Category: media

“Andy Duncan, the Channel 4 chief executive, has today said that the broadcaster is not in a ‘survive or die’ situation, despite previously having warned that it could face an annual funding deficit of £150m by 2012. […] ‘We can cut our cloth to fit our means … what will suffer substantially is programming and content spend.”

“Canada’s documentary filmmakers are calling for changes to the newly established Canada Media Fund, claiming the current setup threatens their very existence. At a news conference staged in the midst of the Hot Docs film festival in Toronto yesterday, members of the Documentary Organization of Canada said they are concerned that the structure of the new fund will create conflicts of interest that could shut their industry out of crucial financing.”

“ITV is to its axe flagship arts strand The South Bank Show after more than 30 years on air next summer, when Melvyn Bragg retires as presenter and series editor.”

“On Thursday, Indian voters in Patna, capital of the unruly state of Bihar, will face a stark choice for the national Parliament: Will it be ‘Shotgun’ or ‘Shaker’? The two aren’t local toughs. They’re Bollywood stars. … The two men are part of a surge of Indian celebrities throwing their hats in the ring this year.”

Three prominent writers (two international relations professors and a national defense correspondent) compile their lists of “what they regard as the best movies ever made about international relations,” war and diplomacy.

“Who would win in a fight: Gandalf or Darth Vader? What about Neo vs. Harry Potter? ‘Heroes’ star Milo Ventimiglia is set to appear in and co-produce ‘Ultradome,’ a new scripted Web series where passionate fanboys settle hypothetical disputes in a special effects showdown.”

“While studios may still be splurging on a few of the major summer tentpoles like ‘Star Trek’ and the sequel to ‘Night at the Museum,’ the big [opening-night] bashes are fewer and farther between. … What studios have figured out is that they can get bigger bang for their buck by focusing less on excessive events that exist just to stroke cast, crew and invited guests — and instead focus on the media attention that the red carpet can bring.”

“One prominent analyst estimated that the major broadcast networks could be down as much as 15% to $7.4 billion for prime-time advertising sales for the fall season.”

“It’s what the Oscars wish they were. It’s the ultimate film festival, the place where the world’s greatest come to pit themselves against their peers.”

“Budget analysts told the state Senate Finance Committee that the state is likely to pay moviemakers up to $100 million for projects this year and that additional revenues generated by moviemaking won’t come close to covering the cost.”