In a ‘read my lips’ moment here at Cable Congress, Donagh O’Mally, Head of Partnerships UK, Ireland and Benelux for YouTube, declared: “Google TV is not about cord cutting. Anyone who cancels pay-TV to get Google TV is going to be disappointed.” That promise didn’t entirely convince all members of the following panel on ‘How […]
Confirming CEO Mike Fries’ declaration yesterday that Liberty Global is on watch for acquisitions, Shane O’Neill, Chief Strategy Officer, took the opportunity of the Investor panel to confirm they were appraising KBW, but also that, given the choice and the right price, “Ziggo [the Dutch operator] is a much better fit for us.” Mixed news […]
Research released in advance of the European cable industry’s annual Congress points to increased digital leadership by cable. Cable Europe, the sector’s trade body, suggests that the European Union’s goal of a digital future for all is well on its way to becoming realised, with Europe’s cable industry already today having made fast Internet available […]
Open IPTV platform YouView has formally admitted that the service’s planned 2011 commercial launch has been deferred until 2012. In an announcement euphemistically updating ‘launch timings’, YouView has confirmed that it will have a product in trial by the end of this year, with a full consumer launch planned in early 2012. YouView also today […]
The acquisition by Digital Plus of pay-TV rights to the European Champions League from 2012 is a hard blow for Mediapro’s pay DTT channel Gol TV, current holder of the rights. Digital+ has acquired the rights to live and delayed action from all of the competition’s matches, with the exception of the Tuesday first-match pick. […]
In a rebuttal of Ofcom’s recommendation to Department of Culture Media Sport to refer to the Competition Commission its bid for BSkB, News Corporation has accused the regulator of producing a biased, seriously flawed and ‘tainted’ report. The Ofcom report and News Corporation’s submission to DCMS have been published today as the Secretary of State, […]
Confirming Ofcom’s recommendation of a referral, Hunt said that in accordance with his duties to meet relevant parties, he met with News Corporation on 6 January to set out the process that he would follow and briefly explain Ofcom’s conclusions. “Having informed them of the process I then wrote to News Corporation and BSkyB on […]
The BBC is to reduce spending at its Online division by 25 per cent with streamlined structure for the division and the cut of 360 posts from 1,600. Under the restructure BBC Online will be categorised into 10 areas: News, Sport, Weather, CBeebies, CBBC, Knowledge & Learning, Radio & Music, TV & iPlayer, Homepage and […]
Formerly fierce competitors for premium pay-TV subscribers, Bertrand Meheut, Chairman of the Canal+ Group, and Stéphane Richard, Chief Executive Officer of Orange, have announced a strategic partnership plan to bring the Orange cinema series package and TPS Star together under one joint venture. The business will be owned 50-50 by the two partners and managed […]
The BBC’s Director of Future Media & Technology, Erik Huggers, is to leave the corporation at the end of February to become Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Intel’s Digital Home Group, based at its Silicon Valley headquarters in California. He replaces interim General Manager Brad Daniels. BBC Director General Mark Thompson said that […]