Countries are now competing to be the first to launch a national television platform based on the DVB-I specification for service discovery. The Bavarian regulator has published its framework for the commercial deployment of DVB-I in the German market, expected to be launched at the IFA trade show in September. Freeview New Zealand is planning to be the first nationwide free-to-air television platform to use the standard. The race is on.
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Roku has launched the first significant update of its home screen in over a decade. It introduces a more dynamic presentation guided by user behaviour. Apparently, no two viewers will see the same home screen. The new design is available on all Roku televisions and devices in the United States and will roll out elsewhere in the coming months.
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For the first time, over 70% of homes in the United Kingdom have access to an online video subscription service. For some time, the proportion had bounced around two-thirds of homes. Although recent rises are incremental, with a year-on-year increase of about 700,000 homes, the percentage of all homes is psychologically significant.
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Freeview New Zealand is to launch Freeview NextGen, which is on track to be the first nationwide free-to-air television platform built on the global DVB-I standard. Freeview NextGen will deliver services over the internet while maintaining the familiar experience of television channels.
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Sky and ITV are coming close to a deal that would see the Comcast-owned company acquire the leading commercial television broadcaster in the United Kingdom. ITV has confirmed that it is still in active discussions with Sky. ITV News carried an exclusive saying that sources suggest an agreement could be reached within weeks.
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Larger online video services in the United Kingdom will for the first time be held to content and accessibility standards that are similar to those for broadcast television. The communications regulator Ofcom has published a new draft code that will bring Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ under its oversight for the first time.
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