Advanced Television

Business

blinkx posts loss

Video search engine blinkx posted a net loss of $3.2 million for the six months to end-March on revenues of $3.6 million, but said it is ahead of plan in its move towards profitability. blinkx said content hours have more than tripled since its IPO in May 2007 to 26 million from 7 million, and […]

May 16, 2008

CBS buys Cnet

US broadcaster CBS has beefed up its Internet presence with the $1.8 billion purchase of Cnet Networks, the network of technology and entertainment focused websites. CBS said the deal would make it one of the 10 most popular Internet companies in the US, with a combined 54 million unique users per month, and approximately 200 […]

May 16, 2008

EU examines Murdoch's Premiere investment

The European Commission is to review News Corporation's stake in German pay-TV operator Premiere. The Commission stated: “We are examining [News Corp's acquisition of 22.7 per cent] of Premiere on the basis this may give News Corp de facto control.” In an echo of the regulatory difficulties BSkyB has faced in the UK with its […]

May 16, 2008

Eutelsat strong Q3

Eutelsat, the world’s third-largest satellite operator, reported an 8.9 per cent rise in third-quarter and raised its full-year guidance. Sales rose to E223.9 million euros ($346.2 million), compared with an average forecast for turnover of E217 million. Eutelsat said it had decided to raise its full-year sales target. It was now aiming for sales of […]

May 16, 2008

Intelsat Q1 up 11%

Intelsat reported for the three-month period ended March 31, 2008 with revenue of $572.7 million and a net loss of $412.7 million which included $313.1 million in restructuring and transaction costs incurred in connection with the February 4, 2008 acquisition of all of the equity ownership of its parent, Intelsat Holdings Ltd., by Intelsat Global, […]

May 16, 2008

Four candidates for Digital Plus

From David Del Valle in Madrid Prisa's takeover of Sogecable, owner of Digital Plus and Canal Plus, has lead to reports of four candidates in play to buy the DTH platform Digital Plus, which has two million subs. The likely buyers are seen as Telefonica, News Corp, Vivendi and the Mexican TV mogul Carlos Slim. […]

May 15, 2008

Vodafone bids for Tiscali

Vodafone has emerged as a surprise frontrunner to acquire Tiscali after submitting a £1.1 billion (E1.37bn) bid for the group. A possible deal would give Vodafone a fixed-line broadband presence in the UK, and allow it to merge Tiscali’s Italian operation with its Tele 2 business there. BSkyB, BT, Swisscom-owned Fastweb, and Italian mobiles group […]

May 15, 2008

New CEO for Viasat Baltics

Vilma Marciuleviciute has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Viasat Baltics, and will be responsible for the digital satellite TV platform in the region. She is returning to the Baltics after three years in Moscow as CEO of the free-TV channel DTV. Vilma has worked within Modern Times Group MTG AB for more than […]

May 15, 2008

Spain face EC punishment over TV advertising rules

The European Commission has taken the next step in proceedings against Spain for not complying with television advertising restrictions. The infringement procedure, started in July 2007, is based on a monitoring report that found that the main TV channels in Spain, both publicly funded and commercial, failed regularly and by some margin to restrict advertising […]

May 8, 2008

RTL hit by ad decline

Pan European broadcaster RTL, owner of Channel Five, has admitted that the TV advertising market in the UK has been tough in the first quarter of 2008, as it reported an overall drop in underlying revenue of 2.9 per cent to E1.323billion. RTL said that its German broadcasting business had performed well, while the UK […]

May 8, 2008