Streaming (Over-the-top, OTT, P2P, PC-TV, Internet TV, online video, IP Video) News

Sony and Chicken Soup for the Soul launch Crackle Plus
May 14, 2019 – Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSS Entertainment) (Nasdaq: CSSE) have launched their new streaming video joint venture named 'Crackle Plus' and announce closing of related transactions.
News categories: Chicken Soup for the Soul, Sony Pictures Television, Digital TV, Streaming, USA

Philo brings streaming TV to WOW! broadband customers
May 14, 2019 – Philo has announced an agreement with WOW!, a provider of internet, data, voice, cloud and cable TV in the Midwest and Southeast. Philo's service, at $20 per month, will be available to all of WOW!’s broadband customers beginning mid-year.
News categories: Philo, WOW!, Andrew McCollum, Roger Seiken, Digital TV, Streaming, USA

FreeWheel announces programmatic OTT offering for local TV buyers
May 14, 2019 – FreeWheel (Nasdaq: CMCSA) has announced that members of the FreeWheel Advertisers’ network using the Strata platform can now programmatically access the full OTT marketplace through exchanges and direct premium publisher integrations.
News categories: FreeWheel, Joy Baer, Frost Prioleau, Advertising, Digital TV, Streaming, USA

Cyfrowy Polsat contract pay TV subscribers down 22,000 in 1Q 2019
May 14, 2019 – Cyfrowy Polsat Group has reported results for the first quarter of 2019. The company finished the quarter with 5.1 million contract pay TV subscribers, down 21,000 versus the end of 2018, and up 93,000 year-on-year. In March 2019 Cyfrowy Polsat introduced its EVOBOX IP set-top box.
News categories: Cyfrowy Polsat, Digital TV, IPTV, Poland, Results, Satellite, Set Top Box, Streaming, Subscribers

Digital Alert Systems and Kaltura bring EAS Alerts to Cloud TV services
May 14, 2019 – Digital Alert Systems and Kaltura have announced that the Kaltura TV Platform is first to support Digital Alert Systems' EAS-NET communications protocol, allowing customers to comply with EAS/CAP regulations by providing critical emergency messages within their Cloud TV deployments.
News categories: Digital Alert Systems, Kaltura, Bill Robertson, Gideon Gilboa, Digital TV, PAYTV19, Regulation, Streaming, USA

Major U.S. pay TV providers lost ~1,325,000 subscribers in 1Q 2019
May 14, 2019 – Leichtman Research Group (LRG) has found that the largest pay-TV providers in the U.S. lost about 1,325,000 net video subscribers in 1Q 2019, compared to a pro forma net loss of about 305,000 subscribers in 1Q 2018.
News categories: Leichtman Research, Bruce Leichtman, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Streaming, Subscribers, USA

Disney and Comcast agree on Hulu's future governance and ownership
May 14, 2019 – Disney (NYSE: DIS) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) have announced that Disney will assume full operational control of Hulu, effective immediately, in return for Disney and Comcast entering into a 'put/call' agreement regarding NBCUniversal’s 33% ownership interest in Hulu.
News categories: Comcast, Disney, Digital TV, MandA, Streaming, USA

Vodafone 5G goes live in the UK in July
May 14, 2019 – Vodafone will switch on its 5G network for both consumers and business customers in seven cities across the UK on 3 July 2019. In a worldwide first, Vodafone will also offer 5G roaming in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain over the summer.
News categories: Vodafone, Nick Jeffery, 5G, Mobile, UK

Samsung TVs first with Apple TV app and AirPlay 2
May 13, 2019 – Samsung has announced that all 2019 Samsung Smart TVs and select 2018 TV models with a firmware update will feature the all-new Apple TV app in more than 100 countries and offer AirPlay 2 support in 176 countries.
News categories: Samsung, Apple, Won-Jin Lee, Apps, Digital TV, Smart Home, Smart TV, Streaming, Worldwide