The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), working with Futuresource Consulting, today announced the launch of new research into the key business challenges and future opportunities for European broadcasters in an evolving market. This is the first study of its kind within the broadcast industry and will shed light on the shifting broadcast marketplace, consolidation, cost pressures and potential new revenue streams for the industry, as well as how buying behaviours may be changing on account of financial pressures.

UK pay TV revenues are fast reaching maturity, so operators must find other revenue streams to ensure growth, according to a new report from Digital TV Research. UK pay TV revenues are forecast to reach US$9.3 billion in 2011, up by US$3.3 billion on 2006. However, revenues are only expected to climb by another US$250 million to reach US$9.6 billion in 2016. The UK Digital TV Forecasts report states that TV ARPU will fall as operators convert subs to bundles and as competition from free multichannel services intensifies.

According to a new report from Digital TV Research, rapid expansion meant that Brazilian DTH subscriptions overhauled cable as the most popular platform with considerable panache during the first six months of 2011. Further change is ahead as the government will soon amend legislation to allow telco to offer full IPTV services.

Despite a bleak economic climate, European Pay TV providers continue to add new subscribers. Collectively, Europe’s top ten providers added nearly 1.5 million new subscribers in the first quarter of 2011, according to a report just published by Strategy Analytics.

UK-based BSkyB holds on to the title of the largest Pay TV service provider in Western Europe, posting 10.1 million subscribers at the end of Q1’11, while French IPTV operators SFR and Free each saw their strongest first quarter results in four years.

Russia, China, Japan and India are among the countries challenging the US in Space leadership according to the fourth annual Space Competitiveness Index Report by Futron.

Growth still robust in a number of segments and regions according to new Euroconsult report

Mobile subscriber growth in the Philippines is experiencing a slowdown due to the fact that the market is approaching saturation, according to the latest Research and Markerts report entitled: "Philippines Telecommunications Report Q4 2011." This report incorporates the latest figures provided by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Globe Telecom and Digital Telecommunications Philippines (Digitel) into the forecast scenarios, with minor changes in mobile and ARPU expectations.

As Digital Switch Over in Europe proceeds, generally without hiccups, the battlelines are being drawn betweenbroadcasters and multimedia operators over the use of spectrum. Europe continues to lead the world in the switch over to digital television.By the end of 2011 DTT should be well advanced across the European Union and the 2012 EU directive for switch-off is expected to be met by almost all member states.

The IABM (International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers)  released the fourth edition of its "Broadcast and Media Technology: Global Market Valuation and Strategy to 2015" study. Based on original research commissioned from IHS Screen Digest, the study offers unique insights into the recovery and growth of the worldwide broadcast industry.

Euroconsult announced the findings of its most recent study of fixed satellite services. Company Profiles, Analysis of FSS Operators, now in its 4th edition, is the only report available worldwide which provides in-depth profiles of all 37 currently-active FSS satellite operators, plus nine companies that will launch commercial satellites in the near future. Through these detailed profiles, Euroconsult provides insight into individual operators and paints a picture of the overall market.