Telecommunications
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Streaming Services Sundance Now and Shudder Acquire ‘A Discovery of Witches’ Based on Best Seller
Streaming services Sundance Now and Shudder July 19 announced at San Diego Comic-Con the joint acquisition of the Sky production, “A Discovery of Witches.” The original drama series will premiere in the United States and Canada simultaneously on both services, marking the first partnership of this kind for the two SVOD services, according to a press … Continue reading “Streaming Services Sundance Now and Shudder Acquire ‘A Discovery of Witches’ Based on Best Seller”
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‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Still No. 1 on Digital Originals Chart, While ‘Orange is the New Black’ Sees Demand Double
The arrival of the highly anticipated finale of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” on July 11 meant the dystopian drama series had no trouble staying at the top of the digital originals chart the week ended July 14, with 25% higher demand compared to last week, according to Parrot Analytics data. “The Handmaid’s Tale” also surged up … Continue reading “‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Still No. 1 on Digital Originals Chart, While ‘Orange is the New Black’ Sees Demand Double”
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Warner Bros. Sets ‘DC Universe’ SVOD Pricing
Warner Bros. Digital Labs’ pending over-the-top video service, DC Universe, July 19 disclosed its pricing, which is $74.99 annually pre-ordered or $7.99 monthly upon launch. Warner will be selling memberships at 2018 Comic-Con International: San Diego, which runs through July 22. In conjunction with the pricing announcement, Warner released a first-look at the SVOD service’s … Continue reading “Warner Bros. Sets ‘DC Universe’ SVOD Pricing”
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Comcast Ends Pursuit of 20th Century Fox, But Not Sky
As expected, Comcast Corp. July 19 officially dropped out of its attempt to acquire select assets of 21st Century Fox, including 20th Century Film and majority ownership of Hulu. The media giant was considering upping its $65 billion offer for Fox, which included a 39% stake in British satellite TV distributor Sky. “Comcast does not … Continue reading “Comcast Ends Pursuit of 20th Century Fox, But Not Sky”
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DOJ Wants Fast-Tracked AT&T-Time Warner Appeals Process
The Trump Administration really doesn’t want a merger between AT&T and Time Warner, whose assets include Warner Bros., Turner (TBT, TNT, CNN) and HBO. On July 18, the government requested the U.S Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia speed up the process by mandating an October deadline for all legal briefs, with oral … Continue reading “DOJ Wants Fast-Tracked AT&T-Time Warner Appeals Process”
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Disney ABC Television Inks Deal with Talk Talk in the U.K.
Disney ABC Television Group has signed a content distribution deal with TalkTalk Telecom Group in the United Kingdom. Under terms of the agreement, Talk Talk’s subscribers who opt into the pay-TV operator’s Entertainment Boost platform will have on-demand access to complete seasons of ABC Studios’ original series, including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” “Quantico” and “Criminal Minds,” among others. “This new … Continue reading “Disney ABC Television Inks Deal with Talk Talk in the U.K.”
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Dish Debuts Google Assistant Voice Control
Dish July 9 debuted its integration with the Google Assistant for a hands-free TV entertainment experience. Dish customers with a Hopper, Hopper Duo, Joey or Wally can control their TV using their voice when paired with an Assistant device, such as Google Home, Android phones or iPhones. Dish is the first pay-TV provider to offer direct … Continue reading “Dish Debuts Google Assistant Voice Control”
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Comcast Throttling Mobile Hotspot Speeds, Lowering Video Resolution
Comcast has begun informing Xfinity Mobile subscribers that it plans to drop video resolution from 720p HD to 480p (DVD quality), including subs on unlimited data plans. Subs seeking to maintain 720p resolution, are advised to use one of Comcast’s 19 million Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide. The media giant launched Xfinity Mobile in May 2017 and ended … Continue reading “Comcast Throttling Mobile Hotspot Speeds, Lowering Video Resolution”
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IHS Report: African TV and Online Video Markets Poised for Growth
The Sub-Saharan African TV and online video markets are both underdeveloped and, in the case of online video, at a very nascent stage of development, but recent data from IHS Markit points to strong growth. Pay TV growth is closely linked with the state of the economy, and particularly with the disposable income of families, … Continue reading “IHS Report: African TV and Online Video Markets Poised for Growth”
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Verizon Officially Pulling Plug on Go90 Streaming App
As expected, Verizon is reportedly calling it quits on Go90, the oddly named ad-supported mobile-centric streaming video app launched in 2015 with much fanfare and hundreds of millions of dollars to the Millennial market. “Following the creation of Oath [which includes Yahoo and AOL], Go90 will be discontinued,” Verizon said in a statement first reported … Continue reading “Verizon Officially Pulling Plug on Go90 Streaming App”
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Report: More Than Three Quarters of Homes in European Union Have Access to High-Speed Broadband
At the end of June 2017, more than three quarters of homes in the 28 countries in the European Union (EU28) had access to high-speed broadband services, according to a new report published today by the European Commission. The “Broadband Coverage in Europe 2017” study was conducted by IHS Markit and broadband analyst firm Point Topic. For … Continue reading “Report: More Than Three Quarters of Homes in European Union Have Access to High-Speed Broadband”
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British Telecom Incorporates Amazon Prime Video
Taking a page from Netflix’s playbook, British Telecommunications Company (BT) has inked the first U.K. pay-TV deal with Amazon affording its subscribers direct-access to Prime Video. Netflix since 2013 has gradually incorporated its service to pay-TV operators with an embedded app that affords users direct-access to the SVOD pioneer with a separate subscription. London-based BT … Continue reading “British Telecom Incorporates Amazon Prime Video”
