Advanced Television

VOD

BBC readies iPlayer 3

The BBC has revealed plans for the next-generation of its online video service, the iPlayer, which include increased functionality and recommendation possibilities. The BBC's Director of Future Media and Technology, Eric Huggers, told members of the Broadcasting Press Guild that the new service would be as much a "you player as an iPlayer." Among the […]

May 13, 2009

DVD still favoured over downloading

According to The NPD Group, watching movies and other video content on DVD and Blu-ray Disc comprises the lion's share of home-video acquisition and viewing, even as newer digital methods are beginning to gain a foothold in the consumer market. DVD and Blu-ray sales and rentals represented 88 per cent of consumer spending on home […]

May 13, 2009

blinkx STB deal

Video search engine blinkx has struck a deal with interactive TV company Miniweb that will see its services become available on digital set-top boxes in the UK. The deal will significantly widen the audience for blinkx’s search offering, which indexes a range of online video content, including content from YouTube and the various web TV […]

May 12, 2009

BSkyB rips in to Canvas

BSkyB has heavily criticised the BBC Trust’s decision not to conduct a full market impact review of Project Canvas, the broadband TV joint venture with ITV and BT, and says the Trust needs to demonstrate it is genuinely independent of the service it is meant to regulate. Sky also believes the project, which aims to […]

May 12, 2009

Warner SVOD service on Dutch Ziggo

Warner Bros Entertainment has secured carriage for the Warner TV subscription video-on-demand service in the Netherlands on Ziggo. The Dutch cable operator will offer more than 150 motion pictures, 600 TV series episodes and 100 hours of animation from Warner Bros to viewers in the Netherlands. Ziggo customers will have the option to purchase or […]

May 5, 2009

Hulu breaks into Top 3 video sites

ComScore has released March 2009 data from the comScore Video Metrix service, showing that US Internet users viewed 14.5 billion online videos during the month, representing an increase of 11 per cent versus February. Google Sites once again ranked as the top US video property with 5.9 billion videos viewed (40.9 per cent online video […]

May 1, 2009

HD iPlayer on Virgin Media

The BBC and Virgin Media have confirmed the launch of high definition content on BBC iPlayer on Virgin Media. Virgin Media’s TV customers are now able to watch a selection of popular BBC programming. Virgin Media is the first TV platform to make BBC iPlayer available in full screen picture quality, directly to its TV […]

May 1, 2009

Internet-enabled TVs in demand

Demand for Internet-enabled televisions is growing rapidly, according to a study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The study "Net-Enabled Video: Early Adopters Only?" found that about half of prospective TV buyers say they are likely to purchase an Internet-connected TV. The study reveals numerous ways consumers would use an Internet-enabled TV. Nearly half (48 […]

May 1, 2009

Netflix: More streaming deals coming

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has said to expect more Internet streaming deals to come from the movie rental company – both for content and for gadgets that help play back streaming videos onto TVs. In terms of content, Hastings said the company would continue to invest in new movies and TV series, especially via deals […]

April 28, 2009

Canvas could face competition probe

UK regulator Ofcom has said Project Canvas, the broadband TV joint venture between BBC, ITV and BT, could face a competition investigation. Ofcom, in its submission to the BBC Trust, has warned that the venture could find itself the subject of the same regulatory scrutiny that earlier this year spelled the end for Project Kangaroo. […]

April 24, 2009