HD+, a provider of high-definition, free-to-air satellite channels to the German market, has joined the FreeTV Alliance, the broadcast industry association that was revealed at IBC by Fransat, Freesat and Tivùsat to promote the harmonisation of free-to-view satellite TV services and technology across Europe. HD+ had been expected to join the Alliance at launch, but […]
Verizon Communications will be giving all new customers in the US a free one-year subscription to Netflix if they subscribe to its FiOS triple play service. The announcement follows Verizon’s failed partnership with Redbox to start its own streaming service, Redbox Instant. The service was launched in March 2013 but was shut down earlier this […]
Sky has invested $7 million in Whistle Sports, the world’s largest sport-focused cross-platform network as the two companies look to work together on creating exciting new content for younger sports fans, particularly ‘young millennials’. Whistle Sports partners with online personalities who create unique video content themed around sports, sports brands and franchises. The network uses […]
The BBC licence fee is “worse than the poll tax” with non-payment “almost certain” to be decriminalised, according to John Whittingdale, the chair of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee. Conservative MP Whittingdale said the £145.50 charge was unsustainable in the long term, but added that he expected it to survive the current […]
John Medeiros, chief policy officer at the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), has called for governments in the region to exercise a light touch in their regulation of pay-TV networks, which he says should be freed from archaic regulations, inequitable censorship controls and unfair tax burdens which are not levied on online […]
Tom Wheeler, FCC Chairman, says the industry has passed from an era where it was necessary to build a purpose-specific pathway to deliver video, and accordingly, the Commission is putting forth proposals to update FCC rules to recognise this new reality and, as a result, expand competition and consumer choice, a move that could benefit […]
Discovery Networks International has closed the books on its biggest-ever quarter, with record viewing levels and online growth internationally. Reaching 643 million viewers outside the US (+6 per cent year-on-year) during Q3 2014, the pay-TV programmer continues to enjoy exponential growth – charting its highest-ever average audience (+8 per cent) and delivering new highs among […]
People will watch TV and video content on more and more devices as TV Everywhere takes off. For the 51 countries covered in Digital TV Research’s Multiscreen TV & Video Forecasts report, the gross number of viewers will climb from 5.60 billion in 2010 to 11.32 billion by 2020. Simon Murray, report author, said:
After an emergency aircraft landing made in the early hours of October 28th, the giant Antonov-124 cargo plane took off from the Ulyanovsk airstrip later in the day having fixed the errant engine. The aircraft was carrying Astra 2G for SES of Luxembourg, scheduled for launch later next month. Taisia Nikitenko, a PR spokesperson for […]
Discovery Communications has announced the appointment of former Shine America CEO and Disney executive Rich Ross to the position of President of the Discovery Channel. Ross will join Discovery Communications in January 2015, and will be based at the company’s LA office. Ross will oversee creative and brand strategy, development, production, marketing and all day-to-day […]