All News articles – Page 4036

  • News

    Grade joins TV corp

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Former Channel 4 chief executive Michael Grade has joined the board of Robot Wars producer Television Corporation. The appointment is Grade's second directorship in a television company - two months ago he joined the board of SMG, the owner of Scottish TV, Grampian TV and Virgin radio.

  • News

    Superpowers in clash over Tetris

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    A ricochet digital production for BBC4, The History of Tetris looks at the history of the highly compelling computer game that ended up on Game-boys everywhere during the 1980s. Originally thought up by a Russian mathematician, the game spread via disk until a war broke out between the Russians, Robert ...

  • News

    Two more US giants circle ITV network

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    The number of US firms looking to pounce on ITV grew to three last week after Viacom president and chief operating officer Mel Karmazin and US-based Israeli billionaire Haim Saban signalled they would be interested in the commercial network, writes Colin Robertson.

  • News

    Search for new sky chief widens

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    BSkyB has instructed corporate head-hunters to find it a new chief executive in a bid to calm fears from City investors that chairman Rupert Murdoch is trying to shoo-in his youngest son, James, writes Rosemary Gallagher.

  • News

    Terrestrials plan new Solus card

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Terrestrial broadcasters are devising a plan to resurrect the free viewing cards that allow viewers to watch ITV, Channel 4 and Five on satellite without subscribing to Sky, writes Michael Rosser.

  • News

    Raft of sales for the Koala Brothers

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Spellbound Entertainment has made several new sales of its debut pre-school series The Koala Brothers. The 52 x 10-minute series, made by UK animation studio Famous Flying Films, will be shown on kids channel TiJi in France, TVP in Poland, TV3 in New Zealand and ...

  • News

    Boost for Chrysalis as NZ plans Idol series

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Chrsalis Television's New Zealand production company, South Pacific Pictures, has been commissioned to make a local version of hit TV format Pop Idol, writes Paul Revoir.

  • News

    CBeebies show teaches toddlers to boogie

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Children will be encouraged to dance in a new CBeebies series, Boogie Beebies. Commissioned by CBBC controller Dorothy Prior, the 13 x 15-minute show will be filmed across the country using different settings to allow children to explore movement. It will be made in-house and ...

  • News

    Bolt quits BSC in favour of Olympics role

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC) director Paul Bolt is leaving the watchdog two months before it is officially absorbed into Ofcom, to spearhead the government unit responsible for the 2012 Olympic Games bid, writes Michael Rosser

  • News

    Peter Stothard joins board at September

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Sir Peter Stothard, the former editor of The Times, is to enter the indie sector with a board-level role at September Films, writes Colin Robertson.

  • News

    BBC governance 'out of control'

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    The BBC, still reeling from the Hutton inquiry, came under attack from fellow broadcasting executives at the Royal Television Society Cambridge Convention last week, when it was accused of being 'out of control', writes Leigh Holmwood.

  • News

    Battle over for Design Wars

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    ITV has again wielded the axe on Saturday night and pulled Design Warsafter only two outings, writes Paul Revoir.

  • News

    Clowning around in the ghetto

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Acclaimed photographer David LaChappelle is to turn his hand to documentary-making with a one-off special for Channel 4. The 30-minute Clowns in the Hood, commissioned by C4 head of independent film and video Jess Search, looks at the underground American dance movement the clown dance, which mixes African tribal dance ...

  • News

    PBS buys another history detectives

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    US network PBS has ordered a second run of History Detectivesfrom UK indie Lion Television. Lion will begin production on a 10 x 60-minute series later this year. The show unveils the true stories behind historic sites, artefacts and tall tales told in cities across ...

  • News

    Animation lessons

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Legendary animation producer Bob Godfrey is to give a masterclass on how he makes a film at the forthcoming Bradford Animation Festival. His talk will include animatics from his latest production. Godfrey's credits include Henry's Catand Roobarb and Custard. Also ...

  • News

    Christian returns with teen angst show

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Indie Moore Television has secured a third series for the Terry Christian-fronted discussion programme It's My Life on ITV1. The new 8 x 45-minute series, which has been commissioned by ITV controller of news, current affairs and religion Steve Anderson, will air next year. The programmes, produced by Claerwen Hignett, ...

  • News

    Grade rails against BBC short-termism

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    The BBC's reliance on freelance production staff is stifling creativity in programme-making by discouraging risk-taking, according to former Channel 4 chief executive Michael Grade, writes Colin Robertson.

  • News

    Lord Burns to advise on BBC

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Media secretary Tessa Jowell has appointed Abbey National chairman Lord Burns as a key independent advisor on the BBC's Charter renewal process.

  • News

    Target picks up gay dating advice show

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Target Entertainment has secured the international

  • News

    Advertising boost

    2003-09-25T08:30:00Z

    Ofcom chief executive Stephen Carter has called on broadcasters to persuade advertisers to spend more money on TV. He said: 'There is a substantial job to be done to sell the values of TV advertising.' He added that advertisers were still smarting from the early 2000s when they had to ...