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Tuesday
Sky, Virgin Media in channel sale and distribution deal
From Colin Mann in LondonFollowing months of speculation, British Sky Broadcasting and Virgin Media have confirmed the acquisition by Sky of Virgin Media Television (VMtv) in a deal worth up to£160 million in cash. The companies have, in parallel, agreed to enter into a number of agreements providing for the carriage of certain Sky standard and high-definition (HD) channels.
The agreements cover the following:
- Sky will acquire VMtv for a total consideration of up to £160 million in cash, with £105 million paid on completion and the remainder paid following the regulatory process. The acquisition will expand Sky's portfolio of basic pay TV channels and eliminate the carriage fees it currently pays for distributing VMtv channels on its TV services.
- Sky will assume responsibility for selling advertising for the newly acquired VMtv channels from January 2011.
- New carriage agreements will secure wholesale distribution of Sky's basic channel line-up, including Sky1 and Sky Arts, and the newly acquired VMtv channels, on Virgin Media's cable TV service.
- For an incremental wholesale fee, Virgin Media will, for the first time, have the option of carrying any of Sky's basic HD channels, Sky Sports HD 1 and Sky Sports HD 2, and all Sky Movies HD channels.
- Virgin Media will make available through its on-demand TV service a range of content from Sky's basic and premium channels, including the newly acquired VMtv channels. Virgin Media will also have access to red button interactive sports coverage and the opportunity to deliver selected standard definition programming over the Internet.The acquisition of VMtv involves Sky acquiring LIVING, LIVINGit, Challenge, Challenge Jackpot, Bravo, Bravo 2 and Virgin1. Sky will not license the Virgin brand and will announce the new channel brand for Virgin1 in due course.Completion of the agreements is conditional on obtaining merger control clearance in the Republic of Ireland. The deal does not include the UKTV channels, which Virgin Media co-owns with BBC Worldwide.
Jeremy Darroch, CEO, BSkyB described VMtv as an attractive investment opportunity which complemented Sky’s existing content business and delivered strategic and financial benefits. "We are pleased that, through commercial negotiation, we have been able to ensure wide distribution of our channels to a growing pay TV universe, " he added.
Neil Berkett, CEO, Virgin Media, said the sale of its channels business had generated substantial value. "Together with the new commercial agreements we've announced today, it will allow us to focus more closely on our strategy of exploiting Virgin Media's super-fast connectivity to offer our customers a range of the very best content through a highly versatile next generation entertainment application," he said
Channels including Sky1, Sky News and Sky Sports News became available to Virgin Media customers again in November 2008 after the cable TV company and BSkyB reached a deal to end their 20-month row over distribution
Sky will no longer have to pay £30 million a year to distribute Virgin's channels via its satellite TV service. Buying Virgin1 provides Sky with a coveted channel slot on the Freeview digital terrestrial TV service, with the service to be rebranded accordingly.
Friday 4th June
Jobs: Cable STB stranglehold squashes innovation
Spain’s RTVE reshuffles to cut costs
iPhone simulcast from ITV
Sky Deutschland cable deals
ITV: Hazlitt replaces McOwen and Wilson
TV shipments continue strong recovery
TV boosts UK ad forecast
LG Telecom open IPTV platform
Scannell heads BBC Worldwide America
Canada unveils copyright law for digital age
Freeview Australia appoints Digital TV Labs
Freeview+ HD PVR for Tesco
Jobs: Cable STB stranglehold squashes innovationApple TV will remain a "hobby" at his company because the cable industry has "squashed the opportunity for innovation in the TV market," according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
Speaking at the opening session of the All Things Digital conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, Jobs told delegates that the TV industry has a subsidised model that gives everyone a set-top box for free, so no one wants to buy a box. "Ask TiVo, ask Roku, ask us, ask Google in a few months," he said.
He pointed out that Sony, Panasonic and many others had failed at getting into the household with a video delivery device (other than DVD or games units). "The only way that's ever going to change is if you can go back to square one and tear up the set-top box and redesign it from scratch and ... get it to the consumer in a way that they're willing to pay for it," he added. Although not discounting the prospects for over-the-top video delivery, he argued "the problem with innovation in the TV industry is the go-to-market strategy."Jobs admitted that Apple chose to pursue the mobile and tablet market because the TV category had too many barriers. "It's not a problem of technology. It's a fundamental go-to-market market problem." He also criticised what he described as the "balkanisation" of the global TV market, where every country has different technical standards and regulations, which made it too difficult to develop a worldwide product.
Also coming in for criticism were content producers for "desperately grasping at anything they can" to retain control of the movies, music and other programmes they want to distribute directly to the home digitally.Noting that the opportunities were huge for content owners, Jobs suggested that the way movies are marketed was undergoing a radical shift, hinting that day-and-date release of new films to homes and theatres was imminent, with viewers able "to watch a first-run movie at home if willing to spend a bucket of money." He advised that studios needed to embrace this as a business model that allows customers "to watch wherever and whenever" they want to see a show.
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Spain’s RTVE reshuffles to cut costs
From David Del Valle in Madrid
In a move to reduce costs, state-owned group RTVE is revamping its TV line-up, turning its second terrestrial channel, La 2, into a cultural channel and closing down Canal Cultural, whose entire content will be distributed by La 2 from September.
RTVE plans to save E7 million this year. La 2, with an average audience share of 3.3 per cent in May, will now be focused on "offering the diverse Spanish culture and promoting social integration", according to the group.
The reshuffle will also have an impact on the prime channel La 1 (TVE1), the most popular channel in Spain, as it will strengthen its generalist offer. Other of RTVE's DTT channels such as Teledeporte will also be affected, as it will offer new sport content from La 2.
La 1 (TVE1) remains the favourite channel amongst Spaniards with an audience share of 15.7 per cent in May, ahead of Mediaset-controlled Tele 5, with 14.7 per cent, Antena 3 with 11.5 per cent, La Sexta, with 7.7 per cent and Cuatro, 6.5 per cent, all of them nation wide channels.
Regional channels grouped together in FORTA achieved an audience share of 11 per cent. Football and Euro song contest Eurovision were the most widely watched programmes drawing this latter content more than seven million viewers.
In the meantime, La Sexta has announced its first profits in its history with the aim of becoming the number on in commercial target over the next years. "In three years we aim to become a leading operator in the commercial target and have a significant presence," said Jose Miguel Contreras, CEO of La Sexta.
Since January, La Sexta had advertising revenues of over E120 million with revenues growing by 50 per cent and with the number of advertisers increasing by eight per cent, according to the company.
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ITV has launched a simulcast streaming service of ITV1 and ITV2 for the iPhone. The free, ad-funded web app will stream all ITV’s content – for which they have the appropriate mobile rights from ITV1 and ITV2, via 3G and WiFi technology, and can be displayed as an ITV brand icon on the iPhone desktop. The ITV web app goes live on Juneth, 2010, in time for the kick off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In addition to ongoing streaming of ITV1 and ITV2 on iPhone, the ITV web app, will allow football fans to watch matches from this year’s World Cup on the move. All the games to be broadcast on ITV1, and further matches to be broadcast on ITV4, will be available to view via iPhone.
Developed with Red Bee Media, the ITV web app will be monetised through pre-roll advertising as well as by clickable horizontal banners.
Ben McOwen Wilson, the outgoing Director of Online and Interactive at ITV (see below), suggested that with ITV being the only UK broadcaster to screen the World Cup on mobile, the application offered advertisers a dynamic way to interact with viewers and put ITV at the forefront of mobile VOD.ITV confirmed that in the coming weeks it would be considering options for optimising the ITV web app for the iPad.
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Sky Deutschland cable dealsGerman pay-TV group Sky Deutschland is extending its reach via cable, having secured co-distribution deals with two German cable network operators: Tele Columbus and Versatel Telekabel. The deals follow a similar agreement with NetCologne.Sky and the cable operators will jointly market and distribute Sky's bouquet of pay channels directly to cable subscribers. Sky can also be bundled as part of the cable companies' triple play offerings, seen as key in the German market, where consumers have been wary of pay-TV, but keen to upgrade their Internet and cable services.
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ITV: Hazlitt replaces McOwen and Wilson
ITV's Managing Director of online and interactive, Ben McOwen-Wilson, is leaving the company along with the Managing Director of brand and commercial Rupert Howell - with former GCap CEO Fru Hazlitt arriving to fill both roles.
Hazlitt's most recent executive post was as CEO of radio giant GCap Media until its sale to Global Radio in 2008. She will join ITV on August 2nd, in the new role of MD of commercial and online.
This role unites ITV's airtime sales and online businesses, and stems from the broadcaster's ongoing strategic review. ITV said the move signals the company's intent to more fully exploit its properties and brands commercially on all platforms and media and build revenues across its online businesses.
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TV shipments continue strong recoveryTV shipments continued to show a strong rebound in growth rates from the very weak levels of early 2009 as improving global economic conditions led to greater demand for TVs.
According to TV shipment data DisplaySearch, total TV shipments increased 25 per cent year on year in Q1 2010 to 55 million units, while LCD TV shipments showed a 50 per cent year on year improvement to more than 40 million units, very close to expected levels. Other TV technologies showed strong results as well, with plasma TV shipments surging 21 per cent year on year to 3.4 million units. CRT TVs, which had been averaging 40 per cent year on year shipment declines during most of 2009, had a only a 21 per cent decline in unit shipments, with emerging market demand for TVs ahead of the 2010 World Cup tournament injecting life into the fading technology.
Even mature flat panel TV markets had strong results in Q1 2010. Japan, which completed the transition from CRT to flat panel TVs several years ago, enjoyed a 93 per cent year on year increase in LCD TV shipments and a 38 per cent increase in plasma TV shipments as a government sponsored stimulus program, the green Eco-Points initiative, is nearing its expiration, spurring consumers to upgrade. In Europe, the upcoming World Cup and digital TV transition in several countries drove a 33 per cent year on year increase in TV shipments during Q1’10 as brands and retailers prepared for the increased level of demand.
"Not all regions saw such strong growth though, as North America TV shipments increased just 1 per cent year on year, although demand certainly seems to have been stronger than supply during Q1," noted Paul Gagnon, Director of North America TV Market Research for DisplaySearch. "As TV brands faced a tight supply situation, it seems that brands made some tough choices on where to allocate product, opting for more profitable regions like Europe and Japan where competition and margin pressure isn’t as intense."
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TV boosts UK ad forecastGroup M has dramatically raised its forecast for the UK advertising market in 2010, from flat to 4.2 per cent year-on-year growth.
Group M, WPP's combined media buying operation, expects a particular surge in TV advertising, revising its forecast from an overall decline for 2010 to a year-on-year increase of almost 12 per cent.
In December, Group M forecast that the UK would see total ad spend remain flat this year. Within this, TV advertising was predicted to be down 0.2 per cent year-on-year. However, this forecast has now been turned on its head, largely due to a massive increase in advertisers ploughing money back into TV as prices dropped to almost record low levels.
Group M is now forecasting that TV advertising will be up 11.6 per cent this year and a further three per cent next year. Cheap TV prices have meant the return of ‘dormant’ advertisers, the release of budgets held back during the downturn last year, and test or regional activity stepping up into national campaigns.
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LG Telecom open IPTV platformSouth Korean telco LG Telecom has confirmed its intent to open its IPTV platform to content from any provider in the country, and has signed a cooperation agreement with Gyeonggido Digital Contents Agency to establish an open IPTV platform.
LG Telecom is expected to enable content companies in Gyeonggi Province to directly distribute their self-created content nationwide via its IPTV service, and the telco reportedly hopes to thus increase its success in the local IPTV market.
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Scannell heads BBC Worldwide AmericaThe BBC has appointed former Viacom executive Herb Scannell to run its US commercial business, BBC Worldwide America.
Scannell, a former president of Viacom-owned Nickelodeon Networks and vice-chairman of MTV Networks, will take up his new job as president of BBC Worldwide America immediately. He will sit on the executive board of the corporation's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide.
Scannell will be responsible for flagship cable channel BBC America, BBC America HD, BBC Worldwide's US production operation, BBC.com, US sales and distribution of programming and formats, and DVD and other merchandising.
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Canada unveils copyright law for digital ageCanada has confirmed new copyright legislation, just two weeks after US lawmakers condemned Ottawa for failing to crack down on piracy of movies, music, video games and other copyrighted works.
The new bill to bring Canada into the digital age will "legitimise behaviour such as recording TV shows on PVRs and uploading songs," Industry Minister Tony Clement commented. "As well, it will ensure that "the work of Canadians who create video games, music, films and other creative works, is protected."
The amended law will make breaking a digital lock illegal, but enshrine into law the ability of consumers to record television shows to watch later, and copy music from a CD to their MP3 player.
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Paraguay adopts Japanese digital TV standardParaguay has adopted the Japanese digital television standard, joining neighbouring Brazil and Argentina and other countries in the region, the government has confirmed.
Most South American nations have opted for the Japanese Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting, or ISDB, standard, although Colombia and Uruguay chose the European standard.
"This decision will allow Paraguay to strengthen its (regional) ties with this important technological advance," the government said in a statement.
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Freeview Australia appoints Digital TV LabsDigital TV Labs, which provides independent, specialised conformance products and services for DVB-based markets, has become the first test facility to be approved by Freeview Australia as it launches its Freeview EPG product. This launch includes significant technological developments: an MHEG-based EPG, PVR functionality and support for the hybrid MHEG Interaction Channel.
Digital TV Labs has been appointed to provide conformance testing for receiver manufacturers wishing to meet the new specification, which will allow the expansion of a vibrant consumer market. Digital TV Labs now includes the Freeview Australia test suite in its Evora iSuite DVB-S/C/T web-based interactive receiver test framework. This technology covers nearly 30 DVB countries.
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Freeview+ HD PVR for TescoDigital TV platform specialist IP Vision has conformed that leading UK supermarket chain Tesco is to retail the UK’s first Freeview+ High-Definition (HD) PVR set top box. Users can access HD programming via channels such as BBC HD, ITV1 HD, Channel 4HD and S4/C available in Wales, that are broadcast on the Freeview platform.
The Technika-branded SmartBox also allows users to access over 2000 hours of on-demand programmes via IP Vision’s FetchTV platform. Connecting the box to any broadband supplier accesses the FetchTV platform. Once registered with FetchTV content is delivered via broadband directly to the TV screen. Services including the BBC iPlayer are accessed via an easy to navigate on-screen menu.
Users can also choose to subscribe to Sky Player in order to access paid for Sky TV. Live broadcast Sky channels can be accessed by subscribing for a minimum of 30 days or longer if desired. Sky Player also offers a selection of pay per view content that does not require a minimum subscription period. This is the first time that paid-for Sky content has been made available via a Freeview+ HD set top box.
The unit will also act as a media centre, able to deliver music, films, photographs and other content wirelessly from other networked storage devices in the home directly to the TV screen.
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Thursday 3rd June
Cisco: Global IP traffic to increase more than fourfold by 2014
Singapore regulator defends 'shared TV’ plan
PrimaCom on the brink, KDG circles
Video services market to top $250bn in 2014
Sonic, DivX to create digital video delivery powerhouse
Wireless links set to boom
Piracy costs Spanish industry E5.121bn in 6 months
4 out of 5 in US don’t know broadband speed
ABC researches online TV
South Africa switchover faces delay
Irish DTT test in October
SES appoints Hölzle as Chief Commercial Officer
FLO TV covering all 64 World Cup matches
Du launches 3D TV
Telstra takes T-Box national with Netgem
Cisco: Global IP traffic to increase more than fourfold by 2014The latest annual Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) Forecast, 2009-2014 projects that global Internet traffic will increase more than fourfold to 767 exabytes, or more than 3/4 of a Zettabyte, by 2014. This amount is 100 exabytes higher than the projected level in 2013, or an increase the equivalent of 10 times all the traffic traversing Internet Protocol networks in 2008.
The growth in traffic will continue to be dominated by video, exceeding 91 per cent of global consumer IP traffic by 2014. Improvements in network bandwidth capacity and Internet speeds, along with the increasing popularity of HDTV and 3DTV are key factors expecting to quadruple IP traffic from 2009 to 2014, says Cisco.
Other significant findings:
- By 2014, the sum of all forms of video (TV, VoD, Internet video, and peer-to-peer) will continue to exceed 91 per cent of global consumer traffic.
- Global Internet video traffic will surpass global peer-to-peer traffic by the end of 2010. For the first time in the last 10 years, peer-to-peer traffic will not be the largest Internet traffic type.
- The global online video community will include more than 1 billion users by the end of 2010.
- By 2014, it would take more than two years to watch the amount of video that will cross global IP networks every second; to watch all the video crossing the network that year would take 72 million years.
- Globally, advanced video traffic, including three-dimensional (3-D) and high-definition TV (HDTV), is projected to increase 13 times between 2009 and 2014.
- By 2014, 3-D is expected to account for 4 per cent of total Internet video traffic.
- By 2014, 3-D and HD video is forecast to comprise 42 per cent of total consumer Internet video traffic.According to Pankaj Patel, senior vice president and general manager, Service Provider Group, Cisco, service providers are faced with evolving bandwidth and scalability requirements as residential, business and mobile consumers continue to demonstrate a healthy appetite for advanced video services across a variety of networks and devices. He suggested that IP networks must be intelligent and flexible enough to support this tremendous variety of traffic growth, and added that the VNI Forecast offered a global snapshot of video's significance in our daily lives and signalled the need for further network preparations to support the quadrupling of the Internet and the more than 1 billion online video users by 2014.
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Singapore regulator defends 'shared TV’ plan
Singapore’s media regulator has dismissed industry attacks on plans to force television broadcasters to share content, arguing that the proposals have been misunderstood and will increase competition by attracting new distributors.
Toh kai Ling, the Media Development Authority’s deputy director of development policy, said that content providers should welcome the new rules because they would increase the number of potential subscribers.
In an interview with FT, Toh denied that the government had acted because of concern about the cost of English Premier League football, which is switching from the Starhub cable platform to the SingTel Mio internet-based platform after a bidding battle that forced up prices.
However, she said the Premier League rights rivalry underlined the potential for mass switching between distribution platforms as other exclusive content agreements expired, raising the prospect that many consumers would need to acquire two set-top boxes and subscribe to two distribution platforms unless the rules were changed.
Toh said Singapore’s pay-TV market was uniquely fragmented, with only seven of 179 channels common to both distributors, while the island state was the only country where the top 16 channels by subscribers were all carried exclusively on one distribution platform. "We don’t see this getting any better, in fact we think this situation will get worse," she said.
The MDA proposals have been condemned by Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association Asia, an industry group, which claims they undermine the legal rights of content producers and threaten the development of high definition and 3D television.
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PrimaCom on the brink, KDG circlesGerman cable operator PrimaCom has revealed it is facing insolvency after its creditors asked for E29.2 million to be repaid. The company’s shareholders failed to meet a deadline to react to a proposal from the creditors, which resulted in the latter demanding immediate repayment of outstanding bills. The company has now been given until 4pm on June 3rd to repay the funds; if it fails to do so, or cannot come to an agreement with its creditors regarding the debt, the board of PrimaCom will be forced to register for insolvency.
Meanwhile, German cable network operator Kabel Deutschland (KDG) has said it is interested in buying assets from PrimaCom. A spokesperson for KDG said that the struggling operator has 700,000 to 800,000 customers in the area where KDG operates. The acquisition would allow KDG to increase its direct relationship with its customer base and upgrade subscribers to new services such as broadband Internet and fixed line telephony to boost revenue.
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Video services market to top $250bn in 2014Market research firm Infonetics has released the first edition of its 2010 biannual Video Services and Subscribers report, which tracks telco IPTV, cable video, and satellite video services and subscribers.
"Increased competition among video service operators will help keep monthly subscription fees in check, which will offset some of the growth expected from incremental revenue via video on demand, digital video recording, and ‘start-over’ services. However, the biggest threat to revenue growth is the continued rise of online (over-the-top) viewing, where users can simply eliminate their monthly TV subscription in favour of streamed programming delivered over the Internet via sites like Hulu and YouTube, and aggregating by services such as Boxee," notes Jeff Heynen, directing analyst for broadband and IPTV at Infonetics Research.
Highlights of the report include:
- Worldwide revenue derived by service providers and cable companies for IPTV, cable video, and satellite video services is forecast to top $250 billion in 2014
- Average revenue per user (ARPU) for telco IPTV services in most regions remains lower than ARPU for cable and satellite services
- Still, telco IPTV service revenue is forecast to grow nicely over the next five years, good news for service providers trying to stem the loss of revenue from decreasing fixed access lines
- Operators such as AT&T, Verizon, Belgacom, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Iliad, and China Telecom are adding video subscribers at a rapid clip, selling them on a combination of exclusive content, higher picture quality, and introductory rates that are below similar offerings from cable and satellite service providers
- In North America, the top two providers of video services in terms of annual revenue are Comcast and DirecTV
- In EMEA, Sky is the revenue share leader by far, with its presence in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Austria.
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Sonic, DivX to create digital video delivery powerhousePremium video content technology and services provider Sonic Solutions and digital media company DivX have jointly announced a definitive agreement that will see Sonic Solutions acquire DivX.
Under the terms of the agreement, approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Sonic would acquire all the outstanding shares of DivX and merge DivX operations into those of Sonic. The acquisition, which is expected to close in September 2010, is subject to approval of the shareholders of both companies as well as applicable regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
The DivX codec is present on over 300 million devices shipped into the global market from all major CE manufacturers including over 8,500 models of digital televisions, DVD and Blu-ray Disc players, and over 80 different mobile handsets. DivX technology includes encoders for formatting video, decoders for playback, and digital rights management (DRM) for content protection.The acquisition of DivX is expected to advance Sonic's mission to deliver technology that makes it easy and convenient for retailers, online services, Hollywood studios, and manufacturers of CE and mobile devices to distribute digital video content over the Internet, the so-called ‘OTT television’.
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Wireless links set to boomThe Consumer Electronics (CE) industry is entering a new era of ubiquitous connectivity, spurring a boom in shipments of video-oriented CE devices equipped with high-bandwidth wireless video interface solutions, according to iSuppli Corp.
iSuppli expects the market for video-enabled CE devices with high-bandwidth wireless video interfaces to grow to more than 85.2 million units by 2014, up from 606,000 units in 2009. By 2014, more than 53 million of these devices will be wireless-video-enabled digital TVs and consumer-oriented netbooks/laptops.
"With the transition to digital technology and HD largely a fait accompli, the CE market now is rapidly transitioning to an era when connectivity among consumer electronics devices and to the Internet will be the driving force behind many key innovations and new capabilities," said Randy Lawson, principal analyst for consumer and display electronics at iSuppli.
iSuppli calls this new era the third generation of Consumer Electronics, or CE 3.0, a period defined by the paramount importance of connectivity. This era succeeds the CE 2.0 phase that saw widespread deployment of products designed to receive, store, play back, process and display digital high-definition content. CE 2.0, in turn, follows the CE 1.0 era, which was characterised by analogue media and device formats limited to linear playback modes and tethered by analogue connections to a much shorter list of content sources.
"As both CE devices and content have moved from the analogue to the digital domain, the need for connectivity to gain access to new sources of content, as well as to share existing content across multiple device platforms has moved to the forefront," Lawson said. "This need now is playing a major role in product design requirements for many leading CE OEMs. One major factor that will help drive the connectivity boom is the coming widespread adoption of wireless video technologies that will allow CE devices to share content via live streaming of both compressed and uncompressed video."
Wireless connectivity will allow traditional non-mobile devices such as DVD players and televisions to access local networks for broadband connection to online media, or to store or retrieve user-generated content on local home media servers or media PCs.
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Piracy costs Spanish industry E5.121bn in 6 monthsDigital content pirated in Spain during the second half of 2009 was worth E5.121 billion and accounted for 76 per cent of the CDs, movies, books and video games consumed during that period, according to a study by US consultancy firm IDC
By sector, music is most affected by illegal downloading, with a piracy rate of 95.6 per cent valued at E2.29 billion, followed by films, with 83.7 per cent and a value of E238 billion. They are followed by video games, of which 52.3 per cent are pirated, with a value of E246.2 million, and books, with a rate of 19.7 per cent and a value of E200 million.
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4 out of 5 in US don’t know broadband speedThe Federal Communications Commission has released the results of a survey on the consumer broadband experience. The survey found that 80 per cent of broadband users in the US do not know the speed of their broadband connection.
The survey is part of the agency’s overall broadband speed initiative, which involves several bureaux and offices and is being coordinated by the Commission’s Consumer Task Force. Through the initiative, the agency will also measure the actual speeds that consumers receive and compare them to the speeds that broadband providers advertise.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said, "Speed matters. The more broadband subscribers know about what speeds they need and what speeds they get, the more they can make the market work and push faster speeds over broadband networks."
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ABC researches online TVABC has sent out an online survey to viewers how they would feel about paying a monthly subscription for an online TV catch up service.
The survey was sent to ABC viewers proposing two different options - one free and one that costs. For the free option, viewers can view the last two episodes of most current shows, but no streams available for shows that are not currently airing. For this service viewers will have to sit through around 35 per cent of the commercials that are seen on regular television, shows will be in HD video quality.
For subscribers paying between $1.99 and $4.99 per month, the deal is they can view the five latest episodes of current shows, which are available straight after they air. Viewers can also see episodes of older ABC shows, and have to endure fewer ads of around 15 per cent currently on TV.
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South Africa switchover faces delayThe switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting could be delayed by at least a few months, Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda has confirmed, as the technical standards to be used in the manufacture of STBs were under review.
A possible policy reversal midway into the digital migration process was decried by opposition parties as costly, unnecessary and in possible contravention of SA's international agreements. It could also result in further delays in the process, which was already running behind schedule.
In written submissions, television broadcasters M-Net and e.tv expressed their concern at the possibility of a change in the standard, which they believed was not justified on technical or any other grounds. The SABC was concerned that delays in the digital migration process would threaten its long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive industry.
Independent Communications Authority of SA CEO Paris Mashile told Parliament's communications committee it could take up to six months to issue new digital migration regulations if the standard for set-top boxes was changed.
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Irish DTT test in OctoberMinister Eamon Ryan has said a DTT test will launch in Ireland this October of this year, the latest in a long line of trials for the standard since 2006.
Minister Ryan said he had told RTE that a full DTT service will be up and running in Ireland by 31st December 2011. This will make it extremely difficult for Ireland to meet an EU deadline which requires member states to have made the analogue switch-over by 2012 at the latest.
DTT has suffered a number of setbacks in Ireland since it was first mooted in the late 1990s, the latest of which has been a failure to gain commercial involvement in the platform. RTÉ now seems destined to go it alone with a single multiplex, meaning digital television will offer viewers only a handful of extra channels at best.
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SES appoints Hölzle as Chief Commercial OfficerSES Astra, an SES company, has appointed Norbert Hölzle to succeed Alexander Oudendijk as Chief Commercial Officer of SES Astra. Norbert Hölzle who is currently CEO of the SES Astra affiliate ND SatCom will take over the sales and marketing responsibility for the media business across all markets served by SES Astra. Before joining ND SatCom as CEO in 2009, Hölzle held senior executive positions, amongst others, at Deutsche Telekom and the mobile phone operator O2.
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FLO TV covering all 64 World Cup matchesFLO TV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm, has revealed it will offer ESPN’s coverage of all 64 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup live from South Africa on FLO TV devices and AT&T Mobile TV capable handsets. FLO TV coverage will include a dedicated 24-hour World Cup channel.
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Du launches 3D TVDu has become the first company in the MENA region to offer 3D TV for all its customers. All Du TV customers, starting immediately, can watch 3D TV on channel 699 under the basic TV package.
The current 3D channel will cover several genres such as fashion, art, travel, sport and lifestyle, which will be available, free of charge for a limited period, to all Du TV and Du TV+ customers, without need to change their TV decoders.
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Telstra takes T-Box national with NetgemFollowing news of Australian telco Telstra’s national launch of the ‘T-Box’ Internet-delivered television service (See Daily News 02.06.10), connected entertainment technology provider Netgem has confirmed that the T-Box was created using Netgem’s NetgemTV middleware and Media Centre STB technology that allows content and applications to be deployed easily over TV.
Christophe Aulnette, Managing Director of Netgem, said the national launch of T-Box marked an important milestone for the global telecommunications industry, describing the T-Box as "a great illustration of how highly popular broadband Internet video services, such as YouTube and BigPond TV, can be optimised for TV viewing and delivered alongside high quality broadcast content within one, seamless and branded consumer experience."
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Wednesday 2nd June
Portuguese pay-TV dwellings top 2.6m
Mobile TV opportunity for European operators
CBS eyes Indian venture
LOVEFiLM appoints Airey
Apple sells 2m iPads in less than 60 days
S. Korea firm put cable TV on Internet
Sony Entertainment Television hits Baltics
Canal+ scores with World Cup 3D
Eurovision selects AsiaSat, SES for World Cup
Lionsgate and ITV join DEGE
Telstra T-Box for cheap, Internet TV
TeliaSonera MDS for Philips Net TV
Samsung and OSN sign HDTV partnership
DiBcom to launch DVB-T and ISDB-T
WRN channel delivery solution for Wananchi Group
Bee.tv iPhone app
Clearleap for Mediacom
Portuguese pay-TV dwellings top 2.6m
From Branislav Pekic in RomeThe number of pay-TV dwellings in Portugal reached 2.6 million at the end of the first quarter, an increase of 277,000 over the same period of 2009 and 69,000 more than in the previous quarter.
According to data from regulator Anacom, Zon TV Cabo is still the market leader with a share of 62.5 per cent, although it lost 1.9 percentage points to Portugal Telecom, which has now 25 per cent of total subscribers. Cabovisao is third with 10 per cent of the subscriber base.
Revenues from pay-TV services in the first quarter totalled E165 million, an annual increase of 3 per cent. Out of the total, 64 per cent corresponded to cable TV revenues, 27 per cent came from DTH and 9 per cent from other technologies. Packaged services earned E44 million, up 78 per cent year-on-year. Fibre already represents 20 per cent of new pay-TV clients.
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Mobile TV opportunity for European operators
Telegent Systems has released research findings that point to significant potential for free-to-air mobile TV. Fifty-eight per cent of the British online research sample identified at least one environment, such as while on a train/ bus/ tube, queuing, or in the home or at work/ their desk, in which they would be likely to use a free-to-air mobile TV service. The potential magnifies among the younger demographic groups – 80 per cent of 18-24 year olds and 76 per cent of 25-34 year olds."The availability of mobile TV in the European market contrasts sharply with 'developing' markets such as Africa, Asia and Latin America where it is proving extremely popular," said Samuel Sheng, president and CEO of Telegent. "To date, European operators and consumers have been understandably held back by regulatory and standards confusion, unproven technologies and the costs associated with building and operating mobile specific TV platforms. All of these issues can be avoided by using the existing broadcast TV infrastructure and building the receiver technology into the handset."
"Major events like the World Cup are now focussing the spotlight on mobile TV around the world," continued Sheng. "It's an event that you want to see live, wherever you are, but next month, as the first ball is kicked, it's likely that more people in Lagos than London will have access to live mobile TV. By the time the Olympics come round in 2012 that situation ought to be reversed.
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CBS eyes Indian ventureReliance Media World, controlled by Indian industrialist Anil Ambani, is in talks to form a television joint venture with CBS Broadcasting of the US, according to reports.
CBS was one of "a number of groups" Reliance was in talks with about the plan to roll out a group of channels for Indian pay television, a Reliance spokesperson confirmed.
The discussions involved the creation of three English-language channels on Reliance’s Pay TV platform that would run mostly CBS-created shows such as NCIS and CSI, people familiar with the discussions said.
The joint venture might also look at developing a Hindi-language general entertainment channel and would be 50 per cent owned by each party.
The partnership would give CBS access to one of the fastest growing emerging media and entertainment markets.
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LOVEFiLM appoints AireyLOVEFiLM, the movie rental service, has appointed Five chairman and chief executive Dawn Airey as non-executive director. She will take up the role with immediate effect.
Prior to Five, Airey was managing director of global content for ITV, where she oversaw the broadcaster's production and content business. She has also held the position of managing director of channels and services at BSkyB, and was controller of arts and entertainment at Channel 4, and director of programmes at Channel Five.
Airey also sits on the management board of the pan-European media group RTL, Five's parent company.
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Apple sells 2m iPads in less than 60 daysApple has revealed that iPad sales have topped two million in less than 60 days since its launch on April 3rd. Apple began shipping the tablet computer in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK this past weekend. iPad will be available in nine more countries in July and additional countries later this year.
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S. Korea firm put cable TV on InternetA South Korean cable television company has launched an online service allowing users to access shows anywhere. CJ HelloVision said the ‘Tving’ service offers 53 live channels plus VOD, a service similar to that offered by US cable operator Comcast.
Tving at first will only be accessible on devices such as desktop computers and laptops but the company also plans to introduce a version for mobile devices.
Users will pay 3,500 won ($3) a month for full access, much lower than for conventional cable TV services, which range from 8,000-31,000 won.
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Sony Entertainment Television hits BalticsSony Pictures Television (SPT) has confirmed that Sony Entertainment Television, its popular general entertainment channel brand, has launched in Estonia via carriage agreements with Elion (IPTV) and Starman (cable and pay DTT). Estonian audiences will be able to select either original language audio or choose to watch programming dubbed into Russian, with both options incorporating Estonian subtitles.
Sony Entertainment Television offers a popular programming mix with something for everyone in the 18 to 49 age group. The channel also airs weekly movies from Sony Pictures Entertainment and other leading Hollywood studios.
SPT continues to advance negotiations with operators across the Baltics as the company seeks to broaden distribution of Sony Entertainment Television throughout the region. Sony Entertainment Television – which is watched in more than 103 countries, reaching more than 95 million households – is the first SPT channel brand to launch in the Baltics.
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Canal+ scores with World Cup 3D
The Canal+ Group has confirmed that for the FIFA World Cup 2010, it is launching the Canal+ 3D channel, showing a number of games from the tournament in the format. Overall, the service will show some 10 matches, with Canal+ showing four, and TF1 five, including the opening match between South Africa and Mexico and the Final. All games will be also be shown ‘as live’ by of Canal +, which owns the rights to all matches. Once the tournament is over, Canal + 3D will continue to offer regular programmes in 3D (cinema, entertainment, magazines, sports, etc.), gradually enriching its programming as the production volume in 3D is developed.
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Eurovision selects AsiaSat, SES for World Cup
AsiaSat 5, the most popular satellite platform in Asia for sports event delivery, will be distributing live HD and SD television feeds of the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa from June 11th to July 11th. Asian broadcasters with broadcast rights to the sporting event will receive live coverage of the matches from AsiaSat 5 and then redistribute the television signals through their television networks to billions of football fans across the Asia-Pacific region.
To support the HD and SD broadcasts of all 64 World Cup tournament matches, Eurovision, the premier distributor of sports and news content for the world’s top broadcast and media platforms, has leased additional C-band transponders on AsiaSat 5 during the tournament period. Eurovision will transport the signals from the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Johannesburg via its dedicated fibre network to AsiaSat's Tai Po Earth Station in Hong Kong for uplinking to AsiaSat 5. These matches will then be received by broadcasters across the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile SES World Skies has also signed agreements with Eurovision to distribute the 2010 FIFA World Cup to football fans around the world. As part of the agreement, Eurovision has enlisted SES World Skies NSS-5, NSS-806 and AMC-9 satellites to enable broadcasters to provide extensive coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The NSS-5 spacecraft is expected to deliver the lion’s share of the action to audiences throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The hybrid C/Ku-band satellite was moved in February to its 340 degrees East orbital slot in preparation for the tournament, following the successful launches of NSS-9 and NSS-12 earlier last year.
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The DEGE: Digital Entertainment Group Europe, an industry funded non-profit corporation that advocates and promotes the many consumer benefits associated with home entertainment products, has confirmed the addition of Lionsgate UK and ITV Studios Home Entertainment to its membership as well as its Executive Board of Directors.
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Telstra T-Box for cheap, Internet TVTelstra is taking on the Australian commercial broadcasters and Foxtel, the pay-TV company it half owns, with the launch of its T-Box internet-delivered television service
The ‘T-Box’, available mid-June, will include a personal video recorder that allows live TV, including the new digital free-to-air channels, as well as seven BigPond TV channels, to be recorded, paused and played back, for $299 outright, or $11 a month.
It is shaping as the biggest threat to Foxtel, as it will be the only service to offer sports content such as Australian football, rugby league and V8 Supercars, on-demand movies and TV content as well as, in the future, streaming pay-TV channels.
The content, which can be accessed by 90 per cent of Telstra's more than two million broadband households, will not deplete a customer's broadband download caps if they are BigPond Internet customers.
News of Telstra’s T-Box initiative followed Canberra-based telco TransACT’s launch of the first Internet-delivered pay-TV product in Australia bundled with a PVR, STB and a broadband subscription.
The telco launched its TransTV IPTV, broadband and personal video recorder package on May 26th after several months of testing. It included around 50 pay-TV channels, broadband subscription and a Motorola HD-capable PVR, priced from $75 to $139 a month.
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TeliaSonera MDS for Philips Net TVTeliaSonera International Carrier has revealed that its Media Distribution Service (MDS) has been chosen by Philips Consumer Lifestyle as the technology platform for the new VOD services on Philips Net TV.
Philips Net TV provides easy access to the Internet via the TV. It enables consumers to browse websites and access online services on their Philips TV using just their remote control. With TeliaSonera International Carrier’s MDS platform integrated, managing the distribution of video content from upload right through to TVs via TeliaSonera’s own fibre optic network - Philips Net TV will now also bring digital video stores direct to consumers’ homes anywhere in Europe.
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Samsung and OSN sign HDTV partnershipSamsung Electronics has signed a sponsorship agreement with Orbit Showtime Network (OSN), the leading Pay TV provider in the United Arab Emirates, to support the network's HD decoder roll out and channel line-up.
The agreement will span OSN's complete Middle East footprint from May 1st, 2010 to September 30th, 2011. The Samsung-OSN HD partnership will offer viewers 75 premium channels including eight HD channels - such as OSN Movies, Show Sports 1 HD, Nat Geo Wild HD, and Food Network HD among others.
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DiBcom to launch DVB-T and ISDB-TDiBcom, a specialist in the market for components dedicated to digital fixed and mobile TV reception, has unveiled its 2 new tuner-demodulator System on Chip (SoC) for DVB-T and ISDB-T full-seg, offering digital TV high performance technology for portable or fixed reception. Set top boxes, TV sets or PCTV can be addressed by these components at a very low cost.
Analogue switch-off is happening step by step in Europe, maintaining a constant high demand for DVB-T receivers. Also, South America and Russia have launched digital terrestrial TV in ISDB-T and DVB-T, extending this big demand to the next coming years. These 2 DiBcom SoCs, pin-to-pin compatible, are designed to be at the heart of these booming worldwide markets.
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WRN channel delivery solution for Wananchi GroupInternational broadcast services company WRN Broadcast has won a major contract with Wananchi to provide encoding, multiplexing and fibre delivery of more than 12 channels for distribution on Zuku, Kenya’s first triple-play service. The channels include MSNBC, Eurosport News, Nickelodeon and Bloomberg, with more to follow.
WRN Broadcast will provide Wananchi with the ability to receive services from virtually any broadcaster worldwide, using WRN Broadcast’s London teleport, international satellite network and global fibre connectivity. WRN Broadcast will then encode and multiplex all services into one transport stream for onward delivery via the company’s POPS at major international data centres and dedicated fibre to Wananchi’s base in Nairobi.
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Bee.tv iPhone appBee.tv, a service that helps consumers find and discover TV shows and movies on television, the web and mobile, has confirmed the launch of an iPhone app available now from the Apple iTunes store. The Beetv mobile application enables users to receive personalized recommendations for content ranging from real-time broadcast programming to online and mobile TV shows and movies. Content recommendations are generated by a proprietary technology that analyses and matches individual tastes and preferences.
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Clearleap for MediacomClearleap, the Web-based TV technology platform, has announced the successful integration of Web-based content and advertising management technologies for Mediacom Communications, the seventh largest cable television company in the US. The deployment of Clearleap's TV technology platform enables Mediacom to better manage and deploy advertising assets in VOD and linear channels, giving their local advertisers greater reach, precision, and faster time to market, while allowing the MSO to maximise revenues generated from VOD.
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Monday 31st May
Digital Plus goes Astra for HD
BBC1 HD this Autumn
Ofcom code of practice on illegal downloaders
Sky Mobile TV on iPad
European IPTV subs to double by 2015
Online and mobile video set to eclipse TV
Seachange profits surge
600 hours for Blinkbox
Yamgo launches live TV and video on iPad
Karaoke Channel on Virgin Media XL
Digital Plus goes Astra for HD
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Spanish digital DTH platform, Digital Plus is to rely on SES Astra to distribute all its HD TV channels with Hispasat losing out.
In an unprecedented decision, the company has been contacting its iPlus-equipped subscribers to re-orientate their dishes at Astra to enjoy its HD offer, despite the fact that the platform has been using both satellites Astra and Hispasat since the digital merger.
With this move, Digital Plus aims to cut costs and increase its HD TV channels, as several broadcasters had refused to pay the uplink of both satellites.
Now, the platform has leased a transponder on Astra 1KR (frequency 11.626V) with 4 HD TV channels: Canal + Comedia HD, Canal + Liga HD, AXN HD and Disney Cinemagic HD.
BBC1 HD this AutumnThe BBC has confirmed it will be launching a simulcast of flagship channel BBC1 in HD this Autumn. The channel will be made available to all digital television platforms offering HD channels - Freesat, Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media.
Danielle Nagler, Head of BBC HD says: "I’m delighted that the HD simulcast of BBC One will become available on satellite, on cable, and now also on Freeview’s new HD service. This is a key moment for us on the journey to HD becoming the norm for all our programmes and channels."
The majority of programmes in the BBC One network evening schedule will be available in HD at launch, and by 2012 it is expected that the vast majority of all BBC One titles across all hours will be in HD.
BBC1 HD will join the existing BBC HD channel, which will continue to showcase the best of the rest of the BBC in HD and will extend its regular broadcast hours from nine hours a day to 12.
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Ofcom code of practice on illegal downloadersA proposed code of practice which implements legislative measures aimed at reducing online copyright infringement has been published by Ofcom for consultation.
The Digital Economy Act 2010 requires that the code of practice is implemented no later than eight months from Royal Assent, including approval from the European Commission. Subject to consultation and approval, Ofcom expects the code to come into force in early 2011.
The draft code sets out how and when Internet Service Providers (ISPs) covered by the code will send notifications to their subscribers to inform them of allegations that their accounts have been used for copyright infringement. Ofcom should apply the obligations in a proportionate way, with the code initially covering only the larger fixed-line ISPs, but with the clear message that, should levels of copyright infringement on other networks, including mobile, increase then those ISPs will similarly be required to comply with the obligations. Ofcom proposes, therefore, that fixed-line ISPs with over 400,000 subscribers will be covered initially. This would mean that the seven largest ISPs – BT, Talk Talk, Virgin Media, Sky, Orange, O2 and Post Office – will be covered by the code from the outset. Ofcom proposes to regularly review evidence of online copyright infringement across all service providers and to extend the scope of the code if appropriate.
The code also sets out the threshold for including subscribers on a copyright infringers list which must be compiled by ISPs. ISPs will have to record the number of notifications sent to their subscribers and maintain an anonymised list of alleged serial copyright infringers. Copyright holders can then request information on this list and pursue a court order to identify serial infringers and take legal action against them. Ofcom is proposing a three stage notification process for ISPs to inform subscribers of copyright infringements and proposes that subscribers which have received three notifications within a year may be included in a list requested by a copyright owner.
Ofcom’s approach is guided by the need to protect the interests of consumers and citizens. Ofcom will establish an independent, robust subscriber appeals mechanism for consumers who believe they have received incorrect notifications, arrangements for enforcement and dealing with industry disputes, as well as sharing the costs arising from the code.
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Sky Mobile TV on iPadFollowing up its iPhone app Sky has launched a Sky Mobile TV app for the Apple iPad, offering access to all Sky Sports channels and Sky News. The new bespoke app has been created to take advantage of the increased screen size offered by the new device.
Sky Mobile TV app for iPad allows users to browse the Sky Mobile TV electronic programme guide for free to see what’s on over the next 24 hours. Subscription to Sky Mobile TV for iPad is currently £6 (E7) a month for existing Sky TV and Sky Player TV customers who take Sky Sports and £35 a month for all other customers (both Sky and non-Sky TV). To celebrate launch of Sky Mobile TV on iPad, existing Sky TV and Sky Player TV customers who subscribe to the Sky Sports Pack will get three month’s free access and then pay £6 a month thereafter.
Despite offering less channels. Sky argues that the quality of its new app is better than the iPhone application, as it has been optimised for the iPad's larger screen. But the high pricing of standalone subscription also suggests that the broadcaster fears that some of its existing satellite users might migrate over to the iPad service if the price difference is too wide.
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European IPTV subs to double by 2015The number of IPTV subscribers in Europe is set to increase by 92 per cent within the next five years from 15.4 million in 2009 to 29.6 million in 2015, boosted by widespread deployment of next-generation access networks, according to a report from research firm Analysys Mason.
The report adds that having taken the best part of the previous decade to accumulate a 12 per cent share of the region's pay-TV market, IPTV operators are now set to gain a 19 per cent share by 2015, making IPTV the fastest-growing pay-TV platform in Europe.
Subscriptions to satellite TV services are expected to grow in the region, boosted primarily by recent service launches in Central and Eastern Europe, however Analysys Mason predicts that their share of pay-TV subscriptions will decline by 1 percentage point to 29 per cent in 2015.Cable platforms will continue to have the largest number of subscriptions overall, but the research firm expects their share of subscribers to decrease from 51 per cent to 41 per cent by 2015, as analogue subscribers defect to rival digital platforms, including free-to-air DTT services.
Analysys Mason forecasts strong growth for pay-DTT services over the next five years. An 84 per cent increase in the number of pay-DTT subscriptions in Europe to 17.2 million by 2015 is predicted to lift the platform's share of pay-TV subscriptions from 7 per cent in 2009 to 11 per cent in 2015.
Looking at the overall pay-TV market, the report predicts that the number of pay-TV households in Europe (excluding Russia and CIS markets) will increase from 125.5 million at the end of 2009 to 145 million by the end of 2015, representing a "modest" compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.1 per cent. As a result, household pay-TV penetration will rise from 58.5 per cent to 66 per cent during the forecast period.
The research firm expects spending on pay-TV services to grow at a CAGR of 4.9 per cent during the next five years, from E27.2 billion in 2009 to E38 billion in 2015, driven by the ongoing migration to digital TV services and the rising consumption of on-demand content.
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Online and mobile video set to eclipse TVOnline video consumption amongst younger age groups has now grown to the point that it looks set to overtake traditional television as the platform of choice.
The results of the YouGov online research, commissioned by RealNetworks, have revealed that amongst 18 to 25 year olds, roughly half (46 per cent) split their video time at least equally between computer and traditional TV platforms and for around a third (32 per cent), a computer is now the preferred platform. Older age groups still show a preference for traditional TV services but even amongst the 36-45s a significant proportion (20 per cent) are confirmed computer fans, spending at least 50 per cent of their video viewing time on a computer.
"The research data confirms a trend that the industry has seen for some time now but the speed of change is surprising, even for those of us directly involved in online video," said Marili 't Hooft-Bolle, Managing Director Consumer EMEA for RealNetworks. "It’s still early days for online video but as each year passes the quality and breadth of online video content increases dramatically and the tools to access, manage, share and consume the content grow ever more sophisticated."
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Seachange profits surgeSeaChange International has reported its fiscal first-quarter profit surged on higher sales of software for video-on-demand television services. SeaChange also forecast second-quarter profit and revenue in line with Wall Street expectations.
The company reported net income of $24.6 million for the three months ended April 30th, compared with a profit of only $1 million in the same quarter a year ago.
Excluding one-time items, SeaChange posted net income of $3.1 million in the latest quarter. Revenue rose 11 per cent to $54.1 million from $48.9 million.
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600 hours for BlinkboxBlinkbox has struck deals with All3Media, Eagle Rock, Fireworks International, Shed Media, Target Entertainment and 3DD Entertainment to add a further 600 hours of shows to its service.
Binkbox CEO Michael Comish, said the deals signify the company’s strength in the video-on-demand sector. "The past two years have seen many notable VOD services either go bankrupt or not enter the UK market," he said. "In that time we’ve amassed a library of more than 6,000 of the best films and TV shows in the world and attracted an audience of more than 1.2 million users a month."
This month Blinkbox launched its first movie streaming service for the Sony PS3 in the UK.
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Yamgo launches live TV and video on iPad
Mobile TV Network Yamgo has released a version of its popular live streaming service especially for the iPad coinciding with the launch of the new Apple Device in the UK.
The beta release by Yamgo, the mobile TV and video specialists, is an upgrade to its iPhone service. Yamgo’s solution also provides broadcasters and content owners with a simple way of monetising content across all mobile devices.
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Karaoke Channel on Virgin Media XLVirgin Media has launched a new and improved The KARAOKE Channel to its on demand TV platform. Virgin Media’s XL TV customers will be able to choose from over 100 karaoke videos, from pop and country to rock and disco, for no extra cost. New videos will be added each month and available to watch on demand, allowing karaoke lovers to enjoy a line up of hits whenever the mood strikes.
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