Ignoring Bob Iger's dismissal of the online subscription model, Time Warner chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes unveiled HBO Go, a broadband complement to the premium network only for subscribers to the linear service. “We’re all being too slow,” Bewkes said. “We should put up all our networks on the Internet, out on broadband right now. […]
The Chinese government has ordered a crackdown on online video and audio content which could result in a tightening of internet censorship and limit the broadcasting of western films and entertainment programmes on the web. In a notice published on its website earlier this week, the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (Sarft) published […]
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts told NCTA in Washington that cable programming online could be a boon for distributors who are smart enough to figure out how to monetize it. “I think it’s a friend, not a foe. It is powering our broadband business, one of the fastest growing parts of Comcast. For programmers, […]
US press reports say Disney is considering an equity stake in Hulu and distributing its content via the News Corp / NBC Universal service. It is thought Disney would want a 30% stake, reducing the existing network shareholders and maybe buying out Providence the private equity firm that has 10%. Such a deal would see […]
A higher percentage of 15-24 year olds in the UK have watched a music video on YouTube than on dedicated music channels, according to a new study. The report found that 57% of 15-24 year olds watched music on YouTube, compared to 56% watching them on TV. However, TV still has a commanding lead when […]
Hulu has further signaled its international intent with the hiring of a dedicated international SVP to acquire TV rights. Johannes Larcher had previously been search firm overture's international GM, the international VP for Friendster and most recently co-founded now-defunct social betting site Pikum. There had been much speculation about a Hulu UK launch but the […]
The BBC Trust has sanctioned a 27 per cent increase in the corporation’s online budget, to more than £145 million per year, over the next three years. BBC web ventures will benefit from a £30.7 million increase in the BBC Online budget, a 27 per cent increase over its current £114.4 million -a-year budget over […]
According to Strategy Analytics Digital Media Strategies (DMS) research, the top 27 digital media companies in the world increased earnings by more than 20 per cent, to $74 billion in 2008 up from $61.5 billion in 2007. Among the top five digital media companies in the world, Apple's 'Other Music Related Products and Services' segment, […]
A Knowledge Networks study offers clear evidence that streamers and downloaders of TV network video have embraced – or at least accepted – advertising as an alternative to for-pay models. Eighty per cent of network video downloaders favour watching ads in exchange for free video, up from 67 per cent in 2006; and 69 per […]
Recent findings from broadband research consultancy The Diffusion Group (TDG) suggest that the appeal of widget-enabled TV and video systems will be far greater than many expect. As well, the range of widget-based applications demanded by consumers will quickly eclipse the basic 'information push’ apps to be featured on the first wave of widget-enabled TVs […]