Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today 10-06-08] The U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn a $74 million judgment against Dish Network for violating a patent held by TiVo involving digital video recorders (DVR).     In 2004, TiVo filed suit against EchoStar Communications, now named Dish Network, for infringement on patented technology that allows viewers to record one program while...

Hurricane Gustav’s track through the Gulf of Mexico and across the U.S. Gulf Coast revived bad memories of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it brought in 2005. Thankfully, Gustav inflicted much less damage than Katrina. Gustav also provided a test for updated preparation efforts instituted since Katrina, and residents and government officials demonstrated that they...

Dean Olmstead is well known in satellite circles, building a career in high-profile positions at companies such as SES Americom and Loral Space & Communications. So it makes sense that when EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen, another star in the industry, was looking for someone to run EchoStar’s satellite services unit, Olmstead would be at the...

European satellite operators had their summer plans cut short when the European Commission in early August issued the structure for selecting mobile satellite service (MSS) systems in the 2 GHz frequency range. After the European Union Parliament and Council adopted the Commission proposal for a selection structure in late June, the Commission issued a call...

Satellite newsgathering technology continues to improve at a rapid rate, allowing larger news organizations to cut the costs of providing reports from locations around the globe and also enabling smaller organizations to expand their operations. What technology advancements are on the horizon and how small and capable can newsgathering equipment become?   On-Demand – View...

Satellite Today News Editor Jeffrey Hill writes: It has become abundantly clear that something needs to be done to boost Sirius XM Satellite Radio‘s stock value. Confidence in its ability to boost subscribers is quickly draining according to several media and economic analysts. While writing up a summary of the company’s stock woes, I thought...

[Satellite Today 09-30-08] SES Americom will provide Canby Telcom’s IPTV customers in Oregon access to 36 channels of high-definition (HD) programming, including more than two dozen channels delivered to Canby via IP-Prime, the companies announced Sept. 30.     IP-Prime will deliver the HD programming in MPEG-4 format to operators via a single satellite antenna. In...

[Satellite Today 09-30-08] The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing a bill proposed by Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) that requires satellite radios to provide HD radio.     The bill, H.R. 7157: Radio All Digital Channel Receiver Act, is intended to provide consumers seamless access to free, over-the-air digital radio in consumer electronic devices, according...

[Satellite Today 09-29-08] Tandberg Television is providing an MPEG-4 AVC high definition (HD) encoding system to a Spanish-based broadcast solutions provider, Overon, Tandberg announced Sept. 29.     Overon will use the system to deliver National Geographic Channel HD to broadcasters and TV service providers across Europe.     Tandberg said that its television solution will provide...

[Satellite Today 09-25-08] Gateway Communications signed an agreement with Measat to lease multiple C-band transponders on Africasat-1, Measat announced Sept. 25.     The lease, which will commence in October, opens up voice, data and Internet access to Gateway’s corporate customers across 40 countries on the African continent.     “Because Gateway designs and develops services specifically...