— Setanta Sports: The Australian version of the pay-TV operator’s channel has launched on to Canberra-based TransACT’s IPTV platform. This is just in time for Setanta to show its exclusive Australian coverage of the Six Nations to Tri-Nations fans Down Under, as well as FA Cup. Free for a month, the channel will then retail at A$14.95 a month. Via RapidTVNews.
— Spotify: The Swedish/English music streaming app has taken its beta test public in the UK. It also reminded fans it’s got a licensing deal with Merlin, the so-called “fifth major” that represents indie labels to online services. The deal, first announced in October, gives Spotify tracks from hundreds of labels listed here and is notable for being about the only deal Merlin has announced since forming two years ago. Spotify recently had to remove some tracks due to licensing confusion.
— France 24: News network France 24 has launched a free app enabling iPhone and iPod Touch users to watch the network’s French, English and Arabic channels live or via VOD. The Paris-based broadcaster claims to be the first to launch a free live TV iPhone app. The app uses Actimagine’s Mobiclip software. France 24’s digital strategy so far has been based around signing content partnerships with the like of Independent.co.uk and Yahoo.fr.