'ON AiR' the PiXiU blog

New Pixiu website

2011-08-27T23:22:00.000+01:00

We've just re launched the Pixiu website. For all the latest in Multiplatform Goodness, visit our News section at www.pixiu.co.uk/news

Dispatches: Landlords From Hell

2011-07-12T09:34:00.001+01:00

We've just produced a podcast version of the latest Channel 4 Dispatches Special, Landlords From Hell. In this 45 minute audio version of the documentary, Jon Snow investigates the shocking conditions in the UK rental market. Jon meets the people living in Britain's slum properties and confronts the landlords who are raking in profits whilst their tenants suffer. You can listen to the documentary and read more about the Dispatches investigation on the Channel 4 website www.channel4.com/dispatches

Backstage at Channel 4's Comedy Gala 2011

2011-06-03T22:47:00.003+01:00

For the second year in a row, we've been backstage at Channel 4's Comedy Gala to catch all the behind the scenes action from the UKs biggest night of Comedy - all in aid of Great Ormond St Hospital.

Featuring interviews from Alan Carr, Jo Brand, Mark Watson, Jon Richardson, Kevin Bridges, Shappi Khorsandi, NDubz and more, make sure you have a listen to our Comedy Gala podcasts - the perfect taster to the main event which will be broadcast on Channel 4 on Friday 10th June at 9pm.

Listen now on iTunes http://bitly.com/kZhFSU

The Best in Comedy on British Airways

2011-05-11T09:31:00.005+01:00

We've been commissioned by WPP owned agency Spafax to launch a new comedy slot on British Airways' In Flight Entertainment line up. We're very pleased to announce that 'Pick Of The Comedy Podcasts' will be on board all BA Worldwide flights from this August and will feature all the best bits from the Sony Award winning, 'Answer Me This', Comedy Central's 'Utter Shambles' presented by Robin Ince and Josie Long as well as Mitch Benn's Musical Podcast and the hugely successful internet radio shows 'The Absolute Peach' and Chortle's, 'Peacock and Gamble Podcast'. So next time your on a BA flight, fasten that buckle, 'cos yer in for a chuckle!

Norman Jay MBE's legendary Giant 45 radio show is back!

2011-04-06T13:52:00.000+01:00

Good Times indeed as today sees the re launch of one of the UK's finest ever radio shows - Norman Jay's Giant 45. We've just launched Good Times Radio on www.normanjay.com and the inaugural Giant 45 show is an hour of Norman doing what Norman does best - an eclectic mix striding soul, jazz, funk, hip hop, reggae and much more. With music from the Chi Lites, Loleatta Holloway, Michael Jackson, Gregory Issacs, MFSB, Faith Evans and more its a truly 'Good Times' selection. Loads more to come from Norman, we'll keep you up to date on developments with Good Times Radio right here. In the meantime check the website or take a listen right here, right now.

Giant 45 April 2011 by NormanJayMBE

Unreported World: The Podcast

2011-03-28T16:19:00.001+01:00

We've just launched an audio version of the critically acclaimed Channel 4 foreign affairs series, Unreported World. Now in its 21st series, Unreported World tells the stories of some of the people in the most neglected parts of the world. The series began on Friday with Seyi Rhodes travelling to India to discover some remarkable people fighting back against leprosy. This week, Aidan Hartley travels to Eastern Congo for 'Congo: The Children Who Came Back From the Dead'.

Unreported World is on Channel 4, Friday evenings at 19:30 with the podcast available via iTunes from 20:00. For more info on the series visit www.channel4.com/unreportedworld

Aliens in your ears

2011-03-01T22:48:00.001Z

Our latest work for the world's leading literary magazine, Granta celebrates the launch of the first issue of 2011, 'Aliens'. With two new podcasts now available to listen to at www.granta.com and on iTunes, for Granta podcast 12, Ollie Brock speaks to The Guardian's Phillip Oltermann about his piece, 'The BOG standard' about moving to England as a German Boy. In a special enhanced edition, podcast 13, we hear from photographers Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin and see images from their photo essay ‘Contacts’, as well as speaking to Granta's artistic director, Michael Salu.

For 2011 we've commissioned a bespoke piece of music for the podcasts from the multi talented Tony Nwachukwu of burntprogress. Take a listen to the Granta theme here

and find out more about Tony and his inspirational music project CDR at http://www.burntprogress.com/

10 O' Clock live podcast

2011-02-03T15:28:00.005Z

Our latest project for Channel 4 sees us producing a weekly highlights podcast of the new Thursday night live comedy and current affairs programme, 10 O' Clock live presented by Charlie Brooker, Jimmy Carr, Lauren Laverne and David Mitchell. The 10 O' Clock live podcast is an audio only 'best bits' of the live Channel 4 show and is available for download on iTunes every Friday.

The podcast has been a big hit on iTunes already sitting pretty at no 1 on the chart ! Have a listen here http://bit.ly/evtwm3

10 O' Clock Live is on Channel 4, Thursday nights at 10pm and you can also watch it again on 4oD at www.channel4.com/10oclocklive

Amazing Grace on BBC Radio 2

2011-01-26T23:09:00.004Z

We're rather proud to announce that we've been commissioned by BBC Radio 2 to make 'How Sweet The Sound: The Amazing Grace Story'. The hour long documentary will tell the remarkable story of one of the best known and best loved songs in the English speaking language. With more than 5000 recorded versions in existence, it's performed over 10 million times every year and has had particular influence in folk, gospel and soul music. 'How Sweet The Sound' will tell the story of the song and its composer, John Newton, a one time slave trader turned abolitionist.

The documentary will broadcast on BBC Radio 2 a little later on in 2011, so until then here's the Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson breakin' it down...

The definition of Good Times...Norman Jay MBE on Playdio!

2010-08-23T23:23:00.002+01:00

We always get excited at this time of year as the best party session London has to offer, yes, Good Times at Notting Hill Carnival edges that bit closer. Well you could say we're ECSTATIC this year as we've just produced an exclusive show with the man himself Norman Jay MBE for the newly launched Playdio. Its an almighty carnival style selection featuring music from the likes of Teddy Pendergrass, Stevie Wonder, Esther Philips, Erykah Badu, Rakim, Q Tip and more all blended together in the expert fashion that only a man with the credentials of Norman can.

And what's Playdio I hear you call? Well its a rather clever mix of radio and podcasts that uses streaming services such as Spotify as its broadcast platform therefore allowing for full music tracks for your listening and downloading pleasure. Other presenters currently on Playdio include Phil Jupitius, Mark Webster and Dom Servini - check it at www.playdio.com and make sure you don't miss Norman's pre carnival special right here http://bit.ly/bqFBhW. See you by the bus!

Leading literature - The Granta Podcast

2010-08-09T15:27:00.000+01:00

Today is the launch day of a brand new project for Pixiu Productions, the Granta Podcast.

Granta is the world's leading literary magazine and publishes the best in new fiction, reportage, poetry and photography four times a year. www.granta.com has just launched the magazine's online archive and we're thrilled to be producing a brand new fortnightly podcast that will feature readings, interviews and much more all introduced by Granta editor, John Freeman.

Episode 1 features A.L. Kennedy reading from an as-yet-un published manuscript on the themes of love and sex, recorded at The British Library and forthcoming editions include readings from Elizabeth McCracken and Salman Rushdie. Listen and subscribe to the podcast here http://bit.ly/b2U4pf and check out the latest from Granta at www.granta.com

Audio @ Google's Creative Hub

2010-07-15T19:53:00.001+01:00

We've been busy helping the guys at Across The Pond, part of Google's Creative Hub on a whole host of very exciting projects over the past few months - lending our aural expertise to numerous animations and videos for Google and YouTube. ATP have created some unbelievable content including the pretty impressive 3D animation below - we've enjoyed making sure ATP sound as good as they look...

Radio listening reaches all time high

2010-05-13T13:15:00.002+01:00

The latest research on UK listening figures for radio, shows that we've hit an all time high with 46.5 million adults (thats 90.6% of the adult population to be precise) tuning into their favourite station every week. More of us are listening to digital radio via DAB sets, TV's and on t'internet - we spend a total of 243 million hours listening between us every single week.

Full results of RAJAR's Q1 2010 findings can be found here http://www.rajar.co.uk

Keep listening people!

Channel 4's Comedy Gala

2010-04-06T15:51:00.003+01:00

We had an unbelievable night at The O2 last week producing a series of podcasts for the comedy event of the year. A who's who of UK comedy was there in support of Great Ormond St hospital each performing 5 minutes of their best gags to a packed out crowd of over 16,000. We were positioned just at the back entrance of the stage and grabbed interviews with all who took part including Jonathan Ross, Jack Dee, Lee Evans, Fonejacker, David Mitchell, Shappi Khorsandi, Jo Brand, David Mitchell, Bill Bailey, Kevin Eldon, Mark Watson, Kevin Bridges, Sean Locke, Jason Manford, Noel Fielding, Jack Whitehall, Patrick Kielty, Rich Hall and more. Personal highlights included trying to get Katie Price to tell a funny joke, Michael McIntyre recognising me from 6th form college and the hilarious John Bishop with a very non PC story about juggling with midgets. Catch up with the entire show on 4oD and subscribe to the podcasts here http://bit.ly/9vxpdK

Sound Design at The Royal Festival Hall

2010-03-16T13:05:00.001Z

We've just completed work on the sound design for an 8ft long animation of Cyrus for the lovely folk at Yeast. Its showing for the next fortnight in the ballroom of the Royal Festival Hall - if you're on the South Bank check it out, the exhibition is free and so big you can't miss it!

The Skins House Podcasts

2010-02-15T14:43:00.003Z

Well, we survived the 16 night long house party at Bristol's Fire Station and the Skins House Podcasts are now live. Personal highlights include back stage chats with Central Spillz, Plan B, and The Subs. Skins fans can catch up with videos of live performances at www.e4.com/skins and subscribe to the podcasts on iTunes right here http://bit.ly/9epZKp

Skins House

2010-01-20T10:10:00.002Z

Tomorrow the Pixiu Productions team will be heading down to The Old Fire Station in Bristol for a two week Skins fest. We'll be capturing highlights from all the action for a series of podcasts for E4 and NME Radio. Check the full line up here http://bit.ly/6uIEe3

TOP OF THE PODS: The best podcasts of 2009

2009-12-23T10:40:00.006Z

Its been a great year for podcasts here at at Pixiu Productions, we've worked on some amazing campaigns and produced podcasts covering a huge range of subjects...from Top Models for Living, to Jazz musicians for Universal, the Silver Screen for Channel 4 and The Olympics for the BBC - you'll be able to catch up on all our highlights when the brand new www.pixiu.co.uk launches early in the new year, but until then, rather than blow our own trumpet, we'd rather point you in the direction of the podcasts that have impressed us in 2009. So here in all its end of year glory is the official Pixiu Productions best of Podcasts 2009 list, get listening people...

1. The Moth Podcast: Real stories, told by real people recorded live every week in New York City. Funny, poignant, fantastic...subscribe now! http://bit.ly/8M8RTD

2. The Stones Throw Podcast: Consistently strong and Dam Funky beats from Peanut Butter Wolf's LA based hip hop independent. Personal highlight in 2009 was Mayer Hawthorne's, 'Hawthorne's Radio'. http://bit.ly/WtLF

3. The Monocle Weekly: How a magazine should sound! Editor in chief, Tyler Brule presents his high brow mix of art, culture, music, politics and more. http://bit.ly/x8aq

4. The Chopra Center for Well Being Podcast: When life gets hectic, Deepak shows us the way forward. True relaxation from a true master http://bit.ly/8ViRLc

5. Inside The FBI: The FBI's very own Neal Schiff gives us the inside news on cases and operations. His presentation style is classic, law enforcement has never been so engaging! http://bit.ly/FNEhH

How do you get yours? Here's the latest research on listening trends for podcasts and internet radio

2009-12-10T11:28:00.004Z

This morning, the kind folk at RAJAR released the latest audience figures for listening to the radio via the internet and podcasting in the UK. Top findings include that one third (33.9%) of the UK’s adult population (15+) or 17.4 million people claim to have ever listened to the radio via the internet, compared to 16.9 million people in May ‘09. This includes 16.2 million listening live and 13.9 million listening at a later time using Listen Again services. Internet listeners are predominantly (57%) men and 47% are aged 15-34 years.

The survey showed 8.1 million people have downloaded a podcast (up from 7.8 million in May ’09), while 4.4 million say they listen to podcasts at least once a week (up from 4.2 million in May ‘09). The typical podcast user subscribes to 5.9 podcasts per week (up from 5.2 podcasts in May ’09) and spent about an hour listening to them in the previous week. As in the four previous surveys, comedy and music remain the two favourite genres.

iTunes continues to be the software of choice, used by 75% of podcast users to subscribe to podcasts, while 18% simply download directly from a website via their browser. Some 79% listen to podcasts on their home computer and 66% listen via a portable audio/mp3 player.

Podcast users are more likely to be men (65% of users) and in the 15-34s age break (54% of users).

So, good news all round as listening to podcasts and to the radio via the internet continue to grow. Happy listening in 2010 people!

Miles Davis in yer ear!

2009-10-29T10:29:00.004Z

Now, we've never been a real fan of the in-ear headphone, but these little puppies might just sway our jazz loving drums. Will these limited edition $400 Miles Davis headphones enhance the genius of Kind of Blue ? maybe not, but they do look pretty tasty...more info on the Monster Cable Miles Davis Tribute Jazz Heaphone right here http://tiny.cc/CAJ47

Jamie Cullum: The Pursuit Podcasts

2009-10-09T17:13:00.003+01:00

Jamie Cullum's Pursuit Podcasts are released today on iTunes! Subscribe here

http://tiny.cc/9VQP7 to hear Jamie for the next 4 weeks in the build up to the release of the The Pursuit on Decca Records. The podcasts were recorded in the studio as Jamie mixed the album in LA with producer Greg Wells. The podcasts feature exclusive previews of the songs and an intimate insight into the recording process from the man himself.

Exploding pianos

2009-09-07T16:00:00.006+01:00

We've just completed production on a series of audio projects for the release of Jamie Cullum's hotly anticipated new album 'The Pursuit'.

Launching next month will be a weekly series of podcasts recorded with Jamie in the studio in LA featuring the man's thoughts as he recorded 'The Pursuit'.

...and they'll be more behind the scenes goodness with a full length Director's commentary from Mr Cullum himself on the Special Edition releases.

Check out www.jamiecullum.com for more details.

and then there was sound...

2009-07-28T22:50:00.003+01:00

So most people reckon Thomas Edison was the first person to record sound... well he wasn't, apparantely the young Frenchman Edoaurd-Leon Scott de Martinville beat him to it way back in 1860...

Britain's Next Top Model: The Podcast - WE HAVE A WINNER!!

2009-07-15T00:20:00.005+01:00

Pixiu produced the official 12 part podcast series for this season's Britain's Next Top Model (Living TV) presented by Olivia Lee. After all the catwalk shows, star studded photo shoots and nerve racking eliminations, we have a winner - congratulations to Mecia! To re live all the best bits including exclusive interviews with the models, 'Get The Look' style tips and plenty of fashion fuelled drama, download the podcasts via iTunes.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=312399149

Heading to East London?

2009-07-14T23:53:00.002+01:00

Take care crossing the frog and toad...

learn the lingo from the master with this classic from '85...

Podcast audiences continue to grow

2009-07-14T23:34:00.002+01:00

Our listening habits are changing...for the latest figures on listening via the internet and podcasting, download the official research from RAJAR here.

http://tiny.cc/Xzo4u

Audiences in the UK for podcasts and internet radio continue to grow...we like!

How old are your ears?

2009-07-14T23:15:00.003+01:00

We've spent years listening intently, and we take care of our precious ears, but how well? As we get older, the range of sound our ears can hear decreases. Apparantley if you're over 25, you're unlikely to hear any frequencies over 15kHz...we're over 25 and we can hear over 15kHz - well just about...check your hearing levels here, and let us know how you get on by emailing us at onair@pixiu.co.uk

http://tiny.cc/G0dHs