China’s Youku has agreed with Warner Bros Entertainment’s local joint venture to offer pay per view movies on its newly launched online paid content platform. Under a three-year agreement with Warner Bros, Youku will add between 400 to 450 Warner Bros movies to its Youku Premium library. Youku Premium, which was officially this week, began […]
Hollywood film studios are to ask the High Court to force UK telco BT to block its broadband customers from accessing a filesharing website, in a test case that could lead to a clampdown on Internet piracy, reports the Daily Telegraph. The Motion Picture Association wants broadband providers to cut off access to Newzbin, a […]
Israel has long wanted to counter what it sees as a stream of negative comment from many of the world’s 24-hour satellite news channels. The plan was to create its own news channel, transmitting in English and Arabic, and a parliamentary vote should have taken place yesterday, June 26th. However, the vote was postponed, with […]
Viacom, which owns cable networks MTV and Nickelodeon, has sued to stop cable operator Cablevision from broadcasting its shows through an iPad application in the US. Cablevision recently released an iPad app that allows subscribers to watch live TV channels at home for no additional charge. Because the shows are only available for home viewing, […]
Al Jazeera and Canal Plus have acquired the domestic Ligue 1 broadcast rights within France after the French Football League awarded five of the nine packages covering the 2012-16 seasons. Vivendi-owned Canal Plus, which already holds pay-TV Ligue 1 rights, secured lots one, two, three and four, ensuring it can air a Saturday afternoon game […]
More than 50 venture capitalists submitted a letter to the US Congress June 23, objecting to a piece of antipiracy legislation being mulled by the Senate. The VCs, most of whom invest in technology companies, argue that Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act, or PROTECT IP, would “stifle […]
The extension of an agreement with DFL Sports Enterprises has given Eurosport TV the digital rights for all Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 games in Holland from seasons 2012 to 2015. The deal means Eurosport 2 will now broadcast exclusive Bundesliga in 23 countries. Coverage will include five LIVE matches per week, a weekly highlights programme, […]
Middle East satellite operator Nilesat has had a long history with problem TV channels: for example, there were the ones selling expensive ‘medical’ solutions to male impotence, or the ones ‘guaranteeing’ huge cash prizes to lucky quiz winners. Nilesat’s latest problems are a couple of channels (Wisal and Safa TV) that beam out sectarianism and […]
FOX International Channels (FIC), News Corp’s international multi-media business, has confirmed the upcoming launch of FOX Movies in Portugal. The new channel will be available 24/7 on the major pay TV operators in the country from July 1st.
The Wall Street Journal reports that VoD streaming site Hulu is “considering its options” including a possible sale of its assets after an unidentified potential buyer approached the company. The LA Times says that approach was from Yahoo. Hulu is owned by NBC Universal, Disney ABC, News Corp/Fox and Providence Equity Partners. Providence chipped in $100 million […]