Offcial TV Niche channel stats

Found these statistics on the web

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/itc/latest_news/press_releases/release.asp-release_id=725.html

Estimated Audience Share Figures for Selected Television Channels Received in the British Islands in the 12 Months Ended 30 June 2003

Channel	Percentage audience share
Anglia	1.4
Animal Planet	0.1
At the Races	0.1
BBC1	26.3
BBC2	11.3
BBC3	0.1
BBC4	0.1
BBC Choice	0.1
BBC News 24	0.4
Bid-Up TV	0.1
Biography Channel	0.1
Boomerang	0.4
Border	0.3
The Box	0.2
Bravo	0.2
Carlton	2.1
Cartoon Network	0.3
Cartoon Network Plus	0.1
Central	3.5
CBBC	0.1
CBeebies	0.7
Challenge TV	0.3
Channel Four	9.6
CNN	0.1
CNX	0.1
Discovery	0.3
Discovery Health	0.1
Disney Channel	0.3
Disney Playhouse	0.1
Disney Toon	0.1
E4	0.7
Eurosport	0.2
Five	6.4
Fox Kids Network	0.2
GMTV	1.5
Granada Men & Motors	0.1
Granada Plus	0.4
Granada Television	2.9
Hallmark	0.4
The History Channel	0.1
The Hits	0.1
Home & Leisure	0.3
HTV Wales	1.1
HTV West	0.8
ITN News	0.1
ITV2	0.7
Kerrang	0.1
Kiss TV	0.1
Living	0.6
LWT	1.5
Magic TV	0.1
MTV	0.2
MTV Base	0.1
MTV Hits	0.1
MTV2	0.1
Meridian	1.9
National Geographic	0.1
Network 2	0.1
Nickelodeon	0.5
Nick Jr	0.2
Nick Toons	0.1
The Paramount Channel	0.3
QVC	0.1
Reality TV	0.1
RTE1	0.1
S4C Wales	0.2
The Sci-Fi Channel	0.3
Scottish & Grampian	2.1
Sky Box Office	0.1
Sky Cinema	0.1
Sky Cinema 2	0.1
Sky Moviemax	0.2
Sky Moviemax 2	0.1
Sky Moviemax 3	0.1
Sky Moviemax 4	0.1
Sky Moviemax 5	0.1
Sky News	0.7
Sky One	1.7
Sky One Mix	0.1
Sky Premier	0.4
Sky Premier 2	0.2
Sky Premier 3	0.2
Sky Premier 4	0.2
Sky Premier Widescreen	0.1
Sky Sports 1	1.0
Sky Sports 2	0.3
Sky Sports 3	0.2
Sky Sports Extra	0.1
Sky Sports News	0.2
Smash Hits	0.1
TCM	0.2
TMF	0.1
Trouble	0.2
Tyne Tees	1.2
UK Food	0.1
UK Gold	0.9
UK Gold 2	0.1
UK History	0.1
UK Horizons	0.2
UK Style	0.6
Ulster	0.7
VH-1	0.1
VH-1 Classic	0.1
Westcountry	0.6
Yorkshire	2.4
Zee TV	0.1

from 2003 but still gives a good idea about audience percentages

Cheers, Ratboy

Interactive TV

I used to be an ‘ignorer’ of the red button, whenever my Sky television offered me interactive services I never took notice. Being told to look for NMT’s i decided to take advantage of the service. It’s amazing how many services are available when watching a football match, up to the second statistics of the game, highlights, league tables, other scores from games going on close to the one being watched, player cam. But my favourite is Fanzone, a fan from each team commentates as you watch, many funny things are said between the opposing fans and it also creates some atmosphere as they act like hooligans when a goal goes in or a decision goes against their team. Also I took note of the multi – start function of Sky movies, always useful, who needs sky plus when you’ve got multi – start?

Cheers, Ratboy

Grand theft ‘Uh oh’

Many groups around the world are boycotting the game ‘Grand Theft Auto – San Andreas’ and talk of eventually banning the game, how succesful this will be is a question that should be asked as the game has been released for 4 years and any damage will have already been done. ‘Sex workers outreach project USA’ work for the safe working environment of sex workers, they are not happy about the fact that you can have sex with a prostitute ib the game then get out the car, kill them and get your money back. Another group ‘SWOP-USA ‘ asked for parents to support them and keep kids away from the game. The group ias ussually against censorship in all forms but have made an exception for GTA as it poses i threat to young childrens minds through extreme violence. Do these games really effect the way people act, make them want to do a hooker then pop her head and get their money back? Is it really that bad? Nothing is scene during the sex, the car rocks but there are no orgasm noises or fannys seen. Surely not as bad as a kid typing in porn in a search engine. You decide.
Here’s a link to the controversy http://http://videogames.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_Sex_Worker_Controversy

 Cheers, Ratboy

Violence in Video games

When talking about violence in video games instantly we surely think of Grand theft auto, throwing people out of cars, blowing innocent people up, blowing everything up! not only this but we also have people realising how much more fun it is to kill yourself on the game. In the latest installment available ‘San Andreas’ we can jump out of planes in mid air and free fall, how entertaininng to just let our man fall to his death instead of using the parachute. Ofcourse we have other other classic violent games such as ‘Mortal Combat’ or the newer ‘Manhunt’ that has infact since been banned because someone decided to put an axe threw the head of one of his mates because it looked cool on the game. Now this raises the real question of do these violent games promote violence by showing it can be fun in video game format, or does it give an outlet for people to release violent fantasies.

Here’s a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhunt_(video_game) read the bit about Stefan Pakeerah’s murder

Also here’s a very good link about the whole concept of video violence.

http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/walsh.html

Cheers, Ratboy

Games into Films

Most films these days are made in to games, ususally crap ones aswell. But sometimes we have the strange circumstances of a game being made into a film. A perfect example of this is Final Fantasy. To begin with a film was made, a very good film, that had nothing to do with the games. But then a second film made, Final Fantasy 7, which is just a film version of the game, why not just watch someone play the game. The latest installment of this is Beowulf. The whole film is simply effects which gives the question of what’s the difference? The game and film are both completely CGI. Other films to games that come to mind are Enter the Matrix and Tomb raider, a succesfull game that became a succesfull film

Here’s a link http://http://www.the3drevolution.com/3dreview.html

Cheers, Ratboy

Myspace TV

Myspace, now you can watch TV clips on it! Watch clips of ‘The mighty boosh’ or ‘Doctor Who’ does this entice you into watching more on proper TV? You can see parts from Tim Lovejoys now program, shows from the BBC and National Geographic.

Here’s a link

http://vids.myspace.com/

Cheers, Ratboy

BBC Iplayer

Recently after missing Match of the day i decided to go on BBC I player online. Unfotunately MOTD could not be watched on it but you can watch the most popular programs of the last 7 days at your will. Unfortuantely it’s only the crap such as ‘Eastenders’

Here’s the link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

Cheers, Ratboy

Goal line technology

The question has been asked for years now, goal line technology yes or no? There will always be arguments for and against. Will it slow down the pace of the game with the officials having to stop and make a decision? Will it put extra pressure on the goalkeepers knowing that if they make a blunder it WILL be seen? Will this extra pressure make players play better and goalkeepers perform better making the game of higher quality.

Here’s a link to a good discussion about the subject in question

http://soccerlens.com/the-goal-line-technology-debate-a-goalkeepers-perspective/2874/

Cheers, Ratboy