Fox Entertainment’s FX service is to launch a high definition service in the next few months. The channel has received a licence from Ofcom as part of the latest batch of services to be authorised by the regulator. At the same time, National Geographic Channel has received a licence for an HD service it plans […]
Finnish cable gets analogue extension
The Finnish transport and telecommunications ministry has said that it is prepared to grant cable operators an extension if they are unable to upgrade all their subscribers to digital TV. The ministry said that it would allow digital signals to be converted back to analogue until February 2008 if less than 85% of cable households […]
Dutch regulator struggles to control dominance
The Dutch telecoms regulator OPTA has long been at loggerheads with the European Commission, trying to regulate what it sees as market dominance by the cable operators. The EC sees no need for regulation of the cable industry. Cable industry representatives speaking at the Dutch national conference Kabel in de 21e Eeuw were pleased with […]
ICSTIS beefs up quiz TV rules
Britain’s premium rate services regulator ICSTIS has published a new set of rules designed to boost public confidence in TV quiz services. The rules, which will come into force in four weeks time, are designed to give viewers a better understanding of their chances of getting through to the programmes and give them clear information […]
Sir Michael Lyons appointed BBC Chairman
Sir Michael Lyons has been named as the new chairman of the BBC Trust, Downing Street has announced. Sir Michael will take up his post as head of the BBC’s governing body on May 1, replacing Michael Grade, who defected from the corporation to join ITV. “It is a great privilege to be appointed Chairman […]
UK digital TV networks consolidated
Arqiva has bought National Grid Wireless (NGW), bringing together the privatised transmission arms of both the former IBA and the BBC, in a deal worth £2.5 billion (€3.69 billion). NGW, headquartered in Warwick, comprises a national communications infrastructure network that provides broadcast transmission services for BBC television and radio, hosts wireless sites for major mobile […]
Le Figaro joins regional licence bid
The French daily Le Figaro has lent its support to NextRadioTV, one of a number of smaller French broadcasters, which are bidding for a DTT licence in the Ile-de-France region. Le Figaro is taking a 10% stake in NextRadioTV’s BFM Paris TV channel. The remainder of the shares will stay with NextRadioTV. The channel is […]
Gentiloni says DTT frequencies will be released
Italy’s minister of communications Paolo Gentiloni has said the digital switchover process will include the advertising of released spectrum to new operators. The minister was speaking in response to a question from Mediaset, which has announced plans to use capacity in the Cagliari region currently used by Raidue and Rete 4 for test transmissions in […]
Walloon cable consolidates
VOO, a consortium of Brutélé and ALE, is to acquire the other eight cable operators in the French-speaking half of Belgium in a deal worth at least €475 million. The operators are controlled by the municipalities in partnership with utility company Electrabel, now owned by France’s Suez. Attempts to create a single Walloon triple-play provider, […]
BT requested Sky access after Ofcom complaint
BT has been accused of jumping the gun after it emerged that its complaint to Ofcom over access to Sky content for its fledgling IPTV service came before it had even requested the material. The complaint from BT, Virgin Media, Setanta Sports and Top Up TV was made in January. However, Sky told the Daily […]