Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today 07-15-09] Canal Plus Group signed a multi-year licensing agreement for Macrovision’s electronic program guide (EPG) patent portfolio, the company said July 13.  The agreement allows Canal Plus to use Macrovision’s licensed intellectual property in EPGs deployed on Canal Plus’ various platforms. Canal Plus is licensing Macrovision’s technology under an existing agreement between NDS...

[Satellite Today 07-14-09] International Launch Services (ILS) and SES have reached an agreement to launch QuetzSat-1 in 2011, the companies announced July 14.  QuetzSat-1, under construction by Space Systems/Loral on behalf of SES Satellite Leasing in the Isle of Man, is a Ku-band satellite that will be located at the 77 degrees West orbital slot,...

[Satellite News 07-14-09] Microsoft’s deal with BSkyB, which will bring Sky Player satellite TV content to broadband-enabled Xbox 360 video game consoles in the United Kingdom and Ireland, was a significant deal for both parties and perhaps an indicator of things to come in terms of innovative broadcast partnerships involving the satellite industry, Neil Thompson,...

[Satellite News 07-13-09] Sky Deutschland, the German pay-TV operator formerly known as Premiere, is at a crossroads. Beset with recent issues of piracy and reports of false subscriber figures, the operator has called for widespread internal change. However, despite a new management team on board, some analysts are not convinced that the company can turn...

[Satellite Today 07-13-09] Showtime Arabia and the Orbit Group are merging their direct-to-home (DTH) platforms to form a single provider in the Middle East, the companies announced July 12.     The new company, which has yet to be named, will be an equal partnership between Orbit Group, a member of the Riyadh-based Mawarid Group, and...

[Satellite Today 07-10-09] The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) received a settlement in a broadcasting piracy case against Turtle Cable, accused of operating as an infringing cable TV IP operator in the Philippines, CASBAA announced July 9.     The association called the settlement a “breakthrough,” providing a legally binding deterrent to prevent...

[Satellite Today 07-10-09] Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSB) signed a long-term satellite distribution agreement with European direct-to-home provider UPC Direct to supply seven transponders to relocate UPC’s current broadcast traffic to the Thor 5 and Thor 6 satellites, TSB announced July 9.     TSB’s satellite fleet resides at 1 degree West, which serves more than 2...

[Satellite Today 07-09-09] The Cable Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) formed a joint initiative with SNL Kagan, a provider of financial and operational information on the global media and communications sector, to promote multi-channel video market growth in the Asia-Pacific region, CASBAA announced July 8.     CASBAA and SNL Kagan will share information and...

[Satellite Today 07-09-09] Arabsat is teaming up with Sudanese Radio & TV Corp. to launch and operate a direct-to-home platform in Khartoum, Sudan, Arabsat announced July 8.     The Sudanese Radio & TV will upgrade its Om Durman Station 2 to be ready for Arabsat’s platform and prepare it for operation by end of this...

[Satellite Today 07-08-09] Intelsat served as the exclusive satellite carrier for the live global distribution of the July 7 Michael Jackson Memorial Service under a contract with concert promoter AEG Live, Intelsat announced July 7.     The Intelsat 9, Intelsat 5, Intelsat 905 and Intelsat 904 satellites were used to distribute the free-to-air signals to...