International iPlayer less than $10 per month

Thursday, 3 March 2011 - Reported by Marcus
iplayerBBC Director General, Mark Thompson has given more details on the international version of the BBC iPlayer, first reported in August.

In a speech to the Financial Times Digital Media and Broadcasting Conference 2011, Thompson confirmed the iPlayer app will launch later this year and said the price will be under $10 per month.

The app will give international users the chance to see BBC programmes, such as Doctor Who and Torchwood, shortly after their broadcast in the UK and without the 'shows being rebranded or reformatted.'

Thompson paid tribute to the domestic success of the iPlayer, saying in January 162m programmes, an average of six per household, were downloaded via the iPlayer in the UK. Matt Smith's debut story, The Eleventh Hour, still remains the most downloaded programme ever.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Online

Doctor Who: Worlds in Time

Thursday, 24 February 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC Press Office have announced a new, multi-player game is in development.

Entitled Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, the online game is being produced in partnership with games developer Three Rings, and is aimed to be "both highly engaging and fun, allowing players to socialize and foster genuine cooperation, building a global community where fans worldwide will now be able to experience first hand the exciting action and adventure synonymous with Doctor Who."

For the first time ever, players from around the world will be able to follow in the footsteps of the eccentric and brilliant Doctor by travelling through time and space, exploring new worlds and encountering many alien races, both friend and foe. The game allows players to enter the TARDIS and be set a challenge by the mysterious Time Lord to help him defend civilized culture against infamous Doctor Who enemies.

Robert Nashak, EVP Digital Entertainment at BBC Worldwide, said:
Doctor Who: Worlds in Time will be a free-to-play multiplayer online game that invites players to save the universe by using their wits to solve time-bending puzzles and pulse-pounding challenges. Three Rings is the ideal team for this groundbreaking creative partnership. Not only are they visionaries in the online gaming space, they are lifelong Doctor Who fans with a passion for delivering the level of quality that our players will expect and deserve.

Daniel James, CEO Three Rings, said:
Three Rings is delighted and honored to have the opportunity to create an online game based on Doctor Who. Our goal with 'Words in Time' is to capture the imaginative spirit and depth of the series, whilst being fun and easy to play for all ages.

The game is announced ahead of the San Francisco Game Developers Conference, and is expected to launch later in the year.

You can keep up-to-date with the latest news on Worlds in Time by following BBC Worldwide Games on Twitter.






FILTER: - Online - Games

Torchwood Twitter

Tuesday, 11 January 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The production office responsible for the new series of Torchwood, Miracle Day, have started up an official Twitter feed, @BBC_Torchwood; the feed will be used to promote the production of the new series, kicking off yesterday with:

17:57 First shot 8:01am. Coffee pots are bottomless today.
20:11 Russell and Julie are here today to oversee filming and
attend concept meetings for EP 2 & 3. We LOVE them!

The feed has been officially confirmed by BBC Marketing, and has been created in response to a fake Facebook/Twitter publisher being uncovered last week.




FILTER: - Torchwood - Online

Classic Doctor Who channel launched on YouTube

Tuesday, 4 January 2011 - Reported by Harry Ward
BBC Worldwide have launched a channel for Classic Doctor Who on YouTube this evening with two exclusive clips from Meglos.

You can subscribe to the channel so you can catch all the exclusive content from the latest 2|entertain DVD releases. Just head to youtube.com/BBCclassicDoctorWho.

We reported last week that 2|entertain had announced plans to launch the channel in January. Today a press release was put out by the BBC Worldwide press office announcing the launch of the channel:

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, will be launching a Classic Doctor Who channel on YouTube on 4th January.

The new channel, featuring a mixture of classic clips and exclusive previews from forthcoming Doctor Who DVD releases, will appeal to existing fans and give new viewers an opportunity to sample some classic Doctor Who. The channel will complement the Classic Doctor Who Twitter account @classicdw run by 2entertain.

Jo Warren, Head of UK & Ireland Sales says, "We're really looking forward to giving Classic Doctor Who its own home on YouTube. It will be a great space for fans to discuss Classic Who - we're launching with some fantastic clips and we'll be regularly adding to the collection!"

Classic Doctor Who Brand Manager Dan Hall comments, "I'm delighted to join forces with our digital team and YouTube. This is an exciting, new way to deliver content for our net-hungry market."

Classic Doctor Who will launch on YouTube with over 45 clips dating from the first episode, along with new Meglos clips and an exclusive clip previewing the new Doctor Who Meglos DVD boxset which will be released by 2entertain on 10th January. Meglos stars Tom Baker and was originally broadcast in 1980.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Online - Classic Series

Shadows of the Vashta Nerada: Trailer

Friday, 24 December 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC have put a trailer for the fourth Doctor Who Adventure Game, Shadow of the Vashta Nerada, up onto their official YouTube channel.

So you've learnt to fly the TARDIS and defeat the Cybermen and Daleks. But how will you fare against the fearsome Vashta Nerada? In an underwater base. While being attacked by alien sea monsters. Do you think you're ready?



The game is available to download for free in the UK from the BBC Doctor Who website.




FILTER: - Online - Games

Charlie and the Doctor's Badger

Friday, 24 December 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The fourth of the Doctor Who Confidential Red Button previews of A Christmas Carol is now available online. Today video blogger Charlie McDonnell looks for the Doctor's Badger.

The clip will be on the Red Button service later today.


Video may not be available outside the United Kingdom.




FILTER: - Online

Charlie - Decorating Bus

Thursday, 23 December 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The third of the Doctor Who Confidential Red Button previews of A Christmas Carol is now available online.

It will be on the Red Button service later today.

Video may not be available outside the United Kingdom.




FILTER: - Specials - Online - Broadcasting

Planet of the Ming Mongs

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 - Reported by Harry Ward
A new Doctor Who fanzine was released earlier this month. Planet of the Ming Mongs takes a satirical look at Doctor Who fandom.
Ming mong (n.) [miŋ mơŋ] - An obsessive Doctor Who fan (usually disparaging)

PLANET OF THE MING MONGS is a new and/or exciting online fanzine, celebrating Doctor Who fandom in all its weird and sometimes disturbing glory. Bravely poking its nose into the live nest of Who fans, PLANET OF THE MING MONGS is a cornucopia of comedy, parody, art and articles virtually guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes.

Special features to look out for within POTMM include an exclusive interview with Doctor Who Magazine illustrator Ben Morris, comic strips by Jonathan This, Doctor Who facts with Garr and Suthers, "Oi, Spaceman!"'s first convention, and growing up hating Doctor Who with Tommi ‘The Tomlette’ Grey. Also, Tom Bradford explores some of fandom's more baffling myths surrounding Who mythology, and primary school teacher Rebecca Foster talks to us about the effect Doctor Who has had on the children in her class.

Plus, in a scoop more scandalous than Wikileaks, we feature some juicy and 100% not-made-up (honest) unpublished extracts from Russell T Davies and Ben Cook's email opus, The Writer's Tale.

But perhaps best of all, it’s completely free - or your money back.

PLANET OF THE MING MONGS
Edited by Nicholas Blake and designed by Richard Kirby

You can follow updates from the fanzine on Twitter and Facebook.





FILTER: - Fan Productions - Online

Shadows of the Vashta Nerada - Out Now

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The Adventure GamesThe BBC has released the fourth Episode in The Adventure Games Series: Shadows of the Vashta Nerada in the United Kingdom.

The game was expected on Christmas Day, but today has been made available to download from the BBC Website.

The game is written by Phil Ford - author of the first 'gamisode' in the series, City of the Daleks and is available in a Windows and a Mac version.

As with the previous games, Shadows of the Vashta Nerada will be available for purchase worldwide on the PC platform at a later date from Direct2Drive, who will release both this and the third game TARDIS together as a bundle; however, the Mac version will not be available outside the UK.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Online - Karen Gillan - Games - Matt Smith

Charlie and the TARDIS

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The second of the Doctor Who Confidential Red Button previews of A Christmas Carol is now available on the BBC's YouTube Channel.

It will be on the Red Button service later today.


Video may not be available outside the United Kingdom.




FILTER: - Online - Broadcasting