DirecTV has named Michael White as its new President and CEO. White announced in September that he will retire later this year from his current position as vice chairman of PepsiCo. He will assume his new role at DirecTV beginning January 1st, 2010.
Italy’s Mediaset has filed a complaint with antitrust officials against Sky Italia over its Digital Key that allows Sky Italia subscribers to view free DTT channels. The pay-TV market is dominated by Sky Italia on DTH but Mediaset has been trying to challenge Sky’s position with low-cost pay-TV on DTT. “The distribution by Sky of […]
Targeted ad firm Phorm has lost its UK managing director Nick Barnett. With none of Phorm's initially-announced three interested UK ISPs having gone ahead with rollout it seems the company has chosen to focus on international opportunities. South Korea's KT has begun a trial. European potential customers have been put off by privacy concerns and […]
KDG's digital pay-TV subscribers totalled 844,000, up 21,000 year-on-year at the end of September. It had 1.7 million broadband and telephony subscribers adding 645,000 on the year. There were 851,700 internet and 872,000 phone customers. Average services per customer increased to 1.31 from 1.23 giving the operator 11.84 million RGUs, up 585,000 year-on-year. ARPU for […]
ITV has confirmed Archie Norman, the former chief executive of supermarket group Asda, as its new chairman. The appointment of Norman, 55, a former Tory MP, will bring to an end a seven-month search for the commercial broadcaster as it sought to replace Michael Grade, its executive chairman. ITV is expected to see its fortunes […]
Rural areas of the UK could gain access to broadband Internet services by using spare television spectrum after Ofcom gave the green light to the technology’s development. The communications regulator published a discussion paper on use of so-called 'white space' spectrum – the buffer radio spectrum between television channels, inviting the industry to push forward […]
While AEPOC praises increasing effectiveness in law enforcement activities in many EU countries to counteract audio-visual piracy, several EU states show little involvement. Eight EU countries have still not yet named a delegate for the EU's High Level Expert group. AEPOC calls on Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands and Slovenia to join […]
Jupiter Telecommunications (J:COM) has announced that the total subscribing households as of October 31st 2009 served by J:COM's 23 consolidated franchises reached approximately 3.26 million, up 343,100, or 11.8 per cent since October 31st 2008. Combined revenue generating units (RGUs) for cable television, high-speed Internet access and telephony services reached 5.89 million, up 655,100 or […]
From David Del Valle in Madrid For the nine month period to September Spain’s largest cable company declared a net profit of E41 million, up 144.7 per cent, with an EBITDA of E541 million, up 3.5 per cent year on year. But revenues fell by 5.1 per cent to E1,140 million, with subscriptions also dropping […]
Scottish ITV franchise owner STV is counter-suing ITV over the VOD rights to ITV shows it airs. STV was already being sued by ITV for £38 million (E42.7m) it claims it's losing by STV not screening its programmes in Scotland. STV's claim is that, though STV acquires rights for linear ITV television shows, ITV Network […]