NDS ‘wins’ after court loss
A Californian jury has found NDS guilty of violating anti-piracy laws on just two counts. The decision awarded Dish Network just $1,500 in statutory damages, far less than the $1 billion that had been sought by the US DTH operator. Read the story »
ICTV becomes ActiveVideo Networks
Interactive television specialist ICTV has rebranded as ActiveVideo, a move the company says reflects the investment that has been made in the ActiveVideo name over the past two years. Read the story »
ANGA Cable: Broadband Summit May 27-29
ANGA Cable, the trade fair for cable, broadband and satellite, will open with 369 exhibitors from 29 countries in Cologne, Germany on May 27. The principal topics of the exhibition are hybrid network solutions for modern broadband networks (NGN), IPTV, Video on Demand and the newest digital receiver models including HDTV and PVR. Read the story »
Major Hi-Vision demo at IBC
A major international collaboration will bring a live demonstration of the Japanese Super Hi-Vision system to IBC in Amsterdam this September. NHK of Japan, RAI of Italy and BBC of UK will demonstrate the next generation high definition system that combines 7680 x 4320 pixel images with 22.2 channel immersive audio. Read the story »
Qualcomm wins spectrum auction
The possibility of a standards war in the mobile TV space has come a step closer after Qualcomm succeeded in the latest Ofcom spectrum auction. Read the story »
Three Dutch cablers unite into Ziggo
The three Dutch cable companies owned by Zesko Holding – Casema, @Home and Multikabel – will from today on be known as Ziggo. With 3.3million homes connected, the new entity is by far the biggest operator in the country, Read the story »
Al Jazeera English tops 110m subs
A clutch of new deals in Europe and Asia has propelled Al Jazeera English through the 110 million-subscriber level. Read the story »
Eurosport HD wins Dutch cable contract
From May 25 Eurosport HD will be distributed on the Ziggo cable networks in The Netherlands, the new name of the networks formerly known as Casema, Multikabel and @Home. Similar announcements can be expected from other Dutch operators including UPC. Read the story »
Canal signs new Disney deal
Canal+ has signed a new multi-window content agreement with Disney-ABC International Television. The new deal includes a selection of current and future series content that will be delivered to the French pay-TV provider’s subscribers through transactional VOD, pay-per-view and pay-TV windows. Read the story »
Mediaset eyes Mideast TV venture
Italy’s leading commercial broadcaster Mediaset is planning to team up with French-Tunisian filmmaker and businessman, Tarak Ben Ammar, for the launch of a TV operation in the Middle East. Read the story »
Czech Z1 set for launch
The new Czech news and current affairs channel Z1 is expected to make its debut on June 1. Read the story »
Portugal Telecom wins 47,000 for Meo
Portugal Telecom closed the first quarter with 47,000 clients for its IPTV service Meo. Read the story »
RTP reduces transmission costs
RTP says that its agreement with Portugal Telecom will enable the public broadcaster to reduce the distribution costs for its DTT signals by some 60%. Read the story »
Central Telegraph on the market
The Russian telco Central Telegraph has been put up for sale. Read the story »
Belgacom reports digital TV home rise
Belgacom has announced that its digital TV home total increased by 43,931 during the first quarter to 349,250. Read the story »
Special Coverage
ANGA Cable 2008 – May 27-29ANGA Cable – COLOGNE. Robert Briel and Julian Clover report from Germany’s major cable and satellite event. Know All About It in Broadband TV News.
Premium
Last week saw the Czech Association of Electronic Communications (CAEC) hold its annual conference in Prague. Though understandably focused on the local industry, some of the issues it addressed were. […] Read the story »
UPC faces up to CEE challenges
Although Liberty Global’s UPC is in the undoubted market leader in Central and Eastern Europe’s cable industry and holds a strong position in its DTH sector, it also faces a number of problems in. […] Read the story »
UPC cable: subscribers down, ARPU up
The reason is of course increased competition. In The Netherlands, KPN’s DTT platform Digitenne is making big inroads, with about 550,000 subscribers at the end of Q1 2008 and Canal Digitaal Satelli. […] Read the story »
Speaker's Corner
Standards bearerWithout clear product specifications and standards manufacturers face complex challenges in delivering and exploiting new video distribution platforms, and providing viewers with the best user experience. Simon Gauntlett explains Read the story »
Clover's Week
Baby I swear it’s Déjà vuUS cable operators are giving subscribers the ability to return to the top of the show when they’re late home and SeaChange is bringing the functionality to Europe. Julian Clover reports Read the story »
Chris Dziadul
Heady daysThese are heady days indeed for Cyfrowy Polsat, which with Digi TV vies for top spot in the Central and East European DTH marketplace. Read the story »
Briel on Europe
Connected TV – who’ll get it right?The race is on for the best way to connect the regular TV set to the web in a way any consumer can understand. The issue is really about who will control the screen when you switch on your set to watch television.
Video
New media gets press makeoverThe editors of newspapers are no longer old fashioned luddites running in fear of digital technology, according to a new poll.
The survey of editors-in-chief from around the world finds most feel optimistic about the rapid emergence of new media newsrooms.
Darcy Lambton reports for Reuters.
Events Diary
- May 18, 2008 - May 21, 2008
NCTA - The Cable Show
Morial Convention Center, New Orleans
Web: http://2008.thecableshow.com
- May 23, 2008 17:30 - 20:00
Broadband TV 2.0
Jurys Inn, 101 Stroudley Road, Brighton BN1 4DJ
Web: http://www.use8.net/index.php?pmctsys=us8&pmshow=theevent
- May 27, 2008 - May 30, 2008
ANGA Cable 2008
Cologne, Germany
Web: http://www.angacable.de
- June 5, 2008 - June 7, 2008
Driving Digital Content: Generating Revenues and Engaging the Consumer
London, UK
A two-day event focusing on the business opportunities presented by the continued rise of digital content delivery and its impact upon the wider industry.
www.uands.com/ddc08 <http://www.uands.com/ddc08>
- June 8, 2008 - June 13, 2008
Festival de TV 2008 (48th Monte Carlo Television Festival)
Grimaldi Forum, Monte Carlo
Web: http://www.tvfestival.com
- June 8, 2008 - June 12, 2008
Banff World Television Festival
The Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, Canada
Web: http://www.banff2008.com/