Business News Holding

Tag: content-providers

  • European broadcasters expand HD capacity in advance of summer of sport


    The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken delivery of HDTV MPEG-2 encoder equipment in order to expand capacity on its contribution network.
    Supplied by NTT Electronics Corporation, the Encoder HE5100 will allow the organisation’s members to cope with the rising demand for HD content.
    This is expected to increase further over the summer with the expansion of HD broadcasts for various major sporting events.
    These include the Beijing Olympics, Euro 2008, the Tour de France, and tennis events at Paris’ Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
    The HDTV MPEG-2 Encoder HE5100 delivered to the EBU, the largest association of national broadcasters in the world, incorporates the internally-developed single-chip MPEG-2 codec LSI.
    As well as allowing the EBU to meet the increasing demand for HD content, the encoder provides high image quality in a compact unit.
    It supports both HDTV signals (1080p/1080i/720p) and SDTV signals (576i/512i/480i).
    NTT Electronics has developed a variety of video compression technologies.

  • US firm signs deal to represent world's largest Beijing HD footage collection in advance of Olympic Games


    MediaRecall is to represent a collection of more than 1,100 high quality HD clips shot in Beijing for licensing in advance of this summer’s Olympics.
    The subject matter of the clips is diverse, ranging from Beijing lifestyle to footage of the venues and is being made available as stock footage for use in news and editorial programmes.
    Made by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), MediaRecall is to be the only company to represent the footage in the USA.
    It has agreed to represent MICO (Media International Corporation), the international distributor for the film-makers, for online stock footage licensing.
    Over 90% of MICO’s award-winning documentaries, drama series and animations are produced in HD format.
    Taneoka Hiroaki, President of Contents Gate, a Japanese content aggregator and MediaRecall partner for Japan, said the MICO cameramen had created something very special.
    “Beijing footage is very rare to begin with, let alone HD,” he said. “We expect these clips to be widely licensed for commercial use by broadcast news outlets and for editorial programs.”
    Contents Gate brings Japanese content such as anime, Manga, stock footage and film to the global marketplace.
    Robin Rutledge, CEO of MediaRecall Holdings, said the Beijing footage would be available immediately on STOCKMediaRecall.com, its stock footage portal.
    “The Beijing Olympics is surrounded with controversy, air quality, human rights issues,” he said. “Now we have HD footage available to support these important stories.”
    Rutledge said he expected “explosive growth” in online content sales throughout Asia over the next few years.
    He said creating trusted relationships with Japanese partners such as Contents Gate and MICO was the only way to be successful in acquiring quality Japanese content.
    “We have a very close relationship with Contents Gate, who now represents MediaRecall in Asia,” he said.
    “We expect to open a full digital facility in Tokyo by the end of 2008. Hiro Taneoka, is our key representative and is aggregating unique Asian content for online and mobile monetization, both in the USA and in Asia.
    MediaRecall Holdings is a major provider of video archiving digital services and online delivery to TV stations, large video archives and collections and other video content holders.

  • WealthTV's HD channels will continue to be broadcast via Intelsat's Galaxy 13 satellite

    19 May 2008

    WealthTV’s HD channels will continue to be broadcast via Intelsat’s Galaxy 13 satellite

    WealthTV, the luxury lifestyle and entertainment network, has signed a long-term extension of its transponder service agreement with Intelsat, Ltd., the world’s leading provider of commercial satellite services.
    Under the terms of the agreement, Intelsat’s Galaxy 13 satellite will continue to deliver WealthTV’s digital and high definition feeds to US cable, telco, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers across North America.
    Charles Herring, president of WealthTV, said Intelsat’s Galaxy fleet offered the premier high definition neighborhood for cable networks transmitting into the North American region.

    “Our extension with Intelsat will let our distribution partners know that our feeds will remain available for years to come and the additional satellite capacity secured allows for future expansions,” he said.
    WealthTV uplinks directly to Galaxy 13 from its headquarters and high definition production studios located in San Diego, California.
    The on-site uplink of WealthTV provides direct control and avoids possible signal integrity loss associated with compression or transmission of the signal terrestrially over long distances.
    Kurt Riegelman, Intelsat’s Senior Vice President, Global Sales, said WealthTV was one of Galaxy’s original HD networks when it launched its services in June 2004. He said the extension demonstrated WealthTV’s continued confidence in the Galaxy fleet as the premier HD platform.
    “As high definition programming services continue to grow, the Galaxy fleet is the source for efficient, high value satellite distribution across North America,” he said.
    Intelsat’s Galaxy neighborhood offers satellite transmission services for HD and standard definition programming being distributed via cable, video, and DBS providers across North America.
    Located at 127 degrees west in the US cable arc, Galaxy 13 is the premier HD neighborhood, featuring many of the top HD cable programming networks in the United States.

  • US cable network leads the HD revolution

    Innovation and focusing on the customer is ensuring the US cable network leads the digital and high-definition revolution, according to the president and CEO of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA).
    Speaking on the eve of the 2008 Cable Show in New Orleans, Kyle McSlarrow said that in the space of a few years US viewers had gone from having just nine HD networks to more than 75 today.
    “You realize that in the space of literally three years, this industry has positioned itself to lead with relentless innovation,” he said.
    “Our entire industry is leading the digital and high definition revolution.”
    McSlarrow said that by the time the association met next year the US would have completed the broadcasters’ digital transition.

    US Cable network leads the HD revolution
    Mr. Kyle McSlarrow

    He said he was confident the cable industry will have played a key role in the success of that change and added: “But we are also going through our own transition. When one considers that just a few years ago, most customers watched analog television…that there were only nine high definition networks and more than 75 today.

    “That this year will see both the introduction of the tru2way platform and interactive televisions sold at retail, creating a national and open platform for innovation.”
    As well as HDTV, McSlarrow pointed to the growth in broadband and digital phone services offered by NCTA’s members.
     He said it was the industry’s willingness to listen to its customers and to the communities it served, to invest, to innovate, and to compete, that would drive and grow members’ businesses for years to come.
    Even in the face of an uncertain economy and the most intense competition ever experienced, the cable industry was growing – and growing in a way that sets it apart.
    “The value proposition we offer consumers is extraordinary and it gets better, not worse, year after year,” he said.
    “Cable networks invest in better content and more high definition and consumers watch more of it.
    “Cable operators invest in better platforms with faster speeds and more services, and consumers want more of it.”

  • Amazon Unbox to upgrade service to include HD content

    Amazon Unbox to upgrade service to include HD content

    TiVo users are to get access to HD content from Amazon.com’s Unbox service, which currently only allows users to rent and buy SD movies.
    The move will bring TiVo’s offerings into line with competitors such as Vudu and Apple TV, which already offer HD downloads.
    Jim Denny, TiVo’s VP of product marketing, said the service would come into effect “in the not too distant future”.