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Although digital technology will enable BSkyB to carry far more channels than it can currently transmitting by satellite still

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Although digital technology will enable BSkyB to carry far more channels than it can currently, transmitting by satellite still limits the number. But digital television, which launches next Spring, will open the way for a range of pay-per-view opportunities, especially in the film industry.The proliferation of channels promised by the switch from analogue to digital will enable individual movies to be shown at roughly 15-minute intervals on different channels, a system known as near-video-on-demand.According to some City analysts, pay-per-view movie services could be a big money-spinner for the cable companies. Cable & Wireless Communications was originally part of the consortium, but it dropped out after entering talks with BSkyB about using the satellite broadcaster as its exclusive pay-per-view supplier. CWC and BSkyB have still not reached agreement, after key executives at CWC questioned the value of teaming up with Rupert Murdoch's satellite broadcaster.Neither BSkyB nor On Demand could be contacted for comment last night, although an announcement is due early next week.So far, pay-per-view events - where consumers pay to see a specific film or sporting fixture - have all been negotiated by BSkyB and have mainly been limited to boxing events. Cathy Newman examines the threat to BSkyB's stranglehold on pay- TV. BSkyB had originally hoped to negotiate an exclusive pay-per-view deal with studios such as Disney, Universal, MGM and Warner, but it is now clear it will have to put up with sharing the rights with the cable companies. On Demand's move comes just a week after NTL, the US cable company, joined the consortium, which is led by Telewest Communications, the second largest UK cable operator.Gaining the rights is a victory for the cable companies, which have in the past been poor at presenting a united front against BSkyB.Apart from Telewest and NTL, On Demand is also thought to include General Cable, Diamond Cable Communications and Comcast Cable. BSkyB's monopoly on programming was dealt a blow last night after it emerged that On Demand Management, the consortium of cable companies, was on the point of securing pay-per-view film rights from the Hollywood studios.

Combined market share of the merged company would total 41 per cent. Bass last week filed a lawsuit against IPB over alleged breaches of nine areas of the Czech commercial code.. Bass has built up a 33.4 per cent stake in the company, but yesterday a Czech bank sold its stake to a financial company controlled by Nomura. Investioni a Postroni Banka (IPB) and its partner Pruni Investioni have sold their combined 15.5 per cent stake in Radegast to IMP Finance, which is controlled by Nomura.It emerged a month ago that IMP Finance wants to merge Radegast with the largest brewery in the country, Plzenske Brazdroj Bass has not been informed of the deal. At Amstrad, Mr Miller was largely responsible for the acquisitions of Viglen and Dancall. David Hood, another co-founder of Pace who had been sharing the chief executive's role with Mr Morgan, will become director of technology..

Bass, the drinks giant which is keen to expand overseas, having had its bid for Carlsberg-Tetley blocked by Margaret Beckett in the UK, now faces a bitter battle with the Japanese bank Nomura in its attempt to grow its Czechoslovakia brewing business. Bass bought its first Czech brewer four years ago and is now trying to take control of Radegast, the second biggest brewer in the country. Steve Jones, Pace's finance director and co-founder, also resigned in June.Mr Miller has been at the Japanese computer games manufacturer since 1994, and is to take his post at Pace before the end of the year. He spent 16 years at Amstrad, the computer and electronics company, and became managing director in 1992.Peter Morgan, chairman of Pace, said: "He has expertise in the fast-moving competitive electronic retailing field and previous experience as managing director of a public company."Mr Miller, who is 42, has successfully integrated Sega's consumer division, and has been credited with returning it to profit. Digital broadcasting, which will lead to the indroduction of hundreds of new TV channels, has been slow to take off around the world, delaying orders for Pace's set top boxes which are used to decode TV pictures.Mr Rubery departure coincided with a profits warning.

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