News Broadcasting
BBC demonstrates new Web 2.0 prototype possibilities of radio
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC’s Jason DaPonte who is the executive producer of bbc.co.uk demonstrated at the MIX07 conference in Las Vegas a prototype technology showing how the BBC Radio 1 website – bbc.co.uk/radio1 – could evolve by using Web 2.0 technologies.
The prototype shows how Radio 1 audiences could create, personalise and share their music playlists and related content via an easy-to-use service in the future.
DaPonte says, “The exciting prototype illustrates how we could enable audiences to enhance their online identity by receiving and creating content packages or ‘badges’. These could include music video, pictures and exclusive BBC interviews from their favourite bands or music events.
“Users could then share them directly with their friends and online communities as well as linking with other picture or social networking-based services. It would allow users to watch streamed media together during a conversation in instant messenger.
“As the user’s online footprint expands, Radio 1 would be able to recognise their tastes and offer them even more of what they like. Prototypes such as this illustrate the BBC’s commitment to providing online services that are more open, personal and participatory than ever before, using the latest technologies to engage younger audiences.”
The project was developed using Microsoft Silverlight software and the new Windows Live Messenger application in conjunction with Siemens, AKQA and Ioko.
The prototype is part of the BBC’s move to work with a greater mix of external production companies and strategic partners to be at the forefront of web innovation.
bbc.co.uk claims to have achieved a record 30.7 million weekly unique users last month (April 2007) and for the first time moved up to third place on the Nielsen panel of the top UK websites
News Broadcasting
News TV viewership jumps 33 per cent as West Asia war draws audiences
BARC Week 8 data shows news share rising to 8 per cent despite T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI: Even as individual television news channel ratings remain under a temporary pause, the genre itself is seeing a clear surge in audience attention.
According to the latest data from Broadcast Audience Research Council India, television news recorded a 33 per cent jump in genre share in Week 8 of 2026, covering February 28 to March 6.
The news genre accounted for 8 per cent of total television viewership during the week, up from 6 per cent the previous week. The spike in attention coincided with escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which have kept global headlines firmly fixed on West Asia.
The rise is notable because it came at a time when cricket was dominating television screens. The high-stakes stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including the Super 8 fixtures and semi-finals, were being broadcast during the same period.
Despite the cricket frenzy, viewers appeared to be toggling between sport and global affairs, boosting the overall share of news programming.
The surge in genre share comes even as the government has enforced a one-month pause on publishing ratings for individual news channels. The move followed regulatory scrutiny of the television ratings ecosystem.
While channel-level rankings remain temporarily out of sight, the genre-level data suggests that when global tensions escalate, audiences continue to turn to television news for real-time updates.
