If there was a perception in the world that the BBC was a government mouthpiece or not wholly

“If there was a perception in the world that the BBC was a government mouthpiece or not wholly independent, that would be damaging to the BBC World Service brand.”The reputation for independence has helped to swell the World Service’s American audience to 3.9 million (up 70 per cent in 18 months). Its coverage of the war in Iraq offered, says Byford, “a truly international perspective on a truly international agenda It wasn’t an American-orientated view on the war Neither was it a British view It was a world view.”. With its sleek, torpedo-shaped frame, it can glide alongside the ocean’s deadliest sharks without fear of attack. But despite the convincing disguise, Roboshark is no predator. It is a mechanical pretender planted in the waters by the BBC with a mission to film its flesh-and-blood counterparts.

Programmed to simulate the swimming patterns of real sharks, Roboshark gathered data while cruising with bull, tiger and great white sharks. By building a camera within its six-foot body, the BBC’s Natural History Unit gained hours of unique footage.The resulting programme, Smart Sharks, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, explodes the Jaws stereotype of a shark as a mindless killer.Andrew Sneath, 39, a former Rover car engineer, made Roboshark, whose actions are controlled by underwater signals that it picks up through a receiver on its back.Its first mission was to patrol Bikini Atoll, in Micronesia, South Pacific, which is home to the largest numbers of aggressive grey reef sharks, the species on which Roboshark’s design was based. Despite the physical similarity, the grey reef sharks sensed something was amiss and rejected the device.It then swam withthresher sharks in the Philippines, witnessing giant whale sharks gorging on snapper spawn off Belize. Hammerhead sharks were filmed communicating through sign language and bronze whaler sharks seemed to participate in co-operative hunting during their South African sardine run.Spectacular scenes show great whites catching seals in mid-air. In one incident, Roboshark is attacked by a great white after getting too close to a seal carcass.The programme suggests that sharks possess large brains and integrated sensory systems.Sir David said sharks displayed a surprising degree of sophistication. “Sharks have social lives, communicate with body language and can learn and remember.”But if they are shown to be more intelligent, will that defuse our fear – or is a smarter shark more terrifying than ever?”The documentary will air on 27 July at 8pm..

After being branded the scourge of the airwaves for more than 40 years, pirate radio DJs are to be offered the chance to win their own shows on legal stations. The Radiocommunications Agency, aligned to the Department of Trade and Industry, made 1,000 raids on stations last year and increased prosecutions by 145 per cent.Mr Phillips said: “There are a couple of pirate stations I listen to because they are a cut above the ones who only go on air to give shout-outs to their mates down the road. It would be nice if some of the better-run stations did take up the Kiss offer.”Kiss, which broadcasts to 1.5 million people in the London area and a further million nationally on digital radio, has been warned not to mention the frequencies of unlicensed stations on air.The launch of “Pirate Radio Soundclash” also marks a return to its roots by Kiss, which was once Britain’s best-known pirate station, but is now a mainstream broadcaster in the Emap media empire. Before it obtained its licence in 1990, Kiss gave a platform to DJs such as Trevor Nelson, Tim Westwood, Judge Jules and Danny Rampling, now some of the biggest names in British dance music.The four semi-finalists will play back-to-back one evening in September. Listeners will be asked to vote for the DJ worthy of a three-month contract to present a show.. The sun was blazing, the barbecues were smoking On Saturday evening those with any sense went out. The rest might have succumbed to the heat and stayed in but they didn’t watch ITV1, it seems

The sun was blazing, the barbecues were smoking On Saturday evening those with any sense went out.

In the first week of this month, ITV1 attracted a total share of 21.3 per cent – its lowest weekly figure. But it is on Saturdays that the network is really struggling. It came hot on the heels of ITV1’s worst Saturday ratings figures, when it achieved just 16.5 per cent of the total.So, last Wednesday, ITV’s director of programmes, Nigel Pickard, stepped in to try to rescue Saturdays. Judgement Day, a quiz show hosted by Brian Conley, was axed after just three episodes. Its replacement was a show called It Shouldn’t Happen to a Soap Star.And at the weekend this show that was meant to save the day received just 2.7 million viewers – around a fifth of the audience that might tune in to Coronation Street, which goes out at around the same time on a weekday.Broadcasting insiders point out that the low headline figure is largely explained by the good weather, which hit all networks hard. “We always know our summer Saturdays are going to be flatter so we don’t put our big hitters out.”. My biggest professional mistake was probably representing OJ Simpson while he was on a visit to Britain in 1996.