Mobile TV has suffered another blow after top French commercial channel TF1 announced it was shutting down its mobile TV services. TF1 Mobile launched last May, but five months on the service failed to reach more than 60,000 subscribers, despite rival services attracting significantly higher levels.
Last April, TF1 chief executive Patrick Le Lay said he anticipated TF1 Mobile would eventually reach 300,000 subscribers.
TF1’s satellite platform TPS has now completed its merger with the Vivendi’s CanalSat. However, the broadcaster now has plans to launch up to ten thematic channels into the French market. (JC)
The problem with the phrase ‘mobile TV’ is that it’s inherently misleading…
Mobile TV needs to be seperated into two distinct and seperate services:
Broadcast TV on mobiles (full-form TV place-shifted to mobiles) and on-demand uni-cast streaming (over 2.5G or 3G).
Broadcast TV has a low value in the eyes of consumers whilst on-demand mobile TV has a much higher value.