GlobeCast and France 24 have announced that they will launch an exploratory HbbTV service in early 2012 with the support of Orange and SES.
The service, to be offered to France 24 satellite viewers, initially in Western Europe, will add a layer of interactivity to satellite TV programming by harnessing the capability of connected TVs.
Throughout 2012, participating satellite TV viewers will use their connected televisions to interact with France 24’s linear and non-linear programming via their broadband connection. No additional equipment or hardware will be required, but a connected TV set will be needed.
GlobeCast will use its broadcast experience and knowledge of connected television to lead this experiment. It will also provide ground services and uplink from its Paris technical operations centre. The satellite feed will be delivered via the Astra satellite at 19.2 degrees East.
Orange will use the Content Delivery Network (CDN) expertise of its smart networks programme to drive the broadband delivery of this service. The test should provide valuable insight towards building broadcast offers that combine the power and reliability of traditional broadcast delivery with the new possibilities offered by the latest CDNs.
Frank Melloul, head of strategy, development and public affairs at France 24, said “France 24 is present on five continents, reaching tens of millions of households around the world in three different languages. With this project, we’ve taken a step towards ensuring that all of these viewers have the same ability to interact with our programming.”
Philippe Rouxel, CMO of GlobeCast said, “We’re now finally seeing the convergence of broadcast and the internet. As a next-generation provider of broadcast services, GlobeCast will remain at the forefront of this movement. In this new ‘connected’ world, we are helping our broadcast clients offer an interactive, high-quality experience to their viewers worldwide, regardless of delivery method.”
