Advanced Television

Business

Thailand problems with orbital slot sell-off

Thailand’s telecom regulator want to auction rights to use the nation’s satellite orbital slots. But its move is facing severe criticism. The four auctions cover slots at: 50.5°East and 51°E (auction 1), 78.5°E, (auction 2), 119.5°E and 120°E (auction 3), and with the last auction covering 126°E and 142°E. The auction minimum starting prices are […]

February 9, 2021

Amino “achieves FY guidance despite pandemic”

Amino Technologies, the software-led global media technology company, has reported its 2020 results. Amino says it saw a strong financial performance, demonstrating that its software-led strategy is delivering results, with all key metrics tracking ahead of the prior year. Highlights include: Amino maintained guidance through the pandemic, and is now achieving pre-Covid market expectations. All […]

February 9, 2021

European Court suspends Galileo contract signings

The European Court has suspended a massive $1.8 billion (€1.47bn) manufacturing contract with Airbus and Thales Alenia for production of Galileo sat-nav satellites. The Court is looking at allegations of trade secret thefts. An objection to the Court from Germany-based satellite builder OHB-System which had pitched with the UK’s Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) on construction […]

February 8, 2021By Chris Forrester

ITV Management Board appointments

UK commercial PSB ITV has confirmed that Magnus Brooke, Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, and Dan Colton, Group Strategy and Transformation Director, are to join the company’s Management Board with immediate effect. The appointments follow the announcement of ITV’s restructure of its broadcast business and completes its review of governance to ensure ITV and […]

February 8, 2021

Fox News axes Dobbs

Fox News is cancelling the long-running Lou Dobbs Tonight show forthwith, according to the LA Times. Dobbs was an early and avid Trumper and has carried on falsely claiming the 2020 election was rigged. Fox News now faces a $2.7 billion defamation suit from voting technology company Smartmatic. “As we said in October, Fox News […]

February 8, 2021

Viasat optimistic as vaccine rolls out

Viasat of California, which already operates broadband-by-satellite services to businesses and consumers around the world, reported a 4.2 per cent drop in revenues (but Q3’s net income grew 4 per cent) but managed to boost its EBITDA by an impressive 17.5 per cent. The company told shareholders and analysts that its massive new Viasat 3 […]

February 8, 2021

Avanti secures extra $30m in financing

February 8th was when London-based speciality satellite operator Avanti Communications needed to refinance its $145 million debt (Super Senior Facility/SSF) or extend the period of borrowing which it has achieved, at least by a week. In a statement on February 8th, Avanti said: “Today the Company announces that it has agreed on the headline terms […]

February 8, 2021By Chris Forrester

RTL Group sells SpotX ad-tech unit

RTL Group is selling its US ad-tech business SpotX to Los Angeles-based sell-side advertising platform Magnite. The transaction is subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q2. The purchase price consists of €468 million in cash and 14.0 million shares of Magnite stock. The agreement implies an enterprise value (100 […]

February 5, 2021

Bank: “NENT ready to thrive”

NENT Group, the Nordic streaming company which includes the Scandinavian Viasat pay-TV brand, is well placed to thrive domestically and internationally according to a report from investment bank Berenberg. The bank recognises that along with many other pay-TV operations, NENT has benefited from the lockdown, saying: “2020 represented a significant year for the global streaming […]

February 5, 2021

Smartmatic file $2.7bn suit against Fox News

Smartmatic has filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News owner Fox Corp, alleging Fox conducted a disinformation campaign against the election technology company. Smartmatic cited Fox news reports it said had repeated false claims that Smartmatic had “fixed and rigged” the 2020 election. “The Earth is round. Two plus two equals four. Joe […]

February 5, 2021