Responding to recently-launched Netflix’s 4K capabilities, Telefónica’s IPTV platform Movistar Plus is launching 4K transmissions, with the first Ultra HD broadcasts of football matches from La Liga and Formula One races on the channels Canal + Liga and Canal Moto GP. Telefónica is using a bitrate three times more than in HD, with 30 Mbps […]
OTT video markets in Asia-Pacific (AP) differ largely due to demographic and economic factors and the telecom landscape. Markets with high adoption rates of pay-TV, fixed broadband and mobile broadband see the most robust and innovative OTT ecosystems. In South Korea and Singapore, where smartphone and pay-TV penetration rates exceed 80 per cent, there are […]
Discovery Communications has reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30th. “Discovery’s unique portfolio of assets and global brands drove yet another quarter of strong worldwide viewership and financial results,” commented David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery Communications. “Discovery is like no other media company, propelled by our unmatched global infrastructure, local […]
Parks Associates research shows low consumer familiarity with smart home technologies in key European markets, while one-third of broadband households have strong concerns about the security of smart home products. The firm reports familiarity highest in France, where 12 per cent of broadband households are very familiar with smart home products and services, compared to […]
Swedish triple-play provider Com Hem has reported Q3 revenues of SEK 1,255 million (€134m), up 3.7 per cent, thanks in part to healthy growth in the consumer business. Underlying EBITDA amounted to SEK 590 million, up 2.6 per cent, driven by revenue growth partially offset by revenue mix. Com Hem’s digital TV subs grew by […]
Dubai-based MyHD Media is in the process of relaunching. It lost its former CEO (Cliff Nelson) a few months ago in July and appointed Samir Safer to take over. Safer comes with experience, not least winning a claimed 500,000 subscribers to its Kathmandu-based Dish Media Network in Nepal. Dish Nepal, as at June 2015, said […]
The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) has unveiled new guidelines for the implementation of the DAA’s AdChoices icon and ad marker in video ads, “DAA Ad Marker Implementation Guidelines for Video Ads.” The DAA’s initial release provides marketplace guidance for implementation that aims to create a more consistent consumer experience across major video ad formats and […]
US computer game company Activision Blizzard, which produces World of Warcraft and Call of Duty, is buying King Digital Entertainment, the creator of Candy Crush Saga, in a deal worth $5.9 billion (€5.4 billion). Activision said the acquisition would make it a global leader in interactive entertainment across mobile, console and PC platforms. It added […]
Pakistan’s PEMRA regulator has prohibited media coverage of certain broadcasters, and has additionally banned media coverage of proscribed organisations. Included in the ban are Lashkar-i-Toiba (LeT), Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF). The PEMRA notification states: “All satellite television channels/FM licensees are therefore strictly directed not to give any kind of coverage to […]