Representatives of major German telecommunications and media groups have signed a declaration of intent to establish the Multimedia-Betriebergesellschaft, a television set-top box distributor (CI No 2,731) to set the standard for a television set-top box for billing on interactive digital television. Conspicuous in his absence at the signing was Bavarian media mogul Leo Kirsch in spite of his agreement to join his erstwhile set top box rivals (CI No 2,814). The plan was nearly foiled last year by Kirsch, who said he had doubts about the technical suitability of the Seca decoder preferred by the other partners and would not sign the declaration until it was better informed. Multimedia-Betriebergesellschaft has already ordered between 100,000 and 150,000 Seca decoders, and said that the first should hit the market this summer; 9% of the firm’s shares will still be reserved for Kirsch as agreed.
