Los Angeles – BabyFirst and Shanghai Media Group (SMG) have inked a deal to launch US-based child development channel BabyFirstTV on the latter’s BestTV IPTV platform in China from May 2008. Established in November 2005 as a subsidiary of SMG, BesTV is the first IPTV company in the Chinese mainland. The agreement with BesTV follows recent Asian carriage deals sealed to offer BabyFirstTV in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea, with more regional carriage deals expected to close. … [Read more...] about BabyFirstTV to debut in China on SMG’s BesTV IPTV platform
content news
Japan in focus
Free-to-air networks in Japan are relying heavily on variety/quiz shows to resist the general and continuous fall of ratings across genres and the overall decline of TV viewing over the last decade or so. The ratings and revenue leader Fuji Television is adding five new variety and quiz shows a week this season, striping the 7pm ‘F&F (Family & Fuji)’ quiz belt with different 30-minute and one-hour shows seven days a week. These quiz shows are built around the powerful Wednesday night … [Read more...] about Japan in focus
hanarotelecom sued for alleged sale of subscribers’ information
Seoul – A group of subscribers has commenced collective legal action against Korean telco hanarotelecom for alleged unauthorized sale of subscribers’ personal information. 20 former and current employees including hanarotelecom’s former CEO are facing charges of transferring 83.5 million pieces of personal data including addresses, social security numbers and telephone numbers to some 1,000 telemarketing firms between January 2006 and December 2007. According to local media … [Read more...] about hanarotelecom sued for alleged sale of subscribers’ information
hanaTV crosses 900,000 subscribers mark
Seoul – hanarotelecom’s IPTV service hanaTV has reached a subscription base of 900,000 to lead the South Korean IPTV market in subscriptions, ahead of rival KT’s Mega TV service which registered 567,230 subscribers as of March 2008. Quarterly revenue for Q1 2008 from hanaTV came up to KRW21.3billion (US$21.3million). hanarotelecom posted Q1 2008 revenues of KRW493billion (US$491.5million), a 9.3% increase year-on-year and a 0.9% increase quarter-on-quarter. Revenue growth was … [Read more...] about hanaTV crosses 900,000 subscribers mark
StarHub adds Playhouse Disney to Kids Basic Group
Singapore – StarHub will add Playhouse Disney channel to the StarHub Digital Cable’s Kids Basic Group from May 1, 2008, to be available at no extra charge to customers using the Hubstation, digital or HD set-top box. Prior to May 2008, Playhouse Disney was offered as an add-on channel to customers at S$4.28 per month upon subscription to a minimum of three Basic Groups from StarHub Digital Cable’s subscription plan. Playhouse Disney adds to Cartoon Network, Disney Channel and … [Read more...] about StarHub adds Playhouse Disney to Kids Basic Group
Asiasat relocates
Hong Kong – Asia Satellite Telecommunications (Asiasat) has relocated its office to 19/F, Sunning Plaza, 10 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. The company’s contact numbers including telephone (+852 2500 0888) and fax (+852 2576 4111) remain unchanged. Contact numbers for Asiasat’s Tai Po Earth Station are also unaffected by the move. Asiasat’s new address will be the correspondence address for Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Ltd, Asia Satellite … [Read more...] about Asiasat relocates