NBCU's hayu expands in Europe; BBC SELECT launches in US, Canada

TOP NEWS IN TMT

* NBCUniversal Media LLC unit NBCUniversal International launched its hayu reality TV streaming service in 11 new European markets, The Hollywood Reporter reported, citing a company statement. The current rollout reportedly covers markets such as Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Switzerland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

* The British Broadcasting Corp. unit BBC Studios Ltd. launched BBC Select, a new subscription video-on-demand platform, in the U.S. and Canada. It has monthly subscription fees of US$4.99 and C$6.99.

➤ Global Multichannel: Is new ad tax a threat to Poland's media sector?

Poland's proposed ad tax has spurred blackouts as a form of protest among leading commercial broadcasters and other media outlets. Kagan looks at how the initial regulatory proposal would have impacted Poland's media companies.

➤ Economics of Internet: Global OTT services roll out in more APAC markets

Asia-Pacific's enormous scale and the growing adoption of subscription OTT within key markets has enticed global media players like The Walt Disney Co. and Warner Media LLC to expand the presence of their online video streaming services in the region.

TECHNOLOGY

* French data privacy watchdog CNIL warned a private football club against the planned use of facial recognition technology, saying that the collection of such data, with certain exceptions, goes against the country's data protection laws. The system was intended to identify people who were subject to a stadium ban, as well as detecting abandoned objects and combating terrorism.

* U.K.-based video streaming and advertising technology provider Velocix Solutions Ltd. appointed Anthony Berkeley as CEO. Berkeley was most recently the COO at Velocix.

INTERNET & OTT

* Facebook Inc. rolled out its Climate Science Information Center, a platform for science-based climate change-related resources, in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain among other countries. The social media company also said it will start adding informational labels to some climate-related posts in the U.K. and plans to eventually expand the feature to more countries.

* Private equity firm DBAG Expansion Capital Fund shortlisted Antin Infrastructure Partners, InfraVia Capital Partners and 3i Group PLC for the sale of German fiber optic company DNS:NET Internet Service GmbH, expected to be worth €400 million to €500 million, Reuters reported, citing sources.

* German publisher association Bundesverband Digitalpublisher und Zeitungsverleger called for tougher regulation on Facebook following the social media company's blocking of content in Australia.

* Spi International Inc.'s Filmbox+ streaming service has rolled out globally, replacing FilmBox Live.

* Alphabet Inc.-owned Google LLC named Jessica McCarthy head of its engineering team in Ireland, effective Feb. 26, The Irish Times reported. McCarthy replaces Dave O'Connor.

* In other Google news, the company added Apple Inc.'s Apple TV app, including subscription streaming service Apple TV+, to the latest Chromecast device with the Google TV user interface.

MEDIA

* U.S.-based K-12 education technology solutions company PowerSchool Group LLC agreed to acquire the Naviance and Intersect businesses of Hobsons PLC, the education technology unit of Daily Mail and General Trust PLC. Meanwhile, education company EAB agreed to acquire Hobson's Starfish platform. Hobsons' Naviance and Intersect businesses will be sold for about $320 million, while its Starfish business will be sold for about $90 million.

* The U.K.-headquartered Guardian Media Group plc said it is "deeply concerned" about Facebook's move to restrict access to news content in Australia, Reuters reported, citing a statement from a spokesman. Daily Mail's MailOnline said it was "astonished" by the move, while the U.K. Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair Julian Knight called it a "bully boy action," according to separate Reuters reports.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

* French operator Orange SA, which recently unveiled its new towers entity, is open to partnerships in mobile infrastructure with other European operators such as Vodafone Group PLC and Deutsche Telekom AG, Reuters reported, citing CEO Stéphane Richard.

* Orange is also planning to discuss the possibility of splitting the CEO and chairman roles before 2022, Reuters reported, citing Chairman and CEO Stéphane Richard.

* Nokia Corp. will supply A1 Telekom Austria AG with 5G radio access and core network services under the parties' multiyear deal. América Móvil SAB de CV's Telekom Austria Group owns A1 Telekom.

* In other Nokia news, the company's board approved the company's equity program for 2021-2023, which includes a new share-based long-term incentive plan and an employee share purchase plan. Nokia may issue shares under the plans until December 31, 2023.

* Bouygues Telecom SA appointed Richard Viel as chairman and CEO, replacing Olivier Roussat, who will become the CEO of Bouygues SA.

* Telenor ASA unit Telenor Denmark switched on its first 5G mobile mast in Odense, bringing its active 5G network to four Danish cities.

* Dutch provider VodafoneZiggo halted the phased rollout of superfast gigabit internet on its cable network for several reasons, Totaaltv reported.

Click here for a summary of indexes on the MI platform.

Frances Espeso, Anne Freier, Sylvia Edwards Davis, Marieke Pijnappels and Esben Svendsen contributed to this report.

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