iPhone podcast service is first fruit of BBC ‘10% time’

Posted by Paul McNally on 15 November 2007 at 11:01
Tags: BBC, iPhone

The BBC has made all of its podcasts available to download wirelessly using Apple’s new iPhone and iPod Touch.

The project is the first to be completed by the BBC’s Future Media and Technology (audio and music) department using “10 per cent time”, a working practice implemented by its new head, James Cridland.

The idea, borrowed from Google’s “20 per cent time”, dictates that every employee should be allowed to spend a fraction of their working week away from their normal job, developing new ideas and working on different projects.

The iPhone service was the brainchild of two web developers in the BBC’s future media and technology department, Chris Johnson and Simon Cross, who has more details on the BBC Radio Labs blog.

Wilmington sells ‘non-core assets’ in £12m deal

Posted by Paul McNally on 15 August 2007 at 07:06
Tags: Journalism

B2B publisher Wilmington has this morning announced the sale of a sizeable part of its publishing business to Progressive Media Ltd for £12m.

The sale includes all the group’s magazines in design, construction, power, catering, automotive and other specialist markets.

These assets, Wilmington said, represented a combined turnover of £19.8m and an operating profit of £1.2m.

The Wilmington board announced in June that it was putting its “non-core assets” up for sale, following a strategic review.

The company will now focus on three core areas: legal/regulatory; healthcare, and media/entertainment (which includes Press Gazette).

In its results for the year ending June 2006, these three core areas represented 93 per cent of the group’s pre-tax profits.

The Wilmington chief executive, Charles Brady, said: “Our focus will now be on the development of training and information businesses in professional markets.

“Wilmington is confident it will significantly improve the revenues and the performance of the group through organic growth and by acquisition.

“I would like to thank all the employees of the businesses that have been included in this transaction for their vital part in the history and progress of Wilmington.

“I wish them well in the future.”

Progressive Media will acquire the entire issued share capital of Wilmington Media Limited and Dewberry Redpoint Limited.

Among the titles changing hands are Blueprint, FX and What Van?.

Podcast: Student Journalism Awards 2007

Posted by Paul McNally on 10 July 2007 at 18:36
Tags: Journalism, Student Journalism Awards

Paul McNally reports from last week’s Student Journalism Awards, including interviews with some of the winners.

The full list of winners is available on the Student Journalism Awards web site.

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