| 23 February 2021
In what may be good news for a market that has been undergoing a considerable downward spiral over the last few years, a Digital TV Research study is predicting that pay-TV subscriber losses in the US and Canada are set to slow with declines to be lower from 2021, falling by 16 million in total between 2020 and 2026.
The North America Pay TV Forecasts report found that the number of pay-TV subscribers in the US and Canada plummeted by 27 million between 2010 and 2020, down by 6 million in both 2019 and 2020. Pay-TV penetration is set to drop from 90.5% in 2010 to 53.6% by 2026. These falls will see the number of pay-TV subscribers in Canada and the US falling by 43 million from 116 million in the peak year of 2010 to 74 million in 2026. The US is set to lose 41 million, with Canada down by nearly 2 million.
One new measurement says that there were actually fewer cord-cutters in 2020 than there were the year before. That figure includes the five largest pay TV companies.
| 22 February 2021
Beta Cinema, the sales and co-financing subsidiary of European media group Beta Film, has announced a number of global sales for its psychological thriller Kindred with companies such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and the Middle East.
Produced by Dominic Norris and Jack Lowden through their recently launched, Scottish based production company Reiver Pictures, Kindred is the first feature by Joe Marcantonio after his acclaimed short film Red Light starring Jessie Buckley and Martin McCann. When her boyfriend dies suddenly in an accident, psychologically fragile mother-to-be Charlotte is taken in by his family - but they seem increasingly obsessed with her every move. Plagued by mysterious hallucinations, her suspicions grow and panic builds - but just how far will they go in their desire to control her and her unborn baby.
Professing its absolute belief that all television will be streamed and that its mission will continue to be to create a virtuous cycle connecting a TV ecosyste.
| 22 February 2021
In a significant expansion of its portfolio, video experience provider Accedo has announced the acquisition of Hibox, a global provider of advanced interactive information and entertainment solutions for consumers and commercial applications a provider of advanced TV solutions for telecom, media, hospitality and healthcare.
Headquartered in Turku, Finland with sales offices in Vienna, Austria and Prague, Czech Republic, Hibox designs and delivers TV solutions for telecom operators, media companies, hotels, hospitals and cruise ships and currently has 36 employees.
The companies say they have grown out of the Nordic tradition of advanced technology innovations scalable to a global market. Together, they believe that they can power the video experience for hundreds of customers worldwide.