Advanced Television

Catch Up

UKTV enhances VoD app

Britain’s biggest multichannel broadcaster, UKTV, has announced an update of its VoD service UKTV Play. The new generation app is available immediately on iOS, Android and Amazon FireOS. Tom Davidson, UKTV’s General Manager for UKTV Play said: “UKTV Play is focusing on delivering the most personalised viewing experience in the marketplace. Our investment in machine […]

January 14, 2019

BBC consults on iPlayer programme availability

The BBC is launching a public consultation on its plans to reinvent BBC iPlayer – making it a destination in its own right, with box sets, live programming and archive titles that champion quality UK content and offer great programmes for longer. The BBC is proposing: Programmes should be available on BBC iPlayer for at […]

January 8, 2019By Colin Mann

Originals top UKTV ratings

Multichannel programmer UKTV’s commissioning strategy continues to bear fruit with UKTV Originals driving younger viewers to UKTV Play and remaining the most watched programmes on the network in 2018. “Our strategy of creating distinctive, ambitious and compelling new shows is continuing to pay off,” asserted Darren Childs, UKTV CEO. “I’m incredibly proud that for the […]

January 4, 2019

Bodyguard biggest iPlayer show of the year

Bodyguard is BBC iPlayer’s biggest show of the year (so far). The first episode has broken records to reach 10.5 million requests – making it the most popular episode ever on BBC iPlayer. Every episode of the Golden Globe-nominated drama – which stars Richard Madden as personal protection officer to Keeley Hawes’ home secretary – […]

December 20, 2018

Research: 50%+ consumers streaming weekly

Fifty per cent or more of consumers are streaming video content at least once a week via a Smart TV/external streaming device, mobile device, a computer, or a laptop, according to findings in the 2018 Global Consumer Streaming Habits Survey, from cloud services for video provider Brightcove, which analyses consumption preferences across generations when it […]

December 19, 2018

Freeview Play sales exceed 5m

Freeview and Digital UK have announced that the total number of Freeview Play devices sold in the UK has now surpassed five million. Freeview Play was launched in 2015 to provide viewers with access to live, catch up and on-demand programming. Freeview has also revealed that over three million of these devices are being used […]

December 19, 2018

Analyst: Indian OTT users value local content

According to IHS Markit consumer surveys, when choosing video services in India, three in four connected consumers feel localised content is as important as price – especially the inclusion of local Indian content and the quality of subtitling and dubbing of foreign video content. Fateha Begum, associate director, connected devices and media consumption, notes that […]

December 18, 2018

Ofcom restricts iPlayer changes

UK broadcast regulator Ofcom has published its full decision on the BBC’s proposed changes to iPlayer, which will limit the Corporation’s scope to make programmes available beyond a defined period. The BBC had proposed a number of changes to the BBC iPlayer for implementation in 2018/19. These included: A substantial number of additional Box Sets, […]

December 17, 2018By Colin Mann

EU facilitates cross-border content access

Negotiators from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council have reached a political agreement on the proposed copyright legislation on TV and radio programmes. The new rules will make it easier for European broadcasters to make certain programmes available on their live TV or catch-up services online, and will simplify the distribution of […]

December 13, 2018By Colin Mann

Cinedigm to acquire Viewster

Digital content distribution specialist Cinedigm is to acquire global OTT VOD service Viewster and its subsidiary platform Viewster Anime, in a move that further bolsters the Company’s already-extensive OTT content portfolio, while adding an established and well-known property with trademarks in more than 30 countries around the world. Viewer and Viewster Anime’s roster of fandom […]

December 11, 2018