Advanced Television

Broadcast

BBC nets Wimbledon deal

BBC Sport has confirmed a new five-year contract giving the BBC the rights to broadcast the Wimbledon tennis tournament for a further five years from 2010 to 2014 inclusive. People will be able to catch all the key matches via BBC iPlayer, for up to seven days after broadcast, and have the opportunity to watch […]

March 28, 2008

US next-generation TV habits

ABI research says 66 per cent of respondents to its TV habits survey subscribe to some form of pay-TV service, and of those, 60 per cent receive at least one additional service (telephone, Internet etc.) from their provider. However, only 54 per cent of respondents declared themselves satisfied overall with their providers: pricing and customer […]

March 28, 2008

Telefonica and Televisa in a pay-TV deal?

From David Del Valle in Madrid Mexico’s largest TV group Televisa is approaching Spain’s largest telco operator Telefonica in an attempt to enter into a pay-TV alliance in the Mexican market edging out dominant player Telmex, controlled by Carlos Slim. The president of Televisa, Emilio Azcarraga Jean, said that the TV group is “looking for […]

March 27, 2008

blinkx for iPlayer?

The creators of video search engine blinkx are reportedly in talks with the BBC about a deal to supply it with technology for the corporation’s iPlayer, which allows viewers to download programmes over the Internet. The BBC wants the company to provide it with a search facility that will enable users of the service to […]

March 26, 2008

Envivio AVS video encoding in Shanghai

Envivio, technology provider of IP video convergence encoding solutions from mobile to HD, has revealed that its 4Caster C4 encoders are being used in extensive broadcast trials in Shanghai that, for the first time, combine AVS video encoding with China's standard for DTT broadcasting. This is the first large-scale evaluation of AVS with the DTMB […]

March 26, 2008

50%+ prefer free broadcast TV after DTV transition

More than half of over-the-air consumers who are aware of the US digital transition prefer to receive free digital television by buying a converter box or digital TV set instead of pay TV services, according to a survey from the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS). Roughly 62 per cent of the approximately 14.5 million […]

March 26, 2008

Comcast On Demand booming

US telco Comcast has revealed that its Signature On Demand service claims more than seven billion VOD views and one billion hours watched since launching in 2003. Each month a total of 130 million hours of content is watched through the service.

March 21, 2008

BBC wins F1 title

From Colin Mann in London In a surprise move, the BBC has secured the television rights to show Formula One in the UK from the 2009 season. The five-year deal marks the return of the sport to BBC screens 12 years after rival commercial broadcaster ITV began broadcasting Grands Prix. A new five-year exclusive deal […]

March 21, 2008

FCC ruling opens door for satellite

DBS operators have a significant opportunity to gain market share in the pay-TV space thanks to a recently upheld FCC ruling on multiple dwelling units according to the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association. Now that The National Cable and Telecommunications Association’s motion to stay the FCC’s November 2007, order has been denied, satellite providers are […]

March 21, 2008

Verizon’s FiOS TV expands content

FiOS TV customers now enjoy even more home entertainment choices as Verizon has expanded its video-on-demand offer with programmes from CBS, Discovery Channel, Smithsonian Channel, Ovation TV and more. Verizon has also announced new VOD content that features college basketball tournament programming.

March 21, 2008