Advanced Television

Articles

Comcast JV with NBC

Having dismissed reports it was discussing a takeover of NBC Universal, Comcast has allowed it is discussing the formation of a new joint venture company with General Electric owner of NBC. The new company would be majority controlled by Comcast which would own a 51 per cent stake in NBC Universal versus General Electric's 49 […]

September 5, 2009

Ten Sports Launches India's First, Streaming Cricket Portal

Ten Sports, the most watched sports channel in Indian and NBC Universal Digital Solutions (NBCUDS), have an agreed to develop and launch a free, cricket-focused multiplatform sports portal targeting the region's fast growing digital audience. The site will debut with live Webcast coverage of the much anticipated Compaq Cup, the tri-angular cricket series between India, […]

September 5, 2009

Rai risks E90 million fine for channel encryption

Italian public broadcaster RAI risks being fined up to E90 million, or about 3 per cent of its annual turnover, for irregularities in procedures following the exit from DTH platform Sky Italia. Under examination is the continued encryption of its programmes on satellite which is prohibited by the rules of public service. At the moment, […]

September 5, 2009

New members for Open IPTV Forum

Cisco Systems from the USA, SmartLabs from Russia and Bouygues Telecom from France are the latest organisations to join the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF) in its development of open, end-to-end specifications for IPTV, based on existing technologies and open standards.

September 5, 2009

Mediaset surpasses RAI in terms of turnover

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset has for the first time surpassed RAI in terms of turnover thanks mainly to revenue from pay-TV. In 2008, Mediaset's turnover was up 9 per cent to E3.27 billion, while the public broadcaster saw a drop of 0.7 per cent to E3.21 billion. Additionally, RAI is […]

September 5, 2009

Microsoft: TV faces ‘iTunes moment’

The TV industry has as little as two years to create viable digital businesses or face a version of the “iTunes moment” that saw the music business cede the online future to Apple, according to Ashley Highfield. Highfield, the former BBC future technology chief who is now managing director of consumer and online at Microsoft […]

September 3, 2009

'BBC should charge online'

Following up James Murdoch's contention that the BBC's ubiquity online will threaten the pluralism of available news, Five CEO Dawn Airey has said the BBC should charge viewers for iPlayer and other online content otherwise commercial rivals will be crippled. Airey said, "perhaps the BBC should go back to having a couple of big broadcast […]

September 3, 2009

Canal+ boosts Vivendi

The strong performance of the Canal+ Group helped Vivendi beat first half forecasts. The premium channel group added 94,000 new subscriptions with the figures adjusted to take into account the merger with the TPS platform. The group has accelerated the migration of the remaining analogue subscribers, with 240,000 upgrades since January 2009 taking it ahead […]

September 3, 2009

Disney pays $4bn for Marvel

Disney is betting on Content as King, paying $4bn for Marvel Entertainment in a shares and cash deal. Disney will take over ownership of 5,000 Marvel characters, if the deal is approved by Marvel shareholders and competition regulators. “We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth […]

September 3, 2009

SeaChange acquires eventIS

SeaChange International, provider of software and hardware solutions for VOD television, has confirmed the acquisition of eventIS Group – a privately owned Netherlands-based company that provides VOD and linear broadcast software and related services to cable television and telecommunication companies primarily in Europe.

September 3, 2009