Weekly news round-up: Netflix premium trial & EU rejects copyright law

Netflix trials premium pricing model
Netflix is trialling a new pricing model for European customers which if successful could result in a premium “ultra” pricing tier. Customers based in Europe would have to pay 21% more for access to streaming 4K video simultaneously on four different screens as well as access HDR content, according to The Telegraph.    

Facebook to fight fake news with AI startup 
London-based startup Bloomsbury AI has been bought by Facebook in a move to try and counter fake news across its network. According to The Next Web, Facebook plans to use the firm’s team and AI engine to police its platform and combat fake news in a deal valued between $23 and $30 million.  

EU rejects copyright law 
Members of the European Parliament have voted to reject a controversial copyright law in its current form, opting to park the matter until September. The law would have put an increased responsibility on websites to check for copyright infringements over videos and photos with opponents raising concerns over internet freedom, the BBC reported. 

Amazon, Facebook and Google not GDPR compliant
Consumer group BEUC claims the privacy policies from technology giants do not fully meet the GDPR requirements. BEUC Director General Monique Goyens said: “This is very concerning. It is key the enforcement authorities take a close look at this,” according to The Guardian.  

BBC apologises for unequal pay 
The broadcaster was accused of discrimination and breaking equality laws after former BBC China Editor Carrie Gracie resigned in January because her male colleagues were paid higher salaries. The Independent reported that a formal apology has been issued and in a statement, the BBC said it “is committed to the principle of equal pay” and acknowledged Gracie was hired on the basis she would be paid in line with the North American Editor Jon Sopel. 

C4 partners with Google Assistant
In a UK first, Channel 4 viewers can now launch and control their viewing experience using the Google Assistant with voice commands. Broadband TV News reported it is the first collaboration between a UK broadcaster after extensive user testing and an easy-to-use UX. Channel 4 Head of Product Sarah Milton said: “We can see real potential for voice to make it even easier to find and watch shows on All 4.” 

Netflix ranked most popular TV platform in the US
A recent survey found the leading preferred TV platform for North American audiences ranking at 27% ahead of cable television at 20% and traditional broadcast television at 18%. The Wall Street analyst firm broke down the favourite platform which saw respondents favouring Netflix at 40%, followed by YouTube at 17% and Hulu at 7.6%. Rapid TV News reported the firm’s prediction that Netflix will grow in demand with its rise in international content production.