Advanced Television

Policy

No ‘fair share’ in EU/US trade deal

Summaries of the US-EU trade deal show the EU has conceded network charges for US content generators. This seems to put to bed the ‘fair share’ argument. European telcos have long lobbied that a lot of the traffic they carry is generated by US big tech – especially video streaming platforms – and that it’s […]

July 30, 2025

BT hit by £18m Ofcom fine

UK telco BT has been required to refund or credit £18 million (€20.7m) to customers, following enforcement action by regulator Ofcom. In 2024, Ofcom fined BT £2.8 million after it failed to provide customers with clear and simple contract information before signing up to a new deal. The company broke Ofcom’s consumer protection rules designed […]

July 29, 2025

CNMC fines Telefónica €20m for illicit pay-TV bundle

Spanish regulator CNMC has fined Telefónica €20 million over a bundled offer that included a mobile phone – which the regulator said violated conditions related to pay-TV services. Telefónica plans to appeal the fine before Spain’s National Court, arguing that the sanction is “disproportionate”. The penalty stems from a probe launched by the CNMC in […]

July 28, 2025From David Del Valle in Madrid

India strengthens anti-piracy measures

The Indian Government says it remains conscious of the adverse impact of digital piracy on the creative sector. To address this important issue, the following reforms have been implemented: · In 2023, the Government amended the Cinematograph Act, 1952 to include measures against digital piracy. · The amendments include strict punishment of a minimum three months […]

July 28, 2025By Colin Mann

FCC approves Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount CBS

The FCC has approved Skydance’s $8 billion (€6.8bn) acquisition of Paramount Global and its subsidiaries, including the ultimate parent company of the CBS network of owned and operated broadcast television stations, by granting a series of applications that transfer FCC licences and authorisations. Chairman Carr said: “Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media […]

July 25, 2025

Arrests in Argentina La Liga piracy case

In a new key step in the fight against audiovisual fraud, Spain’s top-flight football league La Liga and ALIANZA Against Piracy have announced a decisive legal action in Argentina, involving five simultaneous raids and multiple arrest warrants issued by the courts in the framework of a major case against the illegal platform MagisTV — one […]

July 25, 2025By Colin Mann

South Africa: Canal+ MultiChoice deal approved

South Africa’s Competition Tribunal has approved Canal+’s takeover offer of African pay-TV provider MultiChoice. But there are conditions. The takeover, valued at 35 billion Rand (€1.7bn) can go ahead provided the Tribunal’s conditions are met. The conditions require Canal+ to guarantee public commitment proposals already agreed by both parties. The package also supports the participation […]

July 24, 2025By Chris Forrester

TAC welcomes Ofcom Codes of Practice decision

Welsh independent TV producers trade body TAC (Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru) has welcomed the decision by broadcast regulator Ofcom not to proceed with proposed changes to the Codes of Practice which guide commissioning negotiations between UK public service broadcasters and independent producers. Ofcom had proposed to bundle primary and secondary rights and to remove a prohibition […]

July 24, 2025

Study highlights piracy site malware risk

A new study from antipiracy coalition the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) highlights the increased cyber risk for those in Southeast Asia who engage with piracy sites and services. Among other findings, the study revealed that in the worst case, local consumers are up to 65 times more likely to be infected with malware when […]

July 23, 2025By Colin Mann

SABC seeks licence fee VAT removal

South Africa’s public broadcaster SABC is asking the nation’s government to alter how the broadcasting TV Licence is structured. In essence, it wants to absorb the VAT element, and keeping the 15 per cent for itself, and not handing over the sum to the nation’s treasury. SABC is cash-strapped. Speaking in Parliament SABC CEO Nomsa […]

July 23, 2025By Chris Forrester