[Satellite TODAY Insider 02-08-11] RRSat Global Communications Network saw revenues increase in 2010 compared to 2009, but overall profits fall. These were two of the highlights of its full-year results issued Feb. 7.
    In 2010, the company had overall revenues of $102 million, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2009. However, profits fell. In 2010, net profits were $8.7 million, compared to $11.6 million in 2009. RRsat is a provider of end-to-end transmission via satellites and production services to the global broadcasting industry, with clients in television, radio and data sectors.
    Lior Rival, Vice President, Sales and Marketing of RRsat told Satellite TODAY Insider that 2010 had been a key year for the company as it looked to extend its service capability, “In 2010 we expanded our worldwide playout and distribution services, opening two new playout centers and increasing our distribution services to include additional satellite platforms, an expanded fiber network including new POPs in cities such as New York, Paris and Milan and Over-the-Top Internet services. Today we provide 130+ TV channels with playout, 550+ TV and radio channels with global distribution and RRinternetTV attracts a monthly average of a quarter of a million unique viewers, who view approximately three quarters of a million hours and consume close to 150TB of TV. In addition to increasing the services we provide to TV and radio channels, we have targeted increasing the data services we provide,” he said.
    The company hopes to see a strong performance in 2011 based on future investments. “We will continue to invest in the improvement of both the Emeq HaEla teleport in Israel, the Hawley teleport in Pennsylvania and in playout centers on both continents. We work closely with companies like Cisco to make certain our investments are future proof allowing us, for example, to upgrade our playout centers on the fly to JPEG2000 as needed,” Rival said.
    RRSat sees promising trends emerging in the broadcast market, which Rival said the company plans on leveraging for growth strategies. “While HD is not a new trend, we can certainly report on an increase in its use by a wider range of players and to additional locations. So, for example, in 2010 we began broadcasting SkyNewsHD over Asia on Measat3A and FashionTV increased its HD services distributed through RRsat to include localization and broadcast over North and South America, to DISH Network, to Asia and Australia, and to Europe, Middle East and Africa. In 2010, we began a series of 3-D tests for a variety of customers, including an interactive 3-D event between Tel Aviv and London. We expect to begin 24/7 3-D services for customers in 2011. And, of course, there are alternative channels of distribution. Our customers are increasingly asking us to distribute content over the Internet or to mobile operators,” he said.