Friday, 31th July 2009

Paramount to stagger disc releases
In an effort to boost Blu-ray sales and rentals, Paramount Home Entertainment will implement a staggered disc release strategy that holds DVDs back from retail sales for a month or more after a title's initial release.

Source: Variety

Friday, 31th July 2009

Sky’s plans to launch VoD and a 3D channel
Sky yesterday announced their plans to launch a new VoD service next year. They also revealed it would launch the first three-dimensional channel, offering movies, entertainment and sport.

Source: The Independent

Thursday, 30th July 2009

Microsoft have joined the VoD market
Microsoft has moved into the online television market by striking a deal with BBC Worldwide and All3Media to offer, free, up to 60 popular shows in their entirety via its new MSN Video Player service.

Source: The Independent

Wednesday, 29th July 2009

Dreamworks has bucked the Hollywood trend of falling DVD sales by posting profits and commenting that their last three releases have not shown evidence of a slump in sales. Perhaps somewhat controversially, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s closing quote was, “There is no better babysitter for a child than an animated movie.”

Source: FT

Wednesday, 29th July 2009

The London Gang Jailed for the UK’s biggest file copying scam
This story received widespread coverage yesterday, with most of the news channels covering the story and online news sites amending the earlier stories they had written on the trial taking place to incorporate the results.

Source: The Guardian

Wednesday, 29th July 2009

Pirate Bay faces new legal threat
The BBC also report on the new threat to Pirate Bay as Thirteen Hollywood production companies have filed a new lawsuit to try to get the website shut down as it has continued activities since the previous case.

Source: WSJ

Tuesday, 28th July 2009

Ofcom criticises broadband providers for advertising misleading 'up-to' speeds
Research shows that Broadband customers are being sold super-fast connections that their providers are unable to achieve.

Source: The Guardian

Tuesday, 28th July 2009

We must invest in creativity
Article which looks at the importance of investing in creativity as the creative industries sector is in a good position to lead Britain out of recession.

Source: The Guardian

Monday, 27th July 2009

British ISP pulls the plug on illegal filesharers
Karoo, Hull's only ISP is to cut connections of people caught downloading music illegally, in a controversial "three strikes and out policy".

Source: The Guardian

Monday, 27th July 2009

Hulu in talks with ITV
Hulu, the US video-on-demand venture, has begun talks with British broadcasters including ITV as it gears up for a UK launch later this year.

Source: Telegraph

Friday, 24th July 2009

British film industry needs a change of direction
The Times comment that the British film industry is a cottage industry that relies on subsidies and funding. Also looks at the impact super-fast broadband speeds will have on illegal downloading.

Source: Times Online

Thursday, 23rd July 2009

CNN Screening Room with Mylene Klass: Filmmakers vs. file sharers
Filmmakers and file sharers share their views on one of biggest issues in film industry today piracy.

Source: CNN

Wednesday, 22nd July 2009

The illegal downloading issue
Article looking at the ongoing problem of illegal downloading, which continues ten years after the launch of Napster.

Source: FT

Wednesday, 22nd July 2009

Arqiva to move into the video-on-demand market
Arqiva, the broadcast and mobile transmission company, is set to move into the video-on-demand market with a deal to buy Kangaroo technology.

Source: Telegraph

Tuesday, 21st July 2009

Music industry is feeling hopeful about their future
Article on the changing face of music industry as it copes with the digital revolution.

Source: The Guardian

Tuesday, 21st July 2009

Nicolas Sarkozy resumes fight against illegal downloads
Sarkozy 's battle to introduce one of the world's toughest laws against illegal downloading resumes today, as the lower house of parliament will debate an amended version of the law.

Source: The Guardian

Monday, 6th July 2009

Targets to reduce copyright theft
The Times reports that in a letter which has been passed to the Times, Ben Bradshaw, the Culture Secretary, has watered down a pledge to cut the volume of internet music piracy by 70 per cent in the next two years. That target has been quietly set back, with Mr Bradshaw writing that the two- to three-year timescale was “based on the premise” that measures to combat piracy would be “taken from July 2008 onwards”. The DBR reiterated the 70 per cent target, without mentioning when it might be achieved.

Source: Times Online

Monday, 6th July 2009

Behavioural advertising
Sarkozy 's battle to introduce one of the world's toughest laws against illegal downloading resumes today, as the lower house of parliament will debate an amended version of the law.

Source: The Guardian

Monday, 6th July 2009

Video-on-demand
There is an interesting article in this morning’s Guardian which looks at the rise in online content, saying that the
competition to offer UK content is hotting up with the imminent arrival of the successful US portal Hulu. Hulu has been a major success in the US and is eyeing an autumn launch for its UK service, which is expected to offer a mix of ad-funded British and American programming to viewers.

Source: The Guardian

Saturday, 4th July 2009

DVD sales slump challenges Hollywood
Following on from last week’s announcement that DVD sales fell 10% in the first five months of this year, The Sunday Times has an article which says that with DVD sales falling at an alarming rate, the Hollywood studios must turn to the digital age to survive.

Source: Times Online