Virgin Media has emerged successful in the patent dispute lodged against it by Gemstar TV Guide. The London High Court rulings call into question the ability for intellectual property rights holder Rovi to enforce its patents both in the UK and with operators around the world. Gemstar, now part of Rovi, had claimed Virgin's EPG […]

IPTV usage is up 150 per cent according to a survey carried out by goetzpartners. In September and October 2009, it conducted a representative survey among Germans aged between 14 to 69 years, asking, in addition to usage intensity, about requirements, ideas and willingness to pay for IPTV. There is a clear indicator that consumers […]

Indian telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) has formed an agreement with the SmarTV Group for the launch of pan-India IPTV services, following a test launch of the service in a few major cities. BSNL has plans to add 100,000 customers to its IPTV service by March 2009. The SmarTV Group, which consists of Smart Digivision […]

Project Canvas – a joint technology venture between the BBC, ITV, BT and Five that could bring on-demand programming to Freeview and Freesat – is unlikely to be rolled out until 2011 because it is mired in a complicated approval process. Erik Huggers, head of future media and technology at the BBC, warned that delays […]

Recent peace with BSkyB hinting it might use Canvas has ended with the pay broadcaster has accusing the BBC of paying no more than “lip service” to allowing other broadcasters to join Project Canvas, and again called for the initiative to be blocked. These comments are in a new submission to the BBC Trust. This […]

Joost's been assets have been acquired by US online ad network Adconion Media Group. Adconion is also part funded by Joost backer Index Ventures. Adconion PR told us that it plans to keep operating Joost.com the consumer video service. Joost gave up the consumer online video market back in June, and decided to focus on […]

Freesat has inked a deal that will see the BBC iPlayer launched on the digital TV service next month. The service, a joint venture between the BBC and ITV, is also planning to launch ITV’s catch-up TV service, the ITV Player, in the first half of next year. Freesat will be the first free-to-air service […]

Rovi has confirmed that its TV Guide widget, an application to help viewers find out information on TV shows and programmes that are airing, has launched on Samsung HDTV's Yahoo! TV Widget Engine platform. Users can access TV programme listings, descriptions and airing times. Users can also select from several “Hotlists” including the Daily Hotlist […]

Malaysian billionaire and T. Ananda Krishnan has seized an opportunity created by the government’s proposed national broadband network. Krishnan has taken a significant stake in internet-delivered TV company Fetch TV, which is expected to launch in Australia early next year. Former ACP Magazines chief and Optus executive Scott Lorson, and telco executive Simon Cathcart, are […]

Following the demise of Joost, the other internet video aggregator service Babelgum is shutting its Dublin HQ. There are also reports that offices in London, Milan and New York will be consolidated. Babelgum told paidContent:UK: “This decision allows Babelgum to streamline its approach, improve its cost effectiveness and ensure its continued growth in future years. […]