May 2008

LATEST FREESAT NEWS

Freesat confirms launch date as May 6

The launch date for subscription-free satellite service Freesat has been confirmed as May 6.
The service, developed by the BBC and ITV, is designed to encourage takeup of free to air satellite in a manner similar to the success enjoyed by digital terrestrial's Freeview brand. Freesat's electronic programme guide, programme metadata and interactive services will operate entirely independently of those provided to Sky digiboxes, and pre-launch marketing materials from the service indicate that approximately 80 television and radio channels have obtained a Freesat EPG slot for launch.
Set-top receivers made to the Freesat spec, and to be marketed using the Freesat brand, will include a high definition model made by Humax; non-HD and HD models from Goodmans, Bush and Grundig; and various products from Panasonic. Other manufacturers will be licensed to make receiver products at a later stage.
The launch retailers for the service are Comet, Argos, John Lewis and DSG, whose outlets include Currys and PC World.
Prices are expected to range from around £55 for a standard definition set-top box and £130 for an HD model. Launch retailers will also arrange installation for an additional charge.
None are sanctioned to sell the receivers until May 6, though some people have managed to purchase product

ITV HD to be Freesat exclusive

Speculation is mounting today that ITV's new high definition service will be exclusive to Freesat.

Test transmissions for ITV HD are now being broadcast on Eurobird 1 at 11.428 GHz with horizontal polarisation, a symbol rate of 27500, and a service ID of 10510. However, the stream may not be viewed on Sky boxes, nor traditional free to air receivers, as the video stream is being broadcast as H.222 data rather than using the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec supported by such receivers and used by existing high definition services such as BBC HD.

Digital Spy forum members who receive digital satellite TV on their home computer have been able to view the stream after installing appropriate codecs. They report that the service information table for the 11.428H transponder is carrying, in addition to the ITV HD stream, data services named "FreesatHome", "FreesatCommonC", "FreesatSSU", and "FreesatOAD".

Freesat is making few public comments until the consumer launch of the new service on May 6, and ITV HD's launch date has yet to be officially confirmed. However, service ID 10510 has been confirmed as present in pre-launch Freesat EPG data, and ITV's online marketing material only advertises it as being "available on Freesat".

Sky edges closer to 9m subscribers

Sky has recorded 56,000 net customer additions in the three months to March 31 - a 10% improvement on the same period last year - bringing its total number of subscribers to 8.89m.

Of those, 3.39m are Sky+ users, with 262,000 customers having signed up to the personal video recorder service in the third quarter. Sky's high definition product gained 43,000 subscribers, taking it to a total 465,000.

Sky also recorded its lowest third quarter customer churn in four years of 10%. The company has been aiming to reduce the rate at which subscribers leave for several years. The average revenue per user was £424, up from £421 in the previous quarter.

Revenue for the year so far has increased by 10% to £3.71bn, while operating profit is down 18% to £504m. The firm has invested £127m in broadband and telephony and £20m in purchasing Easynet during the period.

The overall loss for the nine months to March 31 was £118m, down from a £388m profit for the same period in the previous year largely because of Sky's stake in ITV. The company has recorded a £474m impairment loss as ITV's share price continues to decline.

Sky credited its gains to a stronger uptake of premium products such as Sky+ and HD, and the introduction of a cross-product installation charge.

"A reduction in short-term viewing package discounts and the implementation of an installation charge across all products are contributing to the long-term health of the business," it said. "While these actions impact gross additions, the benefits can be seen in customer loyalty, with third quarter churn of 10.5% at its lowest level for four years, and good growth in ARPU, which reached £424."

Chief executive Jeremy Darroch said: "We are reporting a strong set of results today. We are delivering for customers through a combination of great quality, value and service. As a result, more customers are choosing Sky, they are more satisfied and they are taking more products than ever before.

"In the third quarter, despite a difficult consumer environment, customer growth increased by 10% on last year and third-quarter churn was at a four-year low.

"The success of our strategy is reflected in our financial performance. Revenue growth of 10%, increased quarterly profitability and reducing broadband losses put us on track to achieve our targets."

Sky mopped up Copeland analogue refugees

Sky targeted Copeland with marketing teams as it became the first area in the UK where analogue terrestrial signals were switched off, a report has revealed.

The satellite broadcaster picked up 38% of those who converted to digital television around switchover last autumn, according to research by Digital UK, which is overseeing the switch-off.

Sky increased its share of primary sets in the area, on Cumbria's west coast, to 77%, up from 66%, during the period.

"Sky conducted significant marketing activity in the area before the switchover, and panel interviews indicate that some may have regarded Sky as a safe option in case anything 'went wrong' with the terrestrial switchover," noted Digital UK in its review of the process at Copeland.

Just 5% of the conversions to Sky were on its non-subscription product, Freesat from Sky, while only 2% of existing Sky homes in Copeland said they were now likely to replace it with Freeview.

Before switchover, 30% of Copeland homes were analogue-only. The 62% of these households which did not join Sky bought Freeview equipment. In future analogue DTT viewers will have the option of taking up Freesat, the non-subscription satellite service from ITV and the BBC.

June 2007

Sky to drop Sky+ subscription fee

Sky is to drop the £10 Sky+ subscription fee from July 1.

Announced by the Sky+ Team see below, the charge will still apply to multiroom subscribers and for Sky+ users who don't subscribe to Sky.

After July 1, new subscribers will be able to buy Sky+ for £99 with a 12 month Sky subscription and an installation charge of £30.

Sky+ Subscription

Many of you have feverently been discussing rumours that Sky is about to scrap the £10 monthly subscription charge for Sky+. Many of you have also requested that we confirm the rumours one way of the other, once and for all.
Well here goes. Its true!
We hope youll find answers to all your questions on this below...
When does it happen?
As of 1st July 2007, the Sky+ subscription charge of £10 will be removed for all Sky Digital customers subscribed to any Sky Digital package.
Does it depend on which package I subscribe to?
No, you will not have to pay a subscription charge for Sky+ after the 1st July, regardless of which Sky Digital package you subscribe to or how long youve been a customer with us.
How do I apply for this?
You dont need to do anything. If you currently pay for the Sky+ subscription you will receive notification by letter in the next few days. And after the 1st of July youll see a £10 saving from your monthly Sky bill.
What if I stop subscribing to Sky Digital?
Should you decide to stop subscribing to Sky Digital but still wish to use all the features of Sky+, you will need to start paying the £10 per month Sky+ subscription again. A Sky+ subscription is only free for Sky Digital package subscribers.
How does this affect HD customers?
It doesnt. Sky HD customers already have the Sky+ subscription charge waived, and will continue to do so after the 1st of July, as with all other Sky Digital subscribers.

Does this mean if I sign up to Sky now as a new customer I will get a free Sky+ box?
No.
If I am a Sky customer but dont have Sky+, how can I take advantage of this?
From 1st of July if you want Sky+, you can buy a Sky+ box for a one off charge of £99 with a 12 month Sky+ subscription, and an installation charge of £30.
How does this affect multi-room?
The multiroom subscription is unaffected and remains at £10 per month.
Why is Sky doing this?
Many of you have said that you want Sky+, but to get it, it needs to be more affordable. We believe that by removing the Sky+ subscription cost for Sky Digital customers, it will mean that more of you are able to enjoy the benefits of Sky+.
How can I find out more?
If you have any more questions please call the customer services team on 08702 43 24 80.
The Sky+ Team

£40m budget for Virgin 1 to take on Sky One

Virgin 1 will take on Sky One with a £40m programme budget and comprehensive on-demand catch-up options.

The free-to-air channel will launch on Freeview and cable this autumn, with extra on-demand for cable viewers and an ad-funded online on-demand service.

The channel will have a strong sci-fi and supernatural flavour with flagship series The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a spin-off from the Terminator film franchise.

Virgin 1 has also bought the entire Star Trek franchise, comprising 624 hours from the original series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise.

Virgin Media TV's managing director, Jonathan Webb, said: "Nearly all the growth in multichannel is coming from Freeview at the moment. Freeview has to be the answer to move the
business on and will be a relentless marketing machine for cable. All the glossy on-demand bits will be on cable and Virgin 1 will be a showcase for cable.

"According to our research, men are underserved by Freeview, so the channel will have a male inflection to it. That said, it is not a new Bravo and all shows will have elements that will attract women."

Exclusive new shows include The Leo Houlding Project, which follows a British rock-climbing prodigy as he takes five lazy Brits on an adrenaline-fuelled trip, and The Real Exorcist, a £4m documentary about an American priest obsessed with ridding Americans of their demons.

Broadcast reports that the shows will all be shown free-to-air on Freeview, but Virgin cable viewers will be able to get them through on-demand as previews, catch-ups and see exclusive DVD-style extras. However, since Virgin 1 will replace FTN, it will only be on Freeview from 6am to 6pm, until Virgin can buy more capacity.

24 coming to Sky Anytime

Sky is to make all six series of 24 available on its Sky Anytime on PC online download service.

Epsiodes will cost £1.50 to rent or £2.50 to own. New episodes of future series will also be made available the day after broadcast.

Sky has also announced it has secured on demand rights for season 1 and 2 of recent acquisition Prison Break plus Bones (Seasons 1 and 2), Standoff and 'catalogue titles' including Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Seasons 1 and 2).

Virgin sports news channel coming soon

Virgin cable viewers should have their own sports news channel to replace Sky Sports News by the end of this year.

Independent producer TWI is tipped to supply the channel, although Virgin is also working with Setanta Sport over a potential role.

Virgin Media boss Malcolm Wall said the channel will launch regardless of negotiations with Sky: "We are too far into the process not to go ahead with our own sports news channel."

Sky Sports News was taken off the Virgin platform when carriage negotiations for Sky's basic channels broke down on March 1.

Dixons calls time on standby

Dixons has called on the electronics industry to phase out standby and meet consumer demands for more efficient devices.

Dixons Store Group is planning to phase out standby modes on TVs, DVD players and other home entertainment equipment in stores like Currys and PC World, as well as its online outlets.

Chief executive John Clare yesterday called on manufacturers to banish the standby function, which accounts for around 10 per cent of the average household electricity bill.

Mr Clare said: "We are seeing more and more customers making buying decisions on the basis of energy efficiency."

"We must work together to offer more energy-efficient products, phase out, where possible, the stand-by function on electrical products, provide energy efficiency information to users, including energy efficient labelling for brown goods.

"From a retail perspective, the shift in customer behaviour is already beginning. The introduction of energy-efficiency labelling in our white goods ranges several years ago brought about a fundamental shift in buyer behaviour. I believe that the same will happen in the brown goods sector [TVs, DVD players, digital cameras, etc]."

Dixons could be a powerful force for change: it has 1,250 shops across Europe and produces the Matsui and Logic brands, as well as accounting for a major portion of sales by most electronics manufacturers.

The Independent reports that no date was set for the phase-out of standby, which could face a significant problem in the digital TV industry.

Most digital TV receivers, including TVs with built-in tuners, need to be left in standby - usually overnight - to receive vital software updates and channel list changes. Recording devices need to be in standby so they can turn themselves on to record. Standby power can reduced to 1W or less, but zero power use is unlikely.

Ofcom stands firm against Freeview HD

A senior Ofcom figure has re-affirmed the media regulator's intention to auction our analogue TV frequencies to the highest bidder.

Speaking to Media Guardian, Philip Rutnam said the plan to auction the so-called Digital Dividend was about viewer choice, not raising money for the Treasury.

Mr Rutnam, a former Treasury official who's now the leading partner on the development of Ofcoms spectrum policy, still disagrees with the findings of the DTG and HDforAll that there's no room for HD in the current Freeview multiplexes.

"It is not our objective to maximise or raise any particular amount of
proceeds," adds Mr Rutnam. "The motivation is all about bringing more choice to viewers. The heart of our job is to get to the nub of the arguments. That means discounting a lot of purely self-interested representation, and trying to understand what is really going to serve consumers and citizens best. Everybody sees this valuable resource coming up and they want a piece of it."

"It's important to remember that of the spectrum being released, 70% has already been awarded to the public-service broadcasters. That could have had other uses but for a generation it's reserved for them."

"We're not against intervention per se. But what we are saying is that any case for intervention has to be clear, compelling, tough-minded and transparent. The days when spectrum could be doled out by governments or regulators in a system of barter are gone. There are more and more ways of delivering public value."

"One of our priorities has been trying to change the way spectrum is
managed - much more flexible, much more responsive and much less
Soviet-style command and control, which is the historic way spectrum
has been managed."

"The driving force for this is to ensure the British consumer is not left behind the rest of Europe."

And he blithely dismissed the claims of Michael Grade, the BBC, the Digital Television Group, and TV manufacturers including Sony, that Ofcom's proposals for hi-def on Freeview are unworkable.

"Grade said the problems were insurmountable," he said. "In my experience
things are rarely insurmountable, if there is sufficient will to make them surmountable."

Digital dividend plan gets Ofcom's biggest response

Media regulator Ofcom has received around 600 responses to its plan to auction off TV spectrum released by the switch to digital broadcasting.

That's around 20 times the number of responses to the previous biggest consultations - the future of public service broadcasting and TV food advertising to children.

From a brief check, most of them seem to be about putting hi-def channels on Freeview, and most of those are in favour of a free HD service.

Ofcom said other subjects included local TV channels, wireless microphones for live entertainment, the timing of releasing channel 36, and holding back spectrum for possible future innovations or low-power applications.

TV and radio broadcasters have also weighed in, with Capital Radio's owner, GCap Media, rejecting the auction process. It said: "We recommend Ofcom allocates a proportion of the spectrum under market
forces with the balance under an applications process, whereby more
worthy and valuable to society options are enabled."

Broadcastnow reports that Five also criticised Ofcom's plan and asked for some spectrum to be resereved for hi-def: "To decide now to auction the available spectrum at the very time HD is
taking off as a consumer proposition means taking a once and for ever
irreversible decision that will prevent any spectrum being made
available for HD and depriving digital viewers of HD services for
evermore."

BBC will run Freeview HD test channel

The BBC wants to run a permanent Freeview hi-def pilot channel using existing capacity before analogue switch-off.

The BBC HD offering would run from 2am to 6am while other channels such as BBC Four and BBC Parliament are off-air.

The corporation hopes the hi-def teaser will generate enough pressure on Ofcom to give it space for a prime-time channel after analogue switch-off in 2012 - just in time for the Olympics.

The new Freeview scheme was revealed as the BBC Trust published full details of the BBC's HD channel proposal for its Public Value Test.

Satellite, cable and possibly internet viewers will be able to watch a daily hi-def channel from 3pm to midnight, as part of the main proposal.

It would be a mixed channel, drawing about half of its schedule from BBC One, 30 per cent from BBC Two, and the rest from BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC and CBeebies. The nine-hour day would be flexible for coverage of live sports or other major events.

BBC HD will launch on Sky and Virgin as soon as it wins approval, and would be part of Freesat from its launch in 2008. The Freeview teaser would launch in mid-2008, and an internet stream would be added to iPlayer when it is technically possible.

It will run for around four hours daily at launch, building to nine hours by 2009. MPEG-4 would be used for the satellite and Freeview services, but MPEG-2 would be used for cable.

The service is expected to cost around £21.4million per year in 2012, if it's running on Freeview as well as satellite. But that assumes Ofcom will give it low-cost access to extra Freeview cpaacity - the BBC says it can't afford to bid at a commercial level.

The BBC's full HD proposal is available at the BBC Trust website. The first four-week consultation runs until June 19, with provisional conclusions in September and a final decision planned for November.

Ofcom is also running a Market Impact Assessment into the BBC HD service, which will be used for the Trust's final decision.

DAB reaches five million in UK

More than five million DAB radios have been sold inthe UK according to the Digital Radio Development Bureau.

Electronics research group GfK has found that almost 10 million people are tuning into digital radio via DAB in the UK - or 18 per cent of the population.

The DAB figures contract with those for Freeview, which has achieved around 70 per cent market penetration. No date has been set for the switch-off of analogue radio services, and significant technical problems remain to achieving DAB coverage comparable to Freeview

April 2007

Digital switch gives boosts to DAB

More than 60,000 listeners in the Scottish Borders and Cumbria will be able to get BBC DAB radio stations as part of the switch to digital TV.

The BBC is commissioning new DAB transmitters as part of transmitter upgrades being made for the first two digital switch regions.

BBC chief operating officer, Caroline Thomson, said: "For many years, our digital radio coverage in Scotland and England has been separated. It's good news that we're now able to join up the two nations."

The towns of Whitehaven and Workington in Cumbria will get access to the BBC's DAB stations at the same time as Whitehaven residents are switched over to digital TV in Ocotber and November this year.

For the first time, they will be able to hear digital-only stations 1Extra, Five Live Sports Extra, 6 Music, BBC7 and BBC Asian Network, and well as the BBC's five national stations and BBC World Service.

A new transmitter is also being built at Selkirk in the Scottish Borders, where engineers have already completed a new transmitter for digital TV switchover in 2008.

However, the new digital radio transmitter should come online in winter 2007, offering the same new selection of BBC stations to residents of Melrose, Galashiels and Hawick.

Digital dividend plan gets Ofcom's biggest response

Media regulator Ofcom has received around 600 responses to its plan to auction off TV spectrum released by the switch to digital broadcasting.

That's around 20 times the number of responses to the previous biggest consultations - the future of public service broadcasting and TV food advertising to children.

From a brief check, most of them seem to be about putting hi-def channels on Freeview, and most of those are in favour of a free HD service.

Broadcast now reports that Five also criticised Ofcom's plan and asked for some spectrum to be resereved for hi-def: "To decide now to auction the available spectrum at the very time HD is
taking off as a consumer proposition means taking a once and for ever
irreversible decision that will prevent any spectrum being made
available for HD and depriving digital viewers of HD services for
evermore."

BBC: No Freeview HD could cost consumers £15.6billion

Britain could lose out to the tune of £15billion if Ofcom doesn't set aside spectrum for high definition TV on Freeview.

The stark warning comes in the BBC's official response to the Digital Dividend Review, in which Ofcom proposed auctioning off the former analogue TV frequencies when Digital Switch is complete in 2012.

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, TV manufacturers and many thousands of viewers would prefer a portion of the analogue spectrum to be reserved for a new Freeview multiplex, broadcasting free hi-def TV channels.

Mark Thompson, the BBC's director general, said: "High Definition is already a consumer reality, and it's one that really adds value for audiences.

"It's a technological advance that we think can and should be available as far as possible to all viewers of digital television whether they watch through cable, satellite or an aerial, and whether they choose pay or free-to-air services.

"If pure market mechanisms are applied to the whole Digital Dividend, our fear is that it will jeopardise the success of universal access to high quality public service broadcasting, free-to-air on all main platforms and also lead to an erosion of the digital terrestrial platform and its ability to compete."

The £15billion figure was calculated up by independent consultants Independen, to compare to Ofcom's estimate that an open auction could net £5-10billion for the Treasury.

It includes the cost of upgrading to another platform such as Sky or cable to get HD for around 6million Freeview homes, and the loss in audiences, advertising revenue, quality and social value to the Freeview platform if it doesn't have HD.

Independen estimated the loss to consumers and society could range from £4.1-£15.6billion.

The BBC's response also critiques Ofcom's research into viewers' desire for HD, the technical assumptions underlying the DDR, and estimates of Freeview channels' ability to compete in an open auction.

It also suggests that Ofcom should use the DDR as an opportunity to draw up a long term plan for Freeview beyond 2012, including a long-term migration to MPEG-4 for a greater range of SD channels as well as HD.

Freeview prepares to oust Sky

Britain's public service broadcasters are preparing to kick Sky out of the Freeview alliance.

The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are angry about Sky's plans to replace its three Freeview channels with a four-channel subscription service.

Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Three would probably be replaced by Sky One, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and another channel, using a different broadcast system and requiring new set-top boxes. Sky was one of Freeview's founding shareholders.

New Media Age reports that the public service channels will tell media regulator Ofcom that Sky should forfeit its stake in Freeview if it proceeeds with the plan.

Standby for action from Sky

In a measure designed to cut household energy bills and help protect the environment, Sky is to introduce an Automatic Standby feature for Sky+ and Sky+ HD boxes.

Boxes will automatically go into standby when not in use for a two hour period between 11pm and 4am and an Auto Standby warning message will be displayed beforehand for three minutes. The feature can be disabled in the Settings Menu.

Automatic Standby will be introduced via a software update to all Sky+ HD receivers from tomorrow (March 20). It will then be rolled out to owners of Sky+ boxes manufactured after August 2005 in mid April and to the remainder throughout the summer.

The standard Sky+ uses 25W of power when on or in standby and recording and 28W when on and recording but only 14W when in standby alone. Sky+ HD uses 37W when on or in standby and recording and 36W when on and recording but 19W when in standby.

Sky claims that the new feature could save enough energy to light all the homes in Wolverhampton or power all the washing machines in Liverpool for a year. It could also slash £7.5 million from customers' electricity bills and reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 32,000 tonnes a year.

Sky suffers without Virgin Media customers

Satellite broadcaster Sky has seen the audience share on its basic channels drop by a combined 24.5% since they came off the Virgin Media platform last month.

Since March 1, Sky One, Two and Sky News' weekly all-hours shares have reduced with Sky One no longer in the top five non-terrestrial channels.

Home to Lost and 24, the channel has also seen a year-on-year decline of 38% in March, and got just 1% of the weekly all-hours multichannel viewing share - its lowest since 2001 - in the two weeks following its removal from cable.

The dispute between the two companies has since continued, with Virgin Media ready to take legal action in the High Court to challenge what it calls Sky's "abuse of dominance."

16th February 2007

Branson wants a Virgin in every home

Today was the day that Virgin Media entered the packed arena of television service providers… is one way of looking at it. A load of fuss about the rebranding of NTL/Telewest is another. Either way, theres something about the presence of Sir Richard Branson (alongside Chairman Jim Mooney and CEO Stuart Burch) that instils hope in any enterprise he's involved with.

Considering his victories over adversity in other sectors (Virgin Atlantic vs British Airways and his battles in launching a half-decent rail service both spring to mind) theres more than a smidgeon of hope that Virgin Media can, indeed, emerge as a serious rival to the amorphous beast that is BSkyB. Being able to offer a four pronged attack in TV, broadband, landline and mobile is certainly its major selling point, but it should'nt be discounted that it also owns television broadcaster and production company Flextech (rebranded, ahem, relaunched as Virgin Media Television), and is therefore able to provide unique and compelling content too (Challenge TV anyone?).

But a new lick of paint notwithstanding, the major and immediate benefit for existing NTL/Telewest subscribers is an overhauled Customer Services department. The one thing that Virgin companies pride themselves on more than any other is providing the best response when things go wrong, and Sir Branson himself guarantees that NTL/Telewests poor reputation in this area is a thing of the past.

The launch also sees Telewests TVDrive box (PVR and HD receiver) become available to all Virgin Media subscribers up and down the country. Of course, its rebranded too, to V+, but its still a welcome move. As is the fact that, unlike the previous service, its now available in my area. And that, to be honest, is most important.

You can find out more about Virgin Media at www.virginmedia.com. It is expected to roll out nationwide as of 14th February 2007, and its got Uma Thurman in its television advertising. Yum.

Sky to launch on digital terrestrial

Sky plans to launch a four-channel subscription TV service on digital terrestrial TV this summer.

Announced - coincidentally? - on the same day as Virgin Media's big launch, the service will provide some of Sky's most popular sports, entertainment and movies through your aerial.
Sky said the line-up will include live Barclays Premiership matches and other sporting events, with the full channel roster and pricing to be revealed in the Spring.
It will use the Freeview capacity currently occupied by Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News, which will cease to be available free-to-air ahead of the pay-TV launch.
Sky will use the latest MPEG-4 compression technology to broadcast four 24-hour channels, with more expected to arrive as the technology improves. Subcribers will require new set-top boxes.
Ofcom will have to approve the licenses for new service, since it changes Freeview channels into pay-channels.

New advice for dish and aerial planning permission

It's been more than a year since they were published, but the government has finally got around to publishing a guidebook on the new satellite dish planning rules.

Sky News now available in train stations

Sky News is now providing its schedule of news, weather and sport to two thirds of the UKs regular rail commuters.
The deal with Titan, which provides giant digital screens, was struck last October and means Sky News has replaced BBC News 24 on the big screens.
John Ryley, Head of Sky News, said: "Sky News is continually looking for ways to innovate in delivering its news coverage to audiences. This partnership with Titan on their market-leading Transvision network of screens delivers news to commuters with an unmatched level of tailoring and sophistication. Through TV, online, mobile and now outdoor, Sky News is committed to a strategy of bringing breaking news to audiences, no matter where they might find themselves."

Sky's Oscars coverage set to air in hi-def

Sky's coverage of the 2007 Oscars and red-carpet ceremony is to be screened in high definition for the first time. Sky One and Sky One HD's 90-minute preview coverage, starting at 11pm on Sunday February 25, will capture the magic of the famous red carpet arrivals.Then over Sky Movies and Sky Movies HD the live coverage of the awards will get underway at 12.30am with the ceremony itself kicking off at 1.30am.If the matchsticks don't succeed in keeping you awake, Sky One and Sky One HD will broadcast a two-hour highlights show from 10pm on Monday February 26.

Baby TV bounces onto Sky...

A brand new digital TV channel aimed at kids under the age of three is scheduled to launch on Sky viewers from Monday. Baby TV will be part of the Kids package on channel 626.

Liran Talit, Baby TVs MD said: "The launch on Sky is another major achievement for Baby TV, which has launched on over 50 platforms worldwide in the past 15 months."

"We look forward to continuing our growth in 2007 and to building the Baby TV brand with licensing activities. We have also launched our interactive website today to serve our global community of parents."

Baby TV claims to be the first 24 hour, commercial-free channel for children under three and their parents. The channel launched in October 2005 across Europe and is already broadcast on major platforms in over 25 countries worldwide.

Setanta scores with Six Nations highlights

Irish sports broadcaster Setanta has secured exclusive rights to show highlights of the RBS Six Nations Championships, which get underway this weekend.

The highlights programme will air on the network on Sunday evenings between 6pm and 8pm with studio guests analysing the action with presenter Rhodri Williams.

Bob Geldof to launch TV channel dedicated to world peace!

Bob Geldofs company, Ten Alps, is to launch a unique new TV channel devoted to world peace. The station will available via broadband but also on traditional television networks, according to media reports on Friday (February 2nd).

Funded in part by the Norwegian government, the project came about through Ten Alps co-founder Geldofs links with Norwegian organisation Peace Point. The digital managing director of Ten Alps, Nigel Dacre, told The Guardian that the channel which has yet to be named will be truly international.

"Our view is that it should be online as far around the world as possible," he said. "But were doing work on broadband penetration and have found that in Asia its high but in parts of Africa its very low. So in Africa we will offer the programmes via terrestrial broadcasters on existing networks."

The station will feature programmes made by Ten Alps and other independent companies around the world. But Mr Dacre said the channel will also feature footage from members of the public in conflict areas around the world.

Hi-def breaks all records for Sky

High definition TV has outstripped Sky+ as the fastest-selling extra product in the satellite broadcasters history.

The number of SkyHD customers almost doubled to 184,000 in the last three months of 2006, up from 96,000 in the first three months.

And Sky+ was set to break the two million homes barrier at the end of January, having finished the year by gaining 310,000 users in three months.

In total, Sky sold more than a million extra boxes, accessories or upgrades in the last quarter of 2006, and there are now 1.23 million homes with a multi-room system and subscription.

The total subscriber base for Sky now stands at 8.4million homes in the UK and Ireland, although its not growing as fast as it did at the end of 2005.

BBC green-lights catch-up TV

The BBCs pioneering iPlayer online catch-up service will relaunch permanently this year after winning approval from the corporations trustees.

But the service will see significant changes after Ofcom warned it would be damaging to commercial services, CD and DVD sales.

The iPlayer officially known as the BBCs on-demand proposals is a new way to access TV and radio online and via cable TV, from anywhere in the UK.

But both Ofcom and the BBC Trust said the BBCs proposals must be changed so they dont interfere with commercial services and the BBCs own ability to sell shows on DVD.

The biggest change is that if you download a show on the seven-day TV catch-up service, youll only be able to keep shows on your hard disc for 30 days, instead of the 13 weeks proposed at first.

iPlayers currently based on Microsofts Windows Media Player, so the BBC has also been told to make it available through iTunes, Google, YouTube and other services, so no-one is excluded and no single operator has an unfair benefit.

The iPlayer service will pull together all of the audio and video services currently available on bbc.co.uk, and should launch later this year, following a short consultation on the Trusts recommendations.

Sky's new satellite based download service, Sky Anytime TV, arrives in March.

The question that has been asked for the last year or so by many Sky+ and Sky HD users is, "when will the reserved space on my hard disk be used?" The answer is sometime in March, when users of Skys PVR3 and Sky HD boxes will get access to Sky Anytime TV. This will be about 1 million of the 2.1 million Sky+ subscribers.

Once the new software is released there will be a new layout to the EPG. As some users have already seen the "HD Channels" group will move to option 2 on the EPG and the red button will become "Anytime TV".

On pushing the red button the user will be presented with a list of programmes that have been downloaded via the satellite overnight there will be about 5 hours of programming a night downloaded for a total of 35 hours total on the box (HD users might have a slightly different set of numbers depending on the quantity of HD material). Content on the service will include Sky Movies (from the movie channels not, at launch, from the Box Office service), programmes from Sky One, Artsworld, Disney, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, The History Channel (and its siblings Biography, Crime and Investigation) and National Geographic (and its siblings).

The programmes that are downloaded will be a "best of" they have employed an editor to choose what the programmes will be, and the content will be editorialised so the information about the show will be more than in the current "info" offering.

For example, they might download the first episodes of a new show on Sky One so that if you miss it (or forget to record it) you can catch up with it at your leisure. In the case of hit series like 24 or Lost Sky can even download it to your box prior to transmission time and hide it until it is transmitted at which time it would become available.

Similarly the plan is to download the latest premiere movies and some other things you might not have otherwise watched. Part of the remit of the editor is to try to surprise and find interesting programming across the channels that are part of the service to attract new viewers to those programmes and linear channels. For channels lower down the EPG it provides an interesting advertising window for their programming.

At launch, there will be no adverts within the downloaded programmes.

Once on your disk you will see a preview window in the top right hand side and a description on the top left hand side changing as you cursor down the programmes that are on the hard disk. The layout also has a date at which the programme will be deleted but just hit the record button and the programme will be saved to your planner to keep for the future. Beware: if you then delete it from the planner it will be gone from the Anytime TV list as well.

Overall this seems like it is a potentially excellent addition to Skys offerings. The overnight download will happen automatically and if you have recordings running yours will take preference. To deal with the issue of missed recordings Sky will be retransmitting programmes a number of times to ensure that when your box is inactive it will get all the programming.

So roll on March, if you dont have a PVR3 or Sky HD box then come March there is a plan to send customers what Skys marketing people described as an attractive offer (I assume to upgrade).

The unused 80Gb of space had been a bit of a thorn in the side since the PVR3 was launched but this seems to be a good offering which I welcome

Future radio heaven for Devon

BBC Radio is to run a trial of Digital Radio Modiale in the Plymouth area for 12 months, and they're looking for listeners to take part.

The original press release explains more, here and here:

BBC Radio and National Grid Wireless
have announced a trial of a new transmission technology which will
allow the two organisations to assess the practicality of digital radio
services in the medium-wave bands.

The trial, which will last for a year, will be centred on Plymouth.

From the end of April, the BBC and National Grid Wireless will re-use a
current medium-wave frequency in the Plymouth area to broadcast a trial
digital service using the digital radio mondiale (DRM) standard.

DRM is an emerging technology which has been designed to facilitate digital radio at frequencies below 30 MHz.

The BBC, which has been involved in the engineering research and
development of the standard over the last few years, already makes the BBC World Service available on short-wave using the technology to some parts of western Europe and north Africa.

The trial will broadcast BBC Radio Devon using the technology from the existing medium-wave transmitter in the city.

An audience panel will be recruited from listeners to Radio Devon and users of bbc.co.uk/devon.
Members of the panel will be given radios which are capable of
receiving DRM as well as the existing FM and DAB transmissions.

The BBC intends to conduct research with the panel over the following year
to explore their experience of DRM and help inform its future digital
radio strategy.

The trial will be the first of its kind in the UK using medium-wave to provide DRM to UK listeners.

National Grid Wireless will supply, commission and operate the transmission
equipment needed for the trial, as well as being involved in the
engineering measurement of the transmissions and validation of the
results. The two companies intend to publish the results of the trial
by mid-2008.

John Allen,
Head of New Services for BBC English Regions, said: "The trial will
help us understand whether DRM has a role to play in the all-digital
future for BBC Local Radio in the UK.

"We're really excited that BBC Radio Devon is going to be involved in this
trial, as it confirms that BBC Local Radio is no stranger to
technological innovation."

John Ward,
Director of Network Operations and Engineering at National Grid
Wireless, said: "We have a track record of being at the forefront of
new developments in broadcast technology and this trial maintains our
commitment to innovation.

"Importantly this trial will enable us to explore the practicalities of establishing
domestic DRM broadcasting that could, in the future, complement
existing radio services."

BBC plans digital radio boost

The BBC is to expand its digital radio coverage by building 10 new transmitters and is to trial a new digital transmission technology, digital radio mondiale.

The plans will take the BBC closer to its target of making its digital radio broadcasts available to 90% of the population, up from its current level of 85%, according to the corporation.

DRM is a new digital service that can be broadcast from existing medium wave transmitters and will be trialled in the Plymouth area, broadcasting BBC Radio Devon.

The BBC director of radio, Jenny Abramsky, said the new transmitters "represent a real and worthwhile improvement to the coverage of our DAB digital radio network. It shows the BBC's continuing commitment to making our services available on DAB digital radio."

Two of the new transmitters, which are being built by Arqiva, are already broadcasting to Newport and Gwent and south-west Glasgow and Dunbarton.

Seven transmitters will broadcast to Bury St Edmunds, Norwich and parts of east Norfolk, Arundel and the south downs, Alnwick and east Northumberland, Newhaven, Mansfield and York and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Most of the new transmitters will be broadcasting by the end of April. A further transmitter is planned for the Isle of Man.

The DRM trial will begin in April and will last a year.

Auntie Beebs online future divined

The BBC has outlined ambitious online plans for 2007, including a relaunch of BBC.co.uk, the iPlayer, a BBC archive trial and a massive internal archiving update.

Ashley Highfield, director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC, told Wotsat: It would be a good year if we succeeded to reinvent BBC.co.uk, get the iPlayer launched, get an archive trial launched and start the Digital Media Initiative.

He also unveiled a major new interactive online broadcasting experiment called Signs of Life, described tongue-in-cheek as sort of Buffy meets horoscopes.

The first major task will be launching the iPlayer, the BBCs online live broadcast and seven-day catch-up service, which has received a provisional go-ahead by the BBC Trust.

The full launch is expected in May, but there are plenty of technical hurdles to overcome both before the launch and to meet some of the Trusts recommendations. More details here.

In April, the BBCs online archive trial will move from a limited selection of clips to a selection of complete programmes, revealing what people want and how they might use it.

Speaking to the Broadcasting Press Guild, Ashley said: We believe that the internet is more than just a distribution platform for our programmes. This is about whole programmes from our archive, with about 1,000 hours of content, in a mix of genres.

The results of this trial will be used to inform the Public Value Test application we make next year for a full version of the trial.

Ultimately, the archive service could extend to encompass the entire 1.2 million hours of video in the BBC archives, but Ashley said theres no timescale for when this would be achieved, not least because it would cost a lot of money.

The next stage is taking the BBCs websites to a new level of audience interaction. Web 2.0 is an overused term, so we are going to be talking about Web 3.0, Ashley joked.

Right now our website looks broadly similar to everyone who goes to it. Its very Web 1.0. We want to move to a world where the website is highly tailored to you. Where its more tailored to the flavour of each of the 16 million people going through every month. We already have a taste of this in places like our Radio 1 website where weve worked with partners like Flickr and Second Life. We want to go much more in that direction.

Behind all of this is the epic-sounding Digital Media Initiative: The BBC is set up as a bunch of discrete linear services. You could call them feuadal fiefdoms if you wish! It makes it hard to do, for instance, a search across all of the BBCs output for Stephen Fry, because all of the episodes of Black Adder or radio appearances are held in different places and there is no way to find them.

We are having to work out how all the BBCs output can go into a single digital repository, with all the metadata that will allow you to find actors and dates and anything else that would appear on all platforms. If we cannot do that then all the iPlayers and archive will not happen. Its not a direct customer facing service but it is vital.

BBC planning iPlayer set-top box

The BBC is developing a hybrid set-top box to bring its iPlayer catch-up TV service to TV screens without a PC.

The experimental box is one of many routes the BBC is exploring to open the new service to the widest possible audience when it launches this summer.

Ashley Highfield, director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC, told Wotsat the corporation expects to get approval for iPlayer service on May 2.

iPlayer will provide both a seven-day catch-up service for every BBC TV channel, plus a live feed of every TV and radio channel, and an open archive of BBC radio and podcasts.

Users will be able to store TV catch-up episodes for up to 30 days, and there will be no limit to how long you can keep audio downloads.

The team are already gearing up for the launch, even though they have yet to formally respond to the Trusts recommendations on what the final service should be like.

The current software is based on Microsofts copy protection system and Windows Media Player, but the Trust wants it to be available to as many people, on as many different platforms as possible.

Speaking to the Broadcasting Press Guild, Ashley said iPlayer wont be married to Microsoft for the long term, but not everyone is compatible.

We agree that we should try to be as universal as possible and get onto all possible platforms. There are certain platforms I would like to get on to, like iTunes, but their DRM does not support the way iPlayer works, such as making a programme available for seven days and then deleting it.

We have been running for the last couple of months a test within the BBC to try out the infrastructure required, not just for iPlayer but for programmes on the BBC3 website, which we are allowed to provide under the BBC3 agreement. We will soon roll that out to a closed group of around 20,000, so that when the permission from the Trust is finally granted around May 2, we will be able to push the button and go live straight away."

Ashley also revealed a bit of the technical background to iPlayer, which could also make it challenging to carry onto other systems.

First, the catch-up service is peer-to-peer, based on the same Kontiki software used online for Sky Anytime. But the live TV feeds use multicast, a fairly new technology for which much of BTs broadband network is not ready. Yet both these innovations are important for reducing the demands of bandwidth on both the BBC and the users.

We use P2P so our distribution costs and those of the user are minimal, and the quality of the programmes is very high. It also allows us to provide HD.

We will also be streaming all our channels using multicast. That depends on the BT network, which is being upgraded to allow multicast streaming, but at the time of launch not many people will be able to get channels through multicast. We are also streaming other programmes from our websites in the traditional one-to-one fashion.

Mac users are scheduled to get something later this year, and beyond that, Ashley is already talking to companies like Slingmedia makers of the wonderful Slingbox Sony, and Joost about other ways to get the iPlayer to as many people as possible.

And you might even see it on your PC: beyond the likes of BT and Virgin Media, Ashley revealed his boffins are working on a hybrid Freeview set-top box which would be able to access iPlayer over broadband so you can catch-up on your old-fashioned TV.

Sky Movies overhauled

Sky Movies is relaunching on 4April, with all Sky Movies channels being renamed by genre. The new channel names are Sky Movies Premiere, Premiere+1, Comedy, Action/Thriller, Family, Drama, Sci-Fi/Horror, Classics, Modern Greats, Indie, HD1 and HD2. Programming on the
channels is fairly self-explanatory Premiere will show five new premieres a week, with films entering a month-long black period at the end of their window on the channel, before moving to the appropriate genre channels. The two HD channels will no longer be simulcast, apart from films showing on Sky Premiere on Saturdays; instead they will show a selection of films available on the other channels.

The Irish are coming...

The Irish Post has revealed that plans are afoot to launch a channel featuring
programming from Irish state broadcaster RTÉ in Britain .
The broadcaster is waiting on permission from the Dáil to use its present
license fee funding to pay for the move a provision not allowed for under
present legislation. If the Dáil gives the go-ahead, RTÉ will explore options
for how the station will be broadcast in Britain ;
either on Freeview, through subscription or on some other platform. The channel
will include a mix of programming from Ireland s
public service channels, RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and Irish-language
station TG4 but it will not be able to broadcast live sports owing to rights
issues.

Sky Poker launches on Sky channel 846

Skys latest interactive game, Sky Poker,
has launched at www.skypoker.com and on
Sky channel 846. Would-be card sharks can play live, televised Texas Hold Em from
9pm every night and take on celebs, sports stars and poker
professionals, with £5000 up for grabs every day.

Sky disputes Virgin sports claim

In the tit-for-tat digital battle Sky is considering a formal complaint against Virgin Media's latest ad campaign.

Virgin Media's full-page ads in newspaper sports sections have the headline "The cheapest place to get Sky Sports isn't Sky". The ads claim to save consumers £70 each year compared with Sky.

Virgin Media said the new Sky Sports package would offer four Sky Sports channels with a range of digital TV channels and a TV on-demand library for £26 per month. However, the package is only available to Virgin Media phone customers, who pay an additional £11 for that service.

Sky claim that the minimum price for a package of its four major sports channels would be £34, which would be £3 cheaper than Virgin Media.

A spokesman for Sky said the company is considering a formal complaint, but as a first step has written to Virgin Media today asking them to withdraw or amend their adverts.

"For all their talk about honesty and transparency, NTL-Virgin are making misleading comparisons that ignore fundamental differences between our products," the spokesman said. "The inconvenient truth for NTL-Virgin is that their customers can save hundreds of pounds a year by switching to Sky."

A spokeswoman for Virgin Media said the company did not want to comment in details, but said that Virgin had been quite clear about the service on offer.

14th November 2006

Almost 100,000 viewers have upgraded to HD
Sky HD's customer base has risen by 38,000 viewers since June to reach 96,000. The news came as Sky announced a revenue increase of 11% to £1.07 billion. Sky also said it's pleased with the uptake of its broadband service, launched in July, which has 113,000 subscribers - 74,000 of whom are already connected. [Nov 10]

Wedding TV to launch on Sky in December
The worlds first wedding TV channel - to be called Wedding TV - is set to launch on Sky Digital in December. Launching on Monday 4th December, Wedding TV will consist of shows dedicated to the emotion and drama of relationships and weddings. It will be aimed mainly at women aged 18-34, but will also appeal to anyone interested in the real-life drama surrounding relationships. [Nov 10]

Fame TV launches on Sky Digital
Fame TV, a new user-generated channel, has launched on Sky channel 217. The interactive station relies entirely on members of the public for its programming content. John Hayes, head of development at the channel, said: "We are moving into a new era of TV where user-generated content and viewer interaction are key to the programming." [Nov 11]

Sky Mobile TV extends to 3 and Orange
Sky has extended the reach of Sky Mobile TV with a new deal to bring the service to Orange 3G and 3UK customers. All Orange 3G customers can now receive up to 23 Sky Mobile TV channels including live news, sport, music, entertainment and documentaries. Sky Mobile TV includes a mix of dedicated made for mobile channels and others that are streamed as live including Sky News and Sky Sports News. [Nov 5]

Pace 'back on track' after poor annual results
Pace Micro has issued a reassuring statement that it is on track to meet its expectations for the 2006/7 financial year, having made solid progress driven by demand in all regions. The group posted an annual pretax loss of £15.6 million pounds in September, due to delays in developing products for the US, but said it was starting to recover. [Nov 7]

Broadcast over broadband set to launch in UK
Freewire TV is set to deliver broadcast quality TV channels over multicast broadband networks, offering multi-channel entertainment to the digitally disenfranchised who are currently unable to receive digital TV services by other means. Freewire TV will initially be available to up to half a million students who will be able to access the service through their campus networks. [Nov 6]

Channel 4 signs new horse racing rights deal
Channel 4 has signed a new three-year deal for UK horseracing broadcast rights. Under the deal, C4 will show 80 days of racing and will develop broadband, mobile and pay-TV coverage in association with subscription broadcaster Racing UK. [Nov 7]

More digital TV news in brief...
Fox News is to launch a new business TV channel in the US... Sky will beam coverage of The Ashes series via mobile and broadband internet for the first time this winter... City analysts have responded cautiously to NTL's plans for a possible takeover of ITV, warning that the cable giant could overstretch itself and also pinpointing a lack of synergies between the two companies.... Al-Jazeera has fixed a date of November 15 for the launch of its new international English-language news network... Viacom reported a lower quarterly profit from continuing operations as disappointing box-office results offset higher advertising sales at its MTV Networks cable service... Eutelsat reported revenues for the first quarter 2006-2007 were up 6 per cent year-on-year.

Google set to beat TV on advertising revenue
Google is poised to overtake Britains main TV channels in the race for advertising revenue. The internet companys ad revenue in the UK is expected this year to surpass Channel 4s anticipated 2006 take of £800m. Within 18 months, it is forecast to overtake ITV1 according to Mindshare and Initiative, two media buying groups. ITV1 accounted for 90 per cent of the ITV groups £1.63bn total advertising revenues last year. [Nov 4]

Top Up TV launches new digital TV recorder
Top Up TV is to launch its Top Up TV Anytime Service and Digital TV Recorder (DTR). The device will allow viewers to watch and record content from 19 channels including Disney, MTV, Paramount Comedy, Living TV and, for an additional cost, Setanta Sports and PictureBox. The DTR provides access to all of the Top Up TV Anytime programming as well as all Freeview channels. It comes with digital features allowing users to pause, rewind and fast forward live TV as well as record two channels at the same time. [Nov 8]

Sky resumes sports and film downloads service
Sky's movie and sports download service has resumed normal operations after being suspended in August due to a security breach. Sky took action to restrict access on 31st August after being alerted to the security problems by Microsoft. [Nov 6]

Sales of digital TVs top analogue for first time
Sales of digital TV equipment have overtaken analogue sets for the first time, according to market researcher GfK. In the three months to September, digital televisions, set-top boxes and recorders accounted for 51 per cent of all television equipment sold. Data gathered from 20,000 stores showed an increase in demand for flat-screen televisions and a sharp decline in sales of conventional sets. [Nov 8]

Freeview to push 'Free TV Land' PR concept
Freeview is launching a new brand look and feel with creative based on the concept of Free TV Land. Freeview says it has worked with a branding agency to identify the Freeview values that consumers love the most and created a more defined brand identity designed to engage with consumers and develop a stronger, ongoing relationship between Freeview and its viewers. [Nov 7]

Freeview to push 'Free TV Land' PR concept
Two new time-shifted ITV channels have launched on Sky Digital. They are ITV2 +1 and ITV3 +1, on Sky numbers 211 and 213. The new channels will offer viewers a second chance to view daily schedules of ITV2 and ITV3.

25th August 2006

Real Madrid football club channel starts in UK
Spanish football club Real Madrid is set to launch its own channel on Sky Digital at the end of August. Real Madrid TV is already testing at 11.681GHz/V (under the ident '51147') and can be manually added via the 'Add channels' feature on Sky. It is expected to officially launch on Sky Digital on August 29th. [Aug 24]

UKTV G2 scores basketball TV rights win
UKTV has won exclusive rights to basketball coverage from the FIBA World Championship 2006 for its UKTV G2 channel. The broadcasts will also be supported by red button applications to drive take-up of uktvslam.tv, where highlights of every game will be broadcast free on a trial basis along with one full game every day of the tournament, with a view to a full subscription service being launched later this year. [Aug 24]

Channel Five unveils boss for its digital channels
Channel Five has hired Nick Thorogood, the former head of ITV daytime, as controller of its soon-to-launch Five US and Five Life digital channels, which are set to debut this autumn. Initially available on Freeview, followed by satellite and cable, Five Life and Five US are the first extensions to the terrestrial channel, which will celebrate its 10th birthday next March. Five US will extend the US programming familiar to Five viewers from shows such as 'CSI'. It has acquired dramas 'Shark', 'Vanished' and 'The Nine'. Five Life is skewed towards a female audience and will offer drama, films, soaps and the pre-school strand Milkshake!. [Aug 23]

ITV2 and ITV4 to show new US comedies
ITV has bought the rights to two US comedy series from the LA Screenings earlier this year. Sony's Big Day, which is to debut on ABC next year, is a comedy about the preparations for a wedding, while Fox's The Winner centres on