The growing problem of accessing old digital file formats is a “ticking time bomb”, the chief executive of the UK National Archives has warned.

Natalie Ceeney said society faced the possibility of “losing years of critical knowledge” because modern PCs could not always open old file formats.

She was speaking at the launch of a partnership with Microsoft to ensure the Archives could read old formats.

Microsoft’s UK head Gordon Frazer warned of a looming “digital dark age”.

Natalie Ceeney, National Archives chief executive

National Archives welcome program to read legacy formats
Costly deal

He added: “Unless more work is done to ensure legacy file formats can be read and edited in the future, we face a digital dark hole.”

Research by the British Library suggests Europe loses 3bn euros each year in business value because of issues around digital preservation.

The National Archives, which holds 900 years of written material, has more than 580 terabytes of data - the equivalent of 580,000 encyclopaedias - in older file formats that are no longer commercially available.

Ms Ceeney said: “If you put paper on shelves, it’s pretty certain it is going to be there in a hundred years.

“If you stored something on a floppy disc just three or four years ago, you’d have a hard time finding a modern computer capable of opening it.”

“Digital information is in fact inherently far more ephemeral than paper,” warned Ms Ceeney.

She added: “The pace of software and hardware developments means we are living in the world of a ticking time bomb when it comes to digital preservation.

Historically within the IT industry the prevailing trend was for proprietary file formats
Gordon Frazer, Microsoft

“We cannot afford to let digital assets being created today disappear. We need to make information created in the digital age to be as resilient as paper.”

But Ms Ceeney said some digital documents held by the National Archives had already been lost forever because the programs which could read them no longer existed.

“We are starting to find an awful lot of cases of what has been lost. What we have got to make sure is that it doesn’t get any worse.”

The root cause of the problem is the range of proprietorial file formats which proliferated during the early digital revolution.

Technology companies, such as Microsoft, used file formats which were not only incompatible with pieces of software from rival firms, but also between different iterations of the same program.

Mr Frazer said Microsoft had shifted its position on file formats.

“Historically within the IT industry, the prevailing trend was for proprietary file formats. We have worked very hard to embrace open standards, specifically in the area of file formats.”

Old Windows systems

Microsoft’s legacy pledge
Costly deal

Microsoft has developed a new document file format, called Open XML, which is used to save files from programs such Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

Mr Frazer said: “It’s an open international standard under independent control. These are no longer under control of Microsoft and are free for access by all.”

But some critics question Microsoft’s approach and ask why the firm has created its own new standard, rather than adopting a rival system, called the Open Document Format.

Instead, Microsoft has released a tool which can translate between the two formats.

Ben Laurie, director of the Open Rights Group, said: “This is a well-known, standard Microsoft move.

“Microsoft likes lock-ins. Typically what happens is that you end up with two or three standards.”

The agreement between the National Archives and Microsoft centres on the use of virtualisation.

The archive will be able to read older file formats in the format they were originally saved by running emulated versions of the older Windows operating systems on modern PCs.

Floppy discs
Data on floppy discs may be in unreadable formats

For example, if a Word document was saved using Office 97 under Windows 95, then the National Archives will be able to open that document by emulating the older operating system and software on a modern machine.

Ms Ceeney said the issue of older file formats was a bigger problem than reading outdated forms of media, such as floppy discs of various sizes and punch cards.

“The media it is stored in is not relevant. Back-up is important, but back-up is not preservation.”

Adam Farquhar, head of e-architecture at the British Library, praised Microsoft for its adoption of more open standards.

He said: “Microsoft has taken tremendous strides forward in addressing this problem. There has been a sea change in attitude.”

He warned that the issue of digital preservation did not just effect National Archives and libraries.

“It’s everybody - from small businesses to university research groups and authors and scientists.

“It’s a huge challenge for anyone who keeps digital information for more than 15 years because you are talking about five different technology generations.”

The British Library and National Archives are members of the Planets project which brings together European National Libraries and Archives and technology companies to address the issue of digital preservation.

He said that open file formats were an important step but there was still work to be done.

“Automation is a key area to work on. We need to be able to convert hundreds and even thousands of documents at a time,” he said.

The winners of the 2006 Mc Namee Awards have been confirmed by the GAA. The Awards will be presented at a function in Croke Park on July 22nd. The winners are:

Best Local Radio Programme

A Lifetime ‘til Sunday – Mid West Radio

Liam Horan and Mike Finnerty’s well researched and presented review of the high points and disappointments of Mayo football from the mid ‘Thirties up to the 2006 All-Ireland senior final is an informative and enjoyable programme that commands interest from start to finish and is radio presentation at its best.

Best Website

Doheny GAA Club, Dunmanway, County Cork www.dohenygaa.com

This web site has everything a great GAA web site should have. Two particular aspects mark it out as exceptional. The first is the real sense of ‘community’ you get from it. Secondly, the site’s use of multimedia features is impressive and shows a good grasp of how such features can make a club web site more useful as well as more enjoyable for visitors.

Best Club Media Production

“120 Years of GAA in Passage” by Matt Ahern

This is a stunningly produced book on the Passage West GAA club and the history of Gaelic Games in the area that will serve as an important source of local history as well as an extremely readable book for any GAA fan. Author Matt Aherne is to be commended on completing the difficult task of producing what will be required reading for anyone from the area whilst never alienating those not familiar with this (predominantly) hurling pocket of Cork.

Best County Final Programme – Kildare Football Final

This programme had all the essential details of a truly souvenir programme for County Final day including an extremely colourful and attractive layout. But what was really welcome and unusual in such programmes was the light, humorous approach to some articles which made reading them a pleasure

Best County Yearbook – CLG Aontroma

Covering all codes and cultural aspects of the association in depth and with considerable style, this publication creates a strong impression of the special character of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Chontae Aontroma. A series of insightful feature articles and striking photographs convey the personalities, youthful enthusiasm, club pride and community identity of members of the association in the county. Colourful, well-edited and at a very affordable price, this publication contains much to attract anyone interested in Cumann Lúthchleas Gael in Antrim and beyond.

Provincial Media Award – Roscommon Herald, All Ireland Minor Football Final Souvenir Supplement

From underdogs to champions, Roscommon’s success in the All-Ireland minor football championship last Summer was one of the great stories of the year. The triumphs, the drama and the extraordinary excitement generated amongst their fanatical supporters before and after the victory over Kerry following a replay in Ennis is wonderfully and colourfully captured in the 48 page supplement produced by the editorial team at the Roscommon Herald.

National Media Award – John Fogarty, Mail on Sunday

In his interview in Ireland on Sunday with Paul Caffrey and with his observations on all the issues that surround the Dublin team, John Fogarty not alone makes us aware of the pressures of being involved with football’s most public team but also of the passions, desires and dreams of the management and the players as they search for All-Ireland glory.

Special Merit Award – Red Hand View (Tyrone)

Red Hand View is the Tyrone County Board’s colourful and informative series of National football League match programmes produced for all of the county’s home league games. The programme’s include the musings of the team manager, reflections on past encounters, the view from the opposing camp, features on unsung heroes from the grassroots and many more novel contributions presented in a quirky, easy-to-read and well laid out publication which sets the standard for match programmes in the National League.

Best Photograph on a GAA Theme – John Kelly, Clare Champion

If photography is about the ‘decisive moment’ John Kelly certainly has the eye to capture it. His winning shot of a tearful, young Clare supporter would have been missed by many a photographer. It freezes an emotional, off-field moment that tugs at the heart strings and is a worthy winner. This is John’s second award, having won a Mc Namee award previously in 1997.

Hall of Fame Award – John Campbell, Sunday Telegraph

John Campbell has worked with the Belfast Telegraph since the 1970’s and is one of the most highly respected journalists covering Gaelic games. The GAA correspondent with the paper since the mid-80’s, John previously won a Mc Namee Award for the Best Article in a County Yearbook (Down). He joins a distinguished list of former winners of the Hall of Fame Award including Micheál Ó Hehir, Seán Og Ó Ceallacháin, Paddy Downey, Micheál O Muircheartaigh, Sean Kilfeather and Mick Dunne

While the clash of Galway and Sligo in the Bank of Ireland Connacht football final on Sunday promises to be an intriguing match, the launch of the season’s All-Ireland qualifiers will also provide huge entertainment at seven venues on Saturday and Sunday.

In all, there are eight qualifier games down for decision, with Fermanagh v Wexford and Armagh v Derry being played as a double header in Clones on Sunday.

The change in the qualifier system this year (teams in Division Four were excluded) means that Round One will be more competitive than usual and a glance at the fixtures list suggests that supporters can look forward to some very exciting action.

Leinster and Ulster each have six representatives in the first round of the qualifiers, Connacht have three while Limerick will be Munster’s sole standard bearers.

The eight winners will be paired off against each other in Sunday evening’s draw for the Round 2 series on the following weekend. The four winners from Round 2 will play the beaten provincial finalists in the next round.

LIMERICK v LOUTH, Gaelic Grounds, Saturday, 7.00

Last Championship clash: Limerick 1-4 Louth 0-3 (1887 All-Ireland final – played in April 1888)
Last year’s qualifiers: Westmeath 0-13 Limerick 1-9; Tyrone 2-16 Louth 2-16 (After extra-time); Tyrone 1-12 Louth 1-7 (Replay)
2007 Provincials: Cork 2-14 Limerick 0-7; Louth 1-9 Wicklow 0-12; Louth 1-11 Wicklow 0-14 (after extra-time); Louth 2-18 Wicklow 0-11 (2nd replay); Wexford 0-16 Louth 2-8.

MAYO v CAVAN, Castlebar, Saturday, 7.00

Last Championship clash: Mayo 0-11 Cavan 0-8 (2005 Round 4 qualifier)
Last year’s qualifiers: Mayo weren’t involved having won Connacht title; Kildare 1-18 Cavan 1-13.
2007 Provincials: Galway 2-10 Mayo 0-9; Down 3-8 Cavan 2-11; Down 0-15 Cavan 0-11 (replay).

DOWN v MEATH, Newry, Saturday, 7.00

Last Championship clash: Down 1-16 Meath 1-14 (1991 All-Ireland final)
Last year’s qualifiers: Sligo 1-7 Down 0-4; Meath 1-17 Carlow 0-12; Meath 1-19 Roscommon 0-9; Laois 2-13 Meath 0-13;
2007 Provincials: Down 3-8 Cavan 2-11; Down 0-15 Cavan 0-11 (replay); Monaghan 2-15 Down 1-15; Meath 2-11 Kildare 1-8; Dublin 1-11 Meath 0-14; Dublin 0-16 Meath 0-12 (replay)

LEITRIM v DONEGAL, Carrick-on-Shannon, Saturday, 7.00

Last Championship clash: Never met previously
Last year’s qualifiers: Sligo 1-7 Leitrim 0-9; Donegal 0-11 Fermanagh 0-8; Cork 1-11 Donegal 1-10 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
2007 Provincials: Leitrim 1-12 London 2-5; Galway 0-17 Leitrim 1-10; Donegal 1-9 Armagh 1-8; Tyrone 2-15 Donegal 1-7.

ROSCOMMON v KILDARE, Dr.Hyde Park, Saturday, 3.00

Last Championship clash: Roscommon 1-18 Kildare 0-19 (After extra-time) (R4 qualifiers 2003)
Last year’s qualifiers: Meath 1-19 Roscommon 0-9; Kildare 1-18 Cavan 1-13; Derry 1-17 Kildare 0-11.
2007 Provincials: Sligo 0-13 Roscommon 2-5; Meath 2-11 Kildare 1-8.

WESTMEATH v LONGFORD, Mullingar, Saturday, 5.00

Last Championship clash: Longford 2-13 Westmeath 1-13 (2007 Leinster first round)
Last year’s qualifiers: Westmeath 0-20 London 0-8; Westmeath 0-13 Limerick 1-9; Westmeath 1-12 Sligo 0-14 (After extra-time); Westmeath 1-8 Galway 0-10; Dublin 1-12 Westmeath 0-5 (All-Ireland quarter-final); Longford 1-16 Waterford 1-9; Longford 1-23 Tipperary 1-10; Longford 1-16 Derry 2-12; Kerry 4-11 Longford 1-11.
2007 Provincials: Longford 2-13 Westmeath 1-13; Laois 0-14 Longford 0-9.

FERMANAGH v WEXFORD, Clones, Sunday, 2.00

Last Championship clash: Fermanagh 2-12 Wexford 0-11 (2006 Round 3 qualifiers)
Last year’s qualifiers: Fermanagh 0-15 Clare 0-10; Fermanagh 2-12 Wexford 0-11; Donegal 0-11 Fermanagh 0-8; Wexford 0-8 Monaghan 0-6.
2007 Provincials: Tyrone 0-13 Fermanagh 1-9; Wexford 0-16 Louth 2-8; Laois 1-13 Wexford 0-13.

ARMAGH v DERRY, Clones, Sunday, 4.00

Last Championship clash: Armagh 1-11 Derry 0-10 (2005 Ulster semi-final)
Last year’s qualifiers: Armagh weren’t involved having won Ulster title; Derry 1-17 Kildare 0-11; Longford 1-16 Derry 2-12.
2007 Provincials: Donegal 1-9 Armagh 1-8; Derry 1-13 Antrim 0-10; Monaghan 0-14 Derry 1-9.

BANK OF IRELAND SFC 2007 – RESULTS & FIXTURES

LEINSTER
May 13: First round: Longford 2-13 Westmeath 1-13, Pearse Park.
May 20: First round: Louth 1-11 Wicklow 0-14; Meath 2-11 Kildare 1-8 (Both in Croke Park.
May 27: Replay: Louth 1-9 Wicklow 0-12, Parnell Park.
June 2: Quarter-final: Laois 0-14 v Longford 0-9, Tullamore.
June 3: First round 2nd replay: Louth 2-18 Wicklow 0-11, Croke Park; Quarter-final: Dublin 1-11 Meath 0-14, Croke Park.
June 10: Quarter-final: Offaly 2-19 Carlow 3-7, Portlaoise.
June 17: Quarter-finals: Wexford 0-16 Louth 2-8, Croke Park: Replay: Dublin 0-16 Meath 0-12, Croke Park.
June 24: Semi-final: Dublin 1-12 Offaly 0-10, Croke Park.
July 1: Semi-final: Laois 1-13 Wexford 0-13, Croke Park.
July 15: Final: Dublin v Laois, Croke Park.

ULSTER
May 13: Preliminary Round: Cavan 2-11 Down 3-8, Kingspan Breffni Park.
May 20 (Replay): Down 0-15 Cavan 0-11, Newry.
May 20: Quarter-final: Tyrone 0-13 Fermanagh 1-9, Clones.
May 27: Quarter-final: Donegal 1-9 Armagh 1-8, Ballybofey
June 3: Quarter-final: Antrim v Derry, Casement Park (postponed due to waterlogging)
June 10: Quarter-finals: Monaghan 2-15 Down 1-15, Newry; Derry 1-13 Antrim 0-10, Casement Park.
June 17: Semi-final: Tyrone 2-15 Donegal 1-7, Clones.
June 24: Semi-final: Monaghan 0-14 Derry 1-9, Casement Park.
July 15: Final: Tyrone v Monaghan, Clones.

CONNACHT
May 13: Quarter-final: Sligo 2-18 New York 1-3, Gaelic Park, New York.
May 20: Quarter-final: Galway 2-10 Mayo 0-9, Pearse Stadium.
May 27: Leitrim 1-12 London 2-5 Ruislip.
June 17: Semi-final: Sligo 0-13 Roscommon 2-5, Dr.Hyde Park.
June 24: Semi-final: Galway 0-17 Leitrim 1-10, Carrick-on-Shannon.
Next Sunday: Final: Sligo v Galway, Dr.Hyde Park.

MUNSTER
May 20: Quarter-finals: Waterford 1-6 Clare 0-7, Dungarvan; Cork 2-14 Limerick 0-7, Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
June 3: Semi-finals: Kerry 2-15 Waterford 0-4, Dungarvan; Cork 2-18 Tipperary 0-10, Gaelic Grounds.
July 1: Final: Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-13, Killarney.

BANK OF IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS

Saturday, July 7 - Round 1: Limerick v Louth, Gaelic Grounds: Leitrim v Donegal, Carrick-on-Shannon; Mayo v Cavan, Castlebar; Down v Meath, Newry; Roscommon v Kildare, Dr, Hyde Park; Westmeath v Longford, Mullingar.

Sunday, July 8: Fermanagh v Wexford, Clones; Armagh v Derry, Clones.

July 14 – Round 2 (Eight Round 1 winners play off against each other)

July 21 – Round 3 (Connacht and Munster runners-up v two Round 2 winners)

July 28 – Round 3 (Leinster and Ulster runners-up v two Round 2 winners)

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

Aug 4: All-Ireland quarter-finals (2)

Aug 11: All-Ireland quarter-finals (2)

Aug 19: All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park.

Aug 26: All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park.

Sept 16: All-Ireland final, Croke Park.

KINGS HALL, BELFAST

SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER 2007

Doors 7.00pm. Tickets are £25.00 (plus booking fee and subject to credit card charges and the commissions of Ticketmaster and it’s agents) and are available across the counter from all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ie , and on their 24 hour booking line on 0870 243 4455

When Underworld released their last album “A Hundred Days off ” no one thought it would be nearly 2000 days until the next one arrived. It hasn’t been a case of lazing around in the Essex countryside though as the last 5 years have thrown up the 1992-2002 anthology album, two major film scores (Anthony Mingellas’ “Breaking and Entering” and Danny Boyles’ 2007 “Sunshine”), a self-published typographic journal “In The Belly of Saint Paul”, a series of pioneering digital-only releases, internet-radio broadcasts, a groundbreaking live web-tv broadcast and gig in partnership with Apple and Frankfurts’ techno giants Cocoon and countless gigs around the world.

During all of this action Rick and Karl, with the aid of trusty laptops, a couple of home studios, Abbey Roads’ legendary facilities and a Pig Shed, have been carefully developing ideas for the new album “Oblivion with Bells”, an album that was finally completed in a flurry of activity and excitement in spring 2007.

True to form Underworld tread their own path through modern electronic music tipping a nod to current sounds, styles and production techniques but never afraid to let their song writing and musicianship shine out in this digital world.

“Oblivion with Bells” draws heavily on Rick and Karls’ vast array of musical influences (Nick Drake, Def Mix, Ricardo Villalobos, Can, James Holden, Eno) and experiences performing worldwide to create a truly unique Underworld journey. The album kicks off like Saturday night with Sven Väth, Simian Mobile Disco and Frankie Knuckles all fighting to get on the decks, then takes you over the flat fields of rural Essex, through Kings Cross with its olympic dreams and piss stained alleys, ending blissed out in a hidden cove in Ibiza. Epic techno nestles next to frail acoustics, beatific prose next to sharp urban observation, amazing sound texturing mixed with mobile phone recordings, rarely has the Underworld palette been so rich.

The Summer of 2007 sees Underworld playing a handful of European festival dates (where you can expect new material to be debuted along side deep grooves and some classics from the Underworld jukebox) ahead of their tour, which kicks off in North America in September.

www.underworldlive.com

Popularity of DAB Radios, Flat Screen TVs and Laptops Increases threat of Climate Change

A report released today by the Energy Saving Trust reveals the dawn of a new ‘ICE (Information, Communication, Entertainment) Age’ as a proliferation of home electronic equipment across Northern Ireland undermines efforts to manage domestic energy demand in the fight against climate change.

The Ampere Strikes Back report identifies the energy burden of this new set of products that, combined with the hoarding of old products and unwitting wastage, means that, by 2020, ‘ICE Age’ technology will account for an extraordinary 45% of electricity used in Northern Ireland households.

Noel Williams, Head of the Energy Saving Trust in Northern Ireland commented:

“Northern Ireland consumers will be surprised to hear just what their home entertainment equipment gets up to. While owners’ backs are turned, gadgets like televisions, computers, set top boxes and video recorders are spending billions of hours sucking up electricity.

“With trends such as listening to the radio through TV and PC on the increase, it’s highly unlikely that consumers realise that this uses far more energy than conventional means, or that digital radios use almost as much energy in the Standby Mode as they do while switched on. What’s more, a new flat panel TV can use up to three times more electricity than a ‘traditional’ TV.”

The Energy Saving Trust is calling on consumers to do their bit for the environment while saving themselves money. Noel Williams explained:

“The Ampere Strikes Back shows just how easy it is to lose track of what is sucking up energy in our homes and costing us and the environment dear. Think about how you are using appliances and turn equipment off when not needed, as well as reining in the impulse to hoard equipment that has already been replaced. By being more ‘switched on’ ourselves with our appliances the average household could save £37 a year through avoided standby use alone and some of the 2020 energy burden projections could be curbed.”
-ends-
For further information please contact Gráinne Walsh on 07990 517783 or 028 9087 2800 or Noel Williams on 07739 191958.

Notes to editors:

Standby refers to the electricity consumed when the equipment is not in use. This includes other modes such as sleep mode, as well as consumption when in off mode.

Standby and in-use costs supplied by the Market Transformation Programme (MTP) and assumes a current electricity price of 10.41p/kWh.

Techno-loving Northern Irish lead the trend for spreading ‘ICE Age’ technology around the house

Kids in Northern Ireland have the best kitted out bedrooms: 40% have the latest technology, such as DAB radios and set top boxes - compared to UK average of 29%
58% of Northern Irish have techno kitchens compared to UK average of 42%
The average annual spend on technology in Northern Ireland is £490, in line with the UK average of £500
58% have sound systems
26% have LCD TVs
9% have Plasma TVs

Northern Ireland compared to England Scotland and Wales

While Northern Ireland reflects overall typical UK patterns in terms of how long home electronics are left on or on standby when not in use, what is noticeable is that Northern Ireland is actually more switched on to switching modern technology off when it’s not on use:

15% leave their TV on or on standby for more than three hours a day when not using it compared to the UK average of 30%
While other areas of the UK demonstrate a trend of people leaving products on or on standby when not in use for longer than they believe to be acceptable, in Northern Ireland what people say is acceptable tends to be in line with actual behaviour
35% leave set top boxes on or on standby for more than three hours compared to UK average of 46%

HOWEVER (contrasting to the above)

28% leave laptops on or on standby for more than three hours compared to UK average of 24%
A bigger proportion of people in Northern Ireland (36%) aren’t interested in owning eco-friendly technology compared to a UK-wide average of 16%
The Energy Saving Trust has identified a number of simple ways consumers can cut consumption and running costs:

Look for the logo… Look out for the Energy Saving Recommended logo when you’re buying new electrical appliances. The logo appears on a growing range of products – from fridge freezers to light fittings - indicating the most energy efficient in the market place. Computing equipment is set to be included as the scheme expands its categories.

Visit HYPERLINK “http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk” www.energysavingtrust.org.uk for the Energy Saving Trust’s Buyers’ Guide and details of the most energy efficient products.

For further advice, contact the NI Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre, which offers consumers advice on the sustainable use of energy, be it Renewables, Energy Efficiency or Transport. For free and impartial advice call freephone 0800 512012 or visit HYPERLINK “http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk” www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

Help us to help ourselves

Whilst the report encourages consumers to do their bit, it also calls on retailers and manufacturers to do more to help them achieve this aim. This is borne out by the EST research which reveals that nine out of ten consumers want to see A - G energy efficiency ratings on consumer electronic goods to help them improve their buying decisions, while eight out of ten would like manufacturers to develop ‘intelligent’ energy saving items which power down after half an hour.

A new ‘ICE Age’

The growing popularity of technology such as DAB radios, set top boxes, laptops, LCD and plasma TVs means that the annual UK spend on consumer electronics has soared to over £12 billion, making UK consumers the biggest spenders in Europe. While the average UK household spends £500 a year on ‘ICE Age’ products, one in 10 UK householders spends between £1,000 and £10,000 a year on these kinds of goods.

When the unwitting wastage of these ‘ICE Age offenders’ left on, or on standby when not in use, is combined with the impact of this equipment in use, the environmental and financial costs escalate further.

‘Thrifty hoarding’

Purchase of new kit doesn’t mean consumers are getting rid of their old equipment however – far from it! One fifth of householders are thrifty hoarders, relegating their old equipment to a second division to be used in other rooms in the house and adding to the overall energy burden.

Only Northern Irish radio station to be nominated……..

Citybeat’s amazing award winning run continued in London yesterday as the Belfast based radio station picked up another major prize. This time success came at the 2007 Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards, widely regarded as the “Oscars” of the UK commercial radio industry.

A glittering turnout of stars and business leaders from the media world saw Citybeat lift the top award for ‘Commercial Radio Station of the Year’.

This latest triumph came straight off the back of another win just four days ago at the world famous New York Festival Radio Awards in Manhattan when Citybeat programme “Belfast Tonight” won a Bronze medal for Best Local News Magazine Programme.

Citybeat were the only radio station from Northern Ireland to be nominated in either awards ceremony.

Commenting at the Arqiva’s in London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel, Citybeat Station Director, Richard Collett said:

“We were delighted when we heard we were nominated for this accolade but to win in the face of such strong competition from other great UK radio stations is really unbelievable! It’s great for the station as a whole, and Citybeat are extremely proud to be flying the flag of excellence for Northern Ireland radio on a local, national and international level.

He continued…

“I’d also like to pay tribute to our news team for their great achievement at the New York Festival Radio Awards less than a week ago. What they have done has really raised Citybeat’s profile, and indeed that of Northern Irish news broadcasting onto a truly world stage”

The ‘Commercial Radio Station of the Year Award’ is the latest in an impressive haul for Citybeat in 2007 – the station was also nominated for ‘Sales Team of the Year’ at the Arqiva Awards.

Previous wins this year have included CIPR and PANI Awards and then in June the station won two major “gongs” at the Big Buzz Irish Entertainment Awards for Best Irish Commercial Radio Station, and Best Irish Radio Show (Breakfast) for “Belfast’s Bigger Breakfast” with Mark & Dave.

Zelda helped usher in the 3D gaming era

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has topped a poll of readers of Edge magazine and industry experts to find the top 100 games of all time.

The 10-year-old videogame for the Nintendo 64 games console helped usher in a new era of 3D gaming.

It is also one of only five games ever to receive a 10 out of 10 review score from Edge magazine.

Five of the top 10 titles were made only for Nintendo machines, including Super Mario 64, in third spot.

The full list of 100 titles has been compiled for a special edition of Edge magazine.

Tony Mott, editor-in-chief of Edge, said: “If you were new to video games and were going to go out and buy 100 games to make an instant collection, then these would be the games to buy.”

He added: “Ocarina of Time is nearly 10 years old, but its position at the top slot in Edge’s 100 Best Videogames shows that great game design does not age.

“In visual terms, it obviously cannot compete with today’s Xbox 360 and PS3 productions, but, as with many classics, its appeal is about so much more than its appearance.”

TOP 10 EDGE POLL
Resident Evil 4
1. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina
2. Resident Evil 4
3. Super Mario 64
4. Half Life 2
5. Super Mario World
6. Zelda: A Link to the Past
7. Halo: Combat Evolved
8. Final Fantasy XII
9. Tetris
10. Super Metroid

Only one PC game makes the top 10 - classic first person shooter Half Life 2. Microsoft’s Xbox also has only one representative in the elite list - with Halo: Combat Evolved at number seven.

Only five games for the next generation of consoles have made the top 100 - Pro Evolution Soccer 6, at number 15, Oblivion, at number 19, Virtua Fighter 5, in 38th spot, Virtua Tennis 3 at number 80, and Crackdown at 100.

Tony Mott said: “Crackdown hasn’t been around long but has proved itself to be a very good game. It will be interesting to see people’s reaction to that.

“If we did this poll in five year’s time, I would hope to see more PS3 and Xbox 360 games in the list. But I don’t think anyone would argue we have seen that many classics in this new generation.”

The list was drawn together in three stages - thousands of reader votes, combined with expert opinion in the games industry and finally input from Edge’s own editorial team.

Mr Mott said Ocarina of Time was the reader favourite as well as the overall winner.

‘Brilliantly well’

He said: “It appeared not long after games made the shift to 3D; everyone was wondering if it could make the transition.

“It was a very ambitious game. The way they were able to engineer it in a 3D context was a success; it worked brilliantly well.”

But he said the intention behind the poll was not to create a “nostalgia festival”.

“These games had to stand up today. People will be surprised by the small amount of very old games that have made it through.

“Often these types of lists are full of games like Space Invaders and Pong - which we recognise as classics, as important games - but they don’t necessarily stand up to play today.”

He added: “I love the fact that old games are being made available to audiences via Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and through compilations but I am not convinced that younger players will play them and appreciate them in the way we did the first time round.

“It’s very hard for younger players who play something graphically-rich like Gears of War to then play something like Robotron.

“I think it will be for the greater good of the industry when more effort is put into the content of games than the way they are presented visually.”

The five titles to have received a maximum review score from Edge are: Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Half-Life 2, Gran Turismo, Super Mario 64 and Halo.

The full list of the top 100 games will be available in a collector’s volume called Edge Presents: The 100 Best Videogames, on sale from Tuesday 3 July.Taken from BBC

(Eurovision, X Factor & Hollyoaks Stars To Select Winner in Belfast)
Northern Ireland hero David Healy has been wishing the countries ‘young and talented’ all the best for the final of Citybeat ‘Young Star Search’ this weekend.

The goal-scoring machine was speaking to presenter Stuart Robinson ahead of the grand final at Castle Court this Saturday and has encouraged kids if they have a dream they must go for it!

Healy commented “I’d never have got to the stage I’m at if I had not kept at it when I was younger and the same applies to any young person who want to make it – it might seem like a dream but with hard work, dedication and a bit of lucky you can go all the way”.

Over the past 8 weeks Citybeat has been searching of the next big thing aged 8-16 and this Saturday (7th July) the winner will be revealed. In total 27 finalists from all over Ireland will compete at the final.

The contest was developed and hosted by Citybeat presenter Stuart Robinson who will be joined on Saturday by special guest judges including Eurovision legend ‘Dana’, Shaun from the X Factor, Hollyoaks actor Gerard McCarthy and TV/Radio host Robin Elliot.

The competition attracted thousands of entries, tens of 000’s of votes and millions of hits to the radio stations official website but this is set to be the biggest week in the competition so far as Stuart Robinson explains, “The Young Star Search has travelled all over the country and in each location the judges along with radio listeners have selected a finalist to represent that area.

“This week Citybeat listeners will be voting for their overall favourite from all the regional winners who will be crowned the ‘Young Star of 2007. The talent of the kids has been incredible and the atmosphere on Saturday will be electric”.

The regional winners have already won a summer shopping spree and the overall winner on Saturday will receive a selection of prizes including the opportunity to record their own CD single in a professional studio.

The public can vote for their favourite ‘Young Star’ until midday this Friday on a special voting hotline. The finalists can be heard by tuning into Citybeat or online at www.citybeat.co.uk

The live final starts at noon this Saturday in Castle Court – Belfast City Centre.

Commenting on the recent change at the top of the IFA, Minister for Sport, Edwin Poots MLA said:

Paul McGuiggan, Sales Director with Musgrave SuperValu-Centra NI and Action Cancer’s Corporate Fundraising Officer Kerry McCrea celebrate the success of the third annual Musgrave Mountain Challenge.

The event involved 120 staff from SuperValu and Centra stores across Northern Ireland, including the Strabane SuperValu store and Centra Clogher, who took part in two days of strenuous hill walking over the last weekend in May to raise £30,000 for their long-term charity partner, Action Cancer. The Musgrave Mountaineers followed an arduous route through the Mournes and the Aghlas Hills near Mount Errigal in Donegal. The challenge has now raised a total of £106,000 for Action Cancer.