German public broadcaster ZDF has rolled out its current affairs and consumer interest channel ZDF.infokanal across the country. The channel is part of the ZDF mux on DTT and has replaced ZDF.digitext, an MHP enhanced information service. Apparently, insufficient interest in MHP applications has motivated ZDF to offer a proper TV channel rather than a […]
Puls TV starts Astra transmissions
The Viennese local commercial broadcaster Puls TV has started distribution via the Astra satellite. The station has been available since Monday with free-to-air transmissions. The channel has also been named as one of the six new channels to go on the second Austrian DTT mux later this year. Salzburg TV, another regional broadcaster in the […]
Burch quits Virgin Media
Virgin Media CEO Steve Burch has left the cablenet after only 18 months. A company statement said that Burch had decided to return to the United States for personal and family reasons. He will also step down from Virgin Media’s board. Neil Berkett, Virgin Media’s COO, will take over as acting CEO while a replacement […]
Launch of RTL8 with BCE
RTL Nederland has expanded its TV channel offer with the launch of RTL8. The new channel will be available, like the other Dutch RTL channels, on the Canal Digitaal DTH bouquet, on DTT in The Netherlands, through cable operators in the Netherlands and over DTT in Luxembourg. The decision to launch the new channel was […]
2008 deployment for KPN wireless broadband
Dutch incumbent telco KPN says it is currently trialling two wireless broadband access technologies in the rural province of Drente. KPN is evaluating a WiMax system from Samsung and an HSPA system produced by its current mobile telephony network vendor Ericsson. According to the operator, results are promising enough to announce it will launch a […]
Narrowstep launches mountainbike channel
Narrowstep, the Internet TV company, said it launchedl new Internet TV channel dedicated to the world of mountain biking, called MTBcut. This new channel will bring together film makers from around the world to deliver mountain bike footage ever caught on tape. Historically, mountain biking enthusiasts would have to wait up to a year after […]
HD support for Flash players
Adobe today announced the latest update for their Flash player 9 software, code-named Moviestar, which now includes H.264 standard video support and High Efficiency AAC (HE-AAC) audio support, as well as hardware accelerated, multi-core enhanced full screen video playback. This will enable the delivery of HD television quality and premium audio content through the Adobe […]
Four candidates for French DTT-HD
The CSA has said that four broadcasters have submitted applications for the launch of an HD service on the terrestrial transmitter network. Three channels are planned to be free-to-air, from TF1, M6 and Groupe AB, the fourth channel is a proposed HD service from Canal+. AB plans to broadcast its nature and wildlife documentary channel […]
Off the Fence bags Russian deals
The independent production and distribution company Off the Fence has announced a number of sales of its factual programming to three Russian broadcasters. Kultura has acquired Real Atlantis and Guge – The Lost Kingdom of Tibet, and RTR Young & Wild and Fantastic Food Factories. NTS has meanwhile bought a package of 15 hours of […]
Channel 4 launch spurs EPG rejig
Channel 4 has launched its timeshifted +1 service, the first of the big five channels to do so, in the process reshuffling its position on the Sky Guide EPG. The public corporation has taken the positions in the 130s previously occupied by Life TV. It means that the new Channel 4+1 at 135 is followed […]