31/7/01
Chatroom at the usual time 8.30 Syd time onwards tonight I am in there from 9.30 pm NZT. It was good to have some more from NZ in there last week. Not much to report today.
From my Emails & ICQ
B3 12363 V Sr 6108 Fec 3/4 Vpid 1160 Apid 1120 "Mystery big white star" seen 1.15pm Syd time
From Steve Johnson
Optus B1, 12456Vt - Snell & Wilcox card replaced with TV1 video/audio. 8.55 A.M NZ
Craigs comment, this had gone when I checked this afternoon
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E 12336 V Test cards have started, Vpid 1360/1320, 1660/1620 and 1760/1720.
Asiasat 3 105.5E 3749 V "Ekushey TV World" Vpid 1260 Apid 1220, is now encrypted.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3660 V "Kuwait Space Channel" has left
Asiasat 2 100.5E 4000 H Radio Suomi has started on , Apid 2320.
NEWS
Austar says raising cash is not a problem
From http://www.auspaytv.com/news/
Austar says it is confident it can negotiate a new financing facility with its bankers as the group looks to secure an additional $150 million to fund its New Zealand business plan.
Its chief executive, Mr John Porter, told The Australian Financial Review the banking consortium fronted by Citibank and JP Morgan was now in alignment with Austar over its future funding requirements.
"A bank deal is going to get done. We are not that far away, and in the context of the amount of equity that has been put into this business and the assets that we have in the business, raising another $150 million is nothing," he said. "As opposed to discussing if it's going to happen, we are now discussing how it is going to happen."
While he declined to give a definite date, Mr Porter said an announcement on the refinancing could be expected soon after the release of the group's annual results next month.
The failure to resolve the group's new financial platform has weighed down Austar's stock price, which has nearly halved since the beginning of June. The shares fell another 4¢ yesterday to 49¢. Austar's negotiations with its bankers have been complicated by the group's New Zealand business, where it is a joint venture partner with Telstra in Telstra Saturn.
The venture's network rollout requires an additional investment of at least $150 million from Austar.
This has prompted speculation that the group might look to sell its interest in the joint venture to Telstra in an attempt to consolidate its trans-Tasman operations.
Mr Porter yesterday denied a sale was on the agenda, saying the New Zealand business was worth "$1 to the Austar stock price". It is understood Austar was keen to acquire the British Telecom-controlled Clear Communications' assets. However, it is believed that a financial consortium involving Jump Capital and Berkshire Partners is now the frontrunner.
It is understood Austar had about $250 million cash in the bank at June 30, and cash used in operating and investing activities was about $66 million in the second quarter, in line with spending in the previous quarter.
"The likelihood of this company having a liquidity crisis is zero. That's the bottom line," Mr Porter said.
Maa TV goes on air on Oct 26
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20010731/con6.html
MAA TV, a Telugu satellite entertainment channel, will go on air on October 26. This was disclosed by the channel’s promoter Rajendhira Prasadh to The Financial Express.
The private placement for the Rs 10-crore project in progress, according to Mr Prasadh. “The total investment will consist of a Rs 3-crore promoter quota and a Rs 4-crore private placement,” said Mr Prasadh. The balance Rs 3 crore will come in the form of unsecured placement. The uplinking for Maa TV will be on Thaicom’s satellite based out of Bangkok.
?Maa TV will be an 18-hour Telugu channel comprising soaps and films,” said Mr Prasadh. The channel will be aired from 6 am to midnight everyday. While Maa TV will initially be free to air, Mr. Prasadh said the plan was to go pay. “We are looking to make it a pay channel sometime in December this year,” he added.
While Maa TV will be visible across India, plans are on the anvil to increase the audience base. “By March next year, we are looking to enter the markets in Dubai, Mauritius and Sri Lanka,” said Mr Prasadh. While the soaps on the channel will initially be commissioned, Mr Prasadh said the strategy for films was still being worked on. “Overall, it will be a combination of film-based programmes, game shows and interactive shows, besides films,” he explained. On the issue of distribution and ad sales, Mr Prasadh said, “We will be handling it and do not plan to hand it over to anybody else.”
30/7/01
All is quiet with Armageddon I expect they may wait until the Monday night Aussiemosc chatroom is running so they can sit in and monitor the action, No action as yet 4pm Syd time. Anyway a plenty of news today and hopefully Mediasat channels will be back soon?
From my Emails & ICQ
From George in Thailand
Dear Apsattv'ers
Sat News from up in the far east
-DD Hyderabad and DD Calcutta Zone Beam still on ocassionally on Insat at 83.0 east
-CNNI to encrypt on Palapa C2 August 15
-Cannot recieve BBC World and DD News on the vertical beams from PAS 4 at the new frequencies can anyone tell me why? The only vertical transponder I can recieve from the PAS 4 satellite is the old BBC frequency and the Maharishi Open University
-CCTV is also not recievable on PAS4 at the new frequency
-MCM on Asiasat 2 has been replaced by colour bars news that BVN Netherlands could be replaced here or the ITN News Channel
-Australia Radio International on Palapa C2
From the birdwatcher in the far east
George
THAILAND
From Salah
Dear Craig.
At 9.00 am this Monday Sydney time, color bars have appeared on B3 Freq 12336 V Sr 30000 Fec 3/4, and still displaying RTPI, TV5 and DW.
Just before they "interrupt" those 3 services I noticed a lot of pixelisation saturday morning,compared with other services on this transponder , MOU, TRT, Thai TV, MSAT occ had good video and audio.
Regards.
Salah.
From John Kahler
DW, TV5 & RTP showing colour bars now. Thai TV, TRT, MOU and Feeds channel all up.
See email attached below for outage reason.
> Our AsiaSat 2 antenna has been put out of action due to the high winds and bad weather here is Sydney.
> We hope to have it repaired soon.
>
> Sorry!
> Kate
> ------------------------------
> Kate Lansley
> Account Manager, Broadcast Services
> MEDIASAT Pty Ltd
Regards,
John.
From Steve Sharp 30/7/01 10.30 a.m
Optus B1 12397 H "ATN 7" Sr 7200 Fec 3/4 "NBC show "Fear Factor" complete with commercials
From the Dish
Pas 8 12326 H "TCM Australia" is back , FTA,Vpid 512 Apid 640.
Palapa C2 113E 3760 H "CASA, Taiwan Entertainment TV and STV-MTV" are currently FTA
Asiasat 2 100.5E 4000 H "A test card has started here" Vpid 512 Apid 640.(This may be BVN..)
Intelsat 804 64E 3754 R TBN has a new SID 3.
Intelsat 804 64E 3669 R "Channel Swazi" has left, replaced by a test card.
NEWS
Home-grown ABC children's channel will stem US tide
From http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,2460880%255E11610,00.html
What it will cost to watch
Through Optus: If you accept an extra phone line from Optus installed free and with no line rental fees, the basic pay-TV package is $22.95 for 12 channels or $44.95 for all 26 channels. Both include ABC Kids. Pay-TV installation is $39.95. If you don't want the Optus phone line then installation is $329. If you already have Optus there is no extra charge for ABC Kids.
Through Austar: For satellite connection in regional areas, 22 channels costs $42.80 a month and the full package of 33 channels is $76.90. Installation is free if payments are made by direct debit or credit card. With a digital set-top box: The set-top box will cost $700. You will need to check whether your aerial is digital compatible.
THE nation's inaugural digital channel, which goes live on Wednesday, will be the first wholly Australian-owned children's television network.
ABC Kids will be available from 6am to 6pm, seven days a week, on either Optus pay-TV, regional pay-TV provider Austar or through a set-top box that receives digital TV.
Regular children's programming on the ABC will remain.
"What this is ultimately all about is fending off the US influence. If we are depending entirely on American children's channels, Australia has a problem," ABC's head of multi-channel television Ian Carroll said.
He was referring to pay-TV channels such as Nickelodeon, Fox Kids, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network.
"This is a children's channel that has all the values of the ABC - commercial-free and violence-free," Mr Carroll said.
ABC Kids will run a mix of Australian and overseas programming including popular staples such as Playschool, Sesame Street and Bananas in Pyjamas.
There will be premieres too - George Shrinks and The Worst Witch first up. However, there will be no new Australian productions unless the ABC receives more money.
"We would love to make whole new programs but they require funding and we haven't been given any extra money to start up digital," Mr Carroll said.
Australian children will star on the new service, and auditions will be called soon for budding reporters to cover issues important to them.
Launching simultaneously is the ABC's broadband service for children, offering video on demand for people with cable or ADSL internet connections.
Among its innovations is well-loved presenter Mixy the Rabbit hosting her own videos that change each week, explaining how to use the site. It will also feature videos from Sesame Street and Bananas in Pyjamas.
A second digital channel is preparing to launch later in the year called Fly, aimed at teenagers and the early 20s. It will air from 6pm until 6am on the same channel.
New content is being made for Fly such as Twitch, which looks at the human side of technology.
"Fly is a different concept to Kids," said Mr Carroll.
"It's not scheduled, but will run more like a radio station.
"We're making a lot of material for it, so that's why it's taking longer to get up."
There are hopes Foxtel will carry the new digital channels.
However, a Foxtel spokesman said it would not be running ABC Kids as an analogue service because there was no room.
Foxtel has an agreement to carry ABC digital channels once Foxtel goes digital, but it has the discretion to choose which channels.
Industry sources said the decision was in part due to one of Foxtel's children's channels, Nickelodeon, which might have objections to competition. Foxtel denied this.
Mr Carroll said the ABC would roll out more channels in the future.
Sky TV aims for email revenue
From http://www.idg.net.nz
Huge market opportunity in email service
Sky Television expects to rake in significant extra revenue by offering email through its digital TV service.
Those who take up the email service, to be on offer by the end of the year, will be charged on a per-use basis and with more than 250,000 digital subscribers the service will provide a substantial extra revenue source for Sky, says communications director Tony O'Brien.
In February Sky announced that it lost $19.6 million for the half year ended December 31, compared with a net loss of $4.7 million in the prior half year.
An interactive programming guide, weather and games are scheduled to be available in the third quarter of the year, with sports statistics and email coming in the fourth, says O'Brien. "Sky is planning a progressive rollout of an interactive programming guide, weather, games and sports statistics, with email the final step."
Software enabling the email service is being developed in partnership with Australian interactive TV application developer Massive TV. Users will be able to access existing email accounts, create new ones and send email from their TV to a PC or to another TV with the service connected and to send text messages.
"The only thing you won't be able to do is open attachments." To do that, forwarding the email to a PC will be necessary, cutting out subscribers who don't have one.
Those who sign up will be able to key in their emails either by an infrared wireless keyboard, for which there will be an extra charge, or using their remote control in the same way as telephones with numbers matching letters.
O'Brien wouldn't comment on the cost of setting up the service but says "there's a huge market, a huge opportunity out there – it's very appropriate for people who don't have a PC."
Field trials have been conducted and the software used for the email and other interactive applications is being fine tuned, O'Brien says.
Craigs Comment, Sky would do better to give away its boxes and drop its price than to bother with some half baked email system.
Sky Announces Free-To-Air Broadcast Partner
Source : Sky Network Television Limited
Sky Television and TV3 announced today that the agreement has been renewed confirming TV3 as the exclusive free-to-air broadcaster for Rugby Union and Cricket for the upcoming 2001/2002 season.
As with the current arrangement, the new agreement will cover all appropriate domestic and international New Zealand Rugby and Cricket fixtures.
?Having a free-to-air broadcast partner is an important part of our on-going involvement in televised sport in New Zealand, and we are pleased to be continuing our strong relationship with TV3,” said Sky Television Chief Executive, John Fellet.
?We are very happy to be working once again with Sky Television as their free-to-air partner for Rugby and Cricket coverage in New Zealand. We enjoy a positive working relationship with Sky, and today’s announcement strengthens that relationship even further,” said TV3 Managing Director Rick Friesen.
?Our plan is to maximise the coverage we can provide to New Zealanders of their favourite sports, and continue to build the strong audiences our free-to-air coverage has been attracting,” Mr Friesen said.
The multi-million dollar deal was signed between the two parties in Auckland on Friday.
Press Release - The Wolf Radio Network
Source : The Wolf Radio Network
Test transmissions have commenced from “The Wolf Radio Network” on FM frequencies around the Mainland.
?The Wolf Radio Network” will Broadcast 24 hours a day from our “Heartland” based studios in “The Mainland” via FM frequencies and Sky Digital on Channel 73.
Full Programming commences on 30th July 2001 at mid-day.
The station will be available to all Sky Digital subscribers from Monday 30th July 2001
The Directors from “The Wolf Radio Network” said today:
?New Zealand Radio has lost touch with its rural culture. Without rural New Zealand having a voice, how can we continue to sell and promote the kiwi way of life?
The Wolf Radio Network gives Rural listeners and Advertisers that voice and coverage by merging together rural and urban New Zealand with a professional “Adult Contempary Alternative” style of music programming in digital cd quality audio, Nationwide.
The Wolf Radio Network is a new radio concept.
You can listen to digital, cd quality radio programming in any part of the country.
From Cape to Bluff, we are there with an “Adult Contempary Alternative”, music you’ll love, music you know, music for grown ups.
?The Wolf Radio Network” supplies a rural music angle on programming which is almost untouched in New Zealand. From Shania Twain to The Eagles, Garth Brooks to Faith Hill, The Doobie Brothers to Leann Rimes. This is the world’s finest music for the 25 to 54 Demographic.
We can target a rural audience that advertisers are crying out to reach, while at the same time not alienating urban kiwi’s. All of this in cd quality digital stereo, and don’t forget, we cover ALL of New Zealand.
We have been working together with Sky Digital for nearly 2 years to launch this project. Everyone involved has worked very hard, both at Sky and at The Wolf. Our thanks and gratitude goes out to everyone for all the hard work that has been done.”
The Wolf Radio Network will be re-broadcast on FM frequencies around New Zealand. The website will carry the details within the next few days at www.thewolf.co.nz
All contact to the station can be made via their web site at this time
China to Place Foreign Satellite Channels Under Unified Management
From satnewsasia.com
China will put foreign satellite TV channels under centralized administration.
China’s State Administration of Radio, Film & Television (SARFT) wants to place foreign satellite TV channels under centralized administration for unified release by one central platform.
Du Baichuan, SARFT vice chief engineer, said that the central platform would set up passwords to eliminate illegal ground reception. This change could help cut costs and improve economic benefits, according to SARFT.
Under the plan, licensed foreign satellite channels will transmit signals to the ground for unified reception and encryption by the platform before the signals are transmitted to designated luxury hotels and foreign communities via satellites.
Foreign satellite channels that violate the rules can be punished immediately. If signals are sent to undesignated areas, the broadcast can be discontinued and the license cancelled.
A reasonable fee will be charged for the unified management and encryption by the platform. China has 22 foreign-encrypted channels with limited ground transmission licenses. This number should increase to about 30 by 2002.
Aaj Tak, Discovery close to joining SET bouquet
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/today/30tech04.htm
IT is merely a matter of time before the stand-alone channels join the Sony Entertainment Television bouquet.
The India Today group’s Aaj Tak news channel and SET are in the final stages of inking a deal for the distribution of the Hindi news channel in the UK and MiddleEast.
Aaj Tak will provide SET the live 10-11 pm late night feed which will be broadcast during prime time to SET’s subscribers in the UK.
G Krishnan, executive director and MD of TV Today Network, told ET that Aaj Tak expected to collect Rs 40-50 lakh as a flat fee for the 40,000 subscribers of SET’s terrestrial service in the UK.
The alliance with SET would be replicated in the Middle East, he added.
In the domestic market, till Aaj Tak remained free-to-air, it would be a stand-alone channel. But if the pay market caught up with it, and if DTH started, Aaj Tak would work for an alliance with SET, he added.
The natural history channel, Discovery, is currently feeling the heat of the National Geographic channel being sold as part of the Star family.
Discovery, along with Animal Planet, had so far operated as stand-alone channels with an independent distribution network.
However, with advertisers cutting air time budgets in recent time, niche channels like Discovery have found that they have to take the brunt of reducing ad revenues.
For distribution too, selling niche channels as part of a package is always easier, industry observers said.
Both Deepak Shourie, CEO of Discovery India, and Kunal Dasgupta, CEO of SET, admitted that talks were on, but refused to give details.
Industry sources, however, said that a distribution alliance between the two was at a fairly advanced stage.
Expanding its platform is crucial for SET. With just three channels of its own, it is keen to expand its offerings to leverage the pay-subscription market and prepare for the coming battle for the DTH market.
,onsolidation has to happen in future,” said Shourie. Concurring with the Discovery chief, Dasgupta said of the prospects of coming alliances: “We are looking at everything.”
The consolidation process in the broadcasting industry is expected to gather pace as the market turns increasingly towards subscription revenues.
As long as channels are free-to-air and easily accessible to audiences, the leveraging of distribution alliances and channel bouquets does not arise.
29/7/01
Have been out all day so just a small update today. SKY NZ Snell Willcox Card is back on FTA channel labled "ENG26" Boxing Promo video seen FTA there last night. I just supplied a load of Sky NZ updates to the Lyngsat site.
German F1 G.P is on tonight, live on Star Sports and on RCTI and also the FTA French Channel on I701 Canal+
From my Emails & ICQ
From Chris Pickstock 29/7/01 Saturday Afternoon
B3, Mediasat at 12363 has AFL football, Hawthorn v Carlton
B1, V8's where they were yesterday, 12385 V (got it right today) Sr 6111, Vpid 308, Apid 256
From the Dish
Pas 8 166E 12326 H "TCM Australia" has left, replaced by a test card.(Maybe not was having techincal problems last night)
Optus B1 160E SIDs and PIDs added for all channels in Sky TV, plus some other updates.
Optus B3 156E 12336 V "RTP Internacional, TV 5 Asie and Deutsche Welle TV" have left
Agila 2 146E 3711 H "ABC 5" has started on , SR 4000, Fec 3/4, Vpid 1160 Apid 1120 PowerVu Encrypted.
JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "HaiHua Satellite TV" FTA, SID 402, Vpid 1088 Apid 1089.
NEWS
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 30/2001 - July 29 2001 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by Tele Satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited apsattv.com Edition
FRANCE
CANAL SATELLITE INCREASES MEASURES AGAINST PIRATES
Canal Satellite has increased the frequency of its electronic measures against
pirate cards which are becoming increasingly widespread in France. It has also
increased the security of the distribution of the digital terminals which are
rented to subscribers. These terminals have been available on supermarket
shelves in exchange for a deposit of FF500 in an aim to stimulate impulse buy
subscriptions. The terminals are locked and are inoperable without a valid
subscription card, but pirate cards are able to overcome this. Distributors are
now required to take full bank and identity details from anyone taking one of
these terminals. If the customer does not initiate a subscription within one
month, the full cost of the terminal (FF2400) will be debited from the
customer's bank account.
UNITED STATES
DISNEY BUYS FOX FAMILY
In a deal that will give The Walt Disney Co. valuable distribution and News
Corp. cash to finance an acquisition of its own, Disney is buying Fox Family
Worldwide Inc. for $3 billion in cash and assuming $2.3 billion in debt. The
deal announced July 23 adds the children's cable network to Disney's portfolio,
which already includes ESPN, the Disney Channel and stakes in A&E and Lifetime.
The Fox Family Channel, which Disney plans to rename ABC Family, reaches about
81 million cable subscribers in the United States. Disney bought Fox Family
from News Corp. and Saban Entertainment Inc., which each owned 49.5 per cent of
the company. The sale came about after Saban, a major children's programmer,
exercised its right to have News Corp. buy out its share. The deal expands
Disney's programming reach worldwide with a 76 per cent ownership in Fox Kids
Europe, a children's programming channel that reaches 24 million homes, and a
10-million subscriber channel in Latin America called Fox Kids. Disney is also
getting Saban's programming library, which contains more than 6,500 episodes of
shows.
BLOOMBERG ADDS ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS
Bloomberg Television, the fastest growing 24-hour business and financial news
channel in the U.S., is growing over one million subscribers per month - a pace
that has it on track to reach the 40 million subscriber milestone by the end of
next year. Combined with current distribution and major launch commitments,
Bloomberg Television is projected to reach over 40 million subscribers in the
U.S. by year-end 2002, far outperforming its competitors in terms of subscriber
growth. Bloomberg Television is broadcast internationally in seven languages
through ten networks distributing 24-hour news and information emphasising
business and the financial markets. It reaches a worldwide audience of almost
200 million people.
SATELLITE TV TO EXCLUDE MAJORITY OF US TV STATIONS
According to a study released on July 24, the satellite television industry
plans to leave behind at least 1,100 television stations - over 2/3 of all
local television signals in the United States - when new spot beam satellites
are launched. ``These satellite giants make their decisions on the television
stations they must carry based on pure profit and politics -- without a thought
given to the public interest,'' said Peter Pitts, executive director of EARN --
Equal Airwaves Right Now, a grass roots watchdog organisation. When satellite
services were first launched they were sold as a service for rural and
underserved Americans. EARN's study shows that the satellite television
industry has done a full about face and satellite television is focused only on
the top markets, leaving behind over 160 television markets, out of 210 total
markets in the United States. `Satellite companies are touting the spot beams
as a solution, but they're not. Our study shows that the spot beams are aimed
at markets that are already served, and will leave behind the vast majority of
all communities. The satellite industry takes advantage of free spectrum, but
they ignore the needs of American communities,'' said Pitts.
A S I A
DISNEY CHANNEL JOINS SHOWTIME PACKAGE
Disney Channel Middle East is now available on the Showtime digital satellite
pay-TV network. Disney Channel is available to all Showtime subscribers free
of charge until the end of August as an introductory offer. From September the
subscription fee starts from approximately $4 per month depending on the
Showtime subscriber's choice of plus package. Developed specifically for
families in the Middle East and North Africa, Disney Channel Middle East is
available on Showtime with a choice of English or Arabic audio. Showtime now
offers 25 channels of Western entertainment including three children's
channels, and four channels each in the categories of movies, entertainment and
sports, and three each providing music, documentaries and news.
AUSTRALIA
DIGITAL TV START DATES ANNOUNCED
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has released the starting dates for
digital television in 2003 for certain areas including Darwin, regional
Queensland, Tasmania and parts of Victoria and New South Wales, as reported by
Asia Pulse. The authority on July 24 announced the latest stage in the phase-in
of digital television broadcasts with a start date for seven regions. Most
capital cities started digital broadcasting in January and all stations must
broadcast both digital and analogue signals by January 2004. The ABA said
digital television would start on March 31, 2003, in Darwin; Tasmania; eastern,
western and regional Victoria and northern and southern NSW. The
Mildura/Sunraysia area in Victoria’s north would come on line in December 2003.
PAKISTAN
MEGA MAGIC TO DISTRIBUTE ZEE TV CARDS
Mega Magic, a group company of the WorldCall Telecommunications Group, and Zee
Telefilms Arabia, are co-operating to provide legal distribution of the channel
in Pakistan. Mega Magic becomes sole distributor and seller of decoders and
cards for the Zee TV broadcast, which has now been encrypted and is no longer
free to air. Decoders would cost Rs 19,000 with a charge of Rs 24 per house for
the whole package of seven channels from the operator. Zee TV would also spend
a portion of revenue collected from Pakistan to purchase and develop local
programmes. Zee Television says it currently has a viewership of over 140
million in Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Australia. Its package
comprises some 14 channels marketed internationally.
SINGAPORE
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE ON ESPN STAR SPORTS
ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has concluded a five-year deal to carry English Premier
League football exclusively on Singapore Cable Vision (SCV). SCV's 280,000
Singaporean subscribers will see expanded coverage of the game through the deal
with ESS which has held exclusive Asian broadcast rights to Premier League
coverage since February. SCV's Max TV platform will carry 165 live games during
the 2001/2002 season, some 1,000 plus hours of coverage as part of a seven day
a week presentation. ESS is launching a dedicated Southeast Asian feed for Star
Sports, customised for Singapore.
B4U Entertainment set to morph into movie channel; targets November encryption
From indiantelevision.com
Just under 11 months after the channel was launched on 3 September 2000, B4U Entertainment is all set for a major makeover. The final touches are being put in place that well metamorphose it into a movie channel.
Official sources within the channel say viewers will be served a diet of four to five movies a day with the remainder being given over to film-based programming. What is getting the go-bye is the band on the channel devoted to soaps and serials.
CEO Ravi Gupta and his team are now looking to focus on leveraging what is the B4U's main strength - its library of movies (over 2,000 films) that it holds the rights to.
The B4U management has also set a November target to fully encrypt the channel. However, sister channel B4U Music will remain free-to-air a la MTV, the sources have confirmed.
The B4U Network is promoted by steel magnate L M Mittal, Kishore Lulla and Gokul Binani, all based in the UK. Lulla is also the promoter of Eros International Ltd, the largest overseas film distributor and the first to take Hindi movies to the UK and the US.
Will the channel's name also change? What exactly does the transformation of B4U Entertainment into a movie channel entail? Watch this space.
Craigs Comment, B4u is currently on Pas 4, It will be available as soon as Pas 10 switches on
Indian subscribers will not accept a Rs 1,000 a month tag for DTH services'
From indiantelevision.com
Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea could be forgiven for feeling smug about the position his company is in at the moment. Mukerjea and his team have in the last one year engineered the turnaround of a once struggling channel into a leadership position so overwhelming that the term monopolistic wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration. And soon after Star Plus completed a year as a 24-hour Hindi channel confirmation of its numero uno position was made doubly clear. Star took home most of the awards at stake at indiantelevision.com's Indian Telly awards 2001 held on 6 July at south Mumbai's Oberoi Hotel. Nine to be exact. While receiving his award for best Television CEO of the Year 2000, Mukerjea drove the point home stating that Star's stellar performance at the Indian Telly Awards was only a dress rehearsal for an even better performance at next year's awards show.
Indiantelevision.com's Thomas Abraham culled this interview from snatches of conversation with Mukerjea on his plans for the future.
What about your plans for direct-to-home operations? Nothing seems to be moving on that front though your team has been in place for some time now.
We are certainly interested in going ahead with DTH but there are still a number of issues pending. There is the regulation issue, the 10-year licence fee. And the government's demand that the system should be based on an open architecture is inoperable. There is no manufacturer anywhere in the world who makes open access DTH set tops so even if we wanted to implement the government directive we would not be able to.
We have identified partners as well as worked out the economics of it all but it will certainly take some time.
What are the costs you are looking at?
Two-fifty crores to 450 crores (Rs 2,500 million to Rs 4,500 million). It's a massive investment no doubt, bigger than any media project in the country so far.
But is it worth it? After all, none of Rupert Murdoch's DTH ventures anywhere in the world are profitable. And if anything, in India the chances of DTH being a success are even less.
We are taking a long-term view of things and we are convinced that there is a future for DTH, which is why we are keen to go ahead with it. We have identified partners for this venture and we will go forward once we are convinced that the whole thing is viable in the long term.
VSNL (the government-owned internet gateway provider) has announced it will be providing DTH-come Internet for a monthly subscription rate of Rs 1,000 before the end of the year. Would Star be able offer DTH services for such a low price?
In fact a Rs 1,000 a month price tag for DTH will not be acceptable to Indian subscribers. If we offer DTH services, it will be for much less. Otherwise we simply will not be able to pull in enough subscribers.
Talking of subscribers, this is an issue that is a continuous source of friction between broadcasters and cable operators. How do you see the whole thing panning out?
The friction will remain as long as declared connectivity remains so low. In fact broadcasters are willing to live with connectivity figures of 30 per cent. It is when declared connectivity goes below this that we resort to switching off feeds.
But cable operators complain that broadcasters are arbitrarily hiking rates which they are forced to absorb because subscribers resist increases in subscription fees.
Addressability is the issue here. I would like to reduce rates but that's not possible till declared connectivity goes up. But that will happen with time The cable business will grow well above the current subscriber base of around 30 million over the next few years. And as the industry matures, addressability will become a given.
How long do you thing this process will take?
Between seven to 10 years. Our revenue break-up is also linked to the issue of addressability. Currently 80 per cent of our revenues are from advertising and only 20 per cent from subscriptions. Ideally the break-up should be 60:40.
On the revenue front, reports are that Star expects to finally turn profitable this year. When do you see this happening?
We should reach breakeven within the next few months. (Industry sources say the Indian operations raked in around Rs 5,500 million in revenues this fiscal - the highest since Star channels started beaming into India in 1991-92. Star has a July-June financial).
Star has a stake in Hathway Cables. The reports are that it has increased its stake. What is the stake that Star currently holds in Hathway?
We have not increased our stake above the 26 per cent we held earlier.
Coming back to the channels on the Star bouquet, are you thinking of adding any more channels?
We have enough on our plate as it is. Anyway, it is less cost efficient if more channels are brought in. Our focus at present is to push all our seven channels and for that we are looking at a strategy for advertising the network as a whole. This will help advertisers to leverage the Star network and our sales team has also been reorganised for this purpose.
Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network in talks with International Players
From http://www.capitalmarket.com
We are currently talking to four international players for a stake in SABe TV'
Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network (SABTNL) is an integrated television content production house and a broadcaster. The company commenced operations over 13 years ago as a television software production house producing programming for India's national broadcaster - Doordarshan. The era of liberalization ushered during the early 1990s resulted in the growth of cable and satellite television channels leading to the revolution of new entertainment companies.
SABTNL continues to produce content for Doordarshan and markets airtime for these programmes on its own. The company launched its own television channel - SABe TV on 23 April 2000. It is a 24-hour Hindi language general entertainment channel transmitted digitally through the Asiasat 3S Satellite. The channel is currently available as a free-to-air service across India.
Prasar Bharati had recently invited fresh bids for its prime time slot on DD Metro after failing to attract any bids during the first time. It had decided to invite fresh bids for a three-year period after the one-year contract given to HFCL-Nine Broadcasting India was not renewed. However, there is still a lot of ambiguity on the issue. To know the exact status and about company's expectations during the current year Capital Market's Amod Gore spoke to Markand Adhikari, vice-chairman and managing director, SABTNL. Excerpts.
What is the latest status of the bid for DD-Metro?
SABTNL is the highest bidder for DD Metro's prime time slot (8 pm -10 pm). We had offered an amount of Rs 18 crore for the prime time slot.
However, the current status is that the deal is in abeyance. Although a lot of news reports have come, there has been no official communication from Doordarshan till date. We will wait for that to come through after which we will take a decision.
SABTNL has been one of the leading television content providers for DD in the past. We started our association with DD in the 1980's. Till date, we have produced 2,000 hours of programmes for DD. In fact, SABTNL was the first to offer programmes for the DD Metro channel.
The company had been finding difficult to sell time on DD even for its existing programmes. why then you went ahead in bidding for Metro slots?
We have never found it difficult to sell time on DD. What we have mentioned in our result is about the DD policy of imposing additional spot buys on various programmes.
As a prudent accounting policy, we have charged all unutilized commercial time in our accounting as on 31 March 2001. But, at the same time, it is a tremendous opportunity to earn in this year. Hence, it is very clear why we have bid for the DD Metro slot. I think we are the lone survivors on DD Network.
What about the fact that you were not able to sell the air time as your results indicate?
Although it is true that we were not able to sell the airtime last year, it should be viewed from a different perspective. Doordarshan has a policy related to additional spot buys on various programmes. However, there is no fixed criterion for these additional spot buys and it is more or less on random basis. This had actually put a lot of pressure on us during the last year.
However, we have put forth our case with Doordarshan for rationalisation of commercial terms and for the withdrawal of additional spot buys from time to time.
Currently, how many hours of programming are you providing to Doordarshan - main channel as well as regional channels?
Currently, we are providing two and half-hours of programming per week to Doordarshan’s National channel. Also, we provide content for regional language channels of Doordarshan. This is currently around five hours per week.
Recently, there have been a lot of programmes going off the air on Doordarshan due to their policy. Has SABTNL taken off any of your programme from Doordarshan? What will be the impact of this policy on SABTNL?
SABTNL has not taken off any of its programmes from Doordarshan. We also do not have any such plans in future as well. Although the policy of higher rates and lower airtime for programmes was announced initially, the same is under review.
In fact, our programmes have been commanding good ratings on Doordarshan for a long time. At present, SABTNL's Suraag, Damini, Suspense Every Week, Gharkul are amongst the top programmes.
What sort of rates do you command on Doordarshan?
The advertisement rates differ depending on the programmes, timing of telecast, etc. We have been commanding good rates for our programmes in the past.
Currently, we command around Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per 10 seconds for our programmes on the regional channels. On the National channel, we command much higher rates. The rates range from Rs 25,000 per 10 seconds to as high as Rs 80,000 per 10 seconds. Our ‘Surag’ commands Rs 60 lakh per 720 seconds on an average.
Are you providing programmes to channels other than Doordarshan and SABe TV?
No, we are not providing any programme to any other channels. This is because we want to keep the intellectual property rights (IPRs) for these programmes with us.
Will you consider your decision if the option of keeping the IPR is given to you? Do you expect such a scenario in near future?
We will consider this option when the situation really comes to that stage. As of now, we do not foresee any major shift in the broadcaster's mindset on this issue except, perhaps, on a case to case basis.
What is the size of your software library?
We have a library of close to 3,500 hours of software. This includes all types of programmes like mythological, sit-coms, game shows, children's programmes, film-based programmes, talk shows, thrillers, true life stories, variety entertainment, etc.
SABe TV has been operating for more than a year now. However, the response to the channel has not been up to the mark. How do you see this channel performing in the coming years?
As far as the response to the channel is concerned, I would like to clear some facts. SABe TV has performed extremely well in its first year of operations as compared to other channels, which began their operations during the last year. In fact, we are the fourth channel after the three top channels.
SABe TV now reaches 23 million homes across India. We have achieved around 5 million reach in south India during this period.
During the past year, we achieved good television rating points (TRPs). Around 7-8 slots (not programmes) consistently gave TRPs of around one or more. These programmes include ‘Alif Laila’, ‘Brahma Vishnu Mahesh’, ‘Office Office’, etc. Other programmes achieved TRPs of around 0.7 to 0.8.
When will SABe TV break even?
After our decent performance during the first year, we are targeting 2-3 slots this year, which should go beyond TRPs of 2. These can also reach 3 if the response gets better. If we are able to achieve our targets, SABe TV can posts revenues of around Rs 25-40 crore during the financial year ended March 2002. We did reasonably well during the year ended March 2001.
If we can maintain the same momentum during the year ended March 2003, SABe Tv will break even at the end of March 2003.
When do you plan to make it a pay channel? What sort of revenues are you looking at from subscription in the years to come?
Broadcasters today have realised that the advertisement alone cannot sustain the growth in future. So, the top channels are moving towards pay channels and subscription revenues. This is a good indication for us as well. Calendar 2002 can see the pay package in the cable channel industry.
We also plan to make our channel pay, but the plans are not yet finalised on this issue.
What happened to the strategic partner taking a 30% stake in SABe TV?
Well, the induction of a strategic partner is a long process. We are currently talking to four international players for this.
How is your venture in Sri Lanka doing?
Our venture in Sri Lanka is not doing as per our expectations. As you are aware, the situation in the island country is not very encouraging and we are keeping a close watch on that. We will perhaps review the situation after six months.
A lot of people have left SABe TV/ SABTNL as per reports. What is the actual situation? How many total employees do you have in SABe TV and SABTNL?
Entertainment industry is a high turnover industry. However, last year's market fall has changed the perspective for everybody now. The news of a lot of people leaving SABTNL is not correct.
We have around 150 employees in SABTNL. SABe TV does not have any employees of its own.
With the economy in distress, FMCG majors like HLL and P&G have been cutting on their advertisement budgets. What will be the impact of this on the advertisement rates? How do you see this impacting your company in the future?
The euphoria on advertisement rates going upwards seems to have fallen. The current situation is that compounded annual growth rates (CAGR) for advertisement rates may not grow at 23% as earlier projected. But it may grow at even less than 10% during the year.
At the same time, it should be noted that advertisement expenditure will come down across all the possible forms of media meaning it will go down in print, television and others as well. Print media accounts for the maximum advertisement spends. So, we expect the impact on the electronic medium to be much lesser.
As far as SABTNL is concerned, we are concentrating on getting the maximum by our strategy of ‘ratings, reach and retention.’ Some of our advertisers have been with us for the past decade. So, we want to concentrate on retaining them in future as well. This can be achieved by better reach and increasing ratings in the coming year.
What is the present equity capital and shareholding pattern? Any plans for further dilution in near future?
The current equity capital of the company remains the same as on 31 March 2001, i.e. Rs 8.41 crore. Out of this, 48% is with the promoters, around 17% is with mutual funds and financial institutions, 12% is with private corporate bodies and the balance is with public.
28/7/01
DW, TV5 Asie and RTP International gone from Mediasat? the transponder still lists them but no video. Lets hope they are back soon. Try the contact details below
MEDIASAT phone on +61 2 9221 6999, fax on +61 2 9221 6988 Email them on [email protected]
Cricket India vs Sri Lanka on Dordashan from 2pm Syd, on I701 as well
From my Emails & ICQ
Chris Pickstock reports 2.30 Syd time
B3 12363 V "West Harbour v Sydney University", Rugby Union
B1 12385 V "Astralinks" Channel Ten feed of V8's. Practice and Qualifying at the moment.Vpid 308 Apid 256,Sr 6111
Where has DW, TV 5 asie and RTP International gone. Have they reached the end of the trial period?
Craigs comment, according to a post on the mailing list the trial has ended.
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E All Saturn channels on 12483 V, 12706 V and 12733 V are now Irdeto and encrypted.
Express 9 103E 3723 R "STS (+7)" has left .
Pas 7 68.5E 3634 V "AGCN" has left (This one interesting, a viewer in Perth has seen TVNZ there, YES PAS 7!)
NEWS
Sky Selects New Television Outside Broadcast Service Provider
Source : Sky Network Television Limited
SKY Television confirmed today that On Site Broadcasting (NZ) Ltd have won the contract to provide television outside broadcast coverage of all SKY’s major sporting events for the next five years commencing January 2002.
Murray Roberts, co-founder of the well known film and television production company, Communicado, will become the New Zealand Director of On Site Broadcasting (NZ) Ltd, (OSB) a wholly owned subsidiary of Australia’s Becker Group Ltd.
OSB, will engage a formidable team of outside broadcasting specialists led by Geoff Evans of Images Post Ltd, including a significant number of full time and contract staff here in New Zealand. OSB has commissioned four new digital outside broadcast vehicles, scheduled for delivery from December 2001, to service the contract.
John Fellet, SKY Television Chief Executive, said “Choosing the outside broadcast service provider was a difficult decision however we are confident that Murray Roberts and his team’s experience combined with the “state of the art” digital technology that will be used will allow SKY to produce an exceptionally high standard of sports programming.”
Tim Keen, Becker Group Chief Operating Officer said “We are delighted with this development and see it as an extension of our existing activities in New Zealand.”
?Our extensive experience of production and broadcast of live sport telecasts for the Australian market and our willingness to commit to the latest digital technology were significant factors in helping OSB win this contract” said Keen.
Becker Group, one of Australia’s best known film and television companies is a publicly listed entertainment company, currently trading on the ASX, with a turnover of around AUS$50 million per year.
27/7/01
Armageddon is attracting a lot of attention on the various "hacker type" message forums. My thoughts are that if they are going big with this "event" they will be looking at busting a few people at the same time to attract publicity. Some nervous people out there may like to take Monday off and pack up the car and go camping this weekend ;-) Note these comments are my opinion only and I have not recieved any furthur information since what was posted yesterday.
In the news section Star Sports is launching a dedicated South Asia feed in August. So I think that means goodbye to the Analogue service. Enjoy the Analogue Asiasat 3 service while you can it might be gone in less than a week.
Pas 8 "Boomerang removed"
Friday Feeds Bit
(Stuff to look for feeds of on the weekend)
World Swimming Champs from Japan (Fri , Sat, Sun) Optus B1, anyone find the international feed?
Golf (LPGA & Senior PGA, U.S PGA, European Tour Dutch Open) try Pas 8, 2, Sure to be hogging transponder there
Rugby (Australia vs South Africa, 1 a.m Syd) usually B1 Newsforce 12367 V, maybe live on Starsports
Cricket ODI Sri Lanka vs India (Saturday 1.35pm Syd (Via Dordashan, Insat 2E and I701)
NRL (Several matches) Try B1 and yes check Analogue
AFL (Sunday match C7, 2pm Syd) usually B3 12363V or Mediasat feed
From my Emails & ICQ
From Chris Pickstock
Animal Planet appears to have disappeared from 12726 H on Pas 8, the last of Boomerang.
Also Just noticed that 7 are back in Epal on B1 at 12386H
Chris
From Robert Anthony
Boomerang TV is hasta la vista on PAS-8 Ku 12726 MHz. carrier is still
there but no more signal. the carrier will drop by 31 AUG 01.
Their web site says it all. Hasta la vista, Boomerang. Hello TARBS for my ESPN Pac Rim.
From Hashishm
ART (on PAS2 3836 V 13330) has been advertising to be soon encrypted along with LBC. The advert was on (twice daily) couple of days ago. They advice to contact Optus.
JSC (Al-Jazeerah on PAS2 3901 H 30800) has done the same more frequently. As the advert says, it will be encrypted on 1/8 to USA and soon to Australia. They advice to contact (from Australia - 1800 700 506 or +61 2 970...I cannot remember).
A contact was made with the 1800 number, and they said you will get all these channels through Optus. If there is no Optus coverage, they can give a CA card (and a HUMAX receiver for more than AUD $600) and the fee is AUD $30 for the card per month provided a 12 month contract at first.
No contact was made with Optus, yet.
Regards
From the Dish
Pas 8 166E 12726 H "Animal Planet Australia & New Zealand" have left (As the song goes My Boomerang won't come back.).
Optus B1 160E Three Telstra Saturn muxes have started on 12483 V, 12706 V and 12733 V, Sr 22500, FEC 3/4, line-up: Saturn Weather Channel, Saturn Choose, TVSN and test cards. For more details, see Lyngsat.
NEWS
ESPN Star Sports launching South-East Asia feed; renews carriage deal with SCV in Singapore
From indiantelevision.com
ESPN Star Sports (ESS) will be launching a dedicated Southeast Asia feed for Star Sports from August. The feed, which is based on viewing habits and preferences of viewers from the region, is customised in both programming and presentation to deliver sports popular with Singaporean audiences, a company release states.
This includes the best of European football (English Premier League, UEFA Champions' League, Serie A and Spanish Liga), Formula One motor racing, golf and tennis. ESS will also launch SportsCenter, the region's only live daily sports news service, the release says.
The news came in the wake of an announcement that ESS and Singapore Cable Vision (SCV), its Singapore pay TV partner, have reached an agreement to renew the carriage of ESPN and STAR Sports channels in Singapore. The contract will run for five years, effective 1 July.
It has also been confirmed that the English Premier League (EPL) will be available in Singapore on only ESPN and Star Sports channels 23 and 24 on SCV MaxTV. (In February this year, ESS won the exclusive Asian broadcast rights for the Premier League.)
Announcing the conclusion of the broadcast contract with SCV, ESS managing director Rik Dovey said: "This multi-year agreement between SCV and ESPN Star Sports signifies two things - commitment and confidence. Both companies are committed to bringing viewers in Singapore the best sports television sporting action and, working closely together, both companies are confident of further developing the pay TV market in Singapore."
Dovey added that ESS' English Premier League programming, together with the company's UEFA Champions' League, Spanish Primera Liga, Chinese National Football League, Korean Football League, major Asian internationals and the Italian Serie A coverage, "completes what is the strongest football programming line-up of any sports broadcaster in the world."
Craigs Comment, I have a feeling this will replace Star Sports Asia on Asiasat 3 :-( Digital and encrypted probably on Stars Sports frequency as well.
Pentamedia declares good Q1 performance, targets children's channel launch in Q2
From indiantelevision.com
Animation major Pentamedia Graphics has announced positive results for the quarter ended 30 June 2001. The company posted a 38 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 417.2 million compared to RS 308.3 million the previous year, an official release states. Sales increased to RS 1580.9 million from RS 1144.9 million in June 2000.
The growth in turnover, operating profit and profit after tax is 38 per cent, 54 per cent and 35 per cent respectively, the release states. Revenue contributed by animation, special effects, web entertainment and other multimedia services were 55 per cent, 15 per cent, 10 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.
The company is planning to launch a new children's entertainment television channel "Splash" on the Asiasat satellite. Pentamedia subsidiary Intelivision Ltd is responsible for the channel launch and is looking at an investment of about RS 120 million with revenues of RS 140 million from advertising and other rights in the first year.
Intelivision has secured permission from the information and broadcasting ministry for uplinking the channel through VSNL (the government-owned internet gateway provider). A teleport at Kelambakkam in Chennai is envisaged in the near future.
Test transmission is scheduled to begin by 1 August via ST teleport, Singapore. Intelivision has decided to uplink through Singapore as it is cheaper. Once the teleport at Kelambakkam becomes operational, the uplink service will be shifted to Chennai. The programme grid for the initial two months of on air presentation has been finalised, the release says.
The future projects of Intelivision include a bouquet of Indian satellite channels to be broadcast through KU Band from an Indian platform to ethnic Indian populations in US, Europe, Middle East and South Africa.
Craigs comment, Most likely to be on Asiasat 3 (India's Hotbird) would be great if it was FTA
Sahara TV revving up for major push
From indiantelevision.com
The television industry has dismissed Sahara TV as a lost cause. Eyes have mainly been on Star, Zee and Sony Entertainment. However, if the aggressive stance that is emerging from Sahara is anything to go by, the industry may well be wrong in taking their sights off the ethnic channel.
While Sahara has dropped its plans to launch a clutch of channels to build up a network, it is moving ahead on all four cylinders on its mother channel. Sahara TV promoter Subroto Roy has brought in external help to help it get that extra edge. A committee consisting of Modi Entertainment Group's Buena Vista Television CEO Pratik Basu, programming head Basaav Raj, its advertising agency Percept Advertising's promoters Harindra and Shailendra Singh, and other senior managers from within the company. While Buena Vista is handling the ad sales, the Percept duo along with the Sahara team are looking after programming and marketing of the channel.
And the result of their inputs is already beginning to show. Better and more focused outdoor promotions, and slicker on-air promos - translating into a jazzier Sahara TV. An industry Source indicates that the current initiative is part of a larger gameplan to relaunch the channel. The effort will culminate in a big bang in the coming festival season.
"The FPC is going to change considerably, and there will be sustained marketing activity," she says. "Currently, three properties are being developed: "Haqeeqat", "Daman" and "Draupadi". Additionally, the Sunday Hindi movie block will also see some activity."
Some RS 100-120 million has been set aside for this. If one adds the fact that the Sahara group has bagged the sponsorship for the Indian cricket team, one can be sure the Sahara group will be ubiquitous in most media.
Who has cause to worry? People say that Sabe TV and Sony Entertainment are likely to be hit courtesy the Sahara march. Reason: they have yet to get their act together on the programming front.
26/7/01
Telstra Saturn testing FTA on B1 again, if you can get the signal load 12733 V Sr 22500 Fec 3/4, Perhaps they will lable the channels soon. Cricket tonight from 2.00pm Syd time onwards, NZ vs India via Dordashan on Insat 2E also via I701 3769 RHC Sr 20000
Quite a bit of stuff from my Email today thanks to those who are emailing info of interest. Speaking of Emails,
The following is supplied to me from a very trustable source who wishes to remain ANON
"Hot off the line with Sydney, advised all pay-TV providers will on Monday
July 30th launch a major offensive against piracy cards. They will be
checking all card signatures and switching off non-compliant cards, and
once that is done, escalate the piracy battle to a new level by readdressing
the total universe of legitimate cards. This is code-named Armageddon and it
is being done totally by MINDPORT, not the pay-TV providers. The recent FTA
status of some pay TV services for brief periods of time has been a shake
down of the software technology they will be employing."
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve Johnson 26/7/01
Some channels now active FTA (12483Vt, 12706Vt & 12733Vt).
S01, 02, 05, 11, 16, 17,19, 23, 25, 65, 70 - Saturn Weather
S03, 04, 20, 97 - Saturn Choose
S07 & 09 - Colour Bars
S21 - TVSN
S41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 98 - Blank (Unmodulated)
Steve Johnson
Pukekohe, NZ
Something received by Email but not by Me
"It is with regret that TPG announce the closure of Boomerang TV.
For customers wishing to return the decoder box, smart card and remote
control, please reply to this e-mail. A prepaid post pack will then be sent
to your address in order for you to return these items. Once these items
have been received, TPG will process a refund."
Craigs comment, of course those units can be used as cband and ku band FTA receivers. Who would want to send them back?
From Bill Richards 25/7/01
0220 UTC
Pas 2 3906 V Sr 6620 Fec 2/3 "TBN Tests"
Pids in use 0,1,16,17,1220,1222,1260 and 5002.
TBN Channel 1
Channel 2
Channel 3
Channel 4
PMT not found..
No Video or Audio found, perhaps they are getting setup for service ??
Regards
Bill
From Hans 25/7/01
Hi Craig
I came across a new (occasional?) feed today 4:45pm Canberra time. They closed down at 4:55pm
American Forces Network (feeds)
Pas 2 3802 V Sr 6620
cheers
Hans
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E "Various Telstra Saturn services are testing FTA, Saturn Weather,Saturn Choose, TVSN"
Agila 2 146E 4134 H "Solar Channel" is encrypted again.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 4000 H "Colour bars on MCM's old settings"
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "New NID/TID for the RR Satellite Communications mux" 1111/1.
SID for Voice of Vietnam: 33.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3666 H "MR Radio" has left .
Intelsat 804 64E 3669 R SID for Channel Swazi is 10.
NEWS
Sorry nothing for today
25/7/01
Great to see a few more from NZ joining in the chat, some interesting discussion last night. Seems to be more people comming into the chatroom earlier which is good. Thanks to those that confirmed the "Tamil TV" on Zee's B3 mux is Asianet Bharathi off Asiasat 3. Not a lot else happening today
From my Emails & ICQ
From Chris Pickstock 25/7/01
B3, 12376 H is FTA at the moment. (9.50 am SA time)
Channels are Disney, CNNF, C7 Sport, C7 Sport 2, NRL and Turner Classic Movies.
(Switched off at 11.30 am SA time)
and reported , last night during the Chat
B1, 12317 H Sr 6980 (usually an ABC feed)
and B1, 12397 H sr 7200 (ATN Digital) both have Network Nine feed of swimming from Japan.
B3, 12336, Mediasat has a card up with Network Ten on it, and also B3, 12363 has something for the "Rove" show on now.
Chris
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E 12658 V "Asianet Bharathi has replaced Alpha TV Gujurati and Alpha TV Bangla" Vpid 2640 Apid 2641.
Palapa C2 113E "CBS 4 radio" has started on 11008 V and 11132 V, Apid 46.
Sinosat 1 110.5E CCTV 11 and CCTV 10 have replaced CCTV 7 and CCTV 4 on 12380 V,
Sinosat 1 110.5E 12622 V "CCTV 1" is encrypted in Viaccess.
Sinosat 1 110.5E 12320 V "CBSAT HDTV Beijing" has started testing , Sr 41530, Fec 1/2,Vpid 33 Apid 36, A bit more info for those that can get it, 31.1976MB/s 1920x1080 res in 16x9
Intelsat 804 64E 3669 R "Channel Swazi" has started , Vpid 515 Apid 680 (Western hemisphere beam I think)
NEWS
No news for today
24/7/01
Livechat in the chatroom tonight usual time 8.30pm Syd time onwards, I will be in there 9.30pm NZ time onwards.(7.30pm Syd). There is a roumer going around that this weekend from Friday to Monday Austar and Foxtel will be having a maintenance shutdown and all channels will be FTA, just have to wait and see I guess.
Lots of news in the news section as well today.
Changes in Zee TV mux on B3, Zee TV 6 has gone replaced by Tamil TV can someone let me know if Tamil TV is actually transmitting programming and if Tamil TV is there official name. The EPG info says "Prakasham Tamil TV service Tamil Media Group 02 97472792" Lyngsat site is quite strict on these things and won't list it untill someone confirms the programming is there. Has Alpha Gurjarti and TV Bangla left?
If you hadn't found it already MATV on Apstar 2r 76.5E is a movie channel I found some info on it "American Asia movie entertainment channel" as its known. Mostly screening Chinese action films with English subtitles. The translated from Chinese document appears below in the news section it's been translated useing Bablefish so don't expect it to make a huge amount of sense.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Me 3 cards seen on B3 12363 V 2.30pm Syd time, possibly for a Rove Show outside feed for Channel 10
From Chris Pickstock reported via the mailing list 24/7/01 9.52 a.m
B1, 12326 H, Sr 6980 "Tour de France"
Looks like a highlights package of the whole event so far, rather than just the latest stage.
SBS logo is in the corner of the screen.
Chris
Reported last night on the mailing list by Steve Sharp
B1 12397 H Sr 7200 Fec 3/4 Loading as ATN Digital 2 at the moment (17:30 Eastern)
Bill Richards follows this up with the Screenshots of what turned out to be Channel 7 Sydney News
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E 12658 V "Tamil TV" has replaced Zee 6 (need a subscriber to confirm programming is running)
Agila 2 146E 4134 H "Solar Channel" Digicipher 2) is now in clear.
Sinosat 1 110.5E 4088 V "Macau East Life TV" has started regular transmissions on ,Vpid 652 Apid 653.
Apstar 2R 76.5E 3976 V "I-Cable promo" has started on , Sr 5000, Fec 3/4,Vpid 4130 Apid 4131.(Yesterdays mystery signal!)
LMI 1 75E 3403 H "TV Lanka and Radio Lanka tests" have left
NEWS
Aussie Broadcaster Airs Serious Concerns on SingTel Satellite Bid
From satnewsasia.com
Australian broadcaster Seven Network Ltd continues to attack Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) and its bid for Cable & Wireless Optus Ltd (CWO).
This time, however, Seven took aim at the Singaporean government, which owns 78 percent of SingTel. In unusually frank language, Seven described Singapore as an “extremely intrusive and repressive authoritarian state” whose ownership of CWO would raise serious national security concerns.
Seven’s letter to Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), the agency responsible for approving SingTel’s US$8.5 billion takeover bid, said the “practices and governance of SingTel and the Singapore government, in particular that government's flagrant and systemic use of technology to collect data for its own purposes, at the very least, raise many serious concerns about its control of a vital Australian telecommunications asset."
Seven was referring to three in-orbit satellites owned and controlled by CWO. Two of these satellites are in orbit while a third, Optus C3, will be launched next year. This satellite will transmit and receive secret Australian military communications.
Seven claimed it had acquired further information on the “nature and governance strategies” of SingTel, adding that it had information about alleged phone-tapping by SingTel.
Industry sources, however, said Seven's obstinate opposition to the SingTel takeover of Australia’s second largest telco was connected to its pay-TV arm, C7, which is negotiating to extend its contract with CWO’s pay-TV network. The contract expires at the end of 2001.
FIRB will make a recommendation on the SingTel bid to the Australian government through Treasurer Peter Costello. It has received an extension period and is expected to issue a ruling in September.
SingTel's offer for CWO ends on August 3 but can be extended.
India's Rohini Satellite Re-enters Atmosphere After Seven Years
From satnewsasia.com
An Indian science satellite launched in 1994 burned-up re-entering earth’s atmosphere July 12 after exceeding its design life by six years.
The Stretched Rohini Satellite Series (SROSS-C2) launched in May 1994 had completed over 40,000 orbits before losing contact with ground stations prior to re-entry, according to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
ISRO’s Telemetry/Tracking and Command Network station in Mauritius received the last signals from SROSS-C2 when the satellite was at a height of 139 kilometers. ISRO said the satellite exceeded all its goals in its seven years mission and had provided valuable scientific data.
SROSS-C2 was launched on board an Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV-D4) from the Sriharikota island launch facility. The satellite studied gamma and solar radiation phenomenon gathered by its Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) Detector and Retarding Potential Analyzer (RPA).
GRB detected gamma ray bursts occurring several million light years away. Emitting very high-energy electromagnetic radiation, these bursts, have been the subject of intense research in the last few decades.
SROSS-C2 was part of an international effort to determine the sky distribution of these emissions and to obtain as many independent gamma ray detections as possible.
The RPA collected data over the Indian subcontinent and provided insight into the characteristics and structure of the equatorial low latitude ionosphere. Scientists from eight Indian universities are carrying out detailed analysis of the data.
The life of SROSS-C2 almost ended in June 2000 but was extended by another year by raising its orbit using on board residual fuel.
SpeedCast Partners with CNN for BizTV
From Satnewsasia.com
Hong Kong-based SpeedCast Ltd., a broadband enabler of satellite based services, has partnered with CNN to stream live CNN and CNNfn content directly to subscribers in Singapore, Hong Kong and Korea.
CNN content will be streamed using BizTV, SpeedCast's latest broadband multimedia service. Under the terms of the agreement, CNN's leading news and financial programming will also be streamed via SpeedCast's satellite multicast platform directly to desktop PCs 24 hours a day on a subscription basis.
SpeedCast CEO Tom Choi said CNN marks a key addition to the company’s BizTV service offering.
?We are very proud to partner with them for this exciting new product,” said Choi. “BizTV marks the beginning of a new era in the delivery of IP-based audio and video content, as satellite enabled content distribution services provide the only viable solution for the guaranteed delivery of flicker-free, interactive multimedia streams."
Ian Macintosh, Senior Vice President of CNN International Asia Pacific, said theare proud to partner with SpeedCast for the launch of this multimedia service in the leading financial centers of Asia.
"Through SpeedCast's extensive satellite-based content delivery network the corporate market sector will now have direct access to CNN and our financial network, CNNfn, throughout the business day," Macintosh noted.
BizTV will initially launch in Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea and has plans for an Asia-wide expansion later on. BizTV is available using the AsiaSat 3S satellite whose footprint covers the entire Asia-Pacific region.
The coverage area extends from Russia in the north, down to New Zealand in the south, east to Japan and as far west as Egypt, covering more than two-thirds of the world's population. The streaming media content is delivered directly via satellite to the corporate LAN or via last mile leased line distribution for customers who are cannot receive content via satellite.
CNN, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., an AOL Time Warner company, is one of the world's leading sources for news and information. Its reach extends to 15 cable and satellite television networks, including CNN International and CNNfn; three private place-based networks; two radio networks; 12 Web sites and CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively syndicated news service.
Founded in September 1999, SpeedCast is focused on becoming a leading broadband Internet and multimedia service provider. It has three satellite-enabled broadband services: SpeedCast Broadband; SpeedCast Multimedia and SpeedCast Broadcast .
Craigs comment, This sounds interesting! wonder if we can tap into the stream using a satellite card in the pc?
Zee to buy UTN to grow Alpha
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20010724/efetop2.html
Zee Telefilms is acquiring Urdu Television Network (UTN), as part of a broad plan to bring language channels under the Alpha brand.
The two companies are in final stages of negotiation and the financial details are being worked out. “UTN will wind down. It will make way for Alpha Urdu to be launched,” said Sandeep Goyal, group broadcasting chief executive officer, Zee Telefilms. He, however, declined to comment on whether Zee would buy out UTN entirely or have a majority stake. Zee currently markets the channel.
Zee Telefilms will, through UTN, have a regional channel spread across several states where Urdu speaking population is concentrated. “It will be the only regional channel in our bouquet, which will have a wider reach across the northern, southern and western regions,” said Mr Goyal.
While UTN will migrate to Alpha Urdu, Zee will convert Krishna, from a Telugu cable to a satellite channel. This will give the network a presence in the state of Andhra Pradesh, after already launching Bharathi in Tamil Nadu and Kaveri in Karnataka. Kerala will be the only state where Zee Telefilms will not have a language channel foothold.
?We are getting the southern language channels also under the Alpha brand name. All this will happen in September. The strategy is to have two brands spread across the network. Under Zee, we will have Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Music, News, MGM, English and Zee Education. Alpha will have all the language channels,” said Mr Goyal.
SitiCable will continue to run its cable channels. But the vernacular channels will be satellite channels under the Alpha umbrella. SitiCable was running the Krishna cable channel.
Alpha, Mr Goyal said, would earn Rs 100 crore in the first full year of operations through its eight channels. Zee Network’s broadcasting business will have Zee and Alpha brands, movies and international business. The movie division will be split into films and music sub-divisions.
Zee Telefilms is also planning to get into vernacular language movie production, after the success of Gadar. This will also provide content for the network’s regional language channels. “We see it as a new opportunity area even for our television business, particularly in the south,” said Mr Goyal.
The network has several common properties which can be used in local language deliveries before taking it to the national channel, Zee TV. This will enhance its connectivity with advertisers and viewers. “They will act as feeders for the same programme to be launched on the national platform. We can work out such cross-channel platforms with Saregama, Antakshari, new dance programme and quiz shows. Even our cookery show Khanaa Khazaana has potential,” said Mr Goyal.
ZED content will also be taken to the regional channels. This will include vocational courses, career choices and the examinations market. Zee is also planning to expand vernacular language exploitation of its Disney programming.
NOTE This document translated from Chinese.
MATV operates FTA on Apstar 2R 76.5E 3846 H Sr 10200 Fec 3/4
The American Asia television on March 28th opens broadcasts
The American Asia entertainment information group (391) the attached company - America Asia television limited company today held the being established ceremony and the cocktail party in Hong Kong. Under the American Asia television flag the American Asia movie entertainment frequency channel also simultaneously holds begins broadcasting the ceremony.
Zhonglian managed Assistant Director Wang Feng Chao, the Hong Kong government broadcasts business administrative bureau President Liang Nai Peng, Zhonglian manages propaganda literary style department Minister Zhao broadly moves by the host ritual honored guest's status attends the cocktail party.
Together attends also has: Zhonglian manages literary style department Vice-minister even strength Wei, Zhonglian manages literary style department Assistant Deputy Office Chief the Liu new atmosphere, the Hong Kong film and television and entertainment business management everywhere long Chen Yu De and so on.
American Asia entertainment information group President Li Guo Xing delivers a speech at the ceremony when indicates, the American Asia television limited company's establishment and the movie exclusive frequency channel opens broadcasts, is the American Asia entertainment information group displays own superiority, grasps the entertainment economy major tendency and the global integration mainly captures.
American Asia television limited company administration President the area Chinese clearly analyzes the company develops when the prospect proposes American Asia television MOVIE the PLUS idea and the movie and the media conformity idea. He disclose, the American Asia movie entertainment frequency channel cannot be the single wheel puts the movie movie; But is penetrates the innovation the interaction type program manufactures, the city promotion activity, the cross media coordination and so on establishes one cross region the movie society area. Area Chinese Ming Huan specially points out, in view of the fact that the Chinese movie recognizes in the whole world the sex is grown day by day, he have the confidence America Asia movie entertainment frequency channel can become outside the global Chinese people first choice, but also can succeed develops the non- Chinese society group the market. He also disclosed planned in the American Asia group unites each place movie specialized association prepares [ global Chinese movie oscar ]. This news immediately causes in the field honored guest, the intermediary friends strong interest.
The after ceremony, should journalistic circles friend's inquire, the area Chinese bright further show the related preparation [ global Chinese movie oscar ] conception: He emphasize, the oscar is the cross region field grand occasion, proper field pooled sharing. From the outset conception stage, the American Asia namely broadly invites each place movie specialized association, the main Chinese movie to appraise the sponsor, industry inside the public figure and the cultural worker participates, the American Asia is proposes this one grand occasion based on the mission feeling. He deeply believe, the oscar will be helpful to promote the different region Chinese movie worker's exchange. Penetration appraisal, can gradually establish the Chinese people viewpoint the movie value main body, besides is helpful to condense the global Chinese people audience focal point, can the nationality promulgation grand meeting and the film festival activity attraction international industry lies between the attention, further develops the foreign language market.
The cocktail party ceremony by golden horse shade emperor Mr. Wu Zhen Yu, red singer Miss Zhang Jia Jia holds the post of the management. The attendance same day activity also includes the multi- positions entertainment works as red entertainer; Hong Kong, overseas each big media high level manager; Business circle cultural circle celebrity and so on.
The American Asia group supplies the manuscript
The American Asia television limited company had been established the ceremony and
The American Asia movie entertainment frequency channel opens broadcasts the ceremony
American Asia group President Li Guo Xing speaks the word
Respect Zhonglian manages Assistant Director Mr. Wang Feng Chao,
Respect broad administrative bureau President Mr. Liang Nai Peng,
Respect Zhonglian manages propaganda literary style department Minister Mr. Zhao Guang Ting,
Fellow distinguished guests, fellow friends, ladies, gentlemen. Hello!
First I cherish the incomparably excited mood, officially announces in here to each: The American Asia television limited company officially had been established with the American Asia movie entertainment frequency channel officially opens broadcasts.
Heartfeltly thank fellow guests, fellow friends and our together testimony this important time.
The American Asia entertainment group establishes from 17 years ago until now, has grown into the Asian entertainment information profession mainstay. Its service scale the big domain is broad, may say is in the world so long as has Chinese people's place has the American Asia video and music product. Now the movie industry, is experiencing two huge changes.
First is the movie manufactures penetrates the many Yuan media and the carrier the audience surface expansion to is broadest and the deepest level global market. This is precisely the American Asia's field of vision and the goal.
The second tendency is the movie industry and the television media big scale conformity, causes the movie thoroughly to seep each family. The American Asia television establishment, the American Asia movie frequency channel opens broadcasts, is precisely the group displays own superiority, grasps the entertainment economy major tendency and the global integration foresightedness captures.
Finally, I wish in advance: The American Asia television service progresses day by day, the American Asia movie entertainment frequency channel will become the global Chinese people first choice in the very quick future the movie frequency channel. Thanks each!
23/7/01
Quite a lot in the news section today hopefully something of interest to all. Its quite hard to find strictly satellite related stuff. I don't like to publish to much pay tv related stuff as there are other sites specializing in that.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Chris Pickstock via the mailing list last night
Network Nine feed of Swimming from Japan is currently on at
B1, 12326 H, Sr 6980, Vpid 1160, Apid 1120. (Usually an ABC feed freq)
Chris
Craigs comment, Has anyone found the source feed yet? possibly Pas 8?
From Thomas 'b@cco007' Baxter
New auspaytv Website
http://www.auspaytv-information.cjb.net/
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E 12386 H "7 Network" has left.
Optus B1 160E 12397 H "Occasional feeds" Sr 7200, Fec 3/4.
Yamal 102 90E 3601 "Loblastnoje TV" has started regular transmissions, Sr 4285, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256.
Yamal 102 90E 3548 L "Radio Mayak" has started on, SID 4, Apid 1122.
Yamal 102 90E 3588 L "Nord TV" has left
Insat 2E 83E 4005 V "ETV Urdu" is only testing
Insat 2E 83E 3809 V "DD 5 - Podhigai" has left.
Insat 2E 83E 3979 V "DD 8 - Andhra Pradesh" has left
Insat 2E 83E 4070 V "DD 7 - West Bengal" has left
Apstar 2R 76.5E 3976 ? "mystery could be SZTV?" Sr 5000 Fec 3/4, somebody check this one
NEWS
Austar sells 3G to Unwired
From http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,2411535%255E462,00.html
REGIONAL pay television group Austar United Communications today said it has agreed to sell 3.4 gigahertz band spectrum to Unwired Australia for $14.07 million.
The spectrum was owned by Austar's licence-holding subsidiary in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, and was acquired by Austar in an auction conducted by the Australian Communications Authority in October 2000.
In the same auction Unwired acquired nationwide spectrum in the 3.4 gigahertz band. Austar said it has not yet made any use of the spectrum, for which it paid $14.07 million.
"Our decision to sell this spectrum is part of Austar's ongoing assessment of its strategy," said Austar chief executive John Porter.
"Austar remains convinced that wireless broadband will prove to be a valuable technology. However, in the short to medium term we have decided to focus our efforts and our capital on our core pay TV and data businesses in regional Australia," he said in a statement.
Mr Porter said Austar has all the spectrum it needs to be a major player in the wireless broadband market, having acquired nationwide spectrum in the 2.3-2.4 gigahertz bands.
Austar shares have been under pressure and generally trailing downwards since a peak of $9.90 in March 2000. They traded at a low of 45.5 cents a share in April.
AAP
Free to air but not free to view
From http://finance.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,2406748%255E462,00.html
AUSTRALIA'S free-to-air TV industry is attempting a feat which has yet to be achieved anywhere else in the world.
It is developing an interactive digital TV system to provide it with the infrastructure it needs to battle the pay TV industry for the hearts and minds of viewers.
Elsewhere in the world, interactivity is delivered traditionally through pay TV, as those companies have the subscriber bases needed to be able to afford the subsidised set-top boxes delivered to consumer's homes.
In the UK, a company called ITV Digital, owned by Granada Media and Carlton Communications, has rolled out a terrestrial interactive TV system but has had limited success, despite subsidising the set-top boxes.
A terrestrial interactive TV system has yet to be delivered in a horizontal TV market (without the TV companies paying for the set-top box) but that is what the Australian free-to-air industry is attempting.
And so far, the result has been abysmal, with only about 2000 digital set-top boxes sold.
The networks therefore need to give people a reason to buy the boxes, and the most enticing reason will be interactive services. But to do that and also to ensure they can grab a share of future interactive TV advertising revenues away from the pay TV industry they must jointly agree on the structure of a box and the systems that run those boxes.
Some within the pay industry believe such an intense level of co-operation among the free-to-airs is virtually impossible.
Even the networks would admit they have probably never before worked so closely together.
But there is now a greater urgency as Foxtel's major shareholder, Telstra, seems to be preparing to offer interactive services after admitting that is the key to driving Foxtel's next growth phase.
And the Optus interactive TV trial is apparently continuing in North Sydney.
The free-to-air industry's peak body, the Federation of Australian Commercial TV Stations (FACTS), has formed a digital TV (DTV) strategy group and appointed a project manager, Chris Williamson, to lead the task.
The group comprises all the commercial, national and regional broadcasters, and oversees a raft of committees working on a range of policy-related and technical issues.
FACTS chief executive Julie Flynn also says that if the local pay TV industry went digital tomorrow, it would still reach into only about 20 per cent of homes.
"What we're trying to do is go digital for everybody," she says.
The pay TV industry would argue that digital services would dramatically lift its penetration, but Flynn says there will always be someone who won't pay for TV.
The free-to-airs are hoping to use a digital TV standard known as Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) to drive the interactive components of the box, aspects of which are still to be finalised.
The official adoption of that standard is not expected until it is trialled at one of the world's largest consumer electronics shows in Berlin in August. But from the TV networks' point of view, MHP is the best thing going as it's an open standard.
"There's a degree of content from the internet world that's easier to deploy (on interactive TV) because they share a common base with MHP, and they are the HTML, Java-based and XML applications," Williamson says. "So it'll be much easier as you don't have to take the raw content and repurpose it."
Williamson also says the main issues facing the TV networks are not technical, but organisational.
"You have to go through these same processes whether you do this in a vertical market or a horizontal market," he says.
Flynn says that once the framework has been decided, the individual broadcasters will be able to develop their own applications with which to entice viewers.
She also says the DTV group is receiving support from the set-top box manufacturers who fear pay TV penetration worldwide may be about to plateau, while digital terrestrial presents them with a new market.
Williamson says Finland will conduct a "soft launch" of what is expected to be the first terrestrial interactive TV system later this month, while the Australian project is expected to take up to a year.
Is Saturn Groovin’ to Movie Magic?
From http://www.spectrum.net.nz/index.html
TelstraSaturn has been running a staff competition to find a suitable name its new movie channel and it looks like it might be a toss up between ‘Groovy Movies’ and ‘Movie Magic’.
Staff at TelstraSaturn did not respond to inquiries on the issue. It is not known when the new movie channel will go to air, but it Spectrum.net understands the movie channel will carry movies from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Saturn TV's New 24/7 Saturn Sport Spectacle
From: TelstraSaturn Ltd
Press Release
Saturn TV customers can now view top sporting action featuring premium international and national events around the clock on TelstraSaturn's Saturn TV cable service.
"Saturn Sports brings a whole new perspective to sports viewing with exciting and extensive coverage of the world's premier sporting events. Content will focus on five major sports - golf, tennis, motorsport, rugby and soccer. In addition to these sports, we will also screen extreme sports, national college sport competitions and a variety of other local sports. This unique mix offers Saturn TV customers a quality selection of sports programmes," said TelstraSaturn's Sports Liaison Manager, Ken Laban.
"With exclusive rights to the All Blacks tests in November, Six Nations and the Heineken Cup Rugby in 2001/2002, Saturn TV is providing a key line-up of sports action. And of course, we are always on the look out to acquire more sports content," said Mr Laban.
"New Zealanders are passionate about sport and it's ingrained in our lives. Creating this sports channel provides our customers with more choice, more entertainment and 24 hours of premium sports viewing," said Mr Laban.
"Saturn Sport is a great addition to our television service and provides a unique mix of local, national and international sports coverage appealing to both armchair and active sport enthusiasts," said Mr Laban.
A snap shot of the Saturn TV Sport offering is below.
About TelstraSaturn Limited
As New Zealand's leading convergent company, TelstraSaturn Ltd offers voice, data, mobile, Internet and cable television services to a mix of business and residential customers in the New Zealand market. The company is currently planning and/or building residential and business networks in Christchurch and Auckland to complement its Wellington network. TelstraSaturn is a company merging the New Zealand operations of Telstra Corporation and Austar United Communications, each of whom have 50 percent share holding.
A snap shot of the Saturn TV Sport offering includes:
Live Wimbledon
The British Open
European Tour
Ryder Cup
Amsterdam Tournament
Exclusive All Black Tests against Argentina, Scotland and Ireland, Six Nations and Heineken Cup Rugby for 2001/2002
Life Charity Shield (Soccer)
Live MotoGP
Nascar
British Touring Cars
Coca Cola Cup Netball (18 games)
Women's NBA
ASP Surfing World Cup
Mountain Bike World Championships 2001
FINA Diving
International Softball
Mens and Womens NPC Softball
Wellington Tennis Open
Allfields International Tennis Open
New Zealand Dragon Boating Championships
Secondary School Rugby (18 games)
New Zealand Motor Racing
National League Soccer
Metro Cup Hockey
Under 21 Rugby (Provincial)
International Karate
National Basketball League (12 games)
Bartercard Cup Rugby League
National and International Yachting
Several TV channels may not be free anymore with satellite switch
From http://www.agencyfaqs.com/www1/news/stories/2001/07/13/2922.html
Several television channels beaming programmes over the Indian sub-continent may no longer be free as they are switching over to the PAS-10 satellite.
Channels like B4U, Cartoon Network, CNN India, HBO, MTV India, Sony Entertainment Network (SET), BBC World, Doordarshan and Maharishi currently ride on PAS-4, which is being phased out.
The switch necessitates that the channels encrypt signals over India in order to protect their 'pay' markets overseas. The transition is already on and will be over by August 4.
The new satellite, PAS-10, has a wider footprint than the PAS-4 satellite. This will make several channels overlap over Australia, South East Asia and Africa, in addition to the Indian sub-continent. Though this does not affect digitally encrypted pay channels like the Turner bouquet, it would create problems for free-to-air channels like Sony and MTV India.
These channels will therefore have to be encrypted to block spillover of the signal into overseas pay markets.
Some channels are already taking remedial measures. For instance, SET, which is free-to-air in analog mode at the moment, plans to digitally encrypt its feed next month.
BBC World is also encrypting shortly. Confirming that the new frequency on PAS-10 would be functional from July 13, 2001, BBC World's head of marketing communications, Jane Gorard said, "There is a digitalisation programme that will be implemented by year end."
BBC World is available as a pay channel in the African continent on the bouquet of multi-service operator (MSO), multichoice as well as in the Far East on the likes of Singapore Cable Vision.
Similarly, B4U, both Music and Entertainment channels, are pay channels in Africa and Australia. This transition has hastened the process of B4U encrypting by September and pay by December in India, according to its chief distribution officer, Debashish Dey.
MTV is another channel which is analog and free-to-air in India and is likely to be impacted since it is widely available as a pay channel in the satellite footprint area, of course, as a different feed.
Zee Tele seeks WIPO help to protect "Zee" brand
From http://www.economictimes.com/today/23tech02.htm
ZEE Telefilms has secured a restrain order against use of the domain name "ZeeTV" similar to its own "ZeeTV.Com" after it found that former had been hacked and bombarded with anti-India messages.
With no options left, the entertainment major approached the World Intellectual Property Rights Organisation to protect its popular mark "Zee" complaining that the domain name "ZeeTV" registered by an Indian was causing embarrassment to the company with public believing that official Web site of Zee Telefilms had been cracked.
Coming to the relief of Zee Telefilms, Wipo, an apex body of arbitration and mediation for the protection of IPR, said "hackers have posted anti-India messages on the Web site of the said domain name and such activity may affect the business interests of Zee Telefilms."
Restraining Rahul Dholakia from using the domain name "ZeeTV" and any other domain names with the brand name "Zee", WIPO transferred the said domain name to Zee Telefilms which was confusingly similar to "ZeeTV.Com" registered by it.
Wipo's decision that any domain names with the mark "Zee" constitutes the exclusive right of Zee Telefilms and its subsidiary, was communicated to advocate Pratibha M Singh who represented the entertainment major at the apex body.
Hariram Jayaram, serving as a sole panelist in the dispute, held that Dholakia had got registered domain name "ZeeTV" identical to that of Zee Telfilms' "ZeeTV.Com" with US agency Network Solutions in 1998.
The panel has compared the said domain name with the marks "Zee" and "Zee TV" upon which singh had relied and finds that the "ZeeTV" is confusingly similar to "Zee" and identical to "ZeeTV," the finding said.
"For all the various reasons discussed, the panel finds that the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith," Jayaram said.
Wipo said it finds force in contentions of Zee Telefilms that respondent (Dholakia) "is not, either as an individual, businesses or other organisation, commonly known by the name Zee TV."
"Hyperlinking the said domain name with a non-related home page of another, cannot in any sense constitute a legitimate non-commercial or fair use of the said domain name," the order said.
"The Web sites serves merely to link to another site and disruptive use has been made of it by hackers much to the embarrassment of the complainants (Zee Telefilms)," it said.
Stating that Zee Telefilms have several subsidiaries, associates and group companies with the word "Zee," the panel said "on account of long and substantial use in the fields of education, entertainment and publishing, this word 'Zee' has acquired the status of a common law trade mark."
Singh had contended that Dholakia, being of Indian origin was aware of the fame, reputation and goodwill associated with Zee TV and the users would be led to believe that the said domain name was the official Web site of the Zee group of companies. (PTI)
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 29/2001 - July 22 2001 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by Tele Satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
CANADA
CANWEST GETS GREEN LIGHT FOR OVERSEAS DIGITAL CARRIAGE
Canada’s broadcast regulator approved a request on July 16 by Canadian
broadcaster CanWest Global Communications Corp. to secure digital carriage in
this country for TV networks it operates in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland,
despite concerns raised by rival national network CTV Inc. over rights to U.S.
programming. CanWest Global’s Network Ten in Australia, TV3 in the Republic of
Ireland and TV3 and TV4 television networks in New Zealand were among 19 of 29
non-Canadian TV channels approved for eligible digital carriage in Canada. The
non-Canadian stations cannot be carried here until September, when as many as
50 new Canadian digital channels are set to launch.
WWF HITS OUT AGAINST PIRATES
World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Canada, Inc. on July 17 filed a claim
for a permanent injunction and damages in the Federal Court of Canada against
more than 30 sports bars and commercial establishments across Canada who are
infringing upon WWFE’s intellectual property through their illegal and
unauthorised distribution of its monthly live pay-per-view telecasts. The claim
seeks to immediately prohibit the defendants from distributing any further
World Wrestling Federation pay-per-view programs and seeks more than $1.7
million (Canadian) in damages. This lawsuit is part of the company’s global
effort to prevent piracy and bootlegging of its intellectual properties. World
Wrestling Federation Entertainment produces and broadcasts monthly pay-per-view
speciality live events throughout the world. World Wrestling Federation makes
these speciality events available to sports bars and for private in-home
viewing upon payment of a subscription fee.
CRTC SAYS NO TO PORN CHANNELS
Canada’s federal broadcast regulator has rejected a trio of U.S. porn channels
that would have been available digitally through local cable providers. Two
industry associations and a handful of cable companies, including Rogers
Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., had sponsored the
adult-themed channels to entice customers to sign up for their digital
services. Currently, only about 7 per cent of the country’s 7.4 million cable
subscribers have purchased digital boxes to access the service. But in a ruling
issued July 13, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
vetoed the proposed channels, saying it would have no jurisdiction over such
hard-core offerings as Spice Platinum Live, a reality-based sex station, and
Spice Platinum 2, which specialises in ethnically diverse adult movies. Cable
companies, which must carry at least 16 new Canadian digital channels slated to
debut in September, backed about 30 foreign stations in March for inclusion on
a list of satellite services eligible for digital carriage. The CRTC rejected
10 of these, including Family Net, National Iranian Television (NITV), and
Sundance Channel, a station devoted to films and documentaries, because they
competed with scheduled or proposed Canadian digital channels. In addition to
the 16 stations launching this fall, another 250 category two digital
licenceswhich are not guaranteed distribution by cable companies have been
granted by the regulator. Among the 20 stations approved by the CRTC were
Eternal World Television Network, a Catholic channel; RTV Palma, a general
interest station broadcast in Yugoslavia; and The Scandinavian Channel,
featuring news and current affairs programming from Denmark, Finland, Norway
and Sweden.
UNITED STATES
PGA TOUR ANNOUNCES NEW TV DEALS
The PGA Tour agreed to new TV packages that increase its take by hundreds of
millions of dollars. The contracts with ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, USA and The Golf
Channel, announced July 16, run from 2003-06. There aren’t major changes in the
golf schedules for ABC, CBS and NBC, although each network does lose and gain
tournaments. The Players Championship will remain part of the Florida Swing and
will be played in late March from 2003-2006. NBC keeps The Players
Championship, while ESPN gets back early round coverage after a four-year
hiatus. Under the new set-up, ABC will average 18 events each year, CBS 17 and
NBC five. On cable, the biggest mover was USA, which more than doubled its golf
coverage by jumping from 15 tournaments this year to 33 per year over the
length of the deal. ESPN drops from 18 to 14 events but adds quality by gaining
The Players Championship and Memorial. The Golf Channel, which is airing a
dozen tournaments in 2001, won’t have any PGA Tour events but does get
exclusive rights to the Buy.com Tour.
MURDOCH COULD LAUNCH FINANCIAL NEWS CHANNEL
Rupert Murdoch is reported to want his own financial news network to be run by
his Fox News Channel, competing with CNBC, CNNfn, and Bloomberg Television.
Reports say that talks are still in an early stage, with plans largely
dependent on Murdoch's ability to complete his deal to acquire satellite
television service DirecTV from General Motors as the network would primarily
be distributed to DirecTV's 10 million potential audience. Distribution could
then be sought on US cable systems.
DIGITAL SWITCHOVER COULD BE DELAYED
The U.S. analogue switch-off target of 2006 is looking less likely after the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) postponed the auction of licenses in
the 747-762 MHz to 777-792 MHz bands. No date has been set for their
re-auction.
AUSTRALIA
AUSTAR UNLIKELY TO REACH SUBSCRIBER GOAL
According to press reports, Australian pay-TV platform Austar will struggle to
reach its target of 40,000 new subscribers by year-end. Sources close to the
company are quoted as saying subscriber growth has been slow in this quarter.
Austar added 5,500 new subscribers in the first quarter of 2001 and unofficial
figures estimate a further 5,000 were added in April. Austar has about 427,000
subscribers in total.
SEVEN NETWORK STARTS PROCEEDINGS AGAINST RIVALS
Australian terrestrial broadcaster Seven Network has initiated proceedings to
force a group of competitors, including News Corp.-backed pay-TV operator
Foxtel, to reveal information on their negotiations for premium TV sports
rights. Seven claims the Trade Practice Act may have been breached when TV
rights for the National Rugby League and Australian Football League, held by
Seven’s non-terrestrial channel C7 until September 2001, were awarded to its
rivals. It says a group of broadcasters are trying monopolise sports
broadcasting and kill off C7. Nine and Ten Networks have the rights to the
football until 2006, and Foxtel has the rugby rights.
CHINA - HONG KONG
YES TV CHANGES OWNERSHIP
The Broadcasting Authority has approved a change in ownership structure of
pay-TV operator Yes Television. The Authority has agreed that the company will
become a wholly owned subsidiary of a new joint venture owned 75 per cent by
CLP Telecommunications and 25 per cent by Yes Television Asia. The formal
approval of the ownership change comes as Yes Television’s interactive TV
service prepares for launch later this year under CLP TeleCom’s Oxygen brand.
Oxygen’s interactive TV service is offered with Yes Television’s ‘Total
Television’ approach, providing subscribers with a blend of broadcast
television and true VOD. Internet based content and email from the television
set will be offered as part of a fully convergent communications and
entertainment service for Hong Kong households. Oxygen’s interactive TV service
will cater for both Chinese and English audiences through a specially developed
dual-language interface with localised content and services.
TVB TO GIVE AWAY FREE DISHES
Hong Kong terrestrial leader Television Broadcasts Ltd is expected to spend
part of the $50 million allocated to buying set top boxes and other subscriber
equipment on giving away 1,000 satellite receivers in mainland China. Johnny
Yau, General Manager of TVB Satellite Broadcasting, was quoted in a
Chinese-language newspaper in Hong Kong this week saying the dish give away was
designed to boost the audience share of its TVB8 channel by a third to 1.3
million, with a commensurate increase in advertising revenue. TVB is very
popular in southern China where more than 100 million people speak Cantonese as
their mother tongue - which is also Hong Kong's main language. Despite the
popularity of the service, the Hong Kong originated signals are deemed to be
'accidental overspill' and TVB will have to tread carefully in terms of who it
gives away the satellite receivers to. It is illegal to receive foreign TV
channels in China, even though Hong Kong has been part of China since 1997
because broadcasters in the Special Administrative Region, as the former
British colony is known, are classified as 'overseas.'
INDIA
SAB PLANS TO EXPAND INTO UK AND US
SAB TV, the Indian terrestrial TV network that recently lodged the highest bid
for national broadcaster Doordarshan’s Metro channel, says it will forge an
alliance with an international media company to allow SAB to air in the UK and
U.S. No details of the new partner were given, but SAB TV says it will be
announced within a month.
CNBC INDIA TO BREAK-EVEN IN 2002
Indian business news channel CNBC India will breakeven in the first quarter of
2002 according to Raghav Bahl, CEO of Television Eighteen, which has a 49 per
cent stake in the channel. Bahl told press that, while other Indian operators
have news services, there is not another dedicated business news channel
broadcast in English. Meanwhile, local reports say Sony Entertainment
Television has dropped its interest in acquiring a stake in the channel, which
is 51 per cent owned by CNBC.
JAPAN
DTT TO LAUNCH IN THREE CITIES
DTT broadcasting will launch in the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka
the government has announced. The country’s authorities have unveiled a plan to
promote digital broadcasting that requires broadcasters to prepare the
necessary infrastructure for national DTT broadcasts starting in 2006. Full
analogue switch off is scheduled for July 24 2011.
NEW ZEALAND
CANWEST CONSIDERS MAORI CHANNEL
Canadian media company CanWest Global Communications is considering a
Maori-language TV channel on TV4. CanWest is in talks with the New Zealand
government, which is keen to promote the Maori channel. Commercial terrestrial
TV4 reaches 1 million of the country’s 1.2 million TV households.
22/7/01
Well the Rugby was a very dull battle, no trys scored very good defense by both sides but it turned into a dull old kick up the field kick it back down sort of match since the conditions were so wet, lots of errors by both sides as well. Oh well at least it was FTA on the dish. Cricket tonight India vs Sri Lanka ODI, probably on Dordashan (Insat2E) from 6.30 Syd time onwards.
From my Emails & ICQ
Seen by Me 1 a.m Syd 22/7/01
B1 160E 12367 V "All Blacks vs South Africa rugby" Newsforce feed, Sr 5630, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256
Seen earlier
B1 160E 12357 V "NRL, Penrith vs Roosters" Newsforce feed, Sr 5630, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256
From the Dish
Pas 8 166E 12726 H "ESPN" has left Boomerang TV Service, (R.I.P Boomerang)
Apstar 1A 134E 3907 H "Yunnan People's Radio" has started on , Apid 34.
Apstar 1A 134E 3907 H "Yunnan TV" FEC and SID is 1/2 and 1.
Insat 2E 83E 4005 V "ETV Urdu" has started on , SID 5, Vpid 1560 Apid 1520.(Wide beam)
Insat 2E 83E 3525 V "Vijay TV and Asianet Global" have left (Zone beam).
Insat 2E 83E 3525 V "Jaya TV" has started testing on Vpid 273 Apid 274. (Zone beam)
LMI 1 3980 V "Radio Malagasy" has started in Analogue.
NEWS
No news for today
21/7/01
Cricket last night NZ vs India (A odi tournament over in Sri Lanka involving NZ, and India and Sri Lanka) was seen on Insat 2E Dordashan channels, should be another game on Sunday night 6.30 pm Syd time. Tri-Nations Rugby, NZ vs South Africa live on Star Sports 1 a.m Syd time I think. Possibly via Newsforce feed on B1 12367 V as well. I will put out a mailing list message if it shows.
The Latest on Boomerang TV several reports that ESPN has been switched off. A post in the Newsgroups claims the following "I have just heard that Boomerang TV will be switched off PERMANENTLY on August 31st"
The latest DVB 2000 info, Some very nice work being done with the teletext modes check the DVB site for the pictures.
Not much international news today mostly Indian stuff they seem to publish a lot more info about their channels.
Page trim tommorow
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
Optus B1 12397 H Sr 7200 Fec 3/4 Tennis Feed "ASTRALINKS-SEVEN"
David Nolan Reports 21/7/01 3.20 pm Syd
Optus B1 12428 H "Club Rugby" Analogue
Reported by Me on the Mailing list 20/7/01 8.30pm Syd
B3, 12363 V "ABC Feed, netball, Ravens vs Sand" Vpid 4160 Apid 4120 Sr 6108
Seems to be on High power....
From the Dish
Apstar 1A 134E 3907 H "Yunnan Satellite TV" has started , Sr 6980, Vpid 32 Apid 33.
Asiasat 3 105.5E 3980 V "Two test cards have started" on , Vpid 512 Apid 640 and Vpid 513 Apid 644.
NEWS
TV3 and TV4 produce a $9m loss for CanWest
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=201347&thesection=business&thesubsection=media
TV3 and TV4 notched up an operating loss of more than $9 million in the 9 months to May - a result the channels' owners blame on soft advertising and the weak kiwi dollar.
The poor performance of its New Zealand television operations was a black spot on a positive third-quarter result for Canada-based CanWest Global Communications.
The company, Canada's largest publisher of daily newspapers, with media interests in New Zealand, Australia and Ireland, posted a three-month profit of $C32.2 million ($51 million) - down from $C120.4 million in the same quarter a year ago but better than analysts expected.
CanWest said its New Zealand television revenue for the nine months was down 9.8 per cent to $NZ67.9 million.
It said New Zealand earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, excluding foreign-exchange fluctuations, were a loss of $9.1 million compared to a profit of $4.6 million for the same period last year.
The company's New Zealand chief executive, Brent Impey, said the business had been hit by soft advertising conditions "which are occurring in virtually all international markets" and the low value of the New Zealand dollar.
Competitor TVNZ is also a victim of advertising malaise last month it said advertising revenue was down 5 per cent on the same time last year, a result that would cut $11 million from its balance sheet.
Meanwhile, revenue for the nine months from CanWest's local radio business - including the More FM, Rock, Edge, Solid Gold and Pacific networks - was up 8.8 per cent to $NZ67.8 million.
The company said radio earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were up 7 per cent to $16.8 million.
Zee, Asianet move towards separation
From http://www.economictimes.com/today/21tech04.htm
ZEE Telefilms and Asianet are in the process of working out their final parting of ways.
The last surviving joint venture in the form of the two south-based channels — the Tamil language `Asianet Bharati’ and the Kannada `Asianet Kaveree’ — will cease to exist next month with the management passing over entirely to ZTL.
After the separation, the two channels will be launched afresh in August by Zee under the Alpha logo with Bharati being rechristened Alpha Tamil and Kaveree becoming Alpha Kannada.
The Kannada channel has been run so far by Kaveree Entertainment which is a AsianetZee 50:50 joint venture.
Craigs comment, These are FTA currently on Asiasat 3, 4135 V Sr 15000 Fec 2/3
Intelsat targets $56m revenue from India
From http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/210701/detECO13.asp
Global commercial communications satellite provider, Intelsat, has targeted $56 million in revenues from its Indian operations in the current calendar year. It is estimating to log these revenues on the back of a burgeoning market in India for corporate networking and value-added services such as mediacasting. The company is also open to joint ventures in providing end-to-end solutions.
Speaking to the Hindustan Times Raju T Pulugurtha, managing director, South Asia and Asia Pacific said: "India is Intelsat's third largest customer and contributed $48 million to Intelsat's total revenues of $1.1 billion in the year 2000. This year the target is $56 million."
As of now, traditional international voice traffic contributes as much as 45 per cent of these revenues, with another 25 per cent coming from internet traffic. Broadcasting services contribute another 25 per cent with the remaining coming from value-added services.
Pulugurtha predicts that the share of internet and broadcasting services are poised to grow further, with the opening up of the broadcasting (Ku band) and telecom sector.To cater to the growing demands of the nine satellites that Intelsat is scheduled to launch in the next two years four satellites would have a footprint over India.
One of these to be launched in mid-2002 will be a Ku-band hotbird targeted at the Direct-to-Home (DTH) services and corporate networking.
Broadcasters such as Eenadu, Asianet, Zee, internet service providers (ISPs) such as Satyam and GNFC and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) are some of the firms which lease capacity on Intelsat.
DD barred from interrupting cricket telecast
In a significant judgement, the Delhi High Court on Friday restrained Prasar Bharati from superimposing any logo, commercial or branded graphic during the telecast of cricket matches on Doordarshan.
The restraint order would apply to the matches for which marketing rights had been given by Prasar Bharati to Buddha Films, an associate of Zee Telefilms.
Restraining Prasar Bharati from displaying graphics www.Dd.Now.Com and www.Dd.Sports.Com , which spoils the quality of the telecast, Justice J D Kapoor directed DD to telecast only such logos, commercials and branded graphics which are supplied or provided by Buddha Films under the contract.
Buddha Films, which was given exclusive rights to market the air time of the telecast of cricket matches on DD under a Rs 450-crore contract, had challenged the superimposition of its logos by the Prasar Bharati saying it was violative of the deal.
The exclusive marketing right to sell the air time to prospective advertisers in India and abroad was given to Buddha Films following DD winning contract for telecast of all cricket matches in 1999 from cricket board till 2004.
Buddha Films’ counsel Kapil Sibal and Pratibha Singh alleged DD during the India-South Africa and New Zealand series had imposed its logos in violation of the contract.
However, additional solicitor-general Kirit Rawal had contended that Prasar Bharati had not violated any terms of the agreement as Buddha Films was granted marketing rights in respect of the matches conducted by BCCI, which was confined to commercial time of 6,000 seconds per match per day. (PTI)
Sabe TV's 'Office Office' sitcom to join daily brigade
From indiantelevision.com
Office Office, the leading weekly sitcom from the Sabe TV stable, is all set to become a daily. According to Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Ltd (SABTNL) vice-chairman Markand Adhikari, nothing definite has been decided about the frequency of the show.
"It could be three to four times a week," Adhikari says. "But the days have not been pinpointed yet." However, information from within the network indicate a tentative schedule has already been drawn up. The show is likely to be aired thrice a week Mondays through to Wednesday at 8:00 PM
"The official material will be sent out to potential advertisers very shortly," Adhikari says. Among the sponsors who have so far been backing the show are Kodak , Cello, and Nirma.
Adhikari says that the show is being extended because once a week shows get lost in the crowd of dailies. "We want to further develop the audience that Office Office has and make it a habit for them," he says. "Making it a daily can go a long way in furthering our aim."
He adds that efforts are being put in took to keep the storyline strong enough to retain viewers' interest. "It is not a dishum dishum (lots of fighting) show," he says. "It is a show with certain production values and Eagle Video, the producers, are taking care to retain that flavour."
Adhikari added that the move to change the show over to a daily was just one of a basket of efforts which were being worked out to strengthen the channel.
If the show works, it will be an office coup for Sabe TV.
20/7/01
I am thinking about a redesign of the site, perhaps there are some web designers out there who would like to contribute with some ideas or help. I am not very good at design or Html. There are pages on the site that are not linked to via any menus etc yet. It won't be to hard to split the site into about 6 sections. The trickys bits is the actual folder layout of the various sections. As I want it to be possible for users to be able to view the news from whatever day they want, e.g a folder layout like /news/year01/july/20.html would contain just a html page of the days news etc. Other sections could be split like this as well. Send me your ideas and help I am always available via ICQ.
Should be some sports feeds this weekend, The Ashes cricket via Optus B3, Westlink 12595 V It needs an authourised card.
The NZ vs India ODI cricket is on from 8.30pm NZ tonight if you look hard enough you shall find it. You will need RHC polarisation. Thats all the hints I am giving for that one.It is probably also on one of the Indian channels
From my Emails & ICQ
From Francesco
hi craig
please can you tell me what do i need for a reception
abc tv or channel 7 from Auckland ?
like dish size
receiver & LNB type
Thanks in advance
Ciccio
Craigs reply, Abc Northern you can get on a 90cm, it should be fine on that size, Any digital receiver. Plus a KU LNBF is all you need. If you have a sky dish already it comes off the same satellite, so if you lucky and it correctly aligned you only need to plug a different digital reciever into it. Channel 7, is much lower power and probably requires a big solid dish 4M+ in size.
From Bill Richards
2300UTC
Optus B1 12397 H "ATN DIGITAL 2 Feed" Sr 7200, Fec 3/4, Vpid 4194 Apid 4195.
Regards
Bill
Chris Pickstock reports 19/7/01
On the 2nd Mediasat Freq the following loads at the moment
"SATLINX DSNG" Vpid 308, Apid 256 (Note it is not the usual Mediasat Pids)
Test Card at the moment, but a short while ago there was a feed coming from NT. Probably it is to do with the hunt for that gunman up there.
Chris
Craigs comment, I couldn't get this last night due to local weather conditions, but saw it today it looked like policeman on motorbikes riding through the bush looking for something.
From the Dish
Note most of the stuff reported today is for KU band beams that don't usually make it to Australia but worth a look you never know where they may pop up, especially some of those high power Asia beams.
Pas 8 166E 12286 V "Pacific TV" has left and moved to Apstar 2R.
Pas 8 166E 12326 V "Pacific TV" has left and moved to Apstar 2R.
Pas 8 166E 12318 V "FTV Entertainment TV" FTA, Sr 12500, Fec 2/3 Vpid 512 Apid 650, SE Asia Beam
Pas 8 166E 12318 V "FTV News Channel" FTA, Sr 12500, Fec 2/3 Vpid 513 Apid 651,SE Asia Beam
Sinosat 110.5E 4088 V "New Cartoon Satellite TV" has started, Vpid 450 Apid 451.(have a try for this one)
Asiasat 3 105.5E 3980 V "Test Lo" Sr 28100, Fec 3/4, Vpid 513 Apid 644 (Encrypted)
Asiasat 3 105.5E 3980 V "Bars &" Sr 28100, Fec 3/4, Vpid 512 Apid 640 (Encrypted)
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H A test card has started, Vpid 1025 Apid 1026. (One day something might actually stay here)
Apstar 2R 76.5E 12360 H "Golden Future Entertainment TV" has left.
Apstar 2R 76.5E "Pacific TV" has started on 12589 V and 12730 V, Sr 30000, Fec 3/4.
NEWS
Pay TV not for rugby
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz
Sports fans feeling hit below the belt by the decision to screen boxer David Tua's fights on a pay-per-view basis can breath easy - rugby, league and cricket are not going down the same track.
Sky Television announced this week that it had secured the rights to screen Tua's bid for another crack at the world heavyweight title fight on its digital network.
It will charge fans about $25 for the August 18 bout against American Chris Byrd.
If Tua wins he will secure the International Boxing Federation's No 1 challenger ranking and the right to challenge for the heavyweight championship.
The decision to go to pay-per-view was understood to have been made over Tua's head by his United States-based promoters, America Presents.
Sky spokesman Tony O'Brien said that other sports it broadcasts such as rugby would not go down the same path.
"The contracts with major sports codes preclude pay-per-view."
However, O'Brien said that worldwide boxing and, to a certain degree wrestling, were increasingly being screened on pay-per-view channels because those were the deals those sports wanted.
"It's not anything we have any control on," he said.
But Sky, which has screened pay-per-view events for the past two years, is still planning to move further into that arena by running more recently-released blockbuster films that require a fee to watch.
Meanwhile, in Britain, up to 40 premier league soccer games a season are shown through pay-per-view channels. But a survey of 500 adults showed 75 per cent were opposed to screening top events this way.
NZPA
19/7/01
A new user added to the userpages "RC256" in Central Australia some pictures and info about the gear he uses. See it on our userspage link on the left. If you want a userpage send me as much or as little info as you want to share and I will put one up for you. According to reports Star Sports (Asiasat 3) will screen the Tri-Nations rugby live this weekend between South Africa and NZ, perhaps they will show all games involving Australia as well.
From the Dish
Insat 2E 83E 4005 V "ETV MUX is back" Sr 27000, Fec 3/4 WIDE BEAM
Thaicom 3 78.5E 12313 H "Thai TV" has left
LMI 1 75E 3403 H "TV Lanka" has started testing, Sr 3500, Fec 3/4, Vpid 1160 Apid 1120 ( B Beam, may be possible in northern Australia, Report if you can see it.
LMI 1 75E 3403 H "Radio Lanka" is on APID 1122.
Pas 4 68.5E 4086 V The Multichoice Africa mux moved to 3836 V
Pas 4 68.5E 4114 V The Multichoice Africa mux moved to 3863 V, The parameters and line-ups are the same as before, just rearanging things before Pas 10 is switched on.
NEWS
UCB Launch New News In Aust But No Plans Yet For NZ Broadcast
From http://www.spectrum.net.nz/index.html
Radio News has been in the news recently with a new source of news available for radio listeners on non-commercial stations.
Australian Internet site AMT has reported that UCB Australia, partner of the Rhema Broadcasting Group in New Zealand, has recently launched a new news service broadcasting hourly bulletins via satellite to UCB, Rhema and Vision FM stations in Australia
The service which consists of 3.5 to 4 minutes bulletins each hour weekdays from 6am to 7pm Australian time is also available to New Zealand affiliates via Vision FM’s satellite programming on a Optus satellite.
Other Christian and community stations in Australia and New Zealand will be able to access the news service through the satellite link.
UCB are sourcing material from Australian news agency AAP. AAP are also able to provide New Zealand news to the stations through their links with partners NZPA and Radio New Zealand. AMT also report that the service will also use material from the Sydney-based Religious Media Agency.
The service is understood to be formatted to exclude crime stories to present material suitable for all ages. The service plans to include political, economics, health, education, as well as sport and religious news.
In Australia the service will be managed by Philip Smith previously of for Adventist World Radio as a missionary journalist in South Asia. Philip will be based in UCB’s Brisbane headquarters.
Back here in New Zealand Rhema Broadcasting Group CEO John Fabrin said that Rhema was aware of the work of their Australian counterparts but had no plans to switch from their IRN family formatted news. IRN provides the news broadcast on Rhema and Southern Star networks between 6am and 12pm. Life FM’s arrangement to use IRN text presented by Life FM announcers also looks to be staying in place.
Fabrin said that Rhema will look to what UCB Australia might be able to provide in the longer term but expected that they would be fairly busy servicing Australian clients in the shorter term.
Other community broadcasters are understood to be free to pick up the service by signing an agreement with UCB and should contact Philip Smith in the first instance.
For more information contact UCB on 0061 7 3808 6522 or email [email protected].
Packer cuts India operations
From http://203.199.93.7/articleshow.asp?art_id=1433867173
SYDNEY: Australian media mogul Kerry Packer has finally initiated action to cut a string of losses that his company, Consolidated Press Holding (CPH), has suffered in India.
As part of this damage control operation, about 75 per cent of staff at Consolidated Futuristic Solutions, a CPH subsidiary producing software in India, has been sacked. The Australian and North American offices of the beleaguered company have been shut down.
The software unit of Consolidated Solutions, also known as coFuture, would be doing the massive downsizing in a week. It has already reportedly sacked 25 of its 150 employees.
Packer's partner company in India, Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd. (HFCL), holds 51 per cent stake in Consolidated Software Solutions. Australian newspapers have quoted HFCL chairman Mahendra Nahata as saying that in the future the focus would be kept on the core business, that is telecommunication equipment.
He has blamed the slowdown in the market and the failure of Consolidated Solutions to make any `significant sales.'
The mass sackings in a CPH-HFCL subsidiary have come close on the heels of the report that Packer, the owner of Channel Nine TV network, had suffered huge losses from his recent investments in India.
Early last year, Packer had ventured with great fanfare into the Indian IT and entertainment sector. The unprecedented and massive investments in the Indian companies had coincided with a spate of equally impressive investments by Packer's Australian media rival Rupert Murdoch.
Industry experts had termed these investments by Packer and Murdoch, an American, as exercises to get a foothold in the Indian IT industry that was bursting at the seams at that time.
In March 2000, the Packer managers had announced the buying of 10 per cent stake in HFCL. They had paid almost 400 million Australian dollars for their stake in the Indian company. A part of this capital was used to run Consolidated Solutions.
Much has changed since those frenzied forays. There has been a significant decline in the value of hi-tech shares all over the world. HFCL shares have lost 90 per cent of their value since the Internet bubble burst soon after Packer's highly publicised India visit.
The CPH-HFCL combination also got a drubbing in the Indian cable TV project with the decision not to bid for Doordarshan's programming slots.
Packer's woes have been made worse by the collapse of Australian telecommunications company Onetel. The heir apparent to the Packer throne, James Packer, was deeply involved in this project along with the other rising star on the Australian corporate scene, and son of Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch.
The two have lost hundreds of million Australian dollars in the collapse that shocked Australia.
Financial analysts here believe it would not be easy for Packer and his son James, said to be responsible for deciding to enter the Indian market, to go out of the Indian market. Their other investments are also said to be at risk.
The future of the venture capital fund which Packer, Australia's richest man, launched with Indian stock broker Ketan Parekh and HFCL chairman Vinay Maloo is also stated to be unknown. The $250 million project has not even taken off while Parekh has been jailed for a bank scam.
His financial fortunes at home also nose-dived in the last Australian financial year that finished June 30. He is reported to have lost billions of dollars in the last 12 months.
But the massive losses have failed to dislodge him from the top spot as Australia's richest man. The 63-year-old patriarch still has assets worth a cool Australian $6.2 billion.
Look out for Big Brother, says Stokes
From http://www.smh.com.au/news/0107/19/biztech/biztech2.html
Mr Kerry Stokes has stepped up his campaign against SingTel's $14 billion takeover of Cable & Wireless Optus, warning that the Government of Singapore could engage in Big Brother-style surveillance of Australians if it gained control of the nation's second largest carrier.
Mr Stokes's Seven Network lodged its second submission to the Federal Investment Review Board yesterday, calling for SingTel's bid for Optus to be rejected.
In its original submission of early June, Seven warned that SingTel, which is 78 per cent-owned by the Singapore Government's Temasek Holdings, posed a threat to national security as it would result in a foreign government controlling essential communications infrastructure.
Seven's supplementary submission goes one step further, alleging that the Singapore Government could use Optus infrastructure to spy on Australians.
Seven cites numerous instances where the Singapore Government has used SingTel to carry out a "practice of systemic surveillance" of its citizens to maintain political control. According to Seven's submission, most Singaporean residents expect their telephone conversations to be monitored by the Government, while access to the Internet is closely controlled.
"There are no guarantees that once the Singapore Government, through SingTel gaining control of Optus, will not decide that, in the interests of its domestic affairs, Optus assets should be used for surveillance purposes," said Seven.
Seven contends that Optus customers and Australians in general "would find the invasion of privacy and surveillance conducted by SingTel and the Singapore Government repugnant".
Given that the Singapore Government is notorious for restricting access to information and censoring the press, Seven also said that it was "entirely conceivable" that it would be very difficult to obtain information on a SingTel-controlled Optus in the future.
Optus was bemused by Seven's latest submission. "Whatever your belief is on how the Singapore Government runs Singapore, it's completely irrelevant to the way SingTel or any other Singapore company operates in Australia because they are bound by the jurisdiction here," said an Optus spokesman.
A Seven spokesman rejected suggestions that the submission was intended as a negotiating tactic in its discussions with Optus over the carriage of Seven's C7 pay TV sports channel on Optus's pay TV service. "It's an issue of foreign government ownership and control of national infrastructure," said the spokesman.
FIRB is due to hand down its decision on SingTel's bid for Optus next month. Optus shares fell 5c to $3.45 yesterday.
Intelsat Undertakes Private Life
From http://www.washtech.com/news/telecom/11269-1.html
After 37 years of being governed by its 144 member countries, Intelsat became a private company at precisely 7:59 p.m. Wednesday evening and on Thursday will elect a new, smaller board of directors.
That is part of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization’s bid to become a more nimble competitor to other satellite companies, as well as its terrestrial telecom counterparts.
Intelsat will still have the same owners, the largest of which is the United States, with 22 percent of the company. By the end of the next year, the company will sell about 15 percent of its shares to the public, which is expected to raise between $600 million and $1 billion.
Conny Kullman, Intelsat’s director general-cum-chief executive, wants Intelsat to be a full-service telecommunications operation, not just a complementary satellite operation.
In addition to investing $3 billion to add another 10 high-powered satellites to its existing fleet of 19, Intelsat will look at acquiring, leasing, or partnering with firms to give it Earth-based stations and a fiber-optic network to complement its space segment, Kullman said. Although fiber-optic networks are becoming faster and more expansive, satellites still offer advantage for things like broad casting, and for transmitting data right to the desktop or television, circumventing traffic bottlenecks, he said.
Running the $1.1 billion business will now be easier in many ways, without the cumbersome political structure. But Intelsat’s future may be harder to navigate than ever.
Consolidation is taking hold in the satellite industry, as firms try to claim a larger piece of the global telecommunications pie. Intelsat’s largest competitors will include the newly merged SES Astra-GE Americom, as well as Connecticut-based PanAmSat Corp. In the meantime, Intelsat’s European sister Eutelsat — whose privatization preceeded Intelsat’s by about two weeks — is rumored to be in merger discussions with New Skies Satellites NV, which would give that company global coverage.
Intelsat, which used to have a monopoly on all satellite traffic that travelled outside of the U.S., still has the largest, most stable customer base among its competitors. Its biggest threat may not be in the skies, but rather the transformation of the telecommunications industry on the ground.
Terrestrial systems have gotten much cheaper and faster.
"The fixed-satellite services, which is the business Intelsat is in, have had fairly mediocre results for the last three years" because of flagging demand for the basic satellite-transmission services, said Jeffrey Wlodarczak, an analyst with New York-based investment firm CIBC World Markets. Companies like PanAmSat and Intelsat have to take more risks in offering newer, better services that will be costly to market, he said.
Kullman greets all those challenges with sage equanimity.
"Privatizing was the hard part," he said. "The harder part is truly looking like a commercial company, and the hardest part will be finding new areas of business." Privatizing, he said, "is just phase one."
Converting the 900-person operation over from its old diplomatic structure wasn’t simple. Intelsat, whose headquarters is located on State Department land in Van Ness, had to secure approval to transmit data from regulatory bodies in 208 different countries, for example, and get special visa legislation passed in Congress to enable the 35 percent of its workforce that are foreigners — 315 people — to continue to work in the U.S.
Managing the internal diplomatic challenges proved even harder.
"It’s just one of the most complex things that’s ever been done," even with plenty of planning and the congressional mandates laid out in the Orbit Act passed last year, said Joseph Corbett, chief financial officer of Intelsat.
Lobbying at that level is no small task. Since late 1998, when he took the leadership job at Intelsat, Kullman’s become a regular at Dulles Airport, with three passports to show for the world travel he done to manage this monumental transition. Kullman and his management team collectively groan to think of what it all entailed: at least 40 interminable meetings with member countries and Intelsat owners, countless studies, reports and presentations mapping out potential business strategies, all in the name of paving a better economic future for Intelsat.
Insat-3C launch seen to be delayed
From http://www.economictimes.com/today/19econ10.htm
THE LAUNCH of India’s next generation communication satellite Insat-3C, scheduled for September 11, might be delayed as the rocket that was to carry it has developed a snag, space officials said.
"There could be some delay. We are still awaiting information from Arianespace," the European space agency that was to launch Insat-3C, said K N Shankara, an official of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
Shankara is the director of ISRO’s Insat program. Insat-3C, which has 30 transponders, is expected to cater to the growing demand for V-SATs (very small aperture terminals) and broadcast services in the country.
It was to be launched by the Arianespace 5 rocket. The launcher, however, failed to place two satellites in their targeted orbit last week because the upper stage of the rocket could not develop adequate thrust, Arianespace officials were quoted as saying.
The findings of the inquiry into the failure are expected next week, ISRO officials said. They were yet to receive word on the changed launch schedule for Insat-3C. "We can still opt for the Ariane 4 launcher that is still operational," Sankara said.
This rocket, however, is scheduled to launch the Intelsat 902 satellite on August 24, and ISRO officials have yet to be informed if another launcher of the same series would be available to carry aloft Insat-3C.
Interestingly, except for Insat3B, all the other Insat series satellites have been launched by Ariane 4 rockets.
The 1,170 kg Insat-3C will provide fixed satellite services (FSS) in the normal and extended C-bands, as also broadcast satellite services and mobile satellite services in the S-band.
"The satellite is currently undergoing extreme final stages of testing. We could have sent it to (the launch pad at) Kourou, French Guinea, in August for the September 11 launch," Shankara said.
Insat-3C will replace India’s current workhorse, Insat-2C, whose capacity would be transferred to the new bird. Insat-2C is expected to reach the end of its seven-year life span in another six months.
The launch of Insat-3C will be the first phase of ISRO’s efforts to add more than 50 transponders to its capacity, ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan had told a conference of V-SAT service providers some months ago.
The demand for V-SATS is expected to increase from the 14,000 currently in operation to 20,000 in the next couple of years with broadband V-SATs coming in with new technology.
But, as a private player put it, the advantage of transponders of satellites like Insat-3C was that they transmitted more data than satellites with the new technology. (IANS)
BBC World to beef up regional content to corner Indian market
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20010719/con3.html
BBC World is planning to strengthen the regional flavour of news for the Indian market, according to Dr Alistair Brown, director of operations, BBC World.
Dr Brown was in the country to announce the launch of a new series of Mastermind India, a quiz programme on BBC World.
On new plans for India, Dr Brown told The Financial Express that BBC World is working to get a stronger regional focus for India. Although he did not give an exact date, Dr Brown said that the change is expected within six months.
Among the changes to be introduced, Asia Today, a news segment with Asia focus, will be split into two.
While one will focus on the South-East Asian regions such as Singapore, the other will offer news on places in South Asia such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, according to Dr Brown.
Even the broadcasters/presenters for the Asia Today section will be people from Asia, to offer a complete regional impact. BBC World is in the process of identifying local faces for the programme, said Dr Brown.
BBC World also has a reality programme in the pipeline. Very pleased with the success of Hospital, a reality series aired on the channel recently, BBC is planning to roll out another reality programme soon. But Dr Brown preferred to keep all the details of the new reality show under wraps.
He, however, added that one can expect the show later this year on BBC World.
On whether BBC World would consider an alliance or partnership in the Indian market, Dr Brown cautiously said: ‘‘We are not looking at alliances specifically for the Indian market at the moment.’’
He did not however dismiss the idea of a partnership altogether. But he clearly stated that the reported negotiation between AOL-Time Warner Group and Sony to merge their operations was not a threat for BBC.
When BBC talks of alliance, it’s mostly for newsgathering purposes such as exchange of pictures and footage, said Dr Brown.
On investment for the Indian market, Dr Brown said that there’s no immediate plan to up the investment for the region.
When asked about the channel’s expansion plan, he said that there was no talk of opening new channels for India at this moment.
?‘But I will not dismiss the idea,’’ he said, adding that there are several markets where BBC has more than one channel.
Dr Brown indicated that BBC is aware of the changing realities. For instance, although BBC is a familiar brand in India, other options such as Internet may dominate the choice of the younger generation.
To establish itself as a universal brand including among the younger generation as IT and TV merge, BBC is exploring newer possibilities, he said.
All the News That Fits Read any good television lately?
From http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,45335,00.html
The volume of on-screen information will increase in the next two months when new versions of CNN Headline News and ESPNews are launched as part of the transformation of TV viewing in the computer age.
CNN Headline News will include business news, headlines and a weather map in an expanded display that will leave only about half of the TV picture for news anchors, starting Aug. 6.
On Sept. 7, sports channel ESPNews will move from a single line of scores to a larger band that also includes game updates and news items.
Network logos, small and relatively discreet, were in the vanguard of on-screen data. Now, broadcast networks and cable and satellite channels are cramming more and more onto valuable screen real estate.
Television is mimicking the personal computer, from NBC "crawls" promoting one show during another, to Bloomberg Television, a veritable patchwork quilt of business statistics and news.
"Increasingly, we're going to see TV work like computer screens," said industry analyst Larry Gerbrandt of Carmel-based Paul Kagan Associates.
"The problem with television is that it's linear, it can only do one thing at a time," he said. "This is a way of multi-tasking, and it's clear from the way people use computers and websites that they can do more than one thing at a time."
The CNN Headline News changes, part of an overhaul that includes a faster pace and new faces, is an acknowledgment that computers have affected consumer habits, said Teya Ryan, executive vice president and general manager.
With a variety of news on the screen, viewers can spot the highlights they want immediately the kind of immediacy and choice they're used to when going online.
"People are meant to use this network, not just listen to it but use it. There's weather, sports and news when they want it," she said.
The displays are a precursor to true TV-computer interactivity in which viewers will, for instance, be able to click on a weather map icon and get their area's forecast, Ryan said.
As part of its makeover, ESPNews will roughly double the information grid at the bottom of the screen, said spokesman Mike Soltys. "Real-time" scores from games in progress also will be shown.
"Sports is a very data-intensive area and people are getting more and more information off the Internet," he said. "We want to bring that to television."
Can there be an overload? TV viewer Bruce Beasley, 44, of Corona, California, who works in the real estate industry, thinks so.
"It's distracting," he said of the information already on news channels like CNN and MSNBC. His 18-year-old son, Matthew, a Web designer, disagrees.
"When I turn on ESPNews or CNN, I want news. I'd like it (an expanded display), especially if I'm trying to get a particular score or news story and don't want to wait before they rotate again. As a teenager, I'm very impatient."
He's part of the younger, computer-savvy demographic which CNN Headline News, part of the Turner Broadcasting System, expects will most easily adapt to the new format.
"Focus testing comes back off the charts," said Turner CEO Jamie Kellner. "If you get really a lot of older people, you'll start getting confusion. But with the core (audience) that you want for this, which is 18-49, 25-54, there's a very, very solid response."
ESPN also did focus-group testing and found there are limits to how much the screen can hold, spokesman Soltys said. Even the channel's planned incarnation may require an adjustment period.
"We found that while the first reaction to a screen with multiple elements was 'Boy, that's a lot of information,' sports fans learned the format and found the information they were looking for," Soltys said.
People can learn to accept data-dense television, according to UCLA psychology professor Philip J. Kellman, director of the school's cognitive science research program.
Information delivered to the eye and ear is less confusing than that coming from two visual or auditory sources, Kellman said. Consistent placement of material also helps viewers adjust.
Whether that's necessarily for the better is uncertain, he said.
"We seem to be trying to cram more and more information into a screen or people's lives, and even though we can learn to become better at absorbing it it's probably a bit stressful."
How the change will strike all-important advertisers is also in question. ESPNews will run its news displays during commercials while CNN Headline News is weighing such a move.
"I could make a case that it's actually good for advertisers," Gerbrandt said. "If you've got information going across the screen you're less likely to switch to another channel when the commercial comes on."
Another industry expert was skeptical.
"Advertisers pay a lot of money for those commercials," said Kathy Haesele of Advanswers Media in St. Louis, a media-buying firm. "I don't know why news should be distracting the viewer."
Copyright © 2001 Associated Press
18/7/01
Thanks to everyone who turned up for the chatroom, good to see some new names in there. My brothers were comming around this Saturday to do my dish!! But they called last night they have to go on a urgent job back over to the West coast. So a furthur delay. Some news items about Telstra Saturn in the News section, not much other news there though. I have checked B1 and Telstra Saturn dosn't sem to have made any changes today.
There is a ODI cricket match tonight NZ vs Sri Lanka live from Sri Lanka, Sky's showing it over here so a feed must be double hopping to get to NZ. I think Globecast has the broadcast rights so possibly via 66E or Asiasat 2. Let me know if you see it anyway it starts at 9pm NZ.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve Sharp via the mailing list
ABC Kids test have programming on this morning.
Earlier they were just transmitting the kids shows that were on ABN, now
they are running programming solo.
My 3.5 Y/O is happy;-)
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E 12407 V "Optus Business TV 3" is now in clear 24h/day. ( Pretty sure it still requires a card though)
Intelsat 804 64E 4080 L New line-up in the AFRTS mux, Sr 3680, Fec 2/3, Power Vu encrypted
Intelsat 804 64E 4080 L "AFN Atlantic" Vpid 2160 Apid 2120
Intelsat 804 64E 4080 L "Newsports" Vpid 2260 Apid 2220
NEWS
More Movies For Saturn
From http://www.spectrum.net.nz/index.html
Saturn subscribers can look forward to having a new movie channel included in their basic Saturn package alongside TCM.
TelstraSaturn staff did not respond to inquiries on the issue, but Spectrum.net understands the new movie channel will screen movies from the 70s, 80s and early 90s and is yet to be named. TelstraSaturn has been running a competition for staff to come up with a suitable name for the new movie channel.
The move might be in response to changes at Sky including the replacement of TCM with MGM but also could be aimed at enhancing the channel selection for its satellite service.
TelstraSaturn’s inclusion of a movie channel may be in response to viewers feedback In their June magazine Telstra Saturn said subscribers also been requesting channels like ZeeTV, Paramount Comedy and the Lifestyle Channel.
Currently Saturn offers TCM movies as part of the basic package and have pay-per-view for all other movies. Saturn have been addding channels to their cable services over the past two months. The addition of a movie channel is likely to be part of this process.
Chilli Not Hot Enough
From http://www.spectrum.net.nz/index.html
It appears that TelstaSaturn’s new adult movie service is not hot enough.
Several viewers have contacted the TelstraSaturn help desk disappointed that the channel is too tame and some have requested a refund.
Chilli started at the beginning of the month and those that have subscribed to the service have access to three channels of adult content. Chilli movies are pay-per-view and screen on channel 40. The service competes with Sky’s Playboy and Spice Channels.
17/7/01
Live chat tonight 8.30 pm Sydney time. I am in there from 9.30pm NZ as usual.
Some activity on Optus B1 Telstra Saturn, as I type various channels are being renamed for some reason they seem to be using the SID as the channel name. 24 channels loading (some FTA but no pic) and 1 radio channel (nothing on it)
I asked the guys involved with DVB2000 if we can have a DVB2000 ideas message forum so they created one for us, go here and look down near the bottom of the page.
http://www.no-access.de/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl
From my Emails & ICQ
Hi Craig,
As your forecast, Bigbrother show lives on B1 newsforce feed until
11:20pm(Syd time) (Last night). 12367V SR5632 Vpid 308 Apid 256
Regards,
Jundong Wu
Dear Sir,
Kindly advise whether I can receive optus or your Austalia
Channels or NZ channels from my place. I am from SIBU, SARAWAK, BORNEO,
MALAYSIA.
Although the footprint is not over here, Sir, but I managed to received
THAICOM 3 KU UBC signal over here unfortunate its crypted and I can only
managed to get the Radio channels .I am using a 1.8 off set dish to
capture the Thaicom3 channels.
Kindly reply.
Thanks.
Yours Faithfully,
Mathew Chung
Craigs reply, you won't get any ku band from Australia or NZ, but you should try Agila 2, PalapaC2, Asiasat 2 and St1 for possible Ku reception. Let me know what you find.
From The Dish
Pas 8 166E 12686 H The test card is now encrypted.
Measat 2 148E 4130V "Testcard" Sr 6110 Fec 3/4, (Yes Cband and the beam does cover Australia number that appeared onscreen is +1-805-701-3509, perhaps they would like reception reports)
Pas 4 68.5E 3864 V "BBC World India and BBC World Service" have left moved to 4182 V.
NEWS
Sky NZ And NRL Sign Five Year Rugby League Television Rights Contract
Source : Sky Network Television Limited
The National Rugby League and SKY Television New Zealand today announced a five-year agreement to televise Telstra Premiership matches, the State of Origin Series and Australian based Test matches.
Commencing in 2002, the new agreement ensures that New Zealand Rugby League fans will continue to have the opportunity, through SKY’s multi-channel digital environment, to see live coverage of every Telstra Premiership game throughout the season.
The coverage will include the Telstra Premiership Grand Final on September 30.
?This is a tremendous vote of confidence in the Telstra Premiership and we are excited to be going forward with SKY,” said David Moffett, Chief Executive, NRL.
?The Telstra Premiership produces the most exciting professional sporting competition either side of the Tasman and SKY has a tremendous record in bringing that excitement to viewers in an equally professional way.”
SKY’s Chief Executive, John Fellet said, “As one of SKY’s foundation sports rugby league is an essential part of SKY’s sports programming line-up – the Telstra Premiership will continue our commitment to sports fans, bringing world class Rugby League coverage to our subscribers.”
New Zealand Warriors fans can be reassured that all their teams games, both home and away, will be broadcast live and uninterrupted on SKY.
The five-year agreement allows SKY to now negotiate a free to air partnership going forward, whilst recognising the enormous reach that Sky already has within New Zealand.
The new ESPN,beyond just games
From http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2001/july01/july16/1_mon/news2monday.html
Made-for flix, reality shows, even hunk pageants
Of late, televised sports have been a story of ups and downs: The rights fees go up and the viewership goes down.
At some point a network like ESPN, which is paying nearly a quarter of a billion dollars each year for baseball and football, has to diversify.
Apparently that time has come, as ESPN announced on Friday that the network is producing a whole slate of new original programming, including ESPN’s first made-for-cable movie, a daily strip series, a game show and a reality series.
At about $25 million a year, the whole endeavor will cost ESPN less than a single day of NFL football games.
The original programming comes out of ESPN’s newest division, the ESPN Original Entertainment franchise. EOE is developing the new programming with the devoted jock-sniffer in mind.
"After building the largest, most far-reaching sports franchise in television history, ESPN has learned there is no limit to the universe of sports programming," Mark Shapiro, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN programming, said Friday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif.
"I believe we can be all things to all fans, and EOE is our vehicle into that uncharted future."
Heading up ESPN’s programming parade will be the network’s first original movie, "A Season on the Brink: A Year with Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers," chronicling the Hoosiers’ storied basketball season of 1985-86.
The movie, which begins production in November, is based on the bestseller of the same name by John Feinstein. Three-time Emmy winner David Rintels, a veteran of the made-for-TV movie genre, is writing the script.
"A Season on the Brink" will air on March 10, 2002.
The all-sports network has also become an unlikely player in the reality-show spectacle.
"D League" is a sort of "Making the Band" for athletes, following a group of hopeful young basketball players as they progress through the NBA’s development league.
EOE will produce 13 half-hour episodes of the primetime reality soap series, while ESPN2 will televise actual D-League games.
In a similar vein, ESPN will debut a reality/game show called "Beg, Borrow and B.S." It is the latest addition to what is quickly becoming a reality subgenre. Contestants will travel across the country completing a variety of tasks, in this case athletic challenges, in a race to the finish, where prizes await.
According to ESPN’s casting call, contestants will choose from challenges ranging from "riding the USC Trojan Horse during a game" to "serving as the ring announcer at a heavyweight boxing match" to "catching a real Florida marlin."
Production for "Beg, Borrow and B.S." will begin this fall, with the series to premiere on February 3.
ESPN’s first live, daily strip series, "Pardon the Interruption," will feature lively talk and argument about sports current events and issues. The show will air daily at 5:30 p.m.
EOE is also working on a slew of sports-related specials, starting with "Real Classics Uncut," which takes viewers behind the scenes on the sets of some of the latest sports movies.
In two one-hour specials, "The Wild Onion" will follow a 32-team race through Chicago as athletes climb the Sears Tower, kayak across Lake Michigan and walk a tightrope suspended between two downtown skyscrapers.
"College SportsCentury" will take a human-interest angle on some of America’s best collegiate athletes.
And finally, in a decidedly Fox-esque move, ESPN will stage a pageant to crown the "World’s Sexiest Athletes." Viewers can vote through ESPN.com or ESPN the Magazine on their favorite male and female sports hotties.
The new original programming seems to represent a significant shift in ESPN’s programming strategy. With expensive sports filling only small portions of its schedule, the network had always relied heavily on B-list sports to fill the holes.
Now, at a relatively economical price, the network can instead air original series.
"It will probably do better for them than billiards or some of the stuff they put on at odd hours," says John Mansell, a sports analyst at Paul Kagan Associates.
"I can think of plenty of sports movies I’d prefer to see over a lot of sports programming."
Besides, ESPN may eventually be priced out of sports like baseball and the NFL.
"It makes sense. It’s certainly a great hedge for them if they can’t get some of the high-profile sports programming they want," says Mansell.
16/7/01
Yes the sites been down in case you were wondering if your ISP was having problems, it was the host server someone knocked out the network cable. Perhaps tonight there may be a feed of the Big Brother final its on here in NZ at 9.30pm. I think it maybe live so there might be a satellite feed up there.
From my Emails & ICQ
Bill Richards supplies a missing screenshot from Asiasat 2, MAC TV
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E 12532 V "Tamil Radio and Rhythm FM" have started FTA ,Apids 1872 and 1873.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3830 H "The four Inner Mongolia People's Radio channels are back" , PIDs 257 and 513.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3660 V "MTA International" has new pids Vpid 2560 Apid 2561.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3714 V "Occasional Ekushey TV feeds" on, Sr 4070, Fec 2/3.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3634 V "The Thaicom test" has left, Analog.
NEWS
Australia's C&W Optus Denies Plans to Spin-off Satellite Division
From satnewsasia.com
Cable & Wireless Optus (CWO) has squelched widespread speculation that it plans to spin off or sell its satellite division to facilitate Singapore Telecommunications’ (SingTel) controversial takeover bid.
CWO Optus networks managing director Stephen Rotheram said the company had no plans of separating its satellite systems division that operates three in-orbit satellites (Optus A3, B1 and B3) and will launch another satellite (Optus C1) in 2002 with the cooperation of the Australian Defense Force (ADF). The ADF will own over half the transponders on Optus C1.
"The answer is no ... getting the necessary approvals is actually SingTel's business and not Optus' business," Rotheram said.
"But at the moment they're not our majority shareholder (and won't be) until the deal has gone through. So they're working the deals with the FIRB and US authorities. There have been public statements that, as far as we know, there are no impediments to the deal going through. . . There are no major issues as far as we know," he added.
The fate of the satellite systems division is impeding SingTel’s acquisition of CWO, Australia’s second largest telco. Critics of SingTel’s US$ 8.6 billion takeover bid say Australia’s national security may be jeopardized by transferring ownership of CWO and its satellite systems division to SingTel, which is owned 78 percent by the Singapore government.
The takeover bid has been pending with Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) for the past three months. The FIRB recently extended its examination period for the offer. FIRB approval process is a routine operation in Australia and in the US.
SingTel, however, said it is confident of getting the go ahead from the Australian federal government.
Rotheram said that FIRB approval is the concern of SingTel, and CWO may not be aware of any problems with the approval process.
WorldSpace Signs Radio Republic of Indonesia
AsiaStar will broadcast Radio Republic of Indonesia throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
From satnewsasia.com
WorldSpace Corporation and Radio Republic of Indonesia (RRI) today announced the signing of a Lease Capacity Agreement that will enable RRI to air its programming over the WorldSpace digital audio broadcasting system. The agreement was signed by Mr. Sunendra, technical director of RRI and Eyob A Samara, executive vice president, WorldSpace Corporation.
Under the terms of the agreement, on July 2, 2001 RRI will commence 24- hour broadcasts of breaking news, music, and information via the South beam of the WorldSpace AsiaStar satellite throughout Indonesia and the surrounding South East Asia countries. Once the broadcasts begin, Radio Republic of Indonesia will appear as "RRI" on the LCD display of all WorldSpace receivers within the South beam coverage area and its Broadcast Channel Identification Number (BCID) will be 1413.
The agreement also enables WorldSpace to promote its digital broadcast system capabilities and its satellite receivers over the terrestrial airwaves of RRI's 52 radio stations in Indonesia. These stations reach 76 percent of the total population of Indonesia.
"WorldSpace is very pleased to be able to offer the first-rate broadcast services of RRI to our listeners," said Endy Sabaruddin, president director of PT WorldSpace Indonesia. "It is by combining great content like RRI's with locally manufactured receivers which are of superb sound quality and affordable in price, that the WorldSpace service may be enjoyed by tens of thousands of Indonesians."
With RRI joining Masima Radio Corporation's Borneo Wave Channel, Indonesia now has two broadcasters on WorldSpace. By August 2001, WorldSpace expects to have several other top Indonesian broadcasters aboard its digital audio broadcasting system.
Based in Washington, DC, WorldSpace was founded in 1990 to provide direct satellite delivery of digital audio and multimedia services to the emerging markets of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The WorldSpace satellite network will consist of three geostationary satellites. The first two satellites, AfriStar and AsiaStar, were successfully launched October 28, 1998 and March 21, 2000 respectively. The third satellite, AmeriStar, will follow in 2001.
Each WorldSpace satellite has three beams with each beam capable of delivering more than 40 crystal clear audio channels and a variety of Web content and data directly to portable receivers. Once completed, this unique global service will transmit quality information, education and entertainment programming to a service area that includes 5.2 billion people.
Malaysian Tobacco Agrees To Buy Binariang From Measat
From satnewsasia.com
Malaysian Tobacco Company has agreed to buy Binariang Satellite Systems from Measat Global Network Systems for US$382 million.
Under the deal, Measat will buy a 54.7 percent stake in Malaysian Tobacco from Chelwood Trading, the controlling shareholder of Malaysian Tobacco.
Measat will is required under Malaysian rules to make a takeover offer for the remaining shares in Malaysian Tobacco.
Malaysian Tobacco said it intends to fund its planned acquisition with a cash component worth US$15 million and by issuing 187.4 million new shares at US$0.98 per share.
Binariang operates two in-orbit satellites (Measat 1 and 2) and is scheduled to launch Measat 3 and Measat 4 late next year. The Measat system is designed for both broadcasting and communications services, and carries advanced hybrid payloads designed for digital applications such as the Internet.
The offer from Measat was first made public in April when Measat offered to take control of Malaysian Tobacco by injecting Binariang Satellite into the deal.
Malaysian Tobacco is a shell company after it emptied its principal assets following the 1999 sale of its tobacco business to the then Rothmans of Pall Mall Malaysia. This followed the global merger of their parent companies, British American Tobacco PLC (BTI) and Rothmans International B.V.
15/7/01
Well what a superb match last night ;-) on Mediasat in case you missed it. Tonight be on the look out for the G.P from Silverstone in England. Usual channels such as Star Sports and RCTI have live coverage. Does anyone look for actuall feeds of them? Do not forget Space Pacific report is the Naughty Nokias episode, 5pm Syd time its on for the 2nd time should be on after the C7 AFL feed on Mediasat 12336 V.Speaking of Nokias the Zip files with TXT files of all our local satellites has gone to ULI to be incorporated into the next version. If all goes well maybe we can pass on some special DVB2000 features involving the autosearch tuner I would like to see the DVBEDIT satellite scanner mode built into DVB2000.
From my Emails & ICQ
David Nolan reports 14/7/01 Saturday afternoon
Optus B1 12430 H analogue. "Club Rugby"
Seen by ME and many others signed up to the mailing list Sunday afternoon
4pm NZT
Optus B3
12363V "NRL Bulldogs vs Roosters" 16x9, Sr 6108 Fec 3/4
12336V "AFL" usual mediasat settings
Optus B1
12367 V "Newsforce feed, NRL Warriors vs Broncos" Sr 5630 Fec 3/4 Vpid 308 Apid 256
From the Dish
Palapa C2 113E 4040 H "CNBC Asia" is still here
Apstar 2R 76.5E 3826 H "Occasional HK Telecom feeds", Sr 2848, Fec 2/3.
NEWS
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 28/2001 - July 15 2001 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by Tele Satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
(Edited Apsattv.com Edition)
CNN HEADLINE NEWS ALSO SET FOR FACELIFT
CNN Headline News will receive a major on-air overhaul August 6 that executives
said will deliver news in a timely fashion for busy consumers. The network will
still offer news, sports, entertainment and money segments within a 15- to
20-minute block, but it will provide more instant live reports for
breaking-news stories than in the past. Operators will continue to receive two
five-minute blocks for local news each hour, Turner Broadcasting System Inc.
executives said. The network’s on-air screen will be split, with constantly
updated financial-market news, sports information and weather updates on the
bottom and a live anchor shot on the top. The network telecast will originate
from a new, multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art circular studio with 17
cameras that will house a team of five to six anchors at a time.
A S I A
AUSTRALIA
BROADCASTERS AGAINS GAMBLING BILL
Australian pay-TV and free-to-air broadcasters are lobbying against a proposed
bill that could outlaw popular quiz shows, including Who Wants to be a
Millionaire and The Weakest Link. The bill, which is set for parliamentary
debate, aims to prohibit online gambling, and its provisions could affect quiz
shows that require viewers to interact via telephone and thus pay a fee. Pay-TV
operators are concerned for the future of interactive gaming. Regional pay-TV
operator Austar is due to launch an interactive games service in July 2001.
CHINA - HONG KONG
VIACOM IN TALKS WITH FIVE STAR MEDIA
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, media giant Viacom has
confirmed it is talking to Chinese companies with a view to extending its
Chinese footprint for its leading cable brands MTV Asia and Nickelodeon. Viacom
said it is talking to Hong Kong based Five Star Media Holdings, and five other
unnamed companies. It is thought Viacom would buy into an existing Chinese
concern to circumvent Chinese regulations on foreign investment.
YES TV DEAL GETS GREEN LIGHT
Hong Kong authorities have approved the structure of UK-based broadband
solution provider Yes TV’s joint venture with local utility company CLP. Yes
will take 25 per cent of the joint venture and CLP the remaining 75 per cent.
Pay-TV and interactive services will be launched under CLP’s Oxygen consumer
brand later this year with content supplied by Disney, the Hallmark Channel and
MTV Asia, among others.
TVB TO STOP BIDDING FOR TV RIGHTS
Rules created to stop Hong Kong terrestrial Television Broadcasts (TVB) from
offering programming to its pay-TV sister company Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting
mean that the platform will have to join a bidding for broadcasting rights. TVB
operates a Cantonese and an English-language channel serving Hong Kong but up
for sale are the TVB8 and Xing He channels, plus three more satellite channels
offering news, family/children's entertainment and general entertainment that
TVB says it plans to launch. The channels would be bundled into a single
tender, according to reports. Galaxy has already emerged as a favourite to win
the tendering process, along with Pacific Century Cyberworks' iTV. The other
licences are Yes Television and Pacific Digital Media.
CCTV LAUNCHES NEW CHANNELS
Chinese public broadcaster CCTV has launched CCTV 10, a science and education
channel and CCTV 11, a Chinese opera channel. CCTV has launched dedicated news,
music and drama channels over the past few years. The broadcaster is the
largest in China, reaching over 314 million households.
INDIA
END FOR NEWS PROGRAMMES ON STAR TV CHANNELS
News Corp. backed Asian DTH operator Star TV will no longer run any news
programming on its general entertainment channels. The decision to remove New
Delhi TV-produced news from the Star World, and previously from the Star Plus,
channels means news will now only be broadcast on Star’s dedicated news
channel. Local analysts say the move is intended to strengthen Star News.
JAPAN
JSAT INCREASES SKY STAKE
Japanese satellite communications company JSAT has raised its stake in Sky
Perfect Communications 2.1 per cent to 7 per cent. JSAT said it is keen to
strengthen relations with the Japanese DTH outfit.
MALAYSIA
TELEKOM DENIES PURCHAE OF STMB
Malaysian telco Telekom has denied reports that it is about to buy broadcaster
Sistem Televisyen Malaysia. The telco’s share price has fallen as rumours
persist that it is negotiating to acquire the struggling broadcaster and a
similarly debt-encumbered local newspaper group in a M$700 million deal. STMB,
which owns the country’s most popular TV channel TV3, had total debts of M$537
million at the end of the first quarter of this year.
THE PHILIPPINES
CHANNEL V DISTRIBUTION CUT
Hong Kong-based STAR's music service Channel V has lost the bulk of its
distribution in the Philippines after cable TV network owner the Philippines
Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) company pulled the plug on its service. PLDT
took a majority stake in the GMA Network, the country's second-ranked
terrestrial, in February. GMA owns UHF service Channel 27 that had been
carrying Channel V. However PLDT also owns another terrestrial, the National
Broadcasting Corp, that has a deal to carry MTV Networks Asia. At a stroke,
Channel V's reach in the Philippines has fallen from around 2.3 million to
300,000. Channel V had been in a 12-hour branded block since 1999. MTV launched
a dedicated service to the Philippines in February of this year. News
Corp-owned STAR commented that it did not make financial sense to continue with
a service aimed at the Philippines in light of talks with PLDT over the future
of Channel V. STAR will continue to relay its Channel V International service
at the Philippines and it will be targeted at subscriber-based cable TV
systems.
SOUTH KOREA
MHP STANDARD ADOPTED FOR DIGITAL SATELLITE
Korea Digital Satellite Broadcasting (KDB), an industry-led consortium of over
100 companies, led by state-run Korea Telecom, announced this week that it had
decided to “commercialise” the European-backed satellite broadcasting standard.
The consortium said the MHP standard boasts strong interoperability and
compatibility with 3G wireless Internet content. Last December, the government
awarded a business license for KDB to operate satellite-based broadcasting
services. Korea Telecom holds an 18 per cent stake in the consortium, which
consisted of 134 firms including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Corp, Asiana
Airlines, Korea Broadcasting System, and Hansol CSN, with scores of other media
companies. Alticast, the Korean MHP provider, is likely to benefit from the
decision.
MTV TO LAUNCH BY END OF 2001
MTV will launch a 24-hour channel for the Korean market by the end of this
year. MTV Korea is a joint venture between MTV Networks Asia and OnMedia that
will be seen by nearly 1.2 million cable subscribers, around 40 per cent of
Korea's 2.7 million cable TV subscribers. MTV Korea will also been seen on
Korea's direct to home satellite services that are due to begin operations at
the end of 2001.
14/7/01
Not much today. Hopefully the 3rd test between the Lions and Australia will appear on Mediasat again tonight, if not it should be on Newsforce B1 feed. I have sent off the satellites list to be added to the next version of DVB2000 Hopefully..
I just found on B3 12532 V a new radio FTA, "SMA RFM" its labled as see below for details. Worth keeping an eye on this transponder. Thats 2 new stations in the last few days.
From the Dish
Intelsat 701 180E 11610 H "The Canal promo" is now FTA.
Optus B3 156E 12532 V "Rhythm FM" Radio is FTA on Apid 1873, Sr 30000, Fec 2/3
Measat 2 148E 4130 V A test card has started here ,Sr 6111, Fec 3/4. Looking at the footprint link on Lyngsat this beam covers Australia and parts of NZ as well as many parts of asia. Looks like it needs at least a 3M dish thought. Lets have some reports it would be good if some services started on this one on Cband
Palapa C2 113E 4040 H "CNBC Asia" has left (Analog)
Asiasat 3 105.5E 4129 H "Voice of Russia" started on Apid 1222
Asiasat 3 105.5E 4129 H "China Radio International" has started on Apids 1222, 1322, 1422
Pas 4 68.5E 4182 V "BBC World India" and BBC World Service have started here Analog , PAL, 6.60 and 7.20 MHz
NEWS
Nothing for today
13/7/01
Not long to go now for fans of DVB2000 a test version of version 2 is due to be released shortly. Tonight I will email them the satellites list for our region hopefully it will be in time for one of the beta release versions.
From my Emails & ICQ
Alex notes on Optus B3 12532 V "Tamil Radio" see below for details
From the Dish
Intelsat 701 180E 4052 R "TVNZ feed's" Sr 5632 Fec 3/4, mostly encrypted
Intelsat 701 180E 4162 R "TVNZ feed's" Sr 5632 Fec 3/4, mostly encrypted
Intelsat 701 180E 4170 R "TVNZ feed's" Sr 5632 Fec 3/4, mostly encrypted
Optus B3 156E 12532 V "Tamil radio" new FTA, Fec 2/3 Sr 30000, Apid 1872, Sid 524 (E.P.G list as Trial service)
Pas 8 12326 H "TCM Australia" has started in the Tarbs service (FTA) (new transponder) Vpid 512 Apid 640.
Pas 8 12318 V "Feed" Sr 12500 Fec 3/4, (probably asia beam)
Pas 8 12494 V "FTV Feeds" Sr 3120 Fec 3/4 (probably asia beam)
Palapa C2 113E 3760 H All the TV channel here have new pids see Lyngsat for details
Palapa C2 113E 4000 H "HaiHua Satellite TV and FTV have replaced the Mega TV promo and Channel X 1
Palapa C2 113E 11008 V "CBS 1-3" started
Palapa C2 113E 11132 V "CBS 1-3" started
Chinastar 1 87.5E 12506 V "Direc PC" Sr 10000 Fec 3/4 is new here (Not sure where this beam covers)
NEWS
Sorry no news today
12/7/01
I don't usually mention software , but I thought I would mention last night due to a vcr stuff up I missed tapeing Friends. So I loaded up a program on the PC called Kazaa and within 5 seconds I had found the episode I had missed and it was downloading, 3 hours later I was watching the episode on the computer. These file sharing programs will change the way we watch TV in the future once broadband internet becomes more common (and cheaper). Perhaps we will only switch on the satellite system when we want to watch something live like sports. Imagine if your setup box was plugged into one of these file shareing programs. You can already get satellite receivers that record to hd (PVR) imagine the fun if it was also hooked to a broadband file swapping network Download the entire series of your favourite program and watch all the new episodes in a row. Do you think that would take the fun out of watching tv or just make it more time efficient?
From my Emails & ICQ
Stu Mcleod (NZ) reports
Telstra Saturn on B1 are Testing EPG pay per view info on Test channels 19-23
Alex in Perth reports
I701 180E 4052 R "TVNZ" Sr 5632 Fec 3/4, looks like a new freq not listed by Lyngsat (Please I need any reporrts of this one, will keep info private if you ask me to)
From the Dish
Palapa C2 113E 10972 VAll 11 radio channels have left (Asia Beam)
Palapa C2 113E 11132 V The MMBN mux is now copied to 11008 V, Sr 26667, Fec 3/4. (Asia beam)
Palapa C2 113E 11008 V "Open Radio" has started , Sid 14, Apid 84 (Asia Beam)
Palapa C2 113E 11132 V "Open Radio" has started , Sid 14, Apid 84 (Asia Beam)
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3830 H "Inner Mongolia People's Radio" has left , Apids 257 and 513.
Thaicom 3 78.5 3600 H ETC has replaced ATN World on Sid 10, Vpid 519 Apid 720.
Thaicom 3 78.5 3695 H The Sky Racing mux is encrypted in Irdeto.
Pas 4 68.5E 4034 H "MTV India" has started , PAL, 6.80/7.56:7.74 MHz, Middle East beam.
NEWS
Telstra’s secret iTV plans
From http://www.itnews.com.au/story.cfm?ID=7201
After months of foxing, Telstra is set to respond to Optus’ interactive TV (iTV) challenge and will present a major iTV strategy to the Telstra board in August.
Sources have indicated that central to the strategy is a licence deal with News Corporation to use its conditional access system - News Digital System (NDS) - set top box gateway technology.
Foxtel, of which Telstra owns 50 percent, has also quietly spent around $30 million digitising the head end equipment at eight metropolitan broadcast locations across the country.
To get a quicker payback on the project, Telstra wants to bundle interactive TV, Internet access and voice over IP voice services over its digital cable network. The carrier has spent over $50 million upgrading its cable to the DOCSIS standard and layering on extra services - such as voice - will only be an incremental cost.
Bundling products on its cable network has worked a treat for Optus, giving its pay-TV service a fresh boost since late last year. It also locks the customer in, reducing expensive churn.
Also understood to be in Telstra’s plan, is a project to re-ignite the rollout of Telstra’s HFC cable network. This was initially designed to pass were meant to pass 4 million homes in Australia but stopped at 2.5 million homes. The telco will need to make its interactive TV service available to as many consumers as possible in order to maximise returns from the investment. But the Telstra board may be concerned about the further funding required at the same time institutional investors are concerned about the slowing of telephony revenues and the low return so far garnered from its broadband efforts.
Optus has caught Telstra unawares by taking the front running on interactive TV and is spending an estimated $50 million on a trial to homes on Sydney’s North Shore. The company claims to have signed up 35 content partners including Coles - Myer, Pizza Hut, HMV and Sanford Securities.
The iTV plan has been developed by Telstra media director Gerry Sutton, a key deal-maker and strategist a the telco. While Telstra would not comment on the news, a spokesperson for Telstra said that Sutton had been “given carriage of the area. A public announcement on interactive TV could be expected in the not to distant future.”
As with all these things, central to the offer is the set top box. The NDS technology is the same as used on BSkyB’s successful iTV operation in the UK. NDS acts as the gateway to the set top box telling the iTV operators to which programs the customer has access. Telstra has already indicated it will use the Open TV middleware used by BSkyB, on which interactive applications are written, in the set top boxes.
Norwegian video compression infrastructure provider, Tandberg Televsion, has just finished a $30 million hardware and software project installing digital equipment at the head ends of the Telstra cable network, according to Tandberg’s local sales director, Ian Fellows. All that is now required for full digitisation of the cable is the swapping out of customer’s analogue set top boxes for digital ones. At a minimum $500 per box, this could cost close to $400 million for Foxtel’s 750,000 customers.
But what is still unclear is who will own the interactive customer, Telstra or Foxtel.
Telstra has, in the free to air (FTA) TV stations, built-in content partners for iTV ready to fly. The introduction of digital TV on FTA stations has been slow and the FTA’s are keen for customers.
NDS hires India operations chief
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k1/july/jul6.htm
News Corp company, NDS Group, a provider of conditional access systems and interactive applications for digital TV, has hired former Star India internet operations CEO, Lalit Ahuja, as Managing Director NDS India, to head up its new research and development center based in Bangalore.
Ahuja has more than 20 years of engineering software and commercial experience and his charge will be focusing on developing interactive TV applications and broadband technologies in conjunction with NDS R & D centers in Israel, China and the UK. He will also have to develop the India operations as a global hub for NDS R&D. In addition he will also develop markets for NDS's interactive applications, working closely with NDS sales and marketing executives to develop and implement the strategic business initiatives for expanding regional markets.
Ahuja will report to Dr Jasjit Saini, Vice President, Consumer Devices, NDS Group plc. Says Saini: "As NDS continues to drive the development and adoption of interactive television across the world it is critical that it maintains its lead in the field of R & D. Lalit Ahuja's tremendous experience in software development and his extensive business acumen makes him an ideal executive to help us maintain this lead."
Ahuja has worked as Country Head (India), president and managing director of LG Soft India. Prior to that he was with software firm Datamatics. He started his career in the Indian Navy retiring as a Lieutenant Commander.
L.A. To Tax Orbiting Satellites
From http://7amnews.com/2001/features/071201.shtml
Oscar Wilde once said "nothing is certain but death and taxes" and the Los Angeles County Assessor Rick Auerbach seems to be taking this to heart as he contemplates levying property taxes on satellites that orbit high above the USA.
Yes, believe it or not (and we wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't confirmed by an article in the L.A. Times), the County is seriously considering a proposal that at least eight satellites operated by Hughes should be taxed to bring in more revenue for schools and other public amenities.
Auerbach believes that the satellites, in a geostationary orbit some 22,000 miles above the earth's surface, ought to attract a tax because they are, in theory, within the tax jurisdiction of the county and have significant value.
The L.A. Times quotes Auerbach as saying "It happens with a lot of other property. The difference with the satellites, obviously, is that they're pretty far removed from Earth."
Auerbach's position has been supported by attorneys acting for the Board of Equalization who have stated that "While the satellites are in Earth orbit, they nonetheless have a situs for tax purposes in Los Angeles County, California."
Hughes Electronics are obviously unimpressed with the suggestion that their satellites be taxed and there is now consensus that the matter will likely be decided in the courts.
It just goes to show -- even the sky poses no limit to the greed of the taxman!
Late Update
The State Board of Equalization has voted 5-0 to fast-track a move to rule that satellites be exempted from county taxes -- restoring a little sanity to an otherwise incredible situation.
Auerbach has said he hasn't given up though and may well mount a court-challenge to the Board's decision
11/7/01
Another slow day. Thanks to all that turned up for the chatroom it was pretty quiet in there also. At least we have some news items. If you know of any sites that have satellite tv news for our region then let me know about them. I can't seem to find much news about the Indonesian channels. Perhaps someone knows of a site other than their homepages.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Jundong Wu
Hi Craig,
Can you pass this message on your great website?
An unknown signal is off Pas8 (Australian beam), 12288H SR 26667. very strong
in Sydney. Who can confirm what's in this carrier?
Best regards,
Jundong Wu
Craigs reply, I can't check but I do know on Pas 8 12299 H is internet data.12288 H maybe the same?
From Jamoora via ICQ
ETC Hindi channel is back on 3600 H on Thaicom 3.sharing the same transponder as ATN WORLD was...infact the same Vpid/Apids.....ATN World has moved to regional beam and ETC has taken over.....
From the Dish
Palapa C2 113E TTV, CTV, CTS and FTV have replaced RAI International 1, TNN, MusicCountry
Pacific Rim, FTV News Channel and PTS on 11132 V, SIDs 7-10.(Asia KU beam)
Palapa C2 113E TTV, CTV, CTS and FTV have replaced RAI International 1, TNN, MusicCountry
Pacific Rim, FTV News Channel and PTS on 4000 H, MPEG-2/clear, SIDs 7-9.(Asia Ku Beam)
Express 9 103E 3714 R STS (+7) is now encrypted.
NSS 703 57E 3843 L "BBC World, Sky News and the test card" have left
NEWS
Media Release
Saturn TV brings overseas closer to New Zealand
Source : TelstraSaturn Ltd
10 Jul 2001
Saturn TV today launched a captivating new 24 hour Discovery Travel & Adventure channel for Saturn TV customers.
?The Discovery Travel & Adventure channel is the ultimate destination devoted to people with a desire to explore and experience the world. With world-class travel documentaries, global adventures and travel tips, the channel offers an excellent viewing option for exciting, informative entertainment about people, journeys and countries of the world,” said TelstraSaturn’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Sean Wynne.
?TelstraSaturn leads the way as the first New Zealand pay TV company to deliver this channel to its viewers. Discovery Travel and Adventure is a great addition to our television service and provides a unique mix of fun, engaging and insightful content appealing to everyone interested in traveling,” said Mr Wynne.
Discovery Travel & Adventure includes:
Destination Week, features an in-depth look into a different country each week. Each night will feature a different aspect of the destination, from People to Society, Heritage, Wildlife, Scenery and Cuisine.
Beach Hour, explores the many facets of life on the sand, then and now, from popular city beaches like Miami and Australia's famed Bondi Beach, to the remote tropical island beaches of Maui, Bali, and Tahiti.
World’s Best, experts travel high and low to find the world’s best spots to do just about anything. From thrill parks to romantic destinations, World’s Best… covers it all.
Scenic Spaces features stunning landscapes and voluptuous vistas, taking viewers away to discover mountain ranges and raging rivers, geysers and volcanoes, towering sequoia forests and dappled aspen groves.
Incredible Vacation Videos, features hilarious home videos from people who have experienced vacation disasters and mishaps from the nightmarish to the just plain funny.
Girl Meets Hawaii hosted by the humorous and effervescent Samantha Brown, delves into different aspects of the islands, from adventure activities to cuisine and famous movie locations where visitors can witness the primitive power of nature.
-iscovery Travel & Adventure channel is a destination network for people with an urge to explore and a need to experience the extraordinary. New Zealanders love to travel so the dynamic hosts, nonstop action and the world's most exotic locales combine to make this channel an ideal choice for our customers.” said Mr Wynne
As from July 1, Saturn TV customers will be able to view one of the fastest growing global networks, which reaches more than 64 million subscribers in US, Europe and Latin America and now Australasia.
About TelstraSaturn Limited
As New Zealand’s leading convergent company, TelstraSaturn Ltd offers voice, data, mobile, Internet and cable television services to a mix of business and residential customers in the New Zealand market. The company is currently planning and/or building residential and business networks in Christchurch and Auckland to complement its Wellington network. TelstraSaturn is a company merging the New Zealand operations of Telstra Corporation and Austar United Communications, each of whom have 50 percent share holding.
Back door to China's TV market
From http://news.ft.com
With much stealth and the minimum of publicity, pay-TV operations are sprouting all over China, offering a wealth of new choices to subscribers and a glimmer of hope for foreign companies searching for a back door into the closed Chinese cable TV market.
The first video-on-demand service to receive approval from Beijing's State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) began offering services in the northern Chinese province of Hebei on July 1, officials said.
China's is the world's biggest cable TV market, with roughly 90m subscribers, but foreign companies are barred from direct investment in the market and from supplying content.
In Baoding, a city in Hebei, a subsidiary of the local Cable Broadcasting and Television Station was offering services including stock market information, movies, education and internet equipment and expertise supplied by DVN, a Hong Kong company.
DVN, which says it has developed an inexpensive cable modem that can enable a one-way cable to handle interactive traffic, has developed a creative business model structured to circumvent the prohibition on direct investment in the sector and yet yield equity-like returns.
The company has received an order for 10,000 set-top boxes at Rmb1,350 (£116) each and has sold its digital broadcasting platform to the Hebei station. But instead of receiving cash for the sale, DVN is entitled to half the subscription fees the station receives for services delivered through the digital platform for 10 years.
In the south of China, the Guangdong Cable Radio and Television Station, which has 6m subscribers, is buying set-top boxes from a joint venture between Global Net Broadband and Liberate Technologies, a technology company listed on Nasdaq.
Official sources said that video-on-demand services were now being offered in 23 cities across China, despite the fact that only cities in Hebei province have received a national-level approval from SARFT. In some places, such as Foshan in the south-eastern province of Fujian, pay-TV has become commonplace, officials said.
It remains to be seen if authorities in Beijing will take any action to crack down in the sector or simply catch up with reality by granting a rash of new pay-TV licences. If new licences are to be granted - as predicted by several executives in the industry - then a boom in foreign technology supply deals, such as those by DVN and Liberate, may follow.
Many foreign companies are hoping that their technology leasing arrangements may be transferred into direct equity holdings in Chinese cable TV companies, when and if the ban on direct investment is lifted.
SARFT, which indirectly owns all of China's cable TV operators and stands to gain from their prosperity, is believed to take a positive view on issuing more licences for pay-TV. But the Ministry of Information Industry (MII), regulator for the telecommunications industry, may yet erect barriers. MII, which owns China's main telecoms operators, is anxious that two-way cable networks could undercut the telecoms companies.
Star’s India operations to be reviewed
From http://www.business-standard.com/ice/news4.asp?menu=1
James Murdoch, chairman and CEO of the Hong Kong-based Star Group Ltd, is in India to review Star’s operations and the proposed KU-band direct-to-home TV service.
Murdoch’s visit gains significance as Star India recently said it was not interested in distributing NDTV’s proposed infotainment channel, NDTV World, as part of the Star bouquet.
Sometime back, Star made a presentation to NDTV, contracted to produce programmes for Star News channel, seeking a review of existing programmes and ways to spruce up the news channel with Hindi programming in order to take on competition.
Though Star India has never confirmed developments on the Star News channel front, industry sources indicate that the company is planning to rope in a high-profile news coordinator to liaise between NDTV and Star in order to infuse more synergy in news operations.
At one time, Star India had hired senior television professionals for proposed news operations and stationed them in Bangalore.
Come August, Zee to go in for programming revamp
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20010710/efetop3.html
COME the third week of August and Zee TV will present a new look. The revamp, which is being worked on currently, involves the launch of new programmes, besides phasing out some of the existing ones.
According to Mr Sandeep Goyal, group broadcasting CEO, Zee Telefilms Limited, the entire process is to bring back the “effervescence” of the Zee brand.
While admitting that the channel had lost some ground over the last one year, he said, “six weeks from now, the entire revamp will present a vibrant, ‘new Zee’ to the viewers.”
The new look Zee is expected to retain Koshish - Ek Ashaa, Amaanat and Mehendi from the current soaps on air. “The 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. time-band will see a host of new programmes,” said Mr Goyal. This will start with Aap jo bolein han to han, Aap jo bolein naa to naa.” Mr Goyal added that the entire set of new programmes will go on air on the same day.
Other programmes on the anvil include ‘Zee Nostalgia’, ‘Zee Gym’, Ardhangini and Sharhadeein. According to Mr Goyal, ‘Zee Nostalgia’, a one hour daily show, will showcase the best of Zee’s programmes like Hasrateein and Sailaab. While ‘Zee Gym’ will be positioned on the fitness platform, Ardhangini will focus on the lives and careers of successful women. “The programme will have interviews with film stars, CEOs, politicians among others” said Mr Goyal. Interestingly, “Zee Nostalgia” will be aired in the afternoon time band and “Zee Gym” goes on air in the morning.
As reported earlier in eFE, Zee will also air the Hindi version of the immensely popular Tamil soap Chitti. Titled Chotti Maa, this will be jointly produced by UTV and Radaan Pictures for Zee. Mr Goyal clarified that Amaanat will be aired till the end of the year. “It is time for the channel to restage itself and hence the revamp,” he added.
ZTL to relaunch Zee TV in August
From http://www.business-standard.com/ice/news7.asp?menu=1
Zee Telefilms has decided to relaunch its flagship channel Zee TV, from the third week of August. The channel will have a new look and programmes.
Confirming the move, Sandeep Goel, CEO, broadcasting of Zee, said: “We are coming up with some new programming from August-end. With this new set of programmes, I expect the channel to be the numero uno position.”
Among the new programmes that will be hitting the channel is Aap Jo Bole Haan to Haan, Aap Jo Bole Naa to Naa, which will be India’s first interactive television show.
Explaining the format, Goel said: “Each episode will have one story running for an hour. During which, the home viewers have the option to call on a dedicated phone number, which we are working out, and vote in on particular situations as Haan or Naa.
?We then have a Haan ending for the episode and a Naa ending, and based on the highest vote for either Haan or Naa we will have an ending.” The whole idea of having it interactive is that the viewers will help in shaping the story, he added.
The stories for the interactive show will be based on ethics and emotions and Zee holds the original IPR for this show.
The second serial that will hit the channel is Chitti. Chitti to be called Chotti Maa, is a story of a very strong family woman with a mysterious past, is being adapted by UTV for the Hindi audiences. The serial has been topping the charts on Sun TV. UTV and Zee TV have roped in Teestha, a fresh new face to play the main lead.
Another interesting offering that the channel is bringing in is the serialisation of Sudha Murthy’s novel Dollar Bahu which will be aired by the same name. Sansar will be a new family soap shot in five continents to be aired five days a week.
For the first time ever, the channel will be airing a Musical Soap called Diwane To Diwane Hain to be produced by TracCinema promoted by Raman Kumar of Tara.
Apart for these there is Sarhadein, a serial which talks about an Indian girl in love with a Pakistani boy and Shree 420, a show based on day-to-day happenings of actual crime in the city and to be played by common men.
Zee TV is also creating a new 3 pm-6 pm, movie slot everyday wherein they will be showing some good hand picked movies.
Among the morning offerings, the channel has slotted Yaddein Radio Cylone, where old songs will be played.
Amongst the old set of programmes that will stay are Mehendi Tere Naam Ki, Amanath, Koshish Ek Asha,Gharana and Rishtey.
In the anchored programmes category, the programmes which will stay are Close-Up Antakshari, India's Most Wanted and Khana Khazana.
Doordarshan switches on news portal, finally
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20010711/con2.html
The first phase of the much-awaited Doordarshan (DD) portal was finally launched here on Tuesday. A joint initiative of DD and Satyam Infoway, DD news portal—www.ddinews.com—was the first one to be launched. Although the DD-Satyam venture was scheduled to roll out the portal in January, the project has been delayed by almost six months. The total cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 2.5 crore.
Giving reasons for the delay, Mr Ram Mohan A V, president, E-Business, Satyam, said that it was primarily due to the slowdown in the market. ‘‘We had to re-strategise for the project due to the downturn in the market,’’ he said. Mr Muthu Kumar, director, news, DD, agreed that the changing market scenario had prompted a review of the project. The objective was to scale down the expenditure, while keeping a strong revenue model in sight, he said.
Personalisation of the portal, according to Mr Ram Mohan, is one of the ways around which a strong revenue model can be built. That is, as a surfer clicks on his preference continuously, business managers will identify him as a customer with a certain taste.
Commenting on the launch, Mr Ram Mohan, said: ‘‘DDinews.com is the first DD vertical channel, paving the way for the launch of the other channels in a phased manner.’’ The portal has been built on the leading edge BroadVision platform, which enables personalisation of content. The site will also offer video on demand and live streaming of news bulletins.
The next in line will be DD Sports, DD World and then the other channels. Over a period of time, a comprehensive Prasar Bharati portal will be launched to integrate DD and All India Radio (AIR) with links to other relevant organisations, said Mr Muthu Kumar.
SAB yet to decide on moving court against DD’s decision
From http://www.business-standard.com/ice/news4.asp?menu=1
Sri Adhikari Brothers TV Network is still undecided whether to move a court against the Doordarshan’s decision rejecting its Rs 18 crore bid for the 8 to 10 pm time slot on DD Metro.
?We have not yet decided on the future course of action as no official intimation from DD has come,” vice-chairman of Sri Adhikari Brothers, Markand Adhikari, told Business Standard today.
When asked specifically whether the company is contemplating moving court against the DD decision, Adhikari said, “After the official letter comes from DD (stating that SAB’s bid for DD Metro has been rejected), we’ll decide whether to move the court or not. We’ll have to take the issue to the company board which will take a final view on the matter.”
Along with SAB, the other two bids rejected by DD last week were those of Pritish Nandy Communications (Rs 1 crore for 8-9 p.m. slot) and Prachar Communications (Rs. 16 crore for 7-11 p.m. slot).
The three bids, if combined together, failed to outstrip Rs. 121 crore --- the amount which Kerry Packer’s Nine Broadcasting paid last year for the 7-10 p.m. slots on DD Metro for a one-year contract which comes to an end later this year. This year, the contract was to be signed for a period of three years.
However, a senior DD official today clarified that DD reserved all the right to reject any bid, specially when all the bids were “very low compared to last year’s Rs. 121 crore.”
?Internally, we had set a minimum target and the three bids last week were very low even if we compare the revenue of about Rs. 40 crore that DD itself generated for the 7-10 p.m. slot. hence, they were rejected,” the official said.
Last Thursday when DD opened the pre-qualification bids for the DD metro slots for the second time, it dawned on then that big names had kept away again.
One of the concerns of the big media companies was that original programming had to be supplied to DD, coupled with other stringent programming restrictions.
10/7/01
Livechat in the chatroom 8.30 PM Syd time, I am in there as usual from 9.30pm NZ. Very quiet today not much happening at all. These slow days happen now and then. Sorry to those who looked on Sunday for the Space Pacific Naughty Nokias episode its actually on Sunday 16th July. I am spending some time fixing up all the bad links on the site.
From the Dish
Agila 2 146E 4080 H "New PIDs for ABC 5, RPN 9, IBC 13 and KSBN News" Asia Beam
Express 9 103E 3714 R "STS (+7h)", Sr 6500, Fec 3/4.
Thaicom 2 78.5E 3890 H The occasional TVT Channel 11 feeds have ceased.
NEWS
Nothing for today :-(
9/7/01
A bit of news in the news section today, I have to send out a email to my news supplier for some reason they have stopped sending me my regular feed of news.Does anyone have the Asiasat 3 internet freqs for the speedcast service? Might be worth a look for those runnng DVBIP on the Nokia. I will run the Links checker over the site later and see what needs fixing.
Interesting link http://www.enterprise.cwo.com.au/00/13/0013b.asp
The Digital Satellite TV FAQ http://www.hf.uib.no/smi/ksv/digfaq.html
June History section added.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Chris Pickstock 9/7/01
Optus B1 Feed seen 12326 H Sr 6980 Vpid 1110 Apid 1211 "ABC Darwin" Hockey, between two schoolgirl sides.
Chris
Hi Craig.
can you add 180 degrees thats intel sat 701 to your DVB list.....
regards jeff bannister
(Craig comment, OK done but KU only since DVB2000 dosn't support LHC/RHC signals)
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E 12313 H "Optus Internet Service" has started, Sr 30000, Fec 3/4.
Apstar 1A134E 4120 H "XinJiang Cable TV 1-3" are encrypted in Cryptoworks, not PowerVu.
Palapa C2 113E 3760 H Almost all TV channels in the MMBN mux are now encrypted in both Nagravision and Viaccess, (hmm interesting dual encrypted? how does that work)?
Asiasat 2 100.5E 12247 V "Maharishi Open University Asia" has left (China beam)
Insat 2E 83E 4005 V "ETV Oriya" has left again, replaced by a test card.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H "ATN World" is still here , SID 10, Vpid 519 Apid 720.
NEWS
SpeedCast Launches Satellite Broadband Internet Access for the Hong Kong Market
From satnewsasia.com
SpeedCast Ltd., a satellite broadband enabler, has announced the rollout of a high-speed Internet service via satellite specifically designed for areas of Hong Kong without Internet access.
The new SpeedCast service, which uses the AsiaSat 3S satellite located at 105.5 East, targets end users in Hong Kong and outlying areas beyond the reach of ADSL and cable networks.
Each of the company’s three service plans include a high-speed Internet connection up to 1.5 Mbps via satellite and a 56 Kbps unlimited connection.
The installation package is being provided by ASTRX, a Hutchison Whampoa company.
SpeedCast believes that there is significant demand for high-speed Internet access in areas beyond the reach of ADSL and cable broadband networks.
These areas include the northern parts of the New Territories and the outlying islands and southern areas of Hong Kong.
"Currently, there is significant demand for high speed Internet access in remote areas," said Tom Choi, SpeedCast CEO.
Based in Hong Kong, SpeedCast is focused on becoming the leading broadband Internet and multimedia service provider with three satellite-enabled broadband services:
Its three service plans consist of SpeedCast Broadband (broadband Internet access at speeds up to 1.5 Mbps); SpeedCast Multimedia (up to 30 channels of streaming multimedia video programming) and SpeedCast Broadcast (broadcasting Intranet and Internet corporate communications).
JSAT Moves Into Broadband; Buys Satellite Data Provider
From satnewsasia.com
JSAT Corporation, Japan's largest communications satellite operator, is set to provide data transmission services with its acquisition of Satellite Network, Inc, a satellite data uplink service provider.
JSAT, which operates a constellation of eight in-orbit satellites, will acquire 67 percent of Satellite Network on August 1. It said it would buy a total of 21,400 shares of Satellite Network worth US$8.07 million from major shareholders that include Itochu Corporation, Mitsui & Co. and NEC Corporation.
Following the buy-in, Itochu and Mitsui will be left with a 10.3 per cent interest while NEC will have a 4.3 per cent stake in Satellite Network.
The acquisition will enable JSAT to deliver high-speed Internet access via satellites in competition against broadcasters and broadband firms.
It will also give JSAT ownership of three data uplink facilities in Tokyo and one outside the city.
Established in 1985, JSAT is as a joint venture among Itochu, Mitsui, Hughes Electronics of the U.S. and other firms. Its business is leasing data transmitters on its eight satellites.
Analysts said JSAT’s move into broadband delivery is an effort to keep in step with competitors such as Space Communications Corporation, another Japanese satellite firm, that are using satellites to send video, music, games and other content to customers over the Internet.
Sky Perfect Communications, Inc., the largest digital broadcast service provider, will begin data communications services using special set-top boxes later this year.
Americom Asia-Pacific Introduces Occasional Service on GE-1A Satellite
From satnewsasia.com
Americom Asia-Pacific (AAP) has announced a new “Occasional Use Service “offering on its GE-1A satellite beaming on Asia.
This service offers broadcasters, programmers and news gatherers the opportunity to book occasional satellite transponder space segment instantly online via STARS Online, a web-enabled interface, or over the telephone 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. It is available now.
Occasional Use” bandwidth can be provided using digital services in multiples of 3, 6, 9 MHz or more for a customized solution. GE-1A's high-powered Ku-band transponders allow the customer to take advantage of smaller antennas and lighter flyaway kits.
GE-1A, a Ku-band satellite, is located at 108.2(0) East Longitude and provides service via three beams to China; South Asia, including India; and North-East Asia and the Philippines.
The spacecraft features 28 active 36 MHz Ku-band transponders with 120 watt TWTAs, and delivers EIRPs in the 52 to 54 dBW range. GE-1A supports Internet applications, VSAT, data and telecommunications services, and the transport of cable and broadcast programming.
Americom Asia-Pacific is a 50/50 joint venture company of Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications, which delivers secure, reliable advanced-technology products and services to help enterprise customers leverage their telecommunications and information technology assets, and GE Americom, one of the world's pioneers in specialized, satellite-based distribution services.
Additional information on Americom Asia-Pacific is available at www.geamericom.com.
8/7/01
Nice to see on Mediasat 12336 V last night Lions vs Australia, the 3rd Test should be a great game. Speaking of MEdiasat the Naughty Nokia episode should be on Tonight either 5pm or 6pm start depending on when the Afl feed ends.
Now is our chance to contribute to the DVB2000 project a good little project for us, is to help with adding to the built in satellites in the next DVB2000 version, we need to add the main satellites from our region to the built in ones DVB2000 has my suggestions are.
Pas 2_169E , Pas 8_166E, Optus B1_160E, Optus B3_156E, Agila 2_146E, Apstar1_138E, Apstar 1A_134E, Jcsat3_128E, PalapaC2_113E, Asiasat3_105.5E, Asiasat2_100.5E, Insat2E_83E, Thaicom3_78.5E, Apstar2R_76.5E, Pas10_68.5E, any other suggestions maybe some DVB2000 users in Asia have a suggestion?
It is not clear if we need to have the list contain just the freqs in use or load every single transponder, The way I think it should be is have the center freq of every single transponder on each sat with the Sr and Fec set to auto so the Nokia would find EVERYTHING thats on a satellite. A sample for B3 (and B1) would look like this
12282 V 0 3/4
12344 V 0 3/4
12407 V 0 3/4
12470 V 0 3/4
12532 V 0 3/4
12595 V 0 3/4
12657 V 0 3/4
12720 V 0 3/4
12313 H 0 3/4
12375 H 0 3/4
12438 H 0 3/4
12501 H 0 3/4
12563 H 0 3/4
12626 H 0 3/4
12688 H 0 3/4
Of course I left the Fec at 3/4 as I am not sure of the format it needs for autofec, not much is needed and it only takes 256 bytes, so it should be possible for them to add all the satellites that we want there. I am not sure for cband I guess it would be like 03850 H 0 3/4
From my Emails & ICQ
Hi Craig,
if you can write a little textfile with the transponde-data and send it to me by email, than I can give it to Uli to include it to the build-in satellite-list.
The textfile should have lines looks like this
12345 H 27500 3/4
for each transponder one line and in each line 5 digits for frequency, one character for polarisation, 5 digits for symbol-rate and 3 digits for the FEC.
Michael
Mike Brown reports 8/7/01 2pm Syd
Optus B3 12336V AFL from Sydney (Carlton v Sydney)
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E "TVNZ test cards have left 12706 V and 12733 V.
Agila 2 146E 4120 H "TBN" has started , Sr 3500, Fec 7/8.
Palapa C2 113E 3760 H Open TV has new pids Vpid 297 Apid 298
Insat 2E 83E 3525 V "Vijay TV" started, Sr 24800, Fec 7/8 Vpid 273 Apid 274 (Zone Beam)
Insat 2E 83E 3525 V "Asianet Global" started, Sr 24800, Fec 7/8 Vpid 289 Apid 290 (Zone Beam)
Pas 4 68.5E 4114 H "TCM UK" has left
NEWS
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 27/2001 - July 8 2001 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by Tele Satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A
CHINA
PHOENIX GETS LICENSE IN TAIWAN
Phoenix Satellite Television, the Hong Kong-based mainland Chinese
satellite provider that is aligned with News Corp.’s Star, said that it
is about to receive a license from Taiwan’s broadcast authorities that
will allow it to start airing programs beginning this month. In China,
Phoenix airs three popular channels in Mandarin: the Chinese Channel,
Movies Channel and CNE Channel. The boss of Phoenix, Liu Changle, is a
retired general of China’s People’s Liberation Army.
INDIA
SONY AND AOL CONSIDER MERGER OF TV ASSETS
Entertainment conglomerates Sony AOL Time Warner are discussing a merger
of their cable TV channels in India and the sharing of a common
distribution platform. Following a June meeting executives from each
side are resolving management and control issues. A merger would give
the new entity more leverage with the local cable operators, of which
there are over 60,000 in India. Sony Entertainment Television is India’s
second most popular cable channel. Sony also controls cable channels
AXN and Sony Max. AOL runs the CNN, the Cartoon Network and HBO.
MALAYSIA
TV3 ACQUISITION TO BE COMPLETED BY END OF YEAR
Malaysian businessman Datuk Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Nor says his acquisition
of a 21,1 per cent stake in Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd will be
complete by the end of the year. Nor will become the biggest single
shareholder in the company, which owns Malaysia’s most popular TV
channel TV3. He has denied there are any funding problems and said
STMB’s creditors, who will have a 37,1 per cent stake in the company
after the restructuring, will have no control over TV3.
THE PHILLIPINES
PLDT BUYS GMA
The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company says the acquisition,
through its Mediaquest Holdings subsidiary, of Filipino broadcaster GMA
Network will be complete by the end of August. The telco is paying P8.5
billion for a 66.67 per cent stake in the Philippines’ second largest
broadcaster. PLDT is looking for a foreign strategic investor after
paying a premium price for the network.
SOUTH KOREA
HISTORY CHANNEL TO LAUNCH IN 2002
A&E TV Networks are expected to announce next week a multiyear agreement
with JoonAng Broadcasting Corp. (JBC) to launch The History Channel (HC)
in Korea in 2002. HC will run as a 24-hour channel on both cable and
digital DTH satellite platforms, reaching around 3 million pay-TV homes
by end-2002. HC will offer its usual blend of rich programming on
history, mixed with local Korean content.
MTV ASIA ARRIVES IN KOREA
MTV Asia has launched a new channel in South Korea on July 1. The
24-hour video clip channel is a joint venture with local media firm On
Media and will reach 1,1 million cable TV homes prior to expanding
distribution after the launch of digital DTH services by the end of the
year. OM, a subsidiary of Korean conglomerate, the Tong Yang Group, is
the leading distributor in Korea; in October last year, OM launched HBO
Korea, part of a joint venture with Time Warner.
VIETNAM
DTT TRIALS LAUNCHED
The Vietnam Television Technology Investment and Development Company
(DVT) has started DTT trials in the country, using the European DVB
standard. Digital broadcasts are running for 18 hours a day and DVT is
developing its own set-top box for use in the local market.
7/7/01
Not much happening, Lions vs Australia tonight, try B1 12367 V and 12385 V? as mentioned below. Please report via the mailing list if you see any feeds of any kind that shares the info around and makes it easier for others to find stuff as well as the more eyes looking the better. Has anyone found sign of the Ashes cricket yet? Not much news around lately, so that section gets a rest today as well.
From My Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
Power TV off Pas 2 for the Gallery
Pas 2 3872H "Acts 2000 PNG Church Feed" Sr 6620 Fec 2/3 Vpid 1160 Apid 1120 Sid 1
From John MC Dermot via the mailing list 6/7/01
Tonight 8.00 pm for a short while Optus B1 12520H Channel 9 NRL Mpeg 4.2 it seems.
The SR was approx 10300, the FEC I don't know.
Also when the British Lions are playing check Optus B1 12385 V same SR.
Last game was Sky Sports UK Mpeg 4.2 again.
Any news on Mpeg 4.2 receivers?
Cheers
John
From me
Seen 8.35 pm Syd 6/7/01
Optus B3 156E 12363 V "St James live?? Hypnotist show!" Sr 6108, Fec 3/4, Vpid 4160 Apid 4120
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E 12483 V "Saturn Weather Channel" has left
Apstar 1A 134E 3840 H "CCTV 10" Started Vpid 515 Apid 680
Apstar 1A 134E 3840 H "CCTV 11" Started Vpid 516 Apid 690
Cakrawarta 1 107.7E 2535 H "Quick Channel" has started, Vpid 2561 Apid 2562
Cakrawarta 1 107.7E 2565 H "Anteve has replaced Astro SuperSport" on ,Vpid 515 Apid 643
Cakrawarta 1 107.7E 2595 H "TCM" has left, Cartoon Network is now on-air 24h/day
Insat 2E 83E 3683 V "Asianet Global" has started, Sr 4340, Fec 2/3, Vpid 4194 Apid 4195 (As mentioned in news yesterday)
Insat 2E 83E 3650 V "Asianet" is in analogue here also different channel though).
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H "ATN World" has moved to 3554 V.(gone from Global beam to Asia beam)
Pas 4 68.5E 4034 H "NHK Joho Network mux" has, moved to 3730 H. (more preperation for the Pas 10 shift)
NEWS
Nothing to report
6/7/01
Not much to say, site a little late as it is Friday, I go to town Friday and often the sites not ready to go up so I have to finish it when I get back home. Stuffing my face with some Maccas right now as I surf for news. Some new activity on B1 Telstra Saturn see the "from the dish" section for more about it. I got a reply about the tool for DVB2000 for editing the internal satellites, Astra etc, I posted to a Nokia Forum and got a reply saying the util to look for is called "standard sat changer" written by Raineir unfortunatly he tells me he hasn't been able to update it to work with newer versions of DVB2000 as Uli made some changes to the internal layout. Fingers crossed he can patch it to work with the new DVB versions.
From my Emails & ICQ
RE: Boomerang box using the Pin posted Yesterday
From Robert Anthony
Craig,
I can now safely report that I can acquire a very wide variety of
free-to-air C-band signals on PAS-2/8 with the Boomerang TV IRD.
While I did not originally purchase this IRD for that purpose, it is
nice to know that it is not an expensive paper weight after the fact.
For AU$179 it is not a bad purchase for a hobbyist. It is by no means
great, but it is not bad either. I know of a few other copies of these
IRDs in town and might even consider purchasing another in the future as
I know of several around town.
Recently found three test cards labeled "ACTS 2000/Port Moresby/PNG/Test
Slate" on PAS-2 3872 MHz (H) SR 6620.
yes, I found it first with my newly free-to-air Boomerang TV IRD
(as I was checking the box out against the known PAS-2
frequency/SR combinations per Lyngsat).
From Martin Mills, Via the Mailing List
For sale Nokia 9800s meadiamaster loaded with MA1.2 software Pacific Asia satellites loaded
price $500 AUS no cam.
Regards
martin m
Martin & Tracy Mills
[email protected]
ICQ 85955254
From George
Dear Craig
Just wanted to help keep your site up to date. Since I'm up here in Thailand
I can recieved some sats that you can't so my contributions are
Apstar 1A 134E -3840 H
tp 4A CCTV MPEG-2 Sr 27700 - Fec 3/4
CCTV 1
CCTV 2
CCTV 7
CCTV 10
CCTV 11
the test cards for CTTV 10 CCTV 11 have been replaced by programming
commencing last night about 21.00 Bangkok Time.
Palapa C2 113E -3880 H
tp 5H ABC tests? for international service MPEG-2 Sr 24000 - Fec 3/4
Palapa C2 113E -3976 H
tp 7H ® Radio Australia MPEG-2 Vpid 2061 - Fec 1/2
Best regards
George
THAILAND
Craigs comment, Thank you George I think Apstar 1A at 134E can be recieved in Northern Australia
From the Dish
Pas 2 169E 4148 V "Cartoon Network and TNT" have left, replaced by a test card.
Pas 8 166E 12686 H "TVB 8" has left , Vpid 1310 Apid 1320, replaced by a test card.
Pas 8 166E 12326 H "The TARBS promo is now encrypted."
Optus B1 160E Latest happening with Telstra Saturn Mux
Optus B1 160E 12733 V, Sr 22500 Fec 3/4, Services labled , Test 1-8 (load this one to load the others up)
Optus B1 160E "Test 1" Vpid 512 Apid 650 Sid 7
Optus B1 160E "Test 2" Vpid 515 Apid 653 Sid 9
Optus B1 160E "Test 3" Vpid 516 Apid 654 Sid 19
Optus B1 160E "Test 4" Vpid 514 Apid 652 Sid 20
Optus B1 160E "Test 5" Vpid 518 Apid 656 Sid 21
Optus B1 160E "Test 6" Vpid 513 Apid 651 Sid 23
Optus B1 160E "Test 7" Vpid 517 Apid 655 Sid 25
Optus B1 160E "Test 8" Vpid 519 Apid 657 Sid 101
Optus B1 160E 12483 V, Sr 22500 Fec 3/4, Services labled , Test 9-16
Optus B1 160E "Test 9" Vpid 512 Apid 650 Sid 1
Optus B1 160E "Test 10" Vpid 513 Apid 651 Sid 2
Optus B1 160E "Test 11" Vpid 514 Apid 652 Sid 5
Optus B1 160E "Test 12" Vpid 515 Apid 653 Sid 11
Optus B1 160E "Test 13" Vpid 516 Apid 654 Sid 16
Optus B1 160E "Test 14" Vpid 517 Apid 655 Sid 17
Optus B1 160E "Test 15" Vpid 518 Apid 656 Sid 65
Optus B1 160E "Test 16" Vpid 519 Apid 657 Sid 70
Optus B1 160E 12706 V, Sr 22500 Fec 3/4, Services labled , Test 17-24
Optus B1 160E "Test 17" Vpid 512 Apid 650 Sid 3
Optus B1 160E "Test 18" Vpid 513 Apid 651 Sid 4
Optus B1 160E "Test 19" Vpid 514 Apid 652 Sid 41
Optus B1 160E "Test 20" Vpid 515 Apid 653 Sid 42
Optus B1 160E "Test 21" Vpid 516 Apid 654 Sid 43
Optus B1 160E "Test 22" Vpid 517 Apid 655 Sid 44
Optus B1 160E "Test 23" Vpid 518 Apid 656 Sid 45
Optus B1 160E "Test 24" Vpid 519 Apid 657 Sid 999
Asiasat 3 105.5E 3900 V "Two test cards have started", Vpid 1210 Apid 1211, Vpid 1220 Apid 1221
Insat 2E 83E 3683 V "Asianet Global testing" Sr 4340, Fec 3/4,Vpid 4194 Apid 4195, wide beam.
NEWS
New channel Asianet Global launches today
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k1/july/july2.htm
Leading Malayalam language channel Asianet saw the birth of a sibling today with the launch of Asianet Global, whose USP is that its content is based purely on news, current affairs and movies. No soaps or serials to sell on this one.
"The channel is targeting the 'discerning viewer'," Mohan Nair, COO, Asianet Communications, said, adding Asianet Global, though targeting families as a whole, had a slight tilt towards a male audience which explained its content base. "Ours is the first and only news and film based channel and our USP is that we don't pack in any serials and such on our channel, Nair says.
Queried on the kind of money that had been pumped into launching the new channel, Nair would not put out any figures except to say that there was not much by way of fresh investments that were required because Asianet already had a full-fledged news dissemination structure in place.
In fact Nair had stated in the beginning of February that he was targeting the launch of a 24-hour news channel in May or June. As late as May, when four Indian states including southern India's Kerala went to the polls, Nair was still talking of launching a news channel. Nair did not elaborate on why the 24-hour news channel was taken off the ideas list.
Asianet Global, THE OTHER CHANNEL, as it has been christened, will however, have round the clock news, a release says. There are also talk shows, live discussions and educational programmes being lined up. Asianet's huge movie library will also form part of Asianet Global's programming.
Craigs comment, Insat 2E 83E , PAL and digital see above for digital details, WIDE BEAM
5/7/01
The site has been down due to a server problem, since Wednesday night. If you are reading this then I guess it's been fixxed
Boomerang TV IRD pin code discovered? According to the newsgroups try 120188 (looks like a manufacturer date)
website is http://www.eec.com.tw/
Ashes Cricket starts tonight, from what I have heard the regional stations will be showing the first session live in some cities. This might mean a C7 sports feed via B3 12363 V? Anyway keep your eyes out there should be a feed somewhere. In the News section there is a good article comparing Sky Digital U.K to the current digital tv mess that exists in Australia it well worth a read.
A question does anyone know of a utility for the Nokia to add extra satellites to the built in ones, e.g menu 8,6,3,5 lists "Other" with some U.K satellites in there. I read on one DVB board these sats are just basically a text list of all the transponder center freqs for each of the sats it lists. It would enable you to scan all transponders on a particular satellite for new services with no need to load up dvbedit. It would be very good to have all the local satellites listed. Let me know if you know of any software that will do this.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Alek
I checked out 57 Deg last night, 3888 R Fortune TV is actual part of the package, the actual network is called Southern Spice, the adds say that Fortune TV starts at 3pm Indian Times, although I am not sure what it replaces and what time period they use. The transponder is actually tagged "Tadiran Scopus".
66Deg E.
4055 French Telecom. RFI Musique is still there, add the following audios also.
RFI Palapa PID 1700
RFI Cambodia PID 1700
RFI China PID 1702
RFI Russia PID 1701
Most of the audio services are the same though.
Alek
Craigs comment, Tadiran Scopus is the MPG encoder, probably a default lable that they havn't botherd to changed
From Steve Johnson 4/7/2001 at 6 PM (NZT)
TVNZ playing with digital tests, signal still there on spectrum analyser (1/2 transponder format) - but wont load on my Strong SRT-4800 using original parameters. Have tried different symbol rates - still no go.
Steve Johnson
Pukekohe, NZ
Craigs comment, they have made the following changes,
12456V , now Sr 22485 (22500)
12483V , now Sr 22418?
12706V , now Sr 22485 (22500)
12733V , now Sr 22485 (22500)
From Dave Nolan
Eenadu TV Mux. 4005V. Sr 27000. INSAT 2E 83E
Hi,
ETV-ORIYA. Has programs on it.
ETV-URDA. Has a test patern.
ETV-KAN Test patern
ETV-MAR Colour Bars
ETV-BAN Colour Bars
ETV-TEL Colour Bars
Regards,
Dave Nolan
From the Dish
Pas 2 169E 4148 V "Power TV" has replaced CTN Channel International, Vpid 1160 Apid 1120 FTA
Pas 2 169E 4148 V "CTN Dadi, TVBI and TVBI 2" have left this mux.
Optus B1 160E 12456 V "TVNZ TEST, new Sr 22500
Optus B1 160E 12483 V "Saturn Mux", new Sr 22418? or 22400
Optus B1 160E 12706 V "TVNZ TEST, new Sr 22500
Optus B1 160E 12733 V "TVNZ TEST, new Sr 22500
Telkom 1 108E 3620 H "CNBC Asia" has started, Sr 20000, Fec 3/4, Vpid 33 Apid 32.(Visable in Australia)
Asiasat 2 100.5E 12452 H "CCTV 3 and CCTV 9" have swapped SIDs and PIDs. (China beam)
Insat 2E 83E 4005 V "ETV Oriya" has started in the ETV Mux ,Vpid 1660 Apid 1620.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3554 V "Channel Nepal" has started Vpid 514 Apid 642.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3634 V The Lashkara info card has left" , replaced by a test card.
NEWS
BigPond tunes in to television
From http://australianit.news.com.au/common/storyPage/0,3811,2267563%5E442,00.html
TELSTRA moved closer to becoming a media company in its own right yesterday after signing a deal with Beyond Online for three TV-like "channels" for its broadband internet service.
The deal strengthens Telstra's Big Pond broadband product as its preferred interactive TV-type service, as opposed to its 50 per cent owned pay TV company Foxtel, which has been jockeying for that role.
Beyond Online managing director Tom Kennedy said the channels would be a mix of enhanced web pages, video and interactivity.
"I think they recognise, as we do, that once you get past the early adopter market you need other reasons for getting people online, and hopefully building some interesting content will be one of those reasons," he said.
While details of broadband uptake are sketchy, Telstra is thought to have 60,000 to 70,000 users and the Optus@Home service 30,000 to 40,000 users.
The services provide faster internet speeds so video can be shown on PCs.
Beyond Online, which was spun off from Beyond International (most famous for the Beyond 2000 TV series) last March, has a two-year deal with Telstra but financial details have not been disclosed.
Telstra director of online services John Rolland said Beyond would produce three channels - a sports and leisure channel, one for entertainment and one for science and technology.
He said Beyond Online was chosen for its experience in developing streaming media. "They can also combine with Beyond International, who have a very strong TV production, feature film and TV distribution presence in Australia and the major overseas markets."
But Mr Kennedy said they would not always take "linear TV" and put it on the broadband service.
"It's a new medium and has been used differently to how we understand TV today but it allows interactivity with that content, so there'll be a lot of community-based activity around the content, more fan involvement and it will be more selective to individual tastes."
Austar iTV launch next month
From http://finance.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,2268828%255E462,00.html
AUSTAR United will launch Australia's first commercial rollout of two-way interactive television next month when it upgrades services to its satellite pay TV subscribers.
Subscribers' set-top boxes will be sent new information via satellite which will make them iTV-ready.
They must then purchase a $120 iTV kit, comprising an infra-red keyboard and box attachment with a fast modem to quickly send user's commands through phone lines.
But Austar iTV commercial and strategy manager Veronica Chalom said it would initially only promote the iTV service in Maroochydore and Albury.
"We are only looking at getting 5 per cent take-up by the end of this year, but I think demand will be significantly more than that," she said.
Austar has been trialling the system – which features an improved electronic program guide, pay-per-view service and the ability to shop and email via the TV – in 75 Gold Coast homes since May.
Of its 420,000-plus pay TV subscribers, most receive pay TV via satellite.
Austar is believed to have spent between $20 million and $30 million developing iTV services in the past two to three years.
But Ms Chalom said benefits included a reduction in churn and incremental revenue from the t-mail subscription (an extra $5 a month), interactive advertising and hosting t-commerce applications.
Unlike the UK, where iTV systems often feature "virtual shopping malls", she said Austar t-commerce services would be embedded in existing programming.
"They are watching GroundForce because they are interested in gardening, so giving them the offer of the GroundForce book is linked to what they are interested in," she said. But Ms Chalom said t-commerce services would only work with retailers with an online fulfilment system.
All pay TV subscribers will see new iTV on-screen logos from August and can order an iTV kit from Austar to access those services.
Ridgy-digital TV
From http://australianit.news.com.au/common/storyPage/0,3811,2248061%255E501,00.html
THE development of digital television in Australia is lost up a blind alley: hobbled by regulation, besieged by warring vested interests and hamstrung by inadequate policy.
This is starkly obvious when viewed from afar. In Britain digital TV is a glittering, exciting, working reality. It has stormed the nation, transformed viewing habits, and created a vast new industry.
The Sky digital TV service in Britain is the best and most advanced in the world. And the great irony, as we languish a world away from this pathfinding success, is that it has been created largely by Australians.
I came here thinking there may be a lot less to the digital dream than the hype. Australian terrestrial TV stations have been broadcasting digital signals since January 1, but only to an audience of hundreds. Set-top boxes are basic and, by comparison with the smart British models, as dumb as they get. Most reside in retail showrooms; a minuscule number are in homes.
The Australian digital experience is faint-hearted. It allows little enhancement over analog systems - a slightly sharper picture, a choice of three camera angles at the cricket or football, a text service giving game and player statistics, an option to switch to wide screen, and that's about it. It's not much for shelling out $700 for a set-top box.
Compare: Sign up for the satellite-delivered Sky service in Britain, and you'll receive 270 TV channels of crystal-clear quality and 44 CD-quality audio channels through a free smart set-top box that automatically updates its software, automatically enables new channels as they are added (and there will be 400-odd by this time next year), records your pay-for-view usage of first-release movies or premium sports events and downloads it to the subscriber billing centre once a month; allows you to call up news on demand, vote on current affairs issues, choose from five different camera angles, play games, take part in quizzes, bet from your armchair, shop, do your banking, send email, and check the local cinema program. And it comes close to the holy grail of TV - movies on demand.
Every 15 seconds in Britain, a new subscriber is hooked up to Sky via a dish only slightly larger than a dinner plate. The digital product has revolutionised the business of its parent, BSkyB, 37.5 per cent owned by News Corporation, publisher of The Australian.
BSkyB was created 12 years ago when competing satellite operators, Sky and British Satellite Broadcasting, merged. Both were bleeding millions of dollars a week. News chief Rupert Murdoch won operating control of the new business and appointed former Nine network chief Sam Chisholm as chief executive.
When Chisholm took over, BSkyB was losing $25 million a week. Within two years it was making $20 million a week from 3.5 million subscribers. Its annual profits, after taxes and abnormals, hit $800 million.
Chisholm left Sky in 1997. The business had matured and subscriber numbers had stalled. Churn - the people who signed on, then quit the service - was high at 20 per cent. Chisholm's last decision was to commit to converting to digital at a projected cost of $800 million. It was rolled out in October 1998 with 40 channels, and subscribers were invited to buy their new set-top boxes. When they didn't, Sky gave the boxes away at a cost of almost $500 each.
Today Sky has 5.5 million subscribers, 95 per cent of them on digital. To get to this point has cost $2.75 billion and driven Sky deeply into the red for the past three years.
The target is to reach 7 million subscribers - a third of all British households - by 2003. Each pays an average $65 a month for the service, yielding revenues of about $800 per subscriber a year. Interactive and pay-for-view services yield an additional $135 a year, with a further $135 a year budgeted for growing betting services. All up, each subscriber is worth close to $1100 a year.
Sky's revenues this year are up 27 per cent, churn is down to less than 10 per cent, and this year the business will write more than $6 billion in revenues, and is targeting $7.5 billion by 2003. It is now cashflow positive and is projecting billion-dollar-plus annual profits from 2003.
Chief operating officer Richard Freudenstein, an Australian who worked with Foxtel in its early days, attributes this astounding success thus: "The product is so good."
And it is. Another Australian, Jim Rudder, who heads the interactiveprogramming division of Sky took me on a guided tour of the digital world. The electronic program guide (EPG) is the first to appear on the screen, and you can move your cursor through a variety of simple choices to choose entertainment, shopping, or whatever. The EPG also shows what's coming up next, as well as displaying the latest movie availabilities.
Go to news and a red button marked "interactive" is displayed in the top right of the screen. Click on it and it reveals four other mini-screens showing news headlines on a three-minute loop: weather, financial quotes, and a secondary news broadcast. This is used to allow viewers to follow a story. The main news service may go live into a press conference, but drop out after a minute or so. Viewers interested in hearing the entire question-and-answer session can go to the alternative screen and continue to view the conference while the main bulletin goes on with other things.
On big news - such as the Concorde crash last year - all four program streams may be used to cover aspects of the same story, and viewers can pick and choose the action they want to watch - or watch all four simultaneously.
The same interactive screen poses a question of the day for viewers to vote on. Each vote costs viewers 70c. The vote line averages $6700 a day in premium phone call income.
Another button allows the viewer to pull up a text copy of the news reports.
The interactive sports window allows a similar variety of choices. Football viewers can select from five different camera angles, or follow a nominated player on a screen split with the live action. Late arrivals can catch up in a minute with a highlights package of the game to date, and they can also choose their commentary - a formal, impartial description of play, or a Roy and HG-style one-eyed fans' version suited to supporters of each side.
And, they can bet. Push the betting button, and the screen will ask for your account number and PIN and, once approved, you place your bet with the Sky-owned Surrey Sports Betting service. Rudder predicts the service will soon enable impulsive bets on questions such as "who will kick the next goal?".
Over on the interactive movie site, you can choose from hundreds of free movies, or select a pay-for-view first-run title, each of which has a start time staggered by 15 minutes. This is as close as we get to video-on-demand.
Also available are movie quizzes, movie synopses, reviews and biographies of the stars, and you can email your own comments about the movie you've just seen. Others can then read them, and reply if they wish. The movie site also contains listings at local cinemas.
From each of the interactive sites you can go through the "Open ..." portal into marketing sites. Want to buy a Manchester United jersey? Want it gift wrapped and sent to your mum for her birthday? Just press Y or N.
All this is made possible by a modem embedded in the set-top box. The digital stream comes via satellite while your voting, emailing, purchasing or betting commands go back via a phone line. This modem also enables the silent and unseen business of the box to take place - reporting to the subscriber centre in Scotland how many purchases you have made in a month. Each box has a random monthly reporting date, so each day 1/28 of the boxes automatically dial up and download their information. Each day 195,000 direct debits or subscription bills go out.
All this has not come without trial and error. Rudder explains that the Open platform was developed as a shopping portal but it did not take off. "It took too long for programs to load, and the buying processes were slow," he says. "To use the system you had to leave your television program. It wasn't user-friendly at all."
Sky bought out its partners in the Open system, and now operates it behind the TV screen, so you can watch TV or any Sky service while you use Open to shop or do your banking.
"We're building a `stickiness' into our service," Rudder says. "People don't mind waiting a minute for a program to load if they can continue watching their entertainment. The fact that they can get all these extras while watching their TV enhances the whole experience and reduces churn. Once they've tasted this, they don't want to go back to the old days."
For all its remarkable recent success, Sky Digital is very much a work in progress. Sky operates 80 of the 270 channels it carries, and more are coming on each week. Adrian Swift, a former reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and producer for Nine's Wide World of Sports, is now a partner in, and creative director of, Enteraction TV. This company currently produces a non-stop recruitment channel, TV Jobshop, on Sky, and will shortly announce a world first - a "branded" shopping channel. The concept is for a chain of stores to create its own channel, and use it to sell its product exclusively.
"It's a big test," he says. "We know people buy the product at shopping centres. What we now will find out is if they'll buy the same things via the TV set." Swift and his partner Mark Cullen have to negotiate a price for carriage by Sky, and keep overheads ultra low.
"As more of this type of product comes along, the issue is bandwidth," Cullen says. "How much can be fitted in the pipe? Cable is the best to handle volume, and Australia has the best cable in the world, yet you won't use it."
Cullen has hit the nail on the head. Australia could have all this digital interactivity and enormous commerce if it wanted. Sky has succeeded not because of, but in spite of, the deadening hand of regulation. It has had to find a way through the minefield, and still battles lobbyists who want special protection for the entrenched interests of terrestrial free-to-air broadcasters and cable companies.
Political issues - some involving meddling by European commissioners; others involving the might of the BBC - have threatened the journey at various stages. But none come close to the hobbles the Australian Government has placed on the digital future - largely at the behest of Kerry Packer's Nine network - or the impact of the interfering hand of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chief, Allan Fels.
And the inability of Telstra, the major Foxtel partner, to make a decision on how best to use its extraordinary asset - its broadband cable, which passes 2.5 million Australian homes, is woeful. Telstra appears so determined to be the gatekeeper and to control everything, that it is strangling the introduction of new services.
The fundamental mistake made by the Australian Government was to mandate High Definition TV. No other nation has done this. It is costly, spectrum hungry and not required.
By agreeing to the Packer proposal that HDTV should be the Australian standard, the Howard Government committed itself to giving each of the five TV networks 7mHz of bandwidth. It also agreed to licence-fee rebates to help fund the cost of conversion to digital free-to-air broadcasting.
But it prohibited multi-channelling by commercial networks, whereby a greater variety of programming could be shown, and limited the nature of digital services that could be offered by digital FTA broadcasters. It decreed there would be a new form of broadcasting called datacasting, but it failed through a lack of interest. It also tried, but failed, to ban all betting services on the internet and TV.
Terrestrial FTA broadcasters cannot come near to offering the Sky smorgasbord of programming because of spectrum limitations. If the Australian Government is relying on the FTA industry to drive the introduction of digital, it is barking up the wrong tree.
Nor does Australia have a satellite capable of carrying anywhere near Sky's capacity. (It uses a totalof eight transponders over its British footprint.) The only viable platform for Sky-style services in Australia today is the Telstra cable. But the Foxtel partners, Telstra (50 per cent), News Limited, and Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (25 per cent each) cannot agree on digitising the cable. Telstra claims the kinds of services offered by Sky go beyond pay TV, and are therefore in its exclusive preserve.
Foxtel has an agreement with Telstra for exclusive use of the cable for pay TV services. But the ACCC has recently "declared" the cable, which means non-Foxtel services must be carried through the cable and set-top boxes. Those taking advantage of this decision must pay a fee - set by the ACCC at $2.3 million per channel per year - to Foxtel, but do not get access to Foxtel's subscriber management systems.
If the cable were digitised, it would involve an investment of between $200 million and $400 million (depending on whether boxes were sold or given away) to replace cable head-ends and set-top boxes. The partners are reluctant to make this commitment, fearing the ACCC would demand that access to the near-infinite number of channels would be "declared" at non-commercial fees.
Freudenstein, who worked with Foxtel from 1994 until 1999 before becoming chief operating officer of BSkyB, says it is wrong for regulators to try to micro-manage businesses by setting fees.
"We operate an open platform at Sky," he says. "But we negotiate with the people who supply channels to us and, having taken the risk, we are entitled to recover some of our huge investment by charging fees to use our electronic program guides and our interactivity systems.
"Foxtel must be allowed to get a return on its investment."
He says the Australian anti-siphoning rules, which prevent pay TV from acquiring exclusive rights to a long list of sporting events which must be first offered to FTA channels, represent a major barrier to Foxtel's digital future.
"The secret of Sky's success has been content," he says. "You must have compelling content, and if you are prevented by law from doing that, you're going to do it hard. But, I admit, it will take political guts to wind back the anti-siphoning laws."
The digital TV industry is worth untold billions of pounds to Britain. Its technology is leading the world. It is far ahead of the US and Europe. If Australia would relax its barriers and encourage a market-driven, open-slather approach to the industry, it could reap handsome rewards by exporting its skills and software throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Instead, we remain in a tepid backwater, with governments determined to protect the riches of the incumbent free-to-air broadcasters.
There are further complications to the notion of a fully digitised Foxtel cable. It would create a digital elite, limited to viewers living in those 2.5 million city homes passed by the cable. While the Optus satellite currently fills in non-cabled areas with Foxtel and Austar pay TV services, it does not have the capacity to deliver the full array of Sky channels and interactivity.
The same problem exists, in a slightly different way, in Britain. While Sky has been a stunning success, it has critics who accuse it of failing to meet the needs of the two-thirds of British homes without Sky receiving dishes.
Terrestrial broadcasters such as ITV's Carlton and Grenada have created a digital platform called ONdigital, designed to provide non-Sky homes with the full digital experience. But it is limited by the lack of spectrum and bandwidth, and reportedly is close to collapse.
Similarly, the cable industry, dominated by transmission specialist ntl, is bedevilled with old technology, a lack of content, and crippling debts of almost $40 billion.
Neither ONdigital nor ntl can convincingly answer the question of what to do with people who see no need, or can't afford, to migrate from analog to digital services. With analog broadcasting scheduled to be switched off between 2006 and 2010, it remains a big political sticking point.
But no issues are insoluble. Australian digital policy is in need of an urgent overhaul, and there is no person more able to do it than Chisholm, currently under-utilised as a Yass farmer and Telstra director. He has the knowledge and the capacity to cut through to the core issues and pull together a new framework to allow Australians to benefit fully from the astounding digital world. He's done it before. Sky is his remarkable legacy.
4/7/01
Chat was quiet last night, I don't know why people come into the chat room and sit there and not say anything its not to hard to start up a topic and dosn't take much to get a conversation going. Theres not much happening so the update is very small today. Perhaps its the cold, coldest week of the year here, we have had frosts of , Mon -7.5c, Tues -7.5C, Wed -8.5C !!! Thats very cold even for here, last night we had an airtemp of -4C!
From my Emails & ICQ
Bill Richards reports
0956UTC 3-07-01
Pas 2 3717 V Sr 13240, Fec 3/4
Vpid1160 Apid1120 SID1 CCTV4
Vpid1260 Apid1220 SID2 CCTV9
Vpid1360 Apid1320 SID3 CCTV3
Vpid1460 Apid1420 SID4 Feed Channel
CTTV MUX back on Pas 2
Regards
Bill
(Craigs comment, argghh I just removeed them yesterday will give it a few days see if they stay , I don't think they will)
Chris Pickstock reports 3/7/01
Optus B1, 12367 V Sr 5632 Vpid 308 Apid 256
Newsforce feed of the British Lions game.
From the Dish
Pas 2 169E 3716 V "The CCTV mux is back on" , Sr 13240, Fec 3/4, SIDs 1-4,
Pas 2 169E 3716 V "CCTV4" Vpid 1160 Apid 1120 SID1
Pas 2 169E 3716 V "CCTV9" Vpid 1260 Apid 1220 SID2
Pas 2 169E 3716 V "CCTV3" Vpid 1360 Apid 1320 SID3
Pas 2 169E 3716 V "Feed Channel" Vpid 1460 Apid 1420 SID4
Pas 8 3829 H "CCTV 3 and CCTV 9" have swapped SIDs and PIDs.
Pas 8 3850 H "HaiHua Satellite TV has replaced SET TV",SID 6, Vpid 460 Apid 461.(Anyone have info on this one? is this the one someone said was screening porn?)
Agila 2 146E 3736 H "ESC 1" has started on , Sr 3000, Fec 3/4, Vpid 1960 Apid 1920.(Asia Beam)
Asiasat 3 105.5E 4129 H "CCTV 3 and CCTV 9" have swapped SIDs and PIDs.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3554 V "A Nepal Channel test card" has started Vpid 514 Apid 642 (Asia beam)
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "Radio Skopje" has left
Pas 4 68.5E 4090 H "CCTV 3 and CCTV 9" have swapped PIDs.
Pas 4 68.5E 3730 H "The NHK Joho Network mux started" , Sr 26470, Fec3/4,
Pas 4 68.5E 3730 H "NHK World Preimum" Encrypted Vpid 1160 Apid 1120
Pas 4 68.5E 3730 H "NHK World TV" NTSC, Vpid 1260, Apid 1220 (Japanese) Apid 1222 (English)
Pas 4 68.5E 3730 H "NHK World TV" PAL, Vpid 1360, Apid 1320 (Japanese) Apid 1322 (English)
Pas 4 68.5E 3730 H "Channel J" Vpid 1460 Apid 1420
Pas 4 68.5E 3730 H "Radio Japan". Apid 1122
NEWS
Nothing to report
3/7/01
Live chat tonight in the chatroom as usual 8.30 P.M Syd time, but I will be in there from 9.30 NZ onwards. The Various CCTV mux's seem to be moving around a bit at the moment. Pas 10 is now co-located at 68.5E keep an eye out for services shifting freq. Look for a Newsforce feed on B1 12367V tonight for the Lions ACT rugby match
New link added for RTPI on Optus B3, with much improved tv programming guide
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve Johnson 3/7/2001 at 7.30 AM (NZT)
New channel loading - Optus B3, 12336 V, Fec 2/3, Sr 30000.
MOU TV
THAI TV5
RTP International
MSAT Occasion
TRT International
TV5 Asia
DW
Steve Johnson
Satcom (NZ) Ltd
Pukekohe, NZ
[email protected]
Alex supplies this screenshot from Fortune TV, "Southern Spice Music", 57deg E 3888 R Sr 6108 Fec 3/4
From the Dish
Pas 2 169E 3716 V "CCTV 3, 4 and 9" and the occasional feeds have moved to PAS 8.
Optus B3 156E 12336 V "RTP Internacional has replaced Deutsche Welle TV" on SID 3, Vpid 1360 Apid 1320
Optus B3 156E 12336 V "Deutsche Welle TV has replaced TBN" on SID 7, Vpid 1760 Apid 1720.
Optus B3 156E 12376 V "TCM Australia has replaced NHK World Premium" Encrypted.
Asiasat 3 105.5E 4116 H "CCTV 3, 4 and 9" and the occasional feeds have moved to 4129 H, Sr 13240, Fec 3/4.
Asiasat 3 105.5E 4116 H "China Radio International, Voice of Russia" have left.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 12456 H "The CCTV mux has moved from here to12452 H, Sr 13240, Fec 3/4.(KU Beam, China)
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "MKTV Sat" has left, (No one stays long on this freq)
Pas 4 68.5E 3744 H "BBC World, B4U Music and B4U Entertainment and the occasional BT feeds" have left
Pas 4 68.5E 3716 H "CCTV 3, 4 and 9" and the occasional feeds have moved to 4090 H.
Pas 4 68.5E 4185 V "Urdu TV Network" has left, now Asiasat 3 only.
Pas 10 68.5E "PAS 10 has moved from 72 East to 68.5 East".
Intelsat 704 66E 4055 R "RFI Musique" has left
NEWS
Sorry no news section today
2/7/01
More happenings on Mediasat, TBN has gone (not enough signal at Mediasat HQ I think) replaced by the excellent Deutsch Welle channel.RTPI is back which should please both its viewers ;-)
Pas 2, Pas 8, B3 updated
From my Emails & ICQ
Hi Craig.
B3 Transponder Freq 12336 LNB pol V SR 30000 Fec 3/4
RTP International is back on Optus B3 Mediasat Bouquet this morning.
DW is still present. I suppose the European Bouquet is going to be on B3.
TBN is gone.
Just let you know that by law all national broadcasters in Europe must be FTA .
Regards
Salah.
From the Dish
Pas 8 166E 3829 H "CCTV mux" has started Sr 13240, Fec 3/4, (As mentioned in news section last week, they will leave Pas 2 soon)
Pas 8 166E 3829 H "CCTV 4" Vpid 1160 Apid 1120
Pas 8 166E 3829 H "CCTV 3" Vpid 1260 Apid 1220
Pas 8 166E 3829 H "CCTV 9" Vpid 1360 Apid 1320
Pas 8 166E 4189 H "Senior PGA Golf feed" Sr 12300 Fec 3/4, Sorry no pids
JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "Tzu Chi TV" Fta here on Vpid 1168 Apid 1169.
JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "CTS" Fta here on Vpid 1184 Apid 1185
Palapa C2 113E 3760 H "Tzu Chi TV and Mega Movie" are FTA
Palapa C2 113E 4000 H "MMBN mux" all are FTA except Channel X1
Asiasat 3 105.5E 12595H "Macau 5 star tv testing" Sr 13185 Fec 3/4? Yes! try this one in Australia
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3634 V "Lashkara Channel" has left , replaced by a test card.
NEWS
Telstra and AsiaSat Confirm First Satellite Deal
From satnewsasia.com
Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), Asia’s leading satellite service provider, and Australia’s premier telecommunications provider, Telstra Corporation, today announced the signing of a lease agreement for one and a half 54 MHz Ku-band transponders on AsiaSat 3S.
AsiaSat’s satellite capacity will be used to deliver Telstra’s BigPond broadband services across Australia, offering high speed Internet and multimedia services to subscribers throughout the country, particularly in rural and remote areas.
The leased capacity was previously reserved by Telstra under an agreement between the two companies announced in December 2000.
Peter Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat said, “We are very pleased to begin the first lease with Telstra subsequent to the reservation agreement last year. This is our largest contract concluded for AsiaSat 3S’s Ku-band capacity. AsiaSat 3S’s unbeatable power and coverage will complement and enhance Telstra’s existing broadband solutions, particularly to Australia’s remote outback.”
?This initial capacity taken up by Telstra marks AsiaSat’s entry into the Australian domestic market. I believe that this is only the beginning of our relationship and we look forward to more opportunities to support Telstra’s domestic, regional and global services with AsiaSat’s expanding fleet of satellites,” Jackson added.
Doug Campbell, Group Managing Director of Telstra’s Country Wide division said, “We are excited to be able to use the AsiaSat satellite to bring a new generation of Internet and on-line services to Rural and Remote Australians. With this agreement in place, our customers can look forward to leapfrogging the dial-up Internet paradigm to the world of always-on broadband.”
AsiaSat 3S is a Boeing 601 HP satellite, with 28 C-band and 16 Ku-band linearised transponders and an estimated 16 year operational life. The region wide C-band footprint on AsiaSat 3S covers over 50 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. AsiaSat 3S’s powerful Ku-band coverage consists of two fixed beams serving South Asia and East Asia, and the steerable beam which is now fixed over Australia. AsiaSat’s two other in-orbit satellites are AsiaSat 1 and AsiaSat 2, with a future satellite, AsiaSat 4 planned for launch in the first half of 2002.
AsiaSat serves over two-thirds of the world’s population with its fleet of satellites. The AsiaSat satellite system provides services to both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 100 analogue and digital television channels and 90 radio channels are now delivered by the company’s satellites, reaching over 80 million households, with more than 300 million viewers across the Asia Pacific region. Many telecommunications customers also use AsiaSat for public telephone networks, private VSAT networks and high speed Internet and multimedia services.
AsiaSat is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on both the Hong Kong (SEHK: 1135HK) and New York (NYSE: SAT) stock exchanges. AsiaSat’s two major shareholders are China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) and Société Européenne des Satellites (SES), the operator of Europe’s premier ASTRA satellite system.
Telstra is Australia’s premier communications carrier and a world-class fully integrated, full service provider across wireline, ADSL, HFC, satellite and digital wireless networks and platforms. It is Australia’s leading ISP, has the most highly accessed family of Internet portals and sites and provides entertainment and multimedia content over its broadband network and through its Pay-TV joint venture.
Telstra owns and operates one of the most technologically advanced networks, offering end-to-end solutions ranging from broadband, IP, mobile and intelligent network services, to voice and data network hubs, call centres and advanced multimedia and e-commerce applications. It has business operations in 19 countries in North America, UK/Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Mitsubishi Corporation Completes Purchase of 80% of USAsia Telecom
From satnewsasia.com
Mitsubishi Corporation has completed the purchase of 80% of USAsia Telecom LLC. USAT, a Hawaii based Satellite Internet Service Provider (SISP) founded in 1997, operates teleports on the island of Oahu accessing C-band transponders on the JCSAT-3 and Agila 2 satellites and connects to the US mainland via undersea fiber links. USAT operates the SkyTiger.net Satellite Internet Service, supplying ISP's across Asia with broad band Internet as well as VoIP services for US carriers and has a 24/7 NOC and its headquarters in Kailua, Hawaii.
Stuart Browne, USAT's founder and company president said that "USAT's tie up with Mitsubishi, the worlds largest trading company, will give SkyTiger the needed capital and marketing clout to rapidly increase over market share in Asia." "We'll now have access to the SuperBird C Ku-band satellite and the Japanese market for high speed Internet direct to enterprises and cable head ends."
USAT intends to expand its Kapolei, Hawaii teleport operations to create Hawaii's first "SuperPOP" offering MESH IP VSAT, secure VPN's , digital TV and multi-media streaming for broadcasters and co-location services for direct to the network edge IP solutions. SkyTiger will be offering a true "Overnet" that will provide customers in the world's largest Internet marketplace, Asia, with scalable and seamless interconnections to the internet using the latest in DVB and code division multiplexing technologies.
USAT was the first US carrier and SISP to offer direct, single hop satellite connections between the US and south Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) and now has links to every country in the region. Browne added "by combining fiber and satellite connectivity, we have effectively moved the US West Coast out to the central Pacific which enables us to offer "all Asia" coverage from Honolulu, which in itself, is rapidly becoming America's gateway to Asia.
Teleglobe Announces Video Transmission Agreements With Leading Japanese Broadcasters
From satnewsasia.com
Teleglobe (NYSE, TSE: BCE), the e-World Communications Company, today announced separate, one-year recurring and occasional use lease agreements with both Fujisankei Communications International, a subsidiary of Fuji Television Network, Inc., one of Japan's six major broadcast networks, and JSTV, the only Japanese language broadcasting network in Europe.
The two broadcasters have selected Teleglobe Broadcast Services' Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)-based fiber optic video network to provide digital video transmission of news programming from their New York news bureaus and production studios to Teleglobe's London digital video facility. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
Fujisankei's unit will distribute programming via JSTV to the Japanese community throughout Europe. JSTV's broadcast will be distributed as part of its news programming to Japanese-speaking households throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.
Teleglobe supports the broadcast transmission needs of more than 100 of the industry`s leading television broadcasters, including the BBC, Bloomberg, CBC, CBS, The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Fox, NBC and TV New Zealand.
The company is a leading provider of studio quality MPEG-2 4:2:0 and 4:2:2 transmission over ATM and ranks among the world's top providers of intercontinental digital television transmission services. Teleglobe's high-speed ATM network provides increased bandwidth, low latency, a greater range of service flexibility and quality of service guarantees.
Its digital video network currently links Video Points of Presence (POPs) in London, Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and Vancouver.
"Reliability and responsiveness are essential in the broadcast business," said Fuji TV's Hiroyuki Katsushiro, manager of engineering. "Over the years, we've had excellent experiences with Teleglobe as we've expanded our broadcast services business to new audiences around the world."
"Improving quality of transmission was the most critical factor in our selection of Teleglobe," said JSTV's Tomoyuki Takanohashi, manager of programming. "We increased our speed of transmission but not our costs."
Fujisankei Communications International, Inc. (FCI) is the international representative of Japan's Fujisankei Communications Group, with headquarters in New York. Principal business activities include television broadcasting, production and distribution as well as television and newspaper newsgathering, merchandising, and event planning.
From its studio in Midtown Manhattan, FCI broadcasts Japanese language news and entertainment programming across the U.S. FCI's programs are available on local UHF stations in eight major US metropolitan areas and nationally on cable via the International Channel.
The Fujisankei Communications Group is Japan's largest media organization and includes outstanding companies such as Fuji Television Network, Nippon Broadcasting System, Sankei Shimbun, Pony Canyon, Fuso Publishing, and Fujisankei Living Service.
Japan Satellite TV (Europe) Limited, a subsidiary of NHK Enterprises 21 Incorporated, Media International Corporation and Marubeni Europe plc, has been broadcasting programming in Japanese since 1990.
JSTV currently provides a seven-hour unencrypted Japanese and English news service along with a 17-hour pay service including dramas, movies, children's programming, sports and variety programming to Japanese speaking households throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.
Teleglobe, a leading provider of global communications and eBusiness services, enables its customers to maximize the potential of the Internet through delivery of hosting services, content distribution and global connectivity.
With a maximum lit capacity of 10 million+ Gbps-miles, 55 major POPs and 600,000 square feet of hosting facilities (year-end 2001), Teleglobe is one of the world's largest international Internet backbones serving a broad base of enterprise, Internet content provider (ICP), Internet service provider (ISP), application service provider (ASP) and carrier customers.
Teleglobe is expanding its network with its GlobeSystem initiative, a multi-billion dollar IP network and hosting deployment that will increase current capacity 200-fold and provide a robust platform for a portfolio of Internet and data services.
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 26/2001 - July 1 2001 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by Tele Satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited apsattv.com Edition
A S I A
CHINA - HONG KONG
BROADCAST AND CABLE CHANNELS MERGE
Beijing Television Station (BTV) announced on June 24 that it will merge with
Beijing Cable Television Station. The new entity, called BTV, will control
three broadcast channels and four cable channels, according to a China News
Service report. The move brings China one step closer to unifying its cable TV,
film and broadcast television networks. Although this plan has been long in the
making, it has been difficult to implement, as local officials are loath to
relinquish control over their television stations. To ease the transition, the
State Administration of Radio, Film & Television (SARFT) has directed local
broadcast and cable TV stations to merge at the provincial level first,
presumably with the intention of eventually combining these into a nation-wide
network.
JAPAN
TV NETWORKS LAUNCH BROADBAND JOINT VENTURE
Three of Japan’s five TV networks - Fuji TV, TBS and TV Asahi - have agreed to
form a groundbreaking joint venture to provide film and other content via
broadband. In addition to feature films for a VOD service, content will include
TV dramas, animation, sports and news. Programmes will beam to home PCs on a
subscription basis. The venture, the first of its kind in the Japanese
broadcasting business, is expected to have a management company in place in
spring 2001, armed with capital of Y5-Y6 billion. Fuji TV, TBS and TV Asahi
will hold the biggest stakes, while companies including the NTT Group and major
telecommunications hardware manufacturers are to take smaller shares. The two
Japanese nets not belonging to the consortium - TV Tokyo and NTV - are already
engaged in broadband businesses via the Internet, but on a far smaller scale
than that projected by their rivals.
TELEGLOBE DISTRIBUTES JAPANESE CHANNELS
Teleglobe on June 26 announced separate, one-year recurring and occasional use
lease agreements with both Fujisankei Communications International, a
subsidiary of Fuji Television Network, Inc., one of Japan's six major broadcast
networks, and JSTV, the only Japanese language broadcasting network in Europe.
The two broadcasters have selected Teleglobe Broadcast Services' Asynchronous
Transfer Mode (ATM)-based fibre optic video network to provide digital video
transmission of news programming from their New York news bureaus and
production studios to Teleglobe's London digital video facility. Fujisankei's
unit will distribute programming via JSTV to the Japanese community throughout
Europe. JSTV's broadcast will be distributed as part of its news programming to
Japanese-speaking households throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa
and Central Asia. Teleglobe's high-speed digital video network currently links
Video Points of Presence (POPs) in London, Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and
Vancouver.
Internet - http://www.teleglobe.com
JUPITER TO LAUNCH DIGITAL TV SERVICE
Liberty Media-backed Japanese cable operator Jupiter Communications has
announced it will launch a digital satellite service in Japan next month.
Programming will include content from public broadcaster NHK. Customers will be
charged Y4,000 for installation and a monthly subscription fee of Y1,500 with
extra charges for access to premium channels.
NEW ZEALAND
TV NEW ZEALAND TO BECOME SEMI PUBLIC
Television New Zealand will be disbanded as a state-owned enterprise whose
prime function is to make money, and turned into a semi-public broadcaster. The
government announced that it plans to re-establish the corporation as a crown
entity charged with fulfilling a charter that will go into effect in July 2002.
THAILAND
UBC INCREASES SUBCRIPTION FEES
The Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand will allow the United
Broadcasting Corporation, Thailand's biggest pay-TV service provider, to
increase its subscription fees, in order to offset the corporation's 11.7
billion baht accumulated losses. The UBC said that MCOT had approved its 180
baht 'Gold package' subscription fee increase, effective August 1. In April,
the UBC reported a loss of 521 million baht in the first quarter of this year
to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, bringing its total accumulated losses to
11.7 billion baht since it began operating as Thailand's first pay-TV provider.
1/7/01
No site update today taking a day off and cleaning up the house.
