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Netflix to add closed captioning to all streaming content

Michelle Clancy | 12-10-2012

Settling a lawsuit filed by the National Association of the Deaf, Netflix has agreed to offer closed captioning on all streaming video by September 2014.

The deal, approved today by U.S. District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor in Massachusetts, also requires Netflix to pay $755,000 in attorneys' fees and court costs.

The National Association of the Deaf alleged that Netflix violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide closed-captioning. Netflix disagreed, arguing that its status as an online video provider did not classify it as a "place of public accommodation," thus exempting it from the closed-captioning requirement. The court did not see it that way.

The company, which serves around 25 million subscribers, made the most of the settlement. "We have worked consistently to make the broadest possible selection of titles available to Netflix members who are deaf or hard of hearing and are far and away the industry leader in doing so," said Neil Hunt, Netflix Chief Product Officer, in a statement. "We are pleased to have reached this agreement and hope it serves as a benchmark for other providers of streaming video entertainment."

In the decree, Netflix must caption 90% of its content by 30 September, 2013 and 100% by 30 September 2014. Netflix says that 82% of their content is captioned already.

"Netflix will maintain on its website a list or similar identification of on-demand streaming content with conforming captions and subtitles. Netflix will provide an option to either sort or filter the list by title, year, maturity rating, and genre. Netflix's obligation to maintain this list will expire on October 1, 2014, by which point conforming captions or subtitles will be available on 100% of on-demand streaming content," the settlement reads.

Netflix has also agreed to become more timely in captioning new content added after the 2014 deadline. By 30 September 2015, Netflix must caption all new content within 15 days. By 2016, Netflix must provide captioning on all content within one week of its appearance in the library, with the goal of providing simultaneous captioning with all new content.

"The National Association of the Deaf congratulates Netflix for committing to 100% captioning, and is thrilled to announce that 48 million deaf and hard of hearing people will be able to fully access Netflix's Watch Instantly services," said NAD CEO Howard Rosenblum in a statement.

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Television ratings slump out of the gate for new autumn season

Michelle Clancy | 12-10-2012

Television ratings for both cable and broadcast networks among adults under age 50 declined during first two weeks of the new autumn season in the United States, according to Nielsen, suggesting not just an erosion in linear broadcast (the figures don't take into account time-shifted content), but also an aging viewing population.

National broadcast networks lost an average of 15% of their viewers in the 18-49 demographic compared with the first two weeks of last season. In that same group, viewership of ad-supported cable channels dropped 1%, according to Nielsen.

Those over 50 were fleeing the boob tube less. Among that demographic, declines at broadcast networks were just 11%, while cable rose 4%.

While the numbers come after just two weeks of a 36-week measurement period, the viewing slump is not good news for the seasonâ€"or the industryâ€"overall. Ratings tend to start off strong before tapering off after the football season e$$$ and series go into re-runs over the holidays.

"There is little doubt that early 2012/13 network results have been disappointing," Nomura Securities analyst Michael Nathanson said in a research note.

One network has bucked the trend. NBC's 18-49 audience is up 11%, led by Sunday Night Football (the highest-rated show on television), as well as the third season of the Christina Aguilera-produced singing competition, "The Voice," along with the post-apocalyptic drama "Revolution."

In the worst-performing category, FOX and CBS are both down around 25% in the 18-49 demographic. On cable, MTV has seen a 41% decline and Comedy Central has seen a 27% drop, according to Nielsen.

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Google adds better YouTube analytics

Michelle Clancy | 12-10-2012

Understanding what an audience likes is key to building a successful YouTube channel, so Google has added more analytics to help broadcasters better interpret performance of their videos.

Google said that it is now focusing more on the time users spend watching YouTube. It has enhanced the "Views" report to show more time-watched data, including estimated minutes watched. Users also can choose other data options from the "Compare Metric" drop-down menu.

Annotations are one of the most used features to drive audience engagement in YouTube, Google noted, so publishers can now use the beta version of an "Annotations" report to view data on the performance of video annotations, with insights on viewer click- and close-rates.

The search giant also said that YouTube is making Analytics easier to use. "Date slider is back and better than ever," said Ted Hamilton, YouTube product manager. "Now you can quickly adjust the date range and see how your videos performed across different time periods."

Users also can average data across time with rolling totals for seven- and 30-day totals. Instead of seeing changes in weekend traffic and other cyclical data, rolling totals will smooth the tre$$$ to help broadcasters see overall growth without the distracting spikes and dips.

The metadata section for videos and channels also now instantly provides broadcasters with data such as lifetime views and video duration. The video hovercard helps users see a thumbnail of their video and basic information by simply hovering over the video link.

And finally, "Compare Metrics" provides you with more ways to compare tre$$$ and patterns across two different metrics.

"We understand the importance of having data and insights for your channel and want to continue improving our analytics to help you grow your audience," Hamilton said.

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Alhurra teams up With MacNeil/Lehrer for documentary series on US elections

Louise Duffy | 11-10-2012

US-based Alhurra Television and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions are joining forces to co-produce a new documentary series for Arab audiences on the 2012 US elections.

The Making of Democracy will provide viewers from Morocco to Oman with a behind the scenes look at the 2012 elections through stories of candidates, US citizens, Arab Americans, and others involved in local and national races.

Brian Conniff, president of the non-profit corporation Middle East Broadcasting Networks, which operates Alhurra, said: “Alhurra TV’s partnership with MacNeil/Lehrer on this high quality production comes at an opportune moment when citizens throughout the Arab world are exploring different paths to democracy and political transition.

“Viewers can watch and see the passions and challenges that go into an American political campaign through these riveting stories. We knew MacNeil/Lehrer Productions was the right company for Alhurra to work with on this series after our successful partnership producing Arab Spring.”

Alhurra will begin broadcasting the eight-part weekly series on 13 October.

MBN is financed by the US government through a grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent federal agency.

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Australian free-to-air networks consider joint catch-up TV service

Louise Duffy | 11-10-2012

According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, more than 5.2 million Australians accessed video content online in the past six months, which has prompted the nation's free-to-air TV networks to consider a joint online streaming service.

The report said about half of those who plan to watch online content (about 2.8 million Australians) are willing to pay for it, and concluded that catch-up TV is the dominant use of online video.

It also noted that 26% of Australian NSFW internet users accessed content via three or more devices.

Other highlights include:

43% of Australia’s online NSFW population (5.2 million) accessed professionally produced online video content (OVC) services in the six months to June 2012.

Full-length television programmes (61% of OVC users) and films (32%) were the most frequently reported content accessed. Adoption of these services has been encouraged by factors such as the increasing amount of programme content made available online, faster internet speeds and more affordable data costs.

Australia’s free-to-air broadcasters are leading the charge to online viewing, providing the opportunity for audiences to catch up on recently-aired television programmes, mostly free of additional access charges. During June 2012, an estimated 11% of online adults used a catch-up TV service.

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Singapore media companies announce content deals at MIPCOM 2012

Louise Duffy | 11-10-2012

The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) has led a delegation of 20 companies to MIPCOM 2012, marking Singapore's 12th expedition to one of the world's largest audiovisual and digital content markets.

A total of 55 programme titles were offered for international sale and distribution at MIPCOM 2012, covering more than 300 hours of factual, drama and animation content.

Compared with MIPCOM 2011, participation rate of Singapore companies has increased 18% this year, including a mix of TV production companies, animation companies and content distribution companies.

Announcements at MIPCOM 2012:

1. M2B announces launch of WOWtv Apps, available on Samsung Smart TVs and Samsung Galaxy devices in 130 countries

M2B has signed a technological partnership with Samsung for both companies to use M2B's WOWtv platform to distribute rich media and entertainment content to over 130 countries worldwide.

M2B will provide rich media and entertainment content for Samsung's 2011 and 2012 Smart TV models and Samsung Galaxy devices. Users will be able to watch a broad range of entertainment content both at home and on the go, by downloading the WOWtv app through Samsung Apps on Samsung Smart TVs and mobile devices.

2. Bomanbridge Media Singapore introduces Angel's Gate, the world's first transmedia business reality format, to Finland

Boutique distribution company Bomanbridge Media Singapore has signed a deal with Finnish production company Intervisio for Angel's Gate, the world's first transmedia business reality format. Leveraging Intervisio's speciality of combining cross-media platforms such as TV, online and mobile communities, Bomanbridge will introduce Angel's Gate to Finland, with production expected to begin in early 2013.

3. Monstrou Studio Singapore announces $5m animation co-production deal with Sweatbox and Televisio de Catalunya

In what is the first international co-production between Singapore and Spanish animation companies, Singapore's Monstrou Studio, award-winning Spanish company Sweatbox and Catalan TV network Televisio de Catalunya will co-produce Nightbreeds, a 26-episode 3D action-adventure cartoon series targeted at children aged 9-12.

The animated series is scheduled to be aired on Televisio de Catalunya (TV3) at the end of 2014, leveraging Monstrou Studio's Vicon Motion Capture system technology facility (MoCap) and Sweatbox's experience from its earlier successes, including the TV animated feature Talma and the Myth of Agartha and the animated feature Chico & Rita.

4. August Media Holdings announces co-production and worldwide distribution agreement for Ella Bella Bingo

Global media group August Media Holdings has concluded an agreement with Kool Produktion (Norway) to co-produce the second series of animated pre-school series Ella Bella Bingo.

In a separate deal, August Media Holdings' newly launched distribution arm August Rights will handle international sales for series 1 and 2 of the show with Kool Produktion responsible for all Scandinavian rights.

August Media Holdings' subsidiary Red Kite Animation will oversee the development and production of the second series of Ella Bella Bingo in Singapore and Edinburgh. The show is being given a new improved look and August Media is expecting to finalise the animation studio in Singapore in the coming weeks.

Targeting 3 to 5 year olds, the 2D flash animated series has been commissioned for Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Due to start production in October 2012, the series is set to launch in winter 2013.

5. Asian Food Channel launches new productions at MIPCOM

36 Ways To Live features chef Emmanuel Stroobant who, inspired by his Belgian heritage and love for healthy and nutritious foods, cooks up 36 recipes that have had an impact on his life - from restaurant-quality dishes to home cuisine.

Back To The Streets is a travelogue hosted by chef Malcolm Goh and Tham Zher Peen as they tap into the trend for authentic street food.

The Boss 2 will showcase American-born Filipino chef Bruce Lim as he whips up his favourite Western dishes, infused with Filipino flavours and influences.

The Big Break is a reality show that travels to six different countries in Asia in search of 12 underprivileged youths, offering them an opportunity to transform their lives through cooking. The aspiring chefs are whisked away to Singapore and put through a series of lessons and challenges with some of the culinary industry's most respected chefs and hospitality professionals.

6. One Animation and Zodiak Kids The Foundation sign memorandum of understanding

The Foundation, Zodiak Kids UK production company, and Singapore-based animation production studio One Animation, announced they will begin development on a three-project slate of children's animated television content beginning late 2012.

Singapore-based One Animation is a content provider and financier specialising in high-end CGI animation for film and television. It has co-produced the Rob The Robot CG-animated series with Canada's Amberwood Entertainment. The series has been sold to over 77 countries, with the second season under production.

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Social TV to be worth $256.44 BN by 2017

Joseph O'Halloran | 12-10-2012

It has been described as a nice thing to have that can’t be monetised properly, but social TV is set to reap significant amounts of revenue for operators according to new research by MarketsandMarkets.

In its "Social TV Market: Global Advancements Forecasts & Analysis (2012 - 2017)" report, the Texan analyst predicts that the total social TV market is expected to reach $256.44 billion by 2017 with a CAGR of 11.2%. The report reveals that Europe currently owns the lion’s share of social TV market revenue and is set to account for $55.48 billion in revenue at the end of 2012 and is expected to reach $77.74 billion by 2017, at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2012 to 2017.

Looking at the drivers for this growth, MarketsandMarkets fundamentally states that the future for the television is social through integration of social interaction on the television, with broadcasters developing and enriching social TV integration to target customer engagement and loyalty to boost rating.

The report noted the rise of social television tools and applications that are giving customised television experiences based on the viewers’ choice of interest. It also observed that many companies have developed second screen applications to engage more viewers and to increase the targeted audience. However the analyst does caution that broadcasters are also discovering the social TV challenges.

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Eutelsat beefs up Middle East, North Africa broadcasting

Editor    | 12-10-2012   

Leading satellite operator Eutelsat has ordered a new satellite from Thales Alenia Space to enhance its operations in the Middle East and North Africa.
The new EUTELSAT 8 West B spacecraft will be launched in 2015 to 8° West, joining satellites already operated at the adjacent 7° West position by Eutelsat and the Egyptian satellite company, Nilesat.
EUTELSAT 8 West B satellite will be equipped with 40 operational Ku-band transponders and will also introduce a C-band mission to 8° West, with 10 operational transponders connected to footprints covering the African continent and reaching west as far as South America.For the 7/8° West neighbourhood, Eutelsat will redeploy an existing Ku-band satellite to 8° West in 2013. This will increase resources in advance of the launch of EUTELSAT 8 West B, enabling more broadcasters to benefit from a prime neighbourhood.
Broadcasting services from both positions, said to be one of the most dynamic in the global satellite TV market.
Indeed over 30 million homes in North Africa and the Middle East are already equipped for DTH reception of more than 800 Arabic and international channels broadcast at this position by Eutelsat and Nilesat.
Eutelsat says that its additional capacity will meet further expansion in the market where capacity demand for video services is forecast to grow by 6.8% a year over the coming five years with HDTV channels expected to increase fourfold over the coming ten years. Commenting on the launch, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO said: "We want to ensure we are giving broadcasters the finest quality of service and headroom to grow their business. This new satellite programme will further equip us to deliver the highest quality of service at a video neighbourhood experiencing record demand for reaching TV homes across the Middle East and North Africa. We are also pleased to renew our confidence in Thales Alenia Space with this new order from their most state-of-the-art range of spacecraft."
"We are both pleased and proud to sign this important contract today with Eutelsat," added Jean Loic Galle, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space. "Our teams will deploy the full range of their skills and expertise to construct this new satellite and support our customer's development. We thank Eutelsat for placing their trust in us. EUTELSAT 8West B is the 25th satellite built by Thales Alenia Space for Eutelsat, and it will be the 74th satellite in the Spacebus family to enter service in the global space telecommunications market."
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Amazon, Netflix in France next year, Canal+ leaks

Pascale Paoli-Lebailly    | 12-10-2012
   
Canal Plus chief Bertrand Meheut has revealed at the French Council of State that online retailer Amazon is planning to launch the LOVEFiLM SVOD service in March 2013, while Netflix will arrive in early 2013.
LOVEFiLM is already available in UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany and claims 2 million subs. "Amazon will launch its SVOD service in France in March 2013," Meheut reportedly said to French new agencies. "We know it because our branch Studio Canal has been selling exclusive rights to Amazon for a launch of their service in March on the Kindle Fire."Following the Canalsat-TPS merger, Canal Plus was forbidden by French TV regulator CSA to keep VOD and SVOD rights exclusive for its own network.
Canal+, which is the first group to offer unlimited VOD via CanalPlay Infinity, is arguing that authorities should not stop a French group to be strong enough to face the upcoming, competition coming from US giants.
According to Canal+, Hollywood majors have not signed the local agreements, and their productions may not be covered by local rules and release timings.

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New online TV for opera fans

Jörn Krieger | 12-10-2012

Good news for lovers of classical music: Sonostream.tv, a new online platform from Austria, wants to provide national and international opera productions to a worldwide audience as live-streams through the internet.

The free-of-charge offering operated by Vienna-based agency Sono Artists Consulting will launch early next week. The line-up will comprise live transmissions from various concert venues in Vienna - both from large stages as well as small and less known locations. Support is provided by Vienna's tourism organisation Wien Tourismus.

The first highlight will be the debut of the rarely played Rossini opera "La cambiale di matrimonio" of Theater an der Wien in the Kammeroper on 21 Oktober 2012. The live transmission will commence at 19.30 CET.

"Many people see opera as an exclusive form of art restricted to a few people. Through Sonostream.tv,opera will become accessible to interested people around the world free-of-charge and I'm very happy about that," said Igor Bakan who performs the role of Tobia Mill in the play.

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Sky Sports: “Rugby wasn’t working”


Sky Sports’ managing director, Barney Francis told a Leaders in Football event the inflated price they were forced to pay for English Premier League football as a result of BT bidding did mean other sports coverage would be compromised. BT’s challenge for live EPL football drove a 71 per cent increase in the value of the rights to more than £3 billion from the 2013-14 season.

Francis said the cost to the consumer would largely be absorbed by cost savings elsewhere but admitted there would be a knock-on effect for other sports. “You would expect us to build some inflation into our financial planning and we have flexibility to absorb the bulk of these costs. But… choices have to be made. I can’t tell you about the pricing structure but we have absorbed a lot of that cost. That’s not necessarily less money for other sports but we have to tighten our belts on some of those.”
Sky will pay £2.3 billion to air 116 live matches per season under the new deal, around £1 billion more than it currently pays for 115 matches. BT will pay £738 million for just 38 matches per season.

Francis implied the money saved by not bidding for Premier Rugby matches, which BT has won under a controversial deal that also includes European matches played by English clubs but is subject to challenge by the organising bodies, was an easy decision. “We have extended our Heineken Cup deal and have the Lions, the autumn internationals, so we are pretty well covered from rugby fans. Premiership Rugby made a decision to go with BT, it wasn’t particularly working for us and we were the junior partners.”

Francis claimed Sky was taking BT “very seriously” as a competitor.

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Court rejects Canal Plus case against competition watchdog

October 12, 2012


France’s constitutional court has rejected Canal Plus’s claims that the country’s competition regulator acted unconstitutionally when it imposed remedies on the pay TV operator relating to its alleged failure to meet undertakings concerning its 2007 merger with TPS.

The case was referred to the court by the Conseil d’État following an appeal by Canal Plus and Vivendi. The court however ruled that the competition authority did not have the power to impose disproportionate penalties and had not gone beyond its remit, as claimed by the pay TV operator. It also ruled that the authority’s procedures and practices conformed to general principles of impartiality and independence. Canal Plus had contested the authority’s impartiality on the grou$$$ that the same team responsible for pursuing the case against it was also responsible for deciding which sanctions to impose.

Canal Plus said in a statement that the constitutional court’s decision would have now impact on the current hearing before the Conseil d’État itself, and that it was ultimately up to the Conseil d’État to decide on whether the sanctions imposed were justifiable and whether guarantees that the authority would act independently and impartially were guaranteed. Canal Plus is pursuing the case on two fronts by seeking a reversal of the authority’s â,¬30 million fine and cancellation of authorisation of the 2007 merger on July 20 and by seeking a cancellation of the second authorisation of the merger with conditions three days later.

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UPC Romania exte$$$ 150Mbps, adds HD channels 


October 12, 2012


UPC Romania is expanding its 150Mbps broadband service outside the country’s capital. The cable operator is also extending the number of HD channels available on its network.


UPC currently offers 150Mbps broadband in Bucharest but is expanding the high-speed service to the cities of Cluj Napoca, Ploiesti and Timisoara. Customers can receive 150Mbps for RON50 (â,¬11) per month.

The operator is also adding six new international HD channels to its line-up. TV 1000, Viasat Explorer, Viasat History, Viasat Nature, KidsCo and the Sundance channel will all join the HD Maxim package. With these additional channels, UPC will offer a total of 17 HD channels.
The operator is bundling its high speed broadband with its complete channel line-up and telephony services for RON99.

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MTG launches Viaplay download service
October 12, 2012

International broadcast group Modern Times Group has added a download function to its Viaplay OTT services. It has also launched the service on the PlayStation3 games console.


The new ‘Download-to-go’ service makes Viaplay content available to download for a period of 30 days on devices running the Apple iOS operating system.

The Viaplay service was launched in the Nordic region in March 2011 and is available on various connected devices, including PCs, smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Philips and Panasonic, and via the Viaplay OTT set-top box in Sweden. MTG has now made the service available to PlayStation 3 users in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, president and CEO of MTG, said, “Viaplay is the next step in our pay TV strategy and enables us to extend the reach and availability of our market leading pay-TV content offering. MTG’s goal has always been to provide our viewers with as much choice as possible, and to offer them the very best entertainment both at home and on the move. We are constantly developing our pay TV services, making them better and more exciting by adding content, launching new channels and services, and expanding our customer base, in order to ensure that we will continue to be the home of entertainment into the future.”

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ARCEP says regulatory framework should depend on goals

October 12, 2012

French communications regulator the ARCEP has published its reflections on the reform of audiovisual sector regulation following a move by the French government to investigate whether telecom and TV regulation should be brought closer together.

The ARCEP said that whether a move to bring together the regulatory bodies responsible for telecom and TV regulation â€" meaning the ARCEP and the CSA respectively â€" would be justified would depend on the purpose of regulation of the audiovisual sector. If this were to be focused on “preserving strong content regulation” in the spirit of France’s ‘cultural exception’, while modifying rules to take account of new modes of distribution, then it would make sense to preserve two distinct regulatory regimes. This could be combined with a more informal committee including members of both to look at areas of common interest.

If the goal were to base a modernised regulatory regime more on economic principles, it would make sense to split responsibilities between the tow with ARCEP looking after technical and economic regulation of both sectors while the CSA looked after content. If on the other hand regulation were to be based principally on economic considerations, it would make sense to merger the pair into a single regulator on the model of the UK’s Ofcom, said the ARCEP.

The ARCEP said that the outcome would depend in large part of the enquiry currently being conducted by former Canal Plus chief Pierre Lescure and the conclusions drawn by the government and parliament.