LONDON - Programmatic online advertising technology isn't yet good enough, and will never match human salespeople for brand ad sales. That's according to BBC Worldwide's strategy and operations VP for global advertising sales, Tom Bowman.

"There are some websites that have gotten rid of their salespeople," Bowman told me during...

LONDON - We delighted to be in town to cover the FT Digital Media Conference this week.

Media luminaries to speak include Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time Warner; WPP's Sir Martin Sorrell; Thomas Rabe, CEO of Bertelsmann and several top media industry innovators.

For an overview on the conference, we...

The much anticipated convergence of television and digital video ad buying agencies is becoming the norm in the U.K. where media agencies have consolidated video and television buying operations -- and where as much as 30 percent of television advertising is now being bought for digital devices.  These are some of...

As as part of the Financial Times  recently announced "digital first," the London-based, global paper is expanding its digital staff, introducing a new real-time feature on market-moving news called Fast FT and building social tools for its audiences, says Martin Dickson, Managing Editor for the U.S. in this interview with Beet.TV

Video, he says is essential for the site and the FT's approach is to leverage reporters' access to influencers to creating unique interviews. 

We spoke last week in Manhattan as the venerable newspaper celebrated its 125 year anniversary.

More on the changes at the FT by Roy Greenslade at The...

MONACO -- While there have been series problems in reporting at the BBC recently, the broadcaster should stop its "self- flagellation," says Robert Andrew, Senior International Editor at paidContent and GigaOm, in this inteview with Beet.TV

We spoke with Andrews at the Monaco Media Forum where he was as session moderator.

Andrews also addresses the pitfalls of "jigsaw" reporting in the era of social media.

Update:  Here is Andrews' update and POV of the BBC turmoil.

Andy Plesser

LONDON - Cait O'Riordan, Head of Product for Sport and 2012 at the BBC, released the digital consumption numbers for the first week of the Olympics.   The BBC, which streams just in the United Kingdom, had some 17 million people watch some of the Olympics on their digital device for at least 15 minutes, she says in a blog post.

In late June, we spoke with her at the BBC headquarters in London about the BBC's ambitious digital plans.   We have republshed that interview today.

LONDON - Today, the BBC Worldwide announced that net profits were up 13 percent over last year up to 155GBP.  Digital sales has risen to from to 13 percent of net sales, up from 8 percent the year before, the company said in a separate announcement about its digital business.

One of the big drivers of consumption of the BBC's digital products has been its successful strategy on Facebook where it has 25 million fans.

Recently at the Beet.TV Global Video Summit, at the the BBC's headquarters, digital head Daniel Heaf explains the powerful impact of Facebook on video consumption for the BBC Worldwide.

LONDON - With the invasion of Iraq some 10 years ago, the BBC began to solicit listener comments around big news stories via text and email contributions in a effort called "World Have Your Say."

Now contributions by BBC World Service listeners and viewers contribute largely via Twitter, Facebook and on a limited basis on Google+, says Ros Atkins host of the "World Have Your Say."

Unlike CNN iReport which allows individuals to post reports to special section of the site, the BBC initiative doesn't surface citizen commentary on BBC News sites but on World Have Your Say site and on social media including its Facebook page and Twitter account.

A BBC spokesperson tells Beet.TV that contributions to World Have Your Say are submitted regularly from listeners and viewers in over 50 countries.  The program that airs globally on both BBC World Service radio and BBC World News.

We visited Atkins recently in the BBC World Service headquarters to report this story.