Advanced Television

Content

M6 Group transitions to all-IP workflow with Harmonic

Harmonic has announced that M6 Group, operator of multiple TV channels in France, will upgrade its ingest, playout and storage infrastructure to a media-over-IP solution from Harmonic. Offering support for the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards for delivery over IP networks and SMPTE 2022-7 for seamless protection switching, Harmonic’s playout and storage solutions will […]

September 7, 2018

IHS: Pay-TV revenues slowing sports online migration

Sports have been key to the development of the pay-TV industry over the last two decades and more. The sheer size of the revenues rights holders generate from pay-TV is one factor slowing down the online migration of sports content, according to a report by IHS Markit. Rights holders are wary of moving from a […]

September 6, 2018

21st Century Fox invests $100m in Caffeine

21st Century Fox (21CF) and Caffeine, the next-generation social broadcasting platform for gaming, entertainment, and other creative content, have announced that 21CF led a round of funding, which also included participation from existing Caffeine investors Andreessen Horowitz and Greylock Partners, and other undisclosed partners. Caffeine has additionally announced a content agreement with Live Nation to bring […]

September 6, 2018

VR headset sales plummet

Shipments of VR headsets plummeted by over a third in the second quarter, research from IDC has found. IDC said momentum had stalled from several years ago, when Alcatel, Google and Samsung were bundling headsets with smartphones. However, it noted shipments

September 6, 2018

Flixon.tv adds more channels

Flixon.tv, the newly launched US OTT service, has added The Country Network, YouToo America, Biz TV and SPI International channels DocuBox HD, Fight Box HD and Fast’n’Fun Box HD to its channel lineup. Flixon.tv offers its subscription network line-up through its video streaming device with no contracts. The Flixon.tv MultiScreen service enables homes to watch […]

September 6, 2018

C4 acquires Ireland rugby internationals

Channel 4 has announced that it will broadcast Ireland’s Guinness Series of autumn internationals for the next four years. The 2018 Six Nations Grand Slam champions face Argentina, the USA and current World champions New Zealand this November and all three matches will be shown live on Channel 4. This follows on from last December’s […]

September 6, 2018

ESPN3, ACC Network Extra & SEC Network+ on Xfinity X1

Comcast and ESPN have announced the launch of ESPN3, ACC Network Extra and SEC Network + on Xfinity X1, giving sports fans in the US the ability to stream over the Internet, directly on their television, expansive coverage of college football with over 150 live games, and more than 5,000 live events annually, including international […]

September 6, 2018

EU to force local quotas on Netflix & Amazon

The European Commission (EC) is looking to set a 30 per cent “local quota” on video streaming operators such as Netflix and Amazon Studios for their European output. Reportedly the EC will vote on the proposal in December. Equity analysts at investment bank Exane/BNPP, quoting a Variety story, say that the new rules will not […]

September 5, 2018By Chris Forrester

NAGRA protects Vodafone TV

NAGRA, a Kudelski Group company and independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television solutions, has announced that Vodafone has selected and deployed the NAGRA Security Services Platform (SSP). The company is using the platform to secure its multi-network TV service, Vodafone TV (VTV), across several countries including Italy, Greece, Spain and New Zealand, with […]

September 5, 2018

Discovery launches Real Time on DStv

Discovery Networks International has launched a general entertainment channel on South African pay-TV system DStv. The channel is targeted at female viewers, with lifestyle and factual storytelling featuring in the line-up. Discovery’s Real Time will be available on DStv ‘EasyView’ package, as well as in the broadcaster’s Family, Access, Compact and Compact+ and Premium bundles. […]

September 5, 2018By Chris Forrester