Advanced Television

VOD

Ziggo on demand

Holland’s largest cable operator, Ziggo, has launched on-demand services across its entire network. Viewers will require a new set-top box to access the service, with Samsung and Cisco currently offering devices. Ziggo, currently connected to 3.2 million homes, has signed a number of on-demand deals, including ones with Disney and Warner Bros. Ziggo will offer […]

April 7, 2009

Disney: “TV everywhere difficult to embrace”

Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger has told NCTA that cable must find an online model that works for both programmers and distributors, appearing to dismiss a subscription model proposal, TV Everywhere, made earlier this year by Time Warner. "Cable television is vitally important to our company. It provides us with a crucial connection with […]

April 6, 2009

TW announces HBO Go

Ignoring Bob Iger's dismissal of the online subscription model, Time Warner chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes unveiled HBO Go, a broadband complement to the premium network only for subscribers to the linear service. “We’re all being too slow,” Bewkes said. “We should put up all our networks on the Internet, out on broadband right now. […]

April 6, 2009

Disney into Hulu?

US press reports say Disney is considering an equity stake in Hulu and distributing its content via the News Corp / NBC Universal service. It is thought Disney would want a 30% stake, reducing the existing network shareholders and maybe buying out Providence the private equity firm that has 10%. Such a deal would see […]

March 30, 2009

Blockbuster on TiVo

Blockbuster, global film rental outfit and TiVo, are joining forces to deliver Blockbuster's library of digital movie titles directly to the television set via TiVo DVRs. Blockbuster OnDemand, featuring content to both buy and rent, will be integrated into TiVo Series2, Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL DVRs. The move will allow broadband connected […]

March 30, 2009

Joost and Hulu boost international

Hulu has further signaled its international intent with the hiring of a dedicated international SVP to acquire TV rights. Johannes Larcher had previously been search firm overture's international GM, the international VP for Friendster and most recently co-founded now-defunct social betting site Pikum. There had been much speculation about a Hulu UK launch but the […]

March 27, 2009

Netflix movie ratings on Facebook

Netflix is the latest media company to integrate with social networking website Facebook. Starting this week, Netflix users can use Facebook Connect – software that links individual Facebook pages to third-party Web sites – to share their ratings of Netflix rentals with their Facebook friends. Movie ratings will appear on Netflix subscribers Facebook pages if […]

March 27, 2009

Digital Rights Group partners with Hulu

From Colin Mann at IPTV World Forum Marking Hulu's first UK deal, the online video service has signed with Digital Rights Group (DRG) to roll out titles from its catalogue. Hulu's US service, launched publicly in March 2008 now offers content from more than 1,200 shows, series and movie titles from more than 130 providers. […]

March 27, 2009

Fremantle boss: charge 5p for on-demand shows

Tony Cohen, the chief executive of FremantleMedia, the production company of shows such as X-Factor, has called on the UK government to consider a system of charging consumers as little as 5p to view TV shows on-demand. Cohen, revealing details of FremantleMedia’s submission to the Digital Britain report, said there was a case to look […]

March 23, 2009

Meo VOD service sets new record

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Movie rentals via the Videoclube VOD service of Portuguese IPTV operator Meo have registered a new record with more than 5000 clients watching 'Mamma Mia' and 'The Dark Knight, in four days. In total, more than two million videos have already been rented by Meo clients, who can select movies […]

March 23, 2009