James Murdoch has officially stepped down as executive chairman of News International newspapers in the UK and appears to be severing his links with publishing to concentrate on News Corp’s TV businesses. News Corp has confirmed that Murdoch, the son of Rupert Murdoch, will no longer chair the board at the group that includes companies publishing The Times and the [...]
Time Warner Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes has defended the autumn 2011 launch of digital movie technology UltraViolet, led by the Warner Bros. studio, stressing the importance of launching early rather than waiting for further improvements. Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Media and Telecommunications conference in Palm Beach, Bewkes said the reason the studio didn’t wait until the technology had been [...]
UK digital television industry association the Digital TV Group has unveiled the latest technical specification enhancements for Freeview and Freeview HD – as the digital television industry gathers for its annual Summit on 2 March in London. Enhancements to the ‘D-Book’ – which sets out the detailed technical standards for digital terrestrial television in the UK – include: Enhanced EPG [...]
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks has revealed plans to launch Sony Movie Channel in the UK, its second Sony-branded channel in the territory. The channel, along with a time shifted +1 service, will carry advertising and launch during the spring of 2012, marking the first time the channel brand has launched outside the US. The channel will offer contemporary library [...]
The digital arm of India’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, Zee New Media, has launched an over the top TV service – Ditto TV – to offer live TV and video on demand. Punit Goenka, MD and CEO, ZEEL, said the OTT category presented a powerhouse of potential and added an exciting new dimension to Zee’s business model. “As a pioneer [...]
YahLive, a new all-HDTV satellite platform targeting the Middle East, has signed an important deal with Abu Dhabi Media to transmit six of its channels. YahLive says it currently carries about 30 HD channels, with plans to boost that to nearer 50 by the end of the year. “The addition of exclusive Abu Dhabi media channels means that our customers [...]
ITV has reported a 14 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to £327 million in 2011 as chief executive Adam Crozier hailed a turnaround in its TV production business. The UK commercial broadcaster, which reported adjusted pre-tax profits up 24 per cent to £398 million said that total revenues increased 4 per cent to £2.1 billion in 2011. ITV said [...]
Dutch cable television firm Ziggo plans to list on the Amsterdam stock exchange, but a date has not yet been set. Ziggo, currently owned by private equity firms, is the biggest cable television firm in Holland with some three million subscribers. It was formed between 2005 and 2007 through the merger of Casema, Multikabel and Essent Kabelcom. Chief executive Bernard [...]
UK broadcast advice specialist, Canis Media, has formally notified Ofcom of an expression of interest in bidding for the Local TV ‘MuxCo’ licence through the newly formed new company, Comux UK Limited. Comux UK will be structured to ensure that the maximum possible return on the value of the gifted capacity is invested in local TV programming. Potential local television [...]
Residential gateways are expected to become the new hub of the so-called digital living room when they take over from set-top boxes, with the vigorous gateway market projected to triple from 2012 to 2015, according to a report from information and analytics provider IHS. Shipments of residential gateways and thin client boxes that act as receivers are miniscule at present, [...]
