The Spanish public broadcaster TVE is launching a VoD service using the HbbTV standard. The service, branded Boton Rojo (“red button”), distributes over 90,000 hours of content (news, sports, children programming) combining the TVE’s website content with some extra content. To gain access to the service, users will have to press a red button on […]
Telestream, a provider of video transcoding and workflow solutions, has announced that French television service provider Canal+ selected its Vantage workflow automation platform running on Lightspeed Servers with Pipeline encoding appliances for deployment of a new VoD catch-up service. The opportunity to expand services at Canal+ arose in 2012 when two free-to-air channels became available […]
Sony has launched its direct-to-consumer 4K Ultra HD video download service in the US. Sony Entertainment Network’s Video Unlimited 4K service currently provides some 70 feature films and TV shows, with a library of 100-plus expected to become available in 4K Ultra HD before the end of the year. “We have been spearheading the advancement […]
The Android version of the BBC’s iPlayer mobile app can now download TV shows for offline viewing – some 12 months after the feature was added to the iOS version of the application. Android iPlayer users can now store shows on their devices for up to 30 days, watching them for seven days after the […]
Amazon’s LOVEFiLM has signed a content deal with Warner Bros International Television Distribution that brings an extensive new library of animated content for children and nostalgic adults to the LOVEFiLM Instant streaming service. The arrival of Warner Bros. kids content is the most recent in a series of new deals signed by LOVEFiLM and builds […]
More than 8 out of 10 Brits (85 per cent) believe that online TV catch-up channels feature too many adverts, with 87 per cent calling for catch-up TV to reduce its level of advertising. A further 67 per cent would like the option of a paid-for premium service that doesn’t include ads, according to research […]
American retail group Target is currently in the beta phase of its Target Ticket movie-streaming and download service, offering staff members and selected customers to become the first to try out the venture, which will compete with services such as Walmart-backed Vudu, Amazon and Netflix. The operation is looking to roll out commercially later in […]
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has confirmed that it is to acquire Singapore-based video streaming website Viki in a move that better places it to compete with online services such as Amazon’s LOVEFiLM and Netflix. The deal is reported to be worth $200 million. In recent times, Rakuten has been ramping up its content interests, acquiring […]
UK on-demand IPTV service YouView is launching a new advertising campaign which will focus on communicating catch up, on demand and record messages to consumers. The new advert, is set to run across all media including TV, print press, radio, digital and social media from Saturday 7 September, will centre on pairs of feet in […]
VHX, a direct-to-fan distribution platform for premium video, has announced a $3.2 million Series A financing round led by Union Square Ventures. Participating are existing investors Lerer Ventures, Lowercase Capital, Keith Calder, and Alexis Ohanian (Initialized), as well as new investors William Morris Endeavor, John Maloney (Terrapin Bale), and Gunderson Dittmer. Andy Weissman of Union […]