Advanced Television

Regulation

FIFA Red Card for beoutQ

In light of the continued illegal use of the World Cup football broadcast signal by pirate operation beoutQ, the game’s governing body FIFA has engaged counsel to take legal action in Saudi Arabia and is working alongside other sports rights owners that have also been affected to protect its interest. “FIFA urges the authorities of […]

July 12, 2018By Colin Mann

Fox tops Comcast Sky bid

21st Century Fox has increased its bid to buy the 61 per cent of Sky it does not already own in a deal that values the broadcaster at $32.5 billion, passing that of rival Comcast, which is likely to make its own revised offer later in the week. A Statement from 21CF and the Independent […]

July 11, 2018By Colin Mann

Spanish telcos rally against RTVE tax

Spanish telco operators are once again up in arms over the RTVE tax, which they claim is an unfair toll. At a conference, the CEO of Vodafone, Antonio Coimbra, described the 0.9 per cent tax on revenues operators have to pay to finance the public broadcaster RTVE as being an “aberration”. In Coimbra’s opinion, it […]

July 11, 2018From David Del Valle in Madrid

EBU welcomes must-carry Code provisions

The EBU has welcomed a vote in the European Parliament vote that will update existing must-carry rules and provide for a wider choice of free-to-air radio content while on the move. The vote in the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) formally endorsed a political deal in trilogue on a new EU […]

July 11, 2018

Euro ad sales houses welcome AVMS agreement

egta – the association of television and radio sales houses – has commended EU policymakers for reaching an agreement on a new Audiovisual Media Services Directive, suggesting that two years of challenging negotiations have delivered some welcome flexibility in commercial communications which should contribute to a more competitive environment for European broadcasters. “We are encouraged […]

July 11, 2018

Mozilla: ‘AV1 makes high-quality video affordable for all’

Open Internet software specialist Mozilla has explained its support for the AV1 video codec, suggesting that the royalty-free codec can help keep high-quality video affordable for everyone. In a Blog Post, Mozilla notes that it costs money to watch video online, even on free sites such as YouTube. “That’s because about four in five videos […]

July 11, 2018By Colin Mann

Indonesia agrees to pay Avanti

Back on June 7th, the London Court of International Arbitration awarded specialist satellite operator Avanti Communications the sum of $20.075 million, in a final determination of a long-running dispute between Avanti and the Indonesian government. A statement on July 10th from Avanti to the London Stock Exchange said: “Due to administrative delays from the London […]

July 11, 2018By Chris Forrester

OATC publishes HBA and RUM specs

The Open Authentication Technology Committee (OATC), a non-profit industry association of programmers/content owners, multi-channel video programme distributors (MVPDs), technology companies, and system integrators, has announced that its Home-based Authentication (HBA) and Resource Usage Monitoring (RUM) Specifications are now available. OATC specifications are voluntary open standards that provide MVPDs and programmers with consistent technology guidelines for […]

July 11, 2018

Wright replaces Hancock at DCMS

Jeremy Wright, previously Attorney General in the UK Government, has been appointed Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, replacing Matt Hancock as part of a reshuffle by Prime Minister Theresa May following the resignation of two senior members of her Cabinet after disagreement over her handling of the Brexit negotiations. Hancock has […]

July 10, 2018By Colin Mann

TV UK needs a Brexit hard hat

The UK television industry – and by extension the whole digital media, tech and creative industries – need a hard hat as Brexit approaches. This is because the consequences that will rain down from a hard Brexit will be excrement of the toughest variety, polished or not. To try and avoid a hard Brexit for […]

July 10, 2018