The news that Europe (collectively its Parliament, Council and European Commission) is contemplating ruling that OTT platforms such as Amazon and Netflix must face tough new ‘made in Europe’ 30 per cent quotas, is infuriating. As we reported last week, and according to Vice-President for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip, the new rules “reflect […]
A political agreement on the main elements of revised rules to apply to audiovisual media across Europe has been reached between the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission that will likely see SVoD platforms such as Amazon and Netflix face a 30 per cent ‘made in Europe’ quota. The negotiations will officially conclude […]
Sharon White, Chief Executive, of UK comms regulator Ofcom, has warned incumbent telco BT to upgrade its copper network to fibre or risk fading away. Delivering closing remarks at an industry event in London on ‘Building a Full Fibre Future’, White told delegates – who included major investors, Chief Executives, a Secretary of State and […]
The European Union’s Court of Justice has ruled that the €46 million financial aid given to the DTT extension in the Spanish Region of Castilla-La Mancha was illegal and discriminatory. The Court acknowledges that the EC was right when in 2014 it initially ruled that the aids were in breach of competition by benefiting DTT […]
The Society of Audiovisual Authors has welcomed the agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission on the reform of EU rules governing audiovisual media services. It thanks policy makers for their willingness to lay down new rules to adapt the European framework to the emergence of digital platforms. SAA said it […]
Executives at Comcast have talked up the pluses of the company’s formal binding cash offer of $31 billion (€25.4bn) for Sky, describing it as “a great fit” that provides it with new capabilities, new markets, and other growth opportunities. Speaking on Comcast’s Q1 2018 Results Earnings Call, Brian L Roberts, Chairman and CEO, said he […]
A man who infringed Sky’s broadcast copyright by streaming Sky Sports content to the public has been forced to pay £45,000 (€51,500) in fines and damages. Between March 3rd 2017 and April 1st 2017, Wasaq Rasheed shared streams from (the then) Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2. These streams were found on IPTVdonations.com, an illegally-run […]
INCOMPAS, the Internet and competitive networks association, whose members include leading streaming and Internet edge companies in the US, as well as new competitive fibre network builders, filed a Petition in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Circuit) challenging the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Restoring Internet Freedom Order. The […]
The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) has welcomed the European Commission’s Communication on tackling online disinformation. In a statement ACT said: “The Communication is a welcome first step towards addressing the major challenges disinformation raises and its root causes. Notably by addressing regulatory asymmetries between the fully regulated and editorially responsible broadcast environment […]
Comcast has formalised its earlier pre-conditional superior cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Sky. The offer is for $31 billion (€25.4bn). In a Statement, Sky said that as a result of the announcement of the higher cash offer, the Independent Committee was withdrawing its recommendation of the offer announced by […]