Advanced Television

Policy

Ofcom reverses decision to revoke Press TV licence

Ofcom has reversed its decision to revoke the broadcasting licence of Press TV, the Iranian state broadcaster’s English-language outlet, as tensions rise between Britain and the Islamic republic. The regulator told Press TV last month that it was minded to ban it from broadcasting in the UK after the channel aired an interview with Maziar […]

December 1, 2011

Studios mount iiNet piracy ruling challenge

US and Australian movie and television studios have challenged a landmark court ruling in Australia that an Internet Service Provider (ISP) cannot be held accountable for illegal video downloads by its customers. The studios want Internet providers to be punished if they don’t take “reasonable steps” to stop customers from downloading free copies of pirated […]

November 30, 2011By Colin Mann

BBC World News blocked in Pakistan

The BBC’s World News has been taken off the air in Pakistan after broadcasting a documentary that was deemed to be critical of the country. Secret Pakistan, which was screened last Wednesday, explored accusations by CIA officials and western diplomats that Pakistan was failing to meet its commitments in the “war on terror”. Khalid Arain, […]

November 30, 2011

Judge orders Telmex pay-TV rethink

A Mexican judge has ordered government regulators to reconsider their veto of telco Telmex’s bid to enter the cable television market. The Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (Communications and Transportation Secretariat) said that it had been notified of the judge’s ruling, which granted Telmex and affiliate Telnor an appeal against the Secretariat’s refusal earlier in […]

November 28, 2011By Colin Mann

Portugal: Abolish ads on RTP, close RTP News

The Portuguese Government intends to abolish advertising on the remaining TV channel of public broadcaster RTP, after selling one of its two terrestrial channels, which is expected to occur by the end of 2012. The news was announced by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Miguel Relvas, during a seminar organised by the Portuguese Association of […]

November 25, 2011From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Warning issued to Colombian pay-TV

Colombia’s National TV Commission regulator says that pay-TV operators who under-report their actual subscriber numbers risk losing their licences. The Commission’s main director Jaime Andrés Estrada, said he has evidence that some operators are manipulating their subs data in order to boost their own revenues, and to reduce tax liabilities to the government. The reported […]

November 25, 2011By Chris Forrester

ActiveVideo wins injunction against Verizon

A US Court has issued an injunction against Verizon Communications ordering the company to “cease and desist” from the continued, unlawful use of intellectual property belonging to ActiveVideo Networks. The injunction is effective May 23, 2012. In the interim, Verizon must make monthly royalty payments of $2.74 per subscriber per month starting December 1, 2011. […]

November 24, 2011

Ofcom: Broadband speed and shaping should be clearer

Broadband speeds should be made much clear to consumers, communications regulator Ofcom has told ISPs. The average broadband speed a consumer is likely to actually receive, rather than the package they’re being sold, must be made clear at the point of sale, Ofcom said. Users must also be given easily understandable information about whether ISPs […]

November 24, 2011

We don’t need a Eurorights crisis

The Eurozone crisis continues in full swing and its seemingly inexorable unfolding proves you should never say “at least it can’t get any worse.” Blame for the mess points in two opposite directions – depending on where you stand. Either the Eurozone was never going to work, and to try it at all was to […]

November 23, 2011

TV Catchup goes to European Court

The copyright case brought by UK broadcasters against TV Catchup, the restreaming site will have to go to the Court of Justice of the European Union says the UK High Court. ITV, Channel 4 and Channel Five sought an injunction to stop TV Catchup restreaming their live channels. The UK court ruled provisionally this summer […]

November 22, 2011