Focus: Broadcasting

Arris will acquire digital TV broadcast systems provider Tandberg Television in a move that will create an ascendant player in the digital media industry, Arris announced Jan. 15. Arris will obtain outstanding shares of Tandberg Television for 96 Norwegian krone ($14.93) a share, valuing Tandberg at nearly $1.2 billion. The price represents a premium of...

Lockheed Martin has received a contract from Inmarsat to develop enabling technology for Inmarsat’s mobile satellite network, Lockheed Martin announced Jan. 15. Under the $36.5 million contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver and install three network control center/gateways that will provide connectivity to public terrestrial networks. Inmarsat plans to implement a global network in 2008 that...

DirecTV and EchoStar jostled for attention and headlines throughout the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, as the two direct-to-home (DTH) providers unveiled a variety of new products and offerings. DirecTV displayed its Sat-Go portable system, PC-TV connectivity via Intel Viiv technology and its planned launch and carriage of 100 national high-definition...

Inspired as a response to rumors of a potential merger between XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, law students at George Washington University have created a consumer advocacy group dedicated to ensuring competition in the digital satellite radio industry. Announced Jan. 12, the Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio was created on behalf...

Al Majd Satellite TV, an Arabic entertainment and news channel, has surpassed 200,000 subscribers, the company announced Jan. 15. The three-year-old channel, based at Dubai Media City, serves households primarily in Saudi Arabia but also reaches other Gulf states. The “family-friendly” channel precludes the use of music or women in programs or advertising, and religious...

Ondas Media, a European satellite media company, has signed a deal with Dutch broadcaster Talpa Radio B.V as Ondas looks to build its satellite radio business in Europe. Talpa Radio is part of Talpa Media Holding, a privately owned group that also has a TV channel, content development and production facilities and a music publishing...

Virgin America will offer EchoStar Communications Corp.’s Dish Network on all flights, the airline announced Jan. 12. Pending government approval, the airline hopes to introduce domestic service this spring. The service will provide passengers with live Dish Network programming, pay-per-view movies, music entertainment, games and meals on-demand.

BCE, LORL The Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) businesses of Loral Space & Communications Inc. and Telesat Canada will be combined under a new Canadian company that will become the fourth largest operator in the world, the companies announced Dec. 18. Loral and its partner, Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), will acquire 100...

The consumer love affair with high definition (HD) shows no signs of slowing, and even looks to be picking up heading into 2007. With the price of HD-capable TV sets dropping, industry analysts predict the number of households demanding HD service will skyrocket in the coming years. According to one study, more than 80 percent...

ShifTV Inc., an Internet broadcaster of ethnic and niche programming, announced Dec. 20 an exclusive IPTV agreement with Sky Angel, a U.S.-based direct-to-home satellite broadcaster of Christian and family-oriented programming previously unavailable in Canada. Under the deal, Canadian subscribers to ShifTV’s service can view Sky Angel programming on their TVs or home computers. The agreement...