links for 2009-01-23
Published on 23 January 2009 in Daily Links
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"Is the official LONDON logo really to be the last word on civic branding in the capital? What a depressing thought." Couldn’t agree more. And indeed I already did!
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As I said last year… "Of all the logos I’m looking at, the GLA logo is perhaps the one which does absolutely nothing at all to represent history or the area the authority serves. And that seems a real shame."
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Ads in books from the library? Whatever is the world coming too… And such madcap ideas from my own local council too? (As it happens, it’s unlikely to appear in next budget, but that doesn’t stop the Wimbledon Guardian trumpeting about it)
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Ofcom apparently aren’t convinced that there’s going to be a need for a separate Teletext franchise going forward. Indeed, it is a bit of an anachronism – like the fact that the ITV companies don’t even control the breakfast slot (although ITV plc do own 75% of GMTV.) I remain convinced that there will be demand for TV based information services – but the question now is, who, besides the BBC, will provide them?
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If you’ve had enough of "Up Next" banners appearing before programmes have finished; of text in the corner of your screen telling you it’s "Catch Up Thursday – from 9pm" or even just the continuity announcer talking over the credits… prepare for TV hell. In the USA, one channel has taken the "opportunity" to pause Family Guy, mere seconds before the ad break, in order to do an in-vision promo of another show. Given the "Me too!" attitude of much of the TV industry, expect it to be happening on Virgin 1 and Sky Two in about six months… (Via Transdiffusion MediaBlog)
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"Railways are always vulnerable during recessions because they have high fixed costs and passenger numbers can decline very quickly once a recession bites. Moreover, the operators have scored an own goal by pushing up fares by the more than 6% at a time when inflation is half that and wages are not rising. They have also cut back on services such as meals, and have reduced carriage lengths, laid off staff, and pushed up car parking charges, sometimes by more than 100%. It is almost as if they have a death wish and want to encourage people back into their cars."