Kabel Deutschland (KDG) has said that its new strategy of offering set-top boxes direct to the customer is beginning to pay off. Germany’s largest cable operator lifted its subscriber base by a further 3.6% to end 2006 on 10.031 million revenue generating units. Revenues for the nine month period rose by 7% to €813.2 million. [...]
Virgin Media adds 38,500 subs in Christmas quarter
09.31 Europe/London, February 28, 2007 By
The rebranded Virgin Media has announced its end of year financial results. During a time when NTL and Telewest were still the consumer facing brands, the cablenet added 38,500 net TV subscribers, while 78,100 net broadband customers were also signed up. Churn was reduced to a monthly 1.7% from 1.8% in the previous quarter. In [...]
Kupsky named Turner Europe president
08.56 Europe/London, February 28, 2007 By
Jeff Kupsky has been named as the new president of Turner Broadcasting System Europe. His remit will cover all of Turner’s television and multiplatform outlets in Europe including Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM (Turner Classic Movies), and commercial activities for CNN International. Key responsibilities include overseeing business development, marketing, distribution and public relations, as well [...]
RCS/RDS moves into 3G
08.25 Europe/London, February 28, 2007 By
Romania’s second largest cable operator RCS/RDS has launched a 3G service. Known as Digi.Tel, it employs equipment supplied by Nokia and will be gradually rolled out across the country. RCS/RDS is paying a total of $35 million (€26.5 million) for its 3G licence in instalments and will compete with services offered by Orange, Vodafone and [...]
CTC Media on the up
07.26 Europe/London, February 28, 2007 By
The Russian company CTC Media, which is backed Sweden’s Modern Times Group (MTG), saw its revenue jump by 56.2% in 2006 to $370.8 million (€280.8 million). At the same time, its share of the Russian TV ad market – estimated to be worth $3.2 billion in 2006 – rose from 13.6% to 15.6% of the [...]
Luxembourg agrees digital cable package
17.53 Europe/London, February 27, 2007 By
The Luxembourg government has signed an agreement with the country’s cable operators as the country aims to become the first country in Europe to have an all digital TV service. Cablenets in the Grand Dutchy will offer subscribers a selection of 75 international channels. “This agreement prepares the ground for the switch to an all [...]
Abraham named new UKTV CEO
17.41 Europe/London, February 27, 2007 By
Former Discovery Channel UK boss David Abraham has been named as the new chief executive of UKTV. He will take-up the role at the BBC Worldwide–Virgin Media Television joint venture in April following the retirement of Dick Emery. 43-year old Abraham is joining from Discovery Networks USA where he has been the executive vice president [...]
BBC Trust backs Freesat
14.25 Europe/London, February 27, 2007 By
The BBC trust has given its provisional approval to the launch of the ‘Freesat’ digital satellite platform. It is envisaged that the project would be jointly operated with ITV and Channel 4, both of which are now partners in the Freeview DTT platform. BSkyB already operates a subscription free satellite platform under the freesatfromsky brand [...]
Virgin rejects ‘improved’ Sky offer
10.49 Europe/London, February 27, 2007 By
BSkyB has suggested that if it is unable to reach an agreement with Virgin Media over the carriage of its basic channels then it should be allowed direct access to the cable operator’s customers. The proposal is similar to the Sky by Wire service offered to IPTV services in the UK where Sky effectively rents [...]
RCS gets green light on Digicast purchase
10.36 Europe/London, February 27, 2007 By
Italy’s Antitrust Authority has given its go-ahead for the acquisition by RCS of 51% of Digicast, a company active in the broadcasting of thematic TV channels, principally pay-TV operations over satellite and cable. As a result of the transaction, Digicast will be entirely controlled by RCS. (BP)
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Connected TV Forecasts NEW REPORT. The number of TV sets connected to the Internet will reach 551 million by 2016 for the 40 countries covered in this report from Digital TV Research, up from 124 million at end-2010. The report states that this translates to 20% of global TV sets by 2016, up from only 6% at end-2010. Published in November 2011, this 83-page PDF report is the most geographically comprehensive to ever be published.