Satnews

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Banijay Group to launch channel on CanalSat
November 19, 2012

International producer and distributor Banijay Group is moving into the channels business with the launch of celebrity news network Non-Stop People on French pay TV service CanalSat.

The company is partnering with French producer Mediatic System to launch the channel, which is a 24-hours news outlet. It has a team of 30 celebrity and entertainment journalists reporting from Paris, LA, New York and London.

Non-Stop People will also have a number of digital extensions including mobile and tablet apps as well as a website running exclusive content.

Hugues Dangy, founder and president of Mediatic System, has become channel head.

“Non-Stop People is a completely revolutionary idea, taking the model of CNN and applying 100% entertainment and celebrity content. We are excited to be setting a new precedent for entertainment reporting along with CanalSat and Banijay,” said Dangy.

Francois de Brugada, executive vice-president, Banijay Group added: “This partnership is part of a number of strategic initiatives for Banijay Group in the digital world. Non-Stop People is not only a unique concept for a news channel but an efficient tool for distributing entertainment and celebrity content across all platforms. We are already working on an international roll-out for the channel and exploring the many ways that we can further exploit this rich new pool of resources.”

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Liberty Global will not raise bid for Telenet
November 19, 2012

Cable giant Liberty Global is not prepared to increase its price for acquiring Belgian network Telenet.

Liberty Global, currently a majority shareholder of Telenet, has made an offer of â,¬35 per ordinary share for the remaining stake in the operator. The Belgian cabler, however, is claiming that they price is too low after independent valuation specialists Lazard put a valuation range for the price per share of Telenet at â,¬37 to â,¬42.

Speaking at a conference, Liberty Global’s finance director Charles Bracken said the price it had offered was a “very full and fair offer”, Reuters reports. He added that any suggestion that it would raise its offer should be “put to bed because it’s not going to happen”.

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UK DTT viewers face disruption threat as Ofcom looks to 5G spectrum
November 19, 2012

UK regulator Ofcom last week unveiled plans to prepare frequencies for so-called 5G mobile services that could see the 700MHz spectrum currently allocated to digital-terrestrial TV being made available to mobile telecom companies.

Ofcom asserted that drawing on the 700MHz spectrum would be vital to avoid a possible capacity crunch as demand for high-speed mobile services grew. It said that that use of 700MHz would be part of a future harmonisation of spectrum across Europe and the rest of the world and could be achieved “without the need for another TV ‘switchover’”.

Ofcom said it believed that the future of DTT could be ensured provided that “alternative frequencies are available for DTT when the next generation of mobile broadband is introduced towards the end of the decade”.

The regulator maintains that reallocation of spectrum can be achieved without major disruption to existing DTT services and will in most cases require only a retuning of existing TV equipment. However, it conceded that “a small minority of consumers” may need to change their rooftop aerials, though most likely not before 2018. It said it would work with aerial installation groups and retailers to minimise the impact on viewers.

Ofcom’s plan builds on moves made at the last World Radio Conference, supported by African and Asian delegations, to make the 700MHz band available for mobile applications. Ofcom said that if these plans were confirmed at the 2015 conference it would move ahead with an auction. Other European governments have previously looked at higher frequency spectrum options such as the 3.6-3.8GHz ba$$$ for future mobile services.

The plans will involve a move by DTT services to the relatively underused 600MHz band. TV infrastructure provider Arqiva argued that Ofcom had yet to make the case for the change and the “huge disruption” it would cause.

“Freeview is the nation’s most popular way to watch television so Ofcom’s clear long term commitment to the platform is welcome.  Furthermore, there is a real opportunity for Ofcom to demonstrate that commitment by allocating spectrum in the immediate future for HD services in accordance with the proposals from the BBC, Channel 4 and Arqiva. However Ofcom has still yet to make the case to justify today’s proposed long term changes to allocate more future spectrum to mobile use, especially given the disruption they will cause to Freeview viewers,” said Charles Constable, chairman of DTT broadcast consortium Freeview. “Despite its enduring popularity, television has been the poor relation in terms of spectrum allocation for the development of new services.  Making this unused spectrum available will further enhance the HD channels offered on Freeview, giving something back to millions of viewers and encouraging a new era of HD content.”

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OTT service Viewster looking to expand, begins first marketing campaign
November 19, 2012

Switzerland-based OTT movie and TV service Viewster, which has passed one billion views this year, is ramping up its marketing activities and plans a new round of financing to fund expansion next year.

Viewster has passed the milestone of one billion video views by users this year, and the company says it has seen its user base increase almost sevenfold in the last 12 months. The company earlier this month updated its service and introduced new mobile apps that allow offline viewing for iOS and Android devices.

Viewster has now hired a new head of marketing and launched its first formal marketing campaign â€" a trivia app on Facebook â€" as part of a broader push to expand its reach and use of the service. The app, Qster, will test viewers’ knowledge of movie scenes and include a leader board of players. The Facebook app is currently available on the web but will soon also be released on mobile platforms.

Tilman Eberle, the company’s newly appointed marketing and communications chief and former vice-president of corporate communications at Doodle, said the Facebook launch was the start of a broader social marketing campaign. The company has not engaged in any real marketing activity to promote its largely advertising-funded service up to now.

“The Facebook app is the start for getting more social,” said Eberle. “We are investing in PR and in getting users to stay on our platform.”

Eberle said Viewster now had enough content to get viewers to come back again and again to the site and had a critical mass of users. “We are working on contracts to get more premium content. We are looking for new growth funding next year sometime,” he said. He said plans for new financing were at an early stage and would probably be based on existing investors.

Eberle said acquiring new content would be key but the company would also use additional funding to ramp up its marketing activities to get new viewers. Viewster is currently available in 120 countries worldwide. Eberle said that it was looking at expanding its presence in Latin America to complement its presence in Europe and Asia. He said Viewster would also expand into new fields, without providing specific details. The company currently offers a range of movie and TV content free to view, with the option to pay a fee to see advertising-free versions of the content. Eberle said that while the free offering was going well, the company wanted to look to expand into more paid content and to launch further offerings that would leverage social networks. However, there were no plans to move into subscription offerings. Viewster sees itself as a ‘challenger’ brand and Eberle said this approach made it easier to reach a larger audience than if it offered a subscription launching.

In addition to its ad-funded content, Viewster offers premium movies from Warner Bros in a number of territories including Germany. Only Warner movies are currently offered purely as a premium offering.

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Local TV awards under review
November 19, 2012 10.18 Europe/London By Julian Clover

Local TV services in the UK cities of Nottingham and Sheffield have been put on hold after Ofcom admitted to “small errors” in the award process.
Nottingham’s Notts TV and Sheffield Local Television fell victim to internal errors by the regulator, leading to their re-examination, though it is thought unlikely there will be any delay to the services final launch dates.
A revised decision is expected to be released early this week.
The Nottingham Post newspaper is one of the partners in Notts TV Ltd alongside Nottingham Trent University, Confetti Media and Inclusive Digital. It plans to launch in April 2014 with an eight hour schedule.
Sheffield Local Television is backed by two city universities, local film makers and festival organisers. It is looking at a four-hour schedule, an hour of which will be news.
21 UK cities are in the process of being awarded local TV licences that will use DTT spectrum.

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BBC Channels launch UK hits and premium content in Oz for 2013

Louise Duffy | 03-12-2012

BBC Channels UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies and BBC World News have revealed their programming highlights for Australian audiences in 2013, to be shown on Foxtel.

These include Top of the Lake, created by Academy-award winner Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, which will launch on UKTV in March. A See-Saw Films production for UKTV, BBC Two and Sundance Channel, Top of the Lake is a mystery set in New Zealand, starring Elisabeth Moss, David Wenham, Peter Mullan, Tom Wright and Holly Hunter.

Youth drama Hollyoaks is also coming to UKTV in 2013 â€" the only channel in Australia to show the UK’s top soaps. UKTV will be delivering exclusive episodes every week night on Foxtel.

There will also be a year of programming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, supported by extensive off-screen activity. Fans of classic and contemporary Doctor Who can enjoy a feast of iconic adventures featuring each of the 11 Doctors in turn on UKTV.

An exciting year is ahead for Top Gear on BBC Knowledge, as it takes pole position on Foxtel in 2013, transmitting days after UK transmission.

Premiere dramas on UKTV include Spies of Warsaw, an adaptation of Alan Furst’s spy novel set in the years leading up to the Second World War, and starring David Tennant.

UKTV also has a history of showcasing the finest comedy talent in the UK and next year is no different. The channel introduces the brilliant new comedy duo Watson and Oliver as the centrepiece of its upcoming comedy season. Next year it will also bring some of the best live events from the UK, including The BRIT Awards.

As well as Top Gear, BBC Knowledge has a range of programmes lined up for 2013, presented by experts including Brian Cox, Louis Theroux and Michael Mosley. Leading British science series Horizon returns to BBC Knowledge, along with a BBC Worldwide original commission, Dara O’Briain’s Science Club, which sees comedian Dara O’Briain and a team of experts tackle the biggest ideas in science in front of a lively audience.

The CBeebies channel is the only place where pre-school children can enjoy new shows produced specifically for CBeebies around the world. Charlie & Lola and Teletubbies will be joined by new and exclusive favourites Sarah & Duck, Mr Bloom, The Numtums and Dinopaws.

BBC World News delivers the latest global news and information, with regular series including Impact, GMT, Click and HARDtalk. Early next year, BBC World News will move into a new home in London’s Broadcasting House, bringing together journalists from across the BBC’s multiplatform, domestic and international news services and enhancing the look and feel of the channel.

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CANAL+, TVN finalise merger creating Poland’s “leading” premium pay-TV operator

Editor    | 03-12-2012   

CANAL+ and TVN have finalised the merger of their 'n' and CYFRA+ pay-TV platforms into what they claim will be Poland’s leading premium pay-TV operator.
According to the terms of the strategic cooperation agreements, CANAL+ Group will hold a 51% stake in the new concern, the TVN Group 32% and LGI Ventures (UPC) 17%.
TVN said that the creation of nc+ marks the final step of TVN’s pay-TV market consolidation strategy, designed to enable the company to benefit from important synergies which it says are driven by revenue growth and cost optimisation, whilst securing its content distribution.
Julien Verley, currently senior vice president fnance and strategy of CANAL+ Group in France, is to be the new CEO of nc+. Commenting on the creation of the new firm and his new role, Verley said: “The merger of 'n' and CYFRA+ creates a leading company in a very competitive pay-TV market. With outstanding content, state-of-the art technology and experienced teams of employees, the new nc+ platform will appeal to a large number of Polish households. With the backing of two major TV companies, CANAL+ Group and TVN Group, nc+ will have all necessary means to grow its business and deliver to its customers the best TV experience in the Polish market."
Added Markus Tellenbach, president and CEO of TVN Group commented: ”The merger between 'n' and CYFRA+ creates substantial value for our shareholders and allows TVN Group to benefit from the strategic cooperation with CANAL+ Group whilst securing TVN’s content distribution on the leading premium pay-TV platform nc+. I am very pleased that Julien Verley has joined the TVN Group and agreed to take over the CEO position at nc+. His deep industry knowledge and profound experience in the Polish pay-TV market supported by a first class management team ensures a smooth merger execution.”

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Real Madrid renews technological development agreement with Samsung   

Iñaki Ferreras    | 03-12-2012   

Real Madrid has renewed its agreement with Samsung for the technological development of the club.
The agreement is for the 2012-2013 season and means the Real Madrid platform will employ Samsung technology in its various formats both with regard to products and image, reports Europa Press news agency.
The Real Madrid-Samsung agreement dates back to 2006. Samsung, an Olympic sponsor, has always bet on sports to promote its corporate image.
According to the companies, the long-term plan is to extend the agreement over years to come.

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3 Sky channels launch on Freesat

December 3, 2012 08.20 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Sky News, Pick TV and Challenge TV are launching onto free-to-air platform Freesat.

The three Sky-owned channels are already available on the terrestrial Freeview platform and will appear on the Freesat EPG on Monday afternoon. Significantly, and given its status as the first UK 24-hour news channel, Sky News has been parachuted into 202 on the Freesat EPG. However, it is the standard definition version of the channel, HD still being reserved for Sky subscribers.

As a managed platform Sky News was still not available on Freesat, even though the channel is broadcast in-the-clear, and available on non-Freesat receivers.

Emma Scott, Freesat’s Managing Director commented: “We’re delighted that Sky News is joining Freesat. It’s an award-winning news service that strengthens and complements Freesat’s existing line-up of 11 news channels. With Challenge TV and Pick TV joining today too, the breadth of choice for our viewers, for free, has never been better.”

Pick TV (144) provides a second outing to content original debuted on Sky 1 and Sky Arts, while Challenge TV (145) runs popular UK-originated game shows.

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Quality jump for Tricolor TV

December 3, 2012 08.23 Europe/London By Chris Dziadul


The leading Russian DTH platform Tricolor TV has introduced a DV multiplex.

According to the company, it follows on from the success of its HD multiplex, which already has over 500,000 subscribers, and offers viewers eight must-carry Russian channels and 10 selected by popular demand in much better quality than SD services.

The DV multiplex employs bit rates of up to 8 Mbps, which is significantly higher than the previous maximum of 3 Mbps used by operators for MPEG-4 services in Russia.

Separately, Tricolor TV has announced the successful prosecution of two individuals who were pirating its services.

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Russian DTT: an assessment

December 3, 2012 09.22 Europe/London By Chris Dziadul


DTT services will have to fight their ground in Russia’s already competitive digital TV la$$$cape.

Speaking in a conference on the development of digital broadcasting in the country and quoted by AKTR and TelecomDaily, Alexander Schugol, the general director of Schugol Consulting, said that there are currently around 52 million households in Russia, of which some 97% (50.6 million) have a TV.

However, while cable services are received in 17 million households (33%) and DTH in 13 million (25%), only 1.9 million (4%) opt for DTT.

The key statistic is that 57% of Russians are already watching pay-TV services, which means that three out of five have no need for DTT.

Cable services will continue to be popular in cities, with their subscriber total set to increase to 25 million by 2020.

DTH services, on the other hand, will claim 17 million subscribers, while there will be 20 million homes watching DTT, with the greatest concentration being found in large blocks and in suburbs.

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New e-journal looks at TV history

December 3, 2012 10.31 Europe/London By Robert Briel


View, the Journal of European Television History and Culture, has just published its second issue.

It comes in a brand new form, with a new title (View), a fresh design and a new url, where it is freely available. The subject of the second issue of the magazine is ‘Europe on and behind the Screen.’

View is the first peer-reviewed, multi-media and open access e-journal in the field of European television history and culture. It claims to “offer an international platform for outstanding academic research and archival reflection on television as an important part of our European cultural heritage.”

The journal makes use of an open access publishing system, OJS, and has developed a tool to insert relevant audiovisual sources in the online reading experience. The journal also received a redesign to maximise readability. The new name, View, indicates a clear vision for the future of the Journal of European Television History and Culture.

View is part of the EUscreen project, which offers free online access to videos, stills, texts and audio from European broadcasters and audiovisual archives. Explore selected content from early 1900s until today.

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iMediaShare comes to Xbox 360

December 3, 2012 10.42 Europe/London By Robert Briel


The content discovery and playback solution iMediaShare has rolled out a new version, aimed to complement Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Already popular with iPhone and Android smart device fans, iMediaShare offers discovery and instant viewing of online videos on any screen within the connected home.

“Microsoft XBox 360’s latest update brought PlayTo audio and video streaming functionality to the popular game console and the iMediaShare team swiftly introduced support for the device, ensuring even sleeker operation for iMediaShare and Xbox loyal fan base.” said Metodi Filipov of iMediaShare.

“With Microsoft’s relentless push to solidify the Xbox’s position as the main media device in the connected home, iMediaShare’s unique features like super easy content discovery, intuitive playback control, and seamless shifting to other screens are invaluable additions to the Xbox connoisseur’s home entertainment experience.”

Via the iMediaShare application Xbox 360 fans get access to new content and use their phone, tablet or PC to search and enjoy online videos, music and photos â€" with no cables, configuration or additional set-up required.

iMediaShare is available for iOS and Android as a free or premium HD-enhanced download. Xbox users can now browse and enjoy many new and popular sources such as Break, Vimeo, NASA, Deutsche Welle, France 24, TED Talks, Content1 and more.

Personal media from social sharing sites such as Facebook and Picasa can also be accessed and viewed on TV.

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In Brief: VRT, Digitenne, Redbox Instant

December 3, 2012 10.53 Europe/London By Robert Briel


The SD versions of Belgian broadcaster VRT Een and Canvas will switch to MPEG-4 on the Astra satellite position of 19.2 degrees east on January 1, 2013. The HD versions of the channels are available on Astra at 23.5 degrees East.

KPN’s DTT platform Digitenne is now in the process of changing frequencies for its service to make room for the new LTE services due to start in the 800 MHz band. The Dutch government is currently preparing the issuing of LTE licences.

In the US, news has leaked that Netflix competitor Redbox Instant by Verizon will launch before the end of the year with month subscription prices starting at $6 (â,¬5). The service will be available on iOs, Android, Xbox 360 and certain Samsung devices.

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Darcey to run News International

December 3, 2012 15.50 Europe/London By Julian Clover


BSkyB’s chief operating officer Mike Darcey is to become CEO of News International, the London-based publisher of titles including The Times and The Sun.

The move follows the resignation of Tom Mockridge on the eve of News Corp’s planned split into video and publishing operations. Mockridge, though previously a newspaper man, had also been the CEO of Sky Italia.

The publishing company will retain the News Corp name while TV and film takes the name Fox Group. It will be headed by Chase Carey.

“Mike is a world-class executive with unprecedented strategic and commercial experience and I look forward to benefiting from his many talents. His broadcasting background will provide important leadership in the development of our already impressive suite of digital products at News International,” said Rupert Murdoch, who will be chairman of the new News Corporation and chairman and CEO of Fox Group.

Dow Jones editor-in-chief and managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Robert Thomson will become the CEO of the new proposed publishing entity.

Paul Cheesbrough, currently News Corporation’s chief technology officer, will take the same role at the new publishing company.