|
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
Our Latest Issues
Visit our archive to access more than 200 features!  |
Scroll down page or click below for news - latest first
Tuesday
Friday 13th June
EU guidelines on telco returns
RF remote control standard group
BSkyB: Freeview not the future
Ofcom to release ‘white spaces’
ITV calls for more peak ads
Free mobile broadband next year?
Deutsche Telekom VOD deal with MTV
EU guidelines on telco returnsThe European Commission is to issue guidelines for the telecoms industry on ensuring a fair return on investment and sharing infrastructure. Communications Commissioner Viviane Reding, said she would publish her guidelines in the autumn. "The objective will be to give certainty to investors on their return on investments over a reasonable timeframe, and to also make sure that access to new bottleneck infrastructures is guaranteed," Reding said.
There will be consultation on the guidelines before they are formally adopted by the Commission. Reding has proposed a package of measures, now before EU states and the European Parliament, to update telecoms rules to boost competition and investment in next- generation networks.
However, the package won't come into effect for several years and Reding said interim measures, such as the guidelines, were needed to encourage investment. "The key decisions about how high-speed Internet infrastructures will be made are being made now. Therefore we must make a virtue out of a necessity and exploit fully the existing EU framework in order to reach a more consistent approach".
The move follows lobbying from telcos claiming they cannot justify the massive investment in NGNs without some limits on free access to competing service providers.
Back to top
RF remote control standard groupPhilips, Samsung Electronics, Sony and Panasonic have joined forces to develop a standardised specification for radio frequency-based remote controls for audio visual consumer electronics devices. Working with Freescale Semiconductors, OKI and Texas Instruments, the seven companies have formed the RF4CE (Radio Frequency for Consumer Electronics) Consortium to create a new protocol that will enable the development of radio frequency remote controls that deliver richer communication, increased reliability and more flexible use.
Radio frequency remote controls enable non line-of-sight operation and the technology also provides more advanced features based on bi-directional communications such as display feedback for an enhanced entertainment experience.
Back to top
BSkyB: Freeview not the futureBSkyB customer group managing director Brian Sullivan has criticised Freeview, saying it is "not the universal blueprint for a digital future". He argued that the service’s limitations would become clearer as the digital TV marketplace evolved. He also stressed that BSkyB did not wish to be on the forthcoming VoD ‘Kangaroo’ platform being developed by BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
Back to top
Ofcom to release ‘white spaces’
UK regulator Ofcom has published proposals for the release of spectrum in the so-called "white spaces" created between DTT transmitters following switchover.
Ofcom says these white spaces could be used for a range of applications, including new DTT services covering the UK, or a UK region; or TV services for a city or a local area; special events; and mobile TV and mobile broadband. The first step, which will take place later this year or early next, will include the award of white space at sites in the first regions to switch to digital TV, creating opportunities for digital services covering Carlisle, Cardiff and Manchester.
Ofcom would then offer white space spectrum in other parts of the UK at the same time, through a combined award that would allow bidders to put together blocks of spectrum so they could offer new digital TV services. Ofcom said this award could take place in late 2009.
Back to top
ITV calls for more peak adsITV wants to air 15 minutes of ads an hour during its most-watched weekend shows to boost revenue. It could mean five three minute breaks during popular primetime shows such as X Factor and Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
Current rules allow ITV 12 minutes of weekend ads an hour if, on weekdays, it shows an average seven minutes in the day and eight at night. Brand and commercial MD Rupert Howell insisted he did not want more ad breaks in total, but the right to transfer slots from less popular shows to the most lucrative areas.
The call comes the day after the government disappointed ITV by saying it was minded to block product placement.
Back to top
Free mobile broadband next year?Mobile broadband could be bundled with standard contracts as early as 2009, broadband comparison site Top 10 Broadband has claimed.
"Competition is reaching its zenith in the mobile broadband market," said Jessica McArdle. "It is only a matter of time before mobile broadband modems are offered for free in conjunction with mobile phone packages in the same way as ISPs such as TalkTalk currently offer 'free' home broadband with home phone deals."
Back to top
Deutsche Telekom VOD deal with MTVDeutsche Telekom has signed a deal with MTV Networks Germany to offer the networks content in the video-on-demand library of the telco's IPTV service 'T-Home Entertain'. The agreement, effective immediately, allows the Deutsche Telekom to continually expand its selection of content from MTV Networks. Programmes cost E0.99 for a 24-hour rental.
Back to top
Thursday 12th June
UK Minister against product placement, for net regulation
Canal+ gets HD nod
Sogecable and Nokia in a mobile web deal
BBC stake for C4?
Belgacom bids for Interkabel
DTT will dominate digital
US networks take $9bn upfront
Telenor in TeliaSonera race?
Japanese IPTV standards
ESPN, DISH Open Golf mosaic screen
TVB on Eurobird 9
Alcatel-Lucent, Telstra mobile TV testing facility
UK Minister against product placement, for net regulationAndy Burnham, the new UK culture secretary, has said he is instinctively against product placement in TV shows. ITV shares sank on the news – they have been banking on placement in order to combat the skipping of traditional ads on PVRs. Burnham said the government had an economic interest in protecting standards in UK broadcasting because they were "part of Britain’s brand when it comes to world markets".
"Here and now, I do want to signal that I think there are some lines that we should not cross – one of which is that you can buy the space between the programmes on commercial channels, but not the space within them," Burnham told a media seminar in London. "We will be taking an active part in the consultation process on product-placement and we very much hope the government will be going into that with an open mind" said ITV.
Burnham also suggested the government should have a role in ensuring the same standards were met on the internet as on television and radio. "If a clip on YouTube gets a million hits, it is akin to broadcasting and it doesn’t seem to me to be too difficult to have an alert on that clip, an alert for violence or for sex."
Back to top
Canal+ gets HD nodFrance’s broadcasting regulator the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel, (CSA) has chosen Canal+ to provide a pay-DTT service on the designated ‘R3’ multiplex. Starting in 2012, the channel will broadcast most of its programmes in high definition between 14.00 and midnight.
Canal+’s HD service will replace the standard definition service currently available. The CSA’s decision means that from this year, five channels will be offering HD services on French DTT: HD TF1, M6 HD, F2 HD, HD Arte and Canal + HD.
Back to top
Sogecable and Nokia in a mobile web deal
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Sogecable, owner of Digital Plus and Cuatro, and Nokia have joined forces to jointly launch a mobile web portal, cuatro.mobi with content from TV channel Cuatro and digital DTH platform Digital Plus.
TV content will be available to all those users with a 2G and 3G mobile phone with downloading and video streaming applications in this latter case. To begin with, cuatro.mobi is offering the Euro Cup 2008 but later there will be specific content exclusively for the new portal.
Nokia will manage advertising through its division Nokia Interactive Advertising while Sogecable will provide content.
Back to top
BBC stake for C4?Channel 4 could receive a stake in BBC Worldwide, the Corporation’s commercial arm, under plans to plug its estimated £150 million (E187.5m) digital switchover funding gap. The solution is reportedly gaining favour among broadcasters and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport following heated debate about top-slicing the licence fee.
Back to top
Belgacom bids for InterkabelBelgacom is offering E420 million to the cable companies and municipal shareholders of the Belgian cablenet Interkabel. The telco said that its offer was E70 million more than that from Telenet and 40 per cent more than the upfront payment offered to the municipalities.
Under the Belgacom offer customers would not be bound to a single cable distributor. Belgacom also points out its deal would allow it to offer cable customers coverage of the Juliper football league, to which it has recently renewed its broadcast contract.
Back to top
Digital Terrestrial Television will be the primary TV service in 44 per cent of Western
European households by 2012, says ABI Research. Most DTT services are free-to-air (FTA) services. However, pay-DTT in particular is carving out a niche in competition with other pay-TV offerings from cable and telco-based service providers in some markets. A new research brief from ABI Research finds that DTT’s market potential varies widely from country to country, depending on factors that include the availability of digital alternatives and the current reliance on analogue terrestrial FTA TV.
Some pay-DTT providers are positioning their service as a kind of halfway house between free-to-air services and other forms of pay TV, says senior analyst Cesar Bachelet. ‘They offer all the regular FTA programs, plus some premium content at an attractive price. One of the most interesting markets, Italy is expected to show the strongest growth in DTT over the next five years, and pay-DTT is a leading component of that growth. It is attractive for several reasons including plenty of sports programming, but the main driver is the prevalence of Opay-as-you-go (PAYG) services that don't require a commitment to lengthy subscriptions.
Back to top
US networks take $9bn upfront
US networks — ABC, CBS, CW, Fox and NBC —have matched the $9.2 billion in advertising commitments they took last year in the ‘upfronts’. Howerver CPMs may be lower as several broadcasters sold more of their inventories of commercial time in this upfront market than they did in the upfront market for 2007-8.Typically, a network will sell about 75 per cent of its commercial inventory in an upfront market. In this instance, the percentages were as high as 80 to 85 per cent.
Back to top
Telenor in TeliaSonera race?France Telecom will face a takeover battle for TeliaSonera should Telenor, the Norwegian state-controlled telecoms company, make a rival bid. France Telecom last week made a cash and stock offer for TeliaSonera, worth $40.7bn. Telenor, 54 per cent Norwegian state-controlled, has not approached TeliaSonera or the Swedish government over a bid, but is "monitoring the situation closely", according to a spokesman.
Back to top
Japanese IPTV standards
The IPTV Forum consisting of telecommunication carriers, broadcasters and device manufacturers in Japan has formulated a technical specification draft for IPTV service receivers.This draft assumes broadcast services using IP multicast technology as well as VOD services that deliver videos through streaming or downloads. Receivers developed in line with this technical specification draft will support 'acTVila' and 'Hikari TV' services, for example. The IPTV Forum, a voluntary organisation, plans to hand over its achievements to a new organisation that will be launched to finalise the receiver specifications and advance the maintenance work.
Back to top
ESPN, DISH Open Golf mosaic screenDISH Network will present ESPN's coverage of the US Open through their Interactive TV (iTV) mosaic, a multiple-screen showcase, available to all of its more than 12 million iTV-enabled homes.
The iTV mosaic features six different channels of ESPN's US Open Golf coverage. Viewers can choose to watch all six screens at once, or select one to view in a full-screen format.
Back to top
TVB on Eurobird 9Television Broadcasts (TVB) of Hong Kong, one of the world's largest producers and distributors of Chinese programmes, has selected capacity on the Eurobird 9 satellite operated by Eutelsat Communications to launch its new multi-channel digital platform of Chinese-language channels for satellite homes across Europe.
Back to top
Alcatel-Lucent, Telstra mobile TV testing facilityAlcatel-Lucent in cooperation with Telstra Corporation, has opened a mobile TV handset testing service centre in Melbourne, Australia. The facility was developed to support Telstra’s Mobile Foxtel TV service and will help ensure that Alcatel-Lucent’s MiTV application and the Mobile Foxtel service are compatible with and operate smoothly on the handsets that Telstra offers to its customers.
The first Alcatel-Lucent facility of its kind outside of France, the centre represents a key step forward in bringing mobile TV-ready handsets to market quickly, dramatically reducing delivery time from up to three months to just 15 days.
Back to top
Wednesday 11th June
Verklin paddles Canoe
Kids and teens consume most online content
Apple unveils iPhone 3G
Bartlett named ITV chief
Motorola mobile movies
Disney films streamed online
Amino acquires AssetHouse
ADB signs for tru2way
C4 Digital given more time
News Corp TV appointments
VOOM expands VOD
Dell inks Five VOD ad deal
BBC Africa channels
China satellite to improve Olympics broadcast
EBU selects Tandberg
AOL launches UK games channel
Verklin paddles CanoeUS cable MSOs have hired the former head of advertising agency Aegis to run their platform for targeted advertising. David Verklin, who will run the project - code-named Canoe - is one of the most outspoken figures in the advertising industry, the WSJ reports. Canoe Ventures is expected to allow advertisers to insert ads into video-on-demand shows, allowing them to target people with tailored pitches in a similar way to advertisers on the Internet.
Verklin says Canoe Ventures plans to sell its new technology not to marketers directly but to programmers who will sell targeted ads to their advertisers. That allows the cable companies to avoid building their sales operations or alienating programmers by trying to go around them.
The ownership stakes in Canoe Ventures will be based on the proportion of subscribers that each cable company brings to the table. Each of the six founding companies -- Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Cablevison Systems, Charter Communications and Brighthouse Networks -- will also appoint a representative to the board of the new entity. The venture has so far received $150 million in funding, with each operator putting in an amount proportionate to its stake. Cable operators say they anticipate providing more funding down the road.Details of Canoe’s proposition are expecting to be unveiled later this week.
Back to top
Kids and teens consume most online contentNielsen research has revealed the unsurprising fact kids consumed more streams than those aged over 18, and spent more time watching online video from home. Kids 2-11 viewed an average of 51 streams and 118 minutes of online video per person during the month, while teens 12-17 viewed an average of 74 streams and 132 minutes of online video. Those over 18 viewed an average of 44 streams and 99 minutes of online video.
Apple has unveiled the new iPhone 3G, combining all the features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast as the first generation iPhone. In the US the new iPhone 3G is priced at $199 (E129) for the 8GB model, and $299 for the 16GB model.
"Just one year after launching the iPhone, we’re launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. " iPhone 3G supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync right out of the box, runs the incredible third party apps created with the iPhone SDK, and will be available in more than 70 countries around the world this year."
ITV has promoted Lee Bartlett to managing director of ITV global content, replacing Dawn Airey after her abrupt departure to Channel Five.
Bartlett, who was handling the role in an interim capacity following Airey's departure in April, will be responsible for overseeing ITV's UK and international production and distribution businesses. He joined ITV from Fox Broadcasting at the beginning of April.
Back to top
Motorola mobile moviesMotorola has introduced full-length films to watch on its mobile handsets for the first time. A deal with Paramount Digital Entertainment has made 40 titles available through Motorola's web-based store, combining classic titles and newer films. Users pay between £6 (E7.5) and £9 per title for users to download them to a computer and then copy them to their phones.
Andrew Till of Motorola's multimedia team, described the mobile video market as "primed for massive growth" and said mobile users are hungry for more video and music on their phones.
Back to top
Disney films streamed onlineDisney.com has announced that for the first time the site will stream full-length movies online, featuring selections from the Wonderful World of Disney. The films will first air on ABC as part of the network’s weekly Wonderful World of Disney presentation on Saturday nights throughout summer 2008. The full-length films will then be available for free streaming on Disney.com for the week following the network presentation.
Back to top
Amino acquires AssetHouseIPTV platform supplier Amino has acquired AssetHouse Technologies, the on-demand entertainment services provider behind the BT Vision offering.
Amino is a global provider of IPTV set-top boxes, with 1.75 million boxes sold worldwide. Amino says the acquisition of AssetHouse will enable it to build on existing relationships with telecommunication providers and broaden the range of technologies to IPTV service operators of all sizes.
Back to top
ADB signs for tru2wayAdvanced Digital Broadcast (ADB) has signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding with the top six cable operators in the US, together with major consumer electronics and information technology companies.
The Memorandum of Understanding endorses the tru2way technology platform developed by CableLabs for delivering two-way interactive digital cable services. Companies that have signed the Memorandum of Understanding include Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Cablevision, Charter and Bright House Networks from the cable operators' side; ADB Group and Digeo from the set-top makers' side; Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony from the digital television manufacturers' side; and Intel from information technology side. The aforementioned cable operators together represent over 80 per cent of all US cable subscribers with some 105 million homes passed.
Channel 4-backed 4Digital Group, the planned digital radio platform, has been granted formal permission to delay its launch by communications regulator Ofcom.
Required under the terms of its original licence to launch in July 2008, Ofcom has now agreed to give the 4Digital Group until the end of summer. However, the revised launch timetable is unknown.
Back to top
News Corp TV appointments
News Corp. has made three new senior appointments in its European television businesses. Gary Davey and Steve Tomsic become, respectively, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of News Corporation Stations Europe, a new entity which includes terrestrial television stations and their associated businesses operating across Europe outside the U.K. and Ireland. News Corp.Davey rejoins News Corp, he previously served as chief executive of Star TV, whilst Tomsic has been at Sky Italia for the past two years and prior to that was at Foxtel.
Back to top
VOOM expands VODVOOM HD Networks has launched two video-on-demand (VOD) offerings developed as a companion service to its 24/7 linear VOOM HD and RUSH HD channels, which are distributed internationally. The new VOD service will provide cable and satellite operators who carry the channels with five monthly hours of VOD programming for each channel, a move that adds another dimension for the growing list of global distribution affiliates served by VOOM HD Networks.
Back to top
Dell inks Five VOD ad dealComputer manufacturer Dell has struck a deal with Channel Five to "roadblock" all the advertising slots on Demand Five, the broadcaster's video-on-demand service, for four months following the expected soft launch of the service next week.
The deal will see Dell ads dominate the advertising slots around a number of Demand Five key programming, including shows ‘Neighbours’ and ‘Home and Away’.
Back to top
BBC Africa channelsBBC Worldwide Channels has pledged its commitment to the African market with plans to launch a suite of BBC-branded thematic channels into the region being confirmed. The channels will be available via MultiChoice’s DStv platform, Africa’s leading television provider, from 1st September.
The new thematic channels - BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and CBeebies - will replace and build on the success of existing channels BBC Food and BBC Prime.
Back to top
China satellite to improve Olympics broadcast
China has launched a new communications satellite, Zhongxing-9, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan Province. Zhongxing-9 was ordered by China Satcom from the France-based Thales Alenia Space, and will be used for live television broadcasting. It will be put into use before the Beijing Olympic Games and will enable people to watch live broadcasts of Olympic events.
Back to top
EBU selects TandbergTandberg Television is providing a range of MPEG-2 video compression technologies to the European Broadcast Union (EBU), the worlds largest contribution network, for coverage of several high profile sporting events this summer. Tandberg systems will play a key role in the delivery of footage of both SD and HD sports action from the 2008 Olympic Games, Tour de France, Wimbledon, as well as all the most prominent football events of the season to more than 650 million viewers in and around Europe.
Back to top
AOL launches UK games channelAOL has teamed up with leading online game publishers to relaunch its gaming site. The retooled site will broaden its advertising capabilities and demographic reach by creating a new look, easier navigation and a more diverse library of games. With more than 250 free games, the site also facilitates collaboration among players by offering user-generated game reviews, tips, ratings and chat capabilities.
Back to top
Tuesday 10th June
IPTV is being commoditised
Ofcom plans summer 2009 spectrum auction
Iliad eyes Alice
Spain and Italy join forces to boost DTT
IABM reveals squeeze on margins
Liberty bigger DirecTV Stake?
Slingbox puts Sky on iPhone
Jetix and Disney EMEA distribution deal
TRK expands with Cisco
Al Jazeera Sport HD with SIDSA
JumpTV and NeuLion to merge
NXP TV-output processor for mobile devices
Red Bee creative for CCTV Olympics
IPTV is being commoditised
IPTV is increasingly being offered free by telcos across Europe to encourage people to choose their broadband services. According to the latest research from Screen Digest, IPTV is rapidly becoming a commodity - bundled for no extra cost with a broadband and/or telephony package. The result is that nearly half (40 per cent) of today’s European IPTV households are currently enjoying the service for free.Given the capital expendiure needed to implement IPTV, it is not, says the company, justified as a churn buster but is there to attract broadband subscribers. Analyst Richard Broughton comments, "The primary intent behind most of the major IPTV services is to add new broadband subscribers not to drive profits or even to act as a churn reducer." This is confirmed by the number of IPTV operators reselling third party content packages rather than offering content of their own to attract viewers.
Back to top
Ofcom plans summer 2009 spectrum auctionOfcom said that it will begin the auction for the spectrum, freed up by the digital switchover, in the summer of 2009 as part of its ongoing review of the move away from analogue broadcasting to digital services, due to be completed by 2012.
The digital switchover will free up large chunks of high-quality spectrum, ideal for wireless services such as ultra-fast mobile broadband, mobile television and digital television services in standard or high definition, said Ofcom. The regulator will make the 128 megahertz of cleared spectrum available on a UK-wide basis, but one of its proposals includes limiting the amount of spectrum that any one organisation can acquire.
Back to top
Iliad eyes AliceIliad, France's third-largest provider of broadband and parent of Free, is holding talks to purchase the French Internet unit of Telecom Italia for E800 million. The purchase will allow Iliad to take back the No. 2 spot in France it lost to Neuf Cegetel last year. The companies aim to complete the deal by the third quarter of 2008. Iliad said Free has over 3m ADSL subscribers and Alice has 940,000 subscribers.
Back to top
Spain and Italy join forces to boost DTT
From David Del Valle in MadridSpanish and Italian Pro DTT Associations Impulsa TDT and DGTVi, respectively, have signed an agreement to promote the digital migration in both countries and seek a common strategy in the development of DTT all over Europe.
The presidents of Impulsa TDT, Eladio Gutierrez, and the DGTVi, Andrea Ambrogetti, agreed this cooperation in Lucca, Italy, during the European DTT Forum. The agreement is also aimed at avoiding the sale of those TV sets with no DTT identification and foster the use of DTT-based technologies in Europe. They agreed on several actions orientated at electronic manufacturers to allow the launch of "a common European platform for all the technologies based on digital broadcasting" aimed at "unifying the DTT implementation model in Europe to avoid possible conflict of interests among countries".
"The cooperation with DGTVi is a fundamental step in the development of DTT because it will enable us to identify and implement common technical solutions. In this way we will be able to make easier the access to added-value content through DTT", said Eladio Gutierrez, president of Impulsa TDT.
DGTVi will provide Impulsa DTT with information about the digital migration in Italy in order to make comparisons between both countries. "Undoubtedly, the knowledge about the solutions taken by each country in the planning and awarding of spectrum or trends related to High Definition and mobile TV will be to the benefit of all involved players in the migration to digital", he concluded.
Back to top
IABM reveals squeeze on marginsThe June 2008 Industry Trends Survey of IABM members reflects a notable change of sentiment amongst senior executives in the broadcast and media technology sector. Current order volumes are still robust but there is increasing softness in the selling prices with a consequent squeeze on margins. 55 per cent of respondents reported orders as expected with 32 per cent reporting better orders than expected.
CEO Roger Stanwell commented "The overall level of confidence going forward is markedly down compared to previous surveys. Those respondents whose confidence has diminished have increased significantly. It looks as if suppliers will face challenging times in the quarters ahead."
For the first time, Asia has moved ahead of North America as the most active market after Western Europe. Whilst, to some extent, this reflects the demography of the survey base, it is the first time that this has occurred. Whether this is due to business transacted ahead of the Beijing Olympics, a cooling in North America or more complex factors, remains to be seen.
Back to top
Liberty bigger DirecTV Stake?Liberty Media, which holds a controlling stake in DirecTV, is likely to increase its stake. At Liberty Media's annual shareholders meeting CEO Greg Maffei said the company is likely to increase its holdings in DirecTV to more than 50 per cent,. At the moment, Liberty controls about 48 per cent of DirecTV.
Back to top
Slingbox puts Sky on iPhoneVideo streaming specialists, Sling Media, will soon be letting iPPhone and iPod Touch users access their Sky programming through the devices. - but not until Apple has given the company its official blessing.
The Sling Player Mobile software, which talks over a Wi-Fi network to a Sling Player box attached to a Sky STB, allows users to watch live programmes and recorded content (from Sky+), set up recordings and manage content using the EPG.
Back to top
Jetix and Disney EMEA distribution dealChildrens’ TV network Jetix Europe has signed an agreement with an affiliate of its majority shareholder, The Walt Disney Company, for the distribution of its channels and digital content across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The move, which will come into effect as of 1st July 2008, will mean that the distribution of Jetix channels in the region will now be serviced by Disney-ABC International Television's newly integrated TV distribution business.
Back to top
TRK expands with CiscoCisco has confirmed that TRK Petersburg, Russia’s national TV broadcaster, has deployed Cisco Unified Communications to improve data delivery and accelerate its TV-programme production process. The upgrade of legacy network infrastructure supports TRK’s plans to expand Channel Five broadcasting nationwide by providing audio and video conferencing capabilities. It also helps TRK to deliver high-definition video content to customers over the high-performance broadband data network.
Back to top
Al Jazeera Sport HD with SIDSAThe Global technology provider, SIDSA, is providing Al Jazeera Sport with KeyFly Conditional Access System to protect its HD content. It is also managing the viewers‚ access to the different platform‚s channels, with the main sport events (among them, the Spanish Football League, the Italian League, Euro Cup and Formula 1). The platform currently includes three standard channels and one HD channel.
Back to top
JumpTV and NeuLion to mergeJumpTV broadcaster of live and on-demand sports and international TV over the Internet and NeuLion, an end-to-end IPTV service of live and on-demand sports, international and religious programming online and through set top boxes are set to merge.
Back to top
NXP TV-output processor for mobile devicesNXP Semiconductors has launched the NXP SAA8510 – a mobile multimedia TV-out processor to enable TV-output on any mobile device having a standard LCD interface. The NXP SAA8510 converts mobile digital video signals into high-quality analogue TV signals, which can then be displayed on any NTSC and PAL TV set. Advanced scale and filter technology creates excellent output quality and a significantly improved display of low-resolution mobile content on larger TV screens.
Back to top
Red Bee creative for CCTV OlympicsRed Bee Media has been hired by CCTV (China Central Television – the state TV network) as the official creative and production partner for the Beijing Olympics – this means creating all the title sequences, graphics and idents the world’s largest broadcaster.
Back to top
Monday 9th June
Nolan out at DTG
BT accused of ‘illegal’ ad trials
3G iPhone significant impact on mobile TV?
ESPN threatens Tata Sky with legal action
Ofcom ISP codes
485m to receive mobile TV by 2013
iPlayer not free through BT
Five sites network
TW won’t overpay for Weather
Intelsat interactive HDTV for Rikor
Korea IPTV for high earners
In game ads on PS3
DirecTV and Thomson launch MFH3
Nolan out at DTGDermot Nolan is no longer Director General of the UK’s Digital Television Group, the standards setter and promoter of digital TV. Nolan was a surprise choice to replace Richard Lindsay-Davis who had been with the organisation for four years.
Often a controversial figure, Nolan had been an independent consultant for several years before the appointment. No reason has been given for his summary departure and DTG was not available for comment on Friday afternoon.
The DTG’s chief operating officer, Keith Wilkinson, and technology director, Simon Gauntlett will assume joint interim management of the Group.
Back to top
BT accused of ‘illegal’ ad trials
BT should face prosecution for its "illegal" trials of a controversial ad-serving technology, says Dr Richard Clayton at the University of Cambridge after reviewing a leaked BT internal report.
The document reveals details of a 2006 BT trial with the Phorm system, which matches adverts to users' web habits. "It's against the law of the land," he told BBC News. "We must now expect to see a prosecution."
But BT plans to push ahead with a further trial of the technology later this summer, "We have not announced a date yet; we are still planning - it will be quite soon," BT said.
The company did not inform customers that they were part of the original tests in 2006 and 2007, although 30,000 subscribers were involved. Nearly 19 million web pages were intercepted during the 2006 tests, according to the leaked report, posted to the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks. BT described it as "a small-scale technical test".
During the trials adverts were stripped out of web pages served up to BT customers and replaced with more targeted ads, if available. If none was available, adverts for one of three charities were inserted.
3G iPhone significant impact on mobile TV?
With the imminent launch of its 3G iPhone, Apple has a window of opportunity to have a significant impact on the mobile TV market, according to a report from Analysys Mason.
"The iPhone could become the mobile video delivery device of choice for many consumers, by providing a compelling mobile TV and video proposition before mobile broadcasting networks, such as DVB-H become widely available", says Mark Heath, co-author of the new Analysys Mason report iPhone Shows the Way for Mobile TV.
Many operators are offering mobile TV services, using 3G streaming, but these are constrained by lack of coverage, relatively poor quality of service and 3G capacity limitations (as 3G networks may only support relatively low penetrations of mobile TV users).
Market research shows that many iPhone owners have accessed TV and video content, with greater frequency than subscribers using other types of mobile handsets. With added 3G capability, the iPhone will bring the following highly attractive attributes to the mobile TV market.
Back to top
ESPN threatens Tata Sky with legal actionTata Sky is headed for a legal battle with ESPN Star Sports. The sports broadcaster has accused Tata Sky of blocking its signals on its platform and has threatened to take a legal recourse against the DTH operator.
"It is extremely unfair on a DTH player to solve a commercial dispute by blocking our signals on its platform. We have very important sports series like Euro 2008 and French Open going on and the two million Tata Sky subscribers can’t get our signals," ESPN India MD R C Venkatiesh said. He said ESPN Star plans to move to TDSAT.
Tata Sky — which recently removed ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket from its basic bouquet to create an add-on sports package—maintained that the company is only following TRAI’s recommendations.
"Almost all broadcasters other than ESPN have accepted the TRAI guidelines that recommend that content prices should be made available to DTH platforms on an a la carte basis to give subscribers more flexibility. We are taking it up with TRAI to take sternest possible action against ESPN for their violation of the regulations," Tata Sky managing director Vikram Kaushik said.
Back to top
Ofcom ISP codesISPs in Britain will have to be clearer over their broadband speeds under a new code announced by media regulator Ofcom. Ofcom said it had decided to act after seeing consumer satisfaction in ISPs fall in the last year. Under the code, service providers will have to provide customers with an accurate estimate of the maximum speed that the line can support.
The regulator said some 32 ISPs, covering over 90 per cent of broadband customers, had signed up to the code including AOL, BT, O2, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media. ISPs will also have to offer customers the choice to move onto a lower speed package when the estimates are inaccurate.
Back to top
485m to receive mobile TV by 2013The number of people receiving Mobile TV will reach 485 million by 2013 according to predictions made by Cantab Wireless, in the report: "Mobile TV – Technologies, Country Cases, and Forecasts for 2008-2013". This report suggests that subscriber growth is anticipated to be strongest in Asia at first, especially in Korea and Japan. From 2010 onwards, Europe and the USA are expected to catch up.
Back to top
iPlayer not free through BTBT Vision customers are being charged for on-demand BBC content as part of the paid-for service, TV Replay Pack, despite the material being freely available on the Corporation’s iPlayer. Reports suggested that BT had always planned to charge customers for the BBC shows but a technical glitch had so far prevented them from doing so.
Back to top
Five sites networkUK broadcaster Five plans to roll out a network of websites in a bid to target key audiences like men, teenagers and children. The sites will be created as separate brands and will feature premium and bespoke content from Five’s properties to attract specific audiences. Among the audiences Five is keen to target are men aged 18-30, through programmes like The Gadget Show and MegaStructures, teenagers through soaps like Neighbours and Home & Away, and kids through Five’s Milkshake strand.
Back to top
Time Warner is interested in buying The Weather Channel as a companion for its CNN news network but will be "extremely price disciplined and price sensitive" in the auction for it, Chief Financial Officer John Martin told investors.
Time Warner is up against NBC Universal in the final stages of the auction for The Weather Channel, its Web business and related assets, according to people familiar with the situation. The two media companies recently emerged as leading contenders with bids in the region of $3.5 billion.
The Weather Channel is owned by Landmark Communications.
Back to top
Intelsat interactive HDTV for Rikor
Intelsat has signed a multi-year agreement with Rikor TV for the distribution of interactive High Definition (HD) television services into Russia.
Under the agreement, Intelsat will provide transmission services to Rikor on its Intelsat 904 satellite located at 60 degrees East, enabling Rikor’s programming to reach cable operators and DTH customers in Western and Central Russia, accessing more than 80 per cent of the Russian population. Rikor subscribers will be able to participate in interactive applications such as live polling events and real-time chats, making payments and purchases and obtaining background information about the programming content that is being viewed.
Back to top
Korea IPTV for high earnersThose willing to sign up for IPTV in Korea are mostly of relatively high income, according to the result of Netizen Profile Research conducted by online media lab Nasmedia. Among 5,000 respondents, 64.6 per cent were fully aware of what IPTV is and 39.8 per cent said they were willing to use IPTV. The higher the income levels of the respondents are, the better they understand the concept of IPTV and the more they intend to use IPTV in the future. Among those who earn 1 million won (about $1,000) or less a month, only 28.8 per cent said they would watch IPTV, while over half of the participants earning 5 million won or more said they would.
Nasmedia said, "As an on-demand service, IPTV expects big demands from those who are relatively affluent, but have little time to watch one-way TVs. This also indicates IPTV has great potential as an advertising media based on strong purchasing power of its users."
Back to top
In game ads on PS3Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) have confirmed the introduction of in-game advertising on its Playstation 3 (PS3) games console.
Marketers interested in placing advertisements in games for PS3 or publishers with available in-game space for advertisements are able to engage through advertisement distribution partners, with IGA Worldwide selected as PS3’s first partner. This partnership will serve to bolster the already rapidly growing worldwide in-game advertising industry, which is expected to grow 1,150 per cent to $971.3 million between 2006 and 2011 according to the Yankee Group.
Back to top
DirecTV and Thomson launch MFH3The MFH3 (Multi-Family Housing version 3) satellite-based distribution platform developed by DirecTV and Thomson is being rolled out with a new software release that doubles the number of DirecTV receivers MFH3 will support, providing a more cost-effective installation for large properties and enabling "injection" of local content, such as on-site amenity video feeds into the system.
Back to top
