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Stephen Boss, also known as Ellen De Generes's official DJ 'Twitch', has died from suicide aged 40.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/stephen-twitch-boss-dead-ellen-dj-1235460967/?cx_testId=49&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s

His wife Alison Holker Boss confirmed the news to People Magazine earlier tonight.

Rest in Peace Twitch. 

With amazing timing  the NAO have just published a report on "A Digital BBC"
It well worth a read  www.nao.org.uk 

Overall, the BBC’s key digital products, and most notably iPlayer, have to date performed well.
These levels of performance are impressive given available funding is considerably lower than other media organisations
with which it competes for audiences, many of which are digital-only.
The BBC now aims for its products to be within at least the top three in their fields within the UK
and has signalled its intention to move to an internet future with greater urgency.

To maintain its successes to date, and to achieve its targets for market share,
the BBC will now need to fully develop its digital-first plans and realistically consider
whether it has the resources it needs for this next challenge.

In planning for this next challenge, the BBC already has some solid foundations to build on.
It has set out a clear vision for how it intends to use digital technology to improve the services
it offers to its users. It has also, through its strategic technology review,
established an operating model that includes a product group
that is organised in line with industry best practice.

Nevertheless, there are areas which the BBC must address if it is to keep up
in a dynamic global media market.
In particular, its digital leadership structures need to evolve.
This should in turn help bring greater pace to tackling challenges
such as the development of a personalisation strategy,
including managing potential data risks.

Can't find a Top Gear thread, Freddie Flintoff has had an accident, hopefully he'll make a speedy recovery.

www.bbc.co.uk 

Saw this in the ITVX thread and thought it warranted its own:

www.theguardian.com 

I am not at all convinced that this will lead anywhere - rather this is brinkmanship designed to force the government to get their backsides into gear. After all, it seems to be a truism that if ITV ask Ofcom to jump, the response is always ‘how high?’. 

But what about if the unthinkable did happen? Would the government put the franchises back out to tender (something I know one or two here dream about)? Would Channels 4 and/or 5 pick up the slack left by ITV?

The documentary, The Disappearance of April Jones, currently showing on Channel 4, is being broadcast in 4:3 with black bars at either side of the screen.

It would appear to be a stylistic choice by the makers of the programme rather than a transmission error, as the framing doesn’t look cropped.

I can only presume they think it focuses the attention on the talking heads featured and adds a certain extra intensity. I think it was discussed on TVLF the increasing number of adverts using 4:3 for stylistic reasons, but it’s the first time I’ve seen a return to 4:3 programme making since everything went widescreen in the late 90s/early 00s.

I’m not sure I’m a fan though. It feels these days that it’s a rarity, outside live programming, for the picture to fill my TV screen anymore.

Dan Walker becoming very Peter Levy-like with his time checks ‘it’s just gone 5 past 5’ etc. The programme has become a bit more moulded around him but it hasn’t really changed that much since he took over.

Quote:The satirist Victor Lewis-Smith who compiled the Funny Old World column in Private Eye for almost 30 years has died aged 65 after a short illness.

Mark Borkowski, the publicist and Lewis-Smith’s agent who announced the news of his death in Bruges at the weekend, tweeted: “I am in deep shock … Struggling to come to terms with the loss of a unique and irreplaceable talent.”

Lewis-Smith starred in TV comedy sketch series, including Inside Victor Lewis-Smith on BBC2 in the 1990s, and was known for making hoax calls.

Quote:Actress Ruth Madoc, who starred in the BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi!, has died aged 79, her agent says.

Her agent said she died in hospital on Friday afternoon after surgery for a fall she had earlier in the week.

Phil Belfield of talent agency Belfield & Ward Ltd described her as a "unique talent loved by many".

I'm not sure if this is the most appropriate forum for this thread. If not, can Admin please move it to the most suitable forum.

iNews is reporting this today. I'm not sure whether to take it seriously or not. It mentions Tim Davie talking about completely switching off the Freeview platform in the 2030s.
inews.co.uk 

Quote:BBC plans to switch off broadcast TV and move to internet-only programmes, director-general says

Broadcast switch-off means BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four could be found under a single internet-only BBC ‘brand’

The BBC is planning to close its broadcast channels, including BBC One, and move to an internet-only distribution of programmes, director-general Tim Davie has revealed.

The BBC could close more linear channels in the near future as it “consolidates activity under one simple, single brand,” he told the Royal Television Society.

BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four could be united under a single brand, which he described as “the BBC”.

The corporation is planning to switch off its broadcast services, such as the Freeview digital terrestrial platform.

“The BBC will focus its effort on the digital world and over time this will mean fewer linear broadcast services and a more tailored joined up online offer,” Mr Davie said.

“For the BBC, internet-only distribution is an opportunity to connect more deeply with our audiences and to provide them with better services and choice than broadcast allows.”

“It provides significant editorial opportunities. A switch off of broadcast will and should happen over time, and we should be active in planning for it.”

Mr Davie promised that “we must work together to ensure that everyone is connected, and can get their TV and radio via the internet. This isn’t something to resist. A fully connected UK has very significant benefits for society and our economy. It would unleash huge opportunities for innovation”.

He added: “Of course, there’s a bad way it could happen. Where access to content is no longer universal. Or is unaffordable for too many. Where the gateway to content is owned by well capitalised overseas companies.”

BBC sources said they expect linear TV, which was still widely valued, to continue into the 2030s but it was wise for the BBC to begin preparations now for a future digital transition.

The plan did not mean BBC One, Two, Three and Four would close, sources said – although some have suggested that BBC shows could increasingly be grouped under categories such as Knowledge, Entertainment or Sport, as live viewing on scheduled TV channels wanes.

Mr Davie said the BBC cannot fund the national broadband and 5G infrastructure upgrades required to move towards broadcast “switch-off”. But it “can collaborate with others to make a move to online attractive to all, and play a big part in educating people about the transition”.

A 30 per cent real-terms cut in the licence fee over a decade meant the BBC would need to reduce its “brands” – the merger of BBC World News and domestic news channel, due to take place next spring, was an example of the direction the broadcaster will follow.

Following the Culture Secretary, Michelle Donelan’s assertion that the licence fee in its current form is unsustainable, due to an increasing number of households declining to pay, Mr Davie said: “We are open minded about future funding mechanics, but we are clear that it is critical we have a universal solution that fuels UK public service growth – not stifles it – while offering audiences outstanding value for money.”

Couldn't find a thread for EastEnders and not sure if this post constitutes a new thread...

On Monday, look out for special end credits and a lovely rendition of the EE theme tune, with the iconic whistles at the end.