Onstream has
signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire Narrowstep.
The combination of Narrowstep’s automated IPTV platform, Telvos, and Onstream’s Digital
Media Services Platform is expected to result in a single comprehensive platform with
a unique ability to acquire, store, manage, process, protect, monetize and deliver,
digital broadcast quality video to TV’s, computers, iPods, mobile phones, etc.

In the transaction, the shareholders of Narrowstep will receive 11.1 million shares
of Onstream Media common stock plus the opportunity to earn up to an additional 8.9
million Onstream Media shares subject to Narrowstep’s business achieving substantial
revenue growth targets during the 18 months following the acquisition. The acquisition
is expected to close in approximately 90-120 days, subject to shareholder approval.
Both companies have agreed to immediately execute a restructuring plan designed to
significantly reduce or eliminate substantial costs related to Narrowstep’s facility
leases, SG&A expenses, public company and headquarters costs, and other professional
fees and services. As a result, Onstream expects that Narrowstep will generate operating
cash flow on a standalone basis soon after the closing.

Narrowstep’s innovative and proprietary technology provides the functionality to recreate
the television-like experience either on the desktop computer screen or through the
home television, as well as the ability to integrate with the new set top boxes and
other IPTV technologies, such as those developed by the CableLabs industry consortium.
Narrowstep offers its customers the expertise and technology to move, manage and monetize
video content across the Internet.

Narrowstep’s automated technology includes:

1. Playlist functions (the ability to string videos together to create 24 hour continuous
feeds)
2. Channel management
3. A full suite of monetization tools including automated ad serving, e-commerce,
and payment processing options to manage video-on-demand, pay-per-view, download and
subscription models
4. Customizable player technology, including cross-platform and cross-browser support
and GUI-rich community functions utilizing Microsoft Silverlight technology
5. Digital Rights Management including geographic restrictions
6. Complete content syndication capabilities
7. Distribution tools including search-engine optimization, automated RSS feeds, and
embedded video technology

See more here:
Onstream Signs Agreement to Acquire Narrowstep

Research and Markets has announced the
addition of Eastern
European Pay Television to their offering. Since 2004 the CEE country economies
and Russia have enjoyed rapid expansion, growing at more than double the rate of markets
in Western Europe. 2007 saw the market growing at its fastest rate, with 18 percent
growth of total pay TV subscribers.

Whilst Western European Pay TV markets are almost at saturation point, there is still
huge potential for growth in the Eastern European markets and Russia especially. Growth
comes as more subscribers are attracted to the satellite platform and new channels
are launched to meet demand. Cable operators too are starting the process of digitisation
which will enable them to reap the rewards of an improved viewer experience.

The Eastern European pay TV market is dominated by cable. Cable accounts for 80 per
cent of all pay TV homes with almost one third of the region’s homes taking cable
services. A few operators control the majority of the market, sharing it with many
smaller players. Screen Digest believes that the market will experience consolidation
over the next five years as the major operators grow their market share through acquisition.
Whilst the mature cable subscriber base is not growing as fast as the newer satellite
platforms, average revenue per user continues to rise, increasing by 10 per cent on
average in 2007. Screen Digest predicts that cable penetration will increase to 40
per cent of homes in 2012 from 32 per cent at the end of 2007. Over the next five
years, the number of digital cable subscribers will have increased from its present
two per cent to 18 per cent of TV homes.

Other forms of pay TV are much less advanced in the region, and Screen Digest expects
that to remain the case to 2012. Digital terrestrial television is still in its infancy
and by 2012, less than six per cent of the region’s homes will rely on DTT as their
primary means of TV viewing. IPTV is a nascent platform in Eastern Europe and although
growth will begin to take off in 2009, less than three per cent of homes will make
use of IPTV as their primary TV reception method by 2012.

Key findings:

• Eastern Europe continues to be a cable-driven market with 32 per cent of TV homes
  served by cable.
• By contrast, satellite pay TV is still a relatively small market serving around eight
  per cent of homes. This is changing rapidly, however, with a huge number of new satellite
  platform launches in the region over the last couple of years.
• Screen Digest forecasts that total satellite pay TV penetration will more than double
  from eight per cent at the end of 2007 to 16 per cent by 2012. All of these satellite
  pay TV subscribers are digital.
• During the same period, cable penetration will increase from 32 per cent to 40 per
  cent of homes. Continued migration of the largely analogue cable subscriber base will
  see digital cable penetration increase from less than two per cent of homes at the
  end of 2007 to 18 per cent of homes by 2012.
• Digital terrestrial television remains in its infancy and by 2012, less than six per
  cent of the region’s homes will rely on DTT as their primary means of TV viewing.
• IPTV is another nascent platform in Eastern Europe and although growth will begin
  to take off in 2009, less than three per cent of homes will make use of IPTV as their
  primary TV reception mode by 2012.
• Nonetheless, driven by continued strong growth in the traditional cable and satellite
  markets, total pay TV penetration will increase rapidly from 40 per cent at the end
  of 2007 to 60 per cent by 2012 with a total of 63m homes subscribing to pay television
  services.
• Russian is set to be a key growth market showing particularly strong increases in
  pay TV. Total pay TV subscribers in Russia will reach 28m by 2012.
• Russian pay TV growth will be driven by a rapidly expanding satellite pay TV market
  with nearly 5m pay satellite customers forecast by 2012, up from less than 1.5m at
  the end of 2007.

Excerpted from:
IPTV Slow to Grasp Hold in Eastern Europe

Spike.com has
unveiled its groundbreaking new online platform for men. The totally redesigned site,
launching on Friday, May 30, offers visitors a new cutting-edge look and feel. Spike.com will
feature deeper content channels, a high resolution and full episode video player and
advanced social networking. In addition, the new site will feature a slate of original
content including a development deal with Playboy.com.

The site marks the full integration of two popular MTVN Web properties: SpikeTV.com and
viral video pioneer IFILM. Announced last year, the merger of the two sites into a
comprehensive, social multimedia experience with a “Spike Editorial Filter” is designed
to further strengthen the network’s reach to the coveted 18-34 male demographic.

The new Spike.com offers video programming in such male-oriented categories as Viral
Videos, Girls, Games & Gadgets, Wheels, Movies and TV, UFC and Music. The site’s
newly assembled editorial team will delve into each of these categories to deliver
information and entertainment that engages visitors in new and compelling ways. To
further enhance the video viewing experience, Spike.com features an extra large high
resolution video player.

The site features the new Spike.com full episode player, which allows users to watch
their favorite Spike TV shows on a high resolution (600k), 16:9, in-page player with
commenting, sharing and embedding capabilities. Popular Spike TV shows available for
online viewing include “Pros vs. Joes,” “DEA” “Murder,” “Factory,” “GameTrailers TV
with Geoff Keighley,” “Wacked Out Sports” and “I Bet You Will.”

The full episode player is just one of the many site features that offer corporate
partners new, unique and dynamic sponsorship opportunities. Other venues for marketing
and promotions on the site include skins, roadblocks, wallpaper, group pages, photo
galleries, interstitial ads, profile pages and end-of-play spots.

Leveraging Spike TV’s on-air promotional power and the large and avid Spike.com audience,
the combined traffic gives sponsors access to millions of impressions under the Spike
brand.

Advanced social functionality is also key to the new Spike.com. Users have the ability
to build a social experience around their favorite content by adding friends, writing
blogs, messaging users and commenting on other users’ pages — all from within their
own new advanced profile pages.

Spike.com will feature a slate of exclusive original online content for its May 30
launch including:

• Spike.com and Playboy.com development deal to co-produce original digital programming.
  The new digital series (name TBD) will be shown on Spike.com and Playboy.com.
• The UFC’s Evan Tanner Exclusive Blog. Evan Tanner, the charismatic and talented MMA
  fighter has signed a deal to share his thoughts and views with the Spike audience.
  Tanner’s unfiltered weekly blog will be featured in the new UFC channel on Spike.com.
  Tanner began his professional mixed martial arts career in 1997 and is a former UFC
  Middleweight champion. He is scheduled to fight Kendall Grove at the upcoming “The
  Ultimate Fighter 7″ finale on June 21.
• “The MMA Girls”: These beautiful girls really know their stuff — so when Spike.com
  says don’t mess with them, they mean it. The popular series of demonstration videos
  show guys the specific moves used in mixed martial arts. “The MMA Girls” has become
  one of the most popular originals on Spike.com and will be featured in the new UFC
  channel.
• “The Crew”: Possibly the most insane group of videos ever made — featuring wild parties,
  power sports, mini-bike riding, street stunts and, of course, beautiful women. “The
  Crew” is the epitome of unrestricted masculinity.
• “James Rolfe — Cinimassacre”: Rolfe, better known as his character, “The Angry Video
  Game Nerd,” will produce an exclusive series of videos reviewing classic guy movies
  in his “special” style. Rolfe has a huge online fan base and is among the all time
  Top 10 Most Subscribed Channels on You Tube

More:
Spike.com to Feature High Resolution And Full Episode Video Player

Another one bites the dust. Following the demise of Narrowstep, Akimbo has run out of money despite its lofty list of investors.

Just as the key driver for the internet TV industry – advertising revenue – is begining to kick in big time, the pioneers have run out of time..

Read more from the original source:
All Akimbo

BT Vision which appointed emuse absolutely as its preferred supplier of next-generation interactive advertising services last summer, has now strengthened the partnership with a deal that will see the development of new IPTV applications.
Under the agreement, BT Vision will add a number of new services to OnVision magazine, a service, which it launched with [...]

See the rest here:
BT Vision extends relationship with emuse