Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite TODAY Insider 11-30-10] The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued orders and public notices Nov. 29 to implement the new requirements of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA).        New rules for governing several aspects of satellite operators’ carriage of television broadcast signals will be enacted under STELA, which was passed by...

[Satellite TODAY 11-29-10] The Egyptian Administrative Court of the State Council ordered the reopening of five NileSat satellite channels after being shut down earlier this month for alleged contractual breaches with Egyptian authorities, NileSat announced Nov. 28.     The court ruled that the channels Al-Badr, Wesal, Sifa, Al-Rahma and Al-Hafez had not committed any violations...

[Satellite TODAY Insider 11-24-10] In an effort to expand it’s 3-D content offering and viewership, SES Astra launched Dutch TV channel Brava3D on the Astra satellite at 23.5 degrees East. However, Brava3D CEO Jur Bron told Satellite TODAY Insider said he is not sure how many households would be able to access the channel.    ...

[Satellite TODAY 11-24-10] U.S. satellite pay-TV competitors DirecTV and Dish Network are planning to enter a joint deal with a media buyer to allow interactive advertisements to flow to both DirecTV and Dish subscribers, the companies announced Nov. 23.     The cooperative deal is a follow-up to the Advanced Satellite Advertising Platform joint venture formed...

[Satellite News 11-24-10] In an effort to increase its presence in Latin America, operator Star One will launch its new StarOn2 C3 satellite in 2012 to replace Brasilsat B3. Latin and South America are lucrative markets for Star One, primarily driven by strong growth in Brazil. However, Star One CEO Gustavo Silbert admits that the...

[Satellite TODAY Insider 11-22-10] TiVo has signed a strategic alliance deal with Canal Digital, one of the Nordic region’s main pay-TV providers. The deal will see TiVo products introduced and distributed to Canal Digital’s satellite customers in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Canal Digital has around one million DTH subscribers in the region.     The...

[Satellite TODAY 11-19-10] Bloomberg Television selected Arqiva to provide dedicated European satellite newsgathering (SNG) services, Arqiva announced Dec. 18.     Bloomberg will have dedicated use of an Arqiva SNG truck, including camera and production facilities. Arqiva will also provide backhaul, satellite capacity, downlink and onpass.     “Our SNG truck will be based in Brussels, enabling...

[Satellite TODAY 11-19-10] Sensio Technologies Inc. signed an agreement with Canadaian cable company Videotron to provide 3-D technology for the launch of Videotron’s 3-D content offering in December, Sensio announced Nov. 17.     Videotron’s programming will be offered in the Sensio 3-D format, which enables broadcasting of 3-D content over 2-D infrastructure via cable, satellite...

[Satellite TODAY Insider 11-17-10] Cyfrowy Polsat will acquire Polish TV broadcaster Telewizja Polsat in a deal valued at  $1.3 billion — a move that will see Cyfrowy Polsat become one of the largest media companies in Poland and Central Europe.     Vaclav Kminek, a media equity analyst at Erste Group, told Satellite TODAY Insider that...

[Satellite TODAY 11-17-10] Sencore will provide receiver-decoders to Ar-Sat for use in satellite applications throughout Argentina, Sencore announced Nov. 16.     Ar-Sat provides satellite reception for Argentina’s digital TV system and is responsible for delivering ISDB-Tb in the country. The satellite operator will use Sencore’s MRD3187B receiver-decoder to provide functionality in the video delivery chain...