For the record: 10/08/2009

“We’re certainly satisfied that we can produce significant revenues from the sale of digital delivery of newspaper content.” Rupert Murdoch pledges to charge for access to all of his newspaper websites by June 2010

Word on the Street

The Tories last week hinted that they have a more benign view of product placement on television than the former Culture Secretary Andy Burnham who claimed the practice compromised editorial integrity. But will ITV, which hopes placement could raise £70m a year, even have to wait that long? It has just commissioned a range of programmes linked to Coronation Street but intended for viewing on mobile phones, games consoles and the website itv.com, which is to have its own spin-off series, Street Talk. Away from the restraints of television broadcasting regulations, this is ITV's chance to start placing product. In fact, regulars on the Digital Spy website claim to have seen a few "baby steps" in this direction already, with Deirdre Barlow making pointed references to "crunchy" cereal and Emily Bishop singing the praises of the coffee "with the gold label".

Where's Jonny?

Welcome back to E4's The Inbetweeners, which has been commissioned for a third series. The question now is whether the show's star Simon Bird (named Best Male Comedy Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards) can persuade writers Iain Morris and Damon Beesley to give Bird's mate and stand-up partner Jonny Sweet a decent role. Sweet, so far a mere bit-part player in The Inbetweeners, is set to play David Cameron in More 4's upcoming drama-documentary When Boris Met Dave.

Red button day

The red button is ten years old. Yes, it's a decade since Richard Keys first offered viewers the chance to see Roy Keane in arguably his finest game for Manchester United as they won 2-1 at Highbury. Meanwhile a correspondent to the latest issue of Viz complains of the confusion this technological breakthrough caused in the home of the great American comic actor Aaron "Red Buttons" Chwatt, whenever announcers instructed viewers to "Press your Red Buttons now". I'm not sure that's true. Keane, incidentally, went on, five months later, to be the subject of Sky Sports's first ever "player cam" feature.