Advanced Television

Broadcast

Halloween, Christmas FAST channels on Rakuten TV

Rakuten TV, the European streaming platforms, has expanded its catalogue with the launch of two new seasonal FAST channels: 100% Christmas and Halloween. With more than 100 hours of content, the channels are dedicated to providing non-stop free entertainment during two of the most celebrated times of the year. The Halloween channel is available from […]

October 14, 2024By Nik Roseveare

Belfast Media Festival readies for Creativity in Motion

The 15th Belfast Media Festival (BMF) 2024 entitled ‘Creativity in Motion’ will take place on November 13th and 14th at the MAC Belfast, in partnership with Northern Ireland Screen and BBC Northern Ireland. Last year a record 1,500 people attended the BMF which provides students and those working in the screen industries with a unique […]

October 14, 2024

UFC 308, 309 on TNT Sports Box Office

This autumn, TNT Sports Box Office will have exclusive live coverage of UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway and UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic, bringing fight fans all the action from two of the biggest cards of the year. UFC 308 will treat UK fans to an early evening start time with TNT Sports Box Office […]

October 14, 2024

Italy averages 5 screens per household

The growing number of smart TVs in Italy indicates a growing trend towards digital viewing habits. According to Lorenzo Sassoli de Bianchi, President of Italian TV audience research company Auditel, smart TVs (22.4 million) have furthered the lead over traditional TVs (21.2 million) in Italian households. Additionally, Italy has 48.9 million smartphones, 19.7 million desktop […]

October 11, 2024From Branislav Pekic in Rome

DirecTV launching FAST platform

DirecTV has announced plans to launch a dedicated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platform – MyFree DirecTV – in the US on November 15th. At launch, MyFree DirecTV will provide viewers with direct access to curated FAST Channel content and an on-demand library, with additional channels slated to join the platform throughout 2025 and beyond. […]

October 11, 2024

Study: Impatience, price drive US content piracy

For most US households (88 per cent), having at least one SVoD service is commonplace; the average household pays for four subscriptions. Nevertheless, some consumers turn to other methods, such as using someone else’s SVoD password or watching pirated TV shows and movies, to access media and entertainment content. These tactics – though a violation […]

October 11, 2024By Colin Mann

FCC’s Rosenworcel speaks out on broadcast licence threats

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has spoken out following repeated calls by former President Trump to revoke the licences of broadcast stations for political reasons. “While repeated attacks against broadcast stations by the former President may now be familiar, these threats against free speech are serious and should not be ignored,” she stated.” “As […]

October 11, 2024By Colin Mann

DoubleVerify pre-screen content controls for Meta

DoubleVerify (DV), a software platform for digital media measurement, data and analytics, has announced the upcoming introduction of content-level pre-screen avoidance on Meta’s Facebook & Instagram Feed and Reels, expanding its suite of independent brand safety and suitability tools. This release will empower advertisers to proactively avoid content they deem unsuitable before their ads are […]

October 11, 2024

SES extends Sky deal

SES has extended its long-standing partnership with Sky through a multi-year contract renewal for satellite capacity and back-up services from SES’s prime video neighbourhood of 28.2/28.5 degrees East. The previous contract, signed in May 2022, was worth €84 million, but terms for this latest agreement were not revealed. SES’s satellites at the 28.2/28.5 degrees East orbital […]

October 10, 2024By Chris Forrester

Portugal: RTP to go ad-free by 2027

The Portuguese government has announced a gradual phasing out of advertising on RTP television channels, aiming for a completely ad-free public broadcaster by 2027. This decision, which has long been sought by private operators, is part of the government’s Action Plan for Social Communication that aims to address the challenges facing the public broadcaster. To […]

October 10, 2024From Branislav Pekic in Rome