PRS for Music and YouTube have signed a licensing agreement that covers music contained in videos streamed via the online video platform. As a result, premium music videos will be reinstated to YouTube in the UK. The deal will be backdated to January 2009, when YouTube's previous licence expired. As a result of the agreement […]
Bids for a majority stake in the US Travel Channel have come in substantially ahead of initial expectations, with unexpected private equity interest adding to demand from media companies in the resilient cable television industry. Second-round offers indicate that a sale of the 65 per cent stake that Cox Communications put up for sale in […]
ESPN announced it has secured the rights to broadcast the UEFA Europa League for the next three seasons. Formerly known as the UEFA Cup, the UEFA Europa League has a group stage that includes 48 clubs, 10 of which were eliminated in the playoff round of UEFA Champions League qualifiers. The ties will begin on […]
Having dismissed reports it was discussing a takeover of NBC Universal, Comcast has allowed it is discussing the formation of a new joint venture company with General Electric owner of NBC. The new company would be majority controlled by Comcast which would own a 51 per cent stake in NBC Universal versus General Electric's 49 […]
Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) has won the rights to air Barclays English Premier League matches across its platforms, as well as exclusive broadcast rights to ESPN Star Sports for mio TV. The rights will allow SingTel to broadcast EPL matches on mio TV, the Internet and mobile applications for three years starting August next year, and […]
Ten Sports, the most watched sports channel in Indian and NBC Universal Digital Solutions (NBCUDS), have an agreed to develop and launch a free, cricket-focused multiplatform sports portal targeting the region's fast growing digital audience. The site will debut with live Webcast coverage of the much anticipated Compaq Cup, the tri-angular cricket series between India, […]
Following up James Murdoch's contention that the BBC's ubiquity online will threaten the pluralism of available news, Five CEO Dawn Airey has said the BBC should charge viewers for iPlayer and other online content otherwise commercial rivals will be crippled. Airey said, "perhaps the BBC should go back to having a couple of big broadcast […]
Disney is betting on Content as King, paying $4bn for Marvel Entertainment in a shares and cash deal. Disney will take over ownership of 5,000 Marvel characters, if the deal is approved by Marvel shareholders and competition regulators. “We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth […]
The TV industry has as little as two years to create viable digital businesses or face a version of the “iTunes moment” that saw the music business cede the online future to Apple, according to Ashley Highfield. Highfield, the former BBC future technology chief who is now managing director of consumer and online at Microsoft […]
There is uncertainty surrounding the purchase of file-sharing website The Pirate Bay by Swedish-based Global Gaming Factory (GGF). Trading in GGF shares has been suspended and there are reports that the firm’s chairman – Magnus Bergman – has resigned. GGF paid £4.7 million (E5.4m) to take over The Pirate Bay in June. The Swedish stock […]