The Samsung TV Plus service has revealed what it calls a transformative updated reimagination of how viewers discover and enjoy content. It now looks a lot like other online video services, with a personalised home screen. That is in itself an achievement. It is aiming to compete in the same league as Netflix for the attention of viewers.
Read more…

Paramount has a new boss and leadership team following the merge with Skydance Corporation. David Ellison, the 42-year-old son of the billionaire co-founder of Oracle Corporation, takes over as chief executive of Paramount, which includes Paramount+, Pluto TV, the CBS network, pay television networks including MTV and Nickelodeon, and somewhere among them the British public service broadcaster Channel 5, now known simply as 5. How that fits in is unclear.
Read more…

The BBC is apparently planning a simple online video adapter to enable a transition to online television delivery, designed specifically for people who find existing user interfaces too confusing. The project was referenced in the announcement of a report published on the importance of digital inclusion, although the report made no reference to the plan. It appears that this is separate to the Freely streaming box recently announced by Netgem.
Read more…

The former chair of the DVB Project, Peter MacAvock, is joining the Service List Registry advisory board to support its mission simplify television and video viewing. SLR provides a global online platform that aims to make it easy for anyone to discover audiovisual media and access any service over any network, on any screen. The SLR Unified Service Platform implements the DVB-I specification developed by the DVB Project to support online service discovery.
Read more…

The European Media Freedom Act is now in force, described as a landmark for press freedom in the European Union. One of its provisions, a right of customisation of the media offering on devices and interfaces, such as connected televisions, will come into force in May 2027. It will enable users to change the default settings to reflect their own preferences.
Read more…

Hulu, now wholly owned by the Walt Disney Company, will be fully integrated into the Disney+ app in 2026, although apparently it will still be possible to buy separate Hulu and Disney+ subscriptions. Both services will be on a single technology platform. Hulu will meanwhile replace the Star tile on Disney+ outside the United States. ESPN will launch as a direct-to-consumer app soon, with an initial bundle deal with Disney+ and Hulu.
Read more…