Netflix claims that over 40 million accounts watched at least part of the third season of Stranger Things in its first four days on the streaming service, giving it the best start of any other film or series. It said that over 18 million accounts watched all eight episodes in the first four days after its global launch.
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Approaching a decade after the launch of BBC One in high definition, the BBC is apparently still unable to show regional programmes on the channel. Instead, several times a day it shows a red screen saying that programming will resume shortly. As a message to viewers it is unacceptably complacent.
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That’s TV, which operates 20 of the 34 local television stations in the United Kingdom, is to close 13 of its studios and consolidate its output from seven regional centres, delivering news for up to six local stations. It could be viewed as the failure of the vision for local television of the former culture secretary Jeremy Hunt.
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Public service broadcasting has been a powerful cultural force in Britain for more than 80 years, but broadcasters now face unprecedented competition from global online players. The communications regulator is updating rules to ensure the continuing prominence of public service channels in programme guides and recommending new rules to ensure their programmes and players are clearly visible on internet-connected devices. Implementing its proposals could prove problematic.
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Backed by Netgem, French fibre network operator Vitis has launched its VideoFutur virtual multiscreen television video service in France. It includes a network digital video recorder offering with all the main French television channels. The VideoFutur service is available over fibre in a version with a box or as a box-less application.
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Over 90% of the adult population in the United Kingdom use BBC services at least once a week. The percentage watching BBC television has fallen from 80% to 78% in a year but among those aged 16-34 it has fallen to 56%. Average viewing of BBC television has fallen by over a quarter an hour a day in five years. Meanwhile other use of the television set has grown by 156% to an average of three quarters of an hour a day.
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