TV Services (Pay TV, OTT, Broadcasting) News

Global OTT revenues at $68 billion in 2018
Sep 2, 2019 – Global online TV episode and movie revenues reached $68 billion in 2018, climbing from $51 billion in 2017 and up by $30 billion on 2016, according to Digital TV Research. The top five countries commanded 71% of global revenues.
News categories: Digital TV Research, Simon Murray, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, Worldwide

74% of U.S. households have an SVOD service
Aug 28, 2019 – Leichtman Research Group (LRG) has found that 74% of all U.S. households now have a subscription video on-Demand (SVOD) service from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and/or Hulu – up from 64% in 2017, and 52% in 2015.
News categories: Leichtman Research, Bruce Leichtman, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, USA

European pay TV revenues up 19% since 2014
Aug 28, 2019 – According to Dataxis, from Q1 2014 to Q1 2019, the total subscription revenues of the direct Pay-TV market in Europe has increased by 19%, reaching 8.9 billion euros in Q1 2019. DTH remains the leading technology.
News categories: Dataxis, Cable TV, Digital TV, Europe, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Streaming, Terrestrial

Videotron unveils Helix entertainment and home management platform
Aug 27, 2019 – Videotron has unveiled its Helix technology platform. With its voice remote, ultra-intelligent Wi-Fi, and, coming soon, its ability to integrate automation features, Helix will soon play a major role in Québec households.
News categories: Videotron, Quebecor, Jean-François Pruneau, Pierre Karl Péladeau, Canada, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, Smart Home

Futuresource Consulting expects upturn in French TV and video spending
Aug 27, 2019 – Total video entertainment consumer spend is expected to exceed €7 billion this year, making France the third largest video entertainment market in Europe, according to the latest video insights report from Futuresource Consulting.
News categories: Futuresource Consulting, Tristan Veale, Digital TV, France, Market Research, Streaming

MPEG-H Audio added to SBTVD's ISDB-Tb specifications
Aug 27, 2019 – The SBTVD Forum has selected MPEG-H Audio for inclusion as an additional audio system in the ISDB-Tb specification. This allows broadcasters to simulcast MPEG-H Audio alongside the existing AAC audio.
News categories: Fraunhofer IIS, EiTV, ATEME, Adrian Murtaza, Brazil, Digital TV, Latin America, SBTVD, Set Top Box, Smart TV

YouSee and Media Distillery use AI to enhance the TV viewing experience
Aug 27, 2019 – YouSee and Media Distillery have announced that they have partnered on the use of AI to improve the television viewing experience and to provide a clean on-demand experience, offering an experience similar to that of online video subscription services.
News categories: Media Distillery, YouSee, Roland Sars, Henrik Harder, Big Data, Cable TV, Denmark, Digital TV, UX

Globecast launches HOTBIRD platform with DW HD as first customer
Aug 27, 2019 – Globecast has announced a new HOTBIRD platform to satisfy growing demand generated by the move from SD to HD. Deutsche Welle (DW) is the first customer to take advantage, launching its English language HD channel via the service.
News categories: Globecast, Eutelsat, Deutsche Welle, Samuel Lemercier, Aymeric Genty, Hubert Czaja, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Europe, Middle-East, Satellite

SFR STBs first in France to integrate Amazon Prime Video
Aug 27, 2019 – Altice Europe is to make Amazon Prime Video available to its SFR customers in France. SFR will be the first of Altice operations and the first operator in France to announce the Prime Video app within its LaBox SFR Fibre, SFR Box Plus and SFR Box 8 set-top boxes.
News categories: Altice, Prime Video, Alain Weill, Jay Marine, Apps, Digital TV, Dominican Republic, France, IPTV, Israel, Portugal, Set Top Box, Streaming