Channel 4 is reportedly in talks with BBC Worldwide over a possible rescue plan that would involve injecting up to £500 million (E634m) into a new media company. Under the plan, parts of BBC Worldwide would be split off, rebranded and combined with Channel 4, which would pay to take a share in the new […]
Numericable, Orange and SFR signed an agreement setting out the conditions for sharing fibre optic cables in buildings installed by either of them. The companies agreed to implement a 'single mode' solution in zones where they currently deploy, or soon plan to deploy, their networks. Each residence will be equipped with a special fibre allocated […]
Global revenues from digital media will exceed revenue generated by filmed entertainment for the first time in 2008, according to research from Strategy Analytics. The report, "Global Media & Entertainment Market Forecast, 2004 – 2012," predicts that total worldwide revenues from media and entertainment – including television & filmed entertainment, recorded music, games software and […]
From Branislav Pekic in Rome Italian public broadcaster RAI has initiated the first Super High Definition transmissions in the new DVB-T2 standard for DTT from its Eremo Broadcasting Centre in Turin. The DVB-T2 standard increases the transmission capacity by around 40 per cent (up to 34-40 Mb/s), enabling the transmission of 3-4 HDTV programs encrypted […]
Nagravision has been chosen by kbro, Taiwan's leading cable multiple system operator (MSO) as the exclusive conditional access (CAS) vendor for its new broadcasting system; the companies have signed a five-year exclusive contract. Leveraging Nagravision, kbro will launch HD services by the end of the year.
MTV in the UK is to cut up to 80 jobs – around 10% of its workforce – as part of Viacom’s global plan to save $250m in 2009. MTV UK, which encompasses channels such as MTV One, VH1 and TMF, told staff last Thursday that it would begin a 30-day consultation on the cuts, […]
Colette Bowe has been confirmed as the next chairman of media regulator Ofcom. Bowe, currently an Ofcom board member, will replace David Currie, who is stepping down at Easter next year after being in the job for six years, since the regulator was set up. Bowe was appointed as chair of Ofcom’s advisory consumer panel […]
The European Commission says one year after the entry into force of a new EU Directive meant to liberalise TV rules and remove outdated and bureaucratic restrictions on the provision of digital TV over the Internet, video on demand and mobile TV in Europe, EU Member States have made little progress in adapting national rules. […]
Sky says it has successfully tested the delivery of 3D programming to a domestic television via a high-definition set-top box. Sky has been filming a number of events using 3D cameras over recent months. Such broadcasts would require the use of 3D televisions, not yet available in UK stores, and viewers would need to wear […]
From David Del Valle in Madrid The allocation of Regional DTT licences is coming under fire across the country following the decision of two Spanish Courts to overrule two DTT public tenders in Madrid and Canaries on the grounds that the licences were arbitrarily given in a process full of "irregularities". Madrid's Regional DTT map […]