Historia launches new app
Iñaki Ferreras    | 05-02-2013

Chello Multicanal's documentary channel Historia has launched a free app which provides information on the historical sites of Spain.
Viewers will be able to add their own pictures and comments via the app. Each picture loaded to the app will be connected to a description which can be viewed at the same time as the image. A map of Spain will show the locations of the photos.
The app also includes photographs of World Heritage sites in Spain from UNESCO, together with a description of each site which users can access through an icon on the photo.
Carolina Godayol, The History Channel Iberia's CEO, said that the new initiative indicates the channel's interest in promoting awareness of the country's wealth of history, with Spain being the country with the second most World Heritage sites in the world.

Baumgartner flying into MIPTV
February 5, 2013

Record-breaking skydiver Felix Baumgartner will give a keynote address at MIPTV in April.

The Austrian daredevil will be in Cannes with Alexander Koppel, CCO of Red Bull Media House, and the pair will give a joint address on April 9 as part of a branded content conference strand.

On October 14 2012, Baumgartner flew 39 km into the stratosphere in a helium balloon, before free falling back to Earth, reaching the speed of 1,342 km/h and becoming the first human to break the sound barrier without any form of engine power.

Red Bull Media House was responsible for the documentation and multi-platform distribution of the Red Bull Stratos mission. The team will share their experiences and some key results at MIPTV and speak about creating a global media event.

Ginx TV strikes four distribution deals
February 5, 2013

Video games channels and shows producer Ginx TV has struck four new EMEA distribution agreements, adding 1.4 million homes to its network.

The Ginx TV channel has been added to the line-ups of T-Hrvatski Telekom’s MAXtv in Croatia, KPN’s TV service in the Netherla$$$ and Romtelecom in Romania.

Separately, Middle East pay TV provider OSN has added a daily three-hour block of Ginx programming.

Ginx TV CEO Michiel Bakker said: “We are delighted to be working with platforms of the stature of KPN, Romtelecom, MAXtv and OSN.  When important partners like these are adding Ginx TV to their line-ups it shows videogaming TV is getting the traction it deserves. Ginx is passionate about super-serving the clear need to represent the fast growing cultural phenomenon that is video gaming on television by showing viewers the ins and outs of the latest and greatest PC, online, mobile and console games.”

New management team for Lagardère TV arm
February 5, 2013

Lagardère Active, the media arm of the French conglomerate, has named Richard Lenormand as CEO of its radio and TV activities. Lenormand was previously finance director at retail group FNAC.

Lagardère Active has also named Fabien Sfez as director of operations and digital and technology development. Sfez was previously director of technology and has also served as CEO of Pixmania. Marc Gonnet, marketing director at Lagardère-owned radio station Europe1, has been named director of strategy, reporting to Denis Olivennes. Thierry Orsoni has meanwhile been named director of communication.

Lagardère owns TV channels including Gulli, Canal J and Tiji.

Sony to launch channel for Germany
February 5, 2013

Sony Pictures Television Networks is to launch a German version of its Sony Entertainment Television channel.

The channel will begin broadcasting in the spring following a carriage deal struck between SPT Networks Germany and Deutsche Telekom. Sony Entertainment Television will be part of Deutsche Telekom’s IPTV Service, Entertain.
Sony Entertainment Television in Germany will target women over 30 with a line-up of dramas, comedies and movies from the US and Europe.

Bettina Hermann, network director, SPT Networks Germany, said: “Sony Entertainment Television is one of SPT’s leading global channel bra$$$ and we are very proud to bring it to Germany with Deutsche Telekom. Like all our channels here, the schedule will be tailored for the German speaking audience, with US blockbuster and first run series as well as high quality European and German telefilms. Moreover, with its mainly female target, Sony Entertainment Television will broaden the reach of our portfolio.”

SPT Networks’ German portfolio includes action and entertainment channel, AXN, which is also available in HD, and animé and lifestyle channel, Animax.

Turner hires Disney’s Giorgio Stock to head European business
February 5, 2013

Turner Broadcast has poached Giorgio Stock from Disney and he will run the company’s business in the EMEA region.

Stock will join the Time Warner-backed company in April as president of Turner Broadcasting System EMEA.

He will run all of Turner’s entertainment and kids networks in Europe, Middle East and Africa and oversee the distribution of news channel CNN in the region.

He will also manage all licensing and merchandising activity in EMEA region.
Stock was at Disney for 15 years, most recently as executive VP and GM, Disney Consumer Products, Publishing and Retail, EMEA. He also headed up the company’s content creation divisions. Prior to these roles he was senior VP & MD of Disney Channels Italy.

Gerhard Zeiler, president of Turner Broadcasting System International said: “[Giorgio’s] success in international licensing and merchandising, his experience in launching kid’s programmes and channels, as well as his deep understanding of digital commerce make him the ideal choice to lead our business in EMEA into the next stage of growth. Looking with fresh eyes at our business as a true leader, he will be a strong addition to Turner Broadcasting System International.”

Zeiler has introduced company-wide changes since joining Turner last April. There is a new organisational structure that Turner said is designed to give more operating power and accountability within the regions. Company headcount is also being reduced by almost a third.

Liberty Global planning bid for Virgin Media
February 5, 2013

Liberty Global is planning to bid for UK cable operator Virgin Media, with a move expected in the coming days, according to the UK’s Financial Times newspaper, citing sources familiar with the situation.

In a brief statement, Virgin Media confirmed that the pair had been in talks. “Virgin Media confirms that it is in discussions with Liberty Global, Inc., a leading international cable company, concerning a possible transaction. Any such transaction would be subject to regulatory and other conditions. A further announcement will be made in due course,” the company said.

Shares in Virgin Media on the NASDAQ exchange closed at US$38.69 (€44.74) yesterday, giving Virgin Media a valuation of US$10.4 billion. The company has an estimated enterprise value of US$20 billion including debt. Liberty Global reported cash reserves of US$3.3 billion in its third quarter earnings, with some of that earmarked for the company’s buyback programme.

A successful bid for the UK’s sole large-scale cable provider would put Liberty Global chairman John Malone in direct competition with his old rival Rupert Murdoch, chairman of BSkyB’s main shareholder News Corp.

In the UK, Malone has previously attempted unsuccessfully to bid for NTL, and also acquired a significant stake in Telewest, the two companies that later merged to form Virgin Media.

There was some speculation in 2011 that he would make a bid for BSkyB in the wake of the collapse of News Corp’s move to take control of the company, but Malone quashed this, saying he would not bid against Murdoch.

Dutch digital homes reach 76%
February 5, 2013 09.21 Europe/London By Robert Briel

Dutch homes are becoming increasingly digital, according to the latest Media Standard Survey 2012 (MSS), carried out by TNS-NIPO among 6,190 households.
According to the survey, the number of digital TV homes was 76% at the end of December, 2012, up from 71% at the end of 2011. Growth was mainly attributed to the rise in IPTV subscriptions and further digitization of the cable.
This figure compares with the 71%, which the Dutch institute of statistics CBS noted at the end of 2012.
According to the MSS figures, 11% of all TV sets in the country are connected to the internet, up from 7% the previous year. This figure compares with the 20% that CBS has noted for connected sets. This discrepancy can be attributed to the definition of connected TV (e.g. is it a smart TV or is the TV connected via a separate device?)
Bas de Vos (Director SKO) said in a statement: “The digitization is reflected in the way people are watching television. Only a quarter of all viewing is done on analogue. Three quarters of all viewing time is now digital. Time-shifted watching in 2012 grows by about 10%, identical with the growing penetration of hard disk recorders.”