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Our Latest Issues
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Tuesday
Tuesday 23rd December
Kangaroo concessions and threats
Warner pulls YouTube content
BSkyB, Tiscali talks stall
Italy’s Espresso Group plans 12 thematic TV channels
Millennial generation watches less TV
HK mobile TV auction set for 2009
Veoh and Axel partnership
EU OKs News Corp, Permira JV for NDS
ActiveVideo Web TV at CES
Micronas and Oregan Internet TVs
Open IPTV Forum reaches 50
Kangaroo concessions and threatsProject Kangaroo has offered to scrap plans to jointly sell catch-up and archive shows to rivals, in order to gain a green light from competition regulators to launch, warning that the joint venture will be scrapped if many more restrictive measures are implemented.
The venture between ITV, BBC and Channel 4 argued that scrapping plans to jointly sell prime catch-up TV content would address the main competition issue.
Under the proposal submitted by the partners, ITV and Channel 4 would separately sell their catch-up TV content to third party online video providers. BBC Worldwide does not have catch-up TV content to syndicate as it this provided free via BBC iPlayer.
The Kangaroo partners believe this should address competition concerns over the venture dominating the nascent UK online video market. However, if this is not deemed adequate by the competition authorities the partners have also agreed to scrap plans to jointly sell archive TV programming. They have also offered a third option – for partners to set their own prices for retailing shows online directly to consumers.
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Warner pulls YouTube contentWarner Music Group said it will remove all its videos and songs from Google’s YouTube Web site after renegotiations over royalties failed.
Thousands of videos from artists including Madonna and Metallica, as well as content from Warner’s music- publishing division, will be taken down, Warner said. Under an agreement reached in September 2006, New York based-Warner received revenue from advertisements and other royalty payments from video streaming, however they wanted an improved deal and negotiations have failed."We simply cannot accept terms that fail to appropriately and fairly compensate recording artists, songwriters, labels and publishers for the value they provide," Warner Music said n a statement.
Vivendi’s Universal Music Group, Sony and EMI are also in re-negotiation talks with YouTube. Viacom, meanwhile, is suing You Tube for $1 billion for copyright infringement.
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BSkyB, Tiscali talks stallTalks between BSkyB and Tiscali about a deal that would make the satellite broadcaster Britain's third-largest broadband provider have stalled over the price. Sky has been in exclusive talks with the Italian ISP since early November but is understood to have pulled out of negotiations.
Tiscali had originally hoped to get about £600 million (E761m) for its UK business, but when Sky entered into exclusive talks it was over a bid closer to £450 million.
Tiscali's continued poor performance has caused Sky to balk even at that reduced price and take a step back from the entire deal. Since it launched broadband two years ago, Sky has become the fourth-largest ISP in Britain, overtaking Tiscali. Buying Tiscali would see it pass TalkTalk, owned by Carphone Warehouse, and become a serious challenger to the market leaders Virgin Media and BT.
While Sky had 1,792,000 customers at the end of September, Tiscali had 1,774,000. That was down from 1,838,000 recorded at the end of the June, about 37,000 lower than the previous quarter. Tiscali has grown through a series of deals including the acquisition of the TV-over-broadband player Homechoice.
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Italy’s Espresso Group plans 12 thematic TV channels
From Branislav Pekic in RomeItaly’s Espresso Group is planning to become a major player on the Italian DTT market, with an offer of up to 12 thematic TV channels.
The Italian multimedia group already operates one digital multiplex, which covers 50 per cent of the country, and which currently carries the All Music, Repubblica TV, France 2 TV channels as well as several radio stations. The Espresso Group now plans to transform the national analogue frequency used by All Music into a second DTT multiplex, carrying 5-6 TV channels. As a result, the group will broadcast 10-12 thematic channels dedicated to news, fashion, travel, health, among other subjects.
All Music was acquired in 2005 from Peruzzo Editore for E115 million but has never turned a profit. The latest data, for the period January-September 2008, indicates a 12.4 per cent drop in turnover on 2007 figures to E14.4 million, while advertising revenue was also down by 6.4 per cent.
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Millennial generation watches less TVA Deloitte reprt entitled ‘The State of the Media’ has found that younger Americans, between 14-25 years-old, are not watching as much TV as older generations. The study states that the Millennial generation watches an average of just 10.5 hours of TV a week, compared to 15.1 hours for those belonging to Generation X (26-32), 19.2 hours for Baby Boomers (33-61) and 21.5 hours for Matures (62-75).
Although Millennials are watching less TV than the other generations, they are spending more time with media in general, be it video games, music, or the Internet. Millennials are also spending less time watching DVDs of movies and TV shows on their television screens and more time watching DVDs on their computers, about 1.9 hours a week.
According to the report, TV remains the most influential advertising medium going, followed by magazines, the Internet, newspapers, radio and billboards.
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HK mobile TV auction set for 2009The Commerce & Economic Development Bureau of Hong Kong will auction the frequency spectrum for mobile television services as early as mid-2009, hoping to have the services formally launched in 2010.
Announcing the implementation framework for developing the services in Hong Kong, Permanent Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development (Communications & Technology) Duncan Pescod said the initiative is to enhance the city's position as a regional broadcasting hub. "The framework aims to create an enabling environment that promotes innovation, investment and competition of local mobile TV services for the benefit of consumers," he said.
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Veoh and Axel partnershipVeoh Networks, the Internet TV service, and Axel Springer Digital TV Guide have announced a strategic international partnership that strengthens Veoh’s international footprint, explores integrated content and technology opportunities, and introduces global brands to Veoh’s audience.
Under the terms of the agreement, Axel Springer will receive sales access to Veoh’s user base in Germany as well as access to Veoh’s German-language viewership in other European markets. Veoh will gain the support of one of the Europe’s leading convergent media marketing and sales organisations, Axel Springer Media Impact. In addition, the two companies will look into ways to leverage Axel Springer’s digital television solution ‘My Personal TV Digital’ and Veoh’s proprietary content discovery and recommendations technologies together in the future.
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EU OKs News Corp, Permira JV for NDSThe E.U. Commission has cleared News Corp. and UK private-equity firm Permira Advisers to jointly own television technology company NDS. In June, News Corp, NDS's majority shareholder, and Permira agreed to take the company privately in a deal worth about $3.6 billion.
Interactive TV developer ActiveVideo Networks last week announced plans to unveil a "web-infused television experience" at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month in Las Vegas. The platform, designed with cost-effective rollouts in mind, will allow providers to offer web content and interactive features to their customers without too much added complexity or expense.
"For web-infused television to succeed on a macro level, it needs to be as accessible to consumers as the television programming they already enjoy," said Jeff Miller, president and CEO of ActiveVideo Networks. "ActiveVideo creates a user-friendly web-infused television environment that increases the value of new CE devices by eliminating the need to purchase a specific web-to-TV device and integrate it into the home network and in-house entertainment system."
In addition to web video content, the ActiveVideo platform enables social networking features, Web 2.0 functionality and targeted advertising using an MPEG-based streaming connection.
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Micronas and Oregan Internet TVs
Micronas, supplier of application-specific IC system solutions for consumer electronics, is partnering with Oregan Networks to offer a complete solution for next-generation Internet-connected televisions. The solution is based on Micronas‚ Pegasus IDTV platform running a software suite from Oregan Networks that includes a web browser to access TV channels and Internet content such as YouTube, NetFlix and Flickr.
A media client is included to display in-home content such as home videos, music and digital pictures in HD, via a DLNA network. 'Widgets' are also provided that pop up information such as sports news, stocks and weather reports. According to a Gartner Group study released in September 2008, worldwide subscriptions to Internet-capable televisions are on track to reach 19.6 million subscribers in 2008, a 64 per cent increase on the previous year.
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Open IPTV Forum reaches 50Over 50 organisations are now involved in the initiative to accelerate deployment of IPTV. The OIPF, a pan-industry initiative established in 2007 to produce end-to-end solution specifications to open up access to interactive and personalised IPTV services, has again significantly increased its membership.
OIPF has revealed the addition of 8 new members. These organisations join the founding members - Ericsson, FT Group, Nokia Siemens Networks, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony Corporation and Telecom Italia - and a host of other IPTV industry stakeholders, to bring the total membership to 52.
The new members are: Advanced Digital Broadcast Holdings, BBC, Digisoft TV, FOKUS, Group Canal Plus, MediaTek, RAI and SK Telecom.
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Monday 22nd December
Commission: updating TV rules slow and too much red tape
MTV cuts 80 UK jobs
LCD TV sales plummet
DAB tipping point by 2015
YouTube launches HD section
Rainbow shuts Voom’s domestic operations
Macrovision buy TV Guide Network
Frontier Silicon CEO joins IMDA steering committee
BBC iPlayer Desktop on Adobe AIR
kbro selects Nagravision
Commission: updating TV rules slow and too much red tapeThe European Commission says one year after the entry into force of a new EU Directive meant to liberalise TV rules and remove outdated and bureaucratic restrictions on the provision of digital TV over the Internet, video on demand and mobile TV in Europe, EU Member States have made little progress in adapting national rules.
Only Romania has comprehensively implemented the new EU audiovisual media rules that entered into force on 19 December 2007. The EU's Audiovisual Media Services Directive, adopted by the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers on a proposal from the Commission rebooted the old EU rules on traditional TV broadcasting for the digital age and its new generation of TV-like services. The other 26 Member States are currently putting the modernised rules for Europe's audiovisual industry into national law. They have until December 2009. By then the EU should have a single market for all audiovisual media services, providing legal certainty for businesses and more diverse and quality programming for viewers.
"The new EU rules are an opportunity to create a single market for the digital age, and I urge Member States to put them in place quickly and in a flexible manner so that TV producers, broadcasters and viewers benefit from them as soon as possible," said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media. "We updated the EU's rules on TV because of rapidly changing technology and the need to strengthen the competitiveness of Europe's audiovisual industry. For Member States, this represents a chance to abolish outdated restrictions, to strengthen co- and self-regulation, especially in advertising, to strengthen the right to information, and to promote quality and diversity. However, I am concerned that some Member States appear to see the new rules as an excuse for adding red tape. We have created better regulation at EU level and I expect Member States to do the same at national level."
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MTV in the UK is to cut up to 80 jobs - around 10 per cent of its workforce - as part of Viacom's global plan to save $250 million in 2009.
MTV UK, which encompasses channels such as MTV One, VH1 and TMF, told staff last Thursday that it would begin a 30-day consultation on the cuts, which are expected to affect most departments.
As part of the changes, MTV is also currently consulting on whether to outsource its short-form production, which includes programme links and shows such as its chart rundown. Currently, these are produced in-house at MTV's studio complex in Camden, north London. MTV already outsources all its long-form programming.
Viacom last week announced it would be shedding 850 jobs globally as part of a cost cutting initiative as well as freezing senior management pay. The group, which also owns film studio Paramount Pictures and TV channels including Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET, said the job cuts would reduce its global workforce of 12,300 by about 7 per cent.
Meanwhile, Channel 4 is set to make 200 staff redundant in the coming weeks - 50 more than first planned when it unveiled a £100 million cost-cutting programme in September.
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LCD TV sales plummetIn 2009, worldwide revenues for liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs are expected to fall for the first time since the category was launched, market research firm DisplaySearch said. They forecast LCD television revenues would fall 16 per cent year-on-year to $64 billion in 2009, with total TV revenues expected to decline 18 per cent to $88 billion.
"DisplaySearch expects that 2009 will be the most difficult year yet for the TV industry and supply chain," the research firm said. The LCD TV market is expected to reach 102.2 million units in 2008, a 29 per cent year-on-year growth, but the figure represents a reduction of 3.6 million from a previous forecast. For 2009, DisplaySearch predicts the LCD TV market will grow 17 per cent to 119.9 million units, 11.5 million units less than previously forecast.
As for plasma display (PDP) televisions DisplaySearch predicted growth of 24 percent year-on-year to 13.9 million units in 2008. The segment is expected to grow by 5 percent in 2009 to 14.6 million units, lower than a previous forecast, primarily due to the rapid decline in prices of 32-inch LCD TV.
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DAB tipping point by 2015A UK government commissioned report has backed digital DAB to have a key tipping point for the "migration" from analogue to digital radio by 2015. The Digital Radio Working Group said the UK could not begin to look at a wholesale transfer from analogue radio until at least 50 per cent of all listening was via digital and national DAB coverage was comparable to current FM coverage.
DRWG forecast that this may not happen until 2015 at the earliest, with a government-set date for digital ‘migration’ not expected until at least 2017. The group, which featured representatives of the BBC, commercial radio, the government, manufacturers and consumers, stopped short of predicting a switch-off date for analogue radio. There was no mention of "switch-off" in the entire report.
DRWG recommended the creation of a three-tier system of radio in the UK, with national digital stations from the BBC and the commercial sector; a sustainable set of local digital services covering as much of the UK as possible; and a third tier of small scale services remaining on analogue, moving to digital at a later date.
The report also called for the government to relax some of the legislative and regulatory burdens on commercial radio, and urged more focus on the uptake of in-car DAB. DRWG also recommended that the government consider a duty exemption on digital radios to further boost sales.
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YouTube launches HD sectionYouTube has begun a push of its new high definition content with the launch of a dedicated section of the site. Visitors to the site are now also able to watch HD content from publishers including EA and Sega in a new large video player.
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Rainbow shuts Voom’s domestic operationsRainbow Media is closing down the domestic operations of its Voom high-definition programming service. The shutdown follows Dish Network’s decision in May to drop Voom’s 15 channels. The only other major distributor of the channels is Cablevision Systems, Rainbow’s parent company. Rainbow sued EchoStar Communications, which was Dish’s parent company before it was spun off, over the carriage dispute.
"Voom’s domestic business was made possible through an affiliation agreement between Rainbow and EchoStar, which was established in 2005. Unfortunately, earlier this year, a significant legal dispute arose with EchoStar. While that lawsuit is progressing, the expectation is that it will be at least a year before any sort of resolution is reached," Rainbow CEO Josh Sapan said. "Unfortunately, as we analysed the opportunities and challenges in the current environment and the lawsuit, it became clear that we can no longer operate Voom domestically, particularly without EchoStar fulfilling its obligations and providing its support."
The closure will result in an unspecified number of layoffs, although some staffers will move over to Voom’s international operations, which continue. Voom channels are available in over 30 countries.
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Macrovision buys TV Guide NetworkMacrovision Solutions Corporation, a digital entertainment specialist, has reached an agreement to sell its TV Guide Network property to Allen Shapiro and One Equity Partners for approximately $255 million, plus up to an additional $45 million payable through earn-out provisions through 2012. The transaction, expected to close no later than April 1st, 2009, includes the TV Guide Online (tvguide.com) business.
TV Guide Network is the 19th most distributed network and available in 83 million homes. TV Guide.com is one of the fastest-growing online entertainment destinations with over 15 million monthly unique visitors.
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Frontier Silicon CEO joins IMDA steering committee
Frontier Silicon has announced its founding membership of the Internet Media Device Alliance (IMDA), to be launched at next month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Frontier’s CEO, Anthony Sethill, has been appointed to serve on the steering committee of the new association.
IMDA aims to develop and promote a set of open standards and device profiles to maximise growth of a global consumer market in Internet-connected media devices.
"Being selected to serve on the steering committee is a great honour, and will help ensure that Frontier Silicon’s Internet radio solutions continue to provide receiver manufacturers with class-leading, solutions offering full interoperability with broadcasters and content providers," stated Anthony Sethill.
The Alliance will concentrate on the definition of a series of end-to-end technical standards, functions and profiles, encouraging development of a range of Internet media devices, and on the promotion of Internet-connected technology to consumers and retailers. Membership is open to consumer electronics OEMs and retailers, radio broadcasters, content aggregators, online music service providers, device manufacturers and technology providers.
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BBC iPlayer Desktop on Adobe AIR
The BBC and Adobe Systems have announced the public beta of the new BBC iPlayer Desktop download manager built on Adobe AIR, a key component of the Adobe Flash Platform.
The new BBC iPlayer Desktop beta will enable Windows, Mac and Linux users to download programmes to their desktops. Previously, the ability to download programmes was only available for Windows users.
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kbro selects NagravisionNagravision has been chosen by kbro, Taiwan’s leading cable multiple system operator (MSO) as the exclusive conditional access (CAS) vendor for its new broadcasting system; the companies have signed a five-year exclusive contract. Leveraging Nagravision, kbro will launch HD services by the end of the year.
