Cisco has announced its intent to acquire privately-held ExtendMedia, provider of software-based content management systems that manage the entire lifecycle of video content through monetisation for pay media and ad-supported business models. Based in Newton, Mass., with the majority of its employee base in Toronto, Canada, ExtendMedia will enable Cisco to help service providers deliver multi-screen offerings as the market transitions to IP video.

IBC, which opens on 9 September, is poised to reinforce its position as the world's leading meeting place for everyone involved in the electronic media industry. Top figures and opinion formers are lined up for the conference, and more than 1300 companies are populating 42,000 square metres of exhibition space. Exhibitors include all the major names in the industry, and 250 companies taking part in IBC for the first time.

Harris Corporation has won two outstanding product awards at the Beijing International Radio, Film and Television Equipment Exhibition (BIRTV) in Beijing, China. The BIRTV exhibition is the largest yearly gathering of radio and TV equipment manufacturers in China.

The judges of the BIRTV product awards are all top Chinese broadcast and film experts. All exhibits go through rigorous analysis and comparison before prizes are awarded.

IMPALA, the International MHEG Promotion Alliance, has welcomed the news that the BBC - via its TV Platforms Group - has announced the open source release of its MHEG+ programming language and toolkit using the Apache 2.0 license.

"This provides another option for MHEG application developers, one that will assist in the development of the standard by encouraging more programmers to work in this field and to create iTV applications and it is therefore a welcome addition," said Bob Lamb, MD of Cabot Communications and founder member of IMPALA.

NETIA has announced that RFO (Réseau France Outre-mer, or France Overseas Network), part of the France Television Group, has signed an agreement engaging NETIA to develop a new IP Mosaic system along with a custom system for synchronisation of audio and video content across servers at multiple sites.

30 years of accumulated experience in selling and marketing professional audio products is now available to any company wishing to improve its sales results in specific markets or territories. Pro-Sales-Solutions, founded by Chris Hollebone, offers a bespoke service according to the needs of the client but the primary objective is to leverage contacts and market knowledge to increase sales in countries within EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa).

Ericsson's ConsumerLab has released the results of a recent study called ‘Multi Screen Media Consumption 2010'. Data was collected in China, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK and US. The sample in the study is representative of more than 300 million consumers.

The study shows that people are spending up to 35% of their leisure time watching TV and video content, and that consumers are becoming more aware of new technologies, which in turn are creating new patterns of media consumption.

Flotsam Films, a unique hybrid production company and post production facility based in London, has installed both a DS9000 DigiScope and a software-based VidScope-HD test and measurement system from Hamlet. According to Tony Wilson of Flotsam Films, the devices are "years ahead in terms of the functionality real users need".

Wohler Technologies has announced that PlayBox Technology Ltd has joined the Wohler distributor network. Headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria, and addressing client needs across the globe through regional offices, PlayBox Technology will act not only as a distributor and reseller of the full Wohler line, but also as a systems integrator, building Wohler monitoring products into client installations.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has announced that entries for the 2011 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards will be accepted until 24 September 2010. This industry-recognised annual competition honours outstanding design and engineering in 35 consumer electronics product categories.

The 2011 Best of Innovations honorees will be announced on 9 November 2010 at the New York Press Preview and showcased at the 2011 International CES, 6-9 January 2011. The awards are sponsored by CEA, the producer of the International CES.