The UK Competition Commission is expected to file its report on Sky with the government shortly and reports say it will recommend Sky's stake in ITV is cut to below 10 per cent. According to the FT Sky will be asked to reduce its stake to about 7 per cent, to bring it more into […]

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, is reportedly trying to buy cable group Virgin Media’s share of UKTV, the TV channel business that the two organisations jointly own. Virgin Media’s investment in the 50/50 joint venture is valued on the company’s books at £370 million, (E536m) including a £150 million loan. The joint […]

Netgem has acquired the shares of institutional investors in Glowria, the leading French Internet DVD rental and a video on demand services operator. Glowria has up to now been financed by those investors; Seventure (Natixis Group), Crédit Agricole Private Equity and Mousse Partners. Through this acquisition, Netgem and Glowria will offer their customers and partners […]

Rupert Murdoch has effectively confirmed son James Murdoch is his choice to take over News Corp. For now, James moves up at Sky to become non-exec chairman, while becoming CEO for News Corp outside the US. Meantime, Rupert Murdoch leaves the board of Sky – where News Corp owns 39 per cent – after 18 […]

Macrovision is buying television listings provider Gemstar-TV Guide International for $2.8 billion in cash and stock. They say the combined company will allow consumers to pull up a guide on their TV and receive personalised content and information regarding favourite TV shows, read movie reviews before purchasing or renting a film, view personal photos, or […]

MPEG-4 technology specialist Neotion has received a capital injection of E6 million. The prime investor is General Satellite Corporation (GSC), a fast-growing digital television receiver manufacturer. GSC has a strong presence in what Neotion describes as Strategic Emerging Markets where MPEG-4 is set to spread rapidly, including Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia, where the positioning […]

Digital entertainment group YooMedia has conditionally agreed to acquire 95.2 per cent of the issued share capital of Fresh Interactive Technologies, a Spanish interactive television company, and has conditionally raised the sum of approximately £12.9 million (E18m) following a share consolidation and restructuring.

Network Electronics has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Video Products Group, a provider of professional video/audio transport systems for local and wide area networks. Major carriers around the world rely on VPG for video transport and broadcast services. The new combined product offering will be unique in its functionality, features and breadth, enabling telcos […]

UK regulator Ofcom is taking over premium-rate phone regulator PhonepayPlus (formerly Icstis) to take a tighter rein on the call-TV industry after a year of scandals. It's one measure to emerge following Ofcom's review of the premium-rate sector after all the main broadcasters were embroiled in instances of charging callers to competition lines despite not […]

Ratings giant Nielsen wants to be the policeman in the battle over rights to video posted online. It is rolling out a new service that aims to ensure that video is distributed and viewed on the Web only in ways sanctioned by its owners. It is hoping to offer the service called Digital Media Manager […]