TV Services (Pay TV, OTT, Broadcasting) News

Pay TV subscriptions exceed 1 billion
Sep 23, 2019 – Digital TV Research estimates that pay TV subscribers increased by 26 million in 2018 across 138 countries. This took the number of pay TV subscribers beyond 1 billion. IPTV overtook pay satellite TV in 2018.
News categories: Digital TV Research, Simon Murray, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Subscribers, Terrestrial, Worldwide

Roku OS 9.2 to begin rollout
Sep 19, 2019 – Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) has announced that Roku OS 9.2 will start rolling out to Roku devices in the coming weeks. The software update focuses on getting customers to content quickly and adds new ways to control the home entertainment experience.
News categories: Roku, Ilya Asnis, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, TV OS, USA, Worldwide

Roku announces new streaming player line-up for UK
Sep 19, 2019 – Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) has unveiled its 2019 streaming player lineup for the United Kingdom. Roku is launching a redesigned Roku Express and new to the UK line-up is the Roku Premiere which delivers 4K streaming with HDR.
News categories: Roku, Lloyd Klarke, Set Top Box, Streaming, UK

Eros Now to develop online video platform with Microsoft
Sep 19, 2019 – Eros Now is to build an online video platform on Microsoft Azure targeted at its consumers across the globe. Eros’ work with Microsoft will help transform how it delivers streaming services and reimagine the offerings it can provide.
News categories: Eros International, Microsoft, Rishika Lulla Singh, Peggy Johnson, Anant Maheshwari, Big Data, Content Distribution, Digital TV, India, Streaming, UX, Worldwide

Roku releases U.S. cord-cutting study
Sep 18, 2019 – The Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) study predicts that around 60 million TV households will access video on their TV exclusively through streaming within the next five years. If this happens, streamers will surpass traditional Pay TV viewers for the first time.
News categories: Roku, Matthew Anderson, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, USA

Facebook introduces Portal TV set-top box
Sep 18, 2019 – Facebook is expanding its Portal family of home video-calling devices with three new models: Portal, Portal Mini and Portal TV. Portal TV brings smart video-calling to the largest screen in the home.
News categories: Facebook, Australia, Canada, Digital TV, France, Italy, New Zealand, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Spain, Streaming, Tablet, UK, USA

SVOD subscriptions soar by 38% in 2018
Sep 18, 2019 – Gross SVOD subscriptions increased by 139 million in 2018 to 508 million, up by 38%. The net subscriber count rose by 83 million in 2018 to reach 357 million, up31%, according to Digital TV Research.
News categories: Digital TV Research, Simon Murray, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, Subscribers, Worldwide

Subscriptions now account for nearly 86% of US internet TV and movie spending
Sep 17, 2019 – New research from Parks Associates finds that subscriptions, formerly representing just over half of total online video spending in 2012, now account for nearly 86% of all U.S. internet spending on TV and movies.
News categories: Parks Associates, Brett Sappington, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, USA

NBCUniversal streaming service to be called 'Peacock'
Sep 17, 2019 – NBCUniversal has announced 'Peacock' as the name for its new streaming service. Peacock rolls out in April of 2020 with over 15,000 hours of content and takes center stage at the end of July during the 2020 Summer Olympics.
News categories: NBCUniversal, Peacock, Bonnie Hammer, Digital TV, Streaming, USA