STARZPLAY, the MENA SVoD service, received its first independent debt financing in the region of $25 million (€20.7m) from Abu Dhabi based Ruya Partners. The funds, secured on the basis of STARZPLAY’s financial strength and performance, will be used towards further strengthening STARZPLAY’s geographic and customer reach, acquiring and producing original content, and maximising long-term […]
Comparison site Compare Fibre reports that 57.4 per cent of lower-income households in the UK (some 7.1 million people) have not taken up, and are unaware of the help on offer to assist with maintaining connectivity under the lockdown. This includes: Free Wi-Fi vouchers to 5 million hotspots are available through the BT website. You […]
Global media intelligence consultancy, K7 Media, has released a report surrounding the rapidly evolving area of brand-funded programming. Titled Brand Funded Programming: Why it Matters Now, the report shines a light on the way in which the pandemic has swiftly accelerated a change in attitudes, making brand funded content a necessity for many cash-strapped broadcasters. […]
OneWeb, now out of bankruptcy, has raised $400 million (€330m) in fresh financing. Two existing – and former investors – have pitched in with the cash; $350 million comes from Japanese media giant SoftBank and an extra $50 million from Hughes Networks Systems. SoftBank was a major early investor in OneWeb, although most of that […]
Spain’s regulatory body CNMC has demanded that TV and streaming influencers be classified as “Audiovisual Services Providers through video exchange platforms” in the new TV law, set to be approved over the coming weeks. CNMC´s aim is that the streaming platforms used by influencers – such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram TV and Twice – are […]
Eutelsat has taken an 8-year loan of €200 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to help fund the roll-out of its high-speed broadband services. Eutelsat will use the cash on its Konnect VHTS (Very High Throughput Satellite) programme. Eutelsat says: Konnect VHTS is an advanced satellite providing unprecedented upload and download speed capacity for […]
The DTG (Digital TV Group) the centre of UK digital TV, in partnership with Digital Catapult, Global Wireless Solutions, O2, Rohde & Schwarz, have successfully secured Government funding to develop a 5G mobile based platform to broadcast events in stadiums and other venues. DTG and partners plan to provide enhanced interactive viewing experiences direct to […]
Bruce Tuchman, formerly President of Sundance Channel Global, AMC Global and MGM Networks, and New Zealand’s Rialto Channel Limited have launched Rialto International, a 50-50 joint venture to bring Rialto branded streaming, SVoD, AVoD and linear television services of premium indie content to countries and territories worldwide. The parties announced the new joint venture on […]
The planned GB News TV channel and digital services, proposed as an alternate to the BBC News and Sky News, is now fully funded. Reports say the 24-hour channel, fronted by veteran BBC journalist Andrew Neil, has now received anchor commitments from Discovery International, hedge fund manager Sir Paul Marshall and Dubai-based investor Legatum Group. […]
The UK House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee is warning the Government that it risks failing to meet its revised-down target for gigabit-capable broadband in the face of considerable challenges to infrastructure roll-out. Evidence to the ‘Broadband and the road to 5G inquiry’ found little confidence that nationwide gigabit-capable broadband by 2025 […]