Advanced Television

Broadcast

Contact with AMC-9 re-established

Satellite operator SES says that in the early hours of July 1st it re-established contact with its AMC-9 satellite, which suffered a “significant anomaly” on June 19th. SES and the craft’s manufacturer are working around the clock to evaluate the satellite’s status and define what step must be taken. SES also confirms tracking information received […]

July 3, 2017By Chris Forrester

ULDAGE commences sat-UHDTV patent licensing

Licensing body ULDAGE has confirmed the commencement of patent licensing activities under the system of a patent pool that collectively, and under fair and reasonable conditions, bundles and licenses the patents that are essential to the realisation of the UHDTV satellite broadcasting standards, to business operators that are involved in transmission and reception of UHDTV […]

July 3, 2017By Colin Mann

Italy: Sony launching second FTA channel

Sony Pictures Television Networks will launch Cine Sony in Italy on September 7th, a new Free-To-Air channel dedicated to the world of cinema airing on LCN 55. Sony Pictures Television Networks is expanding its FTA footprint and increasing investment in the Italian market with Cine Sony following the launch of kids’ channel, POP on LCN […]

July 3, 2017

LatAm pay-TV growth less than 1% quarterly

According to a quarterly update of Dataxis’s global database, Latin America and the Caribbean reached 72.6 million pay-TV legal subscribers for the first quarter of 2017. The figure shows a growth of 0.2 per cent compared to the previous quarter and the region adds four consecutive quarters with growth rates below 1 per cent. DTH […]

July 3, 2017

Movistar Plus launching Disney•Pixar pop-up channel

Telefónica’s IPTV platform is launching a channel dedicated to Disney•Pixar content that will be running from July 14th to July 30th. The launch coincides with the cinema release of Cars 3. The pop-up channel will broadcast popular Disney•Pixar movies including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc and Wall-E.

July 3, 2017From David Del Valle in Madrid

Canada’s PSP leads charge to buy Arqiva

Canada’s PSP Investments, with around C$136 billion (€92bn) of assets under management, is reportedly leading a handful of potential buyers for the UK’s Arqiva, which holds a near monopoly on broadcast and transmissions for British terrestrial TV companies. Arqiva is also a major player in the supply of connectivity for many of the UK’s cellular […]

July 3, 2017By Chris Forrester

Foxtel KOs big fight Facebook pirates

Australian pay-TV operator Foxtel has acted quickly to shut down Facebook users who attempted to broadcast pirated versions of the world-title welterweight boxing bout between Australia’s Jeff Horn and Filipino title-holder Manny Pacquiao. Foxtel’s Main Event channel held the broadcasting rights to the fight, charging customers A$59.95 to watch it, but shortly after the final […]

July 3, 2017By Colin Mann

Gulli launches pan-Arabic version

Lagardère’s kids’ DTT channel Gulli has launched a pan-Arabic version, branded Gulli Bil Arabi, in 18 territories across the Middle East. The channel is carried on pan-Arabic operator My-HD, and has been specifically tailored to the lives of kids in Algeria, Bahrein, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Somalia. The programming line-up contains international shows from Gulli […]

July 3, 2017From Paoli-Lebailly Pascale in Paris

UK Media department in Digital rebrand

In a move that acknowledges the way the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s remit has evolved, the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary Karen Bradley have agreed a departmental name change. The Department will continue to be referred to as DCMS in all communications, but is now the department for Digital, Culture, Media and […]

July 3, 2017By Colin Mann

Intelsat launch scrubbed by SpaceX

The countdown for the launch of Intelsat 35e was halted with just 9 seconds to go when a computer monitoring the Falcon 9 rocket’s guidance, navigation and control criteria aborted the launch. The launch was scheduled for the later afternoon of July at 07.36 Florida-time. SpaceX says it is looking into the problem and has […]

July 3, 2017By Chris Forrester