Internet video firm Akimbo, which initially positioned itself as a content aggregator, is now introducing a turnkey service aimed at content companies that want to deliver video-on-demand through their own web sites. Akimbo is billing its new B2B product — which includes a consumer programme guide, download manager, content-publishing system and advertising- and program-rights-management capabilities […]
ITV has hired former BBC1 controller Peter Fincham to replace Simon Shaps as director of television. Fincham quit the BBC in the row over editing a programme trail in a misleading way. The company has also extended Michael Grade’s reign as executive chairman by an extra year to the end of 2010. Dawn Airey, the […]
France's telecoms regulator Arcep has authorised domestic mobile operators Orange France and Societe Francaise de Radiotelephonie (SFR) to roll out 3G mobile technology using 900MHz band frequencies previously reserved for GSM services. The move will enable the two companies to up their national 3G coverage to include virtually the entire French population. France's third, and […]
Channel 4 could be given a stake in the BBC’s commercial arm and launch a series of joint ventures with public bodies under radical plans being considered to plug a £100 million (E139m) funding gap. The Guardian reported that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is examining a proposal for Channel 4 and […]
Virgin Media added 61,100 new cable TV customers in the final quarter claiming its best growth for seven years. It added a net figure of 24,400 new customers during the period. This was up from 13,000 in the previous quarter. The churn fell by 0.3 per cent to 1.4 per cent. It also added 106,200 […]
Scaberia, an Oslo based International Technology Consultancy and Secustream Technologies, a new player in software based content protection systems over IP, have signed a long term business contract. Scaberia will assist Secustream in Strategy, Content, Sales, Marketing and Business Development related issued. “Secustream is a new challenger in the market with an exciting concept of […]
The Pakistani government has lifted a national ban on visiting YouTube. Late last week, the country ordered Pakistani ISPs to block the video-sharing website because of content deemed offensive to Islam. But now the restrictions have been lifted after a national outcry. The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority has told ISPs to allow access to the site; […]
Star and GekTV will launch three Mandarin language Star channels on the US-based GekTV IPTV platform on 15 March 2008. The three channels are Star Chinese Channel – an entertainment channel in Taiwan, Channel V Taiwan – a music channel and Star Chinese Movies – dedicated to Hong Kong films. Star, a wholly owned subsidiary […]
News Corp has confirmed the completion of an approximate $11 billion deal that gives Liberty Media control of the DirecTV satellite television business. As part of the deal, Liberty has agreed to exchange the 16 per cent stake it had built up in News Corp for the company's 41 per cent holding of DirecTV, three […]
Comstar-Direct's Stream service, the largest broadband operator in Moscow, has launched a high-definition TV offering. The soft-launch of Stream's HDTV offering will run till June 1. It currently offers four channels—Discovery HD, MelodyZen, Luxe TV and Voom HD—and a package of ten movies via VOD.