Advanced Television

UK pay-TV “better placed than rest of Europe”

According to analyst firm Screen Digest's Head of TV, Guy Bisson, Sky TV's pay television business in the UK is well placed to weather a recession. Bisson believes the company will maintain its customer growth, control churn and maintain ARPU. Other pay-TV operators in Europe will not be so fortunate: Spain is already showing the […]

December 18, 2008

Demand grows for remote access to stored content

One-third (33 per cent) of US broadband households are looking for ways to access their stored media content from outside the home, according to international research firm Parks Associates. The firm reports 35 per cent of these households consider remote viewing a highly appealing ability. This demand for remote access will guide future networking plans […]

December 18, 2008

blinkx offers rich metadata solution

Video search engine blinkx has unveiled an Enhanced Metadata Enrichment solution for publishers, as part of the blinkx Advanced Media Platform. Based on patent-protected technology, the blinkx Advanced Media Platform enables media publishers and aggregators to manage and monetise video content to its greatest potential. “An Enhanced Metadata Enrichment solution does more than just help […]

December 18, 2008

DLNA OKs MoCA

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) has approved the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) technology standard for incorporation into the next version of its Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines, scheduled for release in early 2009. The guidelines aim to ensure that network operators and consumers can be assured that new services and products introduced into the […]

December 18, 2008

Bleak outlook for 2009 Web ad-spend

A report by research firm eMarketer has forecast that UK Internet ad spend growth will diminish by more than 50 per cent in 2009 and predicted that the digital media sector will not fully recover from the economic downturn until the London Olympics in 2012. eMarketer predicts that the Internet will continue to outperform other […]

December 18, 2008

Four options for C4 funding

The UK government is considering four options to solve Channel 4’s funding crisis, including privatisation and a potential tie-up with BBC Worldwide. Lord Carter, minister for communications, technology and broadcasting, is likely to outline his proposals when the interim report of his Digital Britain panel is published at the end of January. Ofcom is scheduled […]

December 18, 2008

Jupiter rises in November

Jupiter Telecommunications, the largest multiple system operator (MSO) in Japan based on the number of customers served, has revealed that the total subscribing households as of November 30, 2008 served by J:COM's 18 consolidated franchises reached 2.92 million, up 282,600, or 10.7 per cent since November 30, 2007. Combined revenue generating units (RGUs) for cable […]

December 18, 2008

Joost hosts music content

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 […]

December 18, 2008

Google: we're for net neutrality

Google has said it is committed to principles of equal network access, after a report said it approached Internet carriers with a proposal to create a “fast lane” for its content. Google’s telecom and media counsel in Washington, Richard Whitt, said in a company blog that the search powerhouse offered to place its servers within […]

December 17, 2008

Pirates target Telefonica's Brazilian DTH platform

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Launched last year, Brazilian DTH platform Telefônica TV Digital, which has some 280,000 subscribers in the State of São Paulo, has become the target of pirates. According to the Brazilian Association of Pay Television Operators (ABTA), the Nagra 2 encryption system, used by Telefonica, has been hacked by pirates. The […]

December 17, 2008