— BBC: The BBC News website is launching advertising-supported broadband video for overseas users. The corporation had previously started showing TV news bulletins and individual news clips in high quality for U.K. viewers, but opted to leave users elsewhere with narrowband quality as the publicly funded broadcaster is not allowed to use UK license-payers’ money to fund overseas expansion. Now ads bought via BBC World, the overseas commercial arm, will subsidize non-UK broadband – “advertising will be around the broadband news clips”, said interactive editor Steve Hermann. Meanwhile, the BBC Trust has ordered a public value test in to a proposed Gaellic-language digital TV channel for Scotland, which was to include online and radio output.
— Rugby: In an unusual step, the Rugby World Cup, held in France and the UK this September, will sell broadband video access to all 48 matches direct to fans. Dubbed “RWC Plus“, the service will offer delayed, on-demand matches, previews, interviews and live audio commentary for $49.99 via the tournament’s official website. In the UK, local broadcast rights holder ITV last week said it would stream all games at itv.com at no cost. RWC’s output is being produced by San Francisco-based online sports broadcaster MediaZone.
— Setanta: The pay-TV operator is making its package of sports channels available to watch online in an offering called Setanta By Broadband. Offering the Setanta Sports 1 and 2 channels and Setanta Golf, and at £7.99 a month, it undercuts the £9.99 subscription viewers can take out via Sky, BT Vision IPTV, Virgin Media and some Freeview boxes. Setanta has the rights to 46 live Premier League soccer matches, starting August, competing with Sky Sports whilst partnering with Virgin on a new sports news channel. Broadband subscribers will also get access to archive sports matches. (Via MediaWeek).
— Mirror: British tabloid newspaper The Mirror is publishing daily online video shows via YouTube. The MGN title is using sports and entertainment journalists to front Football Spy, a daily soccer round-up, and The Ticket, a movies broadcast. The shows also appear at Mirror.co.uk. The Mirror had been publishing occasional video interviews since opening its YouTube partner channel in October.