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SATELLITE: ViaSat, KSAT Deal; Hughes To Provide Brazilian Backhaul Services
31 Aug 2009 - 15:28 by soullezz    Industry News |


ViaSat has signed a contract to provide Norwegian satellite provider Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) with two new antenna systems in a deal valued at about $3 million. The systems include one for receiving satellite imagery and another for satellite monitoring and control --- Hughes Network Systems' Brazilian operating unit Hughes do Brasil, will provide satellite-based cellular backhaul services to two of the country's largest cellular operators as part of a new contract win for the broadband satellite company. Details about the deal, including the cellular companies involved, were not available as of press time.

DIRECTV To Offer Online NFL Sunday Ticket In NYC
31 Aug 2009 - 15:28 by soullezz    Industry News |


What do you do if you live in New York City, can't get access to DBS service in your building and want DIRECTV's NFL Sunday Ticket? In years past, you simply had to move to New Jersey or Connecticut, but starting this season DIRECTV will begin offering a broadband-only version of NFL Sunday Ticket for $350.

"Manhattanites: No need to go roaming the city in search of a bar that's showing your favorite team," the provider says in its marketing for the new service. "Just crack open a cold one and enjoy every NFL game, every Sunday, on your computer -- PC or Mac."

The online-only option will reportedly only be available to households that cannot receive the satellite package, and will allow only one game to be viewed at a time. Blackout rules will also apply for games already being broadcast in the New York metro area. DIRECTV subscribers outside the region can purchase online access to NFL Sunday Ticket as a $100 add-on to their football package service. If the online-only service does well in Manhattan this year it is expected to roll out nationwide with the 2010-11 NFL season.

Study: Set-Tops Surviving The Recession
27 Aug 2009 - 13:51 by soullezz    Industry News |

According to a new report from market research firm iSuppli, global sales of set-top boxes are on track to rise this year thanks to HD and IPTV rollouts and market growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Based on the company's data, set-top shipments are set to grow 4.2 percent in 2009 to 136.7 million units, up from 131.2 million last year. By 2013, set-top sales will reach 201 million systems annually, iSuppli said. Not surprisingly, advanced new features will contribute to this growth.

“Premium boxes -- like DVR-enabled STBs and HD products -- will grow at a substantially higher rate than the 4.2 percent level for the overall STB market in 2009," said Jordan Selburn, iSuppli's principal analyst. “These STBs will buoy the entire market as non-DVR and standard-definition from this point forward.”

Premium box sales almost doubled to 22.4 million in 2008 and will increase 28 percent this year.

Industry and Programming
27 Aug 2009 - 13:50 by soullezz    Industry News |
INDUSTRY: EchoStar, TiVo Case Moves Forward; Paramount Inks Trial Deal With Redbox; DivX Launches Proprietary Format Online Movie Store

DISH Network and EchoStar on Wednesday applauded the recent decision by the Patent and Trademark Office to dismiss TiVo's petition to vacate EchoStar's re-examination of TiVo's time shifting patent. The decision opens the door to further study of the patentability of TiVo's technology. The DVR maker won a $190 million decision against EchoStar in June that the satellite firm is now questioning ---

Paramount Home Entertainment on Wednesday announced a trial licensing deal with Redbox that will allow the DVD rental kiosk company to distribute Paramount Pictures titles through the end of 2009. Paramount has the option to extend the program to 2014 with an opt out clause after two years ---

DivX on Wednesday launched a download-to-own movie store called Film Fresh featuring DivX-compatible titles from Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures.

PROGRAMMING: WFN Launches Colorado Programming Push; Real Housewives Get NBCU Syndication; Cablevision Leverages NCTC Tie To Add Tennis Channel

WFN: World Fishing Network on Wednesday announced plans to bolster its coverage of the Rocky Mountain region with a new production office in Denver, Colo. and a series of media and programming partnerships. The arrangement includes a partnership with Colorado Trout Unlimited and a variety of sponsorship agreements with fishing events across the state ---

Bravo's popular Real Housewives franchise is coming to NBC and Hearst television station groups as a one-hour strip starting in the fall of 2010 as part of a new syndication agreement, announced Wednesday by NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution. The reality series is also being pitched to other station groups, NBCU said ---

Cablevision will add Tennis Channel to its iO digital cable Sports Pak by leveraging an existing agreement between the channel and the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC). Tennis Channel had previously balked at Cablevision's efforts to add it to the sports tier.

Confidence Up Among CE Buyers
27 Aug 2009 - 13:47 by soullezz    Industry News |


Consumer electronics shoppers are feeling downright sprightly these days, according to the latest the CEA-CNET monthly consumer confidence index

The CEA-CNET Index of Consumer Expectations jumped six points this month to 172.2 after posting a 2009 low in July, while the groups' Index of Consumer Technology Expectations rose slightly to 78.2 to mark its fourth gain in the last five months. The consumer expectations index now sits more than six points above where it was this time last year.

“While consumers remain cautious," said CEA economist Shawn DuBravac, "an increase in the dollar amount consumers are willing to spend is a positive sign for manufacturers and retailers. Sentiment is improving at a crucial time in the year -- as students head back to school and consumers begin to think about the holiday shopping season."

People and Hardware
26 Aug 2009 - 12:59 by soullezz    Industry News |

PEOPLE: Moves at Starz, OWN, HBO; Fuse Hire

Starz Entertainment announced Michelle Parker as senior vice president of business, legal affairs and distribution and Kelly Bumann as senior vice president of consumer marketing --- According to reports, both Maria Grasso and Nina Wass have left Oprah Winfrey's OWN to purse new ventures. The network, which Winfrey jointly owns with Discovery Communications, is set to launch in 2010 --- HBO promoted Casey Bloys to senior vice president of HBO Entertainment comedy series, and hired former ABC Television exec Jocelyn Diaz to oversee drama development --- Headhunters Michele James and Roysi Erbes with James and Co. were both involved in music channel Fuse's recent hire of Gavin Harvey.

HARDWARE: IOGEAR Launches New Connected Home Products; Mitsubishi Touts 3D

IOGEAR this week introduced a new suite of A/V products designed to simplify the set up process for whole-home digital entertainment systems. The new AVIOR series includes a range of switches, splitters, HDMI adapters and wireless transmitters for connecting home theater devices to a home network --- In an effort to generate some excitement for its new 3D home entertainment products, CE maker Mitsubishi has launched a new 3D-Ready Home Theater promotion in partnership with video gaming web site IGN.com. The promotion includes various Mitsubishi product giveaways and demonstrations of the technology's abilities.

Wall Street Upgrades DISH Outlook
26 Aug 2009 - 12:59 by soullezz    Industry News |


Thanks to better than expected subscriber additions in the second quarter, Collins Stewart analyst Tom Eagan on Tuesday said he expects DISH Network to lose fewer net subscribers going forward.

The analyst is now forecasting that DISH will lose about 78,000 net subscribers this year, down from his previous estimate of 417,000 losses, due to higher gross additions and lower churn. Overall, the provider is now expected to add about 2.87 million gross subscribers this year.

It's not all good news for DISH, however. The company still has that TiVo penalty to deal with, and Eagan said he expects the higher retention costs associated with that lower churn (read: free hardware and other incentives) to eat into the company's profits this year. On Tuesday he boosted his full-year revenue estimate slightly from $11.67 billion to $11.72 billion but trimmed income expectations for 2009 to $2.8 billion.

EchoStar, DISH Win Freetech Piracy Case
26 Aug 2009 - 12:58 by soullezz    Industry News |


DISH Network, EchoStar Technologies and conditional access provider NagraStar on Tuesday announced that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California had ordered a $97 million consent judgment and permanent injunction against Freetech, the maker of a device used to pirate DISH's DBS signal.

The judgement, which came as the result of a lawsuit filed by DISH and the other plaintiffs, also included $9 million in damages for three of Freetech's corporate officers/owners.

As a result, Freetech agreed to forfeit all of its liquid assets and inventory to DISH Network and shut down operations immediately.



Industry and People
25 Aug 2009 - 15:55 by soullezz    Industry News |

INDUSTRY: DIRECTV Lobbying Expenses; WildBlue Milestone; Outdoor Channel Exec Named To WICT Fellowship; China Digital TV

According to a recent disclosure report, DIRECTV spent some $970,000 on government lobbying activities in the second quarter, with spending focused on issues including local channel carriage, video taxes and exclusive programming agreements.

Satellite broadband provider WildBlue Communications earlier this week announced that it had surpassed the 400,000 subscriber mark.

Denise Conrol-Galley, Outdoor Channel's senior vice president of marketing and research, was named to the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute executive development program. The year-long program is held each year by Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT).

Chinese municipal cable operator Jinzhong Broadcasting Television Network will provide China Digital TV with cross-platform set-top box software for the 300,000 cable subscribers in its jurisdiction as part of China Digital TV's effort to standardize Chinese DTV rollouts.

PEOPLE: Harvey Taking Over Cablevision's Fuse; Kapp Promoted At NBC News Communincations

Gavin Harvey, the former president of Comcast's Versus sports network, has been named general manager of Fuse, a music-focused channel backed by Cablevision. Fuse is part of Cablevision's Madison Square Garden business unit --- Lauren Kapp was named vice president of NBC News Communications.

New NFL Channel Coming To DISH Network
25 Aug 2009 - 15:53 by soullezz    Industry News |

DISH Network on Monday announced that NFL Network's new NFL RedZone channel will launch on its service on Sept. 13, the first Sunday of the NFL's 2009 regular season. The channel will be included as part of DISH's Multi-Sport Package and will be available in both HD and SD.

Backed by NFL Network's team-by-team coverage, NFL RedZone will offer live action coverage and real-time highlights from every 1 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET NFL game, every week. The channel promises to cover every touchdown by every team this season, jumping from game to game to catch crucial plays across the league.

NFL RedZone will air on DISH Network channel 155. To date, Comcast is the only other carrier that has announced plans to carry NFL RedZone.

Programming and Industry
24 Aug 2009 - 15:45 by soullezz    Industry News |

PROGRAMMING: Project Runway Sets Lifetime Ratings Record; Save Reno 911

No matter what network airs it, Project Runway is a ratings winner for cable. Last week's premiere of the fashion design reality show's sixth season on Lifetime Television drew a 3.2 rating among women 18-49 (28 percent better than last season's premiere on Bravo), beating all cable competition for the night and making it the best rated premiere in Lifetime's history --- Turns out Comedy Central series Reno 911! really did have fans after all. The show's recent cancellation has sparked a grassroots movement to rejuvenate the series, including a SaveReno911.com site backed by the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.

INDUSTRY: Profits Dive at GameStop; Sirius XM iPhone App in the Works

Although the video gaming sector has essentially remained the consumer electronics retail world's one bright spot in recent months, even it is taking a beating these days, according to game retail chain GameStop's second quarter financials released last week. GameStop reported a 32 percent drop in quarterly profits in the second quarter due to reduced consumer spending. Revenues dropped to $1.74 billion this quarter compared to $1.8 billion for the same period last year --- According to reports, Sirius XM plans to released a satellite radio for the Apple iPhone that will allow subscribers to listen to the service via the mobile device. The company is expected to release a dock connector for the iPhone and iPod touch that will add Sirius XM service to the devices this week.

Another Successful Launch for Arianespace
24 Aug 2009 - 15:42 by soullezz    Industry News |


Arianespace on Friday successfully launched the JCSAT-12 and Optus D3 satellites from the Spaceport in French Guiana in its fourth Ariane 5 mission of 2009. The JCSAT-12 was delivered for Japanese operator SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation and the Optus D3 for Australian operator Optus.

The launch marked Arianespace's 32nd successful launch in a row.

"Our collaboration with the Asia-Pacific region is in the limelight tonight," said Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall after the launch. "Tonight we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our cooperation with Japan, and I want to tell our Japanese friends that we are particularly proud of the confidence and fidelity they have shown for so many years."

Once operational, the JCSAT-12 will offer service to the Asia-Pacific region via 30 Ku-band transponders and 12 C-band transponders and will serve as a backup to SKY Perfect's JCSAT-R backup relay platform. The Optus D3 will provide fixed communications and direct TV services for Australia and New Zealand with 32 Ku-band transponders.

Study: Customers Love The Bundle
21 Aug 2009 - 17:27 by soullezz    Industry News |


According to a new report from Parks Associates, broadband customers that bundle their services with video and voice offerings are on average 15 percent more satisfied with their providers and more receptive to value-added services.

"Broadband services are no longer measured by delivering a single service over one network to one device," said Kurt Scherf, principal analyst with Parks Associates. "Service providers help themselves by emphasizing customer support and high-quality service offerings. Beyond the near-term benefit of higher customer satisfaction, they can leverage current service deployments and management systems to reap future benefits such as reduced CAPEX and the ability to deliver emerging connected home applications."

Triple-play subscribers are generally happier with their services than the national average, Parks said, and more likely than the average subscriber to take the plunge on premium entertainment services, premium technical support, provider-deployed home networks and other add-on offerings.

Industry and Finance
21 Aug 2009 - 17:27 by soullezz    Industry News |

INDUSTRY: DIRECTV, ESPN Touting Tennis; Sony Cuts PS3 Price; RadioShack Expands Repurchase Plan

DIRECTV and ESPN will host a free tennis exhibition in New York City's Bryant Park on Aug. 26, in advance of the two companies' coverage of the 2009 U.S. Open tennis championship. The event will feature a number of the games current stars, including Venus and Serena Williams and James Blake --- Sony this week trimmed another 25 percent from the price of its Playstayion 3 console to $299 and announced that the console will now be available in a slim form factor model; Consumer electronics retailer RadioShack on Thursday announced that it would repurchase an additional $200 million worth of its own common stock as part of its existing buyback program, bringing the total to $290 million.

FINANCE: Rogers Declares Dividend; Viacom Announces Debt Offering

Canadian telco Rogers Communications on Thursday declared a $0.29 per share quarterly dividend on each of its outstanding Class B non-voting shares and Class A voting shares. The dividend will be paid on Oct. 1 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 9 --- Viacom announced plans to sell $850 million worth of senior notes in several denominations in a sale that is expected to end on Aug. 26.

DIRECTV Expands International Programming Lineup
21 Aug 2009 - 17:26 by soullezz    Industry News |


DIRECTV on Thursday added Punjabi-language network PTC Punjabi to its International Programming platform at channel 2015. Dedicated to the U.S. Punjabi community, the channel offers 24-hour content from Indian Punjabi network, PTC Network, as well as three top Punjabi channels.

"The launch of PTC Punjabi on DIRECTV's international programming platform speaks to our commitment to provide engaging and relevant programming to a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities in the United States," said John de Armas, vice president of DIRECTV's WorldDirect. "This exclusive new channel will allows us to deeply engage the Punjabi audience in the U.S. by keeping them in touch with their cultural roots and native language through captivating news, entertainment and lifestyle programming."

PTC Punjabi is now available on an a la carte basis for $14.99 per month.

Programming and Industry
20 Aug 2009 - 18:18 by soullezz    Industry News |

PROGRAMMING: Clasen to Retire from Starz; Disney Offers Free Access

Starz, LLC, has announced that Robert B. Clasen, chairman and CEO of Starz, LLC, plans to retire around year-end --- Disney is offering free access to its new Disney Family Movies subscription on demand service from Thursday, Sept. 3 to Monday, Sept. 7. The preview will be offered to subscribers with Comcast, Charter, Cox, AT&T U-verse, Suddenlink and Verizon FiOS, according to Disney. The VOD service will offer a variety of classic and contemporary Disney titles, including Mary Poppins and 101 Dalmations, all with a, as the name implies, family focus.

INDUSTRY: Outdoor Channel Lauded

Outdoor Channel on Wednesday announced that it had won 11 Telly Awards, which are given in recognition of outstanding regional, local and cable programming. Among the channel's wins were programming entries and those for promotional spots.



Vizio Reclaims Top Spot In U.S. HDTV Shipments
20 Aug 2009 - 18:17 by soullezz    Industry News |


After just a few months at number two, Vizio is once again the largest shipper of LCD HDTVs in the U.S., according to a preliminary Q2 report from market research firm iSuppli.

As of the second quarter, Vizio shipments account for some 21.7 percent of U.S. shipments, an increase of 165 percent versus the same quarter a year ago. Vizio claimed 21.4 percent of the market in the first quarter of this year, and just 14.9 percent in Q4 of '08. Vizio currently makes three of the top five selling LCDs in the U.S.

Rounding out the top five LCD makers in terms of market share were Samsung at 21.3 percent, Sony at 11.9 percent, Toshiba at 8.3 percent and LG at 7.9 percent, according to iSuppli.

DISH Adds More HD, SD Locals
20 Aug 2009 - 18:17 by soullezz    Industry News |


DISH Network on Wednesday became the first satellite provider to offer local channels in Lima, Ohio and Alexandria, La. The channels -- which include six each in Lima and Alexandria -- are now available in standard-def to area DISH Network subscribers.

The DBS provider also added to its local HD lineup, with four local channels in Columbus-Tupelo, Miss., KSPR HD and KYTV HD in Springfield, Mo. and WSBT HD in South Bend-Elkhart, Ind.

According to DISH, the satellite provider currently carries local channels in 182 U.S. markets covering 97 percent of the country's TV households. In terms of HD, DISH's HD local lineup covers 152 markets and 93 percent of U.S. households.

Programming and Mobile
19 Aug 2009 - 13:43 by soullezz    Industry News |

PROGRAMMING: Spike, TNA Extend Agreement; Fox Soccer Taking UEFA Coverage Online; Cox Expands HD Lineup

Total Nonstop Action (TNA) wrestling isn't going anywhere anytime soon, not after the professional grappling league on Tuesday extended its broadcast partnership with Spike TV through 2012. The deal includes new weekly installments of the TNA: iMPACT! show and a new series of original specials --- As part of its new broadcast deal with the UEFA Champions League, Fox Soccer Channel on Tuesday launched a new dedicated UEFA website at ChampionsOnFox.com and announced plans to offer live online video streaming of every UEFA match it covers in 2009/10. The multiplatform push also includes mobile UEFA score updates via FoxSoccer.com's Mobile Match Tracker --- Cox Communications announced plans to launch seven new HD channels in the Hampton Roads, VA area on Aug. 20, and 24 new HD channels in York County on Aug. 27. The new channels include Bio HD, Encore HD, Fox Business Channel HD, MLB Network HD, NBA TV HD, The Weather Channel HD and an HD pay-per-view channel.

MOBILE: Blockbuster Features Coming to Motorola Phones; Discovery Channel App Now Available

Users of Motorola's newest line of mobile phones will soon be able to access Blockbuster's library of digital movies directly from their handheld devices as part of a new integration deal between the onetime DVD rental firm and the CE maker. Mobile access to the Blockbuster OnDemand movie download service will allow users to download content directly to their mobile device for playback --- Discovery Communications on Tuesday launched a new Discovery Channel app in Apple's iPhone App Store. The application includes a collection of video clips from the channel's programming, along with photo, quizzes, programming updates and other Discovery Channel information.

Sony Debuts Best Buy Exclusive CE Line
19 Aug 2009 - 13:42 by soullezz    Industry News |


Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy has partnered with Sony on a new line of exclusive home audio products. The new line, known as ALTUS, includes wireless and multi-room audio systems, speakers, home theaters and other A/V hardware.

"By working with Sony throughout the product development process, we were able to focus directly on our customer to better understand their needs and interpret how best to present ALTUS in a retail environment," said Mike Vitelli, Best Buy's executive vice president of customer operating groups.

Sony's ALTUS products are now available at Best Buy locations nationwide.

JCSAT-12 Ready For Upcoming Launch
19 Aug 2009 - 13:41 by soullezz    Industry News |


Japanese satellite operator SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation on Tuesday declared that its new JCSAT-12 satellite is prepped and ready for this Friday's scheduled launch from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

The Lockheed Martin-built satellite has been tested, fueled and mounted aboard Arianespace's Ariane 5 launch vehicle, along with the Optus D3, in preparation for the mission. Once in orbit, the JCSAT-12 will provide broadcast and broadband services to Japan, Hawaii and the entire Asia-Pacific region via 30 active Ku-band transponders and 12 active C-band transponders. The spacecraft will serve as a backup for other SKY Perfect satellites until it is needed as a primary participant.

Lockheed Martin is currently building the next two satellites in the JSAT constellation -- the JCSAT-110R, which is scheduled for a 2011 launch, and the JCSAT-13, which has yet to be assigned a launch date but is slated for delivery in 2011.

Pioneer Looks Forward To Plasma-less Future
18 Aug 2009 - 14:50 by soullezz    Industry News |


Earlier this year, Pioneer announced plans to exit the plasma TV market in March 2010. On Monday, the CE maker released some specifics about what it will be doing once it leaves plasma at the wayside.

In short: Pioneer is going back to its roots as an A/V company.

"For two years, plasma was at the center of the Pioneer brand's repositioning in the home entertainment market," said Russ Johnston, vice president of Pioneer's home entertainment group. The company is now looking at growth possibilities in other segments and will focus on three core customer messages. Those messages -- that Pioneer is an A/V specialty company, that its work extends to high-end content production and that its expertise extends beyond TVs -- are designed to refocus Pioneer as an A/V entertainment company.

Satellite and Programming
18 Aug 2009 - 14:49 by soullezz    Industry News |

SATELLITE: Telesat's Nimiq 5 Launch On Schedule; FCC Approves GHL, Iridium Deal

Fixed satellite services operator Telesat on Monday said that its new Nimiq 5 satellite is on track to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Sept. 18 as planned. The satellite, which will support direct-to-home TV services in North America, will utilize 32 Ku-band transponders and operate from 72.7 degrees West --- The Federal Communications Commission has approved GHL's merger with mobile satellite service provider Iridium Holdings, with a shareholder vote on the planned deal scheduled for Sept. 23. If the deal goes through, Iridium would become a publicly traded company.

PROGRAMMING: New VOD Service From Sundance; Olympics Channel On Hold; NFL RedZone To Feature Game Highlights

Rainbow Media is launching a VOD service entitled Sundance Selects that will feature one premiere title per month with a focus on independent and world cinema features. The offering will kick off Aug. 26 with Spike Lee's newest, Passing Strange --- A dispute between the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee has put the brakes on a planned U.S. Olympics Channel being jointly produced by the USOC and Comcast. The channel had been set to debut after the Winter Games in Vancouver next spring --- NFL Network is launching a new NFL RedZone channel this season that will feature coverage of every touchdown from every NFL game on Sunday afternoons. The highlights-focused channel will debut along with the league's 2009 regular season on Sept. 13.

Wall Street Remains Bullish on DIRECTV
18 Aug 2009 - 14:48 by soullezz    Industry News |


Pali Research analyst Richard Greenfield on Monday wrote that he expects DIRECTV to add about 1.1 million net new subscribers in 2009, up from the 860,000 net it added in 2008, and post 5 percent earning gains for the year.

This is in a recession year, remember.

"While the cable industry struggles (and fails) to maintain its video subscriber base, DirecTV continues to significantly outperform," he wrote in a note to investors. "The combination of a weak economy and increasing competition is taking its toll on all multichannel operators. However, DTV continues to find a way to grow its video business at the same time that cable operators appear to have almost given up on the video side of their business with an increasing emphasis on broadband and telephony additions."

Although the company's planned spinoff of DIRECTV Latin America will take a bite out of the parent's earnings this year, Greenfield added, DTV should be able to bounce back quickly and, without those Latin American operational expenses, be able to continue growing into 2010.

Industry, People, and Finance
14 Aug 2009 - 11:57 by soullezz    Industry News |

INDUSTRY: HITN TV Recognized For Sotomayor Coverage; Sky Germany Still Struggling

HITN TV has been awarded the New York State Federation of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce "Media Excellence Award" for its Spanish-language coverage of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's U.S. Supreme Court confirmation process --- Sky Germany (a.k.a. the company once known as Premiere) lost €365.8 million ($521.6 million U.S.) in the most recent quarter thanks in large part to the €253.9 million ($362.1 million U.S.) write-off it had to take when the company switched over to the Sky brand.

PEOPLE: In Demand CEO Steps Down

Rob Jacobson, who has served as CEO of In Demand Networks since 2004, has stepped down from his position at the helm of the on demand programmer. Bob Benya, Time Warner Cable's SVP of video product strategy has been tapped to take over for Jacobson on an interim basis. In Demand did not offer details about the circumstances surrounding Jacobson's departure, but did say that his contract had recently expired.

FINANCE: Revenues, RGUs Up At Insight; Harris Upgrades Expectations

Communications firm Harris Corporation this week reported a four percent increase in second quarter revenues to $1.29 billion, with a 22 percent increase in new orders driving an update to the company's 2010 guidance. Harris' broadcast communication segment didn't fare as well as its government operations, however, posting a 29 percent drop in orders during the quarter, though sales did increase 18 percent versus the first quarter --- Insight Communications on Thursday reported a 13 percent increase in second quarter revenues and an 11 percent increase in adjusted operating income. The MSO also added 32,700 net new customers in the period to end June with more than 775,000 total customer relationships. Insight's RGU count increased 14 percent year-to-year to a total of 1.99 million.

Analyst: Things Looking Up For DISH, EchoStar
14 Aug 2009 - 11:55 by soullezz    Industry News |


DISH Network's second quarter results, released this week, have at least one supporter on Wall Street: Citigroup analyst Jason Bazinet.

Following the DBS provider's announcement that it had added 26,000 net new subscribers in the quarter despite a 0.4 percent slip in revenues, Bazinet reiterated his "buy" recommendation on DISH's stock and upgraded his full-year estimates for the company, predicting reduced churn and higher net subscriber additions. "Even with recent strength in Dish shares, we believe (the stock's) valuation remains compelling," the analyst wrote in a note to investors.

Bazinet is also bullish on the prospects for DISH Network's sister company, EchoStar, raising his outlook on that stock this week as well.

"The bottom line is that EchoStar is a far more attractive equity than it was 18 months ago," he said. "The firm is generating cash, the largest negative catalyst [i.e. exposure to TiVo litigation costs, which has been limited] is off the table, and the potential for some substantial contract wins is closer than it was 18 months ago."



HARDWARE: Toshiba Jumps Into Blu-ray; Networking Features Come To Onkyo Receiver Line
12 Aug 2009 - 15:22 by soullezz    Industry News |


Toshiba America this week announced plans to enter the Blu-ray market, saying it will share specific product details and a rollout schedule later this year --- Onkyo began shipping a new network-capable A/V receiver that includes built in support for Pandora, Rhapsody and Sirius' web-based streaming services. According to Onkyo, the new TX-NR807 can also play files from networked computers and supports Audyssey's new DSX soundstage extension processing.

PROGRAMMING: STAR Expands in Bay Area; Fox To Launch UEFA Coverage
12 Aug 2009 - 15:22 by soullezz    Industry News |


Comcast has launched four South Asian channels from STAR in the San Francisco Bay area. The new channels include STAR ONE, STAR India GOLD, STAR India NEWS and VIJAY, the programmer's in-language Tamil entertainment channel --- Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports en Espanol will kick off coverage of UEFA Champions League soccer starting Tuesday, Aug. 18. The networks will air one live and up to four delayed matches per day throughout the next three UEFA seasons, with contests on FSN airing in HD.


OpenTV, Jinni Team Up On New TV Search Tool
12 Aug 2009 - 15:22 by soullezz    Industry News |


TOP STORY -- Middleware developer OpenTV and search firm Jinni on Tuesday announced a new, "mood-based" search tool designed to make it easier for TV viewers to find new content across multiple platforms.

The feature will be included as part of OpenTV's latest Core2 middleware, which is set to become available in the fourth quarter.

“Jinni’s unique approach to search, discovery, and recommendations is the perfect complement to our middleware technology allowing consumers to easily find what they really ‘feel’ like watching," explained Tracy Geist, OpenTV's SVP of business development. "By integrating the Jinni technology with the integrated search features of our Core2 middleware, we’re enabling our customers to deliver a television-centric search product far beyond what is available today and we believe this unique capability will be an exciting differentiator for our customers as they define their consumer experience.”

In short, the search tool knows what you watch, knows what's on and knows what will appeal to your personal preferences. Think of it like a giant TiVo recommendations menu that includes just about everything available on TV or online. The new Core2 tool will also include integrated search functionality that allows the user to search by actor name, rating, genre, etc; an extended search feature that adds web content and other networked content to the mix; and predictive text entry that simplifies the process of entering text with a standard television remote.

PROGRAMMING: Lionsgate To Distribute Jim Henson Company Content; BBC America Sets New One-Week Ratings Record; DIRECTV To Offer Interactive PGA Championship Coverage
11 Aug 2009 - 15:07 by soullezz    Industry News |


The Jim Henson Company has signed a home entertainment distribution agreement with Lionsgate that grants the studio rights to more than 350 hours of classic film and TV content, including television series, specials and library titles. Lionsgate said it plans to release the final season of Fraggle Rock along with the Fraggle Rock holiday special in November of this year, with additional content coming next year --- Three sci-fi series - Torchwood, Dr. Who and Planet of the Dead - helped BBC America to its best one-week performance ever for the week of July 20. The Torchwood premiere was the network's most successful launch ever, drawing 3.3 million viewers during the week --- DIRECTV is bringing its popular interactive coverage package to this year's PGA Championship, set to tee off Aug. 13 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. In addition to tournament feeds from TNT and CBS, DIRECTV will offer four channels of expanded coverage, include dedicated player channels, hole specials and a mix channel that displays just about everything at once --- RNC will carry Telemundo's Latino youth cable network mun2 on its expanded basic tier in New York, Philadephia, Boston, Washington D.C. and Chicago as part of a new carriage agreement with NBC Universal. The channel will also be carried in the Lehigh Valley on RCN's digital basic tier.

SATELLITE: WildBlue Expands Service Reach; SBCA Web Site Gets A Facelift
11 Aug 2009 - 15:06 by soullezz    Industry News |


WildBlue on Monday added EchoStar's AMC-15 satellite to its network, offering expanded broadband coverage for customers in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Arkansas. With the addition, WildBlue now has three satellites in service --- The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA) on Monday launched its newly redesigned web site, with a new layout designed to highlight the latest happenings in the satellite industry. The new site also incorporates new search engine optimization technologies to drive traffic to the SBCA portal and bring attention to its member companies.

DISH Adds Subscribers in Q2
11 Aug 2009 - 15:05 by soullezz    Industry News |


DISH Network on Monday surprised investors by reporting that it had added some 26,000 net new subscribers in the second quarter to end the period with about 13.6 million total customers.

DISH lost about the same number of net customers in Q2 of '08.

But it was not all good news for the DBS provider, which saw revenues decline 0.4 percent in the quarter to $2.904 billion. Income is where DISH took the biggest hit however, as profits plunged from $336 million this time last year to just $63 million in the second quarter of 2009. Presumably, though DISH did not elaborate on its results, the company has been spending heavily to acquire those new customers and that spending has eaten into the company's profits.

Bernstein Research analyst Craig Moffett, however, was not moved by the positive subscriber numbers.

"At first glance, it's tempting to view Dish network's 2Q results as a clear win," he wrote Monday. "But as is so often the case with Dish, it's where investors weren't looking that holds the key." Moffett highlighted weak cost controls and rising subscriber expenses as areas of particular concern.

Satellite and Programming
7 Aug 2009 - 15:48 by soullezz    Industry News |

SATELLITE: DISH Expands Puerto Rican HD; Gilat Upgrades Columbian Agency Service; Sirius XM Continues To Limp Along

DISH Network has added 24 new high-def channels to its HD lineup on Puerto Rico, bringing to 33 the total number of HD channels it offers on the island. According to DISH, the additions mean it now offers more HD than any other provider in Puerto Rico --- The Colombian Ministry of Communications has deployed a SkyEdge II broadband satellite communications network provided by Gilat Satellite Networks. The new service enables rural communications among 1,300 sites across the South American country --- Although Sirius XM's revenues increased one percent in the second quarter to $607.8 million, the satellite radio provider lost about $157 million in the period after some $132 million in charges. Also, for the first time since the company was founded in 2001, Sirius actually lost customers in the quarter, ending down about one percent with 18.4 million subscribers.

PROGRAMMING: Verizon To Carry SD Hallmarks; No Epix For DIRECTV

Verizon on Thursday announced that it would carry standard def versions of Crown Media's Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel on its FiOS TV service. FiOS already carries the channels in HD --- DIRECTV says it will probably not carry Epix, the premium movie channel being developed by Lionsgate, MGM and Paramount. "We think there are enough of them out there already," said DIRECTV CFO Patrick Doyle during a conference call with analysts. "We don't see the value of adding another movie channel."

ESPN Responds to DISH Lawsuit
7 Aug 2009 - 15:47 by soullezz    Industry News |


The lawsuit that DISH Network filed against ESPN earlier this week has elicited a reaction from the programmer.

"We have repeatedly advised Dish that we are in full compliance with our agreement and have offered them a distribution opportunity with respect to ESPNU and ESPN Classic consistent with the rest of the industry," wrote Katina Arnold, ESPN's vice president of communications. "We will not renegotiate settled contracts and will vigorously defend this legal action, the apparent sole purpose of which is to get a better deal."

DISH Network is suing ESPN over an alleged breach of contract related to carriage of its ESPNU and ESPN Classic channels, claiming that the sports programmer violated the terms of a 2005 contract. That document reportedly included a clause that would require ESPN to provide DISH with carriage terms equal to or better than those offered to other providers.



DIRECTV Expands Revenues, Customer Base in Q2
7 Aug 2009 - 15:47 by soullezz    Industry News |


In its second quarter reporting on Thursday, DIRECTV declared itself the largest pay TV provider in the world with over 24.2 million customers on its rolls. The milestone came after the DBS provider added 224,000 net new U.S. and 128,000 Latin American subscribers in the quarter.

Interim CEO Larry Hunter credited DIRECTV's recent bundling partnership with AT&T for the gains, highlighting the company's 1.51 percent churn rate and over one million gross additions during the period.

In terms of financials, The DIRECTV Group's second quarter revenues increased 9 percent to $5.22 billion, with U.S. revenues jumping 8 percent and Latin American revenues increasing 11 percent. So far this year, the parent company's revenues are up 8 percent versus the first half of 2008 on strong subscriber growth, although all of those new customers have eaten away at DIRECTV's operating profits due to acquisition costs and service expenses.

Like many on Wall Street, Sanford Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett was impressed by DIRECTV's steady growth. "Quarter after quarter, what stands out for DirecTV is the sheer predictability of their solid results," he said. "Yet again, DTV has met – almost precisely – the relatively high expectations that had been set for virtually every operating metric, large and small."

Hardware, Industry, and People
5 Aug 2009 - 13:20 by soullezz    Industry News |


HARDWARE: Amazon Coming To Panasonic TVs; Growth Seen For Set-Top Markets

Panasonic on Tuesday announced that its full line of 2009 VIERA CAST connected HDTVs will include built-in support for Amazon's Video on Demand service. The web-based VOD service was added to the CE maker's plasma sets earlier this year --- According to a new report from market research firm In-Stat, the market for cable set-top boxes is expected to grow by eight percent this year, followed by satellite at six percent. The big STB gainers in recent years - IP and DTV - are expected to settle back down to Earth this year as they move past the bubble stage.

INDUSTRY: TiVo Wins RCN Contract; More Losses At Playboy; HDNEt Signs As UFL TV Partner

Cable operator RCN has chosen TiVo as its primary DVR platform for its customers in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. The TiVo DVR from RCN is scheduled to debut in early 2010 --- Playboy Enterprises can't seem to catch a break these days. Despite aggressive cost-cutting measures in recent months, the company on Tuesday reported a net loss of $8.7 million for the second quarter, up from the $3.2 million it lost this time last year. Year-over-year revenues for the quarter declined from $73.4 million in Q2 '08 to $62.2 million for the most recent period --- Mark Cuban's HDNet will broadcast five games of the United Football League's (UFL) premiere season starting this October as part of a content partnership with the new football league. VERSUS will air another eight UFL games.

PEOPLE: Moves At Twentieth Television, Intelsat General

Greg Meidel was named president of Twentieth Television, but will retain his responsibilities as president of MyNetwork TV --- Intelsat General tapped Skot Butler to the new position of director of strategic initiatives. Intelsat General is a wholly-owned subsidiary of satellite services provider Intelsat focused on the communications needs of various military agencies, NATO members and related contractors.

Patent Office Rejects TiVo's Timewarp Patent Claims
5 Aug 2009 - 13:17 by soullezz    Industry News |


The lawsuit exchange between TiVo and EchoStar got a little more interesting this week when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) rejected some of the the DVR maker's claims on its Multimedia Timewarping System patent.

The ruling effectively recharged EchoStar's position in the case and brings the recent decision in TiVo's favor into question.

“We are pleased that the Patent and Trademark Office issued an initial office action rejecting Tivo’s software claims as invalid in light of two prior patents," EchoStar said in a statement. "These software claims are the same claims that EchoStar was found to have infringed in the contempt ruling now pending on appeal. We believe that the PTO’s conclusions are highly relevant to the issues on appeal as well as the pending sanctions proceedings in the district court.”

Despite the setback, TiVo of course remains optimistic about its position in the case.

"It is not unusual for the PTO to provide a preliminary finding of invalidity and to then later find that the claims are valid after hearing an explanation from the patent owner," the company said. "TiVo believes that the PTO's preliminary finding will not affect EchoStar's appeal of the June 2009 ruling by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas finding EchoStar to be in contempt of court."

Programming and Industry
3 Aug 2009 - 13:39 by soullezz    Industry News |


PROGRAMMING: Shark Week Going Mobile; RCN Adds EBRU TV

Shark Week is going mobile as part of a new partnership between Discovery Communications and FLO TV. Under terms of the deal, FLO TV's live mobile TV service will offer a dedicated Shark Week channel featuring full-length content from the ridiculously popular Discovery special --- Multi-cultural family channel EBRU TV has been added to RCN's lineups in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley and Washington, D.C.

INDUSTRY: LG Confident In Recession Strategy; Profits Dive At Belo; Revenue Situation Improving For ARRIS

At the LG Summer Line Show in New York last week, LG Electronics USA president Teddy Hwang said that he thinks the company's "strategy to overcome the global recession" is working, pointing to the company's recent 12 percent sales increase as proof --- Belo on Friday reported a 23 percent decline in second quarter revenues due to the soft advertising market. Profits for the quarter were down 61 percent as compared to the same period in 2008, Belo said --- ARRIS reported a 0.9 percent decrease in second quarter revenues as compared to Q2 of '08, but when viewed sequentially the company's revenues actually increased 9.9 percent between the first and second quarters of this year. The company also reported an 80 percent jump in adjusted net income versus the second quarter of last year.

Despite Recession, Last 12 Months Have Been Good To Eutelsat
3 Aug 2009 - 13:38 by soullezz    Industry News |


The international satellite community got another boost on Friday when French satellite operator Eutelsat Communications reported solid gains for its fiscal year that ended on June 30.

Not only did the operator report a 7.2 percent increase in total revenues for the year, net income jumped 43.6 percent in that time as compared to the 2008 fiscal year. Overall, Eutelsat brought in EUR 940.5 million ($1.34 billion U.S.) in the last 12 months, EUR 247.3 million ($353 million U.S.) of which remained as profit.

Given these solid results, the company raised its short and medium term goals for fiscal year 2009-2010 to a seven percent growth rate and EUR 1 billion in revenues.

"This year's revenue increase across our full range of activities is all the more remarkable as the additional resources brought by new satellites were available only from the third and fourth quarters," said Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta. "Our strong performance also reflects the mobilisation of the teams working at Eutelsat and their commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction, to increasing our competitive edge and our capacity to innovate."

Study: Set-Top Shipments Set To Soar
1 Aug 2009 - 14:51 by soullezz    Industry News |


According to a report released Thursday by market research firm Parks Associates, set-top box shipments are expected to exceed 200 million annually by 2013 as providers move to offer more advanced services to their subscribers.

The push will come as operators move to upgrade their hardware with next-gen models, Parks said, capable of supporting high-def video, time shifting and interactive applications.

"Consumers are attracted to the concept of connected CE, with one-third of U.S. broadband households very interested in a set-top box that connects to their PC and Internet service as well as their TV," said Jayant Dasari, Parks Associates research analyst. "While less than ten percent are willing to pay a monthly fee, demand is still on an upward trend, especially as the set-top connects to more and more services."

Programming and Industry
1 Aug 2009 - 14:51 by soullezz    Industry News |

PROGRAMMING: U.S.-Mexico Match Sets New Fox Soccer Channel Ratings Record; BET Post Record-Setting July; Original Movies From Cinelatino

Fox Soccer Channel on Thursday reported that its telecast of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final between the U.S. and Mexico on Sunday was the highest-rated event in network history. According to the network, the match drew a 0.8 household rating or roughly 267,000 households --- BET in July posted a 45 percent year-over-year increase in adult 18-49 viewers to mark its best single month gain in network history. With a 37 percent boost in total viewership, July was also the fifth month in a row that BET has posted double-digit year-over-year viewership gains --- U.S.-based Spanish-language movie channel Cinelatino will begin producing original made-for-TV movies as part of a new partnership agreement with Mexican production company Argos Comunicacion.

INDUSTRY: Losses At Sony, Motorola; ESPN And Virgin Sign Distribution Agreement; Setanta Returning To U.K.

The slumping CE market led Sony on Thursday to report a $390.5 million second quarter loss on a 27.3 percent drop in device sales. As if that wasn't enough to give Sir Howard heartburn, Sony's video game unit also reported a 40 percent sales drop in the quarter --- Motorola on Thursday reported a 27 percent drop in revenues and 38 percent drop in profits for its Home and Networks Mobility segment, shortfalls the company blamed on reduced capex spending by cable providers --- ESPN has increased it presence in the U.K. with a new distribution deal with Virgin Media. Under terms of the agreement, ESPN's second on the island, Virgin's 3.5 million U.K. customers will have access to ESPN's channels --- In related news, sports broadcaster Setanta Sports is angling to resume broadcasting in the U.K. with new satellite licenses from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, after folding its Great Britain operation on June 23. The channel will be re-launched as a subscription service in the Irish Republic.

BSkyB Adds Customers, Announces 3D, VOD Upgrades
1 Aug 2009 - 14:50 by soullezz    Industry News |


Thursday was a busy day for British satellite provider BSkyB, which took advantage of the second quarter reporting platform to announce a host of new service offerings.

The big news, of course, was that the satcaster would launch the U.K.'s first 3D television service. No timeline for the 3D rollout was released, though BSkyS did say that the 3D channel would include a mix of sports and entertainment programming and would utilize existing HD infrastructure so that any of the provider's HD customers will be able to access the 3D content provided they have a compatible 3DTV.

Company execs on Thursday also confirmed plans to launch a push VOD service in 2010 that will make use of broadband technology and the Sky+ HD receiver.

BSkyB added 124,000 customers in the second quarter to bring its total subscriber base to 9.4 million. In the last 12 months the provider has added 462,000 net new customers to post its best subscriber number increase in five years. According to research firm Strategy Analytics, BSkyB is on track to surpass 10 million subscribers in the second half of 2010.

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