Dutch launch for Comedy Central

Comedy Central launched in The Netherland yesterday (April 30), replacing The Box on the Canal Digitaal Satelliet platform – broadcast on Astra at 19.2 degrees East. The channel is also available on Dutch cable, IPTV and DTT in channel sharing with Nickelodeon. Programming will include UK and US comedy, such as Saturday Night Live, Scrubs, [...]

Czech adult channel secures licence

According to local reports, the Czech Broadcasting Council (RRTV) has granted a 12-year licence to what will be the country’s first adult channel. Known as TV Leo 1, it will be operated by the adult publishing company PK 62 and offered to viewers via cable, DTH and IPTV. TV Leo 1 is likely to be [...]

Polsat executives change roles

Aleksander Myszka has been appointed to the board of directors at the Polish national commercial station Polsat. At the same time, Miroslaw Blaszczyk has assumed the position of chairman, held by Myszka since 1995. Myszka is one of the founder members of Polsat, which made its debut as a satellite-delivered service, before securing a national [...]

BBC on-demand gets Trust go-ahead

The BBC Trust has given the green light to a series of proposals for on demand services including the much delayed iPlayer. Over 10,500 individuals and organisations responded to the BBC’s first Public Value Test. Commenting on the approval Diane Coyle, BBC Trustee and Chair of the Trust’s PVT Steering Group, said: “Thanks to the [...]

Maltacom extends IPTV offer

Maltacom is to extend the offer of a free set-top box to its telephony customers after the telco added 15,000 subscribers to its IPTV service. The offer will now run through until June 30. Maltacom entered the digital TV market after it acquired rival Multiplus in February. The company has subsequently undertaken a major market [...]

BSkyB faces 14% churn

City analysts are estimating that BSkyB could be about to announce the loss of 14% of its subscriber base. It is believed that the third quarter results due to be announced on Wednesday could see levels of churn at their highest point for more than ten years. Brokers Citigroup are forecasting churn in the three [...]

One million use Channel 4 downloads

More than one million viewers have accessed Channel 4’s VOD offering 4oD since its launch six months ago. 20 million programmes have been downloaded bringing a small windfall of £500,000 to the independent producers whose content is makes up the service. Channel 4 had promised the £500,000 figure would be raised after about a year, [...]

France 24 hires strategy director

France 24 has appointed Frank Melloul as its strategy and international development director. 33-year old Melloul will be responsible for worldwide research, target analysis, funding strategy and analysis of the international environment and new media technology at the international news network. Melloul will report to France 24 CEO Alain de Pouzilhac. He has previously held [...]

CTC Media revenues rise

Russia’s CTC Media has posted total operating revenues of $104,121,000 (€76,293,094) for Q1 2007, or 31.4% more than in the corresponding period in 2006. At the same time, its net income was up by 24.1% to $28,123,000. CTC Media, which lists Sweden’s Modern Times Group (MTG) as a 40% shareholder, saw the audience share for [...]

UPC starts Polish web TV service

According to local reports, UPC Polska has launched a trial web TV service known as UPC Live TV. Delivered to its triple play customers’ computer screens in Warsaw, it streams six channels – Animal Planet, CNN, Discovery Channel, MiniMini, National Geographic and TVN24 – with a seventh (Zip Zap/Hyper) to be added shortly. A similar [...]