Advanced Television

TVCable in Ecuador chooses Comarch for Field Service Automation

Comarch, a provider of complete IT solutions for telecommunications has announced that the most important triple-play service provider from Ecuador, GRUPO TVCABLE, will implement the Comarch Field Service Management (FSM) system. Thanks to the solution, TVCable subscribers will benefit from faster delivery of services and enjoy technicians’ visits set exactly according to their preferences. Comarch […]

January 28, 2014

Liberty Global/Ziggo: €10bn deal

Cable MSO Liberty Global is to acquire Dutch cable operator Ziggo in a stock and cash transaction valuing Ziggo at approximately €10 billion. In addition, Liberty Global also announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock dividend of one Liberty Global Class C ordinary share on each outstanding Class A, Class B and […]

January 27, 2014By Colin Mann

BBC Worldwide’s Davie: Channels business under-exploited

An overhauled channels business and an effective BBC Store. giving UK consumers the chance to buy, watch and keep a selection of BBC programmes, are at the heart of the strategy for BBC Worldwide – the main commercial arm of the BBC – according to the unit’s CEO Tim Davie. Addressing the Broadcasting Press Guild, […]

January 27, 2014By Colin Mann

Sky to offer free shows on YouTube

Sky, for the first time, is giving everyone a chance to sample entire episodes of Sky shows online for free. To watch the first episodes from some of Sky’s exclusive shows, viewers can visit a new YouTube channel, Sky First Episodes, which launches on February 1st. Through the channel, viewers can access full episodes of […]

January 27, 2014By Nik Roseveare

TF1 eyes Mediaset’s pay-TV unit

The list of potential partners for the future pay-TV newco of Italian broadcaster Mediaset is growing, with interest now being expressed by France’s TF1. Italian daily Milano Finanza reported that TF1, 43.7 per cent owned by Bouygues group, has joined the list of media groups that have already expressed interest, including France’s Canal+, Germany’s RTL, […]

January 27, 2014From Branislav Pekic in Rome

‘All clear’ for Dish’s Hopper

Charlie Ergen’s plans for users unrestricted use of their Sling Media/Dish ‘Hopper’ devices received another court approval on January 24th. Notably, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit “unanimously” threw out Fox Broadcasting’s appeal to re-open the court’s earlier (July 2013) decision in favour of Dish’s PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop features on the […]

January 27, 2014By Chris Forrester

Dolby Labs: ‘Glasses free’ 3D later this year

Dolby Laboratories EV/CFO Lewis Chew has told analysts that his company was sitting on $958 million in cash and cash equivalents despite spending $11.7 million during the quarter-year to September 30th in buying in its own stock back in for cancellation. These days Dolby Labs is mostly a licensing operation for its audio, cinema and […]

January 27, 2014By Chris Forrester

Nielsen: Internet ad spend up 32%, TV up 4%

According to Nielsen’s quarterly Global AdView Pulse report, display Internet, outdoor and television advertising saw the greatest increases in spend throughout the first three quarters of 2013 compared to the same period the year before. Display Internet ads, although measured

January 27, 2014

ERC opposes Portugal Telecom’s Sport TV

Portugal’s Regulatory Authority for the Media (ERC) has, for the second time, rejected the new shareholding structure of pay-TV company Sport TV. The so-called “Operation Triangle” would see Portugal Telecom becoming a shareholder in the operator of sports pay-TV channels that is currently 50/50 owned by sports rights company Sportinveste and telecommunications operator Zon Optimus. […]

January 27, 2014From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Who else wants to bid for Premier League?

Discovery Communications, via its growing control over Eurosport, is considering bidding for the English Premier League (EPL) TV rights. The Guardian quotes Discovery’s president and CEO David Zaslav who confirms Discovery is interested in the rights. “We will look opportunistically at everything, strong sports rights can be very compelling and ‘must have’ content for viewers […]

January 27, 2014