Robin Mersh, CEO of open standards development organisation Broadband Forum, has congratulated the broadband industry on its response to Covid-19 and how it has risen to the challenge of the unprecedented spike in traffic it brought – but warned the pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for work to continue on automation and bridging the […]
Covid-19 is complicated. Only an idiot would expect governments and their institutions to get everything, or even most things, right first time. But there is a premium on clarity of approach, honesty about mistakes and a commitment to learn from them. If you live in a country where any of those things happen, lucky you. […]
Eutelsat has told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that it will clear its required C-band spectrum over the US, and will order a new C-band satellite to provide replacement capacity for existing services. Eutelsat is required to clear its spectrum and have a satellite in orbit by 2023 in order to qualify for the FCC’s […]
Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund-backed KIPCO, which is the majority shareholder in Dubai-based OSN (the former Orbit Showtime Network), says that the pay-TV broadcaster is carrying out its cost-cutting and streamlining operation successfully. KIPCO, in a statement, says: “[OSN] is now able to deliver its products to 25 countries in the region through ‘OSN Streaming’, its […]
Eutelsat’s CEO Rodolphe Belmer, speaking at the Exane/BNPP-organised CEO Conference in Paris, painted a cautiously optimistic view for the medium-term outlook for the satellite operator. Belmer said he continues to expect its Video Broadcast division (62 per cent of group FY20e revenues) revenues to be broadly stable and to benefit from lower replacement capex. Once […]
In line with its intention to increase the acquisition of non-scripted IP from selected independent producers, ITV Studios has announced the acquisition of all non-scripted formats and IP from the Swedish creator and distributor Elk Entertainment. The deal, spearheaded by Mike Beale, Managing Director of the Global Creative Network will see the addition of 65 […]
In a move that may benefit the potential takeover of English Premier League football club Newcastle United by Saudi interests, the kingdom’s IP body, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), has announced its intention to block 231 websites that it says violate regulations and rights. The announcement follows a damning report from the World […]
French media group Mediawan has announced a raft of deals, including the acquisition of Lagardere Studios, as part of a broader expansion laid out by its founders, who will also establish a new holding company for the business. Mediawan said its planned takeover valued Lagardere Studios at around €100 million, as parent company Lagardere restructures […]
Both Intelsat and FCC filed their C-band accelerated spectrum transition plans with the FCC on June 19th. The schemes outline how their clients will be moved in order to free up spectrum for the FCC’s 5G adoption. The plans show how some 3,500 cable head-ends and 13,500 Earth stations will have 60,000 blocking filters changed […]
Peter Faricy, who left Amazon to head up Discovery’s direct-to-consumer business, has resigned from the company. Discovery has launched a small D2C businesses in the US, but has struggled to come up with a streaming strategy as others flocked to OTT services. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Faricy won’t be replaced and that Avi Saxena, […]