This is not your  father’s IBC.  Like  most industry shows,  the IBC is evolving and it’s getting harder to distinguish traditionally broadcast-oriented shows like the IBC in Amsterdam and the NAB in Las Vegas with the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) and other shows dealing with content delivery and management. 

While many of the HDTV markets in Western Europe are relatively mature, a trio of surveys from ABI Research suggests Germany still has plenty of room for growth. Of the 1,000 German respondents, only 38% claimed to own at least one HDTV, a penetration rate significantly lower than the data collected in France and the UK. Among these consumers, Samsung captured the highest share at 27%, with Philips following at 22% of respondents.

The latest data from analyst firm Point Topic has revealed the current affordability of broadband around the world highlights a stark contrast in broadband prices which will challenge the industry as it looks to increase global penetration.  “Broadband prices can be over a thousand times higher in real terms in the poorer countries,” said Oliver Johnson, CEO at Point Topic.

Parks Associates released new research today revealing consumers in Western Europe value multidevice access to recorded TV programs over other new video services, including access to live TV.

It’s easy to forget that the four largest satellite commercial operators all started out with government support. Intelsat, Inmarsat and Eutelsat were inter-governmental organisations for the first 25 years of their existence and SES started out with backing from Luxemburg’s government and government-owned banks. Governments continue to play an important role in getting new commercial satellite operators off the ground in emerging markets.

Signaling the drawing to a close of the northern hemisphere summer, two major events on the satellite industry calendar, which regularly bring together significant numbers of industry representatives to Europe in early September, will additionally feature gatherings that will focus on initiatives in which GVF, together with key industry, and other, partners, is taking the lead.

Since the past two decades, the telecom sector is the fastest growing industry in China, accounting for 750 million subscribers in 2010. The burgeoning Chinese telecom sector is poised to become one of the world's largest telecommunication markets, generating tremendous employment opportunities. The industry experienced a metamorphosis with the introduction of 3G services coupled with the rising trend of MVAS platform introduced by the players, according to a new report by Research and Markets.

Government demand continues to drive the market, but remains concentrated in a handful of countries

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), working with Futuresource Consulting, today announced the launch of new research into the key business challenges and future opportunities for European broadcasters in an evolving market. This is the first study of its kind within the broadcast industry and will shed light on the shifting broadcast marketplace, consolidation, cost pressures and potential new revenue streams for the industry, as well as how buying behaviours may be changing on account of financial pressures.

UK pay TV revenues are fast reaching maturity, so operators must find other revenue streams to ensure growth, according to a new report from Digital TV Research. UK pay TV revenues are forecast to reach US$9.3 billion in 2011, up by US$3.3 billion on 2006. However, revenues are only expected to climb by another US$250 million to reach US$9.6 billion in 2016. The UK Digital TV Forecasts report states that TV ARPU will fall as operators convert subs to bundles and as competition from free multichannel services intensifies.