The US Justice Department has approved Verizon’s planned $3.9 billion acquisition of spectrum from Comcast, subject to conditions designed to safeguard competition. It says it will allow the deal – as well as T-Mobile USA’s subsequent purchase of a chunk of the same spectrum – to go ahead, on the grounds that it will benefit […]
The Authority for Television On-Demand (ATVOD), the body designated by overarching communications regulator Ofcom in relation to the regulation of on-demand programme services, has been cleared to continue in its role, also being released from a number of significant obligations. Ofcom, in accordance with the 2010 Designation, had undertaken a Review as part of a […]
Fox has filed a complaint in the California Central District Court against Alki David-backed Internet TV streaming service BarryDriller.com, alleging that the defendant, BarryDriller Content Systems, has infringed on Fox’s copyrights and trademarks by retransmitting its broadcast shows without the company’s permission. It wants the court to enjoin the BarryDriller service and require it to […]
A state supreme court in Dusseldorf has banned plans by German broadcasters RTL and ProSiebenSat.1 to launch a joint online video platform similar to Hulu for the German market. The court upheld previous objections to the platform, arguing it would further strengthen the two networks’ supposed “duopoly” in the German advertising market. The channels associated […]
The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal has ruled in favour of satellite broadcaster BSkyB’s appeal against Ofcom’s decision to modify Sky’s licences in respect of supplying its core premium sports channels (CPSCs) to other platforms such as BT and Virgin Media. The new licence conditions required Sky to offer to wholesale its CPSCs to retailers on […]
The broadcasting regulator of China has submitted a proposal to the State Council for the establishment of a national company to lead the integration of cable networks. The move is the latest step toward long-planned integration of media networks. The plan, proposed by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), is awaiting State […]
Spain’s competition watchdog, the Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (CNC) has imposed a €200 million fine on Mediapro for providing it with misleading information about its football TV rights and its contracts with several football teams. The ruling comes at a time when a fresh football TV war has just broken out between Canal Plus […]
The UK’s Competition Commission (CC) has decided that Sky’s position in relation to the acquisition and distribution of movies in the first pay window does not adversely affect competition in the pay-TV retail market. In its final report, the CC has concluded that Sky Movies, which currently offers the first pay movies of all the […]
A report from a Committee of the UK’s House of Lords – the upper legislative chamber – has recommended that the Government and industry should consider the long term possibility of switching terrestrial broadcast from spectrum to the Internet. The recommendation was one of some 50 in the report – Broadband for all – an […]
The creative industries need to play a key role in leading and funding the Copyright Hub, a marketplace for rights to streamline copyright licensing and make transactions easier for creators, rights holders and users, according to an independent report released by Richard Hooper. Hooper was appointed by the Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable […]