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Jimmy Leach
Jimmy Leach is editorial director for digital for The Independent.
There's always the Twitter option
There's always the Twitter option
The more astute amongst you will have notice that there’s an influx of BBC video on the site, embedded in stories. Such as here and here Influx is probably a strong word – dribble would perhaps suit better – but it’s a small and significant step.
In truth, it’s probably more of a significant step for the BBC than for us. They are, effectively, setting up new syndication agreements, with ourselves The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and the Daily Mail. Under the agreement we’ve signed, we can take news content in four areas: politics, business, health and science. For us, it’s an extension to agreements for news video that we already have with the Press Association, Al Jazeera, and
For the BBC, it's a small change in philosophy, as Deputy Director General, Mark Byford, said:
“The BBC set out its intention to open up access to BBC news content as part of the Digital Britain process. We regard this initiative as a core part of the BBC working more effectively as a public service partner, with other media organisations utilising BBC news content.”
We just think it’s a neat way of getting more toys on the site.
Twitter has its uses. And the Twitterati are currently trawling through the BBC expenses. Well, hey, it saves you doing it… Have a look for yourselves, but the highlights so far
- Mark Thompson: Dinner with Israeli opinion formers £587.15
- Jana Bennett: Flowers for Jonathan Ross £100.
- Ashley Highfield bought "iPod Touch" for £238 on 13/10/2005. An achievement, given product didn't launch until Sept 07
- Jana Bennett - Dinner to discuss Jeremy Paxman‘s contract only £231.55! Lunch with Chair, Arts Council £561.25!
- Mark Thompson put £2,236.90 flight on expenses to cut short his holiday to deal with the Russell Brand controversy.
- £500 for Jana Bennett's handbag that was stolen while she was on official business.
And if you prefer to trawl through the whole lot, they are here.
- Mark Thompson: Dinner with Israeli opinion formers £587.15
- Jana Bennett: Flowers for Jonathan Ross £100.
- Ashley Highfield bought "iPod Touch" for £238 on 13/10/2005. An achievement, given product didn't launch until Sept 07
- Jana Bennett - Dinner to discuss Jeremy Paxman‘s contract only £231.55! Lunch with Chair, Arts Council £561.25!
- Mark Thompson put £2,236.90 flight on expenses to cut short his holiday to deal with the Russell Brand controversy.
- £500 for Jana Bennett's handbag that was stolen while she was on official business.
And if you prefer to trawl through the whole lot, they are here.
Lovers of posh music are very well served by us this week. Not only have you already had two instalments of our special week's podcasts of the BBC Music awards, (Vocal and Chamber) so far, but we've got two more for you.
The first is the next instalment from the Beeb it's Choral, this time:
Petroc Trelawny and his panel look at the Choral nominees. Tarik O’Regan’s Scattered Rhymes, sung by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir with the Orlando Consort, is described by the jury as a disc of astonishing energy and virtuosity, by a talented young composer who has already been nominated for two Grammys in his short career.
Bach Cantatas, Vol. 27 conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner with the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra plus soloists is part of John Eliot’s Pilgrimage series, revealing a deep personal affection for the repertoire and a refreshing, expressive spontaneity. The final nominee in this category - Szymanowski Choral Works Antoni Wit and Iwona Hossa with the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra – is an austerely beautiful sacred masterpiece, suffused with mystical fervour and authenticity.
The second is from the London Philharmonic:
Conductor Christoph Eschenbach talks to Edward Seckerson about his early career as a pianist, the heritage of the London Philharmonic Orchestra's sound, and his two concerts on 11 and 14 March 2009.
Marin Alsop shares the reasons she loves working with the Orchestra, her passion for new music, the importance Leonard Bernstein played as her mentor, and looks ahead to her concerts in 2010.
The new season of concerts from September 2009 has recently been announced, and Timothy Walker, the Orchestra's Chief Executive and Artistic Director, gives an overview and picks his highlights.
This month's CD release is Vladimir Jurowski conducting three early works by Benjamin Britten: Double Concerto (soloists Pieter Schoeman and Alexander Zemtsov), Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, and Les Illuminations (with soprano Sally Matthews).
You really do need to subscribe to these.
The first is the next instalment from the Beeb it's Choral, this time:
Petroc Trelawny and his panel look at the Choral nominees. Tarik O’Regan’s Scattered Rhymes, sung by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir with the Orlando Consort, is described by the jury as a disc of astonishing energy and virtuosity, by a talented young composer who has already been nominated for two Grammys in his short career.
Bach Cantatas, Vol. 27 conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner with the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra plus soloists is part of John Eliot’s Pilgrimage series, revealing a deep personal affection for the repertoire and a refreshing, expressive spontaneity. The final nominee in this category - Szymanowski Choral Works Antoni Wit and Iwona Hossa with the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra – is an austerely beautiful sacred masterpiece, suffused with mystical fervour and authenticity.
The second is from the London Philharmonic:
Conductor Christoph Eschenbach talks to Edward Seckerson about his early career as a pianist, the heritage of the London Philharmonic Orchestra's sound, and his two concerts on 11 and 14 March 2009.
Marin Alsop shares the reasons she loves working with the Orchestra, her passion for new music, the importance Leonard Bernstein played as her mentor, and looks ahead to her concerts in 2010.
The new season of concerts from September 2009 has recently been announced, and Timothy Walker, the Orchestra's Chief Executive and Artistic Director, gives an overview and picks his highlights.
This month's CD release is Vladimir Jurowski conducting three early works by Benjamin Britten: Double Concerto (soloists Pieter Schoeman and Alexander Zemtsov), Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, and Les Illuminations (with soprano Sally Matthews).
You really do need to subscribe to these.
Hosted by BBC Radio 3’s Petroc Trelawny, this series of six Classical Music podcasts -available exclusively to Independent readers - feature BBC Music Magazine Editor Oliver Condy and the Chair of the Judging Panel Helen Wallace (who is a regular commentator on BBC Radio 3 and 4) discussing the nominations for the 2009 BBC Music Magazine Awards.
This years nominations are a star-studded list balancing giants of the international scene like Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Murray Perahia, Susan Graham and Sir Charles Mackerras in core repertoire, with some exciting new performers and musical discoveries by Tarik O'Regan, Peteris Vasks, Ernest Bloch, Gabriel Pierné and Donizetti.
The first in the series, this podcast discusses the nominees for the vocal categories. Fabulous mezzo-soprano Susan Graham’s Un Frisson Francais takes the listener on a colourful journey through her irresistible ‘tasting menu’ of 100 years of French song. Bass-baritone Gerald Finley is compelling in the Wigmore Hall Live recording of the morbid and at times simply terrifying Musorgsky: Songs and Dances of Death; and Christian Gerhaher fuses insight, intensity and unselfconscious enunciation to create an exceptional performance in Melancholie: Lieder by Robert Schumann.
To vote in the BBC Music awards, go here.
