UK mobile network O2 has strongly criticised Ofcom’s plan for a 4G/LTE spectrum auction, claiming that it is nothing more than “state aid” and illegal. O2 said that it does not support all the process that will allow small providers to snap up spectrum at much lower prices than it might have to pay. This […]
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the BBC have held talks about changing the “public value test” – a lengthy consultation the corporation must undertake if it wants to launch or close a service, perhaps the clearest indication the corporation could close a channel to save money. According to reports, the BBC wants […]
Motorola Mobility has confirmed that ESPN will use Motorola’s video distribution solution to transition all programming for ESPN and ESPN-2 networks to an MPEG-4 HD format, freeing up precious bandwidth to increase the number of HD services offered. Motorola’s solution also positions ESPN to offer both 1080p60 HD and 3D TV programming when service providers […]
Amidst growing political calls from senior UK government figures for all UK-employed interns to be paid a minimum wage it has emerged that the BBC has ‘employed’ more than 6,000 unpaid interns since 2007. The BBC terms them as “volunteers” and admits that they have zero rights, and that there is no available budget to […]
A UN expert has suggested that provisions of the UK’s Digital Economy Act and similar legislation in France that could see music and film pirates cut off from the Internet are disproportionate. The comments came in a report produced for the UN Human Rights Council on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom […]
The BBC has confirmed a change to the way it broadcasts HD channels on satellite. The signal on the satellite transponder carrying BBC One HD and BBC HD will upgrade to DVB-S2 on June 6th from its current use of DVB-S, which will open up more capacity for the BBC, for the same amount […]
UK culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has confirmed the major policy shift in his plan for a new generation local TV services, virtually scrapping plans for a national network spine in favour of “more financially secure” individual stations. Hunt admitted that “a series of individual stations could be more feasible and faster to deliver” than launching […]
Ofcom has outlined plans to prevent digital TV signals being interrupted by next-generation mobile services. From 2013, 4G coverage will be rolled out across the UK, with the technology set to make use of the 800MHz frequency band that will be auctioned off in 2012. The proximity of the 800MHz spectrum to the frequencies currently […]
People who illegally stream copyrighted movies, music, and TV shows online should face stricter punishment, the US register of copyrights and industry representatives told a House subcommittee. Current laws are insufficient to successfully prosecute some online copyright infringement, said Maria Pallante, the acting registra. Laws often target those who download or copy content, and websites […]
Vue Entertainment, one of the UK’s biggest cinema chains, is in talks to allow Hollywood studios to shorten the release window for a limited number of films each year. Vue wants both major and independent to sign up to mid- to long-term agreements of more than three years, during which time each studio will only […]