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The distribution business was slightly weak despite good like-for-like store sales, due to the lower quality ‘off-the-page’ newspaper advertisement business being successfully cut back by the mobile operators

The release of FY 2007 results on 27th July 2007 confirmed the strong performance of Sky and the success of its multi-product and service strategy over the past year, as reported in its trading update of 11th July

On 27th July the BBC will open access to the iPlayer to UK internet users, en route to a hard launch later this summer. This PC-based application allows the user to download BBC TV content after broadcast to view on the PC for a limited time, and provides a TV-like display on the PC. Delays to the launch will mean the iPlayer enters a field already crowded by other broadcasters, including Channel 4's 4oD service, ITV's broadband portal, Sky Anytime, as well as content aggregators such as Joost and Babelgum (both currently in beta)

The European Commission has backed DVB-H as the common standard for mobile TV in an attempt to boost investment and rollout of services

The UK recorded music industry now has certainty on the royalty regime for online music services until 2009 as a result of the ruling issued last week by the UK Copyright Tribunal, with little impact on underlying business models

Rising audiences for Cuatro in a booming TV advertising market have unexpectedly lifted Sogecable earnings in H1 2007, encouraging confidence that Cuatro will achieve breakeven in 2008, if not in 2007

Growth in revenue and EBITDA was adequate but a nasty surge in capex hit cash flow

Swisscom's recent acquisition of 82% of Fastweb, among the largest altnets in Europe, provides the context for a much-needed strategic review. Fastweb is the principal competitor to Telecom Italia in the supply of telecoms services to business and residential customers, delivered mainly over its own network, which developed through local loop unbundling. Fastweb's has a sterling reputation with customers (in relation to TI's generally poor one). In this context, further network expansion should top Swisscom's review agenda, as well as Fastweb's IPTV offer, which has not proved to be a commercial success

Channel 4's digital diversification strategy is a topic we first considered in 2002. At that time, we urged Channel 4 to husband its resources to meet its public service remit and maintain audiences on its terrestrial service, rather than diversify into new digital satellite channels. If anything, the progress of time has reinforced our conclusion that Channel 4's digital diversification strategy is risky. The risks for Channel 4 are greater than for the BBC, since Channel 4's public service remit is funded by advertising alone