The Wire was broadcast for five seasons in the US, produced by HBO to rave reviews from the critics. A total of 60 episodes were released between 2002 and 2008, and now UK viewers will get a chance to catch every season. BBC Two has confirmed they will screen the series, with transmission dates forthcoming very soon. The show is about crime in Baltimore, and takes the unusual step of using both the police and their suspects as the protagonists.

The BBC and ITV have released a joint statement, announcing they’ve signed a Memorandum of Understanding to help save regional news. The potential partnership would secure the future of regional news on ITV, although no specific details have been released. A couple of possibilities have been discussed, including the two broadcasters sharing locations, facilities, resources and media - with most of the items coming from the BBC side, available for ITV to use.

Director of BBC Sport, Roger Mosey, recently gave a talk at Westminster University, and has posted a portion of it on the Sports Editors blog. The talk/article confronts those who question the BBC’s dedication to sporting events, especially considering the addition of high profile sports such as Formula 1, and the 2012 Olympics. However, Mosey has a couple of good arguments up his sleeve: We value our relationships with rightsholders and the listed events legislation still requires that they receive a fair and reasonable price for their products; but we put audiences first.

Seetha Kumar, Controller of BBC Online, has published a list of 10 guidelines that should be used when creating, and maintaining, BBC sites in the future. The principles are there to encourage editors to see their project as part of a bigger picture, that engages the audience and doesn’t isolate them. It sounds too good to be true, but the 10 steps are pretty all encompassing. Here is a rundown (paraphrased) of the list.

Raymond Blanc will be back for a third series of The Restaurant, although there is no word on when. The show gives nine couples the chance to compete with the ultimate prize being a business opportunity with Blanc. The winning couple open a restaurant with the chef, but only after proving that they have what it takes to create winning menus, great atmosphere, and generate a profit. Blanc issues the challenges, intent on developing the couples and their restaurants, and with times as troubled as they are, this new series is not going to be easy for the contestants.

For the first time in their six years of broadcasting, Radio 1’s sister station 1Xtra is to go on tour. The Breakfast Show will be in five different cities over the course of a week from 16th-20th March. The show goes out live each morning from 8-11am. It’s presented by Trevor Nelson and Gemma Cairney, and will feature performances from special guests. From the BBC Press Release, here are the details of the tour:

The British Film Institute have announced a partnership with the BBC Archive that will see a greater development of public access to their content. Utilising the massive infrastructure of broadband in the UK, plus the extent of which the BBC use it, the BFI want to allow everyone in the UK to see the archived material. Although there are no significant details released at the moment, the partnership has been sealed and intends to move forward.

Sweeney Todd star, Helena Bonham Carter, is making the transition from big screen to small to play children’s author Enig Blyton in a one-off drama about the popular writer. The show will also star Matthew Macfadyen and Denis Lawson. Blyton remains one of the most popular author’s for young children despite having been published for almost 80 years. From the adventures of the Famous Five and Secret Seven, to the fairytale lands of The Faraway Tree and Noddy, almost all children will have read or consumed something created by Enid Blyton.

After 20 years of profiling all the latest news from rural areas, Countryfile is moving to a new primetime slot on a Sunday evening. There will also be a shakeup of presenting, with long-time anchor John Craven moving to a more specific role. He will take a closer look at the big news stories regarding the countryside, whilst Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker will take on the lead roles. Bradbury has previously worked on Watchdog, and Kill It, Cook It, Eat It.

I have never actually watched this Sunday night show, but what started out as a short series has now gained massive popularity for it’s feel good nature. The BBC today confirmed that Lark Rise to Candleford will return for a third series, remaining in its family slot. The show is written by Bill Gallagher, as an adaptation of books by Flora Thompson, and has a host of stars attached. The 19th century drama attracted Julia Sawalha, Jason Merrells and Brendan Coyle to name but a few.