FiOS, U-verse to Pick Up QVC Shopping Channel in HD
Verizon’s FiOS and AT&T’s U-verse fiber-optic television services plan to carry high-definition versions of the QVC shopping channel, Web site TVPredictions.com reports, citing QVC Chief Executive Officer Mike George. Mr. George, whose company is a division of Liberty Media, didn’t say when the HD versions of the channel would start being broadcast by the telecommunications companies, the Web site says. Meanwhile, AT&T’s Dan York said U-verse plans to have more than 100 HD channels in the near future, though he wouldn’t be more specific on timing, Multichannel News reports.

UAE to Get First HD Broadcasts With Soccer Games
The Abu Dhabi Media Co. is planning to air the first high-definition broadcasts in the United Arab Emirates by covering local soccer games in the format starting next month, the National reports. The company is upgrading its transmission and production facilities to handle HD, the National says.

Latest ‘Indy’ Gets Blu-ray Release From Paramount
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” will be released by Paramount Pictures on Blu-ray Oct. 14, the same day the film is released on standard-definition DVD, High-Def Digest reports. Paramount, which will sell the Blu-ray titles for $39.98, said it has no plans to release any of the previous three “Indiana Jones” pictures in Blu-ray, High-Def Digest says.

Funai to Start Selling U.S. LCDs With Blu-ray Players in 2009
Funai, which makes Sylvania televisions, will begin selling liquid-crystal display televisions with integrated Blu-ray players in the U.S. next year, Web site CruchGear.com reports. About a fifth of the TVs Funai sells in the U.S. include DVD players, the Web site says.


MGM, Comcast to Launch VOD Action Channel
MGM and Comcast will launch video-on-demand action channel Impact on Comcast this week, with many of the new networks’ titles in high definition, Web site EngadgetHD.com reports. The channel will have more than two dozen titles available per month, including films like “The Terminator” and “RoboCop,” the Web site says.