What's on BBC

This is a direct link to the BBC's what's on UK TV & radio page. It also includes what's on BBC radio.

What's on ITV

This is ITV's programme guide, but also gives you details of what's on Freeview, Sky and cable too.

whatsontv

This site give you the ability to search for Freeview, Sky and cable TV. You can also choose by your region.

---

Entertainment News and Views : OnTheBox.com Blog
tv guide - tv listings - tv online

How “Found Footage” Found Its Way To Hollywood
by Sarah Cox
3 Feb 2012 at 4:33pm

Uncomfortable close-ups of the snot-smeared visage of a thoroughly unhappy camper aside, the “found footage” genre has proven itself to be a popular format with thrill-seeking horror fans everyhwere. In fact, the found footage fan base is now so great that there is even an annual festival in Wisconsin, held specifically to celebrate quivery camerawork.

As well as allowing filmmakers to build up significant amounts of utter tripe about the “real life” nature of what was captured, found footage films have an obvious alignment with the suspense-building aims of the horror flick. In their original state, found-footage films inferred that the protagonist pressing the REC button was no longer around.

But things are moving on for the format. The latest director to embrace shaky splendour is Josh Trank with his CGI tastic action/adventure, Chronicle. Telling the story of a trio of teens who are bestowed with superpowers after a freak caving accident, the film reveals its engrossing content through a combination of CCTV footage and the protagonist’s own attempts to record his life frame by frame.

After some time gripped by the gnarly hands of the horror flick, the found footage sub-genre has been gradually taking steps into other movie domains. But how did it make it from cult video nasties to big budget action adventure?

Many would argue that Ruggero Deodato’s intensely disturbing Cannibal Holocaust (1980) was the first film to use the found-footage technique to any great effect. Supposedly recording the last adventures of a jugle-faring anthrologists who encounters a bunch bloodthirsty cannibals, this still remains one of the scariest horrors to linger at the back of any VHS cabinet. WARNING: This clip is vile.

Fast forward a decade or so and we have perhaps the most famous film of its kind. The Blair Witch Project Artfully blurred the line between reality and fiction by using crudely shot found footage to tell its gruesome tale, this film cost just $22,000 to make and raked in over £240 million at box offices. If there was ever a question about the future of the sub-genre as a potential money-spinner, this film provided the definitive answer.

Spanish horror flick, REC (2007) is next to make out potted history of the sub-genre. Yet another found footage horror, this film did not really bring any really bring anything fresh to the format but does not take away from the fact that it truly is ff horror at its best. Raw, petrifying and absolutely stuffed with suspense (and weird noises).

Taking a sideways step from pure horror to horrific action thrillers, Cloverfield made a strong impression in 2008 with its brave use of found footage as a means to “record” an alien invasion. The home video of a friend’s party makes a familiar start point against which to contrast the horrendous events which unfold. Horrors’ love affair with the format is still in plain view, but the fierce and brutal action caught by our protagonist hints at a different kind of thrill.

In a departure from the norms of the genre, Troll Hunter uses found footage to tell its fantastical tale to impressive effect. A group of students join a hunter, thinking he is only after bears but soon discover his prey is far larger. After a string of troll-related attacks, disappearances and deaths, footage is finally found by a truck at the side of a road. Thank heavens because otherwise Andre Ovredal’s fantasy/adventure/thriller would never have made it to screen…and helped to push the boundaries of found footage filming even further.

As budgets tighten and finance dries up for many small-time film directors, the appeal of using handheld cameras and amateurish editing techniques will continue to be also an inviting prospect. The genre has already proven that it can attract nervous bottoms onto seat and, despite flirting with big budget CGI hits, is sure to encourage inventive storytelling from budget-cnoscious directors with other stories to tell.

Man On A Ledge Review: A Long Way Down
by Jez Sands
3 Feb 2012 at 4:13pm

MAN ON A LEDGE (12A): On General Release Friday 3rd February

Sam Worthington stars as Nick Cassidy, an ex-cop who is sent to prison for supposedly stealing a massive diamond from gem magnate David Englander (Ed Harris).  Released to attend his father’s funeral, he promptly escapes and goes on the run only to edge his way out onto the ledge on the 21st floor of a hotel.

After making sure he has the attention of the media and the police and that a specific negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) is on the scene, he threatens to jump.  But it’s soon revealed that this is just an elaborate plan to distract attention away from his brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) who are busy breaking into the vault across the street.

Quite what the constant appeal of Sam Worthington is remains a mystery.  After been given plenty of high-profile roles following his appearance in Avatar (Terminator 4, Clash Of The Titans, The Debt) and doing nothing particularly interesting, he’s still gets very high billing.  Man On A Ledge thankfully doesn’t require him to do any heavy lifting, so despite a wobbly accent, he’s perfectly fine if expectedly unremarkable.

Fortunately, the rest of the cast have slightly more life to them particularly Elizabeth Banks as the canny negotiator and Ed Harris as a steely-eyed panto villain.  Jamie Bell and Genesis Rodriguez are more of a mixed bag – some of their dialogue is appalling and the chemistry is never quite believable and frequently verges on irritating

Director Asger Leth maintains a brisk pace which wisely doesn’t give you time to think too hard about the multitude of plot holes and he makes good use of the location – the first time Nick steps out on the ledge really does feel like you’re doing it too – acrophobes  beware.

There’s a sort of B-movie quality to Man On A Ledge which excuses many of its excesses but the plot is rife with so many plot holes and poorly reasoned logic that they eventually become impossible to ignore. Why for example does Genesis Rodriguez strip down to her underwear for no reason at all?  Why can’t she find any clothes that fit her in the first place?  If you cut the wires to the heat sensors in the vault, surely you can’t deliberately set them off with heat packs later?

It also features a poor realised and written last 15 minutes which feels like they couldn’t think of a good way to end the movie – a horribly saccharine, cheery-on-top finale which proves to be the last straw in a long line of mounting implausibility.  Still, it makes for adequate throwaway Friday night fodder – just don’t go expecting more than that.

Carnage Review: What Lies Beneath
by Jez Sands
3 Feb 2012 at 2:49pm

CARNAGE (15): On General Release Friday 3rd February

Adapted from the stage play God Of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, Roman Polanski’s film strips away the seemingly polite middle class sensibilities of two couples to reveal furious bile-spitting tempers, hypocrisy, pretension and ugly raging prejudices

Worthy writer Penelope Longstreet (Jodie Foster) and her husband Michael (John C. Reilly) are playing hosts to the Cowans – neurotic investment broker Nancy (Kate Winslet) and high-powered lawyer Alan (Christoph Waltz), a wolfish workaholic who is inseparable from his phone, to discuss an altercation between their sons which resulted in the Longstreet’s son being hit with a stick and losing two teeth.

Aside from a brief outdoor sequence which depicts the boys’ fight, all of the action takes place within the Longstreet’s apartment.  It’s an unbelievably claustrophobic experience – and through its brisk running time (80 minutes), often toe-curlingly excruciating.

Reza and Polanski pay very close attention to language, inflection and tone so while the couples initially argue about the loaded wording of a statement (Nancy objecting to the phrase “armed with a stick” and  the use of the word “disfigure” to describe the aftermath), things quickly descend into sniping personal attacks and an unravelling of middle class pretences.   And when alcohol is introduced, the situation only gets worse.

Carnage’s stage origins are plainly obvious and the one-set production feels much more like a filmed play than a feature film.   That’s not really a problem because the acting is the film’s main attraction particularly from Foster (who gives her best performance in years) and whose world starts to crumble as the situation gets more and more out of control and she realises that even her husband doesn’t share her values.

The problem is that none of the characters feel completely real but merely ciphers for differing personalities – Penelope is politically correct to a fault, Michael is a moral coward with lurking alpha male aggression, Nancy is noncommittal and wishy-washy and Alan is selfish, venal and pragmatic.

The film is at its best in the early stages when cracks start to appear in everyone’s apparently civility, but as things descend into farce (a spate of projectile vomiting, some phone abuse, unlikely alliances), the tension dissipates and Carnage loses some of its appeal.  Still, Polanski does manage to keep things refreshingly brief, vicious and pointedly nasty.

Follow Jez Sands on Twitter.
 

Young Adult Review: Teenage Dirtbag
by Jez Sands
3 Feb 2012 at 12:16pm

YOUNG ADULT (15): On General Release Friday 3rd February

Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s follow up to Juno is a refreshing black comedy which riffs on the dark side of misplaced nostalgia and former glories. Charlize Theron plays Mavis Gray, a 30-something former high school homecoming queen who is now the writer of a flagging series of young adult books.

Depressed and miserable following her divorce and with inspiration for her last book running dry, she returns to her small town to try to rekindle a relationship with her now happily married high-school sweetheart Buddy (Patrick Wilson) who has just had his first baby.  But when she encounters more resistance than she anticipated, she forms an unexpected friendship with a disabled former classmate, Matt (Patton Oswalt), who hasn’t moved on since school either.

Diablo Cody excels are creating characters that feel completely genuine but while Juno was peppered with wise-cracking teen speak, Young Adult has dialogue which feels far more realistic. Cody has a particular gift for inflections and slang which evokes a particular time and Mavis’s speech seems jammed in the high-school period in which she was popular.

That’s appropriate as Mavis has never really grown up. She’s been reliving the past glory days of her youth repeatedly by writing stories which are rehashed memories of her own life – living vicariously in the past where she used to be a somebody and cribbing dialogue she overhears from modern teens.

Mavis is a narcissist, an alcoholic, selfish, vain and cruel and yet Cody’s script is such that our sympathies remain with her at all times even when she’s at her most appalling.  It takes real skill to pull off a despicable protagonist but our reaction to her inevitably disastrous attempts to steal Buddy away from his wife is ultimately one of pathos rather than revulsion – the crowds gathered on the grass watching her final catastrophic public meltdown certainly feel more pity than scorn.

Charlize Theron is absolutely marvellous as Mavis, an expertly judged performance which is an inversion of the usual rom com heroine and one which was stunningly overlooked in this year’s Best Actress nominations.  Theron won acclaim for playing ugly in Monster; here her transformation is less radical – her undeniable beauty still shines through but she looks tired, worn out – a perfect fit for a washed-up prom queen.

Comedian Patton Oswalt delivers a breakthrough performance as Matt.   He’s exactly the kind of classmate that Mavis would have picked on in school, something which they both recognise.

In a moment of recollection she realises he’s “that hate crime guy” – the guy that was left permanently crippled after a group of jocks who thought he was gay beat him senseless. Tellingly, when someone reminds her that she used to call him “theatre fag”, she doesn’t remember the details.  Cody derives as much from what is implied and not said as to what is – the outlines of the past can be discerned from the shape of the present.

Young Adult is a hugely enjoyable and terrifically written film; funny, witty and at times devastatingly perceptive.

Follow Jez Sands on Twitter.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Review: Rock Solid
by Jez Sands
2 Feb 2012 at 3:56pm

JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND: On General Release Friday 2nd February

There are films that warrant serious analysis and dissection.  Journey 2 is not one of those films.  It’s gleefully ridiculous, frequently leaves things unexplained and cheerfully marches on unashamed of its plot contrivances.

But what makes it more than just a crass ham-fisted sequel to the Brendan Fraser original is its self-awareness, pace and steadfast resolve not to take itself too seriously, which made it hard not to raise a smile.

It finds sulky teenager Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) embark on a quest to find his grandfather after he receives a code on a ham radio.  Accompanied by his muscle-bound stepdad (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), they charter a derelict helicopter from Gabato (Luiz Guzman) and his daughter Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), crash land on the Mysterious Island and (of course) team up with Sean’s granddad (Michael Caine).  Here they find that the island is populated by miniature and gigantic versions of the world’s fauna but that they’ll have to make their escape quickly as the island is due to sink in a few days.

Johnson’s character is a kind of muscular polymath, blessed with the miraculous ability to have the solution to whatever problem the team comes up against. It’s hard to think of a series of improbable events which require the talents of an ex-naval , code-breaking champion who so happens to be an authority on soil liquefaction but Journey 2 throws that in with aplomb.

The Rock has for a long time been a charismatic presence who improves almost every film he’s in – Fast And Furious 5 would have been infinitely poorer were it not for him; Tooth Fairy was far better than it really should have been.  Journey 2 is no exception, and he has surprising chemistry with Michael Caine, a truculent antagonism which is actually quite funny and a genuinely hilarious scene in which he impacts advice about women to Sean while popping berries of his bulging pectorals.

In fact The Rock has such charisma that his co-stars are drawn into a sort of gravitational orbit.  Josh Hutcherson, who would probably be fine in any other movie, fades into the background like a young Shia LaBeouf; Vanessa Hudgens’s undeniable beauty is dwarfed by his pearly whites and even Michael Caine is upstaged by his callipygian stature.

The brisk pace and light tone help helps breeze through a plot which is superfluous and merely a device to get to the next CGI-fuelled set-piece.  Inevitable subplots which involve Gabato searching for money to fund Kailani’s higher education and a will they/ won’t they romantic arc are undoubtedly the film’s low points but are hardly a major consideration.

While Journey 2 isn’t going to win any awards for scriptwriting, the colourful characters combined with Dwayne Johnson’s unbridled charisma is enough to keep it fresh and it does a good job at breezing past any significant plot holes. It’s a mild but ultimately forgettable family movie which is fun while it lasts.  Can we have a better comedy vehicle for The Rock yet please?

Follow Jez Sands on Twitter.

Richard Attenborough Regional Film Awards: Winners Announced!
by Sarah Cox
2 Feb 2012 at 2:37pm

Gary named top British dog up but RPatz is named "Best Actor"...in the world?

The Richard Attenborough Regional Film Awards were announced this afternoon with British film Tinker Tailor Solider Spy bagging three awards, including Best British Film.

UK stars Robert Pattinson and Gary Oldman were also recognised for their acting awesomeness.

Luckily an OTB correspondent was in the neighbourhood and only too happy to munch mini canape burgers while the results were announced.

The full list of categories with their corresponding kings and queens are listed below:

UK Regional Film Critics’ Awards
Film of the Year – The Artist
Filmmaker of the Year – Michel Hazanavicius (dir. The Artist)
Screenwriter of the Year – Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Best Actor – Michael Fassbender (Shame)
Best Actress – Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Rising Star – Tom Hiddleston (War Horse, Thor, The Deep Blue Sea, Midnight in Paris)

UK Public Vote ( as decided by the viewers)
British Film of the Year – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Animated Film – Arthur Christmas
Family Film – The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
British Film Star – Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Film Star – Robert Pattinson (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1)
Film Blog – CineVue
Most Anticipated Film of 2012 – The Dark Knight Rises

Mark Wright’s First Big Screen Break?
by Sarah Cox
2 Feb 2012 at 11:30am

Mark Wright, undoubtedly one of Essex’s finest exports, is rumoured to have landed himself his first big screen role.

It genuinely could be a case of Brentwood to Hollywood if The Only Way Is Essex star pulls of his first chance at a big screen role.

Mark is reportedly lined up to play the love interest of Kelly Brook in new Brit gangaster film to be released later this year.

He will also star alongside Danny Dyer and Tamar Hassan. Sources have told The Sun: “Mark is keen to get into acting and Cockney gangster films are right up his street.

“He loves The Business and Football Factory so it’s a dream for him to work with Danny and Tamar.”

I’m sure they both feel the same. But wait – what do you mean watching and enjoying films of a particular genre doesn’t qualify you for a lead role?! This is Mark Wright we’re talking about…

But it’s not just his laddish co-stars that Mark is getting all excited about. Apparently Mark likes the ladies a bit and is pretty chuffed to be starring alongside the buxom Miss Brook.

“Add Kelly into the mix, he’s made up…”, the source added.

Since leaving TOWIE, Mark received a warm reaction from the public when he completed a stint in the Australian jungle for celebrity reality show, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! He has also had the honour of presenting a two week stint of Daybreak last month, as well as turning his hand playing Take Me Out host.

Is there any stopping this tanned and toned Essex dreamboat?

John Hawkes Signs Up For Jackie Brown Prequel
by Jez Sands
2 Feb 2012 at 10:50am

Winter’s Bone and Martha Marcy May Marlene star John Hawkes has signed up for Switch, the prequel to Jackie Brown.  Now before you get all excited, Quentin Tarantino has no involvement with the project, although like Brown, it will be adapted from an Elmore Leonard novel.

Hawkes will star opposite Yasiin Bey (the name that Mos Def is going by these days) as younger versions of Louis Gara and Ordell Robbie, characters played by Robert De Niro and Samuel L. Jackson respectively in Jackie Brown.

The plot’s written by writer/director Dan Schechter, a relative newcomer who took a chance and wrote a script based on Leonard’s 1978 book The Switch and sent it to Leonard’s agent Michael Siegel.  Siegel liked it, showed it to Leonard and the two have now agreed to become producers on the new project.  Inspiring stuff.

The plot’s set 15 years before the events of Jackie Brown and sees Gara and Robbie kidnap Mickey Dawson, the wife of a corrupt Detroit real estate developer.  But when he refuses to pay the ransom, the pair are forced to change plans and an understandably furious Dawson ends up using the two of them to get revenge.  Shooting is scheduled for May.

Hawkes has been getting deserved credit of late for eerie performances in both Winter’s Bone (for which he was nominated for an Oscar last year) and Martha Marcy May Marlene (which is out tomorrow) and has also picked up praise for his role in The Surrogate which should be out later this year

Gary Oldman For Albert Hughes’s Motor City
by Jez Sands
2 Feb 2012 at 9:50am

After a spate of heroics in Nolan’s Batman trilogy and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Gary Oldman is once again strapping on his villain hat for Motor City.

It’s the next film by Book Of Eli director Albert Hughes and will see Dominic Cooper as a small time criminal framed and sent to prison (presumably in Detroit). After serving his time, he swears revenge (possibly also shaking his fist at the sky as he does so) and tries to reconnect with his old love (Amber Heard).

It won’t be as easy at that though as he’ll have to face a gang boss (Oldman) who’s been pulling the strings from behind the scenes and has some hold of Heard. Hughes plans to kick off directing the film in April which is being backed by Joel Silver’s Dark Castle Entertainment – the company behind such cinematic classics as Unknown, Ninja Assassin and The Losers.

Oldman meanwhile will crop up in John Hillcoat’s The Wettest Country and of course The Dark Knight Rises.

Video: Aardman Animation Does DC Comic Heroes
by admin
1 Feb 2012 at 4:42pm

After stumbling on this video which stretches the very fabric of awesomeness, we thought that it would be a crime not to share it with you OTB readers. Spliced together by azraelknightify, this little number shows what might happen if all our favourite Marvel comic book heroes were DC creations. Batman meets Wallace and Gromit..

TV & Radio

You can now watch and listen to your favourite UK TV & radio programmes online on your PC. Some you will have to pay for and some will be free.

TVGUIDE

This 'at a glance' TV & radio guide is one of the most convenient. It includes Virgin Tiscali and Sky and can be searched by your region.

---

backstage.bbc.co.uk :: Backstage.bbc.co.uk: Ideas

Music in TV Programmes
10 Jan 2008 at 6:40pm

From the Mailing list,

Personally I'm waiting for the time when we can pause a program and scroll over the items on-screen and it'll tell us what they are and where we can buy them, like when Ed Norton describes his apartment at the beginning of Fight Club.
Ideas/prototypes repository
18 Apr 2007 at 5:47pm

Is there some kind of organisational structure of prototypes and ideas similar to sourceforge or 43things.com that can create more of a group around specific projects? Could there be?

BBC clocks as a widget or gadget
30 Jan 2007 at 5:38pm

Following the Clock which was created by the guys at NHK. I thought it would be a really good idea if we did some kind of clock based on the old BBC school clocks which most of remember. Jem actually found a site which has a load of old BBC clocks in Flash form. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to repurpose one of the clocks or build one using SVG or something else.

Anyone interested in building one?

A new witty slogan and design for Backstage T-shirts
30 Oct 2006 at 5:39pm

We're considering changing the Fabulous but somewhat bland Backstage T-shirts. Yes they're great schwag but we can certainly do better.

So we thought it would be great if we'd ask you guys what you think is the best T-shirt schwag you've seen or owned and what witty slogan or design should be included to make a even better backstage T-shirt?

Let us know what you think...

PDA RSS
11 Oct 2006 at 4:45pm

What would be really handy for people like myself with newish mobile phones (or PDAs) that have RSS readers onboard (Sony Ericsson K800i in my case) if for there to be RSS feeds linking to the PDA and Low Resolution pages as well as the "Hi" ones. Ideally these would be included in the regular pages as the normal application/rss links. In the meantime there is a quick demo at http://kswindells.34sp.com/bbc.php/X/Y Where X is "n" for UK News or "s" for Sport and Y is the category - e.g. rugby_league or motorsport__formula_one (the / between motorsport and formula_one is replaced by two underscores) This simply takes the BBC RSS feeds and reparses them for the low res versions. Ideally this would also work for the PDA version but the URLs are structured differently. Source Code: http://kswindells.34sp.com/bbc.phpi

Weather report on your mobile in the morning
11 Oct 2006 at 4:42pm

Hello, It would be great to have the day's weather (temperature and forecast) sent to my mobile early in the morning as I'm getting ready for work. At the moment I tend to look outside of my 6th floor flat window to see how I should dress for the day (rain, snow, sun, etc). Unfortunately I leave rather early and it's already dark out, so I can't see what the weather is like until I walk out the door and it's too late to change on days when it's raining, for example! Or sometimes it looks nice and sunny, but it's actually rather breezy as well and then I'm cold all day! With this idea, if I received my text message in the morning when I woke up, I could be better prepared for the day.

what's in radio 4's 8pm slot this week?
11 Oct 2006 at 4:37pm

A page that tells people what's on in their favourite radio slots this week.

Problem
------------------
My favourite programs are broadcast in BBC Radio 4's Monday-Friday 8pm slot. When I lived in Europe, all I had to do was tune in to Radio 4 at 8pm and chances are I'd hear something good. Super-easy. Now I live in a different time zone that doesn't let me tune in to Radio 4 at 8pm GMT. So I listen via the Radio 4 website. But the concept of 'slots' isn't reflected in the organisation of BBC Radio websites; nowhere on the Radio 4 website is there a link to "listen to the 8pm slot". The audio file is on the website somewhere, but I have to dig around to find it.

Solution
------------------
It envisage a simple search interface where you define your slots and are given a (bookmarkable) search results page that lists this week's programing for those slots, with links to the audio file when available. This would make me happy! I think it would make other people happy too, because radio stations have this concept of 'slots' that isn't replicated in the online world. It would make it easier for people to "tune in" to their favourite slot, at the time that suits them.

Radio Now and Next in Yahoo Widgets
27 Feb 2006 at 5:05pm

It is beyond me but could someone do a Yahoo widget for BBC Radio Now and Next.
The URL points to a widget for the five terrestrial TV Channels using puretelly.com data which is perfect.

I have tried various RSS feeds in some RSS readers but it does not seem to work for me.

Some sort of ability to select the radio stations displayed would be a good feature.....

Global Weather Collection
27 Feb 2006 at 5:01pm

Instead of the BBC sharing its information, how about doing it the other way around. Create an application that will save local weather conditions back to the BBC centre, based on data gathering equipment at the users home/office. For example Maplin used to do a small kit that had a wind speed, wind direction and temperature sensors, that connected to a standard PC, and there are other companies that produce similar hardware. It could become a BBC school project and given that many people now have broadband and computers that stay on for much of the day (eg Media Centre PC's), it could become a really massive & worldwide project, as the only input a local user would need to provide would be a location. Enough sensors within a given location would allow for errors & mistakes.

Flowers
27 Feb 2006 at 12:00pm

I'm an ICT Coordinator without the time to develop many ideas. Heres my main ones:
Link up - countryfile - bbc local websites - google maps - gardeners world and add photos of local wild flowers to a google map, with flower information such as name, flowering date, herbal uses e.t.c have a sub group of experts to check details and build up a national database of wildflowers and their distribution. Link up with wildflower charities for the experts - should all be driven by ease of use for public
to add their own photos.

Idea 2 - i'm sure there's been plenty of suggestions like this. But i would like radio shows available as podcasts across the board. i.e any show on any bbc network, The podcast would be signed up rss, bbc can promote email feedback on program as part of the package. This gives you detailed information about your programs and thier reception and the listeners and license payers : accessability to your archived radio content away from a computer! yes why not let the rest of the world have it too, for free?, it would promote your brand in all the right ways!
G.Wilkinson@Valence.kent.sch.uk
ICT Coordinator Valence school

UK Singles Chart RSS Feed
27 Feb 2006 at 11:58am

Any body else think it would be a good idea for the bbc to have an RSS feed for the UK Singles chart (Top 40) or if any body wants to build an aggregator for the radio 1 webpage to produce a feed???

Local content for local people
27 Feb 2006 at 11:55am

I haven't actually got any firm details on this idea yet but just wanted to [git mode] put it in the bath and see if it floats [/end git mode].

In principle every section of every BBC Where I Live site (specifically the England ones) could output an rss feed.

With masses of content on everything from faith events to band profiles would it be possible to combine this with geo positioning to create some kind of rich app giving you information on all sorts of things happening in your location on a map?

Or something along those lines?

Forgot to add (and improved on the idea within seconds of clicking submit).

I mentioned band profiles - one of the biggest parts of a Where I Live site is the Unsigned Band section.

If you could take an RSS feed of the band profiles, the gig reviews and gig previews you could create a really sexy rich app that takes a google map, overlays it with flickr images, the data from the unsigned bands section on the Where I Live site and info on gigs in the area from sites like Radio 1, 6music and other music services - could even take in audio clips of gigs recorded by radio one or the local station.

Feed of football fixtures by league
27 Feb 2006 at 11:47am

It would be nice if a feed was available to see all the current football fixtures for eg. the upcoming week but based on leagues rather than individual clubs. Currently there doesn't seem to be a feed available for this from the fixtures page, but rather you have to go on a per-club basis...

good news
23 Dec 2005 at 10:13am

i'm pretty fed up with constant BAD NEWS! however there is a simple solution, "GOOD NEWS".
i think that the bbc should dedicate 5 minutes at least to a short news feed at an appropriate time for max audience, showing the days good news. Its very simple and could easily be done on a lopw budget. I'm sure it would givew everyone a lift. please contact me for the full concept.
thankyou.

News on instant message with Chatbot
12 Dec 2005 at 11:01am

I integrated Wordnet, AIML, openNLP parser to write a simple Chatbot at MSN. But the Chatbot just wait for conversation, if I can automatic send some News title when one news happen. This will be more interesting!

Radio Times

The Radio Times not only gives you what's on UK TV & radio but also a handy Film guide.

What's on digital?

This link is to information about digital TV and digital radio.

ONTHEBOX

This website has a convenient time slot search along with all the terrestrial, freeview, satellite and cable channels.

---

UK TV Programme Highlights
Pick of the day UK TV programme highlights for covering news, films, comedies, sci-fi, sport and all other programme categories picked daily by the DigiGuide staff.

Six Nations Rugby Union
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

John Inverdale is joined by Jeremy Guscott and Andy Nicol for the Calcutta Cup clash between Scotland and England at Murrayfield. (more...)

Six Nations Rugby Union showing on BBC 1 at February 4th - 4:30pm

Remind...

My Super Ex-Girlfriend
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

Romantic fantasy comedy. New York architect Matt meets Jenny on the subway. She's tall, blonde, beautiful and seems perfect. Then she admits she's a superhero and, when Matt dumps her, it's time for super rage... (more...)

My Super Ex-Girlfriend showing on Channel 4 at February 4th - 7:10pm

Remind...

Safari Park Adventure
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

In this brand new series, Woburn Safari Park opens its doors and, for the first time, allows 'access all areas' to its 600 animals of 76 different species, seen in a unique perspective. (more...)

Safari Park Adventure showing on Animal Planet at February 4th - 9:00pm

Remind...

Mrs. Brown's Boys
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

With Maria about to give birth, Cathy convinces Agnes to build bridges and invite Maria's mother Hillary out for dinner. (more...)

Mrs. Brown's Boys showing on BBC 1 at February 4th - 9:30pm

Remind...

Borgen
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

The press wants to do a story on Birgitte's private life, which isn't prospering. (more...)

Borgen showing on BBC 4 at February 4th - 10:00pm

Remind...

The Talent Show Story
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

This final episode lifts the lid on the talent show judges, including the roles they play in creating stars and the sometimes bitter rivalry between members of the panel. (more...)

The Talent Show Story showing on ITV1 London at February 4th - 10:00pm

Remind...

The Full Monty
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

Low-budget tale of unemployed friends Gaz and Dave who stumble upon a local Chippendales-style show and decide to start their own strip act in order to make some quick cash, and to take their minds off the dole. (more...)

The Full Monty showing on Channel 4 at February 4th - 10:30pm

Remind...

Music and Lyrics
by DigiGuide Staff
4 Feb 2012 at 6:00am

Romantic comedy, starring Hugh Grant. Alex Fletcher - a 1980s boy-band star - has just days to come up with a new chart-topper for pop sensation Cora. He's got the music, but can't find the lyrics - can pretty wordsmith Sophie help? (more...)

Music and Lyrics showing on ITV1 London at February 4th - 11:15pm

Remind...