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Tag: programming

  • VOD Viewing Jumps 15% in June


    The number of people watching video-on-demand (VOD) programming in the US surged in June – fuelled by rises in the popularity of pay-per-view content and more children taking advantage of free programming, according to Rentrak.

    The increases made June the most-viewed month for video-on-demand this year, delivering more than 589 million transactions.

    According to Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials service, year-to-year comparison for the month of June delivered a 15 per cent increase in overall VOD transactions and a 16 per cent increase in the number of unique set top boxes (STBs) accessing OnDemand.

    Additionally, free-on-demand (FOD) Kids content was up 7 per cent from May figures and delivered its strongest month of the year with more than 106 million transactions.

    June is historically a strong month for transactional-on-demand (TOD) viewing, and TOD continued this trend by delivering the highest number of transactions in a single month so far this year for the category.

  • HDNet Dropped By Time Warner


    Time Warner Cable is dropping two HDNet channels, claiming their programming has "limited appeal".

    The move is effective from May 31 with the channels to be replaced by other high definition options.

    Mark Cuban, owner of HDNet and the Dallas Mavericks NBA basketball team, wouldn’t comment "on ongoing negotiations" but refuted the claim that HDNet’s programming lacked appeal.

    However, Time Warner Cable’s head of PR, Robyn Watson, said: "There’s a limited appeal for the programming.

    "In a world with more than 100 HD channels, being in HD is not enough.

    "We are adding other channels in HD to give our customers more choice."

    HDNet remains widely distributed on US cable, and DTH satellite.

    It brings viewers 20 hours of HD programming weekly, including its flagship news programming Dan Rather Reports and HD World Report.

  • BSkyB Adds HD Customers And Promises More High Def Content


    BSkyB has added 171,000 new customers in the second quarter and reduced churn to below 10 per cent.

    It will be hoping to build on the interim results for the six months to 31 December 2008 helped by the the news that further investment is to be made in HD programming.

    The announcement that the price of the Sky+ HD receiver is to drop to £49 will undoubtedly provide a massive boost to that ambition.

    Over 50 per cent of BSkyB customers now opt for either Sky+ HD or Sky+.

    The standard definition product is installed in 4,650,000 homes, while 779,000 have the HD receiver.

    As of December 31, 2008, the number of subscribers to the DTH platform in the UK and Ireland stood at 9.24 million.

    BSkyB’s commitment to increasing HD content comes as Apple announces it is making the first HD show available in the UK through its iTunes service.

  • Young adults aged between 16-27 are driving demand for HDTV, according to Motorola study

    Research by Motorola shows that young adults have a huge influence on their parents’ buying decisions for HDTV sets and programming packages.
    The “always-on” generation are hungry for more control over when and where they access rich content such as high-definition (HD) programming and cable TV, the study found.
    The ability to time-shift with DVRs and have access to HD programming were both highly desirable features.
    In fact, data from Motorola’s study demonstrates the growth opportunity for service providers in bringing these services to the so-called Millennial generation (young adults aged 16-27) who don’t already have them.
    The survey of 1,000 young adults found they are not only looking for more rich media, they are also greatly influencing the buying decisions for the services and technologies in the home and on the go.
    The research found that 62 per cent of Millennials have influence over which HDTV set and programming package to buy.
    And 70 per cent feel their expectations and demands are far greater than their parents’ for rich media experiences (such as mobile TV or video) and on-the-go broadband access.
    Eduardo Conrado, corporate vice president, global marketing and communications, Motorola Inc., said the study explores how the preferences and habits of today’s Millennials are shaping the future of content consumption.
    “With the Millennial generation, connectivity is an absolute must-have, as they’ve grown up with technology and the Internet,” he said.
    “Millennials are now looking to make their connectivity more personalized and take experiences from ‘primetime’ to ‘my time.’
    “This study provides a clear barometer to share with our customers that shows the changes in demand and growth opportunities as these critical users continue to
    Other findings were that: * 46 per cent of Millennials already have HDTV, while 43 percent indicate they would like to have it.
    * 73 percent of Millennials with HDTV access “love” current HD programming, while 35 percent of those with HDTV are looking forward to having a broader selection of HD programming offered in the future.