Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today 01-22-09] Canal Plus Group and Arabsat have launched a French-speaking channel package in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, Arabsat announced Jan. 21.      Arabsat partnered with Canal Overseas, an affiliate of Canal Plus, to facilitate the launch.     Canal Overseas is responsible for providing technical support, conditional access and marketing. Arabsat is in charge...

[Satellite News 01-21-09] EchoStar Corp. hopes it can become a force in the Mexican pay-TV market after signing a deal in late 2008 with MVS Multivision to form a joint venture, Dish Mexico, that has launched Dish, a low-cost satellite TV service for consumers across Mexico.     The DTH will deliver a variety of audio...

[Satellite Today 01-21-09] Mexico is largely an untapped market when it comes to pay TV services, with less than 30 percent of the households subscribing, Steve Schaver, president of EchoStar International, told Satellite News.     EchoStar International, a division of EchoStar Corp., is confident the operator can make an impact in the Mexican pay-TV market....

[Satellite Today 01-21-09] Eutelsat signed a contract with Telespazio for capacity at the 13 degrees East Hot Bird video neighborhood, Eutelsat announced Jan. 20.     The contract leases two transponders for broadcasting by RAI, Italy’s national public broadcaster, until 2020. Currently broadcasting via Hot Bird 8, the RAI channels will transfer to Eutelsat’s new Hot...

[Satellite Today 01-19-09] GlobeCast signed a distribution deal with BBC World Service for the launch of a Persian TV channel, the company announced Jan. 16.     GlobeCast will be the BBC’s distribution partner for the launch of its Farsi-language BBC Persian TV the Telstar 12 and HotBird 6 satellites.  Persian TV will be available to IPTV,...

[Satellite News 01-16-09] Tandberg Television kicked off 2009 with a content delivery deal with Starz Entertainment intended to promote Tandberg’s next-generation MediaPath system as a non-linear distribution platform, Tandberg Vice President of business development, Lisa Hobbs told Satellite News.     "We are trying to make the market understand that while the next-generation MediaPath has, to...

[Satellite Today 01-16-09] RRSat been chosen to distribute two additional Russian-speaking channels, Smile of Child and Bridge TV, via Gascom‘s Yamal 201 satellite, RRSat announced Jan. 15.     RRsat already has started to distribute the channels from its teleport in Israel.     These two new channels join three additional Russian-speaking channels, CNL Siberia, CNL Europe...

[Satellite Today 01-16-09] Canadian Satellite Radio Holdingsvreported a 2009 first quarter net loss of $25.2 million, compared to a loss of $12.9 million in the first three months of 2008, the company announced Jan. 15.     Revenues for the quarter increased from $6.5 million to $9.9 million over the same period.     Adjusted operating loss...

[Satellite News 01-15-09] TP Group, the largest telco in Poland, is one of an increasing number of telecoms that is complementing its IPTV offering with satellite service. Despite tough competition with Polsat, Cyfra+ and N in the national market, TP’s launch of its IP-satellite service is considered “a big step forward” for the operator, Dominique...

[Satellite Today 01-15-09] Eutelsat turned down an invitation from the European Parliament to discuss the company’s termination of independent Chinese-language television network New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), Reporters Without Borders announced Jan. 14. The report claims that the company turned down the request in a Dec. 23 letter on behalf of Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta....