London Live selects Ericsson broadcast services for London dedicated TV channel
NOVEMBER 14, 2013
· London Live, the new TV channel to be launched by Evening Standard TV, will broadcast 24/7 to millions of viewers in London from Spring 2014
· Ericsson will provide broadcast services such as playout, ad insertion, content hosting and storage, as well as IP streaming in multiple bit rates and profiles
London Live has awarded Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) a five-year broadcast services contract for its new London-dedicated TV channel. The Evening Standard, London’s most read newspaper, was awarded the 12-year license in February 2013 to broadcast the first London-centric TV channel – and will launch the channel in spring 2014. London Live will be transmitted 24/7 via terrestrial and satellite digital TV channels as well as multiscreen IP delivery. Viewers will be able to watch the channel on television and online, via PCs and mobile devices.
Bryn Balcombe, Head of Technology at London Live, said: “Ericsson was a clear choice for London Live as we gear up for our launch in 2014. Ericsson has invaluable experience working with new entrants to the media and broadcast arena and we have been impressed by their innovative and competitive services. With the help of Ericsson, we will be able to deliver the very best in content in the best way possible to our audience, both via innovative IP delivery and traditional linear channel playout.”
Thorsten Sauer, Head of Broadcast Services at Ericsson, says: “Europe is an important market for us and Ericsson’s objective is to enable content owners, brands and broadcasters to deliver and monetize video-based services to viewers across all platforms. We are particularly keen to work with and support new entrants to the broadcast market. ESTV’s London Live channel is a fantastic example of print and online media moving into television and we hope this is just the start of a long and fruitful relationship.”
Ericsson’s Broadcast Services business started in 2007 and expanded in 2012 with the acquisition of Technicolor’s broadcast services division. Today, Ericsson Broadcast Services combines the company’s global services expertise with its industry-leading position in managed services to enhance the efficiency of the business operations of leading regional and global broadcasters. Every day people on all continents watch television programs prepared, managed and broadcast by more than 1,000 Ericsson staff based in hubs in France, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Every year, Ericsson Broadcast Services ingests more than 200,000 hours of content and distributes more than 1.5 million hours of programming in more than 90 languages for more than 200 TV channels. Other customers include Canal+ and TV5 Monde in France and HBO Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden).
London Live will be London’s first dedicated Entertainment channel and is scheduled to launch on Freeview 8, Sky 117, Virgin 159, Web and Mobile devices in spring 2014. The channel will offer Londoners the latest in local news, current affairs, sports, arts, events and entertainment. Targeting an audience of young, modern and urban social explorers based in the capital. London Live is owned by ESTV. www.londonlive.co.uk
Ericsson is a world-leading provider of communications technology and services. We are enabling the Networked Society with efficient real-time solutions that allow us all to study, work and live our lives more freely, in sustainable societies around the world.
Our offering comprises services, software and infrastructure within Information and Communications Technology for telecom operators and other industries. Today 40 percent of the world’s mobile traffic goes through Ericsson networks and we support customers’ networks servicing more than 2.5 billion subscriptions.
We are more than 110,000 people working with customers in more than 180 countries. Founded in 1876, Ericsson is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2012 the company’s net sales were SEK 227.8 billion (USD 33.8 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ, New York stock exchanges.
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