 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
16,000
industry execs receive our Daily News. |
|
|
|
|
|
Free subscription |
|
|
|
|
NEWS
Monday 16th to Friday
20th February
2004
Scroll down page or click below for news - latest first
| Tuesday | |||||
Telewest:
we can make e-mail stink
ONO
withdraws Retecal application
Amstrad
posts profit
SingTel
and Optus launch reality blog contest
MGM:
$150m-$200m cash flow in 2004
KT
to pilot satellite DMB
HK
consumers welcome Galaxy's exTV
Gilat
positive Q4
Satellite
link brings GSM to cruise ships
Tandberg
and Cisco deliver IP video telephony
Globecast
delivers Telepace
UK cableco Telewest is testing a new technology that brings "a third sense to the internet," allowing users to send and receive any number of aromas. This innovative facility, called 'ScentMail' or 'Aromanet', is intended to provide scented e-mails, enabling correspondents to convey electronically the smells of flowers, foods and places. The technology works in conjunction with a high-speed, broadband internet connection, enabling people to send and receive codes to special 'scent domes,' which mix liquid smells and spray them into the air around the PC. "Even online shopping services or holiday companies will benefit with the added dimension of smell," the company claims.
All the user will need to do is plug in one of the unique domes, just as you would a printer or scanner, and a whole new nasal experience awaits.
Initially, each scent dome contains 20 aromas that can be mixed to produce up to 60 different smells but up to 2,000 scents could be available in the future.
Telewest, which
is testing the system in the research and development facility at its headquarters
in Woking, Surrey, estimates that the technology might cost as little as £200
(E280) per user to set up when it becomes commercially available.
Back to top
The European
Commission announced that Spanish cable operator ONO had withdrawn its application
for approval to purchase a 61 per cent stake in regional cable telecoms operator
Retecal. Unlisted ONO, which holds cable licences mainly for southern and
eastern Spain, said in a statement when the deal was announced that the acquisition
of Retecal would allow it access to the central Spanish region of Castilla
y Leon.
Back to top
UK consumer electronics firm Amstrad posted a profit, helped by its digital set-top box business and Amserve, the subsidiary behind the low-cost telephone-based e-mail system.
Amserve's e-m@iler, telephone-with-a-screen, made a profit of £1.05 million (E1.4 million) during the second half of 2003 on sales of £6.5 million. It made a £5.5 million (E7.7 million) loss in the same period the previous year.
The group's profit for the six months rose to of £7.12 million (E 9.9 million)– most of which came from Amstrad's digital set-top box business. Group sales rose 26 percent to £29.5 million.
Around 298,000 e-m@ilers have now been sold, with £21,000 (E29,400) of revenue per day generated from the user base during December – mainly from e-mail and web surfing, but with an increasing amount from games, SMS messaging and ringtone downloading. Advertising revenue has also grown.
Simon Sugar,
commercial director, said a huge growth area for Amstrad in the second half
would be new decoders incorporating personal video recorders that it was developing
for BSkyB.
Back to top
SingTel and its Australian subsidiary, SingTel Optus, announced the launch of MyDreamD8, a competition based on internet and mobile blogging. The reality contest is the first of its kind in the world.
Hui Weng Cheong, SingTel's Vice President (Consumer Products), explained: "MyDreamD8 is a convergence of the Internet, mobile communications and reality TV. It helps to encourage user-generated blog contents, enables contestants to chat with their blog audience anytime and anywhere, and allows the audience to vote contestants out via SMS each week."
Twenty finalists each from Australia and Singapore have been selected from close to 1,000 contestants who submitted their blog entries for the contest. Over the next 10 weeks, the finalists, aged between 18 and 28 years, will have to 'outblog' one another to win as many SMS votes as possible via the contents of their personal webpages. Those with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated each week.
Contestants can use their mobile phones to upload text, photographs and images via SMS or MMS on their blogs. Fans of the contestants can also see their SMS chats uploaded onto the contest webpages.
Voting is open
to mobile subscribers of SingTel and Optus who can vote for contestants from
both countries. They can view the contents of the finalists' blogs at a dedicated
website (www.mydreamd8.com) and chat with them to find out more about their
thoughts, personality and whether the contestants have what it takes to be
their 'dream date'.
Back to top
Film and television studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer expects to roughly break-even this year and generate $150 million to $200 million cash as it benefits from a booming DVD market and pursues its strategy of low-cost filmmaking.
MGM Chief Financial Officer Dan Taylor gave the financial guidance in a teleconference with analysts and reporters following the company's fourth-quarter earnings report. Taylor said MGM expects to generate between $30 million and $45 million in EBITDA, in 2004. He also repeated past guidance that MGM expects to generate $600 million to $900 million in cash through 2006.
The guidance came as MGM reported fiscal fourth-quarter and annual 2003 results showing cash flow of $192.5 million, well ahead of its' $100 million forecast.
Chief Executive Alex Yemenidjian said MGM would look for acquisition or merger opportunities, if a deal made financial sense. Alternatively MGM would consider stock buybacks, he said.
MGM said it has
spoken to Pixar Animation Studios about a film distribution deal after Pixar's
breakup with The Walt Disney.
Back to top
Korean telecom company KT is planning to pilot satellite digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) through an existing telecom satellite, Koreasat 3, in June this year.
Koreasat 3 is to start a test run of satellite DMB with around 10 channels in Yoido, Seoul, this year. KT plans to forge a consortium including broadcasters, program providers and equipment manufacturers this year.
The service, which is being commercially planned for 2006, will enable customers to avail broadcasting services on the move through handheld terminals like mobile handsets and PDAs or automotive devices.
SK Telecom, the
nation's largest wireless carrier, has been at the forefront of the race for
satellite DMB and has signed with Japan's Mobile Broadcasting for a joint
satellite which is expected to launch soon in the United States.
Back to top
A new survey carried out by market information group TNS show that 25 per cent of Hong Kong consumers are already expressing interest in signing up for exTV, the new pay-TV service launched today by Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting, a joint venture between Intelsat and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB).
exTV's access to TVB programming will be a key attraction of the new service. The survey found one in every three survey respondents (35 per cent) reporting that the availability of TVB programmes would be "quite" or "extremely" attractive to them when selecting a pay-TV provider.
Stephen Yap, Associate Director at TNS Hong Kong, commented: "With 7 per cent of consumers already expressing strong interest in exTV, these survey findings make encouraging reading for Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting especially given that the full-scale marketing push for exTV has still yet to commence. In terms of number of households, 7 per cent represents almost double the 80,000 targeted by Galaxy for the first year of operations, although of course not all geographical areas will have access to the service right away.
"As expected,
exTV's secret weapon will be its exclusive access to TVB's extensive archive
of programming. We will continue to observe with interest how the market develops
and how existing pay-TV operators respond to the entrance of this formidable
new competitor."
Back to top
Satellite networking
technology company Gilat Satellite Networks has reported its results for Q4
2003. It also announced that, from next week, its shares will be traded on
the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, in addition to their listing on Nasdaq. Revenue
for Q4 was $42.4 million and Gilat continued to post operating losses in the
amounting to $20.64 million, but the company made a net profit of $33.8 million
in the quarter after including a $58.6 million gain from conversion of the
company's debt to equity. By comparison, in the fourth quarter of 2002 the
company made a net loss of $191.1 million, this included write-offs totaling
$149.6 million.
Revenue for 2003 as a whole was $190.2 million, and net profit was $143.6
million after including a $244.2 million gain from restructuring of debt.
The Israel-based
company also said it will supply Australia's second largest telecommunications
company, SingTel Optus, with an additional 2,500 Skystar 360E VSATs and hub
expansion equipment. The addition of VSATs to Optus' network will help the
company grow broadband services in Australia and New Zealand, particularly
in rural and regional areas, Gilat said.
Back to top
Satellite operator
Intelsat has announced a five-year contract with Telespazio to provide satellite
capacity for cellular telephone services that Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM)
will make available to passengers travelling on Costa Crociere cruise ships
in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean and South American regions.
Back to top
Tandberg and Cisco Systems have teamed up on a video telephony venture. The two year partnership and cross licensing of technologies will combine Cisco's IP Communications with Tandberg video to provide IP call management such as hold, transfer and directory services in visual communications.
"These solutions
make business-quality video communication as easy as a phone call," the
companies said in a statement and added "This allows companies to leverage
existing IP infrastructure, reduce costs and simplify network management."
Back to top
Italian channel Telepace, a 24/7 program line-up that includes family movies, children's programming and other cultural and spiritual programs, has inked a deal with Globecast that will expand its reach to Europe and North America.
GlobeCast is
providing Telepace with an end-to-end solution including transmission and
uplink as well as space capacity on its proprietary HOT BIRD and Telstar 5
platforms. Telepace covers all major Catholic events and maintains close ties
to the Vatican, transmitting images of the Pope to the Catholic community
around the world. The channel is broadcast primarily in Italian, with selected
programming in English and Spanish.
Back to top
Akimbo:
VOD over internet
Freeview:
second largest multi channel platform
Comcast cools on Disney
2Way
Traffic signals 'go'
SkyPerfecTV
scores in baseball league
Hughes
eyes Panamsat sale
Satellite
push to close Europe's broadband gaps
Berlusconi
receives vote of confidence and saves TV channel
Bertelsmann
mulls expansion to India
CHUM
goes interactive
US broadcasting industry start-up Akimbo has launched a new video on demand service that plans to offer some 20,000 hours of programming, delivering DVD-quality video from independent content providers over the internet to a digital video recorder.
The service allows consumers to choose from thousands of hours of programmes specifically suited to their tastes, so that they can watch them whenever they choose. The Akimbo Player stores 200 hours of video ready for playback.
Akimbo will work directly with CinemaNow, a provider of Internet-based video-on-demand (VOD) and subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) distribution and technology, to co-market the its service to existing CinemaNow customers. "Allowing consumers to download and watch internet-delivered content on their televisions is the next great frontier in digital distribution," said Bruce Eisen, Executive Vice President of CinemaNow.
Akimbo CEO Josh Goldman suggested that Akimbo was the first service to marry the popularity of television and the unlimited capacity of the Internet. "We have created software and hardware that utilises the latest advances in technology to benefit both consumers who are bored with the choices currently offered on television, and the many providers of fascinating new programmes who cannot find distribution through existing methods."
The Akimbo Player,
which will connect to a home DSL or cable modem and to a TV set, is expected
to retail at $199, with a monthly fee of $9.99. The system is anticipated
to hit shelves by late this year. The service is expected to launch in the
second quarter.
Back to top
Freeview, the digital terrestrial broadcaster backed by the BBC, Crown Castle International and BSkyB, is set to announce it had breached its three million household target. Executives believe the demand will rise by a third this year, nearing a penetration of four million, second only to BSkyB in digital services.
With this rapid growth Freeview, has overtaken cable services to become the second-largest platform for multi-channel television.
However, Freeview
has yet to break even. Maiden financial figures at DTV Services, the trading
company for Freeview, show an operating loss of £14,000 (E19,600) on
turnover of £2.68 million (E3.75 million) in the 15-month period to
August 31.
Back to top
Comcast, the US cableco that made a hostile $60 billion offer for Disney on Monday night, is now playing down the prospect of a higher bid for the entertainment giant.
Disney's board of directors has already rejected Comcast's offer, and said it would "consider any legitimate proposal" designed to create shareholder value, but people close to the cable giant said it was not interested in buying the media group at current market values.
No other large media groups are expected to consider making a bid for Disney. Viacom followed News Corp in publicly ruling itself out as a potential "white knight".
Meanwhile, Disney has taken time out from take-over worries to acquire the rights to the Muppets from the Henson family, who in turn had reacquired the Jim Henson Company from Germany's EM.TV for $89m in July 2003. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"This important
relationship will enable our two companies to combine our respective talents
and resources in ways that will fully realise the tremendous potential of
the Muppet and Bear franchises," said Brian Henson, co-chair and co-chief
executive officer of Jim Henson Company. Disney CEO Michael Eisner added the
deal was the "culmination of a long-time desire to welcome the Muppets
into The Walt Disney Company".
Back to top
Former Endemol executive Unico Glorie has launched 2Way Traffic, to develop interactive content across a range of platforms, helping operators to secure additional revenue streams through their know how and innovation. 2Way Traffic aims to produce and exploit compelling, creative interactive content for mass audiences around the globe, partnering with broadcasters, telecom operators and consumer brands. Glorie is joined by Taco Ketelaar, Kees Abrahams at the helm of the Hilversum, Netherlands, based enterprise.
The company has
defined Interactive call and SMS television, media integration services and
prime time television formats as its core business. According to 2Way Traffic,
active audience involvement is a key asset for the life cycle and the success
of its formats, both in terms of ratings and in terms of generating additional
revenue streams.
Back to top
Japan's pay TV leader, SkyPerfecTV is among a group of Japanese broadcasters that have agreed to pay around $35 million for the right to show Major League Baseball (MBL) for the next five years.
The figure is said to be nearly four times as much as the previous contract to show MBL in Japan. The increase reflects the increased interest in United States baseball as a result of the increasing presence of Japanese players like Hideki Mitsui on the leading teams.
SkyPerfect is
the only pay TV provider among the group that successfully bid for the rights
from holders Dentsu Inc, the Japanese media conglomerate that purchased them
from the MBL. The other members include Tokyo Broadcasting System, state broadcaster
NHK and Fuji TV.
Back to top
Hughes Electronics, the broadcasting group controlled by Rupert Murdoch, is looking for investors interested in buying Panamsat, its US-listed satellite subsidiary.
People familiar with the situation said the deal could generate as much as $4 billion. Hughes Electronics has reportedly hired Credit Suisse First Boston to advise it on the strategic options for its 81 per cent stake in the unit.
The decision follows the acquisition late last year of a 34 per cent stake in Hughes by News Corporation, Murdoch's global media group. News Corp's main interest in pursuing Hughes was to get its hands on DirecTV, the largest US satellite broadcaster. Panamsat, which operates a fleet of 22 satellites around the world, is not seen as central to Murdoch's ambitions.
Panamsat, which is separately listed on the NASDAQ stock market, has seen its market value almost double to $3.3 billion over the past year as investors reassessed the prospects for the global satellite industry.
People familiar
with the matter said strategic players such as Intelsat and SES were unlikely
purchasers because of the regulatory concerns they would face in acquiring
a rival satellite operator. But private equity groups are increasingly interested
in satellite businesses.
Back to top
Twelve companies and organisations from across Europe have teamed up in an attempt to find solutions to the region's high-speed digital divide. According to a report on Zdnet, the TWISTER project (Terrestrial Wireless Infrastructure integrated with Satellite Telecommunications for E-Rural) could turn today's high-speed digital divide on its head, by pushing the concept of local wireless networks linked to a two-way satellite link.
By linking local wireless networks to two-way broadband satellite connections, the group hopes to develop services and applications for rural communities across the European Union, from Britain to Poland.
The TWISTER project
was launched this month with E5 million of backing from the European Commission.
Back to top
Italy's centre-right government passed a voted in favour of adopting a legislation aimed at protecting a television channel owned by the business empire of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Berlusconi, who also announced that he will run in European Parliament elections in June, said the measure was intended simply to speed up the parliamentary process, but opposition politicians accused the government of calling the vote to force rebellious backbenchers in the ruling coalition to toe the line.
The legislation prevents the transfer of Rete 4, one of the Berlusconi empire's three commercial TV channels, from terrestrial to satellite transmission, a move that would cut the channel's revenues.
The government chose to put the measure to a confidence vote, a strategy generally aimed at ensuring that the ruling coalition's lawmakers close ranks and back the bill.
The vote of confidence
in parliament's lower house - held in public - was passed by 328 votes to
230. Previous government attempts to pass legislation on the media industry
have sparked revolts by several dozen coalition legislators when they have
been allowed to vote in secret.
Back to top
Following the visit of Time Warner Chairman and CEO Richard Parsons‚
Bertelsmann Chairman and CEO Gunter Thielen is in India exploring options
of setting up a subsidiary and investments in television production companies
among other avenues. He didn't specify any investment projections for
India.
Thielen is reportedly in touch with News Corp's entertainment company UTV and computer graphics and animation major Crest Communications. He has further indicated that buying out stakes in television channels is also a possibility.
Apart from television
content, Bertelsmann is also mulling options in publishing and business process
outsourcing. In music, the group had a stake in BMG Crescendo, but pulled
out of the India venture following losses due to 'large-scale piracy.'
Back to top
Toronto-based CHUM Television has teamed up with mobile phone maker Ericsson Canada and MyThum Interactive to provide interactive TV.
From March 3rd, viewers of MuchMusic's MuchTakeOver will be able to use live-to-air messaging to voice their opinions, answer questions and offer on-screen commentary in real time. The SMS talk-back system will be added to other CHUM programming throughout the year.
The technology will also be used to further enhance CITY TV's Speaker's Corner, where passers by have been able to record video messages that the TV station puts on the air.
Ericsson Canada President and CEO Mark Henderson said that the technology would not be limited to CHUM TV stations. "We look forward to signing on more media companies in the coming months to broaden the national scope of interactive SMS programming."
CHUM Television
Interactive vice-president Roma Khanna remarked that her company was investing
in interactivity as a way of connecting with its audience. "We strive
to connect with our viewers in innovative ways and SMS integrated programming
is a great opportunity to do both," she said.
Back to top
Disney
rejects Comcast bid
Soc
Gen speculates on French pay TV
Public
broadcasters 'anti-competitive'
Asia's
ad market to surge 20 per cent
Turner's
Children's Channels get new iGames
Liberty
increases presence in Japan
Two
Way TV appoints new Chairman
O2
improves mobile surfing experience
NDS
gets SARFT CA certification in China
Telenor
posts profits
RealNetworks
signs more carriers
Walt Disney's board has unanimously rejected cable operator Comcast's takeover bid as too low and endorsed CEO and Chairman Michael Eisner and his strategy for the company, trusting that the company's current structure and strategy would maximise shareholder value.
The company said it would consider any "legitimate proposal" that created shareholder value. Comcast, which vowed it would be a disciplined bidder, almost immediately shot back that its proposal was "compelling" and "sound".
Eisner has said Disney is doing well as a stand-alone content provider. However several industry analysts and consultants commented that Comcast could improve the Disney television group - not by creating better shows but by selling, distributing and managing the assets better than the executives running them now. Rivals like Time Warner and News Corp have already struck deals to merge content and distribution.
Disney's board said in a statement that: "The interests of Disney shareholders, which represent the fundamental priority of the board, would not be served by accepting any acquisition proposal that does not reflect fully Disney's intrinsic value and earnings prospects."
The value of
the all-stock bid sank to less than $48 billion in Comcast stock on Friday
from an initial value of $54 billion as Comcast shares declined for three
straight days last week after the all-stock bid was announced, but the company
sustained that its offer was fair.
Back to top
Analysts at Societe Generale have outlined the way they see pay TV in France evolving this year. The main factors are: the under-valuation of French pay TV, the fragility of Canal +, the renegotiations of football rights in the autumn, and the launch of new platforms, such as TV via ADSL.
It presented
four possible scenarios:
1) Merger of Canal Satellite and TPS. SG sees this scenario as not very likely,
but it would achieve economies of around 10 percent, about E80 million.
2 ) A wider rationalization by the merger of Canal+, Canal Satellite and TPS.
This would achieve economies of some E200 million. However, TF1 and M6 would
probably not be prepared to accept the considerable dilution of their stakes.
3) A merger between Canal+, Canal Satellite and TPS after TPS has won the
exclusive rights to football. Most of the players reject this scenario, but
according to SG it should not be excluded. It would be the result of a very
high offer for football rights by TPS, which could attract 1.5 to 2 million
new subscribers and make TPS a far more attractive proposition.
4) No merger but increased integration between Canal+ and Canal Satellite
(held 66 percent by Canal Plus and 34 percent Lagardere). This would avoid
all the regulatory hurdles and would speed up the migration of Canal+ analogue
subscribers to the digital platform.
Back to top
The European Publishers Council is compiling "a frank exposé" of what it sees as anti-competitive behaviour by publicly funded broadcasters across Europe, including the BBC, according to a report on the Times.
The council represents private sector publishers throughout the European Union including Pearson, the publisher of the Financial Times; Axel Springer; Reuters; and, News International, owner of The Times.
The dossier is scheduled to be published next month. It is seeking to show how the publicly funded media "distorts the advertising market for television and other media, including the press and new media".
Angela Mills Wade, the director of the publishers council, said yesterday that the business of private sector publishers and media groups was being "compromised" by public broadcasters that have either a licence fee or other state support and are also free to sell advertising.
The council believes
there are examples of advertising being sold at "far below the market
rate".
Back to top
MTV Networks
is forecasting a 20 per cent increase in Asian advertising
sales in 2004, CEO Tom Freston said. Speaking on a visit to MTV Asia's
headquarters in Singapore, Freston said the network was focusing on India,
China and Korea and that the 20 per cent target came after a 24 per cent rise
in 2003.
This is twice the rate of advertising sales for MTV in the rest of the world which includes the US and Europe, each of which are considerably more mature than Asia in terms of creating advertising sales. The recovery in Asian economies means that the regional advertising spend will increase by 5.1 per cent in 2004 to nearly $70 billion, according to ZenithOptimedia.
Freston is particularly bullish on India's growth this year. MTV Networks wants set up a music channel for south India and by 2005 it wants to have half of the programming on the Nickelodeon channel dubbed into Hindi.
Around 150 million
homes in Asia now have access to MTV programming through a variety of distribution
formats.
Back to top
US media company Liberty has continued to grow its presence in Japan after signing a deal that will see it invest nearly $10 million in a cable TV operator based outside of Tokyo.
Mediatti has around 70,000 subscribers in two prefectures - Saitama and Kanagawa - and the company will use Liberty's investment to increase its stake in district level cable TV operators. Liberty will also attempt to increase the links between Mediatti and Jupiter Telecommunications - the largest cable TV operator in Japan with nearly 1.8 million subscribers.
Liberty already
owns 23 per cent of Mediatti's shares and it is planning to increase the share
of its stake in the company.
Back to top
Bob Schmitz,
the Chief Operating Officer of PTV (formerly known as NTL Europe) has become
the new Chairman of Two Way TV. Schmitz has been a director of Two Way TV
since January 2003.
Two Way TV emerged from administration at the end of last year following a
restructure of its financing. The restructure, led by Schmitz and the new
management team at Two Way TV, saw the company dramatically reduce its cost
base while expanding an already strong portfolio of clients. These clients
include ITV, C4, BBC, Flextech, Turner, Telewest and NTL among others.
Commenting on
his appointment, Schmitz says: "When I started looking at Two Way TV
last year I quickly realised its huge potential. In order to grow the company
we had to make some changes. That's now been done. We are ten weeks into
the new operation and we are already seeing major revenue growth. My role
is to help grow our company into new lines of business and expand its international
presence."
Back to top
Mobile operator O2 has teamed up with SurfKitchen to introduce a new feature for UK's mobile subscribers on its O2 Active platform that allows users to view services and information on the handset itself without having to go online. Once the desired content is found, the customer can connect directly to the information with just one click.
O2 says this
is the first time it has been possible for an operator to remotely customise
and control information on the user's handset, as SurfKit Mobile's user interface
can be managed and updated over the air. This is done by a straightforward
platform, which is always present on the subscriber's phone.
Back to top
NDS VideoGuard conditional access has gained full certification from The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) for its conditional access system.
In 2000, NDS
VideoGuard was granted approved foreign conditional access status in China
by SARFT. SARFT conducted this previous evaluation to recommend a select number
of conditional access systems for use by provincial cable TV operators in
the transition to digital. NDS says it received the most votes for approved
foreign conditional access systems as judged by SARFT representatives from
14 different provincial broadcasters.
Back to top
Nordic operator Telenor said its revenues increased in 2003 by 8.8 per cent compared to the previous year to approximately NOK 53.1 billion (E6.04 billion). Operating profit in 2003 was NOK 7,560 million compared to an operating loss of NOK 320 million in 2002. The result before taxes increased from a loss of approximately NOK 5.1 billion in 2002 to a profit of approximately NOK 7.4 billion in 2003.
In the fourth
quarter of 2003 revenues increased by 6 per cent to NOK 13,801 million compared
to the fourth quarter of 2002. Operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2003
was NOK 2,173 million compared to a loss of NOK 2,101 million in the same
quarter of the previous year. The result before taxes increased in the same
period from a loss of NOK 5,445 million to a profit of NOK 1,884 million.
The 2002 results were strongly influenced by write-downs.
(E1 = NOK 8.78)
Back to top
US software company RealNetworks said it had signed up five telecom companies for its mobile media software, gaining access to 1.8 million subscribers in its battle with arch-rival Microsoft to stream music and video to handsets.
Spain's Telefonica
Moviles, Italy's Wind and TIM, Britain's 02 and Sweden's TeliaSonera have
chosen RealNetworks software to send video and music to mobile phones. Real
earlier signed agreements with US-based carriers AT&T Wireless and Sprint.
Mobile phone-maker Sony Ericsson had also agreed to embed Real's media player
software in its more advanced new handsets.
The software enables consumers to view streaming video and audio clips - such
as news clips, music videos or movie trailers - on wireless phones.
Real's agreement with Sony Ericsson is a setback for Microsoft, which has competing technology for encoding, delivering and playing video and audio.
RealNetworkshas
also unveiled a new version of its mobile content encoder, called Helix Mobile
Producer Standard, powered by Envivio. "The new version of the encoder
has been designed, optimised and priced specifically for the content provider
market," the company said.
Back to top
France Telecom's internet service provider Wanadoo, has had its accounts placed under European Commission surveillance until the end of 2006, according to documents reported in French newspaper Les Echos.
Details of the Commission's unpublished findings relate to Wanadoo's aggressive pricing in high-speed ADSL internet connections, for which it has more than 50 per cent of the French market. Last July the commission fined Wanadoo E10.3 million for predatory pricing - a punishment that the company is to appeal against. The ruling came after repeated complaints from rival groups, including Noos, Club Internet and Mangoosta, a company that the Commission says was forced out of the market by Wanadoo's aggressive pricing.
Wanadoo, which
also owns Freeserve in the UK, had argued that its cut-price policy was helping
to expand the French market, to the benefit of consumers and competitors.
But the Commission concluded that if France Telecom, the dominant French telecoms
operator, had really wished to expand the market, it could have given greater
stimulus by selling capacity more cheaply to rivals.
Back to top
Luxembourg based company Luxsat launched on Monday (16 February) an innovative video on demand service using multicast push technology. It is to launch in Belgium a few weeks later and in a number of Middle East countries in March, and other European countries later this year.
The service is based around a dedicated terminal, called a Luxstation, which includes a 160 gigabyte hard disc drive, able to store around 150 hours of programmes. Luxsat constantly pushes a data stream which is recorded in encrypted form on the hard disc. The way the data stream is sent out is independent of the broadcast technology: cable is used for Luxembourg and Benelux, where cable penetration is particularly high. The Astra satellite will be used for other European countries. Satellite will be used in the Middle East. ADSL can also be used if required.
The subscriber disposes 150 hours of programming, updated constantly, permanently available in juke-box fashion, which he can call up whenever he likes in true vide on demand fashion. There is also a 'user space' on the hard disc, for storing personal data such as MP3 audio or photos, and an in-built DVD player. The Luxstation can also be used as a games console or an Internet terminal.
The service costs
E26 a month, plus E449 for the Luxstation, or E289 if a two year subscription
is taken. Premium programming, comprising around 50 hours of films, is also
available. It is pushed and stored on the hard disc along with the subscription
programming, so is available at whatever time required. The films are recent,
using exactly the same release window as DVD. The price is similar to that
of video rental stores, E3 or E5 per film, available for 24 hours. All of
the standard DVD features (multiple language, subtitles, direct access to
scenes, 'extras') are provided. Other premium programming includes games,
which can be 'rented' for a month.
Back to top
Mobile phone operator Hutchison Whampoa said it will introduce a cellphone subscription plan aimed at the mass market of budget-conscious customers in Hong Kong. The firm launched its third-generation mobile service in the city only two weeks ago.
The conglomerate, also said it would offer business customers a new handset made by Motorola that includes functions normally associated with wireless personal data assistants, like e-mail and file-sending.
"Having launched 3G in Hong Kong for the first time at the end of last month, this is the second phase of our campaign for Hong Kong, covering the mass consumer and business markets," said Group Managing Director Canning Fok.
Fok declined to say how many 3G customers Hutchison has managed to sign up since launching 3G wireless operations on Jan. 27. He said only that NEC has so far provided 1.3 million NEC handsets out of a global planned total of 2.5 million for the first quarter. Hutchison will provide 3G subscription levels at the end of the quarter, Fok said.
Meanwhile in the UK sales of handsets for '3'UK, have shot up dramatically in the last week following the introduction of the latest Nokia 3G into outlets of Carphone Warehouse.
Charles Dunstone,
CEO of Carphone Warehouse, said Nokia's 7600 3G phone, which only began retailing
recently, had become a top seller. He claimed this indicates that consumers
are keen to buy into 3G, provided the handsets are of a decent quality and
do not require them to compromise with inferior battery life.
Back to top
PBS, a private, nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the US' 349 public television stations, has assembled a consortium that includes: Accenture, BroadView Software, Intel, Microsoft, Miranda Technologies, Omneon Video Networks, OmniBus Systems and SES Americom . The objective is to enable its member stations to take advantage of standard building blocks and proven information technology methodologies to automate repetitive processes and reduce costly manual operations.
Designed by PBS
Technology and Operations to support the needs of public television stations
nationwide, the ACE solution leverages the expertise and solutions of these
eight industry leaders to construct an innovative and tightly integrated system
that is expected to reduce dramatically local station costs for playout, master
control and monitoring operations while simultaneously enhancing the quality
of PBS program delivery and simplifying management of programming at the local
level.
Key components of ACE include automated channel operations; multi-level automated
systems monitoring; remote problem identification, resolution, and escalation;
and locally hosted scheduling, traffic, and underwriting functions.
Back to top
Quebec Media Group, especially cable company Videotron, was the shining light for Quebecor, Montreal-based media conglomerate, in 2003.
Videotron boosted revenues by three per cent to $805 million (E480.2 million), signing up 100,000 new subscribers to its cable Internet service and 69,000 for its Illico digital TV service. Further, it recorded its first net gain in cable TV subscribers in two years, 22,000, in the second half of 2003.
In addition, broadcaster TVA Group upped its sales by 5.4 per cent to $340.9 million (E203.3 million).
Also part of Quebecor Media, Sun Media newspaper group upped its revenue by 1.7 per cent to $845.9 million (E504.7 million).
However, net
income of Quebecor, was down 20 per cent in 2003 compared to 2002. Its gross
revenue was down seven per cent. (Biggest problem was the unfavourable conversion
to Canadian currency of the US dollar revenue of printing subsidiary Quebecor
World.)
Back to top
In a major boost for networks like News Corp's STAR India and Sony Entertainment Television, the Indian government has announced that Indian companies wouldn't require permission from the Reserve Bank of India to book ad space on foreign TV channels.
As a result of this, channels, which don't uplink from India would now be able to book domestic advertising, with value estimated to be $200-225 million.
Previously, the
Indian government allowed foreign channels to sell air-time only to those
local companies, which managed annual export earnings of $21,800 or more successively
for the last couple of years. The new initiative could result in a significant
increase in advertising revenue for the foreign channels, which could not
get ads from comparatively smaller companies not having any export earnings.
Back to top
UBC Media Group's software division, Unique Interactive, has signed two licensing deals, one with Emap and one with a consortium of Australian broadcasters, for its "ManDLS" system.
The agreement with Emap is to supply dynamic text services for its eight radio services broadcasting on Freeview platform. UBC already has a contract with Emap to provide the text services for Emap's DAB broadcasts. The extension of this to cover Freeview will make the DLS text service available to millions more listeners.
ManDLS provides
a dynamically updated text service alongside digital radio broadcasts and
is used by broadcasters to enable song and artist information, SMS text messages,
radio promotions or any other dynamic content to be seen on radio display
windows.
Back
to top
News
Corp: profits jump 51 per cent
Media
giants circle Disney
Korea wants Linux digital home platform
Telefonica
boosts ADSL
France 2 warned over Juppe error
FT
and Ericsson partner on IP multimedia services
Vodafone
launches 3G datacard
FCC
approves Loral licenses transfer
Ofcom
appoints Consumer Panel members
Tiscali's
earnings surge thanks to broadband
3UK
launches rugby video news service
Net profits for the quarter were up by 51 per cent to $361 million on revenues of $5.6 billion. News Corp's US cable channels, including the Fox News Channel, FX and regional sports networks, won larger audiences and boosted combined operating income by more than 50 per cent. While the Fox Network audience declined, advertising rates still climbed and Murdoch the Pop Idol series had created great momentum going into 2004.
Filmed entertainment income was down slightly year-on-year as promotional spending offset strong DVD sales. But News Corp's newspaper division had a 67 per cent increase from 2002 on the strength of UK circulation, as well as increased UK and Australian advertising sales.
Sky Italia, another of News Corp's satellite ventures, dented earnings with a $106 million operating loss. But Murdoch said that, like DirecTV, the company would soon be "a great profit generator".
News Corp's CFO
David DeVoe said that operating profit this year was likely to climb by 10—15
per cent.
Back to top
America's biggest media groups, including Time Warner, are said to be examining counter offers for The Walt Disney Company in an effort to spoil Comcast's $62 billion hostile bid.
Even Pixar, whose chairman is Steve Jobs the founder of Apple, which until last week was involved in a joint venture with Disney, is understood to be looking at forming a consortium of financiers to counter Comcast's bid.
There was also speculation that Barry Diller's Interactive Corporation, an internet and media firm, was considering a counter offer for Disney, as was Liberty Media, owner of the Discovery Channel, led by John Malone. Only Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has ruled itself out as a potential bidder for Disney.
Meanwhile Disney's Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner offered a detailed defence of Disney's growth prospects and strategic direction and appealed for the support of its largest shareholders.
At the same time,
Comcast directors led by chief executive Brian Roberts were reportedly touring
institutional investors in an attempt to persuade them of the merits of the
cable group's surprise bid.
Back
to top
The Korea Institute of Multimedia Contents and Software in conjunction with the Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and software and set-top-box developers have set up the 'Linux IP Set-top-box Council' for developing digital home platform based on Linux.
The council is also being supported by Korean companies including Samsung, LG Electronics, Hyundai Syscomm, Dasan Networks, Humax and Seal Tronic Technology among others. The companies are expected to share core technologies on the platform, and offer a part of technologies as open sources, promoting a Linux-based platform as de facto standard of digital home's operating system.
The Linux-based digital home platform to be developed by the council will consist of Linux 2.4.20 version, a solution developed by ETRI, Linux-based Web browsing, media player, and Korean language character fonts. The council also intends to develop the home gateway IP set-top-box required by communication service providers, and resident gateways based on Linux programs.
"The council
was formed based on a consensus that the domestic industry needs to build
technological foundations independent from any operating system powerhouses
in order to secure a competitive edge in digital home sector, which is forecast
to grow to approximately $43billion by 2010," Choi Seong-cheol, secretary
general of the council, said.
Back to top
Telefonica has
announced that it will invest E 700 million yearly in ADSL until 2007 in an
attempt to boost Internet access through that technology.
The company hopes to multiply by four the number of its ADSL subscribers until
2007, going from the present 1.6 million clients - a market share of 60 per
cent - to seven million. The investment will be in the development of new
infrastructure, added-value services and marketing and promotions.
Back to top
Public TV station France 2 is in the spot light after an inaccurate report about former prime minister Alain Juppe, prompted the resignation of the channel's head of news and the suspension of David Pujadas, its star anchorman.
France's media
regulator, the CSA, said the state-owned television service had breached its
public service obligations in its attempt to pre-empt the contents of a broadcast
by Juppe, on rival private station TF1. The trouble began when Pujadas tried
to beat TF1 to the most keenly chased political story of the year: Juppe's
reaction to being convicted of corruption.
Back to top
France Telecom
and Ericsson have signed up to jointly develop IP Multimedia Services for
the consumer market. The deal includes: the establishment of joint research
and development teams, the sharing of R&D funding, and the principle of
sharing intellectual property resulting from the partnership.
Back to top
Vodafone has announced the commercial launch of its 3G services in Europe. The first service will be the Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard, a high speed lap top datacard.
Vodafone's datacard, initially confined to corporate clients, will be available in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK over the next four weeks. 3G coverage is currently offered in most Vodafone markets in major cities and an increasing number of transport routes. When outside of 3G network coverage, the Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard automatically switches to GPRS, which offers full coverage.
The data card
will be priced at about E350 and will be available from next month in the
UK and Europe. Users will pay a fixed monthly fee, of up to E70, although
the exact price plans have yet to be finalised.
Back to top
US watchdog, the Federal Communications Commission approved the transfer of Loral's FCC licenses to Intelsat. The transfer was part of Intelsat's proposed purchase of the North American satellite assets of Loral Space & Communications Corporation and its affiliates.
Intelsat CEO
Conny Kullman said, "This FCC approval is one of the significant conditions
to the closing of the Loral transaction, and we are pleased that the regulatory
process has been concluded. We are looking forward to completing the deal
once all other conditions to closing have been met."
Back to top
Ofcom announced the appointment of members to the Consumer Panel. The Panel, Chaired by Colette Bowe, is an independent body set up under the Communications Act 2003 to advise Ofcom on consumer interests in the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors.
Lord Currie, Chairman of Ofcom, said: "The Consumer Panel will perform a key role in providing Ofcom with independent and objective guidance on important issues affecting consumers throughout the UK. Collectively the members' diverse experience and links with a wealth of communities place them in an ideal position to represent their interests to Ofcom."
The Consumer Panel will meet for the first time during February and will have its own website at www.ofcomconsumerpanel.org.uk.
The members are:
Fiona Ballantyne, is managing director of a marketing development consultancy and was a member of the Secretary of State's Expert Panel on the Media in lead up to the first Scottish Parliament, will represent Scotland.
Roger Darlington, part-time Chair of the Internet Watch Foundation and strategy adviser at the Communication Workers Union, will represent England.
Ruth Evans has extensive experience on consumer issues and was Director of the National Consumer Council for seven years until 1998. She is a lay member of the General Medical Council and a Non-Executive Director of the Nationwide Building Society and holds a number of other public appointments.
Simon Gibson OBE, is a venture capitalist, a member of the Welsh Development Agency Board and a founding member of the Welsh Electronic Forum. He has extensive experience within the high technology sector. He will represent Wales.
Graham Mather is President of the European Policy Forum and a member of the Competition Appeal Tribunal. He has wide experience in both telecoms and broadcasting issues, both on a national and European level.
Kevin McLaughlin is a development worker for the Magherafelt Disability Forum and will represent the interests and opinions of people living in Northern Ireland.
Kate O'Rourke is a solicitor and Deputy Chair of the London Regional Council of Arts Councils.
Bob Twitchin brings a wealth of experience in telecommunications and advising on issues affecting disabled and older people.
Colette Bowe,
with the agreement of Lord Currie, has invited Ruth Evans to become the Deputy
Chairman of the Consumer Panel.
Back to top
Tiscali, Europe's
third biggest ISP, more than doubled core earnings in the final quarter of
2003 as the loss making internet service provider signed up more broadband
customers than expected.
The ISP, which is hoping to become profitable by the second half of this year,
said fourth-quarter ebitda was E27.6 million compared with E13.2 million a
year ago. Gross revenues in the quarter rose 25 per cent to E267.6 million,
as increasing numbers of customers signed up for lucrative fast-internet services.
In the quarter, Tiscali added 240,000 new broadband customers, taking its
total to 840,000.
Back to top
3UK announced
that rugby fans will be able to follow the 6 Nations rugby tournament on their
video mobiles. '3's 6 Nations service will be available throughout the
tournament, starting on the first match-day, this Saturday February 14 and
running until March 27. A new Rugby Union home- page will give fans access
to audio updates, half and full-time alerts and an ITN video news bulletin
with live scores and updates.
Back
to top
For the very latest news go to Home Page ............
