This category includes online based streaming services such as TV Player and Pluto TV, along with connected TV platforms such as BT TV and TalkTalk TV, which combine terrestrial channel line ups with additional channels delivered via broadband.
Suffolk Constabulary have made an arrest in connection with the suspected illegal streaming of premium television channels, along with other copyrighted material.
The illegal streaming facilitated access to ten of thousands of people. During the arrest, officers were able to take control of the platform, disable the illegal streams, and display a warning message to users.
The arrested person has now been released, pending further enquiries.
Andrea Radrizzani, the CEO of Eleven Sports, has admitted that it was a mistake to launch in the UK without a distribution deal with a pay TV operator.
The service launched in the UK back in 2018, as a premium online streaming platform, with major sports such as La Liga and Serie A. An initial deal with La Liga for the 2018/19 season was abandoned in December, after the service failed to gain enough subscribers.
The failure to secure linear TV deals, failure to make a market impact, and poor overall performance led to the service closing in the UK less than a year after launch.
Radrizzani said he
was convinced that the right commercial strategy and a good proposition for BT and Sky would have provided to all platforms all the content – and cheaper for them – to enable customers to get the main international football.
adding that in reality it was impossible due to the tight grip that BT and Sky have on the market.
However, although not successful in the UK and Singapore, Eleven Sports has made progress in smaller European markets Belgium, Poland, and Portugal.
Cable TV operator Virgin Media has revealed how the Covid-19 lockdown has changed viewing habits in the UK.
Amongst the statistics revealed are a 10% increase in customers watching TV, compared to pre-lockdown, with customers watching TV for an average of 41 extra minutes per day.
28th March, a Saturday, was the busiest data for customers tuning into TV channels, with 17% growth, compared to the eight previous Saturdays. For apps, this figure was an even higher 42%.
News, music, and radio channels all saw an increase in demand. Each customer spent an extra 25 minutes watching the news, on average. With schools closed, children’s channels also saw increases in demand.
Children’s channels Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD are to close in the UK. Unsurprisingly, this is part of the moving of content to Disney’s subscription streaming service Disney Plus, which will become the exclusive home for all of the content.
The move will take effect on October 1st, and will affect Sky and Virgin Media subscribers who currently subscribe to packages which include the channels.
Disney Plus launched in March this year, and costs £5.99 a month. Sky subscribers can access the service through the app on Sky Q.
The change is specific to the UK, although similar moves may made in other countries. Other Disney owned channels including National Geographic are not affected by the change.
With the remaining Premier League football matches to be held behind closed doors, a number of broadcasters have announced they will showing games free to air.
The BBC will broadcast four games live, in addition to its Match of the Day highlights programmes. The channel to show these matches is not known, but is likely to be BBC One or the BBC Red Button service.
Sky owned free-to-air channel Pick will be showing 25 games live, with the first being Everton v Liverpool, which will also be simulcast on Sky Sports.
Amazon will be streaming 4 matches on its platform Amazon Prime platform, without the need for subscription. The exact matches are yet to be announced.
This leaves BT Sport as the only rights holder to have not announced any free to air coverage.
Including the free to air matches and those as part of subscription services, all remaining Premier League games will be televised live.
Sky Documentaries and Sky Nature are due to launch this spring, and will be joined by Sky History and Sky History 2.
Sky History is part of a joint venture between A+E Networks UK and Sky, and will be a rebrand of the current History channel. Both Sky History and Sky History 2 will be available on Sky’s Now TV streaming platform, as well as Virgin Media, BT TV and TalkTalk TV.
The changes are also due to take place this spring, with both channels to continue being operated and managed by A+E Networks UK.
Retro Movies appears to have stopped broadcasting on satellite. Although still listed on Sky and Freesat EPGs, the satellite feed has went ‘dark’ with no programmes or other content being broadcast.
According to website RXTV Log, Retro Movies is still available as part of Channelbox on Freeview 271, as a streamed channel on devices connected to the internet.
There has been no official word from Retro Movies. Their website (at time of publication) is still live, but the schedule doesn’t list any programmes beyond Friday 24th January.
Talking Pictures, Sony Movies Classic and TCM Movies are alternative channels for those wishing to view older films.
Disney have confirmed that their Disney+ online streaming service will be available in the UK and Ireland from 31st March 2020.
Full details of the programme line up have yet to be confirmed, and might be impacted on existing rights deals with broadcasters.
The service will be available on a variety of platforms including:
Dplay has become Discovery’s online platform for content from its free to air channels, replacing QuestOD.
Dplay combines content from Quest, Quest Red, Food Network and DMAX, along with that from recently acquired Home and Really. Home and Really on-demand content has now been removed from UKTV Play, the equivalent streaming service of their former owners.
Home is expected to rebrand as HGTV, but a date for this is yet to be confirmed.
Premier Sports has secured the rights to show Spanish La Liga football until the end of the 2021/22 season, replacing ITV4 who had temporary rights for the start of the season.
A new channel called La Liga TV will be made available on the Premier Player streaming service from October. This channel is also expected to launch on the Sky satellite platform from January 2020. Prior to the new channel joining Sky, the La Liga matches can be found on Premier Sports 1 and 2 (which can be found on Sky and Virgin Media).
Sister channel Freesports will also show highlights and selected matches.
