Digiturk will launch a push and subscription VOD service on its digital-satellite platform, following a collaboration with four of the leading TV technology suppliers – Irdeto, OpenTV, Pace and TeleIDEA. Using the "highly complex broadcasting solution", subscribers will be able to select, download and store feature films and television shows directly on to their set-top […]

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Italy's Communications Authority has opened its investigation into the satellite distribution of RAI channels, although it has has no objections to the launch of the TivùSat platform, set up jointly with Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media. According to the Authority, the inquiry “will determine the distribution mode for the smart […]

From David Del Valle in Madrid The Spanish Competition authority's inquiry into pay-TV football rights has forced Mediapro, shareholder in La Sexta and holder of the majority of football TV rights in Spain, to reach a last-minute agreement with Sogecable, owner of Digital Plus and its main rival, to share pay-per-view football TV rights to […]

ITV has welcomed a Government U turn on product placement. Ben Bradshaw, the culture secretary, is expected to propose this week that commercial broadcasters and TV producers will be able to receive payment to include brands in their programming. The move will bring the UK into line with Europe and the US, where product placement […]

Nearly a year after the BBC first offered its iPlayer to rival UK broadcasters, none of which have joined, now, at IBC, Erik Huggers has declared open door for international TV companies. Huggers told the conference: "It is not a concept of aggregation, but federation. It's about making sure each of the broadcasters around the […]

Fourteen media companies have formed a research organization to pursue new methods to measure audiences. The Council for Innovative Media Measurement, said they would finance studies and promote innovation in audience measurement. They will seek answers to the question: how should the buyers and sellers of advertising time take into account the consumers who are […]

GlobeCast has renewed and significantly expanded its contract with UEFA in a deal to provide HD coverage of the Champions League and HD and SD coverage of the Europa League to non-European rights holders. As a result, GlobeCast has made a significant investment of more than E2million in HD upgrades for its two UK sites, […]

From Davie Del Valle in Madrid Spanish competition watchdog the CNC has launched an inquiry into media group Mediapro and its pay-TV football channel Gol TV over possible anti-trust practices. The CNC argues that Mediapro may be breaking the competition legislation, damaging the pay-TV market by not reselling its football TV rights to the Spanish […]

ITV has offered the job of chief executive to Tony Ball but has so far been unable to agree terms with the former head of British Sky Broadcasting, according to reports. ITV and Ball were said to be holding talks over the structure and conditions of a turnaround incentive award for Ball akin to a […]

The UK competition regulator is preparing to announce a relaxation of rules governing how ITV1 sells advertising, but is unlikely to scrap all the controls binding the channel, and could call for a complete review of Britain’s TV ad trading system. The Competition Commission aims to announce the results of its review of the contract […]