CNN is to launch its new CNN Mobile service at the 3GSM show in Barcelona on Monday (February 12). The service is the first fruit of its collaboration with Ericsson and, significantly, will be delivered free to consumers. It goes live at 12.00 CET when correspondent Jim Boulden will file a ‘live via phone’ piece […]
RCS buys Spanish DTT operator VEO
Italy’s RCS Media Group is close to taking control of the Spanish digital operator VEO TV after agreeing to purchase Recoletos, publisher of the daily business newspaper Expansión, in a €828 million deal. Currently RCS and Recoletos each hold a 27.7% share in the fledgling operator, which has 80% coverage of the country, and runs […]
S&T launches MHEG company
Interactive TV specialist Strategy & Technology has spun off a new company serving the MHEG engine market. The MHEG-5 middleware has been used on the UK’s digital terrestrial platform since the launch of On Digital in 1997. However, with costly licensing issues still surrounding the MHP middleware, operators have begun to look elsewhere. Last October […]
3 strikes Silver with mobile film channel distribution
Silver has become the first film channel in Europe to be distributed on mobile phones. It follows a deal between the Swedish arm of mobile company 3 and Silver’s distributor Stockholm-based NonStop Television. The deal also includes the entertainment channel Star and both channels will be available in Sweden through 3’s multimedia service X-series. “NonStop […]
Clover’s Week: Entertaining the masses
The cable business has come of age, and the executives who met at the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam this week can rightfully be pleased with themselves. Julian Clover reports Four years ago the Broadband TV News team met for breakfast in the Marriott Hotel, Prague. As we tucked into our croissants the statue of Saddam […]
Tandberg reveals bid process
Tandberg Television has given details of the process that led to the January 15 announcement was to be sold to the US cable technology supplier Arris. The statement followed concerns from shareholders and the market. Deutsche Bank has advised Tandberg on exploring strategic opportunities since 2002, but the key date was September 6, 2006, when […]
Premiere in Arena alliance
German pay-TV provider Premiere has reached a new marketing and distribution agreement with rival Arena. The pact, which sees Arena take a 16.7% stake in the company, will also return live coverage of the Bundesliga to Premiere screens. “Premiere is once again the home of Bundesliga for fans – and with more options to view […]
BBC expands Freeview multiscreen
The BBC has confirmed that it is adding two new services to its news multiscreen on the Freeview platform. Sports headlines and the UK weather forecast will join the two existing news screens from the end of February. It follows the recent improvement in statistical multiplexing within the BBC’s DTT multiplexes, which also led to […]
Sky launches MPEG-4 DTT pay service
Sky has announced plans to launch a package of pay-TV channels on the UK’s digital terrestrial platform. The new service will include Premiership football coverage in competition with Setanta Sports, which has secured two of the six Premiership packages from the start of next season, and is available on DTT through the Top Up TV […]
Virgin launches free VOD ‘channel’
Virgin Media is to launch what it is describing as a TV channel with a difference. In reality Virgin Central is a free video on demand service that will be available to subscribers of the rebranded cable operator. Included on Virgin Central will be episodes from The OC, Nip/Tuck, West Wing, Little Britain; Grey’s Anatomy, […]