Here is this week’s news. There’s some stuff not in here, but that’s just because we’re saving it for our Christmas special!
Creative Industries
Video Games
Labour MP Tom Watson has suggested that the BBC could ‘really help’ small developers. He suggests that the corporation could allow developers to showcase applications or games on the BBC website, with the studio then able to look at commercial routes as well. More HERE.
Two more games courses have been accredited by Skillset, putting them among the ranks of the UK’s elite games training grounds. Congratulations to Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Abertay more HERE.
Ed has been interviewed by Midlife Gamer, along with Don Foster and Sion Simon: HERE.
Children and Advertising
Ed Balls has published a report on: ‘The Impact of the Commercial World on Children’s Wellbeing’. Amongst its findings, the report says that the commercial world provides children with important opportunities in terms of entertainment, learning, creativity and cultural experience. Full report HERE. Press release HERE. .
The Advertising Association has published a response, HERE with chief executive Tim Lefroy saying: ‘This is a measured and thoughtful review of the role the commercial world has in society and particularly for children and young people. We are playing a full role in various initiatives as part of our responsible approach to marketing to children’
Online Piracy
YouTube are considering offering subscription services that allow users to watch major new TV shows and films online. Some broadcasters including Channel 4 and Five have already forged deals with the website to show full-length programmes online, Youtube is now considering paid options as well. More HERE.
Australia introduces web filters that restrict access to criminal content, HERE. As you can imagine twitter is not happy, HERE.
Online security group Detica is launching a system that can monitor illegal filesharing over Virgin Media’s Network. It has dismissed concerns that it could be used to identify and spy on individual users, saying ‘customer privacy is at the very heart of this’ more HERE.
Mobile Networks
In Norway and Scandinavia the first 4G mobile network becomes available, HERE. 4G is 10 times faster than the best mobile internet in this country.
BBC Worldwide
Mark Thompson has hit back at calls to sell of Worldwide, saying it will be an ‘empty vessel’ if it is sold. More HERE and HERE. We now have absolutely no idea what the BBC actually wants to do with Worldwide…sell it? keep it? sell part of it?
TV
Channel 4 and TalkTalk have announced they will join Canvas, the proposed venture with the BBC, ITV, Five and BT to deliver television programmes and other online content via broadband more HERE. We think this great news.
Almost a third of the entire country tuned in to watch the final of X-factor, well over half of the total TV audience, HERE.
Music
Rage Against the Machine was outselling X Factor Winner Joe McElderry in the midweek sales figures, more HERE. More than 500,000 people have joined a campaign on Facebook encouraging people to by the 1992 single Killing in the Name in an attempt to upset Simon Cowell’s domination of the Christmas charts.
Film
The BSAC have published a report into Creativity, Competitiveness and Enterprise more HERE. which calls on the Government to stimulate competition, create a UK silicon valley liberate public service content from TV and create a copyright regime that facilitates decentralised creativity and access to content in the broader ecology. HERE. This is an interesting report which we will be looking at closely.
Pinewood studios have announced that they will open a studios in Malaysia more HERE.
Fashion
Good news from Burberry which has said it will show in London again at the A/W 2010 shows in February, more HERE.
The Guardian Fashion Awards for the year are out HERE. And no, we have no idea what that thing on Madonna’s head is either.
Radio
Made in Manchester’s second online drama with the Indy is online now HERE. We think this project is an interesting development which opens up new radio platforms other than the BBC.
Awards Season
Just starting to warm up, with the Golden Globe nominations out. Congratulations to British nominees Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan and Emily Blunt more HERE.
Arts and Heritage
Visual Art
Ed has been interviewed by Art Forum on our arts policies, HERE.
Film and Archives
The BBC and the British Library have brought together their collection of audiovisual archives to make them more widely available to the public HERE. Well done to both.
Books
A new website plans to use commuters’ music players to revive the art of the short story by selling audiobooks of work by famous writers. More HERE. Very good idea.
And Finally
Ed was interviewed by the BBC’s Hard Talk this week, talking about culture and media policies and the wider Conservative agenda more HERE. He vigorously denied he was posh.
Win a free cultural calendar on CultureLabel HERE
In Parliament
DCMS spending on public relations HERE
£1,100 on departmental photo shoots HERE
Departmental meetings with the music industry HERE
The cost of DCMS departmental away days HERE
Government Art Collection loans to public galleries HERE
Funding to ACE over the last five years HERE
1700 days lost to sickness at the DCMS HERE
Estimates for funding to the good causes in the years to 2015 HERE
Where we’ve been and who we’ve seen
ITV, Local Government Association libraries conference, Loyd Grossman, St Mary’s Tower Gloucester, Gloucester Folk Museum, Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester Museum (yes, we were in Gloucester), Tribal Education, Sally Greene… and George Osborne visited David Chipperfield and Neues Museum in Berlin and also met with Chairmen of three National Museums.
Ed Vaizey
Shadow Arts Minister
Jeremy Hunt
Shadow Culture Secretary
