Mobile News Asia

I wondered how long it would be before print media pointed at the BBC’s new smartphone apps plan as another example of expansion in to their commercial territory. The answer: just 24 hours…

The Newspaper Publishers Association, in an emailed statement, says its members believe BBC apps “will undermine the commercial sector’s ability to establish an economic model in an emerging but potentially important market … This, over the long term, will reduce members’ ability to invest in quality journalism.”

BBC Worldwide has tapped Electronic Arts (NSDQ: ERTS) exec Robert Nashak (image, left) to help build up its gaming offerings as EVP of Digital Entertainment. During the nearly two years he spent at EA, Nashak’s last role was as a VP charged with overseeing the company’s social gaming group. He previously led production for EA’s Casual Studios and was responsible for console, handheld and PC game development.  Before coming to EA, in March 2008, Nashak served as VP/GM of Yahoo’s gaming unit for two years. He also worked as SVP for mobile entertainment publisher, Glu Mobile (NSDQ: GLUU), where he was responsible for creative direction and product development.

Late last month, I met with Lonely Planet CEO Matt Goldberg, and did a short video interview with him. It has been exactly a year since Goldberg, the former Dow Jones’ digital strategy and operations SVP, joined as the CEO of the travel guide company now owned by BBC Worldwide. Among the topics he discussed: revenues for the site globally, which are about $20 million now (includes advertising and premium content); its big push into iPhone and other mobile apps; life under BBC (he had nice words for them, but sources say the going hasn’t been easy with the push and pull and BBC’s own politics); the Lonely Planet magazine; and its new TV channel, launching in U.S. sometime soon, among other topics. In fact, he was in town to recruit a head of TV business. My first video through a Flip MinoHD; think it came out ok. Video after the jump:

The BBC has released a new bundle of iPlayer stats showing just how popular the catch-up service was in 2009…

• A record 88.2 million requests in November
• Added to the 641 million requests served over January to October, that’s a total 729.2 million
• Most popular show: Top Gear series 13, episode 1 (1.67 million streams)

British TVs are about to get a lot more internetty. The BBC’s regulating BBC Trust has provisionally approved the corporation’s approval for Project Canvas, an effort to create a common interface for IPTV-delivered catch-up VOD and internet widgets in the living room.

The BBC, ITV (LSE: ITV), Channel 4, Five and ISPs BT (NYSE: BT) and TalkTalk will create a new JV company, in which each has an equal stake, to devise an electronic programme guide software layer for a new range of broadband-connected Canvas boxes due in late 2010, and perhaps later integrated on connected TVs. The system will offer access to the broadcasters’ own VOD, but has also promised to offer a software developers’ kit (SDK) to encourage internet content on to the screen…