Screen Digest back issues from September 2008:
Worldview.(Insight)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The third dimension needs to be put into perspective. Such at any rate is the view of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), which are among no fewer than five industry groups now working on plans to create standards and establish ...
Mainstream movies move in on Imax: studio releases on the Imax platform increasing in significance.(Focus)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [Cinema] [Film] * Revenue from digital re-mastered (DMR) titles accounted for 75 per cent of Imax's box office in 2007 * Revenue from DMR titles worldwide almost doubled from 2005 to 2007 * Over a quarter of all DMR ...
EU advertising legislation imminent: directive to be transposed into national law by December 2009.(Focus)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [Television] * UK and Germany are not likely to increase advertising minutage for broadcasters. * Spain and Italy to take full advantage of minutage and ad interval liberalisation. * Sector regulation for food and ...
Multiplex revolution in Middle East: UAE is the key driver territory behind screen and BO growth.(Focus)(United Arab Emirates and box office)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [Cinema] * Box office in the United Arab Emirates has more than trebled since 2000, worth $50m in 2007 * Modern multiplexes are now prevalent in Middle East, accounting for 75.8 per cent of screens * Australian group ...
Independents engage with Blu-ray: Blu-ray release slate shows growing acceptance by indies.(Focus)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] [Video] * Blu-ray Disc (BD) release slate is no longer the exclusive domain of US majors * Independent distributors now account for almost the same proportion of US BD sales as DVD sales * The level of industry ...
Slow growth for Canadian pay TV: internet and telephony are helping to expand the cable sector.(Focus)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [Television] [Wired media] [Satellite] * Pay TV market growth will be moderate to low, with 4.9 per cent CAGR, over the 2007-2012 period * Overall cable remains the key platform, as competition from IPTV is limited and satellite ...
Mobile music services revamped; operators reconstruct services in an effort to reduce sideloading.(Focus)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [Wireless media] [Audio] * Handset manufacturers and off-portal providers are increasing available full-tract mobile music services * Operators are introducing new business models, such as subscription and artist-based services ...
Legitimate video growth in Russia: western studio initiatives have stimulated the market.(Focus)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [Video] * Russia is expected to boast the largest number of DVD households in Europe by end 2008 * Shorter theatrical-to-DVD release windows and lower prices enable studios to compete with pirates * Sony is already ...
Brazil television market profile: pay TV is taken in only one in 10 of all television households.(Focus)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [Television] [Wired media] [Satellite] [On-line] * Free-to-air analogue terrestrial is still by far the predominant form of television delivery * Cable has the lion's share of the pay TV market with 60 per cent of all subscribers ...
Out-of-home advertising goes digital; digital signage ad revenues will quadruple in next five years.(Profile)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Digital signage (DS) networks consist of screens installed at various out-of-home (OOH) sites, outdoor or indoor, generally connected via specific transmission technology to a central server, which distributes the content (and advertisements) to all displays. Digital signage systems can be ...
Exhibition breaks revenue record; but largest fall in global cinema admissions for 20 years.(Profile)(Financial report)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Box office revenues worldwide eclipsed $26bn in US dollar values for the first time in 2007, as world cinemas posted an 8.4 per cent rise in total revenues, the largest annual increase since 2004. The global box office is now worth $10bn more than 10 years ago ($16.2bn in 1997). Notably, ...
Independent cinema group links with RealD.(GENERAL)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Cinema] [E-cinema] Cinema Buying Group (CBG), a consortium of independent cinema operators in North America administered by the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), has made a commitment to adding digital 3D technology from leading stereoscopic provider RealD, once its ...
Cinema City International makes digital advance.(GENERAL)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Cinema] [E-cinema] Cinema City International, a leading multiplex chain in six different territories, has embarked on the first stage of upgrading its systems to digital and 3D. The group will install a total of 50 2K DLP Cinema projectors from Kinoton, plus Dolby's Digital 3D system, of ...
Australian Digital Cinema Network selects Qube.(GENERAL)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Cinema] [E-cinema] Qube Cinema has launched a partnership with the Australian Digital Cinema Network (DCN), pioneered by the Australian Film Commission (AFC), for the digital conversion of a six-screen independent cinema complex in Melbourne. The Sun Theatre in Yaraville has been equipped ...
Studios and retailers promote Blu-ray Disc.(GENERAL)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] The price of Blu-ray Disc (BD) continues to come under pressure from American retailers that are offering further promotional incentives on BD titles in order to boost their share of the emerging BD market. * Amazon is offering 30 per cent off on new and current ...
Sony to strengthen PSP for movie content.(GENERAL)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Games] [Film] [Video] Sony Computer Entertainment is courting studios to license content for the Playstation Portable (PSP) handheld device to be released on the Universal Media Disc (UMD) format and as digital copies compatible with the PSP. Additionally Sony Computer is offering to ...
Out-of-region BD replication on the rise.(GENERAL)(Falcon Technologies International's blu-ray discs)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] Swiss-managed manufacturer and supplier of optical data storage discs, Falcon Technologies International, has started producing single-layer 25 GB and dual-layer 50 GB Blu-ray Disc (BD) from its facilities in Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. Discs produced at the ...
EC calls for mobile satellite licensees.(REGULATION)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Mobile media] [Satellite] [On-line] A call for licence applications for pan-European mobile satellite services was made on 7 August 2008 by the European Commission (EC), to include high-speed internet access, mobile TV and emergency services. A mobile satellite system (MSS) is an hybrid ...
New Spanish football rights war kicks off.(REGULATION)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Television] [Sport] The new football season kicked off in Spain last month with the ownership of TV rights to domestic league championship La Liga still in dispute. Rights are, in principle, jointly owned by Audiovisual Sport (AVS), a subsidiary of Sogecable, and the Barcelona company, ...
South Korea gets linear IPTV.(REGULATION)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [On-line] [Television] South Korea's three leading IPTV service providers have been granted the right to begin broadcasts of linear TV over their networks. The Korea Communications Commission granted licences to the three companies-Korea Telecom, LG Dacom and Hanaro Telecom. The Commission ...
UK still leading exporter of programme formats.(BUSINESS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Television] The UK has consolidated its position as the leading exporter of TV programme formats and the second largest exporter of finished programmes after the US, according to a study commissioned by the UK film and TV producers' association, Pact. According to the report, Rights of ...
Subscription online music and movies struggle.(BUSINESS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [On-line] [Audio] [Video] Starz Entertainment's online movie subscription service, Vongo, has closed to new subscribers. Existing customers can access titles through the service until 30 September 2008. Instead of operating its own site Starz now intends to sell its service wholesale to ...
Sony to close Korean video subsidiary.(BUSINESS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is to close its office in South Korea at end September 2008. To replace it the US major has created another company, United Entertainment Korea (UEK), which will act as licensee for Sony Pictures' video distribution in Korea from 1 October 2008. UEK ...
Mobile TV gets cash injection in Asia.(BUSINESS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Mobile media] [Television] While a gloomy atmosphere currently hangs over the mobile TV industry in the US and Europe due to poor service uptake and the emergence of disruptive technologies, developing markets China and India are getting all the investors' attention. * Israeli ...
Pan-regional circuit selects active 3D solution.(BUSINESS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Cinema] [E-cinema] Slovenian company XpanD, has secured a second order with a major circuit for its active 3D presentation systems in cinemas. XpanD has agreed an exclusive five-year deal to provide Eurasia Cinemas, a pan-regional operator with screens in Russia and Turkey, with ...
Piqued BSkyB puts Picnic on hold.(BUSINESS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Television] British Sky Broadcasting has put plans for its pay digital terrestrial service, Picnic, on hold. The service, announced last year, needs to be cleared by broadcasting regulator Ofcom. However, Ofcom is also conducting an enquiry in the UK pay TV market and has decided not to ...
Premiere pressure puts top soccer back in play.(BUSINESS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Television] [Sport] Deutsche Football League (DFL) has bowed to pressure from German pay TV operator Premiere and agreed to put the TV rights for Bundesliga soccer back on the market within the next couple of months. It has given up hopes of reaching its 500m [euro] a season revenue ...
Blu-ray rentals central for adoption of format.(MARKETS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] Although a clear strategy has not yet emerged, there are indications that the video industry is actively considering the role rental is to play in the Blu-ray Disc (BD) business. In the US, Sony's campaign to boost BD movie watching in Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) households is to be ...
Sky has strongest UK broadband growth.(MARKETS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [On-line] [Wired media] UK broadband internet service providers (ISPs) have been suffering a slowdown--even a reversal--in growth. Only Telefonica, positioned seventh in terms of customer numbers, bucked the trend. The following summarises second quarter 2008 results. * With ...
Mobile TV metrics to launch in South Korea.(MARKETS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Mobile media] [Television] TV measurement company TNS Media Korea is launching a daily ratings service for tracking terrestrial mobile TV usage. Using a panel of 600 users of handsets and in-car systems, TNS will provide insight in an addressable market of over 7.5m devices. The first ...
CinemaNow joins Winbox for online movies to TV.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [On-line] [Film] [Television] CinemaNow has partnered hardware manufacturer Winbox to deliver content to the TV screen via a set-top box (STB). Movies, TV shows, music and software will be delivered over the open internet to the Winbox device using US-based CinemaNow's storefront. The ...
DVD manufacturing-on-demand kiosks stand still.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] DVD manufacturing-on-demand (MOD) service provider Polar Frog Digital (PFD) is to roll out second-generation installations in an exclusive technology deal with software company Nero. In addition to on-demand CD and DVD burning, PFD's new kiosks will enable users to download music, ...
MTV launches HD in Europe.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Television] Viacom's MTV Networks International (MTVNI) is launching its first ever international high definition service: MTVNHD. The 24-hour English language service premiered mid-September in Belgium, Poland (n, Cyfra+) and the Nordic region. MTVNI intends to extend the HD service to ...
BD player with Netflix movie streaming from LG.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] LG Electronics has partnered Netflix to offer the DVD rentailer's movie streaming option through a Blu-ray Disc (BD) player. The device, set to launch in autumn 2008, is capable of playing BDs, up-converting DVDs to 1020p, and allows Netflix subscribers to stream movies over the ...
AT&T on warpath with whole-home PVR.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [On-line] [Television] US telco AT&T is trialling a whole-home PVR for its IPTV service U-Verse TV, along with HD video-on-demand (VoD). The whole-home services take the form of a software upgrade, Total Home DVR, and allow the use of functionalities ranging from the recording of four ...
Blockbuster movie pre-loaded on USB device.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] PNY Technologies, an American manufacturer of memory and graphics card products, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have launched a 2 GB Attache USB flash drive pre-loaded with the 1984 movie Ghostbusters. The USB device is only available through UK catalogue retailer Argos, ...
Movies added to iTunes in Australasia.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [On-line] [Film] Apple has added digital retail and digital rental movies to iTunes in Australia and New Zealand. At launch over 700 titles were available from Studios including Twentieth Century-Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros Entertainment, MGM, Sony Pictures ...
Revisions and visions for Sony games hardware.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Games] Sony unveiled its plans for expanding the capabilities of both PS3 and PSP over the coming year at the GCD conference in Leipzig. An updated PSP model (PSP-3000), retaining the size and features of the current handheld, will upgrade screen quality and add a built-in microphone, ...
BT launches HD push-VoD.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [On-line] [Television] [Film] UK IPTV service BT Vision has launched an HD video-on-demand service showing films from NBC Universal. Films must be selected and downloaded to the BT Vision set-top box before viewing can commence. Prices range from 2.95 [pounds sterling] for library films to ...
VidZone to steam music videos on Sony PS3.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and VidZone are trialling music video streaming on PS3s to launch in first quarter 2009 across 23 PAL territories. The service will be available on PS3 games console and will offer on-demand music videos, allowing for user-created playlists ...
DRM-free music on Sony Ericsson PlayNow Arena.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Wireless media] [Audio] Sony Ericsson released PlayNow Arena in the Nordic region on 25 August 2008. With an initial offering of 1m DRM-free tracks from Sony BMG, EMI, Warner Music and a number of independents, the handset manufacturer plans to expand the catalogue to 5m tracks. Music ...
Virgin Mobile to launch mobile broadband in UK.(PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Wireless media] [Online] Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Virgin Mobile is set to launch mobile broadband dongles in the UK during fourth quarter 2008. This mobile broadband offering follows an agreement with T-Mobile UK to reduce its data wholesale rates for the MVNO. No further ...
Multiple music game peripherals work in concert.(TECHNOLOGY)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Games] Sony has announced that there is to be a basic level of compatibility between the peripherals of a trio of forthcoming music games on PS3. This means that the guitar and drum kit controllers required for Harmonix's Rock Band 2, Activision's Guitar Hero: World Tour and Konami's Rock ...
Individually locked DVDs debut as covermount.(TECHNOLOGY)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] Liquid11, a UK technology company, has put into production DVD technology that enables discs with content to be locked on an individual disc basis. Selected content on these discs can then only be unlocked using the PIN associated with that particular individual disc. The company, ...
Video industry gears up for 3D standardisation.(TECHNOLOGY)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [Video] The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) are the latest industry bodies to begin determining their position regarding the evolution of a viable market for 3D in the home. As widely acknowledged, the first step in this process will be setting ...
Mobile ad specialist pulls out of UK and India.(ADVERTISING)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Rhythm New Media is closing its UK and Indian branches to refocus on the US market. The mobile video advertising specialist had deals with 3, Orange and T-Mobile in the UK and Vodafone in Spain. The company had secured over 14m [euro] in funding. ** Rhythm New Media charged an ...
ProSiebenSat.1 misery helps RTL's performance.(ADVERTISING)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Leading European broadcaster RTL Group has partly offset first half 2008 losses in key business segments (UK, production) by thriving advertising sales in Germany. Despite a sluggish German TV advertising market (+0.9 per cent in the first half), RTL Germany posted a revenue increase of ...
Business.(acquisitions and mergers)(Table)
Sep 01, 2008 ... <Pre>Mergers, takeovers and investments Amobee Mobile advertising specialist has USA; +1/650 802 8871 closed its $22m third round of www.amobee.com financing with investors Motorola, ...
Events diary.
Sep 01, 2008 ... Markets & exhibitions Games Convention Asia Singapore 18-20 September; Leipziger Messe; t +49/341 678 8198; f +49/341 678 8182; e t.anke@leipziger-messe.de; www.gc-asia.sg/ Carriers World 2008 London 22-26 September; Terrapinn; t +44/20 7092 1257; f +44/20 7242 4303; ...
Comstar UTS.(For the record)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Comstar UTS, the Russian telco, increased its Stream TV branded IPTV service subscriber base to 146,000 in second quarter 2008. The increase from Comstar (Russia; ...
Deutsche Telekom.(For the record)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Deutsche Telekom, the German telco, is to expand the footprint of its IPTV platform T-Home Entertain. The service is available in around 750 towns across the country, mainly over ADSL2+ connections. However, HD content is restricted ...
IM Internationalmedia.(For the record)
Sep 01, 2008 ... IM Internationalmedia, German film group, has filed for insolvency proceedings in Munich due to pending illiquidity, due to Eluvium not paying for ...
Internet Advertising Bureau.(For the record)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), UK trade body for online advertising, has announced standards for online pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll video ads. Recommendations include ad length (up to 15 seconds), screen ratio (widescreen 16:9), bitrate (200, 500 or 750 kbps) and readability of ...
Porchlight Entertainment.(For the record)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Porchlight Entertainment, US television and film producer/distributor of family titles (USA; +1/310 477 8400; www.porchlight.com) has launched a new ...
Tsutaya.(For the record)(Website overview)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Tsutaya, Japanese operator of Tsutaya-branded DVD rental chain (Japan; +81/3 5424 1674; www.tsutaya.co.jp) is to merge its three internet consumer business websites (see 2008/219b2) into one unit as of 1 October 2008 ....
Universal Music Group.(For the record)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Universal Music Group has launched a UK online music download service dedicated to movie soundtracks. The store offers high-quality 320 kbps MP3s at 0.99 [pounds sterling] per track. At launch only 200 tracks were available, but UMG (USA; +1/212 841 8000; www.umusic.com) plans to expand ...
Wippit.(For the record)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Wippit, a UK-based music download service, has ceased operations. Launched in July 2000, Wippit (UK, +44/870 737 1100, www.wippit.com) offered a la carte music downloads and a subscription service across Europe, and download-to-own movies in Ireland ...
How churn rates prove there is no UK summer.(Insight: PERSPECTIVE)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... It's almost the end of the summer--at least for most European countries, since here in UK summer passed by our shores without stopping. In one month most pay TV operators will start publishing their third-quarter results. A common European industry trend is for churn rates to ...
The complexities of choice.(Insight: PERSPECTIVE)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Basic economics state that freedom of choice drives market opportunity and growth. In the TV space, content choice is this freedom and it is directly driven by technology enablement. If content is king, technology is the squire. But the drive towards consumer choice and freedom has not ...
Into an age of organic media?(Insight: PERSPECTIVE)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... From time to time we animadvert in this space on the ever accelerating pace of change in technology and, perhaps consequentially, in society. The foregoing summary of content delivery services illustrates the point. We also like to consider the long cycles through which the ...