Discovery Networks EMEA, a division of media company Discovery Communications, has revealed that Investigation Discovery (ID), a 24-hour crime and investigation channel, will launch in Russia in April 2009. This marks the first continental European launch for ID, which rolled out in the UK in January 2009 following its US debut in January 2008.

Due to rising incomes and greater competition, the pay-TV market in Africa and the Middle East will enjoy the world’s highest growth rate over the next five years, with subscriptions increasing at a CAGR of 13 per cent and total regional pay-TV revenue to almost double 2008 levels by year-end 2013, according to a report […]

The chances of BT spending £1.5bn (E1.7bn) on a superfast broadband network have increased after Ofcom said its rules would not prevent the telecoms operator from securing an adequate return on its investment. Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, told the FT the planned regulatory regime for BT's network would not be an "obstacle". Since […]

Modern Times Group (MTG) reported revenues of SEK13.166bn (E1.22bn) for the year to December 2008, up 16% year-on-year. Group operating income after non-recurring items was SEK2.598bn, up 28%. The Viasat Broadcasting had revenue of SEK3.018bn in the fourth quarter, up 17% year-on-year. Nordic free-to-air channels turned in revenue of SEK1.053bn in the fourth quarter, up […]

European satellite giant SES reported 2008 earnings hit by one-offs and trimmed its outlook for revenue growth this year, but said it was barely affected by the economic crisis. EBITDA rose 0.9 per cent to E1.10 billion. The figure included a E19.2 million hit from restructuring and the termination of IP-PRIME, its IPTV service in […]

This week may decide the destiny of Sirius XM, the worlds only major subscription radio outfit. In 2009 the recently merged entity has lost 45% of its value and trades at about six cents a share. Latest rumours are DirecTV may be making a bid to counter Echostar who are closing in as a result […]

DirecTV continues to offer the most HD channels of any pay TV provider throughout the US, but Verizon is catching up quickly with its FiOS TV service, according to analysis by market research provider Pike & Fischer. In a new report, HDTV Service Comparison, P&F finds that as of January 2009, DirecTV was offering as […]

Charter Communications said it had reached an agreement in principle with a debt holders committee on terms of a financial restructuring, to be done under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, to reduce Charter's debt by about $8 billion. The cable operator, controlled by Microsoft's co-founder, Paul Allen, said in a statement it would file for Chapter […]

Netflix, the world’s largest online movie rental service, has surpassed 10 million subscribers, a milestone that reflects the widespread and growing appeal of the company’s service. Netflix members can get unlimited DVDs delivered to their homes and can instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed over the Internet to their TVs and computers. In crossing […]

CI Plus LLP, a consortium of leading TV and Conditional Access Module manufacturers, has heralded a new era of protection against piracy with the publication of the new CI Plus Common Interface Standard. To implement the necessary content protection mechanisms that are based on digital certificates, CI Plus signed an exclusive multi-year contract with TC […]