Advanced Television

Business

North to step down as Freeview MD

Guy North has announced he is to step down as Managing Director of UK digital terrestrial free-to-air platform Freeview in October. He was appointed MD in June 2014, having joined as Marketing & Communications Director three years earlier. He spearheaded the launch of Freeview Play in 2015, which was accompanied by a full brand relaunch […]

June 21, 2018

Intelsat rocks the stock market

One year ago, and when Intelsat’s share price was at a pretty miserable $3 a share its prospects were far from good. Burdened by a massive debt load, it was no surprise that the sharks were circling. Yesterday, Intelsat’s share price ended a whisker away from $20 (and with a 26.8 per cent rise at […]

June 21, 2018

Wayleave boost for rural broadband roll-out

An updated framework for wayleaves – rights of way granted by a landowner, generally in exchange for payment and typically for purposes such as the development of infrastructure – has been developed by the CLA, the membership organisation for owners of land, property and business in rural England and the NFU, the representation body for […]

June 21, 2018By Colin Mann

Irish licensees fined for Sky Sports infringements  

Following successful legal action taken by Sky, three licensees in the Republic of Ireland have been found guilty for infringing Sky’s copyright by showing Sky Sports programming in their premises without a commercial contract with Sky. Aaron Sharkey, licensee of The Moylurg Inn, Bridge Street in Boyle. Eamon Cliffe, licensee of The Railway Bar, Mill […]

June 21, 2018By Colin Mann

Disney ups Fox offer to top Comcast

Disney has upped its offer for 21st Century Fox to $71.3 billion (€61.6bn) in cash and shares, up from an earlier $52 billion offer, as it goes head to head with Comcast. The move values Fox at $38 a share, some $10 higher than Disney’s first offer in December. Comcast’s current offer is $65 billion […]

June 20, 2018

Disney commits to Sky News funding

Disney has committed itself to a series of undertakings in respect of Sky News as part of the proposed merger between 21st Century Fox and Sky. In a Statement in the UK’s House of Commons, Matt Hancock, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, noted that having considered a report from the Competition and Markets Authority, […]

June 20, 2018By Colin Mann

Intelsat, SES ask FCC for more time

Satellite operator SES and Intelsat have written to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington DC, asking for a 60-day extension to the deadline for their clients – mostly US cable and IP operators – to register their C-band headend dishes. The move is needed as the two satellite operators gear up to discuss freeing […]

June 20, 2018By Chris Forrester

Eurofins acquires Insite Security

Eurofins Digital Testing, a global player in end-to-end quality assurance and testing services, has acquired Insite Security, a specialist in information security services, to reinforce its portfolio of cybersecurity services offered to companies around the globe. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Insite Security provides insights into the security level of IT systems […]

June 20, 2018

BBC warns of spectrum loss threat

Andy Quested, Lead, BBC Production Standards, has warned that any further reduction of the spectrum available for terrestrial broadcasting could seriously hinder the ability of broadcasters such as the BBC to deliver programmes in higher broadcast quality standards in the future. Speaking at the SES Ultra HD Conference in London, Quested noted that countries such […]

June 19, 2018By Colin Mann

EchoStar upping bid for Inmarsat?

Bloomberg is reporting that Denver-based EchoStar is discussing putting financing in place in order to improve its bid to acquire London-based satellite operator Inmarsat. Quoting people who are familiar with the bid, Bloomberg says that an improved offer could come in the next few days. Inmarsat rejected EchoStar’s initial bid on June 8th. Inmarsat is […]

June 19, 2018By Chris Forrester