Versions of Sci-Fi Channel and 13th Street have been licensed by Ofcom for carriage in the Benelux. The two stations have been issued with television broadcast licences. Another broadcaster using the UK as its base is Discovery Channel and the network has received a new licence for Spain and Portugal. Also receiving a licence from […]
Slovak stations agree digital strategy
According to a local report, the leading Slovak stations STV, TV Markiza and TA3 have jointly agreed to use a common multiplex of frequencies during the transfer to digital broadcasting. A new law on digital broadcasting is due to be passed in Slovakia in the first half of this year and come into effect at […]
Digital homes driving Astra DTH reach
SES Astra has said the satellite system now reaches over 109 million households across 35 countries. The figures, taken in early 2007 as part of the annual Satellite Monitor, shows that 47.2 million homes receive their signals directly from the satellite representing an increase of 2.2 million compared to the previous year. The remainder receive […]
Dublin DVB-H trial underway
The first consumer trial of mobile TV in Ireland got underway in Dublin Wednesday. The trial is being conducted by the mobile operator O2 and the transmission company Arqiva. The 350 participants, selected from the O2 customer base in Greater Dublin, will have access to a package of 13 channels including RTE1, RTE2, TV3, Sky […]
Hungarian Internet market takes off
Data published by the Hungarian Statistical Office (KSH) shows that at the end of 2006 there were 1.292 million Internet subscriptions in the country, or 32.3% more than in the corresponding period in 2005. XDSL connections (597,331) accounted for almost half of the total, followed by cable modems (374,647) and wireless (214,215), the remainder being […]
LUXE.tv becomes first Mid East HD channel
Arabsat has added the luxury lifestyle channel LUXE.tv to the line-up of the BADR-4 satellite at 26 degrees East. The launch of the HD channel was announced on the Arabsat stand at the Cable and Satellite show currently taking place in July. Luxe.tv becomes the first HD channel to be made available directly to the […]
CME eyes Russia’s Muz-TV
According to an unconfirmed local report, the US investment company CME is engaged in talks to buy the Russian music channel in a deal that could be worth up to $200 million (€152.6 million). Muz-TV is currently owned by Ars Holding and competes directly with MTV Russia. Ars Holding’s interests include the radio station Love-Radio, […]
Canal launches entry level digital pack
CanalSat is introducing a new digital package replicating the French DTT line-up. The new service will go live on June 15 using the Astra satellite network at 19 degrees East and will carry 18 of the channels included on the ‘TNT’ system. The pack is designed to supplement the largely metropolitan coverage of the existing […]
Tandberg backs Ericsson offer
The Board of Directors of Tandberg Television ASA said Wednesday that the digital television systems vendor is now recommending the voluntary offer made by Ericsson to acquire all outstanding shares in the company. The offer was launched February 26 2007, competing with an offer by Arris, recommended by the Tandberg board on January 15. To […]
Digital channels cheer ITV
The hard-pressed UK commercial broadcaster ITV saw its total revenue in 2006 fall by 0.7% to £2,181 million (€3,205 million), while its net advertising revenues were down by 8% to £1,494 million. Although its flagship channel ITV1’s ad income fell by 12.5% in 2006, its digital services, though accounting for only around 10% of revenue, […]