Focus: Broadcasting

[Via Satellite 07-21-2016] Canadian telecommunications company Telus has initiated 4K Ultra-HD broadcasting for British Columbians and Albertans with the launch of 4K on the company’s Optik TV platform. At launch, Telus’ 4K lineup will include TSN 4K, adrenaline sports, Stingray Ambiance and a growing collection of on demand movies and Optik Local productions. New titles...

[Via Satellite 07-20-2016] Arabsat has launched a Mauritanian TV bouquet on its Badr 4 satellite for audiences in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa (EMENA). The channels have launched exclusively with Arabsat. “We have a keen interest to ensure the proper delivery of the Mauritanian channels to all its viewers across Europe and the...

[Via Satellite 07-18-2016] Freesat, the ITV and BBC subscription-free satellite TV joint venture, has signed a distribution agreement with the Bike Channel to reach viewers across the U.K. Through the agreement, the Bike Channel is now available to more than 17 million households in the country. The Bike Channel provides live and exclusive coverage of...

[Via Satellite 07-15-2016] Pay-TV operator Sky is launching an Ultra-HD service for U.K. customers on Sky Q Silver, available starting August 13. The service will include a line up of content including 124 live Premier League games this season, more than 70 movies, as well as five new dramas. Ultra HD content will be available...

[Via Satellite -7-14-2016] Japan International Broadcasting (JIB), the official distributor of NHK World TV for Japanese public broadcaster NHK, has signed a long-term agreement with SES to broadcast the 24/7 English-language news and information channel Free-to-Air (FTA) in High Definition (HD) across Europe. The transmission of NHK World TV in HD has already started via...

[Via Satellite 07-14-2016] Hispasat is broadcasting Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “I Puritani” live from the stage of the Teatro Real in high definition to audiences in Europe and Latin America. The satellite broadcast has been made possible through an agreement reached in November between the Spanish operator and the Teatro Real. Under this agreement, Hispasat has committed to...

[Via Satellite 07-08-2016] Beximco Communications, a joint venture of Beximco Holdings and GS Group has revealed its content strategy for RealVU, its recently established DTH platform. RealVU is the first official DTH service provider in Bangladesh, and uses the ABS 2 satellite to reach the entire country. Revealed at the World Content Market conference held...

[Via Satellite 07-07-2016] StarTimes, one of the fastest-growing operators of digital TV networks in Africa, has renewed capacity contracts on two Eutelsat satellites as well as agreements for uplinking services provided by a partner teleport operated by STN, in Slovenia. In anticipation of continued expansion of Africa’s TV market, StarTimes has also secured extra capacity...

[Via Satellite 07-06-2016] Globecast, a major broadcast and media company, is making media management a much larger portion of its business and anticipates that satellite, while still important, will have shorter capacity contracts in the future. Though satellite remains the company’s primary business, Jonathan Morley, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Globecast, told Via Satellite that...

[Via Satellite 07-06-2016] SES has completed the merger of RR Media with its subsidiary, SES Platform Services to form MX1. The combined global media services company leverages the capabilities and infrastructure of both to offer a full suite of digital video and media services. MX1 will distribute more than 1,000 TV channels, manage the playout...