Digital media and entertainment industry news

French physical video declines slows through 2012 | 22 May 13 tags › IHS Screen Digest has finalized physical retail consumer level and trade level data for year end 2012 based on data published by the French video association, Syndicat de l'Edition Vidéo Numerique (SEVN). Forecasts to 2017 have also been provisionally updated on the basis of these numbers.

BSkyB to close Acetrax after finishing technology integration | 21 May 13 tags › BSkyB-owned transactional movie service Acetrax is to close on June 21st 2013. The service, which was acquired in April 2012, no longer offers download-to-own (digital retail/EST) movies but will continue to...

YouTube subscription channels herald 2nd dawn of paid multichannel fragmentation | 13 May 13 tags › Online video service YouTube has launched a pilot subscription option as part of its partner programme, with an array of 53 thematic channels available to YouTube users for a monthly fee of $0.99 upwards. Each...

Magine launches new OTT service in Sweden | 27 Mar 13 tags › New subscription online video platform Magine has launched services in Sweden, as of end-March 2013. Magine plans to roll-out its service in several additional European territories (likely in the Nordics...

Home Entertainment KPI forecasts extended to 2017 | 25 Feb 13 IHS Screen Digest has extended media forecasts shown in the Home Entertainment Key Performance Indicators (HE KPI) Intelligence service to 2017.

DreamWorks Studio announces additional international partnerships | 15 Feb 13 tags › Following the announced strategy change for the international distribution, licensing and financing of its theatrical and home video titles in September of 2012, DreamWorks Studios has announced additional multi-year partnerships for secondary European markets and Turkey.

French AB Group to launch Jook Video | 07 Feb 13 tags › French broadcaster AB Group is to launch a new SVOD service by the end of February 2013. The company will offer movies and TV series for a price of €6.99 a month. The company is understood to be in talks...

Netflix losses increase for International, but per-subscriber financials improve | 24 Jan 13 tags › Streaming online video service provider Netflix saw a 33 per cent increase in paying International subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2012. The company ended the period with 4.892m paying subscribers...

Entertainment One purchase of Alliance Films approved | 07 Jan 13 tags › Independent film and television producer and distributor Entertainment One Ltd (eOne) has completed its purchase of Alliance Films, first announced in September 2012, which was subject to approval by the Canadian Competition Bureau.

MTG extends device availability of Viaplay multiscreen service | 15 Oct 12 tags › International entertainment broadcasting group Modern Times Group (MTG) has widened the availability of its main OTT service Viaplay to the PlayStation 3 (PS3) gaming console for consumers in Denmark, Sweden,...

DreamWorks announces new international partnerships | 21 Sep 12 tags › DreamWorks has entered into a strategic partnership with London-based Mister Smith, a film finance, sales, and licensing company formed in May 2012 as a joint venture with Munich-based film production and distribution company Constantin Films. The deal involves Mister Smith handling "all-media" sales of DreamWorks titles in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

C More, TV4 Group, Bonnier to launch a new online video service Filmnet in Sweden | 20 Sep 12 tags › Bonnier-owned media company TV4 Group and pay-TV broadcaster C More are to launch a new online video subscription service, Filmnet.se. The service will initially be available from the end of September 2012 in...