Joined by Members of Congress, the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) – a private sector coalition of associations representing US copyright-based industries – has released a detailed report highlighting a record $1.2 trillion (€1.11trn) economic contribution by the core copyright industries to the US economy. The report – Copyright Industries in the US Economy: The […]
Europe’s commercial broadcasters have asked the European Parliament to ensure the proposed revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive be future proof and ensure fair competition. The call came as MEPs, Member State attachés and commercial broadcasters gathered in the European Parliament to focus on advertising as part of the ongoing EU revision. The Directive […]
Companies will be able to build ultrafast, ‘full-fibre’ broadband networks more cheaply and easily, using infrastructure owned by incumbent telco BT, under initial plans set out by UK comms regulator Ofcom. In July 2016, Ofcom detailed a new strategy to promote large-scale roll-out of ultrafast broadband, based on cable and fibre lines that go all […]
The HbbTV Association, a global initiative dedicated to providing an open standard for the delivery of broadcast and broadband services through connected TVs and set-top boxes, has released test suite version 9.0 which will support the HbbTV 2 specification. The new test suite expands on the existing suite, making it 50 per cent larger with […]
At a meeting of the EC’s Telecoms Council, mobile industry trade body the GSMA has called on Ministers to commit to the rapid adoption of the telecoms regulatory framework reforms that will drive investment and create an inclusive ‘Gigabit Society’ across Europe. The European Commission has tabled proposals in a draft European Electronic Communications Code […]
Controversial Arabic channel al-Manar was taken off air last December because of its lack of balance and its support of Hezbollah. The channel was alleged to have breached Arabsat’s contract terms. On December 2nd a Lebanese court ruled that Arabsat should put the channel back on air “as soon as possible”. Judge of Urgent Matters […]
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has said it believes the European Commission’s proposal on broadcasters’ online transmissions and retransmissions will enable more Public service media (PSM) content to circulate online without harming the existing prerogatives of rightsholders and broadcasters, suggesting that such bodies need copyright licensing systems which allow them to respond to citizens’ expectations […]
Italy has been plagued for more than 10 years by dozens of unlicensed Italian pirate broadcasters. Indeed, they have been on air for so long that they have become part of the ‘normal’ transmission pattern. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has received many complaints from countries adjacent to Italy about interference on a total of […]
The Broadband Forum has announced the first steps have been taken to form a new industry connectivity and virtualisation committee of global service providers which will resolve how connectivity and virtualisation are bought and sold by service providers worldwide. Founded by the Forum’s Service Provider Action Council (SPAC) – an international autonomous committee of service […]
Pakistan’s media regulator PEMRA has reportedly banned “at least” 11 TV channels alleged to be broadcasting Christian content on the nation’s cable distribution systems. Last month PEMRA completely proscribed all Indian channels from distribution in mostly Islamic Pakistan. The 11 which have been accused of being illegal are: Isaac TV, Gawahi TV, God Bless TV, […]