Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today 02-09-09] Premiere, the German pay-TV operator, has appointed Hans Seiler to its supervisory board, the company announced Feb. 5. Premiere, is the leading satellite pay-TV operator in Germany. Seiler takes the place of Mark Williams on the board. Williams, an ex Sky Italia executive, is now the CEO of the company.

[Satellite Today 02-09-09] Newtec CEO Serge Van Herck expects the company to perform strongly in the Middle East. The company, a satellite solutions vendor, could generate around 20 percent of its overall revenues from the Middle East. Van Herck told Satellite Today, “Newtec has always had strong partnership relations with ASBU (Arab States Broadcasting Union)...

[Satellite Today 02-09-09] Sky Italia added just over 320,000 subscribers in the year to the end of December. This was one of the highlights of parent company’s News Corp’s latest financial results, issued Feb. 5. Sky Italia now has around 4.7 million subscribers in Italy, making it one of the biggest satellite pay-TV operators in...

[Satellite Today 02-09-09] Two key organizations in Asia have teamed up to resolve broadcasting frequency spectrum issues in the region. The regional body of the national frequency spectrum regulators in the Asia-Pacific, the Asia Pacific Telecomunity (APT) and the professional association of free-to-air broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), have agreed to...

[Satellite Today 02-06-09] The Ciel-2 satellite has entered commercial service, Ciel Satellite Group announced Feb. 5.     The satellite, located at 129 degrees West, carries 32 Ku-band transponders and features high frequency re-use and both regional and spot beams. The satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in December and will provide high-definition...

[Satellite Today 04-05-09] Japan’s Broadcasting Satellite System Corp. (B-SAT) selected Integral Systems to deliver a turnkey satellite control system for the BSAT-3b and BSAT-3c satellites, Integral Systems announced Feb. 4.     The Epoch Integrated Product Suite system for the two new satellites, scheduled for launch in 2010 and 2011, will be integrated with the BSAT-3a...

[Satellite Today 02-04-09] Thaicom signed a deal with Real Metro Co. to distribute seven channels across Thailand, the company announced Feb. 3. The channels are operated and run by Real Metro subsidiary, Next Step Co.      “We are delighted to close the deal with Real Metro, and would like to thank them for their trust...

[Satellite Today 02-04-09] AsiaSat signed a capacity deal with France 24 to distribute the international news channel throughout the Asia-Pacific region using AsiaSat 2’s C-band platform at SatLink Communications, AsiaSat announced Feb. 2.     France 24 broadcasts in three languages — English, French and Arabic — in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and parts of...

[Satellite Today 02-03-09] The board of directors at Gateway Broadcast Services, which runs the GTV DTH service in sub-Saharan Africa, approved a plan to liquidate the company, Gateway announced Jan. 30.     Gateway, a subsidiary of Gateway Communications, has been unable to secure further funding for the continued operation of its business due to the...

[Satellite Today 02-02-09] Internap Network Services, a global provider of end-to-end Internet business solutions, appointed Eric Cooney CEO and president, the company announced Jan. 29.     Cooney had been the CEO of Tandberg Television, a technology solutions provider to the digital television industry. Ericsson acquired Tandberg Television in 2007.     Cooney will begin his new...