Advanced Television

Apple holds MGM talks

Apple has held talks with MGM as it seeks to bolster the content offering on its Apple TV+ service and has been exploring deals for MGM Holdings content and college sports rights. Apple executives reportedly met with MGM representatives and the Pac-12 Conference this year for preliminary talks that have “yet to reach an advanced […]

December 20, 2019

Ofcom: 3m UK homes can access full-fibre broadband

Nearly 3 million UK homes can now access full-fibre broadband, Ofcom’s latest data on broadband and mobile availability shows. Ofcom’s annual Connected Nations report analyses the availability of broadband and mobile services across the UK and its nations. This year’s report highlights further progress from industry in rolling out their networks, with the availability of […]

December 20, 2019

Former France Télécom execs jailed

The former boss of France Télécom and two former executives have been jailed over a restructuring policy linked to suicides among employees in the 2000s. Didier Lombard was jailed for a year, as were Louis-Pierre Wenès and Olivier Barberot, although eight months were suspended. The company, now Orange, was fined €75,000. The court examined 39 […]

December 20, 2019

STELA Act to expire

The controversial US Satellite Television Extension & Localism Act (STELA) will come to an end on December 31st. Two new Bills will replace it: The Television Viewer Protection Act (TVPA) which makes the “good faith” supply of distant signals permanent, and the Satellite Television Community Protection & Promotion Act. However, it is not totally clear […]

December 20, 2019By Chris Forrester

MásMóvil reaches 100,000 TV subs

Spain’s fourth largest telco, MásMóvil, has achieved 100,000 customers through Yoigo to its TV service Agile TV. The reshuffle of its TV offer with the integration of OTT platforms like Netflix, Rakuten and Amazon Prime Video is bearing fruit, although far from the big numbers achieved by Movistar with 4.1 million TV customers, Vodafone with […]

December 20, 2019From David del Valle in Madrid

France: Canal+ launching Premier League digital channel

Canal+, the French pay-TV broadcaster, is launching a digital channel dedicated to English Premier League football, as well as a seperate channel focussed on French rugby union. Both channels go live on the MyCanal streaming service on December 26th. The channels will be available to Canal+ Sport subscribers at no additional cost Christophe Pinard-Legry, marketing […]

December 20, 2019

France Télévisions to invest €144m in digital

France Télévisions has confirmed it will dedicate an additional budget of €24 million to accelerate its digital development, bringing its investment total to €144 million in 2020. The funds will serve to strengthen the quality and content of the group’s VoD and news platforms france.tv and franceinfo.fr, as well as complete the 2020 full digital […]

December 20, 2019From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris

Italy: HGTV going FTA on DTT

Discovery Italia will expand its channel portfolio in Italy with the launch of Home & Garden TV (HGTV) on February 2nd 2020. The broadcaster’s ninth TV channel will be available free-to-air, on the national DTT network (channel position 56). The programme schedule will be focused on world of home, from buying and selling to second […]

December 20, 2019From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Survey: 63% of Indonesians streaming pirates

A study of the online content viewing behaviour of Indonesian consumers, revealed that nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of online Indonesian consumers have accessed streaming piracy websites or torrent sites to access premium content without paying any subscription fees. The survey, commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association’s Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and conducted […]

December 20, 2019By Colin Mann

IMAX tops $1bn during 2019

With two trading weeks of the year still to be accounted for, giant cinema screen business IMAX says it has already achieved $1.035 billion in box office receipts. The revenues translate into the highest-grossing year ever for IMAX. The final two weeks will see big cash continue to flow courtesy of the latest Star Wars […]

December 20, 2019By Chris Forrester