In The Frame March '20

Streaming/Online/Tech

The EU asked Netflix, Amazon and YouTube to reduce stream quality to avoid overloading networks. Netflix responded here, while BT’s chief technology and information officer gave some interesting facts and figures. While traffic is up, it’s not really a problem as the evening peak now extends into the day, rather than the peak being higher. Disney+ also reduced its video quality when it launched in Europe this month.

Disney+ is now Australia’s fourth most popular SVoD service, three months after its launch, while the platform attracted five million downloads in one day when it launched on 24 March in seven new European markets – Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

Sports streaming service DAZN, featured by Frame 25 in 2017, is to expand to more than 200 countries, including the UK, in May.

In December 2019, DAZN secured the rights to Champions League football in Germany from 2021, ending Sky’s two-decade hold, and has Champions League and Premier League rights in Canada and Japan. It is reportedly targeting Premier League rights for the British market. Pricing by market will be announced in the coming weeks.

BBC News

BBC plans to cut 450 journalism jobs have been put on hold because of the coronavirus outbreak, as has the introduction of the licence fee for the over-75s.

The BBC is now operating a “core news service” during the pandemic as the government advises people to avoid non-essential contact with others or travel to try to slow the spread of the virus. BBC News must find £80 million of savings by 2022.

Regarding the decision on the licence fee, a joint statement from the BBC and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said: “Our current plan is to now bring it into place on 1 August. We will of course keep the issue under review as the situation continues to evolve."

The BBC has committed to donate £700,000 to The Film and TV Charity, which supports the UK’s film, TV and cinema professionals, and is working with manufacturers, retailers and the loneliness charity Wavelength to offer free DAB radios to the most vulnerable people aged over 70.

The BBC Sounds TV app is now available on connected TVs. The TV app is now on YouView and Virgin Media devices and will launch on other TV platforms “in the future”.

The BBC has expanded its Writers’ Academy to UK residents who want to write for television but don’t necessarily have a professional credit or an agent. Applications opened on 30 March and run until 12pm on 19 April 2020. Read more here.

And finally...

• Sky and BT will lose almost £1 billion in revenue if top-flight sport remains shut down until August, according to a report.
• ITV will aim to fill the void following the cancellation of the Grand National with a computer-simulated running of the race at 5pm on Saturday (4 April) - the day it was scheduled to be run.
• ITV is forecasting a slump in advertising revenues of at least 10 per cent in April as travel companies spend less in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak..
• BritBox’s first original commission will be Spitting Image, which returns after 24 years..
• Here's an interesting summary of what advertisers are doing with connected TVs.
• Editing equipment hire company Salon is offering free tech support to post-production professionals working from home during the Covid-19 restrictions, irrespective of whether they’re using kit hired from the company, which has set up a dedicated site.
• Broadcast Tech magazine has launched a new podcast series on Spotify, iTunes and Apple Podcasts. Tech Talks covers innovative uses of technology in the TV industry.
• The Media Production and Technology Show, due to take place 13-14 May 2020 at London Olympia, has been postponed, and NAB has been cancelled, having been scheduled to take place next month. NAB will, however, be held online: the 2020 Las Vegas show will take place in virtual form in April as a digital offering called NAB Show Express. Additionally, cloud-based video streaming firm Bitmovin has announced its ‘Bitmovin Live: NAB Edition’ will take place between 13-14 April.
• Virgin Media is offering its TV customers seven of its most popular children’s channels at no extra cost until 21 April 2020.

From the latest news to the latest positions – click here to see Frame 25’s most recent additions to its list of available TV jobs