Time Warner Chief Executive Jeffrey Bewkes has questioned the sustainability of Netflix’s current business model. He said a subscription service has to provide the best content and that means paying top dollar for films as soon as possible after theatrical release. Bewkes told the Reuters Global Media Summit “It’s hard to see how that […]
US-based digital media services provider Encompass Digital Media is to acquire the global content distribution business of Ascent Media Corporation for some $120 million, including approximately $113 million in cash and the assumption of certain indebtedness and obligations totalling approximately $7 million. The deal creates a major global provider of mission-critical outsourced media services to […]
The European Commission has given itself an extra fortnight to consider the competition implications of News Corp’s bid to take control of Sky as News reportedly offers significant concessions to try and ensure the deal is approved. The EC decision deadline has been moved back from 8th December to the 22nd after it received […]
Japanese telco NTT DoCoMo and media group Softbank Corp are among six companies vying to provide a new broadcasting service for portable digital devices. The prospective operators have declared their intentions to the Communications Ministry, which is finalising details such as the number of service providers to be chosen in 2011, prior to service launch […]
Troubled Hollywood studio MGM on December 2nd saw its bankruptcy reorganisation plan approved by a New York court, and cleared the way for MGM to speedily exit its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. MGM expects the new plan to become effective mid-December. “Today’s ruling is an important milestone for MGM,” said Co-CEO Steven Cooper. “Thanks to the […]
The IABM (International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers) has announced the appointment of Roger Crumpton as director of education, employment, and training. The appointment coincides with the launch of the IABM’s new training academy designed to address the worldwide shortage of qualified broadcast engineers and technicians. “Our recent industry surveys have shown that the shortage of […]
SmarDTV, a Kudelski company, has entered into an agreement to purchase certain assets from French technology company Iwedia including the transfer of all staff from Iwedia to SmarDTV. “We are delighted to announce our acquisition of the Iwedia team and assets” said Eric Chaubert, CEO of SmarDTV. “CI Plus is really building steam across Europe […]
Conax has entered a contract with state owned Vietnam Cable Television. VCTV is a MSO with 17 Vietnam cable operators and over a half million analogue subscribers. Conax will deliver a new content protection solution to VCTV’s subsidiary VTV, the second largest cable operator in Vietnam, including Conax core conditional access technology, Conax Chipset Pairing […]
Jana Bennett is moving from her job as BBC Vision director to BBC Worldwide, with responsibilities including the global rollout of the international subscription version of the iPlayer. Bennett will join BBC Worldwide in February as president, worldwide networks and global iPlayer. The BBC is seeking to build on the popularity of its iPlayer by […]
TV viewing figures reveal that people in the UK watched an average of 27 hours, 34 minutes of live, linear TV each a week during July to September 2010 (3 hours, 56 minutes a day), with growth across every age group. This represents an increase of 1 hour, 50 minutes on the same period last […]