Tech
The BBC could be dropped from the top of the Sky Digital EPG as a result of its decision to stop using the company's conditional access system, it has emerged today.
The corporation pays Sky £150,000 for the first two slots on the EPG, but insiders today told the Media Guardian that it had "no automatic right" to hold on to them after it abandons the system at the end of May.
The BBC will still require the use of one aspect of Sky's system: that which will automatically present each viewer with their own regional versions of BBC One and Two. The threat of being relegated into the depths of the EPG is expected to be one of tactics used by Sky when negotiating a fee for use of this aspect.
A spokeswoman for the BBC said it would still go ahead with the plans even if an agreement could not be reached with Sky and, if necessary, would take the matter to telecoms regulator Oftel.
The corporation pays Sky £150,000 for the first two slots on the EPG, but insiders today told the Media Guardian that it had "no automatic right" to hold on to them after it abandons the system at the end of May.
The BBC will still require the use of one aspect of Sky's system: that which will automatically present each viewer with their own regional versions of BBC One and Two. The threat of being relegated into the depths of the EPG is expected to be one of tactics used by Sky when negotiating a fee for use of this aspect.
A spokeswoman for the BBC said it would still go ahead with the plans even if an agreement could not be reached with Sky and, if necessary, would take the matter to telecoms regulator Oftel.
More: Tech, Satellite TV
Apple News
Apple 'testing small screen iPad tablet'The US firm said to be prepping new 8-inch iPad to compete with Samsung, Amazon.
Android News
Google gets Motorola Mobility greenlightBut Euro regulators express concern over "increasingly strategic use of patents".
Satellite TV News
Premier League wins pub TV casePubs showing football on foreign satellite TV decoders 'in breach of copyright'.
Cable News
Virgin Media tops 1bn VOD views in 2011Coronation Street most popular for catch-up, Vampire Diaries more viewed series.
Freeview News
Freeview HD sales top 1.3m in Q4 2011The digital terrestrial platform now has 2m active Freeview HD homes in the UK.
Video on Demand
Netflix pays out $9m in privacy suitNetflix pays out $9m in compliance with the Video Protection Privacy Act.
