[jamiec21]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressr ... adio.shtml

Audiences will be able to watch some of their favourite radio shows being broadcast, as the BBC launches its latest "radio visualisation" trial.

The trial – which runs until 31 July – begins by offering an enhanced, online version of Simon Mayo's BBC Radio 5 Live show, before being rolled out rolled out to other shows including The Chris Moyles Show and Switch on BBC Radio 1, Material World on BBC Radio 4 and The Hub on BBC 6 Music.

Online audiences will be able to view "glanceable" content – webcam streams, images, now playing and artist information, news and sports feeds – and interact with the programme through a pop-up console online, and later in the trial, by downloading an application to their mobile phone.

For example, listeners to Simon Mayo's show will be able to see what happens in the studios, watch guests being interviewed and read other listeners' text and email messages on screen.

And in response to audience feedback from the first phase of the trial (January 2009), this phase also includes on-demand content, for those that miss the live broadcast, and a mobile version of the console. The first of these will be a 45-minute compilation of the best bits of Simon Mayo's programmes from the week, including star guests, reviews and banter, available every Friday.

The trial will also allow BBC Audio & Music Interactive to assess the public's appetite for enhanced, visual radio offerings and share their findings with the rest of the radio industry.

Mark Friend, Controller of Multiplatform and Interactive, BBC Audio & Music said: "The visualisation console is about enriching the digital listening experience. More people are consuming radio on different platforms and on devices that have screens.

"Just as DAB listeners might glance at their screen to see what track is playing or what DJ is coming up next, the visualisation console experiments with putting all of our glanceable content in a single place in order to create a richer user experience.

"I look forward to what we can learn from this trial and being able to share findings with the wider radio industry."

The console will be available to download on a selected number of mobile devices which have been chosen based on analysis of mobile traffic to Audio & Music sites. This includes the majority of high-end smartphones and most popular mobile handsets.

The mobile application will not include live video. Tests suggest that it is not currently feasible to offer a stable, good quality feed of live video and live audio over the limited capacity of mobile data networks.

In order to keep data costs to a minimum, we highly recommend running the mobile visualisation console over a WiFi connection or flat-rate data bundle.

Trial programme details

1–19 June: Simon Mayo, 5 Live (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri)
22 June–31 July: The Chris Moyles Show, Radio 1 (Mon-Fri)
Switch, Radio 1 (Sun)
Material World, Radio 4 (Thu)
The Hub, 6 Music (select sessions)

Simon Mayo on Radio 5 Live

Online audiences can watch Simon Mayo's programme in-vision every weekday (except Wednesday), 1.00-4.00pm, until 19 June.

The Mayo trial is building on the increased visualisation and interactivity of Radio 5 Live output, such as live video streaming of programmes, including the Sony Gold Award winning Mayo and Kermode Film Review; enhanced live football and cricket commentary behind the red button; 606 live on digital television on Tuesday and Wednesday nights; the launch of the 5 Live Football Player to over half a million unique users; and nearly 600,000 audio podcasts downloaded every week.

Other innovations include simulcasts with Newsnight, live shows on the BBC News Channel, creative video content across bbc.co.uk, and the multiplatform output for last year's Wimbledon tournament which received a Sony Gold Award.

[Ed Pummelon]

I just came here to post the same thing. Good to see it's on for so long this time, I enjoyed the CMS online last time.

[DannyBoy]

This is awesome, last time it gave a real insight into the show, also got to see Doms commodore 64 type computer for pressing the buttons during the news.

[wireman2004]

i understand from our point of view that we are intrested in watching the show. Weather it be for how the banter comes off from what we can hear. Or if your intrested in how a radio studio works.

Although i am not against this. My concern is that a radio show is for radio. And that they may end up slipping into a situation where you listen too the radio. But have too also watch too get what they are talking about.
Isn't that what the situation of radio is. That it isn't visual.

Are they looking too have a situation in where all the bbc radio channels are also streamed live in video. Using the dab feed on freeview, virgin and freesat too show a visual show. (i assume they can do that on dab as all the above have the songs come up on screen. The presenter doesn't have any control of it as chris had played the dab game.)

[Ed Pummelon]

What's the deal here wireman, is this a wind-up or is there a genuine problem?

[wireman2004]

they are trying too turn radio into television.

[Yudster]

And Ed is trying to turn an illiterate into a normal person.

[Ed Pummelon]

[Yudster]

Ed, you're flogging a dead horse with this one. Just do what everyone else does and don't even bother to try to read it. Its bad for your blood pressure.

[Zoot]

i understand from our point of view that we are intrested in watching the show. Weather it be for how the banter comes off from what we can hear. Or if your intrested in how a radio studio works.

Although i am not against this. My concern is that a radio show is for radio. And that they may end up slipping into a situation where you listen too the radio. But have too also watch too get what they are talking about.
Isn't that what the situation of radio is. That it isn't visual.

Are they looking too have a situation in where all the bbc radio channels are also streamed live in video. Using the dab feed on freeview, virgin and freesat too show a visual show. (i assume they can do that on dab as all the above have the songs come up on screen. The presenter doesn't have any control of it as chris had played the dab game.)

It'll be an extra feature won't it? Many TV programs have the 'press the red button', it doesn't mean you will miss out if you can't access the red button content.
I don't believe for one minute that as a viewer you will miss out on a great deal if you haven't got access to the net, imagine what huge percentage of listeners they have who listen to the show whilst in the car,

[DannyBoy]

i understand from our point of view that we are intrested in watching the show. Weather it be for how the banter comes off from what we can hear. Or if your intrested in how a radio studio works.

Although i am not against this. My concern is that a radio show is for radio. And that they may end up slipping into a situation where you listen too the radio. But have too also watch too get what they are talking about.
Isn't that what the situation of radio is. That it isn't visual.

Are they looking too have a situation in where all the bbc radio channels are also streamed live in video. Using the dab feed on freeview, virgin and freesat too show a visual show. (i assume they can do that on dab as all the above have the songs come up on screen. The presenter doesn't have any control of it as chris had played the dab game.)

ehhh lots of Radio stations here in US and on Sirius video simulcast their shows as the norm, over the web and TV.

[MK Chris]

Bottom line is that this has been divised by intelligent people (far more intelligent than wireman2004), who aren't about to alienate millions of listeners who can't also watch the show being broadcast. It has been trialled at least twice in the past and has been a great success, has it not? Stop moaning.

[ladbroke]

I read Wiremans post (only just), and can see the point he's trying to make, i.e. 'normal' radio listeners (in the car, around the breakfast table) could be allienated if the content is too focused on the visual online content. All that said, I'm sure that fear has been bounced around endless meetings and a concerted effort will be made to ensure it doesn't happen. I for one loved the online Moyles shows last time, and look forward to them again.

[Yudster]

I was surprised when they did the live streaming before that it was comfortable to just dip in and out of it. I had the feeling beforehand that it would be like a TV programme, ie that you would really need to see it all to know what was happening - but of course it wasn't like that at all.

[Ed Pummelon]

Being a total CMS geek I'm really looking forward to it. Last time proved there was no danger of it turning into a TV show, which was no doubt one of things they were looking when they analysed the trial. I wonder how much of the show CM will do in sunglasses again...

[English Bob]

More live video streaming I won't be able to watch as I'll be at work! Yay!

[Ed Pummelon]

I'm pretty sure one or two people recorded and uploaded it last time, you might get lucky. Although 6 weeks worth would be quite a commitment for someone.

[Johnny 1989]

Great news, more video streaming means more of Carrie's chest, oh yes

[Ed Pummelon]

[Johnny 1989]

Ed, either you're thinking of the prospect of Carrie's chest & posted a blank message in error, or what you have posted is banned by our works internet's filter.


EDIT: Retyped as my original post was written by a brain dead moron

Edit: replaced Wrote with Written (thanks Topher)

[MK Chris]

I didn't write your original post, I don't have your password.

PS. 'written'.

[Ed Pummelon]

Ed, either you're thinking of the prospect of Carrie's chest & posted a blank message in error, or what you have posted is banned by our works internet's filter.


EDIT: Retyped as my original post was wrote by a brain dead moron

I'd guess it's your work's filter. Seems your IT guys have something against Right Said Fred.

[Johnny 1989]

I didn't write your original post, I don't have your password.

PS. 'written'.

don't be so hard on yourself Topher

Thanks for the spell check by the way

Ed, either you're thinking of the prospect of Carrie's chest & posted a blank message in error, or what you have posted is banned by our works internet's filter.


EDIT: Retyped as my original post was wrote by a brain dead moron

I'd guess it's your work's filter. Seems your IT guys have something against Right Said Fred.

Ah, must be the Anti-Gay filter then

The National Lottery website is banned here as it's classed as Gambling & BBC iPlayer as it's video/web streaming

[Latina]

I like that they keep experimenting with the video streaming every now and then, but I would rather it stay as an occasional feature only.

To be honest I have sometimes felt frustrated about not being able to access the computer at a time when they were incorporating the live feed significantly into the show's content. And that's fine once in a while of course, but I wouldn't want it to happen all the time. When it comes to it I prefer their discussion about online stuff such as the funny videos, Twitter etc as on those occasions I can make a mental note to look at it later.

As I said, the live feed is great fun when they bring it on (I must shamefully admit to having enjoyed the Scott Mills cams too), but I do believe radio has an important advantage over visual broadcasting and it would be a shame if that were lost.

[Ed Pummelon]

True, but I imagine that they will have covered off the amount they build references to the feed into content as part of the planning for this - that will be one of things they analysed after the last pilot (I assume).

Plus this time it's for six weeks, rather than one, so the novelty of having cameras in the studio will fade fast, and I would guess the show will settle back into it's natural rhythm and style pretty quickly.

It's certainly worth more experimentation, even if it was only for the sake of trying new things out - for such a lumbering corporation the BBC can be surprisingly innovative in this way. I agree that it shouldn't be a permanent change though.