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

Channel 4 launches world's first audio personalised TV ads
Apr 25, 2017 – Channel 4 has announced an interactive VoD format that enables advertisers to incorporate the individual names of viewers into the audio of their adverts using data from Channel 4’s registered viewer database.
News categories: Channel 4, David Amodio, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, Streaming, UK

Almost five million Britons use pirated TV streaming services
Apr 20, 2017 – A study by YouGov suggests that 10% of the population (around 4.9 million adults) currently have access to platforms such as illegal Kodi boxes, Amazon Fire TV Chipped Sticks, and illegal streaming apps on smartphones and tablets.
News categories: YouGov, Content Protection, Digital TV, Mobile, Set Top Box, Streaming, UK

BBC extends contract with Unified Streaming
Apr 18, 2017 – The BBC and Unified Streaming have renewed their commitment to work together for another two years. Since 2013 Unified Streaming has provided the BBC with Unified Origin, its all-in-one streaming solution.
News categories: Unified Streaming, BBC, Simon Westbroek, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Streaming, UK

Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote begins UK shipments
Apr 6, 2017 – Amazon has announced that the first Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote is now shipping to customers in the UK. The Fire TV Stick has been redesigned and comes with a new UI as well as Alexa integrated.
News categories: Amazon, Jorrit Van der Meulen, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Streaming, UK

Opera TV to show latest HbbTV 2.0.1 features with the BBC
Mar 28, 2017 – Opera TV has announced that the Opera TV Hybrid TV Module, which previously included support for HbbTV 2.0.1, now also features Companion Screen and Media-Synchronization capabilities. Opera TV has collaborated with BBC R&D to show the features at TV Connect.
News categories: Opera TV, BBC, Aneesh Rajaram, Digital TV, HbbTV, HTML5, Mobile, Set Top Box, UK, Video Exchange

Sky Q introduces voice search and new personalisation features
Mar 22, 2017 – Sky Q has added voice search and new personalisation features, making it quicker and easier to get to movies, shows and sports. With voice search viewers find TV by pressing and holding the voice button on the Sky Q remote, and saying what they’re looking for.
News categories: BSkyB, Luke Bradley-Jones, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box, UK, UX

4Sales release world's first 360° TV VoD ads
Mar 15, 2017 – 4Sales has announced the first ever 360° interactive VoD ad format that will allow All 4 viewers to immerse themselves in advertisers’ creative. Ad 360 is developed by video technology partners Innovid.
News categories: Channel 4, Innovid, Honda Motor Europe, South African Tourism, David Amodio, Matt Colebourne, Jennifer Shuker, Tolene van der Merwe, Digital TV, Metaverse, South Africa, UK

Cisco collaborates with Sky to launch OnPrime TV
Mar 14, 2017 – Consumers in the UK, Italy and Germany can now access foreign language film, TV and news channels in one place via OnPrime TV, an app-based streaming service developed by Cisco in collaboration with Sky, and supported by Encompass Digital Media.
News categories: Cisco Systems, Sky, Encompass Digital Media, Rajeev Raman, Emma Lloyd, Apps, Content Distribution, Germany, Italy, Mobile, Streaming, UK

TV accounts for 94% of UK video advertising
Mar 9, 2017 – An analysis by Thinkbox of 2016 video consumption in the UK shows how total video viewing – and viewing of video advertising – breaks down.
News categories: Thinkbox, Lindsey Clay, Digital TV, Market Research, UK