ESPN is to use a channel that was previously occupied by Setanta to air English Premier League games on Freeview’s pay-TV service.ESPN will have the opportunity to sign up subscribers from Freeview’s 9.9 million homes, which would make its EPL investment worthwhile.Last week, ESPN America paid £250 million for its first live EPL TV rights… Continue reading ESPN strikes EPL deal with Freeview

The government’s target of completing the digital radio switchover by 2015, as set out in Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report, is “very ambitious”, according to the BBC’s director of audio.Speaking at The Radio Academy’s annual festival in Nottingham today, Tim Davie said that although Carter’s plans are ambitious, he is hopeful that the switchover “should… Continue reading BBC’s Tim Davie: Radio switchover plans are “ambitious”

ITV1’s last minute Michael Jackson tribute secured the highest ratings on Friday evening with 4.5 million peak viewers.The Michael Jackson Story, which was added to the commercial broadcaster’s schedule following Jackson’s unexpected death on Thursday evening, pulled in more than 4.4 million average viewers and a 21.2% audience share during the 9pm to 10pm peak-slot.At… Continue reading Overnights: Michael Jackson tribute triumphs

Sales of digital video recorders that allow viewers to pause, store and rewind live programmes are up by almost one million, according to Ofcom’s latest research.The media regulator’s Digital Progress Report for Q1 2009 found that almost nine million digital video recorders have now been sold in total, after sales soared by one million in… Continue reading Sales of digital video recorders up one million

Virgin Media and Universal Pictures have joined forces to launch a new movies-on-demand TV subscription service on Virgin’s TV platform.PictureBox is set to launch next month to Virgin Media’s 3.6 million TV subscribers, costing £5 per month, and will provide access to a recent and archived feature films.Viewers who subscribe to the new service will… Continue reading Virgin and Universal team up to launch movies-on-demand service

The Independent has launched a new mobile site in a bid to keep up with the increasing growth of the mobile internet, extend its reach and generate new revenue streams.The Independent hopes the new site, which is being built by Bluestar Mobile, will attract new readers and help it compete with its rival titles.Bill Swanson,… Continue reading The Independent launches a mobile site

Ofcom has announced plans to introduce a ‘wholesale must-offer’ obligation that will force Sky to make its premium channels available to other broadcasters.The regulator’s consultation document, which was published today after Ofcom’s investigation in to the pay TV market, aims to address concerns over the restricted distribution of premium sports and film channels operated by… Continue reading Ofcom forces Sky to share premium channel content

Over half of ITV’s bondholders have accepted a bond exchange offer to help reduce the commercial broadcaster’s £730 million debt.The offer will see ITV bondholders exchange their original bonds for a mixture of cash and new bonds, which will mature at a later date, according to reports.ITV confirmed that bondholders with 54% stake of the… Continue reading ITV bondholders accept exchange offer

BBC One’s new two-part documentary Famous, Rich and Homeless picked up the highest ratings during the important 9pm and 10pm slot last night with over 5.3 million peak viewers.More than 4.7 million average viewers tuned in to see editor-in-chief of the Big Issue John Bird and a group of celebrities, including Annabel Croft and Rosie… Continue reading Overnights: BBC One’s new documentary steals the limelight

Pink Paper is to cease publishing its fortnightly print edition and become an online-only free title.The gay and lesbian title, which originally launched in 1987 and relaunched in 2005 under Millivres Prowler, will be suspended from the end of the month.However, the plans are not expected to result in any redundancies at the publisher.MPG said… Continue reading Pink Paper cancels print edition