The US Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, is trying to impose strong conditions on the Comcast/NBCU deal, including that it divest its stake in online video site Hulu within a year. The committee has written to the FCC saying the proposed joint venture “has the potential for serious anticompetitive and anti-consumer effects in at least three […]
Worldwide shipments of 3D TVs introduced to the market for the first time in March are expected to reach 4.2 million units in 2010, thanks to increasing traction and acceptance from enthusiastic early adopters. Global 3D TV shipments will then triple to 12.9 million units in 2011 and then more than double to 27.4 million […]
From Branislav Pekic in Rome Italian alternative network providers Fastweb, Vodafone Italia and Wind have asked the country's regulator Agcom to introduce an obligatory switch-off, from copper to fibre, based on ASO. According to the managing director of Wind, Luigi Gubitosi, the companies “need fast decisions on a clear framework in which to operate”. Their […]
Rupert Howell, ITV’s managing director of brand and commercial, is to leave the broadcaster. Howell said that given the proposed changes arising from ITV’s strategy review he felt that was “not a role within ITV that I want to commit to for the next three to five years and therefore I have agreed to leave […]
Altech UEC, the South African developer of digital STBs and interactive software solutions announced the appointment of Peter Balchin as Chief Executive Officer. Balchin previously worked with organisations such as Pace Networks, Novatel Wireless and Nortel Networks in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Altech Group Chief Executive Officer, Craig Venter said […]
Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT) has been fined £225,000 (E267,000) by media regulator Ofcom for closing the Teletext TV service. DMGT, which announced last July that it would shut Teletext’s TV service after 17 years, has been fined for breaking its public service broadcasting licence by shutting the service in December. The company closed […]
Red Bee Media has joined the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECC), a multinational cross-industry coalition dedicated to establishing the first open market for digital content distribution. Red Bee Media represents international broadcasters and advertisers across TV, web and mobile such as Discovery International, BBC, Channel 4, Virgin Media, UKTV, Nike, Canal+, Lonely Planet, and Action […]
In its public response to the BBC Trust's consultation on the BBC Strategic Review, BSkyB has accused the Trust of abdicating its responsibility by letting the BBC executive lead the review. It says the changes they have signalled are 'cosmetic' and 'tinkering'. Sky said that the corporation’s cost cutting proposals are “arbitrary in nature, designed […]
Alongside rowing over wholesale pricing of Sky premium programming on its cablenets, Virgin and Sky have managed to drag long running negotiations on the sale of Virgin's TV channels to a conclusion with a deal expected next week. Virgin has been trying to off load its V1, Bravo, Challenge and Living portfolio for a long […]
OTT: WHO WINS? Over-the-top television has the potential to transform the face of the TV industry by creating new business opportunities for existing stakeholders and facilitating many new entrants. It also has major implications for existing providers. Colin Mann spoke to a range of interested players to identify the opportunities and challenges of OTT TV. […]