15/12/03

Win TV update on C1, according to one source The WIN Belrose uplink to A3 got fried by lightning- the feed could be up on C1 for 1 day or several months depending on how long it takes to get replacement parts in.

An update on TVNZ tranponder happenings on B1 courtesy of Bob Cooper's Satfacts Monthly magazine, The RWC channel will end mid-day Dec 20th. Content will switch to Christmas programing (details unknown at this stage) and run until January 5th. FV4 or MTS will start with on-air Promo possibly this week.

I804, B1, C1, B3, Pas8, Pas2, Pas10, NSS6, Asiasat 3, Thaicom 3 pages all updated.

From my Emails & ICQ

From Steve Hume 14/12

B1 12330h, 6980 ABC running Reuters feed live!

Reuters on Asiasat 2 not in 4.2.2.. Good place to watch the IRAQ: BREMER
NEWS CONFERENCE about Sadam.

From Zapara W.A 14/12

Pas 10, Feed ESPN FTA Asian Basketball

4135 V Sr 5690 Fec7/8

From Siamglobal

NEW CHANNELS ON NSS 6
ON THE SAME TRANSPONDER AS FREE X TV WITH PARAMETERS AS LISTED BY LYNGSAT ARE

11578 v THE SOUTH EAST ASIA BEAM

1. MOTOR TV
2 TV 5 FBS
3. TV5 EUROPE
4 ROMA UNO
5 VIDEOLOOK
6 KURDISTAN TV
7. TBNE
8. VIDEOLINK
9. TELE-GENOVA
10. RTB

SIAMGLOBAL BANGKOK

(Craigs comment, mostly Italian might be for Tarb's? but not yet linked through to the Australian beam? There is a similar mux on Hotbird 6..)

From the Dish

PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Taiwanese Soft Song" has started, Fta, SID 131, APID 901.

Asiasat 3 105.5E 3669 V "Blue Kiss and Blue Kiss Plus" have started, Viaccess, PIDs 49/51 and 65/67.

NSS6 95E 12631 V "Free-XTV" has left .
NSS6 95E 12688 V The New Skies promo and test card have left .

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3585 V "ILearn" is back on , Fta, PIDs 514/642.

PAS 10 68.5E 4135 V Occasional ESPN feeds on , SR 5690, FEC 7/8.

NEWS

Foxtel gets green light for digital rollout

From http://www.thewest.com.au/20031213/business/tw-business-home-sto117022.html

FOXTEL has overcome the last major hurdle in its quest to launch a $600 million digital service next year, with the competition watchdog allowing third party access to its and Telstra's digital platforms.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission decided that Foxtel's methodology for calculating the price it will charge to run a new digital channel through the pay-TV service was fair.

"This (decision) should benefit consumers by providing the opportunity for more choice in the pay-TV service they receive," ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said.

New channel operators will pay Foxtel for the use of its digital set-top boxes and for access to its 1.07 million subscriber base, which the company said it had worked hard to build in its eight years of operation.

Though the amount paid to Foxtel by each channel operator will differ depending on the channel's success, Telstra will charge a flat $750,000 annual fee for the use of its fibre-optic digital cable.

Telstra owns 50 per cent of Foxtel, with the remaining half shared equally by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation and Kerry Packer's Publishing & Broadcasting.

Foxtel chief Kim Williams said the company was creating "unprecedented opportunities" for open participation in digital television.

"The terms are fair, transparent and equitable for all users of the system," he said.

About 60 per cent of Foxtel subscribers get their content via Telstra's cable. The remainder are fed a signal through Optus' C1 satellite.

A new player wanting to reach all pay-TV homes in Australia will be required to pay three different fees - the $750,000 for use of the Telstra cable, a fee for the use of the Optus satellite and the fee to Foxtel for use of its set-top box infrastructure and access to its customer base.

Optus is yet to disclose the fee it will charge for satellite access.

Foxtel's formula for calculating its fee depends on what value each new third party derives from access to the platform. A channel that receives high viewer numbers will need to pay more than a niche channel with lower viewer numbers.

In the first phase of the rollout, 24 channels will be available to the market. More channels will be provided as Foxtel's remaining analogue subscribers convert to digital over the course of 2004.

Foxtel is expected to start installing digital set-top boxes in the homes of subscribers early next year. It is also installing a return path through each subscriber's home to allow for viewer interactivity.

The new service will allow viewers to access different camera angles, pay-per-view programming and shopping through their remote control.

Its digital service is expected to include more than 100 new channels.

Over 100 channels set for digital TV

From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/12/1071125654010.html

Get set for more than 100 digital pay TV channels next year - including movies on demand and interactive sports broadcasts - after Foxtel yesterday finally received the green light to introduce its digital service.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approved the rate Foxtel can charge budding pay TV players like Kerry Stokes's Channel Seven to gain access to its network, removing the last regulatory hurdle Foxtel had to clear before rolling out its digital service.

Foxtel plans to begin the service in the first half of next year, increasing the number of pay TV channels it offers from 47 to more than 100.

Foxtel will reveal the launch date for its digital service, and the new channels, early in 2004.

However, it has confirmed it will offer a range of interactive services, including one that would allow viewers to select a movie and watch it shortly afterwards. Likened to having a personal video and DVD library in your lounge room, it will enable viewers to select new releases.

Foxtel will also offer interactive news and sports services. Sports Active will enable people to choose camera angles, view player and competition statistics and watch highlights.

Sky News Active will give a choice of eight local news screens, including specific finance news and sports broadcasts.

Foxtel does not intend to offer its own interactive gambling or betting services.

It has yet to determine the price it will charge for its new digital services. However, the entry level charge will be the same as that for its satellite service, currently $47.95 a month.

Foxtel is spending more than $600 million upgrading its analog cable network to digital in the hope the new interactive services will kick-start stagnating subscriber growth.

Only 23 per cent of households have pay TV, but Foxtel's chief executive, Kim Williams, has predicted the arrival of a digital service will increase this to between 35 and 40 per cent by 2008.

There will be room for up to 24 competing pay TV services on Foxtel's new digital network.

Seven Network, which axed its fledgling C7 pay TV sports channel last year, is the best-known media company likely to introduce a pay TV service on the Foxtel network.

The rate Foxtel charges companies for access to its network will be regularly independently audited.

T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 48/2003 14 December 2003 -

A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic

Edited Apsattv.com Edition

A S I A & P A C I F I C

HONEYWELL COMPLETES SATELLITE TV TESTING IN MIDDLE EAST

Honeywell has completed initial flight and ground testing of its AIS-2000 multi- regional airborne satellite television system in the Middle East. "Successful testing is a significant step in delivering a true multi-regional television system for business aircraft," said Timothy Swords, Honeywell Cabin Management, Systems and Services Site Leader. "We can now offer business jets that provide television programming in the Middle East similar to that available in the United States, Canada and Europe." Honeywell assessed system performance by monitoring many non-subscription channels available on the Nilesat and Arabsat DBS satellites within the region. During testing, signal performance and video quality were recorded to verify coverage areas while gathering up-to-date channel information. Honeywell completed testing was completed using its Gulfstream IV-SP aircraft. Additional regions throughout the world will be added to the Honeywell system capability as additional ground and flight testing takes place in the future. Honeywell's multi-regional satellite television systems offer passengers and crew real-time television content throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Internet - http://www.honeywell.com

AUSTRALIA

FOXTEL TO LAUNCH DIGITAL TV

Foxtel is expected to launch its new digital pay-TV service early next year after receiving the nod from regulators over third party access to its network. The approval given by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also applies to undertakings given by Telstra Corp regarding its digital platforms. It also enables Foxtel to carry more than 150 digital channels and additional digital services. Some analysts believe Foxtel's new digital cable and expanded satellite services could dramatically boost subscriber numbers and adversely affect advertising on free-to-air (FTA) TV networks. This would be dependent, however, on whether Foxtel and its smaller regional counterpart, Austar United Communications, can get their hands on more live sport, currently protected under anti-siphoning legislation. Foxtel, which is investing more than $600 million in building its digital cable and satellite platform, said it plans to launch expanded and interactive digital television services in 2004. It intends to announce details about the timing of the launch and the nature of the services early next year. Telstra chief executive Ziggy Switkowski said the telco would now digitise its Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial (HFC) network to support the provision of digital TV services. The upgrading of the Telstra cable and a similar upgrade by Foxtel will enable the TV platform to carry in excess of 150 digital television channels and additional digital services.

CHINA - HONG KONG

CCTV TO LAUNCH CHILDREN CHANNEL

The children channel of the CCTV (China Central Television) will start broadcasting from December 28. It means that 360 million Chinese children aged from 0 to 18 will own their first national channel. The children channel will provide 26 programs for its audiences. It will invite some famous children television hosts, like "Sister Ju Ping", and some new members. At present, the CCTV owns 13 channels. It broadcasts children and youth programs for about ten hours each day, however, it cannot meet the needs of children and youth. CCTV currently operates 13 channels, which include a movie channel, a sports channel and a 24-hour English language channel.

PCCW AND STAR TO LAUNCH TWO NEW CHANNELS

PCCW has tied up with News Corp's Star for the launch of two channels - Chinese Movies and Xing Kong on Broadband TV pay-TV service in Hong Kong. This is the first time Star's flagship Chinese channels will go on air in Hong Kong via Broadband TV. Star Chinese Movies, tailor-made for Hong Kong, features over 100 movies including at least 20 exclusive premieres a month. The movies are commercial-free. Xing Kong is Star's latest Chinese general entertainment channel offering content including comedies, talk and game shows, drama series and variety. The two channels will be piped to the 150,000 subscribers on PCCW's Now pay-TV platform, which carries broadband television, telephony and high-speed internet over regular phone lines.

TVS TO AD RATES ON PIRATED PROGRAMMING

Guangdong's Southern Television Guangdong (TVS) has proposed to increase advertising rates on pirated Hong Kong programming by as much as 80 per cent, according to a report in the South China Morning Post has reported. The proposed increase is designed to offset possible financial losses because of greater government restrictions on prime-time advertising. TVS, which operates under the Guangdong Administration of Radio, Film and Television, downloads and distributes programmes beamed by Hong Kong broadcasters, Television Broadcasts (TVB) and Asia Television (ATV) on cable networks across Guangdong. Like many provincial network operators, TVS blocks out the advertising embedded in TVB and ATV's feeds and re-sells the advertising slots in a widespread practice known as ad-splicing. According to a proposed rate card given to selected advertising agencies late last month and seen by the South China Morning Post, Nanfang Television has proposed raising prices for prime-time TVB ad slots by 60 to 80 per cent. As a partial concession for the proposed rate rise, TVS said it would scale back its official prime-time period by two hours - from 6pm to 11pm at present to between 7pm and 10pm.

HONG KONG TO GET FTA DIGITAL TV IN 2006

Hong Kong viewers may be able to enjoy free digital television as soon as 2006, the Standard newspaper has reported. The newspaper quoted Hong Kong’s Commerce, Industry and Technology Branch as saying four new licences will be open for bidding by new entrants and existing players to operate digital television services, either as a free-to-air broadcaster or as a pay-TV broadcaster. There are currently only two free-to-air broadcasters in Hong Kong, Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and Asia Television Limited (ATV). In its second consultation on digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting, released yesterday, the government said the implementation of DTT should not be delayed further, even though the central government had not yet decided on a national DTT standard. Apart from European DVB-T, the American ATSC-T standard and the Japanese ISDB-T standard were also considered by the government in its first consultation in 2000. The central government is understood to be looking at five different standards, and a final decision is not expected before 2005.

INDIA

NEWS CHANNELS IN TELUGU COMING SOON

For the news-hungry Telugu viewers, good times are ahead from December 10 onwards. Three satellite television channels have lined up 24-hour news bonanza for the Telugu viewers. Interestingly, two of the news channels belong to the big media houses in the south -Eenadu TV and Sun Network. The third channel, TV9, is being promoted by Srini Raju of i-Labs. The last one, in fact, has received Rs 15 crore funding support from i-Labs Associated Fund and Chennai -based Unify Wealth Management. All the three channels together are estimated to be investing over Rs 25 crore in beaming news and current affairs based content. Media mogul Ramoji Rao has decided to go in for a 24- hour exclusive news channel in Telugu in the name of ETV2, after his successful entertainment channel ETV, which is now into its eighth year. ETV2 will start beaming its news and news-based programmes from December 10. The new channel will have hourly news bulletins. In addition to them, programmes on agriculture, education, science, culture, health etc will be telecast to cater to different segments of the viewers. The Srini Raju-funded TV9 is being promoted by Associated Broadcasting Company, which is founded by V Ravi Prakash, the ex-news in-charge at Teja TV. The channel expects to run trial broadcasts from December 8 and launch its operations by January 15. Ithas entered into a tie up with i-Vision, another venture promoted by Srini Raju, for exclusive national news footage. Teja TV, which belongs to the Chennai-based Sun Network, is planning to make the channel a news and current affairs oriented by the end of January. The four-year-old channel currently broadcasts five news bulletins, with the rest of the content devoted to entertainment.

PAKISTAN

DTH SERVICE TO LAUNCH JANUARY 1

In a move to combat the spread of Indian broadcast services in Pakistan, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has awarded DTH licences to Cross Currents Private Limited and Ary Communication. The DTH service is expected to commence from January 1, 2004. PERMA said "If we don't start the service now, the DTH of our neighbour (India) will flourish in Pakistan".

SINGAPORE

MEDIA CORP SAYS STIFF COMPETITION IN TV INDUSTRY

MediaCorp Group CEO Ernest Wong says the competition problem exists only in Singapore's television industry, and not in the whole media industry. He has dismissed speculation on the question of a merger between MediaCorp and Singapore Press Holdings. Mr Wong was responding to media queries following market rumours about consolidation in the media industry. The question of mergers in Singapore's media industry arose after the government said fierce competition in too small a market was taking a toll on profitability. It said it was leaving it to the two key players here to decide if they wanted to close any operations. Wong said MediaCorp is ahead of the competition, garnering over 77 per cent of the viewership with Channels 5 and 8. MediaCorp is also financially sound. It has no debt or bank borrowings and is cash-rich. As a group, he added, MediaCorp made S$134 million last year and its operational profits are expected to be higher than previous years.

TAIWAN

BROADCASTING LAWS SET FOR APPROVAL

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan is expected to ratify the three broadcasting and television laws this week after major lawmakers of major political parties have reached consensus on the contents, according to local media reports. The rules will bar the government and political parties as well as the foundations set up by them from making investments in broadcasting and TV business. Those holding stakes in such firms must sell their shares within two years after the enactment of the new laws. The Kuomintang (KMT), which has stakes in Broadcasting Corporation of China and China Television, will liquidate its shares in two years. The government's shares in Taiwan Television and Chinese Television will be sold in six months. Government employees, political party officials, and elected officials cannot take up positions such as board directors and supervisors of the companies. Those who holding such posts must give them up in six months. According to the draft rules, family members and close relatives of lawmakers also cannot control over one percent of any one broadcasting or TV company. Also included in the new law is the restricting of broadcast TV channels for airing programs or commercials related to elections sponsored by candidates themselves or by the government.

A F R I C A

SOUTH AFRICA

QUESTION MARK OVER FUTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE

SABC Director of Corporate Affairs, Dr Ihron Rensburg, said Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) in Africa "is ripe for the picking and will be killed off" if a concrete case is not made for it on the continent. Speaking at a PSB workshop at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva on December 9, Rensburg said, "If we do not do something about this, we are simply going to take a hiding for nothing. As it is, the PSB is not adequate, robust or vigorous enough to exist in this environment.” He said his organization, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), has successfully tried to address this problem by increasing the number of local programmes. However, Rensburg said the SABC, like all PSBs, faces a problem of funding, which is further exacerbated by the demands put on it by the South African government. The SABC gets 16 per cent from license fees and only two per cent from the South African government.

M-NET LAUNCHES AFRICAMAGIC

Continental broadcaster M-Net hits a double this year. The popular direct-to-homes TV operator which held a milestone Big Brother Africa reality show, a couple of months ago, made officially launched its latest initiative - AfricaMagic - its first completely African general entertainment channel on DStv. The new channel which is available to DStv subscribers on the Pas 10 and W4 platforms for East, West and Central Africa, will be screened to audiences in over 30 countries on the continent including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Fittingly called AfricaMagic, in celebration the continent's undeniable creativity and unforgettable imagery, and magic is just what it promises to be - showcasing programming made by Africans for Africans, the new channel on DStv bouquet, runs daily from 19:00 CAT to 01:00 CAT, AfricaMagic will be broadcast on DStv Channel 7. It's line-up, which includes series and documentaries, is driven by award winning and recently released African movies and at the centre of the channel is a strong contingent of popular movies from Nigeria, a rapidly growing hub of African filmmaking.

14/12/03

No update its Sunday go away!

13/12/03

No update this weekend, sorry

12/12/03

Not much today bit late due to Christmas shopping...hate it

The Wine Network a new niche channel coming soon to Foxtel ??

From my Emails & ICQ

From Superfly

Tas TV Update

Tas TV currently has a test feed on B1.

It is for the new digital only terrestrial channel for Tasmania.

The official commencement date is 1 January 2004, with local terrestrial test broadcasts to commence on 22 December 2003.

The programming on the new digital channel - Tas TV - will be mainly sourced from Network Ten. This will include Ten's sport such as the AFL and motor racing, and new programs not broadcast on the other two commercial TV stations. Tas TV will be broadcast in Standard Definition and MPEG sound, providing DVD quality pictures with CD-like quality sound. Whenever possible, programming will be in widescreen 16:9 format.

From the Dish

Intelsat 701 180E 10975 H "Seasons" has started on Mediaguard 2, PIDs 168/112.

Optus B1 160E 12354 H "7 Central, occasional feeds and Taima Radio" have left .

Palapa C2 113E 11132 V "Phoenix Chinese and Phoenix InfoNews have replaced TVBS and ERA News" on, Viaccess 2, PIDs 64/65 and 72/73.

Yamal 102 90E 3606 L "Rambler TeleSet" (+0h) is still on , fta, SR 4275, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Yamal 102 90E 3719 L "Rambler TeleSet" (+2h) is still on , fta, SR 5070, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.

NEWS

Acc Accepts Foxtel Digital Deal

From Auspaytv.com.au

FOXTEL is ready to launch new digital cable and expanded satellite services in 2004 following acceptance of the regime for
third party access to its and Telsra's digital platforms by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (AGOC),

The FOXTEL Digital Access Agreement (DAA), and the allied agreement from Telstra for access to its cable network, will allow
third parties to independently use FOXTEL's digital platform to supply digital subscription TV services to FOXTEL's subscribers
through FOXTEL's digital set-top-units (STU's).

The ACCC today announced it had granted FOXTEL and Telstra exemption orders under new provisions of the Trade Practices AGt
specifically introduced to promote investment in new telecommunications infrastructure. The orders required FOXTEL and
Telstra to make some variations to which they have agreed.

FOXTEL is addressing the ACCC's expressed concerns on the regime for third party access to FOXTEL's analogue subscription television
platform and is confident of finalising the analogue agreement shortly,

FOXTEL is investing more than $600m in building its digital cable and satellite platform. FOXTEL plans to launch expanded and
interactive digital television services in 2004 and will announce details about the timing of the launch and the nature of the
services early next year.

"This is a critical step to providing new and enhanced digital television services for Australian consumers," said FOXTEL Chief
Executive, Mr Kim Williams.

'FOXTEL is making a massive digital investment, and through our access agreement we are creating unprecedented opportunities for
open participation in the digital era of subscription television. Today's decisions by the ACCC give FOXTEL the regulatory certainty
it needs to proceed with the digital investment.

"Under the agreed access provisions content providers can deal directly with FOXTEL, or they can market to our installed customer
network completely independently of FOXTEL utilising the provisions of the Digital Access Agreement.

"FOXTEL will pay for its use of the installed STU network in FOXTEL customers' premises on the same basis as all access seekers
and will bear the bulk of the costs as the primary provider and user of the system.

"The terms are fair, transparent and equitable for all users of the system.'

Mr Williams said the digital access regime has been subject since September 2002 to a most comprehensive and transparent public
inquiry process in which potential access seekers have had extended opportunities to review materials and to make submissions.

"FOXTEL and others who want to participate in this most exciting broadcasting sector can now develop their businesses with clarity
and certainty about the regulatory impart on investment and with a reliable knowledge as to the costs of using the infrastructure that
FOXTEL is building."

Key points:

o The ACCC has accepted a regime under which FOXTEL will provide third parties with long-term, secure access to its planned new
digital cable and satellite STU network under known pricing parameters.

A There is provision for 24 digital channels by Telstra on its cable network for access seekers under the first phase of the regime, and significantly more in the second phase after all existing analogue customers have migrated from analogue to digital delivery.

o FOXTEL will make an announcement in early 2004 about the timing of the launch of its proposed new digital services.

o The ACCC accepted the digital access regime under the "anticipatory exemption provisions" of the Trade Practices Act
which were specifically introduced to promote efficient investment in new telecommunications services by removing investment
uncertainty as to the terms for regulated access prior to the investment being made.

o These are the ACCC's first decisions under the provisions of Part XIC of the Trade Practices Act which received parliamentary
assent in December 2002.

o The ACCC determined that FOXTEL's Digital Access Agreement was in the long-term interests of end-users.

o All potential access seekers have been able to comment upon and fully participate in the public inquiry process into the FOXTEL
access regime, which commenced in September 2002 when FOXTEL first published the most comprehensive set of undertakings in the history
of competition administration in Australia.

o The Digital Access Agreement will promote competition in the supply of digital subscription television services because its
pricing methodology is fair, transparent, and the costs of access are shared equitably amongst FOXTEL and each access seeker.

Australian firm wins HK satellite contract

From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/12/1071125640229.html

Australian firm Environmental Systems & Services (ES&S) has won a deal to supply an X-band satellite ground station to the Hong Kong Observatory, a media release says.

The system will receive high resolution meteorological, oceanographic and environmental data from the Terra and Aqua MODIS satellites.

The data is used for applications such as fire and smoke monitoring, pollution monitoring, fishing, aquaculture, agriculture and will help in more accurate forecasts of severe weather such as tropical cyclones or typhoons.

It is set to be commissioned next June.

The system was designed and built in Australia with the assistance of a R&D Start Grant from the Australian Government through AusIndustry and in collaboration with the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology.

Taiwan delays satellite launch

From http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20031211-053143-6463r.htm

TAIPEI, Taiwan, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Newly discovered electrical circuit problems have delayed the scheduled launch of Taiwan's second satellite, the Taipei Times reported Thursday.

According to Lee Luo-chuan, director of Taiwan's space program, U.S.-based Orbital Sciences Corp., the operator of the Taurus launch vehicle, sent an official letter Wednesday morning explaining it would take five more weeks to solve the electrical problems.

The Taurus rocket will be used to launch the satellite ROCSAT-2. The scheduled liftoff on Jan. 17 is now pushed back to Feb. 26.

Technicians found abnormal electrical current levels last week when a newly-repaired electronic control unit installed in the launch vehicle was switched on for the first time.

Abnormal vibration of the electrical control unit installed on the rocket previously postponed the launch from the end of December to Jan. 17.

Under its contract, Orbital Sciences Corp. will have to pay $36,000 for each day of delay.

11/12/03

Foxtel are still testing various things on C1, Last night according to reports 12646V sr 27800 (on Aus beam) had some content in 16x9 and with Ac3 sound. Probably some kind of test of PPV movies or on demand stuff. Some Foxtel services may also be testing NDS encryption or simulcrypting with it.

Some changes in the Thaicom 3 Tarbs mux, looks like they are shuffling things around, activity also on NSS6 at 95E

Optus B1, C1, B3 pages all updated

From my Email & ICQ

From Jsat in W.A

Wanted 3M solid dish

W.A Only..

From MR Humax

hey all,

Ive put all my satellite screen dumps online if anybody wants a look the url is below

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chef_nads/album?.dir=/Satellite+pics&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/chef_nads

From the Dish

Optus B1 160E 12260 V "ABC TV Northern, ABC Classic FM Northern, ABC Territory Radio and ABC Radio National Northern" are back, Fta, SR 5026, FEC 3/4,PIDs 832/833 and 836-838.
Optus B1 160E 12456 V "A test card has started on Fv4", Fta, PIDs 512/650.

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3980 V "Adventure One Asia" has started , Videoguard, PIDs 519/668.

Chinasat 20 103E Test carriers on 4020 H.

NSS 6 95E 12646 V "Lig TV (Cryptoworks), Future TV USA, ESC 2, Tele Liban (BISS), Leonardo,Kanal D Fun and Nile Culture" have started, Fta, SR 21015,
FEC 3/4, PIDs 273/275 and 769/77-865/866, Australian beam. (Tarb's stuff might not stay Fta long)

Yamal 102 90E 3606 L "Rambler TeleSet (+0h)" has left .
Yamal 102 90E 3719 L "Rambler TeleSet (+2h)" has left .

Insat 2E 83E 3660 V Occasional Asianet feeds on , SR 1900, FEC 3/4, wide beam.

Thaicom 2 78.5E 3770 H "BBTV Channel 7" has started, Fta, SR 4700, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4194/4195.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3520 H "Cyprus Sat" has started, Fta, PIDs 1537/1538.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3585 V "ILearn" has left , replaced by a test card.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H "Perviy kanal Vsemirnaya setj" has started, Fta, PIDs 524/652.Future TV USA and Mega Cosmos have left, replaced by test cards.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3695 H "Sky International" is Fta.Sky International and the Sky International info card have swapped SIDs and PIDs.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 12562 H "MTV Thailand has replaced MTV Southeast Asia" , Irdeto 2, PIDs 516/690.

PAS 10 68.5E 3864 H "The City Channel" has started regular transmissions, Fta,PIDs 521/740.

NEWS

Smart Plug May Banish Cable Clutter

From http://www.nytimes.com

LOOK behind the average home entertainment system and you will see a rat's nest of cables reminiscent of an early 20th-century telephone switchboard. With so many components to hook up - DVD player, surround-sound receiver, and cable and satellite boxes, to name a few - the number and types of cables seem to be multiplying.

To account for the possible permutations, today's television sets include inputs and outputs for virtually every type of connector. Video signals can be carried over RF, composite, S-video, component or DVI cables. Audio can be relayed over analog, digital PCM or digital optical cables.

The industry took a stab at cleaning up this mess several years ago by agreeing to put DVI (short for digital video interface) connectors on future digital TV's. DVI cables were originally created to connect PC's to monitors, but they can also carry uncompressed digital video signals from a set-top box to a TV.

But a DVI cable is not about to win any design awards. It uses a plug about two inches wide with screws, similar to the one on a serial cable for a PC. And it doesn't do audio.

So last year Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Thomson, and Toshiba contracted with a company called Silicon Image to develop a more elegant solution. This new connector, called HDMI, or high-definition multimedia interface, can carry an uncompressed digital stream of both audio and video. And rather than use a giant connector like the DVI, the HDMI version is about the size of a U.S.B. plug, easily connected with a simple push.

Each HDMI cable can replace all the audio and video cables needed to display a high-definition image with Dolby Digital surround sound, simplifying installation and, once most devices become HDMI-compatible, putting an end to cable clutter.

The first HDMI-equipped televisions and DVD players were introduced by Panasonic, Pioneer and Sony in September. Next year Philips will introduce a line of HDMI-compatible digital TV's, DVD players and recorders and a set-top box, according to a spokeswoman. Other companies are expected to follow. The HDMI standard is also being adopted by LG Electronics, Mitsubishi, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, TiVo and manufacturers of various set-top boxes.

While consumer electronics companies have the right to manufacture digital TV's and peripheral equipment using only HDMI connectors, they are unlikely to do so anytime soon because such devices would be incompatible with current equipment that have only analog connectors. Instead, HDMI inputs and outputs will be one more connection choice on the back of each piece of gear.

The new connector is backward-compatible with DVI, allowing those who own sets with the older video-only DVI inputs to hook up to it with a simple converter plug (although in that case it will still only carry video).

The connectors will also be able to send setup information between devices. For example, if a manufacturer includes the necessary software, the HDMI connection can send a signal from the DVD player to the digital television, telling it that the movie it is about to play is coming in on input 1 and will be in wide-screen format. The TV can then automatically change its settings.

Because the HDMI standard does not allow for program recording, other connectors will still be required to connect a video display to a VCR or a DVD recorder.

T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 47/2003 7 December 2003 -

A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International

Editor: Branislav Pekic

Edited Apsattv.com edition

AUSTRALIA

SATELLITE TV PROVIDERS FIGHT PIRATES

Foxtel and Austar are introducing new technology aimed at thwarting the growing piracy of its satellite signal - a practice that some believe is costing the pay-TV industry more than $40 million a year. By early next year, subscribers to both services will be sent a new smartcard. Illegal smartcards are giving thousands of households access to premium programming such as pay-per-view movies and sport - when they have subscribed only to the basic pay TV service. Foxtel spokesman Mark Furness said the new smartcards were "pirate-proof technology" and would quickly render all imitations useless. "This technology has not been cracked by pirates in three years of use in other markets around the world," he said. "What we want to do is encourage people who have pirate services to contact us and legitimize their services." The anti-piracy technology is the first phase in Foxtel's estimated $550 million roll-out of digital television services, due for completion in the first half of next year. All subscribers will eventually get a new digital set-top box allowing them to view more than 100 digital channels. Foxtel - jointly owned by Telstra, News Corp, and Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd - will also enable viewers to interact with the television station via their telephone line. The digital roll-out faces a major hurdle in winning approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on third party-access issues. The three major pay-TV platforms are Foxtel, which, with more than 1 million subscribers, is the largest service in the market; regional player Austar, and Optus TV. Between them they account for an estimated penetration of about 23% of Australia's 7.2 million TV homes.

RECORD EBITDA FOR NETWORK TEN

CanWest Global Communications Corp. announced on December 2 that its Australian media operation, Network TEN, had recorded another record quarter for the three-month period ended November 30. TEN's quarterly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose to A$105 million compared to A$74 million for the corresponding quarter last year, a gain of 37%. The dramatic EBITDA increase was fueled in large part by a 20% increase in television revenues at TEN.

Internet http://www.canwestglobal.com

CHINA - HONG KONG

SMG CHANNEL TO CLOSE

The Shanghai Media Group is prepping a 24-hour movie and general entertainment channel for the region's cable subscribers, according to local reports. SMG, a state-owned media conglomerate, will trial the channel before its official launch at the start of 2004. Content will be a mix of local, regional and international fare and will include HBO's drama 24, local press said.

STAR LAUNCHES NEW CHANNELS

After a deal with Asian broadband TV operator PCCW, regional broadcaster Star is launching two new channels - Star Chinese Movies and Xing Kong - into Hong Kong this month. Star, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, has tailor-made the 24/7 Cantonese ad-free movie channel for HK audiences, offering 100 Asian blockbusters a month. Xing Kong, meanwhile, has been on Guangdong Cable for a year and the PCCW deal takes a local version into HK for the first time. The channel airs general entertainment, comedies, talk and gameshows. Launching December 15, the two channels will pipe to the 150,000 subscribers on PCCW's Now pay-TV platform, which carries broadband television, telephony and high-speed internet over regular phone lines.

FTA DIGITAL TV CHANNELS LAUNCH IN 2006

Hong Kong viewers may be able to enjoy free digital television as soon as 2006, the date set by the government for the two existing free-to-air broadcasters to introduce the higher-resolution service. Four new licences will be open for bidding by new entrants and the existing players - Television Broadcast (TVB) and Asia Television (ATV) - to operate digital television services, either as a free-to-air broadcaster or as a pay-TV broadcaster, the government's Commerce, Industry and Technology Branch said on December 7. In its second consultation on digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting the government said the implementation of DTT should not be delayed further, even though the Central Government had not yet decided on a national DTT standard. Branch deputy secretary Marion Lai said that in setting the technical standard for digital TV, the government was adopting a market-led approach. ``While the government recommends the European DVB-T standard, it does not prescribe officially a particular technical standard ... so long as an operator can prove to the Telecommunications Authority that their proposed standard can meet our standard selection criteria,'' she said. Apart from DVB-T, the American ATSC-T standard and the Japanese ISDB-T standard were also considered by the government in its first consultation in 2000. The Central Government is understood to be looking at five different standards, and a final decision is not expected before 2005. The SAR government, meanwhile, proposes that by 2008 both ATV and TVB must provide territory-wide digital coverage, and between 2006 and 2008 they must operate both traditional analogue and digital TV as a transitional measure.

INDIA

SET TOP BOXES MAY BECOME CHEAPER

Cable operators have decided to offer set-top boxes at less than Rs 4,000 in Delhi for a smooth rollout of the Conditional Access System regime, which they say will begin from midnight December 14-15. Having decided the pricing of set top boxes and other modalities ahead of the full-fledged CAS roll out, Multi System Operators are expected to meet major broadcasters on December 8 to thrash out last-minute glitches even as the government has chosen to remain tightlipped on the issue. Meanwhile, in a meeting attended by all major MSOs, it was decided that set top boxes will be priced less than Rs 4,000 against Rs 6,500 in Chennai and these will be made available under several schemes including rentals. The Cable industry has set December 15 deadline for implementing CAS in South Delhi zone even as the government is noncommittal on whether it will appeal against Delhi High Court order asking it to put the system in place.

IRAQ

CZECH BUSINESSMAN COULD LAUNCH TV CHANNEL

An anoymous Czech businessman has launched a project to build a private television station in southern Iraq. "We have agreed to establish a private television station called the Voice of the South, based in Basra," says the owner of the firm, whose name is also withheld. The Czech-Iraqi television station may start broadcasting in southern Iraq as early as February, three hours a day at the beginning. The broadcast will focus mainly on news but will also contain animated films for children. The joint television station is supported not only by Czech officials but also by the British, in whose sector the broadcasting will take place, says Czech news agency CTK. Interest in the project has also been shown by some Kuwaiti companies. The Voice of the South owners expect the station to be profit-making within two years.

JAPAN

DIGITAL TV BROADCASTING LAUNCHED

Digital broadcasting was launched in Japan on December 1 and the Japanese government is vowing to make it available countrywide by the end of 2006. For now, it only reaches three major cities and potential viewers are estimated at 12 million households, though actual viewers may be as low as 300,000, according to industry experts. The government has invested 180 billion yen to help get the system started. It hopes the economic perks will total 200 trillion yen over the next decade as people rush out to buy digital TVs, broadcasters invest in equipment and new kinds of services blossom. The electronics industry estimates 300,000 Japanese households have already purchased digital TV sets, which is equivalent to 0.6% of all Japanese households. Terrestrial digital broadcasting will eventually replace the analogue transmission format for conventional TV programs at both Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) and private-sector TV broadcasters. Aso, minister of public management, home affairs, posts and telecommunications, said the government and broadcasting industry plan to end the 50-year-old analogue services in 2011.

WOWOW CLOSES SPTI OUTPUT DEAL

Premium pay-TV channel WOWOW has signed a feature film output deal with Sony Pictures Television International. The satellite-delivered channel will have access to a slate of Sony Pictures releases, which include, Spider-Man, Men In Black 2, XXX, Charlie’s Angels, Full Throttle, Bad Boys II and S.W.A.T. WOWOW launched in 1991 and today has some 2.5 million subscribers.

FUJI TV PROFITS UP

Fuji Television Network, Inc. has said its group net profit for the six months to September 30 rose 37.4 per cent from a year earlier to US$ 128.3 million, the Japan Times has reported. In its consolidated earnings report, the leading broadcaster said it posted a pre-tax profit of US$ 233.8 million in the first half, up 21.1 per cent, with revenues rising five percent to US$ 2.06 billion. Fuji Television said revenues in its mainstay segment, which includes television broadcasting, movies and events, increased 7.1 per cent to US$ 1.6 billion, with those from non-broadcasting businesses soaring 101.1 percent. Broadcasting revenues fell 2.1 per cent amid the still sluggish advertising market.

NEW ZEALAND

SKY NZ OFFER CLOSES

News Corp.-backed INL has confirmed that its offer for the remaining shares in New Zealand pay-TV operator Sky closes December 5. INL, which owned 66% of Sky before the offer started, has secured 78% of Sky stock but the remaining shareholders are seeking a higher price. INL said that once the offer closes it will be able to confirm the size of a planned return of capital to shareholders, likely to be at least NZ$340 million.

SOUTH KOREA

DISPUTE OVER DIGITAL TV STANDARDS INTENSIFIES

The dispute over digital TV standards has intensified as the Korea Broadcasting Commission delayed its schedule for issuing licenses in a move that irked the Ministry of Information and Communication. The KBC, the top broadcast regulator, surprised the ministry with its move to delay the start of the licensing period by seven months. As a result, broadcasting stations located in major cities and provincial areas will be able to apply for digital broadcasting licenses only in June 2004. The Information Ministry said the move by the KBC could disrupt the country's digital broadcasting schedule. According to the ministry's original plan, all broadcast stations would go digital in December 2005. Ministry officials said they could not afford to wait for seven months to grant licenses to local broadcasting stations. In fact, the KBC's decision has given some advantage to those who favor adoption of the European standard for digital broadcasting. MBC, a major broadcasting station which favors the European standard, is planning to deliver controversial public notices during its programming that may affect the sales of digital TVs, alarming the ministry and electronics makers. The digital TV committee of MBC is considering inserting a message in its high-definition programs that warns viewers of the digital standard change. The message is that viewers would need to change their digital TVs and set-top boxes if the digital TV standard changes. MBC wants state-run broadcasting station KBS to join the move, but KBS has remained cautious about enlisting in the plan. In 1997, Korea finalized a plan to adopt the U.S. digital broadcasting standard, which has also been adopted by Canada, while some 50 other nations have chosen the European standard. But the dispute about the digital TV standard has hounded the Information Ministry for the past couple of years, as MBC and other groups strongly opposed the government's decision. MBC and pro-European-standard groups argued that the U.S. standard does not support mobile transmission of digital broadcasts, while the European standard offers smooth delivery of standard-definition broadcasts under mobile environments.

THAILAND

ITV DECISION EXPECTED SOON

Thai broadcaster ITV will hear on December 15 whether its bid for lower license fees has been successful. ITV currently pays up to four times as much as its commercial rivals because its license fee is calculated using a newer system. ITV wants to have the fee reduced to the same level as leading commercial broadcaster Channel 7.

PROFITS UP AT UBC

Leading pay-TV provider United Broadcasting Corporation has reported a net profit of $3.9 million for the nine months to September 30, reversing a loss of $13 million reported for the same period in 2002. The financial results came against a modest increase in subscriber numbers to 425,755, a rise of just 5,112. UBC's, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Vasili Sgourdos said "Sales in the 3rd quarter of 2003 were the highest for a 3rd quarter in more than three years. Churn reduced to 1.3 per cent per month in Q3 versus 2.4 per cent per month in Q2. Our return to growth will continue to improve our financial performance." UBC has been fighting to overturn a ban on pay-TV operators from carrying advertising. In addition the company says there are an estimated 420 operators that flout copyright laws and who carry large amounts of pirated content without paying any fees or royalties to the rights owners.

A F R I C A

SOUTH AFRICA

BROADCASTING BILL APPROVED

Cabinet on December 3 approved the Convergence Bill, which seeks to promote uniformity in the broadcasting, telecommunication and signal distribution. The Bill also seeks to make new provision for the regulation of communication services, provide control of radio frequency spectrum. The Bill's aims to include monitoring licensing processes by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and to ensure the evolving needs of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in South Africa are properly addressed. Director-General of Communications Department Andile Ngcaba said the approval would make it easier for the department to monitor the broadcasting industry. The Communications Department said the Bill was crafted by all relevant stakeholders in the industry, including broad consultation with parastatals and the private sector.

HISTORY CHANNEL LAUNCHES ON MULTICHOICE

The History Channel UK, a joint venture between A&E Television Networks and BSkyB, has launched The History Channel in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, including South Africa. The channel, distributed via MultiChoice Africa, will be available to approximately 900,000 subscription TV households in 50 countries. The channel will be transmitted in English, and programming, marketing and operations will be coordinated by The History Channel UK. The five-year deal signals the first expansion outside the UK for the London-based channel, and will add to the existing 200 million households in over 120 countries that can currently receive other international History Channel affiliates.

ZIMBABWE

SECOND TV CHANNEL TO LAUNCH

Zimbabwe will get its second state-run television channel early next year. The new National Television (NTV) will broadcast 24-hours and run exclusively in local languages. It will be run by the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. ZBC director, Justin Mutasa, said the second channel will be funded with a €5 million grant from Iran. NTV will showcase local and African talent which Mutasa said could not be accommodated on a single channel. Zimbabwe's radio and television networks operate only through its government.

10/12/03

7 Central left B1? replaced by "TAS TV"? on 12355H Sr 5100 some info is in my Emails section. Anyone know what the story is?

Dwelle TV is currently on TVNZ's transponder on B1 on the Fv2 channel. Don't get to excited its only tests. Fv 4 channel has colour bars on it also.

Sorry not a lot of news around at the moment.

Satmagazine December issue online at http://www.satmagazine.com

From my Emails & ICQ

From SuperFly

Tas TV

Tas TV on B1 is currently showing CH10, Brisbane.
Probably testing for new channel. Is in 16x9 (720x576i) anamorphic aspect ratio.

Tas TV is a new digital ONLY tv channel coming soon to Tasmania. A joint venture between SCB and WIN.

It will be Australia's first digital only terrestrial channel (no analogue simulcast).

From ANON

Optus C1 T14 - To be Permanently Removed on Friday 12/12
Frequency 12438 Symbol Rate 29473

Optus C1 T20 - To be Permanently Removed on Friday 12/12
Frequency 12688 Symbol Rate 29473

Optus C1 T15 - Will be the NEW HOME Transponder for AUSTAR
Frequency 12478 Symbol Rate 27800

From TNC (NZ)

A new Christian channel has started on Optus B3 (Wed 9 Dec), 3ABN can be found on the new GlobeCast mux: 12525V, S/R 30000.

It is currently FTA, and viewable across NZ and Australia.

Kind regards,
Bryan Heath,
TNC Communications,

From Steve Johnson (NZ)

12456v on B1 - FV4
New service on 12456vt (TVNZ) SR 22500 FV4 = VPid 512, APid 650 & PCR Pid 138 - colour bars (NZ BEAM)

From Zapara

Screenshots from Optus B3

TCT, 3ABN, and God Channel

Screenshots from Optus C1

ABC Northern and Win TV

From the Dish

Lyngsats 2 days behind but anyway here we go

PAS 8 166E 4140 H "Disney Channel New Zealand" has started , PowerVu, PIDs 1460/1420.(looks like talk of NZ just taking the Foxtel feed was wrong?)

Optus C1 156E 12487 V "ABC Territory Radio" has started,Fta APID 837.
Optus C1 156E 12567 V "ABC TV National and Sport 927" have left .

Optus B3 152E 12525 V "Bangkok Radio 94 FM" has started, Fta, APID 1422.

Gorizont 33 145E 3723 R "Telekanal Rossiya" has started, Fta, SR 3109, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4194/4195.

Asiasat 4 122E CCTV 4/9 reported on 11880H 11805 H both Sr 13240 China beam?? might be worth a scan on Ku

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H All channels in the TARBS World TV mux are Fta.

PAS 10 68.5E 4184 V The TARBS World TV mux has left .

NEWS

Sky joins NZRU to tackle high dollar

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2754037a1823,00.html

Sky TV and the New Zealand Rugby Union are teaming up to tackle the rampaging Kiwi dollar.

The pair have held talks in a bid to base the multimillion-dollar rights to televise New Zealand matches in New Zealand currency instead of US dollars.

Such a move would help both parties to budget because their profits will be less exposed to the wildly fluctuating Kiwi – up 23 per cent against the US dollar since the start of the year.

Sky does not reveal how much it pays for broadcast rights – but it is its single biggest programming expense.

"We have discussed this possibility with Sky," NZRU chief executive Chris Moller said. "If we went down that route, it would be an important development."

Sky gets its rugby coverage as part of an umbrella deal its parent company News Corp has with the South African, Australian and New Zealand rugby unions. That 10-year US$500 million deal expires in December 2005, so any agreement to value the New Zealand portion of the deal in Kiwi dollars would be likely to take effect after December 2005.

Sky pays News Corp – as the holder of the agreement – for rights to televise matches in New Zealand. News Corp sells the rights to televise matches in other regions to other subsidiaries such as BSkyB in Britain and Star TV in Asia.

Both Sky and the NZRU said talks were at a preliminary stage.

A higher dollar is generally good for Sky because it cuts its programming costs, which are denominated mainly in US dollars.

But this year it has not enjoyed the full benefit from the higher currency because it bought hedging contracts to cover the bulk of its foreign spending, assuming the Kiwi would stay at about US50 cents.

Since Sky bought those contracts in July, the dollar has risen to about US65 cents.

Programming such as rugby rights is the company's single biggest expense and is expected to gobble up 52 per cent of sales, forecast to rise this year from $391 million to $426 million.

Sky chief executive John Fellet admitted Sky had not gained as much as it could have from the dollar's recent rise. But it was not Sky's job to gamble on currency movements.

"It is a fact of Life. If you look at any company in New Zealand they may get it right for one year, but they will not get it right for five years in a row."

The NZRU has done better. It receives most of its $100 million annual revenue in US currency.

Since it struck the current TV deal in 1995, it has progressively bought hedging contracts at about US40 cents on the assumption that the Kiwi was undervalued. These last till 2005 and at current market rates are worth $15 million a year.

Care TV to be launched on December 11

From http://www.agencyfaqs.com/news/stories/2003/12/10/7850.html

After two months of a quiet dry run, Care TV, the health channel, promoted by Atul Saraf, CMD, Live Satellite Media (LSM), which specialises in all-India regional cable advertising, will be officially launched on December 11. The channel, being broadcast via a Thaicom satellite, has a footprint ranging from the Gulf to the Far East, and will be distributed by LSM, which has 1,300 multi-system operators (MSOs) affiliated to it.

“There was a gap in the marketplace for a 24-hour health channel,” explains Saraf, who has hived off operations of Care TV under Take Care Pvt Ltd. “The channel is educative in nature and has a spectrum of shows dealing with a wide range of medical problems, therapies, tips and so on.”

On board is a panel of doctors, who along with head of programming, Ajit Gupta, a media veteran who has worked with ZEE, Aastha and CMM, will decide on the content for the channel, states Saraf. “The concept of Care was proposed by Ajit,” says Saraf, “and by January, next year, we are looking to reach 20 million households,” he states.

The target for the ensuing six months is 35 million households, and to build awareness a mix of regional cable TV, print and outdoor communication will be used, he adds. “The campaign will most likely break on the day of launch and in January we will have three new shows. One, a live phone-in addressed to a panel of doctors in the studio, a women’s show dealing with the period from pregnancy to childbirth and a third programme on sex and marriage counseling,” states Saraf.

Meanwhile, the five-year old LSM is streamlining operations by introducing the concept of cable monitoring, to bring in greater accountability and transparency into the business. Perfect Monitoring Services has been commissioned to monitor cable transmission and generate reports on the advertisements appearing on cable channels affiliated to LSM. These reports will be made available free of cost to clients, who number around 100. “Local advertising is handled by the cable operator in that area or region,” says Saraf. “We handle the corporate or national-level clients for whom transparency and accountability is a must,” he adds.

The significance of cable regional TV (simply put, cable channels that carry new movies) can be gauged from the fact that it stands second only to STAR Plus in terms of all-India channel share for the month of September at 11.34 per cent while STAR Plus is 14.88 per cent and SUN TV is third at 6.7 per cent (Source: TAM Media Research quoted in Businessworld, issue dated December 15).

Most corporate clients, points Saraf, show some presence on cable regional TV, but due to operational bottlenecks in monitoring cable transmission, have refrained from making huge spends on the platform. “With monitoring coming into the picture now, the market is bound to open up,” he states. Data capturing will start on January 1, 2004, with the first set of records to be generated by January 20, 2004, on the net. Subsequently, information will be updated dynamically on the net with the help of over 225 control rooms spread across 70 locations in the country.

“Apart from advertisers, cable operators are bound to gain from the process,” points Saraf. “With increased ad spends, the entire mechanism benefits,” he adds. © 2003 agencyfaqs!

9/12/03

Live chat tonight 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd onwards, if you are having problems with JAVA for getting into the chatroom a couple of links for you to try

Microsoft Java virtual machine
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/

and go here to download various versions

http://java-virtual-machine.net/download.html

WinTV Info http://www.winnet.com.au/winnet/

Some Intelsat 804 screenshots of the Taiwanese Mux

Dragon TV, FTV and CTS

TTV, Mac TV and PTS

From my Emails & ICQ

From David Ross

South East Asian Games

Palapa C2 Horz
4174 MHz Sr 5632 Fec 3/4 256 308
This is a feed for RBTv

From Zapara

Optus B3 12438 Horz 30789 3/4 all FTA

Moved from Optus A3???????

Globecast

"BYN - RNW" VID 5153 AUD 5157 PCR 5153 SID 1 PMT 1389
"TRT" VID 257 AUD 258PCR 257 SID 3 PMT 5003
"TRT FM" AUD 4353 PCR 4353 SID 4 PMT 5004
"VOT" AUD 4609 PCR 4069 SID 5 PMT 5005
"SET" VID 1260 AUD 1220 PCR 1260 SID 6 PMT 5006
"TCT" VID 513 AUD 514 PCR 513 SID 7 PMT 5007
"GOD CHANNEL" VID 769 AUD 770 PCR 76 SID 8 PMT 5008
"3ABN" VID 2049 AUD 2050 PCR 2049 SID 10 PMT 5010
"THAI TV" VID 512 AUD 690 PCR 512 SID 11 PMT 5011
"RNW 1 & 2" AUD 5156 PCR 5156 SID 13 PMT 5013

From the Dish

Lyngsat not come in yet

NEWS

Sky TV shareholders stymie INL

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Sky TV's minority shareholders will have to wait until at least late next year for a sweetened buy-out offer from majority shareholder INL.

INL picked up Telecom's 12 per cent stake in the pay television company through an offer first announced in August, taking its holding in Sky to 78.2 per cent.

However, shareholder anticipation of a better deal further down the track pushed Sky's share price above the value of the offer - $3.35 cash plus three INL shares for every 10 Sky shares held.

The offer closed on Friday and INL revealed yesterday that as a result of acceptances from shareholders other than Telecom it had increased its stake in Sky by a meagre 0.1 per cent, to 78.3 per cent.

INL sold almost its entire newspaper and magazine titles to Australia's John Fairfax Holdings for $1.2 billion in June.

Its only other publishing asset, Victoria's Geelong Advertiser newspaper and magazine group, went to News Limited for $64 million in August, leaving it with cash and its Sky stake.

INL executive chairman Ken Crowley said yesterday the company planned to distribute about $340 million - or 78c a share - to INL shareholders in April or May next year.

As part of the deal which secured Telecom's stake in the company for $156 million, INL agreed not to acquire Sky shares for a higher price for 12 months from the time the offer was announced.

Sky shareholders obviously felt their shares were worth more than INL has so far offered, Macquarie Equities investment adviser Arthur Lim said.

"Sky TV shareholders are taking the view that ... after many, many years of cash-burn, it has built up economies of scale, presence in the marketplace, a digital pay-TV monopoly in New Zealand and it's now very well positioned to leverage off that position."

He expected INL to remain a separate entity on the market and to make another tilt at Sky when it was free to do so.

"From INL's perspective it makes it a lot more desirable to have 100 per cent so that INL can freely access the cashflow of Sky TV."

The other option, liquidation, would not suit INL's 45.1 per cent owner News Corp, which found the Sky stake attractive, Lim said.

However, remaining an investment vehicle also did not make a lot of sense because INL had no other major investments and it was simply duplicating costs.

To trigger an automatic takeover, INL must secure 90 per cent of Sky.

Its biggest obstacle to reaching that mark will be Australian fund manager Colonial First State, which is now Sky's second largest shareholder and increased its stake during the just-completed takeover offer from 5 per cent to 7 per cent.

The History Channel: new service in Africa

From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html

The History Channel UK, a joint venture between A&E Television Networks (AETN) and British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB), has made an agreement to distribute The History Channel to Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa.

The deal with MultiChoice Africa will see the newly assembled channel distributed on the DStv platform from this month. It will be broadcast on Channel 68 from 1800 to midnight daily and repeated twice the following day at 0600 and 1200.

The five-year MultiChoice deal will make The History Channel available to approximately 900,000 subscription television households in 50 countries. Transmission will be in English and programming, marketing and operations will be coordinated by The History Channel (UK).

This is the first distribution arrangement for the London-based joint venture outside the UK. Commenting on the deal, Managing Director, Geoff Metzger said, "Expanding the business has been one of our objectives for several years. We are delighted that the joint venture shareholders have given us this opportunity and very pleased that our first partnership outside the UK is with MultiChoice in Africa."

24-hr Telugu news channel launched

From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2003/12/09/stories/2003120901691700.htm

ASSOCIATED Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd on Monday announced the launch of TV9, a 24-hour free-to-air Telugu news channel.

This news channel was formally launched by the caretaker Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, and will go on air by the Sankranthi day next month.

Mr Naidu said that scores of television channels have come up providing a wide range of entertainment for people across all strata of society. But the challenge was to provide the right content to the people, which very few channels currently offered.

The Congress leader in the State, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said that the challenge was to provide the right content to people across all walks of life. The benefits of reforms have not reached many parts of the country and it is important that a channel like TV9 addresses it, he added.

Mr A. Krishna Prasad, Managing Director of Associate Broadcasting, said that the channel sought to build a robust media organisation that would play a role in democracy rather than create assets for individuals. To broadbase the initiative, it is proposed to have about 150 I-Vision centres (to be increased to 500) and a news content provider.

The company plans to tie up with Sify's i-Way centres for bandwidth so that the information gathered could be reached to its users.

Associate Broadcasting had raised about Rs 20 crore from i-Labs Venture, promoted by Mr Srini Raju, one of the founders of Satyam Computers, and the Chennai-based Unify Wealth Management, promoted by Mr K. Srikanth Reddy.

(Craigs comment, Insat 2E?)

DTH set to take off in Pakistan on 1 January 2004

From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/dec/dec90.htm

MUMBAI: While Zee continues to meander in soft launch terrain and Star's Space TV is up in the air, it may well be India's not-so-friendly neighbour Pakistan where one will see a full-blown launch of DTH.

The targeted date for launch is reportedly 1 January 2004.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on 25 November awarded two DTH licences to Cross Currents (Pvt) Limited (the highest bidder) and ARY Communications which matched its bid with the highest bid through an open bidding process, Pakistan's The News reported recently.

Cross Currents offered the maximum bid of Pak Rs 250 million while ARY Communications quoted Pak Rs 192.500 million but under the rules, the ARY matched the highest bid of Pak Rs 250 million and qualified for first two DTH channels rights in Pakistan.

Pemra chairman Mian Muhammad Javed was quoted by The News as saying, "DTH would bring a revolution in the country with maximum possible expansion of TV viewers. Cable network is available to only four million houses while PTV could reach about 85 per cent of the area whereas the DTH will reach every nook and corner of the country."

Interestingly, Javed had said in a speech on 22 November, "The DTH licences are being issued at the right time, as the neighbouring country (India) has also started this service," adding that if "we don't start the service now, the DTH of our neighbour will flourish in Pakistan."

While Pakistan's DTH platforms can carry anywhere between 50 to 250 channels, Pemra clearance under its code of ethics will be needed for each channel in the bouquet.

This is significant because when it was announced that ARY was also in the running for the licence, queries were raised. One referred to an article in The Washington Post in which ARY was reported as having links with al-Qaeda and Taliban, and that the FBI was probing the matter. ARY was also accused of telecasting "substandard and obscene programmes" produced out of India and Pakistan.

According to industry sources, the man who is advising ARY in its DTH project is the Dubai-based Arab Digital Distribution's (ADD) CEO Dr. John Tyderman. The Pehla platform, which targets subcontinent viewers, is part of ADD.

8/12/03

I have moved my dish of I804 to C1 not a lot there for us in NZ with small ku dishes. See from the dish section for a few changes there.

Before I moved my dish off I804 I took some screenshots of the Taiwanese channels. These will go on the site tomorrow.

NSS6 has more channels , it looks like Tarb's muxes have moved there from Pas 10.

New Chinasat at 103E The beams probably all on China but anyway its testing there take a look you never know where the signals ends up China beams are usually very large.

From my Emails & ICQ

From Alan

Disney FTA on Sky NZ

At 11.22am Sunday 7 Dec the Disney channel is FTA on Sky Sport 3 and
also Eng 69. (B1 , 12608V Sky transponder)

Alan

(Craigs comment, it was just the one service using the same Vpid, ENG69 is Sky's internal test channel. It has since encrypted again)

From Zapara

The following is an update of several transponders on Optus C1 @ 156deg E.

12446 Vert 27800 3/4 FTA "TVSN Aust" VID 308 AUD 256 SID 1 PMT 32
12566 Vert 27800 3/4 FTA "TVSN Aust" VID 308 AUD 256 SID 1 PMT 32
12486 Vert 30000 2/3 FTA "WIN TV" VID 1536 AUD 1537 TXT 1538 PCR 1536 SID 1 PMT 32
12486 Vert 30000 2/3 FTA "ABC NT" VID 832 AUD 833 TXT 834 PCR 832 SID 81 PMT 33
12486 Vert 30000 2/3 FTA "ABC NT FM RADIO" AUD 836 PCR 836 SID 82 PMT 33
12486 Vert 30000 2/3 FTA "ABC NT RADIO NATIONAL" AUD 838 PCR 838 SID 83 PMT 33
12486 Vert 30000 2/3 FTA "ABC NT RADIO REGIONAL" AUD 837 PCR 837 SID 84 PMT 33

(Craigs comment, yes 12486V is on Aus/NZ dual beam......)

From Jason

More channels from NSS6

Just did a complete scan, can confirm the following:

12595 V 21015 3/4
TV Moda
ESC
SIC International
Video Italia
TV Polonia
ARM 1
TGRT
ATV

12646 V 21015 3/4

LIG TV (Encrypted)
Future TV
ESC 2
TeleLiban
Leonardo I
Euro D
Nile Culture

12728 V 27531 7/8

NTD TV
New Skies Promo

some feeds seen on the weekend

B1 12370 H Sr 6670 3/4 "Music feed"
B1 12380 H Sr 6625 Fec 3/4 "Basketball"
B1 12367 V 6625 3/4 "Sky NZ , Basketball"

From the Dish

Optus B3 156E 12438 H SR 30806 "Thai TV Global Network, TCT World, The God Channel, SET Asia and BVN TV" have started, Fta, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/690, 513/514,769/770, 1260/1220 and 5153/5154.
Optus C1 156E 12447 V TVSN has started, Fta, SR 27800, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Optus C1 156E 12478 V "ABC TV Northern, Win TV, ABC Classic FM Northern and ABC Radio National Northern" have started , Fta, PIDs 832/833, 1536/1537, 836 and 838. (Aus/NZ beam..)
Optus C1 156E 12567 V TVSN has started, Fta, PIDs 308/256.

AsiaSat 4 122E 3881 H New PIDs for all channels in the Shanghai Oriental TV mux on : 1021/1022-1046/1047.

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3980 V "The History Channel" has started on , Videoguard, PIDs 512/640,time sharing with Adventure One India.

Chinasat 20 103E Test carriers on 3900 H, 3940 H,4060 H, 4100 H and 4140 H.

Insat 3A 93.5E 3899 V "Gurjari" has left .

Yamal 102 90E 3532 L The Altai test card has left .
Yamal 102 90E 3564 R "BBC World Service" has started, Fta, APID 4210.
Yamal 102 90E 3595 L "TVS Servernaya Cvina" has started, Fta, SR 4275, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.

Thaicom 3 78.5E Several changes in the TARBS World TV muxes on 3520 H and 3640 H.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H All channels in the TARBS TV mux are now encrypted.

PAS 10 68.5E 4184 V Nile Drama has left , moved to Thaicom 3.

NEWS

Sorry no NEWS

7/12/03

No update Sunday

Final word about ABC Northern via B1?

From ABC

Dear X

Thank you for your email.

By way of background, this will have been the Darwin RABS backhaul that was
recently taken off Optus B1 and put onto fibre.

Viewers in New Zealand have been fortuitously able to get this service because
the particular beam on the B1 satellite also covered New Zealand.

However, technically Asia Pacific TV is not designed for New Zealand and
therefore reception cannot be guaranteed.

I apologise that I do not have any immediate solutions but I hope this information is
of some assistance.

Regards
Katreena Doherty
Communications Officer
ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs
ph: 02 8333 2377