Japan’s J-COM (Jupiter Communications) is merging with Japan Cablenet (JCN), and thus bringing together the largest and second-largest cable operators under one roof. The merger will happen on April 1st. J-COM is backed by Sumitomo whole Japan Cablenet is backed by KDDI. The merger plan was first floated back in October 2012 but was subject […]
The Media Institute – a non-profit research foundation specialising in communications policy – has filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the US Supreme Court in the case it says could have “disastrous” consequences for the US broadcasting industry. The Institute filed a brief in American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. v. Aereo, Inc., arguing that Aereo’s model for […]
Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules in the forthcoming Aereo case, rival Internet TV streaming service FilmOn will still have a viable business model, according to Mike Paxton, Senior Analyst at SNL Kagan MRG. In an Executive Brief – FilmOn: Beyond the Court Cases, an Interesting Business Model – shared with advanced-television.com, Paxton notes […]
Satellite communications service provider MEASAT is teaming up with broadcast technology services provider Village Island, test and measurement specialist Aviindos and satellite engineering company TotalComm for a demonstration of Asia’s first ever live multiple 4K HEVC satellite uplink/downlink and decoding services on a single DVB-S2 channel and single DVB-T2 channel at the ABU DBS 2014 […]
South Africa’s government is to fund an extra R265 million (about $24.5m) to help in the conversion of the country’s analogue to digital broadcasting. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in his budget speech Feb 26 confirmed that more cash was available for South Africa’s support scheme for its digital adoption. “Between 2011/12 and 2013/14, R690 million […]
Nickelodeon UK and Virgin Media have teamed up to bring the My Nick Jr App to the UK. The commercial-free personal programming service is available immediately to Virgin Media TiVo customers on TV packages L and XL and will allow parents to programme a customised playlist for their preschool child. “My Nick Jr is a […]
TVbeat, a London start-up that provides real-time television ratings, has secured $2 million funding. UK-based Episode 1 and Czech-based Credo Ventures have backed the firm to develop its big data, real-time TV analytics system. “We are thrilled to see Episode 1 and Credo Ventures recognising the huge potential that our platform offers the media industry,” […]
India has issued some 800 satellite TV licences over the past few years. However, neighbour Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has only issued 91 licences since 2002. Pakistan’s Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Pervaiz Rashid told the National Assembly on Feb 27 that 37 licenses have been issued to Entertainment TV channels, […]
In a realignment of its US network portfolio, Discovery Communications has announced that Eileen O’Neill as Group President of the Discovery Channel and has been given oversight of Science Channel and Velocity. TLC, which O’Neill is credited with turning around, has been given to the care of Marjorie Kaplan, who becomes Group President of TLC […]
In response to consumer input, DISH has added new functionality to its second-screen iPad app, DISH Explorer, giving customers using the Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR the ability to control the TV’s volume and power from their iPad. The app update, available immediately in the US iTunes store, also brings users personalised programme recommendations based on […]