Broadcast (Cable TV, DTH Satellite, Terrestrial) News

US pay TV subscribers decline in 2Q15, but ARPU is up
Aug 20, 2015 – According to Strategy Analytics, the reversal of fortune for the digital television operators in North America continued into the second quarter of 2015, as service providers in the US and Canada posted significant subscriber losses.
News categories: Strategy Analytics, Jason Blackwell, Cable TV, Canada, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Subscribers, USA

DIRECTV releases 4K Genie Mini set-top box
Aug 19, 2015 – A new set-top box from DIRECTV makes it possible for more customers to watch 4K Ultra HD (UHD) programming on nearly any 4K TV. The new 4K Genie Mini, which is about the size of a paperback book, offers full Genie and 4K capability.
News categories: DIRECTV, Henry Derovanessian, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box, USA

DishTV launches DishFlix Push VOD in India
Aug 18, 2015 – DishTV has announced the launch of DishFlix, its Push VOD service. The service will not require an internet connection as the content will be pushed to the customer’s STB through satellite. Customers need to buy a DishFlix Box that comes preloaded with 50 movies.
News categories: DishTV, R.C Venkateish, Digital TV, India, Satellite, Set Top Box

Reliance Big TV market share decline continues
Aug 17, 2015 – Reliance Communications (RCom) has announced results for the quarter ended June 30, 2015. Reliance Digital TV, the company's Direct-To-Home (DTH) business, had 4.87 million subscribers, unchanged in the quarter, with a share of the DTH market in India reduced to 6%.
News categories: Reliance Communications, India, Results, Satellite, Subscribers

Major U.S. pay TV providers lose 470,000 subscribers in 2Q 2015
Aug 17, 2015 – Leichtman Research Group (LRG) has found that the thirteen largest pay-TV providers in the US -- about 95% of the market -- lost about 470,000 net video subscribers in 2Q 2015, compared to a loss of about 305,000 video subscribers in 2Q 2014.
News categories: Leichtman Research, Bruce Leichtman, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Subscribers, USA

DVB-T2/HEVC trial to begin in North-Rhine Westphalia
Aug 13, 2015 – Media Broadcast and German public broadcaster, WDR, have announced the start of a DVB-T2/HEVC trial in the region of North-Rhine Westphalia. The trial, covering both static and mobile reception, will begin on August 18th.
News categories: DVB-T2 HD Deutschland, WDR, MEDIA BROADCAST, Content Distribution, Digital TV, DVB-T2, Germany, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial

Kenya issues first Commercial FTA TV licences
Aug 13, 2015 – Kenya's Communications Authority has issued the first Commercial Free-to-Air TV licenses in the aftermath of digital migration. Other broadcast license applications include four for Cable TV, two for IPTV and three for Pay TV.
News categories: Communications Authority, Francis Wangusi, Digital TV, Kenya, Terrestrial

Ruutu HbbTV 1.5 online video service launched in Finland
Aug 13, 2015 – A collaboration between Nelonen Media, Digita and Sofia Digital has brought the online video service 'Ruutu' to the Finnish terrestrial TV network. Viewers tuned to the Digita network with an HbbTV 1.5 activated receiver have been able to use the service since June 24th.
News categories: Nelonen Media, Digita, Sofia Digital, Ruutu, Kai Taka-Aho, Digital TV, Finland, HbbTV, Terrestrial

U.S. pay TV sheds over 600,000 video subscribers in 2Q 2015
Aug 13, 2015 – According to the most recent report from SNL Kagan, the inconclusive movement in U.S. multichannel subscriptions took a more decisive direction in the second quarter, producing the largest loss to date amid growing fears of cord cutting.
News categories: SNL Kagan, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Subscribers, USA