In The Frame - September ’18

Streaming / Online / Tech

Apple is due to launch its streaming service in March 2019 and it’s expected to take a conservative approach and focus on content without sex, swearing or violence. One report says Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, sat down more than a year ago to watch the service’s first scripted drama, Vital Signs, “a dark, semi-biographical tale of hip hop artist Dr Dre” and was troubled by the lines of cocaine, orgy and drawn guns that he saw.

Following Apple’s achievement of becoming the first company in the world to be valued at one trillion dollars, Amazon has become the second just a few weeks later. It means the company’s founder, Jeff Bezos, is now the world’s richest man, with a net worth estimated at more than $167 billion.

A survey of UK adults on time spent doing activities such as exercise, using social media and watching TV on demand has revealed that the adults spend eight times longer watching Netflix and iPlayer than exercising, and an average of 26 days a year watching on-demand TV.

Netflix, which is now available on Now TV, is targeting a permanent production base in the UK because increased demand for studio space is hindering the streaming service’s desire to invest more of its $8 billion (£6.1 billion) annual production budget in Britain.

Netflix and Amazon spent £150 million on British-made shows last year, driving the UK production sector to a record high.

BBC News

BBC Two has been “reinvigorated with a refreshed look”, according to the corporation. The channel’s execs believe the new idents – BBC2’s first full rebrand in 20 years – are “reflective of the channel’s commitment to specialism, challenging and complex programming, creativity, alternative outlook and its unorthodox DNA”.

As Frame 25 mentioned in this blog post, the BBC and Discovery are understood to be in the final stages of agreeing a £1 billion breakup of UKTV that “will accelerate plans to build a British streaming rival to Netflix”.

BBC Writersroom has set up The Writers Access Group, a new initiative offering disabled writers the chance to expand their skills and opportunities in TV and radio.

BBC One’s Bodyguard became the most-watched non-World Cup programme of the year across all channels and the biggest BBC drama since 2008.

And finally…

• Comcast has emerged as the winning bidder for Sky following its takeover battle with 21st Century Fox. It means that Rupert Murdoch’s 30-year reign at Sky TV is to end. Sky’s board advised shareholders to accept Comcast’s offer “immediately”.
• Avid’s free First series of products have been downloaded by more than one million people. The First versions of Avid’s Pro Tools, Media Composer and Sibelius are limited versions of the full packages with a smaller range of function
• Perform Group is to rebrand to DAZN Group and will comprise DAZN and Perform Content, which will “collaborate closely”.
• This year’s IBC was attended by 55,884 visitors, slightly down on 2017’s figure, 57,669.
• The head of Bectu, Gerry Morrissey, has responded to a to Brexit technical paper on broadcasting and video on demand. “There are deep concerns that many of the roughly 700 TV channels originated in this country, but destined for consumption elsewhere, will move much of their operation into the EU. There is very little clarity on what the government intends to do to resolve this,” he said.
• BARB, the official source of UK television viewing figures, has for the first time reported multiscreen TV ratings on tablets, PCs and smartphones as well as TVs.
• More than half (53 per cent) of UK consumers no longer watch commercials on live television, and consumers worldwide are watching more online video than ever, increasing 58 per cent since 2016.

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