more survey results in

Nice to be able to report that I’m still getting responses on the survey that I’ve been running and that they’re interesting and varied – if you want to respond and haven’t just click here.

I was intrigued to see a load of my old posts around ITV Play theme here.

My research around the theme of participation TV continues so visit again soon ..

Sir Trevor as Michael's smokescreen?

Okay so back after a bit of a holiday and listening to the media guardian podcast I was somewhat intrigued by the idea that the News at Ten story was very much an example of diversionary tactics by Michael Grade to get people to look at the Story of bringing back some credibility to ITV.
Do you think that this is what the story is about? It’ll be some time before the changes to the schedule are made and it certainly won’t solve all ITV’s problems – if you think this is an exercise in damage limitation or something else drop me a line at ITVPlaySurvey@btopenworld.com

And don’t forget the survey only a couple of weeks now (and you could win a mystery prize if you’re name/e-mail address is drawn out of the sack)

Big day for broadcast news stories (ITV report out..)

It’s not yet clear if ITV head honcho Michael Grade thought the news at the BBC of hundreds of job losses might bury coverage of the report into ITV’s premium call use it hasn’t (see some here) but perhaps not everything has been revealed (is there more on ITV Play? ) – hopefully further information will be revealed as time goes by ..

the Swedish version of ITV Play

Hot on the heels of the recent entry from Youtube for those of you who didn’t see Graham Norton's show on BBC2 on Thursday here’s a presenter on the Swedish equivalent of ITV Play being professional (or not?).

Extension to the online survey - and a youtube..

I’m due to get a little publicity for the ITV Play survey by courtesy of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer, as their publication date is the end of October and the magazine is distributed by post I’ve extended the survey close to 14th November – the prizes will be even better and if you can spare 10-15 minutes before then do give it a try.

Here’s a guy who really does not like ITV Play - if he wants to get in touch I'd like to know the full story (?) - ITVPlaysurvey@btopenworld.com

Trust??

I don't mean to nag but a further reminder to those with an interest in 'Participation TV' I'm running a survey it closes at the end of October and you could win a prize -please complete and do pass on the link to others...


Here's the link http://www.smart-survey.co.uk/v.asp?i=2760yswkw

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Along with the news today that the BBC is going to be losing around 12% of it’s staff (BBC Trust permitting) is news (far more interesting for this research) that the ITV report into their use of Premium rate phone calls is around.

Is there a common factor here in the shape of Michael Grade – who quit as Chair designate of the BBC Trust last year and who is now CEO at the helm of the UK’s pre-eminent commercial TV network?

ITV is of course at the centre of controversy over the SKY holding that meant Virgin Media (NTL at the time) could not be ‘cosied’ up to for a possible merger/takeover. Once the dust has settled on this lot (and don’t forget Channel 4 that the exchequer could be looking for funds) I predict the UK broadcasting business will be looking very different.

Sunday papers..

Broadcasting has a bit of coverage today, the papers I’ve looked at The Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday of course cover the BBC’s problems – it’s worth noting that there’s a certain amount of glee by the Sunday Times at the BBC’s discomfort.

The Mail on Sunday also continues (in it’s financial section) with coverage over the premium rate shenanigans saying that Michael Grade will not publish all the findings of the report commissioned to look into the matter. The Mail on Sunday has really covered this story extensively and it believes ‘a major head will roll’.


Looking for coverage of ITV Play I came across this website (and some coverage there of ITV Play too) which may be worth a visit if you’d like to learn more about UK ‘gaming’.

The replacement for ITV Play?

I've been posting to the ITV Play forum and gather from another member that ITV Play will be replaced by 'Bingo'

quoting from the Sunday Express (30/9/07) the post goes

ITV is set to replace its controversial late-night premium-rate phone-in competitions with live interactive bingo TV shows. The scandal-hit broadcaster is understood to be finalising details for the show, which could be announced as early as next month ... To play, viewers would download cards from the internet and use them to play games that would be screened during the evening. The Bingo TV show will replace ITV Play, the firm's discredited late-night phone-in programme which will be off the air by the end of nest year.

This seems to fit in with the recent PartyGaming deal but other forums are taking this story with a pinch of salt.

I'm not sure if this would satisfy viewers of current participation TV on ITV or provide a 'whiter than white' replacement..

Comments or inside news please to ITVPLaySurvey@btopenworld.com

A break from 'Play'

Somewhat away from participation TV I can’t deny some interest in the SKY owning 17.9% of ITV story, sometime ago an experienced commentator wrote of an end game where ITV sold/bartered it’s share of ITV to RTL and became the controlling interest/owner of C5 – are we moving closer to that?

And while I’m straying from my usual call for responses to the ITV Play survey another story that grabbed me was BBC Worldwide’s purchase of Lonely Planet –How does this work (apart from fuelling calls for BBC to be sold off?), is this out of scope of the BBC Trust ?