Digital TV News: SBS

Foxtel and ViacomCBS agree content distribution and apps deal
Oct 21, 2021 – The Foxtel Group has announced agreements with ViacomCBS to provide movies, TV series and channels, along with integration of the Paramount+ and 10 Play apps onto Foxtel STBs in 2022 for Australia.
News categories: Foxtel, ViacomCBS, Patrick Delany, Amanda Laing, Dan Cohen, Jarrod Villani, Apps, Australia, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Streaming

Foxtel launches iQ5 streaming set top box
Sep 7, 2021 – Foxtel has announced the launch of its iQ5 streaming set top box. The iQ5 features a plug and play set-up allowing customers stream Foxtel content within minutes, with no cable or satellite installation required.
News categories: Foxtel, Patrick Delany, Australia, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Streaming

Freeview UK multiplex licences renewed until 2034
Aug 17, 2021 – The government has announced that it is extending the five national multiplex licences for the UK's Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform - better known as Freeview - until 2034.
News categories: Freeview, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Terrestrial, UK

Telenet to add unskippable ads to TV recordings
Aug 10, 2021 – Telenet is to introduce a revised model for TV advertising in Belgium. Viewers will have to sit through one minute of unskippable adverts before any recordings they've made of VTM (DPG Media) and PLAY programmes (SBS).
News categories: Telenet, DPG Media, SBS, VRT, John Porter, Kris Vervaet, Jeroen Bronselaer, Frederik Delaplace, Advertising, Belgium, Cable TV, Digital TV, DVR

Brits spend a third of waking hours watching TV and video
Aug 5, 2021 – UK adults sought solace in screens and streaming in 2020, spending a third of their waking hours watching TV and online video content, according to Ofcom’s annual study of the nation’s media habits.
News categories: Ofcom, Yih-Choung Teh, Broadcast, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, UK

Prime Video app coming to Foxtel set-tops
Aug 2, 2021 – The Foxtel Group and Amazon Prime Video are to integrate the Prime Video app into Foxtel set-top boxes by the end of 2021. The app will be available on Foxtel's iQ3, iQ4 and soon to launch iQ5 set-tops.
News categories: Foxtel, Prime Video, Patrick Delany, Hushidar Kharas, Apps, Australia, Broadcast, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Streaming

Global daily TV viewing time up 6 minutes in 2020
Apr 12, 2021 – According to Médiamétrie, TV viewers in 91 countries around the globe spent an average of 2 hours 54 minutes per day watching TV, up 6 minutes on 2019. Even young adults' viewing time increased.
News categories: Médiamétrie, Avril Blondelot, Frédéric Vaulpré, Digital TV, Market Research, Worldwide

Freeview Australia launches integrated HbbTV platform
Apr 12, 2021 – Freeview Australia has launched its free enhanced HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) service, providing Australians with a more seamless integration between broadcast and on-demand BVOD services.
News categories: Freeview Australia, Helen Clifton, Bridget Fair, David Anderson, James Taylor, James Warburton, Mike Sneesby, Beverley McGarvey, Australia, Digital TV, HbbTV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UX

500,000 UK subscribers for Britbox
Mar 9, 2021 – BritBox UK has announced that it has hit its target of half a million subscriptions. The SVOD service, created by the BBC and ITV with content also from Channel 4 and Channel 5, launched at the end of 2019.
News categories: ITV, Carolyn McCall, Digital TV, Streaming, Subscribers, UK