Advanced Television

Iranian national charged for HBO hack

The US Justice Department has charged a part-time Iranian government hacker with infiltrating HBO and trying to extort the premium broadcaster, a move that comes amid allegations the charges were rushed to bolster President Donald Trump’s case against Tehran. The man, Behzad Mesri, is charged with orchestrating the high-profile hack of the US cable channel […]

November 23, 2017

ProSiebenSat.1 names Eglau EVP of international

German broadcasting group ProSiebenSat.1 has appointed Nicolas Eglau to the newly created position of Executive VP of international, effective immediately. Eglau left his role as chief operating officer and general manager for Nordics, Benelux and CEEMEA at A+E Networks UK earlier this year, having joined the firm in 2015. Prior to that he held an […]

November 23, 2017

Gigwise, FindAnyFilm.com partner  

Popular music site Gigwise has partnered with pro-copyright consumer education body the Industry Trust for IP Awareness and its FindAnyFilm.com search tool as part of a site relaunch that includes a renewed focus on film alongside traditional music content. The partnership means that as well as a raft of new entertainment editorial, users will be […]

November 23, 2017By Colin Mann

IMAX opens VR centre in Manchester

IMAX has opened its first virtual reality experience centre in the UK, at the Trafford Centre in Manchester, where it hopes to draw younger audiences to the cinema in greater numbers. The experience will allow visitors to enter the space and play multiplayer VR games or experience entertainment content that ties in with movies currently. […]

November 23, 2017

Media Summit on Brexit: ‘We stuffed it up’

Last night saw the launch event for Media Summits and its series on the Media and Brexit. In typically forthright form, the former Digital Economy and Culture Minister Ed Vaizey told an audience of top TV practitioners and professional advisors: “Sorry, we really stuffed it up for you.” Vaizey said he hoped the current DCMS ministers […]

November 22, 2017

FCC proposes ‘Open Internet’ policy reversal

As trailed earlier in 2017, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a draft ‘Restoring Internet Freedom Order’ to his fellow Commissioners, which will be voted on at the FCC’s Open Meeting on December 14th, suggesting it will restore Internet freedom and eliminate heavy-handed sector regulation, effectively reversing predecessor Tom Wheeler’s ‘Open Internet’ policy designed to ensure […]

November 22, 2017By Colin Mann

France Télévisions CEO: “Unite against US OTT players”

France Télévisions’ CEO Delphine Ernotte is calling for much greater cooperation between Europe’s public and private broadcasters in order to rival the influence – and potential domination – by the likes of Netflix and Amazon. In a report in French newspaper Le Figaro, Mdm Ernotte says that discussions have already started with Italy’s RAI, Germany’s […]

November 22, 2017By Chris Forrester

UK advertising to grow to £19.8bn

UK advertising is set to see a ninth successive year of growth, and the nation will remain one of the fastest-growing media markets in 2018 with a 4.8 per cent increase predicted to take total investment to £19.8 billion (€22,3bn). This is according to the latest forecast from media investment group GroupM, which has raised […]

November 22, 2017

UTECA: Spain Government ‘favours pay-TV’

UTECA, the largest private TV Association in Spain, has accused the Administration of discrimination against FTA TV to the benefit of pay-TV and new OTT platforms. The president of UTECA, Alejandro Echevarría, has urged the Government to put an end to the “favourable treatment” of pay-TV operators and demanded “legal changes” to make the new […]

November 22, 2017From David Del Valle in Madrid

TiVo wins Comcast patent case

An International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling has confirmed that Comcast “violated” two TiVo Patents. The decision says that Comcast’s infringements occurred on patents owned by Rovi Corp, now part of TiVo. The ITC decision means that Comcast’s highly-specified X1 set-top boxes are now banned from being imported. TiVo’s share price rose 12 per cent in […]

November 22, 2017By Chris Forrester