29 Jul - 2 Aug: Your guide to what’s happening this week in the media, entertainment and technology industry.

Adobe creates new Mixed Reality display
Adobe has unveiled a new mixed reality display which will blend digital content and interactions with physical objects.

The prototype display, which is called Project Glasswing, will explore the possibility of bringing Adobe’s design tools to the physical world, creating the illusion of the company’s products such as Photoshop, After Effects or XD layer. These will appear in space in front of 3D real objects without the need for AR or VR glasses.

This touch-enabled experiment enables us to demonstrate new experiences that blend digital content and interaction with real and physical objects, unlocking new possibilities for the 3D ecosystem around the future of creative storytelling, Adobe said in a blog.

Ofcom approves BBC iPlayer revamp
UK regulator Ofcom has given the BBC permission to overhaul its iPlayer OTT service.

The revamp will mean iPlayer can now make shows available for up to a year, rather than the 30 days currently permitted.

Ofcom said “the BBC’s proposed changes to BBC iPlayer could deliver significant public value over time” but accepted there could be an adverse impact on rival services. This, the regulator said, would be outweighed by the public interest.

The rule change means the BBC will now have to negotiate directly with its production partners to formalise the extension beyond the current 30-days limit.

US broadcasters file lawsuit against start-up Locast
Four US broadcasters have joined together to launch legal action against not-for-profit streaming app Locast, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC filed a lawsuit against the free streaming company claiming that it is violating copyright law by retansmitting their free over-the-air services to its customers.

Locast, which has over 60,000 subscribers, claims it is not breaking copyright laws due to an exemption for retransmission by a nonprofit organisation. It is backed by the likes of AT&T, which donated $500,000 to Locast and has integrated its streaming services into DirecTV.

Mediapro partners YouTbe for Pan-American Games
Mediapro has announced a partnership with YouTube that will see the streaming service bring coverage of the Pan American games to over 150 countries for the first time.

The deal will see Mediapro air coverage of the summer athletics competition, which will take place in Lima (Peru), through its YouTube channel.

The games started on 26 July and, according to Mediapro, it has already totalled 200,000 impressions and 400,000 minutes of watch time.

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