Contract Rights Renewal, the rules which dictate how much ITV1 can charge advertisers, will stay for now says the Competition Commission. In its provisional report into CRR the watchdog has proposed “variations” which, for example, could allow ITV1 to capture more commercial impacts, such as rolling in high-definition and time-shifted channels into the definition of […]

Joost removed its high-profile chairman Mike Volpi by shareholder vote, it has emerged and "The company and its Board of Directors is conducting an investigation into Mr. Volpi’s actions during his tenure as CEO and as Chairman" said a statement. Volpi, who had been CEO, continued as Joost chairman after joinning the venture firm Index […]

The results of an extensive study titled "Exploiting the digital dividend: a European approach" led by Hogan & Hartson LLP, media consulting firm Analysys Mason, and economics consultancy DotEcon, have been published. The consortium was tasked by the European Commission with ascertaining what coordinated action is needed at the EU level in order to maximise […]

After more than a dozen years of failing to live up to its promise, web access on the television is finally ready for prime time, with retail sales of Internet-Enabled Televisions (IETVs) set to rise by a factor of six by 2013, according to iSuppli. The research group predicts worldwide sales of IETVs will rise […]

Rupert Murdoch, James Packer and Kerry Stokes may vie for Australia's biggest pay-television network after the government said Telstra may have to sell its 50 per cent stake in Foxtel. Telstra may be barred from buying new wireless licences unless the telco sells the Foxtel stake and separates its retail and network divisions, the government […]

On Demand Group announced another video-on-demand customer in southern Europe, PrimeTel PLC in Cyprus. PrimeTel is the third telco to partner with On Demand Group to develop its IPTV on-demand service since it launched its regional expansion strategy. ODG is providing thousands of encoded video-on-demand titles from the major Hollywood studios and a full range […]

Channel 4’s £50m (E56.7m) public service digital media investment fund 4iP has engaged business advisory and investment company Pembridge Partners to advise its key projects. Pembridge’s role will be to provide advice to help the projects that 4iP invests in transform from the launch stage to become commercially sustainable businesses with long-term growth potential. The […]

Dee Forbes has been appointed the Managing Director and Executive Vice President of Discovery Networks UK. Forbes will be responsible for Discovery's UK/Ireland business, which is the single largest market for Discovery outside the US. Forbes takes up the new role in January 2010 and joins from Turner Broadcasting Europe where she is the Senior […]

Wyplay, expert in developing software products for consumer electronics connected-TVs, has been selected by SFR to collaborate with its technical team to develop the software for its next generation of HD IP-STB. WYPLAY, expert in developing software products for consumer electronics connected-TVs, has been selected by SFR to collaborate with its technical team to develop […]

From David Del Valle in Madrid The Spanish Competition authority's inquiry into pay-TV football rights has forced Mediapro, shareholder in La Sexta and holder of the majority of football TV rights in Spain, to reach a last-minute agreement with Sogecable, owner of Digital Plus and its main rival, to share pay-per-view football TV rights to […]