Your guide to what’s happened this week in the media, entertainment and technology industry.
WarnerMedia unveils HBO Max
WarnerMedia revealed more details about its upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service, including a name - HBO Max. The service is due to go live in 2020 - read all about it HERE
Canal+ confirms 500 job cuts, blames transformation
Canal+ has blamed job cuts of 500 staff on ” the upheavals of the audiovisual sector and the transformation of its business”, writes TVBEurope. The company said it will overhaul its French activities which could see the departure of up to 492, though redundancies will be voluntary, it said.
DAZN eyes bid for NFL rights
Sports streaming service DAZN is looking to add another marquee brand to its media rights portfolio as it considers a bid for live rights to show the NFL.
DAZN chief executive Simon Denyer said the company would be interested in bidding should the NFL choose to break its existing deal with AT&T’s DirecTV. That agreement, which is due to run until 2022, has a break clause at the end of the 2019 season and if the NFL opted out - something it has been discussing since last year, DAZN would be ready to pounce, Denyer told Bloomberg.
China’s CGTN hires former Ofcom director
China’s state television broadcaster CGTN has hired former Ofcom board member Nick Pollard, the Financial Times reports.
Pollard was formerly a board member at the UK regulator and his appointment at CGTN comes as the Chinese broadcaster is facing an investigation by Ofcom which could see it lose its UK licence.
Ofcom launched its investigation in May following a complain by British citizen Peter Humphrey who accused the Chinese firm of broadcasting a confession he had made under duress. It is also facing a second investigation following a similar accusation from UK-based Angela Gui.
Qatari delegation meets WTO over BeoutQ
Representatives from the World Trade Organisation have met with a delegation from Qatar to discuss pirate TV network BeoutQ.
The delegation, made up of members of Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, told the WTO that “firm action must be taken quickly” against alleged-Saudi affiliated beoutQ, according to Rapid News TV.
The two-day talks came as pressure increased on BeoutQ, which is accused of pirating content from the Qatar-based company beIN Media, which is then broadcast in Saudi Arabia and beyond using Arabsat satellites. Earlier this week, African football bosses called out BeoutQ for its coverage of the African Cup of Nations football tournament.
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