Executives at UK news producer ITN say that the company’s increased focus on third-party productions will drive higher revenue levels in the coming years, proving that ITN is not simply “the news department of ITV”. In conversation with the Broadcasting Press Guild at ITN’s central London HQ, John Hardie, ITN’s CEO, made the assertion, suggesting […]
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond is to pledge £1 billion (€1.17bn) to improve Britain’s broadband infrastructure, under an investment initiative to boost productivity. The plan, which is targeting giving two million further households access to full-fibre broadband, will be confirmed in Hammond’s Autumn Statement on November 23rd, giving the Government’s spending plans and […]
UK commercial public service broadcaster Channel 4 has revealed a new look for its on-demand service All 4. The service’s brand new interface for big screens (Smart TVs and games consoles) will launch in the coming weeks, followed by new-look home screens on iOS, Android and All4.com. All 4’s user experience design and interactions will […]
UK intellectual property protection body FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) is expanding its intellectual property protection services to organisations outside the audio-visual industry. Recent changes in its funding model have created new opportunities for the organisation and now FACT’s expertise and technical knowledge are being extended to brands and businesses requiring support in protecting their […]
German commercial TV group Pro7 has raised €515 million in additional capital to finance the “company’s growth strategy by the acquisition of other companies and interests in other companies in particular in the digital space.” The capital increase will furthermore serve general corporate purposes as well as support the strengthening of the company’s balance sheet, […]
Edge Investments, the specialist investment house focused on the creative industries sector, has revealed it will invest up to £10 million (€11.2m) in the thriving UK television production industry. Joanna Smith, Investment Manager at Edge commented: “We want to meet television production management teams who are looking for a pure equity investor focused on growth […]
Social video creation platform Wochit has announced receipt of $13 million (€11.9m) in funding, with investment from media giants ProSieben, Singapore Press Holdings’ SPH Media Fund, Carlo de Benedetti and several existing investors including Redpoint, Marker and Cedar Fund. The funds will be used to further enhance Wochit’s technology and to expand its business with […]
Sony Pictures Television Networks has taken a minority stake in global pre-school SVoD platform Hopster, becoming a strategic equity investor and taking a seat on the company’s Board. The investment complements SPT Networks’ growing kid’s portfolio, particularly in the UK, where SPT Networks’ linear and AVoD services include POP, Tiny Pop and Kix, which make […]
Nigeria’s Federal Government has said it could potentially raise a digital dividend of $1 billion from the sale of spectrum as it rolls out digitisation of broadcasting in the country. Speaking at the opening of Africast 2016 in Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said that digitisation of broadcasting offered the country a […]
RT says the entire Royal Bank of Scotland Group, of which NatWest is part, was refusing to service the broadcaster. It says NatWest wrote to its London office: “We have recently undertaken a review of your banking arrangements with us and reached the conclusion that we will no longer provide these facilities.” The bank, RT […]