Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today 07-27-09] Arqiva acquired the platform assets of Project Kangaroo, the Video-on-Demand (VoD) platform developed by UKVOD, a joint venture set up by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4, Arqiva announced July 24.     The assets that Arqiva will acquire comprise of hardware and software technology, related intellectual property developed for the Project Kangaroo...

[Satellite Today 07-24-09] Modern Times Group (MTG) subsidiary Viasat Broadcasting is struggling to add direct-to-home (DTH) subscribers in the Nordic region, while its IPTV numbers show strong growth, according to MTG’s second quarter results, released July 22. Viasat closed the quarter with 721,000 DTH subscribers, a fall compared to the end of the first quarter....

[Satellite Today 07-24-09] CASBAA (The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia) has added four new corporate members to its ranks, the organization said July 23. Global sports TV agency SportFive Asia, U.K.-based broadcast technology provider SysMedia, Vietnamese satellite operator Vinasat and Papua New Guinea-based pay-TV platform HiTron joined the group             “The breadth of...

[Satellite Today 07-23-09] Italy’s state-owned broadcaster RAI, commercial broadcaster Mediaset and Telecom Italia (TI) will launch TivuSat, a free-to-air satellite platform on July 31, the companies announced July 22.     The three organizations said the launch is aimed at driving the switch from analog to digital TV in Italy, due to be completed by 2012....

[Satellite Today 07-22-09] Tandberg Television signed a contract to supply high-definition (HD) encoders and decoders to GlobeCast Australia, Tandberg announced July 21.     GlobeCast Australia will use the encoders and decoders for all its HD contribution and distribution requirements, which includes the distribution of premium sports events to the country’s Southern Hemisphere.     In addition,...

[Satellite Today 07-22-09] Qwest Communications has entered into agreement with DirecTV to sell its satellite TV service to DirecTV customers for another five years     The companies said the service extension would provide new voice, video and data services to customers over the next few years in order to lower churn and compete against cable...

[Satellite Today 07-21-09] German broadcaster ProSiebenSat1 Media and SES Astra are set to launch three high-definition (HD) channels in Germany as part of SES’s HD+ service, SES announced July 20.     The Sat.1, ProSieben and Kabel Eins channels will be available via HD+ in early 2010. Media Group RTL Germany will offer its channels, RTL...

[Satellite Today 07-20-09] GlobeCast signed a deal with Russia Today to distribute the FTA English-language channel across networks throughout Asia, the company announced July 17.     The distribution will initially focus on cable and DTH platforms in India including WWIL, Dish Hits, InCable, 7Star, Big TV and SunDirect platforms – representing a potential viewership of...

[Satellite Today 07-17-09] The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) believes new regulations introduced by the Indian government could have a detrimental effect for satellite pay-TV operators, according to a statement released July 16.      The statement is in response to a July 6 announcement from Indian finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who introduced...

 [Satellite Today 07-15-09] MTV Networks International (MTVNI) is expanding the reach of its high-definition (HD) service throughout Europe, the network announced July 13.  MTVNI has launched its HD service in Germany with Deutsche Telekom; in Hungary with Hello HD; and in Switzerland with Quickline. The service also will be launched later this month in Russia...