31/07/04
No update Saturday
30/07/04
....
Jon's Asia Weekly
"A hodge podge of stuff up in the skies"
Issue 15
Many of you sit down to watch your favourite satellite TV that we all take for granted will be there forever, but in the cycle of things many of the satellites are evolving on a near daily basis. Although lately there seems to be a slow down on the number of additions and deletions of channels & mux’s on the satellites we see across the Asia Pacific region. However over on the European segment of the sky the channel changes are continuing as normal, albeit I note a large number of channel deletions of late.
Thaicom 2/3 on the C band has under gone some major changes over the last few months, with the Australian ethnic TV provider “TARBS” mux going and new additions being added almost daily.
If you can see Thaicom 2/3 from your location and have a blind search capability this is the bird to look at.
HOT: Cheap dual analog / digital receivers being sold at very cheap prices across the region good for a second FTA receiver for the kids
We noted this week that Channel 7 a local TV provider here in Thailand is now on digital on Thaicom 2/3 and taking full advantage of the digital audio services. I watched an English movie on there last evening and much to my surprise the English sound track was 100% intact on the left audio channel, while the Thai sound track was on the right audio channel. Nice to see they have sneaked up from the analog portion of the band to digital. Although you might recall earlier this year they did the same thing on their Ch 7 feed channels, and even had CNN playing, but with no audio for a few days.
HOT: PTV Feeds on Thaicom 2/3 (a great laugh at times as the people setting up for the interviews do not know they are already live and we can see and hear them)
The Australian horse racing provider “Sky International” on Thaicom 2/3 C band is currently back to it old tricks of a year ago and currently has “channel 2” free to air, albeit there is nothing but a control channel message to watch.
HOT: DVB-T
Their competition for global horse racing “Tellytrack” is still free to air on PAS 7/10 C band, showing racing from all over the place including the UK and South Africa and it is still free, I said that right. Well the reason I said it again as “Tellytrack” is miles cheaper for the average punter like you and me, as it is less than the USD 5,000 per year you have to pay for your subscription card to Sky International, so go figure, “Tellytrack” is free right now, so enjoy it while it lasts.
Telemedia is back playing its test pattern after a short break on the same mux as Tellytrack. KTN is moving to Thaicom 2/3 and has a message up about the new position, channel and the likes which it will share with some Thai channels. BBC world service [radio] continues to play on BBC World India on Panamsat 7/10 left audio channel and not encrypted.
NSS6 had a major change over the last week and we lost the South East Asian beam which carried the blue skies promo and you guessed it FreeXTV. Needless to say when I reported this on a local web board here, there were lots of very unpleasant words used by the subscribers to FreeXTV. However if you have a slightly larger dish (3.4m works sort of) rather than the 60cm or 75cm dishes most people use, you can watch the North Asia beam which also has FreeXTV on it and even see the new sexytv promo to boot.
HOT: the new Silverbox II from Dynasat http://www.dynasat.com/
TSC or “Thai Society Channel” on Thaicom 1 C Band just vanished. Maybe over the Ch. 11/2 concessions maybe new PIDs - who knows?
The Asian Cup ODI’s are hotting up for the cricket, while Thailand lost its second regional match in a row in the soccer this week.
CCTV 9, or CTTV International has undergone a major revamp over the last few months and is providing a world class service. The new look and feel of its programming is something that a lot of western providers could learn from. I must say the “travelogue” programming is something not to be missed, well done to the CCTV team.
Three versions of “Bali Tv” on Palapa C2 did I miss something?
HOT: Via 2.4 in UCAS boxes
MAC TV on various birds across the region both C and Ku bands has a great English language programme called “Inside Taiwan” which is worth a look at. Their Ku band services on Telstar 10 and Panamsat 8 just boom out across here in south east Asia.
So what is it with the “STC” channel on Panamsat 8 C band? One moment it is FTA then the next minute it is encrypted then it is FTA again. What a pain (smile), wish they would make up their minds on what it is going to be. Keep it FTA we all love it.
So if you were going to put together a series of easy listening music channels to watch, based in the 60’s to the 80’s what would you select on all the satellites from Panamsat 2 over to Panamsat 7/10?
1. VH 1 (yep but encrypted) where is it FTA?
2. SS Music on Thaicom 2/3 C Band
3. Myx on Panamsat 8
MTV and Channel V is to 21st century. So these are out of the list. Trance on AS 3S is to hip hop so also off the list. STC on Pas 8 would be great if it was there all the time. I am sure you get the idea. Please send your suggestions to Jon at [email protected] and we will see if we can get a list together and publish it here over the next few weeks.
COLD: the TV feedback across the Asian region after the comments of a “Mr. Downer” made earlier this week
So many users out in Asia Pacific now know that various channels and satellites will not be there for ever and over the past few weeks have seen many changes to them as they continue to evolve. If it is there today enjoy it to the max, as it may not be there in the morning.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Ranime
2 feeds seen today
B1 Feed 12380 H 3/4 7200
B1 Feed 12523 H 3/4 6111
From Steve Hume
Palapa C2 4080H update
Metro TV (Metro TV Indonesia) VPID: 513 APID1: 651 APID2: 661
Prima Ent (Blank Screen - Black) VPID: 516 APID1: 654 APID2: 664
MQTV (MQTV Sahabat Penyejuk Hati) VPID: 517 APID1: 655 APID2: 665
Ch7 (Frozen frame) VPID: 518 APID1: 656 APID2: 666
TV5 (TV5 Asie) VPID: 512 APID1: 650 APID2: 660
Ar-Rahman (Colour Bars) VPID” 515 APID1: 653 APID2: 663
GlobalTV (MTV) VPID: 514 APID1: 652 APID2: 662
From Simmo
Palapa C2
Bali TV seems to have gone, The Family Channel appeared on 3585 H 27000
New Asiasat 4 signal
4004 H 20000 oesnt load here, may be data?
also the Fish "testcard" is back on 3905 V 26670
From the Dish
Lyngsat not arrived..
NEWS
Far East satellite TV 'QuickTime-bound'
From http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=9276&Page=1&pagePos=8
A major Japanese satellite broadcaster may adopt the Apple QuickTime-friendly H.264 format when it launches commercial broadcasts in mid-October.
Mobile Broadcasting said it is "considering changing the video codec for its digital satellite broadcasting service for mobile devices from MPEG-4 to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC," according to Asia Online.
The company said it began researching such a shift six months ago, "because H.264 has higher coding efficiency and can produce more benefits. H.264 may enable an increase of the number of video channels as well as improved image quality," the report says, though no final decision has yet been made.
In June, Apple announced that the DVD Forum had ratified H.264 to be included in the next-generation High Definition (HD) DVD format.
Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller then said: "Apple is firmly behind H.264 because it delivers superb-quality digital video and is based on open standards that no single company controls."
Apple also revealed that H.264 support will be added to QuickTime "next year".
Multichoice Launches Initiative for Schools
From http://allafrica.com/stories/200407290519.html
Digital Satellite Television (DStv)provider, MultiChoice Nigeria, celebrated its 10th anniversary recently, with the launch of a new educational television bouquet for schools.
The project is being piloted in collaboration with a non-profit organisation, SchoolNet Nigeria, comprising seven premium channels, national geographic, discovery channel, history channel, SABC Africa, BBC World, Animal Planet and Activate, hence combining the sound and imagery of television to support teaching and learning, digitally.
The initiative is part of a broad community development strategy to leverage MultiChoice assets and expertise for development and growth of African communities.
Public Relations Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Segun Fayose, said the programme is currently being piloted in seven Nigerian schools in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education.
These schools, he said, were provided with satellite decoders required to access the bouquet and training for teachers on how to integrate television into their lesson plans.
Schools already benefiting from the first phase of the community-based initiative are Community Secondary School, Asokoro; Government Secondary School, Garki, Model Secondary School, Maitama and School for The Gifted, Gwagwalada all located in Abuja, the federal capital territory.
Other schools include: The Anglican Girls school, Queen's College, Yaba and Model Secondary School, Lekki, all in Lagos State.
He said, all the schools have taken delivery of the complete equipment for the various MultiChoice School Resource Centres.
In his address at the occasion, Minister of Education, Prof. Fabian Osuji said that the global transformation of educational process is underscored by the increasing use of rapidly changing information and communication technology (ICT).
It is for this reason, he said, that the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), has included an ICT programme as an essential feature of the plan for Africa's regeneration and renewal.
The senior special adviser to the President on NEPAD and Head of NEPAD Nigeria, Chief (Mrs) Chinyere Asika, stressed the responsibility of business to do its share in efforts to ensure equitable education and bridging of the digital divide.
"We welcome this initiative that allows teachers and learners to step outside of their immediate classroom context, textbook pages and the blackboard to bring abstract concepts in the curriculum to life," she said.
Mrs. Asika further said that the project is fully aligned with NEPAD's e-Schools Initiative, and "I must add that the scope of this pilot project should include the identification and development of appropriate local content to complement other available educational resource materials already identified".
General manager of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Willem Hattingh, said the programme would inform future large-scale rollout.
"Although a limited number of schools will be involved initially, we believe the initiative could make a fundamental contribution to understand how multi-media could support education transformation in Africa," he said.
MultiChoice in corporation with SchoolNet, has established the programme in a number of other African countries, including Zambia, Kenya and Angola.
Zee to launch Alpha Telugu
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=64690
HYDERABAD: Zee Network has decided to foray into the south Indian language segment with the proposed launch of a Telugu channel, under its Alpha bouquet, in Andhra Pradesh.
South India, which accounts for over 40% of cable and satellite households in India, is noted for its strong mother tongue loyalty.
Alpha Telugu, the new language channel, will be launched in the second week of August, announced business head Srinivas Bhat.
Essel Group vice-president Ashish Kaul said, “We cover most of India except the south. In Andhra, viewers have limited choice as there are only two or three channels catering to a huge population”.
Zee is looking at entering the Karnataka market soon with a language offering.
As per Zee’s research, other regions like Maharashtra, Gujarat and West Bengal do not show a high incidence of mother tongue preference in TV viewing as the two states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra.
“In these two states, viewing of non-language channels is negligible. We have to enter this large market segment to be a truly national player,” Mr Bhat said.
Alpha Telugu will provide a mix of programmes including news, entertainment, reality-based dramas and localised content, Mr Bhat said. The channel has already tied up with content providers for the programmes.
Prasar Bharathi to launch free DTH services next month
From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=162813
In a clear move to break the cable monopoly, Prasar Bharathi is going to launch its direct-to-home(DTH) services with a 40-channel bouquet free of cost from August.
The viewers will have to only make a one-time investment of Rs 3,000 to receive the DTH signals.
Announcing the decision here yesterday, Union broadcasting minister S Jaipal Reddy said that Prasar Bhar-athi will spend Rs 165 crore on the DTH move, which would include uplinking and set-top boxes which go along with the dish antennae.
The minister said that the Doordarshan’s DTH platform, in addition to 14 DD channels and three HRD channels, will have 23 private channels to start with.
The private channels which have agreed to join the DTH platform include Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Jain TV, K-TV health channel, Kairali, Sun TV, Star Utsav, Raj TV (Telugu and English), Alpha (Bangla) and MH-1.
Though the Union government has made it mandatory for all the cable operators to telecast at least three DD channels, Prasar Bharathi could not carve out its niche in the cable war.
The move is expected to not only curtail the monopoly of cable operators but also expand the reach of DD channels.
Essel to swell DTH bouquet by 146 channels
From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=162812
Essel Corporate Group, the promoters of Zee Telefilms Limited and Dish TV, plans to increase the number of channels available on the direct-to-home (DTH) platform to around 250 from the current 104 channels by the end of 2005. The company also plans to launch a Hindi business channel soon.
Speaking to Business Standard before a pre-launch conference of the network’s Alpha Telugu channel, Ashish Kaul, vice-president (corporate brand development group), Essel Corporate Group, said that negotiations with leading channels were at various stages and those open to Dish TV’s proposals were welcome to join the DTH platform.
“We are at present in commercial negotiations with Sony Entertainment and expect the deal to come through in the next couple of weeks,” he said.
There are over 1.5 lakh customers at present who have subscribed to DTH services and Zee expects these numbers to increase during the current financial year.
Kaul said that 90 per cent of the customers who subscribed to DTH services were from the rural parts of the country.
“We are excited about our new investments supporting the DTH business. During the second quarter, we will begin full service package on Dish TV,” he said.
During the current financial year, Zee expects between three and five per cent of the cable and satellite homes to opt for DTH services.
“The switch will happen because of the value added services we offer and also because viewers can choose what they like,” Kaul said.
The company is also planning to launch some more new channels for the Indian market. This includes augmenting presence in the regional market under the Alpha brand. “We will also be launching a Hindi business channel shortly,” Kaul said.
Zee Telefilms Limited for the first quarter ended June 30, 2004, has posted a net profit of Rs 45.22 crore as compared to Rs 17.07 crore posted in the corresponding quarter last year. Total income increased from Rs 108.59 crore to Rs 169.67 crore during the quarter.
The group has posted a net profit of Rs 73.25 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 as compared to Rs 62.3 crore for the same period last year. Total income increased from Rs 308.38 crore to Rs 336.54 crore for the first quarter.
Kaul also said that the company was looking at expanding its presence outside the country. “We have recently started our broadcast in Singapore and are also looking at other countries,” he said.
The company also plans to launch around four to six movies a year from now on. “There are two movies which would be released shortly and other are in various stages of production,” Kaul said.
‘Bhagmati The Queen of Fortunes’ which would be the first animated movie to be made in the country would be released sometime in August and ‘One Dollar Curry’ a film made in association with France Television would be released in October.
Srinivas R Bhat, channel head Alpha Telugu said that the company was all set to launch their fifth regional channel, Alpha Telugu during the second week of August.
Addressing a press conference, Bhat said that there was a lot of potential for growth in regional channel languages and Zee Network wanted to cash in on this growing market.
He, however, did not give a specific date for the launch but said that the channel would be launched sometime between August 22 and 28.
Responding to a question he said that the programmes on the channel would be different from other Telugu channels.
According to him the programmes would not be dubbed or translated from other languages but would all be made exclusively for the channel.
“We would be launching a Kannada channel for the viewers in Karnataka in the next three to four months,” Bhat said.
Pvt channels free to join DTH platform'
From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/07/30/stories/2004073002501900.htm
DOORDARSHAN, which is set to launch its DTH (direct to home) platform early next month, has invited private channels to join the platform as a part of the 40-channel free to air offering.
The Union Information Minister, Mr S. Jaipal Reddy, said that the DTH platform would offer 40 free-to-air channels. These include 14 channels from Doordarshan, three channels from the Human Resource Development Ministry and 12 more private channels.
"We invite other private channels to be part of this platform, or they might find it is too late to be part of this major DTH initiative."
Addressing newspersons here today, Mr Reddy said, "The DD DTH has four transponders with each having the capability to offer 10 channels. These 40 channels would be offered free to the DD viewers for the first two years of use. However, they need to install a dish antenna at their home, which costs about Rs 3,000. Thus far, Kairali (Malayalam), Care TV (Health), Sun TV, Jain TV, Alpha TV, MH 1 TV, Raj TV (Tamil and Telugu), Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Surya TV (Tamil) and Star Utsav, have agreed to be part of the DD DTH."
"This DTH project is being rolled out with an outlay of Rs 165 crore. As a apart of this DTH initiative, about 10,000 DTH kits would be provided in eight States which have relatively less DD penetration," he said.
Allaying employees' fears, Mr Reddy said, "There was no plan to downsize Prasar Bharati. Our Ministry does not agree with the recommendations of the Geetha Krishnan committee. In fact, we are requesting the Finance Ministry to allow us to add additional staff in both DD and AIR to help us expand their operations."
FM radio revolution: As a part of the Stage II FM expansion, the Information Ministry is working on the modalities to call for bids, which could pave the way for about 400 FM channels in the country.
The phase I of FM is concentrated in the Metros and the phase II would see the expansion across the country.
"Simultaneously, the FM Radio of AIR, which has about 30 per cent reach, would be expanded to about 50 per cent of the population. Necessary arrangements for its expansion are underway. The Government is also keen to expand the community radio across the country. We are in parleys with the HRD and Home Ministry and would unveil a plan of action. Theoretically, there is potential to have at least 5,000 community radios," he said.
IHT issue: "With regard to FDI in print media, the current cap provides for about 26 per cent investment. At the same time, it is our policy not to allow publication of a newspaper with international masthead.
Since the publication of IHT is contrary to our policy guidelines, we have written to the IHT and to publishers of IHT twice. If necessary, we will take legislative steps and bring in the necessary piece of legislation bringing out the policy guidelines. Possibly in this session itself," he said.
The Indian publishers have said the publication of IHT was not against law of the land citing Article 19 of the Constitution. "We don't agree with that contention and will take necessary steps to bring in necessary policy guidelines. We may even consider a special piece of legislation," he said.
29/07/04
Grant from Satmax ( www.satmax.ws ) arrived last night at my place with my new 2.4M!
Might have it assembled and up next week if the backyard has dried out. We had 50 mm of rain last night the spot where the dish is going is a bit of a bog at the moment. I dug some drains around it this afternoon. It might be ok by the weekend.
4080 H on Palapa C2 by request has had a power increase
To those making submissions on the NZ satellite discussion paper that July 30th is last day for submissions. http://www.med.govt.nz/rsm/spp/satellite/discussion/index.html
Jon's Asia weekly hasn't arrived yet
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve Johnson (Sth Auckland NZ)
Palapa C2, 4080H
Intensity - 60% & Quality - 52% on Innovia IDS3088. Using paraclipse Hydro
1.8m solid, ADL orthomode & Gardiner 17K extended C Band LNB. Promax P4,
spec an indicates between 6.5 & 9.5E -4 BER directly off the dish.
Steve Johnson
Sth Auckland, NZ
From Ocean
Palapa c2 4080H
Palapa C2 4080H 28150 near Adelaide
Intensity 85%, Quality 84% on similar Powtek Receiver/3m/15K cheapie LNBF
4080H reads -16dBm at IF.
3926H reads -30dBm at IF for Bali TV at Intensity 76%, Quality 39%
- 4080H is a BIG signal
From Mark Fahey
Yemen Television AS3
The Arab mux on AS3 has added a channel "Yemen TV" - at the moment it is
running Syria's video and audio - I guess we will see Yemen arrive here soon.
Also on the same mux Oatar radio has gone.
Asiasat 3
3880 H
27500
3/4
Cheers,
Mark
From Vk4bkp
The test patterns have returned to Pas8 12526H 28066 3/4.
From Steve Hume
An email to Kabelvision
I have noticed a signal on the satellite PalapaC2 over the last few
weeks. I was told that it was Kablevision testing a transponder for
satellite transmission.
My question is firstly, is this true? And secondly, will it remain on
C-Band on PalapaC2? And thirdly, is it possible for me to subscribe?
I live in the top east of Australia, and have a lagge C-Bnad dish that I
recieve you signal at a good level. To the south of me a few hundred Km,
the test signal drops off to very little.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and await your reply.
Thank You,
Steve Hume
************************************************************************
Reply
Dear Mr.Hume,
Thank you for sending us an email inquiring on our satellite tv.
Yes, we are testing a transponder for satellite transmission and
remaining on extended C-Band and on Palapa C2.
Although Australia is technically within our coverage; we have an
agreement with our content providers that our service is merely sold in
Indonesia, we regret not be able to proceed your interest on being a
subscriber of our satellite tv.
Once again, thanks for your interest in our satellite tv
Yours sincerely,
CService
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 12360 V "SET News" has left again, replaced by occasional feeds.
Telstar 18 Has arrived at 138 East.
Apstar 1A 134E 4054 H "Southern TV" has started regular transmissions on , Fta, SR 4420,FEC 3/4, PIDs 160/80.
Apstar 1A 134E All channels in the CCTV mux on 4160 H are encrypted again, except CCTV Kids.
Apstar 1A 134E 4034 H "Guangdong 2-3" have started on , Fta, APIDs 89 and 90.
Apstar 1A 134E 4034 H "Guangdong 1" has replaced Satellite Radio Guangdong on APID 81, fta.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3894 V "Lashkara" has left .
NEWS
Ad remover stirs networks
From http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10274693%255E15321,00.html
THE $2.3 billion dollar commercial television industry is preparing to defend its advertising revenue from new technology that will enable consumers to automatically avoid commercials.
Inventor Peter Vogel launched the ICE technology in Sydney yesterday in a bid to raise $6 million from private investors to fund the roll-out of ICE-enabled digital set-top boxes. The first TVs with the technology will be operating in November.
Mr Vogel's company, Faulconbridge, aims to have ICE activated on 3 per cent of Australia's 17 million television sets - about 500,000 TVs - within three years.
For the cost of a $500 set-top box that can digitally record programs, and a $3 per week ICE subscription fee, consumers will be able to avoid ads, automate the recording of shows, series or program genres for viewing later and automatically channel surf during ad breaks.
The technology can also be used to prevent children from watching programs that are deemed unsuitable, reduce the volume during ad breaks and remove ads when recorded programs are played back.
Harvey Norman finance director John Skippen said the retailer would "jump at the chance" to carry the technology.
According to Media buyers, ad skipping will increase pressure on the networks to justify the high cost of television ads if fewer people are watching them.
The commercial networks have been reluctant to react to the launch of ICE, preferring to paint ad skipping technology as a non-event.
Spokespeople for the Seven and Ten networks said ad skipping had had a minimal impact in the US, where it is in 4 per cent of US homes. However, this figure is tipped to rise to 20 per cent in two years.
A report from media agency Optimum Media Direction says in homes with digital video recorders up to 75 per cent of ads are skipped.
Ten head of research Doug Peiffer refuted this, saying studies had shown people got information from ads and generally didn't mind watching them.
One emerging issue with the ICE launch is whether ICE will infringe the networks' copyright by using their program listings to inform its system.
"We own copyright in our guides and haven't licensed him or any other set-top box manufacturer to use our information for this purpose," Seven's spokesman said.
Most digital video recorders in markets such as the US and the UK operate on electronic-based program guides that contain triggers identifying programs and ads.
The networks did not provide a similar electronic program guide in Australia and digital video recorders currently on the market could not avoid ads using that method, a spokesperson from Digital Broadcasting Australia said.
Foxtel plans to introduce a digital video recorder next year based on the UK Skybox model that allows fast-forwarding of ads, but does not black out or skip them completely.
Mr Vogel said the ICE system did not rely on signals transmitted by the networks.
It transmits an independent radio signal to ICE-enabled digital set-top boxes identifying what goes to air in real time, including ads, individual programs, regular series, news bulletins and program genres, such as football games.
Human operators monitor the signal to ensure all ads, news flashes and programs that run over time are correctly identified.
"We're not using the networks' signal at all," Mr Vogel said. "We completely create our own third-party [electronic program guide]."
Mr Vogel said ICE would not infringe copyright and only automated existing viewer habits.
"We compile our own listings from various sources in a way that doesn't infringe (the networks') copyright."
Mr Vogel has said several companies are interested in incorporating the technology in their set-top boxes but has not announced any manufacturing deals.
CanWest Mediaworks lists at $1.65
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
CanWest MediaWorks listed on the sharemarket at $1.65 today - a 7.8 per cent premium to the issue price of $1.53.
Canadian media giant CanWest Global Communications Corp floated off 30 per cent of its New Zealand television and radio assets including the flagship TV3 channel through the issue of 68 million shares at $1.53 each, raising $104 million.
CanWest MediaWorks will acquire the parent group's six national New Zealand radio brands -- More FM, The Edge, The Rock, Channel Z, Radio Pacific, Solid Gold -- as well as 22 regional radio station, plus free-to-air channels TV3 and C4.
CanWest, Canada's largest media company, issued the minimum number of shares under the offer and did not take up the option to issue another 13.6 million shares, despite the offer being around three times oversubscribed.
The only listed media stock of note is pay television operator Sky Network Television, majority owned by Independent Newspapers.
CanWest MediaWorks will have a market capitalisation of around $347 million.
Just 1.5 million shares were issued to public pool.
Directors and employees of MediaWorks have collectively been allotted about 650,000 shares.
MediaWorks chairman Tom Strike said he was delighted to welcome about 4000 new investors onto the share register.
"We are gratified by the strong endorsement of the company they have shown through their participation in this offer," he said.
The net proceeds of the offer and $200 million of cash borrowed under a bank five-year revolving term credit facility were used together with the issue of the 158,666,667 shares to purchase the radio and television businesses of CanWest RadioWorks Ltd and CanWest TVWorks Ltd.
RadioWorks' (the radio stations) revenue is forecast to rise to $101m in 2004 from $92.3m in 2003 and then to $104m in 2005. Its ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) is seen rising to $32.3m this year from $25.9m in 2003 and then to $33m in 2005.
TVWorks' revenue will rise to $126m in 2004 from $120m and then to $130.4m in 2005. Its ebitda is forecast to rise to $28.3m from $13.2m in 2003 and then to $30.5m in 2005.
The group ebida profit is picked at $60m this year from $39.1m last year and is forecast at $61m in 2005.
Murray Rutherford of Goldman Sachs JB Were, which organised the float said the stock had been the focus on the market.
"It's opened very strongly which is what we'd expect. I think the economic environment that we're enjoying at the moment will be very good for this company and that's been recognised."
DD appoints marketing agency for DTH service
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july188.htm
NEW DELHI: Pubcaster Doordarshan, proposing to launch its free KU-band direct-to-home television service on 15 August, expects to seed the market with over 10,000 boxes before the launch date. Some boxes would be sold, while a bulk would be distributed free. It has also appointed a marketing agency towards the purpose.
Pointing out that the launch of DD Direct -- as the DTH service has been christened -- would be a "soft" one, bereft of hype associated with such initiatives in the broadcast industry, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma told indiantelevision.com today, "We expect to have distributed 10,000 boxes -- needed to access the DTH service -- by mid-August and the vendor for the boxes has intimated us that the effort would be to sell additional boxes."
According to Sarma, DD has also appointed a marketing agency to have the set-top boxes for the DTH service to be sold through outlets in various cities. "If the promise of the vendor comes through, then about 20,000 boxes would be sold over the period." The price of the boxes has been kept nominal, Sarma added.
The launch of the DD Direct, to be beamed through NSS6 satellite, had been a matter of speculation for sometime in the government and industry circles for various reasons. One being whether the present Congress-led government would finally go ahead with the launch of the DTH service.
Though Prasar Bharati, which manages DD and sibling All-India Radio, had made an offer to private sector TV channels to come on board the DTH platform, the response had been lukewarm. Most of the Hindi-language entertainment channels have preferred to keep away. But on the other hand, some popular South Indian language channels, including two from the Sun TV family, have agreed to be part of DD Direct, which also has Star's free-to-air Star Utsav.
Sarma said that DD Direct would be launched with 17 channels, including private channels, but admitted that no Sony channels are part of the bouquet.
DD had decided last year to launch a KU-band DTH service as part of its expansion. A feasibility study undertaken indicated that it would be a costlier affair to expand terrestrially and so the DTH mode was opted for especially keeping in mind border areas and north-eastern parts of the country where both terrestrial and cable TV signals are either fuzzy or do not exist at all.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in October last okayed pubcaster Doordarshan's forays into DTH television service and gave a nod to government assistance amounting to Rs 1,650 million in the first phase.
The assistance was to be disbursed over a period of three years starting from the current financial year. The one-time cost of installation of hardware would be approximately Rs 6,000, which is also expected to come down to Rs 3,000.
The CCEA had also approved, in principle, a proposal that after three years, DD can "go pay" with its DTH service to generate additional revenue for keeping up the service. By "going pay" means that subscribers would have to pay a monthly subscription for the service as they would pay for any other DTH service in the country.
DD initially plans to distribute 10,000 TV sets and dish antennas free-of-cost to public institutes like village panchayats, some educational institutions and NGOs.
At the moment, there is only one DTH service in India, Dish TV, which is promoted by Subhash Chandra's companies. The Tata-Star combine are awaiting a clearance from the information and broadcasting ministry for its proposed DTH service.
28/07/04
Things very quiet today.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Jsat
India V Sri Lanka Cricket
Insat 2E analog 4089v
also on 4070v 5000 3/4
From Splog
TVB SNG 2 feed seen on Pas 2 KU!!
12393 V sr 4285 Fec 3/4
Strong and Australian beam!
(Craigs comment, unusual he reported getting this but he still couldn't get 12401V Arirang..)
From the Dish
PAS 10 68.5E Telly Track on 4099 V and 12641 H are Fta.
Sky Pacific To Begin Testing
(Item via Bob Cooper)
Having completed the technical installation of equipment last Saturday, July 24th, Fiji Television management are pleased to be able to announce that testing of the satellite uplink service will begin the week of August 9th when technical specialists return to the country for that purpose and to continue the training of Fiji Television people who will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Sky Pacific.
“Our testing plan might have begun earlier,” said Ken Clark, CEO of Fiji TV, “but one of the lead technical people was recalled to England to commission an uplink facility which is to be used for the Olympics coverage to be broadcast from Greece. The earliest time we can have him return to Fiji is the second week in August.”
In the meantime, arrangements are being made with Intelsat for the use of their transponder on Intelsat 701 for this purpose.
“While the uplink facilities and internal broadcast equipment are being tested, it is also the right time to test the quality of the signals being delivered on the ground in Fiji”, said Mr. Clark “So we will also expect to do that then as well.”
Testing would be expected, as per the original plan, to be carried out during the month of August and the business of delivery of Sky Pacific would begin in earnest in September.
In addition, of course, it is essential that we train the many new employees who will be responsible for accurate, professional delivery if the new and exciting service.
Details on exact content and pricing follow within a few weeks.
For follow up contact
Ken Clark
Chief Executive Officer
Ph 679 3305 100 Fax 679 3308 470
Broadband soon for Bombala
From http://bombala.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=general%20news&story_id=324342&y=2004&m=7
"PEOPLE living in Eden-Monaro will soon have the choice of moving to broadband Internet-at an affordable price thanks to the Australian Government's $107.8 million Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme (HiBIS)," Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Gary Nairn, said this week.
Three companies have been registered to provide broadband services under HiBIS to eligible residents and small businesses in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia. A further two companies, including Telstra, have been approved and will be registered shortly.
RBBS was the first company to be registered under HiBIS and is providing two-way satellite broadband across Australia in line with city prices and in areas where other technology options are not available.
Telstra has been approved to provide ADSL services under HiBIS and is expected to register other service technologies soon.
"I'm also delighted to announce that as a result of local community efforts together with support from HiBIS, Telstra will be enabling the exchange in Bombala, Bungendore, Mossy Point, Thredbo Village, and Braidwood in the near future," Mr Nairn said.
For more information on eligibility and contact details for registered HiBIS providers, follow the HiBIS link on www.telinfo.gov.au or phone 1800 883 488.
India to launch astronomy satellite
From http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/040726104857.59jrk61b.html
India is aiming to develop and launch a satellite for astronomical studies by 2007, a government statement said Monday.
The satellite named "ASTROSAT" will be a "national observatory in space" and will be available for astronomical observations, said the statement, issued after a cabinet meeting here.
The project is estimated to cost about 1.77 billion rupees (38 million dollars), it said
US-Funded Alhurra Television Wins Over Viewers In Iraq
From http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-04zzzze.html
Of those people who watch Alhurra, 64 percent found the news to be 'very' or 'somewhat' reliable. The results are based on face-to-face interviews with adults (over the age of 15) in Iraq between May 19 and June 14, 2004, four months after Alhurra first aired.
A new survey of Iraq conducted by Oxford Research International shows that 61 percent of Iraqi adults had watched the new US-funded Arabic language TV channel Alhurra (Arabic for "The Free One") in the previous week. Since it launched on February 14, 2004, Alhurra has quickly established itself as an important resource for Iraqis to get their news - 19 percent of those surveyed cited Alhurra as one of their top three sources of information.
Of those people who watch Alhurra, 64 percent found the news to be 'very' or 'somewhat' reliable. The results are based on face-to-face interviews with adults (over the age of 15) in Iraq between May 19 and June 14, 2004, four months after Alhurra first aired.
Alhurra is the latest and most technologically advanced television organization to enter the crowded Middle East satellite television market. The satellite channel is a 24-hour news and information network broadcast entirely in Arabic. It can be seen in 22 countries throughout the region via Arabsat and Nilesat, the same satellite systems used by all major Arabic channels.
In April 2004, a second channel was added called Alhurra Iraq specifically for Iraqi audiences. The new channel was available by satellite during the time of the survey.
It has subsequently started broadcasting with a clear signal in Baghdad on Channel 12 and in Basra on Channel 3. Additional terrestrial channels are expected in the near future.
Along with in-depth news from Alhurra, Alhurra Iraq provides nightly newscasts and talk shows specifically dealing with the issues facing contemporary Iraq.
"We always knew that it was critical that we reach out to Iraq. As the country begins rebuilding its government, it's important to provide the citizens with objective, accurate and balanced reporting of the news within their country and around the world," stated Norman J. Pattiz, Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governor's Middle East Committee.
"Even though we had early indications of Alhurra's success, the fact that 61 percent of Iraqis are watching the network after being on the air for several months is extremely encouraging. There was never a question that people would watch Alhurra, but no one could have predicted this many, this quickly."
The Oxford survey covered all of Iraq with a total sample of 2,912 adults. Oxford Research International provides a unique research facility in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe, the CIS, Central Asia, China, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The firm was founded in 1995 by a group of analysts who received their training at the doctoral level at the University of Oxford.
An earlier telephone survey of satellite television viewers in major cities of the Middle East conducted in April by the French research firm Ipsos-Stat showed that a range of 18 percent to 44 percent of adults (15+) who live in houses with telephone and satellite dishes in seven Middle Eastern countries had watched Alhurra in the previous week.
The surveys were conducted in Lebanon (Beirut), Syria (Damascus, & Aleppo), United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Egypt (Cairo and Alexandria), Kuwait (Kuwait City), Jordan (Amman, Irbid and Zarka) and Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah) in early April.
Past week viewing in Lebanon was 40 percent; Syria 29 percent; UAE 19 percent; Egypt 18 percent; Kuwait 44 percent; Jordan 37 percent and Saudi Arabia 19 percent.
Of those who said they had watched Alhurra, 53 percent of Alhurra viewers consider its news 'very' or 'somewhat' reliable. Reliability figures were 70 percent for Saudi Arabia; 54 percent for Lebanon; 40 percent for Egypt; 44 percent for Jordan; 61 percent for Kuwait; 65 percent for UAE and 37 percent for Syria.
Alhurra and Alhurra Iraq are operated by a non-profit corporation called "The Middle East Television Network" (MTN). MTN is financed by the American people through the US Congress.
MTN receives this funding through the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent federal agency that oversees all US international broadcasting. The BBG serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters.
(Craigs comment, available via Intelsat as well)
Sun TV, Surya TV to be part of DD's DTH bouquet
From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/07/28/stories/2004072800320900.htm
IN a significant boost to Doordarshan's proposed direct-to-home service, Sun Network has agreed to let two of its channels, including its flagship Tamil channel Sun TV, be part of DD's bouquet. Malayalam general entertainment channel Surya TV will be the other Sun Network channel to feature on the DTH platform.
Confirming the news, the Doordarshan's Deputy Director-General, Mr K. Kunhikrishnan, said the deal was finalised last week during his meeting with Mr Kalanidhi Maran, who runs the Sun Network.
The broadcaster has also been able to rope in Tamil general entertainment channel Raj TV and Malayalam channel Kairali.
DD's free-to-air DTH service, which is likely to be launched shortly, will initially offer 30 channels to its subscribers, 17 of which will be from its own stable. It is learnt that DD is also in talks with other private channels.
When DD announced a couple of weeks back that it had begun test transmission of its DTH service, industry observers had pointed out that it would do well to rope in driver channels such as Sun TV. The channel commands an over 50 per cent viewership share in the Tamil Nadu market and leads the rest by a huge margin.
DD-Direct to hit homes on Aug 15
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/792680.cms
NEW DELHI: Come August 15 and the average TV viewer in the country can really declare independence from cablewallahs and subscription channels.
A ‘soft launch’ of DD-Direct, the direct-to-home services of the national broadcaster with a bouquet of 17 channels is expected to be launched less than a month from now.
While DD-Direct would compete with Zee-affiliate ASC Enterprises’ Dish TV, will there be space for a third player? Star’s DTH proposal Space TV may just have to cool its heels for a while.
Though the government’s DTH policy does not restrict the number of DTH players, global experience has proved that just two players can survive. Take for instance DirecTV and EchoStar in the US. Though Dish TV entered the DTH arena to serve the rural market, it has tiptoed into urban markets too. Reliable sources told ET that there is a similar Phase II plan for DD-Direct as well.
This means that sharing of content would be imperative. In India, there is no regulator for the broadcasting sector as yet.
The Trai, which is going into issues of interconnection and vertical monopolies, is expected to give its recommendations on “must provide” clauses for services like DTH. ASC Enterprises is still struggling to get private pay channels on board, while Star is awaiting its license before participating on other platforms.
Meanwhile, DD is getting into the act. Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma says, “The DD-Direct platform would initially comprise 17 DD channels. We are negotiating with private broadcasters to get their FTA channels on board.”
Apparently, 12 such channels have volunteered to clamber onto DD-Direct. This includes Star Utsav, Jain TV, Care TV, Raj TV (Telugu, Tamil), Sun TV (Tamil), Alpha (Bangla), MH1 (Punjabi), Kairali and Surya (Malayalam).
DD, which was expecting a better response, is holding out for more channels like ETV, SabTV, Sahara and the like. Though DD waived the carriage fee for two years (bringing the fee down from Rs 2 crore to Rs 72 lakh for technology costs alone), the response continues to be lukewarm.
This has forced the public broadcaster to do a rethink on allowing news channels aboard. Aaj Tak and Headlines Today have since agreed to join the Direct platform. Eventually, DD hopes to have 41 channels on DD-Direct.
A difficult proposition if a strong player like Star jumps into the ring, unless there are clear norms in place.
Zee-Turner on cheap rural drive
From http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040728/asp/nation/story_3551759.asp
New Delhi: American media mogul Ted Turner and his Indian partner, Zee owner Subhash Chandra, are hoping to tap the potential for growth in villages and semi-urban areas with several fresh initiatives, reports our special correspondent.
To help reach the rural audience, Zee-Turner is offering cable operators the option of providing viewers with popular channels at a competitive price of just Rs 18,000 a year. Now, the operators have to pay a minimum of Rs 16,500 a month.
The operators can choose any channel from the Zee basket Zee TV, Zee English, Zee MGM, Zee Cinema, Zee Music, and the regional Alpha channels.
“We endeavour to take our content offering to the grassroots level and be available in every cable and satellite household, whether in urban, semi-urban or rural India. To this effect, we have also expanded our dealer network to 400,” Zee-Turner’s Siddharth Jain said.
Of the 43 million cable and satellite homes in India, 15 million are in the rural sector, according to the company’s figures.
Andhra Pradesh has come under special focus in this initiative. The state has 7.3 million cable and satellite households, the largest number in the country. Fifty-six per cent of these homes are in rural areas.
Beaming to the world
From http://www.business-standard.com/
Mata Amritanadamayi Devi, popularly known as Amma, is all set to start her own television channel. The channel to be called Amrita is likely to be commissioned on September 27 this year on the occasion of Amma’s 51st birthday.
A company, Amrita Enterprises Pvt Ltd has been floated to run the channel. It is promoted by a group of Amma’s devotees, quite a few of them being NRIs. The total investment in the channel is likely to be around Rs 50 crore.
“It’s not going to be a religious channel,” says S M C Pillai, CEO, Amrita. “It’ll be a 24-hour commercial channel with programmes based on Indian traditions and values. Besides serials, yoga, travel shows, Amma’s teachings, the channel will also have around five hours of news programming.” Most of the programming would be done in-house.
The language of the programmes will be Malayalam though officials of Amrita Enterprises say that there are plans to have programmes in Hindi and English as well. News will be outsourced from wire agencies, which will later be supplemented by inputs from the channel’s own bureaus.
Pillai says that most of the clearances have been received from the Central government. The Thiruvanathapuram-based channel will have three studios and an earth station. Work on these is near completion. The company has leased a transponder on the Intelsat satellite.
For distribution of the channel, Amrita Enterprises officials say that talks with local cable operators in south India have been finalised.
In north India, Siti Cable is most likely to distribute the channel. For distribution in Europe and US, where Amma has a sizeable following, talks with cable operators will begin soon.
Pillai says that he is confident that the channel will break even within a year of starting operations. However he’s not willing to divulge details of his marketing strategy. All he says is that like other channels his team will target all advertisers.
Like a true spiritual soldier he says: “The point is not to make money. All we want to do is spread Amma’s message. If the channel loses money Amma’s disciples will pump in more.”
27/07/04
Live satellite chat tonight 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd in the chatroom.
I notice in the latest Skywatch magazine (Sky NZ) TVSN no longer listed. Have they quietly dumped it???
B1 12483V is back on, nothing loading there though
NSS6 ANT signal is source feed for Foxtel.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Rick Dalton
Hi Craig, The boomerang boxes are also known as Star Pro.
For a while a website existed with software to alter box to user friendly parameters. This is the software i seek.
Password is 599885
(Craigs comment, can any reader help out? these boxes ex TPG Boomerang Pas8 could be used as a basic 99 channel FTA box once the software was changed.)
From Anon
Tennis Feed
Pas 2 3958V Sr 6620
From Vk4bkp
I701 PBS
Hi Craig, new message on test card on one channel only I701 12693H 28066
3/4. One channel showing a test card is FTA all others scrambled,
encryption unknown.
Message says "coming soon - local scrambling test on channels 2 to 15"
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 12360 V "SET News" has started on , Fta, PIDs 141/142.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V "The Free-XTV info card" is back on , fta, PIDs 5021/5034.
Insat 3A 93.5E "Cine World" has left 3913 V, moved to Insat 2E
Insat 2E 83E 3683 V "Cine World" has started on , Conax, SR 2950, FEC 3/4, PIDs 258/259, wide beam.
PAS 10 68.5E 3808 V "KTN" has left , replaced by an info card.
NEWS
MP backs Telstra's stake in Foxtel
From http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=13276
Communications Minister Helen Coonan has rejected calls by the competition watchdog for Telstra to sell its stake in pay TV provider Foxtel.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) chairman Graeme Samuel last week reignited calls for Telstra to sell its 50 per cent shareholding in Foxtel because of its dominance in the pay TV and telephone markets.
But Senator Coonan said the government had not been presented with a strong enough case to make Telstra sell its holding in Foxtel.
"The government is not convinced that case has been made out by anyone yet," she told ABC TV.
"And I think you'd have to be very careful before you committed to anything like a divestiture of Foxtel when you really don't know what it will cost and what its outcome will be."
A Telstra spokesman welcomed Senator Coonan's comments and noted that the ACCC had no powers to make Telstra sell its stake in Foxtel.
"The government recognises that its (the ACCC's call) is an absurd policy," he said.
"The government recognises it's flawed."
Telstra owns 50 per cent of Foxtel, with Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation and Kerry Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Limited each holding a 25 per cent share.
Mr Samuel argues that as the owner of Australia's biggest telecommunications network and pay TV distribution company, Telstra could stifle competition.
But if Telstra were made to sell its stake in Foxtel, there would be room for another infrastructure competitor to enter the market.
Telstra is also under pressure in the broadband industry, because it owns the cables and other telcos have to pay a fee to Telstra to access bandwidth.
Optus' director of corporate and regulatory affairs, Paul Fletcher, called on the ACCC and the government to address Telstra's monopoly in broadband infrastructure.
Mr Fletcher told a telecommunications conference in Sydney that the monopoly was fine when broadband was relatively new in Australia, because it enabled competitors to get a foothold into the industry.
But he said the industry was now sufficiently established to end Telstra's monopoly on broadband infrastructure.
Asia-Pacific Pay-TV Rev to Exceed $22B by 2008
From http://www.reed-electronics.com/electronicnews/article/CA438780
Telcos and broadband players will see strong opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region in the next few years as the pay-TV subscription revenue in Asia-Pacific increases to $22.1 billion by 2008, a Yankee Group report found this week.
Cable TV service will account for 70.5 percent of total subscription revenue compared to 27.3 percent by satellite direct-to-home (DTH) and 2.2 percent by other emerging services in the Asia-Pacific by 2008, the firm said.
"Telecom carriers and broadband Internet providers are poised to extend their presence into the Asia-Pacific pay-TV arena," Agatha Poon, a Yankee senior analyst, said in a statement. "By spending millions of dollars on infrastructure and technology, telcos and broadband Internet providers have the potential to upset the current balance of the cable and satellite pay-TV market. Content will be the key to drive demand for premium pay-TV subscription beyond the basic package that constitutes the bulk of the subscriber base today."
With a market size of $11.7 billion in 2003, a majority of revenue still comes from the basic cable TV service segment, the firm said. Cable's dominance in part is attributed to increasingly positive government support and, in some cases, intervention in individual Asia-Pacific economies, Yankee said, noting that the legalization of private cable operation in Taiwan has led to phenomenal growth in the country's cable TV sector.
While much activity now centers on the delivery of digital cable TV services, the firm believes traditional cable operators will face increasing competitive pressure from DTH and broadband providers in several Asia-Pacific economies including Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Australia. As innovative technologies and service flexibility separate winners from losers at the operational level, Asian governments should strengthen their role in pushing market uptake through further deregulation and liberalization, Yankee concluded.
THAILAND: MCOT proposes TV 'window to the East'
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=13084
The premier English-language channel on MCOT Television will situate itself as the news broadcaster of the East
The Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand (MCOT) will broaden its role in the broadcasting industry not only at home but also abroad, after listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in September, with its first-ever English-language channel, MCOT Television.
The around-the-clock channel, to cost more than a billion baht, would be the ``window to the East'' with worldwide coverage, according to director-general Mingkwan Sangsuwan.
The channel will also serve the government's policy of tightening trade ties with other countries by creating better understanding of Thailand.
Even with big players such as NHK, CNN and BBC dominating the market, Mr Mingkwan said the channel would secure a place of its own by clearly positioning itself as the channel of the East.
Programmes on the channel will partly be produced by Panorama Co, MCOT's 90%-controlled subsidiary, with a focus on documentaries.
New production companies will be added in the future through acquisitions. More staff will also be trained after the state enterprise is transformed into MCOT Plc. ``Being a private company will help us move forward with our expansion plans even faster. Over the next two years, I believe MCOT will still post a significant growth rate, driven by new businesses and better performances of existing ones, especially radio,'' said Mr Mingkwan whose term has two more years to go.
The MCOT currently operates television Channel 9, and also owns the concessions for Channel 3, and UBC pay-TV, as well as 62 radio stations.
In the nine months to June this year, its net profit rose 81.8% to 1.01 billion baht on total sales of 1.97 billion baht.
The cabinet recently approved MCOT's corporatisation plan amid criticism that it could be in violation of the 1997 Constitution, which calls for the establishment of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to oversee media reform.
Mr Mingkwan insisted the corporatisation plan followed the legal process, as did a public hearing.
The MCOT board also approved a 50% increase in staff salaries, reportedly to meet the standards of a private company.
The MCOT currently has three billion baht in paid-up capital, comprising 600 million shares with a par value of five baht each. The Finance Ministry will still hold a 75% stake after the listing.
The initial public offering would float 25% of all shares, with foreign investors restricted to holding no more than 15% of total shares and individual holdings capped at 5%. A source said the IPO would raise about four billion baht.
India TV Signs Distribution Agreement with Dish TV
From Press Release
New Delhi, Delhi, India, Monday, July 26, 2004 -- (Business Wire India)
India TV, the 24-hour news channel promoted by well-known television presenter Rajat Sharma, has signed a distribution agreement with Dish TV. This tie-up will benefit India TV by providing it with a wider reach across India.
Dish TV is a part of the Essel Group and is India's first Direct To Home entertainment (DTH) service that broadcasts an array of programmes from a high-powered satellite straight to homes. It also gives its 1.5 lakh subscribers and consumers a wide choice of programming in India. Under the terms of the agreement, Dish TV will receive exclusive rights to distribute the channel on its DTH platform. .
Speaking about the strategic tie-up, Rajat Sharma, Chairman, India TV said, “We are pleased to have signed this agreement with Dish TV. Dish TV's growing subscription base and its sophisticated Direct To Home technology will further enhance the penetration of India TV in India.”
Speaking on the occasion Mr Arun Poddar, Head-Distribution, India TV said, “With the continued development and improvement of the cable and satellite infrastructure in India and throughout the adjoining region, expanding our reach has become an important part of our overall strategy. India TV has made this alliance with Dish TV so as to reach viewers who were earlier unable to watch the channel.”
About Dish TV
Launched on October 2, 2003, Dish TV, India's first and only Direct-To-Home (DTH) entertainment Service, has redefined the future of the Indian home entertainment industry by introducing the global platform of DTH.
Dish TV brings the latest and the best in world-class entertainment distribution technology to the Indian subscriber's home. It not only broadcasts the viewer's choice of programmes, from a high-powered satellite digitally to his home using Ku band transponders, but also gives the viewer absolute control of what he watches and what he pays for.
Continuing with its commitment towards increased consumer satisfaction, Dish TV now offers more than 100 digital channels. The content mix is devised keeping in mind the diverse needs of all genres. These channels would be bundled together in attractive and economic packages.
Dish TV also serves as a blessing in disguise for the Indian sub-continent which is blessed with monsoons as it can maintain the strength of the signal during the monsoons, which is possible with the technological superiority of the platform.
About Independent News service (INS)
INDIA TV is the latest offering from INS. INS was established in June 1997 and is promoted by Rajat Sharma and Ritu Dhawan. INS was created with the purpose of producing news and current affairs programming. The company has concentrated on developing and establishing a strong news network supported by cutting edge technology. INS has to its credit programs such as Aap ki Adaalat, Aaj Ki Baat, Awaaz, Aaj Subah and a host of election bulletins and special interviews.
Media contact details
Abhishek Mahapatra,
IPAN,
+91 (11) 2332 6200,
[email protected]
26/07/04
ANT Greece has turned up FTA on NSS6 but DO NOT DO INSTALLS FOR IT until we know what is going on with it.
Some activity on B1 the empty carrier on 12483V has gone!
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
NSS 6
0840 UTC
11083 HORZ S/R 2170 FEC 3/4 Vpid 34 Apid 35 SID 1 "Ant Greece"
FTA Lang Greek
Regards
Bill Richards
South Australia
From John Harrison
B3 12442 H
B3 12452 H..6670
V8's Live from Winton Raceway
Race Control Radio
From Steve Hume
Telkom 1 signal up in power
3896H SR: 2000
Loads as "9Mhz, PAL,1" but is Trijaya Radio 104.75 Indonesia
APID1: 256
APID2: 257
VPID: 308
PCR: 8190
TTX PID: 0000
Measat 2
I'm currently seeing Measat 2 4085v at higher than normal levels. (BestI've seen actually)
Just incase any of you want to line up on it. Should be a good time to try.
From "adhoc"
Currently on Asiasat 3s
India v Pakistan
PTVK FEEDS1
4111 V SR:3333 Vpid 308 Apid 256
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3710 V "ABS-CBN Channel 1" has left .
PAS 8 166E 3860 H All channels in the TAS mux are Fta.
PAS 8 166E 4080 V "Z Channel" is Fta.
PAS 8 166E 12360 V "Occasional feeds" on , PIDs 141/142.
Optus C1 156E 12407 V "Woolworths" has left .
Optus B3 152E 12407 V "Sky Radio (Australia)" has started , APID 517.
Telstar 18 has left 142 East, moving west.
Apstar 1A 134E 4160 H All channels in the CCTV mux are Fta.
AsiaSat 4 122E 3733 H "The test card and Fish video" have left .
Palapa C2 113E 3580 H "The Kabelvision mux" has left again.
Palapa C2 113E 3918 H "Occasional feeds" on , SR 3500, FEC 3/4.
Palapa C2 113E Updates in True World TV: CTS on 11132 V is now Fta. MAC TV on 11472 V is now Fta.
Worldsat 1 108.2E 12326 H "Raj Vidya Kendra TV" has started on , Fta, SR 5000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4194/4195, South Asian beam.
Worldsat 1 108.2E 12704 H "FGTV Sat" is now encrypted in BISS.
Telkom 1 108E 3896 H A test card and Trijaya FM have started on , Fta, SR 2000,PIDs 308/256 and 257.(Well done Steve you finally convinced Lyngsat that it exists and his technical info is WRONG after several months arguing it.)
NSS 6 95E 11083 H "Antenna Pacific" has started on , Fta, SR 2170, FEC 3/4, PIDs 34/35, Australian beam.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V "The Free-XTV info card" has left .
NSS 6 95E 11594 H "The New Skies promo and Free-XTV info card" have left .
NSS 6 95E 11670 V "Occasional feeds" on , SR 5000, FEC 2/3.
NSS 6 95E 11679 V "Al-Islah TV" is still on , Fta, SR 2000, FEC 2/3, PIDs 4194/4195.
NSS 6 95E 12729 H "Aloemaiim" has left .
ST 1 88E 3550 V "TVB 8, MATV and Channel V Chinese" have left .
Intelsat 709 85.2E 11486 V "ATV Home Channel and ATV World Channel" have started on , Videoguard, PIDs 514/652 and 516/654.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H New PIDs for the RR Sat promo on : 257/258.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3695 H "Sky International" is Fta.
Telstar 10 76.5E 3652 H "TV Lanka Channel 3" is Fta.
Telstar 10 76.5E 12333 H "Rainbow Channel (Taiwan)" is back on , Viaccess, PIDs 102/103.
PAS 10 68.5E 3744 V "Zee TV Africa" has left .
PAS 10 68.5E 4070 V "Dubai Sports Channel" has started on , Fta, SR 3300, PIDs 308/256.
PAS 10 68.5E 4075 V "Hungama Channel" has started testing on , Irdeto, SR 4000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 500/600.
NEWS
Broadband rollout for 99 towns
From http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/news/200407/s1161814.htm
Telstra rolls ADSL out to 99 more towns.ABC TV
Nearly 100 Australian towns have moved a step closer to broadband Internet access today, as Telstra announced it would make more local exchanges ADSL-capable under a Government subsidy scheme.
The Federal Government announced last year that it would spend more than $100 million subsidising broadband services for regional and remote Australia under the HiBIS program.
Communications Minister Helen Coonan has announced today that three companies have registered under the scheme and two more, including Telstra, have approval to do so.
Telstra says more than 106,000 customers in 99 towns, most in rural areas, will now gain access to broadband ADSL services for the first time.
The 99 towns selected are those with the highest registered demand for ADSL services.
"More affordable broadband, in line with prices available in metropolitan areas, will now be available for rural, regional and remote Australia, helping businesses and individuals living in those areas stay connected," Senator Coonan said in a statement.
Other firms approved to start providing broadband services under HiBIS are:Canberra-based RBBS, which will provide two-way satellite services in high-cost areas across Australia;DCS Internet, which will provide wireless broadband services in eastern Victoria;E-wire, which will provide cable modem services in parts of WA's south-west; andWideband Services, which will provide wireless broadband services in eastern Victoria.
Putting those TV ads on ice
From http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,10227285%255E462,00.html
TECHNOLOGY that allows people to black out or mute television advertising could be available in Australia as early as November, posing a threat to the $2.9 billion television advertising industry.
For $3 a week, viewers with the right digital set-top box would be able to subscribe to the technology, a spokesman for ICE Personal Digital Television said.
The Intelligent Content Engine technology claims to be able to remove ads when playing back recorded programs, lower or mute the sound in ad breaks, automatically surf between channels during commercials and restrict unsuitable programs.
"You can use it with your current TV but it works with (ICE-enabled) digital set-top boxes," the spokesman said.
ICE would launch the technology to potential investors next week and was planning to roll it out this year. Set-top box manufacturers had already shown "considerable" interest in incorporating it into their products, he said.
Digital video recorders enabling viewers to skip ads are in about 4 per cent of US homes, or 3 million households. This is tipped to rise to 20 per cent in two years.
In DVR homes, up to 75 per cent of ads are skipped - resulting in 2 per cent of the advertising market, worth $US1.2 billion ($1.6 billion), being ignored, according to industry research.
In Australia, Foxtel has flagged the possible launch of similar technology but the launch of ICE, and the impact it might have on television advertising budgets has taken the advertising industry by surprise.
A Seven Network spokesman said ad-skipping technology was in its early days and had no measurable effect in the US. "Advertisers continue to recognise that television is the single most important platform for the development of a brand," he said.
However, John Sintras, chief operating officer of media buying agency Starcom, which is responsible for booking ads worth $600 million a year, said the technology was "a concern" for television advertisers who already wanted better information on the effect their advertising investment was having.
He said if advertising levels fell, it would affect the quality of free-to-air television.
"Are consumers that stupid that they don't know that they get a free-to-air service because of advertising," Mr Sintras said.
Retailer Harvey Norman said the technology would lead to an explosion in digital set-top box sales.
Astro: New anti-cloning access card
From http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=28258
Penang: Astro, the sole satellite television station in the country, will introduce a new anti-cloning access smart card to its 1.383 million subscribers soon to fight the growing access card cloning racket.
Astro chief operating officer, David Butorac said subscribers will be informed to change their access card soon when the new smart card was ready for distribution.
He said this was to ensure that the cloning access card became obsolete.
“Those who use manufactured or distributed a clone Astro access card will find themselves on losing side soon,” he told reporters here after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Philips and Sanmina-SCI System (M) Sdn Bhd (SSCI), Friday.
The MoU is an agreement to appoint SSCI as a manufacture for the new box of Philip’s Astro decoders.
The new box of Astro decoder is already in the market and Astro is confident of installing about 300,000 boxes to its new customers next year.
“We will replace the access card with a new high-tech smart card and we have invested about RM5 billion to enhance the infrastructure, technology and programming for Astro,” he said.
Chief executive officer Philips Malaysia Bhd, R. Kumar said the new Philips Astro decoders would be manufactured completely in the country.
Following the MoU, Philips will transfer its technology to SSCI. The enhanced version of the Philips decoders will be manufactured at its plant in Bukit Tengah Industrial Park, Prai.
“Given Astro’s long-term plans to expand its services in Southeast Asian markets, it is only natural that the enhanced Philips decoders for Astro users are manufactured in Malaysia as opposed to just assembling the decoders,” he said.
SSCI has the capacity to manufacture 500,000 Philips decoders annually with a view to meeting Astro’s expansion plans. - Bernama
Research satellite launched by China
From http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=112016078&p=yyzxy6784
China launched a second research satellite into orbit today as part of a joint project with the European Space Agency to study the Earth’s magnetic field.
The satellite was launched at 8.05 Irish time in the northern city of Taiyuan off a Long March carrier rocket.
It joins another satellite which China launched in December, also in collaboration with the European agency.
Both are part of the “Double Star” project, which will study the Earth’s magnetic field, ionosphere and upper atmosphere.
The project is China’s first collaboration with the European Space Agency.
China’s space programme, a key prestige project for the communist government, sent its first satellite into orbit in 1970 and in October launched its first manned space flight.
First Tamil TV service for South Africans
From http://www.123bharath.com/india-news/index.php?action=fullnews&id=4099
Cinema South India > Durban, July 23: The first television service for South Africa's more than half a million strong Tamil community was launched at a glittering function here.
The leading satellite channel provider in the country, DSTV, introduced its new Indian bouquet of services, resulting in three new Indian channels being added to the three that have been available to subscribers for several years now.
Until now, Zee-TV, Sony and B4U have been available to subscribers who could either subscribe to this bouquet separately or as part of the wider service of more than 50 channels offered by DSTV.
Now DSTV has repositioned its Indian offering into separate Hindi and Tamil bouquets as Sun TV, KTV and NDTV 24X7 have also been signed up.
The Hindi bouquet will now comprise the original three services plus NDTV 24X7, while the Tamil bouquet will feature the three new channels only.
"It took us almost two years to source and secure the very best in Indian entertainment for South Africa," said Linda Vermaas, general manager for content at Multichoice, the holding company for DSTV.
"It marks the start of a brand new relationship with the south Indian community in this country.
Vermaas said research had shown that consumption of news from India was very important to the South African Indian community.
"We also found that English was considered an important medium in which to consume fast-moving factual content, especially among the younger generation."
NDTV director Sameer Manchanda said the channel dominates news in India and was ahead of BBC, CNN and NBC after starting up as the first such service in India a decade ago. It is also the only Indian channel to have won an Emmy Award.
Manchanda told IANS that the newsworthiness of stories emanating from South Africa for a wider audience would decide how much content from the country would be included on NDTV in future.
In a recorded message played at the launch, Shanmugam Kannappan, vice president of sales at Sun Network, said he hoped the third generation Tamil community in South Africa would appreciate the channels being brought to them.
"I hope that this partnership between DSTV and Sun will be a step towards making our channels accessible globally."
The DSTV bouquets will also be available in several other African countries in which Multichoice provides a service.
Tamil community leaders, who have been clamouring for a service of this nature for some time now, welcomed the initiative.
"It really means a lot to us as we have been struggling to get a fair share of Tamil entertainment. We are confident that the Tamil community will support the bouquet and we will be promoting it at all our functions," Bala Naidoo, vice president of the South African Tamil Federation, told IANS.
Astro to tap Indian market via radio services
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july142.htm
NEW DELHI: Astro, the entertainment major from Malaysia-based Measat, is once again attempting to tap the Indian market but this time it is doing it through radio services.
Astro CEO Ralph Marshall has been quoted by the Hong Kong-based Media Partners Asia publication Media Routes that the company would expand regionally with pay TV investments in Indonesia and radio ventures in India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam.
No details were, however, made available as to the nature of the radio venture that Astro was looking at for the Indian market. The options before Astro, keeping in mind the Indian government guidelines for radio ventures, is to start a digital satellite TV radio service on the lines of those been made available by Worldspace at the moment.
Another option for Astro is to hitch up with a local partner to start community radio services. But the licence procedure for community radio service is cumbersome, which has been a deterrent for several other players. Or else, Astro can optimistically wait for the Indian government to review foreign investment norms in FM radio sector, which is nil at the moment.
But, Astro's parent company Measat did have a relationship with Indian pubcaster Doordarshan in the mid to late 1990s for starting a KU-band DTH television service in India. The memorandum of understanding was allowed to lapse, as DD did not get the requisite permission from the government.
Astro, an integrated media major (pay TV, radio and movies), has, however said it's bullish on maintaining robust pay TV subscriber growth at the 300,000/year level and expanding regionally. According to Media Routes, Astro's first quarter result was marginally below expectations amid noise about piracy and new competition (MiTV, Telekom).
Astro also plans to complete a $300 million syndicated loan facility this year, which will be used to repay its outstanding $250 million term loans. On a conservative note, MPA has forecast that Astro is likely to add slightly under 260,000 subscribers for the 12-month period to end in January 2005, taking Astro's overall residential subscriber base to 1.542 million.
NDTV 24X7 hops on to MultiChoice platform in Africa
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july154.htm
MUMBAI: Leading English news channel NDTV 24X7 is now available on the MultiChoice platform in Africa.
The MultiChoice platform will now carry both North and South Indian content. The North Indian bouquet, currently comprising the Sony, B4U and Zee TV channels, will be enhanced with the addition of NDTV 24X7.
A new South Indian bouquet will also include NDTV 24X7 amongst the other channels.
Linda Vermaas, MultiChoice's general manager content was quoted in an official release as saying, "The addition of NDTV 24X7 to the North and South Indian offering is evidence of MultiChoice's ongoing commitment to bringing high quality entertainment and information to its diverse subscriber base. It's taken us two years of intense research and negotiation to ensure that we secured channels that would meet the rich cultural and linguistic needs of South Africa's Indian population."
Sameer Manchanda, Director - NDTV said, "We're very pleased to be partnering with MultiChoice to make India's no. 1 English news channel available to the large Indian diaspora in Africa. We're confident that NDTV will further strengthen the strong bond that the community shares with India and we will continue to provide the best and most credible news coverage from the region.
The North and South Indian bouquets is being marketed under the banner of DStv Indian. Multichoice's DStv Indian package was officially launched in South Africa on Wednesday (21 July).
Zee's biz channel to launch this week on Dish TV
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july160.htm
NEW DELHI: The Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms is going ahead and doing a soft-launch this week of a business news channel on a direct-to-home television service, Dish TV.
"Zee Business (the new channel as it has been christened) will be launched in a quiet manner on Dish TV this week and slowly things would be ramped up," Zee Telefilms news director Laxmi N Goel told indiantelevision.com.
Zee Telefilms and another Chandra company, ASC Enterprise, promote Dish TV, the country's first DTH service.
According to Goel, the business channel is being launched on the DTH platform first as government permission for uplinking from India has not come through yet.
The proposed business news channel would start off with about eight hours of programming. Over a period of a month, the effort would be to increase the content and number of telecast hours to 18 or 24, Goel added.
The dry runs or test runs of the channel had been on for some days now. The business channel would be on the NSS-6 satellite along with other Dish TV channels.
Though Goel did not elaborate on the business model for Zee Business, he did say that there is definitely a market for a Hindi business channel, which would not restrict itself to covering only stock markets.
Incidentally, CNBC-TV 18 is also planning to come out with a Hindi business news channel and TV Today Network promoter Aroon Purie had told indiantelevision.com in an interview some time back that there was definitely room for a non-stock market business channel in India.
Zee's Goel pointed out that as and when government permissions and other necessary clearances come through, the business channel would be offered on cable networks too. A decision on whether it would be a pay channel or free to air on cable networks would be taken at an appropriate time.
The Zee business channel's application for uplinking, after going through some changes, has been pending with the government for over six months.
Education satellite set for September launch
From http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200407240315.htm
Bangalore, July 24. (PTI): India's first exclusive satellite for serving the education sector, EDUSAT, primarily meant to provide space-based connectivity and support to non-formal education, is all set to be launched in September.
According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the satellite is specially configured to meet the growing demand for interactive satellite-based distance education system for the country through audio-visual medium, employing Direct To Home (DTH) quality broadcast.
The satellite will have multiple regional beams covering different parts of India -- five Ku-band transponders with spot beams covering northern, north-eastern, eastern, southern and western regions of the country, a Ku-band transponder with its footprint covering the Indian mainland region and six C-band transponders with their footprints covering the entire country, the space agency said.
ISRO Chairman Dr G Madhavan Nair said EDUSAT would be launched from the spaceport of Sriharikota on board Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
The scope of the programme is to be realised in three phases. In the first phase of pilot projects, a Ku-band transponder on board INSAT-3B, which is already in orbit, is being used.
In the second phase, EDUSAT will be used in semi-operational project with one uplink in each beam and about 100 to 200 classrooms per beam.
In the third phase, the network is expected to become fully operational when it will be able to support a total of 25 to 30 uplinks and about 5000 remote terminals per uplink.
Zee may merge ETC Networks with itself
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/789989.cms
MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms, a majority owner of the listed broadcaster ETC Networks, is mulling a merger of ETC with Zee in the not-too-distant future. This will follow the current merger process between E-Connect India and ETC Networks.
Following heavy losses in various new media subsidiaries like E-Connect and Zee Interactive Learning, Zee Telefilms had announced it will withdraw from these businesses in September last year.
Subsequently, it was decided to merge E-Connect with ETC Networks after the former had shown a net loss of over Rs 21 crore.
E-Connect’s focus was on entertainment-based content and website development for group companies and third parties.
Jagjit Singh Kohli, MD of ETC Networks, told ET that the ETC- E-Connect merger process was currently being pursued in court following which ETC’s merger with Zee will be taken up. Zee owns 57% in ETC.
The original promoters, Mr Kohli and others, have a minority shareholding in the company and the merger is seen as an exit route for them.
The original promoters also have a three-year management contract with Zee to run ETC Networks. With just one year remaining, a merger process will also pave the way for Zee taking over the reins of the company.
Meanwhile, ETC Networks, which owns the music channel ‘ETC’ and ‘ETC Punjabi’ is planning to launch two new channels in the near future.
The spiritual programming currently on ETC Punjabi will be spun off into a 24-hour spiritual channel called ‘ETC Khalsa’. The company also intends to launch a south Indian music channel.
The ETC flagship channel mainly concentrates on Hindi and Bollywood music. The new south Indian channel will have slots for film and other popular music of all the 4 south Indian languages, Mr Kohli said.
25/07/04
No Update
24/07/04
No update
23/07/04
Not much to finish the week on
Kabelvision / Smart TV on Palapa C2 still there and still playing with power levels.
From my Emails & ICQ
From G. PNG
Kablevision of Indonesia have established or are in partnership with others in a
DTH venture called Smart TV which is presently testing in preparation for launching their service shortly.
The Smart TV operation will enable Kablevision (who previously only had rights to operate a cable service) to take on Indovision in the DTH business.
From vk4bkp
Pas8 12526H 28066 3/4 the test patterns are back on.
I701 12693H 28066 3/4 now showing scrambled. Encryption unknown.
From Fishing Fishing
Asian cup 2004 is on Dubai sports on As2 everyday (4020v).
Fishingg
From Jon C (Thailand)
live asian cup 2004 & copa america FTA on Apstar 1A
Satellite: Apstar1A
FREQ: 4160
POL: H
S/R: 27500
live asian cup 2004 & copa america 2004
From Ukfeedhunters group
New 'FEED' on PANAMSAT 10 68.5 EAST
4.070 HORIZONTAL 3300 FREE 308 / 256
shows Sports Dubai, Arab comment
From the Dish
PAS 8 The test cards are back 12526 H.
PAS 8 12686 H "The Jadeworld info card" is now encrypted.
Palapa C2 113E 3580 H The Kabelvision mux is back on , new SR: 27000, partly new line-up.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4020 V "EuroSport News" is now encrypted.
NSS 6 95E 11106 H "TV Romania International has replaced Realitatea TV" , Fta SR 3255, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1160/1120.
NSS 6 95E 12729 V "Sexy Sat TV" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2305/2306, Australian beam.
Yamal 201 90E 3674 L "The SGU" mux has left .
Yamal 201 90E 4041 R "The REN TV" mux has left .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H "Spectrum" has started on , Fta, PIDs 1793/1794.
NEWS
HONG KONG: Cable TV puts rural viewers in the picture
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=12974
Satellite transmissions to bring Hong Kong Cable Television to residents of Hong Kong’s outlying islands and villages
Residents of remote districts, such as the outlying islands and villages in the New Territories, will soon be able to access Hong Kong Cable Television.
The city's No1 pay-television operator would use satellite transmissions to provide universal geographical coverage, from about 95 per cent coverage now, to show its "whole-hearted commitment" to Hong Kong, Cable Television's vice-president, Eric Lo, said yesterday.
The company has rented two transponders from Apstar 5 to offer the service, which will start in two months. Each customer will be charged $308 a month - the same as regular subscribers - but will need to pay $2,000 to $6,000 to have a satellite dish installed.
About 20 channels will be offered, just half the number of the standard package. The service will include news, documentaries and entertainment.
i-Cable to reach into blind spots
From http://www.thestandard.com.hk/thestandard/news_detail_frame.cfm?articleid=49498&intcatid=1
i-Cable Communications, Hong Kong's dominant pay-TV operator, is leasing two transponders from APT Satellite Holdings to extend its network coverage to 30,000 blind-spot households over the next three years.
The multi-channel television operating arm of conglomerate Wharf Holdings now beams signals via its underground cable and microwave transmission networks, to 2 million households in Hong Kong, or 95 per cent of the city's population.
Cable TV subscription service executive director Eric Lo declined to disclose terms of the deal with APT Satellite. ``It is not a pure profit-oriented project, as the costs are really high; [it's] to fulfil our 100 per cent coverage promise,'' he said.
A free trial run of services targeting the blind-spot households in Sai Kung, outer islands and some other remote areas will start early in August, offering 20 channels. But the service, which would begin charging subscribers from late August, would be more expensive than the basic monthly package of HK$308. Subscribers also would need to pay between HK$2,000 and HK$6,000 up-front to lease a satellite dish and decoding equipment.
Shares of i-Cable dropped 1.79 per cent to HK$2.65 on Thursday.
Russia launches Kosmos rocket with military satellite
From http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/040722185533.r8js0tbq.html
A Russian Kosmos rocket carrying a military satellite blasted off from the Plesetsk cosmodrome late Thursday, a spokesman for Russia's space forces said.
The Kosmos-3M rocket was launched at 9:46 pm (1746 GMT), the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted the spokesman as saying.
The military satellite was the fifth one to be sent into space since the beginning of this year.
India, China to add 83 million multi-channel TV households
From http://www.agencyfaqs.com/news/stories/2004/07/23/9512.html
India and People’s Republic of China (PRC), jointly, are expected to add 83 million multi-channel TV households,
in five years from now. Also, together, these two Asian giants are likely to add more number of multi-channel TV households, than the entire increase in the rest of the world, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey of the media and entertainment industry for 2004-2008. FE had earlier reported that the PwC study saw the Asia-Pacific region as the primary driver for growth in the entertainment sector. Now, there’s more.
For instance, India and China will be the principal catalysts of growth, as both are “investing heavily in their communications and media infrastructure.” Another reason why these two Asia-Pacific biggies are driving the region’s media sector growth, is that they “are opening up their markets to foreign investments,” according to PwC.
Technology development and digital wave in India and China are among the other key factors. Above all, the study looks at the huge population and low penetration of media in these two countries as a big plus.
Interestingly, the research considers the Tata-STAR direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting venture, which is being planned for the year-end, a mover too for the Indian media sector. Besides, the projected increase of the multi-channel households in India by 21 million in the next five years, would translate into 7.6 per cent penetration raise, the PwC report says. Currently, there are around 45 million cable and satellite homes in the country. There are a few thousand DTH (from the Zee stable) homes also in the country.
If India is expanding its satellite homes, China’s numbers are impressive as well, going by the study.
“We project an increase of 30 million satellite households and an additional 32 million cable households in the PRC by 2008, for a total gain of 62 million multi-channel households.” China plans to launch its first satellite service in 2005.
While the TV distribution market in Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at 12.6 per cent compound annual rate, the overall media and entertainment market in the region will grow at a 9.8 per cent compound annual rate in the next five years.
On the whole, the global entertainment and media industry is on the recovery path, from the 2001-02 downturn, the report concludes.
Although technology is a growth vehicle, the political and military environment could pose a hurdle.
DTS Tests 5.1 Channel Sound Over IP Network
From http://news.designtechnica.com/article4798.html
DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.) demonstrated the viability of streaming high definition surround sound audio over the Internet in a recent trial with Swedish Radio.
Audio mixed live in 5.1-channel surround sound from an outside broadcast was encoded at 24 bit, 96kHz using DTS' Coherent Acoustics codec, and streamed onto the Sprint Network via Internet protocol, at 1.5Mbs - equivalent to full DVD-V and DVB bit rate.
The event marked the first time that DTS Digital Surround has been streamed over an IP network, and proves that high bit rate, high quality surround sound audio can now be streamed using DTS, providing a common delivery format for DVD, DVB and digital cinema.
Ted Laverty, Director of Business Development for DTS, explained, "The exercise arose out of our on-going cooperation with Swedish Radio and their continuing DTS-encoded DVB satellite service. They are experiencing a fast-growing demand for the high quality DTS downloads on their Web site (www.sr.se/multikanal), and were keen to examine the viability of providing a streaming signal of the same quality. The success of the transmission further establishes DTS as a convergent technology, providing the same high quality, multi-channel audio across the various content delivery channels."
The signal feed from the live concert - also broadcast on SR's DTS satellite transmission - was encoded with a DVB MPEG2 encoder with IP outputs. A DTS signal was streamed using Internet protocol live onto the Sprint Network, and signal was successfully recovered using a proprietary DTS software player designed for the purpose.
The success of the test proves the viability of very high quality audio multicasting over broadband, and points to the evolving potential for IP delivery of digital programming by broadcasters - particularly in Europe where services offering up to 8Mbits connections are starting to come online.
(Craigs comment, Video and audio broadcast over I.P are becoming a real alternative to satellite distribution. Take a look at http://www.videolan.org )
Digital TV switchover delayed
LONDON (Reuters) - Television watchers will not be forced to switch over to a digital signal until 2012, two years later than originally planned by the government.
"While the broadcasters have not reached a full consensus on the optimum timetable, some -- including the BBC -- have suggested that 2012 may be the most appropriate date for the completion of switchover," Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell told Parliament on Thursday.
Digital television providers, which offer a wider array of programming beyond the five channels available with an antenna, have been stepping up their efforts to lure new customers in anticipation of the analogue switch-off.
Some regions could see their analogue signals of BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and five, turned off as early as 2007, however, as the switchover is gradually rolled out, she said. The government originally had hoped to finish the switchover by 2010.
The BBC, the publicly funded broadcaster, said last month it would not be against an earlier switchover to digital, but suggested that 2010 would be a "stretch". It has been considering a stand-alone free digital satellite service or partnering BSkyB on its recently announced free venture.
Jowell also served notice that televisions should be marked with dates to indicate when their usefulness will run out as part of an effort to encourage the purchase of digital sets.
"We are therefore engaged with retailers and manufacturers -- who also need to plan ahead -- to see that good clear information is given to consumers currently planning to buy a television or an item of recording equipment," Jowell said.
She asked media regulator Ofcom to devise a plan to ensure that help is provided to "vulnerable consumers", such as the elderly, who may be unable to afford digital upgrades.
"The government's final endorsement of a timetable will be subject to being satisfied that adequate measures are in place to meet this objective," she said.
About half of households already have digital TV in some form. Freeview, a digital service without subscription fees, has boomed, reaching 3.5 million households in less than two years.
Digital satellite service from pay-TV provider BSkyB has about 7 million subscribers, and cable providers NTL and Telewest have another 2.4 million digital viewers.
No Olympics on local Filipino TV
From http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT2004072314631.html
NBN 4 debt forces IOC to cancel broadcast
FILIPINO SPORTS fans won’t be able to watch the Olympic Games in Athens on television next month. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has denied the country the right for television coverage of the Athens Games following the failure of the government-run NBN 4 to settle its debt with the IOC.
IOC president Dr. Jacques Rogge addressed the letter to the office of President Macapagal-Arroyo, although it could not be confirmed if the Chief Executive had seen it.
Pressed for comment, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Celso Dayrit yesterday confirmed the report, placing the blame on NBN 4 which still owes the IOC $1.2 million for its coverage of the Sydney Games four years ago.
"The IOC has bent backwards to accommodate NBN 4, but now it seems negotiations have not gone anywhere," said Dayrit.
It is not the first time the government station accumulated arrears with the IOC.
During the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, NBN 4 failed to pay the IOC on time that nearly put in jeopardy the television coverage of the 1992 Barcelona Games.
However, privately-owned ABS-CBN came to the rescue and negotiated a deal with the IOC, allowing local fans to watch boxer Roel Velasco win a bronze medal.
With two weeks remaining before the start of the Olympics, Dayrit said it is unlikely if another station could come in and save the Philippines from the ignominy of being the only nation denied of watching the biggest sporting event on television.
Dayrit disclosed that as early as last year, two groups the consortium of Bobong Velez and ABC 5, and Solar Sports indicated their desire to cover the Games. But the IOC did not entertain their separate bids after getting an assurance from NBN 4 that it would settle its obligation.
The development puts the Philippines in an embarrassing situation where it will become the only nation among 220 IOC member countries where the Games will not be seen.
It will also mark the first time since 1964, the year the IOC started beaming the Games live via satellite, that the summer spectacle will not be seen by Filipino sports fans in their living rooms.
Govt. to supply set top boxes to remote areas
From http://www.hindu.com/holnus/002200407230321.htm
New Delhi, July 23. (PTI): The government proposes to supply 10,000 Set-Top Boxes and dish antennae in remote regions of the country as part of a pilot project to provide TV coverage to such areas through satellite transmission in Ku-band, Lok Sabha was informed yesterday.
In a written reply, Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy said initially, these would be provided in eight states/regions, public institutions like 'anganwadies', schools, public health centres, panchayats, youth clubs and cooperative societies.
"The full set, containing dish antenna and satellite receiving equipment (excluding TV receiver), would be provided free-of-cost to these institutions for receiving a bouquet of 30 channels," he said.
Meanwhile, places where distributing STBs and dishes was not possible, cable head-ends will be set up by DD.
"About 200 cable head-ends will be installed by DD in these states, for uncovered village/areas, where population concentration is around 50 TV households or so," Reddy said.
Cartoon Network, Pogo aim at all DTH platforms
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july144.htm
NEW DELHI: Cartoon Network and Pogo, the kids channels from the Turner stable, are not likely to restrict themselves to the Zee and ASC Enterprise-promoted Dish TV direct-to-home (DTH) platform, but would look at other such avenues too.
"As far as we are concerned, the more platforms we are on, the better it is," Turner International India MD Anshuman Misra told indiantelevision.com here today.
However, he added that no official word had come regarding Cartoon Network and Pogo from either Indian pubcaster Doordarshan or the Tata-Star combine, both of whom propose to start a DTH service in the near future.
But even without additional platforms, Misra said both the channels were doing well with Pogo "exceeding expectations factored into the business plan."
Still, it is Cartoon Network that is setting the cash box ringing for Turner in India. The kids channel, which was introduced in the Indian market in 1995, recorded a 48 per cent growth in ad sales revenue on year-on-year basis during the period 2002 and 2003 (calendar year).
The quarter on quarter growth in 2004 (January - March vs. April - June) in ad sales revenue was 36 per cent for Cartoon Network, Misra pointed out, adding, "With Cartoon Network now being perceived as a mass channel, some non-traditional advertisers (like petroleum company HPCL) too have come on board."
Though exact numbers are not available regarding the size of the kids market in India, it is estimated to be in the region of Rs 1 billion. "Our assumption is that the advertising pie would grow for this particular genre of television programming and entry of more players may fuel that growth through competition," Misra said, while dwelling on the advertising market.
Over the next six months, the Indian market would see several other channels - from the Disney group, UTV's Hungama - being launched. The target audience: pre-school to college.
According to Misra, combining on-ground activities with on-air initiatives has paid off well for Cartoon Network and should for Pogo too, which is still in its early days. Events like Toon Cricket, Toon Yatra and now Toon Games have all proved to be 360-degree marketing activities that have yielded good dividends for the channel.
Pointing out that similar activities would be unveiled for Pogo too, Misra added, "At the moment, we are looking at introducing Hindi language in Pogo, which would be ramped up slowly." Telugu and Tamil continue to be other languages, apart from Hindi, which are attractive for Cartoon Network and Pogo.
At some later stage, according to Misra, Cartoon Network might also look at having separate feeds for countries like Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to attract local advertising.
22/07/04
TVNZ Freevue 1(On Optus B1) plan to show some special programing for Maori language week. Why? we have a dedicated Maori TV channel in the same mux that rates below the radar. The effort to do some special Maori programing on Freevue 1 is a total waste of time. Also while on the subject of TVNZ digital channels. When does the testing start that was mentioned months ago? and I don't mean Dwelle and CCTV9 on Freevue 2 and 3. Other Countrys are looking at Freeview / Fta satellite type services to promote take up of digital tv. What are TVNZ doing ? Is there ever going to be a serious effort made with the TVNZ transponder? It doesn't look like it.
Palapa C2 power levels are up and down. Problems? I have emailed them to find out. But I seem to get back a response suggesting they have some sort of email problem. Satelindo if you read this your email system needs fixing, error message relates to "Relay operation rejected"
A new Adult Channel has started on Nss6 "SexySat"
Website http://www.sexysat.tv/
Some info on it they broadcast FTA, and make money via sex chat phone numbers. It is NOT a pay channel and does not screen ADULT movies etc. Might be filler to get Australian dishes pointing to Nss6.
Some changes noticed on B3 12407V line-up
Jon's Asia Weekly
Issue 13 / 14
"So what a week, what a month, what a year … What an example!"
So here we were just two weeks ago and I was commenting on how the pace of life was hotting up around here, but as is normal in the tropics things always get hotter before they cool down. So my apologies for not bursting into print last week, as business and events overtook me.
In today’s hi-tech world, it is rare for you to get a good example of just what a digital satellite is all about, as all the birds up there is a great example of themselves. Two weeks ago after installing a new 10’ dual C and Ku Band dish I was doing DX hunt around the C band, adding a few new birds over in the west to the watch list we have here and when I headed back over to the East I rediscovered the good old faithful (no pun intended for the CLS Xtains out there) JCSAT 2a satellite on the C band.
Nothing new in this bird you might think, and indeed you are right.
In fact there are even rumours down in the bottom part of the world, that it is not sending any programming out these days (been there for a while) but rest assured it has one of the best examples of a digital satellite transponder I have ever seen to date {I am sure there are other but I have not seen any to this extent}.
We are all familiar with the everyday garden variety transponder which will in all likelihood have a video stream (of course) and at least one audio stream, and maybe two audio/language channels with left and right audio channels activated (the BBC on PAS 2, PAS 8 and on PAS 7/10 are good example, but I digress).
On JCSAT 2a at 154 degrees East you will find the ‘BYU TV’ transponder (http://www.byutv.org/) at 3915-V-4167, “hmm so what?” you say.
Well it is the S/R that intrigued me.
“4167” is not that wide and what was all that ‘PID’ text you read next to its entry on the satellite location web sites like satcodx? So I decided to take a look and to my surprise and 45 minutes later saw the following…
A neat little video feed from Brigham Young University, thus the name BYU TV, but this was not what got me.
It was the audio streams. Huh? Yep you read this right, it was the audio stream“S” that got me (note the plural). You see these guys must have sat down one day and said “well if we are going to do this we are going to do this right, and make it available worldwide” and they simply did just this.
From one video source they also have about 19 audio sources then broken down into one left and one right audio channel. All of them are sending out on one audio (left) channel a native language audio stream and on the other audio (right) channel it is an English stream. Albeit I was happy to see the Australian, Kiwi and Vietnamese audio feeds were in English along with a few others, on both channels.
So if you every want a good example to show your friends or colleges of a good digital transponder that really demonstrates the power of this medium, pop over to JCSAT 2a and have a tour of the BYU TV language and audio streams.
Ku Band
======
Size matters, yep heard that before. Yikes I even said it before.
So you might recall a few weeks ago one of the re-broadcasters of ABC AP changed their transponder line up and in the process ABC AP disappeared in this part of the world on small Ku band dishes. Not to be put off, one smart bod decided he could help out and stuck ABC AP on ‘wi-fi’ for all the geographically challenged locals to see. Works well at about 20 to 25 fps on your Windows 9 Media player, saw an example of this at on my notebook and was most impressed. Now it seems there is a run on “lifeview” and other video cards around the region at the moment. Wonder why? Did our friendly chap in Vietnam ever blow up the mountain that blocks PAS 8
With all the changes going on, on the Ku band across the region and the subsequent new updates to firmware for many set top boxes, it has been great to see the changes in the receivers low signal reception improve drastically. We can now enjoy many new transponders that we previously could not see.
One of them is Telstar 10.
What a traffic jam it is in this part of the satellite space.
You have Thaicom 2/3 C and Ku Bands, Telstar 10 C & Ku Bands and LMI1 C and Ku bands all nearly on top of each other, fighting to get their signals out across the region. Well it is nice to see with all the changes to the various STB firmware, all of them are all back in their right lanes, and signals are booming out across the region.
The FTA on Telstar 10 is simply great, and my father-in-law takes great delight in telling me my Chinese is ‘rubbish’ these days and I should go back to Hong Kong and Shenzhen for a month and start all over.
XFree I seem to hear that name the song “Free Me” by some US singer pop into my mind whenever I read anything on this subject these days.
Nearly half the messages boards across Asia over the last three weeks has been chocker block with messages saying “I told you so” and “I told you this” and “Well you know when you did this, it was for … “ Yikes live with it guys and girls! If this is your sort of entertainment you enjoy, get on with it and get a new card and enjoy the programming if and when it starts again.
I noted none of the satellite PCI / computer users out there made any noise about it. Funny that. Was it really the encryption that was the problem as the broadcast message says on the transponder or was it the lack of it? Seems to me the old 80/20 rule was well and truly broken and this is a good opportunity to fix it with a sub card. I am sure we will read more about it in the days to come.
C Band
======
What a couple of weeks for the C band DX hunters. Everything from fish tanks, to CNN, ESPN, Star Sport, HBO to Ant(s).
It took a long while for TARBS to pop off Thaicom 2/3 C Band, which gave many of us the opportunity to see all the programming free to air for a while. Then an “Ant” popped off TARBS and popped up on a RR feed and by the looks of it today, it popped off again. Funny things these Ant(s).
PAS 7/10 has been busy with new tests being done by all many companies. Noted the “Times” and “India” tests booming into Thailand. The AfricaSat test is back to Telemedia test patterns, and DD Sport is gearing up for the Olympics.
Had a very interesting DX hunt from PAS 7/10 over to NSS703 the other day.
WOW and I mean WOW, the people at the old AFRTS now called AFN on Intelsat 906 send a signal into Thailand stronger then the local channel 9 off Thaicom 2/3. Keep up the good work as many of the bases over here really enjoy it (now all I need is a powerVU box to watch it).
Loved the BT Tower advertising on the BT MUX on Intelsat 902. Shame we can not see all the horse racing on there. Every noticed what they have. Boy do I know some people across this region that would love to subscribe to this (smile).
TVNZ used to be on NSS703, so I thought I would go hunting. SunTv, and the Sun Network was a pleasant surprise, but no TVNZ feeds any more to be found anywhere. So where did they go to then? Back to Intelsat and down to PAS 8?
The mighty fish tank popped up down on Asiasat 4 and just for the record my kids already named “Bob, Barbie, Doug (the one with the bright orange head), Tawee, Yai and model [although I think the last two are the same fish]” so work out who is who.
There was a fish tank on PAS 2 ‘Ad Hoc’ earlier this year, but in the scheme of things the Asiasat 4 fish tanks wins hands down as it is not a video loop like the PAS 2 one was. (HINT: Camera-test-person at AS4 - get the tripod out of the picture lads, it makes a bad reflection at night). So the fish tank score is Asiasat 1 Panamsat 0 . Another 5 months to go I wonder who will win?
Did we have a monsoon tonight or did we have a monsoon. The best thunder storm and rain this year to date and much to my surprise the new test being conducted by Kablevision on Palapa C2 C band did not drop a beat. So well done with the testing. On a personal note, it was nice to see “E! Entertainment and the Family Channel” for the first time. The kids were watching Disney as their Ku feed had died due to very bad rain fade, so this test made the whole family happy tonight.
The ABC AP people have Gregory Peck all over the tele tonight. Did we note some strange audio on their PAS 2 mux this past week on the second ABC channel or was it to much sun?
Dishes
======
Some people are bit strange when they are in a foreign land.
True story.
We did a fixed dish installation here the other day for a foreign chap who had a network subscription from his home country.
We installed the dish, hooked up his new receiver which we supplied, tuned all the FTA on the bird to show him that everything worked 100%.
So what did he do?
Rang up his home country to speak to his cable company. This was so he could turn his card back on, they asked him the message on his decoder? He told them “E16” (now that gave it away), then there was this almighty shout from his study saying “OK they said you installed it OK! You can go now”
Well I ask you, what are the chances of this happening? Thai dish & Thai decoder to boot (yep the same OEM for the decoder by the looks of it). So I went and brought a lottery ticket and guess what, today I see in the paper that the ticket won THB 500!
Noted more and more butterfly dishes this week. We were called into a condo this week and noted 3 dead dishes. One was quite funny as it had as I have written before clapped hands and become a sleeping butterfly. This place was a tad strange as they had the local Ku band cable network dishes on 6’ poles to clear the surrounding roof, with no tethering or ties. So image at about 100 meters off the ground what these little things did? Yep tried to become Frisbees once the welds in their ground mounts broke and flow off the roof and landed one story below.
Sport
======
So much over the last few weeks but I am a ‘Kiwi’ so here are the global highlights..
Cricket Natwest ODI’s
New Zealand won (shame we lost the tests)
Rugby the Cup
New Zealand won
Rugby Pacific Island test (read Auckland A/B team)
New Zealand won
F1
New Zealand pit crew in Schumes team helped him win at Silverstone
Golf
Kiwi caddy his player won
And there was no other major sporting events, was there?
After all the feed hunting for the Euro2004 soccer it has amazed me there are not to many people chasing the Copa America series, which I have to say has been good to see, even with all the national strikes mucking up the schedule.
The Asia Cup ODI’s are in full swing at the moment, and DD has in conjunction with Star Sport been bringing it live and FTA to the region. Nice to see Sri Lanka doing so well.
Not being a really big AFL fan (it is just, not rugby) it was pointed out to me by the local Thai AFL team this week {big Gazza say hi to everyone down at the port and over at the MCG} that ABC AP carries 10 or the 16 teams matches every weekend. Now I see why these guys are so mad keen on getting ABC AP just for this for the AFL alone.
Gossip
======
I have four chr$ for you “00AF”. Moral of the story “Listen to rumours, even if they are six months old” [said or read in a German accent] “Zhere vere tons of people all over zee vorld” last veek going “Oh Oh Another Fudgeup” bingo multi ECM’s, and the result was truckloads of STB patches spotted all over the place.
Not to be out down, some really cleaver marketing people ‘dreamed’ up a way to “up” the company profits, by making a few changes here and there and then doing this everyday and immediately increased the subscriber base by up to as high as 12% above the monthly churn target, or so a dickybird tell me.
It seems that shortly those of us up here in SEA will soon have more viewing options from Ku band cable TV operators in Malaysia, according to the press it looks like we can soon add Astro to our list of cable providers.
Here we are at the end of July and still no solid news about the new Thai MUX being proposed by the lads over in China. 40 plus channels was it? Lots of snippets about their local China operations, and more visits to Thailand, but nothing solid since some bright spark in the local ministry went on record in the local papers as saying this will not happen. But who knows. We already have MVtv on Thaicom 2/3, which is mostly Chinese movies dubbed in Thai.
Still big discussions going on over the local concessions for media shops and for cable operators. Seems the local TV channels who are not allowed to broadcast any form of advertising in Bangkok are now broadcasting from outside Bangkok adverts [which they are allowed to do], which you might or might not see in Bangkok. Oh did I mention the only way not to see the adverts is not to watch the channel? Go figure?
Comments
=======
Drop a note to Jon at [email protected]
From my Emails & ICQ
From Ocean
5.50pm Syd
Telstar18/ApstarV testing now 3878 H on-off carrier, no DVB, no analog 12dB
CNR, 3.2m in Sth.Australia.....
From Bill Richards
Subject: NSS6
2000 UTC
Nss6 12729 Vpid 2305Apid 2306SID 9 SexySat.TV FTA Promo
Regards
Bill Richards
South Australia
From Vk4bkp
Sexy sat tv screenshot
(Craigs comment, actually for some reason he got carried away and sent about a dozen ..hmmm)
From Steve Draper
Specials on TVNZ FreeVu 1 (B1)
Maori Language Week, Monday 26th July - Sunday 1st
August, will be marked on DTH. Each evening at 8pm a
programme from TVNZ's Television Archive will be aired
on FreeVu1. The programmes chosen were originally
seen on "Marae" and "Waka Huia", they are in
themselves now taonga,(treasures or sacred items),
because some of the key participants have since passed
away. All the programmes have English sub-titles. END
(Craigs comment, they must be joking? tell me their serious putting on this ancient CRAP)
From SiamGlobal (Thailand)
ONE OF THE new CHANNELS ON PALAPA bouquet HAS THE KABELVISION LOGO SO NOW WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN !
From Tacomp
PALAPA C2
kabelvision
26% loading in Sydney
3.7m dual lnb
From Hans Spitaler (Canberra)
Palapa C2
Kabelvision %15 on KTI 3.1m mesh with a Zinwell lnbf
(Craigs comment, erratic signal power fluctuating..)
From David
Sri Lanka VS Pakistan is on Asiasat 3S
4111 V SR: 3333
(Craigs comment, Cricket also on DD National on Insat2e)
From Mark
Korean Soccer seen on PAS2
3767 Vert 6620 3/4
Service is labled DACOM SNG
Cheers,
Mark
From the Dish
No Lyngsat received as yet
NEWS
HONG KONG: Talk of Intelsat's exit fails to dent TVB
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=12947
Investors have reacted positively to speculation that the pay-television venture of Television Broadcasts (TVB) might lose its United States majority partner Intelsat
Investors have reacted positively to speculation that the pay-television venture of Television Broadcasts (TVB) might lose its United States majority partner Intelsat.
Shares in Hong Kong's leading free-to-air broadcaster rose as much as $1.30 to a seven-day high of $34.50 yesterday, despite media reports that Intelsat planned to pull out of Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting, in which it holds a 51 per cent stake it bought in February last year. They closed up 1.2 per cent at $33.60.
A Broadcasting Authority spokesman yesterday said it had not been informed of any shareholding changes at Galaxy. A Galaxy spokeswoman said she had heard nothing of such a plan.
Local brokers said investors would welcome a change at the loss-making venture, either through TVB's exit or the introduction of another strategic partner.
Slow subscriber uptake of Galaxy's exTV service had prompted concerns that Intelsat lacked the experience to run a local pay-television operation.
ExTV has attracted less than 5,000 customers since its launch in February, compared with 670,000 at dominant player Hong Kong Cable Television and 300,000 at NOW Broadband TV.
ExTV has reportedly faced difficulties acquiring approval from building owners to put dishes on roofs.
Some industry observers expect TVB to strike a deal with Hutchison Global Communications (HGC) to deliver its pay-television programming over HGC's network. Another possibility is a tie-up with Malaysia-based Astro Broadcasting.
Amdocs Wins on Astro's Turf
From http://www.boardwatch.com/document.asp?doc_id=56552
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Amdocs (NYSE: DOX), the world's leading provider of billing and CRM for true integrated customer management, today announced that it has been selected by ASTRO ALL ASIA NETWORK plc's MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems (Astro) to implement its next-generation consolidated Subscriber Management System including billing, customer relationship management (CRM) and order management solution for Astro, a Malaysian satellite-based PayTV multimedia group. Amdocs will enable Astro to seamlessly link all customer-facing processes to build stronger, more profitable customer relationships and improve service delivery to its more than 1.5 million subscribers, while lowering costs.
The Amdocs solution allows Astro to move toward integrated customer management as a way of doing business and consists of Amdocs Enabler billing platform, ClarifyCRM and Order Management products, as well as system integration services. It is a flexible system designed to support Astro's rapid introduction of new entertainment, communications and information offerings, as well as its future business growth.
"Our continued rate of business growth demands that we move beyond a traditional subscriber management system to an integrated solution for managing customer relationships," said Greg Woolstencroft, chief information officer at ASTRO. "We are looking to the Amdocs solution to provide Astro with an integrated framework to rapidly launch new offerings and deliver highly personalized service to our customers, while helping us streamline operations and reduce costs."
The Advert Channel
From http://www.waveguide.co.uk/latest/news040721.htm
The world's first TV channel dedicated entirely to adverts is to launch on digital satellite television in the UK.
The Advert Channel promises the best of contemporary adverts, as well as samples from the last four decades.
Its founders say there is a big public appetite for ads, with 4,000 downloaded from the internet every day.
Viewers will be able to take part in game-shows and phone-ins relating to TV adverts. The channel - complete with its own ads - starts on September 6.
The channel has already soft-launched on Channel 694 on Sky Digital.
Co-founder Chelsey Baker said some viewers found ads more interesting than television programmes.
"We watch hours and hours of adverts as a nation and compared to what they used to be, adverts are now something of an art form," she said.
"Adverts are absolutely infectious and until now there's never been a home for anybody to watch them," she said.
Sleepy DD Wakes Up To Catch Pvt Channels Stealing Content
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=64166
Adex, CMS, ANI may monitor Athens show lifted from public broadcaster
This is a first from public broadcaster Prasar Bharati. From being a mute spectator, it’s turning active, to catch private channels showing more than they should. No, this is not about censoring obscenity on TV, but Athens Olympics. The pubcaster and the telecast rights holder to the Olympic Games is in the process of engaging three media organisations, for monitoring private news channels as the “biggest show” unfolds in Athens. These agencies would keep an eye on the news channels, to see that they don’t run more than six minutes of DD Olympics footage in a day, and that no bulletin carries over two minutes of the Games. For reference, they’ll have a rulebook: International Olympic Committee’s manual for news channels.
So far, private broadcasters have often shown Doordarshan’s (controlled by Prasar Bharati) content on their channels quite freely.
According to Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma, Adex (a division of Tam India Research), Centre for Media Studies (CMS), and Asian News International (ANI) would be engaged to monitor Olympics packages across private channels. DD is also planning to sell select highlight packages of the Olympic Games to news channels, Mr Sarma told FE. Even as he admitted that the state broadcaster would make some money from selling content to other channels, he refused to give out any figure, saying “these are early days yet”. Athens Olympics is only 23 days away.
Even as Mr Sarma named three media agencies for monitoring private channels during the Games, an official of Tam India said: “Talks are on with Prasar Bharati, but there’s no final word on the deal yet.” Chairman of the Centre for Media Studies (CMS) Bhaskar Rao told FE: “We haven’t heard from Prasar Bharati yet. But, we’ll monitor the Olympics coverage anyway at our media lab....” According to Mr Sarma, while ANI would monitor the private channels free of cost for DD, Tam would charge Rs 5 lakh for the job and that the deal is being finalised with CMS.
Meanwhile, private channels are yet to sign on the dotted lines for buying the Olympics package from Prasar Bharati. TV Today CEO G Krishnan said: “We have not received any communication yet.” Star News officials said: “Talks are on....” Mr Sarma, however, said letters have been sent out to all channels, along with the IOC rulebook.
Bangladesh plans law to curb TV satellite channels
From http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG4_sub.asp?ccode=ENG4&newscode=62692
DHAKA, July 21 (Reuters) Bangladesh will enact a law soon to stop cable television operators from broadcasting what it believes are undesirable satellite channels, Information Minister M Shamsul Islam said today.
He did not name any channels, but other media officials said some overseas programmes were ''X-rated''.
''The sky is open and it is very difficult to control it,'' Islam said. ''But we are working on a policy to control those channels transmitting programmes contrary to the social and religious values of the country.'' ''We feel the need for a law to stop obscene programmes,'' he added.
Bangladesh currently has four local satellite television channels, including three in the private sector, and the government was considering allowing more, Islam said.
These channels have not violated the state's policy or hurt religious sentiments, officials said. But overseas channels can also be received and some of these do not follow the same standards, they added.
21/07/04
Kabelvision /Smart TV is back, Palapa C2 3580 H Sr 27000 Fec not known yet. Good luck if you can get it. George in Northern Thailand is receiving it on a 7.5 foot dish
Testcards gone from Pas 8 KU 12526 H (Australia beam)
From my Emails & ICQ
From Simmo (Cairns 3.8m)
Palapa C2 Kabelvision / Smart TV mux is back
Try 3580 H 27000
Fortec 3583 27000
Powtek 3582 27031
Emetabox 3 works on Fortec numbers.
(Craigs comments any reports south?)
From G (P.N.G)
Dear Craig,
We are receiving a good Arirang signal from PAS-2
on a 2.6m solid one-piece fibreglass dish.
From the Dish
Superbird 6 has left 140.5 East, moving east.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3671 H "Antenna Pacific" has left again, replaced by an RR Sat promo.
Telstar 10 76.5E 12734 V "CSN" is back on , Fta, PIDs 151/152, 08-12 HKT.Occasional feeds on PIDs 970/971 and 980/981.
NEWS
NAGRAVISION TO PROVIDE CONDITIONAL ACCESS AND SMART CARD SOLUTIONS TO PT BROADBAND MULTIMEDIA "KABELVISION" AND "SMART TV" IN INDONESIA
From http://www.nagra.com/print.php?id_news=85
Singapore, Cheseaux, Switzerland, March 12th, 2004 Nagravision announced today an agreement with Indonesian based Broadband Multimedia to provide conditional access and smart card solutions for the operators’ digital cable and DTH launch.
Boasting a strong cable TV base, in excess of 105,000 subscribers Broadband Multimedia plan to complement their current services with the launch of both digital cable and digital DTH services (“SmartTV”), in 2004. The company estimates that the new service could boost subscriber numbers beyond an additional 100,000 over a two-year period.
Mr. Marshall Cooper, Group Executive Director and CEO Broadband Multimedia said “A key objective throughout the tender process was to seek out a supplier who could provide leading edge conditional access technology and security, while ensuring the rapid implementation and integration of this service. Nagravision’s corporate independence ensured we were adopting a solution and a partner free of other media influence, and that they were therefore able to assist with the integration of a vast range of products and services from a selection of manufacturers. This enabled Broadband Multimedia to make decisions on other products and services based purely technological merit.
Mr. Peter Iannazzo, Vice President Asia Pacific, Nagravision said “Nagravision has always been a pioneer in the creation and supply of products which provide superior security to pay television operators. As we move deeper into the digital age Nagravision is proud of a brand and reputation that reflect its independence and an ability to always place the objectives of customers, and the creation of superior networks first and foremost.
Nagravision was the first to create card based decryption, and has continued to take great bounds ahead of the competition with regards to security and authentication. Smart cards powered by Nagravision now provide the ability to brand and personalize cards in addition to providing key marketing functions, transactional security and a means for exchanging and storing data.
(Craigs comment, Ok so its an older news item but could the new DTH service be the one appearing on Palapa C2? As for using Nagra well those with "Super FTA" decoders will love that.)
MELBOURNE’S SATELLITE OF LOVE
From http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/index?news_item_id=155160®ion=global
Satellite services company GlobeCast Australia has teamed up with Sportsbrand Media Group to create the first full-time, fixed international satellite uplink facility in Melbourne.
The facility will provide uplink services for international sporting and special events in Melbourne as well as the international satellite distribution of Sportsbrand’s weekly television programmes.
Sportsbrand will house the international satellite uplink at its Melbourne production facilities which will be available for third party use.
GlobeCast Australia’s CEO, Mike Lattin said: “GlobeCast Australia is excited about working with Sportsbrand in being able to provide this new facility in Melbourne and look forward to better servicing the needs of our clients locally and internationally.”
This new uplink facility is timely with Melbourne hosting the 2006 Commonwealth Games as well as staging annual events such as the Australian Open tennis and the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix.
Golf bungle sparks TV sports review
From http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10199089%255E2,00.html
NEW Communications Minister Helen Coonan will review laws protecting major sporting events for free-to-air networks after fielding complaints from a golf-loving cabinet colleague about the Nine Network's treatment of this week's British Open.
The Australian has learned a senior minister approached Senator Coonan to communicate his rage at the Nine Network's non-broadcast of much of the final stages of Monday morning's British Open golf championship and demand tighter controls on free-to-air coverage.
The approach was made during a break in yesterday's cabinet meeting in Brisbane, Senator Coonan's first since her promotion last week.
"The minister did have a conversation with a colleague and she's promised to take a look at it," a spokeswoman for Senator Coonan confirmed last night.
Under federal anti-siphoning laws, the British Open is included on an anti-siphoning list created to ensure significant events are accessible to viewers on free-to-air TV.
But the networks have no obligation to screen protected events. Last week, Nine missed Shane Warne's record-equalling Test wicket when it switched from the Cairns Test to The Price Is Right.
Late on Sunday night, Nine elected to screen an old Clint Eastwood movie, The Enforcer, delaying its coverage of the final round of the Open until most players had reached the back nine.
"I like Clint Eastwood, but playing an old movie over the golf was outrageous," one minister said yesterday. "Cabinet dealt with the anti-siphoning laws earlier in the year and I thought we were meant to have stopped this sort of thing." While the anti-siphoning laws are in place until 2010, the Government can intervene if free-to-air networks "hoard" events.
"In general, the principle should be use-it-or-lose-it," Labor spokesman Lindsay Tanner said. "Managing TV schedules is a difficult task, but when events like the golf occur outside prime time, there's no excuse for not showing them live."
A spokesman for Nine said delaying the golf was a programming decision based on ratings. "We judged the most interesting part of the Open would be the latter stages, so the movie was scheduled for the start," he told The Australian.
Pay-TV operator Foxtel - part-owned by Nine owner Kerry Packer and News Limited, publisher of The Australian - is eager to share with free-to-air stations the rights for events such as the British Open. Fox Sports had limited rights to the golf from 9pm to 10.30pm, although late on Sunday afternoon Nine agreed the pay-TV operator could carry the Open until 12.30am on Monday.
Foxtel spokesman Mark Furness said the pay-TV network did not want to deprive free-to-air TV of sports coverage.
"But when the free-to-air networks choose not to show sport, the anti-siphoning regime too often locks sports fans outside the ground," Mr Furness said. "When the free-to-air system fails them, we should be able to give fans the option of watching that sport live and in full on subscription TV."
Sport fans lose from TV regulation
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10196429%255E7583,00.html
AS Shane Warne closed in on a slice of cricketing history in Cairns last week Muttiah Muralitharan's record 527 Test wickets fans around the country were forced to watch instead someone trying to guess the price of a lounge suite. On Sunday night, as the world's greatest golfers teed off in what would turn out to be one of the most thrilling final rounds to a British Open, fans were denied live action for 90 minutes until the conclusion of one of the more forgettable Dirty Harry movies. In an age when we can sit in our living rooms and watch live images beamed from the surface of Mars or inside the rings of Saturn, why are we denied live coverage of classic moments in sport? The answer is what else? botched government regulation in the form of the "anti-siphoning" rules aimed to stifle competition from pay-TV, notably from Foxtel, which is part-owned by News Limited, publisher of The Australian. The terminology betrays the intent coming with an inference that the new competitors want to surreptitiously take the cream for themselves. But what a lot of cream. Under the anti-siphoning laws, the free-to-air TV networks have first dibs on broadcast rights to thousands of individual events in 40 sports that are deemed to be of "national significance". Once a free-to-air network has snaffled the rights to one of these events, it is under no obligation to show it. The only disincentive to "hoarding" events, or showing only skerricks of them, is yet another list of events that, if not shown, must be offered to the ABC or SBS.
Rather than further the interests of sports fans, the rules protect the interests of the free-to-air television networks. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission last year concluded that the anti-siphoning regime "may actually reduce the broadcasting of the listed events", while the Productivity Commission's broadcasting inquiry in 2000 complained that "the anti-siphoning provisions do not actively encourage free-to-air broadcasters to exercise the rights reserved for them". The big TV owners are a powerful lobby no government or opposition can afford to ignore but, as reported in The Australian today, the fiasco over Warne's golden wicket and rank outsider Todd Hamilton's surge to victory at the Open has galvanised key figures in both major parties. Suggested solutions to hoarding range from "use-it-or-lose-it" provisions to a "dual rights" regime under which neither pay-TV nor free-to-air networks could acquire exclusive rights to nominated events. Better still, why not extract the bureaucrats from the whole ridiculous enterprise of compiling lists of sporting events without which the national psyche would unravel, and instead enable an old-fashioned competition to allocate the broadcasting rights to major sporting events?
Murdoch's NDS Attempts To Dominate Digital Broadcasting Service Market
From http://english.etnews.co.kr/news/detail_top.html?id=200407210001&art_grad=9
In an apparent attempt to dominate the domestic fee-charging digital broadcasting service market, Rupert Murdoch, Chairman of News Corporation, known as the 'media mogul', is bolstering his control over the market via NDS, a digital broadcast conditional access system (CAS) vendor.
Industry sources said yesterday that NDS, an affiliate of Murdoch’s media group, has already taken some 50% of the digital broadcasting service market in Korea by supplying its CAS solutions to a satellite broadcasting service firm Sky Life, CJ Cable Net, and BSI, which attracted subscribers of 1.4 million, 1.1 million and 500,000, respectively. NDS has also agreed with KDMC, which lured 3.3 subscribers, to supply its CAS products.
Given that the total number of subscribers to fee-charging digital broadcasting services counts 13 million across the nation now, these figures represent some 50% of the market. Since most of other broadcasting service firms are poised to digitalize their systems, NDS is seen to further increase its share in the market.
In fact, Rupert Murdoch made several attempts to break into the domestic broadcasting service market in the past, ending up in failure due to adverse public opinions.
Industry observers see NDS's dominance in CAS market as a part of Murdoch’s outflanking strategy to control the domestic broadcasting service market. Some experts predict that Murdoch will be able to take better position in the broadcasting service market, leveraging dominant position of NDS when the market is widely opened. Though its influence to broadcasting service market may look trivial, they expressed concern over possible harm of exclusive adoption of NDS’s CAS solutions by broadcasting firms.
With Murdoch's News Corporation holding 78% of its stakes as of 2003, NDS has supplied its CAS to 38 million subscribers of digital broadcasting services around the world, accounting for 40% of the world market, including those of BskyB of England and DirecTV of the United States. Based in England, NDS runs operations in Spain, France, Israel, Denmark, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.
"We will be able to find a way of preventing abuse of monopolizing position by NDS, such as cancellation of contracts or adoption of multiple solutions. Frankly, we sealed a contract with NDS to exploit both its technologies and rich broadcasting content of News Corporation, said a CEO of a broadcasting service firm.
Russia to perform 9 launches within 3 months
From http://newsfromrussia.com/science/2004/07/20/55118.html
From August to October 2004, Russia plans to perform nine space launches including six from Baikonur (a spaceport in South Kazakhstan in Russia's long-term lease) and three from Plesetsk (Arkhangelsk district, north of Russia's European part), said Vyacheslav Davidenko, spokesman for the Federal Space Agency, on Tuesday.
According to the adjusted schedule, the nearest launch from Baikonur is planned for August 5. The Proton-M booster will orbit the Amazonas telecommunications spacecraft. The Progress-M cargo spacecraft's launch to the International Space Station is scheduled for August 11. The exact date of launching the Soyuz booster carrying the Russian Defense Ministry's satellite from the Plesetsk spaceport has not been specified yet, however it is known that it will also be launched in August.
Scheduled for September are two launches, one from Baikonur and the other from Plesetsk. The launch of the Proton-M booster mounting the AMC-15 telecommunications satellite from Baikonur is scheduled for September 15, while the exact launch date of the Defense Ministry's Kosmos rocket has not been set, however the booster is to be launched from Plesetsk in September.
October will witness four launches, three from Baikonur and one from Plesetsk. The Soyuz-TMA manned spacecraft heading for the International Space Station is to start from Baikonur on October 9. The same spaceport will see the launch of the Proton-M carrying the AMC communications satellite on October 15.
The next Proton's launch from the southern spaceport will take place on October 28, it will orbit the Express-AM telecommunications spacecraft. The final launch from Plesetsk is scheduled for October 15, when the Cyclone-3 booster will orbit the Ukraine's Sich-1M spacecraft, said the Federal Space Agency.
Scientific Atlanta puts HD video demo on web
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/tec/y2k4/july/julytec2.htm
In a bid to highlight the advantages of high definition (HD) cable programming to the trade, Scientific-Atlanta has created a new online HD video demonstration for cable operators to use on their own websites.
The informative presentation uses live video and conversational dialogue in layman's terms to walk consumers through a simple HDTV checklist to help them gain confidence for making the initial decisions about HDTV including:
Understanding the difference between a digital TV and an HDTV, making the choice between widescreen and standard format, important HD inputs on your TV, resolution and scan rates - an explanation of 720p and 1080i, how to determine if your TV is HD-ready or HD-capable, using "stretch and zoom" to eliminate black bars on the TV screen, current availability of HD programming; sports, nature, movies, travel and prime time favorites and how combining HD and DVR (Digital Video Recorder) expands the viewing experience
The demonstration can be viewed at www.ExploreHD.com.
ESPN-Star to share Asia Cup feed with DD
From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=161907
Sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports and Prasar Bharati have reached a commercial understanding to share the live feed for the remaining India matches of the IndianOil Asia Cup cricket tournament being held in Sri Lanka.
Thus, four of the remaining 13 matches of the tournament will be shown live on DD-1. So far, India has already played two matches in the tournament one each against the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka both of which were not shown on DD-1.
While Prasar Bharati will have its own programming component and commentary, the live feed will be from ESPN Star Sport.
The screen will have the logo of Doordarshan. The state broadcaster is in the process of finalising the commentary team for the telecast.
Prasar Bharti has also agreed to share the revenue generated during the matches with ESPN Star Sports.
ESPN Star Sports has managed to reach a commercial understanding with Prasar Bharati, while a few months back Ten Sports failed to reach a similar agreement over sharing the match feed with Prasar Bharti during the India-Pakistan series.
The commercial spat between Ten Sports and Prasar Bharati is currently in the Supreme Court. ESPN Software Pvt Ltd managing director R C Venkateish told Business Standard after bagging the rights for the IndianOil Asia Cup that he was willing to sharing the feed with Prasar Bharti on mutually acceptable terms.
The Ten Sport-Prasar Bharti spat had raised issues of intellectual property: the Abdul Rehman Bukhatir-promoted channel had to share its feed with Prasar Bharti during the India-Pakistan series, though it had acquired exclusive telecast rights from the Pakistan Cricket Board at a very high cost.
It was widely commented at that time that a similar sharing of feed in the future would lower the price at which broadcasters would acquire such exclusive rights.
'Edusat' launch on September 10
From http://www.sunnetwork.org/news/science/science.asp?id=5456
Kozhikode, Jul 21 - The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the 'Edusat' (Education Satellite) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on September 10, according to M Annadurai, Project Director, Indian Moon Mission (Chandrayaan-I), ISRO, Bangalore.
Dr. Annadurai, who is also the Associate Project Director for the 'Edusat,' told reporters here today that the procedure for launching the satellite had been completed. In another fortnight, the transponders would be shifted to Sriharikota.
The satellite would be used primarily to improve the quality of education and eradicate illiteracy. He was in Kozhikode to inaugurate the 'Moon Landing Week' programme organised by the Regional Science Centre (RSC) and Planetarium.
Dr. Annadurai said the 'Edusat' would provide coverage through five regional beams in the country. It would benefit not only schools, colleges, universities and research departments but also support non-formal education and developmental communication. Spreading education to the rural sectors was one of the major objectives.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has short listed six external agencies - NASA, European Space Agency, Space Research Centres of Bulgaria, Portugal, Canada and Israel - for getting payloads for 'Chandrayaan-I', India's first scientific mission to the moon, to be launched in September 2007, said Dr. Annadurai.
"Only financial commitments would have to be worked out as the technicalities have already been decided. The total payload weight of Chandrayaan is 55 kg," he added. The specific areas of studies for 'Chandrayaan-I' were simultaneous chemical, mineralogical and photogeologic mapping of the entire moon in visible, 'near-infrared', 'low and high energy X-rays' with high spatial resolution. The entire lunar surface would be mapped using a set of remote sensing payloads, he explained.
Searching for surface or sub-surface evidence of water or ice on the moon, especially at the lunar pole, identifying lunar highland rocks and chemical stratigraphy of the lunar crust by remote sensing of the central upland of large lunar craters - South Pole Aikten Region (SPAR), also formed part of the study.
20/07/04
Live chat in the chatroom 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards.
Satfacts section updated
From my Emails & ICQ
From Ocean
AsiaSat4 at 122°E
Results of BlindScan 0920 UTC 19/07/04
Powtek results with Powtek inherent offsets.......
3733 H 5789 37%Q
3758 H 27750 62%Q
4000 H 20000 90%+Q
4119 H 27531 84%Q
3733H 5789 Vpid 33 Apid 36 PCR pid 33
Asiasat 4 Bars test (Screenshot Supplied by Bill Richards)
3733 H 5789 Vpid 34 Apid 35 PCR pid 34
Asiasat 4 Fish ! (Screenshot Supplied by Bill Richards)
(Craigs comment, don't tap on your screen)
From Bassett
Just done a scan of Asiasat 4 C-band the following was logged
4121 H 27500
4002 H 20000
3763 H 27720
3735 H 5787
3865 V 4299
3735 H 5787 V 33 A 36 PCR 33 colour bars {pal}
3735 H 5787 V 34 A 35 PCR 34 Fish { NTSC}
3865 V 4299 V 1160 A 1120 PCR 1160 TVSN [encripted] {NTSC}
3865 V 4299 ditto
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3880 V "Occasional ABS-CBN" feeds on , PIDs 1260/1220.
PAS 8 166E 4080 V "Z Channel" is now encrypted.
Telstar 18 142E 3880 H Strong test carriers on and off .
AsiaSat 4 122E 3733 H An AsiaSat 4 test card and a Fish video have started on , Fta ,SR 5789, FEC 3/4, PIDs 33/36 and 34/35.(Craigs comment, anyone know what time they get fed?)
Palapa C2 113E 3580 H "The Kabelvision mux" has left.
Palapa C2 113E 3727 H New PIDs for TBN Asia-South Pacific on : 3601/3606.
NSS 6 95E 11635 H The Indovision mux has left .
Measat 1 91.5E 4167 H "HTV" is now encrypted.
Telstar 10 76.5E 3652 H New SR for the TV Lanka mux on : 6500.
Telstar 10 76.5E 12333 H "Rainbow Channel" has left again, replaced by occasional feeds.
PAS 10 68.5E 4193 V The NDTV - New Delhi TV mux has left .
NEWS
TARBS WORLD TV AUSTRALIA STOPS ITS PROGRAMS
From Press Release DATE: Friday, July 16, 2004
http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/8fc6e140ef55837cca256c8c00183cdc/211dfc64673ef0d5ca256ed5008112e6?OpenDocument
TARBS World TV has stopped non-English language broadcasts and has been placed in the hands of a receiver, the Minister for Consumer Affairs, John Lenders, said today.
Mr Lenders said the company was off the air and had stopped broadcasting all programs.
"Consumer Affairs Victoria has heard that unscrupulous people are convincing TARBS subscribers to pay for a device to restore the service. Nothing will restore the service as it is not a reception fault there is no program," Mr Lenders said.
In view of the closure of the service and the attempts to trick subscribers, Consumer Affairs Victoria is issuing the following warning and advice:
1. Do not believe the sales pitch that a device will restore the TARBS service.
2. Remember that you have a 10-day cooling off period in which you can change your mind about something that was sold to you at your door and receive a refund.
3. Contact Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 if you have recently signed up to receive non-English language broadcasts from TARBS, feel you were tricked into signing the contract, or bought a device to restore the signal and can't contact the salesperson.
4. Do not pay any more money to TARBS even if you have only part paid your subscription or if you pay for the service by instalments, either directly or through your bank.
5. Report any direct debit payments processed after 2 July to your bank in writing and request that the transaction be reversed.
6. Also report the transaction to the receivers, Pricewaterhouse Coopers Sydney office.
The receivers, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, are placing frequent updates on the their website http://www.pwcrecovery.com and have sent subscribers information in the post. If, after checking the website, TARBS subscribers still need to speak to someone about the situation or obtain further advice on the options for unsecured creditors, a call centre has been set up on (02) 8266 0481.
Interactive gambling sent back to states
From http://www.cio.com.au/index.php/id;843348039;fp;4;fpid;21
The appointment of a new communications minister is likely to have seemed timely for the management of Kerry Packer's PBL, whose efforts to take interactive gambling into Australian living rooms via PayTV set-top boxes has hit another hurdle.
PBL and other gaming industry stakeholders have been pushing for national regulatory controls to be introduced to enable them to offer low-margin gaming services on a national basis, including the ability for sports fans to bet on results while a match or race is in progress.
According to a statement from outgoing communications Minister Daryl Williams, the provision of such services will still be decided on a state-by-state basis, effectively negating its viability for PayTV providers such as Foxtel, of which PBL owns 25 percent.
"The government's view is that this is best done through existing state and territory licensing regimes and I again call on the states and territories to recognise their responsibilities and act to strengthen their licensing regimes across all wagering services including interactive wagering and betting exchanges," Williams said.
In a submission to the Report on the Interactive Gambling Act, PBL said that in the UK, pay-per-view services and gambling accounted for more than 75 percent of all interactive digital television revenue.
"In the first six months of 2003, 47 percent of BskyB’s total interactive revenue was from betting. While a portion of this revenue was from phone betting, Sky has been discouraging low-margin betting over the phone and focusing on betting using the set-top boxes," PBL's submission said.
New Skies Shareholders Approve Acquisition by Blackstone
From Press Release (Edited)
New Skies Satellites N.V. (AEX, NYSE: NSK), the global satellite communications company, today announced that its shareholders have approved the sale of the Company to affiliates of The Blackstone Group, a leading private investment firm, with 92.4% of shares in attendance voting for the acquisition.
A simple majority of those attending the Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders, which was held in The Hague today, was required to approve the deal. The sale of the company, for $956 million in cash, equivalent to approximately $7.96 per fully diluted share, will involve the transfer of New Skies' business and operations to Blackstone and the distribution of the cash proceeds to New Skies shareholders. The sale will be structured as a sale of New Skies' assets and liabilities. New Skies' business activities will be continued under ownership by Blackstone and all employment obligations will be honored.
"Since New Skies' inception, we have sought to manage the Company with one overriding principle guiding our actions and decisions -- the creation of shareholder value," said Dan Goldberg, chief executive officer of New Skies Satellites. "As such, we are gratified that our shareholders have overwhelmingly approved our recommendation to approve this transaction with Blackstone, a transaction that resulted from a thorough and comprehensive evaluation process."
New Skies has filed all of the requisite applications for regulatory approval and has already received early termination of the required waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act. New Skies anticipates that the transaction will be completed by approximately the end of 2004 or early 2005, following the receipt of the remaining approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. At that time, an initial distribution of approximately 95% of the sale proceeds will be paid to shareholders and a final distribution of the remaining proceeds will be made shortly thereafter.
Goldman Sachs & Co. and N M Rothschild & Sons Limited served as financial advisors to New Skies, and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. served as its legal advisers. Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. served as financial advisors to Blackstone, while Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and NautaDutilh N.V. served as its legal advisors. Deutsche Bank and ABN AMRO are providing acquisition financing for the transaction.
CHINA: China crackdowns on "reactionary" TV
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=12865
China has ordered a crackdown on the illegal installation of satellite equipment to prevent its citizens watching "reactionary, violent and pornographic" foreign television programs
China has ordered a crackdown on the illegal installation of satellite equipment to prevent its citizens watching "reactionary, violent and pornographic" foreign television programs, state media said.
The State Administration of Radio, Film Television, together with other government departments including the ministry of information industry and the ministry of commerce, made the order at a recent meeting, the Beijing News reported.
According to the officials, the regulation of foreign satellite television channels "concerns the political and cultural security of the state".
"Some foreign satellite TV programs have reactionary, violent and pornographic content that harms the spiritual construction of socialism and affects negatively the social security and people's thought," the decision said.
None of the programs were named.
The newspaper said the country would introduce improved standards for the production, sale and installation of satellite television receivers while stiffening censorship of programs.
"Government departments at various levels should participate in the process," the ruling said.
China has only approved a handful of overseas TV channels, including Bloomberg, Phoenix TV's InfoNews channel, CNN, HBO and BBC World, to broadcast, and then mostly to diplomatic missions and top hotels.
The crackdown reflects the growing concerns of the Chinese leadership about people's access to potentially subversive material.
Internet use is closely monitored while limited foreign newspapers and magazines are only available at select locations, mostly five-star hotels.
Kingdom buys Bt1 bn satellite
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=4&id=117595&usrsess=1
Thailand yesterday signed a purchasing agreement to buy a geographical explorer satellite that would lead to the launch of the Thailand Earth Observation System, or Theos, satellite by the middle of 2007.
The Science and Technology Ministry's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency of Thailand and the French space company EADS-Astrium signed the pact to build the ?20 million (Bt1 billion) satellite.
The Theos satellite would produce images that would be useful for the examination of agricultural, forestry and irrigation natural resources, the French Embassy said in a statement.
It would also provide value-added data for cartography, infrastructure development as well as coastal survey, security and natural disaster management in the Kingdom.
Conexant First to Launch DVB-S2 Demodulator and FEC Decoder; Comprehensive STB Portfolio Supports Major Industry Standards and Advanced Audio/Video Compression Technologies
From Press Release (Edited)
RED BANK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2004--Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT), the worldwide leader in semiconductor solutions for broadband communications, enterprise networks and the digital home, today announced the world's first satellite set-top box (STB) demodulator and forward error correction (FEC) decoder based on the next-generation digital video broadcast DVB-S2 standard. DVB-S2 builds upon the success of the DVB-S standard that has been adopted and deployed worldwide by satellite operators and service providers. DVB-S2 leverages key developments in channel coding and modulation to provide up to a 30 percent capacity increase over DVB-S and a more robust reception for the same spectral efficiency. The CX24116 advanced modulation front-end solution enables operators to offer additional content and services, such as high-definition television (HDTV) channels and interactive services, and basic local programming using existing bandwidth and infrastructure.
"DVB-S2 provides an ideal platform for the delivery of an expanded range of video and audio content via satellite," said Jeff Crosby, vice president of Set-top Box Products for Conexant. "Our STB portfolio, which encompasses complete system solutions that support industry standards such as DVB-S2 and advanced audio/video compression technologies including MPEG-2 and H.264, will enable us to address emerging high-definition applications requiring cost-effective, optimized media processing solutions."
According to industry analyst firm Northern Sky Research, the market for DVB-S2 compliant equipment revenues is expected to reach $1.3 billion by 2009.
The CX24116 is based on the open DVB-S2 standard and offers a path for service providers to use advanced modulation with new low density parity check (LDPC) and Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) FEC. The CX24116 has an on-chip microcontroller for fast-signal acquisition, Es/No estimation and system monitoring. The fast-signal acquisition algorithm searches and acquires the carrier within a +/-10 MHz range during initial acquisition and performs a smart search to re-acquire under fade conditions. In addition, the on-chip microcontroller reduces development time and cost by minimizing the external driver code. The DiSEqC(TM) 2.x-compliant demodulator also has integrated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and bit error rate (BER) monitors for channel-performance measurements that simplify production testing.
Conexant offers a comprehensive suite of digital STB components and system solutions for worldwide satellite, terrestrial and cable entertainment broadcasting networks. The company's product offering includes silicon tuners, satellite communications channel demodulators, MPEG audio and video decoders and dial-up modems for back-channel applications. Complete reference designs that help manufacturers reduce cost and speed time-to-market are also available, bundled with a range of operating systems, middleware, driver and development tools.
Pricing and Availability
The CX24116 is sampling now and is packaged in a 100-pin exposed thin quad flat pack (ETQFP). The chip is priced at $25 in quantities of 10,000.
About Conexant
Conexant's innovative semiconductor solutions are driving broadband communications, enterprise networks and digital home networks worldwide. The company has leveraged its expertise and leadership position in modem technologies to enable more Internet connections than all of its competitors combined, and continues to develop highly integrated silicon solutions for broadband data and media processing networks.
Key products include client-side xDSL and cable modem solutions, home network processors, broadcast video encoders and decoders, digital set-top box components and systems solutions, and dial-up modems. Conexant's suite of networking components includes a leadership portfolio of IEEE 802.11a/b/g-compliant WLAN chipsets, software and reference designs, as well as solutions for applications based on HomePlug(SM) and HomePNA(TM). The company also offers a complete line of asymmetric and symmetric DSL central office solutions, which are used by service providers worldwide to deliver broadband data, voice, and video over copper telephone lines.
Conexant is a fabless semiconductor company with annual run-rate revenues of approximately $1.2 billion. The company has approximately 2,400 employees worldwide, and is headquartered in Red Bank, N.J. To learn more, please visit us at www.conexant.com.
Contacts
Conexant Systems, Inc.
Gwen Carlson, 949-483-7363
DTH installed, colony cuts connection with cable guy
From http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=91952
25 families have opted for Direct-to-Home, doing away with the cable operators’ arm-twisting tactics
Ahmedabad, July 18: Tuned in to the telly, but tired of the arm-twisting tactics of your cable guy? While the rest of Ahmedabad does the will-they, wont-they (hike cable charges come August 1), residents of Akashdeep Annex Society at Shreyas Colony are not worried as they channel surf.
In March 2004, they said no to the cable guy, opting for Direct-to-Home (DTH) telecasting. Three months later, they’re happy with the choice they’ve made, except for one hitch no Star, no Sony. But they aren’t complaining.
Gurudev Singh, a resident of Akashdeep Annex Society, says the future is DTH and they’re happy to have gone that way. ‘‘The picture quality is great and the problem of channels being blacked out has been solved. Moreover, the deal works out to be cheaper in the long run we won’t have to keep dealing with cable operators and their frequent hikes,’’
How did the residential colony switch from cable TV to DTH? Shreyas Parikh, chairman of the society, says: ‘‘It was set into motion three months back when we had a disagreement with the cable operator over the rates he used to charge us Rs 325 while people in other colonies paid Rs 220.’’
‘‘When we protested, he asked us to either pay up or he would cut the connection. We didn’t like this dadagiri, so all society members came together and decided to go for DTH,’’ Parikh added.
The decision was followed by the chairman and secretary trying to convince all members to make the change to DTH.
‘‘That wasn’t easy as not all 50 families living here were convinced. But 25 agreed, and we decided to go ahead with that number,’’ says Sudhir Shah, secretary of the society.
Puneet Vidhani of Raj Electronics at Relief Road, which installed the DTH dishes in the society, says: ‘‘It’s the first time that we installed DTH systems in a single society in such a big number. Usually, we get requests for a single system, never bulk orders.’’
So what does the DTH offer the TV buff? ‘‘After the system is installed, the viewer gets to watch the Zee package and other free-to-air channels. The Sony and Star bouquets are not available as yet,’’ says Vidhani, adding, ‘‘Presently, we offer two packages the first one costs Rs 110 and offers 48 channels while the second package is for Rs 220 and offers the viewer 79 channels.’’
How much does DTH cost vis-a-vis the cable guy? A one-time cost of Rs 6,800 which will pay for the set-top box, dish and other installation charges. Apart from that, residents pay either Rs 220 every month or Rs 110 depending on the number of channels they opt for. What they’re content about is that they won’t have to shell out more whenever the fancy takes the cable operator unless the Star and Sony packages are announced and they want to subscribe.
‘‘The bouquet has all Zee channels, all news channels, CNN, BBC, ETV, Sab, Sahara, CNBC, four movie channels, all DD channels, ESPN-Star Sports, Cartoon Network, hindi music channels and also an audio channel, which plays FM,’’ says Chandresh Vrachhrajani, a resident.
The fact that Star and Sony are not available meaning that the saas-bahu sagas are off limits is a complaint, but residents here are willing to wait till the packages are announced.
Gujarat Cable Operators Association president Pramod Pandya is not too alarmed at the new development. ‘‘We have reports that some of the dish-owners want to revert to cable as they don’t get the Star and Sony bouquets. These two have so many channels V, MTV, Discovery, National Geographic, HBO, Sony, Set Max among others. So we are not too alarmed, people will come back to cable,’’ he says.
But Deepa Parikh, a resident, has the last word. ‘‘We’re very happy with DTH. What’s best is that the charges won’t be hiked at will.’’ Perhaps the cable operators shouldn’t be too sure.
Sun TV, KTV to air in South Africa
From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/783665.cms
DURBAN: Two Tamil channels will start transmission to South Africa from this week, catering to over 550,000 members of the Tamil origin community in the country.
DSTV, a private television broadcasting company, is introducing Sun TV and KTV from this Thursday, which will be available at a subscription fee.
The introduction of the Tamil channels comes at a time when Tamils have expressed disappointment over the failure of state broadcaster SABC to screen Tamil movies in its "Bollywood" time slot.
The SABC has announced that it will only screen one Tamil movie later this year.
The private channels will air Tamil movies and news and current affairs programmes.
Vimla Frank, manager of DSTV Indian, said that the new-look Indian offering would be marketed under the banner of DSTV Indian and would comprise a north Indian and south Indian bouquet.
"With Sun TV, viewers can expect general entertainment, soap operas, music and game shows, music countdowns and movies. It's a fully comprehensive channel", she said.
Vice-president of the South Africa Tamil Federation, Bala Naidoo, said that Tamils were overjoyed at the "groundbreaking initiative".
"We are really over the moon about the south Indian bouquet. We've been in constant contact with Frank about the inclusion of Tamil channels," he said.
19/07/04
Kablevision mux reported testing on Cband Palapa C2. George in Thailand reports he watched it for a while then it went off.
Telstar 18 test at 142E continue. Mostly on H pol with some huge signals being received. No video signals reported as yet. Any reports from NZ or Asia? If you can find the Russian at 145E and drop dish slightly lower you should be able to find Telstar 18 mostly testing late evenings Aus/NZ time.
Eurosports News Asiasat 2 testing on and off FTA
Satfacts magazine in this months issue.
0.3dB lnbfs tested, Fortec 5100 writeup, "X -Digital" receiver writeup, Fiji TV "mess" and mention of a new DVD set containing every issue of Satfacts on DVD.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
Thaicom3 3672 Horz S/R 13333 FEC 3/4 Vpid1057 Apid1058 SID 2
"ANT Greece" FTA
Regards
Bill Richards
Adelaide
From Dave Ross
Telstar 18 / Apstar V
Satellite noted at 142E, No transponder activated. Beacons on H and V of similar strength to Palapa C2.
Vertical Beacon @ 3630 MHz
Horizontal Beacon @ 4199 MHz
From Jsat
Telstar18/Apstar V
yes i have a huge signal at 4045h...here in WA.
on a 3.7m KTI...using my echostar lt5300 analog decoder....screen is pitch
black...very strong indeed...
regards jsat...
From Ocean
Telstar18/Apstar V
carriers seen testing
3560 H - weak
3545 V
3860 H - stronger
3880 H - strong
4035 H - strong - 10dB+ CNR
No DVB apparent, no analog......
(Craigs comment, on and off testing mostly in the evenings some huge signals seen)
From Jsat
Arirang
im receiving this service pas 2 KU on my 3.7m KTI with C/KU feed...
lower south west of WA..
on the fortec at 32%
regards jsat
(Craigs comment, stable here at the moment %36 Quality on Innovia. )
From Steve Hume
Giants Baseball Feed (Encrypted)
Pas 8 3785v, SR: 6109 VPID: 40 APID1: 41 APID2: 42 PCR: 39
From Fishing Fishing
Some feeds seen
As2 3985V Sr 6111."Football" NewCastle vs an asian side
As2 4055H Sr 5632."Golf"
As 2 4085H Sr 5700 "Tennis"
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 4050 V "TVB Xing He Channel" has left , replaced by a test card, Fta.
PAS 8 166E 12526 H "6 test cards" have started on , Fta, PIDs 512/640-519/647.
PAS 8 166E 12646 H "12 test cards" have started on , Fta, SR 28066, FEC 3/4, PIDs 513/641-524/652.
Agila 2 146E 3853 H "ESC 1" is now encrypted in Viaccess.
Telstar 18 142E 4040 H Strong test carriers on .
Telstar 18 142E Test carriers on 3840 H, 3980 V and 4140 V.
Apstar 1A 134E 4054 H "Southern TV" has started testing on , Fta, SR 4420, FEC 3/4, PIDs 160/80.
(N Kawano)
Palapa C2 113E 3580 H A Kabelvision mux has started on ,Fta, SR 24000, FEC 3/4,line-up: National Geographic Channel Asia, CNN International, AXN, Star World, Disney Channel Asia, Cartoon Network Asia, ESPN Asia, E!, Cinemax Asia and HBO Asia. (Not there Monday 6pm Syd time)
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3860 V "Star Sports Taiwan, Star Sports Pakistan, ESPN India and ESPN Pakistan" have started on , Videoguard, PIDs 513/644 and 518/664-520/672.
Yamal 102 90E 3550 L Both Radio Mayak have left .
ST 1 88E 3582 H "A TBL TV info card" has started on , Fta, PIDs 47/48.
Insat 2E 83E 3794 V "DD Sahyadri and occasional feeds" have started on , SR 8600,PIDs 257/258, 513/514 and 1025/1026, zone beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3671 H "Antenna Pacific" has started on , Fta, PIDs 1057/1058.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3480 H "Sur Sangeet has replaced TVK" on , Fta, PIDs 514/642.
Thaicom 3 78.5E All channels have left the muxes on 3520 H and 3600 H, replaced by an RR Sat promo, Fta, PIDs 1185/4195.(Some report signal still here?)
Thaicom 3 78.5E 12438 H "The History Channel" has started on , Irdeto, PIDs 521/740.
PAS 10 68.5E 12629 H "Nation TV and Nation FM" have left .
NEWS
Netball: Sky TV keen on netball
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz
Speculation that netball is about to disappear from free-to-air television appears to be premature.
Netball New Zealand's contract with Television New Zealand comes up for renewal at the end of the year and there has been talk that Sky Television is keen to secure the rights.
Sky screens a weekly show which includes highlights from Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy.
Sky Sports spokesman David Collins said the network was keen to cover the sport" but had not held formal talks with Netball NZ.
The chief executive of Netball NZ, Shelley McMeeken, said the body was not in discussions with Sky. "However due to our high ratings we would suspect that all broadcasters would be interested in this property." she said.
Netball NZ's relationship with TVNZ spans more than 10 years.
But TVNZ has been criticised because it generally screens only one National Bank Cup game a week and that is not always the biggest match of the round. That is not entirely the broadcaster's fault, as the match is agreed upon by Netball NZ, TVNZ and the franchises to ensure equal cover throughout the tournament.
TVNZ head of sport Dennis Harvey said the broadcaster was happy with netball's ratings and would like to continue screening it.
(Craigs comment, Netball is about all the sport TVNZ has thats left that actually rates...)
Alcatel to provide China with broadcasting satellite
From http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-07/18/content_1611103.htm
Alcatel will design and produce a new-generation broadcasting satellite, known as "Chinasat 9," for the China Satellite Communications Corp. (China Satcom).
Launching the satellite will make China Satcom the first Chinese company to provide a satellite broadcasting service in China, said an official with the Alcatel Asia-Pacific Headquarters based in Shanghai.
Some 280 million Chinese farmers will have access to state-run TV programs with "Chinasat 9" going into operation in 2006.
The "Chinasat 9" will be equipped with 22 Ku wave band relay transmitters to provide broadcasting satellite service (BSS).
The 4,500-kg satellite will have a life-span of 15 years.
"Chinasat 9" will be launched by Alcatel Space, a subsidiary of satellite giant Alcatel atop a China-made Long March carrier rocket.
Alcatel chairman Serge Tchuruk said signing of the contract forthe launch of the "Chinasat 9" marks a big step forward in Sino-Alcatel cooperation. He anticipated that China will be a great market for television broadcasting service in future. Enditem
Skylife to Offer Terrestrial Broadcasting
From http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/tech/200407/kt2004071818153011810.htm
Korean people will soon be able to view most terrestrial channels through Skylife satellite broadcasting as well as savoring Inchon-based broadcasting iTV services.
The possibility emerged after the Korean Broadcasting Commission (KBC) came out with a draft, designed to allow nationwide retransmission of terrestrial broadcasting.
The KBC will hold a public hearing today regarding the draft and looks to finalize its policy within the month. The changed system will be applied after a grace period.
However, the KBC attempt is expected to face strong challenges from service operators who maintain their profit lines by retranssmitting terrestrial broadcasting to those who live in TV network shadow areas.
If the KBC pushes ahead with its original plan, Skylife viewers can enjoy SBS and MBC in addition to already-available KBS and EBS via the satellite network. Regarding KBS2, the KBC will decide its position later.
Up until now, Skylife subscribers could only view KBS and EBS as other major terrestrial networks of MBC and SBS refused to provide their contents to Skylife.
Skylife is a multi-channel digital broadcasting firm, whose debut in 2002 by the Korea Digital Satellite Broadcasting offered hundreds of video and audio channels and 10-plus pay-per-view ones.
The KBC also plans to change relevant regulations mandating SO to retransmit iTV, which is currently airing in Inchon and Kyonggi Province.
Besides the three local major TV networks of KBS, MBC and SBS, iTV is the nation's next largest broadcasting outfit and has attempted to expand its base outside of Inchon and Kyonggi Province.
In addition, the KBC seeks to ease regulations on mandatory retransmission channels levied on satellite broadcasters and SO.
Under the scheme, English-language broadcaster Arirang TV and televised lectures OUN will not be aired automatically and instead satellite broadcasters and SO will have the option to handpick public interest-specific programs.
Ariane rocket launches Canadian satellite
From http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/space/2687729
KOUROU, FRENCH GUIANA - A European Ariane rocket blasted off from French Guiana late on Saturday and launched a satellite to provide high-speed internet access to remote parts of Canada, space officials said.
The Ariane-5 rocket departed from the European Space Agency's launch center in Kourou, French Guiana on the northeast coast of South America at 9.44 p.m. (0044 GMT Sunday).
The rocket lit up the equatorial night sky and was visible from the ground for 30 seconds before disappearing into low cloud.
Scheduled for launch on Monday, the mission was called off three times when technical and weather problems halted countdown.
Twenty-eight minutes after launch, the rocket released the ANIK F2 satellite for Ottawa-based Telesat Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell Canada.
"This satellite has a new frequency band that can offer high-speed Internet anywhere in Canada," Telesat vice president Roger Tinley told Reuters after the launch.
"We have many regions in Canada that doesn't have high-speed Internet access, particularly in the north and outside urban areas. With this satellite we hope to cover all of Canada including the most isolated areas," he said.
Tinley said the cost of ANIK F2 - satellite, launch and insurance -- was approximately $600 million.
Designed to operate in space for 15 years, Anik F2 is expected to begin service in October. It will also provide standard telecommunications services to businesses and homes in Canada and the United States.
Billed by the Arianespace rocket launch company as "the world's largest commercial satellite ever launched," ANIK F2 weighed over 5.9 metric tons (13,000 lb) at launch and was built by Boeing Space Systems as part of its new 702 satellite series.
After a series of high profile failures of companies marketing small microsatellites in the late 1990s, a trend toward larger and heavier satellites has re-emerged.
Arianespace improved its ability to launch heavy satellites with the introduction of the Ariane-5 series in 1996.
But the company suffered a setback in late 2002 when a first attempt to launch an upgraded Ariane-5 rocket capable of carrying 10 metric tons into space failed.
The company's chief executive, Jean-Yves Le Gall, told reporters that another attempt to launch the 10-ton version would be made in October.
Zee Network to set up HQ in Media City
From http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2004/July/theuae_July400.xml§ion=theuae
DUBAI - Zee Network, a leading Indian film and entertainment network, announced yesterday that it would establish its headquarters for international operations at Dubai Media City (DMC).
The largest producer and aggregator of Hindi programming in the world, Zee, will invest Dh30 million in the initial phase of the new facility, which will be equipped with the most sophisticated infrastructure and state-of-the-art studios.
Following the signing of the formal agreement between Zee and Dubai Media City, Subhash Chandra, Chairman and Managing Director of Zee Telefilms Limited said: "Considering that Dubai is at the crossroads of the Middle East, Europe, Africa and South Asia, this move is strategic to Zee Network as it will help enhance reach to our international viewers."
"Zee Network would like to associate with Dubai Media City, which is rapidly emerging as a global media hub. DMC is not only providing us with a business-enabling infrastructure, but also a community of like-minded individuals and companies, with rich environment and networking opportunities," Mr Chandra added.
"DMC has always been keen to partner with leading international and regional media players who contribute to our vision of building a unique and specialised media cluster. We see our partnership with Zee Telefilms as a source to achieve this and at the same time enhance Zee's position of leadership in the global broadcast industry," said Ahmed bin Byat, Director-General of Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone.
Welcoming the renowned film and entertainment network to the DMC community, Abdulhamid Juma, CEO of Dubai Media City, said: "The presence of Zee Network within Dubai Media City further signifies the growth and diversity occurring in our broadcasting segment. It also contributes to our position as the biggest and fastest growing media hub in the region."
"We believe it is such synergies that foster and accelerate mutual success. Accordingly, we would like to extend our complete support to Zee, in their future business endeavours from the Dubai Media City,"he added.
With a bouquet of 21 satellite TV channels dispersed around the Indian subcontinent, the Zee Network enjoys an estimated reach of 6.5 million households, and a viewer-ship of 225 million people in over 80 countries. Zee Network will use the Dubai Media City facility for the play-out and up-linking of its International beams.
Dubai Media City houses today over 30 broadcasters operating more than 60 TV channels servicing the Middle East, North Africa, South Africa, the Indian subcontinent, CIS countries and Europe.
Over a period of less than four years, DMC has succeeded in attracting leading regional and international broadcast names. This success has been primarily attributed to its state-of-the-art teleport facility, run by its sister concern SamaCom; a vertically integrated satellite services provider, with a self-owned and self-managed communication infrastructure.
Apart from the commercial benefits that include 100 per cent ownership of businesses and complete exemption of taxations and custom duties, broadcasters based at the DMC also benefit from their presence among a growing specialised media community comprising similar and complementing industries. They have immediate access to production and post-production companies, equipment manufacturers, system engineers, graphic designers and content producers. Moreover, being close to those in the related media sectors such as publishing, advertising, public relations, research, new media and music, allows for rich networking and channel marketing opportunities.
This partnership is not the first in relationship developments between Dubai Media City and Zee. In February this year, Zee Television's Cine Awards, the first Indian film awards ceremony hosted in Dubai, was held in association with the Dubai Media City. The four-hour event, having attracted nearly 300 film stars, producers and directors from Bollywood, was a spectacular success.
18/07/04
No update Sunday
17/07/04
No update Saturday
16/07/04
End of the week , signals still testing on Pas 8 ku. Various bars and audio.
Jon's Asia weekly will not be up this week due to him being so busy. He may do one on Monday though.
From My Emails & ICQ
From A. Reader
I was just reading the pwcrecovery website and noticed this
Would MR Boulas like to comment about the so called 3 months transponder rental that was owing? and how come Tarb's actually owe Panamsat $28 million U.S? that's a lot more than 3 months transponder rentals.
"PanAmSat, which is owed in excess of USD 28 million under a senior secured note, is a secured creditor and holds fixed and floating charges over TARBS companies. On 2 July 2004, PanAmSat exercised its rights under the charges and appointed Phil Carter and Martin Brown of PricewaterhouseCoopers as Receivers and Managers to the following companies:"
From MAD GREEK
The other day on your site you have a letter from Boulas saying they will plan to start new service pay tv service.
I want him to know next time i'm back in Greece I visit him to collect refunds he owe all my family member 10 1 year subscriptions.
Also why you don't publish his phone number?
From Jon C (Thailand)
SilverBox firmware upgrade
If any of you have the "Dynasat Silver Box" STB's (not
the newer Silver Box II) then you might be interested
in this firmware upgrade;
http://www.thaimisc.com/freewebboard/php/vreply.php?user=jsat&topic=187
or of course you can get it directly off the www.dynasat.com web site
From Satextra
Dear x,
I thank you for contacting World Media International.
We are not taking over TARBS and we are not using NSS6. In the near future we
will have an expanded line up of Arabic channels that will be available on PAS
8. The new Ku distribution will commence in six to eight weeks. At this stage
we cannot reveal that channel line up.
Kind regards
Abdel R. Ayass
World Media International
From Fishing Fishing
Asiasat 2 4055H 5632sr "Golf"
Also on As2 4105v 6111sr (around 9:30pm on thursday), the Gillette
world sports feed was on. Its half an hour general sports program.
From the Dish
Lyngsat not arrived.
142E Big carriers reported on this bird in W.A , Northern Aus and Southern Aus. Mostly H pol
NEWS
Telenor doubles teleport services with New Skies
From Press Release
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, July 15, 2004 - New Skies Satellites N.V. (AEX, NYSE: NSK), the global satellite communications company, has signed a new agreement with Telenor Satellite Services, a global provider of satellite communications services, to expand its teleport gateway services out of New Skies' Perth, Australia mediaport.
The agreement virtually doubles Telenor's teleport services through New Skies, expanding and enhancing their capability to provide mobile communications services throughout the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions. New Skies hosts a variety of VSAT hubs and communications circuits through the Perth facility, supporting primarily the oil, mining and mobile communications sectors. The company has provided teleport services to Telenor since 1999.
This new agreement enables Telenor to expand its suite of leased and on-demand services available to users on land and at sea throughout both ocean regions.
"During the past five years, New Skies and Telenor have teamed to provide reliable, responsive and well-engineered teleport services from Telenor via the Perth mediaport,” said Tore Hilde, chief executive officer of Telenor Satellite Services. “This new agreement with New Skies enables Telenor to solidify and expand our high-speed data and telephony remote communications offerings to service providers and customers throughout both the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions.”
"We are pleased to help Telenor grow their services out of Perth. They have always worked closely with us to help engineer and implement premium teleport solutions, and we are committed to their continued growth,” said Chris Schram, vice president of network engineering and operations for New Skies. “This latest agreement demonstrates their trust in the expertise of our teleport staff and the reliability and quality of our services.”
In February 2004, Telenor and New Skies announced a 10-year agreement for capacity throughout the Pacific Ocean with access to Internet, voice and data communications.
About Telenor Satellite Services
Telenor Satellite Services, a subsidiary of Telenor of Norway (Oslo Stock Exchange: TEL and NASDAQ: TELN), is the world’s preferred provider of global communications via satellite for customers on land, at sea, and in flight. Telenor delivers high-speed data, voice and video communications and offers an innovative portfolio of value-added services including prepaid calling solutions, easy Internet access with e-mail and direct calling to Inmarsat terminals. Telenor also offers The SourceTM, a web-based account management system available exclusively to Telenor Service Providers. Telenor Satellite Services owns and operates a global network of land earth stations located at Eik (Norway) and Southbury (Connecticut) and Santa Paula (California) in the United States, and uses the satellite systems of Inmarsat, Intelsat, Iridium, New Skies, Satmex, Spacecom, and also Telenor’s own satellites for its services. For more information go to our Web site: www.telenor.com/satellite.
About New Skies Satellites (AEX, NYSE: NSK)
New Skies Satellites is one of only four fixed satellite communications companies with truly global satellite coverage, offering video, data, voice and Internet communications services to a range of telecommunications carriers, broadcasters, large corporations, Internet service providers and government entities around the world. New Skies has five satellites in orbit, ground facilities around the world and one additional spacecraft under construction. The company also has secured certain rights to make use of additional orbital positions for future growth. New Skies is headquartered in The Hague, The Netherlands, and has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, New Delhi, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Washington, D.C.
For additional information, please contact:
Tom Surface, Telenor Satellite Services
+1 301 838 7805
[email protected]
Elizabeth Hess, New Skies Satellites
+ 31 70 306 4133
[email protected]
Media react to new draft Bill
From http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=5153
THREE media stakeholders have expressed mixed reaction toward plans to draft a broadcasting legislation with the arrival next week of two overseas consultants to help the Ministry of Information.
The consultants are required to draft a law covering the licensing of radio and TV services.
Fiji Television chief executive Ken Clark said Fiji TV was concerned about the licensing entity of the new broadcasting legislation plans.
"Our vital concern is the drafting of licensing issues for the new legislation.
"I hope it will suit the needs of the country and not only for the sake of introducing a new legislation."
University of the South Pacific media centre director Allan Lifton said although he had only been in the country for three months, he has noticed that the broadcasting system needs competition.
"Specifically, the television aspect of
broadcasting," he said. "I am not saying Fiji TV is not doing a good job but it would be great if viewers had other choices."
Mr Lifton said consumers would never benefit if there was only one option.
Communications Fiji Limited managing director William Parkinson said he welcomed the new law reform plans.
Cabinet to decide on TV licence
From http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=5263
THE Ministry of Information says no television operator will be allowed to operate in Fiji until a Cabinet decision is reached.
Fu Shun Television Fiji Limited has asked the Government for a licence as soon as possible because it had been waiting for one since 2001.
Acting Deputy Secretary of Communication Joe Turaganivalu said they advised Fu Shun TV that until Cabinet made a decision, they could not issue licences.
"But we have a proposed document which will go before a Cabinet sub-committee on television licences which advises on more licensing and competition," he said.
Mr Turaganivalu said the sub-committee, chaired by Information Minister Simione Kaitani, would meet next week to discuss the issue of licences.
He said after that meeting, the sub-committee would table its findings before Cabinet.
He said a decision might not be made until August or September.
"Fu Shun is not the only television company waiting. We have three other companies that came before them who are also still waiting for the Government's decision," he said.
Fu Shun director Zhang Bei Yan said they were told from 2001 that the Government planned to open up the television industry.
"We are requesting the Government to issue the TV licence as soon as possible," he said.
New Russian launcher delayed until 2008
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10154968%255E29098,00.html
MOSCOW: Russia's future Angara rocket, destined to serve as the main launcher of military and commercial satellite payloads, will not be ready for launch until at least 2008, Russia's space forces chief said Wednesday.
General Vladimir Popovkin blamed the finance ministry for its slow funding of the project, saying his Russian Space Agency disagreed with the way its budget was being allocated.
"We must begin to invest now so that the rocket can be launched in 2008," Popovkin told a press conference.
"We are in disagreement with the finance ministry," he added of the latter's decision to reserve the Angara's final funding tranche until 2007.
The head of the Khrunichev center which is developing the Angara rocket, Alexander Medvedev, said in June last year that its rocket would be ready by 2006.
Popovkin said the Plessetsk cosmodrome in northwest Russia was getting almost all of the space program budget.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered that 90 per cent of the budget for development be earmarked for Plessetsk, which will ultimately replace the Baikonur space base in Kazakhstan as Russia's rocket launch site, he said.
Russia currently leases Baikonur from Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, and is planning to abandon the site within a few years.
The Angara, which will launch from Plessetsk, is being touted as the replacement for the powerful Proton rockets and a future star of Russia's space industry.
It will serve as the main launcher for Russian military satellites.
Unlike the Proton, which is propelled using a toxic carburant, the Angara will use a "clean" fuel made from liquid oxygen and kerosene.
NASA launched $785 million Aura satellite
From http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=70899
California, July16(Online): After a series of delays, NASA's Aura satellite was launched early Thursday on a $785 million mission to study the health of Earth's atmosphere.
A two-stage Boeing Delta II rocket carrying the satellite roared off the launch pad at this Central California coastal base just before 3:02 a.m. The satellite separated from the rocket about an hour later and entered orbit 438 miles above Earth.USA Today reported.
"Everything went well. We did get initial orbit and it seems to be right on," said Chuck Dovale, launch manager.
"I guess the third time was the charm, he said.
The liftoff was scrubbed four times in recent weeks, including twice in the past two days. Tuesday's launch was postponed because of concerns about the satellite's scientific data recorder. Wednesday's launch was scratched because of a reading of low current from a battery system on the rocket's second stage.
Dovale said three or four problems also cropped up in the 45 minutes before the launch but they were worked out without delaying the liftoff. He did not identify the problems.
NASA had said there was only a 60% chance of launching Thursday because of concerns that the remnants of Tropical Storm Blas off Mexico might prevent the flight of a support aircraft. However, skies cleared enough for observers at the launch pad to follow the rocket on its long trajectory.
"It was spectacular. We could see it 150 miles away," NASA spokeswoman Lynn Chandler said. "It was just stars and very few clouds."
Aura's six-year mission is intended to determine the composition of Earth's atmosphere in unprecedented detail.
"We're really looking forward to the payoffs, both in terms of scientific understanding and benefits to society that are going to come from this Aura mission," program scientist Phil DeCola said last week.
The mission seeks to improve understanding of how pollutants spread globally, to determine whether the stratospheric ozone layer, which blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation, is recovering from depletion by manmade chemicals, and how Earth's climate is the changing as its atmosphere is altered.
The 6,542-pound satellite carries four instruments, built by Great Britain, the United States, the Netherlands and Finland.
Science operations were slated to begin about 90 days after launch.
Aura, managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is part of NASA's first series of Earth Observing System satellites. Two other parts of the system are already in orbit: the Terra satellite, which observes land, and Aqua, which studies Earth's water cycle.
PAKISTAN: Two more educational channels soon: Atta
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=12783
Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman claims Paksat-1 will produce two more educational tv channels
KARACHI, July 14: Two more educational television channels will become functional on Paksat-1 by the end of December, said the federal minister in-charge for Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference at the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, also chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), said that Paksat-1, Pakistan's acquired satellite placed in space under his supervision during the previous government, was fully operational since April 2003 and its programmes were crystal clear and of the highest quality.
As part of the Pakistan Educational Research Network programme, two different television channels were already functional since June 16, 2004, while licenses for two additional TV educational channels were in the process of procurement, he added.
He said Paksat-1 was deployed in space to allow Pakistan to own and occupy its orbital slot, which could be used for its future satellites. The remaining life of the existing satellite was still from six to seven years, he added.
Briefing newsmen about the major ongoing programmes of the HEC, Dr Atta said that tremendous efforts were being exerted in the higher education, and science and technology sectors were likely to transform Pakistan from its present low valued agrarian economy to a "knowledge-based economy".
"If all went in a proper direction, the main components of our export will be engineering goods, electronic products, telecommunications, information technology, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, high value added agricultural products and service sectors," he mentioned.
He observed that during the last many years, various five- year plans of the government emphasized investment on lower level education, but the government now was focussing more on higher education. As such, substantial improvement in the status of universities in Pakistan would be seen in the years to come.
He said it had been decided at the recently held meeting of the chancellors committee, chaired by the president, that there would be a 50 per cent increase in the recurring and development budget every year till the time that the financial allocation for the higher education sector reached one per cent of the GNP. The target was expected to be achieved in about a five years time, he noted.
He pointed out that HEC was taking measures to develop PhD- level manpower through indigenous programmes and training of Pakistani students in various European universities, including in Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands as well as in Chinese universities.
Referring to the number of PhDs presently produced within the country every year, Dr Atta said the situation needed to be urgently remedied. The HEC was working on indigenous PhD programmes, under which output would increase from the present 200 per year to about 1,200 to 1,500 per year over a period of five years.
He informed that under a programme aimed at attracting the best faculty members to universities in Pakistan, about 105 distinguished academicians, largely from the USA and Canada, had been selected and they were in the process of joining Pakistani institutions.
Talking of the HEC's programmes pertaining to infrastructure development of universities, Dr Atta said, a digital library programme had been launched under which 32,600 journals, including 12,000 full-text journals, were being made available at all educational and research institutions in the country free of cost.
About 55 universities had already been joined together through fiber network, and the remaining would be connected over the next four to six months, he added. He said the Central Development Working Party of the government had recently approved a bookbank project worth Rs550 million, under which seminar rooms of various departments at universities would be provided with the latest textbooks.
He also mentioned the curriculum improvement activities and said that curricula of about 105 subjects had been revised for universities, adding that of medicine had been revised after a gap of 30 years.
He said that on the directives of former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, he was also working on a plan for the preparation of a national strategy for using science for the socio- economic development of the country.
Representatives of provincial and federal governments as well as various subject specialists and experts, economists and industrialists are being involved in the process and placement of sector wise reports before the federal government would begin within the next three months, he mentioned.
15/07/04
Telstar 18 is firing up testing transponders at 142E??
Can some of our readers in Asia take a look for KU signals from this bird.
Footprints below. Numbers a to small to be readable on the pics below so download the PDF documents for higher quality footprints.
http://www.apstar.com/apstar/pdf/pdf/03%20V%20C-BAND.pdf
http://www.apstar.com/apstar/pdf/pdf/04%20V%20Ku-BAND1.pdf
http://www.apstar.com/apstar/pdf/pdf/05%20V%20Ku-BAND2.pdf
From my Emails & ICQ
A letter to broadcasters from Mike and Regina Boulas
09 July 2004
To our valued Broadcasters,
Last July 2, PricewaterhouseCoopers were appointed by PanAmsat to act as Receivers Managers for TARBS World TV for the non-payment of three months of transponder lease fees to PanAmsat which triggered a clause within a secured note that we have signed with them.
This came as a total surprise to Mike and I, who have been trying to get an audience with PanAmsat over the last month and half for a meeting to renegotiate transponder fees and payments.
By 11:15am Wednesday, 7 July, we were informed by the Receivers that PanAmsat has made the decision to turn off all signals on PAS 8 Ku over Australia. We made a plea to keep the signals on until 6pm that day to allow us to inform the subscribers of what was to happen and determine how best to manage their questions and emotions. Our request was not granted and at 12 noon Wednesday the signals went down.
We are saddened for our subscribers who deserved an explanation, but we were not given a chance by the Receivers to do so.
Mike and I are continuing to try to find a solution to this situation and to try to bring the signals back as soon as we can. Unfortunately this will require a few days and probably a huge commitment to PAS for the continued use of their transponders over Australia as well as additional funding to bring the business forward.
Mike and I had poured into TARBS many millions of dollars of personal resources and time, not mentioning our personal lives for the past five to six years as we forged to create a service that the migrants have long yearned for. We firmly believe in this business and what it stood for to the whole migrant community of Australia.
We would like to bring back the programs to the subscribers who have learned to love them and need them over the years. It is an absolute irony that such a business built on emotions and passion was curtailed from continuing with the unemotional decision of our largest satellite provider.
We shall keep you informed of developments as they unfold but would like to use this opportunity to express our sincerest gratitude for the trust and friendship that you have afforded Mike and I all these years.
Together, we have built a service that no other company has built in this scale. Together, we have offered for the first time a true multicultural platform for Australia and other parts of the world. We are proud to have been your partners in this great effort, and we will not stop to find a way to continue a service the ethnic migrants all over the world need and love.
Please feel free to call Mike or I in the following personal numbers:
Mike Boulos *********
Regina Boulos *********
With our sincerest thanks and appreciation,
Mike and Regina Boulos
(Craigs comment, Phone numbers removed)
From Ocean
Telstar 18 ??
I have been watching the ( best guess ! ) correct part of the sky for this
new satellite and believe I have seen two distinct signals, carrier only, as
a blind scan does not find any details. At around 1400 GMT a big signal
calculated to be on 3980V. This disappeared around 1415 or so and another
weaker signal appeared on calculated 4150V. This signal also abruptly
stopped at 1445 GMT. Definitely V pol. Just now 1447 GMT another strong
signal has appeared on calculated 3405V. Signals have characteristic broad
shape on spectrum analyser. I am sure I am seeing testing in progress...
From Steve Hume
Telstar 18 carriers
Just took a look with the Satlook (Speccie) and seeing 2 carriers. From
here in Townsville, they look very strong. Stronger than Pas 2 or 8, but
not as strong as Asiasat 4.
Saw one carrier on 3822h, SR: 4000 (The Coship Blind Scan showed it, but
no channel lock), and the other was lower.
Getting interesting.
From John Harrison
Seen on Pas8 125252H 28066
9 Services
Encoder 1 Test Pattern + Music
Encoder 2 Test Pattern
Encoder 3 Mega Cosmos (Encrypted/FTA)
Encoder 4 Test Pattern
Encoder 5 Test Pattern
Encoder 6 Test Pattern + Radio?
Encoder 7 Test Pattern + Radio?
Encoder 8 Test Pattern
Encoder 9 TV Global (Encrypted/FTA)
Then they turned it off!
From the Dish
Telstar 18 142E 3822H Sr 4000 Test signal won't load
Telstar 18 142E Transponders being tested here, big signals on Cband! Those in Asia Check KU!
NSS 6 95E All channels have left 12647 V and 12688 H, Australian beam, replaced by a New Skies/SatLink info card on PIDs 4194/4195.
Telstar 10 76.5E 3652 H "TV Lanka Channel 1" has left .
NEWS
Danae timeo
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/14/1089694424657.html?oneclick=true
The ruthless deadline to bid for Mike and Regina Boulos's TARBS assets might have locked the couple out of the PwC-led receivership process but any attempt to wrestle back their ethnic media empire didn't stop the pair tending to their flock as the ship went down.
With less than 48 hours to go before PwC partner Phil Carter was set to lower the boom on expressions of interest to participate in the sale process last Friday, Regina was across the road at the pub with staff, who were drowning their sorrows.
Just hours after creditor PanAmSat had pulled the plug on the Boulos's $200 million broadcast dream, Regina had emotionally addressed the troops in the office before heading to the Quarryman's Hotel in Harris Street for the corporate wake.
The Monday before, as receivers swooped on the office to take a detailed inventory of assets, a shell-shocked Mike had patched in from the Philippines to address staff via video link. He informing workers he and his wife were doing their all to keep control of the business and were co-operating with Carter.
It was a darn sight different to the mood in happier times at the TARBS Christmas bash last December. The sit-down dinner was held at the Swiss Hotel on Market Street for the 212 permanent staff, who now find themselves without a gig and awaiting news on their entitlements.
The do boasted a "world theme", where each table represented a different country, with guests treated to another upbeat video link to Mike from yet another remote global location, wishing all the best for the festive season.
If only he knew what the months ahead would hold.
Blackstone Purchase of New Skies Satellites Granted Early Termination of HSR Waiting Period
From http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040714005322&newsLang=en
THE HAGUE, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 14, 2004--New Skies Satellites N.V. (NYSE:NSK) (AEX:NSK), the global satellite communications company, and The Blackstone Group, a leading private investment firm, announced today that they have received early termination of the required waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 for Blackstone's acquisition of New Skies.
Under Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR), New Skies and Blackstone were required to make a pre-closing filing with the U.S. competition authorities demonstrating that their proposed transaction would not violate U.S. anti-trust laws. They were precluded from closing the transaction until the "waiting period" set forth in the Act expired or the U.S. authorities agreed to grant early termination. Having now completed the HSR process, an important precondition to closing the Blackstone/New Skies transaction has been fulfilled.
New Skies announced June 6 that it had signed a definitive agreement for the sale of the Company to affiliates of The Blackstone Group. The transaction has the unanimous approval of New Skies' Supervisory and Management Boards who will recommend it to the Company's shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders on July 19.
About New Skies Satellites
New Skies Satellites (AEX, NYSE: NSK) is one of only four fixed satellite communications companies with truly global satellite coverage, offering video, data, voice and Internet communications services to a range of telecommunications carriers, broadcasters, large corporations, Internet service providers and government entities around the world. New Skies has five satellites in orbit, ground facilities around the world and one additional spacecraft under construction. The company also has secured certain rights to make use of additional orbital positions for future growth. New Skies is headquartered in The Hague, The Netherlands, and has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Washington, D.C. Additional information is available at www.newskies.com.
About The Blackstone Group
The Blackstone Group, a private investment and advisory firm with offices in New York, Atlanta, Boston, London and Hamburg, was founded in 1985. The firm has raised a total of approximately $32 billion for alternative asset investing since its formation. Over $14 billion of that has been for private equity investing, including Blackstone Capital Partners IV, the largest institutional private equity fund ever raised at $6.45 billion, and Blackstone Communications Partners I, the largest dedicated communications and media fund at over $2.0 billion. In addition to Private Equity Investing, The Blackstone Group's core businesses are Private Real Estate Investing, Corporate Debt Investing, Marketable Alternative Asset Management, Corporate Advisory, and Restructuring and Reorganization Advisory. www.blackstone.com
New Skies Satellites
Elizabeth Hess, +31 70 306 4133
Mobile + 31 (0)6 2906 2492
[email protected]
or
The Blackstone Group
John Ford, +1 212 583 5559
Mobile + 1 917 952 3275
[email protected]
Integral's EPOCH System Will Provide Consolidated Operations of the JCSAT-9 and -10 Satellites
From Press Release
Integral Systems, Inc. today announced a contract with Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) that expanded Integral's existing JCSAT-9 satellite control system contract to include the JCSAT-10 satellite. LMCSS was able to take advantage of EPOCH'S flexible design to offer a low-cost, no-risk solution for the JCSAT-10 satellite control system that will be fully integrated with the JCSAT-9 system.
The system will incorporate several elements of Integral Systems' EPOCH IPS (integrated product suite) product line to provide complete real-time command and control system as well as automated scheduling, procedure execution, offline trending and analysis functions, and flight dynamics. In addition, LMCSS has selected Integral's Status and Control (S&C) System for monitoring and controlling the JCSAT-10 ground station antenna and RF equipment. The S&C System will be provided through Integral's Newpoint
Technology division of Salem, NH, and will be based on the COMPASS product. "We are pleased to expand our relationship with both Lockheed Martin, one of the world's premiere satellite manufacturing companies, and with JSAT Corporation, the largest satellite operator in the Asia-Pacific region," said Stuart Daughtridge, Vice President of the Commercial Division at Integral Systems. "Our proven EPOCH system provides LMCSS and JSAT a state of the art, integrated solution that meets the combined requirements for the JCSAT-9 and 10 programs and gives JSAT a consolidated satellite control solution for the operations of these and future satellites," he added.
Integral Systems also has supplied satellite ground systems to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Loral Skynet, NEWskies Satellites, Echostar, Sirius Satellite Radio, Binariang Satellite Systems, Shin Satellite Public Company Ltd., SATMEX, GE Americom, Optus, ChinaSat, EOSAT, PanAmSat, BSAT, Alcatel, TRW, and ROCSAT (Republic of China) among others.
About LMCSS:
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, based in Newtown, Pa., markets, designs and builds geostationary and non-geostationary telecommunications satellites for customers worldwide. LMCSS is an operating unit of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, one of the core business areas of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. Lockheed Martin has a 41-year heritage of building reliable spacecraft for commercial and military customers, having launched more than 875 spacecraft and clocking nearly 1,500 years of on-orbit performance experience.
About Integral Systems:
Founded in 1982, Integral Systems is a leading provider of satellite ground systems and has supported over 190 different satellite missions for communications, science, meteorological, and earth resource applications. The Company was the first to offer an integrated suite of COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) software products for satellite command and control, the EPOCH IPS product line. EPOCH has become a world market leader in commercial applications with successful installations on 5 continents. The company also offers products and services for satellite integration and test and payload data processing as well as a full motion tracking antennas.
The Company's subsidiary, SAT Corporation, provides satellite and terrestrial communications signal monitoring systems to satellite operators and users throughout the world. Through its Newpoint Technologies, Inc. subsidiary, the Company also provides software for equipment monitoring and control to satellite operators and telecommunications firms. The Company's RT Logic subsidiary builds telemetry processing systems for military applications including tracking stations, control centers and range operations. Integral Systems has approximately 380 employees working at Company headquarters in Lanham, Maryland, and at other locations in both the U.S. and Europe.
PanAmSat says to refinance debt as part of buyout
From http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=bondsNews&storyID=5671982
NEW YORK, July 14 (Reuters) - PanAmSat Corp. (SPOT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the satellite company that agreed to be purchased by three buyout firms, said it plans to refinance existing debt and issue new debt which will leave it with about $4.2 billion in debt.
Wilton, Connecticut-based PanAmSat said it would issue new senior secured debt facilities with $2.6 billion of term loans and a $250 million revolving credit facility. It will also issue $1.01 billion in senior unsecured notes and hold about $275 million of existing senior secured notes.
It also said it has made a cash tender offer to purchase $800 million in 8.5 percent senior bonds due 2012.
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. agreed in April to buy PanAmSat for $3.55 billion cash, and later brought in two other buyout firms, Providence Equity Partners and Carlyle Group, each of which will hold about 27 percent of the company when the deal is complete.
No more reductions of Russian satellite fleet planned
From http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=10684913
MOSCOW. July 14 (Interfax) - Russia is not planning to continue reductions in its fleet of satellites, the Space Troops commander said.
"A trend toward reducing the number of satellites has been stopped, and there is a good chance we will see a breakthrough within the next three-four years," Lieut. Gen. Vladimir Popovkin told a news conference in the Interfax main office on Wednesday.
"About 100 Russian satellites, including 60 military-purpose ones, are orbiting the Earth at the moment. If we compare the group today with that in the 1990s, the number of satellites has been reduced 2.5 times. However, if we compare 1999 and 2004, the quality has significantly improved although the number of satellites has remained virtually unchanged," he said.
Until recently, Russia "had to launch satellites developed in the late 1980s or 1990s. The time has come now for us to begin testing satellites developed" following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the commander said.
"We have already started to test a Molniya new communications system. Our other plans for this year include tests of new reconnaissance and communications systems and a launch of a recently developed rocket carrier," Popovkin said.
Animax reaches eight million homes in four days
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july81.htm
Mumbai: Just how the strong the One Alliance distribution bouquet is can be gauged from this piece of news. Animax, which gives viewers the best that Japanese animation has to offer was able to achieve a reach of over eight million cable and satellite homes within four days of its launch.
Animax reaches 90 per cent of India's five metros, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore, stated a press release.
The success of Animax is significant due to the current competitive environment, where, the cable operators don't want to carry new channels due to their capacity constraints, quoted the media release.
SET Discovery president, Shantonu Aditya added "Amongst the niche channels that have been launched in the recent past, the initial reach of Animax has probably been the best. Within the next few weeks, we want to double this connectivity and reach 16 million households nationally," informed
Animax has three key prime time blocks catering to viewers of different ages and the special programming on weekends. The channel completely dubbed in English features animation works by Japan's top producers and studios, including global successes such as Astro Boy, Gundam and Dragon Ball. In addition to English, the 4-hour time block targeting kids have programmes dubbed in Hindi.
As reported earlier by indiantelevision.com the channel had roped in Irfan Pahtan as its brand ambassador.
Chennai cable operators feel DTH is no threat
From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/07/15/stories/2004071501320900.htm
THE direct-to-home (DTH) market is all set to see more action with the entry of Doordarshan's DD Direct service, but cable operators in the city seem convinced that it won't pose a threat to their business.
During a seminar organised by the Broadcast Engineering Society (India) in the city, Mr P. Sakilan, State President of Tamizhaga Cable TV Operators' General Welfare Association, said that with all top channel bouquets not available under a single service offering, DTH operators would find it hard to attract customers.
At least, the presence of a top channel such as Sun TV in any of the DTH bouquets could prop up demand for the service in the city but that does not seem to be taking place, he added.
Doordarshan has begun test transmission of its DTH service and, it is learnt, will launch it officially in mid-August, thereby joining Zee TV's Dish TV in a market that is now being solely serviced by the latter.
Dish TV kicked off operations in October 2003 and has till now enlisted about 1.6 lakh subscribers all over the country. But demand in Tamil Nadu has been lukewarm, and, according to an informed source, the number of subscribers in the State is less than 2,000.
The primary reason for the low level of interest, says the source, is the lack of Tamil content in Dish's service. Save for Raj TV's multilingual music channel Raj Musix, there is not much in terms of local content, especially considering that Tamil channels account for over three-fourths of the television viewership share in the State.
Mr Rajeev Nambiar, Raj TV's CEO, told Business Line that the rest of the channels from the media house Raj TV, Raj Digital Plus will be part of Dish TV's offering in about a week.
Setting up the equipment for DTH costs a little over Rs 7,000 and monthly subscriptions are either Rs 100 or Rs 200 depending on whether one opts for a basic or premium tier of channels. But DD is proposing to launch a free-to-air service, with equipment likely to be available off the shelves for over Rs 3,000.
DD will initially offer 30 channels, 17 of which will be from its own stable. For the rest, it is said to be in talks with private media groups.
Mr Kayal R. S. Elavarasu, an official of another cable operators' association here, said DTH players would find it difficult to compete against the cable stream in a price-sensitive market.
According to him, even if all the players come together under a common service platform, the monthly bill will be quite steep for most viewers to afford. Also, he said, even in an advanced market like the US, where DTH has been around for a while, the percentage of subscribers has been hardly 10-15 per cent; the Indian experience, with its nascent DTH market, won't be any different.
Tatas seek quick DTH clearance
From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=161384
Senior Tata executives, including Ishat Hussain, met the Union information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy to get a speedy clearance for the Space TV direct-to-home (DTH) television venture. The project is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Star TV.
Today’s visit comes close on the heels of top Star executives, including Star group CEO Michelle Guthrie and Star India CEO Peter Mukherjea, meeting Reddy over the same matter.
The Rs 1,600 crore DTH venture is in the final stages of getting government clearance.
Tata Sons has a 80 per cent stake in the venture, while Star holds the balance. Information and broadcasting ministry officials said the Tata representatives pressed for a faster clearance of the project and made a strong plea to raise the foreign exchange cap in such ventures.
According to the officials, Star executives had earlier in their meetings also pointed out that the 20 per cent cap on foreign direct investment would not be feasible in a capital intensive sector such as DTH.
As per the company’s proposal with the government, Space TV is likely to divest up to 29 per cent equity in the company to foreign institutional investors.
The equity dilution will be done by the Indian partner, wherein post dilution, the Indian shareholding in the company would come down to 51 per cent from the present 80 per cent. News Corp’s holding would, however, remain at 20 per cent.
Space TV will invest about Rs 1,600 crore in the project. News Corp’s investment in Space TV would be through its indirectly wholly owned Dubai-based subsidiary, Network Digital Distribution Services, which is estimated at around Rs 201.45 crore (about $44.03 million).
14/07/04
The pwcrecovery website has been updated with 2 new documents relating to Tarbs.
Chatroom was very busy last night everyone trying to work out what's going on with NSS6 and Pas8 KU.
All kinds of activity going on with NSS6 and PAS8 KU. Most of the stuff on NSS6 has gone irdeto encrypted. A Newskies Promo Fta there as well.
Worldmedia International are saying new channels available soon via small dish including new distribution and new channel-lineup. Will they be via NSS6 or is it them on Pas8 KU? supposedly they are taking over some EX Tarbs channels? Stay tuned things are changing.
Telstar 18/Apstar V is now geo at 142E for in orbit testing so start looking for cband signals from this bird!
More antipiracy efforts from Service providers, the latest to go down is Dream off Agila2. Zee on Asiasat 3 is still not displaying all channels on "superfta" decoders
"Tarbs" transponder reported still fta on Thaicom 3 Cband.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Glenn Gibson
Pas 8 Ku 12646 H , Sr28066
13 channels loading FTA test patterns.
Channel list loads on my receiver as:
Encoder 1
Alpha
Mktv
Rts
NbnW
Rtvb
Leon
Vit
Tv Moda
TelePace
Syria Tv
Nojoom Tv
Mazz TV
From Ocean
NSS6 12691H 28060 2 new NewSkies/Satlink cards......12676V 6515 - ABC -
AsiaPacific...All TARBS type services off in last scan
then a few mins later
Changed again - 12650V 28060 + 12688H 28060 both with test cards"Please stay
tuned, your favourite channel will be back soon, " No TARBS type services evident.
From H Strecker
I701 180E-12691-h-
14.7.2004- 7.39 am
still on test and musik
(Craigs comment, same freq as on NSS6)
From Jamal
Well Mr. Boulos was on SBS Radio (Arabic Info) this morning and he
said that he was shocked considering what happened to Tarbs
recently, he said that there is no reason to close Tarbs because he
owed only a small amount to Panamsat about $2.5 millions and this
business cost him more than $57 millions/year. He said that maybe it
is a political reason and he will be back soon with a new company on
a different satellite (NSS6??) and all new subscribers will get 3
months free program.
Cheers
Jamal-Melbourne
From the Dish
Optus A3 164E 12501 H "Daystar TV" has started on , fta, PIDs 5153/5154.
Telstar 18 142E Telstar 18 is now geostationary at 142 East.
Reception reports are very welcome.
JCSAT 3 128E "FTV Entertainment, TTV, CTS and CTV" on 3960 V are now encrypted.UFO Radio and Classical Music have started on APIDs 562 and 1318, enc.
NSS 6 95E All channels in the muxes on 12647 V and 12688m H, Australia beam, are now encrypted in Irdeto, except Nile TV International.
ChinaStar 1 87.5E 3848 V "GreatSports Channel" is Fta.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H "NTV Mir" has left , replaced by a test card.
NEWS
Loral-Built Telstar 18 Reaches Proper Orbital Position; Satellite To Achieve Full 13-Year Specified Service Life
From Press Release (EDITED)
Robust Space Systems/Loral 1300 Satellite Design Allows Telstar 18 To Recover From Launch Vehicle Anomaly
NEW YORK, July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Loral Space & Communications today announced that Telstar 18, launched June 28, 2004 aboard a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket, has successfully reached its in-orbit testing position at 142 degrees East longitude.
During the satellite's launch, the Zenit rocket's upper stage shut down 54 seconds early and released the satellite into a low orbit. After the launch, engineers at Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) raised the spacecraft to its correct orbit using a series of carefully planned satellite maneuvers and thruster burns.
All systems on the satellite are performing nominally and in-orbit testing has begun. The satellite, which was able to use its significant stationkeeping fuel margin for the unplanned orbit raising activities, has enough on-board fuel remaining that will allow it to exceed its specified 13-year life.
"Telstar 18's ability to reach orbit, even with a launch vehicle anomaly, showcases the robustness of SS/L's 1300 platform. Using its reserve margin, the satellite was able to correct for the launch shortfall and ensure the mission's success. SS/L's 1300 platform has a demonstrated record of exceeding our customers' requirements even in anomalous conditions," said Patrick DeWitt, President, Space Systems/Loral.
Telstar 18, which will be operated by Loral Skynet, ultimately will be located at 138 degrees East longitude where it will offer a wide variety of video and telecommunications services across Asia. The satellite carries a total of 54 active transponders, 16 high-power Ku-band transponders and 38 C- band transponders. In-orbit testing of the spacecraft will continue until its service start in August.
In addition to transmitting innovative new applications, cable programming and direct-to-home broadcasting services, Telstar 18 is scheduled to begin hosting Skynet's SkyReach(SM) in 2005. SkyReach is Skynet's two-way IP-based networking solution. SkyReach, which is already available and in use by several customers throughout the Americas, allows organizations to create an instant infrastructure using a VSAT network, connecting offices within a city or around the globe.
In consideration for funding a portion of the satellite project's cost, APT Satellite Company Limited, Hong Kong, will initially acquire use of 68.5 percent of Telstar 18's capacity for Apstar-V services. The number of transponders used by APT will be reduced over time, ultimately to 54 percent of the satellite's capacity. For more information on APT, visit http://www.apstar.com.
Telstar 18 is a version of SS/L's space-proven 1300 satellite platform, which has an excellent record of reliable operation. The geostationary Telstar 18 satellite has a specified service life of 13 years and maintains stationkeeping and orbital stability by using bipropellant propulsion and momentum-bias systems. In all, SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1,100 years of on-orbit service.
A pioneer in the satellite industry, Loral Skynet continues to deliver the superior service quality and range of satellite solutions that have made it an industry leader for more than 40 years. Through the broad coverage of the Telstar satellite fleet, in combination with its hybrid VSAT/fiber global network infrastructure, Skynet is a source for all broadcast, data network, Internet access, IP and systems integration needs. Headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey, Loral Skynet is dedicated to providing secure, high- quality connectivity and communications. For more information, visit the Loral Skynet web site at http://www.loralskynet.com.
Playing for high stakes in sports channel legal challenge
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10120105%255E7582,00.html
BROKER Citigroup expects the cost of the Seven Network losing its mammoth legal battle against pay-TV group Foxtel and others at $60 million, but said it could gain "at least $310 million" if it wins.
Seven will confront the 19 defendants, which include The Australian's owner The News Corporation Ltd, Telstra, Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd and others in the Federal Court when the trial begins in March next year.
Seven has alleged the defendants engaged in anti-competitive and collusive conduct which led to the failure of its pay-TV sports channel C7. The defendants have rejected the allegations.
In the first estimate of the possible financial implications of the ongoing legal action, Citigroup expects Seven to spend about $35 million by the time the trial concludes.
"(But) appealing an adverse decision may add another 10 to 20 per cent to the legal bill," it said.
And if it loses, Citigroup expects Seven to be forced to pay the defendants' costs which it estimates at $25 million.
But if Seven wins, the broker expects it to win benefits "at least in the order of $310 million, or $1.20 per share, otherwise the effort wouldn't have been worth it".
While difficult to estimate, it said the winning amount would represent "the upside of being compensated for what C7 would have been worth; re-emerging as a major player in the pay-TV business and having less competition for free-to-air broadcast rights for major sports".
Citigroup also said an out-of-court settlement would be possible.
Meanwhile, Seven has poached Optus's head of strategy and acquisitions Rohan Lund. Mr Lund is expected to join Seven's legal and commercial team.
Mr Lund was made director of corporate development at Optus last year, reporting to chief executive Chris Anderson, who steps down next month.
100 Astro channels by mid-2005
From http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/7/14/business/8434394&sec=business
ASTRO All Asia Networks plc plans to double the number of channels it offers to 100 by July next year, and has shrugged off the challenge from Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s MiTV pay-TV service which is slated to come on air by December.
Astro group chief executive officer Ralph Marshall said: “Competition is nothing new to us. We are more than happy to have competition. We have run our business with that in perspective.’’
Tan controls 40% of MiTV Corp, which aims to be the country's second pay-TV network using Internet protocol over ultra high frequencies to deliver content.
MiTV’s initial plan is to offer 50 channels, but it is learnt that 100 channels will come onstream just months after the launch. MiTV is likely to capitalise on interactive services to gain market acceptance.
Astro will be able to offer up to 200 new channels with Measat-3 in orbit, but for now it is only planning to add 50 more channels in a year’s time. Measat-3 is a bigger satellite that sister company Measat Global will put into orbit by mid-2005. Astro will lease transponders for the pay-TV services.
The 50 new channels will include enhanced pay-per-view channels, premium selection and interactive services. Video-on-demand and multiplexing services, which allow users to watch their favourite programmes at their convenience, will be among the new offerings.
Although operating in a very competitive landscape, Marshall said he believed the marketplace was big enough for all the players. But Astro is not about to sit pretty and allow others to eat into its share of the market.
In fact, it would continue to enhance its offerings, invest in content development, expand market share, and improve profitability.
The company spends RM500mil annually on content development, a critical component of its business. But in a few years the amount would be increased to RM600mil a year. At RM500mil a year, it was 28% of revenue, Marshall said.
As of end June, Astro had 1.4 million subscribers and it intended to add 25,000 new subscribers monthly.
It is targeting 400,000 to 450,000 gross subscribers a year. And, with a churn rate of 8%10% a year, “retaining 300,000 net additions per year was achievable,’’ Marshall told reporters after the company’s maiden AGM and EGM in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
He is also confident that earnings in the second and third quarters would be better than that posted in the first. Stronger demand for its services, lower churn levels, and a reduced level of cloned smart cards were factors that would drive earnings.
“The (forward) earnings are likely to be better than the first quarter's. And for the full year (ending April 2005), we expect the results to be satisfactory,’’ Marshall said.
For the first quarter, the company posted net profit of RM19.7mil on revenue of RM391.1mil.
Having a solid base at home also allows Astro to leverage on its strength and expertise to go beyond Malaysia’s shores. For now, it operates two radio stations in Calcutta, India, where the potential is huge for its Bengali language offerings. It is also eyeing such markets as Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam.
And although it is eyeing more opportunities in India, it could strike a deal even earlier in Indonesia. It is in talks with several parties and “something can firm up within a year or so.'' The company is looking to package its existing Malay language content for the vast Indonesian population.
It also has arrangements in Brunei and China, besides owning a Chinese film library in Hong Kong. In the longer term, Astro sees contribution from its non-Malaysian operations rising from less than 5% now to between 20% and 25% of sales. The domestic business contribution to revenue is more than 95%.
Besides, Astro is set to save a lot on interest payments this year once it completes a proposed US$300mil syndicated facility.
Astro chief financial officer Rohana Rozhan said the planned facility would be used to pay Astro’s outstanding US$200mil term loans as well as loans from Bank Pembangunan dan Infrastruktur Malaysia Bhd.
Marshall said Astro was likely to save about RM50mil a year after the refinancing.
Pak cabinet gives licences for 22 TV channels
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july75.htm
MUMBAI: Pakistan's federal cabinet on Monday decided to award TV channel licences to 22 cross-media contenders, overruling the advice of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for an open bidding, minister for information and broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was quoted in India's not-so-friendly northern neighbour's media as saying.
Ahmed was quoted as saying the Pakistani cabinet also, "By over-ruling the advice of Pemra for an open bidding, the cabinet has retained its earlier decision that subject to the code of conduct, licences will be issued to cross-media owners," the minister said. The National Assembly in its new session beginning on July 16 would amend the necessary law for the purpose, the information minister said.
The channels which have been approved for the award of licence are: Kawish TV network (Kawish), TV media network Pvt (Express), Interact Pvt (Khabrain), Sahafat Vision (Sahafat), Dolphin Media (Halchal), Asia News Network (Jinnah), General Newspapers (The Leader), Karachi, Daily Pakistan (Daily Pakistan), Qaumi Akhbar Communication (Qaumi Akhbar), Khyber Broadcasting Services (Akhbar Peshawar), Mehtab Publications (Ausaf, Islamabad), Motherhood, Pakistan's First Parenting Magazine (Motherhood Magazine), Daily Nawa-i-Waqt (Nawa-i-Waqt), Total Medial Ltd, Islamabad (World Call Group), Recorder TV Network (Business Recorder), Interact Pvt Ltd (Zia Shahid family), Sachal Satellite Communication (already holds FM radio licence), Pakistan Herald Publications (Dawn Group of Newspapers), Development Asia Company (holds an FM radio licence), Total Media Ltd (World Call Group), Independent Newspaper Corporations (Mir Shakeel of Jang Group), and Independent Media Corporation (Mir Ibrahim of Jang).
FSTV, a multibillion digital satellite television begins operation
From http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/business/b214072004.html
A multi-billion naira investment in satallite broadcasting has commenced the delivery of digital satellite broadcast in Nigeria and across the West African sub-region. The over N10 billion investment is packaged by Otunba Reuben Ilemoboye Jamuyibo.
Headquartered in Victoria Island, Frontage Satellite Television is beaming programmes directly from Europe to Nigeria via satellite. The facility is the second Digital Satellite Television after that of Multichoice which beam its signal from Europe to Nigeria via South Africa. Both FSTV and Multichoice TVs are satellite digital televisions broadcasting popularly referred to as (DSTV). The project financed` by a consortium of banks is offering Nigerians a range of services from entertainment to linkage via tv, and internet browsing through the satellite cable service.
According to Rita Oluwole, the Administration Manager of FSTV, the company offers all round family entertainment on FS movie, which include soap opera like the city, home and away, USA high, Profiler, etc. She said “in a changing world keep your finger on the pulse with 24 hour news channels from BBC, Fox News, plus coverage of business news from CNBC, and Arabic news from Al Jazeera.” Others include sports action live from UK and Europe, the premiership cups, and leagues and excellent religious programmes from the God Channel, MTA for Muslims, EWTN for Catholics and FS Miracles, a dynamic Christian channel featruring inspiring pastors and churches from and around Africa.
FSTV, Oluwole said started broadcast with 11 channels and has moved up to 22 and would further increase. Mr. Belo-Osagie Osaro, Customer Service Manager said that FSTV customers do not have to select channels from block as is with othe satellite televisions but have access to all channels being offered by FSTV.
He said that subscribers to the station do not have to pay their subscription through the bank or by queuing in the office of FSTV rather they just have to buy a scratch card and load their decoder by calling in the number in the card as is done with GSM phone cards.
Besides, FSTV is offering the service to starters with N27,000 for the decoder and a subscription option of N1,500 per week, N5,000 per month and N50,000 for a year depending on the ability of the customer. This he said include installation service. He said that instead of paying N60,000 for one year subscription the customer is actually given a discount and a two months free service.
Mr. Freeborn, Manager with AMA House, an exclusive guest house in Victoria Island, a customer of FSTV said that the services of FSTV are commendable. He said that he had an initial resistance to the ideal of installing FSTV facilities in the guest house having had others before. But when the service was installed he has discovered that FSTV is more resilient to bad weather. He said that while other digital satellite televisions have difficulties during rainstorms, FSTV remains stable and clear during inclement weather. He also said that while in some others, it takes them time to come after power failure, FSTV comes on immediately power is restored. He further said that with FSTV you do not require additional network of cables if one is already on any cable satellite television. He said "FSTV is quite compatible with any digital satellite network."
He said that Alcatel engineers who lodge in his guest house has described the FSTV resilient to storm as a major plus for Nigeria in terms of satellite broadcasting.
But he said that FSTV needed to expand its channel base to include CNN, Sky News, etc, which most Nigerians are used to. He also said that the company needed to have enough technical crew on ground to respond to distress call from customers.
DD begins testing for DTH services in Gujarat
From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=161322
Doordarshan (DD) has started installation and testing of direct-to-home (DTH) sets and service DD Direct in Gujarat in co-ordination with the information department of the state.
With this, the exercise to cover 100 per cent land area under DD signals has begun, which is 88 per cent at present.
DD is installing 1,150 DTH sets in peripheral areas of the state where DD signals have poor reach or no reach at all.
“It is the responsibility of DD to deliver healthy entertainment and information to the nation. Our prime goal is to reach to those remote areas where our network is not reaching at present. In the long run it will help those who don’t want to deal with cable operators,” said A K Gupta, station superintendent, DD Ahmedabad.
A DTH set includes a dish, set-top box and LNBF gadget. DTH sets are getting installed in panchayat, government schools, physical health centres and milk co-operative societies where information department of the state had distributed television sets.
These centres include mostly small villages with a population of around 1,000-2,000 in the border area. DD has purchased 8,000 DTH sets from the Gandhinagar-based video-audio and broadcasting equipment manufacturer Modern Communication and Broadcast Systems (MCBS). Two types of sets in 60 and 90 inches, 4,000 each have been delivered by MCBS.
“The DTH system will deliver clear quality of picture even in the farthest part,” said Ashish Jain, director, MCBS.
The system also can catch the audio broadcasting of Akashvani (All Indian Radio). Installing over 1,000 DTH sets is a time consuming work for DD due to remote distance and lack of consistent power supply.
The information department’s members are assisting 8-10 teams of DD in the field.
“Signals relayed from Delhi are sharp enough to cover 100 per cent land area of the nation. In spite of being powerful, DD signals will not interfere with any other telecast due to specific frequency,” said Gupta, with reference to the recent issue of invasion of Pakistan Television signals in the Indian territory.
Out of 30 channels, the DD bouquet includes 16 channels, including DD Bharti, DD India, DD News, DD Sports, DD National, Ghyan Darshan and other vernacular channels in Gujarati, Punjabi, Udia and Malayalam.
The rest 14 are private channels including four free channels of Zee Television.
The DTH testing has also been started in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh and Assam.
13/07/04
Live satellite chat 9pm NZ onwards and 8.30pm Syd time.
Very quiet today
Go Auto TV has started on Channel 205 on Sky NZ ...interactive junk advertising cars for sale..
From my Emails & ICQ
From Mike Hammond
Fiji sat service Nss5
I heard test pattern up 3rd week of july onwards ,some equipment still to arrive by boat
From Simmo
Feed seen
Telkom 1
RO BNA, 8MHz PAL 4017 H 6000
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Videoland Sports, The Soundtrack Channel Pacific, Pili Satellite TV and CTI TV Asia " are now encrypted.
PAS 8 166E "Giordano has replaced Kiss Radio "on 3860 H and 12360 V, Fta, APID 651.
Optus B3 152E 12501 H "The GlobeCast World TV mux" has left again.(Craigs comment, this is NOT a Globecast DTH mux but a temp mux feed as mentioned yesterday)
Measat 2 148E 11522 H "VTV 5" has started on , Fta, PIDs 1050/1060
NSS 6 95E 12535 V "10 DD test cards" have started on , Fta, PIDs 531/631-540/640.
Yamal 201 90E 4084 R "Piter Russian Shanson" has left .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3480 H "Thai TV Global Network, Tara, TVK, KTN, ATN Bangla, WPT and Bangkok Radio 94 FM" are still on , Fta, SR 29800, FEC 3/4.
PAS 10 68.5E 12520 V "DD National" has left .
NEWS
Cheap cable Seven's Olympics winner
From http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,10120566%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html
AUSTRALIANS will watch the Olympic Games in Athens delivered to them over a terrestrial cable network, as broadcasters increasingly turn away from satellite for transmission of live events.
The Seven Network will simultaneously transmit up to 40 live feeds from Olympics events to its broadcast centre in Melbourne, taking advantage of an oversupply of undersea capacity due to massive dotcom era build-outs that pushed prices down.
Seven will use a 45Mbps and a 2Mbps link on the Reach network.
Reach is the troubled undersea cable joint venture between Telstra and Hong Kong-based PCCW, which has consumed well over $1 billion of the Australian telco's funds.
Seven spokesman Simon Francis said the network had tested cable transmission for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Using terrestrial cable for delivery saved money and reduced the one-to-three-second delay for satellite transmissions to less than a second.
"The key factor for us has been the reduction in the time delay," Mr Francis said.
"The costs involved in the delivery of cable are considerably less than satellite."
Seven will also cut costs by using the huge capacity of cable to deliver 20 feeds simultaneously to its broadcast centre in Melbourne, reducing the number of staff required in Athens by more than half.
Seven will have about 150 staff on the ground to cover commentary, production, the Roy and HG show, news and current affairs.
Another 250 staff in Melbourne will select the broadcast streams, integrate graphics, handle communications and anchor the broadcasts.
Telstra's Global Operations Centre, in Melbourne, will monitor transmissions.
"Essentially, what we're doing is using fibre optic to bypass Athens. In games gone by we would have to create our own television network in another city with 400 to 500 people," he said.
"We're the first major broadcaster to undertake this type of change.
"It is now being adopted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, and there are number of others."
Telstra global business managing director Drew Kelton said the feeds would come through both the east and west coasts of Australia.
"It's quite a different configuration to a satellite sport broadcast."
(Craigs comment,Cable? BAH HUMBUG!)
Thailand to buy French satellite
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=4&id=117148&usrsess=1
France has agreed to sell a Euro 120-million (Bt6 billion) satellite for geographical surveys and illegal crop detection to Thailand, a visiting French minister said yesterday.
French satellite firm Astrium will sign the purchasing agreement with the Thai Geo-Informatic and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), under the Ministry of Science and Technolo-gy, on July 19.
The satellite, named "Thailand Earth Observation Satellite" or Theos, will be useful for geographical surveys, notably detecting illegal crops cultivated within its footprint, said Xavier Darcos, French Minister for Cooperation, Development and Francophonie.
France will provide technical assistance for the satellite for 10 years after the agreement has been signed, he said.
The project is only one minor element of cooperative efforts between the two countries, which cover a wide range of sectors including education and tourism, he said.
The French minister also discussed with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai "luxury tourism", which includes a plan to cut tariffs for luxury items to promote tourism between the two counties.
France has also cooperated with Thailand in aiding the development of other countries in the Mekong sub-region and Africa, he said. France will soon open a French Agency for Development office in Thailand to help the Kingdom provide assistance in Africa, a continent where France has a long history of involvement, Darcos added.
Paris plans to increase its role in the development of the Mekong sub-region, allocating ?8 million this year to train human resources, he said.
Approved in a Paris conference on the Mekong sub-region less than a month ago, the grant falls under the Asian Development Bank-sponsored Phnom Penh Plan adopted in 2002.
Ariane launch delayed by technical hitch
From http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=546080§ion=news
KOUROU, French Guiana (Reuters) - A technical problem aboard an Ariane rocket has delayed the scheduled launch of a Canadian communications satellite hours before its planned lift-off from French Guiana, space officials say.
The Ariane-5 rocket had been scheduled to launch at 9:43 p.m. on Monday (1:43 a.m. British time on Tuesday) from the European Space Agency's launch site in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northeast coast of South America.
Officials of the Arianespace rocket launch company said a problem had been detected in the rocket's electrical system during pre-launch checks and would require at least 48 hours to fix before another try to launch the rocket could be attempted.
Aboard the rocket was the Anik F2 satellite for Ottawa-based Telesat, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell Canada.
Weighing nearly six metric tonnes, Anik F2, built by Boeing Space Systems "is the world's largest commercial satellite", Arianespace said.
Zone Vision's Reality TV to launch on Dish TV in India
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july70.htm
MUMBAI: Extending the reach of its popular Reality TV channel, Zone Vision has signed a distribution agreement with ASC Enterprises Limited in India.
As per the agreement, ASC will have exclusive rights to distribute the channel on its DTH platform - Dish TV, in India and non-exclusive rights for Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and The Maldives. The announcement was made by Zone Vision chief financial officer Kamlesh Patel.
Dish TV's growing subscription base and its sophisticated broadband technology, will help enhance the penetration of Reality TV in India.
Speaking about the strategic tie-up, Patel said, "With the continued development and improvement of the cable and satellite infrastructure in India and throughout the adjoining region, this market has become an important part of our overall global strategy. ASC Enterprises is at the forefront of this change and have become pioneers in the television industry there. After our successful partnership with Zee Turner we are absolutely delighted at extending our distribution now to Dish TV."
Speaking on the occasion ASC Enterprises CEO Punit Goenka said, "We are pleased to have signed up with Zone Vision for carriage of Reality TV on Dish TV."
Reality TV is a 24 hour channel which launched in India in 2003.
12/07/04
A warning, hold off advising ethnic customers to buy dishes for Nss6/Ku Thaicom 3 Cband. Wait a week or 2 and see what happens sure to be some big changes coming.
Thaicom 3 "Tarb's" services will be switching off tonight.
I have done some very fine tuning with 76cm dish and I can now get Arirang Tv on Pas 2 Ku. JUST barely! Cloud free skys etc Quality %34 on Innovia will load service about 1 in 3 times. But some very very minor tweaking in small steps using the Motock and fiddling with the skew got the signal up to %35/%36 which is enough to play without pixelation/breakup under perfectly clear skys. Really it needs a 1.5M or 1.8M to be reliable in all weather.
TAS mux Pas 8 down in power?
Problems for some with Zee Asiasat 3 channels, a change in encryption on some channels?
NZ TV online? YES! Homesick people from NZ! here we go
56k links first
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/one-56.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/2-56.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/shinetv-56.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/maoritv-56.asx supposed to be Maori TV but is Tv1
128k Streams
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/one-128.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/2-128.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/shinetv-128.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/maoritv-128.asx supposed to be Maori TV but is Tv1
384k Streams
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/one-384.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/2-384.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/shinetv-384.asx
http://www.r2.co.nz/meta/maoritv-384.asx supposed to be Maori TV but is Tv1
From my Emails & ICQ
From Simmo
NSS6 ANTENNA PACIFIC 12646 V 28066 FTA
also Optus C1, 4 new channels, NDS (which indicates Foxtel, not Austar) on 12366 V 27800
I wonder what they are for!!!.... ;)
Also feed seen
Cricket From Cairns on B1 12317 H 6980
From Hanif
Hi
Please could someone tell me why I am not receiving SET and other channel on
Optus B3 (12501 H 30800) in Melbourne
GlobeCast switched off again?
(Craigs comment, that transponder is not for Globecast DTH services its used temporarily when Optus A3 is undergoing maintenance. Please installers DO NOT install services off this transponder)
From Austar person
As you may or may not be aware, TARBS, the subscription TV provider of a
number of ethnic channels, has gone into receivership with their service
being turned off yesterday. This has generated a number of calls to AUSTAR .
As AUSTAR do not provide any ethnic channels at this point in time, what we
can offer to these customers are the channels we presently have, World
Movies, SBS, EUROSPORTNEWS etc. plus the same English language channels that
they were receiving via TARBs, that of Disney, Movie Network, TCM and CNN.
AUSTAR are also investigating the possibility of purchasing the Greek and
Italian channels and are hopeful that these will become available later in
the year. This is all dependant on the negotiations that are still to take
place in relation to pricing, options, timing, availability etc. so please
do not promise customers that AUSTAR will definately be getting these
channels.
We will provide more information as it becomes available.
From Bill Richards
0350 UTC
Pas2 4054 Horz S/R 6150 FEC 3/4 Vpid3601 Apid3604 SID1 KBS World FTA
0540 UTC
AsiaSat2 3896 Vert S/R5632 FEC 3/4 Vpid308 Apid256 SID1 Test Bars APTN/Globcast Jakarta Fta
From the Dish
Intelsat 701 180E 3803 R "The NBA TV Barker" has left .
Intelsat 701 180E 12691 H The PBS test card is still/back on , Fta, SR 28066, FEC 3/4, PIDs 515/643.
PAS 2 169E 4054 H "KBS World" has started on , Fta, SR 6150, FEC 3/4, PIDs 3601/3604.
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "The Soundtrack Channel Pacific" is FTA again.
PAS 8 166E 4080 V "Z Channel" is Fta again
PAS 8 166E 12526 H "A test card" has started on , Fta, SR 28067, FEC 3/4, PIDs 2160/2120.(Interesting keep an eye on this one.....
PAS 8 166E 12575 H "Cinema One, TFC Asia-Pacific, ABS-CBN News Channel and Pinoy Central TV" have started , Fta, SR 13845, FEC 2/3, PIDs 32/33, 66/69,70/71 and 308/256.
JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "Travel Asia has replaced Phoenix Chinese and Hot Channel" , Fta, PIDs 1216/1217.
Telkom 1 108E 3580 H "A1 Asia has replaced ABC Asia Pacific" on , Irdeto, PIDs 103/529.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4020 V "EuroSport News" is Fta.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4075 H "Guangdong TV" has left
Gorizont 28 & Express AM 11 96.5E
All channels on Gorizont 28 have switched to Express AM 11, same frequencies.
Telekanal Rossiya (+8h) has started on 3915 R, PAL, 7.50 MHz.
Perviy kanal (+6h), Perviy kanal (+8h), Radio Unost and Radio Mayak have
started on 3875 R, clear, PIDs 512/650, 515/680, 651 and 681.
NSS 6 95E 11679 V "Al-Islah TV" is back on , Fta, SR 2000, FEC 2/3, PIDs 4194/4195.
NSS 6 95E 12647 V "Antenna Pacific has replace Lig TV", Fta, PIDs 275/276.
NSS 6 95E 12647 V "Leonardo World" has started on , Fta, PIDs 1537/1538, Australian beam.
NSS 6 95E 12688 H "Mazzika, ERT Sat and MBC Europe have replaced TV Moda, SIC Internacional,Telepace and Public TV of Armenia" on , Fta, PIDs 273/274, 1282/1283 and 1538/1539. New PIDs for ESC 2: 1793/1794.
NSS 6 95E 12688 H "Al Arabiya " has started on , Fta, PIDs 1026/1027.It's ESC 1 on 12688 H, Fta, PIDs 1793/1794.
ST 1 88E 12537 H All channels in the Chungwa Telecom mux on are now fta.
ST 1 88E 12645 V "FHBS Radio" has started on , Fta, APID 45.
ST 1 88E 12664 H "TTV" is back on , Fta, SR 4220, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3480 H "Thai TV Global Network, Tara, TVK, KTN, ATN Bangla, WPT and Bangkok Radio94 FM have started , Fta, SR 29800, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/640- 517/645 and 650.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3520 H "RNW 1-3" are still on , Fta, APIDs 3329-3331, no SIDs.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H "Ant 1 97.2" has left .
Telstar 10 76.5E 3652 H "TV Lanka Channel 2-3"are now encrypted.
PAS 10 68.5E 3940 V "Occasional feeds" on , SR 6111, FEC 3/4.
PAS 10 68.5E 4064 H "EWTN Africa & India" is Fta.
PAS 10 68.5 4099 V "Afrisat" has left , not encrypted, replaced by a test card.
NEWS
New Zealand has reserved its little place in space
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2968565a28,00.html
New Zealand has a space for a satellite 36,000 kilometres above the equator, but doesn't know what to do with it.
The Economic Development Ministry has released a discussion paper seeking ideas for the place in space, 158 degrees east of the meridian. It wants submissions by July 30.
New Zealand was allocated the slot by the United Nations' International Telecommunications Union. In 2002, the Government applied for additional frequencies beyond its base allocation.
The application, which will take up to two years to process, is understood to have cost "tens of thousands" of dollars but this is considered a relatively trivial investment.
Brian Miller, manager of radio spectrum policy and planning, says many countries put in applications for satellite frequencies so they can use them at a later date.
The new frequencies could be used to provide data communications services covering the Pacific basin, depending on negotiations with other states.
Mr Miller says New Zealand needs to consider what it might want in terms of additional satellite services.
"It's fair to say the satellite industry has flattened off, but some would argue it is going to take off again."
Drivers for new capacity include the increased demand for broadband Internet connections.
The Economic Development Ministry has already had indications of interest for the slot, mainly from satellite-operating companies.
Mr Miller says there are many options with respect to how the position could be leased or managed, and what New Zealand might seek from any such deal, which would necessitate someone spending about $100 million getting a satellite up.
The criteria on which an application to use the space could be judged might include a proposal's technical capabilities, its economic value to the country, its overall public benefit, its support of government policy, and the degree to which it would improve the country's communications infrastructure.
The allocation method is also up for discussion, with a competitive tender one possibility.
"We are really in listening mode on that one," says Mr Miller.
A complication is a plan by Australia's Optus to put its D2 satellite into a fixed orbit, next door at 156 degrees east, in 2007.
The ministry says Optus will need to gain consent from New Zealand if it operates on the same frequencies that have been reserved by New Zealand.
The two degree separation may confuse consumer satellite antennas which try to focus on one or the other location.
The ministry is also seeking an understanding of its liabilities in space. It wants to know the implications for New Zealand if things go wrong, as it may be held responsible for a satellite under international conventions.
While New Zealand has no space industry, legislation similar to Britain's Outer Space Act may be needed to ensure operators take sufficient responsibility for any satellite they put up, or might subsequently on-sell.
Iconz sells broadband satellite services
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2968614a28,00.html
Internet service provider Iconz has begun wholesaling broadband internet satellite services that will be supplied by Thai satellite operator Shin Satellite.
The service is expected to be of use in places that can't be reached by Telecom's Jetstream and other competing land-based and wireless services.
Shin's powerful IPstar satellite, which will cover New Zealand, is due to be launched in the next couple of months.
The interim service has been trialled since the end of 2003 using the NSS-5 satellite belonging to Dutch satellite operator New Skies.
Iconz is selling satellite services through smaller ISPs around the country and to large corporates with remote sites.
Spokesman Matthew Sollis says another potential use is by small communities, where a business may take up a satellite link and then use WiFi wireless technology to share the service and cost with others.
The service covers the length and breadth of New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands.
Speeds start at 64 kilobits per second. Pricing has not been disclosed but it is understood to be similar to business wireless services provided by BCL.
IPStar New Zealand director John Humphrey says the company expects to appoint other wholesalers for the service but can't name them now.
One of the wholesalers being teed up is understood to be negotiating with Telecom to be a reseller of the service.
He says the new satellite offers a maximum of eight megabits per second down and four megabits up.
Mr Humphrey says satellites are suitable for applications such as videoconferencing but may be unsuitable for playing real-time games on the internet, because of time lags.
Receiver defends tight deadline for pay TV bids
From Afr.com
The receivers of failed multicultural pay TV operator Tarbs have defended their decision to impose a tight deadline for bids on the company's assets.
PricewaterhouseCoopers receiver Martin Brown said yesterday that the tight deadline was the best way of "minimising the deterioration of value of the assets".
It was also the best chance to maintain service for subscribers, he said.
PwC set a deadline of last Friday for bids just a week after it was appointed receiver on July 2.
Satellite provider PanAmSat called in the receivers after Tarbs racked up a $US2.4 million ($3.34 million) debt to the company.
There is speculation that a consortium is looking at the assets, along with major pay TV operator Foxtel.
However, a Foxtel spokesman said on Friday: "We are not commenting on this."
Former Tarbs chairman Mike Boulos, who is said to be its biggest creditor, failed to meet the deadline for a rescue package.
Tarbs's most valuable asset is its 60,000 strong customer list.
It also owns set-top boxes and satellite dishes.
Mr Boulos is believed to retain separate ownership of some programming and real estate associated with the Tarbs operation.
Foxtel taking video store claims to court
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/09/1089000354601.html
Australia's dominant pay television provider, Foxtel, has opened a new front in its battle with video rental operators, suing the industry association for what it has described as misleading advertising.
In statements lodged on Tuesday in the Federal Court, Foxtel - jointly owned by Telstra, News Corp and Publishing & Broadcasting - alleged that the Australian Video Retailers Association (AVRA) had made false and misleading statements in campaign material promoting video rentals ahead of pay TV.
The court action comes a month after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission forced Foxtel to change the way it markets its digital service following complaints from AVRA.
It also follows the collapse on Wednesday of ethnic pay TV outfit TARBS World TV, tightening Foxtel's grip on Australia's pay TV market, which has proved difficult for small players to compete in.
TARBS has been placed in receivership and its assets - primarily 60,000 subscribers - put up for sale. Foxtel would not say if it would bid for any of the assets.
AVRA has distributed a promotional kit to about 1600 video stores highlighting what it claims are the advantages of renting videos and DVDs compared with subscribing to pay TV.
Among its claims are that people can get new movies at video rental stores 12 months before they are shown on pay TV.
"The facts are, Foxtel Box Office has access to most movies six months after, and in some cases three months after, they have been released on video and DVD," countered Foxtel.
AVRA executive director Ross Walden said the association would not be gagged. "We will stand by our members, who are small business people who refuse to be intimidated by a corporate giant," he said.
Foxtel is hoping to lure new customers to its digital pay TV service with a wider range of movies.
However, the increasing popularity of DVDs is taking viewers away from both free-to-air and pay TV. Over the past year, the number of Australian households with DVD players rose from 24 per cent to 51 per cent.
CNBC to launch Thai service
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=6&id=117113&usrsess=1
Satellite television network CNBC Asia Pacific will launch a Thai-language channel locally within a year, according to Adrian New, senior vice president for advertising sales and marketing, Asia Pacific.
New, 45, who joined CNBC’s regional office in Singapore two months ago, said the network believed there was much opportunity in Thailand, which had a large number of local brands with international aspirations. The company opened a sales office in Bangkok last month with full-time staff.
“We recognise a huge potential here, with the government taking the initiative to help develop its business people. We can help expose Thailand to the rest of the world but also help Thai businesses expose themselves to the world,” said New. He added that many businesses, such as banks, wanted to advertise and raise their profiles.
He said CNBC currently reached over 35 million households throughout Asia while in Thailand alone about 400,000 households tuned in to it.
“It’s part of our plan to have the Thai language on the local CNBC channel within a year. The Thai-version programming will be relevant to Thai stocks and the local market,” New said.
He said that CNBC broadcaston eight different stations within the Asia Pacific: CNBC Asia, CNBC Singapore, CNBC Hong Kong, CNBC Australia, CNBC Korea, CNBC Japan, CNBC India and CNBC China. Much of the programming in South Korea, Japan and India is broadcast in the local languages.
“In China we have a joint venture with Shanghai Media Group, and we run a combination with some of our English-language programming, working with them to create programmes in Chinese to cope with the Chinese market,” New said, adding that the network strove to enable Chinese CEOs to make their own decisions, thereby fostering business growth in China.
New said that CNBC broadcast live in Asia 10 hours a day, focusing on regional issues of relevance.
“We’re covering the market all the time and would like to be the channel that CEOs are watching,” he said. He noted, however, that more entertainment and lifestyle programming had been added, aimed at helping businesspeople relax.
New said that CNBC was currently negotiating with several local Thai brand names, particularly in the tourism and commerce sectors, and commercials featuring Thai businesses would soon appear on the network.
“My ambition is to make CNBC Asia’s number-one business channel, with programming that everyone talks about and audiences that every advertiser wants,” he said. He added that CNBC had become the preferred network for CEOs by providing information that was useful in making business decisions.
He said that CNBC targeted decision-makers who wished to be world players.
New pointed out that CNBC had been in Asia since 1998 as part of NBC and Dow Jones.
“Our plan is to increase our audience and distribution to make sure that we can bring value to our partners,” he added.
Prior to CNBC, New worked for the credit-card company Visa International in Europe for 12 years from 1989. He was in charge of advertising and building brand recognition.
Signing on with the UK-based sponsorship agency Red Mandarin in 2001, he provided sponsorship strategies for such international brand names as Unilever, Nokia, Visa and Siemens. New moved to Singapore in 2002 as agency president for Asian business and helped set up the Red Mandarin office there. He joined CNBC two months ago.
“Since 1998 we [CNBC] have probably grown by 30 per cent a year across the region, both in terms of advertising revenue and distribution,” he said, adding that CNBC currently had sales offices in Australia, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bombay, Singapore and, latterly, Bangkok. Asian brands account for 80 per cent of total advertising on the network.
As with Bangkok, he said, the network considers Vietnam and Indonesia markets of strong potential and plans local offices in both countries in the near future.
“The advertising industry grows between 6 per cent and 7 per cent across the region. Our network is relevant to business and businessmen, and we can grow faster than the market. We’re developing new programming to make us relevant to each Asian country,” he said
(Craigs comment, I wonder how they will do that with the strict laws in Thailand about Paytv advertising?)
Russian FSA to launch Spanish communication satellite
From http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1024833&PageNum=0
MOSCOW, July 9 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Federal Space Agency (FSA) will launch a Spanish telecommunication satellite of the “Amazonas” generation from the Baikonur cosmodrome in August. Spokesman for the Federal Space Agency Vyacheslav Davidenko told Itar-Tass on Friday that “the date is now being decided for launching the foreign satellite”.
The vehicle is to be orbited for the “Hispasat” company of Spain by means of a Russian heavy-class “Proton-M” booster , Davidenko added. The satellite is ready for launching and was placed in storage. FSA specialists are presently assembling the rocket stages in one of the assembly and test shops of the southern cosmodrome.
The FSA spokesman said the “Amazonas” was made by the French “Astrium” firm. “Hispasat” is the client and owner of the satellite. The latter is to provide digital video transmissions, telephone services and data to Internet users in Spain, North and South America. “The service life of the satellite will be fifteen years, which is almost twice that of the presently existing communication satellites,” he stated.
The “Amazonas” is one of the most powerful modern telecommunication satellites. It is equipped with sixty-three relay transmitters. When fuelled, the satellite weighs more than 4.5 tons.
DD to monitor theft of Olympic material by other channels
From
DD to monitor theft of Olympic material by other channels
New Delhi, July 11 (UNI) An agency will monitor private television channels to ensure that there is no theft of the signals of the live telecast of the Olympic Games 2004 in Athens, for which Doordarshan has acquired exclusive rights for a fee of Rs 23 crore.
Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer K S Sarma told UNI in an interview that this had been done in view of previous experience when DD signals for cricket and other sports were stolen and beamed on other private channels. He said appropriate action would be taken in case the agency hired by Doordarshan finds any such infringement.
He quoted from the Television News Access Rules framed by the International Olympics Committee to say that when exclusive television rights to broadcast the 28th Olympics are granted by the IOC to any organization for a particular territory, 'no other organization may broadcast sound or images of any Olympic events including sporting action, Opening, Closing and medal ceremonies, other activities (including training and interviews) which occur at Olympic venues in that territory.' However, the Rules say that in appropriate cases, the IOC may agree with Rights Holders in their particular territories to issue supplemental news access rules for such territories'.
A total of 4000 hours of programmes will be telecast reaching four billion viewers.
He said Doordarshan will telecast the games for 24 hours a day on all the 17 days from August 13 to 29 on the DD Sports channel with a four and a half hour segment of condensed capsules on the national channel DD One. DD Sports is the only free-to-air TV sports channel in the country.
DD tests DTH, plans free-to-air service
From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/07/10/stories/2004071001590900.htm
Doordarshan has begun test transmission of its direct-to-home (DTH) operations, a mode wherein television content is delivered to home via satellites, and will officially launch it in a short while, said Mr R. K. Gupta, Engineer-in-Chief of Doordarshan in Chennai today. It will be a free-to-air service.
Named DD Direct, the DTH service will initially offer 30 channels, 17 of which will be its own. The rest will be private channels, for which DD is in talks with media groups like Sahara and Sun TV, among others, said a source.
The launch date is likely to be mid-August, he added.
According to Mr S. J. D. Devasahayam, Director, Engineering, Doordarshan, 10,000 DTH systems, including the set-top box and the dish antenna, are being installed across the country. In Karnataka, for instance, for which he is in charge of the launch, 700 systems, out of the planned 1,500, have already been installed.
The 10,000 boxes have been procured from two suppliers MCBS, which has supplied 8,000 boxes, and Bharat Electronics Ltd.
The cable-dry areas, predominantly rural and semi-urban ones, will be the focus of DD's service. According to an estimate, out of the 80 million television owning household population, only around 40 million have access to cable television.
With the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) not having additional transponder capacity in its currently operational satellites, DD has had to opt for space in NSS-6, which is operated by the Netherlands-based New Skies Satellites.
However, it is learnt that DD could well shift to Isro's Insat-4B once it is launched and becomes operational next year.
Once the DTH service is launched, customers would be able to buy the equipment off the shelves.
The Ahmedabad-based MCBS, for instance, is in the process of appointing 75 distributors and 500 dealers across the country, said its Managing Director Mr G. C. Jain. The basic model will be available for Rs 3,500, he said.
Five mn DTH sets likely in two years
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/773121.cms
AHMEDABAD: Buoyed by the emerging direct to home (DTH) broadcast market, the Ahmedabad-based cable and broadcast equipment maker Modern Communication and Broadcast Systems Private Limited (MCBS) has identified DTH solutions as a growth driver.
G C Jain, managing director, MCBS, said that DTH technology will be a key determinant of television viewership in future. Popular internationally, DTH technology allows the viewer to watch over 100 channels through satellite.
According to industry estimates, against 1 billion television sets world-wide, there are 100 million DTH sets. “In India where the DTH broadcast is at its nascence, against 100 million television sets a demand of about 5 million DTH sets is being anticipated in the next two years,” Mr Jain said.
And MCBS which has already lined up orders from Prasar Bharti for supply of 8,000 DTH packages under Apna DTH is planning to address this future market.
Set up by a former ISRO scientist, MCBS has been in the business of manufacturing cable, broadcast and satellite communication equipment for two decades.
“DTH systems will now be our flagship product and we will enhance our capacity utilisation” said Ashish Jain, director, MCBS. The company is looking at manufacturing about 3 lakh DTH systems annually.
Apart from Prasar Bharti, MCBS is also talking to other broadcasters who are planning to launch their respective DTH services shortly.
MCBS had earlier made similar systems for Andhra Pradesh government’s AP Network an educational and has supplied over 15,000 antennas to Zee group’s DTH venture. It also claims a consumer portfolio which includes names like ISRO, Reliance, T V Today and Sanskar channel.
11/07/04
No update Sunday
10/07/04
No update Saturday
9/07/04
More Tarbs stuff today. I can't understand one report had them owing $40 million and another said they were losing $1 million a month. Does not add up at all with what Mr Boulas is saying. Surely its not gone into receivership over 2 months transponder rental? There has to be much more to this...
On my daily scan of the Ku arc I notice on I804 NZ beam the signal that was at approx 12560V has disappeared. I Noticed the same thing with the one that was on NSS5 177W as well. I will have to get a universal LNBF and see if anything is in the 11ghz region.
Perhaps someone with spec analyser can confirm?
From my Emails & ICQ
From Vlad
Hello,
I have a bit of an enquiry. I am one of the 60,000 subscribers to TARBS World TV, which a few days ago ceased it's operations. It was the biggest ethnic channel provider in Australia, with over 60 foreign channels...and it is a big disappoitment to me and I am sure to all the other subscribers...that the company went under, due to being in debt.
Article: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/07/1089000226299.html?oneclick=true
While searching the internet I came upon your web site and email address and I thought I might be able to have some of the questions answered that I have been thinking of in my mind.
I have a satellite dish installed (approx 65 cm I think) and cabling, plus a decoder box that TARBS provided. Is it possible to code the decoder to receive the information from other satellites?
I am mainly interested in the Russian TV channels, as it is my ethnic background, but also on top of that I would like to receive maybe CNN and other news channels as well as National Geographic..etc...but its not a necessity...my main concern is being able to watch the Russian TV...
So I guess the quesion is, what options do I have?
1) coding decoder box to receive other satellites?
2) getting a different decoder box?
3) getting a different satellite dish or different satellite dish and decoder box?
If you can help me out in this query, it would be much appreciated...
Thank you in advance
Regards
Vlad
(Craigs comment, does anyone have a Tarbs receiver working on FTA signals? in the meantime Vlad you can watch many Russian channels on the internet check these 3 links to start with http://www.guzei.com/live/tv/index.php3 http://top100.rambler.ru/top100/TV/index.shtml.ru and http://www.webtelek.com/ )
From SiamGlobal
FREE X TV ASIA : THE VERY LATEST INFO
FINALLY SPOKE TO THEIR HEAD OFFICE IN THE NETHERLANDS TODAY.
THE INFO GIVEN : WE CANNOT HELP BUT PLEASE PHONE A CO CALLED IBEC IN GERMANY WHO HAVE TAKEN OVER FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUBSCRIBERS :
THEIR TEL NO : INTERNATIONAL PREFIX + 49 + 7141 299 7790.
GOOD LUCK AND LET US KNOW ON THIS WEBSITE WHAT THEY SAY .
SG/BKK
From Me
B3 12554V sr 6666 Boxing feed seen
From The Dish
Intelsat 701 180E 12691 H The PBS test card has left .
PAS 2 169E 4107 V "GMA Network, the Mabuhay promo and Living Asia Channel" have left .
PAS 2 169E 4126 V "NBN World" has left .
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4075 H "Guangdong TV" has started on , Fta, SR 6000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Express AM 11 96.5E 3875 R "Radio Rossii" has started on , Fta, APID 691.(Come on put up RTR etc on the Global beam...)
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3520 H "RNW 1-3" have left .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H "TV Polonia and Mad TV have replaced Future TV USA and Mega Cosmos" on, Fta, PIDs 513/641 and 520/648. All channels in this mux are now Fta.
PAS 10 68.5E 4064 H "EWTN Africa & India" is now encrypted.
PAS 10 68.5E 4099 V "Afrisat" is now encrypted.
NSS 703 57E 3919 L New PIDs for ETV on : 100/110.
NEWS
Receiver closes ethnic pay-TV group
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10081846%255E7582,00.html
MIKE Boulos, head of the ethnic pay-TV group Television & Radio Broadcast Services (Tarbs), says his failed pay-TV group was close to breaking even and he hit out at satellite supplier PanAmSat, which this week called in the receivers.
Tarbs was placed in the hands of receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers last week and PWC closed the business on Wednesday. Mr Boulos told Sydney radio station 2UE that Tarbs owed PanAmSat two months' worth of transponder fees "and we simply ran out of money".
"We attempted to restructure and to our surprise they shut us off," he said.
"We were extremely disappointed by the action of PanAmSat ... we found it extraordinary that 24 hours after the appointment of the receiver the (TV) screens went dark."
Mr Boulos said Tarbs was taking about $50 million a year in revenue from about 60,000 subscribers against costs totalling $57 million a year.
"We were not that far from reaching break even," he said.
"And there is no pay-TV operator in Australia that has made money so far."
2UE presenter Steve Price said callers told him Tarbs had been selling 12-month upfront contracts last Friday. But Mr Boulos said he could not understand that.
"We are like Foxtel and Optus and enter 12-month contracts but charge either monthly or quarterly," he said.
Some of Tarbs's 50,000 subscribers are still gaining some of Tarbs's channels but now free of charge.
Chief executive of ethnic pay-TV channel supplier World Media, Tony Ishak, said some of the unencrypted channels previously seen on Tarbs were still being uplinked to Australia.
"I'm aware through our call centre that some installers are redirecting subscribers to the NSS-6 satellite," he said.
Some channels were still available, but not on the same channel number as previously allocated on the Tarbs service.
Mr Ishak said installers simply redirected the satellite dishes, but it was unknown for how long the services could be received.
PWC is seeking buyers of Tarbs's assets, which include its ethnic pay-TV programming rights, subscriber base, call centre and playback and satellite uplink facilities.
(Craigs comment, I wonder where the figure of them owing $40 million came from in earlier reports. The numbers don't stack up..)
Satellite service a no go
From http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2004/07/09/09fbc18.html
An Australian broadcasting company which had shown interest in setting up a satellite television service in Fiji has closed for business.
Television and Radio Broadcasting Services stopped trading yesterday after receivers Price Waterhouse Coopers found that the only option available is to sell the company's assets.
The accounting firm had explored several options including getting directors to inject funds. The company had intended to use satellite infrastructure to broadcast
programmes over more than 50 multicultural TV channels; 30 radio channels; nine English channels and an adult channel.
Channel NewsAsia to be available to over 500,000 Thai viewers
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/94751/1/.html
SINGAPORE: MediaCorp's Channel NewsAsia has signed an agreement with Thailand's Cable TV Association that will make the Singapore channel available to half a million viewers across Thailand.
Speaking in Bangkok, MediaCorp Group CEO Ernest Wong said Singapore's most-watched news channel is now seen in over 16 million homes and hotels in 19 territories across Asia.
The signing ceremony in Bangkok on Friday comes just two months after Channel NewsAsia secured landing rights in China.
The channel has correspondents in over 10 key Asian cities, and its satellite signals cover the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and Australia.
Mr Wong said: "In today's increasingly global society, relevant and accurate information is of paramount importance. For the sophisticated viewers out there, it is not enough to be told the latest in the quickest time, but to be given information that adds value, that has meaning in its proper context, whether it be for business or for entertainment.
"At Channel NewsAsia, we want to contribute to this landscape of information sources with another perspective to Thai viewers' understanding of Asia and Asians. We pride ourselves on giving Asian perspectives on Asia." - CNA
LAO TELECOM CO: Bt1.2-bn plan for phones, e-commerce
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=8&id=116893&usrsess=1
ShinSat JV to launch gateway for iPSTAR today, and expand its GSM network
Lao Telecom Co, a joint venture of Shin Satellite, will spend US$30 million (Bt1.23 billion) this year to launch new fixed-line and high-speed mobile phone services, plus e-commerce in the neighbouring state.
LTC board member Atip Ritaporn said part of the investment would be put into development the fixed-line service in Laos. This will be based on the high-speed Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000 1 wireless technology.
The service, which is very new technology, is due to start by September.
It will have the capacity to serve 50,000 users.
"This is to serve the demand of people here," Atip said.
Laos has about 5.7 million people, but only about 5 per cent can access mobile and fixed-line phones.
LTC will also start developing the wireless CDMA 2000 1-x service in October.
This service, which has the capacity to serve about 100,000 users, is expected to be in operation next year.
The Vientiane government owns 51 per cent of LTC, while Shinawatra Telecom, a subsidiary of ShinSat, controlled by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family, owns the rest.
LTC had around 200,000 GSM mobile-phone customers as of May this year.
ShinSat will also officially launch the gateway of its iPSTAR broadband Internet satellite in Laos today, which will be used to back up all LTC's telecom services.
The gateway, worth $1.5 million, will be operated by LTC.
It and the iPSTAR satellite signal will enable LTC telecom users to connect to destinations in the remote areas still not accessed by landline links.
LTC will also introduce the iPSTAR high-speed Internet access service in the country via the Laos gateway. Currently this service is provided via iPSTAR's gateway in Thailand.
Atip said the company would also kick off e-commerce and multimedia content services within the next few months.
LTC's moves concur with the Lao government's plan to develop e-commerce and e-government services.
Meanwhile, LTC will also expand its existing nationwide GSM mobile phone network capacity to cover 80 per cent of Laos' population.
"We'll increase the number of our base stations around the country by 88 stations, from 122 today," Atip said.
KOREA: Seoul chooses ATSC as digital TV standard
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=12649
Korea approves U.S.-based Advanced Television System Committee for digital broadcasts
The government and domestic broadcasters ended their four-year debate over technologies for Korea's digital-television standard yesterday, approving the U.S.-based Advanced Television Systems Committee standard for digital broadcasts.
The decision also paved the way for the European DVB-H (digital video broadcast handheld) standard to be included in the country's mobile television aspirations, with the government opening the possibility of adopting the platform as a multistandard with the homegrown terrestrial DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting) technology.
The agreement was released jointly by the Ministry of Information and Communication, the Korean Broadcasting Commission, broadcast company KBS (Korea Broadcasting System) and the National Union of Media Workers.
"The agreement was aimed at speeding the digital-television transition with the Athens Summer Olympic Games right at the door. We expect that 80 percent of the country's households to have access to digital-television broadcasts by the end of this year," said Rha Bong-ha, director of the Communication Ministry's broadcast satellite division.
"By clearing the uncertainties over standards, electronics manufacturers can invest aggressively to develop digital-television products and also increase consumer demand," he added.
The Communication Ministry announced the adoption of ATSC as Korea's digital-television standard in 1997. The controversy over standards began in November 2000, when the Union of Media Workers, the Korean Broadcasting Engineers Technicians Association and other consumer-rights groups jointly issued a statement demanding the government reconsider its digital-television plans.
The groups promoted the European DVB-T (digital video broadcast terrestrial) standard as a superior solution to the American model, citing its advantages in reception and coverage.
With the sides trading rhetoric, the government failed to realize its initiative of spreading digital broadcasts to major cities by the end of 2003 with broadcasters refusing to participate amid the uncertainty.
Broadcasters KBS and MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Company) have been refusing to take government performance tests for their digital broadcast facilities in rural areas, thus intentionally delaying the start of the broadcasts despite being granted a license. Digital broadcasts have covered only Seoul and metropolitan areas since its launch in 2001, with airtime limited to 13 hours per week.
Thursday's agreement enables KBS and MBC to launch digital broadcasts in Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon and Ulsan before the start of the Athens Summer Olympic Games in August, according the Communication Ministry's Rha. The government plans to expand the broadcasts nationwide by 2005 and completely halt analog broadcasts by 2010 when the digital-television penetration rate is expected to approach 100 percent. Around 1.75 million digital-television sets were sold in Korea through 2003.
The digital-television market will be worth 11.5 trillion won for broadcast services and 28.8 trillion won for equipment by 2010, according to government figures.
"The technical advancements over the years have virtually cleared out the deficiencies ATSC had relative to DVB-T. Considering the heavy past investments of electronics manufacturers and broadcast companies toward ATSC, it would have been a risky choice to change stance in the digital-television standard now," said Rha.
The government also plans to open a research project on DVB-H and invest in its standardization process, opening the possibility of adopting the technology as Korea's mobile television standard alongside DMB.
The media workers union and MBC had opposed the government's plan to adopt DMB as the single standard. The groups stated that the European model allows more channels per bandwidth and has advantages in data-casting being a system designed to interact with Internet protocols. However, consumer electronics manufacturers balked at the possibility of Korea jumping ship to the European platform, citing their past investment in developing DMB products.
Industry insiders predict that DVB-H could be in commercial use by 2006 should standardization progress as expected.
The country's two major electronics manufacturers, Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., released statements welcoming the settlement of the standardization issue.
"With the uncertainties cleared out, we will be able to develop and market our products in a consumer-responsive way, while also expanding our export line," said a spokesman from LG Electronics.
8/07/04
Sorry about the lack of comment at the top here but i've been called out to do a pc virus cleanup and I know how impatient some are to read the site update (yes you Mike) (no not the MIKE from Tarbs). More news items about them in the News section.
New Satmagazine online July edition at Satmagazine.com
Jon's Asia Weekly
Issue 12
"A funny old week in the scheme of things"
There is an old saying that things come in threes.
First of all this week we had the nice people at X-FreeTV kindly ask all their subscribers via their programming on NNS6 to go visit their website as they are having to many problems with their lifetime subscription encryption.
Second we had the bad news about TARBS and how they have had receivers appointed by their creditors, and the receivers look to have made the decision to sell TARBS assets, which means many of their services will soon be stopped.
Thirdly we had a minor incident here where many geographically challenged satellite users across the local region could no longer get the ABC AP programming via the Palapa C2 Ku satellite on their 1.2m, 1.5m, 1.8m offset dishes.
And then there are drunk ex-pat Americans in Asia.
You may recall all the hoopla when X-FreeTV started and in this part of the world if you purchased a Zeta Cam you would get lifetime access to their content and programming on NNS6 via the Asian Ku beam. Lifetime to many meant, their own life time but as it was pointed out to me at the time, there was only a two year lease on the NSS6 transponder. So that meant the term lifetime was only two years, the lifetime of the transponder lease. However it appears what was really meant was the lifetime of the encryption system they used (less then two years).
It must be very hard for any company who’s providing programming and content via satellite to (1) satisfy the needs such a large geographical demographic (2) cater for the individual tastes (and I speak generically here not sexually) of such a large geographical demographic (3) provide an encryption system that will meet the needs of any set top box (as you are not selling the consumers your set top box) across the footprint of your programming. So spare all this a thought when you are reading their web site.
TARBS whilst an Australian phenomenon, has subscribers right across the Asia Pacific region. Several months ago I learned there are a few of them who live a few streets away from me. Armed with their little TARBS set top box and card, they sit down every morning, when they are in Thailand, to watch all the Arabic programming, and I must say they enjoy it 100%. I mentioned to one of them this morning that the TARBS programming on the Thaicom 2/3 satellite was currently free to air and we could all see it, when I quickly learnt that these guys knew nothing of what had recently transpired with TARBS and the PCCW receivers. So as mentioned in a recent press release over this whole issue, I suggested they went to the website address and look for themselves. None to impressed, the question they asked and one I now ask of everyone is “who is going to fill the void left by TARBS across the region?”
“Geographically challenged” a nice way for saying “my satellite dish can not see Panamsat 8 nor Panamsat 2 for one reason or another”. It would appear there are many people this side of the equator who want to watch ABC Asia Pacific on either of these Panamsat satellites but for one reason or another can not get a signal from them (biggest causes due to building, mountains or trees blocking the signal). So over the last 12 months since Muracam started to provide Ku band re-broadcasting of the ABC AP via Palapa C2 many installers in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and here in Thailand have been installing small sized solid Ku band offset dishes to overcome these challenges. That went well up until last Thursday when there was a mux change and transponder change. Net result, no more ABC AP for many ex-pats across the region, but many new customers for us albeit no ABC AP. I would like to thank the people we spoke to at Muracam, Palapasat and ABC AP for all their help in this matter.
Now into soapbox MODE, wait while I get up on it.
This week in Canberra, the Prime Ministers of Australia and Thailand observed the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between their two countries.
Question: With the recent FTA (free trade agreement) signed with the Thailand and Australia on Monday this week, is there any move to put any Australian programming or re-broadcasting on a transponder on Thaicom 2 / 3 C or Ku bands? This would help “Austrade” sell the Free Trade Agreement in Thailand well and truly and solve all the problem in one go if it is on the Ku Band if the ABC AP was put there [is this to blatant a question or just wishful thinking, that the various government departments in both countries could see the advantages of this, I know OTOP in Thailand would benefit from the reverse regional advertising at the same time].
And then there are drunk ex-pat Americans in Asia.
Ku Band
======
NOTE: if you have a large Ku band dish remember those with little ones may not see the programming you do. On the Ku Band sizes does matter!
Nice to see and hear the solid sounds of EMI booming across the region on Panamsat 8 Ku. My young nephew now watches this rather than MTV as it has all quote “his kind of music on it”
It looks like some of the old defunct AsiaSat 2 Ku Band transponders (remember the big move earlier this year that took place) are back in use. Check out 12221 and others.
Telsat 10 now has signals that can be viewed in Thailand on a small sized offset dish, - speaking totally out of turn and thinking aloud “I wonder if this is where the 40 plus new channels from CCTV for Thailand might end up if they are allowed to do it?”
C Band
======
As noted above the TARBS mux is back free to air on Thaicom 2/3 C band. Many of you might remember watching these free to air up to the end of 2003, well they are back, but for how long?
On Panamsat 7/10 this week many of us have been enjoying the content from Africasat, a new fresh look at way programming is presented. I note today it is back to the “Telemedia test pattern” but if it continues as Africasat we are in for some pleasant viewing.
If you have not had your daily dose of misery pop over and the Asian feed of Reality TV on Panamsat 7/10 which is currently also free to air.
EM TV gone, EM TV back? What is going on over down there on Panamsat 8?
HOT: BBC technical on BBC World PAS 8, Audio 2, Left channel enjoy = “Hi Singapore”
Chinese content on an Insat satellite, no can not be, but even a blind search found three channels with Chinese content C1, C2 & C3, or is there another satellite behind this one feeding Chinese content. When all this is little mystery is confirmed I will post it to the mailing list. To quote another John Clarke “Another mystery at Ekatahuna, Bruce”
Dishes
======
Remember the nutcase I have mentioned in the past who has done all this playing around with an offset dish on the C band here in Asia. Imagine this. A 75cm offset solid dish, Two lnb’s on C band one Ku band = a very good and extremely cheap solution for Thaicom 2/3 Thai TV.
Weather report: Typhoons heading to Taiwan & the Philippines, installers get ready. Another BIG thunder storm here in BKK as I write this, been going on now for the last hour and a half.
Looks like ever prime focus dish around here are being upgraded to dual plate systems, to allow for the C & Ku bands, and I have recently seen some very funny versions of these plates, but hey if the work why knock it.
And then there are drunk ex-pat Americans in Asia.
Sport
======
What a match, what a night, playboy bunnies, free food, free beer and oh yes the State of Origin. Needless to say there is lots of beers owed to me by several bar owners down in Phuket. I had a couple of emails from various people in Australia who were going to be up here in Thailand for the match, and I suggested they pop over to one of the local bars, if you did, you had one heck of a good night.
The Natwest ODI cricket series is heating up, and looks like New Zealand might even be in for a win (cough cough).
Want more soccer? Look at Asiasat 1 for the local China games, and be impressed at the quality of the gamesmanship.
Count down to the Olympics is underway. I even noted on one of the largest regional cable providers exactly that, a count down clock.
F1 again this weekend, and promises after last weeks excursion in France to be a thriller. A London F1 street race in the future? With all the hype this week you never know.
Hi to all the people here in Thailand who have been following the rugby. Nice to see so many of you, and thanks for the emails. Yes naughty local cable operator who tuned off the rugby and put tennis on instead, lots of unhappy people.
Gossip
======
Cowboys: Was surprised to learn this week that we have a few ex-pat ones (no not me) running around the region. One Aussie in one lot and a Yank in the other. Deposit up front, then gone so beware.
Drunk Kiwis, Brits and Aussies are manageable up here as guests in Asia, often over polite, not what you might call refined but who is when you have to much to drink and frequently go to sleep on you. However there seems to be a new sport in town. Slightly south of Bangkok in the Chomburi provience, there are too many drunk Yanks about, making false service calls, ordering kit to be delivered and are not even at that address, abusing staff for not speaking English and ordering site surveys at non existent addresses to many of the satellite shops around there and up here in BKK for “sport!” Yep “Sport”. So if you hail from North America and wonder all of a sudden why your local satellite shop or service chap is abit short with you, now you know why.
Comments
=======
Drop a note to Jon at [email protected]
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve S
Tarbs PAS2
The Tarbs World TV Mux on 4090V has also gone.
From Andrew Harrison
These screenshots from I701 seen last week
(Craigs comment, Hopefully more Nasa Tv to come soon.....)
From Mohammad Joned
Reality TV on Pas 10 has encrypted
From the Dish
PAS 2 169E 4090 V "The TARBS World TV mux" has left .
PAS 8 166E TARBS World TV has left 12326 H, 12526 H, 12606 H, 12646 H and 12726 H.
PAS 8 166E 4080 V "Z Channel" is encrypted again.
Express AM 11 96.5E 3875 R Telekanal Rossiya (+6h), Telekanal Rossiya (+8h), two test cards and Radio Rossii have started on , clear, SR 29650, FEC 3/4, PIDs 513/660-517/700 and 661.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3960 V "The DD Sahyadri" mux has left .
Measat 1 91.5E 3811 H "NTV 7" has started on , Fta, SR 3214, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Express 6A 80E Telekanal Rossiya (+8h) and Radio Rossii have left 11682 V, moved to Express AM 11.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3520 H "Polsat, Al Arabiya and Mazzika have replaced MKTV Sat, Nile TV International and AL Mehwer TV " , Fta, PIDs 512/640, 517/645, 518/646.All TV channels in this mux are now in clear.
PAS 10 68.5E 3863 V "Reality TV Europe" has encrypted again.
NEWS
Another one turns off the box
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/07/1089000226610.html?oneclick=true
Who knows what the Serbians watching their favourite soaps, the teenage girls viewing Fashion TV or blokes catching a bit of erotica must have thought at midday yesterday when their screens faded to black. After a swift kick of the television and an examination of the set-top box, followed by a bit of deflation over having missed the end of their program, the next course of action would be a call to the pay television provider, Television and Radio Broadcasting Services.
The message they received explained that the signal had been turned off, an apology from TARBS, and advice that if they wanted further information they should call the receiver at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
What most probably haven't realised is that they were TARBS subscribers yesterday morning and were TARBS creditors by the afternoon - at least those who had paid subscriptions in advance.
And it's a fair bet that next to none of the near 60,000 subscribers had any idea that this company was burning cash at a rate of $1 million a month and that this amount was well in excess of the money coming through the door.
Why would they? TARBS is not a listed company and the details of its financial situation are not on show for its subscribers or the stock exchange.
Certainly an article written in The Financial Review less than two months ago gave no insight to the fact that this company was perched on the brink of insolvency. The only way the author could have known that was if the owner, Mike Boulos, had mentioned it. And clearly he didn't. Indeed, Boulos was portrayed, as he has been previously, as a minnow but a fighter against his big and powerful competitor, Foxtel.
And it's worth noting that Foxtel, as powerful as it may be, has also never really made any money, despite the fact that it is now a near-monopoly.
So what does all this mean? It's all a demonstration that pay television in Australia needs a lot of capital and a lot of time to turn the corner.
Boulos invested $200 million in this venture but was eventually put into receivership because of an attempt to renegotiate a deal with his satellite provider, PanAmSat. PanAmSat took a secured note over future payments from TARBS and so, when the money didn't come on time, it exercised its right to appoint a receiver and then its right to turn off the signal.
All of this negotiation took place over the weekend - and the subscribers were none the wiser.
In the end, the Boulos camp said it was asked for $1.5 million from PanAmSat to keep the service running. The receiver says it wanted a payment sufficient to keep the whole thing going for a week, but declined to say how much that was. The receiver also says he has no alternative now but to sell the TARBS assets.
Mike Boulos says, "We are ... working towards TARBS's re-emergence from this situation, especially from the point of view of our subscribers ..."
To this extent, they don't appear to be singing from the same songsheet.
So exactly what assets does TARBS have? According to the receiver, it's the subscriber base. But what is a subscriber worth?
Sadly, this is impossible to guess. The fact that TARBS's subscribers were not making the company viable points to the fact that "selling them" might not be so easy. They are also a niche set of clients. They are mostly from migrant populations, while a small proportion are aficionados of "adult" entertainment.
And who is going to buy them? Perhaps another entrepreneur with bigger dreams than resources.
Or maybe these subscribers will ultimately have to be sold to Foxtel, which, according to Boulos, is a major factor in his cost structure being so high.
Boulos went through a series of court actions to get a spot on the Foxtel network for TARBS programs but he maintains the pricing for access is too high.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission gave the pricing structure approval, so there was nowhere else for Boulos to go.
He reckons that if he could have got another 10,000 subscribers, the service would have broke even.
We may never know if he was right about that.
All we know for sure is that Australian businesses have lost billions of dollars on pay television, starting with Australis, but including Foxtel, Optus, Austar (regional pay provider) and TARBS.
The only players that appear to have made money from this service are the content and infrastructure providers. Top of the list - not surprisingly - are Packer and Murdoch.
Debt-ridden TARBS yanked off air
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/07/1089000226299.html
After spending about $200 million and almost a decade in the pay television business, the plug was suddenly pulled yesterday on one of its most controversial players, TARBS World TV.
The closure of the ethnic broadcaster, owned and run by Egyptian-born entrepreneur Mike Boulos, follows TARBS's long battle with Foxtel for access to its cable platform, bad blood with Australia's free-to-air ethnic network, SBS, which refused to run TARBS advertisements, and an investigation by the Australian Broadcasting Authority into accusations a program broadcast by TARBS was soliciting funds for a charity linked to a banned terrorist group.
TARBS's demise tightens Foxtel's grip on Australia's pay-TV market, which has proved difficult for small players to compete in.
TARBS had been broadcasting its 65-channel service via satellites owned by PanAmSat. But last Friday, PanAmSat, TARBS's largest creditor, called in receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers.
PwC said yesterday the business had ceased to trade and it was unclear whether transmission would ever resume.
Until recently, PanAmSat was 80.5 per cent owned by US satellite broadcaster DirecTV, which in turn, was owned by Hughes Electronics. Last year Rupert Murdoch's News Corp bought 34 per cent of Hughes Electronics for $US6.6 billion ($9 billion). In April, DirecTV announced it would sell PanAmSat to private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for $US4.3 billion. It is not clear if the deal has been finalised.
Foxtel is half owned by Telstra, while News Corp and Publishing & Broadcasting own 25 per cent each.
PamAmSat decided to appoint receivers to the group after two months of discussions with Mr Boulos to renegotiate an estimated $US2.4 million debt.
PWC is examining whether TARBS could be sold as a going concern to a third party. However, industry sources said not only was it unlikely any asset sales would cover its debts but cutting the broadcasting signal would damage the subscriber base.
Mr Boulos, who has a background in property development and computer sales, said he was "distressed" PamAmSat had decided to turn off TARBS' signal.
"More than $200 million has been invested in the establishment and operations of TARBS over the last five years and it is very sad that this scenario has unfolded over the last week," he said.
TARBS says it has about 60,000 subscribers in 14 different language groups across Australia and in overseas markets.
The 48-year-old Mr Boulos got involved in pay-TV in 1994, when he was renting a building to the now defunct Australis Media and reportedly lent the fledgling pay TV outfit money.
He later converted the loan to equity in Australis and eventually inherited most of the company's equipment and broadcasting licences when it collapsed in 1998.
Last year the Australian Broadcasting Authority began an investigation into Lebanese pay-TV station Al-Manar, whose programs were broadcast by TARBS, following accusations it was fundraising for a charity linked to banned terrorist group Hezbollah. TARBS voluntarily stopped broadcasting that show.
Ethnic TV adjusted out of sight
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/07/1089000226704.html
After years of bitter battles with Rupert Murdoch and his Foxtel partners over access, it was News's exit as owner of ethnic broadcaster Mike Boulos's American satellite provider - PanAmSat - that saw the end of the Egyptian-born entrepreneur.
Boulos took the call that PwC receivers Phil Carter and Martin Brown had been called in to his pay-TV outfit TARBS last Friday night while in Manila. He was there negotiating for even more ethnic programming.
The flamboyant Boulos has spent most of his time over the past two years working out of Athens while his Manila-born wife Regina was running things from TARBS' Pyrmont headquarters (which the couple are believed to personally own). They have a home in Dural.
Word came from Sydney the satellite provider PAS, which only weeks ago was sold by Rupert's Hughes to US buy-out specialists KKR, had called in its debts and wheeled PwC in to administer.
After re-engaging with old advisers in Sydney late on Friday (Boulos is close to what were key members of the Macquarie team), the weekend was spent trying to rustle up cash to feed the hungry pay-TV beast - or at least PAS, which was believed to be owed only a small amount. Accounts were accruing monthly.
But yesterday the plug was pulled on TARBS' 60,000 subscribers. Boulos's voice-mail was still answering but there was no return call.
We hear now of an opportunistic proposal cooked up by bleary investment bankers, eager to nab rights to TARBS' Nightmoves. Something about needing it on in the office late at night.
Zinwell counts on digital tuners for sales growth
From http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2004/07/08/2003178167
LINK-UP: The company's chairman said it is planning to ship 200,000 set-top boxes and tuners this year and has a deal with Seednet to deliver TV signals over the Internet
Zinwell Corp, one of the nation's biggest satellite communications parts supplier, expects set-top boxes and digital tuners to be the major drivers for its sales as digital broadcasting takes off, a top official said yesterday.
"We hope digital broadcasting- related products will be the major source of the company's sales in the future," Zinwell chairman Jack Huang said.
Last year, sales from set-top boxes accounted for just 17 percent of the Hsinchu-based company's total sales of NT$3.26 billion.
Zinwell, which supplies set-top boxes to Motorola Inc and Toshiba Corp, aims to ship a combined total of 200,000 set-top boxes and digital tuners this year, said Huang, noting that this would be an 88-percent rise from last year.
He made the remarks on the sidelines of a press conference in which he announced that the company will deliver TV signals over high-speed Internet links to households in the middle of next month in cooperation with Seednet, the nation's biggest private Internet service provider.
Zinwell and Seednet hope to attract 100,000 subscribers to their new service by the end of this year, competing against state-run Chung-hwa Telecom Co.
The nation's largest telecom operator began offering the "multimedia-on-demand" services to its asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) subscribers in March.
"We think the business will take off in the next two years and we hope that will stimulate the demand for set-top boxes," Huang said.
Zinwell will provide free multi-functional set-top boxes for subscribers for one year.
Zinwell believes the potential market for the service will be around 1.5 million families.
Lu Chia-lin , an analyst with Yuanta Core Pacific Securities, however, expected a longer wait before the business blooms because of inadequate digital programs and bandwidth.
Zinwell expects significant growth from its set-top boxes and digital TV tuners, which convert analog signals into digital.
"The sales of TV decorder boxes will soar to make up a third of total sales this year as more countries start to deliver digital broadcasting signals over the airwaves," Lu said.
Zinwell is expected to report NT$80 million in net profits for the second quarter of this year, up from NT$70 million in the first three months, Lu said.
Lu expects to see big growth in the second half of the year as Zinwell starts to supply TV vendors -- including Sony Corp and Taiwan Matsushita Technical Service Co Ltd -- with digital tuners.
At present, most flat-screen TVs are not equipped with built-in digital tuners.
BROADCASTING: UBC told it can keep TV Ch 11/1
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=6&id=116828&usrsess=1
Vishanu allows affiliates; Council of State probes content contracts
Vishanu Krua-ngarm has given the green light for TV Channel 11 to continue broadcasting its affiliate 11/1 channel through the UBC cable and satellite TV network.
The deputy prime minister’s order appears to nullify an earlier decision by the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand (MCOT) that barred United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) from airing the channel.
Channel 11 is administered by the Public Relations Department (PRD).
“I have not received a report from the MCOT about this matter, but the Public Relations Department has notified me that Channel 11/1 belongs to the government,” Vishanu said.
“So, I have allowed the department to inform the MCOT that Channel 11/1, including its copyrights and programming, belongs to the government,” he said.
“[Channel 11] simply hires private companies to produce the programming. So it is the duty of UBC to allow its members access to Channel 11/1,” he said.
Earlier, critics and activist groups called on the government to halt Channel 11 and other channels from trying to split their satellite signal into eight sub-channels.
Technically, Channel 11, which is broadcast through the Thai Com 3 satellite, can operate all channels between 11/1 and 11/8.
Critics, however, said the move to expand the TV signals contradicts the Constitution, which stipulates that the airwaves belong to the public and that their use must only be administered by an independent regulatory body.
The independent regulatory body has not been established, they said.
Vishanu said only three groups of viewers could view Channel 11/1 subscribers to the UBC cable TV network, distance learners who study via satellite, and people who set up their own satellite dishes.
UBC has been broadcasting all local TV channels through its network (cable and satellite) so that its subscribers do not have to switch systems, he said.
UBC’s broadcasts are much clearer than normal reception through a regular home antenna, Vishanu said.
Amid the outcry, the MCOT, which has jurisdiction over UBC, had ordered UBC to discontinue airing Channel 11/1.
The PRD also awarded a contract to Braveheart International Co to provide content for Channel 11/2.
A probe committee, headed by Council of State secretary-general Pornthip Jala, has been set up to investigate the PRD’s move to award private companies with contracts to provide content for channels 11/1 and 11/2.
Vishanu said he would move to scrap such contracts only if they were found to be illegal.
The committee met for the first time on Monday to discuss all Channel 11 contracts, but the outcome of the meeting has not been released.
Gujarat firm launches DTH products
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/770056.cms
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat-based Modern Communication and Broadcast Systems on Wednesday launched its first Direct-to-Home (DTH) range of products under 'APNA DTH' brand, a technology that makes available hundreds of channels directly on TV via satellite.
"The company has developed a variety of DTH terminals for various DTH platforms based on open standard technologies such as DVB and Bureau of India Standards," Modern Communication and Broadcast Systems (MCB) Chairman and Managing Director G C Jain said.
Addressing media persons after launch of the product by Doordarshan Station Director Satish Saksena, Jain said that MCB is engaged in business of manufacturing wide ranges of CATV, CCTV, Video-Audio and Broadcast equipments and has tie- ups with global companies like Scientific Atlanta (USA), International Datacasting (Canada) and Newtec (Belgium).
Doordarshan is launching its DTH platform with 40 channels with "free to fair" subscription. There will be no subscription fees to the viewers for the channels through Doordarshan, Jain said adding, the product range cost between Rs 3500 to Rs 7000.
DTH has been operating all over the world for quite some time now but was introduced in India only two years back, he said.
7/07/04
From the Tarbs website today.
"THE RECEIVERS AND MANAGERS OF TARBS WORLD TV REGRET TO ADVISE THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO CONTINUE BROADCASTING TARBS WORLD TV SERVICES.
TARBS WORLD TV SUBSCRIBERS CAN ACCESS FURTHER INFORMATION BY VISITING PRICE WATERHOUSE COOPERS WEBSITE, http://WWW.PWCRECOVERY.COM/ ."
(Cue the Violin music) "The Pas 8 Signal for Tarbs has now been switched off."
Meanwhile all the Thaicom 3 Cband transponders for Tarbs are currently FTA
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bacco
Tarbs were accepting subscribers right up until they were shut off.
(Craigs comment, they were also still advertising on the Greek Radio stations!)
From JonC
Be quick before it goes, TARBS IS FTA on Thaicom 2/3 C band.
FREQ: 3520
POL: H
S/R: 28066
Enjoy
Jon
From Jason
NNS6 still going with all X-tarbs channels
From the Dish
PAS 2 169E 3771 H "KBS World" is encrypted again.
PAS 8 166E KU Tarbs has left all transponders
PAS 8 166E 4080 V All channels in the TAS mux are fta.
NSS 6 95E New line-ups in the Doordarshan muxes on 12644 V and 12729 V.
NSS 6 95E 11679 V "Al-Islah TV" has left .
Insat 3A 93.5E Geo TV, CCTV 9, Headlines Today and TV 5 Asie have replaced Trace TV, EuroSport News, Jaya TV and India TV, Conax, PIDs 159/114, 162/88,166/104 and 167/106.
PAS 10 68.5E 3913 V "KBS World" is encrypted again.
NEWS
Receivers to sell TARBS assets
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/07/1089000211881.html?oneclick=true
Multicultural broadcaster Television and Radio Broadcasting Services Australia Pty Ltd (TARBS) ceased trading after receivers found no alternative but to close the business.
PricewaterhouseCoopers Phil Carter and Martin Brown were appointed as receivers and managers of TARBS and associated companies on July 2.
Mr Brown said the receivers had explored numerous options including seeking equity injections from the directors, but lack of available funds necessitated the close of the business on Wednesday.
"The only option available is to sell the assets of TARBS," Mr Brown said.
"We will seek expressions of interest over the next few days and once the sale of assets is complete the receivers will determine the employee entitlements," he said.
TARBS is an Australian broadcasting services and Infrastructure Company using DTH (Direct-To-Home) satellite infrastructure as its primary delivery platform.
Its programming rights presently extend to more than 50 multicultural television channels, 30 multicultural radio channels, nine core English channels and an adult channel.
Thai Shin Satellite: May Delay iPSTAR Launch To Oct
From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/040706/15/3limt.html
BANGKOK (Dow Jones)--Shin Satellite PCL (SATTEL.TH), Thailand's satellite operator, said Tuesday the launch of its fourth satellite iPSTAR may be delayed to October due to further technical procedures.
The $400 million broadband satellite was earlier scheduled to be launched in the third quarter. It is expected to be the next driver of Shin Satellite's revenue.
"The launch of iPSTAR may be rescheduled to early fourth quarter. It takes time to construct this big and high-standard satellite," Shin Satellite Executive Chairman Dumrong Kasemset told reporters.
Asked about the company's fund-raising plans, Dumrong said Shin Satellite has already filed an application for its planned public share offering with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
The timing of the public offering will depend on SEC's approval and market sentiment, Dumrong said.
"We should be able to sell our shares within this quarter. However, it depends on the market situation," he said.
The company plans to sell up to 208 million shares to raise between $60 million and $90 million, which it will use to refinance short-term debt and for working capital.
The company recently rescheduled the planned offering to early July from early June mainly due to weak market sentiment.
Dumrong said the current market situation is acceptable for the share sale as foreign investors have returned to invest in Thai stocks.
Tuesday, the Stock Exchange of Thailand's index closed up 1.3% at 664.69 points.
"If market sentiment continues to be like this, it will be OK. We can't sell the shares if the index falls below 600 points," he added.
Shin Satellite is a unit of Shin Corp. PCL (SHIN.TH), which was founded by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Members of his family hold a majority stake in Shin Corp.
SK Group to invest billions of dollars in telecom by 2007
From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/94323/1/.html
SEOUL : South Korea's SK Group said it plans to invest more than eight billion dollars in information and telecommunications business over the next three years.
The conglomerate which controls South Korea's largest mobile carrier SK Telecom said the major investment plan was aimed at maintaining its leadership in the sector and promoting growth.
"We will spend more than 10 trillion won (8.6 billion dollars) in the information and telecommunications area by 2007," South Korea's third largest conglomerate SK Group said in a statement.
The initiative would focus on "platform business" whereby it seeks all the relevant business areas encompassing service, equipment and content, it said.
With a budget of two trillion won set aside, much of its resources would go to the new satellite digital broadcasting business where customers can watch TV programs on their mobile handsets, the group said.
It added it would expand its own research on service and equipment sectors, while fostering collaborative work with partners on developing programs.
SK Telecom has 18 million subscribers, 54 percent of South Korea's total mobile communications market.
MGM Channel Ramps Up Distribution in Asia Channel's Launch in Singapore and Macau Highlights Aggressive Growth for MGM Networks in Greater China and Southeast Asia
From Press Release (Edited)
LOS ANGELES, July 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MGM Networks, a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. (NYSE: MGM - News), has launched the MGM Channel on Singapore's StarHub Cable Vision, the country's sole Pay-TV platform. The channel has been broadcasting a wide selection of MGM films, in English with Mandarin subtitles, 24 hours a day since its May 29 debut.
MGM Networks also has signed an agreement with Macau Cable TV, Macau's sole cable operator, to begin carriage of the MGM Channel beginning this month.
"We are excited to see our distribution take off so quickly, particularly because our specially targeted MGM Channel for Southeast Asia and Greater China just launched late last year," said Bruce Tuchman, MGM Networks executive vice president. "With endorsements from market leaders such as StarHub and Macau Cable TV, we look forward to securing further distribution across this vital, fast-growing region, particularly as we add more great offerings from the world's largest library of modern films."
The StarHub and Macau Cable TV deals are the latest in numerous recent breakthrough agreements for MGM Networks in Asia. Among other activities in Asia, MGM Networks has a strategic alliance in the Greater China and South-East Asian market with CNBC Asia Pacific, which assists MGM in the operation and distribution of a dedicated MGM Channel in that region. The StarHub deal follows this dedicated channel's launch on PCCW's Now Broadband TV platform in Hong Kong and on Indonesia's largest MSO, Kabelvision.
"This is a superb opportunity for StarHub and Macau Cable TV to add value to their channel packages with the MGM Channel," said Alexander Brown, President & CEO of CNBC Asia Pacific. "For us, the deals with StarHub and Macau Cable TV signify a positive move towards the Southeast Asia and Greater China markets. These deals again recognize MGM's ability to move subscribers across multiple distribution platforms in the region."
"The channel has a wide range of titles, including many blockbusters and classics, so it will appeal to those customers who are movie lovers," said Sandie Lee, StarHub's senior vice-president for cable TV services. "Having MGM on StarHub's digital platform complements the suite of entertainment channels on the Entertainment Digital Tier."
"Macau Cable TV (MCTV) takes great strides in providing quality programming for its viewers," said Antonio A. Silva Aguiar, CEO & CFO of Macau Cable TV. "To celebrate our fourth anniversary, we continue to bring in top channels from around the world to enrich our channel lineup and to give our viewers a new face on MCTV. One of them is the MGM Channel, which we believe that movie enthusiasts in Macau will enjoy tremendously."
Separately, MGM Networks holds interests in two MGM-branded channels in Korea. Earlier this month, MGM announced plans for a localized channel in Spain this summer, the latest addition to the more than 110 countries and territories worldwide already served by MGM channels.
Zee plans to take Dish TV to urban markets
From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=160652
Zee Telefilms is now eyeing the lucrative urban markets to promote Dish TV, its direct to home (DTH) service, after focussing on rural areas since its soft launch in October 2002.
Jawahar Goel, vice-chairman of Zee Telefilms, said, “We are planning a marketing blitz, which will starts next week, to promote the DTH service in metros and mini metros. The campaign includes television commercials and outdoor publicity.” On pricing, Goel said, “There will be no price discrimination between the urban and rural markets.”
Dish TV has a subscriber base of 1.5 lakh, of which 90 per cent is from the rural markets. Recently, the DTH service provider has added a number of channels, including ESPN Star Sports, to offer a larger spectrum of television programming to its subscribers. The number of channels are expected to go up to 100 over the next week from the existing 83.
Goel said, “From August 15, Prasar Bharti’s channels will also be available on the Dish TV platform taking the total count to 150.” Broadcasters are required to pay Prasar Bharti Rs 72 lakh per annum per channel to telecast their channels on its DTH service.
However, Zee and Prasar Bharti have entered into an agreement, whereby each will allow an equal number of channels from the other’s stable on the Zee’s DTH service free of cost.
Sony Keen On Sports, Regional Channels
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=62960
NEW DELHI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is serious about getting a sports channel in its bouquet. Although it already has SET Max, which is a mix of movies and cricket, a pure-play sports channel is what the broadcaster is looking for. SET CEO Kunal Dasgupta told eFE that absence of a pure sports channel in ‘One Alliance’ (the distribution platform of Sony) was a gap that was likely to be addressed. Mr Dasgupta was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference here on Tuesday after announcing the launch of Animax channel.
To take the sports channel idea forward, the broadcaster is working on acquiring the five-year exclusive telecast rights to international cricket played in India. Bidding for the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) matches is expected this month. While Mr Dasgupta claimed he would bid aggressively, others like ESPN, Prasar Bharati and Ten Sports too are equally eager to make a killing out of the five-year BCCI rights. The bid price, could touch Rs 600-700 crore this time around or may even go higher, it is learnt. Last time, Prasar Bharati got the five-year BCCI rights for around Rs 250 crore.
Besides sports, other genres that One Alliance may include in its bouquet are ‘shopping’ and ‘regional’, Mr Dasgupta indicated.
Regional channel plans are likely to be executed around 2006-07. Business channels may also be included in the platform sometime soon.
There could be some more action in the kid/youth segment too. Even as SET now has an animation channel (Animax), talks with Disney are continuing, said Mr Dasgupta, replying to a question. “There’s no clash between Disney and Animax,” he said.
On direct-to-home (DTH), Mr Dasgupta claimed that Sony would give its content to both STAR and Zee, provided that it’s a good deal. “We are working out the details,” he said. As for wireless, the broadcaster already has a sound business going, according to Mr Dasgupta.
6/07/04
Live satellite chat 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards in the chatroom tonight
Tarb's owing $40 million U.S ouch! see news section
Viewers in Thailand seem to have lost the KU mux on Palapa C2 that broadcasts ABC Asia Pacific. Have they changed the beam? if so what a pity just when they added NASA TV!
OEM's throughout Asia Pacific region (Including Australia) are still being "visited" relating to Piracy issues. (Super fta decoder anyone?)
A Reminder SunTV on Optus B3 is encrypting July 10th
From my Emails & ICQ
From JonC (Thailand)
State of Origin - help
So Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma and Laos have
all lost their Ku band feed of ABC Asia Pacific on
Palapa C2, and we have been overloaded with calls (did
not know so many people used Palapa C2 Ku to get ABC -
but more on this in this weeks article - over ?00 calls
and emails so far) ...
I need the following please if anyone can help me,
1. A Free To Air ABC Asia Pacific transponder west
(WEST) of Thaicom 1 at 120 degrees EAST with coverage
of the above countries on C or Ku bands (non-FTA is no
good guys - unless it is not on Dream or Telkomvision)
and EAST or equal PAS 7/10 (or is the new ABC AP
transponder on Pas 7/10 not due for another 5 months
according to the last news I got).
2. A sports feed that will carry the "State of Origin"
on the C Band if possible WEST of Thaicom 1 and East
of PAS 7/10.
I have tried everything here and have even tried the
net streaming ABC have, but no good here in Asia even
with broadband, so any help would be greatly received.
Regards
Jon
PS:: With the recent "Free Trade Agreement" that was
signed this week in OZ by our two prime ministers, you
would think Thaicom 2/3 C band adhoc would carry it :(
From Skip
Contrary to recent reports, PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Videoland Sports, Pili Satellite
TV and CTI TV Asia" are still fta. "The Soundtrack Channel Pacific" is encrypted
From the Dish
PAS 2 169E 3771 H "KBS World" is Fta
PAS 2 169E 4107 V "A Mabuhay promo" has started on , Fta, PIDs 4260/4220.
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Videoland Sports, Pili Satellite TV and CTI TV Asia" are Fta again.
PAS 10 68.5E 3913 V "KBS World" is Fta
NEWS
Shake-out on way for pay TV
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10052431%255E7582,00.html
AUSTRALIA'S pay-TV industry looks set for a shake-out after receivers were last week appointed to the only ethnic pay-TV service, Television and Radio Broadcast Services .
Pay-TV channel suppliers are uncertain if their outlet to the multicultural market will survive and are also considering new ways to reach rural pay-TV viewers.
Satellite provider PanAmSat, which broadcasts TARBS's 65 channels across Australia on its PAS-8 satellite, called in receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers on Friday.
TARBS, which uses four of the eight transponders on the PanAmSat bird, is still on the air but the receivers are expected to reveal their preferred options today.
PanAmSat is believed to have converted TARBS' outstanding debt into a senior secured note over TARBS last October, but called in receivers when payments could not be met on the $40million-plus debt.
Managing director of World Media (which represents foreign-language channels in Australia) Tony Ishak said it provided the Italian channel RAI and Greek channel Antenna to TARBS, as well as to both Foxtel and Optus in the metropolitan markets.
World Media is now looking at other ways to reach regional markets. "We will now be talking to (regional pay-TV group) Austar about filling the void," Mr Ishak said.
However, Austar corporate affairs director Deanne Weir said it did not have room for extra channels.
TV networks gear up
From http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,10051565%255E462,00.html
THE market for television sports rights is set for an unprecedented multi-billion dollar shake-up in the next 18 months as almost every leading sport renegotiates broadcast deals.
Up for grabs first will be News Corporation's 10-year agreement, which expires next year, with the rugby unions of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Also up at the end of 2005 will be Ten Network's three-year deal with Formula One.
The end of 2006 will see the deals of the Australian Football League and Cricket Australia, and the pay-TV agreement for National Rugby League and Australian V8 Super Cars, expire.
The following year sees the NRL's free-to-air (FTA) deal with the Nine Network run out.
In addition, in this already crowded market, the Australian Soccer Association and its chief executive John O'Neill have to sell their new, and unproven product, the Australian Premier League.
"We accept in the early years we're scarcely a rival in the financial sense to the AFL, NRL or Super 12," O'Neill says. "We understand that we are a greenfield project and we are looking for partners with a medium-to-long-term view of the game."
What that means is that the APL is likely to be mainly a pay-TV product, with a live game a week, plus a highlights package on FTA, probably SBS. The real competition may be in bidding for national team games, with O'Neill determined to bring the Socceroos to the same kind of profile as rugby's Wallabies.
While the 2007 season may seem like a fair distance away, the reality is that negotiations on all those contracts will have to start this year.
Broadcasters and sports need to have at least 12 months lead times either to provide certainty for the incumbent or time to prepare for a new agreement.
The most fascinating joust for supremacy will surround the AFL contract, which last time saw a combination of News Limited (publisher of The Australian), the Nine and Ten Networks and Foxtel, wrest the rights from Seven, which had broadcast the sport for 39 of the preceding 40 years.
Seven has already flagged it's interested in reclaiming the AFL, and has the advantage of a first-and-last rights deal with the league.
It means that when the AFL this year wants to open negotiations about its next broadcast deal, it has to start with a phone call to Seven.
Then when it decides it doesn't like the deal Seven offers and talks to Nine, Ten and Foxtel, it then has to go back to Seven to give it the chance to match whatever contract may be on the table.
But the AFL would seem to be selling its rights at a good time. Its mid-year review released last week showed weekly free-to-air viewing numbers were up 6.3 per cent across the five metropolitan capital cities, with Melbourne up 8 per cent, Perth 9 per cent, Adelaide 1 per cent and Brisbane 18 per cent.
However, the struggles in Australia's biggest TV market in Sydney continue, with viewers down 9 per cent. Even last week's much-hyped Sydney-Collingwood match pulled in only 161,000 viewers in the Swans' home town. The same night the Australia-England rugby clash was watched by about 477,000 viewers in Sydney.
The AFL, like other leading sports, will be nervous about how to maintain the level of revenue it managed to extract from broadcasters last time. The market has changed since the AFL signed its five-year $500 million deal and the three SANZAR rugby unions agreed their 10-year $US 500million ($700 million) package.
News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch has signalled rugby is unlikely to receive as much next time.
What is more likely is that the various sports will offer extras to try to keep revenue stable. Rugby may add more games to its Super 12 series; the AFL may have to bow to the wishes of pay-TV carrier Foxtel for more and better live games.
In England, pay-TV group BSkyB and the English Premier League agreed a three-year deal worth pound stg. 1.024billion ($2.6 billion) to show live, or in delay, all 380 games. The previous deal saw BSkyB pay pound stg. 1.1billion for 66 live games.
It may be a sign of things to come in Australia.
THAI-AUSTRALIA FTA: ShinSat rebuffs charges
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=3&id=116730&usrsess=1
Firm controlled by PM's family denies it will be primary beneficiary of trade pact
Shin Satellite Plc (ShinSat) yesterday denied allegations that it would become the biggest beneficiary of a free-trade agreement (FTA) between Thailand and Australia.
ShinSat is controlled by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family.
"Such an allegation is groundless. We don't gain anything from the free-trade deal," said the company's executive chairman Dumrong Kasemseth during a hastily arranged press conference to respond to the assertion by the Campaign for Popular Media Reform.
In a separate interview, the Australian Embassy in Bangkok said Australia's offer to open up its telecom sector to Thai companies did not favour any firm because the deal was similar to what it is offering to more than 100 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
"Australian commitments on telecommunications in Tafta [Thai-Australian Free-Trade Agreement] are identical to its offers in the Doha round, which will apply to all Gatt [General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade] members," an Australian official said.
On Sunday, the Campaign for Popular Media Reform, led by Supinya Klangnarong, said that the prime minister's family business would win most from the Tafta, particularly in the telecom sector.
The group also called for an inquiry into the deal, which was signed by Thaksin and Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Canberra yesterday.
The group pointed out that the agreement states that Australia will not impose quotas on the number of satellites and mobile service operators from Thailand and will permit unlimited Thai investment in Optus and Vodafone, the major telecom players in Australia.
Dumrong said that Shin Corp, the parent of ShinSat, also had no plans to buy stakes in Optus, Vodafone or any telecom firms in Australia, as allowed by the deal.
"Although Shin group is the strongest telecom group in Thailand, we don't have much money to buy even one share in these companies. Don't forget that they're global players," he said, adding that ShinSat was considering whether to file a lawsuit against the activist group.
Dumrong said ShinSat had entered the Australian market long before the free-trade deal was created. Its Thaicom 3 satellite has provided a satellite service for live TV broadcasts in Australia since 1997.
Its soon-to-be-launched broadband Internet satellite iPSTAR won the bid for the licence from the Australian Communications Authority to use the Ka-band frequency to provide uplink and downlink signals between gateways and the satellite in 2001.
The iPSTAR service, which will be operational in Australia in the next two months, will be the transmission link for telecom signals of telecom operators in Australia.
A senior Thai trade official involved in the negotiations said the agreement mentioned that it would allow Thai equity participation of not more than 11.7 per cent of the total shares of Telstra, which is owned by the Australian government.
"But what they [Australia] are offering us is the same deal as the one offered last year during the Doha round negotiations under |the WTO," said Chackrit Duangphastra, from the Department of Trade Negotiations.
He said the US and Singapore had received better telecommunications deals than Thailand because the Australian government allowed American and Singaporean investors to hold up to 17.5 per cent in Telstra as their governments had made a special request for the sector.
Chackrit also noted that the names of private companies such as Vodafone or Optus were not mentioned in the Australian liberalisation offer to Thailand.
"We did mention the two companies during the talks as examples but the governments did not put them in the agreement," he said.
ShinSat has deployed its Thaicom 3 satellite and iPSTAR gateways to provide the iPSTAR service. The company expects to launch the iPSTAR satellite, whose footprint will cover the vast Asia-Pacific market, in the near future.
ShinSat has also set up the iPSTAR (Australia) company to operate its US$10-million (Bt407 million) satellite gateway.
"We can set up the company there because Australia and also New Zealand are two countries in the iPSTAR footprint that allow 100-per-cent foreign investment in the telecom sectors, even without a free-trade agreement with Thailand," said Dumrong.
As with Australia, ShinSat has already set up the iPSTAR gateway in New Zealand with the iPSTAR (New Zealand) company to operate the gateway.
He added that Australia was expected to account for 10 per cent of iPSTAR's total revenue, while China would be the largest market - accounting for 25 per cent - followed by India with 15 per cent.
In terms of mobile-phone services, he said that Shin group had no interest in investing in the mature Australia market but in places where it can play a significant role.
On Friday, ShinSat will sign a deal with Laos Telecom to provide a satellite-based transmission link.
"We're also interested in providing a transmission-link service in the Philippines and Indonesia, where there are many islands that make it difficult to install the land-line transmission link," he added.
THAI PRESS: Shin Satellite May Delay Public Offering Sale
From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/040706/15/3li8t.html
BANGKOK (Dow Jones)--Shin Satellite PCL (SATTEL.TH), Thailand's sole satellite transponder provider, said it may not sell public offering shares this month as previously planned because the company has to meet all the requirements set by the Securities & Exchange Commission, Business Day reports.
"We're not sure the sale will take place this month since we have to provide additional information requested by the SEC, which might take some time to prepare," Dumrong Kasemset, Sattel's chief executive, is quoted as saying.
He added that the current downturn in the stock market, which has slipped nearly 16% this year against a rise of 116% in 2003, was another stumbling block to the plan, the report says.
Sattel has said it will issue 213.89 million new shares at a par value of five baht ($1=THB40.719), of which 208 million shares will be sold for business expansion, while the remaining 5.89 million shares will be reserved for warrant conversion issued to the company's staff.
Qtel plans to sell decryption cards of major DTH networks - Qatar
From http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=56247
DOHA: Qatar Telecom (Qtel) plans to import and distribute the decryption cards required to receive telecasts from the various major TV networks on the Direct-To-Home satellite systems, industry sources revealed yesterday.
According to sources, there is a huge demand for decryption cards of various major networks in the country from DTH users.
Since many of these cards are currently not available in Doha, DTH users are forced to import them from other countries in the region, especially the UAE, or order them via the Internet.
Subscriptions of these cards and their renewal is also done through the Internet or via the mail order system.
Qatar Telecom officials were unavailable for comment, but DTH dealers said Qtel, in its capacity as the local distributor, will also be able to offer services to renew their subscriptions locally.
The non-availability of Pehla DTH cards during the recent historic India-Pakistan cricket series, which was played in Pakistan earlier this year, caused several cricket lovers to miss out on the live action.
Live telecasts of the matches were provided by a satellite channel, which could not be offered in Qatar due to a problem with telecast rights.
Some avid cricket fans, however, managed to circumvent the problem by importing Pehla cards from Dubai and other regional markets.
Soccer fans ‘zapped off the airwaves’
From http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/7/6/nation/8376949&sec=nation
KUALA LUMPUR: Astro subscribers watching the Euro 2004 finals in Taman Wangsa Permai were literally zapped off the airwaves when thieves stole the signal boosters of the satellite dishes early yesterday.
While they could switch to other channels to follow the Greece and Portugal game, scores of residents of the Prima Saujana apartment were shocked to find that someone had cut off the cables and took away the boosters.
All the dishes were located on the roof and at the balcony of the 17-storey block.
Sivarajah K, who was watching the game when his television screen “went fuzzy” soon after Greece had scored, thought bad weather had affected the transmission.
“I didn’t suspect anything and thought it was the usual transmission problem Astro has.
“So, I just switched to TV3 and continued watching the game,” he said.
It was not until later in the day that the residents realised the theft.
Lee Siew Lin, who stayed on the 13th floor, said Astro would not fix the problem immediately even after police reports were made.
She said she was told it would take five to seven working days to install a new booster costing RM160 each.
YBR Sdn Bhd, the management of the apartment, said it was investigating the thefts.
(Craigs comment, anyone want to buy a cheap lnbf?)
Zee's Dish TV now with 100-channel offering
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/july/july31.htm
NEW DELHI: Dish TV, India's first KU-band DTH service today announced that it's channel offering has increased to 100 from 1 July.
As reported by indiantelevision.com earlier, Dish TV reiterated that it has shifted its service to NSS-6 satellite.
The new channels added include FTV, the Sahara entertainment and news channels, Rajat Sharma's India TV and some ARY group channels too.
Speaking on the increased number of channels Essel Group additional vice chairman Jawahar Goel said, "In our commitment to provide the best in entertainment to our customers spread across the length and breadth of the country, we have increased the number of channels to more than 100.
Essel group is the umbrella entity under which Subhash Chandra carries out his diversified business ventures ranging from theme parks to TV channels to film production to real estate.
Dish TV already provides value added services that include radio channels, teletext, dual audio for channels, parental control and Electronic Program Guide (EPG). For getting a Dish TV connection, one can also SMS the request to 7575.
The New channels' list:
Aastha
Akash Bangla
ARY Gold
ARY Music
ARY News
Asianet
B4U Music
Balle Balle
ETV - Bangla
ETV - Bihar
ETV - Gujarati
ETV - Kannada
ETV - Marathi
ETV - MP
ETV - Oriya
ETV - Rajasthan
ETV - UP
ETV - Urdu
ETV2
Fashion TV
GOD
India TV
Jaya TV
MH1
NDTV India
Raj Musix
Sahara Manoranjan
Sahara Samay
SS Music
Trace by MCM
The existing channels' (48) are listed below :
24X7 NDTV
Aaj Tak
Action
Alpha Bangla
Alpha Gujarati
Alpha Marathi
Alpha Punjabi
BBC World
Cartoon Network
CCTV9
Classic
CNBC TV18
CNN
DD India
DD Karnataka (DD 9)
DD National
DD News
DD Oriya
DD Podhigai (dd5)
DD Sports
DISH TV Interactive
ESPN
ETC Music
ETC Punjabi
ETV - Telugu
Geo Pak
Headlines Today
Jagran
Kairali Malyalam
MAA TV
MX
Nepal 1
POGO
Premier
Reality TV
SAB TV
Smile TV
Star Sports
TCT World
Trendz
TV5
Vissa
Zee Cinema
Zee English
Zee MGM
Zee Music
Zee News
Zee TV
Sony Launches Animation Channel
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=62881
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television International on Monday announced the launch of Animax, an animation channel for viewers of all age groups, in the Indian market. Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India Ltd will handle the distribution and advertising sales of the channel in the country.
“This will be another addition to our distribution bouquet, in a genre which will cut across kids and youth. Even as we are entering into a cluttered television channel environment, we expect Animax to hit straight in the target group,” said SET India chief executive officer Kunal Dasgupta.
The channel will be priced at Rs 3 a month per subscriber, taking the total Sony-Discovery bouquet cost to Rs 64. The recent additions - MTV and Nickelodeon from the Viacom stable - are priced at Rs 6. Animax will start as a 24-hour English service and will have about 12 hours of Hindi dubbed programming as a dual feed.
“In nine months time, we will introduce the 24-hour Hindi version of Animax. This will be in addition to our English service,” said Todd Miller, managing director of Sony Pictures Television International, Asia. The India launch is part of Sony’s expansion plan in the Asian region. The launch of the Animax South Asia service this July will also make the channel available in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
“Today Animax can be seen in more than 5.6 million homes across Asia outside India,” said Mr Miller.
Animax has appointed cricketer Irfan Pathan as its brand ambassador for the South Asia service.
“Animax will be available from today in pockets of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and entirely in Kolkata. We hope to make the channel available in 16 million cable and satellite homes in the next few weeks,” said SET-Discovery president Shantonu Aditya.
Zee Cinema’s new look
From http://ww1.mid-day.com/entertainment/television/2004/july/87077.htm
Zee Cinema’s movies, masti and magic will now appear in, as their catchline goes, Ek Naye Andaaz Mein. The channel is going in for a makeover after nine years. “It will bear a distinct new whitewash look.
There are new graphic elements,” says Yogesh Radhakrishnan, business head, Zee Cinema, “The channel has evolved with the changing moods of viewers.
Our brand identity is very strong with our viewers who have given us constant feedback based on which the look and feel of the channel has been designed.” Adding further he says, “This brand repackaging exercise was not an easy task as we wished to be within the family of our core colours green and yellow.”
The team giving a new look to Zee Cinema include Nabeel Abbas and Imran Khan with the music being composed by Salim Sulaiman and cinematography by Amit Roy.
5/07/04
Well as you probably saw if you logged on over the weekend Tarbs has gone into receivership. I don't think anyone will really be surprised other than the time its taken to happen. Where did it all go wrong? take a look at how many satellites they were using. Thaicom3, NSS6, Pas 10 (at one stage) Pas 8, Pas 2 and Galaxy in the States and now I701 as well. That's a lot of $ tied up in distribution.
I had a try for Pas2 KU Arirang TV on the weekend. Not even close to playing on a 76cm they have not done their homework on this one. It looks like nothing less than a 1.5m or even 1.8m will be suitable to receive this one. I have sent them an email and will also discuss it with one of the local guys who does monitoring for them.
Arirang TV is leaving Asiasat 3 from July 10th for Pas 10 (Cband) / Pas 2 (KU!) read the info below.
http://www.arirangtv.com/english/about_us/pas-1.asp
From my Emails & ICQ
From Skip
----- Original Message -----
From: <*@TARBS.COM>
To: "**" <*@optusnet.com.au>
Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2004 5:35 PM
Dear "**"
Thank you for your email.
On the 2 July 2004, Phil Carter and Martin Brown of Pricewater House
Coopers were appointed as receivers and managers of TARBS World TV by a secured
creditor. The receivers are working with management of TARBS with a view to
assess the continued operations of the business and further developments
will be communicated to our customers in due course.
TARBS World TV is working with the receivers with a view to continuing to
provide our subscribers with the best TV from around the world, whilst the
receivers assess the long term future of the business.
We thank you for your patience and continued support in this matter.
Regards,
TARBS AUSTRALIA
From Bacco
TARBS Refund
Rang TARBS today asking what the current situation is, they were very hesitant to tell me anything besides whats been in the papers/online.
I did however ask regarding refund and they have told me that while they are still providing the service they cant give out refunds...
From Various
Reality tv is FTA on pas 10.
3863v 20600 3/4.
From Ranime
B1 12397 H 3/f 7200
B1 12380 H 3/4 6670
Islanders vs Australia rugby seen
B3 12452 H 3/4 6670
ch10 feed for V8 Supercars
From Glenn Gibson
More Filipino channels!
Apart from the Abs-Cbn mux added yesterday on Pas 8.
We now have 3 New channels appearing on Pas 2-
4107V, sr 10352.
The Channels include GMA, Living Asia, and 1 other (havent seen any banners yet).
Currently appearing FTA but I remember Gma stating a while ago that they had plans for a pay channel into
Australia/Nz, so I presume it could encrypt.
Glenn
From Bassett
intelsat 701
Iv'e just loaded that frequancy 12691 H 28066, Used 1.5 solid prime dish
with MTI universial LNB, via a Hyundai 800 receiver
Loads 16 TV channels, and 16 Radio channels everything encripted,
Encription unknown
it loaded the following TV channels Move 1, Move 2, Move 3, INB 1, INB 2,
INB 3, News 1, News 2, Doc 1, doc 2, SPTS, KIDS, VRTY 1, VRTY 2, SHC, and
PPV.
Radio channels were labled RA 1 through to RA 16
bassett
From John McDermott
B1 Football Mpg 4.2.2?
There is a feed on Optus B1 12493H SR 10859, VUA 15 m/bs
The sound suggests it is the AFL from Football Park.
From the Dish
NSS 5 177W 12681 V "Hakka TV" has left
PAS 2 169E 4107 V "GMA Network and Living Asia Channel" have started on , Fta SR 10352, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4160/4120 and 4360/4320.
PAS 8 166E 3808 V "EM TV, Yumi FM and Nau FM" are still on , PowerVu, SR 5632, FEC 3/4.
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Videoland Sports, The Soundtrack Channel Pacific, Pili Satellite TV and CTI TV Asia" are now encrypted.
PAS 8 166E "CTS - Christian TV System" has moved from 3950 V to 3944 V, Fta, SR 3000,FEC 3/4, PIDs 4194/4195.
Palapa C2 113E 10971 V "Brazil Mix TV, NASA TV and four test cards" have started on , Fta,PIDs 513/514-2049/2050. New PIDs for ABC Asia Pacific and DW-TV: 769/770 and 1025/1026. New SR: 28860.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 4106 V "PTV National" has started on , Fta, SR 3333, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Express AM 11 96.5E 3975 R "Telekanal Rossiya and Radio Mayak" have left (SECAM) again.
NSS 6 95E Free-XTV has left 11543 V and 11594 H again, replaced by an info card, fta.
NSS 6 95E Two DISH TV mux have started on 12538 V and 12595 V, Conax, SR 40700,FEC 2/3. For line-ups and PIDs, see the DISH TV package.
NSS 6 95E 11035 H New line-up in the mux here .
Insat 3A 93.5E 11670 H "AIR" has started on , Fta, APID 1319.
Measat 1 91.5E 10982 V "Playhouse Disney Asia" has started on , Mediaguard, PIDs 171/157.
ST 1 88E 12537 H "Hakka TV" is now FTA.
ST 1 88E 12537 H "TTV, CTV; FTV Entertainment, CTS, Hakka TV and PTS" have started ., PIDs 33/36, 102/103, 1163/1131, 1164/1141, 4130/4131 and 4194/4195.
ST 1 88E 12642 H "TTV" has left .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3671 H. "Fashion TV" has left
Telstar 10 76.5E 3652 H "TV Lanka Channel 2" is Fta.
PAS 10 68.5E 3863 V "Reality TV Europe" is now fta.
PAS 10 68.5E 4075 V "A Hungama test card" has started on , Fta, SR 4000, PIDs 500/600.
PAS 10 68.5E 4099 V "Afrisat" has started on , Fta, PIDs 513/641.
NEWS
TV venture faces set back
From http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=4665
THE joint venture between Pacific Broadcasting Services and Australian-based Television and Radio Broadcasting Services (TARBS) is in question as the latter went into receivership on Friday.
The Australian reported yesterday that TARBS World TV, Australia's only ethnic pay-TV broadcaster, became the first pay-TV provider to fall into receivership since industry pioneer Australis Media in 1997.
According to the report, TARBS creditor PanAmSat, which provides worldwide satellite services to the Sydney-based business, named Pricewaterhouse-Coopers as receivers following a dispute over fees paid to the satellite group.
"We have to check this report first before we can release any statement," said Mr Berenado Vunibobo, the director of Pacific Broadcadsting Services, yesterday.
Pacific Broadcasting Services with TARBS were to offer 15 pay-TV channels. TARBS has a worldwide TV network, which included links in European countries like France, Portugal, Spain, as well as Australasian countries such as India, Bangladesh and Australia.
Mr Vunibobo said last week that they were trying to enter into a partnership with the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited and the Ba Provincial Holdings Limited to get the project off the ground. The start-up package to sign up to the network was expected to include a portable satellite dish and a decoder at $399, with a monthly subscription fee of between $40 and $49. Coverage would be from anywhere in Fiji with subscribers owning the dish and the decoder.
Because the mother station was in Australia, Mr Vunibobo said they did not have to apply for a licence.
Sea Launch Investigates Results of Telstar 18 Mission
From Press Release
LONG BEACH, Calif., July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sea Launch team is
gathering and reviewing Telstar 18 mission data to understand the sequence of
events that led to a premature shutdown of the Sea Launch Zenit-3SL upper
stage during that mission earlier this week.
The Zenit-3SL launch vehicle lifted off from the equatorial launch site on
June 28 at 8:59 pm PDT, (3:59 GMT, June 29) as scheduled, deploying Loral's
Telstar 18 communications satellite into orbit with a separated mass of
4,640 kg (10,229 lb.). Based on preliminary flight data, all Sea Launch
system flight parameters were nominal except that the upper stage of the
launch vehicle shut down about 54 seconds prematurely, following the second of
two planned burns of the upper stage. The early shutdown caused the satellite
to be released into an orbit with an apogee of 21,605 km, some 14,000 km short
of the 35,786 km target apogee.
Space Systems/Loral confirmed spacecraft signal acquisition by a ground
station in Perth, Australia, soon after separation and reported that the
satellite was operating normally. Loral Space & Communications has replanned
the mission and, if successful, the satellite has sufficient on-board fuel to
bring it to its final orbital position and meet or exceed its 13-year
specified life. Loral also reported the Telstar 18 spacecraft has deployed
its solar arrays and all systems on the spacecraft are functioning as
designed.
The cause of the rocket's upper stage premature shutdown is under
investigation by an Energia-appointed commission. Sea Launch will also form
an independent review board to evaluate all findings and confirm that any
corrective actions associated with the upper stage performance on the
Telstar 18 mission are complete, satisfactory and verified. At this point in
time, Sea Launch is optimistic it will conclude the board's investigation and
complete two more launches this year, as originally planned.
Sea Launch remains highly confident in the robust capability of the
Zenit-3SL system, including the upper stage. This component remains one of
the premiere upper stages in the industry, with an overall success rate of
approximately 97%.
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and marketed
through Boeing Launch Services ( http://www.boeing.com/launch ), is the world's most
reliable commercial heavy-lift launch services provider. This multinational
partnership offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary
orbit. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the reliable
Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or provide longer life on
orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional
information and images of this mission, please visit the Sea Launch website
at: http://www.sea-launch.com.
First Pashtu channel launched
From http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_3-7-2004_pg7_26
ISLAMABAD: AVT Khyber, Pakistan’s first Pashtu satellite television channel, started its test transmission on Thursday.
This is the first television channel, which will air its transmission through the Asia Sat satellite, which will be beamed into Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Middle East and several other countries.
The channel will provide news, current affairs and entertainment and after every hour, a special news bulletin will be aired. The entertainment segment will have dramas, music shows and stage shows. Speaking on the occasion Director News and Current Affairs AVT Aamir Mateen said that the launch was a great moment for the 70 million Pushtuns who now have their own channel. “There are numerous language channels in the region, however, the AVT Khyber will prove a real representative of Pushtun society and culture,” he said. Secretary Information Sayed Anwar Mahmood was the chief guest and PTV Managing Director Arshad Khan was also present at the launch. app
For those in the know sky is the limit
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.post.php3
Non-UBC satellite TV subscribers have access to 300 stations, several in Thai
Remember the good old days when there were only four TV channels - 3, 5, 7 and 9 - and your only concern was making sure the picture on your set wasn't too blurry?
But in this era of information technology, you can be overwhelmed with TV channels - if you have the money to invest in a good satellite dish equipped with a sophisticated receiver that can tune into one of some 25 birds orbiting Thailand.
Where satellite broadcasting is concerned, the sky literally is the limit. A local firm that makes satellite dishes and receivers counts over 300 channels of unscrambled TV signals beamed into Thailand from some 25 satellites.
As a result, while arguments rage over TV stations expanding into new satellite channels, a group of people in the know has already been tuning in to more than 300 of them.
Several are broadcast in Thai, and at least three adult movie stations are accessible in Thailand via yearly subscription rates that run from Bt5,000 to Bt6,000. These are Bluekiss, ST1 and Free XTV, which sell subscription access cards via websites.
The satellite subscribers even have their own Web board where they share technical information on how to tune in.
Even the controversial Dhamakaya Temple has its own channel beamed from the ThaiCom 3 satellite.
Members of the Web board said they had discovered a new satellite channel dedicated to Thai boxing broadcasts.
For those who desire English news, the satellite TV audience get signals from channels such as BBC World, NHK World and CNN International.
Satellite television is broadcast in two frequency bandwidths: C-band and KU-band. The signals are beamed down in either analogue or digital formats.
C-band signals require a bigger satellite dish, but the C-band's footprint is much larger than that of the KU-band. Depending on the location, a KU-band system can mostly receive signals from only ThaiCom 2/3 satellites, while a C-band dish can receive many more signals.
Some manufacturers have made products that receive both C-band and KU-band channels in both analogue and digital formats. This kind of system has become a hit amongst the satellite TV audience.
The manufacturers have also equipped their products with automatic tracking systems that turn disks to the best angle to receive signals from specific channels.
While a KU-band-only digital broadcast system runs at about Bt6,000, the price of a sophisticated all-in-one system with moveable dish ranges from Bt15,000 to Bt20,000.
However, as members of the "Thai satellite problem" Web board put it, most of the free-to-air satellite channels accessible in Thailand are "rubbish", mere repetitions of terrestrial TV from the countries where those channels originate. Most of them are also broadcast in local languages, such as Hindi, Chinese and Nepalese.
As a result, the members of the Web board are ogling subscription satellite television. These subscription channels are encrypted with digital codes, but the satellite TV audience - with the help of some manufacturers - has been able to decode the signals and watch for free.
Two popular subscription stations are Malaysia's Astro and the Dream DTH network from the Philippines. These two stations, according to the Web board, have similar programmes to UBC, except they are broadcast in English.
New model receivers have built-in decoders, which automatically search for keys that decode encrypted signals. Those with older models have to use remote controls to key in a decoding sequence and ask for the codes from friends on the Web board.
The price of a system with the automatic decoding capability, which can be ordered through the websites that support the Web board, is about Bt6,900.
But there is a risk. The Astro and Dream stations still use old encrypting software. Once they upgrade their security, viewers will find it hard to hack in and watch their programmes for free.
"What if I invest in an Astro system and then they change the encryption to version 2?" said a message on the Web board.
"Don't worry, you will still be able to use the system to watch free-to-air stations. Moreover, it will take months for them to upgrade the encryption. Still, if they do, I believe Thai programmers are good enough to hack them," came the reply.
And messages on the board indicate that the free viewers are eyeing UBC, but they admit that they have failed to break the Irdeto 2 encryption application, the hardest encryption to crack thus far.
Meanwhile, Jirawan Chenaphun, a manager of satellite-dish maker Dynasat, said demand for satellite TVs had been growing strongly in the past decade with 40 per cent of customers belonging to upper-low-income groups, 50 per cent to middle-income groups and the rest upper-income earners.
With a proper dish, you can access 50-60 channels of international programmes after investing a one-time fee of Bt10,000-Bt30,000 in a system.
"Most satellite TV watchers want news and up-to-date foreign information, but entertainment channels are always reliable, " she said, adding that continual technological development and increased competition will spur demand for new satellite TVs.
Trinai Kajornkiatniyom, marketing manager of satellite TV firm PSI Holding, said prices for systems had dropped from Bt50,000 to Bt10,000.
"This year's sales have increased 50 per cent from the same period last year. Our main target group is sports lovers because those audiences don't face a language barrier. They can watch the programmes in Indonesian or Indian languages," he said, adding that this month PSI will launch a new satellite package focusing on housewives. They can watch more than 30 channels for free after paying a one-time fee of Bt8,500.
Trinai said the price was expected to fall as low as Bt5,000 per system soon.
Walt Disney Television International's Preschool Channel "Playhouse Disney Channel" Now In Five Markets Across Asia.
From http://www.mickeynews.com/News/DisplayPressRelease.asp_Q_id_E_724Playhouse
Malaysia joins Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Indonesia on the list of markets where preschoolers are experiencing a fun new way of learning through Walt Disney Television International's dedicated preschool service, Playhouse Disney Channel.
This weekend's launch of the only 24-hour preschool-learning channel in Asia on Malaysia's multi-channel TV operator Astro brings the number of Playhouse Disney Channels in Asia to five, all launching in a span of three months.
Raymund Miranda, managing director of Walt Disney Television International (Southeast Asia/Korea): "The rapid expansion of Playhouse Disney Channel in Asia provides ample evidence that the preschool audience is an important and under-served segment of the pay-TV market in the region. The Playhouse Disney brand recognized that need as early as 1999 and continues to remain the leader in providing fun and imaginative learning to this audience. The launch of Playhouse Disney Channel in our region completes the evolution of this brand from a block that was introduced in 2000 to a stand alone channel today. "
Playhouse Disney Channel invites preschool children into a world of discovery, creative play and fun learning. Catering to kids two to five years old, their parents and caregivers, the commercial-free channel provides a safe, entertaining TV environment, so the kids enjoy the programming while parents are assured that their children are learning from award-winning programming based on the Whole Child Curriculum. The curriculum aspires to stimulate thinking skills, develop motor skills, impart early academic learning, instill moral and social lessons and encourage creativity and artistic expression.
About Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific)
WDTVI-AP is responsible for all of The Walt Disney Company's free and pay television activities across the Asia Pacific region (excluding Japan). These activities include branded and non-branded program distribution through Buena Vista International Television - Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP), as well as production, broadcasting, development and management of Disney Channels and other media investments.
Disney Branded Television oversees WDTVI-AP's pay TV channels such as Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney Channel now seen in 10 countries region- wide as well as Disney Clubs and Disney branded programming blocks on free-to- air networks, reaching more than 380 million households in the region.
BBC's next big idea is 'unmissable' TV
From http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=766952004
DELETE as appropriate to create a painfully familiar sentence: I don’t suppose anyone taped The Office/Sex and the City/EastEnders last night; I was too busy/distracted by the kids/drunk to remember.
That sickening feeling of missing an essential moment in television history will become a thing of the past if BBC boasts of a viewing ‘revolution’ are realised.
The corporation is testing a new system that will make an entire week’s-worth of output available at the click of a mouse.
Television addicts will be able to download any programmes they missed in the previous seven days and keep them for up to a week before they electronically self-destruct, all for free.
The service is being seen as the UK’s first version of television-on-demand, where viewers can choose what they want to see and when rather than being restricted to programme schedules.
The system, which is called Interactive Media Player (iMP), will require viewers to download software which lets them play BBC shows in high resolution on their monitor, attached television, handheld computer or mobile phone.
The iMP software will reduce the risk of piracy by protecting against copying and wiping the file clean a week after it is downloaded.
The system significantly differs from the Sky Plus service, which allows viewers to select programmes they want to record up to a week in advance. That service digitally records programmes when they are broadcast. The BBC plan is to release viewers from the schedulers altogether and allow the downloading of any programme after it has been shown.
As well as giving a second chance to anyone who missed a favourite show, it also means viewers can catch up on programmes they didn’t plan to watch, but which become the hot topic around the office water cooler.
One disadvantage of the system is that even with a standard broadband connection it could take up to four hours to download a 40-minute programme of high enough quality to watch on a television screen.
But many viewers will choose to download overnight and with the increasing availability of high-speed broadband, the time could be reduced to an hour.
It is also hoped viewers will have the option of watching programmes - albeit in lower resolution - as they are downloaded, a technique known as ‘streaming video’.
A spokeswoman for the BBC said: "It is still at the testing stage, but it will revolutionise TV viewing. You will able to watch the programmes when you want. And because you will be able to watch the shows on handheld computers or some of the more advanced mobile phones, you could even take the programmes with youon your commute and watch them on the train or the bus."
The system will also be programmable in advance, meaning that a viewer could set their computer to download regular programmes - such as soaps or dramas - rather than forcing them to check the time each week and trust to the old-fashioned video recorder.
The downloads will also be counted towards viewing figures, meaning that the BBC will be able to argue that more people are accessing their productions, thus boosting the argument for the licence fee.
The BBC spokeswoman was unable to say when the system would be made available as it was still being tested and would be evaluated later this year. So far the BBC has produced no estimate as to what the scheme will cost to develop.
Protecting the programmes from piracy is the main difficulty for the BBC technicians who are working on the project.
Although anyone can presently risk breaking the law by recording a TV show on a video cassette or blank DVD, the downloading of programme files direct to computers makes the output of the Corporation particularly prone to piracy.
Engineers want to make sure that the self-destruct feature on the programmes cannot be disabled and that the files cannot be played on anything other than the BBC’s own software.
Because of issues about copyright, the system will only be made available to users in the UK. Technicians must also find a way of making sure that their programmes will not work on computers outside the UK. A possible way to stop piracy might be to link access codes in the software to a TV licence number or a British address. But no system has yet been decided on.
In recent years, the entertainment industry has unveiled a number of ‘foolproof’ anti-piracy systems for computer software, console games, and DVDs. But pirates have all managed to crack the encryption codes and produce copies, some of very high quality.
In addition, some computer users record programmes off the air, transfer them on to computers and then place them on file-sharing systems so that other computer-users can download them.
While the Sky Plus system has received rave reviews from the technophiles, viewers have been relatively slow to take up the new system. Out of seven million homes in the UK which subscribe to Sky, only 350,000 have switched to Sky Plus.
A Sky spokeswoman said the satellite broadcaster did not view the BBC system as competition for their Sky Plus system. "The two are very different kinds of systems for the viewer. Only about 40% of people have a computer, while almost everyone has a television. We don’t really feel the two are competing in any way."
Porn comeback is big cable TV secret
From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/764961.cms
NEW DELHI: Remember TB6, the Russian adult TV channel which was banned by government sometime back. Now, porn or adult TV channels are making a comeback.
Latest are Russian channel REN TV, which offers Playboy branded movies on Saturday nights, Bluekiss and Bluekiss Express Promo which have become a sensation.
Cable operators admit that more than half a dozen porn and semi-porn TV channels (Rainbow, Free X-TV and more) are being broadcast across the country.
I&B ministry officials are aware of the adult channels dished in many areas across India, but they have not found a way to stop the sleaze. Experts say that technologically it is impossible to prevent these channels reaching Indian shores. At present, anyone with a satellite dish, a decoder or set-top box and the relevant smartcard bought from Dubai or in India, can tune into porn programmes.
Industry experts maintain that India is seen by sleaze broadcasters as a potential market. Although the government has banned porn channels for direct to home (DTH) service providers, subscribers can buy smart cards and access adult content. Experts maintained that it is easier to access porn via DTH than through cable.
Even national broadcaster Doordarshan has to find a way to prevent adult channels passing through its satellite when it launches DTH service.
4/07/04
No update Sunday
3/07/04
TARB'S IN RECEIVERSHIP!
TARBS TV money woes
From http://finance.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10022978%255E462,00.html
July 3, 2004
From http://finance.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10022978%255E462,00.html
AUSTRALIA'S only ethnic pay-TV broadcaster, TARBS World TV, yesterday became the first pay-TV provider to fall into receivership since industry pioneer Australis Media in 1997.
The Australian understands that TARBS creditor PanAmSat, which provides worldwide satellite services to the Sydney-based business, appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers as receivers yesterday.
The move follows a dispute between TARBS and PanAmSat over fees paid to the satellite group. A company spokesman confirmed the receivership but said TARBS was confident of resolving the dispute.
Company founder Mike Boulos was not available for comment yesterday. He was in the Philippines, where TARBS launched its latest TV service just two days ago.
The TARBS signal remains on air while the receiver reviews the business.
It is not clear how much TARBS owes its creditors but the business is fully funded with no debt.
TARBS, with a staff of about 200 people, provides a 65-channel, multi-language satellite pay-TV service to about 50,000 subscribers.
It was established in 1995 as Television & Radio Broadcasting Services Australia by Egyptian-Australian businessman Mr Boulos and media executive and practitioner Regina Leviste-Boulos.
In 2003, it was renamed TARBS World TV "to better reflect its core service of multicultural TV and radio".
The company has also expanded worldwide, setting up regional headquarters and satellite facilities in Greece and the US.
Australis, which operated under the Galaxy brand, failed in 1997. Many of its assets, and subscribers, were picked up by rivals Foxtel and Optus.
2/07/04
Plenty to talk about today. Firstly the filipino DTH mux has started on Pas 8 read the news section for details.
Arirang Korea has turned up FTA on Pas2 KU Aus/NZ beam. A very weak fluctuating signal. A good idea to check your lnbf skew on this bird as its different to others. I havn't had the chance to tweak my dish to get this one yet.
Looks like the new Tarb's Pacific Islands service has beaten Fiji TV in the race to get up and running first providing DTH to the Islands.
Tarb's Pacific Islands service on I701 New Caledonia beam.
16 TV and 16 Radios loading 12693H Sr 28066 3/4 all with Test cards
Website address for them is http://www.pacificbroadcastingservices.com/
Hakka TV on Nss5 177W has left though the others in the mux are still there.
Mai FM is now listed on Sky on B1, yes the same people that wanted to use the spare UHF channel in Auckland to do an Auckland TV station...
Jon's Asia Weekly
"One platform, one band, one network"
Issue 11
It has been a week of great expectations for everyone, from the cricket,
to the Iraq hand over, to the soccer, to the new EuroSport News, to the
rugby to interest rate hikes in the USA, to non existent but real
transponders on Telkom 1 C band.
A bit of a shame we had to hunt all over the sky's to see these things.
There are many rumours in the industry now how the next big thing is
going to hit use is the real use of the new digital technologies on the
"UHF" and "Ka" bands where we will find a convergence of several data
and digital audio and video technologies with tremendous bandwidth for
everyone to play with.
Imagine for a minute what you could do?
A small example of these things can already be seen on the Sky network
in the UK, PerfecTV in Japan, and several of the US cable networks
where you can;
1. Interact with the network
2. Send and receive email
3. Surf the web
4. See different views of a sports match (Sky do this well with the
current Natwest one day international cricket series)
a. A wicket or stump shot/feed
b. A boundary shot/feed
c. The NFL also has this on some cable networks in the USA
d. F1 used to do this in Germany which brought a whole new
viewer experience to the sport.
5. Vote for players of the day or of a match, or just vote
6. Do an instant replay of something
7. etc etc
Image being able to do this with out the need for a satellite dish, as
we know it now, right from your own back lawn. That's right, the use
of digital technologies via a MMDS like (operative words "digital" and
"like") service where you can do all of this from the comfort of the
lounge without the hassles of rain, snow, fog, smoke or pollution fade.
There are a number of tests going on over the Asia Pacific region and
many planned for the next six months. A number of those who will be
doing the tests have teamed up with other interested non-traditional TV
external parties to help spread the development loads and costs and to
help bring product to market in a timely manner in many countries.
Let us take a hypothetical regional example of what these technologies
could provide to one entertainment industry that covers a majority of
the population, and this is horse racing.
Imagine if you are the local in-country "TAB" (for non horse racing
fans this is the 'betting' agency in many countries and remember this is
purely hypothetical). The TAB provides in country and via individual
Jockey Clubs in many other countries across the region;
1. Live TV content from each race at each meeting across the
country or territory which would include;
a. Live video feeds of the pre-race parade
b. Live video feeds of the races
c. A tipsters/bookies show on each race, who is the favourate,
what are the odds also providing extensive background on the track, on
the jockeys and the horses
2. Internet or telephone accounts to place your bets
3. Lots of other value added services like bookings
Also you will find in non TV related medias the following items;
1. Newspapers will carry the form, tips, favourites, schedules race
times and much more on each race.
2. Various racing magazines will carry the same
3. The local radio station will carry the same
4. The Internet is full of sites trying to help give you the edge
on each race
5. MMS and SMS mobile phone form services for those who need to be
right up to date
6. PDA and wireless updates
Now imagine all this converging onto one platform where you can hear the
radio, watch the TV, make a bet and read the various materials from
you're your choice of platform. By platform I mean your computer, smart
set top box (TV), mobile phone handset or PDA. Where you can interact
with the content, place bets, view the odds, see the jockeys and horses
form and what they are doing at the moment. Be reading your favourate
tipster magazine or newspaper about the odds or form of a horse, with
the video content on the screen showing the horse, while the local radio
station is streaming to you in mp4, so you can also hear the odds or
form of that horse or race.
All this will be done by simply telling your smart set top box what,
when and how you want your racing content, and how you want it
presented on your platform of choice for example, your TV, computer,
mobile phone or PDA and where you want specific content delivered to and
how you want it presented on that platform. Or by telling your PDA,
mobile phone or computer how you want it presented on your TV.
Imagine all this for the same or similar pricing as you pay for your
cable network now. Imagine one platform, one band, one network. It is
not that far away if all the backroom whispers and gossip is correct.
Imagine how this is going to take on the existing networks who use the
Ku band for distribution, image the fun as consumers we are in for over
the next several years across the region. Imagine how the Telco's, TV
operators, ISP's and content providers also all converge on this one
platform, one network, one stop entertainment platform.
Ku Band
=====
Seems many users out there are getting into the act and finding exactly
what they have on their Ku band doorsteps so to speak with some exciting
results. While others with all the kit they need, can not even find the
basics.
This leads me to thinking much of what we discuss in this forum is still
for the hobbyist and not the average Joe who just wants to watch the
tele.
Installed the new 3.4 meter dual C & Ku band dish here this week and
already the Ku Band DX list is going crazy with all the new transponders
we have found from PAS 8 Ku over to PAS 7/10 Ku but more on this in
future issues.
Xfree-TV is currently free to air with a message for all it subscribers
asking them to go to their web site and read the news. It must be hard
to bite the bullet on this one, so well done Xfree-TV for doing it.
C band
=====
Our regional transponder hunter and guru Steve, has found a transponder
on Telkom 1, that many of us have confirmed to him, which he and we have
all been told can not exist.
Hard to tell all the receivers in this place that they are not allowed
to receive this Free To Air test transponder as it does not exist, when
we the users all see a test signal and are listening to a Jakarta FM
radio station. So to the many of you who are suffering from "Indian
holiday syndrome" simply change your browser settings to www.satcodx.com
and get on with our great hobby.
HOT: talksport radio on Thaicom 2/3 C band
EuroSportNews on AsiaSat 2 has moved and is now encrypted (rats) must
have been those copyright police again.
With all the activity going on this week as mentioned at the top of this
article, the sports and news feeds on all the birds I see here in Asia
have been going crazy. I have not seen so much traffic since the last
APEC meeting.
Receivers
======
I had the opportunity to play with the new eMetabox III this week and I
must say all the hype and rumours are 101% correct. What a neat box, I
liked it so much I brought one for me to play with. All they need to
do to this box is put in a 'dish move' and it would be a world beater in
the middle market segment.
HOT: eMetabox III selling like hot cakes
Dishes
=====
The new 3.4 meter Dynasat extra dish we installed here is 4 to 5 signal
points higher on my old Silverbox digital receiver than my previous PSI
3.4 meter C band dish on the same transponders right across the C Band.
Same C Band LNB used on both dishes, same actuator, but different dish
manufacturers.
[Sorry could not compare the two to the Ku band as I could never get the
PSI functioning as well as my 7.5 foot extra from Dynasat, so I gave up
on the whole process long ago]
The Dynasat 3.4 meter extra version has a C & Ku band plate in it that
allows the best of both worlds on one dish. I must say I am impressed
with the performance of this dish even over the Dynasat 7.5 foot extra
version I have been using here. If there is ever going to be a larger
version of these dishes I want one.
The only issue with the Dynasat extra I found was getting the Ku Band
prime focus LNB at the right focal point (a difference of 4 signal
points if you do it wrong) but once this was done, my socks were knocked
off.
Weather report: Typhoons heading to Taiwan & the Philippines,
installers get ready.
Sport
====
As predicted the hottest thing next to the Euro2004 and rugby is the
Cricket, and the Natwest one day international series. Most of the
networks across the region are carrying it, although was told Dream is
not this time (strange they used to do this on JCTV for the Australian
VB series).
The rugby is hotting up. What was in the Wallabies milk last week, wow
I was even impressed with them. Must have been that good kiwi lager
XXXX or 4X that helped them out (smile).
The pre-Olympics qualifiers are all over the C Band sports feeds, and
looks like we are in for a treat this year, even more so than the
Australian games. One network I was told is putting in 8 channels just
for the Olympics. Eight channels, heck we will be lucky to get the
highlights here.
The pubs all over the region have been full on Fridays, Saturdays and
Sundays to see the AFL and NRL from ABC AP. Well done guys!
So we all found out what happened with EuroSport News since last weeks
issue.
Gossip
====
The rumours are flying fast and furious here that several networks in
the ASEAN region will shortly change encryption from Seca to Seca II and
another one to Conax. This has put a big dent in the sales of
educational equipment for these networks (just goes to show what rumours
do).
The copyright police from one ASEAN network [pick one] might be / are /
have / or are about to visit satellite TVRO OEM's (dish and set top box)
across the region, no they wouldn't would they? Seems one group of
them were surprised what they found in a country not far from here.
[Did you pick the right one?]
Comments
=======
Drop a note to Jon at [email protected]
From my Emails & ICQ
From Glenn Gibson
Filipino Channels FTA Pas 8 ku
The 4 test cards on Pas 8 ku have now changed and are now showing the ABS-CBN mux free to air.
The Channels are:
TFC - The Filipino Channel (drama, variety shows, comedies, general ent.)
Pinoy Central (leisure, travel and sports channel)
ANC - Abs-Cbn News Channel (news)
Cinema one (Filipino Movies)
Freq 12 575 H, SR 13845
At least 2 (or all) of these channels were part of the TARBS lineup. But after a recent
court battle, it looks like anyone wanting to access these channels wont have to go through them anymore.
I presume these channels will encrypt and anyone wanting a subscription would probably have to go through
ABS-CBN Direct.
The contact details for Australia off the website used to be TARBS but have now changed to the following:
ABS-CBN Australia PTY Ltd.
Level 9, Avaya House
123 Epping Road
North Ryde NSW 2113
Fax: 612-8875-7777
Tollfree: 011-800-2270-0722
Cheers
Glenn
From Ken Kirby
Asiasat 3 changes
PTV Nat is now on 4106 3333 V 3/4 (the feed channel), now that Khyber TV
has made a late start. Was supposed to be May 20th i think..
All the best
Ken Kirkby
From Simmo
Asiasat 3 new signals?
AVT KHYBER 4093 V 13343,
QING 3648 V 4421,
9MHz 3655 V 4421
and GDTV 4056 442O
From the Dish
NSS 5 177W 12681 V The Best TV mux has started, Videoguard, SR 15500, FEC 5/6,
line-up and PIDs identical to Intelsat 804: 12681 V.
Intelsat 701 180E 12691 V ?H?? A TARBS PBS Mux has started, Fta, SR 28066, FEC 3/4,PIDs 515/643, New Caledonian beam.(Signal reports welcome)
PAS 2 169E 12401 V "Arirang TV World 1" has started , Fta, SR 4400, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1260/1220, Australian beam.(First FTA video seen there in years!, weak though please send reports)
PAS 8 166E 3808 V "EM TV, Yumi FM and Nau FM" have left .
PAS 8 166E 4080 V All channels in the TAS mux are now encrypted in Viaccess.
PAS 8 166E 12686 H "CNBC Asia" has left .New PIDs for Hunan TV: 1910/1920, now encrypted.A Jadeworld info card has started on PIDs 2110/2120, Fta.
Agila 2 146E New SR for the mux on 12541 V: 14000.New PIDs for The God Channel: 44/45.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E "AVT Khyber has replaced PTV National" on 4091 V, Fta, PIDs 515/680.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 4129 H "Mezhdunarodnoe Radio Kitaya and Voice of Russia" have left .
Express AM 11 96.5E 3975 R "Telekanal Rossiya and Radio Mayak" have started on , SECAM, 7.00 and 8.65 MHz.
Insat 2E 83E 3525 V "Tharasu TV" has started testing on , fta, PIDs 385/386.
PAS 10 68.5E 4054 V "Arirang TV World 1" has started on , Fta, SR 4400, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1260/1220.
NSS 703 57E 3980 R "Udaya News" is now encrypted.
NEWS
ABS-CBN Australia Provides More Program Choices for Pinoys Starting July!
From Press Release
Filipinos in Australia will continue enjoying the best in Philippine news and entertainment through The Filipino Channel (TFC) and even more channels as ABS-CBN launches its newest office and premium direct-to-home service in Australia this July 1. ABS-CBN Australia Pty Ltd., the newest subsidiary of ABS-CBN Global Ltd. sets foot on the Land Down Under to provide homesick Filipinos more viewing options through TFCDirect!’s premium channel bundle of six, 24-hour networks in digital broadcast quality.
The Filipino Channel
The first and still the undisputed all-Filipino network in the world, celebrating 10 years of service and continuously bringing live news, homegrown entertainment and every reason for Filipinos in the world to feel closer to home.
ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC)
Filipinos’ only 24-hour source of round-the-clock national and regional news and late-breaking stories from the Philippines’ most credible and trusted broadcasters.
Cinema One Global
A non-stop movie festival of Filipino classics, blockbuster hits and even interesting features, showcasing the biggest stars and the largest film libraries in Philippine showbusiness an offering that will definitely elicit a unanimous reaction from Filipino movie buffs - “Enjoy Kang Kasama.”
Pinoy Central TV (PCTV)
The melting pot of all things Pinoy from sights, colors, to sounds that will bring to Filipinos in Australia the phenomenal Meteor Garden and PBA, plus the coverage of historical sports competitions, scenic travelogue and programs from the various regions of the country.
DWRR For Life
The Philippines’ favorite FM station playing well-loved OPM classics, the most requested hits and even long distance dedications across the shores.
DZMM Radio Patrol
The Philippines’ leading AM station bringing 24-hour coverage of the day’s headlines and even police reports from all corners of the country as delivered by veteran anchors and reporters.
Wilhelm (Billy) Ick, Managing Director of ABS-CBN Australia, announces that existing and new subscribers can get a free preview of all six channels until September 30. “We want to make sure that our viewers don’t miss their favorite Filipino programs during this transition period” said Ick. “In addition, there will be no upfront equipment fee payable by current TFC subscribers who switch from their previous cable satellite provider to TFCDirect!.”
After the free preview period, viewers can enjoy TFCDirect!’s homegrown entertainment for an affordable subscription rate of only $29.99 (+GST) per month.
TFCDirect!’s premium channel bundle is currently seen by close to a million Filipino subscribers worldwide through other ABS-CBN Global subsidiaries in North America, Middle East, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. For more information on ABS-CBN Australia and TFCDirect!, interested parties can call TOLL-FREE, 0011.800.2270.0722.
ABS-CBN eyes Asian market for global unit
From http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?section=BUSINESS&oid=54173
Media giant ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. wants to double the revenues from its international unit ABS-CBN Global within the next three years, as it expands in the Asia-Pacific region.
ABS-CBN president Luis F. Alejandro said the broadcasting company is looking to make ABS-CBN Global a more significant component of its business strategy. “It currently contributes 15 percent to [ABS-CBN] revenues. We can easily double it in the next three years. As we grow, ABS-CBN Global will be become a significant part of the business,” he told Today.
ABS-CBN Global’s net sales and services grew by 24 percent to P2.37 billion last year, from P1.9 billion in 2002. Bulk of its earnings, which are dollar-denominated, are from subscription revenues of its cable and direct-to-home service.
Alejandro said the company will soon set up an office in Australia, where there are some 30,000 Filipinos. “Australia will be the next expansion area. This is where we want to accelerate our expansion. We want to establish an office there,” he said.
Besides Australia, Alejandro said ABS-CBN Global is also preparing to penetrate Asian markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong, where there are many overseas Filipino workers. He said talks with cable operators in the two Asian countries are progressing, but declined to give details.
Alejandro said there is still a lot of room for growth for its international unit. “There is much potential for The Filipino Channel. There are seven million OFWs, and we only have 1.3 million viewers. If we can get even 3.5 million in the next few years, it would be significant,” he said.
As of the first quarter of 2004, worldwide subscribers grew by 25-percent year-on-year with a reach of 1.39 million viewers. The bulk of the subscribers are U.S. cable and direct-to-home subscribers, with the rest of the subscribers in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Alejandro said there is no definite timetable for the planned listing of ABS-CBN Global on the Singapore Stock Exchange. “It is a matter of timing. We already have the infrastructure. We also plan to upgrade the facilities,” he said.
ABS-CBN Global is a wholly owned subsidiary of ABS-CBN. It currently offers four cable channels The Filipino Channel, ANC News Channel, Cinema One Global and Pinoycentral TV, and live feeds from radio stations DZMM and DWRR.
Euro's pay-TV-only stance riles group
From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/01/1088488093552.html?oneclick=true
Euro 2004 may have been a great advertising slogan for pay-TV networks, but it has been the thin end of the wedge for soccer fans Australia-wide who believe it should have been shown on free-to-air TV.
Already, the Greens Party has asked Parliament why Euro 2004 was shown only on Foxtel, and now an Australian lobby group, GiveMeSoccer.com, has asked the Federal Government why the European championships have not been guaranteed to be shown on free-to-air TV.
GiveMeSoccer.com spokesman John Caniglia believes that given soccer is the most played game in the country, it should be a broad-based TV product. "We believe the general public want to see the game on free-to-air television, whether the Socceroos are playing or one of the leading teams in Europe," said Caniglia. "We are asking for balance in the coverage."
John Bowler goes in to bat for local sport enthusiasts
From http://kalgoorlie.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=sport&subclass=local&category=general%20sport&story_id=317950&m=7&y=2004
EYRE MLA John Bowler believes the sentiments of Goldfields sports lovers highlights the need for a third commercial television licence being made available for WA's regional viewers.
According to Mr Bowler, the issue has been underlined by recent television coverage of the European soccer championships - being aired exclusively to Foxtel subscribers.
Mr Bowler said there was no reason why country viewers should have less coverage of sport than those living in capital cities.
As such, regional WA was due for a third commercial television licence.
According to Mr Bowler, the soccer coverage was among a list of major sporting events that should, in future, be shown on free-to-air television.
That list has been included in a letter Mr Bowler has recently forwarded to Federal Communications Minister Daryl Williams.
"I have suggested that a review take place because there are a number of important sporting events that are only shown on pay-television," Mr Bowler said.
"Yet when this medium was established, the public was promised that major sporting events would be quarantined for use on free-to-air.
"I will make a similar approach to the Federal Labor Party prior to the next election."
Mr Bowler was compelled to take up the issue with the Federal Minister after receiving several complaints about the lack of live soccer coverage.
He believes that even a delayed telecast would provide a level of satisfaction for soccer fans and sports lovers in general.
"I recall government promises when pay-television came to Australia that all major sporting events would still be available on free-to-air television but increasingly, that is not the case," he said.
"Australian Rules fans who may not support the Eagles or Dockers are virtually forced to pay for Foxtel if they want to see their team in action on a regular basis."
Mr Bowler said that ideally, three country licences would have direct links to the major commercial networks - Channels Seven, Nine and Ten.
THAILAND: Privatisation moves illegal, institute says
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=12493
PM right to call for probe, says Somkiat
Moves to privatise television channels 5, 9 and 11 as well as programme changes at iTV which break the law must be stopped, a director of the Thailand Development Research Institute said.
Somkiat Tangkijvanich, TDRI research director, said the frequency allocation act of 2000 prohibited any stations from allocating a frequency or a licence to any operator pending the creation of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
The army had no right to contract RTA Entertainment Co to run its Channel 5 under a 30-year concession and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was right to stop changes at the station and order an investigation, he said.
The change would otherwise benefit RTA shareholders, investors and air time concessionaires. The losers would be people who lost air time, viewers and army soldiers, Mr Somkiat said.
The Channel 11 changes also broke the law.
"The Public Relations Department (which runs the Channel 11) caused confusion by trying to say that the Channel 11 frequency has been divided. In fact, operators are allowed to lease frequencies of a Thaicom satellite. The frequencies allocated belong to Thaicom of Shin Satellite Plc," he said.
In the Channel 11 case, people who gained were contractors, the operators of the satellite and some cable TV and TV stations while the losers were taxpayers and viewers who missed the best programmes, he said.
Mr Somkiat called on the government to suspend the listing of the state-owned Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand, which planned to privatise as many as 60 radio frequencies.
MCOT should privatise only one or two radio stations. He also urged the government to wait for a report for a committee improving the state enterprise corporatisation act. A committee headed by Chai-anan Samudavanija would decide which state enterprises should be privatised.
Regarding iTV, Mr Somkiat said the station changed its programmes without seeking consent from the office of the Prime Minister's Office permanent secretary. The office could impose a daily fine worth 10% of the iTV concession fee but had done nothing to protect the state's interest.
Pairote Polaphet, secretary-general of the Union for Civil Liberty, said channels 5, 9 and 11 were too profit-oriented and a broadcasting bill was being drafted to exempt them from NBC control.
Army's Channel 5 puts programme revamp on hold
From http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=5&id=116504&usrsess=1
Army-run Channel 5 will continue to air its existing shows until it has sorted out a host of controversies surrounding its programming revamp, its 30-year management concession and preparations to list on the stock market.
Station manager Lt-General Surarit Chantaratip said yesterday that existing programmes would stay on the air pending further notice.
Surasit cited time constraints and confusion caused by the controversies as the reasons for not revamping the station's line-up at this point.
Channel 5 initially authorised RTA Entertainment Co, which was awarded a 30-year concession, to map out its programming changes.
RTA earlier announced the station's new schedule would take effect this month. The planned changes were shelved after the government launched a probe into RTA's plan to raise funds in the stock market.
Critics said the company won its concession under suspicious circumstances.
RTA's planned bourse listing was criticised as being tantamount to handing over Channel 5, which is public property, to a business group.
Programme producers complained that uncertainty over when programming would be revamped had resulted in substantial losses of advertising revenue.
"We are obliged to produce the shows on a day-to-day basis and advertisers are reluctant to buy airtime because they don't know how long the shows will last," a producer from Media of Media Plc said.
Meanwhile, the government panel investigating the affair held its first meeting yesterday.
Panel chairman General Watta-nachai Wuthisiri remained non-committal on whether his investigation would be completed within the 45-day deadline. He denied speculation the probe would be influenced by the fact that his son is a staff officer for Army Commander-in-Chief General Chaisit Shinawatra, who awarded the concession to RTA.
In another development, cable TV operator UBC yesterday suspended its relay broadcast of new television station Channel 11/1, which has been under public scrutiny for possible violations of the broadcasting law.
The station claimed to share the same frequency as its flagship station Channel 11, saying its broadcast was made possible by digital transmission technology.
Critics allege that Channel 11/1 has yet to apply for a broadcasting licence, saying it is a new station aired on a new frequency beamed via a satellite.
Prasar Bharti, ESPN-Star in deal
From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/760227.cms
NEW DELHI: TV viewers will be able to watch all the India-related matches in Doordarshan next month during the forthcoming Asia Cup criket tournament featuring India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. Prasar Bharti has struck a revenue sharing deal with ESPN-Star Sports to share terrestrial rights.
Officials said both will have their own advertising for all the matches.
“We will be showing four matches which include, apart from the final, India’s clashes with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,” a Prasar Bharti official said. “We are getting a favourable response from advertisers and our marketing strategy is to favour bulk buyers.
These include big consumer electronics companies, mobile phone companies and automobile majors,” the official said.
According to sources, Prasar Bharti is going ambitious with advertisement rates looking at Rs 2.5-3 lakh for a 10-second slot.
1/07/04
Sorry about the late update, Grant from from www.satmax.ws was at my place and we were taking a look at NSS 5 at 177W. The KU signals on it are on 1380 MHZ and 1430 MHZ Vertical. Looks like my Cband dish will arrive next week!!
Jon's Asian weekly didn't arrive in time to be included in todays update. Hopefully will be in tomorrows.
Tech tv Asiasat 3 feed turned off...
From my Emails & ICQ
From Schippy
B1 160E 12525 H 6111 3/4 "Cricket"
From Steve Hume
TAS MuxPAS-8
4080V
SR: 300000
5/6
Looks like it's about to encrypt again. Lost it for around a minute
about 12:15pm. Came up scrambled. Back again now. There goes the fta movies.
NEWS 24x7
Steve Hume
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3710 V "ABS-CBN Channel 1" has started on , Fta, SR 3260, FEC 7/8, PIDs 308/256.
PAS 8 166E 12360 V "CSN" is still on , Fta, PIDs 151/152, 08-12 HKT.
Optus A3 164E 12501 H Thai TV Global Network, 3ABN, a test card, Bangkok Radio 94 FM,3ABN Radio and RNW 1-2 have started on , clear, PIDs 512/690,2049/2050, 5153/5154, 651 and 5156. New PIDs for SET Asia: 1260/1220.
Optus B3 152E 12501 H "The GlobeCast World TV" mux is back on , Fta, SR 30800, FEC 3/4. Daystar TV and RNW 3 have started on PIDs 5153/5154 and 5159, Fta.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3760 H "G4 Tech TV International" has left
NSS 6 95E 11594 H "Free-XTV" has left replaced by an info card, Fta.
NSS 6 95E 12688 V The DISH TV mux is back on , SR 27500, FEC 3/4, identical to Insat 3A: 11510 H.
ChinaStar 1 87.5E 3848 V "GreatSports Channel" is now encrypted.
NEWS
FSA: Telstar-18's launch failure not accident, but recoverable contingency event
From http://newsfromrussia.com/science/2004/06/30/54671.html
The orbiting failure of the Telstar-18 satellite, launched on June 29 by the Zenith booster under the Sea Launch program, is not an accident, but a recoverable contingency event, says Russia's Federal Space Agency (FSA).
The Agency's spokesman told RIA Novosti on Wednesday that "the FSA experts did not qualify the launch as abnormal".
According to him, the situation analysis, undertaken by the Sea Launch company's experts, shows that it is technically possible to use the Teltsar-18's own engines to bring it to its specified stand point (138¦ east longitude). Pre-estimates show that the satellite's service life has reduced insignificantly.
"If the insertion phase is successful, the Telstar-18's service life will be 13 instead of 15 years", explained the FSA spokesman.
The Zenith-3SL booster was launched from the Odyssey ocean-based platform on June 29, at 07.52 Moscow time. The booster's first and second stages as well as the DM upper stage during the first ignition operated in the regular mode under the pre-calculated flight profile.
However, the upper stage's cruise engine finished operation 50 seconds before the scheduled time after the second ignition, which placed the spacecraft to the off-target orbit with the perigee of 737 kilometers and the apogee of 21,000 kilometers.
The Sea Launch project is the first-ever entirely commercial international project on development and operation of a sea-based space rocket system.
The Sea Launch space rocket system is designed to place different-purpose spacecraft to the earth orbits including high circular orbits, elliptic orbits, various inclination orbits and the geostationary orbit. The launches are carried out from the ocean-based platform in the Pacific Ocean's equatorial zone in the vicinity of the Christmas Island by the Zenith-3SL space booster incorporating the DM-SL upper-stage.
Established for the project implementation was the international Sea Launch company with the founders being US Boeing Commercial Space Company (40% of the capital stock), Russia's Energy Space Rocket Company (25%), Norway's Kvaerner Maritime a.s. (20%) and the Ukraine's aerospace enterprises including the Yuzhmashzavpod production enterprise and the Yuzhnoe state design bureau (15%).
CanWest opens $135m float
From http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_business_story_skin/433753?format=html
CanWest opened a partial float of its New Zealand radio and television operations on Wednesday seeking to raise $135 million to help pay debt in Canada.
The Winnipeg, Manitoba-based broadcaster and newspaper publisher said it will sell to the public 68 million shares of CanWest MediaWorks, a new company which will acquire CanWest's six New Zealand national radio brands, 22 regional stations and TV3 and C4 free-to-air television stations.
CanWest will hold between 64 and 70% of the new company after the float, with the public holding the balance.
The offer has attracted strong interest, organising brokers Goldman Sachs JB Were said.
"As a broad number, retail brokers got about half the portion that we had allocated for brokers outside ourselves of about $50 million (from a $102 million total)," GSJBWere chief executive Clark Perkins told Reuters.
The indicative price range for the auction to institutions, is $1.50-$1.65 per share. That would value the 81.6 million shares on offer - including oversubscriptions of 13.6 million shares - at up $135 million.
CanWest will announce the final share price on July 12 after the institutional auction, with NZ listing on July 29.
Depending on the final IPO price the company will have an overall market capitalisation of between $340 million and $374 million.
CanWest, Canada's top media group, has said the proceeds would be used to help reduce debt.
Chief operating officer Tom Strike said CanWest wanted to create access for the new company to the local capital markets, and to repatriate capital to the parent.
CanWest first brought a 20% stake in TV3 in 1991 from receivers after the fledging television company, originally a listed company, collapsed under a mountain of debt.
In IPO forecasts group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the year to August 31 2005, are expected to be $61.1 million compared with $60 million in the current year, and $39.1 million in 2003.
Based on indicative prices, CanWest has forecast gross dividend yield of between 6.7% and 7.1% for 2005, with the IPO priced at 15.8 to 17.4 times earnings.
By comparison, the only other listed broadcast media stock is pay-television Sky TV, which has never paid a dividend and is priced at 112.98 times earnings.
Australian broadcasters Austereo Group and Ten Network Holdings of which CanWest owns 57% and priced at 16.48 and 11.4 times earnings respectively.
CanWest's other international assets include stakes in Ireland's TV3 and Northern Ireland's UTV.
SATELLITE ON THE HIBIS LIST AGAIN - 02 July 2004
From http://www1.commsworld.com.au/
Multiemedia Preps NewSkies Service for Rural Launch
Multiemedia has announced its intention to launch a satellite-based Internet service into the HiBIS-supported rural announcement, telling a conference in Coffs Harbour yesterday that it can deliver 256/64K bps data at $77 per month.
The company's Rural Subscriber Satellite Link would mark its first foray into the consumer end-user market. Multiemedia currently focuses on business services with customers in Australia and the Middle East.
Michael Eakin told CommsWorld yesterday that the company is working through its project plan at the moment.
Customers would use a 1m satellite antenna supplied by Viasat, and with HiBIS support the company says satellite service will be available without the capital outlay which inhibits most potential satellite users at the moment.
"We are aiming to finalise a launch date over the next month," Eakin said. "We want to have this up and running before the end of the year, and are looking at whether we can bring that forward."
Currently, the service would use the NewSkies NSS 5 and NSS satellites, and might also use NSS 8 which is scheduled for launch in 2005.
ASTRO smuggler fined
From http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/thu/jul1h12.htm
A Malaysian man was fined $5,500 or in default 4 months' imprisonment by the Bandar Seri Begawan Magistrate's Court yesterday for importing broadcasting apparatus without a valid licence and for transporting the said devices.
Hii Nik King, 53, pleaded guilty to importing 4 units of 'Philips' ASTRO receiver, 6 satellite dishes, 6 LNB, 5 rolls of wire cable, 6 pieces of nuts and bolts, one ASTRO Smart card, 20 sets of extra link 2 c/w boxes, 4 ASTRO manual c/w remote controls, 6 ASTRO stands, 6 plastic dish holders and 6 dish clamps. All the items were estimated at B$1,600.
It is an offence under section 23 (1)(b) and punishable under section 41 of the Broadcasting Act, Cap 180 for importing goods without a valid licence, which carries an imprisonment term not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $40,000 or both.
The Prosecuting Officer, Dk Hjh Hana Molina bte Pg Hj Mohammad said the restricted goods were found inside a car bearing the registration number BR3363, as a result of an inspection made by the Customs Inspection Officers at the Control Post in Sungai Tujoh on April 6 this year.
According to her, the said officers asked the defendant whether he had brought any restricted goods but he replied that he did not bring anything.
However, upon inspection, the defendant was found to be in possession of several restricted goods in the said car, all of which the defendant had failed to declare, said the prosecutor.
All the goods were hid at various compartments in the said car to avoid detection by the Customs Officers in Brunei and to avoid payment of customs duties on the goods, which was valued at $80.
Asia Cup live on DD
From http://www.hindu.com/2004/07/01/stories/2004070106051800.htm
NEW DELHI, JUNE 30. Public broadcaster Prasar Bharti has struck a deal with ESPN-Star Sports for sharing the terrestrial rights for the Asia Cup cricket tournament, featuring India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka among others.
Cricket lovers across the country would be able to watch the action live on Doordarshan National channel with the public broadcaster striking a revenue-sharing deal for airing four `India-specific' matches.
``We will be showing four matches which include, apart from the final, India's clashes with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,'' a Prasar Bharti official said. PTI
Lanka Cricket, Ten Sports to play 20/20 cricket
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/june/june239.htm
MUMBAI: Innovation is the name of the game as far as presenting sports is concerned. The same holds true for cricket. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) together with Ten Sports have announced they will will stage the first 20/20 cricket event in Asia.
The event will be played in August and September. This is when the Holland Tourney and Champions Trophy take place on Max. The 20/20 event was first introduced in England to stop the rapidly declining interest in their county cricket.
As the name suggests each team bats for and bowls only 20 overs instead of the nromal 50. The inaugural tournament in Asia will have Sri Lanka’s 16 premier clubs divided into two groups. The quarter finals take place on 2 September while the final will be played on 3 September. Ten Sports will have live coverage of this. The broadcaster is also looking to have a similar event staged in Pakistan.
One wonders though as to the kind of viewing the tournament will get in India. It is a fact that interest in our Ranji Trophy is dismal to say the least. Couple this with the fact that as mentioned above 20/20 will be competing for attention with two premiere international cricket tournaments.
It remains to be seen as to how Ten goes about building up interest in the brand. Max was able to successfully do that for the Under 19 World Cup which was held earlier this year. Max's former business head Rajat Jain recently told Indiantelevision.com that the next time the event took place advertisers and media planners would sit up and take notice.
SLC CEO Duleep Mendis added, "20-20-cricket is a new concept, which has come to stay in terms of playing positive cricket and a result oriented version of the game. It is attractive to both spectators and sponsors alike and the hallmark of 20-20-cricket would be that a game could be concluded within the space of three hours."
Ten Sports VP Peter Hutton mentioned that for some time the broadcaster had been trying to make steps to assist domestic cricket in Sri Lanka. "I am sure this will be just the first of such initiatives."