US broadcasters promised to air more than $327 million (E231m) worth of television spots as part of a campaign to alert consumers about the approaching switch-over to digital television. The major television networks, as well as 95 station-owning broadcast companies, pledged to run the ads as part of a $697 million campaign designed to keep […]
From Sotires Eleftheriou in Paris The French Consultative Commission for Telecommunications has asked the government to use part of the digital bonus – the spectrum liberated after analogue switch-off – to be used to improve internet access to the population. Guy Roussel, head of Ericsson France and chairman of the commission, said that the freed […]
From David Del Valle in Madrid The Spanish police has disbanded a network of pay-TV hackers by arresting 27 people across the country who would have defrauded the pay-TV companies of E10 million. Amonsgt the detainees there are 10 distributors of keys and codes through the Internet, nine sellers of manipulated set-top-boxes and eight responsible […]
The Dolan family's effort to take Cablevision Systems private is being opposed by a large shareholder and a major proxy advisory firm. Mario Gabelli, a longtime media investor, said that the funds he controls would vote against the proposed transaction at a special shareholders' meeting scheduled for October 24th. Gabelli said he believed his clients […]
Connecticut State utility regulators have ordered AT&T to get a cable television licence for the IPTV service it is currently providing in Connecticut. Department of Public Utility Control commissioners said a recent ruling by a federal judge made it clear that AT&T’s “U-verse” constitutes a cable television service, and the company is operating it without […]
The BBC and Adobe Systems have revealed a strategic relationship around the delivery of web video. By adopting the Adobe Flash Player software, the BBC will make its free catch-up TV service – BBC iPlayer – available as a streaming service across Macintosh and Linux, as well as Windows, by the end of year. The […]
Vodafone’s Portugal unit is considering entering the IPTV market and is also contemplating participating in Portugal’s digital terrestrial television (DTT) tender, Jornal de Negocios reported, citing the company’s deputy CEO Antonio Coimbra. ‘Vodafone is ready to launch an IPTV offer in the short term if it decides to do so,’ Coimbra said. Though the company […]
The UK's television switchover starts today when thousands of homes in Whitehaven, Cumbria, receive digital channels for the first time. The two-stage switchover starts at approximately 2am when analogue BBC Two is replaced with the first group of digital services.
Discovery Communications has expanded its web presence with the acquisition of online knowledge repository HowStuffWorks for an estimated $250 million (E176m). Discovery will use HowStuffWorks to showcase its existing footage, uploading programme clips into entries on the site. It also plans to create a HowStuffWorks-branded series to air daily on Discovery Channel from next summer. […]
Eagle Broadband, a national provider of IP products and services, has completed an asset purchase agreement with Nighthawk Systems whereby Nighthawk purchased all rights, title, and interest in Eagle Broadband’s set-top box business. As part of this sale, the team of set-top box engineers and support staff formerly with Eagle has now become employees of […]