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ESPN is to use a channel that was previously occupied by Setanta to air English Premier League games on Freeview’s pay-TV service.ESPN will have the opportunity to sign up subscribers from Freeview’s 9.9 million homes, which would make its EPL investment worthwhile.Last week, ESPN America paid £250 million for its first live EPL TV rights… Continue reading ESPN strikes EPL deal with Freeview

ITV1’s last minute Michael Jackson tribute secured the highest ratings on Friday evening with 4.5 million peak viewers.The Michael Jackson Story, which was added to the commercial broadcaster’s schedule following Jackson’s unexpected death on Thursday evening, pulled in more than 4.4 million average viewers and a 21.2% audience share during the 9pm to 10pm peak-slot.At… Continue reading Overnights: Michael Jackson tribute triumphs

Sales of digital video recorders that allow viewers to pause, store and rewind live programmes are up by almost one million, according to Ofcom’s latest research.The media regulator’s Digital Progress Report for Q1 2009 found that almost nine million digital video recorders have now been sold in total, after sales soared by one million in… Continue reading Sales of digital video recorders up one million

Virgin Media and Universal Pictures have joined forces to launch a new movies-on-demand TV subscription service on Virgin’s TV platform.PictureBox is set to launch next month to Virgin Media’s 3.6 million TV subscribers, costing £5 per month, and will provide access to a recent and archived feature films.Viewers who subscribe to the new service will… Continue reading Virgin and Universal team up to launch movies-on-demand service

Ofcom has announced plans to introduce a ‘wholesale must-offer’ obligation that will force Sky to make its premium channels available to other broadcasters.The regulator’s consultation document, which was published today after Ofcom’s investigation in to the pay TV market, aims to address concerns over the restricted distribution of premium sports and film channels operated by… Continue reading Ofcom forces Sky to share premium channel content

Over half of ITV’s bondholders have accepted a bond exchange offer to help reduce the commercial broadcaster’s £730 million debt.The offer will see ITV bondholders exchange their original bonds for a mixture of cash and new bonds, which will mature at a later date, according to reports.ITV confirmed that bondholders with 54% stake of the… Continue reading ITV bondholders accept exchange offer

Five has launched a website dedicated to television soap operas called Holy Soap, featuring news and gossip about its own and other channel’s soaps.The site is the new official online home of Five’s Australian soaps Neighbours and Home & Away, replacing the two programmes’ previous stand alone sites.It will also contain comprehensive news and gossip… Continue reading Five launches soap website

BBC One’s new two-part documentary Famous, Rich and Homeless picked up the highest ratings during the important 9pm and 10pm slot last night with over 5.3 million peak viewers.More than 4.7 million average viewers tuned in to see editor-in-chief of the Big Issue John Bird and a group of celebrities, including Annabel Croft and Rosie… Continue reading Overnights: BBC One’s new documentary steals the limelight

Deloitte has been appointed as administrator of Setanta after it failed in its bid to secure funding.The Irish broadcaster has entered administration after missing deadlines to pay the Scottish and English Premier Leagues (see Broadcasters to bid for Setanta football rights).Deloitte said that Setanta will cease broadcasting in Great Britain but Setanta Ireland and Setanta… Continue reading Setanta enters administration

ITV1’s new Real Crime documentary series secured the highest ratings last night with more than 4.2 million peak viewers.Rachel Nickell – Case Closed, which revealed how it took 16 years to convict Robert Napper for the murder of Nickell, who was killed on Wimbledon Common in 1992, pulled in 4.1 million average viewers and a… Continue reading Overnights: Real Crime secures the top spot