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Our Latest Issues
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Scroll down page or click below for news - latest first
Tuesday
Friday 2nd May
Sezmi emerges from Building B
AT&T mobile TV
Google: Making money with YouTube is top aim
Cable STB market sees record growth
New Sky online guide
C4 catch up
Ad-supported free mobile TV for Oz
CNN Google Gadget
US tax rebates will boost HD
Audiences grow for digital radio
NDS revenue up 20%
Nativ launches Mio
Sezmi emerges from Building BThe mysterious ‘Building B’ start up that caused a stir at CES 2007 with its plans for an STB to seamlessly marry broadband video and broadcast TV, has emerged rebranded as Sezmi and announced that it will partner with broadcast stations to deliver part of its service using their digital spectrum.
The company, which received $17.5 million in funding from VC’s Morgenthaler Ventures, Omni Capital and Index Ventures and was founded by Buno Pati, a former Harvard engineering professor and Phil Wiser, former chief technology officer for Sony America, planned to use wireless technology to deliver broadcast video, movies and Internet video to a next-generation set-top.
Sezmi has now disclosed that it has created a digital-video-recorder set-top box with 1 terabyte of storage that will link to a smart digital-TV antenna, and that it plans to partner with local broadcast stations and use their digital spectrum to deliver not only broadcast channels, but also 25-40 basic- and premium-cable networks to the box, in a "wireless cable" service reminiscent of failed DTV multichannel service USDTV.
The Sezmi set-top will also have a broadband connection that will be used to deliver less-popular and on-demand content in a hybrid transmission system Sezmi calls FlexCast. Wiser said the broadband connection can also be used to "push" content, such as personalized ads, to the box, which can be mixed with content delivered over-the-air, as well as to deliver popular Internet video like YouTube to the TV.
However apart from the names of its test parner local stations in Seattle and Las Vegas, Sezmi hasn’t identified any ISP or telco partners or programming deals. It also won’t divulge planned pricing, although Pati said it will be significantly cheaper than existing cable video packages.
At NAB the company did reveal a deal with Harris to build its network ops centre and with Tatung for the STBs.
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AT&T plans to launch a television service for mobile phones next week, following in the footsteps of rival Verizon. The service, which will be available in 58 markets, will offer programmes from several major TV networks, including CBS, Comedy Central, NBC and Fox. While some of the network programming will air simultaneously with what is airing on television, a little more than half will be delayed from the TV airtime.
The service is on top of the streamed video offerings already available and, like Verizon’s service, will use the network built by MediaFLO that is designed to offer live television. Consumers must purchase one of two new AT&T phones to watch the mobile-TV service. LG Electronics' Vu, which has a large touch screen, will sell for $300 with a two-year service contract. The Samsung Access will be $200 with similar conditions. Additionally, users must sign up for a TV service plan on top of their monthly voice and data plans. The starter package is $15 a month for unlimited access to television. A $30-a-month plan adds additional features, including Web browsing. AT&T also hopes to generate revenue from advertising.
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Google: Making money with YouTube is top aimGoogle's top priority this year is to make money off YouTube, Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said in a TV interview that sent Google's shares up 4.7 per cent. "I don't think we've quite figured out the perfect solution of how to make money, and we're working on that. That's our highest priority this year," Schmidt said.
Schmidt said YouTube planned to introduce a series of new products aimed at generating advertising revenue. "We believe the best products are coming out this year. And they're new products. They're not announced," Schmidt said, adding that such ads would be "much more participative, much more creative ... much more interesting in and of themselves."
The new ad services will go beyond basic in-line advertising that YouTube already runs, Schmidt said. In-line ads are text ads that run along the bottom of YouTube videos.
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Cable STB market sees record growthIn 2007, the cable set top box (STB) market experienced record-setting growth, as both worldwide unit shipments and revenues reached new highs, reports In-Stat. Strong demand for basic digital cable STBs, especially in the Chinese market, coupled with sustained demand for advanced digital cable STBs in the North American market, is fuelling the market growth, the high-tech market research firm says.
The next several years also look bright for this market. In-Stat is forecasting that demand for worldwide digital cable STBs will remain strong through 2012, although unit shipments will decrease gradually throughout the forecast period as the analogue to digital cable TV transition matures.
In-Stat found that the worldwide digital cable set top box unit shipments spiked to over 41 million units last year, up from 29.7 million units in 2006, and worldwide cable set top box revenues passed the $6 billion mark in 2007, up from $4.8 billion in 2006.
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Sky is to launch a new online electronic programme guide to offer UK viewers what it calls the most comprehensive TV listings service available anywhere online. Sky Guide will enable viewers to browse and search thousands of TV programmes from more than 600 channels up to 7 days in advance; whether they are on a PC at work or on the move using a handheld device. Online Sky Guide has advanced search and navigation features giving intuitive ‘drag and zoom’ access to listings, as well as a host of personalisation benefits to cater for individual tastes and preferences.
The first truly interactive online EPG, Online Sky Guide means people can search for programmes available on all digital television platforms and channels - including regional variations - on a self-contained web site through a simple drag, zoom and click interface. Once programmes are located on the guide, content boxes pop up with show synopses, recommendations, links to associated programmes, ratings, and, for Sky customers, personalisation options and a link for people to remote record to Sky+ boxes.
For the visually impaired, Sky has also developed a version of the Sky Guide which is more accessible in its layout and formatting. This site also identifies all programming which offers subtitles, enhanced audio and sign language.
The guide was developed in conjunction with technology partners Sapient and ioko.
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Channel 4 has a new online catch-up service for the past seven days. The new service is separate to the existing 4oD service. In addition to the last week’s content there is also an archive of clips from the past 25 years and a selection of current trailers.
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Ad-supported free mobile TV for Oz
Australia is set to receive its first live free-to-air mobile TV network with the launch of Bluetooth broadcaster YoMo. Starting this month, the service, which will feature a video news and entertainment feed updated throughout the day, will be broadcast, using Bluetooth technology, to a network of transmission points in the eastern states. Anyone with a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone will be able to receive the free service - if they are within range of a transmitter, regardless of their mobile carrier.
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CNN Google GadgetCNN International has become the first international news organisation to launch a stand-alone video-enabled Google Gadget, with its launch on iGoogle. The development marks the next layer in the company’s strategy to complement its existing linear distribution with an expansion of its digital presence across emerging platforms.
The CNN International Google Gadget allows users to personalise their iGoogle homepage with CNN video content, giving them one-click access to the latest news and feature reports in a CNN-branded video player. The Gadget also enables users to link back to CNN’s YouTube channel page, which launched last October, to watch more.
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US tax rebates will boost HDTax rebates will have an immediate impact on sales of high-definition TVs and personal computers this year, according to Parks Associates' ‘Consumer Electronics Purchases: Quarterly Monitor’. According to the study, 40 per cent of consumers in US Internet households will use the tax rebate to purchase consumer electronics products - with high-definition televisions and personal computers topping the list.
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Audiences grow for digital radioThe number of people in the UK listening to digital radio continues to grow, but 80 per cent of digital listening is to stations already available on analogue, according to measurement body Rajar.
Only 21.4 per cent of digital listening is to digital-only stations such as BBC7 and BBC 6Music. The rest is to stations also available on analogue, which goes some way to explain why commercial operators have struggled to make their investment in digital pay. The most popular commercial digital-only stations remain The Hits, with 1.57 million listeners, up from 1.17 million a year ago, and Smash Hits Radio, with 973,000 listeners, up from 759,000, according to Rajar figures for the first quarter of 2008. Both stations are owned by Bauer, formerly Emap Consumer Media.
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NDS revenue up 20%NDS announced operating results for the quarter ended March 31, with
revenue for Q3 up 20 per cent to $213.3 million; whilst operating income rose 21 per cent to $43.3 million. The company also revealed it now has distributed 86.9 million active digital TV smart cards and has 83.1 million cumulative middleware clients deployed.Commenting on performance, Dr. Abe Peled, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said: "This has been another good quarter for NDS. We are particularly pleased with our continuing progress on entering the German pay-TV market, and our additional wins in India. Our CA contract extension with Viasat and expanding the relationship to include our MediaHighway middleware are also gratifying and clear evidence of our focus on customer support."
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Nativ launches MioNativ, the video distribution specialist, has launched Mio Workflow, what the company claims is the media industry’s first fully managed service to enable broadcasters, brand owners and advertisers to distribute content across any platform. Mio Workflow provides the tools necessary to ingest, re-purpose, protect and distribute raw video assets across the entire range of distribution platforms – open and closed Internet, traditional broadcast, wireless and mobile. Mio also delivers content formatted for viewing and interaction on a full range of fixed and mobile devices including TV, PC & Mac, mobile phones, DVD players, handheld computers, games consoles and outdoor displays.
Thursday 1st May
OFT examines Kangaroo
Sky subs base swells, ITV hurts
TW spins out cable, income slides
Airey quits ITV for Five
Virgin brings BBC iPlayer to TV
Miniweb goes live on Sky
SARFT plans overseas promotion of CMMB
Foxtel HD STB
Motorola resells Widevine
OFT examines KangarooThe UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has flagged up potential competition concerns with Kangaroo, the on-demand service planned by the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. The watchdog is inviting interested parties to comment on the venture and is asking for submissions by May 14. It will then consider whether it has grounds to refer Kangaroo to the Competition Commission for investigation.
Kangaroo is a joint venture between the BBC's commercial division, BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4. It aims to be a shop window for the three broadcasters' programming, allowing viewers to download digital versions of shows, either for purchase or on an advertising-funded model.
The service will initially be available via the web, with shows available either streamed or to download. However, the ultimate aim is to deliver Kangaroo content direct to televisions. By pooling the resources of the UK's three leading terrestrial broadcasters, Kangaroo poses a potential threat to Virgin Media, which increasingly sells itself as an on-demand operator, and BSkyB, which also offers on-demand through broadband and the Sky+ box.
One point of controversy for the OFT to investigate is likely to be the relationship between Kangaroo, a commercial enterprise, and the BBC's publicly funded iPlayer, a highly successful on-demand catch-up service.
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Sky subs base swells, ITV hurts
BSkyB added 56,000 new customers in the first quarter of 2008 to take its customer base to nearly 9 million. It now has a total of 8,888,000 pay-TV customers in the UK and Ireland, keeping it on track to hit its target 10 million by 2010. The company also said that it had signed up another 262,000 customers to its personal video recorder service Sky+, putting it in 3,393,000 households, or 38 per cent of its overall base. Churn marked a four-year low at 10.5 per cent.
Sky Broadband customer numbers were up 229,000 to reach 1,428,000 at the end of March. The company aims to have 3 million broadband customers, or 30 per cent of its subscriber base, by 2010. Sky said it added 43,000 high-definition subscribers, taking its tally to 465,000 at the end of March. Its Sky Talk telephone business grew by 180,000 to 1,095,000.
The growth in each segment helped ARPU to £424 (E530) ahead of forecasts.
However, financial results were hit by write-downs on the ITV investment. Revenues for the quarter of rose to £1.25 billion from £1.2 billion for the same period in 2007, but after further impairments on its 18 per cent ITV stake, pre-tax profit fell from £200 million to £56 million and the company recorded a loss after tax of £6 million. For the nine months to March 31, the overall impairment charge of £474 million on the ITV investment meant a pre-tax loss of £118 million compared with a profit of £388 million in 2006-07, but that disguised a 10 per cent increase in revenues.
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TW spins out cable, income slides
Announcing Q1 results Time Warner’s CEO Jeff Bewkes finally confirmed the company’s intention to spin off TE’s 84 per cent stake in Time Warner Cable, the country’s second-largest operator. But no details were immediately given on how the Time Warner Cable stock would be separated.
"We’ve decided that a complete structural separation of Time Warner Cable, under the right circumstances, is in the best interests of both companies’ shareholders," Bewkes said. "We’re working hard on an agreement with Time Warner Cable, which we expect to finalise soon. At the same time, we’ll continue to pursue the rest of our aggressive agenda that we believe will deliver increasing value to our shareholders." The move is expected release approximately $4 billion that will be returned to shareholders.
Meanwhile Time Warner for the quarter ended March 31st, net income slid 1 per cent when excluding $670 million in one-time gains during the year-ago period from proceeds from asset sales. Revenues rose 2.1 per cent to $11.42 billion from $11.18 billion.
"Our results this quarter - particularly the underlying operating strength at our cable, networks and filmed-entertainment businesses - gave us the confidence to reaffirm our full-year business outlook," Bewkes said. The current quarter was depressed by a one-time $116 million restructuring charge related to consolidating its New Line Cinema movie studio into Warner Bros.
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Airey quits ITV for FiveBritain's biggest commercial broadcaster ITV has revealed the shock news that its managing director of global content, Dawn Airey, had resigned with immediate effect, less than a year after she joined the company.
She will be taking an extended period of gardening leave prior to joining pan-European broadcaster RTL Group in a senior position, including being Chair of its UK commercial TV licensee, Five. It is understood the channel’s chief executive, Jane Lighting, will resign her post in the coming days.
Airey previously worked for the station (originally known as Channel 5) as director of programmes in 1996, going on to serve as chief executive between 2000 and 2003. She moved on to BSkyB as managing director of Sky Networks, leaving to join ill-fated start-up Iostar in early 2007.
ITV had given Airey a budget of £200 million to acquire content production companies and a target of doubling the revenues of the division to £1.2 billion by 2012.
Recent reports have linked RTL, which has hired Airey, with interest in buying the 17.9 per cent stake in ITV owned by BSkyB. The broadcaster has been ordered by the government to reduce the stake to 7.5 per cent at most.
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Virgin brings BBC iPlayer to TV
Virgin Media confirmed plans mentioned last week by CEO Neil Berkett, a partnership with the BBC to launch BBC iPlayer onto its platform, making its 3.5 million TV customers the first in the UK to get the popular service on TV. Viewers using BBC iPlayer on Virgin Media will be able to watch full screen pictures at full quality on their television set without the need for downloading.Effective immediately, Virgin Media customers will be able to catch up on BBC programmes by pressing the red button on any BBC channel. Access to BBC iPlayer through Virgin Media’s electronic programme guide menu is due this summer.
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Miniweb goes live on SkyMiniweb, interactive TV vendors, have confirmed the launch of its new ‘TV Key’ service on the Sky Digital TV platform, making TV Key enhanced programming available to Sky users and all TV channels.
At the same time, Miniweb has also announced a content acquisition programme, aimed at providing the services required to enable advertisers, brands, channels and content owners to quickly, easily and cost-effectively launch video rich interactive applications on the Sky platform.
"(The) launch on Sky makes TV Key functionality available to over 8.8 million TV viewers in the UK and can be used by any broadcaster or channel on Digital Satellite. It is the first step on our interactive road map," said Ian Valentine, CEO, Miniweb Interactive. "Our mission is to change the economics of interactive TV so the industry can deliver video rich interactive services over broadband to multiple types of TV device. Through the use of on-air TV Keys and content delivered via Freefone, this new service is a more economical approach, more aligned to a broadband world, making interactive TV affordable for all broadcasters, advertisers and channel owners."
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SARFT plans overseas promotion of CMMBThe China Academy of Broadcasting Science has held a meeting to promote overseas partnerships on the CMMB standard, with senior officials from SARFT's Science and Technology Department, the Academy itself, the S2M Group and Loral Space and Communications.
Deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) Zhang Haitao said he hopes more overseas firms will adopt and promote the CMMB standard, and that SARFT will support more cooperation and exchange in the TV broadcasting technology field. An S2M Group official said S2M is to accelerate the promotion of CMMB partnerships overseas, with the aim of starting broadcasts by the end of the year. S2M will also strengthen partnerships with other international firms and recommend that CMMB be submitted as an international standard.
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Australian Pay-TV operator Foxtel's next generation, high-definition set-top box is close to launching. Foxtel boss Kim Williams said he is "very confident" the launch of the new Foxtel HD+ service - which will be accessible through a new iQ2 HD set-top box that will have 320GB of storage - would be available to consumers "well before June 30th".
The company has also revealed its national subscriber penetration has passed 30 per cent for the first time.
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Motorola resells Widevine
Widevine Technologies has signed a global reseller agreement with the home and networks mobility division of Motorola. The agreement enables Motorola to sell, service and support Widevine’s downloadable conditional access and digital rights management products globally.Motorola offers best-of-breed head-end and consumer device solutions while Widevine Cypher, a downloadable conditional access, digital rights management and digital copy protection solution, enables video operators to acquire and securely distribute premium multimedia from major Hollywood studios and broadcasters. Currently, Motorola and Widevine jointly support over fifty video service providers worldwide.
The joint solution includes Motorola’s consumer devices, compression and infrastructure solutions for video delivery and Widevine Cypher which enables telco, cable, Internet, mobile and satellite service providers to support an unlimited number of subscribers and assets using a single content security solution for protecting delivery to all major consumer devices including set-top boxes, PVRs and PC-based consumer devices.
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Wednesday 30th April
Makers unite for home net standards
VOD viewers hate TV ads
NXP scoops Conexant STB ops
Brazil issues two new DTH licences
WB channel back on net
HD STB retail test in Holland
Blockbuster stake in Viacom movie channel
Mobile content platform market reaches $3.4bn
Czech DTV plan
Free-to-air mobile TV is a "killer application"
DAB radio sales on the rise
Velocix free content delivery network
Makers unite for home net standardsChip and electronics makers Intel, Infineon, Texas Instruments and Panasonic are leading an alliance to promote home networks for multi-media using existing home wiring. The four makers will help market and test a standard to wire together computers, TVs and entertainment systems using electricity, phone and coaxial cable lines that already exist in most homes. They hope the first products using the new standard will be on the market in about a year.
There is already a common wireless standard to link home devices using Wi-Fi. Wired networks often have the advantage of being more stable and having more capacity, and the building blocks for the infrastructure already exist in most homes. "Powerline is the most ubiquitous technology in the world. You have powerlines to almost every house in the world," Intel's Matt Theall, president of the new HomeGrid Forum (homegridforum.org) said."There's a huge market potentially for this type of technology. It can be embedded in DVD players, TVs, PCs, speakers -- any home entertainment device."
The four leading members of the HomeGrid Forum said they would work with the International Telecommunications Union to promote, test and contribute to a standard the ITU is already working on, called ITU-T G.hn. The HomeGrid Forum has seven other founding members: Aware DS2, Pulse Link, Ikanos, Sigma Designs, Westell and Gigle Semiconductor.
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VOD viewers hate TV adsITV, Channel 4, Five and Sky risk alienating consumers by running TV-style ads before and after Internet TV programmes, according to research from MindShare.
The majority of UK commercial broadcasters rely on pre- and post-roll ads to generate revenue from video-on-demand platforms, which allow viewers to watch shows via the internet. However, the MindShare study showed that viewers react negatively to interruptive TV-style ads, and attempt to skip them wherever possible.
The research suggested that consumers are far more receptive to product placement in online video as it does not interrupt the content and is considered less intrusive.
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NXP scoops Conexant STB opsNXP Semiconductors, the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, is to acquire the Broadband Media Processing (BMP) business of Conexant Systems in a $110 million cash deal, with additional consideration of up to US $35 million based on achievement of certain revenue milestones over the period from closing through 2009.
NXP’s existing set-top box and digital TV operations will be combined with Conexant’s BMP business. The combined operations will create a top three player in digital video systems with the scale to establish a strong leadership position. The deal represents NXP’s fourth acquisition since independence and is the first for its Home Business Unit. Conexant’s strengths in broadcast operator set-top box (STB) solutions are seen as complementary to NXP’s terrestrial IP and retail STB and Digital TV products.
"NXP continues on the path to reshape the industry by building scale and leadership positions in its portfolio. By acquiring Conexant’s BMP activities, our digital TV and STB business will be strengthened in the operator segment of the market and we position ourselves to compete effectively on a global basis," said Frans van Houten, CEO, NXP Semiconductors.
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Brazil issues two new DTH licences
From Branislav Pekic in RomeBrazilian telecom sector regulator Anatel has issued two new direct-to-home (DTH) licences to Embratel and Casablanca, bringing the number of satellite TV providers to ten. Long-distance operator Embratel, controlled by Mexican group Telmex, plans to offer pay-TV services via the recently launched Star One C2 satellite from the second half of this year. The Star One C2 satellite, positioned at 70 degrees West, will also serve to introduce HDTV broadcasts to Brazil as well as extend national coverage of DTT channels. In partnership with Brazil’s largest pay-TV and broadband Internet provider Net (in which it has a minority stake), Embratel plans to market a triple-play package (fixed telephony, broadband Internet and pay-TV). For its part, Telmex already offers DTH services in Chile and plans to market it in Peru and Ecuador.
Another DTH licence was issued to Sao Paulo-based video producer Casablanca which has yet to make public its plans, although in the past the company was involved with football TV channel projects. Casablanca is also a partner of national broadcaster Record in the production of soap operas and TV series.
Pay-TV services via satellite have 1.7 million subscribers, representing 32.9 per cent of the pay-TV market in Brazil. SKY/DirecTV is the biggest satellite TV operator, with more than 90 per cent of the subscribers. Spain’s Telefónica launched a pay-TV service via satellite in 2007, but has still not published any results.
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Warner Bros Television Group will relaunch the WB Network as an online video site offering original programming alongside reruns. TheWB.com targets 16-to-34-years-old viewers with new shows.
TheWb.com will also be distributed by Comcast's video-on-demand service and its online entertainment site Fancast.com. The new site will also be available on Time Warner's AOL. The launch of TheWB.com along with another broadband site, KidsWB.com, is the centerpiece of a digital initiative announced by the Warner Bros. TV Group that includes a partnership with social-networking site Facebook.
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HD STB retail test in HollandUPC Nederland is to launch a Philips HD cable receiver from for the Dutch market retailing at E249.99. It is the first time UPC had tried the retail model – it currently charges E5 a month rental for the STB.
The receiver was developed by UPC in cooperation with the set-top box division of Philips, that has now been acquired by Pace. The new HD set top is part of a big HD push started by UPC this month. Leading up to the Euro 2008 Championships, the operator will heavily market the service.
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Blockbuster stake in Viacom movie channelBlockbuster is in talks to take a stake in the new US premium TV channel to be launched by Viacom with Lions Gate Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. As part of an agreement, Blockbuster will get digital rights to the channel's programming in return for an investment in the partnership. The new TV channel venture led by Viacom is seen as a challenge to CBS, which controls the Showtime Networks premium movie and TV cable channels.
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Mobile content platform market reaches $3.4bnThe market for premium mobile content platforms grew almost 20 per cent in 2007, resulting in a $3.4 billion share of the $18.5 billion of revenue generated by the mobile premium content market, according to recent research by MultiMedia Intelligence. As mobile phone subscribers worldwide increasingly look for personalisation and enhanced entertainment content on their handsets, subscribers are continuing to purchase more premium content, such as ringtones, music, mobile games and video.
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Czech DTV planThe Czech government has approved a plan for the switch to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting which sets the date for the end of analogue broadcasting on most of the Czech territory as of November 11th 2011.
In two regions; Zlinsky and Jesenicky, analogue TV broadcasting is to continue until June 2012 due to technical problems. The plan is voluntary and its implementation cannot be enforced. Czech TV, TV Nova and TV Prima will exchange their current analogue frequencies for digital ones; each of them will get one more digital licence in exchange.
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Free-to-air mobile TV is a "killer application"Telegent Systems, provider of mobile TV solutions, has revealed key findings of the industry’s first post-sale mobile TV survey. The survey shows that mobile TV can have a significant impact on handset sales, with 85 per cent of respondents stating that the primary influence driving their handset purchase decision was the built-in free-to-air TV feature, as opposed to screen size, camera, music capability, or fashion.
The study, conducted in China where there are now more than three million users of free-to-air mobile TV, also reveals that free-to-air TV continues to be a compelling feature after purchase, with 74 per cent of respondents watching television on their handset for thirty minutes or more at a time, and 54 per cent watching five times a week.
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DAB radio sales on the riseNearly half a million DAB digital radios were sold in the first quarter of 2008 delivering sales growth of 28 per cent year-on-year, according to figures from GfK, the industry’s marketing service. Cumulative sales of DAB radio sets at the end of March stood at 6.94 million. In a tough retail quarter on the High Street, 489,000 DAB sets were sold in January, February and March – 7 per cent above the DRDB’s forecast for the period.
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Velocix free content delivery networkVelocix, provider of the Digital Asset Delivery Network, has confirmed the availability of its new, free Velocix Accelerator digital delivery service. The new service is aimed at the growing and vibrant community of entrepreneurs and new start-up ventures, as well as larger organisations looking to distribute rich media such as video, music, games and software online. The new offering includes a 500GB per month delivery allowance for file download, video progressive streaming and website acceleration services – all provided at no charge.
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Tuesday 29th April
Zattoo defies UK broadcasters
Verizon adds TV subs
Freesat £130
SES profits up
Sky EPG new numbers
Trai suggests more FDI
CRTC stats
TeliaSonera Q1
ADB launches into Hungary with HelloHD
Zattoo defies UK broadcastersZattoo, the US/Swiss site that brings broadcast channels to PC has launched to consumers in the UK offering free access to all BBC, ITV, C4 and C5 channels – thanks to what it claims is a loophole in UK copyright law.
The service already has 2.15 million registered users in continental Europe, and has cleared rights for more than 190 channels in eight countries, for which it pays royalties to networks according to subscriber numbers. It only runs advertisements when viewers change channels, from which it has earned modest revenues. Beat Knecht, chief executive and co-founder, said "Zattoo is not in conflict" with broadcasters, adding: "We continue to believe in bilateral negotiations." But after taking legal advice on its interpretation of a section of UK copyright law, which grants cable companies the right to show live TV from public-sector broadcasts, Zattoo is pressing ahead without broadcasters’ consent.The service requires a fast broadband connection and does not offer archived content, as provided by the BBC’s iPlayer, ITV.com and Channel 4’s 4oD catch-up services.
UK broadcasters are unhappy with the launch, which comes before they have had chance to clarify their own legal positions – or launch similar services of their own. Project Kangaroo, a collaborative venture between the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, had planned to build a "Freeview for the internet" for release this summer, and recently hired Ashley Highfield, the BBC’s director of future media and technology who led the iPlayer launch, as its chief executive.
"We have not entered into any formal licence arrangements with Zattoo to redistribute BBC channels," the broadcaster confirmed. "However, we are currently reviewing our linear syndication policy following a number of trials around internet redistribution of linear TV broadcasts." Channel 4 said: "We are looking in detail at the legal position."
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Verizon adds TV subsLarger than expected gains in mobile subscribers helped Verizon Communications, the second largest US telecommunications group, report a 9.8 per cent increase in first quarter net profits on sales that grew by 5.5 per cent to $3.8 billion. Net profits increased to $1.64 billion, or 57 cents a share, from $1.5 billion, a year earlier. Sales rose 5.5 per cent to $23.8 billion.
Verizon is spending $23 billion over seven years to make an advanced fiber-optic network, called FiOS and capable of delivering video services, available to 18 million homes by the end of 2010. FiOS TV added 263,000 customers, tripling the user base to 1.2 million.
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Freesat £130A satellite receiver for the BBC/ITV Freesat service will cost £129.99 (E155) for entry level STBs at catalogue retailer Argos. An HD version will cost £199. The process include installation. Sky charges £150 for a standard definition version of Freesat. Freesat is now expected to launch by June.
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SES has reported a 2 per cent rise in first-quarter core profit, broadly in line with expectations, and cut its 2008 forecasts given a weaker dollar. SES, said EBITDA reached E275.3 million. The company reduced its 2008 forecasts to revenue of between E1.58 and E1.62 billion and EBITDA of E1.086 to E1.126 billion from E1.623 to E1.663 billion and E1.10 to E1.14 billion respectively.
SES said it was confident revenues would grow despite the weaker dollar, and the failed launch in March of its satellite AMC-14, which was set to lower revenue by E17 million this year.
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Sky has given timing details and provisional new channel numbers for a reshuffle of its electronic programme guide this summer. Channels in various genre groups will be moved up into empty slots, with remaining vacant slots collected together. Sky said the changes would improve navigability and provide flexibility for future expansion.
The changes will be carried out in phases by genre groups. On July 7th, international, gaming and dating will be rearranged; on July 21st, shopping and religion; on August 4th, music, news, and movies; on August 18th, lifestyle and culture; and on September 1st, entertainment.
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Trai suggests more FDIIndian Telecom and broadcast regulator Trai has recommended liberalisation of foreign direct investment (FDI) in broadcast sectors like TV, radio, cable and direct to home (DTH). According to the recommendations, FDI cap in TV news channels and FM radio should be increased to 49 per cent of the licensee company from the existing 26 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.
The regulator has also suggested that the FDI cap in DTH and cable networks be raised to 74 per cent from the existing 49 per cent.
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CRTC statsThe Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has released statistical and financial summaries for the Canadian specialty, pay, pay-per-view television and video-on-demand services industry.
This industry continued to experience strong growth in 2007, and its total revenues increased by an average of 9.7 per cent each year between 2003 and 2007. In 2007, total revenues climbed to $2.7 billion, an increase of 9.1 per cent when compared to the $2.5 billion in total revenues reported the previous year. Profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) rose by 13 per cent, coming in at $647.1 million, and the PBIT margin went from 22.92 per cent in 2006 to 23.75 per cent in 2007.
Of the total revenues, pay television services accounted for $349.7 million, pay-per-view television services for $119 million and VOD services for $78.8 million. The remaining $2.2 billion was earned by the 142 speciality television services in operation in 2007.
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TeliaSonera Q1Nordic telco TeliaSonera has posted stronger-than-expected first-quarter core earnings, boosted by emerging markets growth and lifting its shares more than 8 per cent.
TeliaSonera reported EBITDA, excluding one-off items, of 7.76 billion Swedish crowns (E0.8 billion). The group currently operates in 18 countries including Sweden, Finland, Spain, Turkey, Russia and Kazakhstan.
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ADB launches into Hungary with HelloHDAdvanced Digital Broadcast (ADB), will supply HD digital video recorders (DVRs) to Hello Platform for the launch of its new television service HelloHD. Hungary's latest television platform will be launched on May 1st and will primarily target premium consumers receptive to high-end solutions and high quality value-added services transmitted via cable and satellite. The service will be distributed throughout Hungary.
ADB will supply both cable and satellite DVRs, the units will enable Hello Platform to offer a wealth of advanced services including HD premium content.
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Monday 28th April
Murdoch slates iPlayer, backs ITV
Croatia’s T-Com launches HD on IPTV
Sky TV on Sony PSP
DTT service to learn Spanish
Svendsen for Conax
Kohnstamm new Cable Europe President
HD, VOD the apps to make cable?
DISH and Alcatel-Lucent DVB-SH test
HD set adoption soars
Digital UK rethinks analogue switchover
ADB supplies SureWest
Murdoch slates iPlayer, backs ITVJames Murdoch, News Corp CEO in Europe and Asia, has attacked the BBC for suppressing competition in the broadband TV market with its ‘costly’ iPlayer service. Murdoch described the iPlayer service as a "big step, a pre-emptive intervention in a marketplace otherwise hugely competitive and moving very fast."
He said he was not judging the iPlayer, for which the BBC has earmarked a budget of £131 million (E164m) over five years, but claimed it had "hoovered up" otherwise useful or productive resources and "squashed other competitors." "I'm not saying it is a bad product, but I am saying it does crowd out competition and innovation. But we have it now, so there you are."
Meanwhile, he claimed not to regret the BSkyB stake in ITV bought at around £1.35 a share - they are now closer to £0.60p and Sky may be forced to sell its holding down to under 7.5 per cent by competition authorities."All shareholders would look and say the shares are worth less than what they were and that's frustrating as an investor," Murdoch said. But he added that in a rapidly fragmenting market it was a "fantastic thing" for a free-to-air broadcaster like ITV to attract large audiences and this still made it a valuable company.
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Croatia’s T-Com launches HD on IPTV
From Branislav Pekic in RomeCroatian fixed-line operator T-Com has launched High Definition trials for a selected number of subscribers to its IPTV service, MAXtv.
The MAXtv HD package will be commercially launched at the beginning of May and will be free of charge, at least initially, for existing and new subscribers who have the technical conditions to receive the service.
Subscribers will be able to receive five HDTV channels: four in the English language (National Geographic Channel HD, Voom HD, Luxe TV HD and Melody Zen HD), as well as Germany’s Anixe. In addition, MAXtv’s video on demand service will feature hit movies such as "Alexander the Great", "Million Dollar Baby", "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", "Apocalypto", "Arthur et les Minimoys" and others in HD resolution.
During the UEFA European 2008 Championships in Austria and Switzerland this summer, football fans will be able to watch the games on the Eurosport HD and HRT HD TV channels.
Sony has confirmed that the PSP video service will be officially launched across Europe this summer. Called Go!View, the download service will provide Sky-selected TV content for users to download and watch via their PSPs (Playstation Portables).
An array of programming is promised, ranging from entertainment, comedy and sport to movies - all of which will be available via downloading to PC and then transferred to PSP. Payment will be managed either by subscription - including typical Sky packages - or on a pay-per-view basis.
DTT service to learn Spanish
From David Del Valle in MadridThe Spanish IT company Indra has developed an interactive DTT application aimed at teaching Spanish amongst foreigners to be launched by the end of 2008. The project, in cooperation with RTVE, Cervantes Institute and La Salle University, has been developed over the last two years with a E760,000 investment, partly financed by the Ministry of Industry.
It is a web portal that will be linked to the channel Canal de Español to be launched by TVE later on this year. Thanks to this interactive application, the viewer will be able to have access to different sections, through their MHP box, to consult, play, test or participate. The viewer will be able to have a look at the grammar or vocabulary of each chapter. This DTT application aims to help immigrants to integrate into the Spanish society by learning the language and the Spanish culture.
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Svendsen for Conax
Berit Svendsen has been appointed CEO of Conax. She comes from Telenor Norway where she is Vice President and Head of Product & IS responsible for both the fixed and mobile networks in Norway. Berit joined Telenor in 1988 as a Research Scientist. From 2000 to 2005 she was Executive Vice President and CTO of Telenor and also functioning Chair of Telenor R&D. In January 2005 she took the position of Vice President of Telenor Nordic Fixed with overall responsibility for the fixed network in Norway."I am impressed by Conax’s achievements and look forward to working with a company among the leading international providers of content protection. I also look forward to getting to know Conax’s team of highly skilled employees around the world", says Svendsen.
Kohnstamm new Cable Europe President
The general assembly of Cable Europe has appointed Manuel Kohnstamm as its new President. He will assume this role in addition to his current responsibilities with Liberty Global.
Manuel Kohnstamm, the Managing Director, Public Policy & Communications at Liberty Global, is to succeed Manuel Cubero as President of the industry association representing Europe’s leading cable operators. Cubero, chief commercial officer of Kabel Deutschland, who is moving to the role of association vice president on completion of his two-year mandate.
Cubero and Kohnstamm as Vice President of Cable Europe, have worked together on reforming the trade body, which now represents groups delivering services to more than 73 million households. Cable Europe also announced that Richard Alden, Chief Executive Officer of Ono, the Spanish cable operator, has been appointed as additional Vice President of the organisation.
HD, VOD the apps to make cable?
Major cable operator CEOs kicked off Cable Congress by putting emphasis on the apps and functionality cable could deliver around its content, rather than the content itself. In other words, if Content was King, it is now deposed.
The killer apps they named were HD, VOD and PVR. But even this simple message seems a bit ambiguous when you look at operational strategies. In later sessions Virgin reported its VOD service – heavily trailed across the platform and on national TV – had 38m views in March taking the service to 300m views in all, with 50% using the service in a month. So VOD, all be it free, is working, even though it is still small compared to the US where Comcast recently reported the four billionth use of its VOD service.
Peter Haggart, the SVP Chello On Demand, Chellomedia services said VOD provision throughout Europe could only be described as ‘good to fair.’
Commitment to HD, though, falls short even of that mark. Virgin Media CTO Howard Watson defended their policy of transmitting just one HD channel on its network, stating "I still think HD works really well for certain bits of content but is disappointing for others." Virgin currently transmits only the linear BBC HD channel, placing the remainder of its HD content in its VOD library.
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DISH and Alcatel-Lucent DVB-SH testDISH and Alcatel-Lucent have confirmed that DISH Network will test the DVB-SH (Digital Video Broadcasting – Satellite services to Handhelds) mobile broadcast technology in the US, with the appropriate DVB-SH equipment, test tools and training provided by Alcatel-Lucent. This evaluation will take place in DISH Network’s laboratories in Atlanta from May to August 2008, with the ultimate objective to validate the performance and cost-efficiency of the DVB-SH standard.
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A study of consumers across the US indicates that 25 per cent of American households (28 million) now have at least one HDTV set, up from 20 per cent in September 2007. At Xmas 2007, 5.5 million households brought home an HDTV set. The study, conducted by Frank N. Magid Associates, discovered that three million homes added a second HDTV during this same period, bringing multiple HDTV-set-homes up to nearly 10 million.
In households with at least one HDTV set, the number who have taken steps to arrange for HD programming reception holds steady compared with other recent Magid studies, at 70 per cent. Among the 30 per cent of HDTV set owners who have not made these arrangements, many cite perceived service costs and a limited number of channels available in high definition. Satellite customers make up half of this group, and most of them say they are not prepared to purchase the new equipment necessary to add HD service.
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Digital UK rethinks analogue switchoverThe body responsible for digital switchover is considering turning off the analogue signal for all the UK's terrestrial channels in one go instead of continuing with the existing two-stage process. The switchover body said the process had created confusion for some people and had forced viewers to "toggle" between analogue and digital services to access all channels during the transition period. Some 49 per cent of respondents to a survey in the Whitehaven area said they would have preferred a single switchoff date. Just 23 per cent favoured the way it had happened, with another 28 per cent neutral.
Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB), supplier of digital TV systems and software solutions for interactive television, has been selected to supply high definition, Advanced Video Coding (AVC) digital video recorders to independent communications holding company SureWest Communications.
The new DVR units enable SureWest to offer customers a host of new features including access to both HD and standard definition channels, the possibility to pause, rewind and playback live television and the ability to record two MPEG-4 HD channels while watching another from the integrated hard disk drive.
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