The closing of the June issue of Via Satellite marked the end of a busy two months for the editorial team. In a nine-week stretch, members of the Via Satellite team attended three shows — Cabsat, SATELLITE 2009 and NAB — and completed three magazines as well as producing all of the daily, weekly and monthly content such as Satellite News, Satellite Today Daily News Feed, e-newsletters and webinars.

To call the two-month stretch hectic would be an understatement. A lot of information was consumed and dispensed at a rapid pace, and after talking to hundreds of companies, executives, end users and readers, you are reminded how much fun the satellite sector is, how much innovation is taking place,— and how satellite players are playing a key role in the technology advances taking place in the communications sector.

Every discussion keeps us informed about what is happening in the satellite sector, where the communications industry is going next, and what coverage we need to provide in the future. This recent stretch provided an overload of information on future opportunities and technology, which the satellite industry aims to leverage as the broadcast sector makes leaps in high-definition (HD), IPTV and mobile technology.

Concern over satellite bandwidth efficiency continues to be a big topic, especially with HD broadcasting having gained enough traction throughout the world to no longer be considered up-and-coming. 3-D HD is the natural next development, and some believe its evolution will move from Blu-ray discs for games and movies to broadcasting sports. Developments will move faster because of the broadcast industry’s move to digital TV and the vast number of HD displays now available, and trials of live-event broadcasts have been conducted in the United States and Europe. It is time to prepare for the advent of 3-D HD or be left behind.

As the broadcasting of HD signals becomes more ubiquitous, the demand for HD-capable equipment will become broader as well. One area that looks to be the next to have to embrace HD is local news organizations. With many local broadcasters already having moved to HD studios, they will have to spend the money to bring HD newsgathering capabilities to their units in the field.

Another area that seems close to making the leap from being simply talked about to being a major revenue driver is IPTV, though this niche is not as advanced in the chain as HD. While IPTV has established itself in France and in niche strongholds scattered throughout the United States and Asia, overall acceptance of the technology continues to fall short of expectations. But companies continue to believe the day is coming soon.

We will know more as we digest what we learned at the previous events and prepare for the next shows, and our discussions will be reflected in future magazines and other products as we look to keep our readers ahead of the technology curve.