Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite TODAY 01-06-10] ESPN, Discovery Communications, Sony and IMAX revealed plans to launch dedicated 3-D HD networks in separate statements released Jan. 5.     ABC Sports, which owns ESPN, said that it will launch the ESPN 3D channel to showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, including the first 2010...

[Satellite TODAY 01-06-10] International Datacasting Corp. (IDC) finalized a contract with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to provide equipment supporting PBS’ next-generation interconnection system (NGIS), IDC announced Jan. 4.     The NGIS will use IDC’s DVB-S2/IP satellite infrastructure and file transfer system to distribute video to about 180 of PBS’ public TV licensees. IDC also...

[Satellite TODAY 01-06-10] The Australian government announced Jan. 5 an initiative to bring digital TV services via satellite to remote parts of the country.     Following a series of negotiations with regional broadcasters and satellite service providers, the Australian government will commit an estimated $36.3 million per year for four years to build and operate...

[Satellite TODAY 01-05-10] Bharti Airtel has struck a deal with All India Radio to replace the 10 WorldSpace satellite radio channels on its DTH platform in India with 10 All India Radio Channels, Bharti announced Dec. 31.     Bharti said that the replacement channels would come at no extra cost for subscribers who were already...

[Satellite TODAY 01-04-10] AsiaSat signed a capacity deal with Vietnam Multimedia Corp. (VTC) for multiple Ku-band transponders on AsiaSat 5, the operator announced Dec. 31.     VTC will use the capacity to support a new premium DTH service in Vietnam in early 2010. AsiaSat 5 will distribute up to 30 HD and 70 SD television...

[Satellite TODAY 01-04-10] The Britsh Broadcasting Corp.’s (BBC) satellite broadcast signals are being blocked by the Iranian government, the BBC announced Jan. 4.     The BBC claims that Iran has been blocking various Eutelsat Hot Bird satellite signals since late December, following the its reporting of the death of reformist cleric Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali...

According to Andrea Maleter, technical director, Futron, “There is a fair amount of private equity money still going into (Latin America’s) satellite business. Latin American telecoms, in general, has seen a fair amount of consolidation. Telefonica, which has acquired so many companies around the region, has not had a problem gaining financing for things that...

Kanal 5 and Kanal 9 are two of the biggest commercial FTA TV channels in Sweden. Kanal 5, broadcast out of the United Kingdom, targets an audience between 15-44 years of age and reaches 87 percent of the Swedish population via satellite distribution. Kanal 9, also broadcast out of the United Kingdom and distributed primarily...

Even though the satellite sector was touted as recession-proof, many companies are glad to put a difficult year behind them. And while there is no guarantee that 2010 will be immediately better, the communications sector is looking forward to what should be a much improved overall marketplace. Areas that should be good for satellite players...

Last April, we reported on the February 2009 loan commitments extended to satellite radio broadcaster Sirius XM Radio by Liberty Media, which controls satellite television broadcaster DirecTV. Liberty Media functioned as a “white knight” to stave off an apparent “loan-to-own” takeover of Sirius XM by EchoStar, parent of DirecTV competitor Dish Network, which had purchased...