NCTA – LAS VEGAS. The History Channel and Starz will soon launch HD versions in the United States. History Channel HD will launch in September, when the 24-hour service will become available on DTH provider DirecTV. The new channel will simulcast the network’s entire lineup of original, nonfiction programming and specials. Premium movie provider Starz […]
YouTube to pay content providers
YouTube has launched a programme that will pay content providers on the site. The company will reward contributors of popular YouTube channels on the same playing field as large media partners such as the big studios. “A select group of content creators will get promotion on the YouTube platform, and we will help them monetize […]
Warner joins Joost line-up
Warner Bros. television said it will make selected television programmes available for the Joost online video service. The studio will launch a science fiction and a celebrity channel later this month. After an earlier similar deal announced with Turner Broadcasting System this is the second content agreement with a Time Warner company. Earlier Joost also […]
New owner for Polish Superstacja
The tabloid-style Polish channel Superstacja is understood to have found a new backer. According to local reports, a company named Ster and with close links to Polsat has acquired a 50% stake in the channel for a fee believed to be in the region of PLN10-12 million (€2.67-3.21 million). Superstacja made its debut in November […]
Playboy Polska finally launches
The Polish national commercial broadcaster Polsat has launched a new adult channel named Playboy Polska. According to local reports, the Hotbird-delivered service is unencrypted, though not available to viewers. However, it will shortly make its debut on Cyfrowy Polsat and is also expected to secure carriage on several cable networks. Playboy Polska was granted a […]
Cumbrian crawling captions spell the end of analogue
If they weren’t aware of digital switchover already, viewers in the town of Whitehaven in Cumbria will this week see crawling captions on the four analogue terrestrial channels available in the area. The messages, lasting for about one minute, will appear intermittently on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1 and Channel 4 from May 8. They […]
Russian platform expands offer
The Russian digital platform Tricolor TV, which is delivered by Eutelsat’s W4 to 800,000 homes, has added 12 new channels to its line-up. Operated by the National Broadcasting Company, the platform made its debut in November 2005 as a subscription-free service, initially offering a digital package of 15 Russian national and regional channels for only […]
Continued growth forecast for STB market
Pay-TV services are fuelling a global demand for set-top boxes that is expected to reach an annual 120 million units by 2011, according to new research from Understanding & Solutions. The figures exclude digital terrestrial adaptors and free-to-air satellite receivers. Understanding & Solutions is predicting that the market will be sustained by the maturing digital […]
European VOD services take off
According to a study published by the French Directorate for the Development of the Media and European Audiovisual Observatory, there were 142 VOD services – excluding ones devoted solely to music and adult content – operating in 24 European markets as of the end of last year. When free access services, those launched this year […]
Akado revenues rise sharply
Moscow CableCom Corp has posted total revenues of $23,866,000 (€17,656,966) for 2006, or 125.1% more than for the previous year. Those for Q4 2006 were meanwhile up by 144.3% year-on-year to $8,696,000. The company, which provides broadband services in the Russian capital under the brand name Akado and is backed by Renova Media, puts its […]