Friday, 30th October 2009

Video-on-demand is overtaking some TV channels, says Virgin Media chief
Television viewers are watching more programmes through video-on-demand services than via some traditional channels, according to the boss of Virgin Media.

Source: The Guardian, Telegraph, The Independent and City A.M.

Friday, 30th October 2009

Google opens OneBox music service
Search giant Google has entered the online music market with a new service for finding and buying music online.

Source: BBC News

Thursday, 29th October 2009

Inside the life of the Coen Brothers
Evan Davis on the Today Programme interviews Joel and Ethan Coen about their new film a Serious Man. The Coen Brothers also discuss how the film industry in the US is having a difficult time. They don’t anticipate it having to change as much as the music industry, but they think that the film industry will need to monetise new ways of home viewing.

Source: BBC News

Thursday, 29th October 2009

The next big thing in movies
Nick Clark interviews the chief executive of online movie rental firm Lovefilm, who proclaims his faith in DVD, but believes the situation is unlikely to change over the next decade, despite Lovefilm spending much of time developing its digital business. 'In the next 10 years there is going to be a hybrid economy that exists which is both digital and physical'.

Source: The Independent

Thursday, 29th October 2009

Movie machines buck trend in America
Report on the rise of DVD rental kiosks, led by Redbox in the US, which boasts 17,000 units in various locations.

Source: Times

Thursday, 29th October 2009

Mandelson to crack down on file-sharing
Lord Mandelson confirmed yesterday that persistent illegal file-sharers could have their broadband accounts suspended as part of the government's plan to curb online copyright theft - but delayed a final decision on disconnection until the next parliament.

Source: FT, Times and Daily Mail

Thursday, 29th October 2009

3D – the future of television
Three-dimensional television now has the technology to succeed, writes Rupert Neate.

Source: Telegraph

Wednesday, 28th October 2009

Mandelson to press on with cutting internet links for copyright thieves
Lord Mandelson will say today that he intends to press ahead with controversial measures to cut off the internet connections of people caught downloading unauthorised copies of music, films or television programmes.

Source: Times, BBC News and Telegraph

Wednesday, 28th October 2009

TV that guesses what you want to watch
According to Microsoft's UK head, Ashley Highfield, TVs could be able to predict what you want to watch depending on your mood, rendering remote controls obsolete within five years.

Source: Telegraph

Tuesday, 27th October 2009

Disney boss tells Hollywood to rewrite the script
Disney CEO Bob Iger warns that collapsing sales volumes on DVDs mean that the film business is changing “right before our eyes”. “If we don’t adapt to the change there won’t be a business”.

Source: FT

Tuesday, 27th October 2009

Copyright theft means less money to make movies
Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, argues for stronger penalties for persistent illegal filesharers: "Online theft siphons billions of dollars out of the marketplace. That means less money to make movies. Projects get scaled back and others dropped. Some potential blockbusters won't get made. Some new writers, actors and film-makers won't get discovered.”

Source: Times

Tuesday, 27th October 2009

UK warned over battle to delete net copyright theft
Vivendi chief executive Jean-Bernard Levy warns the Department for Media, Culture and Sport's C&binet (Creativity & Business International Network) Forum conference that British ISPs can't "sit on the sidelines" of the internet copyright theft debate.

Source: Telegraph

Monday, 26th October 2009

Europe backs down on piracy plans
The European Parliament has given the green light for member states to cut persistent file-sharers off from the net. It has dropped an amendment to its Telcoms Package which would have made it hard for countries to cut off pirates without court authority. It follows pressure from countries keen to adopt tough anti-piracy laws.

Source: BBC News

Monday, 26th October 2009

Pirate Bay back in the courtroom
The founders of The Pirate Bay have been hit a with new order to remove links to copyright material. A Dutch court has ordered them to to remove all links to the material of a group of Netherlands-based music and film makers. The trio could face fines of up to $9m (£5.5m) if they do not comply within three months.

Source: BBC News

Monday, 26th October 2009

Why would you download plays?
Bryan Appleyard looks at the new website www.digitaltheatre.com where you can download plays, thinking it will surely be a pale imitation of seeing them live. However, he finds that it’s surprisingly dramatic.

Source: Times

Friday, 23rd October 2009

MI5 comes out against cutting off internet copyright thieves
The police and intelligence services are calling on the Government to drop plans to disconnect persistent internet copyright thieves because they fear that this would make it harder to track criminals online.

Source: Times

Friday, 23rd October 2009

BBC plans to charge international audiences for using global iPlayer
The BBC is planning a paid for international version of the iPlayer. It would allow global audiences to watch programmes like Doctor Who, Torchwood and Top Gear.

Source: Telegraph

Friday, 23rd October 2009

BBC Trust issues reignited by iPlayer
Amanda Andrews writes that the BBC Trust’s refusal to allow the development of Open iPlayer is another indication that the Trust is failing to act in the public interest.

Source: Telegraph

Friday, 23rd October 2009

Project Pinewood rejected by local council
Pinewood Studios have had their plans for a massive £200 million, 110 acre expansion rejected by the local planning authority. Project Pinewood had included plans for new offices, homes and film sets.

Source: Movie Scope

Thursday, 22nd October 2009

Disney paves the way for the death of DVDs
Walt Disney plan to unveil new technology which will allow consumers to buy films which they will be able to watch across a wide range of platforms.

Source: London Evening Standard

Thursday, 22nd October 2009

Has Google got the power to swallow your television?
Peter Robins comments on the threat to TV from Google.

Source: The Guardian

Thursday, 22nd October 2009

Perils of BBC not sharing iPlayer
Gideon Spanier claims that the BBC Trust’s decision to halt the Open iPlayer project will make it easier for foreign rivals such as YouTube or Hulu to secure a British market.

Source: MediaGen

Thursday, 22nd October 2009

71% of young Kiwis would stop illegal downloads if warned by ISPs
71% of New Zealanders aged between 15-30 would stop downloading illegal content if their internet service provider warned them against it, a survey has revealed.

Source: NBR

Thursday, 22nd October 2009

New York Times Exec Slams Huffington Post: Guilty of Copyright Theft
New York Times digital boss Martin Nissenholtz has criticized the Huffington Post on the “Whither Journalism?” panel at the Web 2.0 Summit, accusing the Huffington Post of being guilty of copyright theft on numerous occasions.

Source: Business Insider

Wednesday, 21st October 2009

Film stars banned from Twittering away plots
A new clause in talent contracts curtails the use of social networking media for fear of leaking film information.  A recent talent contract from Disney includes a new clause forbidding confidentiality breaches via “interactive media such as Facebook, Twitter, or any other interactive social network or personal blog.”    This will obviously have implications on the way we negotiate contracts with talent and our proposals/briefs to talent going forward.

Source: The Guardian

Wednesday, 21st October 2009

BBC Trust blocks plan to share iPlayer technology
The BBC Trust has blocked the BBC’s plan to offer C4, ITV and Five the use of its iPlayer technology because it will not deliver value to license-fee payers.

Sources: The Guardian, Telegraph, FT, Times, The Independent

Wednesday, 21st October 2009

Spain launches new film commission to tackle copyright theft
The Spanish government is ramping up its efforts to combat copyright theft with the launch of a new film commission that will focus on protecting intellectual property rights.

Source: Screen Daily

Wednesday, 21st October 2009

N-Dubz concerned over illegal downloading
N-Dubz singer Tulisa has expressed concerns that sales of the charity single she is involved with will suffer from illegal filesharing.

Source: Digital Spy

Tuesday, 20st October 2009

Are we due a wave of book copyright theft?
The Kindle e-reader has launched in the UK. But will the arrival of Amazon’s much-hyped device prompt a wave of book copyright theft?

Source: BBC News

Monday, 19th October 2009

70% oppose internet ban for filesharers, poll shows
A Young Gov poll commissioned by the Open Rights Group found that nearly 70% of those surveyed said someone suspected of illegal downloading should have a right to a trial in court before restrictions on internet use were imposed. Only 16% were in favour of automatic curbs based on accusations by copyright holders such as musicians, as is proposed by the business department.

Source: The Guardian

Monday, 19th October 2009

Hollywood film output likely to fall by a third
The number of films being produced by Hollywood is set to fall by more than a third as the major studios struggle against a twin threat, industry analysts say. Their problems stem from a dearth of funding and from the digital revolution in the way people consume moving images.

Source: The Guardian

Monday, 19th October 2009

Landmark ISP piracy case could kick thousands offline
A landmark Australian court case could see thousands of Australians losing their internet connection, and has major implications worldwide for the law on copyright. The landmark case started on 6 October in Sydney's Federal Court. A group of 34 film companies, represented by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) have taken iiNet , Australia?s third-largest ISP, to court over claims that they have allowed users to share copyright material illegally.

Source: The Register

Monday, 19th October 2009

Singers Challenge Lily Over Download Debate
Some of the world's top female singers have told Sky News they disagreee with Lily Allen's call to crack down on illegal file-sharers. Shakira, Norah Jones and Nelly Furtado have added their weight to the ongoing crisis in the music industry about whether or not fans should be able to listen to music for free.

Source: Sky News

Friday, 16th October 2009

C4 deal with YouTube will let users watch full-length TV dramas online
Channel 4 has become the first broadcaster worldwide to make full-length TV shows such as Skins, Hollyoaks and Peep Show available via YouTube, in a deal that highlights the shift in viewing habits from the television to the computer screen.

Source: The Guardian

Friday, 16th October 2009

Spotify?s CEO thinks big: package service promises ?a trillion transactions?
Spotify?s CEO Deniel Ek says music can be packaged with mobile tariffs, ISP bundles, cable plans and with devices including TVs.

Source: The Guardian

Friday, 16th October 2009

Labour MP: Resisting filesharing is ?futile?
Labour MP Tom Watson has called on the government to ensure that any citizens accused of illicit file sharing have their day in court.

Source: The Guardian

Friday, 16th October 2009

ISP in file-sharing wi-fi hack
UK ISP TalkTalk has staged a wireless stunt, aimed at illustrating why it thinks Lord Mandelson?s plans to disconnect filesharers are ?naive?.

Source: BBC News

Friday, 16th October 2009

Danny Boyle slams cinema prices
Danny Boyle has called for more competitive pricing over cinema trips, to help encourage the next generation to go to the movies.

Source: Google News

Thursday, 15th October 2009

Internet is ?huge competition? for ITV
ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has warned the Lords communications committee that copyright theft poses a real threat to the British film and television industry, as illegal downloading and live streaming become more prevalent.

Source: ePolitix.com

Thursday, 15th October 2009

BSkyB responds to internet threat by allowing its programmes on to Freeview
Consumers will be able to receive Sky programming through a Freeview set-top box under a deal to be announced today.

Source: The Guardian

Thursday, 15th October 2009

UK arm of Joost put in liquidation
The UK arm of Joost, the online video service founded by the creators of Skype and backed by big media investors, was put into liquidation this month after failing to find a buyer.

Source: FT

Thursday, 15th October 2009

Third of Australians admit they download movies illegally
More than a third of Australians admit that they either illegally download movies off the internet or have thought about doing so according to a survey of consumers? movie rental, downloading and pay TV viewing habits.

Source: news.com.au

Thursday, 15th October 2009

Football set to lead an internet TV revolution
Following England's internet-only game against the Ukraine last weekend, analysts at Forrester Research predict that more than two thirds of Britons will be watching TV over the internet by 2014, and live sport will be the key driver in shifting content from traditional broadcasting to the web.

Source: The Telegraph

Wednesday, 14th October 2009

Youth ?cannot live? without web
A survey of 16 to 24 year olds has found that 75% of them feel they ?couldn?t live? without the internet.

Source: BBC News

Wednesday, 14th October 2009

Tories ?committed? to tax credit Vaizey tells Screen Film Summit
Shadow Arts minister Ed Vaizey sent out a reassuring message about Tory film policy in a speech to key industry figures, seeking to allay fears about the future of the UK tax credit under a Conservative government, as well as touching on the growing problem of digital copyright theft.

Source: Screen Daily

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

Sky launches digital music service to rival iTunes
Digital broadcaster Sky has confirmed plans to launch its Sky Songs music download and streaming service next week, which will be a direct competitor to services such as Apple?s iTunes and Spotify.

Source: Big Mouth Media

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

Busan Film Festival Highlights Anti-Copyright Theft
The 14th Pusan International Film Festival has highlighted the problem of copyright theft by launching a star-studded campaign and an international forum.

Source: Korea Times

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

German Anti-Copyright Theft Body Promote Illegal Downloading
A German company who deal in anti-copyright theft have spoken out over the fact that far more money can be made by prosecuting illegal downloaders than from actually selling individual records.

Source: News In Tech

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

The Big Broadband match: A poor result?
Rory Cellan-Jones at the BBC discusses the implications of the paid-for live online screening of Saturday?s Ukraine v England Football match.

Source: BBC News

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

BT Vision chief aims to recreate his Beckham coup
The new pay-TV service BT Vision is looking for ways to gain popular appeal and increase its viewers.

Source: FT

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

Look to the clouds for a silver lining
Cloud computing enables you to use your computer screen and keyboard to gain access to a computer managed for you elsewhere. The Independent reports that this is set to grow.

Source: The Independent

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

Soaps asked to offer net stories
Storylines about the internet in soap operas can play a part in getting ?unconnected? British adults to go online, according to Martha Lane Fox. Ms Lane Fox is considering ways to get the four million poorest Britons to sign up to the internet.

Source: BBC News

Monday, 12th October 2009

Superfast broadband extends reach
An extra one and a half million homes will benefit from super-fast broadband by 2012, BT has said. Originally the telecoms firm said that it could only deploy so-called Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) to a million homes because of its cost. But it now believes 2.5 million homes can benefit because it will be cheaper to provide than it had first thought.

Source: BBC News

Monday, 12th October 2009

Digital music - who's making money?
Article which looks at the different legal music downloading sites and looks to see which ones are making a profit.

Source: BBC News

Friday, 9th October 2009

Napster offers cut price service
Napster, the first site to offer unauthorised free downloads ten years ago, has relaunched its service, offering unlimited music streaming plus five MP3 downloads for a ?5 monthly fee.

Source: BBC News

Thursday, 8th October 2009

Thinking inside the box
Software startup Boxee aims to bring web video to the living room, but its founder reveals it has had to battle content companies.

Source: The Guardian

Thursday, 8th October 2009

Hollywood braced for budget cuts
Since 2007 the cost of making and distributing a film has risen by 6%, says the MPAA, and DVD sales are plummeting.

Source: FT

Wednesday, 7th October 2009

The generation game redefining business
Luke Johnson discusses how to make digital downloading pay and how to put an end to file-sharing and copyright theft.

Source: FT

Wednesday, 7th October 2009

Children with internet in bedroom nearly double in two years
The Daily Telegraph reports a surge in the number of children with the internet in their bedrooms. The number of children who access the internet on computers in their bedrooms has nearly doubled in two years, according to research.

Source: Telegraph

Tuesday, 6th October 2009

Pirates v the Premier League: a war on the web
On any given day, thousands of football fans in Britain and around the world will go online to watch games streamed live ? not always legally. Compared to watching on television, the quality is poor, and the commentary could be in almost any language, but as with so many other forms of copyright theft, many consumers are prepared to overlook such details for free kicks.

Source: The Independent

Tuesday, 6th October 2009

FlashForward is fastest-selling Disney series ever
Flashforward, the high-concept US drama series, has become the fastest-selling Disney series of all time, and broadcasters around the world are showing it as quickly as possible in a bid to beat illegal downloading.

Source: The Guardian

Monday, 5th October 2009

Anger at Record Industry Bosses over Anti-copyright theft lessons for children
The record industry was under fire last night after launching a scheme to teach primary schoolchildren not to illegally download music from the internet. Critics say this is about commercial interest and not about providing a valuable education experience.

Source: Daily Mail

Friday, 2nd October 2009

Film and TV stars back proposed internet ban for download pirates
In a letter to The Times, nearly 100 of the biggest names in the film and television industries are calling on Lord Mandelson, Business Secretary, to push through controversial measures that would see persistent internet pirates disconnected.

Source: Times

Thursday, 1st October 2009

UK broadband 'not fit' for future
A study of the global state of broadband has put the UK 25th out of 66 countries in terms of the quality of its networks. The research for Cisco found that countries such as Latvia and Bulgaria were better prepared than the UK for next-generation net applications.

Source: BBC News