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Our Latest Issues
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Tuesday
Friday 11th December
Over 570,000 cards sold for TivùSat platform
YouTube sports portal
Chinese TV makers push for web TV standards
Weak economy boosts cheap STBs
PMPs continue to proliferate
Dish reaches 14m
Record audiences for BBC Digital
Humax unveils Freeview HD range
DTV sees strong growth in Hungary
AT&T U-verse hits 2m subs
NDS for Chongqing Cable TV
Over 570,000 cards sold for TivùSat platform
From Branislav Pekic in RomeDuring the first four months Italy’s free-to-air satellite platform TivùSat has managed to double its own growth objectives. To date it has sold 570,000 smart-cards to manufacturers of decoders and TV sets, almost double the objective of 300,000 cards.
This result comes at a time when three new TivùSat-certified decoders are to be launched. The positive trend is also confirmed by the acceleration of activations, which now stands at about 1500 per day.
TivùSat is owned by RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italy Media, but is open to all other broadcasters.
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YouTube sports portalYouTube is to launch a sport portal with video content from some of the world’s leading sport athletics organisations and events including the Paralympic and Commonwealth Games. The Google video site has signed a multi-territory deal with SportAccord, a body which represents international sports federations, to create the Sports Hub.
It will feature video content including live matches, interviews and behind-the-scenes from multiple sporting events and organisations, including athletics, skiing and darts.
YouTube, said, "We are confident that the Sports Hub will create new promotion opportunities for a wide variety of associations and enable them to reach both existing and new sport fans around the world with their content." Hein Verbruggen, president of SportAccord, said, "This is an amazing opportunity for our members and sport to."
SportAccord members include the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), ICC (Internation Cricket Council) and ITU (International Triathlon Union).
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Chinese TV makers push for web TV standards
Along with nine major Chinese TV brands, the China Video Industry Association (CVIA) under The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MII) has filed applications for two industry standards for Web-enabled TV setsThe standards are drafted mainly by CVIA, China Digital Home Industry Association (CDHIA), and Chinese TV makers such as TCL, Skyworth, and Changhong.
Coded as SJCPZT0309 and SJCPZT0310, the two standards are named as the Web TV Application Technical Requirements and the Web TV User Certification management System Technical Requirements.
Hao Yabin, deputy secretary general at CVIA, says if everything goes smoothly the two standards will be put into effect next year, adding that the standards are not only for Web TV sets, but Web TV content too.
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Weak economy boosts cheap STBs
Dell’Oro Group has reported that the worldwide Set-top Box market fell 10 per cent sequentially during the third quarter of this year to $2.6 billion. "The global economic recession has resulted in significantly less home construction and fewer residential home moves, causing pay-TV operators to struggle to gain gross subscriber additions," said Greg Collins, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group. "Consumers, now faced with less disposable income, are more apt to choose less expensive, lower-tier services, thus boosting the low-end set-top box market," Collins added.
During the third quarter, vendors like Motorola and Cisco, who both have a high degree of exposure to the North American market, saw large contractions in IP STB unit shipments due to the decline in net subscriber additions. In China, Huawei continued its strong growth putting more pressure on ZTE and UTStarcom. ZTE however, retained its grip on being the third largest vendor in the worldwide IP STB market.
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PMPs continue to proliferatePortable electronics device shipments will grow more than 10 per cent in 2009 versus 2008 according to market research firm, In-Stat. The category, which includes digital radio receivers, e-readers, edutainment toys, handheld game consoles, MP3 players, portable media players (PMPs), and personal navigation devices (PNDs), is expanding to over 400 million units in 2009. By 2013, it will approach 600 million units. While some segments, such as handheld game consoles and MP3 players, have hit maturity and peaked, other segments continue to emerge.
"We’re seeing significant growth in the e-reader segment, as it evolves from a nascent market," says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst. "And while MP3 players have peaked, this represents more of a migration to video-capable devices, as shipments of PMPs continue to expand."
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
- Shipments of portable entertainment devices in Europe will be 157 million units in 2013. Shipments to Japan will be 58 million.
-Worldwide unit shipments for PNDs will reach approximately 56 million units in 2012.
- Total worldwide shipments of PMP & MP3 players will reach 225 million in 2009, with Asia-Pacific representing the largest geographic market.
- Worldwide e-reader shipments are expected to grow from almost 1 million units in 2008 to nearly 30 million units in 2013.
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Dish reaches 14mDish Network has recently passed the 14 million customer milestone. This achievement follows Dish Network's third quarter in which it added more net subscribers than any company in the multichannel video distribution business.
"Surpassing 14 million subscribers is testimony to the strides we made over the past year in providing a best-in-class video experience," said Charlie Ergen, Chairman, President and CEO of Dish Network. "We have more high definition channels than any other TV provider, we feature award-winning DVR technology, and we do it all at the most economical prices in the business."
Dish Network offers more than 150 national HD channels, local HD channels in 152 markets, and top-rated 1080p technology that provides the best picture available.
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Record audiences for BBC DigitalThis year BBC Three is on target to increase its share of 16-34 year olds to 4.4 per cent (from 4 per cent). Year-on-year growth on BBC Three is 9 per cent, making the channel the most watched amongst 16-34s with 4.8 million watching every week. Overall, reach among 16-34 year olds is up across the BBC's channels from 75 per cent to 75.3 per cent.
BBC Four's share will have grown from 0.95 per cent to 1 per cent and this year the channel recorded its highest viewing figures ever.
CBeebies has grown its audience share from 15.4 per cent to 16.4 per cent and remains the most watched pre-school channel. CBBC reaches more 6-12 year olds than any other children's channel (34 per cent).
November witnessed a record 59.6 million requests to view TV programmes on the BBC iPlayer compared with 53.2 million in October.
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Humax unveils Freeview HD range
From Colin Mann in LondonHumax has unveiled its Freeview HD set-top box, which is targeted for commercial release in the first quarter of 2010. The Humax HD-Fox T2 incorporates a DVB-T2 tuner, which will enable it to receive the recently launched Freeview HD offerings.
Available after launch will be a Home Networking Solution – for content sharing through a home network - as well as single tuner PVR functionality via a USB. Humax Commercial Director Graham North described the box as "portal ready". He anticipated the box retailing at around £170. Scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2010 is a DVR Freeview HD box "in time for the World Cup" noted North.
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DTV sees strong growth in HungaryIn October 2009, the number of households in Hungary using digital television topped the 1.1 million mark, according to the flash report released by the National Communications Authority (NHH).
According to NHH estimates and previous surveys, of the close to 3.8 million Hungarian households approximately 3 million subscribe to some sort of television service. The remaining nearly 800,000 households watch analogue and digital terrestrial broadcasts accessible through rooftop or room antennae or freely viewable satellite broadcasts.
At the end of October, the service providers featured in the flash report – Magyar Telekom Nyrt., Invitel Zrt., UPC Kft., FiberNet Zrt., DIGI Kft., PR TELEKOM Zrt., Zelka ZRt., TARR Kft., TvNetWork NyRt., ViDaNet Zrt., PARISAT Kft., RubiCom Zrt., Antenna Hungária Zrt. and HD Platform Kft. – registered a total of 2.481 million subscriptions, 22 thousand more than a month earlier. In October, the number of persons with a digital subscription with the featured 14 service providers rose by 26 thousand to 1.109 million, while the number of analogue subscriptions with the same providers dropped from 1.376 million to 1.372 million. In October, 44.7 per cent of subscribers of the service providers featured in the flash report used digital services, compared with September’s 44 per cent.
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AT&T U-verse hits 2m subsAT&T has that it has reached its 2 millionth AT&T U-verse TV customer. In the last year, AT&T has added one million customers to the award-winning TV service available to millions of homes across the US.
AT&T has also announced the launch of AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet Max Turbo, which offers broadband speeds of up to 24 Mbps downstream and up to 3 Mbps upstream.
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NDS for Chongqing Cable TVNDS and DOXTV, a leading value-added TV service provider in China, have launched China’s first HD digital video recorder and push VOD service for Chongqing Cable subscribers. In the first deployment of both a HD DVR and push VOD in China, Chongqing has chosen solutions from NDS including VideoGuard conditional access, MediaHighway STB software, XTV DVR technology with push VOD capability and an electronic programme guide developed by NDS and DOXTV.
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Thursday 10th December
Report urges global IPTV standard
Liberty examines MGM
DVR usage and online viewing continues to rise
ADB follows tru2way
Qwest going OTT
CBS sees advertising revival
UK broadband tax details
Romtelecom launches IPTV service
E4 HD to launch on Sky
Disney joins FLO TV line-up
Cello launches iViewer
DVB-T2 in Finland
Report urges global IPTV standardA study by management consultancy Arthur D. Little has warned that without a single, global IPTV standard, the industry could fail to deliver.
According to the report "Open standards for IPTV Set-Top Boxes," with a variety of Internet-ready consoles already in the home (gaming platforms, PCs, DVD players), the industry has yet to reach a consensus as to which device will serve as the hub for delivering IPTV.It says mass-market take up of IPTV via set-top boxes (STBs) is the industry’s best chance of funding large-scale fibre broadband infrastructure, so ensuring the STB becomes a universal household fixture must remain a top priority for telecom regulators and players along the supply chain.
"With no widely accepted standard for delivering IPTV, the industry risks lower interoperability and higher costs," said Erik Almqvist, partner and head of Arthur D. Little’s Telecommunication, Information, Media and Electronics (TIME) Practice in the Nordic region. "In some cases proprietary solutions can solve this problem, but for the set-top box no proprietary standard is emerging that can achieve sufficient acceptance to drive global demand."
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Liberty examines MGMLiberty Media Corp Chief Executive Officer Greg Maffei has said the company will look at the Hollywood studio and library assets of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which is considering selling itself to the highest bidder.
Maffei said the company would look at MGM for a possible transaction but said the assets are not a "must-have" for its Liberty Starz unit. MGM is struggling with nearly $4 billion in debt and has sent a prospectus to about 20 interested parties including Time Warner, News Corp, Lions Gate, and Sony.
Industry observers estimate MGM could be worth around $2.5 billion. It is owned by a group including private equity firms Providence Equity Partners and TPG and media firms Sony and Comcast. The group bought MGM for $2.85 billion and assumed $2 billion in debt as part of the purchase.
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DVR usage and online viewing continues to riseNielsen's latest Three Screen Report reveals that while 99 per cent of video content in the US is viewed on traditional TV, DVR usage is up by 21.1 per cent since Q3 2008, while online video usage is up by 34.9 per cent.
"Americans today have an insatiable appetite for not only content, but also choice," said Nic Covey, the director of cross-platform insights at Nielsen. "Across all age groups, we see consumers adding the Internet and mobile devices to their media diet—consuming media anytime and anywhere possible."
In the third quarter of this year, the average American spent 31 hours watching television each week, with 31 minutes spent on DVR viewing. Plus, more than 4 hours per week is spent on the Internet, and 22 minutes is spent watching online video, Mobile video usage stands at 3 minutes per week. The 65-plus set spends the most time on traditional TV, with more than 43 hours.
The highest DVR usage, meanwhile, comes from the 25 to 34 demo (56 minutes), followed by the 35 to 44 group (52 minutes). The 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 age groups both spend an average of 35 minutes per week with online video, with the 35 to 44 set spending 33 minutes and the 45 to 54 set spending 30 minutes. The mobile video usage time is highest among teens 12 to 17: 13 minutes, well ahead of the 5 minutes spent with mobile video by the 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 groups.
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ADB follows tru2way
From Colin Mann in GenevaDigital television technology specialist Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB) has demonstrated live that it can deliver the promise of tru2way interactive technology for cable system operators, and consumers. At a recent CableLabs Interop event, ADB showed how its ADB-4820C high-definition set-top box could seamlessly support the full functionality of both Cisco and Motorola tru2way head-ends and CableCARDs. The ADB-4820C was first connected to a Cisco head-end using a Cisco CableCARD, and displayed Time Warner Cable’s TV channels and tru2way interactive guide.
Without powering down the set-top, the CableCARD was subsequently removed from the box and replaced with a Motorola CableCARD. The box then automatically connected to the Motorola head-end, and in less than five minutes, displayed Comcast’s TV channels and tru2way interactive guide.
The CableLabs demonstration was designed to illustrate how a correct implementation of tru2way devices and head-ends allows portability and interoperability between head-ends, networks, and set-top boxes, dramatically reducing the cost of integration, deployment and ownership for cable MSOs.
"The promise of tru2way has been that a single platform would lead to a transformation of the set-top box environment by allowing one device to fit multiple systems," said Timothy P Schermerhorn, SVP and GM of Advanced Digital Broadcast’s Americas Cable business unit, who said that rather than delivering technology pieces that operators were left to integrate at high cost, the solution provided a fully integrated set-top platform that was ready for immediate deployment. "This saves operators’ time and money allowing them to focus on advanced TV services development rather than on set-top integration," he added.
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Qwest going OTTQwest Communications continues to chart a unique course among major US telecom service providers, focusing on improving its broadband network in the belief that video content is moving rapidly to an over-the-top (OTT), on-demand model, Neil Cox, Qwest's EVP for product and IT, said at the TM Forum-run event.
"Only sports need to be live," Cox said. "We see these walled-garden IPTV models breaking down. We see a tremendous amount of over-the-top video."
For that reason, Qwest will continue to partner with DirecTV Group, which has added an Ethernet jack to its newest DVR/set-top receiver to bring broadband content to the TV set "to provide a really rich customer experience," said Cox.
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CBS sees advertising revivalCBS said the fourth quarter was better than the preceding three quarters, buoyed by higher prices paid for advertising time sold closer to when TV programmes aired. Advertising pricing is up more than 25 per cent and, combined with more advertisements sold, CBS is expecting to add $100 million more in sales for 2009 than last year.
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UK broadband tax detailsThe UK government's controversial broadband tax has been detailed in the pre-Budget report. The £6 (E6.6) a year levy will be imposed on all households with a fixed line phone. The government would provide super-fast broadband to 90 per cent of the UK by the end of 2017.
The money is earmarked for the 30 per cent of homes that experts think will be by-passed by commercial fast broadband plans. It is estimated that the broadband tax would raise around £170 million a year, which is some way short of BT's estimate of £5 billionn needed to provide super-fast fibre services to every UK home.
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Romtelecom launches IPTV serviceRomtelecom has launched an IPTV service named Dolce Interactiv three years after it introduced its satellite TV service Dolce. Initially available in Romania's ten largest cities, Dolce Interactive is aimed at Romtelecom Clicknet Internet users with download speeds of at least 8 Mbps. Romtelecom says Dolce Interactiv will be gradually optimised and upgraded with new functions in the following months and will be made available in other cities at a later stage. The service, which is accessible via a web portal, offers access to various TV programmes and to a VOD library and the option to simultaneously record multiple programmes.
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E4 HD to launch on SkyE4 HD, Channel 4’s second dedicated HD channel, is to launch on the 14th December on Sky’s HD service, Sky+HD. A simulcast of E4, the channel will provide access to a wide range of hits series to UK and Irish viewers in HD for the first time. The multi-year deal will see E4 HD incorporated into Sky’s HD Pack and brings the total number of HD channels available through Sky+HD to 36.
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Disney joins FLO TV line-upFLO TV, provider of the FLO TV live mobile TV service, has expanded its content distribution agreement with The Walt Disney Company to add content from the ABC Television Network and Disney Channel to its line-up, joining content already available on ESPN MobileTV. As part of the deal, FLO TV users will have access to some of the most popular shows in primetime from ABC Mobile and a simulcast of the Disney Channel.
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Cello launches iViewerCello Electronics has launched the iViewer. The iViewer TV enables users to stream BBC iPlayer directly without the need for a set top box or games console. This LCD TV allows users to quickly connect to the internet via an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi dongle - all they need is broadband access. As well as BBC iPlayer, the iViewer also allows other Internet based media to be streamed directly through the LCD TV including YouTube, Disney Movies Preview, Movie Rush, Autocar Magazine, Sky Sports Boots and All and the CNN daily video podcast.
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DVB-T2 in FinlandTeamCast, a specialist in mobile TV and DTT, is partnering with the Finnish operator DNA Oy - the operator selected by the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications in Finland for the operation of two multiplexes in VHF frequency band, using the DVB-T2 standard (the new digital terrestrial broadcasting standard which supports HDTV programmes). The companies are collaborating on the implementation of solutions for DVB-T2 in Finland.
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Wednesday 9th December
BT and Google talk Content Connect?
Teens still watch TV
Government urges BBC Worldwide sale
ESPN wins FA Cup matches
Sport on UK TV consultation
First beta release of MHEG interaction channel on Freesat
Boxee in set top
Discovery appoints Liguori as CEO
3view launches IP connected HD free-to-air STB
Discovery introduces TLC HD in Brazil
BT and Google talk Content Connect?BT is said to be in talks with Google about an online tie-up that would deliver big improvements in the quality of Internet video programming. BT is working on a deal to make Google's YouTube and other video content available on a new digital delivery network, which BT's wholesale arm is creating for ISPs.
BT Wholesale is working with two other ISPs – understood to be Orange and Virgin Media – as well as the BBC, Channel 4 and Five, on a network called Content Connect. The idea is to store popular video content on this network, rather than relying on the Internet, which is becoming increasingly congested for video.
It would also enable the ISPs to try to recoup some of the cost of providing online video as they struggle to keep up with capacity demands. The service is being tested by several thousand British broadband users, who are receiving uninterrupted access to content such as the iPlayer and 4oD, even at peak times when many other users suffer poor quality or slow downloads.
At the moment media companies often pay the likes of Silverlight or Akami to optimise storage the most popular content as close as possible to the relevant consumers, but this doesn’t guarantee delivery in a contented and, often, throttled world.
Now the idea is the media companies would pay the ISPs to have their content on their dedicated network and get a guaranteed service even at peak times. But it is a controversial concept as it gives the ISPs with the opportunity to exclude or throttle content from media companies that are not in the scheme. As such, it presents a challenge to the 'neutrality' of the internet.
BT Wholesale claims some media companies are already paying for more reliable access, while some ISPs will soon be faced with the question of whether they continue to spend money on their networks when many of the main beneficiaries – web-based services – give them no return.
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Teens still watch TVBased on a Europe-wide survey of nearly 1,400 internet users aged 12-17 across seven major territories (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands and Sweden), Forrester captured a number of key teen consumer trends:
—TV is still the main media channel for teens.
Reports of TV’s death have been greatly exaggerated. European teens still spend more time watching TV (10.3 hours per week on average) than they do using the Internet for personal purposes (9.1 hours). But gaming – 11.7 hours per week if you combine time spent playing games on a PC and on a console – now consumes even more time than TV for European teens.—Social interaction online is an integral part of media consumption.
European teens have embraced social media – not only Facebook, which 44 per cent visit at least weekly, but blogs, which 30 percent read at least weekly.—Multi-tasking is mainstream.
Content providers need to understand that for most teen users, content is rarely consumed in isolation on one platform. The vast majority of internet using European teens do something else while online – 50 per cent listen to music on the PC, while 45 per cent watch TV while online, for example.
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Government urges BBC Worldwide sale
The UK government has included BBC Worldwide in the portfolio of assets it is considering selling and is urging the corporation to "look more widely at the options for greater financial and operational separation, including a sale or partial sale".
The BBC responded that BBC Worldwide "is not up for sale", although it continued "to keep an open mind about the appropriate ownership structure".
This puts more political pressure on the BBC following a promise by the prime minister, Gordon Brown, to name and shame publicly-funded organisations that pay excessive salaries. At least 40 BBC managers who are paid more than £150,000 (E165,000) a year will now have to have their salaries approved by the Treasury.
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ESPN wins FA Cup matchesESPN UK will show live FA Cup football from next season, after agreeing a deal with the Football Association to fill the gap left by the collapse of the pay-TV broadcaster Setanta.
ESPN's offer is thought to have been 60 per cent higher than that tabled by the BBC, however, that bid is also reported to be for a longer contract period and still worth substantially less than the amount paid by Setanta. ITV will have first pick of matches but ESPN will show two live games per round. ESPN's deal will not start until the beginning of next season. In the meantime the FA will continue to sell the rights to one extra game per round to ITV and broadcast one free over the Internet. The online experiment has been considered a success and the FA plans to continue the innovation next season.
Next year the number of live Premier League matches that ESPN has the rights to will be halved, to 23 per season. The rights to two live FA Cup matches per round, and joint rights to the final with ITV, will give the channel access to valuable content at a time when it faces losing subscribers. The contract is thought to run for at least four years.
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Sport on UK TV consultationThe UK government has launched a consultation into plans to return live coverage of the Ashes and home nations' Football World Cup qualifiers to free-to-air TV.
Currently, there is a list of sports which are reserved for broadcast live only on free-to-air TV, such as the football World Cup tournament, and, a second list that dictates which sports must be shown in highlights form on free-to-air TV.
In November, David Davies, former boss of the Football Association, published a review of which sports should be broadcast live only on free-to-air TV. He concluded, that among other changes, live coverage of the Ashes and home nations' Football World Cup qualifiers should return to free-to-air TV.
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First beta release of MHEG interaction channel on FreesatIMPALA, the International MHEG Promotion Alliance, has welcomed the news of the beta release of the world’s first deployment of hybrid broadcast broadband MHEG Interaction Channel (MHEG-IC) by UK free-to-air satellite platform Freesat.
Freesat, which is owned by the BBC and ITV, will allow access to the highly successful BBC iPlayer catch-up TV service via the IP connection, supplementing its existing broadcast content.
The principles behind the MHEG-IC are to provide a seamless viewer experience of broadcast-delivered content augmented with content delivered over IP as an extension of the channel or network. The MHEG-IC gives access to streamed on-demand video content in addition to traditional text and graphics as well as the ability to support secure transactions.
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Boxee in set topBoxee has said that it would put its software into a set-top box that will go on sale next year. The company announced a partnership with D-Link, a Taiwanese manufacturer of networking equipment, which will make a device that will allow people to browse Internet videos on their TVs. The companies hope to keep the price of the device under $200.
Boxee collects videos and music from Web sites like Netflix, MLB.TV, Comedy Central and Pandora, and presents it in a visually friendly format that resembles a television directory, while adding some features from social networks.
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Discovery appoints Liguori as CEO
Discovery Communications has turned to a Hollywood marketing executive to lead its joint ventures with Oprah Winfrey and Hasbro. Peter Liguori, the former Fox Broadcasting chairman, will take over as Discovery’s chief operating officer, replacing Mark Hollinger, who took over the group’s international networks last week.
The former HBO and FX Networks executive confirmed he had spent part of the intervening months advising Comcast on its bid for NBC Universal, which was driven by the cable group’s interest in NBCU cable channels such as USA Networks.
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3view launches IP connected HD free-to-air STB3view has confirmed the availability of what it claims is the world’s first Internet connected HD set-top box with free-to-air capabilities. This means retail partners now have access to the first commercially available set-top box which combines the ability to receive high definition free-to air programming with a raft of Internet capabilities.
The device turns people’s television into a connected device, allowing them to use a range of new TV over IP services. In addition, people will also be able to browse the web and keep up with Facebook and Twitter friends, all at the same time as watching both Standard and High Definition free-to-air television channels in the UK.
The 3View box provides users with access to HD television channels through a purpose built Interactive Programme Guide. Its also acts as a home hub and PVR, with 320 GB of storage allowing for hundreds of hours of TV to be recorded. In addition 3view’s purpose-built search technology not only lets users search past and up and coming programme schedules, but also Youtube, pictures, movies and music on an associated home networked.
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Discovery introduces TLC HD in BrazilDiscovery Networks has announced the expansion of its international portfolio of networks with the launch of TLC HD in Latin America. Available immediately, TLC HD will air on SKY Brazil, offering the programming in true high-definition format, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. TLC, one of Discovery’s most successful brands in the US, now joins Discovery HD and Animal Planet HD as the company’s third international HD brand.
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Tuesday 8th December
EBU ‘excited’ by HbbTV, will work for ‘common core’
La7 launches online free on demand HD platform
US advertising habits revealed
Deutsche Telekom launches IPTV, iPhone bundle
mirada and Sky Italia team for interactive advertising
PA partners with Vizimo for online video
MTG and Sanoma launching sports channel in Finland
SES World Skies and SatLink expand collaboration
EBU ‘excited’ by HbbTV, will work for ‘common core’The General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union is backing the forthcoming Hybrid Broadcasting Broadcast TV (HbbTV) standard, describing it as one of the "most exciting developments in the media today".
The EBU added that while alternative approaches to the mission of making both broadcast and broadband content available on the same TV have been developed, the EBU Technical Committee are "doing all they can to help alignment of the systems".
There are four systems named as being developed or in development at present (HbbTV, MHP, CTV and Project Canvas), and the EBU reports that efforts are being made to see if there could be a "common core" which would be universally used.The HbbTV consortium has recently completed an interoperability workshop and simultaneously submitted a draft specification to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
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La7 launches online free on demand HD platform
From Branislav Pekic in RomeLa7 has become the first national broadcaster in Italy to launch an on-demand platform in High Definition, available online and free of charge.
The platform allows viewers to watch shows broadcast by the channel on-the-air over the past week.Meanwhile, according to the CEO of Telecom Italia Media, Mauro Nanni, currently more than 30 million Italians access to the Internet and watch an average of 30 minutes of video per day. Internet users who watch TV also tripled in two years while online advertising grew by 5.2 per cent.
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US advertising habits revealedMarket research company Synovate has released the findings of its global advertising study, shedding light on which media are the most effective in targeting Americans and their daily media habits.
According to the study, Americans can't live without the Internet, want to see advertisements that are innovative, and are open to new technologies that monitor their media usage if privacy is maintained.
The mobile phone has become an increasingly prevalent channel for Americans to receive news and information, and the rise in smart phones has increased mobile marketing and advertising efforts. Thirty-five percent of people in the US say they cannot live without their mobile phone. However, as their use of mobile devices has grown, their attitude towards increased mobile marketing is still a bit hesitant. Over one third (39 per cent) of Americans feel the amount of ads they see now are sufficient while (54 per cent) say they would not accept more ads via their mobile devices even if paid to do so.
Across all markets surveyed, people think there are too many ads on TV, with 68 per cent globally and 71 per cent of Americans saying this. This may be why 48 per cent of people globally and 44 per cent in the US say they skip ads more often than they did a year ago, by either turning down the TV, changing the channel or fast forwarding through commercials.
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Deutsche Telekom launches IPTV, iPhone bundleDeutsche Telekom has launched a bundled fixed-line and mobile package combined a T-Home Entertain IPTV plan with an iPhone. Customers selecting the double package will get a E120 bonus, with an additional E120 available to customers transferring from a rival provider. The package consists of the Comfort Entertain plan at E44.95 per month, including IPTV service, flat-rate for calls to the German fixed-line network and DSL-16 connection.
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mirada and Sky Italia team for interactive advertising
mirada, the audiovisual content interaction specialist, has teamed up with Sky Italia to deliver interactive advertising applications. The new service will allow viewers on the Sky Italia platform to engage with adverts through a ‘call to action’ in the interactive menu and will allow brands to offer additional associated content or product information.
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PA partners with Vizimo for online videoThe Press Association TV listings is partnering with Vizimo’s online listings service, in a bid to inject more video and discoverability in to newspaper publisher’s websites. The services will pipe PA’s TV listings through Vizimo’s technology and link to corresponding catch-up pages on broadcasters’ sites.
Vizimo acquired startup social TV community Tioti (TapeItOffTheInternet) 12 months ago and had $1.3 million in seed funds. It has an API which lets anyone generate recommendations for similar programmes, offer user profiles with personalised suggestions and deliver VOD that’s contextual to the video device being used.
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MTG and Sanoma launching sports channel in FinlandModern Times Group (MTG) has entered into a strategic cooperation with the Sanoma Group to launch a localised premium sports channel in Finland. Nelonen Sport Pro will be launched in February 2010 and will feature content from both Viasat and Sanoma-owned Nelonen Media, including football from UEFA Champions League, English FA Cup and the French Ligue 1; Moto GP and ATP Master Series tennis.
Sport Pro will be wholly owned by the Sanoma Entertainment and the channel will be available exclusively on Viasat’s Finnish digital satellite pay-TV platform and in Viasat pay-TV packages in cable networks in Finland from launch.
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SES World Skies and SatLink expand collaborationSatLink Communications Ltd. and SES World Skies have launched a new DS3 fibre link connecting their teleport facilities. The new link allows SatLink clients direct access to SES World Skies' US satellite fleet while also enabling SES World Skies to further expand the reach of its satellites covering Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. This collaboration strengthens the two companies decade-long relationship and is expected to bring additional business opportunities to both companies.
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Monday 7th December
Sony scores with 3D World Cup
Virgin pay-TV banking on Ofcom
US Stations ‘Pearl’ partner on mobile TV
Google sees growth in online video ads
Internet video: Connected TVs play catch up
FCC consults on how STBs can boost Internet viewing
Shift in media habits across all ages
TV Genius search and recommendation engine
ORF launches second HD channel on Astra
Sony scores with 3D World Cup
Sony Corporation and football’s governing body FIFA have teamed up to allow selected media rights of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in 3D. Up to 25 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa matches will be produced in 3D.Global sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup are considered to be important drivers of new technology, particularly in the TV market. Sony anticipates that the news that the FIFA World Cup will be filmed in 3D for the first time will certainly increase the uptake rate of 3D TVs in the home and develop the installed base earlier than would otherwise have been the case.
"3D will undoubtedly transform the way we enjoy content in the Living Room," said Fujio Nishida, President of Sony Europe. "At Sony, the 3D entertainment experience will not only focus on the 3D TV alone, but from 2010 will also encompass a range of 3D compatible products such as Blu-ray Disc players, VAIO notebook computers and PlayStation3."
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Virgin pay-TV banking on OfcomVirgin Media is betting on new rules governing pay-TV being in place as early as next July, potentially allowing it to make a big marketing push for the next soccer season.
The company hopes regulator Ofcom will force dominant pay-TV firm BSkyB to make its most sought-after content, including sports and movies, available to other broadcasters more cheaply. Sky has already said it would fight such a ruling. Speaking at the Reuters Global Media Summit, Chief Customer and Operations Officer Andrew Barron said if the decision was approved, the group would increase marketing around its premium products such as Sky Sports which would in turn boost BSkyB.
"It's not (currently) economic for us to push a product on which we reckon we lose money," he said. "Why would we do that?"
A Virgin Media spokesman said the company expected a final verdict by March with new terms in place in time to market the 2010 soccer season.
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US Stations ‘Pearl’ partner on mobile TVNine major TV station groups are banding together to develop practical service models, forge partnerships and possibly enter the business in a joint venture, according to various reports.
The nine groups involved in what's being called the Pearl Group or the Pearl Project are: Gannett, Media General, Hearst Television, Cox, Belo, Scripps, Ion Media, Raycom and Post-Newsweek.
There’s a planned formal announcement of the initiative at the Consumer Electronics Show Jan. 7-10 in Las Vegas. Pearl will have the size and national footprint needed to raise capital and cut deals with wireless carriers, mobile device manufacturers, retailers, other content providers and advertisers. And by working together, the broadcasters will be able to compliment local services with national services and branding.
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Google sees growth in online video adsGoogle is banking on significant growth in online video ads as marketers become more sophisticated at targeting consumers interactively. "The one big shift in the next three to five years is going to be video advertising," Nikesh Arora, president of global sales operations and business development, commented.
"If you believe there's a big consumer shift going on, the advertising dollars will have to follow," Arora said of the increasing popularity of watching video on the Web.
In the third quarter, Google said it monetised 1 billion video views week on YouTube.
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Internet video: Connected TVs play catch upPreliminary data from the IMS Research study, Market Opportunities for Internet Video to the TV, shows that by the end of 2010, nearly 55 per cent of all TV Households in the Americas will have access to Internet video, with 25 per cent of these capable of displaying Internet video onto the TV set.
Rebecca Kurlak, an IMS Research consumer electronics analyst, commented: "Now that retailers are actively marketing Internet-enabled devices, we can expect to see mass market adoption. As Blu-ray players have begun to offer price points that fall below $199, this price reduction will create a domino effect on other CE device prices. We currently estimate that by the end of 2010, 35 per cent of TV shipments in the Americas will have internet connectivity built-in. It will take about five years for the gap to close between connected TVs and other devices.
Consumers continue to select devices that offer ease of use, and it just makes it easier for the consumer to seamlessly search for content on one device. Plus, there is no additional set up involved, which continues to be a hurdle for many of the devices on the market."
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FCC consults on how STBs can boost Internet viewingThe FCC has released another request for information for its national broadband plan, this one focused on how set-top boxes could help spur the viewing of video over the Internet. The commission pointed out that while only 76% of households have personal computers, 99% have TV sets. "The convergence of the television and content delivered by IP makes this a critical time to promote innovation in set-top devices that could support the Commission's effort to drive broadband adoption and utilization."
The FCC says it is time for a set-top that works across all delivery platforms, able to deliver content from both MVPD's and the Internet to those TV sets.
The FCC wants to know, specifically, what technological limits there are on boxes that access video content in all forms, or what it calls a "true plug-and-play" device that is "network agnostic." It also wants to know whether a retail market for such devices might achieve a competitive market in navigation devices. It cites what it calls the "limited success" of developing that market via its mandate of separating the channel-surfing and security functions of the boxes.
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Shift in media habits across all ages
The 2009 Media Engagement Barometer commissioned by Motorola's Home & Networks Mobility business has revealed a shift in consumer influence: Age no longer dictates a consumer's willingness or ability to use media technology or services. In fact, all generations - Millennials (75 per cent), Gen Xers (74 per cent) and Boomers (66 per cent) - recognise the role entertainment technologies play in helping them keep their lives in order. This explains why Millennials (80 per cent), Gen Xers (78 per cent) and Boomers (78 per cent) are equally likely to desire to be constantly connected.Connectivity is more of a lifestyle issue. Being accessible at all times is seen as a necessity across generations (Millennials, 79 per cent; Gen Xers, 64 per cent; Boomers, 65 per cent).
Dan Moloney, president of Motorola's Home & Networks Mobility business, commented. "The barometer findings have demonstrated how networking technologies have had a really powerful impact in integrating the different facets of people's lives, and the "digital generation divide" that we perceived to dictate technology is now shifting toward a usage-based definition."
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TV Genius search and recommendation engineTV Genius has launched a converged 3 screen TV search and recommendation engine for the web, mobile and TV. The company's Content Discovery Platform (CDP) and Relevance Engine have been built from the ground up specifically to meet the needs of TV discovery, providing richer content aggregation and allowing viewers to discover programming from a variety of sources - including broadcast TV and catch-up/VOD on television or online.
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ORF launches second HD channel on Astra
SES Astra has revealed that the Austrian public broadcaster ORF will start broadcasting its second HD channel on Astra. The launch of ORF2 HD on SES Astra’s 19.2 degrees East orbital position is scheduled for December 5th, and follows the successful roll-out of ORF1 HD in June 2008. ORF will continue to broadcast both ORF1 and ORF2 also in standard definition.
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