Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite News 04-29-10] Faith-based organizations deploying satellite technology to reach out to new audiences are seeing positive results, which could help some churches survive, David Schatzman, technical director of McLean Bible Church, told Satellite News.     Schatzman has developed two regional campuses and auditoriums on rented or leased property as well as an Internet campus,...

[Satellite News 04-29-10] Broadcast industry analysts were encouraged by BSkyB’s 2010 third quarter financial results, which showed the company experiencing strong HD services growth by adding about 430,000 HD subscribers during the quarter to brings it total subscribers to 2.5 million customers.     UBS media equity analyst Polo Tang said the report characterizes a robust...

[Satellite TODAY 04-28-10] Middle East DTH operator Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) is launching six new HD channels in the Middle East, the company announced April 25.     Starting in May, the operator will have nine HD channels available on its platform.     “HD is the biggest development to happen in TV in the last 15...

[Satellite TODAY 04-27-10] Thaicom will investigate signal interference on one of its satellites impacting the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) network, the operator announced in a statement released April 26.     After the interference incident disrupted the NBT’s signal for about eight minutes April 25. Thaicom said it immediately coordinated and advised NBT personnel...

[Satellite TODAY 04-27-10] UPC DTH will begin a comprehensive repositioning process of its customers’ satellite dishes, the company announced April 23.     UPC is transitioning its services to Telenor’s Thor 5 and Thor 6 satellites. The company said the process is an effort to deliver more channels, better content and superior signal quality for its...

[Satellite TODAY 04-26-10] Satellite operator Telenor has renewed its contract with Arqiva for the uplink of three multiplexes onto its Thor 5 satellite, which carries video services into the Scandinavian DTH market, Telenor announced April 22.    Arqiva’s Scandinavian channels are part of its Canal Digital channel bouquet and uplinked through its Winchester Teleport in...

[Satellite TODAY 04-26-10] Sirius XM Radio will release in May a free application for the Motorola Andriod and Google Nexus One smartphones, the satellite broadcaster announced April 23.     The application will give Sirius XM customers who own a Droid or Nexus One phone access to more than 120 channels.        Sirius XM’s premium online...

[Satellite TODAY 04-23-10] Harris Corp. has been contracted to provide its Nexio advanced media platform to German national public television broadcaster Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF), Harris announced April 22.     The Nexio technology, which began rollout in October and will continue through 2011, aims to support the company’s move to HD and centralize ZDF’s playout...

[Satellite TODAY 04-22-10] Harris Corp. has signed an agreement with NBC affiliate broadcaster Belo Corp. to provide Harris’ MPH platform to support the launch of Belo’s mobile digital TV transmission, Harris announced April 21.     Harris’ MPH solution for ATSC mobile DTV includes its NetVX video networking platform, Synchrony mobile networking adapter and Apex M2X...

[Satellite TODAY 04-22-10] SES Astra is set to launch a 3-D demo channel in Europe May 4 following initial testing, the company announced April 21.     The new Astra 3-D demo channel will be available free-to-air via Astra’s orbital position 23.5 degrees East. The service initially will target retailers and installers, featuring high quality 3-D...