Advanced Television

Rights

Critic: ‘Sky’s gazumping is killing drama imports’

A television critic has suggested that Sky’s practice of buying up the later seasons of non-UK television programmes that had already proved themselves popular with UK audiences on free-to-air channels is preventing such shows from reaching a substantial audience in the UK. Writing in left-leaning weekly politics, culture, and international affairs magazine New Statesman, James […]

February 2, 2016By Colin Mann

BBC, Discovery Olympics partnership

The BBC and Discovery Communications have confirmed a long-term Olympic Games agreement in the UK, building on a 30-year partnership between the two global media organisations. The deal means that the BBC will sub-license (from Discovery) exclusive free-to-air audio-visual and non-exclusive radio rights to the 2022 and 2024 Olympic Games. In turn, Discovery will sub-license […]

February 2, 2016

BBC scores online cricket deal

Although the BBC seems to be shedding sports that were one seen as its mainstays, with the loss of Formula 1, horse racing and exclusive coverage of the Open Golf Championship, it has responded to the increasing demand to follow sports online by agreeing a four-year digital rights deal for international cricket that will see […]

February 2, 2016By Colin Mann

US Commerce Dept. proposes copyright law amendments

A report from the US Department of Commerce has recommended amendments to copyright law that would provide both more guidance and greater flexibility to courts in awarding statutory damages. The Department suggests the recommended amendments would ensure continued meaningful protection for intellectual property while preserving the dynamic innovation that has made digital technology so important […]

February 1, 2016By Colin Mann

FilmOn acquires CinemaNow

FilmOn TV Networks has acquired CinemaNow, one of the pioneers in providing transactional digital storefronts of premium film and TV content, from Regent Equity Partners. CinemaNow will continue operations as a leading provider of Transactional Video on Demand new release premium movies and television episodes to buy, rent and view from major licensors including 20th […]

January 28, 2016By Colin Mann

Mediapro opens up football rights

Under antitrust threat from the regulator, rights owner Mediapro is reportedly set to open up the football TV rights to Telefonica’s competitors. Mediapro is likely to make an offer over soon to Orange and Vodafone to broadcast Spanish La Liga and other domestic tournaments for three seasons starting in 2016-2017 as well as the Champions […]

January 27, 2016From David Del Valle in Madrid

ESPN signs ICC highlights deal

ESPN has signed a four-year agreement with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to broadcast digital on-demand highlights of all ICC events to be staged between the 2016-2019 period The agreement, covering the UK and Republic of Ireland, will allow ESPN to show in-progress, pre-match and post-match highlights across all ESPN branded websites and mobile apps. […]

January 25, 2016

Canada: Nickelodeon content for shomi

Streaming service shomi has signed a new comprehensive content deal with Corus Entertainment, the exclusive brand partner for Nickelodeon in Canada. The deal includes more than 700 half-hour episodes for 21 hit series – including six that stream exclusively on shomi. New and exclusive to shomi are Nick series Penguins of Madagascar; Rabbids Invasion; Nicky, […]

January 25, 2016

Telefonica-Mediapro’s football deal probe

The Spanish Competition watchdog CNMC is looking into the recent football TV agreement between Telefonica and Mediapro, requesting that they modify it to guarantee third parties access to the rights under the free competition ruling. The watchdog has warned that Telefonica could be failing to fulfil one of the conditions imposed by the regulator to […]

January 22, 2016From David Del Valle in Madrid

Movie exec: ‘IP protection failure threatens film future’

In the wake of figures indicating that 2015 was the most successful year ever at the Australian cinema box office, a senior industry executive has warned of the threat of piracy to the future of filmed entertainment. Findings from the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia (MPDAA) show a 14 per cent increase from 2014 […]

January 22, 2016By Colin Mann