Thursday 12 July 2007

July 1st-11th

Television:
DG Mark Thompson defends the BBC’s role in a digital age (11th July): http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2123377,00.html


Internet:
On the development of ‘Webcoms’, the internet’s first ever daily comedy show (10th July): http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2122493,00.html


Security:
How CCTV cameras helped catch the failed UK 21/7 bombers (10th July): http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2122634,00.html


Future Technology:
Sci-Fi author Charles Cross on a future recording of all human experience (10th July): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6287126.stm


Internet:
Myspace passes 10m UK users (10th July): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6288120.stm


Internet:
Google buys email security firm (9th July): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6285180.stm see also (10th July): http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2122478,00.html


Television:
An article on how Setanta, the Irish Pay-TV group, is planning to rival Sky sports in its football coverage on digital TV (9th July): http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2121668,00.html


Internet:
How Youtube and the internet have become ‘the key electoral battleground’ for the US 2008 election (8th July): http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/story/0,,2121188,00.html

Television:
Record fine announced for the company behind the Channel 4 phone-in quiz scandal (7th July): http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2120865,00.html see also the £50 000 fine for the BBC after the Blue Peter phone-in competition (10th July): http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2122732,00.html


Music:
An article on the closure of Fopp’s and its implications for the music industry and music retailing, plus a discussion of the decision by Prince to give his new CD away free in a newspaper (6th July): http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2119120,00.html


Memory:
On a National Archives/Microsoft project to prevent a ‘digital dark age’ by ensuring files remain readable (4th July): http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2117706,00.html


Television:
On the ongoing battle between BSkyB and Virgin for the UK digital TV market (4th July): http://business.guardian.co.uk/privateequity/story/0,,2117879,00.html


Cinema:
On independent film-makers bypassing cinemas and releasing their films on the internet (3rd July): http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2116969,00.html


Music:
Russian music site Allofmp3.com closes down, but an identical site opens up and member’s log-in details still work on it (3rd July): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6264266.stm


Mobile Phones:
An article on the US launch of the iPhone (3rd July): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6260618.stm and an early review of it (7th July): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/6276522.stm


Music:
Downloads fail to stem fall in global music sales. ‘Its latest annual overview of the industry showed total sales were $19.6bn (£9.73bn) in trade value, down 5% from $20.7bn in 2005. That marked the seventh straight year of decline and was the sharpest fall since 2003…Sales of downloads via computers and mobile phones were up 85% to $2.1bn in 2006. They accounted for 11% of global sales - up from only 2% in 2004. Within that, mobile sales grew faster than online and ringtones accounted for the largest proportion of digital sales in 2006. Mr Kennedy predicted that digital sales could grow by a further 50% this year to reach more than $3bn. Despite the boost from digital, and surveys showing that music's popularity is at an all-time high in many countries, overall sales disappointed. Physical sales were down 11% to $17.5bn in 2006’ (3rd July): http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2116980,00.html


Music:
Downloads fail to stem Britains’ love of CDs (3rd July): http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2116980,00.html


Internet:
On the success of Facebook and possible legal issues surrounding the site (2nd July): http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,,2116014,00.html