Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today 11-21-08] Intelsat Ltd. signed a multi-year contract to broadcast the MLB Network using capacity on the Galaxy 17 satellite, Intelsat announced Nov. 20.     The network, a 24-hour cable network devoted to Major League Baseball and other baseball programming, will have standard and high definition programming and will launch Jan. 1 in about...

[Satellite Today 11-20-08] Eutelsat signed a capacity deal with the Airfield Media Group, a company looking to make an impact in the Belgian pay-TV market, Eutelsat announced Nov. 20.      In addition to capacity at the Hot Bird neighborhood, which will be used to broadcast five Belgian French-language channels on the new Telesat pay-TV platform,...

[Satellite News 11-19-08] With WorldSpace filing for bankruptcy protection in the United States and Sirius XM Radio struggling post-merger, the outlook for a new satellite radio business does not look good. David Krueger, CEO of Ondas Media, believes his company can buck the trend.     Ondas plans to launch service in Europe within the next...

[Satellite News 11-17-08] China represents a huge potential market for satellite communications, and with huge pent-up demand for communications, Internet and video services among the country’s 1.3 billion people, it is likely that satellite players will be at the forefront of providing these services to China’s vast population. One of the main company’s responsible for...

[Satellite Today 11-17-08] Wu Jinfeng, general manager of China DBSat, is confident that satellite broadband technology will help reduce the digital divide in the country.     “Satellite broadband is another practice that we have paid much attention to, as recently some Asian countries have also gave broadband business a chance to see how the market...

[Satellite Today 11-17-08] em24, a digital business and lifestyle channel, has begun broadcasting on SES Astra, the operator said Nov. 15. The channel will broadcast its German language programs free-to-air from Astra’s 19.2 degrees East orbital position.     em24 is operated by Luxembourg-based EuproMedia. The channel, a mix of information, educational programs and entertainment, also...

[Satellite Today 11-17-08] Thuraya signed a distribution agreement with i2 of Saudi Arabia to sell and market Thuraya’s phones through its distribution network throughout Egypt, Thuraya announced Nov. 16.    The partnership, signed between Thuraya’s Egyptian national service provider Alkan Telecom and i2, is expected to stimulate an increase in marketing and sales activity of...

 [Satellite Today 11-12-08] Measat Satellite Systems signed an agreement to distribute the YR Asia Satellite TV channel across the Asia-Pacific region via the Measat 3 satellite, Measat announced Nov. 12.     The YR Asia channel offers a range of Chinese language variety, sports, drama, animation, lifestyle and documentary content from Net Leader Holdings, a Singapore-based...

[Satellite Today 11-10-08] BMW said it will continue to offer Sirius XM Radio as a factory option with a one-year bundled subscription, according to an agreement announced Nov. 10 by both companies.     The agreement extends Sirius XM Radio’s relationship with BMW through September 2011.     “More and more BMW owners are choosing to equip...

[Satellite Today 11-11-08] Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., which offers the XM Satellite Radio service in Canada, XM Canada, narrowed its annual net loss for fiscal 2008 to Cdn. $74.3 million  (U.S. $63.5) as company revenues rose to $39.5 million ($33.7 million) from $21 million ($17.9 million).     XM Canada said it lost $1.55 ($1.34)...