ITV

Tag: BBC 1

  • AL Jazeera International appoints BBC’s Barnaby Phillips as European correspondent

    AL Jazeera International appoints BBC’s Barnaby Phillips as European correspondent

    MUMBAI: Doha based Al Jazeera International, the yet to launch 24-hour English-language news and current affairs channel has announced the appointment of journalist Barnaby Phillips as their Europe correspondent. He will be based in Athens.

    Phillips joins Al Jazeera International from the BBC where his last position was as Southern Africa correspondent for television and radio based in Johannesburg. In an official statement, the company informs that he has extensive global experience having also worked in the Middle East, West Africa and Asia. Phillips has covered major stories such as the AIDS epidemic, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, the war in Liberia, the 2002 Southern African food crises, the war in Iraq and the South Asian Tsunami.

    Phillips will be based in Athens as European correspondent for Al Jazeera International working directly with the channel’s London broadcast centre – the channel’s principle European bureau after London. The London broadcast centre will be responsible for Europe and Russia bringing news to English speaking viewers around the world for several hours each day as one of four broadcast centres strategically placed around the world in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC.

    While in the BBC, Phillips had reported regularly for BBC World and World Service Radio, the Ten O’Clock News on BBC 1 as well as flagship programmes including Today on Radio 4 and Newsnight on BBC 2.

    Speaking on the appointment director news Steve Clark says, “Barnaby Phillips is a great addition to our news team and I am pleased to have him on board as European correspondent.”

    Phillips adds, “I am delighted to be joining Al Jazeera International to report on news from across Europe to the rest of the English speaking world.”

    He first joined the BBC in 1991 and has remained with them until leaving to take up his post with Al Jazeera International this year.

  • BBC Weather takes forecasts into 3-D realm

    MUMBAI: The Beeb is all set to introduce 3-D graphics to its weather forecasting. BBC presenter Helen Willetts will present the first international forecast using the new technology.

    The BBC new-weather look with the use of the 3-D innovative technology is the first major change. BBC weather since 1985 when magnetic symbols were replaced by computer generated maps and symbols. A BBC release states that this development represents a significant advance from the first TV forecasts, which featured charts, hand-drawn using wax crayons.

    The new system will also feature virtual reality technology and the forecasts will use constantly updated weather data provided by the UK-based meteorological office.

    BBC Weather Centre main presenter Helen Young says: “The new system will introduce more realism, movement and clarity to the forecasts. For the first time viewers will be able to see the sun shine and the rain fall on the weather map. Complex weather situations will be much clearer for the audience.
    “The use of 3-D graphics means we can zoom into areas where weather conditions are bad, or particularly interesting, and provide a much closer view.”

    BBC Weather project director centre Colin Tregear says, “All the hallmarks of BBC weather – accuracy, authority and reliability will remain but the forecasts will be more engaging and informative.

    “Most people want to know ‘what’s my weather going to be like?’ Our new presentation will give the audience the up to date information they really need, in a way that is easier to understand.”

    Viewers will first be able to see the new-look weather globally on BBC World and in the UK on the BBC’s domestic channels – BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC 3, BBC 4, and News 24, as well as on the BBC’s website bbc.com.

    The system is able to display weather from all parts of the world and the technology will lead to more live forecasts and more frequent updates to the weather website – which is one of the most popular parts of BBC news online.

    The re-launch follows a recent, major audience research exercise, which showed that BBC Weather was found to be trustworthy, but that the graphics were considered old-fashioned and in need of refreshment.