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Simon Pitt |
Monday 18th
March
2013
Working through his DVD backlog, Simon watches The American, George Clooney's scrawniest role to date.
Robert Weedon |
Saturday 2nd
March
2013
Robert compares two documentaries about Richard III based on the same footage and asks why Channel 4 found it so difficult to make a serious documentary.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 11th
November
2012
Bond holds a special place in the British consciousness. But what do we want from Bond any more? And does Skyfall give us that?
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 11th
November
2012
George Entwistle resigns as the BBC Director General surrounded by bluster, noise and allegations. Do the events surrounding his departure herald an era of spin and cautiousness at the top? And is success down to ability or chance, politics and the press?
Robert Weedon |
Monday 6th
August
2012
As John Inverdale annoys Robert with a throwaway quip, Image Dissectors take a look at the music of the 2012 Olympics...so far.
Simon Pitt |
Monday 28th
May
2012
Simon looks at social media awards, the BBC and Twitter.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 23rd
May
2012
The BBC released their latest expense report today. It's like a dream come true for tabloid journalists. A sort of quarterly present, where they get to put up their feet and print numbers and angry faces in the newspaper for a day.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 13th
May
2012
Simon looks at the trend in television programmes for adding in detailed jokes that require you to pause the programme to read them. And also at some missed opportunities, where he paused the TV and found nothing to read.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 6th
May
2012
In their second visual article, Image Dissectors examine aspect ratios on film and television with the aid of some biscuits.
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 21st
April
2012
Simon looks at the recent trend for using large white text for programme titles.
Robert Weedon |
Friday 9th
March
2012
A camera floats serenely over the British countryside. Turn on the TV every night to see it.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 21st
December
2011
Simon looks through his childhood bookcase and considers what works in tie-in comics, and what doesn't.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 2nd
November
2011
In this article, Robert claims that if you don't have a Wikipedia article, you probably aren't very important, wonders why more people don't pay editors to write their biographies and asks where Richard Briers went to school.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 28th
August
2011
BBC Two is about to lose 20% of their drama output! Well, screen output anyway. Robert revisits the TV trend of using fake widescreen bars as they sneak their way onto BBC Two's "original British drama" strand.
Simon Pitt |
Monday 6th
June
2011
Simon considers time wasted through doing things in silly ways, known-unknowns, unknown-unknowns, known-gnomes and gnomic-knowns. Oh, and also there's a bit about farting at the beginning, so if you're in to that sort of thing, you'll enjoy the first paragraph at least.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 23rd
March
2011
In Image Dissectors' first visual article, Simon examines why Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation productions are perhaps the greatest children's programmes ever made.
Robert Weedon |
Thursday 3rd
March
2011
Sounding a bit like a horror show for children, Robert defines an obscure term used by fans of forgotten archive television programmes, before looking at why those cobwebs are unlikely to be swept away.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 28th
February
2011
As Colin Firth and The King's Speech clean up the film awards, Robert looks back to Firth's much earlier, but similarly afflicted first leading role in the 1987 film A Month in the Country.
Robert Weedon |
Tuesday 28th
December
2010
As BBC Two premier their new version of Whistle and I'll Come to You, Robert looks at an M.R. James adaptation that is perhaps unfairly overlooked, before seeing what he makes of the newest adaptation.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 17th
October
2010
Six months ago, the BBC officially switched off their Real Player streams for all but the oldest content. Simon looks back at Real Player.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 10th
October
2010
An Image Dissectors article of great numerical significance.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 3rd
October
2010
Simon reviews Sky's new heavily advertised Gervais/Merchant comedy: An Idiot Abroad.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 29th
September
2010
Having had his article promoted to 'Featured Article' standard, Robert discusses what happened when Sherlock Holmes Baffled faced its toughest challenge yet - the Wikipedia front page.
Robert Weedon |
Tuesday 28th
September
2010
In the first of two articles, Robert discusses how to write a Wikipedia 'Featured Article', and why there aren't more of them about.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 26th
September
2010
The world of technology sales is a confusing place for poor consumers. So why do people buy technology these days? Is it because they want the higher quality, or because they feel they should buy it. Come to that, can they even tell the difference?
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 22nd
September
2010
Robert reviews one of Radio 4's hidden gems.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 19th
September
2010
Simon considers exactly what the news was and what it has become
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 12th
September
2010
Having bought the rights to the entire back catalogue of HBO, Sky is going after a different segment of the market. Simon looks at what Sky is up to.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 5th
September
2010
A few weeks ago I had to set up network drive for staff across the department. Why was this simple task quite so difficult?
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 1st
September
2010
As the Today programme dismisses the idea of having its own theme tune, Robert discusses why unlike TV, serious radio doesn't tend to have news themes, before looking at some examples from other national radio stations.
Robert Weedon |
Thursday 26th
August
2010
How do you show a radio programme on television? As Radio 4 make their first Red Button television programme, Robert has a look and wonders if they've missed the point slightly.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 22nd
August
2010
Simon discusses BBC radio show More or Less, considers 'gurning', and wonders what makes good programmes do silly things.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 15th
August
2010
The summer holidays have brought with them a deluge of children's films, designed to cash in on frazzled parents' desire for a few minutes of peace. But are these really what children want to watch? Simon considers TV and films from a child's point of view.
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 29th
July
2010
Simon considers exactly who he is, and the best way of explaining it, with a look at About Us pages on websites in this contractually obligatory article.
Robert Weedon |
Tuesday 27th
July
2010
As EON's Bond series hits another stumbling block, Robert wonders if the real Bond villain might be bad luck.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 26th
July
2010
As part of a budget reduction at the Department of Culture Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt has decided to close the UK Film Council. Image Dissectors looks at what this might mean.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 26th
July
2010
From Doctor Who to Doctor Watson, Steven Moffat brings us yet another Sherlock Holmes adaptation, but is it any good?
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 24th
July
2010
There was a collective sigh of relief earlier this month with the news that BBC 6 Music was not going to be axed. People were pleased firstly because it was saved, and secondly because they didn't actually need to listen to it anymore. Simon examines the 6 Music saga.
Robert Weedon |
Tuesday 29th
June
2010
Tom Hollander's new ecclesiastical sitcom Rev. is the latest sitcom about a member of the clergy, although surprisingly, the first to feature an apparently realistic vicar. Robert discusses why.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 22nd
June
2010
They say you can't trust anything you read in the news these days. But why? And how do they get away with it? Simon, a nine foot tall Australian currently living in Tibet, examines lies in the news.
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 17th
June
2010
Simon examines another modern cliche - this time with a look at some of the tricks of the trade of the TV and Film critic.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 16th
June
2010
When a news story breaks these days, Twitter seems to be journalists' first port of call. Robert dissects why.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 13th
June
2010
As the latest BBC crime drama, Luther comes to an end, Simon looks at some of the options remaining for screenwriters.
Robert Weedon |
Tuesday 8th
June
2010
The invisible wall between 'on and off camera' has been broken down in recent years. Robert examines why.
Robert Weedon |
Tuesday 18th
May
2010
After 5 months of intense speculation, hype, and more speculation, the 2010 General Election came and went. But what did the media make of it?
Robert Weedon |
Thursday 1st
April
2010
Robert looks over a somewhat disappointing Easter television schedule, and wonders why TV over the Easter bank holiday doesn't hold quite the same appeal as it does at Christmas.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 28th
March
2010
Simon manages to find a cinema to watch Alice in Wonderland in 2D, and reviews Tim Burton's latest Depp-fest.
Simon Pitt |
Friday 19th
March
2010
In the news today: a look at how journalists use numbers and why the news has destroyed all of the numbers except for two.
Simon Pitt |
Monday 15th
March
2010
As promised nearly a year ago, Simon starts commenting and reviewing websites. This time, 'new' social media site Tumblr. It may be over 3 years old and have 3 million users but most people still haven't heard of it.
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 13th
March
2010
Simon discusses how the news has gone from a dry suited man reading out the events, to being a daily fix that we have to get. Just what is it about the news that makes it so appealing to broadcasters?
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 23rd
February
2010
Simon highlights the rise of a modern cliche; the facebook eye: the best friend of the lazy technology journalist.
Robert Weedon |
Saturday 20th
February
2010
Barry Gray was very talented at melody, harmony, rhapsody, and, um, symphony. But what is it about his music to Captain Scarlet that makes it so spooky? Robert investigates.
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 20th
February
2010
Simon takes a look at some of the overblown phrases on film posters and traces their origin in 'one of the best articles of 2010 about quotations on film posters'.
Robert Weedon |
Friday 19th
February
2010
As Eastenders celebrates its 25th anniversary by going out live, Image Dissectors discusses how it has revived a once-common TV tradition.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 17th
February
2010
Definitions and explanations of new media phrases. The 'car park test' is a test of whether a play (or other radio programme) is able to hold your attention once you have arrived at your destination. Simon examines the origins and usage of the phrase.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 16th
February
2010
Definitions and explanations of new media phrases. The BBC Hot Wash is the way the BBC sanitises 'talent', in an attempt to make it suitable for everyone. However, like putting your woollen jumper in the hot wash, this leaves it not fitting anyone.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 9th
February
2010
The next in the unremitting series of articles about the Hyperlink. In this part, Simon looks at the legal implications of the hyperlink, and explains how you at home can use hyperlinks to undermine friends and demoralize people.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 8th
February
2010
So what's the secret of Top Gear's success? Apart from the cars, the presenters and everything else, it could be this effect.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 7th
February
2010
Robert looks at Anglia Television and the importance of the lost genre of regional ITV documentaries, before examining a particularly fine example from 1975.
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 4th
February
2010
A brief overview of everything that happened in the media in January 2010, the month in which the set of Coronation Street was demolished, some fat people were banned from BeautifulPeople.com and scientists prove we can't have any more than 150 friends.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 1st
February
2010
In readiness of the 2012 digital switch over, Teletext and Ceefax are winding down their services. Robert has a brief flick through their history, or at least he will when the page selector goes round its cycle.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 24th
January
2010
Robert looks on as crime and medicine series spin themselves into oblivion.
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 21st
January
2010
The seventh in an incessant series of articles about Hyperlinks. In this instalment simon looks at these: #. What are they called? What are they for? Do they mean pounds? And if so why?
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 20th
January
2010
Another in the interminable series of articles about Hyperlinks. In this part Simon looks at some of the things that can go wrong when giving people links and realises what a fine line it is between success and 404.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 19th
January
2010
The fifth in the unfeasibly long series series about Hyperlinks. This time Simon looks at a few fun games we can play with links to Amazon and shows you how to take over the world from the address bar of your browser.
Simon Pitt |
Monday 18th
January
2010
Another in the seemingly unending series about Hyperlinks. In this article, Simon looks at how all the IP addresses are going to run out soon and talks about reserved characters (like his Uncle Ernie).
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 17th
January
2010
The third in a surprisingly long series exploring Hyperlinks. In this part, Simon looks at domain names. What should you call your website, how long can the domain name be and what do you have to look out for?
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 16th
January
2010
The second in a several part series examining the nature of the Hyperlink. In this part, Simon considers those all-too-famous three Ws, introduces the IP address and enters the domain of the domain.
Simon Pitt |
Friday 15th
January
2010
The first in a several part series charting probably the most exhaustive examination of the hyperlink ever. In this part, Simon thinks about what we actually call the blooming things, looks at what this 'http' business is all about and considers how we should describe one of these: /
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 13th
January
2010
With so-called 'channel surfing' becoming the ghost behind the wardrobe of programme makers, Robert looks into why they're concerned, and questions whether their fear is justified.
Simon Pitt |
Monday 11th
January
2010
In the second part of a series on marketing, Simon looks at how Search Engine Optimization and our quest for attention, page views and celebrity has led us to pursue a false Internet Dream.
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 9th
January
2010
In the first part of a series on marketing, Simon examines how the Internet has turned us all into marketers, as we struggle to get our friends, potential loved ones, employers and parents to read our statuses, tweets and blog posts. In this new, digital world have we all become the executives of our own brands?
Simon Pitt |
Friday 1st
January
2010
A brief overview of everything that happened in the media in Decemer 2009. The month in which the newspapers gave up publishing anything except lists of what happened in the 'noughties', the Tories demanded music videos should have age rating, and a Japanese man married a computer game character.
Robert Weedon |
Thursday 24th
December
2009
Christmas carols are always heralded as an integral part of the season. However, with increasing secularisation and a suspicion of anything Victorian or traditional, how much longer will they survive? Robert looks at the annual service from King's College, Cambridge, and then, like a hooded harbringer of misery, discusses the future.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 16th
December
2009
Despite the increase of musical branding on the visual medium of television, on UK national radio, the opposite seems to be happening. Robert speculates about what's happening, and for nostalgia's sake looks at some old station musical themes.
Simon Pitt |
Friday 11th
December
2009
The fifth in a series of reviews of radio plays considering the current state of the Afternoon Play. Like this review, today's play was the last of a five part series. But with no series stacking and no way of hearing the first four parts now that they're gone, how will this episode fair?
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 10th
December
2009
The fourth in a series of reviews of radio plays considering the current state of the Afternoon Play. Today's afternoon play is another play that isn't really a play but leaves Simon thinking after it's finished.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 9th
December
2009
The third in a series of reviews of radio plays considering the current state of the Afternoon Play. One part maths whodunnit, one part tale of brotherly sacrifice and one part blatant documentary. Simon examines a rather mixed bag of a play.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 8th
December
2009
The second in a series of reviews of radio plays considering the current state of the Afternoon Play. After a dissapointing start yesterday, Simon's faith in the Afternoon Play is restored by this bleak but haunting tale or words and snow.
Simon Pitt |
Monday 7th
December
2009
The first in a series of reviews of radio plays considering the current state of the Afternoon Play. Simon is unimpressed by the first Afternoon Play of the week; a mismash of three short plays by 'community writing groups' (putting the 'ew!' into 'New Writing').
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 6th
December
2009
Simon examines what BBC commissioners are looking for when they commission radio plays and begins an investigation into the current state of the Afternoon Play.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 1st
December
2009
A brief overview of everything that happened in the media in November 2009. The month in which the Gruffalo became the nation's favourite children's book, Judy Dench went to the dentist in period costume and the town of Darlington appointed someone as village Tweeter.
Robert Weedon |
Thursday 26th
November
2009
ITV is to buy Disney's 25% stake in GMTV for 22.25 million, therefore making the breakfast television channel a wholly-owned subsiduary of ITV. Image Dissectors discusses what this might mean.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 25th
November
2009
With Christmas only a month away, Robert speculates about what television we can look forward to in the forthcoming festive season, and wonders why we all look forward to it anyway.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 23rd
November
2009
HD is rolling out across the country, but only to a select few. Which future television event will persuade people to make the switch to High Definition?
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 21st
November
2009
An examination of the way news and journalists work. Where do news stories come from and where do they go when they're not on the front page anymore? An Image Dissectors exclusive scoop!
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 19th
November
2009
A brief overview of everything that happened in the media in October 2009. The month in which a racist appeared on Question Time, TS Eliot became the nation's favourite poet and laugh-a-minute swear-fest The Thick Of It returned to BBC Two.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 17th
November
2009
The BBC have announced that the Asian Network's soap, Silver Street, will air its last episode in March 2010. It will be replaced by a run of monthly stand-alone thirty-minute dramas. Is this the beginning of the end for drama on the Asian Network? Or maybe for the Asian Network itself?
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 14th
November
2009
You can't open a newspaper these day without reading a rant about the BBC. With the BBC releasing their expenses, and journalists struggling to find something to complain about, Simon examines why everyone seems to hate the BBC.
Robert Weedon |
Friday 13th
November
2009
Robert reviews ITV1's latest drama series, and surprisingly, he likes it.
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 12th
November
2009
With the BBC releasing salary information for their top 107 decision makers, Simon takes the opportunity to examine who some of the key figures are, and how they got there.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 11th
November
2009
According to the media, getting video On Demand wherever and whenever you want it is pretty much the most exciting thing to ever happen. But is On Demand all it's cracked up to be? If it is, why isn't everyone doing it, and if it isn't, why not? As the BBC turn off their Real Player streams and move to iPlayer for all TV and Radio, Simon looks at just how popular iPlayer is and examines why it hasn't set the world alight as much as everyone wishes.
Simon Pitt |
Friday 6th
November
2009
Simon gives a broad overview of drama on BBC Radio and offers a few thoughts on its nature and popularity, before wondering why nobody knows there is drama on Radio 3.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 4th
November
2009
ITV's sale of Friends Reunited is to be investigated by the competition committee. In the mean time, ITV is left holding the costly, and very rubbish, baby that is FriendsReunited.co.uk.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 5th
October
2009
As an England match is shown for the first time exclusively on the internet, Robert discusses the implications of sport over the web.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 23rd
September
2009
Robert highlights the recent rise in the fake 2.35:1 letterbox on television.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 20th
September
2009
Robert discusses some of the implications of the government's decision to allow product placement on British commercial television.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 23rd
August
2009
Simon considers what purposes television has, and ponders some of the reasons why it fails to achieve these purposes.
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 22nd
August
2009
Simon examines what programmes we've all been watching, what this says about our viewing habits, and considers whose fault lazy programming is.
Robert Weedon |
Saturday 22nd
August
2009
Robert examines the current BBFC ratings system and wonders if its categories are really useful. Warning: contains thematic elements.
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 20th
August
2009
The world of media conglomerations is a complex and gnotty web. Simon has a look at exactly who owns what.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 1st
April
2009
Whoops. Something has gone wrong, and you've ended up here. You may not find what you want by reading this, but at least you'll know why you didn't find it, along with a few anecdotes, trivia and further reading.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 18th
August
2009
Brightsolid, a subsidary to DC Thomson, publisher of the Beano, has bought Friends Reunited from ITV.
Robert Weedon |
Friday 7th
August
2009
News Corporation to charge for online newspaper access.
Robert Weedon |
Monday 3rd
August
2009
Nothing to do with the film production company, in this article, Robert bemoans the lack of originality in new programme names, and the rise of the "Working Title title".
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 2nd
August
2009
Robert writes an inconclusive little introduction to a planned series of articles on British films, and highlights the influence of three of the big names in British cinema.
Simon Pitt |
Monday 27th
July
2009
As something of a prologue to a more indepth discussion of the Hyperlink, Simon examines the rise and nature of the link, and considers how we all take it for granted.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 19th
July
2009
Robert has a go at writing an incomprehensive little guide to watching films at home on television, and concludes that you probably shouldn't bother.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 12th
July
2009
ITV, once an admired rival to the BBC, is now floundering in a swimming pool of its own effluence. With the recent cancellation of the South Bank Show, and several expensive drama series, Robert discusses why.
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 11th
July
2009
DAB Digital Radio will replace FM Radio by 2015 when Analogue Transmitters will be switched off.
Robert Weedon |
Wednesday 6th
May
2009
Robert Weedon discusses the Last Night of the Proms, and in particular the increasing televisual tyranny that are the BBC Proms in the Parks.
Robert Weedon |
Tuesday 5th
May
2009
In this article, Robert Weedon praises the BBC's Music, Sport and Religious programming outside broadcast teams, while complaining about some less well filmed live events.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 3rd
May
2009
It may seem an odd thing to be misty eyed about, but the BBC Video ident used between 1990-1997 is a logo which hasn't dated or been bettered by any of the subsequent logos used by the corporation. Robert Weedon dissects why.
Simon Pitt |
Thursday 30th
April
2009
A brief, and not that well thought out look at whether or not the Internet makes us lazy or whatever... yeah, I'll finish this off later, and put a less obvious joke in.
Simon Pitt |
Wednesday 29th
April
2009
In which Simon considers the history of iPlayer and why it's splash isn't quite as big as the BBC would like you to think.
Simon Pitt |
Tuesday 28th
April
2009
In this article, Simon looks at the Internet's obsession with documentation and data, and makes some broad, generalised, and almost outlandish claims about the nature of today's world.
Robert Weedon |
Sunday 26th
April
2009
In this article, Robert Weedon suggests why television was never quite as good as you remember, before completely contradicting himself by going off on a rant about how ITV used to be much better in the old days.
Simon Pitt |
Sunday 26th
April
2009
In this article Simon examines the top ten most visited websites in the world and sees if he can make any broad and extravagant generalisations about the nature of the internet. Not to spoil the surprise, but he can.
Simon Pitt |
Saturday 25th
April
2009
A brief discussion of the history and creation of Wikipedia.
Simon Pitt |
Friday 24th
April
2009
Part 1 of a semi-regular review and examination of the internet. In this article, Simon takes a vague look at the size of the internet, its influence and its nature.
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