Dream Multimedia TV, the German manufacturer of forthcoming Dreambox just released Software Development Kit for their Magic Module. It's free and available to download from here.

In Italy prices for Tele+ subscription were cut up to 40%. The full package now costs 39 EUR. Staying on Italian market - Tom Mockridge, 47 years old Kiwi and ex Chairman of Sky New Zealand has been named as the new Chief Executive a of Stream. On August 5th the platform followed steps of Tele+ and began switching to Mediaguard II encryption.

Sky Digital apparently is to launch a picture in picture digital text service with news, sport, games, betting and travel info. The new service, Sky Text is based on newest OpenTV technology involving autoupdates from the Internet in XML format.

Scandinavian Pay TV provider Viasat is taking on pubs and restaurants showing digital content to general public. Up to 150 plain clothes detectives were hired to search and fine any premises with Visat's telly switched on without appropriate license.

The auction for what's left from KirchMedia is about to reach its final stages with two bidders remaining on the floor - American Haim Sabam paired with French media group TF1 versus Sony / Commerzbank tandem.

Meanwhile, Kirch's German PayTV platform - Premiere World is still optimistic to break even by 2004, even after parent company financial fiasco. PW is also vigorously trying to find new subscribers. New offers include prepay package and new Betacrypt CI module for those viewers that already have digital receiver. New "red" module is available only with subscription or shipped with licensed third party receivers. All licensed receivers must support Macrovision so you probably don't want to sink your money into any of them.

UPC Direct / WizjaTV transponders on Astra 19.2E are now empty as all channels moved to Nowa Cyfra transponders on HotBird.

On July 22nd Metro Goldwyn Mayer Inc signed an agreement to open new, branded movie channel with Greek TV provider Multichoice Hellas ( NOVA ).