Digest

Mike Fries, president and CEO,Liberty Global, will join the TV Summit of the international exhibition and congress ANGA COM. Read the story »

The BBC has issued a warning to BSkyB that it may begin charging the satellite platform for the retransmission of its channels. Read the story »

Video engine Blinkx has announced a dedicated blinkx app, as well as an open source blinkx Video Player for the Tizen community. Read the story »

At mid-year, all six channels from Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland will be streamed live on the internet platform Zattoo. Read the story »

The FilmBox Live platform has been made available to 40,000 Netia Player customers in Poland. Read the story »

BBC iPlayer has failed to translate brand awareness into an awareness of the benefits of using of the service. Read the story »

 

Smart TVs accounted for less than 1% of on demand viewing on RTL Group?s services last year, according to Rhys Noelke, VP, business development. Read the story »

The Lithuanian incumbent TEO is giving subscribers of its Interactive GALA TV service the option of choosing their own package of favourite TV channels. Read the story »

Microsoft has unveiled its new game console and successor to Xbox 360 the XBox One. Microsoft stressed the Xbox One's ability as a device for accessing live TV, music and internet services as much as its gaming prowess. The console also includes features such as voice and gesture control, and is more powerful than its predecessor. "Xbox One is designed to deliver a whole new generation of blockbuster games, television and entertainment in a powerful, all-in-one device," said Don Mattrick…

Freeview viewers in parts of Devon, Dorset and Cornwall will need to retune their TV equipment on Wednesday, 5 June as local airwaves are cleared for the roll-out of faster mobile broadband. Technical changes at the Beacon Hill, Stockland Hill, Caradon Hill and Redruth transmitter groups, affecting 270,000 homes in the Plympton, Newton Abbott, Budleigh Salterton, Brixham and Truro areas, will free up frequencies for the future introduction of 4G mobile services. TV services will be subj…

Ireland?s Magnet Networks chose to go down the OTT route as it couldn?t compete with the likes of UPC and Sky, according to Philippe Brodeur, director Aertv. Read the story »

Manuel Gil has been named general manager of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Spain where he will oversee the strategic direction of VIMN?s extensive portfolio of brands and businesses across Spain. Read the story »

 

Freeview viewers in the East Midlands will need to retune their TV equipment on 29 May as local airwaves are cleared for the roll-out of 4G mobile broadband. Technical changes at the Waltham transmitter group, affecting 815,000 homes, will free up frequencies for the future introduction of 4G mobile services. Between now and the end of 2013, similar upgrades will be made in other areas of the UK to prepare for 4G. TV services will be subject to disruption from midnight as channels includ…

Freeview viewers in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire will need to retune their TV equipment on 29 May as local airwaves are cleared for the roll-out of 4G mobile broadband. Technical changes at the Oxford transmitter group, affecting 409,000 homes, will free up frequencies for the future introduction of 4G mobile services. Between now and the end of 2013, similar upgrades will be made in other areas of the UK to prepare for 4G. TV services will be subject to disruption from mid…

 

SimulTV today launched an online TV-viewing app which combines live cable television, interactive video, text and voice chat, popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and online search on a single screen. The version launched today is a beta version with plans on a general release for June 2013. The app allows users to place their choice of social components to any location on the TV, tablet, smartphone, computer or game console screen they are using to watch TV from SimulTV's …

A new report by Juniper Research estimates that 2 billion mobile and tablet users will watch TV and video on their devices by 2017. This is due to the increasing popularity of short, shareable video clips as well as the growing number of connected devices, so the report. The 'Mobile/Tablet TV & Video: Content, Broadcast & OTT Strategies 2013/2017' examines how an increasing number of devices are being used as primary screens when consuming TV and video content. The research further sugge…

 

Research published by Parks Associates today revealed that 26% of US broadband households own a smart TV and 46% own at least one set-top box. Further, 63% of smart TV owners connect their device to the internet with 79% of them using the TV to watch online video on a monthly basis, so the report. "Mobility is a key part of the connected home, with the average broadband user watching 1.6 hours of video on a mobile phone each week," said Stuart Sikes, president, Parks Associates. "Our res…