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  1. Getting ready for the 2013 Radio 1 Big Weekend

    Thursday 23 May 2013, 18:14

    George Ergatoudis George Ergatoudis Head of Music for Radio 1 and 1Xtra

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    BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend

    How do you follow Radio 1's Hackney Weekend 2012? That was the challenge facing my team and I as we set about booking artists for Radio 1's Big Weekend Derry~Londonderry 2013. Thankfully I think we have achieved our goal of delivering another world class line-up that represents the unique and exciting breadth of music played on Radio 1 and 1Xtra.

    Hip Hop fans will get to see chart toppers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Wretch 32 and US superstars, A$AP Rocky, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. Rock connoisseurs will hear Bring Me The Horizon, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Paramore and to climax Saturday, the barn storming Biffy Clyro.

    DJ Fresh, Chase & Status, Rudimental and the 'Bassline Junkie' himself, Mr Dizzee Rascal feature in our Bass line-up, while fans of dance music will be catered for by the return of Katy B and hot young things Disclosure,   Radio 1's very own Pete Tong, and on Friday night, a climactic performance from one of the world's biggest DJs, Calvin Harris.

    Pop is covered too with Rita Ora, Olly Murs, The Saturdays, The Script and our ultimate Sunday night headliner, Bruno Mars, one of the most entertaining live performers in the world.

    And that's just for starters, because...

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  2. Ten Things #21 Spring

    Wednesday 22 May 2013, 16:27

    Jen Macro Jen Macro Digital Content Producer, About the BBC

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    Daisy

    Seeing as there’s a Bank Holiday this weekend and Springwatch returns to BBC Two on Monday, this week’s 10 things from around the BBC celebrate nature and wildlife.

    1. Whilst obviously looking forward to watching all the new wildlife emerge from its wintery sleep in the new series of Springwatch, I’m also hoping to see presenter Chris Packham crowbar some song titles into his pieces to camera.
    2. Springwatch kicks off the BBC’s Summer of Wildlife season, a collection of TV and radio programmes and online content that aims to inspire people to discover the nature that’s on their doorstep.
    3. If you find yourself spurred on to help our furry or feathered friends, there’s some useful information about wildlife volunteering on the Nature website.
    4. It shouldn’t happen to a vet, nor, it seems, a cameraman for a wildlife documentary. Here’s a quick look at Nature: Behind the Scenes in one of the many video collections, also on the Nature website.
    5. In front of the camera seems slightly easier in comparison. Sir David Attenborough shares his memories of 1950’s series Zoo Quest in this special interview for the BBC Archive.
    6. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is in full bloom and celebrates...

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  3. Past, present and future - The BBC and its Young Musician Competition

    Monday 20 May 2013, 19:03

    Jon Jacob Jon Jacob Editor, About the BBC Blog

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    The biennial search for the BBC Young Musician of 2014 starts in earnest today. Applications for next year’s competition are now welcome. The closing date in 26 July 2013.

    Young Musician of the Year 1978 Some of the Young Musician of the Year 1978 finalists L-R: Rona Murray, Humphrey Burton , Paul Coker and Michael Collins

    The competition was first won by trombonist Michael Hext in 1978. The BBC competition led to the start of the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition in 1982.

    This year the competition sees the usual categories for brass, keyboard, percussion, strings and woodwind. For the first time this year, there will also be a new Jazz Award. For more information about this year’s competition including how to apply, visit the Young Musician website.

    Past competitors and winners of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition are an impressive present day roll-call of soloists, recording artists, composers, and musicians from the UK classical music scene. Some previous winners include:

    • Oboist Nicholas Daniel who won at 18 years old, and now continues to be a successful recording artists and makes numerous appearances in concert halls across the UK including the BBC Proms. He is a Professor of...

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  4. Media Centre Round Up #13

    Monday 20 May 2013, 15:47

    Ben Murray Ben Murray Editor, BBC Media Centre

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    On the back of England’s victory over New Zealand in the first test at Lord’s yesterday, I’m going to start this week’s round-up with two announcements about cricket.

    First up, the BBC has secured the radio commentary rights for the 2013/14 Ashes in Australia, which completes Test Match Special’s comprehensive coverage of a packed cricketing schedule throughout this summer and into the winter, as the England team travel Down Under for a back-to-back Ashes series. Secondly, the BBC and the MCC have created two “Spirit of Cricket” awards in memory of the much-loved, former TMS commentator...

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  5. Ten Things #20 - Ten programmes from BBC Radio & TV networks

    Friday 17 May 2013, 14:18

    Jon Jacob Jon Jacob Editor, About the BBC Blog

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    This week's Ten Things pays homage to the legendary Eurovision Song Contest scoring system in a personal selection of ten programmes selected from across network radio and TV.

    That's as far as the Eurovision association goes, however. For the sake of clarity, there's absolutely no ranking implied in the following list. 

    1. Congratulations to Radio 1's Newsbeat who picked up a Sony Award earlier this week
    2. On Friday, Radio 2 listeners made up their minds as to the best UK Eurovision song ever
    3. Radio 3 has some listener's notes for Friday's live BBC Symphony Orchestra concert.
    4. Archbishop...

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  6. The NAO report on the BBC's relocation to Salford

    Friday 17 May 2013, 08:02

    Peter Salmon Peter Salmon Director, BBC North

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    "The BBC relocated to Salford on time and maintained broadcast continuity. The latest estimates show that the final cost of the move phase should be below the revised budget of £233 million…"

    You might be mistaken for thinking that was something I would say. In fact it was the National Audit Office in their Value For Money report this week on the BBC’s move to Salford published by the BBC Trust.

    Even before we first started moving here two years ago this month, we knew that establishing a thriving creative base in the North of England was going to be a big challenge – both internally and...

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  7. RAJAR figures for Q1 2013 released

    Thursday 16 May 2013, 09:57

    Hannah Khalil Hannah Khalil Digital Content Producer, About The BBC Blog

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    Radio being tuned by hand

    Today the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK, RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research), released their figures for Q1 2013, 31 December 2012 - 31 March 2013 (wks 1-13).

    An infographic of the survey produced by RAJAR revealed that across all radio, 90% of the population tuned into radio every week listening to a weekly average of 21.9 hours of programming. There's also a 19% increase year on year in people listening to the radio via a mobile phone.

    Hannah Khalil is Digital Content Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog.

    • A summary of the BBC's RAJAR performance is available...

    Read more about RAJAR figures for Q1 2013 released

  8. Delivering debates in Zambia with BBC Media Action

    Wednesday 15 May 2013, 14:48

    Clemency Fraser Clemency Fraser Production Trainer, BBC Media Action

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    Clemency Fraser is production trainer for BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity, and her work has taken her from Afghanistan to Zambia, with a few more in between. She helps produce a series of TV debates that help people in the developing world hold those in authority to account.

    The programmes that I work on are part of wider efforts at BBC Media Action to help communities raise issues of local concern that are overlooked in the media, or give a voice to those who are often left out of local and national decision-making.

    For many of our audiences, it’s their first...

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  9. Finishing what we started - The BBC Philharmonic in Japan

    Tuesday 14 May 2013, 16:57

    Julian Gregory Julian Gregory Violinist, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

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    In March of 2011, The BBC Philharmonic's concert tour of Japanese cities was curtailed by the earthquake and ensuing tsunami. There was nothing an orchestra could do to help; but, two years later, the band returned to finish the tour, fill in the gaps, and deliver a positive message.

    Maybe this time they could do something.

    yuri torchinsky, orchestra leader, passes an inadvertent summing up of the reason we're off Orchestra leader, Yuri Torchinsky, inadvertantly passes an advert that sums up the reason for our trip

    What was the BBC Philharmonic doing in Japan anyway? Doesn’t Japan have their own orchestras?

    Well, yes, they do; and very good ones too. But touring is...

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  10. BBC Radio a winnner at Sonys

    Tuesday 14 May 2013, 13:26

    Hannah Khalil Hannah Khalil Digital Content Producer, About The BBC Blog

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    Sony Radio Academy Awards Sony Radio Academy Awards

    It’s the week for award ceremonies: the BAFTA Television Awards were held on Sunday and the Sony Radio Academy Awards were held last night. As we reported in April the BBC had a strong showing across the categories. See a list of the BBC's Gold winners below.

    Read more about BBC Radio a winnner at Sonys

About this Blog

This blog explains what the BBC does and how it works. We link to some other blogs and online spaces inside and outside the corporation. The blog is edited by Jon Jacob.

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External links about the BBC

Extended bus & rail services for Radio 1's Big Weekend
"Event organisers BBC and Derry City Council have been working in close partnership with Translink to provide the additional bus and rail services" (Derry Journal)

Eddie Braben dies - Morecambe & Wise writer was 82
"Billy Cotton Jnr at the BBC recognised the brilliance of Eddie's writing"
(Chortle)

BBC told to improve online local news
"The BBC has been told to up the standard of its online local news and look to mine more personal data from users of its website network" (Guardian)

A night at the Sony Radio Academy Awards - booze, bad-language and a brace of gongs
"Humphrys revealed that the Today team were listening in on a web-stream at a pub round the corner" (Radio Times)

TV BAFTAs 2013: 10 things we learned
"the BBC is still the daddy in broadcasting" (Guardian)

The 2013 BBC Proms (Where's Runnicles Blog)
"The Proms still serves as a reminder of why the BBC offers good value to those of us who are fans of classical music"

Obituary for former BBC executive John Cain who paved the way for social-action broadcasting (Independent)

 

Last updated Thursday 23 May 2013