April 2014 Newsletter
Welcome to IBT’s April newsletter with a brief update on our work and relevant news from the media industry. (Print this Newsletter)
HIV and stigma – the media challenge
We’re now working on a new piece of research which looks at HIV and stigma, and the role the media can play in tackling this. We’ll be looking at a range of initiatives that have taken place in different countries and assess how successful they have been. We’ll also include a case study of Swaziland, the country with the highest HIV rate. The research will be undertaken in partnership with IPPF but, if you’re interested in this issue, we’d like to encourage you to become involved. We’ll be holding a round table later this month to which all IBT members are invited. The aim of the round table will be to identify media opportunities and challenges, and to help us focus the research so that it is of real benefit to our member organizations. It will take place from 12-2 on Wednesday April 30th at the IBT offices in Southwark. If you’d like to attend, please let me know.
Next IBT briefing
Our next briefing will be with ITV News. We’ll be hearing from Michael Herrod, Foreign Editor and Natalie Fry, Executive Producer of On Assignment. Michael and Natalie will talk about the sort of stories they’re looking for and the best way for NGOs to pitch ideas to them. This briefing will take place at 10am on Wednesday April 30th. Invitations will go out shortly but places can be booked now via the members’ area of the IBT website.
On Assignment
ITV’s new monthly current affairs show, On Assignment, was launched last month, with reports from Rwanda, Norway and the US. All three reports were specially commissioned and there are welcome indications that the show will complement the main news bulletins with a feature-based approach. We’ll be hearing more from Natalie Fry, the Executive Producer, at the ITV News briefing later this month.
Unreported World
The Channel 4 foreign affairs show, Unreported World, starts its new run next Friday April 11th. If you’d like to go on their mailing list and receive advance details of what’s on each week, please let me know, as we’re in touch with the production team.
Channel 4
Ofcom has confirmed that it has renewed the licence of Channel 4 for a further 10 years. Following an extensive public consultation, to which IBT submitted evidence, a new licence has been issued. The only major change has been a tripling of Channel 4’s out of London spend. The international aspect of Channel 4’s remit remains unchanged.
The World Service
From today, the World Service moves from Foreign Office to licence fee funding. The BBC has guaranteed that there will be no overall cut to the World Service budget between now and the end of the present licence fee settlement, in December 2016. There will also be a small additional innovation fund to enable the service to expand its digital activities. Yesterday, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee published a report on the future of the World Service, in which it expressed concern about long term funding and the fact that the World Service will be competing for funds with BBC1 and other domestic tv channels.
One World Media Awards
Congratulations to all those shortlisted for this year’s One World Media Awards. Nominees include Dispatches – Children on the Frontline; Unreported World – The Orphan Business; Al Jazeera’s Orphans of the Sahara, Channel 4’s No Fire Zone and Panorama- Where’s Our Aid Money Gone? The winners will be announced at the awards evening on Tuesday May 6th. Tickets are available now.
The nation’s viewing habits…
A fascinating report was published last month by TV Licensing, on the nation’s viewing habits. It showed that 90% of television viewing is live; only 10% is time shifted. The report analyses why, even though on demand tv is widely available, most people still prefer to watch live television. Also, unlike in many other countries, the main terrestrial channels (BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5) dominate viewing, and the increasing number of +1 channels has intensified this dominance. BBC3 will be replaced by a +1 channel. The report also confirms the huge growth in viewing on tablets, particularly by children.
Best wishes
Mark
