KDG snubs NDS after Murdoch's Premiere deal

摘要

Kabel Deutschland, Germany's largest cable operator, this week surprised the market by extending its contract with Swiss conditional-access provider Kudelski. The company had been widely expected to switch to the VideoGuard technology of NDS, the conditional-access company owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation (TVMMJanuary 30, 2008). According to one executive close to the situation, Kabel Deutschland started having second thoughts about NDS after News Corp took a stake in pay-television provider Premiere, a direct competitor to the cable operator, at the beginning of the year (TVMMJanuary 10, 2008). "The negotiations with NDS were very serious until News Corp decided to buy into Premiere," the executive said.