ITV

Tag: Beeb

  • BBC’s interactive initiative seeks to rewrite the Oxford dictionary

    BBC’s interactive initiative seeks to rewrite the Oxford dictionary

    MUMBAI: UK public broadcaster The BBC has announced an interactive initiative in the UK Wordhunt. This aims at rewriting the the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). BBC Two is asking viewers to join The Wordhunt Project and help rewrite what it has dubbed as ‘the greatest book in the English language’.     

    A major series next year will present the results and will be the biggest, boldest attempt yet to ask the nation, “Where do words come from?”. 250 years after Doctor Johnson wrote his celebrated dictionary with the aid of just six helpers, the BBC and the Oxford English Dictionary are joining forces for The Wordhunt Project, and appealing to Britain to help solve some of the most intriguing recent word mysteries in the language.

    Wordhunters should log on to bbc.co.uk/wordhunt to see how their evidence could be included in the OED. BBC Two controller Roly Keating said, “We’re launching a nationwide hunt for the origin of words and it’s a fantastic opportunity for viewers to contribute to a historic project. Any valid evidence will not only rewrite the Oxford English Dictionary but will feed into a major series for BBC TWO on the origin of words. The OED and this series promise a fascinating and unique insight into British history.”

    The Oxford English Dictionary is appealing to the public for a focussed effort on 50 words. They include back to square one, jaffa (cricketing term), Beeb, to bonk (sexual intercourse), cyberspace, tikka masala and full monty. The OED seeks to find the earliest verifiable usage of every single word in the English language – currently 600,000 and counting – and of every separate meaning of every word.

    Quite a task! The 50 words on the appeal list all have a date next to them – corresponding to the earliest evidence the dictionary currently has for that word or phrase. No dictionary is ever finished. Therefore the BBC is also appealing for interested word hunters to find new words that aren’t present in the OED.

  • BBC pulls the plug on cartoon series criticising the Pope

    BBC pulls the plug on cartoon series criticising the Pope

    MUMBAI: The BBC has caved to the pressure from different groups regarding its animation series Popetown. The Beeb has decided not to air the series.

    Popetown, featuring the voices of comedian Ruby Wax as the pontiff and model Jerry Hall as a fame-hungry nun, was commissioned for the digital channel BBC3. The animation featured corrupt cardinals and an infantile pope who bounced around the Vatican on a pogo stick.

    BBC3 controller Stuart Murphy said, “Popetown was a challenging project for BBC3 to undertake. After a lot of consideration and consultation, balancing the creative risk with the potential offence to some parts of the audience, we have decided not to transmit the programme.”

    “Despite all of the creative energy that has gone into this project and the best efforts of everyone involved, the comic impact of the delivered series does not outweigh the potential offence it will cause. It has been an extremely difficult and complex decision to make. There is a fine judgement line in comedy between the scurrilously funny and the offensive,” he added.

    The decision was supported by BBC television director Jana Bennett. She however added, “Risk taking is a key part of the role of BBC3. Stuart and the channel will continue to break new ground in the notoriously difficult area of comedy. BBC3 is an evolving channel and in its short life has already had real success in breaking strong and distinctive new comedy, such as Monkey Dust, Nighty Night and Little Britain.”