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 […]
Macrovision Solutions Corporation, a digital entertainment specialist, has reached an agreement to sell its TV Guide Network property to Allen Shapiro and One Equity Partners for approximately $255 million, plus up to an additional $45 million payable through earn-out provisions through 2012. The transaction, expected to close no later than April 1st, 2009, includes the […]
YouTube has begun a push of its new high definition (HD) content with the launch of a dedicated section of the site. Visitors to the site are now also able to watch HD content from publishers including EA and Sega in a new large video player. …..
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 […]
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 […]
The BBC and Adobe Systems have announced the public beta of the new BBC iPlayer Desktop download manager built on Adobe AIR, a key component of the Adobe Flash Platform. The new BBC iPlayer Desktop beta will enable Windows, Mac and Linux users to download programmes to their desktops. Previously, the ability to download programmes […]
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, […]
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Commission says one year after the entry into force of a new EU Directive meant to liberalise TV rules and remove outdated and bureaucratic restrictions on the provision of digital TV over the Internet, video on demand and mobile TV in Europe, EU Member States have made little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. […]
On-demand TV site Joost has signed a distribution deal with nine independent music labels and two major aggregators to boost the editorial content section of the service. The deal adds 18,000 music videos, live performances and interviews to the site. In addition, the site has partnered with music community site Last.fm, specialist site 88HIPHOP and […]
Findings released by UK comms regulator Ofcom indicate that 88.2 per cent of households have digital TV on their main sets, up from 84.8 per cent on the year. Other key findings in Ofcom's Q3 digital television update reveal that the total number of households with digital terrestrial television (DTT) reached 17.2 million, up from […]