Movie streaming service Netflix does not infringe on Rovi patents for interactive television programme guides, an International Trade Commission judge said in a preliminary decision. The full commission plans to issue a final decision in the case in October. Last year, Rovi accused several companies of infringing on its patents for on-screen guides for TV […]
The Spanish government is planning to lift the TV ad ban on RTVE allowing the state-owned group to be financed by a mix of TV ad revenues and state subsidies, as it was before 2009 when new legislation that prohibited it from broadcasting ads was approved. The decision is subject to the forthcoming ruling from […]
Spain will remain one of the few European countries without an independent regulatory body that oversees the broadcast industry. The Government has finally ruled out the creation of a specific Audiovisual watchdog for lack of money thereby breaking its promise to set up the State Media Council (CEMA) approved in 2010 with an estimated cost […]
News Corp’s Fox Broadcasting has asked a federal appeals court to overrule a district judge and halt Dish Network’s AutoHop ad-skipping service that it says threatens television’s advertising system. Dish’s PrimeTime Anytime allows subscribers to automatically record the entire prime-time line-up of all four major US broadcast networks every night. It’s similar to a VoD […]
South Africa’s Minister of Communications Mrs Dina Pule is to refer the question of access to premium TV content to the ICASA regulator. The investigation could affect how MultiChoice/DStv charges – and what access it must provide – for its premium content. A recent formal complaint was made by On Digital Media (which trades as […]
Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman has belittled attempts by US Senator John McCain to reshape pay-TV bundling practices. Speaking at the Nomura’s Global Media & Telecom Summit in New York, Dauman told the audience that the Senator may have garnered publicity for taking a stand against pay-TV bundling but had no support from his fellow politicians […]
Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has secured another victory as he fights extradition to the US. New Zealand’s Justice Winkelmann says police must return items they seized in the raid on the his mansion. Anything ruled irrelevant to the Internet piracy case has to be returned to Dotcom and police have to contact their counterparts in […]
Viacom-backed Comedy Central has managed to overturn its 10-day ban over India. Even though a 10-day ban was imposed at midnight on May 24/25 by the Indian High Court sitting in Delhi, just three days later an appeal was allowed by the Court, and the channel is now back on air. Officially, the decision to […]
The existence of 17 DTT channels has been thrown put into question. The Supreme Court may consider invalidating the licences of another 8 DTT channels that were awarded by the previous Administration without a public tender, extending the total number of affected TV channels to 17. The company Infraestructuras y Gestion 2002, which took the […]
Viacom’s Comedy Central has been banned in India for screening “inappropriate content”. Comedy Central in India is part of the Viacom joint-venture with the local Network 18 media group. Comedy Central, says India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting regulator, screened ‘Stand Up Club’ on May 26th a year ago and another show ‘Popcorn’ on July […]