Here are the global TV and streaming stories that should be on your radar for Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024:
Report: SVoD Declining In Italy (Advanced-Television)
The number of SVoD users in Italy has started to decline, according to a report from the Communications Regulatory Authority (Agcom) that covers the first nine months of 2023. In September 2023, there were 15.3 million users, a slight decrease of 23,000 compared to the same month in 2022.
UK TV Ratings: BBC’s ‘The Tourist’ Returns To Just 2.2M & Is Comfortably Beaten By ITV Post Office Drama (Deadline)
BBC drama The Tourist returned for its second season last night in the lucrative New Year’s Day 9 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. PT) slot to just 2.2M viewers, beaten comfortably by ITV’s post office drama. The episode, which peaked with 2.5M, attracted less than half of the audience of the first season’s opener according to Barb ratings data supplied by overnights.tv.
India’s Zee One Debuts On Rakuten TV In Germany, Austria And Switzerland (Digital TV Europe)
Indian entertainment and Bollywood channel Zee One has joined FAST operator Rakuten TV across German speaking markets. India’s media giant Zee Entertainment launched the FAST channel Zee One on Rakuten TV in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in December. Zee holds more than 1.3bn viewers globally, produces over 500 hours of content each week.
Impossible Is Made Possible As Korean Dramas Increasingly Use VFX (Korea JoonGang Daily)
Deepfake technology brings late TV host Song Hae back to life for a cameo in JTBC drama "Welcome to Samdal-ri," as Korean dramas increasingly utilize VFX to assist in storytelling and creatively conveying emotions.
Formula E Expands Broadcast Deal With L’Équipe (Digital TV Europe)
Formula E and L’Équipe have strengthened their partnership with all 17 races from Formula E’s upcoming tenth season to be broadcasted free-to-air (FTA) in France as part of a new extended multi-year agreement. A minimum of 11 races and nine qualifying sessions in season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will air live.
Spain: Movistar, DAZN Renew Deal (Advanced-Television)
Movistar and DAZN have renewed their partnership for another three years with the sports streaming service offering all its content on Telefónica’s platform in SpainMovistar’s subscribers will be able to watch content including Formula 1, Moto GP, WTA circuit, Premier League football, Coppa Italia football, Liga F football and UEFA Women’s Champions League through MiMovistar.
The Tax Office Seizes The Money Of Those Who Do Not Pay The TV License Fee (Wirtualnemedia.pl)
From January to November 2023, Tax Offices throughout Poland collected PLN 20.03 million of unpaid radio and television license fees. Polish Post inspectors throughout the country check whether residents of individual buildings and drivers have registered radio and television receivers. The penalty for not registering the receiver and not paying the RTV license fee is 30 times its monthly amount. The person or company caught doing so must also pay outstanding contributions.
Amazon Prime Video To Launch Ad-Tier In UK From February (Digital TV Europe)
Media and entertainment giant Amazon is to introduce an ad-tier to its premium streaming service Prime Video in the UK starting February 5. According to Amazon, the move will see “limited advertisements” included on films and TV shows available via Prime Video in the UK and Germany, excluding content that is rented or purchased.
JioCinema vs Disney+ Hotstar vs Prime Video vs SonyLIV – Which OTT Is Best For Sports Streaming? (Technosports India)
When it comes to sports streaming, JioCinema, Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video, and SonyLIV are prominent contenders in the OTT market. Let’s compare these platforms to determine which one stands out as the best choice for sports streaming enthusiasts.
Warner Bros. Discovery Buys Local Turkish Drama Streamer BluTV (TBIVision)
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has acquired Turkish drama streamer BluTV, marking the first such deal for the US studio giant since its formation. Blu TV, which was launched in 2016 and offers more than 10,000 hours of local and international series and movies, struck a pact with WBD in 2021 that saw its Discovery+ streamer becoming available on the Turkish service.