UK (United Kingdom, Great Britain & Northern Ireland) Digital TV News

Barb awards metadata, interim overnight programme and commercial logs contracts
Dec 4, 2023 – Barb has awarded three contracts for its audience measurement service: metadata and interim overnight programme logs to MetaBroadcast and interim overnight commercial spot logs to Clearcast.
News categories: Barb, MetaBroadcast, Clearcast, Caroline Baxter, Jamie Mackinlay, David Joel, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, Market Research, UK

HbbTV updates Operator Application specification
Nov 24, 2023 – The HbbTV Association has released an updated version of the HbbTV Operator Application specification with improved support for IP-delivered linear channels.
News categories: HbbTV Association, Apps, Digital TV, HbbTV, Smart TV, Streaming, UK, Worldwide

Telstra Broadcast Services and BT pool media network footprints
Nov 21, 2023 – Telstra Broadcast Services (TBS) and BT have entered into an alliance to bring together each company's global media network teams, pooling their network infrastructure and localised expertise.
News categories: Telstra, BT Group, Karen Clark, Faisal Mahomed, Asia, Content Distribution, Digital TV, UK, Worldwide

UK's Channel 4 records streaming high in October
Nov 15, 2023 – Channel 4 has recorded its biggest-ever month of streaming in October. Data released by Barb showed the channel registered 6.7 billion viewer minutes in October.
News categories: Channel 4, Ian Katz, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, UK

UK marketers expecting to increase FAST and AVOD spend
Nov 14, 2023 – According to the latest Advanced TV Uncovered study from AudienceXpress and CoLab Media Consulting, 89% of UK marketers surveyed expect to increase FAST and AVOD spend over the next 12 months.
News categories: FreeWheel, Stefanie Briec, Advertising, Digital TV, Europe, Market Research, UK

Sony Interactive Entertainment to acquire iSIZE
Nov 2, 2023 – Sony Interactive Entertainment has agreed to acquire iSIZE. iSIZE builds AI-powered solutions to deliver bitrate savings and quality improvements for the media and entertainment industry.
News categories: Sony Interactive Entertainment, Content Distribution, Digital TV, MandA, UK, Worldwide

Disney+ introduces ad-supported and ad-free UK plans
Nov 1, 2023 – Disney+ in the UK has introduced an ad-supported subscription plan, alongside two ad-free options, offering consumers a range of subscription plans and increased flexibility to suit their needs.
News categories: Disney+, Luke Bradley Jones, Deborah Armstrong, Digital TV, Streaming, UK

DTG releases D-Book 12.8
Oct 31, 2023 – The DTG has released D-Book 12.8 – the latest update to the technical specification for all digital terrestrial television products and services in the UK market.
News categories: DTG, Richard Lindsay-Davies, Content Distribution, Digital TV, HbbTV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK

Paramount to combine My5 with Pluto TV in the UK
Nov 1, 2023 – Paramount is to combine Channel 5's broadcast video-on-demand (BVOD) service, My5, with its FAST service Pluto TV, to bring audiences in the UK a supersized, free streaming service in 2024.
News categories: Paramount, Pluto TV, Channel 5, Maria Kyriacou, Olivier Jollet, Apps, Digital TV, Streaming, UK