2007. The company expects sales to continue to rise, with the premiere of such games as “Metal Gear Solid 4” and “Gran Turismo 5 Prologue” in the coming months. Additionally, Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS games sales have shown improvement, along with handheld units from a variety of makers. Sales on games and consoles are also going up due to a recent increase in supply. Previously, retail shortages of systems throughout the U.S. damaged figures for Nintendo and Sony. As Nintendo’s ability to keep Wiis in stock improved, sales hit new heights. Though Nintendo is still dealing with pockets of shortages, it has become much more adept at handling supply issues. U.K. To Review BBC Funding Ofcom, Britain’s media regulator, is considering requiring the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) to share its annual license fees with commercial broadcasters that offer public service programs. The proposal was one of many under consideration by the regulator, as it began its second major review of the sector. The BBC opposes the idea of sharing the license fee with its rivals and has said that a cut in funding would hurt its ability to fulfill its public service requirements. One choice is to invite commercial broadcasters to bid for “long-term funding to provide public service competition to the BBC.” The license fee is one way to finance it, according to Ofcom. Other options are government funding from a number of different sources or industry levies. Putting a stop to the BBC’s exclusive access to public funds would pressure it to reduce spending. In October, the BBC announced that it would cut 2,500 jobs, sell its London headquarters and produce fewer programs because the government refused to increase the license fee by the amount it had requested. The BBC is financed through a MAY 2 0 0 8 (Continued from Page 4) Letter to the Editor Great piece on TV/Radio Age . I found it especially amusing about how you were considered kind of weird because you knew how to work the telex. I had the same experience with the fax machine and the computer (not to mention using an electric typewriter!). Keep up the great work. Les Luchter LL Communications, New York Famous Quotes Charlotte TV stations should run cartoons instead of local news. They are more entertaining and just as informative. The Charlotte Observer, April 27, 2008 North Carolina mandatory fee paid by all British households with a TV set. Downloads Down Under Aunique struggle has begun down under for the rights to the “last mile” of broadband cabling. The term refers to the last 10 meters of wiring between the front door of a house and the owner’s television. Though it may seem trivial, control of this digital gateway will dictate who gets a piece of the Internet-streaming pie that could end up being worth billions. A variety of diverse companies, including Internet service providers, cable companies and game console makers, have all joined the competition. Australia faces an unusual obstacle in terms of Internet-based television services, in that monthly download limits are much lower than in other countries. This both inhibits the amount of programming users can access, and caps the amount of revenue available to companies. The winner of the “last mile” would be able to exclude its own content from a subscriber’s download cap, and thus exclusively serve a large audience. One of the major players in the running is broadband service provider Telstra Big Pond, which owns rights to distribute Fox News and coverage of the Bejing Olympics. Its biggest competitor for the final 10 meters is provider SingTel Optus, which is partnering with MTV and Disney.
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