Sony Pictures Television International has launched Animax, its Japanese anime channel, in a version for mobile phones in Australia and will also shortly launch in Canada. The Animax Mobile channel started this week on Australia’s 3 mobile and is set to launch in Canada on Bell Mobility in July. Animax will offer a two-hour loop […]
UK channels plan IPTV downloads
The big three terrestrial broadcasters are looking at the launch of a joint video download service. BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are investigating at DTT-IPTV hybrid boxes to provide a selection of their most popular programmes on demand. “Project Kangaroo” would also invite other broadcasters to participate in the scheme. Last September the BBC announced […]
Autumn call for French mobile TV
The CSA has said it will advertise for applicants for a mobile TV service in October this year. It follows the consultation by the French regulator over the provision of ‘télévision mobile personnelle (TMP)’ services in the UHF band, sitting alongside the existing digital terrestrial channels, serving the principal cities and covering around 30% of […]
News Corp. gains Polish reprieve
Poland’s National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) has decided that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. does not control TV Puls. As a result, it will not withdraw the regional station’s licence. At issue was the ownership of a company named TV Inwestycje, which controls 70% of TV Puls, with the remaining stakes being held by the Franciscan Brothers […]
Fall launch for German gay channel
Germany will see the launch of its first ever TV channel aimed at gay people. Owned by Deutsche Fernsehwerke GmbH (DFW), a company headed by Frank Lukas, Timm will be a free-to-air cable and satellite service, also delivered over the Internet. It will be funded entirely by adverting and is expected to launch in Germany […]
New Svyazinvest structure mooted
A new ownership structure has been proposed for the leading Russian telco Svyazinvest. Supported by the IT and communications minister Leonid Reiman, it is reported to be transferring some of the shares of the company into the long-distance operator Rostelecom. In practice, this would result in the government’s stake in the telco being reduced to […]
Portugal completes DVB-H trial
The Portuguese broadcaster TV1 and mobile operator Vodafone have successfully completed a DVB-H trial. It consisted of eight live channels broadcast to users with Samsung receivers and used Thomson’s SmartVision interactive service platforms and mobile TV head end products, Argos mobile TV encoders and Opal DVB-H IP encapsulators. Portugal is arguably better placed than many […]
Dutch broadcasters to lose TV listing monopoly
A 40-year battle over the sharing of schedule information between the Dutch public broadcasters and commercial publishers seems likely to be drawn to a close. A parliamentary majority is expected to vote for a new law that will force the broadcasters to share their schedule information with other publishers. Currently the broadcasters only allow other […]
Ofcom issues new broadcast licences
Arsenal TV is one of a new batch of television services licensed by Ofcom in May. The North London football club will join Manchester United’s MUTV and Chelsea TV in offering a pay-TV channel for their fans. Also receiving a licence is Sky Sports HD 3. It follows the recent appearance of Sky Sports HD […]
ITV expands Astra capacity
ITV has taken a further half transponder on the Astra satellite system at 28.2 degrees East. It brings the number of transponders used by the UK commercial broadcaster to six and follows the increased use of enhanced television services. The new capacity will be made available on Astra 2C, which is finally being moved to […]