Advanced Television

VOD

YouView could incorporate Google

Search giant Google would be free to create a Google search engine app on YouView, according to the open IPTV platform’s Chief Technology Officer, Anthony Rose. He told delegates at the Screen Digest Future of Digital Media Distribution Conference that he was not convinced that the recently-announced Google TV keyboard produced by Logitech was an […]

October 21, 2010From Colin Mann in London

Channel 4 considers online pay options

UK broadcaster Channel 4 has not discounted the possibility of charging for some of its online content, according to its head of VOD Content, Sarah Milton. She told delegates at the Screen Digest Future of Digital Media Conference that there was “clearly a willingness to pay for certain content, so we’re interested in exploring those […]

October 21, 2010From Colin Mann in London

Netflix moving online only, net up 26%

After building a successful business by shipping millions of DVDs every month in the mail, Netflix expects by the end of this year to start letting subscribers give up discs. Chief Executive Reed Hastings has said Netflix is looking to offer a new lower-cost plan through which subscribers could access movies and TV shows solely […]

October 21, 2010

Sony launches movie channel

Sony Movie Channel, the first US multi-platform television network from Sony Pictures Television (SPT), has launched on Dish Network, DirecTV and AT&T U-verse TV on linear as well as on authenticated VOD and online platforms. Offering uncut and uninterrupted theatrical releases in high definition, Sony Movie Channel showcases titles from more than 3,500 Sony Pictures […]

October 21, 2010

Ofcom OKs YouView

Ofcom has confirmed that it will not open an investigation into YouView (formerly known as ‘Project Canvas’) under the Competition Act following complaints made by Virgin Media and IPVision. Chief Executive, Ed Richards, said: “Ofcom’s view is that consumers’ interests will not be served by opening an investigation. It would be premature at the current […]

October 19, 2010

Youku, Disney content deal

Youku, China’s largest video hosting site, has partnered with Disney to begin streaming the studio’s TV shows.  The videos are subtitled in Chinese. The agreement with Disney comes as Chinese video hosting sites are moving away from showing illegally uploaded content. Chinese users continue to upload pirated popular American TV shows and movies to sites […]

October 18, 2010

Find Any Film on YouView

Find Any Film, an on-demand movies search website backed by the UK Film Council, has confirmed its support for new IPTV platform YouView. The site, which enables UK film fans to watch, buy, download and rent movies, sees YouView as the “first major opportunity to be on a mainstream TV platform and reach out directly […]

October 13, 2010

CSA extends Numeric on demand trial

French media regulator the CSA has extended the trial period for pay-DTT broadcaster TV Numéric and transmission provider TDF to trial on-demand services over the DTT network. The extension runs until November 30 to complete tests of the delivery of on-demand services downloaded to set-tops in Rouen.

October 12, 2010

Lovefilm app for PS3

As of next month, Sony PS3 owners will be able to order a movie using the Lovefilm app, and choose whether to stream it via their games console or continue ordering the DVDs to be delivered.  The app will also let users curate their movie and game rental lists. Lovefilm is also rumoured to be […]

October 12, 2010

French VOD should be protected

The media producers organisation in France, SACD, has insisted the sector must be protected and not be ‘held hostage’ to European harmonisation. It spoke out in criticising the CSA’s opposition to the Government’s plan to make content quotas part of the price of attaining a VOD operating licence. The CSA thinks national and European quotas […]

October 8, 2010