China.

“The deliberate and co-ordinated efforts by authorities in countries such as China and Iran illustrate the significance and importance of the role the BBC undertakes to provide impartial and accurate information to audiences around the world.”

The jamming comes days after a BBC film crew had its video footage confiscated by the Chinese military after filming at a ‘cyber warfare unit’.

BBC World Service, which has a worldwide weekly listenership of 239 million people, broadcasts around the globe on shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable.

February 25 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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Staples To Sponsor C4 Shows

Staples, the world’s largest office products company, has been announced as the sponsor of a package of new Channel 4 programmes ‘Inspiring Success’.

This new partnership with Channel 4 will see Staples sponsor hit shows such as The Secret Millionaire, Undercover Boss, Four Rooms and – as well as Hilary Devey’s brand new series The Intern (w/t) and Mary Queen of the High Street, a new series fronted by Mary Portas. The sponsorship will launch on screen for a new Bank of Dave programme on Thursday  February 28 at 22:00.

Una Beck Johnson, Marketing Director at Staples, said: “We’ve chosen this sponsorship as an integrated part of our overall marketing plan to help grow awareness of the breadth of our offer and build ongoing brand consideration among business-minded consumers – in an engaging way.”

February 25 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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Former Granada Chairman Dies

Sir Denis Forman, the former Granada TV chairman who was responsible for bringing programmes such as Coronation Street to screens, has died aged 95.

The TV executive died on Sunday at a nursing home in London.

Sir Denis was one of the founding executives of Granada TV in the mid-1950s and served as its chairman from 1974 to '87.

Other series he oversaw included World in Action, The Jewel in the Crown and Brideshead Revisited.

February 25 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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TV Pig Dies

Stars of the BBC comedy drama Blandings have been paying tribute to the programme's pig star, The Empress, who has died.

The Middle White sow, died last week just before the final episode of the series was broadcast.

The pig had been living with her co-star Queenie, within the grounds of Crom Castle, where the programme was filmed in Lisbellaw, County Fermanagh.

The TV series is based on the celebrated stories by PG Wodehouse.

The BBC and Mammoth Productions confirmed that the pig had passed away.

February 25 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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BT Buys ESPN Channels

BT has agreed to buy ESPN's UK and Ireland TV channels adding to its live sports coverage.

The deal sees BT acquire the ESPN and ESPN America channels, and their live rights to show FA Cup, Scottish Premier League, Uefa Europa League, and German Bundesliga matches.

The company will launch its BT Sport TV package in the summer.

BT had already secured the rights to show live English Premier League games for the first time, from next season.

The UK telecoms firm has been investing heavily in its sports offering, including buying the rights to show live Aviva Premiership rugby union matches and a deal with the WTA to show women's tennis.

It has taken on some big-name sports presenters including Jake Humphrey, who led the BBC's Formula One coverage, and Clare Balding who presented horse racing and Olympics coverage for the BBC.

The ESPN deal is expected to complete at the end of July. After that BT said it would continue to operate at least one ESPN-branded channel as part of its new sports package.

The ESPN channels will broadcast from BT Sport's new facilities at the Olympic Park in Stratford.

"We are delighted to have reached agreement with ESPN for the acquisition of their UK channels business and that we have been able to add some exciting new sports rights to the ones we already have," said Marc Watson, chief executive of television, BT Retail.

"The FA Cup, Scottish Premier League and Europa League rights will allow us to offer customers of BT Sport even more quality live football, including our first games from the Scottish top flight and our first European competition rights."

February 25 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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Actor Denies Downton Role

Tom Ellis has said he will not be starring in Downton Abbey.

It was reported last week that the Miranda star had been shortlisted for the role of a new love interest for Lady Mary Crawley after auditioning for the part, but he has now clarified the stories on Twitter.

"OK, so it's been lovely to hear all the congrats for Downton but the truth is I'm not going to be in it... but thank you for your messages," he wrote.

Ellis, who plays Miranda's dream man Gary Preston in the BBC sitcom, has signed up to star as Victor Frankenstein in new ABC pilot Gothica, which is billed as a "gothic soap" weaving together the mythology and stories of classic literary figures such as Frankenstein, Dracula and Dorian Gray.

February 25 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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