Friday, 31 January 2014

Broadcast industry calls for anti-piracy alliance

Broadcast industry calls for anti-piracy alliance:
Broadcast industry calls for anti-piracy alliance

by Roger Field



Leading broadcasters called for the formation of an industry alliance to tackle the scourge of TV and movie piracy in the Middle East, during the ITP Broadcast Forum in Dubai on Monday.



Star Middle East’s country head for MEA and Pakistan, Sumantra Dutta, described the formation of an alliance as “imperative”. “There needs to be a collective effort to tackle piracy. There isn’t yet an association of broadcasters and platform owners to be able to take the issue of piracy, to go to the lawmakers and make them aware of the evil of piracy and the leakage in the distribution revenues. We are still working towards that,” he said.



Dutta added that the association should be targeted specifically at television piracy and should include South Asian and Western broadcasters, as well as distribution platforms.



Maaz Sheikh, chief sales and operations officer, OSN, added with Dutta, but also added that the association should be expanded to include other distribution platforms.



“We do need to come together as an industry but we need to expand the industry lines to include satellite operators as well as telecoms and ISPs in the region,” he said.



However, he also stated that broadcasters must look for ways to encourage consumers to opt for legal ways of accessing content. “We as broadcasters have to continue to invest in making our value proposition valuable to the consumer so that they have less reason to pirate the services in the first place,’ he said.



John Illingworth, sales director for MENA at Irdeto, a company that specialises in anti-piracy technology, said that the industry must work together to understand “where piracy is coming from”.



“Not all pirates are criminals, you have got to work together in collaboration to find where the piracy is coming from, whose producing it, who is the criminal behind it. So it needs a lot of work together from the producers, manufacturers, the operators,” he said.

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DubaiSat 2 passes JAXA tests

DubaiSat 2 passes JAXA tests:
DubaiSat 2 passes JAXA tests

by Clayton Vallabhan







DubaiSat-2 has successfully passed the tests conducted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in collaboration with the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), on the satellite’s propulsion system.



The visiting JAXA delegation of professionals was received by a group of EIAST’s engineers who gave a detailed presentation on DubaiSat-2 activity and successful results since its launch on November 21, 2013.



The propulsion system is designed to support and align the satellite position in orbit, allowing the control of satellite altitude above ground level and modifying it automatically in the event of any deviation through a set of predetermined and saved commands sent from the control station.



Mohammed Al Harmi, director of ground services department, EIAST, said: “The tests were conducted to ensure the satellite’s technical readiness and safety of equipments, including all technical features and technologies. The postive assessments reflect the high qualifications and efforts of EIAST’s team of engineers to launch and activate DubaiSat-2, which represents a key milestone of the UAE’s excellence and leadership in the regional as well as international space industry.”



DubaiSat-2 is equipped with an electro-optical camera to provide higher resolution space imagery from all over the world throughout its lifetime to be used for various applications including environmental projects, urban planning, infrastructure and provide specialised reports. The satellite can also take multiple images of the same area, as well as receive and process them from anywhere in the world within one day. It completes one full orbit around the earth in 96 minutes with 60% of its time facing the sunlight.

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WWE App hits 10m downloads

WWE App hits 10m downloads:
WWE App hits 10m downloads

By Nik Roseveare





WWE has revealed that its flagship WWE App has surpassed 10 million downloads in 220 countries since it launched in August 2012. WWE App will be a key component in the delivery of WWE Network, its 24/7 streaming service that launches on February 24th.



Through the WWE App, WWE delivers wrestling fans a second screen experience during its flagship TV programmes. The experience includes live match continuation during TV commercial breaks, backstage content, live polls, photos and exclusive information on WWE wrestlers. The WWE Network will offer fans a similar interactive fan experience for all original programming and live events via the WWE App.

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Pirate Bay ban lifted in Netherlands

Pirate Bay ban lifted in Netherlands:
Pirate Bay ban lifted in Netherlands





A Dutch court has informed local internet service providers that they can restore access to The Pirate Bay after being ordered in 2011 to block Internet addresses linked to the notorious file-sharing website.



But the Hague Appeals Court has reversed the decision on the basis it had proved “ineffective” at reducing copyright infringement. Anti-piracy group Brein now faces having to pay €400,000 of the ISPs’ legal costs. It has said it may lodge a further appeal with the country’s Supreme Court.



The Dutch ruling marks a victory for Ziggo and XS4All – two local ISPs who had argued that the measure denied their subscribers free access to information.

The Pirate Bay does not host copyright-infringing content itself, but rather provides lists of links – many of which do lead to pirated films, TV shows, music and books.



XS4All has already unblocked its subscribers’ access to the Pirate Bay

Brein had initially tried to make The Pirate Bay itself remove such links. After failing to do so, it had convinced the Dutch courts to block users’ access instead.

But the appeals court heard that web users were circumventing the ban by either finding alternative ways to access the site, or by using alternative file-sharing services.



Although there was evidence that Dutch traffic to The Pirate Bay had declined, the amount of torrenting had not.



“This blockade imposed a violation of the basic freedom of commercial activity of the providers with insufficient justification,” the court’s ruling said. “It is of great significance that the providers themselves were not violating copyrights.”



Virgin Media has said it is studying the ruling to see if there were any implications for a similar block imposed by the UK High Court.



“We will look carefully at what this means for the UK, but we do remain beholden to the UK courts,” said Gareth Mead, head of media relations at Virgin Media.

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OSN hikes prices up 20%

OSN hikes prices up 20%:
OSN hikes prices up 20%

By Chris Forrester





Dubai-based pay-TV operator OSN is upping its subscription rates as far as its wholesale distributors are concerned. Some lower tiers rise by 4 per cent. However du, the Emirati telco which retails OSN to its cable and DSL subscribers, says that OSN price rise on its Pinoy Prime bundle will pay Dirhams 118 a month compared to the last year’s Dirhams 98, a rise of 20 per cent.



Also significantly hiked is the OSN/du Firstnet Premium/Al Jazeera package which rises from Dhs 149 to Dhs 174 (16.8 per cent).



OSN offers almost 140 television channels, and is owned by KIPCO of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia’s Mawarid Group.

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FIC secures Middle East content deal with Electus International

FIC secures Middle East content deal with Electus International:
FIC secures Middle East content deal with Electus International



Rebecca Hawkes | 31-01-2014



New US action reality TV series, including The Hero and 72 Hours, are set for the Middle East following a range of content deals between global distributor Electus International and Fox International Channels (FIC) Middle East.



“We are excited to forge our first partnership with Fox International Channels Middle East to deliver standout programming to their audience,” says Diego Piasek, executive director, International Distribution and Production, Electus International.



“FIC Middle East is a natural partner in this rapidly growing and exciting region, and we are keen to see some of our best content premiering on their channels this year.”



In addition to the first seasons of The Hero and 72 Hours, the deal will also bring Lone Star Legend, season one and Car Lot Rescue, season one to Fox television channels in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, State of Palestine, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and UAE.





Read more: FIC secures Middle East content deal with Electus International | Rapid TV News http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php…#ixzz2rzo13iXz

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Telekom to add new HD channels to Entertain

Telekom to add new HD channels to Entertain:
Telekom to add new HD channels to Entertain



Jörn Krieger | 31-01-2014





Germany’s national telco Deutsche Telekom will expand the HD line-up of its IPTV platform Entertain with Discovery Channel HD, Animal Planet HD and Bibel TV HD joining the platform on 3 February.



Christian family channel Bibel TV will be offered in the HD Start bouquet while documentary channels Discovery Channel HD and Animal Planet HD will be available to subscribers of the Doku and Big TV packages in conjunction with the HD option.

Another addition at Entertain is the free-to-air science and knowledge channel Welt der Wunder TV which is offered in standard definition. The pay-TV channel Animax will be removed on 1 February.






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Global TV market revenue to increase 23% by 2018

Global TV market revenue to increase 23% by 2018:
Global TV market revenue to increase 23% by 2018



Pascale Paoli-Lebailly | 31-01-2014





The number of TV households worldwide will reach 1.675 billion in 2018 (up 9.6% in five years), with the number of digital TV households worldwide reaching 1.542 billion in 2018, translating into 92% of TV households.



According to the latest edition of Idate’s ‘TV and new video services market’ report and database, cable will remain the main access channel (592.3 million households in 2018) but will gradually lose ground to satellite and IPTV respectively which will account for 32.9% and 10.9% of TV households at the end of 2018.

Despite the development of hybrid TV solutions, terrestrial TV should continue its decline on the first TV set and drop down to the No 3 spot by 2018, with roughly a 21% share of the global market.

The fast-growing popularity of OTT offerings is shaking up the traditional pay-TV model, Idate points out.

While video has become pervasive across all of screens, most national TV markets are losing steam in terms of viewership and pressure on advertising markets, especially in Europe.

“If the decline of physical media now seems inevitable, television still has a chance to reinvent itself in a way that takes into account changes in viewer behaviour and competition from new online vendors,” said Florence Le Borgne, the report’s project manager.

Idate forecasts that the global TV industry’s revenue will reach €374.8 billion in 2013 and €459.2 billion in 2018. Pay-TV revenue will grow by 21.3% between 2013 and 2018, or by an average 3.9% annually, to reach €220.2 billion in 2018.

Ad revenue will enjoy even stronger growth of 27.3% between 2013 and 2018, to reach €201.1 billion in 2018. Public financing/licensing fees will continue to increase significantly (+7.7% in five years) to reach nearly €38 billion in 2018.

Idate also predicts physical media sales will total €16.3 billion in 2018, when video-on-demand (VOD) revenue will reach €35.4 billion in 2018, up 90% compared to 2013.

OTT video will continue to be the biggest earner, generating 51% of total revenue, and VOD will still be the dominant model on managed networks. It will generate €6.9 billion in 2018 versus €2.3 billion for subscription video-on-demand (SVOD).




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GOtv enters Rwanda's pay-TV market

GOtv enters Rwanda's pay-TV market:
GOtv enters Rwanda’s pay-TV market



Rebecca Hawkes | 31-01-2014





MultiChoice’s low-cost pay-TV service GOtv is now available in Rwanda, following a tie-up between a local subsidiary of the South African giant, the Tele10 Group and Rwanda Broadcasting Authority (RBA).



Stephen Isaboke, MultiChoice’s regional director for Eastern Africa, said that the company wants to “facilitate the country’s switch from analogue to digital broadcasting by providing quality, but affordable pay-TV services to the mass market,” according to the New Times.

As part of the partnership deal, MultiChoice is to help RBA upgrade its infrastructure.

“This will help boost capacity to enable us host about 24 television channels compared to eight channels presently. The entry of GOtv presents producers of local TV content opportunity, and those willing to start TV stations as there would be more frequencies to host them,” Arthur Asiimwe, director general, RBA, is quoted as saying during the platform’s launch in Kigali.

Rwanda postponed its 31 December 2012 deadline for the switch-off of analogue broadcasting, due to the scarcity of digital set-top boxes in the country. RBA is now broadcasting terrestrially in both analogue and digital, and claims the digital terrestrial TV (DTT) signal covers 95% of the country as of October 2013.

GOtv will compete in Rwanda’s pay-TV sector with China’s Star Times, Canal+Afrique and MultiChoice’s premium pay service DStv.

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Zee launches Indonesian Bollywood channel, opens Jakarta office

Zee launches Indonesian Bollywood channel, opens Jakarta office:
Zee launches Indonesian Bollywood channel, opens Jakarta office



Rebecca Hawkes | 31-01-2014





Indian television network Zee has opened an office in Jakarta and appointed Maria Liza Ginting as its country head, to support the launch of its new Bollywood channel for Indonesia.



Zee Bioskop, which will air Bollywood movies in the Bahasa language 24 hours a day, will now be joined in Indonesia by Zee’s health and fitness offer Veria Living Channel, via the Apstar-7 satellite.

“Indonesia and India share a lot of similarities when it comes to culture, values and entertainment appetite, in addition to being maritime neighbours,” said Subhash Chandra, chairman, Zee Entertainment Enterprise (ZEEL).

“Indonesia is economically one of the fastest growing markets with huge potential for pay-TV growth. I am confident these launches will flag off a new beginning for our venture and relationship between the two countries.”

Sushruta Samanta, ZEEL’s business head, Asia Pacific, added: “During the focused group research, we were amazed to see the massive response for our Bollywood content. Zeel holds the largest Bollywood library, which will aid Zee Bioskop in setting new records in the viewership trend. Indonesia is definitely a key market for our APAC expansion plan and opening of Indonesia office is a first step towards that direction.”






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Airtel Digital TV reaches 8.8 million subscribers

Airtel Digital TV reaches 8.8 million subscribers:
Airtel Digital TV reaches 8.8 million subscribers



Rebecca Hawkes | 31-01-2014





The Indian direct-to-home (DTH) operator Airtel Digital TV has announced its subscriber base reached 8.8 million at the end of December 2013, an increase of 11.6% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2012.



Net customer additions for digital TV during the quarter increased to 235,000 as compared to 120,000 in the previous quarter, primarily driven by festivities during the quarter, said the Bharti Airtel-owned company.

Average revenue per user (ARPU) increased by INR21, to an all-time high of INR207, as compared to INR186 in the quarter ending 31 December 2012.

Revenues from Airtel’s DTH satellite TV service rose by 25.8% to INR5,384 million as compared to INR4,280 million in the corresponding quarter of 2012.

Airtel Digital TV is one of six private DTH operators in India, along with Dish TV, Tata Sky, Reliance Digital, Sun Direct and Videocon d2h.

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TWC shows big Q4 subscriber drain

TWC shows big Q4 subscriber drain:
TWC shows big Q4 subscriber drain



Michelle Clancy | 31-01-2014





“We feel very good about our ability to run this business,” Time Warner Cable CFO Artie Minson told investors this week, even as the company reported what can only be described as miserable subscriber figures for the fourth quarter of 2013.



The No 2 cable MSO shed 217,000 residential video customers in Q4, compared with the 129,000 it lost a year earlier. The company also gained only 39,000 Internet customers, down from 75,000 added one year ago, and just 1,000 residential voice subscribers, compared to 34,000 additions a year earlier.

For the full year, the results were magnified: TWC shed 833,000 video customers in 2013, while broadband customer additions slowed to 154,000 from 433,000 in 2012. And, the company lost 218,000 home phone customers last year, while it added 191,000 the previous year.

Nonetheless, a 5.6% decline in video revenue was offset by 14% higher broadband revenue, which the company brought in by raising its prices. Overall, the TWC managed to perform some damage control, with residential customer revenue declining just 0.1% to $4.58 billion.

The news comes as No 4 MSO Charter has an offer on the table to buy TWC for $132.50 per share. CEO Rob Marcus is not enthused, and has said the company needs at least $160 per share — something Charter has tried to argue against by making the case that TWC is in dire straits operationally and needs a white knight.

Minson noted that the Q4 results will be used as fodder in the fight: The “folks at Charter and Liberty are very smart guys” he noted, and “see a chance to force a trade before the public realises what we can achieve with our standalone plan.”

That standalone plan involves sinking 16% more capex into its infrastructure than originally planned for the year, to total $3.7 billion. That includes $100 million dedicated to the rollout of advanced technology in the company’s main markets of New York and Los Angeles. It will also roll out 300mbps premium broadband tier, the company said. And, it will transition to all-IP within three years.

One bright spot was business services revenue, which spiked 20% to $616 million. Overall the results weren’t terrible, fiscally: it had 5.3% year-over-year higher net income for the fourth quarter of 2013 to reach $540 million, on 1.7% higher revenue.




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FremantleMedia takes preschool TV licensing to Disney Junior LATAM

FremantleMedia takes preschool TV licensing to Disney Junior LATAM:
FremantleMedia takes preschool TV licensing to Disney Junior LATAM



Gabriel Miramar-Garcia | 31-01-2014





FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment has announced that the preschool show Ella the Elephant has been sold to Disney Junior Channel Latin America. Having already sold to 23 children’s TV platforms in more than 50 territories, Disney Junior Channel Latin America is the latest network to add the cuddly character to its line-up.



Ella the Elephant is an animated preschool series about an adventurous elephant and her magic hat. The series is based on the popular books by Carmela and Steve D’Amico and follows the adventures of Ella, “the little elephant with a giant heart.” Ella loves to play and explore Elephant Islands with her friends Tiki, Frankie and Belinda, but sometimes their adventures create challenges along the way. Luckily through a combination of imagination and “hat magic,” Ella is able to transform her hat into numerous objects that can come to her aid.

“With its upbeat tone and expression of positive values, Ella the Elephant is sure to be a great addition to children’s programming across Latin America,” said Sheila Aguirre, senior vice president of sales and development for Latin America, Caribbean and Hispanic USA at FremantleMedia International. “While we have had success with shows such as Merlin and My Babysitter’s A Vampire on Disney XD Latin America, we’re excited to have a show like Ella that’s filled with great messages for preschoolers find a home on Disney Junior Channel Latin America.”

In addition to the upcoming premiere in Latin America, Ella the Elephant will launch on Disney Junior in the US this spring. The show also premiered on TVO, Knowledge Network and Tele-Quebec in Canada and Tiji in France, and is also airing in Poland where it performs well amongst girls aged four to nine, with an average share of 16.4%.

Additional territories expected to begin airing Ella the Elephant during the first half of 2014 include Finland (MTV3 Juniori), Norway (TV2), Australia (ABC), Spain (Clan) and Singapore (Okto), with additional territories to follow later in the year.






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Sony Pictures TV signs overall deal with Biggest Loser creator

Sony Pictures TV signs overall deal with Biggest Loser creator:
Sony Pictures TV signs overall deal with Biggest Loser creator



Gabriel Miramar-Garcia | 31-01-2014





Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has closed a two-year overall deal with reality producer Dave Broome, best known for the Biggest Loser, to create and produce unscripted television series through his company, 25/7 Productions.



“Dave has a great track record of producing captivating unscripted series that resonate with viewers,” says Holly Jacobs, executive vice president for US reality and syndicated programming for SPT. “His understanding of the reality business and creativity make him an ideal partner, so we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.”

“Holly and the entire team at SPT are true forces of nature in our business and I couldn’t be more excited to be working together as we continue to grow 25/7 Productions,” said Broome.

Broome also recently partnered with Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s production company, Estefan Enterprises, to produce the Spanish-language docu-series Dale Con Ganas for Univision.

During the past 15 years, Broome has created and produced hundreds of hours of unscripted programming for broadcast, cable and digital networks, including competition formats, docu-series, music specials, award shows and live television events. He is the creator and executive producer of NBC’s longstanding hit The Biggest Loser, which is now in its 15th season in the US and seen in more than 90 countries around the globe. Broome recently finished production on ABC Family’s soft-scripted summer hit, The Vineyard and TVGN’s holiday special, Rich at Night, featuring country superstar John Rich.






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National Geo's Genius goes international

National Geo's Genius goes international:
National Geo’s Genius goes international



Gabriel Miramar-Garcia | 31-01-2014





Independent content distributor DRG has partnered with US cable network National Geographic Channel and producer Stephen David Entertainment on a project to distribute Genius globally – a miniseries event celebrating the world’s greatest minds, men and women who have dictated the way history has unfolded throughout the years.



The eight-hour special will tell the story of the great innovators from Samuel Colt and Alexander Graham Bell to Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, and is set to premiere in the US in 2014, entitled American Genius.

“We have been looking for the right way to tell the incredible stories of the passionate people who truly shaped our world today, and with Stephen David and his talented team at the helm, we are confident this is going to be a landmark television event,” said David Lyle, CEO of National Geographic Channels.

DRG meanwhile has acquired international rights to both the format and finished programme.

“Not only do we believe that Genius will appeal throughout the world, we are also working on creating country-specific versions so that we end up with an international library,” said Jeremy Fox, DRG’s CEO.






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Thursday, 30 January 2014

Arianespace supports EU space policy

Arianespace supports EU space policy:
Stéphane Israël, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, participated in the 6th European Conference on Space Policy, which took place in Brussels on January 28. He thanked the European Commissions for expressing their trust in the company by choosing Arianespace launch services for two emblematic programs, Galileo and Copernicus.



Since the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Union has asked the European Commission to define and apply the EU’s space policy.



As a user and beneficiary of space technologies, the European Union conducts two flagship programs in which Arianespace plays major roles:


  • Galileo, a global satellite navigation system under European civilian control. The first four satellites in this constellation were orbited by two Soyuz rockets launched by Arianespace from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in French Guiana in 2011 and 2012. The next 14 satellites will be orbited by Soyuz and Ariane 5 launchers in 2014 and 2015.

  • The Copernicus program, previously known as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security), covers a broad spectrum of missions concerning both environmental protection and the security of European citizens. The launch of the first spacecraft in this program (Sentinel 1A) is scheduled for March 28, using a Soyuz rocket from the Guiana Space Center.




“I would like to thank the European Commission for honoring us with their trust by choosing our launch services for two vital programs for European citizens, namely Galileo and Copernicus,” said Stéphane Israël, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace. “The three launchers used for the deployment of these two programs, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, show that Arianespace’s family of launch vehicles is perfectly suited to providing independent access to space for Europe. Arianespace is fully committed to providing the best possible service to the European Union, which is now our leading governmental customer, via contracts awarded through the European Space Agency.”

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Sky Sports secures new deals for 6 sports

Sky Sports secures new deals for 6 sports:
Sky Sports secures new deals for 6 sports





Sky Sports has secured six long-term rights agreements across six different sports including the British & Irish Lions, Super League rugby, England overseas cricket, Scottish football, speedway and sports entertainment outfit, WWE.



Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “Sky Sports had an excellent year in 2013 and we’re looking forward to an outstanding line-up for our customers in 2014. These agreements secure even more fantastic live sport for our audience, offering them unrivalled breadth and quality for years to come.”



The rights announced comprise:



Lions Rugby – Exclusively live coverage of the 2017 British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand, including every Test match against the mighty All Blacks

Super League – A five-year deal from 2017, ensuring only on Sky Sports can viewers enjoy live Super League matches until at least 2021

WWE – A five-year deal from 2015 offering over 600 hours of wrestling content a year from the specialist in sports entertainment, including weekly programming and 12 special PPV events a year

England cricket – A seven-year deal for live cricket from New Zealand, including two England winter tours in 2018 and 2020

Scottish Football – A four-year deal with the Scottish FA beginning next season for the Scottish Cup, international friendlies and Scottish FA Youth Cup

Speedway – At least five more years of Elite League speedway starting this April, offering Sky Sports viewers live coverage of 25 meetings a season



…..



blinkbox brings back ‘Try TV on Us’



blinkbox, the movie and TV streaming service from Tesco, is building on the success of last year’s Try TV on Us offer by signing a major multi-studio content deal for its return.



The service, which offers the latest release movies and TV without the need for a subscription, has reached agreement with several major studios including All3Media, BBC, eOne, Twentieth Century Fox, ITV, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Starz and Universal to run the special offer on a selection of popular titles until March 2nd.



The pilot episode of ten time Emmy award-winning series Breaking Bad and critically acclaimed BBC drama Sherlock are part of the Try TV on Us offer.



blinkbox Managing Director Adrian Letts comments: “Following the success of Try TV on Us last year we wanted to bring the offer back and provide some great entertainment to counter the dark and depressing cold winter nights. Fans of great TV have never had it so good and we’re proud of our selection of amazing TV shows. Offering a taster is a great way to introduce people to our service and help customers find their next TV obsession.”



Customers can watch as many of the 28 episodes as they like during the promotional period.

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Sky Italia seeks €100m in damages from RAI

Sky Italia seeks €100m in damages from RAI:
Sky Italia seeks €100m in damages from RAI

From Branislav Pekic in Rome





Sky Italia is seeking €100 million in damages from Italian public broadcaster RAI in an appeal filed on January 27th to the Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Lazio.



The pay-TV operator accuses RAI of encrypting, over several years, some flagship programmes of the public service to the detriment of Sky Italia subscribers.



The practice, which began in July 2009 and is still ongoing, is considered by the pay-TV operator as “illegitimate” because it violates the obligations foreseen under the public service contract for the period 2007-2009 (which remained in force until 2011). According to the contract, RAI was obliged to provide free of charge “its entire programming on the various platforms, compatible with the rights of third parties”. Sky considers that the conduct of RAI has led to lower growth in subscriptions and a decline in audiences, with a net loss of over €100 million.



Back in July 2009, RAI began encrypting some of its TV channels and programmes on the Sky Italia platform. At the same time, the pubcaster, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Broadcasting launched TivuSat, a new DTH platform officially targeting the 500,000 Italian households not served by the terrestrial signals.



Italy’s Communications Authority intervened in 2009, opening an investigation that ended with a commitment of RAI “to provide users who regularly pay the TV license fee and who make the request with the TivuSat smart card by the end of February 2010”. At that point, Sky Italia instigated legal proceedings, with both the TAR and State Council establishing that the behaviour of RAI was unlawful and that commitment made by RAI to the Authority constitutes “illegal state aid”.

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The Sun to offer Premier League clips on O2

The Sun to offer Premier League clips on O2:
The Sun to offer Premier League clips on O2





Football-BainesThe Sun has signed a deal with mobile operator O2 to offer its 4G customers content including Premier League clips. As well as football video highlights, O2 subscribers will get access to thesun.co.uk and the Sun’s mobile and tablet apps.



Under the terms of the deal, O2 will offer new 4G customers, and existing customers who upgrade, a choice of two 4G packages that will include the Sun+ service.



A 4G plan with 5GB of data priced at £22 a month will come with six months’ free access to Sun+. With an 8Gb data package, priced at £27 a month, customers will get 12 months’ free Sun+ access.



“This is a natural fit for the Sun as we seek old friends and new audiences on a growing range of digital platforms,” said David Dinsmore, the editor of the Sun.



O2, the UK’s second largest mobile network with 23 million customers, could significantly boost subscriber take-up of the £2-a-week Sun+ digital service. The UK’s biggest-selling newspaper signed up 117,000 subscribers for Sun+ between launch on August 1st and December 6th, when parent company News UK revealed the first details of its progress.

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multithek rolls out via DVB-T to Nuremberg


multithek rolls out via DVB-T to Nuremberg
:
multithek rolls out via DVB-T to Nuremberg




Jörn Krieger | 30-01-2014



German transmitter network operator Media Broadcast has launched its TV companion service multithek for DTT households in Nuremberg.



The free-of-charge OTT offering gives viewers access to further TV channels and add-on features like TV catch-up services. The portfolio comprises content from more than 80 broadcasters and service providers including ARD, ZDF, Bloomberg TV, Putpat and MySpass.



To access multithek, viewers need a DTT reception device compliant with interactive multimedia standard HbbTV and connected to the Internet.



In addition to Nuremberg, multithek is available via DTT in 12 further regions: Berlin, Hamburg, Saarbrücken, the Rhine-Main region, Hannover, Braunschweig, Stuttgart, Munich, Bremen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Kiel and Lübeck. For DTH satellite households, the service is offered on Astra (19.2° East).


http://www.satsupreme.com/showthread.php/277984-multithek-rolls-out-via-DVB-T-to-Nuremberg
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MTG wants its MTV with Viacom online content and sales deal

MTG wants its MTV with Viacom online content and sales deal:
MTG wants its MTV with Viacom online content and sales deal



Editor | 30-01-2014



Another day, another deal for Modern Times Group (MTG) which has now begun a partnership with Viacom International Media Networks to offer exclusive advertising-funded video-on-demand (VOD) content on its roster.



The new online advertising sales agreement follows earlier deals between MTG and Viacom, whereby MTG already sells airtime on Viacom’s linear channels MTV, Comedy Central and VH-1 as part of its free-TV advertising sales packages in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.



Under the terms of the new arrangement, MTG will be able to offer VOD access to Viacom’s MTV and Comedy Central channels in MTG’s free-TV online TV catch-up services in Sweden, Norway and Denmark from 4 February. This means MTV and Comedy Central content will therefore be shown on TV3Play.se, TV6Play.se, TV8Play.se, and TV10Play.se in Sweden; and MTV content will be shown on TV3Play.no, Viasat4play.no and TV6Play.no in Norway, and on TV3Play.dk in Denmark. MTG will also handle advertising sales for Viacom’s online platforms, and sell the combined online reach of the MTG and Viacom online catch-up TV services to advertisers.



Commenting on the deal, Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, president and CEO of MTG, said: “This is a key new step in the development of our strong partnership with Viacom, and reflects our determination to be the leading online and offline provider of high quality and relevant entertainment products in all of our markets. This exciting content and sales agreement will provide our online viewers with even richer and more varied content experiences through multiple screens and devices, and provide our advertising customers with increased reach and impact”.

http://www.satsupreme.com/showthread.php/277934-MTG-wants-its-MTV-with-Viacom-online-content-and-sales-deal?goto=newpost via SatSupreme.com - Satellite TV - Daily Satellite TV News

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Wuaki launches on iOS

Wuaki launches on iOS:
Wuaki launches on iOS



Parent Category: News | 30-01-2014



The Wuaki.tv Player has been redesigned for iOS 7, the first time the video-on-demand (VOD) streaming platform has launched on all devices with Apple’s mobile OS.



The Spanish online video shop is now compatible with iPads, iPhones and iPod touches. Up until now, Wuaki’s app was only available for iPad, computers, smart TVs, consoles and Android tablets.



To use Wuaki’s mobile version users need to be existing customers and synchronise their online account – in which the selected content is stored in the cloud – with their mobile device. IN addition, the regular pay-per-view catalogue will also be available.



“The iOS app is the result of hearing our users’ demands and a clear example of our aim of bringing streaming movies and series to all kind of devices and technologies,” said Jacinto Roca, Wuaki’s CEO.

Wuaki.tv is one of the strongest streaming platforms in the Spanish market, recently announcing it had broken the one million customers’ barrier thanks in part to the over 100,000 subscribers it has in the UK.



Second and smart screens are the favourite devices among Wuaki users, with over 70% of all content requests coming from smart TVs and with consoles having grown by 200% since the app for them was launched at the beginning 2013.

http://www.satsupreme.com/showthread.php/277933-Wuaki-launches-on-iOS?goto=newpost via SatSupreme.com - Satellite TV - Daily Satellite TV News

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Wednesday, 29 January 2014

Afghanistan accelerate access to digital services with Eutelsat

Afghanistan accelerate access to digital services with Eutelsat:
Afghanistan accelerate access to digital services with Eutelsat



Pascale Paoli-Lebailly | 29-01-2014



Eutelsat Communications and the Afghanistan Ministry of Communications & Information Technology (MCIT) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) giving Afghanistan satellite resources to enhance deployment of its national broadcasting and telecommunications infrastructure as well as its international connectivity.



Under the multi-year agreement, Eutelsat will deploy an in-orbit satellite from February 2014 to 48° East to deliver full national coverage and extensive reach into Central Asia and the Middle East.



The satellite will be officially called Afghansat 1 by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and will support a wide range of services including broadcasting, mobile telephony backhaul and IP connectivity.



Eutelsat and the MCIT have also agreed to explore opportunities for longer-term cooperation.



Over the last 12 years, the ICT sector in Afghanistan has seen mobile telephony coverage of 88% and penetration grow from zero to 75% through the licensing of six operators.



It also provides jobs to more than 138,000 people and contributed to over $2.1 billion invested in the national economy.

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Season three of Braquo secures raft of deals

Season three of Braquo secures raft of deals:
Season three of Braquo secures raft of deals



Pascale Paoli-Lebailly | 29-01-2014



The third season of the Emmy Award-winning series Braquo, produced by Capa Drama for Canal+, has now been sold into Australia, the UK, Brazil, Israel and New Zealand.



Ahead of its Canal+ premiere on 10 February, this season (24x60’) has been licensed by Zodiak Rights to Foxtel in Australia, while Beyond snatched the DVD rights. In the UK it was acquired by Fox.

Further sales include Globosat in Brazil, Hot in Israel and Rialto in New Zealand.



This season also triggered the interest of new partners who have purchased all three seasons at once, among which are K+ in Vietnam, HRT in Croatia and Viasat in Bulgaria.



Other recent sales of Braquo include pan-regional channel DirectTV - covering Latin America, excluding Mexico and Brazil – which has purchased the first two seasons.



The series, which follows a squad of Paris cops who exist in the blurred boundaries at the very edge of the law, has already been sold to 90 territories.



In the new season the squad confronts a dangerous network of Russian mobsters.

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SES and Orange Business Services renew and expand capacity deal on NSS-12

SES and Orange Business Services renew and expand capacity deal on NSS-12:
SES (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced today that Orange Business Services, a global IT and communications services provider, has renewed and expanded a capacity contract with SES to support growing connectivity needs in the Russian Federation.



The capacity leased by Orange Business Services will be hosted on the high-powered NSS-12 satellite located at 57 degrees East, enabling the company to continue to provide a suite of top quality communications services to businesses across the Russian Federation. The increase in satellite capacity will allow Orange Business Services to provide point-to-point as well as corporate network connectivity covering significant parts of Siberia.



Vladimir Valkovich, director of Technical and IT Departments, Orange Business Services in Russia and CIS, said: “Our long-lasting partnership with SES has run parallel to our continued growth in the Russian market. Reliable connectivity, especially when it comes to remote and wide geographical areas like Siberia, is of vital importance to our customers’ businesses. Partnering with SES helps us to ensure we meet our customers’ expectations and further strengthen our leading position as international communication and integration services provider in the business-to-business sector.”



“Orange Business Services is one of our longstanding customers with multi-transponder capacity in both C- and Ku-band, and we are pleased that our collaboration over the years has enabled it to tap the Russian market with competitive services,” said Deepak Mathur, Senior Vice President, Commercial Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, who is also responsible for Data and Mobility services at SES. “The last decade has seen a steady increase in connectivity demand in the region, and we are delighted to continue to provide flexible and reliable solutions tailored to the growing needs of our customers.”

http://www.satsupreme.com/showthread.php/277883-SES-and-Orange-Business-Services-renew-and-expand-capacity-deal-on-NSS-12?goto=newpost via SatSupreme.com - Satellite TV - Daily Satellite TV News

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Audit office slams BBC for DMI fiasco

Audit office slams BBC for DMI fiasco:
Audit office slams BBC for DMI fiasco



Editor | 29-01-2014



The UK’s leading public spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, has severely criticised the BBC over its conduct in the disastrous Digital Media Initiative, shelved after it spent £98.4 million to no real end.



Soon after taking over as Director General, Tony Hall pulled the plug on the controversial project in May 2013 immediately after an operational review of the five-year project found that DMI was not going to deliver on its stated objectives of moving the BBC’s production and archive operations to a fully integrated, digital way of working. Hall condemned the £98.4 million spent as a huge waste of Licence Fee payers’ money. In agreement with the BBC Trust, which has launched an independent review into the fiasco, Hall also suspended CTO John Linwood who was subsequently fired.



Yet it seems certain that the matter will not rest there and will likely spell trouble for those senior BBC executives who sanctioned the project and now stand accused not only of incompetence but also of misleading the official parliamentary enquiry into the fiasco. In an excoriating condemnation of the BBC’s actions, Margaret Hodge MP, chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, said: “This report reads like a catalogue of how not to run a major programme. I was shocked to learn how poor the BBC’s governance arrangements for the Digital Media Initiative were. There was no senior responsible owner with complete oversight of all aspects of programme’s delivery. If the BBC had established clearer accountability and stronger reporting it could have recognised the issues much earlier and set about minimising the astronomic losses for the licence fee payer. “These failures go right to the top. The executive board applied insufficient scrutiny during 2011 and the first half of 2012.”



Hodge concluded that the BBC needs to learn from the mistakes it made and ensure that it never again spends such a huge amount of licence fee payers’ money with almost nothing to show for it. Ominously for senior executives at the time she added that she ‘looked forward’ to discussing the matters raised with senior, and former senior, members of the BBC, such as former Director General Mark Thompson, when they come before the committee on 3 February.



Somewhat bruised, the BBC humbly conceded that big mistakes had been made and accepted the thrust of the findings. Said Dominic Coles, the BBC’s director of operations: “We are grateful to the NAO for its report. As we have previously acknowledged, the BBC got this one wrong. However, we have taken swift action to overhaul how major projects are managed after the new management team closed DMI last year.”



Coles also revealed that the corporation had commissioned an independent technical review by Accenture of key elements of the project to assess the likelihood of the project delivering successfully. “We have also very carefully considered the views of Accenture, PWC and the NAO, as well as our own assessment of what went wrong, to implement a series of measures addressing the future governance of our major projects,” Coles added.

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Netflix takes iron grip on transitioning OTT market

Netflix takes iron grip on transitioning OTT market:
Netflix takes iron grip on transitioning OTT market



Editor | 29-01-2014



Buoyed by the success of House of Cards and seeing the rewards of an aggressive marketing campaign, Netflix has grabbed nearly two-fifths of the UK over-the-top (OTT) market, says ABI Research.



According to ABI Research’s findings, the OTT leader is replicating in the UK its continued success in the US and growing expansion in Latin America which has been a key driver in taking the worldwide OTT video market to nearly $11 billion in 2013.



Yet on a broader note, ABI also believes that there is a fundamental shift taking place within the OTT arena which will see revenue share shift to transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) and advertising as new services emerge.



Overall, ABI Research expects electronic sell-through (EST) to grow and that rentals will capture a significant portion of the transactional OTT market. Part of the driving force for TVOD, and more specifically EST, ABI suggests, is the UltraViolet project which it concedes still has an uncertain future. This it says speaks more to the impact of subscription and advertising-based services than the prospects for UltraViolet as an EST platform.



“While we still believe UltraViolet can succeed in moving consumers to pure electronic libraries, from our conversations it is clear others are far more pessimistic,” commented senior analyst Michael Inouye. “UltraViolet continues to experience some growing pains as the fragmented market prevents some of the key benefits UltraViolet touts; however, it still remains the most comprehensive solution to date. If UltraViolet fails to replace physical media this would undoubtedly impact the outlook for EST.”



Practice director Sam Rosen added: “The pace of change within the video market has been remarkable. The next wave of disruptive services will be national OTT services from existing pay-TV market participants, as indicated by Verizon’s acquisition of Intel Media and Sony’s cloud TV hopes. As more digital content becomes available, consumer’s perceptions of ownership will change – instead of moving from physical media to electronic purchases (EST), video is looking increasingly like music where consumer’s access owned and subscribed libraries of content via services rather than personally amassing collections.”

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Ofcom sets out to maintain pay-TV subs' value and quality

Ofcom sets out to maintain pay-TV subs' value and quality:
Ofcom sets out to maintain pay-TV subs’ value and quality



Editor | 29-01-2014



UK broadcast and TV regulator Ofcom has set out on a programme to ensure that consumers receive value for money and good quality of service from their communications providers, including pay-TV.



Even though it stresses that in general UK customer satisfaction with communications services is high, it still feels compelled to focus on further improving consumers’ experience across the sectors it regulates. This will include publishing quality of service information to help consumers compare the performance of mobile networks to incentivise providers to improve, and outlining the best and worst performing providers to ensure consumers have complaints dealt with effectively.



As it compiled its findings in its Consumer Experience Report, the regulator also published a report on the cost and value of communications services in the UK over the last ten years, where it says strong competition has helped drive down real-terms prices across the sectors Ofcom regulates, with the exception of ‘some’ pay-TV services.



Ofcom calculates that fewer than three-fifths (58%) of adults receive pay-TV, and that following a slight decline in take-up of pay-TV for some age groups in 2012, take-up has remained stable for all age groups. Even though stand-alone pay-TV prices increased in the year to July 2013, Ofcom says that on average spending on pay-TV services among households that subscribe to them has remained consistent in real terms over the last decade at around £40 per month, even though some have experienced real-term price increases for certain packages. It does note that at the same time, customers’ choice of pay-TV offerings has expanded with new HDTV, 3DTV and online TV services.



Such variety of services, and the equally diverse amount of platforms on which they run, has made value for money and a good quality of service even more crucial said Steve McCaffery, senior vice president of EMEA of ARRIS. “The Ofcom statistics clearly illustrate the quickly accelerating trend towards consumption across multiple devices. The growth of Netflix in the UK (a massive 61% growth within the last year) shows more than ever that the days of the ‘traditional’ programming schedule are numbered. Consumers now expect to consume content at a time and device of their choosing. This is further evidenced by Ofcom reporting that household take-up of tablet computers has more than doubled over the past year, and BBC iPlayer and 4oD use is also shifting towards mobile devices tablets, smartphones and video-on-demand set-top devices. Multichannel TV bundles, along with triple-play fixed line and broadband, continued their increase in 2013 up by 3% from 2012, and this will only continue to grow, with 4KTV/UltraHD video content being introduced this year, and even 8K already making waves.



“Clearly, service providers – whether cable, broadband or telecoms – need to ensure their networks are flexible enough to future-proof against increasingly bandwidth-heavy content and services without having to overhaul their network infrastructure. Ultimately, this will ensure consumers receive the quality of service and range of content they are expecting from providers at the prices they demand, but also that providers have sustainable, profitable business models with which to deliver compelling and sticky service offerings.”

http://www.satsupreme.com/showthread.php/277867-Ofcom-sets-out-to-maintain-pay-TV-subs-value-and-quality?goto=newpost via SatSupreme.com - Satellite TV - Daily Satellite TV News

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Comcast adds subscribers for the first time in six years

Comcast adds subscribers for the first time in six years:
Comcast adds subscribers for the first time in six years



Michelle Clancy | 29-01-2014



No 1 US cable MSO Comcast added 43,000 video subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2013, breaking a 26-quarter losing streak to add customers to the TV roster for the first time in six years.



The result was a 26% spike in net income to reach $1.913 billion, or $0.72 per share, compared with $1.518 billion or $0.56 per share in the prior-year quarter. Total revenue came in at $16.926 billion, up 6.2% year-over-year.



As of the end of the year, Comcast had 21.690 million video customers — that’s still down 1.4% year-over-year but a notable coup in a saturated market that has seen satellite and IPTV poaching video market share without quarter. At least one analyst credits Comcast’s next-gen TV strategies, like TV everywhere, whole-home DVR and the X1 cloud middleware.



“Comcast completed its major technical innovations, such as DOCSIS 3.0, all digital networks and a multi-platform content delivery network,” said Zacks Equity, in an investor note. “Moreover, launch of innovative services such as Xfinity Home, Wi-Fi, Streampix, X1, upcoming X2 and the high speed Metro Ethernet will not only drive subscriber growth for the company but will also safeguard its position against major carriers like Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc, and online video streaming service providers like Netflix.”



Cable video revenue was $5.120 billion, up 2.9% from the prior-year quarter. High speed Internet revenue was $2.650 billion, up 8.7% year-over-year, and voice revenues were $928 million (up 3.7%). Advertising revenues were $602 million, down 7.5% from the year-ago quarter, and business services revenue was $876 million, up 25.3% year-over-year. Other revenues were $485 million, up 8.5% year-over-year.



At NBCUniversal, quarterly total revenue was $6.464 billion, up 7.5% year-over-year. Out of that, cable networks revenues were $2.324 billion, up 5.3%. Broadcast TV revenues were $2.227 billion, up 11.5%, and filmed entertainment revenues were $1.448 billion, up 4.9% from the year-ago quarter. Theme parks revenues were $566 million, up 8.8%.



During the fourth quarter, Comcast repurchased 10.8 million worth of its common shares for $500 million and paid dividends totalling $510 million. Following the results, the company raised its share buyback plan to $7.5 billion. Consequently, Comcast hiked its yearly dividend payments by 15.4% to 90 cents per share.



Outside of video, Comcast added 20.662 million broadband customers (up 6.3% year-over-year) and 10.723 million voice subs (up 7.2%).

http://www.satsupreme.com/showthread.php/277866-Comcast-adds-subscribers-for-the-first-time-in-six-years?goto=newpost via SatSupreme.com - Satellite TV - Daily Satellite TV News

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Canal+ to broadcast TimesTalks

Canal+ to broadcast TimesTalks:
Canal+ to broadcast TimesTalks



Juan Fernandez Gonzalez | 29-01-2014



The Spanish channel Canal+ is to broadcast The New York Times’ live talk shows TimesTalks.



The pay-TV network will include the American production in Canal+Xtra’s programming after a successful collaboration last year during the two TimesTalks held in Madrid.



The new season of the show starts tomorrow (30 January) with the presence of the cast of the Oscar-nominated documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, a production which will also be aired by Canal+. The deal between the newspaper and the pay-TV network confirms Canal+ as the official Spanish channel for these cultural talk shows.



During the whole season, culture personalities and celebrities such as Matthew McConaughey, David O Russell, Marina Abramovic, Sheryl Crow and the cast of House of Cards will participate in the show.



The TimesTalks have been produced since 1998 as a cultural and educational initiative. Renowned journalists from The New York Times interview and talk to international personalities from the world of arts and culture. The programmes are broadcast live and involve audience participation.

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Comarch to automate process for TVCable

Comarch to automate process for TVCable:
Comarch to automate process for TVCable



Juan Fernandez Gonzalez | 29-01-2014



Comarch is to implement its field service management (FSM) system for Ecuador’s TVCable, one of the largest triple-play service providers in the country.



Comarch, which has been working with TVCable for over eight years as a provider of BSS/OSS solutions, will improve the accuracy of technicians’ visits and reduce paperwork.



TVCable aims to increase productivity for its customers’ technical support, decreasing the time needed for manual work, thus lowering customer service costs, by ensuring technicians are at customer premises on time and are able to resolve any issue on their first visit. Comarch will fully automate the scheduling and dispatching processes, and will support for technicians in the field, including mobile access to the system.



“The field service management system is a next step forward in pursuing our customer-centric strategy, as it will ensure technical support to be in the exact location right on time, which will work to the benefit of both customer satisfaction and our position on the Ecuadorian market,” said Jorge Schwartz, president of TVCable.



“The project for TVCable is a big step in increasing Comarch’s presence in the Latin American markets. Comarch will take full responsibility for the major integration with numerous systems already used for service activation and technical measurements,” added Darius Ner, president of Comarch.



The solution will include spare parts management to improve equipment and material lifecycle management; auditing to improve quality of both the delivered services and the network; and trouble ticketing to efficiently perform network maintenance and customer service activities in a unified environment.

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Mexico's pay-TV thrives under LAMAC

Mexico's pay-TV thrives under LAMAC:
Mexico’s pay-TV thrives under LAMAC



Juan Fernandez Gonzalez | 29-01-2014



The Mexican pay-TV networks belonging to the Latin American Multichannel Advertising Council (LAMAC) have grown more than those not in the association, according to the council. Quoting Ibope Media figures, the council says that in 2013 the LAMAC channels increased their audience by 23%, while non-LAMAC networks grew by 10%.



“The audience of our member channels had an extraordinary behaviour during 2013, which points to a consolidation of our signals over the rest,” explained Federico Baumgartner, Mexico’s country manager for LAMAC. “And it’s important to add this is not an isolated trend, it’s something we have been noticing for the last years.”



According to LAMAC, during the past three years the average rating of its channels has grown 57%, while the free-to-air networks have lost 8% of their audience. The trend is especially noticeable in some audience segments, such as young housewives (between 18-35), which has increased it pay-TV consumption 140% since 2011.



As a direct consequence of the ratings increase, the share of LAMAC’s channels has also grown. In all audience segments the difference between member and non-member channels is remarkable, in some cases seeing double the figures, such as for young adults between 25-45.



“We are sure the growth for LAMAC’s channels will continue during 2014,” said Baumgartner. “These results are a clear distinguishing aspect for advertisers and media agencies when it comes to selecting the channels for a concrete campaign.”

http://www.satsupreme.com/showthread.php/277847-Mexico-s-pay-TV-thrives-under-LAMAC?goto=newpost via SatSupreme.com - Satellite TV - Daily Satellite TV News

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Tuesday, 28 January 2014

France 24 signs broadcast services contract with Ericsson

France 24 signs broadcast services contract with Ericsson:
France 24 signs broadcast services contract with Ericsson



Pascale Paoli-Lebailly | 28-01-2014



France 24 has renewed its partnership with Ericsson for a period of five years for broadcast services including 24/7 operations and the integration of new broadcasting equipment, including HD systems, for five studios.



Ericsson will also support the international news channel’s technicians by providing solution-specific training.



France 24 schedules the deployment of modernised tools, including new control rooms and HD studios during the second half of the year. Modernisation will allow the channel to better meet the needs of the international TV market with enriched content.



France 24 broadcasts news 24/7 to 250 million homes worldwide in French, English and Arabic.

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Sony Pictures Television Releases Hounds in Germany

Sony Pictures Television Releases Hounds in Germany:
Sony Pictures Television Releases Hounds in Germany



Jörn Krieger | 28-01-2014



Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has licensed Release the Hounds to German commercial TV broadcaster ProSieben, marking the first international format deal for the horror game show after its UK debut.



The deal was struck by SPT Productions Germany which will produce a two-hour special for ProSieben to air in March 2014. The German version will be called Scream! If you Can and be filmed in partnership with the show’s creator Gogglebox Entertainment in the UK.



“Release the Hounds caused a stir when we first pitched the format; it is unlike anything else on TV with its unique mix of horror and game play,” said Astrid Quentell, managing director and senior vice president of the German production unit at Sony Pictures Television. “ProSieben is the perfect partner as we set out to terrify German audiences with the scariest game show on television.”



Release The Hounds sees unsuspecting contestants enter a forest at dusk where they face terrifying challenges to get their hands on money locked in chests. But if they want to keep it they have to out-run a pack of hounds guarding the treasure.



Release the Hounds first debuted on ITV2 in October last year as a special which almost doubled its audience during the week and generated the UK’s No 1 trend on Twitter during broadcast. On the back of this success, ITV2 last week ordered a full series for 2014.



The format was created by Gogglebox Entertainment, a joint venture with SPT, and is distributed globally by SPT.

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Specific Media’s TV Audience Segments bridges the Digital-TV divide for advertisers

Specific Media’s TV Audience Segments bridges the Digital-TV divide for advertisers:
Specific Media launches unique targeting capability in association with Nielsen: King and Virgin Holidays already on board



London, 28 January, 2014: Specific Media announces the launch of TV Audience Segments (TVAS), a unique targeting solution that allows advertisers to accurately reach online users based on their TV viewing. By fusing data from the most trusted industry sources, Nielsen and BARB (Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board), the solution allows for a truly robust cross-media campaign.



The solution enables advertisers to not only accurately extend TV reach by locating the elusive ‘light’ TV viewers online who may not have seen their TV ad, but it can also provide the means to target online segments based on their ‘offline’ viewing habits, such as high TV sports viewership. Advertisers can then manage a campaign’s ad frequency and sequential messaging to audiences across both mediums. Virgin Holidays and King have already taken advantage of the new capability to extend their TV reach and target specific TV behaviours within the online space.



Virgin Holidays’ first foray into online video has been executed via TVAS to work in tandem with their TV activity. Mark Daykin, marketing manager stated that “working with Specific Media using TV Audience Segments allowed us to confidently move into online video in such a way that our TV campaign was complimented by online activity and the messaging was therefore more cohesive.”



Joseph Byrne, global comms planning manager from King said, “TV Audience Segments has allowed for us to connect the TV and online elements of our campaign in a way that we would not have been able to achieve before. This will most likely provide us with learnings that can inform not only future online video campaigns but also broadcast TV strategy and we anticipate that this will deliver increased campaign efficiencies for us.”



To create Nielsen TV/Internet Data Fusion, the BARB panel is used as the foundation dataset, with Internet usage fields appended from Nielsen. The approach is built on Nielsen’s global proprietary fusion methodology that identifies similar respondents from the BARB panel and Nielsen’s online panel. The linking variables that are used are vital to the success of data fusion and are thus carefully selected and constantly revisited by Nielsen’s measurement science team.



Nielsen senior vice president for media analytics in Europe, Matt Dodd: “Specific Media has built a targeting model based on their vast proprietary network data onto Nielsen’s online panel, and utilised the Nielsen TV/Internet Data Fusion to most accurately determine TV viewing habits. We work with and validate Specific Media’s modelling to ensure that the market has the highest quality accuracy and prediction available. We have worked with Specific Media for a number of years in the US and are delighted to support them in the UK, helping advertising clients make the most of their digital investments.”



Gavin Johnson, VP of UK sales at Specific Media explained the solution’s inception; “We saw our clients looking increasingly to the importance of how offline consumer behaviour influences their online behaviour. TV Audience Segments is uniquely positioned to join the dots between TV and online, which allows targeting to be seamless and more effective. This is part of a huge drive at Specific Media to work towards marketing solutions rather than just digital solutions.”

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ICECRYPT T5000 Remote Control Unit - £ 11.90

ICECRYPT T5000 Remote Control Unit - £ 11.90:

Replacement remote control unit for the ICECRYPT T5000


http://www.kiwieurope.com/product.php?id_product=31 via Kiwi Europe Ltd - Featured Products

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Second screen recognised as permanent part of viewing experience

Second screen recognised as permanent part of viewing experience:
Second screen recognised as permanent part of viewing experience



Editor | 28-01-2014



The second part of the NATPE/ CEA survey into second-screen usage has revealed ‘tremendous potential’ in content designed for synchronous viewing and the simultaneous usage of both a primary screen and second device.



The first part of the report from Research from the US Consumer Electronics Association and National Association of Television Program Executives found that broadcasters have some way to go to fully realise the potential of second-screen services, with synchronised content available for TV programmes not generating strong positive perceptions, and only 13% indicating that it makes their viewing experience “much more enjoyable.” In addition it showed that despite four-fifths of second-screen users accessing their connected device while watching TV programming, only 42% tried synchronising their content experience to live TV and almost



Part two has revealed a more positive view of the second screen, with a general consensus that it is as an inevitable part of the future. Even though some believe there are strong opportunities for synchronous viewing going forward, producers were found to be still searching for the best solutions to optimise technology to create a seamless experience for the viewer. Indeed the survey found second-screen content designed for synchronous viewing does not currently have unanimous support among show runners beyond sports, reality shows and news.



Yet most study participants said they are excited about the opportunities second-screen content will provide creators, from building and sustaining a brand to providing a more meaningful connection between viewers and content. They view the second screen largely as a tool to drive viewers back to first screen content.



There was consensus among the producers and creators that content not meant for live viewing presents an additional second-screen opportunity to maximise and extend their brand. While opinions about second screen were mixed, nearly all agree that, if done properly, second screen offers a significant opportunity to grow and sustain audiences around appointment viewing television, and to increase viewer loyalty.



Additionally, the producers and creators surveyed found that the second screen enhances the viewing experience in a number of ways: building social currency among viewers; making viewers feel special; bringing about a deeper experience with the primary content; creating a shared viewing experience and sense of community among fans; and maintaining a show’s relevance by offering viewers a platform to continue to interact and talk about the programme, even when it’s not on air.



“Phase one of our joint research project helped identify key areas of consumer interest in engaging in the second screen experience,” said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. “Part two provides critical insights on second screen from the television production community. A deeper exploration of the intersection of these two studies will help device manufacturers and content producers identify a winning, strategic approach to develop this promising market by providing tangible benefits to viewers.”

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UK media companies continue employment campaign

UK media companies continue employment campaign:
UK media companies continue employment campaign



Editor | 28-01-2014



Whether a resurgence or a renaissance, the UK media industry is certainly seeing an uptick in employment, according to The Barclays Employers Survey 2014.



The survey of 644 UK businesses across all sectors, has revealed that just over half (53%) of firms in the media industry will be increasing staffing levels this year, four percentage points above the national cross sector average, with over a quarter (27%) indicating that they would be taking on apprentices in 2014.



There is a genuine feeling of optimism in the media industry, in which 27% think the worst is behind them in terms of the Eurozone crisis and only 22% think the worst is ahead of them. As they hired to expand, just under two-fifths of firms said they struggled to get sufficient skilled labour. Looking at what types of roles are being created, of the media companies which are hiring, 45% are also planning to increase the number of entry level positions, compared with 39% in 2013, and 16% of media companies will be creating senior management roles, a significant drop compared with the 28% in 2013. Just under half of firms (48%) plan to take on freelancers or contractors, with 54% of those that are doing so citing this is because of the flexibility they offer the firm, whereas 46% will hire them because of them having a particular skill.



Commenting on the findings, Sue Pettican, relationship director, Barclays technology, media and telecoms team, said: “When the financial crisis hit, the media industry initially maintained staffing levels, waiting to see how it would play out. In the last few years however, they cut hard and they cut deep, but it’s positive to see that over half of businesses in the sector are increasing staffing levels this year.”

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LOVEFiLM links with leading children's content producers

LOVEFiLM links with leading children's content producers:
LOVEFiLM links with leading children’s content producers



Parent Category: News | 28-01-2014



Further expanding its portfolio, the LOVEFiLM online TV and film streaming service has signed three new deals with leading independent children’s entertainment producers HIT Entertainment, Ludorum and DreamWorks Classics.



The deals add to the Amazon-owned service’s existing roster of children’s entertainment, bringing to members shows such as Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, Chuggington and Pingu. It will also retain streaming rights for other classic characters such as He-Man and Postman Pat. The deal also includes first-run exclusive feature length movies featuring the little blue engine, such as Blue Mountain Mystery, Misty Island Rescue and Day of the Diesels.



Commenting on the deals, Chris Bird, director, content strategy at LOVEFiLM, said: “The addition of this new children’s content enhances our already fantastic range of iconic characters and classic shows. Our streaming service is particularly suited to family content, and parents and their kids can now enjoy an even broader variety of family-friendly entertainment whenever they want, however they want.”

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Samsung launches Netflix UltraHD pack

Samsung launches Netflix UltraHD pack:
Samsung launches Netflix UltraHD pack



Editor | 28-01-2014



As it showcased in Europe some of the technology it had unveiled at CES 2014, Samsung has signed partnerships with global media and content companies such as Netflix and the Vienna State Opera.



The CE giant said that its strategy was to deliver the best 4KTV experience, and the UHD Video Pack to be launched in spring 2014 will comprise a 1TB hard disk pre-loaded with UHD-quality content, including feature films from FOX and Paramount Pictures. Crucially for its success, the project includes the Netflix over-the-top (OTT) service.



The company is making an early grab for the nascent 4K market Samsung and is featuring its Curved UHD TV series which is designed to provide a wider field of view, a panoramic effect that makes the TV seem even bigger than it is with twice the enhanced contrast ratio of a flat TV. It has also released its first ‘evolution kit’ for UltraHD TVs designed to ensure the sets that people buy work with the latest standards and can be powered by the newest technology.



“We’re excited to bring Samsung’s ultimate immersive experience with our new line-up of UltraHD TVs to UK consumers,” said Guy Kinnell, head of TV and AV at Samsung Electronic UK & Ireland. “These new TVs, together with our innovative new audio products, truly take the home entertainment experience to the next level.”

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ATM Broadcast reinforces HD equipment, online content distribution

ATM Broadcast reinforces HD equipment, online content distribution:
ATM Broadcast reinforces HD equipment, online content distribution



Parent Category: News | 28-01-2014



ATM Broadcast has reinforced its TV HD equipment and its online Spanish line-up through Errequerre.tv, the company announced on the first day of NAPTE.



ATM Broadcast recently opened two TV studios in Miami, which are full HD equipped and ready for live production. The new offices each have eight HD cameras, a 3ME vision mixer, uninterruptable power supply (UPS) and fibre connectivity.



Regarding content distribution, ATM has exceeded 7,000 hours of Spanish audiovisual content on its site Errequerre.tv. Targeting other platforms, channels and over-the-top (OTT) operators, the website offers movies, documentaries and animation, with a special focus on soap operas and series.



“We are in an expansion process throughout the Hispanic market, adding HD production to our strengths,” said Evaristo Cobos, ATM’s CEO. “We now want to extend our success in the US Hispanic market to the whole of Latin America.”



ATM has been in the broadcasting sector for 14 years, serving content to channels and networks worldwide. The company has been lately making an extra effort in establishing its online platform for content distribution in the Americas.

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