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Our Latest Issues
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Scroll down page or click below for news - latest first
Tuesday
Friday 4th April
Virtual Nickelodeon
Freeview HD in 2009
ISPs must let subs set filters
Miniature HD cam
Comcast super speed
AT&T rolls out DISH, fades out DirecTV
Carphone interested in Tiscali?
Austrian Terrestrial Network selects T-VIPS
Virtual NickelodeonNickelodeon is building a virtual world in a bid to increase revenue in the real world. The company announced it is developing an entire virtual world, involving games, avatars and a strong social-networking component, based on network hit "SpongeBob SquarePants."
Nick also is expected to announce that it is developing Monkey World, a social-networking and massive multiplayer game based on an original concept and not tied to any of its existing franchises.The network also will announce that it will increase the interactivity on its Neopets site through a new virtual world called World of Neopia, and will add a paid tier to Nicktropolis, the overarching virtual world that's divided into sections based on Nick television shows and other properties. SpongeBob, Monkey World and Neopia also will have paid tiers when they launch next year.Nicktropolis currently averages about 1.5 million visitors per month, and executives said the paid tier will preserve that traffic by charging only for additional features like personalization. The company declined to disclose pricing details for the new tier or say what it might charge for various virtual words, though it's likely that pay tiers could be a key part of its revenue strategy.
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Freeview HD in 2009Freeview viewers in some parts of the UK, who choose to upgrade their reception equipment, will be able to watch high definition TV channels as early as next year, according to media regulator Ofcom.
The launch of the HD channels is being made possible by moving channels from Multiplex B into Multiplexes 1, 2 and A. Multiplex B was allocated to the BBC at the start of Freeview in addition to the corporation’s gifted capacity in Multiplex 1.
The BBC Trust will continue to be responsible for part of the capacity in Multiplex B and this is likely to be used for BBC HD. The remaining capacity will be awarded to the commercial public service broadcasters through a competitive bidding process. Ofcom is banking on both MPEG-4 and the new DVB-T2 technology that, that are eventually expected to deliver savings of up to 30 per cent of capacity."This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to upgrade digital terrestrial television. It offers benefits for broadcasters – who will be able to launch new services without using any new spectrum – and viewers – who will have access to new channels and services on free to air," said Ed Richards, chief executive, Ofcom. However, with only four channels, the DTT HD offer will still be tiny compared to the multichannel proposition on cable and satellite.
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ISPs must let subs set filters
ISPs who agree to filter illegal music and video out of P2P or other networks would have to tell subscribers about the practice - and let them turn the feature off, under a recommendation from the body that drew up the European Convention on Human Rights, rpeorts paidcontent. Deploying deep-packet inspection technology is one suggestion content owners have made in the piracy fight. They have already taken Eircom to court in Ireland to force it to do so, though ISPs there, as in the UK, argue monitoring to such a degree is scarcely possible.
But the Council of Europe’s committee of ministers has drawn up a new recommendation calling on member states to "ensure that users are made aware of activated filters and, where appropriate, are able to activate and deactivate them and be assisted in varying the level of filtering in operation".
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Miniature HD cam
Sony unveiled a video camera as small as a drinks carton, claiming it was the world's smallest and lightest high-definition camcorder. The camera, to go on sale in Japan this month, weighs just 300 grams and measures 32 mm x 119 mm x 63 mm but comes with a big price tag of $1,271. It can store 55 minutes of full high-definition images with a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels on an 8 gigabyte memory card, the firm said.
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Comcast super speedComcast the largest US cable operator has started offering a super-fast premium service launched in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The new service offers speeds starting at 50 megabits per second, compared with the previous fastest connection speeds of 16 mb per second.
Comcast said the new service is aimed at residential and business customers. But at $149.95 a month, compared with about $50 a month for its usual service, it is likely to attract businesses or very heavy residential users. Comcast shares the Twin Cities market with regional phone company Qwest Communications International.
Comcast Chief Executive Brian Roberts said it plans to reach around 20 percent of its subscriber base with the service by the end of the year. It plans to increase speeds on the service, eventually offering speeds of 100 mb to 160 mb per second.Comcast uses 'channel bonding' to achieve greater speeds.
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AT&T rolls out DISH, fades out DirecTVAT&T is rolling out a satellite video service with DISH Network Corp and has stopped marketing rival DirecTV Group’s rival satellite television service. AT&T said the company was still in negotiations with both DirecTV and DISH over a long-term partnership, which allows for bundled phone, Internet and video services. A decision is reportedly due by the end of the year.
The DISH roll-out is over territory previously covered by BellSouth Corp, which AT&T acquired in late 2006. BellSouth had a pact with DirecTV in its nine states, mostly in the US Southeast. Analysts have said AT&T, the largest US phone company, is likely to switch to DISH throughout its territory, although both sides appear to be haggling over price and other conditions.
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Carphone interested in Tiscali?Carphone Warehouse has emerged as a potential suitor in the running for Tiscali, the Italian broadband operator that was put up for sale this week. The Times reports that Carphone could be interested in Tiscali’s UK arm "at the right price." Tiscali has hired JPMorgan Chase to evaluate strategic options aimed at boosting value for its shareholders.
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Austrian Terrestrial Network selects T-VIPST-VIPS have been selected to distribute DVB-T for Austria’s terrestrial network. Following the award of a contract by ORS, T-VIPS has provided a system which initially distributes and controls video from several main transmitter stations to seven smaller transmitter towers to extend the SFN network.
The T-VIPS equipment was delivered through ETAS, T-VIPS’ business partner in Austria. ORS is an affiliate of ORF, the country’s largest media company.
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Thursday 3rd April
Portugal Telecom launches 70 channel DTH service
BBTV from blinkx
EU enter C4 DTV funding row
My media will boost consumer electronics
Mobile TV unknown to most
Telefonica trials standards as mobile TV declines
Five axes red-button
Siemens to deliver DMI for BBC
Viasat launches movie channel
Babelgum’s Wedding TV
Telenor selects Agama monitoring solution
Aperto raises $20m
Portugal Telecom launches 70 channel DTH service
From Branislav Pekic in RomePortugal Telecom has announced the launch of a DTH satellite service, which will complement its existing multi-platform offer. Meo Satélite carries more than 70 channels and provides HD in MPEG-4 with the latest Nagra conditional access technology. Portugal Telecom has signed an eight-year transponder deal with Hispasat, worth an estimated E43 million. The basic package, with 20 channels, will cost E14.90 (E9.90 for PT clients), while the most expensive package, with 65 channels, will cost E24.90 (E19.90).
Meo is also the brand name for PT’s TV offer which is available via IPTV, mobile phones (Meo Mobile), PCs (Sapo portal) and now also satellite. On IPTV, the service offers more than 100 channels plus digital recording, TV pause, VOD and HDTV. According to PT executive president, Zeinal Bava, the IPTV service will be available to 90 per cent of Portuguese households by September.
The Meo Mobile service carries more than 30 TV channels and a new mobile phone specifically designed to receive the service will be launched this month.
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blinkx has entered the broadband TV market with blinkx Broadband TV (BBTV) . The service initially offers independent films and news free of charge. The company hopes niche programming and high levels of interactivity will differentiate BBTV from its rivals.
Joost and Babelgum have both been running similar internet TV services for more than a year. But broadcaster-led services, such as the BBC’s iPlayer and US-based Hulu appear to have had greater success in thanks to their well-known and branded programming.
At launch, blinkx’s content partners for BBTV are Dogwoof Pictures, an independent film distributor, and ITN. Suranga Chandratillake, chief executive, said that "niche markets, assuming they get to a certain scale, are very interesting to advertisers".
blinkx has signed hundreds of content deals for its core blinkx.com website, where users can search through millions of video clips, mostly licensed from smaller media companies but also from the likes of Fox and NBC, the US networks that founded Hulu.
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EU enter C4 DTV funding rowThe European Union says it will investigate whether Channel 4 should receive a £14 million (E18m) injection to pay for upgrading to digital broadcasting. The European Commission has questioned whether such costs justify receiving public money via a share of BBC licence fee income. It appears the EU is acting after another UK.
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My media will boost consumer electronics
As consumers continue to demand content personalisation and portability in their electronics products, steady shipment growth of portable consumer devices is expected through 2011, reports In-Stat. The markets for digital radio receivers, edutainment toys, portable media players, and portable navigation devices will all thrive over the next five years, according to the high-tech market research firm.
"The most noticeable trends in these categories are the continued expansion of features, such as portable media players that can access the Internet, as well as the potential threat mobile phones pose to standalone personal navigation devices and personal media players," says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst.
Research by In-Stat found that Worldwide digital radio receiver shipments will reach 32.2 million units by 2011; edutainment toy shipments will reach 114.4 million units by 2011 and portable media player shipments will reach 275.0 million units by 2011.
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Mobile TV unknown to mostWhile the majority of wireless carriers now offer a mobile TV and/or video service, a QuickPlay Media survey shows that 47 per cent of consumers do not know whether or not their carrier offers such a service. "Mobile operators have done an excellent job addressing the cost concerns of consumers with the launch of ‘all you can eat’ data plans. Now, with the growing availability of advanced mobile devices, higher speed networks and high-quality mobile TV and video services, carriers have a further opportunity to drive service adoption by increasing marketing promotion of mobile media services," said Wayne Purboo, president and CEO of QuickPlay Media.
For consumers that are currently using mobile TV and video, the study shows that 71 per cent have a preference for mobile content "snacking" versus setting aside dedicated viewing times.
Forty-one per cent view content in between daily activities, 16 per cent while waiting in line and another 14 per cent while in commuting. Thirty-one per cent of people who have viewed mobile TV or video indicated that they have spent "less than five minutes" doing so and 58 per cent watch mobile TV and video at least 1 to 3 times per month. Fifty-seven per cent of those surveyed would consider the ability to pause and resume content a deciding factor in whether or not they would watch longer forms of content, such as a full-length movie, on a mobile device.
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Telefonica trials standards as mobile TV declines
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Telefónica is carrying out mobile TV trials using OMA BCAST v1.0 and several standards such as DVB-H, 3GPP MBMS, 3GPP2 BCMCS, along with other members, from 18 International companies, of the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA).
The aim is to prove interoperability and stability of standards that foster the creation of valid services to be available in different countries, operators and terminals, according to the company.
Amongst the standards to be used is DVB-H recently approved by the European Commission as the official standard in Europe. These mobile TV trials come at a time when a report released by The Cocktail Analysis reveals that the mobile TV consumption declines in Spain as 3G penetration is growing. Thus, according to the report, in 2007 18 per cent of 3G users watch TV at least once in comparison with 29 per cent in 2006, with half of them watching mobile TV from home.
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Five axes red-buttonFive has scrapped its interactive TV service, so viewers will no longer be able to access additional content for programmes or ads via the red button on their remote controls because it was not proving cost-effective.
Five has also abandoned its intercative TV advertising service, its red-button sponsorship strategy and 24/7 interactive services menu, which was home to a range of content including games, competitions and puzzles. The broadcaster has struggled to generate revenue from interactive TV since becoming the final terrestrial channel to launch a red-button service in September 2004.
C4 earlier abandoned its red button services but does maintain an interactive advertising facility.
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Siemens to deliver DMI for BBCThe BBC has commissioned Siemens IT Solutions and Services to design, build, deliver and manage the technology solution for its Digital Media Initiative (DMI). The project is one of the first and largest of its kind in broadcasting.
Siemens IT Solutions and Services, as the BBC’s technology partner, has been working with the Corporation to plan DMI and select the key technology vendors. Siemens will now act as the prime integrator on the project.
DMI is a pan-BBC project, designed to prepare the Corporation for an on-demand, multiplatform digital environment and provide a reusable foundation for the cost-effective delivery of new and emerging audience-facing services. The solution will support any asset that the Corporation creates or broadcasts via any medium, including web, broadband, analogue or digital terrestrial TV and mobile phone.
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Viasat launches movie channelViasat, the largest digital TV operator in the Baltic Region, has launched the channel TV1000 Premium - the first movie channel on the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian market. TV1000 Premium will air Hollywood movies 24 hours a day, subtitled in either Estonian or Latvian, while in Lithuania the films are dubbed. Russian subtitles are available in all counties.
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Babelgum, the free, interactive, alternative TV-quality Internet platform, has launched its Wedding TV branded women’s lifestyle channel with over 70 hours of programming.
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Telenor selects Agama monitoring solutionAgama Technologies has confirmed that Telenor, the largest TV Service operator in the Nordic region, has selected Agama to deliver an end-to-end IPTV service monitoring solution. The deployment is planned to cover all of Scandinavia during a three-year project.
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Aperto raises $20mAperto Networks, builder of carrier-grade WiMAX base stations and subscriber units, announced it has secured $20 million of new equity funding. The financing round was led by Quicksilver Ventures and included participation from several of the existing investors including Gunn Allen Venture Partners, JK&B Capital, Canaan Partners, Alliance Ventures, Innovacom, JAFCO Ventures, and Labrador Ventures.
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Wednesday 2nd April
Rapture loses Sky EPG appeal
GCap agrees Global deal
China adds 10 more online video licences
Free TV ad-Supported video on mobile
BBC OB to SIS
Cinea forensic watermarking
Limelight, Widevine alliance
Rapture loses Sky EPG appealRapture TV has lost its Competition Appeal Tribunal case against Ofcom and BSkyB over its allegation that the regulator had failed to properly investigate a claim that the satellite broadcaster had overcharged it for its EPG listing.
Many channels were waiting for the verdict before determinng whether to challenge Sky on its EPG charges. David Henry, the chief executive of Rapture TV, which was screened on the Sky digital satellite service but now airs on the internet, said he might close the business following the tribunal ruling.
Rapture had appealed to the Tribunal claimng that Ofcom did not fully investigate its complaint that BSkyB had overcharged it for its EPG listing. The channel, originally complained to Ofcom that its annual EPG bill of Åí76,800 (E103,000) from Sky was "unduly high", given that its annual turnover was under Åí150,000.
He said the charge for the channel - which airs a mix of entertainment and extreme sports programming - was bringing the channel "to its knees!" and claimed Sky had breached its regulatory obligations by offering unfair listing terms.
However, Ofcom cleared Sky of overcharging in February last year, saying the price had been "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory". In its ruling the Appeals chair, Marion Simmons QC, said that the tribunal had decided to unanimously dismiss the appeal as Rapture had not "done enough to make out a compelling case".
However, she said that the appeal had "raised some important points of principle" in the context of the pricing of conditional access services.
Ofcom said the regulator was "pleased" that the tribunal had upheld its decision while a Sky spokesman said the satellite broadcaster "welcomed" the decision.
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GCap agrees Global dealGCap Media has agreed to accept a £375 million (E503m) offer from rival Global. The deal brings Britain's biggest commercial radio company under the control of privately owned Global, which is run by former ITV boss Charles Allen.
Global wants to be able to offer advertisers "an attractive national proposition". Global was set up last year when its management team bought the stations of music and radio company Chrysalis with private equity money.
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China adds 10 more online video licencesThe State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) will issue a "Licence for Publication of Audio-Visual Programs through Information Network" to approximately 10 companies this April in China. Three private operators, including video-on-demand sites Joy.cn and 51tv, are expected to obtain new licences, while the remaining recipients will all be State-owned firms. Some of the licenses will be valid as of March 31. Tudou, 56.com, and other sites that focus predominately on facilitating user-generated video uploading and sharing have not appeared on the list of approved sites.
Joy.cn is already engaged in content-based co-operation with 300 film and television production agencies, as well as more than 30 satellite and local television stations nationwide, including TVB, ATV, EMI, and Huayi Brothers.
Free TV ad-Supported video on mobile
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom, and mywaves, the largest mobile video destination, have announced a partnership to deliver MTV's first-ever free, ad-supported video entertainment on mobile phones. Through the agreement, select video clips from VH1, Spike, GameTrailers and additional MTV brands will be available to mywaves users on the mywaves mobile website. mywaves and MTVN will collaborate to serve video ads on the mywaves platform, further extending MTV's advertising sales capabilities in mobile media.
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BBC OB to SISThe BBC has completed the sale of the Outside Broadcasts division to Satellite Information Services (SIS). The BBC has received approval for the sale from both the BBC's Executive Board and the BBC Trust. The business and staff of BBC Outside Broadcasts will transfer to SIS with effect from April 2008.
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Cinea forensic watermarkingCinea, a subsidiary of Dolby Laboratories, has confirmed that its Running Marks technology now enables traceable, stream-specific forensic watermarking of encrypted content. The new approach allows Running Marks to embed a unique serial number into individual customer video streams, without requiring providers or system operators to expose the high-value content in an unencrypted format. The new functionality enables distributors of on-demand content in the cable, telecommunications, satellite, and video-download markets to provide a secure distribution chain that minimizes cost, time, and exposure to theft and piracy.
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Limelight, Widevine allianceLimelight Networks, and Widevine Technologies have integrated Widevine Cypher with Limelight Networks' high-performance content delivery architecture. The alliance will enable media and entertainment companies to monetise virtually every piece of content in their libraries by securely delivering a rich-media experience to any platform, browser or operating system.
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Virgin institutes ‘3 strikes’
Thomson chairman out
Diller victorious
Brazilian broadcasters invest in HDTV
News Corp raising stake in Premiere
Gillat sells to VCs
Five approved as sports bidder
Conservatives: BBC Licence for all?
Sony films going mobile
Original programming for Xbox
TVMAX selects WinCable from GLDS
Virgin institutes ‘3 strikes’Virgin Media is likely to start threatening broadband customers who illegally share music with disconnection. The cable operator has confirmed it is talking with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) about piloting a version of its proposed three-strikes-and-you-are-out policy, under which ISPs would kick off rule-breaking subscribers. In this instance, those subscribers would be identified by the music body rather than by monitoring software installed by the ISP.
Such developments should reduce the likelihood of legislation being imposed by government, which had threatened new laws forcing ISPs to police piracy by next April if they could not agree on a voluntary solution.
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Frank Dangeard, chairman of Thomson, is quitting the French media services and electronics group following a meeting called to weigh the group’s strategy in light of a flagging share price.
His departure signals growing uncertainty over the future of the group, which was once one of the world’s largest consumer electronics companies with brand names RCA and Thomson, but has struggled to find its way in the new digital era. Dangeard will leave no later than April 12. Julian Waldron, the current CFO, will become acting chief executive with immediate effect until a permanent replacement is found.
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Diller victoriousIAC/InterActiveCorp chief Barry Diller has won a bitter legal dispute with Liberty Media Corp's John Malone, paving the way for him to proceed with efforts to spin off four of IAC's largest units. The Delaware Chancery Court ruling blocked Liberty's effort to oust Diller, the chairman and chief executive, and six other IAC board members. The decision followed a week-long court battle that exposed a deteriorating friendship between the two billionaire media moguls after more than a decade of business dealings.
"I wish this hadn't happened, but it did," Diller said. "Now it's over and we can all get on with our work and lives." Liberty and IAC sued each other in January over Diller's plan to structure the spun-off units with a single-class share structure that would halve Liberty's voting control over the businesses as separate entities. Liberty owns about 30 per cent of IAC, but retains 62 per cent control through a class of super-voting shares. Yet Diller runs IAC through a long-standing proxy agreement that gives him the sole right to vote those shares.
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Brazilian broadcasters invest in HDTV
From Branislav Pekic in RomeBrazil’s leading broadcaster, TV Globo, is to increase the quantity of programmes transmitted in HDTV during 2008. Starting from this week, the number of hours of HD programming will be gradually increased in São Paulo, the first city in which the system was implemented. Programs that will be recorded and broadcast in HD will include TV series, news and sports, including the Beijing Olympic Games. All post-production will be switched to HD and a new HD mobile unit with up to 30 cameras will be acquired. The next cities to receive the digital signal will be Belo Horizonte (from April 25), followed by Rio de Janeiro (May), Recife (by April 2009) and Brasília (1H 2009).
From April 1, HBO will become the first "premium" pay-TV channel in Latin America to air movies and series in HDTV during prime-time. The goal is to launch a new 24-hour HDTV channel during 2008. The HD programming will be transmitted using MPEG-4 compression via the Intelsat 3R satellite (43º West), which already carries HBO’s existing services. HD programming in Brazil was so far restricted to free-to-air channels in São Paulo and the Globosat HD channel, offered by cable operator Net in São Paulo.
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News Corp raising stake in PremiereNews Corp plans to raise its stake in German broadcaster Premiere AG from 19.9 per cent currently according to reports. News Corp. would seek a controlling share of Premiere, which would be possible – based on aggregate attendance at recent shareholders' meetings - with a holding of 23 per cent. News Corp. has already had contact with the European Union Commission, which would have to be notified once a shareholder accumulated a controlling interest.
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Gillat sells to VCsGilat Satellite Networks, global provider of products and services for satellite-based communications networks, has been bought by a consortium of private equity investors that includes The Gores Group LLC, Mivtach Shamir Holdings, companies affiliated with Roy Ben-Yami, Ami Lustig and Eytan Stibbe and DGB Investments in a transaction valued at approximately $475 million.
The Board of Directors of Gilat recommended that Gilat's shareholders vote in favour of the transaction. The closing of the transaction is subject to shareholder approval, certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. It is currently anticipated that the transaction will be consummated by September 2008.
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Five approved as sports bidder
UK broadcaster Five has been given permission to bid for rights to broadcast leading sports events including the World Cup, the Olympics and Wimbledon. Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, said that Five, which is owned by RTL, had applied to be added to the same category of broadcaster as BBC 1, BBC2, ITV1 and Channel 4 with regard to the so-called listed events.
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Conservatives: BBC Licence for all?Commercial broadcasters could get licence fee cash to compete with the BBC in key areas such as news reporting and children's programming under new Tory proposals. A Conservative research paper said it was essential to maintain "plurality" of provision amid signs that some commercial providers are struggling to justify some services.
"This tradition of plurality has been vital in raising standards across British broadcasting, as well as keeping the BBC on its toes," the document stated. "When Channel 4, ITV and Sky are at their best they raise the bar for the BBC. Without them, the BBC will atrophy."
No figures for the potential "top-slicing" of the licence fee have been produced by the Conservatives, whose leader David Cameron is a former communications chief at TV firm Carlton.
Sony Pictures Television is looking to launch the first movie network on mobile phones in the US. The studio has signed a deal with AT&T and MediaFLO USA to launch the linear channel as one of two exclusive channels coming to the newly announced AT&T Mobile TV with FLO service in May. The channel, to be known as PIX, will be launched with classic films including "Ghostbusters" and "Stand by Me."
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Original programming for XboxMicrosoft has agreed a deal with Hollywood producer Peter Safran to create original shows for distribution via its Xbox 360 console’s Xbox Live entertainment portal. Safran said the initial focus would be on scripted shows, with episodes running under 10 minutes, in genres known to appeal to the Xbox audience such as comedy and horror.
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TVMAX selects WinCable from GLDS
Great Lakes Data Systems (GLDS), provider of PC-based subscriber management and billing systems, has announced a new multi-year agreement with TVMAX, a MSO serving approximately 350 apartment complexes with over 100,000 homes passed in Houston, Texas. GLDS has successfully converted TVMAX from Convergys’ ICOMS to its WinCable billing and subscriber management solution.
TVMAX offers cable television and Internet services to numerous Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs); including, apartments, condominiums and gated communities. The new WinCable system will provide TVMAX with robust, cost-effective solutions to manage voice, video and data services.
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Monday 31st March
BBC and ITV try to stop Tvguide.co.uk
Korean telcos invest in IPTV
AT&T mobile TV with MediaFLO
Macquarie, MBK seal C&M deal
Piracy in India damaging economy
FCC gives more time for HD
Private content for Neuf VOD
YouTube Insight
New MTG channels for Sweden
BBC and ITV try to stop Tvguide.co.uk
The BBC and ITV have sought legal advice to determine whether the deep-linking that online TV listings site TVguide.co.uk does to their online video streaming is legal or not.
TVguide.co.uk, which has some 1 million unique visitors a month doing some 8 million page impressions, offers its users direct access to unbranded content from the two broadcasters, along with others. Broadcasters are concerned that listing aggregators will cut into their ad revenues around streaming, though Channel 4 and Sky said they were not worried about TVguide.co.uk’s moves.
This month TVguide.co.uk began streaming content from Channel 4, BBC News 24, ITV1, 2,3 and 4, as well as Sky News with plans to aggregate content from web TV broadcasters Babelgum and Joost. In February, broadcasters were able to successfully shut down online video recording site TV Catchup which they claimed was stealing their content.
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Korean telcos invest in IPTVKorean telecom firms are to invest around 1.57 trillion won (E9.9bn) on IPTV services this year according to the Broadcasting and Communications Commission (BCC). KT, the country’s dominant telephone and broadband Internet service provider, alone plans to spend 1.3 trillion won, and LG Dacom and Hanarotelecom respectively allotted 146.4 billion won and 122.1 billion won for the Internet TV business.
A large part of the money will be used in expanding and improving Internet networks. Purchasing TV content is another big expenditure. "By enriching the content of its Mega TV service, KT will endeavor to narrow the information gap between rich and poor people," said KT.
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AT&T mobile TV with MediaFLOAT&T is launching mobile television services in May with MediaFLO from Qualcomm. AT&T, the biggest US mobile service, said it would offer MediaFLO to users of the Vu phone from LG and the Access from Samsung and plans two exclusive channels. It did not reveal service pricing.
AT&T's service arrives about a year after Verizon Wireless started selling MediaFLO.
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Macquarie, MBK seal C&M dealAustralia's Macquarie Group and private equity house MBK Partners have completed a $2 billion joint acquisition of South Korea's number 2 cable TV operator C&M. The deal made the unlisted company the first Korean cable TV operator owned by private equity funds. The country's adoption of digital and broadband TV services raise hopes for further revenue growth.
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Piracy in India damaging economyThe US-India Business Council (USIBC) has released a study showing huge job and revenue losses to the Indian economy as a result of piracy in India’s burgeoning entertainment industry. The study - prepared for USIBC by Ernst & Young India, shows as much as Rs.16,000 (E253m) are lost each year due to piracy. As many as 800,000 direct jobs are also lost as a result of theft and piracy, afflicting India's entertainment industry.
Satellite companies gained a victory when the Federal Communications Commission voted to allow them to phase in a requirement that they carry all HD signals in any market where they carry any after the February 2009 switch to digital TV by all full-power TV stations.
The commission also ruled that DirecTV’s and Dish Network's requirement to carry all TV stations in a market where they carry any extends to DTV signals just as it applies to analogue TV stations.
Satellite broadcasters will have four years to phase in delivery of local stations' HD signals, the FCC said, explaining that it recognized the "unique" capacity constraints of satellite and accepted their argument that an immediate mandate would slow the rollout of HD service.
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Private content for Neuf VODPrivate Media Group has launched its content for Video-on-Demand on the Neuf Cegetel IPTV platform in France as part of Neuf’s Triple-Play offer. Neuf VOD will provide access to hundreds of titles from Private’s extensive proprietary movie library.
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Online video portal YouTube has released YouTube Insight, a free software tool allowing users who upload videos to see a breakdown of viewing figures, including chronological and demographic audience trends.
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Modern Times Group (MTG), the international entertainment broadcasting group, has confirmed that the Swedish Radio and TV Authority has awarded Viasat Broadcasting two new channel broadcast licenses in the Swedish digital terrestrial network and renewed Viasat’s existing four licenses. Premium channels ‘Viasat Sport 1’ and ‘TV1000’ will join Viasat’s TV3, TV6, TV8 and ZTV free-to-air channels in the DTT and all of the licenses are valid for six years.
