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 […]
New video from the Amsterdam Cable Congress
More videos from the recent Cable Congress in Amsterdam have now been added to the Resources section of the Broadband TV News website. Included are George Stromeyer, Vice-President & Managing Director, Scientific Atlanta Europe; Koen Swings, managing partner, Zappware; Paul Entwhistle, chief technologist, intellectual property, Pace Micro Technology; and Ramin Farassat, vice president, product marketing […]
Trade Secretary launches Sky-ITV investigation
Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling is to rule on whether BSkyB’s purchase of a 17.9% stake in ITV was against the public interest. Darling has asked Ofcom to hold an inquiry into last autumn’s purchase by BSkyB in the wake of plans by the then NTL Telewest to make its own takeover of Britain’s […]
Arris evaluates Ericsson Tandberg offer
Arris Group has said the company is evaluating Ericsson’s bid for Tandberg Television following Monday’s surprise bid for the technology company. In a statement Arris said it was currently assessing its options but would be making no further comment. Ericsson’s SKr9.8 billion (€1.05bn) all cash offer for Tandberg represents a 10.4% increase over the offer […]
Virgin secures non-exclusive rights to Lost
Virgin Media has agreed to non-exclusive rights to Buena Vista International Television’s Lost. The extension to an existing agreement with BVITV means that Series 1 and 2 of Lost, screened last year by Channel 4, will be available from the end of August. The third series will be available later this year following the completion […]
Can Virgin drop Sky Three when it’s not being carried?
Virgin Media’s dispute with Sky over the carriage of its basic channels has focused on the flagship channels of Sky One and Sky News. However, there are other Sky branded channels that were not offered even before the current dispute erupted, and these include Sky Three and Sky Arts (the recently rebranded Artsworld). Sky Three […]
CSA extends mobile TV consultation
The French media regulator CSA has put back the date for the completion of its consultation into mobile TV by two weeks. The second phase of the consultation including a call for candidates began on January 17, 2007, following a plenary meeting of the regulator, and ahead of the National Assembly’s revision of French broadcasting […]
BSkyB: “Real possibility of no agreement” in Virgin dispute
BSkyB has issued a robust defence of its negotiations with Virgin Media over the carriage of channels on Virgin Media. “Despite the constructive approach adopted by Sky throughout these negotiations, the recent behaviour of Virgin Media appears at odds with a genuine desire to conclude a commercial agreement and at this time there exists the […]
VideoGuard to deploy on Kabel BW
NDS has secured its first deployment of the VideoGuard content protection system in Germany. Kabel BW will deploy the system later this year in the southwestern state of Baden Würtemberg. The migration to the NDS system is expected to be complete by the end of the third quarter. Later, Kabel BW will introduce a series […]
Ericsson makes Tandberg counterbid
Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson has announced a counterbid for Tandberg Television valuing the company at SKr9.8 billion (€1.05bn). The cash offer puts a mark up of 10.4% on the previous bid for the company made in January by Arris. Ericsson has already accrued a holding of 11.7% of Tandberg’s share capital and has irrevocable acceptances […]