MPs get web filter 'dark ages' warning

A Microsoft executive told MPs today that forcing software companies to install internet content filtering technology with high-security settings as standard to all computers would send the UK back to the "dark ages".
The idea of forcing companies such as Microsoft to pre-install high security content filters was raised today at a Commons culture, media and sport select committee hearing on protecting children from harmful content on the internet and in video games.
Asked what he thought of the idea, Matt Lambert, head of corporate affairs at Microsoft, admitted that internet content filtering technology already provided by the company as standard with its software products was "not widely used".
But Lambert rejected the idea of a mandatory setting of content filters to a high security level, arguing that it would block too much content that posed no risk to children.
Lambert said a better solution would be for parents to be better educated about what their children are looking at online and what content filters are available.
He added that Microsoft runs a schools programme aiming to educate children about internet content and online safety.
"There has been low takeup but intriguingly there is not low awareness of it ... parents are not acting," he said.
"Setting [filtering controls] at a high level is the equivalent to blocking the internet ... it would be living in the dark ages in my view."
Lambert was responding to a suggestion made by another witness before the culture select committee today, who had said filtering software should be pre-installed at a high security setting.
John Carr, the executive secretary of the Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety, said that the industry could not be expected to be some sort of "moral arbiters" or "priests" for the public, deciding which content should be screened.
"In school the headteacher sets the standards surrounding internet content," Carr added. "It should be the same in the home ... there is no way we can legislate from the centre.
"The public policy challenge is in helping parents to understand the internet and in turn help children. Parents feel at sea about what to do. Safety software should be pre-installed and set to a high level."
Stephen Carrick Davies, the chief executive of Childnet International, a charitable body that promotes online safety for children, told the committee that one problem with policing the internet is that the concept of harmful content is difficult to define, unlike obviously illegal content such as child abuse images and websites.
"Illegal content is easy [to define and regulate] while harmful is difficult," said Davies. "We need to recognise there is 'grey'. There is black and white but also grey."
He also pointed out that legislation against such a "grey" area could result in curbs of freedom of expression and that in a web 2.0 world of user-generated content it can often be young people themselves - those often seen as "passive victims" - who can perpetrate cyber bullying online.
Davies suggested the answer might lie in a three-pronged approach. He said this strategy would involve self-regulation by the industry; empowering, supporting and educating schools; and making sure that parents help children so they are savvy enough and "equipped just as how they are when they walk down the high street".

Worried staff attack BBC jobs plan

BBC Manchester staff have raised concerns over plans to cut entertainment production staff while the corporation is advertising for more senior executives in London.
The number of series producers in the BBC Manchester entertainment department is due to be halved, from 18 to nine, and the number of assistant producers cut from 15 to eight.

Some Manchester staff under threat of redundancy are angry that the BBC controller of entertainment commissioning, Jon Beazley, sent them an email last week saying he would be advertising for more executive producers because his London-based department had so much work on.

In an email announcing that independent production company Silver River has hired the executive editor, factual entertainment, Alan Brown, to be its creative director, Beazley went on to say: "As you know, there's huge activity across the department with major projects underway like I'd Do Anything, Dragons' Den and, of course, Sport Relief is imminent on March 14.
"So you're aware there is an advert going in the press next week for executive producers as we need a couple of extra senior people on board to manage the wealth of work that we have at present."
One Manchester insider said: "The foot soldiers are being cut here but more chiefs are being hired at the top. It seems odd if we're as busy as Jon says."
It is understood that Beazley is looking for executive producers who can go out and win more business for the department.
The north-west is supposed to be a key part of the BBC's increased commitment to the regions.
The corporation is planning to move around 1,600 production and broadcasting staff to its new north-west base in Salford Quays by 2011.
Bectu official Helen Ryan said: "It seems insensitive to send such an email out to staff when they've recently been told they're potentially at risk of redundancy."
A BBC spokeswoman said: "We announced job losses back in October 2007 in entertainment both in London and Manchester which took into account future business levels.
"These losses did not include any reduction at executive producer level and the advert we are about to run is for executive producers on a fixed term basis to manage the current portfolio of entertainment shows. We are looking internally and externally to fill these positions."

'Goodness Gracious Me'

Clip One

This clip clearly shows the ‘typical Asians’. In this episode, we see the son receiving 3 A’s and one B, and the father is not happy with the son receiving a B, as he considers it a low grade. We see the father comparing his son to their neighbours and saying how he received 2 A levels with grade A. Despite his son getting 3 A’s, and has a place at Cambridge to study Medicine his father is still not happy. It also shows us how typical the Asian parents are, as they want their son to be studying ‘Medicine’, which is a Asian ‘Thing’.

We can say that the White are laughing at the Asians. As their son has received 3 A levels, grade and their parents are not happy about it. It is seen to be ironic because getting 3 A level grades (A) is s good thing. It is seen to also be funny because Asian parents expect their children to be getting really good grades not B, as B is also seen to be a very good grade.

Clip 2

This clip shows how the Asians are laughing at the ‘Whites’. In this episode we are introduced to ‘Simon’, Simon is seen to a be gay and is in love with the Asian son and both want to get married. Humour is seen in this episode as the ‘Asian’ parents are not happy that their son is gay and wants to get married to a White person.

The message here can be that the ‘Whites’ are seen to be as ‘the Other’ and is being isolated with all the Asians, maybe this is one of the reason why the Asian parents are not happy to see their son with a white boy. We can also say that Asian’s are progressing and are rejecting their parent’s norms and values, and their traditional culture because their son wants to marry a white man, and at that time society will never accept this.

Clip 3

In this episode we can clearly see a role reversal here. Sarah who is a white and is married to a Asian, we see the Whites mocking the Asians. At first we see all the Asians gathered together in the table and them saying: ‘ Making her feel comfortable and welcomed’. This Cleary shows that they do not want her to be isolated and left out, as she is seen to be ‘the Other’.

However, it is seen to be laughing at the Asians, and this is clearly seen through the English. By her wearing a Indian suit and sitting on the floor rather then the table shows that this is how Asians act and behave. They are seen to be inferior and the Whites seen to be superior.

Danish newspapers reprint Muhammad cartoon

Danish Newspaper reprinted the photo's of Phrophet Muhammed. This all occured after a plan to kill the plan who actual drew these photos. 3 people were aresseted for this.

12 by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in 2005, it sparked global protests and there were violent demonstrations in Muslim countries. people totally disagree with this, as the may seem to be very religious.

Purpose of reprinting this was to show that there is freedom (as people got arrested)

Islamic law opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favourable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.

News 24 launches showbiz news show

BBC News 24 is to launch its first regular entertainment news show since 1990s co-hosted by Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones.
E24 will be a weekly roundup of news from the world of film, television and music with behind-the-scenes reports and interviews with stars of that week's shows, gigs and events.
Jones, , will front the programme alongside News 24 presenter James Dagwell.
The 15-minute show has been commissioned for a six-week pilot E24 will also be available on demand from the BBC's website.
The new show follows in the footsteps of Zero30, which morphed into Liquid News and moved to BBC Choice in 2000 and then onto BBC3 in 2003.
Liquid News, which featured a wry take on entertainment and showbiz, was originally presented by Christopher Price until his untimely death in April 2002, when Paddy O'Connell took over.
It was axed in November 2003 following a rejig of BBC3's schedule.
BBC News 24 currently provides entertainment news updates twice nightly from Monday to Thursday at 6.30pm and 9.30pm.

3 atricles

Classic FM in major schedule overhaul

Blur's Alex James will present a 100-part A-to-Z of classical music.
Classic FM has signed Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Alex James and Capital 95.8 DJ Margherita Taylor as part of the biggest schedule change in the station's 15-year history.
Blur bassist James will front Classic FM's biggest-ever commission, The A to Z of Classical Music, a landmark 100-part series intended to be the definitive guide of its kind.
Llewelyn-Bowen, the former presenter of BBC1's Changing Rooms, will present the show every Sunday morning.
Classic FM Jazz will broadcast every night between midnight and 2am.
A new jazz channel will also be introduced on the station's website, myclassicfm.com, alongside its existing online six music channels.
Two Classic FM presenters are leaving the station - Lisa Duncombe, who currently presents the midnight to 2am slot; and Mark Griffiths, who presents the 2am to 6am weekday show. He will be replaced in the early morning slot by Nick Bailey.
Sunday morning presenter Henry Kelly is not part of the relaunched schedule, but will return to the station in the spring in the 9pm Sunday evening slot, once the series counting down to the Classical Brits has completed its run.
Classic FM managing director Darren Henley said: "These are the biggest changes in our 15-year history.
"We've spent the last few months talking extensively to our listeners and our new programme line-up is a direct response to what they want to hear on Classic FM."

‘Ethnic Minority push by BBC’

Improve ethnic minority, so that audience can relate/identify with more.
Radio 5, targeting Afro Caribbean’s and making anew radio show with young black youth (equality)
Asian Network broadcasting/expanding world wide.
The purpose of Radio 5 is because ‘Afro Caribbean’s’ were being neglected (the Other)
Radio 5 have stories that target the audience (black)
Asian Network-progressing with the Asian Listeners. BBC does not yet make full use of the Network.
‘Homogeneous’- ethnic minority groups (diverse) (not seen)
Sunrise Radio-not going to call itself ‘Asian’ diverse.


BBC a turn off among Black Audiences

· BBC are not doing so well, they lost both black and Asian audience. Dyke wants to get rid of the ‘Hideously white’
· BBC are known for educating and Informing, but are finding it difficult to reach audience.
· Ethnic minority is totally low (4%) but they are making sure that it reaches Black and Asian audience.
· Population is low with the Black towards the BBC. They watch other channels, Asian populations have increased yet it is low across the whole population.
· Kumars at Number 42, EastEnders target Britain rich mix-increase in viewers.
· Main aim is to broadcast more high impact.


The Colour of Money
· 7.9% is made of ethnic minority (advertising company is not representative)
· New Audience ‘2001 50% ethnic minority’ white community dropping down.
· Asians-got positive stereotype ‘Aspirational, hardworking, and economically powerful’.
· Growth in ethnic minority media (Asian channels)
· Black and Asian mainstream Media watch T.V
· Media are fragmented- not enough readers.
· U.K now multicultural ‘Brown Pound’ Asian are developing.

BBC is still showing it’s ‘Hideously white face’

Recruiting ethnic minority staff-not accommodating racial and cultural differences.
Colonial culture-Force of globalisation, age of empire is over
Dyke is trying to improve ethnic minority staff
EastEnders has less audience (black and Asian)
Trying to get rid of the hideously white face, recruiting more ethnic minority
Ethnic portrayal needs to be considered. Builds a multi cultural corporation.

Sub continental Drift

· Asians are being recognised by music
· Reduce marginuialsed and challenge stereotypes
· Cultural diversity strength and development
· Different backgrounds-entering music world developing
· New dramas bringing the identity of British Asian (Goodness Gracious Me)