Advanced Television

Articles

Telescope and Akamai voting platform

Telescope, player in participation media services and Akamai, service provider for accelerating content and applications online, have provided the first multi-channel voting platform for participation media events, part of a growing industry that has become more significant to broadcasters. The two companies have successfully delivered the application, which enables audience members of participation TV shows […]

November 7, 2007

Champion's League rights set for bidding war

UK broadcasters are preparing bids ahead of a Champions League rights auction that is expected to secure a record sum for football governing board UEFA as the BBC, ITV and BSkyB go head-to-head. UEFA has confirmed that it will issue tender documents for the three seasons from July 2009 after this season’s Champions League final […]

November 6, 2007

Verizon increases HD output

Customers of Verizon's FiOS TV service are set to receive an increase of high-definition content as the US telco confirmed plans for a fivefold increase in the number of HD channels, to 150 channels, as well as plans for offering additional HD content through FiOS TV’s video-on-demand service. Verizon is also planning a major expansion […]

November 6, 2007

Napster posts losses

Music download service Napster has reported a narrower quarterly loss as revenue increased from new mobile phone-based and existing personal computer-based services. The digital company said its fiscal second-quarter net loss was $5.1 million, compared with a year-earlier net loss of $9 million. Revenue grew 24 per cent to $31.6 million from $25.5 million a […]

November 6, 2007

AOL launches Truveo UK

Internet portal AOL has launched a video search engine in the UK, which allows users to search for videos from a number of media sources such as BBC and ITN. Truveo, the video search engine, allows users to search and browse through videos from media brands as well as user-generated content from video uploading sites […]

November 6, 2007

.2 Network set for launch

Guardian Enterprise Group is to launch its new, nationwide multicast digital broadcast network, .2 Network in February 2008. .2Network programming includes a licensing deal with Sony Pictures Television (SPT) for over 300 titles of blockbuster, award-winning films as well as four television series. Dubbed 'Network-in-a-Box' .2Network provides local station affiliates with a uniform, national network […]

November 6, 2007

Microsoft signs $500m IPTV deal with Reliance

Microsoft has entered into a $500 million (E345m) with Reliance to launch IPTV and allied services in India. The IPTV service will be launched in Mumbai and Delhi by March 2008, to be followed gradually by other metros. CEO Microsoft Steve Ballmer said: “Reliance is about to change the way consumers experience television. TV is […]

November 6, 2007

RAI and Mediaset to provide digital frequencies

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Italy’s communications regulator, AGCOM, has recommended that public broadcaster RAI and commercial rival Mediaset should make available 40 per cent of the capacity on their digital multiplexes to smaller broadcasters and new operators. AGCOM has also established that independent media groups, and national operators that need to extend digital coverage […]

November 6, 2007

BSkyB sets repeats bar

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB has increased the minimum amount of new programming which must be broadcast by channels on its Electronic Programme Guide (EPG). In a letter to broadcasters, BSkyB said that from 1 July 2008, it would “only provide an EPG listing to television channels and radio stations which broadcast no less than 6 hours […]

November 6, 2007

Swisscom to shut down Betty TV

Swisscom AG is to shut down its interactive television operation Betty TV in Switzerland. ‘The results from Betty TV (Switzerland) were significantly below our expectations,’ said spokesman Carsten Roetz in an interview. Betty TV gained 10,000 customers in Switzerland and 100,000 in Germany since its launch last June. But Swisscom had produced 300,000 devices for […]

November 6, 2007