Category: TV
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Lazy TV Journalism
Tonight, [channel] Five shows the first episode of what we’re told is the hot new US series of the Autumn – FlashForward. But their advertising campaign is a bit odd: “From the US network that brought you Lost…” run the trails. That’s true – they both air on ABC in the US. But that’s really…
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Two Unmissable Things
Here are two separate programmes that you simply must watch and listen to… for entirely different reasons. First off, there’s my current favourite radio feature on any programme anywhere at the moment. Yes, it’s an Absolute Radio show and I work there, and yes, I know all the people who make it. But honestly irrespective…
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Derren Brown and the Lottery “Prediction”
Look – I really shouldn’t spend much time on this as there’s been far too much time wasted on the internet with people trying to guess how he did it and what he did. Brown told us after Wednesday’s live prediction that all would be revealed on Friday and we too would be able to…
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Lost Land of the Volcano
Last night saw the first in a new three part natural history series on BBC1 called Lost Land of the Volcano. The series follows a team of scientists as they search a remote part of New Guinea in a search for new species. I know this, because the programme mentioned it. Quite a lot. In…
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Some Recent TV
A Bank Holiday weekend ahead of the start of the Autumn TV season, saw a few new series start or return, and a couple of one-offs. Framed was by Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of such films as Millions. What I suspected, but which I didn’t gain from the credits, was that this was based on…
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BBC, Ofcom and James Murdoch
The Edinburgh TV Festival is all very depressing isn’t it. The stories coming out, during a recession that’s probably hit TV today to a greater extent than ever before, all seem to be about shutting things down, and leaving well alone. James Murdoch has come out swinging with his McTaggart lecture and it’s depressing stuff.…
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All The Broadcast News That’s Fit To (Re)Print
As the Edinburgh Television Festival approaches, and Autumn line-ups begin are announced and begin, this week’s Broadcast magazine is chock full of exciting, and mostly slightly less exciting news. The big story is ITV reworking Blind Date into a new speed-dating format. Since even C4 who have previously piloted show called it “the cattle market…
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STV plc v ITV plc
Back in the summer of 2008, the radio station I work for was then called Virgin Radio which in turn was owned by SMG plc. Once upon a time SMG was a media force to be reckoned with. It also owned the Glasgow Herald, the cinema advertising group Pearl & Dean, an outdoor advertising company…
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The Ashes on TV
Yesterday evening, England won the final Test at the Oval, and doing so regained the Ashes. It was a fine moment. And it was a moment that I experienced via the radio listening to Test Match Special on Five Live Sports Extra. As it happened I spent most of the weekend at the V Festival…
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Be Seeing You
I don’t know about you, but I’m quite excited by this. The Prisoner was an exceptional TV series and while remakes and reimaginings always concern me, this looks to be worthwhile. Of course this is an ITV co-production, but obviously this video isn’t to be found on itv.com (or if it is, neither I nor…
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1-0 Up
England finished off a great victory this morning (well technically, this afternoon) at Lords. And you’ll just have to watch it on Five this evening – or on news bulletins. Great coverage from Sky: and they even opened up their Sky Player to all Sky Sports subscribers for a couple of months – something I…
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The Ashes
On Sunday I was at my parents – who are retired – as the conclusion of the first test was reached in the unlikeliest of manners. England hung on to claim a draw. A friend even texted me to make sure that I was watching. It was nail-biting stuff, but I wasn’t watching on Sky…
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Setanta
So Setanta’s finally died – or at least gone into administration. It’s as good as dead. It won’t be missed by many. It did itself no good by having a reputation for truly awful customer service. In particular, cancelling it proved near impossible with, at times, people being asked to write a letter (no phone…