US broadcasters NBC Sports Group and Turner have teamed up to provide sports leagues and networks with OTT and VoD services, in a move to keep up the competition with MLB’s BAMTech streaming technology subsidiary. The deal will see NBC’s Playmaker Media tie the knot with Turner’s iStreamPlanet, adding to previous collaborations on the Super Bowl and 2016 Olympics. iStreamPlanet’s founder and CEO, Mio Babic, commented, “the market needs an alternative solution to BAMTech, it’s the only game in town outside of NeuLion. The market really needs a competitive solution.”
Dish Network has reported an “overwhelming initial response” to its cord cutting inciting products AirTV Player and AirTV Adapter, which debuted at CES last week. AirTV is a simple digital terrestrial hybrid with a digital antenna adapter built into an Android box, capable of also attaching to your broadband line – providing access to FTA channels, plus Dish’s OTT service Sling TV and Netflix.
Netflix is now spending as much on content as premium channels do, shelling out $4.7 billion in 2016, almost double that of Amazon’s $2.7 billion, according to research from Ampere Analysis. The research notes that Netflix spent a similar sum to Sky, ITV and NBC last year, and forecasts the SVoD king’s content bill to rise to almost $6 billion by the end of this year.
Verizon recently trialed the fiber standard NG-PON2 (Next-Generation Passive Optical Network 2) using technologies from several vendors, one of which was Adtran, supplying its Mosaic system and cloud platform. Adtran says its Mosaic software-defined system reduces operational costs when delivering converged 10G services via Adtran SDX network elements and SDN (software-defined network) orchestration from its cloud platform. Verizon’s trial showed that a multi-vendor system can enhance bandwidth without impacting existing subscribers on the same fiber line.
Belgian telco Proximus is upgrading its video headend based on Ateme’s Titan encoding software. Ateme says its “building block” method allows customers to add upgraded software modules and combine them as required – highlighting any input/output, any codec, any resolution, from an encoder to a video headend in a box.
The merger between US broadcasters Nexstar and Media General has received approval from the FCC this week. The Justice Department initially disapproved of Nexstar’s $4.6 billion takeover, prior to the agreement that the two companies would strip seven stations – giving the combined entity a reach just below the national limit of 39%, reaching 38.9% of US households.
Hulu is reportedly preparing to launch its live streaming service during the first half of 2017, which has been in the works for some time, according to CNet. It will apparently cost $40 a month, a fee which will not give subscribers an ad-free experience, and will also include Hulu’s existing VoD content. Live channels will include those from Time Warner, Disney, ABC, CBS and Fox, plus rumors that Hulu is looking to bring in live content from NBC and Comcast.
Video operators using Verimatrix scrambling across their networks can now decode entire channel lineups and convert them to a variety of IP or legacy RF video formats, with the release of new features from German cable TV technology vendor Wisi. Wisi says its Tangram chassis and cards allow operators to receive and decrypt as many as 128 unique 4K, HD or SD Verimatrix scrambled services, to output as any combination of IP, ASI, digital QAM or modulated analog CATV.
Netgem has revealed that it signed nine new content deals for its TelcoTV OTT platform in 2016, bringing its total partnerships to 60. The new content deals include Hayu, Cool School, Plex, Smart Kids TV, Gamefly, SPI and Couchplay Games.
German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 has created a media alliance with the broadcasters TF1 in France and Mediaset in Italy – to expand all three broadcasting businesses beyond their national borders. The deal will see TF1 and Mediaset invest €53 million ($56.5 million) in ProSiebenSat.1’s MCN Studio71, taking 6.1% and 5.5% stakes, respectively. ProSiebenSat.1 will retain around 70% holding in Studio71 and will take a minority stake in TF1’s Finder Studios. Mediaset will benefit from bringing the Studio71 business to Italy.
Liberty Global’s proposed $760 million takeover of Polish cable operator Multimedia Polska has hit a roadblock, as Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has entered the second stage of its investigation. The UOKiK reports that the joint activities of UPC and Multimedia Polska would exceed the threshold of a 40% share and has therefore extended its inquiry into how the deal will restrict competition in the country.
US media conglomerate Viacom has purchased a minority stake in Ananey Communications, a content provider and broadcaster in Israel. Viacom’s parent company, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), has agreed to take a controlling stake in Ananey, in the future.
Digital fingerprinting system provider Audible Magic is pursuing legal action against Google for allegedly fraudulently registering a trademark of Audible Magic’s Content ID with the US Patent and Trademark Office. Audible Magic supplied its Content ID services to YouTube from 2006 to 2009, after which it claims Google launched its own imitated version.
Cloud-based platform provider China Digital TV Holding says it has received $88.4 million worth of Chinese Yuan (610 million) from Changxing Bao Li Rui Xin Technology, for the part acquisition of 90.9% of its subsidiary Super TV.