Britain’s biggest broadcasters will get new privileges and freedoms to make more hit shows and better compete with global streaming giants under new draft legislation. The government claims the draft Media Bill will enable public service broadcasters (PSBs) – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV and S4C – to unleash their potential to […]
Disney+ has announced that Searchlight Pictures’ Rye Lane will begin streaming exclusively on Disney+ on May 3rd in the UK & Ireland. From director Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane is a romantic comedy that stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah , as Dom and Yas, two twenty-somethings both reeling from bad break-ups, who connect over the course […]
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the UK House of Commons is to question Lord Birt, former BBC Director General, and Lord Patten, former BBC Trust Chair, on issues relating to BBC impartiality. The one-off session on March 28th follows recent issues culminating with the suspension and reinstatement of Gary Lineker on Match […]
The changing needs of viewers and listeners and a demand for greater public accountability are enshrined in a new, modernised BBC operating licence announced by broadcast regulator Ofcom. The licence, which comes into effect on April 1st, 2023, has been designed firmly to hold the BBC to account on delivering its remit, while enabling it […]
The UK House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee MPs is to question Dame Melanie Dawes, Chief Executive of Ofcom, on the organisation’s work as the regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. The session on March 14th is likely to explore a range of broadcasting issues, including the BBC’s operating licence, content […]
Following an extensive search headed by 2023 partners the global music management and publishing company TaP Music, the BBC has confirmed that singer-songwriter Mae Muller will be representing the UK at the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, set to be held in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine, in May 2023 with I Wrote A Song. The […]
The BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated An Irish Goodbye is to receive its television premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC Northern Ireland. The short film is available now on BBC iPlayer and will be broadcast on BBC One NI on March 12th at 10.30pm, just ahead of the 95th Academy Awards, where is it nominated in the […]
Having helmed Shetland from the start to series seven, BAFTA-winning screenwriter and executive producer David Kane is developing the five book Morrow series into a multi-season TV series, set in Glasgow. Award winning author Denise Mina is one of Scotland’s most influential crime writers at home and internationally, described by Val McDermid as ‘crime writing […]
Following last year’s classical review looking at the sector and the BBC’s role within it, the BBC has set out a new strategy to strengthen its public purpose for classical music, delivering the best music to a wider audience, with a significant new investment in music education. The BBC says that the new strategy ensures […]
The UK House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee has called for action from the UK Government and public service broadcasters to enable more Scots to watch major sporting events for free. In its report examining ‘Public broadcasting in Scotland’, the Committee sets out how public service broadcasters are often ‘priced out’ of being able to show sporting […]