Arts and Entertainment Archive

Desert Island Discs goes digital but I have ideas

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: November 11, 2009Posted in: General, RadioTags: , , , , , , , ,
Desert Island Discs goes digital but I have ideas

Most of the BBC’s radio and television output is available on the iPlayer for at least seven days after broadcast – some of the TV is even available for download.

The iPlayer team are now introducing a number of other features like linking to a specific point and chapters – next up I’d love to see comments and ratings.

But one of the shows missing from iPlayer, a major part of the BBC Radio 4 output is Desert Island Discs – as a format there is so much you could do with it online.

But there has always been a rights issue around it as it was created in a pre-digital era by someone obviously not under a BBC staff contract.

However that problem seems to be solved with an announcement on the BBC Radio 4 blog that not only will DDI be available on the iPlayer but will also eventually be a podcast and there will be some cool web features surrounding it.

The suggestion on the original Radio 4 blog post said: “we have plans to make the website an all-singing, all-dancing affair – encouraging people to compare their choices with the choices of castaways, looking at the most selected tracks etc.”

Which all sounds brilliant – but I hope it amounts to more than just a list of people that have been on the show with details of the songs the songs and selection – that is great content but not ‘all singing and all dancing’.

You can see an example of this approach in place on the pre-March 2009 Desert Island Discs BBC site.

That information still exists, it’s just that now you go to the /programme site for that edition of DID – which means that in theory this info exists in a data form somewhere.

So what I’d like to see is a cool web app – let me sign in with my BBC iD account, let me enter my choices (songs, book, luxury item) and then match me to the closest DID guest.

In fact this could be expanded to match me with other DID users with the data posted to my BBC iD profile page along with my iPlayer viewing et al.

And finally – on the new DID site, as well as this cool matching app, how about linking the song titles to Spotify so they can be listened to again while splitting out the music and making the interview portion available for ever.

If a link straight to spotify isn’t possible (for legal/impartial reasons) why not create a version of the Buyer’s Guide (currently being trialled with The Archers Audiobooks) and have a page for every song (tied to /music) with details of all legal online sources for that song including last.fm and Spotify.

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iPlayer pick: Finding a solution

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: September 15, 2009Posted in: General, iPlayer PicksTags: , , , , , , , , ,
iPlayer pick: Finding a solution

My iPlayer pick for this week – I say week but they normally either come daily for a week or once a month – is a double pick as I have two shows I’ve really enjoyed – one is even available in podcast form and both are radio.

The first of my picks features the dulcet tones of Derek Fowlds (aka Bernard Woolley) in a three part documentary series originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1997 but repeated on BBC 7.

It’s called How to beat Sir Humphrey and features Derek Fowlds reprising his Yes Minister role as Bernard Woolley reading a guide to the Civil Service as written by one of the original Yes, Minister creators, Antony Jay.

In the first part Anthony Jay explores public protest and even on to action committees in his guide to beating bureaucracy and officialdom.

Part two is HERE and Part three is HERE.

My second part is at the same time similar and completely opposite – it’s presented by someone that has always annoyed me as a broadcaster in the past and my first BBC Radio 5 Live pick – it’s the Christian O’Connell Solution.

I’ve already said he annoys me, I’ve never been able to stand more than a few minutes of his style before – but it’s either the guests, the format or something about BBC Radio 5 Live that matures and makes presenters more interesting.

The premise of the show is that Christian is joined by a panel of guests who then set about setting the world to rights and coming up with usually over simplified solutions to a number of issues.

The first show featured Bob Mills (I first saw him on Sky1 hosting Games World), David Tennant (no introduction needed) and Kirsten O’Brien (CBBC presenter who described the presenters at CBBC as gay, childless or don’t like kids).

It was available as a podcast so didn’t require any effort in getting it and was easy to skip if I didn’t like it – but I found myself enjoying it and wanting more after it was finished – so yeah, a surprise hit for me.

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Keeping movie magic alive

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: August 21, 2009Posted in: General, Media, TechnologyTags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Keeping movie magic alive

Kevin Lewis has been working with film for the last 40 years and his passion extends beyond what you see on screen.

For Kevin his passion is as much in the nuts, bolts and water cooled appature ring as it is in the moving pictures.

For the last 15 years he has been rebuilding the 50 year old projector that now brings the prints at the Jersey Outdoor Film Festival to life.

And despite telling me it is finished, he still finds himself tweeking, playing and cleaning it every day.

The projector in question is a Westar, is 50 years old this year and is one of the last to be made in Britain.

However, after being rebuilt over the last 15 years from spare parts and with the passion of a dedicated enthusiast it bares only a passing resemblance to the one originally built during the hey day of British cinema.

Old ProjectorOriginally built to play films in a cinema, the 35mm projector is now built into an old television outside broadcast truck called ‘OB2′ – Kevin wanted ‘OB1′ but two was in better condition.

And the truck itself, brought from a now defunct ITV franchise holder in the UK, gets the same level of care and attention as the project it carries around.

The ‘truck’ has now become a trailer, partly because having big metal bars makes it easier to ‘level’ when playing a film and partly because it makes it more portable.

It has been the centre piece of one of Jersey’s ‘hidden gem’ summer events.

OK so it is a bit of a stretch to call something attended by over 3,000 people ‘hidden’ but you won’t find it in the high profiles brochures or promoted in shop windows around town.

Every year Kevin brings out the ‘pearl screen’, the projector and makes use of his contacts as a former cinema owner to get the prints – so that thousands of islands and tourists alike can enjoy a film under the stars.

Despite being watched by thousands and appreciated by all, even those asking for the big grey truck to be moved, the event’s future could be in question if a sponsor can’t be found for 2010.

Kevin payed for it himself for the first four years, got a grant from Tourism after that and in the last four has found himself begging for sponsorship to keep the event going.

It would be a shame to see this great summer tradition come to an end over money. Even more so for the projector and truck that work so hard to keep its audience enthraled.

And the projector, the truck, and the screen – those vital ingredient in playing a film- they just sit there working away.

Despite technology that is nearly 50 years old they manage to keep the young, the old and everyone in between wrapped in the grip of the magic of the movies year in, year out.

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Top Gear back 21 June

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: June 9, 2009Posted in: Entertainment, General, iPlayer PicksTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Top Gear back 21 June

Everyones favourite motoring based televisual entertainment programme featuring three middle aged men returns on 21 June 2009.

The 13th series of the iconic BBC Two show will be pretty much business as usual – but when that usual business leads to some of the best television in the world – I say keep on keeping on!

Top Gear producer, Andy Wilman said in a BBC Top Gear Blog Post: “I’m trying to distract viewers from what the title of the actual film would be, were this new series an actual film.

“It would be Top Gear 13, which sounds like something with Dolph Lungdren in it, or bad hotel porn.”

The next series will have seven episodes and will feature a mix of all the things we’ve grown used to over the last few years.

Andy said: “Over the coming seven-week series run a race or two will occur, supercars will slide from the left of your telly screen to the right of your telly screen in a cloud of tyre smoke, and a man in a white coat bearing a gold envelope will trigger a series of comedic and juvenile adventures.”

tv_preview_two2I don’t see anything wrong with that. And for more details the BBC Top Gear Magazine Transmission Blog will be publishing a daily preview.

Some of the highlights from that blog and from the Final Gear Forum so far seem to suggest the following will, may or may not appear in series 13 of Top Gear.

The boys buy some old cars and join a group of beardy enthusiasts on a classic car rally – I’ve been to a couple of these for the Beeb and the smell – oh god the smell!

From the Mole blog post: “The twist? The office chose their co-drivers too…”

So these are the confirmed features

  • Train vs Car vs Bike [more]

That’s the only preview from the official blog so far – but what has been suggested on the rumour mill that is the Final Gear Forum?

To avoid spoiling your surprise – just in case you stumbled across this hunting for a start date (although I put that in the title), I’m just going to give you the headline for the feature and a link.

You choose if you want to follow that link to find out more.

NOTE: These are not all proven to be true and some are probably not. Just a taster to wet your Top Gear appetite.

I’ll add more to this page as I find them – in the meantime take the above with the pinch of salt they may require – nothing should be taken as gospel until you read it on the BBC Top Gear Blog or see it on the show.

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Using Beeb data to buy stuff

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: April 23, 2009Posted in: General, TechnologyTags: , , , , , ,
Using Beeb data to buy stuff

I’m a big fan of the various BBC data services and the way they all integrate with each other. Both the services themselves and the standard identifier codes they use.

The Archers
Image via Wikipedia

What this basically means is that, when these services roll out more widely across the BBC site (remembering that the BBC site is a lot more than one big website – it is a collection of fiefdoms, held tightly and with a passion by a number of different teams and departments.

The data sites like /programmes, /music, /iplayer (although that is really based around /programmes and in future /events basically allow for persistent and constant content in a human and machine readable way.

For example a BBC programme will have a unique idetifies such as, we’ll use mine for this example: p001d7vp.

If you follow the link underneath that code it will take you to the /programmes page for my show ‘BBC Jersey Introducing’. The show does have its own section of the BBC Jersey website and you could argue that, as it is part of the Introducing family – it could do with being in the Introducing look and feel – but as it is broadcast on BBC Radio Jersey – that’s how it looks.

However, what /programmes and this seperate of data, design and structure provides is the flexibility to use the data contained underneath p001d7vp in a number of different ways.

For example it could be tied into /music (and probably will in the future) so that I can publish my playlist, you can click on the bands I played, find out who else has played them, listen to that show, find out more about the band and their other songs – see where they are being played.

This could also then in future tie into /events and show you when they’re playing on BBC Shows or when they HAVE played on BBC Shows which in turn could be tied into the new /buyersguide (currently Archers only) to show where you can buy tracks from those sessions on the internet.

Which actually brings me on to the point of this blog post – the newly launched BBC Buyers Guide. Something that seems so logical, and would be logical if it wasn’t for the way the BBC is funded.

BBC Radio 5 Live keyring (2008)
Image by radiothings.com via Flickr

Basically it uses the standard PIP identifier for a show to tell you where you can buy audio/video/book content associated with that particular programme – although right now its only The Archers.

But don’t worry the BBC gets no kick backs from the companies they list. Mark Friend wrote on the BBC Internet Blog: “And just to reassure you suppliers do not make any payments to the BBC, either for listing as part of this service or for any click-throughs.”

Mark went on to say that: “We hope that the ‘Buyer’s Guide’ will go some way to providing users with the opportunity to find out more about their favourite BBC content.”

I’m guessing the plan is that I’ll be able to go to the /programmes page for say Top Gear and then from there I’ll see a Buyers Guide link where I can find out all the sites online selling downloads, books, dvd’s, music etc associated with that programme.

It’s basically a BBC only version of Kelkoo but without ANY recommendations – it is a list of all the places you can get the product online – at least all the places that meet a set of strict, pre-published criteria for listing.

These include purchasing security, data protection and customer support.

In fact there is more information on why this is a justified new area for the BBC to go into on the Buyer’s Guide about page.

The BBC’s Public Purposes state that “the BBC is a trusted guide to the digital world for the inexperienced or unsure, a safe place to be for the young, a reliable and accurate on-air and online source for the information seeker, and a challenging and involving partner for the more advanced user.”

Research conducted on behalf of the BBC revealed that buying and consuming media online can be a confusing and daunting experience for new users, particularly those with concerns around security and legality.

Those of us that are familiar with and regular users of sites like Audible or the iTunes store might find that a little odd but there are people, more than not, who aren’t comfortable buying things online or even necessarily know you CAN buy BBC programmes online.

My only concern is that it might bring the ‘why should I pay again for BBC content that I’ve paid for with my licence fee‘ lot out of the woodwork.

The response to that of course is that the BBC pays a fee for a limited number of plays of the content using the licence fee and has to pay again to do other things with it.

A broadcasting center at a TV Studio in Olympi...
Image via Wikipedia

That money goes to writers, directors, musicians, songwriters, actors etc…

So if the Beeb wanted to make something (there are some exceptions to this – non scripted content, wholly BBC owned content – but not many) available to download for ever so you could do what you like with it, or wanted to replay it online for ever – they would have to pay again.

That isn’t really a great use of the licence fee – it would be much better to play it within the agreed limits (e.g. two airings and seven day catchup) and then make it available at a reasonable price for people that want it outside that window and to keep for everl.

As the /buyersguide site expands, and as all the other data sites expand – there’s going to be some interesting pieces of digital content coming out – show pages that pull in details of the number of plays a track has received and where, links to places you can buy a copy of live bands performing on the BBC and where else on the BBC they have or will be playing in the future.

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Radio 4 and the vote button

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: April 21, 2009Posted in: General, New MediaTags: , , , , , , , ,

I’m not normally one to complain, in fact I’ll usually go out of my way to avoid complaining at all costs – even putting up with broken things for the sake of avoiding conflict.

So, if I’m prepared to put up with a dead watch because I don’t want to go through the process of taking it back – you can imagine my opinion on complaining about programming or the BBC.

r4_large

In fact, as the BBC employs me I try to complain about it as little as possible. But there is something that got me a little riled.

So, for the first time in my life here is an ‘open letter of complaint’ about the BBC Radio 4 website.

Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t about the website itself, I love the new look and will love it even more as the programme teams start to fill the wonderful /programme pages with the mass of content they used to put into the old Radio 4 pages.

No my complaint is about a small 68×68 pixel, 1.6kb GIF that has appeared on the far right of the top navigation bar.

Dear BBC Radio 4

I’m usually a big fan of the BBC Radio 4 website, even in its latest implementation.

I’m also a very big fan of the BBC Radio 4 output for its quality, humour, intelligence and the fact that it expects the same level of intelligence of me.

However, imagine my surprise when I pointed my browser towards bbc.co.uk/radio4 only to discover a blemish, a little black and white square in the corner of the otherwise pristine BBC centre piece of excellence.

webbyI had to look twice at the text of the abomination because, surely the mighty Rado 4, home of Humphries, Archers and the Now Show aren’t prostituting their homepage for votes like a normal, every day cheap website (yes I know I’ve done it but that’s different – ed).

The great BBC Radio 4 is asking me, through a permanent graphic on their homepage to vote for them in the Webby Awards – ok so it isn’t ugly – but it feels OH SO WRONG on BBC Radio 4.

Yes, please ask me to vote for you, I don’t mind that but do it through an article – write something and link to it from the promo space – not through a permanent blemish at the top of your banner.

Then I start to click around only to discover this blemish on EVERY SINGLE PAGE of the BBC Radio 4 website.

Please, for the love of all that is good and normal – remove it. I’ll vote for you but I don’t want to be preached at and pushed in this way.

Radio 4 you are bigger than that.

From Disgruntled of Cyberspace

As you can see from my little rant above – I got a bit wound up at the sight of this little spot on an otherwise Clearasil manufacturer disappointing face.

The BBC Radio 4 design team do deserve the Webby Award – it’s the People’s Choice award for the amazing World on the Move site.

Throughout 2008, Radio 4’s World on the Move tracked the most awe inspiring natural spectacle – great animal migration.

Through a worldwide legion of reporters, scientists and amateur naturalists they built an interactive map and full site packed with reports to create a record of the journeys of animals as diverse as Humpback whales and Monarch butterflies.

As you can see – a great thing to vote for that is, unfortunately, let down by the way they’re asking for vote.

I voted anyway.

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Genius? Old person repellent

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: April 7, 2009Posted in: Entertainment, General, iPlayer PicksTags: , , , , , ,
Genius (Radio series)
Image via Wikipedia

My iPlayer pick for today comes in the form of Genius – now I know this has been around for a while now, firstly in the form of three radio series on BBC Radio 4 and a television series, currently on BBC Two.

Before I go any further I should explain that the headline isn’t a three word review of the show itself, instead its the idea I submitted – but was obviously thrown in the rejection bin.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Genius.jpg/75px-Genius.jpgAnyway back to Genius – I’ve picked the third episode in the television series, not because its the best but because its the most recent.

Dave’s special guest is celebrated film and stage actor Jonathan Pryce.

Oh and here is a bit of info on my ‘Genius’ idea – otherwise known as bench blocker.

Every lunchtime, regardless of the fact that they have all day to go into town – hundreds of retired people pick between the hours of 12 and 2 to take their lunch – on the benches in town.

They fill every single bench up – leaving just enough room to entice the unsuspecting youth into their void of nonsense and loneliness.

That young person then spends the enterity of their one hour lunchbreak from the tedium of an office and twitter listening to the tedious stories of war, cats and the daily mail – all while sat next to some smelling slightly of wee.

The alternative to this situation is to spend your entire lunch hour wandering the streets while eating a sandwich – and fending off birds or to sit at that same pointless, tedious desk you’re trying to escape.

Well with the old person repellent that will no longer be necessary.

The idea is to create a device that you hide under every bench and at exactly 12 and up until 2 it operates – all old people will avoid this device at all costs as, like a vampire with sunlight – this device makes old people whither.

I’m thinking something that plays a combination of punk music and Chris Moyles.

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Making a musical trail

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: March 31, 2009Posted in: General, MediaTags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

mic_mPart of my job includes making promo trails for my show, for the BBC Jersey website and occasionally for other things as well.

Usually this just involves me writing 30 seconds worth of speech, finding a piece of music and talking over it with a fade in at the start and fade out at the end.

Sometimes I’ll pull together something a little more creative – adding sound effects, other voices, acted scenes.

Well the one I’ve just been asked to help on included singing and me on the guitar – it didn’t go out.

I thought I’d share it with you thought: Clash of the Colonies (sung radio trailer).

I will say in my defense that I didn’t write the lyrics, I’m not singing on it and was asked at very short notice to perform and write the music.

If I had my way I would have recorded the music track first, then recorded the two people (a Canadian and an Aussie) singing the words.

This would then give me the freedom to mix it properly and put together a properly balanced jingle.

I should probably also have played the music a key higher as well – but as you can barely hear the guitar – I don’t think that really makes much difference.

And if anybody is interested the trail is for a special being repeated this Easter on BBC Radio Jersey that was originally recorded for Commonwealth Day that saw an Aussie and a Canadian (both BBC Jersey journalists) argue for their own part of the Commonwealth.

What do you think?

Also I’m interested in improving my voice over skills so if anyone wants a good quality recording for their podcast give me a shout and I’ll do it for you – within reason based on legnth and copy.

More from me

You can listen again to my show on the BBC iPlayer (wherever you are in the world) or listen to a trail I made a few years ago for a Podcast Sitcom I started writing but got bored with.

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Stig nose who’s nose

By
Ryan Morrison
Published: March 10, 2009Posted in: Entertainment, GeneralTags: , , , , , , ,

If you’ve spent any small amount of time looking around pages on bbc.co.uk – sorry it’s BBC Online again isn’t it – recently you might have noticed something red.

nose_bI was going to have ‘invasion of the expressive red noses’ but changed my mind at the last minute.

You see, as well as the brilliant, if slightly confusing bbc.co.uk/rednoseday and the equally interesting rednoseday.com there are little snippets of the nose across BBC Online.

And I’m not just talking about stories from various parts of the BBC of their coverage or of the banner ads at the top of a number of pages.

I’m also talking about the special noses created for Top Gear (see Stig Nose), the Dot Nose for Eastenders and of course the Alien Nose (Who Nose was too easy) for Doctor Who.

Although there was a clear trick missed here as, surely, you could have gone down the Tom Baker route and given it a hat and scarf combo – one of the noses already has his expression.

Anyway – who nose, this could and looks set to be the biggest and best, as well as most successful (given the point is to raise money) Red Nose Day yet.

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