Advanced Television

FTA

Sony, Verizon, NBC 5G sports production demo

Sony Imaging Products & Solutions, Sony Mobile Communications and multiplay telco Verizon have teamed up with NBC Sports to test how 5G can change the way live sports broadcasts are captured and produced. During the Houston Texans vs New England Patriots American Football game at NRG Stadium on December 1st, 2019, a camera person from […]

December 9, 2019By Colin Mann

First Kurdish TV channel launched in UK

The first Kurdish TV channel, Rudaw, has launched on Freeview 271 via the Channelbox platform. Rudaw is the biggest Kurdish news network delivering news from Iraqi Kurdistan and the Middle East. There are over 250,000 Kurds living in the UK, making it one of the largest diasporas in the country. Channelbox is a multi-channel TV […]

December 4, 2019

Mediaset launching FTA Italian movie channel

Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset is planning to increase its offer of free-to-air thematic channels, with the launch of Cine 34, dedicated to Italian movies. The new channel will début on January 20th 2020, to mark what would have been the 100th birthday of celebrated Italian film director Federico Fellini. The first day of broadcasting will […]

December 3, 2019From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Europe’s commercial broadcasters call for robust media policy

The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) – which represents the interests of leading commercial broadcasters across Europe – has welcomed the outcome of the vote in the European Parliament  which approved the new Commissioners, presented to plenary by Commission President-elect von der Leyen. “We wish President von der Leyen and the entire College […]

November 27, 2019By Colin Mann

France: TF1, M6 score Euro 2020 TV rights

French commercial broadcasters TF1 and M6 have secured and will share the TV rights to UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament that will take place in twelve European cities between June 12th and July 12th. Both groups will share the FTA broadcasts of the 23 best matches of the championship, including the opening match and the […]

November 27, 2019From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris

Vivendi vs Mediaset: Court postpones hearing

An Italian Court hearing into the Vivendi vs Mediaset squabble and where Vivendi is objecting to Mediaset’s plan to merge their Italian and Spanish broadcasting businesses into a Netherlands-based company (‘MediaforEurope’) has been postponed until November 29th. The Court says it wants the two players to again attempt to resolve their dispute. Vivendi is arguing […]

November 25, 2019By Chris Forrester

Europe’s commercial broadcasters launch policy blueprint

The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) – which represents the interests of leading commercial broadcasters across Europe – is celebrating its 30 years as Europe embarks into a new political cycle. ACT’s Blueprint for media policy 2019-2024 sets out the body’s  guiding thoughts for what European policy-makers need to focus on if they […]

November 18, 2019By Colin Mann

PBS America launching full Freeview channel

PBS America has announced the launch of its first full Freeview channel in the UK. For the first time since its launch in 2011 the PBS America channel will be available in all TV homes from November 20th. This new channel represents a major consolidation and growth of PBS America’s UK broadcasting presence alongside its […]

November 15, 2019

US Q3 pay-TV subs down 1.7m

Findings from specialist analysis firm Leichtman Research Group (LRG) indicate that the largest pay-TV providers in the US – representing about 93 per cent of the market – lost about 1,740,000 net video subscribers in Q3 2019, compared to a pro forma net loss of about 975,000 subscribers in Q3 2018. The top pay-TV providers […]

November 14, 2019

Mediaset ups ProSiebenSat.1 stake

Confirming Mediaset’s commitment to invest in the future of free TV development in Europe and to unlock growth potential in Germany, Mediaset España Comunicación S.A., a member of Mediaset Group has secured an additional 5.5 per cent stake in ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE (P7S1), giving the group a total of 15.1 per cent of the share […]

November 12, 2019