North America Digital TV News

Apple debuts new Apple TV app and Apple TV channels
Mar 25, 2019 – Apple has announced Apple TV+, Apple’s original video subscription service. Additionally, Apple debuted the all-new Apple TV app and Apple TV channels coming in May 2019. The all-new Apple TV app brings together the different ways to discover and watch shows, movies, sports, news and more in one app.
News categories: Apple, Eddy Cue, Apps, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Smartphone, Streaming, Tablet, USA, Worldwide

Watching movies and TV topped US entertainment options in 2018
Mar 25, 2019 – When it comes to entertaining themselves, most Americans choose to watch movies and TV, over listening to music, playing video games, and other forms of entertainment. In fact, 27% of all entertainment hours in 2018 were spent watching TV and movies, according to The NPD Group.
News categories: NPD Group, Kathi Chandler-Payatt, Digital TV, Market Research, USA

Enghouse Systems to acquire Espial
Mar 25, 2019 – Espial Group (TSX: ESP) and Enghouse Systems (TSX: ENGH) have announced that they have entered into an arrangement agreement pursuant to which Enghouse has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Espial.
News categories: Espial, Enghouse, Canada, Content Distribution, Digital TV, MandA, Middleware, Worldwide

Globecast partners with SnifferCat for OTT dynamic ad insertion
Mar 25, 2019 – Globecast has announced a partnership with SnifferCat to add dynamic ad insertion (DAI) to its offering. SnifferCat's DAI automates the process of preparing unmarked content for distribution and monetization across multiple OTT platforms.
News categories: Globecast, SnifferCat, Eddie Ferraro, Tom Link, Advertising, Content Distribution, Digital TV, NABShow, Streaming, USA

Comcast launches streaming platform for Xfinity Internet customers
Mar 21, 2019 – Comcast has announced the launch of Xfinity Flex. Available to Xfinity Internet customers, the service consists of a 4K HDR streaming TV device with voice remote, packaged with Comcast’s home WiFi, mobile, security, and automation services.
News categories: Comcast, Matt Strauss, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Streaming, USA

15% of U.S. households have a DTC channel subscription
Mar 21, 2019 – Driven by the influx of new services, faster in-home broadband speeds, and TV-connected device adoption, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) channel adoption rates grew three-fold over the last three years to reach 15%t of U.S. households, according to The NPD Group.
News categories: NPD Group, John Buffone, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, USA

Immersive Digital Experiences Alliance to debut at NAB Show 2019
Mar 21, 2019 – The Immersive Digital Experiences Alliance (IDEA) will launch at the 2019 NAB Show with the goal of creating a suite of royalty-free specifications that address all immersive media formats, including emerging light field technology.
News categories: Immersive Digital Experiences Alliance, Dr. Arianne Hinds, Digital TV, Metaverse, NABShow, USA, Worldwide

Global theatrical and home entertainment market at $96.8bn in 2018
Mar 21, 2019 – The global entertainment market reached $96.8 billion in 2018 – a 9% increase over 2017 – according to data released by the MPAA. Global home entertainment increased by 16% over 2017 levels to reach $55.7 billion.
News categories: MPAA, Charles Rivkin, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Streaming, Terrestrial, USA, Worldwide

FreeWheel taps into screen-level Smart TV data from Inscape
Mar 19, 2019 – FreeWheel has announced an agreement with Inscape, the company with viewing data from more than 10 million VIZIO smart TVs in the U.S. FreeWheel is now able to use Inscape data for modeling representativeness for demographic and consumer audience segments used in the selling of national TV advertising campaigns.
News categories: FreeWheel, Inscape, Claudio Marcus, Jodie McAfee, Big Data, Digital TV, Smart TV, USA