ITV lost £58 million from the call-TV crisis last year, as tumbling revenues from premium-rate services contributed to a 5 per cent decline in income and a 35 per cent slide in pre-tax profits. The UK broadcaster has reported revenues of £2.08 billion (E2.79bn) in 2007, down 5 per cent on £2.18 billion the year […]
RTL Group, Europe’s biggest broadcaster, posted a 37 per cent decline in 2007 profit because of one-time charges including a cartel fine in Germany and comparisons to 2006 when earnings were boosted by asset sales and tax gains. Net income dropped to E563 million from E890 million euros. Sales rose 1.2 per cent to E5.71 […]
The total of subscribers in France and its overseas departments and territories and Africa, came to 5.3 million at December 31, 2007, representing an annual net increase of 80,000. The Canal+ 'Le Bouqeut' package recorded 715,000 new home and institutional subscriptions, its best performance in 20 years. The cancellation rate for home subscriptions in France […]
Federal Communications Commission has released its digital TV transition education order requiring broadcasters, pay-TV services, retailers and consumer electronics manufacturers to promote awareness of the nation’s switch to digital television, set for February 17, 2009. For pay-TV providers like satellite TV and cable, the companies must provide monthly notices about the digital TV transition in […]
In view of convergence of broadcasting and communication technologies, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is to review Foreign Investment (FI) limits in the electronic media to provide level playing field among competing technologies. The regulator has floated a consultation paper for reviewing the existing limits in different segments of the broadcasting sector. “Presently the […]
XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio extended their merger agreement until May 1, agreeing not to exercise their right to terminate the deal. There had been a March 1 trigger for unwinding the proposal if it had not received an OK from the JJustice is expected to come first, but FCC chairman Kevin Martin […]
BesTV, China’s largest provider of IPTV, has agreed to sell a 40 per cent stake to Chinese PC maker Tsinghua Tongfang for 150 million yuan (E13.9m). BesTV, a Web TV service run jointly by Shanghai Media Group and fixed-line telecoms carrier China Telecom Corp, said in a statement Tsinghua’s strong market position would help expand […]
Kudelski, the world’s largest supplier of digital pay-television smart cards through its Nagravision unit, said profit halved last year and earnings will decline further in 2008. The shares dropped to a five year low. Net income fell to 67.4 million Swiss francs from 138.5 million francs (E87.4m) a year earlier The Switzerland-based company said sales […]
The UK Premier League has won High Court injunctions against three websites accused of illegally streaming its live football matches over the net. The sites had been re-distributing signals from rightsholders like Sky Sports. It's been a growing problem for the league over the last few years as the global audience grows for the English […]
Cablevision Systems says it swung to a profit in the fourth quarter from a loss a year ago as it added more Internet and phone customers. Cablevision earned $6.6 million in the quarter, compared with a loss of $23.9 million a year ago. Revenues rose 10.8 per cent to $1.84 billion from $1.66 billion.