Global Connections 08/24/12

Sainsbury’s in the U.K. is working with Rovi Corporation to use its Rovi Entertainment Store to power a new digital video service for Sainsbury’s Entertainment. Expected to launch later this year, the new service will offer video on demand and digital copies of major studio film and TV titles, often on the same day they are available on DVD and Blu-ray. The service initially will be available online and then will expand access to Blu-ray players, smartphones and game consoles…Omaha-based TiVUS Inc., which provides hotel IPTV services, has expanded into the Asia Pacific region, where there are more than 770,000 rooms under management (as of 2011) and another million coming in the next three or four years. Says CEO Shiva Prakash, “The TiVUS ad-insertion technology platform with built-in business intelligence is a perfect match for such markets. TiVUS has already secured several regional content licenses for premium content distribution. Initially, the Asia Pacific operations will be based in New Delhi. Additionally, TiVUS expects to announce new team members and additional contracts from the Asia Pacific region.”