Satnews 098/2
Robert A Dickel IE91
At a meeting of the Intelsat board of governors, a decision was
taken to sign a contract with Arianespace to launch the first two
Intelsat VIII satellites in 1996.
The contract, subject to technical and contractual liability issues
approval, will give each Intelsat satellite an operational lifetime
of 16 years. Intelsat VIII satellites are designed to provide
additional support for customers in the Pacific Ocean Region. The
satellites will incorporate six-fold C-band frequency reuse, a
two-fold reuse of expanded C-band capacity and the highest C-band
power level ever for an Intelsat satellite.
GE Astro Space is building the two satellites as part of a US$165
million contract awarded in September 1992.
NEW HOME SHOPPING CHANNEL FOR EUROPE
A new satellite home shopping channel is to be broadcast throughout
Europe on the Astra and Eutelsat satellites by Quantum
International, the London, UK-based subsidiary of the National
Media Corporation.
Quantum Home Shopping Channel has signed an agreement with
Eurosport to use 56 hours of unused broadcast time weekly to
broadcast the channel. Over 37 million households can currently
receive Eurosport's transmissions. A continuous eight-hour home
shopping channel will be broadcast, with Europe- wide telemarketing
centres taking inbound sales calls.
"The Quantum Home Shopping Channel is an exciting new concept that
we are pleased to introduce to European consumers. Direct response
television marketing is rapidly becoming a very significant method
of delivering quality consumer products to the European
marketplace," says John Turchi, chairman and CEO of the National
Media Corporation.
NMC has a number of tele-media interests in the US, Canada, the
Middle East and Australasia. Further expansions and new ventures
are expected to be announced during 1993.
SATELLITE TV BLAMED FOR INDIAN RIOTS
Influential Indian politicians are accusing satellite television of
aggravating recent Hindu-Moslem riots which saw over a thousand
people killed in violence around India at the start of December.
Satellite television has been a success in the country, with
satellite dishes receiving programmes from many different
countries. Foreign news programmes are especially popular as they
often show images censored by Doordarshan, India's state-run
television network.
Footage of a Moslem shrine in Ayodhya being attacked by Hindu
militants relayed by the BBC and CNN into India were cited as being
instrumental in triggering a community backlash throughout the
country. India is directly within the footprint of the Hong
Kong-based Star TV network. Recent market share figures released
suggest that up to 1.5 million Indians tune into Star TV
broadcasts.
"Millions of people saw the mosque being demolished on the BBC and
CNN and their anger was uncontrollable," said Sharad Pawar, India's
defence minister.
An editorial in the Times of India said that the credibility of
Doordarshan and All India Radio have hit an all-time low, and that
the BBC is now generally accepted to be the last word in
authenticity.
Some Indian religious leaders are calling for restrictions to be
reinforced on the reception of foreign television broadcasts. And
the Indian media has joined in. "The foreign networks,
particularly CNN and the BBC, went out of their way to show the
gory visuals of outraged people screaming and
shouting," said an article in the Financial Express of India
newspaper.
Other newspapers called for considered restraint in the coverage of
domestic events by foreign broadcasters.
USAF OPTS FOR BRIGHT EYES SATELLITE
The United States Air Force has awarded Rockwell International
Corp. and TRW Inc. a US$487 million contract to design and
demonstrate Bright Eyes, a satellite-based surveillance system.
Bids from a number of aerospace contractors were received and
evaluated said a statement issued by the USAF.
Brilliant Eyes is a six-year project which will spot and track
ballistic missiles after they have been launched, forming an
integral part of the US Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) and the
USAF Space Command space surveillance mission. Brilliant Eyes will
monitor satellites in low and high earth orbits, collecting data on
targets and testing ballistic missile defence systems.
Under the terms of the contract, two satellites will have to be
launched by the contractors before the end of 1997.
SPAT ON IRISH CABLE SYSTEM OVER BSKYB
Cablelink, the largest cable television operator in the Irish
Republic has pulled the plug on the Sky News and Sky One channels
provided by British Sky Broadcasting following a dispute over
proposed cable carriage fees.
The two channels were offered free to subscribers of the basic
cable tier package, but BSkyB and Cablelink could not agree on a
price for the channels when BSkyB encrypts the signals in July.
Cablelink removed the two popular channels off its system,
depriving BSkyB of around 300,000 subscribers. A spokeswoman at
BSkyB said that the company was saddened by Cablelink's decision
and hoped that negotiations could be restarted, although she said
that the company was getting extremely discounted prices over
standard cable television carriage fees. One source said that the
charges proposed were 10 pence per subscriber per channel per
month, or 2.40 per year in total. BSkyB apparently feels that
this is a small price to pay when compared to Cablelink's basic
tariff of 81.
In a statement issued by Cablelink, the company said that it
regretted having to pull the channels, and that it was willing to
pay BSkyB the same level of fees for Sky One as it pays the BBC and
ITV (terrestrial broadcasting companies) and a lower fee for Sky
News because of its specialist nature.
"BSkyB references to what they are paid in the UK for these
channels are not relevant in the Irish market, where these channels
must compete both in quality and price with BBC and ITV," said the
statement. "Cablelink also sought to continue with transmission of
these channels on a pay service, which would give people the option
of subscribing to Sky News and Sky One. BSkyB rejected this offer.
BSkyB informed Cablelink that they intend scrambling both Sky One
and Sky News in July 1993 when Irish satellite dish owners would be
faced with paying the same amount as charged in the UK."
Kevin Windle, managing director of Cablelink, said that MTV and
Screensport had also approached the company for fees, but declined
to comment on the state of negotiations. A source at Cablelink said
that the company was considering adding channels from Euronews, CNN
or UK Gold onto the network. Publically the company declined to
comment on its plans.
SATELLITE ROTATED FOR SOMALIAN SNG BROADCASTERS
Following a request by US broadcasting organisations for direct
links from trouble-torn Somalia to broadcast centres in the United
States, Intelsat engineers have rotated the antenna platform on the
Intelsat 502 satellite.
John Hampton, executive vice-president for operations and services
at Intelsat, says: "To facilitate news gathering operations, we
have moved the satellite's east spot beam over Somalia, so that the
US networks can access this beam with their transportable
transmission equipment. In order to provide the strongest and most
reliable signal possible, we rotated the satellite's antenna
platform to the east."
ABC, CNN, NBC and CNN are using direct links provided through
Comsat, the US signatory to Intelsat. The networks are using
Intelsat's cross- strapping facility to enable a crew to send
transmissions using a Ku-band spot beam uplink and a wide-area
C-band downlink.
Intelsat 502 is located at 21.5 degrees west longitude.
Other television broadcasting organisations are using Intelsat
facilities to relay pictures back from Somalia. The European
Broadcasting Union has a short-term lease aboard Intelsat 505 (66
degrees east longitude) relaying images back to Lyon, France for
onward distribution over the Eurovision network. ZDF, a German
state broadcaster, also has occasional short-term lease bookings on
the same satellite.
VSAT SUPPLIERS MUST COOPERATE SAYS BT
British Telecom has told European VSAT suppliers that they must
work together in addressing key legislative and customer awareness
issues if the European VSAT industry is to follow the rapid growth
experienced in North America.
John Miller, group business manager for specialised satellite
services at BT, told delegates at the 9th European Satellite
Communications Conference in London that he was critical at the
lack of market unity to date in addressing the problems
experienced, and that in Europe companies have been hampered by
restrictive legislation across national boundaries.
"Creating a level legislative playing field will kick-start
infrastructure investment and broad market growth: It is the
responsibility of us all to bring this about," said Miller, noting
that the quality of service and the number of VSAT applications in
Europe are increasing, while operational costs are decreasing.
Miller said that the European VSAT industry was faced with an
awareness problem among potential problems. The general lack of
synergy between VSAT data networks and business television services
were singled out for criticism.
"In the US around a third of all business television networks
support data -- that's roughly 19 dual function networks. In
Europe are none. Companies adding the video element to a data
network face extra costs for uplinking encrypting, space segment
and production -- but the majority of the network costs in the
merged VSAT environment are justified by the data application,"
said Miller.
Previously Bishopsgate Systems, now taken over by AlphaServ Ltd.,
was able to offer such a synergous service with its FM Cubed
service. AlphaServ declined to purchase the European rights for FM
Cubed at the sale in November. SpaceCom Systems, developers of the
system, say that a sale is expected shortly. British Aerospace
Communications currently retain the FM Cubed rights for Europe, and
executives have been promising an "immediate" sale since November
1992.
GALILEO ANTENNAS STILL JAMMED SAYS NASA
Despite numerous attempts by NASA ground controllers to open the
Galileo space probe's jammed main antenna, the antenna remains
jammed shut, putting the future of the craft's Jupiter mission into
doubt.
Technicians at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratories have activated
two small electric motors on the speeding space probe that control
a mechanism designed to pop open the high gain antenna before
repeatedly pushing the antenna in quick succession to free the jam.
If the mission is to be a success, the antenna must be fully
deployed so that data can be sent back. Galileo was launched from
the Space Shuttle Atlantis on 18 October 1989 and started its
six-year three-planet mission. The probe had to sail past Venus and
twice past the Earth before it had enough "gravitational power" to
commence its mission to Venus. Galileo is set to reach Venus by
1995.
In 1991 mission engineers attempted to open the US$1.4 billion
probe's antennas, which would form a 5 metre dish when fully
opened. Two pins on a supporting rib (there are 18 ribs for the
antenna) apparently jammed.
Several other attempts to open the antenna have failed.
CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON CHINESE SAT CONTROL STATION
Construction work has began on the Beijing satellite control
station in readiness for the Dongfangong-3 communications satellite
launch which is scheduled for the end of 1993.
The earth station will be used for processing data sent by the
satellite, as well as tracking the satellite in orbit. Officials
from the Chinese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications say that
the station will be later expanded to track and monitor a further
four synchronous satellites.
Although the station will be partially completed in time for the
launch, it is not expected to be completed until early 1994.
Meanwhile China has fully commissioned its second ground station in
Macao. Macao, armed with a 15 meter diameter dish, is able to track
and monitor satellites over the Pacific Ocean. China's first
station, also situated at Macao, was opened in 1984 to track Indian
Ocean satellites.
CONFLICT ON UK SATELLITE MARKET SHARE
With a myriad of differing market analysis reports, there appears
to be a great deal of confusion over the definitive size of the UK
satellite market.
According to figures recently released by Carat Research, almost
one in five people who subscribe to satellite television services
subsequently decide that they don't want the service. Phil
Gullen, managing director of Carat Research, suggests that the
churn rate (turnover) in cable and satellite homes is much higher
than previously thought.
Forecasts for the future penetration of satellite TV may need to be
revised says Gullen.
The company interviewed respondents who were cable and satellite
subscribers between April 1991 and March 1992. By November 1992,
Carat discovered that around one in five -- one million viewers --
were reportedly no longer receiving services.
Figures released by Gfk Marketing Services say that satellite dish
ownership in the UK was below two million at the end of October,
contrasting with Continental Research's claim of 2.61 million
installations in the FT Satellite Monitor.
GFk says that its figures are consistent with those produced for UK
broadcasters by BARB, the British Audience Research Bureau. Gfk
bases its survey on a sample of 10,000 homes in June, and revised
by monitoring the sales of new installations through retailers and
mail order suppliers. Continental Research says that its FT
Satellite Monitor is based on interviews with over 4000 adults per
month, and this data is integrated with other trade retail shipment
figures.
AD-HDTV TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATED AROUND WORLD
The Advanced Television Research Consortium (ARTC) has been
demonstrating its Advanced Digital HDTV (AD-HDTV) technology to
selected key audiences around the world in a response to growing
worldwide interest in digital high definition television systems.
A worldwide roadshow commenced in Japan where around 500
representatives from the Japanese consumer electronics and
broadcasters viewed the technology. A demonstration was also held
at the NBC centre in New York. Other demonstrations were held at
the International Union of Electronic Workers convention, Society
of Motion Picture and Television Engineers conference and the
Western Cable Show in California.
"The demonstrations in Japan and Canada of AD-HDTV's recent
successful field tests in the Washington area underscore the
importance of ongoing international cooperation in the process to
select a north American HDTV standard," says Dr James Carnes,
president and CEO of the David Sarnoff Research Centre in
Princeton, USA.
According to Carnes, two particular strengths of the AD-HDTV system
are an enhanced picture quality and resistance to NTSC
interference. A simulcast of conventional terrestrial and AD-HDTV
broadcasting was held on the WRC-TV network channel at the end of
September 1992.
AD-HDTV is a system developed jointly by the David Sarnoff Research
Centre and Philips Laboratories, and is currently the only HDTV
system based on the MPEG transmission standards. NBC, Thomson
Consumer Electronics and Compression Laboratories Inc. are
participant members in the consortium.
REPORT IT, BUY IT BACK, GET SHOT
Journalists and television crews in war-torn Somalia are facing
daily hazards of being shot or injured in the line of duty, and
reports have been coming of intense pressures being placed on the
media representatives.
A crew of American marines took around five minutes to storm into
a compound full of satellite dishes, editing suites, cameras,
money, food and harassed news teams in December to render help.
The war-battered media folk called for aid after receiving threats
of attack by Somali gunmen. Teams armed with valuable equipment
have been victims of muggings and other threats of violence from
countrymen desperate for money after over two years of poverty and
violence.
Representatives from NBC, BBC, Visnews, Reuters and other news
organisations were escorted by the military to the relative safety
of the nearby airstrip. Conditions have improved since the US
Marines began their entry into Mogadishu, but the numbers of
journalists and technicians has also steadily increased.
Television cameras and sound recorders are reportedly popular
targets for the muggers, who then promptly sell them back to news
crews for currency. Aid agencies are also suffering at the hands of
the media, as they are pushing up the price for drivers,
interpreters, guides and other ancillary "dollar mercenaries."
Naturally, until peace is declared, the media circus will remain,
and so will many of the problems.
PANAMSAT RECEIVES FUNDING BOOST FOR EXPANSION
Mexico's largest media company, Televisa SA, is to invest US$200
million in PanAmSat, the first private global satellite system
operator, in a deal that is subject to regulatory approval.
PanAmSat executives say that the investment will be used to "ensure
the expansion of the PanAmSat system from a single satellite into
a global system comprised of four satellites."
In August 1991, PanAmSat announced its plans for its
three-satellite network, known as ORB-X, which would provide
worldwide connectivity and communications (Satnews 043). The
company will launch the first of its new satellites over the Asia
Pacific region in April 1994, with subsequent launches planned for
the first and second quarters of 1995. Originally the remaining
two satellites, destined for the Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions,
were set to be launched in the third and fourth quarters of 1994
(Satnews 056).
"Orb-X will offer a private enterprise choice to media companies,
corporate networks, telephone companies and other communications
users throughout the world," said Fred Landman, president of
PanAmSat, at the launch of Orb-X. "In designing ORB-X we've looked
to the end users' requirements, not just those of the Intelsat
organisation."
Landman, spoke about the new investment saying: "As a leader in
the international multi-media industry, Televisa appreciates the
opportunities PanAmSat represents for providing innovative
satellite services throughout the world. Televisa's unique global
perspective is consistent with our plans for global expansion."
The investment marks a dramatic shift in the operations of
PanAmSat, formerly known as Alpha Lyracom. Televisa will take a 50
percent stake in the company. PanAmSat was previously owned by Rene
Anselmo, the ebullient and well known critic of Intelsat, and
associated family members. Anselmo will continue to be a dominant,
driving force behind the company.
Anselmo is well known within the satellite industry for his hatred
for the Intelsat organisation. At the launch of Orb-X he called
upon the US government to terminate the Intelsat agreement as it
had not done an adequate job of serving developing countries,
saying: "Alpha Lyracom is going to serve the developing world with
powerful satellite signals and lots of them - not press releases."
In November 1991, PanAmSat (Alpha Lyracom) signed a contract with
Hughes Communications to provide three HS-601 satellites. Launch
agreements were subsequently signed with Arianespace.
US AND RUSSIA CREATE JOINT SPACE VENTURE
Lockheed Corp., the large US defence contractor wishes to become a
leading player in the international commercial satellite business,
and in order to fulfil its ambition it has agreed to form a joint
venture with Khrunichev Enterprise, a major Russian rocket building
company responsible for the Proton launch vehicle.
The company wishes to take a stake in the market which is currently
dominated by rivals such as Hughes Aircraft Co., Loral Corp. and
General Electric Co. In the US alone, the satellite and space
market is valued at US$29 billion.
Lockheed currently designs and builds satellites through its Space
Systems business, yet it has no involvement in the instrumentation
and electrical components side of contracts.
In a joint statement by Daniel Tellep, chairman of Lockheed and
Anatoli Kiselev, general director of Khrunichev, the venture is
viewed as a highly positive and forward-looking arrangement. "Our
relationship will enable us to promote applications of the Proton
and its derivatives in the worldwide commercial launch market,"
said the statement.
Lockheed is actively producing surveillance satellites for the US
government, as well as commercial satellites such as those used for
Motorola's Iridium project. But Lockheed was unsuccessful in
winning a contract for the US Air Force's Brilliant Eyes satellite
system, as it was awarded to Rockwell and TRW (see separate stories
in this issue).
According to a report carried by the Russian Intelfax news agency,
Russia's main space launcher maker Khrunichev has been given
permission to sign commercial contracts with Motorola and Lockheed
to launch satellites in the future. Three satellites will be
launched for use within Motorola's Iridium global satellite
communications project, and a joint venture for unknown purposes
will be made with Lockheed.
RETURN PLANNED FOR POWER STATION MUSIC CHANNEL?
According to selected trade press reports, British Sky Broadcasting
has held informal talks with Tony Kelly, the former chief executive
of the Palace Group, over the possible relaunch of The Power
Station during 1993.
Around 10 million is being sought for the relaunch of the popular
channel. BSkyB is likely to be interested in the inclusion of a
music channel under its planned portfolio of pay television
services, as MTV Europe has declined to participate. In July 1993,
BSkyB will encrypt its Sky One and Sky News programmes, obliging
subscribers to pay for a mini package of channels.
Kelly has previously secured the rights to the name and title of
The Power Station from its administrators. It is understood that
a full-time lease is being sought on Astra 1C, which should be
operational by the time BSkyB introduces its pay-TV package.
In July 1992, BSkyB said that it had set a 1 July 1993 deadline for
the introduction of a pay-TV service (Satnews 086). BSkyB will
offer a basic package of services for 5 per month. The
package will include Sky One and Sky News, and possibly Bravo,
Discovery, The Children's Channel and UK Gold.
The new offering will be encrypted with Videocrypt, with Sky's
subscriber management centre handling administration.
TRW TO DELIVER SECOND MILSTAR SATELLITE
The payload for the second Milstar satellite has been delivered to
Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., the prime contractors to the
Milstar project, by TRW Space and Electronics.
According to TRW, the 2000-plus-pound "wing" of the satellite,
dubbed the Low Data Rate payload, consists of more than a dozen
antenna fixtures and five subsystems for communications functions
including extremely high frequency (EHF), ultra high frequency
(UHF) super high frequency (SHF) communications and a
time/frequency reference and processing subsystem.
Lockheed will now join the payload to the satellite "spacecraft
bus" before testing and delivery. The second satellite is to be
launched on a Titan IV rocket booster at an unspecified date in the
mid 1990s.
Mlstar is the US Department of Defenses second-generation
communications satellite system which will be used to provide a
number of communications requirements for US government agencies
around the world.
DOMESTIC SATELLITE CONTRACT FOR ARGENTINA
An international consortium headed by Aerospatiale, Alcatel, Alenia
Spazio, Embratel and Deutsche Aerospace has been awarded a contract
worth US$1.7 billion to build, launch and operate Argentina's first
domestic communications satellite.
Industry observers say that as the Argentinean government has
virtually completed its telecommunications privatisation programme,
the consortium is effectively a privately-operated satellite
communications system that uses unused satellite allocations
awarded to the country.
Although no detailed figures were provided on the costs of the
project, the satellite is likely to cost around US$250 million,
with the remainder of the costs being spent on earth stations and
ancillary support services.
In June 1991, the Argentine Science and Technology Secretariat
announced that Argentina's first satellite would be placed into
orbit by 1994 after discussions were held with NASA officials
(Satnews 036) although no reason was cited for the delay with the
project.
UK TELEVISION WATCHDOG ACTS ON ADVERTISEMENTS
Several satellite-related television advertisements were
investigated by the UK's Independent Television Commission after a
number of complaints were received, according to the latest issue
of the Television Complaints Advertising Report.
Eight complaints were received alleging that promotions for Sky
Movies Gold and Sky Sports were misleading, one complaint claimed
that adverts for the Astra satellite system were offensive, and a
further complaint was levied about the general form of promotions
for BSkyB programming.
The ITC stressed that after a preliminary assessment, the
complaints against the satellite companies did not raise any issues
of substance requiring further investigation.
POLISH RADIO LEASE SUBCARRIER FOR EURO-BROADCASTS
Poland's first private radio station RMF-FM has signed a contract
with MTV Europe to sublease a stereo audio subcarrier pair on the
Astra satellite so that its service can be relayed throughout
Europe.
Although RMF-FM was launched in December 1990, it is only available
for reception in parts of Europe. In terms of Polish coverage
alone, MTV's 800,000-plus cable and satellite viewers will be able
to receive the service.
RMF-FM has also signed an agreement with MTV to take syndicated
programming from the channel for rebroadcast, under the MTV radio
syndication package.
Piotr Metz, head of music at RMF-FM said: "In an effort to expand
our audience nationally and to reach Polish people living overseas,
RMF-FM has sub-leased one of MTV's audio subcarriers. We are
delighted to be part of the channel's radio syndication network."
EUROPESAT AGREEMENT
Deutsche Bundespost, France Telecom and the Swiss PTT have agreed
to implement the Europesat 1 satellite project on the basis of the
concept, technical, operational and financial arrangements devised
by Eutelsat upon their request.
Europesat is to provide up to 14 transponders in the DBS frequency
band for reception on small (30cm-45cm) antennas.
FEATURE: CABLE VIEWING HABITS IN THE UK
The following article is produced by the UK's Independent
Television Commission, and is abridged from an information release
made recently. Selected editing changes have been made, although
the views still reflect those of the ITC.
Cable and satellite channels have regained some of the audience
share previously lost to ITV, according to the ITC's most recent
survey of viewing in broadband cable homes. The share of viewing
taken by cable and satellite channels increased from 35.3% in
October 1991 to 38.6% in October 1991, while ITV's share fell from
33.9% to 30.5%. BBC1 and Channel 4's share improved slightly but
BBC2's share fell by one percentage point.
In 1992 Sky One displaced Sky Movies Plus to become the most
popular cable and satellite channel. Sky One achieved an overall
viewing share of 10.5%, an increase of 2.6% over the year. Sky One
also eclipsed Sky Movies Plus as the channel with the highest reach
(51.9%) in homes able to receive the channel.
Sky Sports became the second most popular of the cable and
satellite channels, according to the ITC survey. The channel, while
reducing its penetration from 100% through the introduction of
subscription, increased its share of viewing (based on all
individuals) from 3.1% in 1991 to 5.6% in 1992. The increase in Sky
Sports' share is even more marked in those homes which subscribe to
it where the share has increased almost threefold from 3.1% in
October 1991 to 8.5% in 1992. The introduction of subscription (and
hence a more self-selecting audience) and the Premier League
football must account for some of this growth.
However, some of the success of Sky One and Sky Sports may have
been at the expense of Sky Movies. In 1992 the combined shares of
Sky Movies Plus (5.3%) and The Movie Channel (3.2%) accounted for
an 8.5% share of viewing based on all individuals, a drop of 3.1%
from 1991 and 5.1% from 1990 levels. Within homes receiving these
channels the combined shares of Sky Movies (9.1%), The Movie
Channel (7.6%) and Sky Movies Gold (1%) accounted for 17.7% of all
viewing. This represented 42% of viewing to cable and satellite
channels, compared with the movie channels' share of over 48% in
1991.
In general, the viewing of cable and satellite channels correlates
with social class and reduces as socio-economic position rises. In
the two weeks surveyed, AB viewers watched proportionally more of
BBC1, BBC2, Channel 4, Sky Sports, Sky News, CNN and Landscape, and
less of ITV, Sky One, Sky Movies, Lifestyle and MTV. DE viewers
watched proportionally more of ITV, Sky Movies, Sky One, Lifestyle
and MTV and less of BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 4.
Share of viewing to cable and satellite channels is also higher for
men and children than for women. The difference between the sexes
is most marked in relation to the sports channels, to which males
over 16 devoted 13.6% of their viewing (Sky Sports (9.9%),
Eurosport (2.1%) and Screensport (1.6%)), an overall increase of 4%
on 1991 figures.
Children aged between 2 and 15 spend more of their viewing hours
watching cable and satellite channels than adults do, according to
the survey. Almost half (48.2%) of children's viewing is spent
watching the new channels, with the most popular being Sky One,
which accounted for almost a quarter of children's total viewing
(23.6%), largely due to 'Simpson Mania'. This represents an
increase of 9.7% on 1991 figures. Viewing to the Children's Channel
also increased year on year, up 2.5% to a 13.1% share.
The amount of viewing in broadband homes increased in 1992 by 30
minutes. On average, broadband viewers spent 25.4 hours a week
watching television over the two-week sample period. Viewing to
cable and satellite channels increased by almost an hour in 1992,
to an average of 9.7 hours.
Jon Davey, the ITC's Director of Cable and Satellite, said, "We
regard these figures as valuable in giving us an indication of how
the increasing number of cable viewers use the choice of 30 or more
channels they are offered. They will assume even greater
significance in influencing the future of broadcasting, as more and
more viewers have a larger range of channels to choose from."
Despite the increase in viewing to cable and satellite channels,
the exceptionally high level of satisfaction with the service
expressed in 1991 has fallen. The proportion of respondents pleased
with the current cable television service has fallen year-on-year
to eight out of ten (79.7%) in 1992 from nine out of ten (91%) in
1991. The reasons for the decline may include certain channels in
the basic tier becoming pay channels - notably Sky Sports - and
annual price increases.
Technical notes
* The research was conducted for the ITC by Continental Research.
It was based on diaries kept in broadband cable homes between
Monday 12 October and Sunday 25 October 1992. It is the latest in
a series of similar studies, conducted for the Cable Authority in
May, August and October 1990 and for the ITC in May/June and
October 1991.
* A total of 976 one week diaries were analyzed, from a
representative sample of broadband cable viewers in Aberdeen, Avon,
Birmingham, Central Lancashire, Coventry, Croydon, Ealing,
Kensington and Chelsea, South Liverpool, Southampton, Sutton,
Swindon, Tower Hamlets, Westminster and Windsor.
* Copies of the full report are available priced 75.00. For
further details contact Carmel McLaughlin at the ITC or Jon Priest
at Continental Research (Telephone 071 490 5944).
NEWS IN BRIEF
Martin Lindskog, president of the European pay-TV channel Filmnet,
says that he will not extend his contract with the company when it
expires in June 1993. Cobus Stofberg, current head of Filmnet's
subscriber management centre, will be Lindskog's replacement.
Lindskog says that he is "pursuing other interests" and rumours in
the industry say that he may be going to launch another European
channel. Filmnet also announced that Gerard McSloy has been
appointed as chief financial officer for Filmnet.
A team of armed men recently hijacked nearly a quarter of a million
dollars worth of donated equipment sent to allow Belgrade's
independent Studio B Television to compete with state-run Serbian
Television, the voice of communist President Slobodan Milosevic's
battle team. News of the hi- jacking reportedly coincided with an
announcement on Belgrade television that a group of citizens from
the province where the hijacking took place had donated technical
equipment to the broadcasting outlet of the self- declared Serbian
state in Bosnia-Herzegovina reported a UPI despatch.
Satellite Radio Blues has commenced broadcasting non-stop jazz,
blues, reggae and soul music by satellite throughout Europe. Mike
Wohl, manager of Satellite Radio Blues, said that test
transmissions are being made on the Astra audio subcarriers used by
Quality Europe FM. SRB will have a continuous "presenter-less"
audio channel and a second channel providing details about the
programming tracks and advertising.
The three major US terrestrial television networks have signed an
agreement to restrict violence within entertainment programmes in
attempt to limit the depiction of violence aimed at children, says
Senator Paul Simon, who was successful in implementing legislation
two years ago which allowed the networks to collaborate on
standards without violating anti-trust laws.
The Malaysian government has changed regulations which allow hotels
to receive CNN signals directly into hotels. Hotel owners have to
apply to the Ministry of Energy, Telecommunications and Posts for
a permit. The Malaysian cabinet decided to change regulations for
"three and four star- rated hotels" so that foreign visitors can
keep in touch with foreign events. Only the prime minister,
minister of information and nine other rulers are currently allowed
to receive satellite TV broadcasts.
In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued
performance standards that must be used for the manufacture of
satellite receivers that provide highly accurate worldwide
navigation and positioning capabilities for commercial and private
aircraft. The receivers will use the GPS network of satellites,
providing accurate and timely locational and positioning
information at a relatively low cost. For a copy of the standards
contact Fraser Jones at the FAA on +1 202 267 8521.
Northwest Mobile Television is to acquire Multimedia Video
Productions Inc., the mobile television subsidiary of Multimedia
Inc, which will strengthen NMT's position as the largest mobile
television (SNG) company in the US. Steve Clifford, chief executive
of NMT, said that the acquisition has allowed the company to take
advantage and expand its geographic coverage.
A McDonnell Douglas Delta launch vehicle launched a USAF NAVSTAR
GPS satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Six GPS
satellites were launched by McDonnell Douglas for the United States
Air Force during 1992. The launch is the 17th in a series of 24
planned satellites which will form part of a US$8.5 billion
network. The mission cost a reported US$110 million.
Intelsat says that it is looking at purchasing insurance to cover
the launch of five Intelsat VII satellites. Intelsat 701 and 702
are set to be launched by Arianespace in October 1993 and the first
quarter of 1994. The remaining satellites will be launched aboard
a General Dynamics IIAS rocket in July and October 1994 and
February 1995.
Discussions between UK Gold and the British Actors' union Equity
over the rights to replay classic British television programmes on
the channel are ongoing, but have been delayed following a reported
disagreement over the length of a contract. Equity is said to be
wanting a three or four year contract while the BBC is looking for
a longer agreement in return for an enhanced fee.
Wegner Corp. have introduced a Series 1834 digital audio subcarrier
demodulator which provides customers with near CD-quality audio
reception on a single 128 kbit/s data channel subcarrier. According
to the company, the unit utilises MPEG compression technology to
give users their choice of a single stereo channel or two mono
channels in half the transponder bandwidth required for a single
mono analogue channel.
Saudi Arabia has signed a US$55 million contract with the Arab
Satellite Communications Organisation (Arabsat) for three
transponders aboard a yet- to-be-launched Arabsat satellite. The
US-based Hughes Aircraft Co. was awarded a US$250 million contract
in October 1992 to build and launch two HS 601 satellites for
Arabsat, the space organisation which was formed in 1976 and
launched its first satellite in 1985.
Broadcast International Inc. has signed a multi-year contract
extension with Lucky Stores Inc. and F&M Distributors Inc. for
Broadcast's Instore Satellite Network, a service which provides
background music, point-of- purchase advertising, high speed data
communications, video and audio conferencing and satellite
installation and maintenance services to retailers. Cheque
authorization and credit card authorization services are also
provided.
In the US the Supreme Court has agreed to review a federal law that
makes it illegal for radio or television broadcasters in a state
without a lottery to broadcast commercials for a neighbouring
state's lottery. In February 1992 a circuit appeals court ruled
that WYMK-FM in North Carolina, situated three miles from the
Virginia border, could not air commercials. A ruling is expected by
mid 1993.
The Indian Space Research Organisation has developed and partially
tested a new rocket designed to boost the country's military
capabilities. The four-stage engine sets will be added into the
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle for its scheduled launch in March.
PSLV is designed to place a one- ton remote-sensing satellite into
orbit, and is the sucessor to the Augmented Satellite Launch
Vehicle previously used by the organisation.
Satellite television enthusiasts in Europe and even parts of the US
are enjoying a free-view period of the BBC's World Service
Television as it has turned off its encryption system in readiness
for a change to D2-MAC with Eurocrypt encryption by March. BBC WSTV
will change its transponder on the Intelsat 601 satellite to
11.643GHz during the middle of January. BBC WSTV offers current
programming relayed on the BBC's terrestrial TV network alongside
alternative programming.
Civil servants in the British government have reportedly been
approaching other European administrations in a bid to close down
Red Hot Dutch, a European channel broadcasting pornography on an
encrypted channel to European homes, despite the fact that the UK
is being called upon to honour its undertaking to the EC's
broadcasting directive that permits such programming.
The South Africa-based three-man news crew from ZDF in Germany have
been released by Angolan authorities after they were seized on
their way to the Namibian capital of Windhoek in the middle of
December. They were charged with illegal entry to the country.
Hong Kong Cathay Pacific Airlines, the ninth-largest international
airline in the world, is to install the Collins SATCOM 906
communications system aboard its fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft. Six
channels of satellite communications are provided with the system
for telephony and datacomms.
IDB Communications Group Inc. has acquired World Communications
Inc. and Houston International Teleport Inc., the holding company
of Satellite Transmission and Reception Specialists Co., and have
been merged into business units of IDB.
British Airways has signed a contract with Ball Corp. to provide
Airlink satellite communication high-gain antenna subsystems, which
will be integrated with the Collins Avionics Satcom 906 system on
BA's fleet of 777 transcontinental aircraft.
Telecommunications Inc., a major US cable television giant, has
agreed to buy a controlling interest in the Home Shopping Network
channel from RMS Ltd for US$60 million in cash. TCI chairman John
Malone says that the new partnership is an excellent route for
exploring future business opportunities.
The Childrens Channel has leased a transponder on Astra 1C. The
channel is considering launching a "cult programming" channel to
utilise downtime on the transponder. If launched, the new channel
may emulate the Canal Jimmy service operated by Canal Plus in
France.
British Sky Broadcasting creased transmissions on the old British
Satellite Broadcasting Marco Polo satellite on 31 December amidst
cries from "television enthusiasts" lamenting the lack of quality
English-language programming utilising a small antenna.
Police officials in Madison, US say that thieves who used a smash
and grab technique in the robbery of a gun shop may have learned
the technique from an unnamed "tabloid" television programme that
reconstructs crimes. Police say that the networked programme showed
a crime carried out in Teas.
Ferranti International has received a "Chevron Supplier Quality
Award" for its performance on a recent contract to provide
satellite communications terminals for the Alba Northern Oil
Platform in the North Sea near the UK.
A bid to operate the UK's fifth terrestrial television channel, to
be known as Channel 5, has failed after the Independent Television
Commission refused to award the licence to the single applicant
following concerns over future costs.
Intelfax, the London, UK-based independent teletext services
production company, has signed a new agreement to manage the
teletext service for S4C, a Welsh terrestrial broadcasting company.
William Johnson has resigned as CEO and director from Scientific
Atlanta Inc. James Napier is acting CEO until a replacement can be
sourced. No reason was cited by Scientific Atlanta for Johnson's
resignation.
The UK's Independent Television Commission expects to raise
704,000 during 1993 from satellite TV licences, as well as an
additional 850,000 from one-off and tape-delivered channel
broadcasts.
Data Broadcasting Corp. says that the time for Consumer News and
Business Channel to appeal against a court ruling dismissing claims
over the sale of Financial News Network has expired.
TCA Cable TV has placed a US$3 million order with Scientific
Atlanta for several thousand model 8600 cable television terminals
in the Louisiana and Teas states. The new equipment features many
hi-tech offerings including on-screen graphics.
Five digital telephone exchanges and associated IBS satellite earth
stations installed by the Turkish PTT were recently inaugurated in
a ceremony in honour of improved connectivity between Turkey and
the rest of the world.
The Republic of Croatia has joined Intelsat, the international
satellite communications cooperative, with the signatory being the
Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications.
European Television Networks has accepted a management buyout of
Digital Pictures, its graphics production facilities, to a group
headed by Jay Williams, the managing director of the company since
1988.
Turner Broadcasting Systems has launched Russia's first
independent television channel in cooperation with the Moscow
Independent Broadcasting Co. on 1 January. The joint venture, known
as TV6 Moscow, broadcasts news and entertainment.
Cray Systems has been awarded a 4.5 million contract to equip a
pan- European satellite reconnaissance centre based in Spain with
image and data processing systems. Data from ERS-1 will be
processed on the system as well as military payload data.
BSkyB has acquired the UK/Eire rights to Diana: Her True Story, the
film based on the infamous Andrew Morton book that caused a scandal
during 1992. The programme will air February.
Wegner Communications has received a US$1 million order from Fox
Broadcasting for software and satellite video transmission
equipment, to be delivered during the first quarter of 1993.
Figures released by MTV Europe show that 42.185 million homes are
now able to receive its service, a rise of 710,507 over the
previous reported month.
The Independent Television Commission in the UK has awarded a
non-domestic satellite licence to TV Shop Broadcasting, a channel
to be run by Anthony Pole.
Intelsat's general counsel David Leive is to retire from the
signatory organisation shortly after over 19 years of service.
EUROPEAN SIGHTINGS
By Dr Helmut Vahlbruch
Many copies of Satnews 097 did not receive the European Sightings
report. As Dr Vahlbruch is on holiday, this updated column has been
re-transmitted in the electronic edition of Satnews
EUROPEAN SIGHTINGS
By Dr Helmut Vahlbruch
DFS-2, Kopernikus, 28.5E:
Feeds for n-tv can often be seen on 12.725 GHz vertical
(sound in sync).
DFS-1 Kopernikus, 23.E:
N-tv, the first German all-news-channel started broadcasting on 30
November at 1000 UTC on 12.524 GHz vertical.
On 11.600 GHz vertical, the first test programmes from VOX can be
seen, the second German all-news format channel starting in January
1993.
Eutelsat I-F5, 21.E:
YLE from Finland can often be seen in clear PAL on 11.508 GHz
horizontal.
Feeds from Mogadishu/Somalia for ZDF Germany can be found on 11.593
GHz horizontal.
Astra 1A/1B, 19.2E:
The UK's ShortWave Magazine (issue 12/92) says that the BBC World
Service radio broadcasts can be found on the 7.38MHz audio
subcarrier on UK Gold, but at the time of writing nothing was
observed.
11.332 GHz horizontal - Teleclub has changed its scrambling system
to Syster.
11.362 GHz horizontal - Filmnet+ has a new logo and many empty
teletext pages.
Radio 538 from Holland has replaced HIT Radio on 11 December at
1700 UTC (11.317 GHz vertical, 7.74/7.92 MHz)
Eutelsat II-F3, 16E:
POLSAT from Warsaw has started transmissions on 5 December.
Programmes are announced for Monday-Friday from 1530-1745 UTC and
2215-0015 UTC. The Dutch channel TV-PLUS is using the transponder
outside these times.
Tele-5 from Spain was again for some days in the clear
in December (11.090 GHz vertical).
Canal+ from Spain on 11.178 GHz vertical is now using
the Syster scrambling system.
Egyptian TV started programming on 11 December on 11.160 GHz
horizontal. Subcarriers are used for additional audio programmes in
Arabic (7.20, 7.38 MHz).
Eutelsat II-F1, 13E:
The Bercenay testcard on 11.674 GHz vertical disappeared, and a new
arrangement brings B-MAC transmissions on 11.617 GHz vertical. A
testcard from SERTE Paris on 11.573 GHz vertical. and feeds from
CBS Somalia on 11.658 GHz vertical can also be found.
The transponder at 11.005 GHz horizontal was observed with feeds
for Filmnet Belgium (football). A feed scrambled in Nagravision
(something new for the II-F1?) was observed on 9 December at 1806
UTC on 11.005 GHz horizontal.
Eutelsat II-F2, 10E:
TVE1 from Spain was again to be seen on 10.990 GHz horizontal at
3 December 1992 at 1820 UTC.
The blue bar testcard on 12.584 GHz vertical is sometimes replaced
by a colour bar testcard from SERTE Paris.
A feed for TV5 Norway was found on 9 December on 11.095 GHz
horizontal at 1811 UTC.
Eutelsat II-F4, 7E:
ARD (Germany) is using 10.990 GHz horizontal for feeds from Moscow.
Telecom 1C, 03E:
The transponders are often used for feeds for TF1 and France 2, and
the 12.658 GHz vertical transponder is sometimes scrambled in
D2-MAC.
Euronews showed up with a testcard on 10 December at 1615 UTC on
12.564 GHz vertical.
HISPASAT 1-A, 30W:
A testcard on 12.50 GHz (lefthand circular polarized) says that the
frequency range 12.10-12.50 GHz (LHCP) will be used along with
11.450-11.700 GHz and 12.50-12.75 GHz for the Hispasat service.
A black picture is transmitted on 12.300 GHz (LHCP)
NORTH AMERICAN SIGHTINGS
by Robert Smathers (rob...@triton.unm.edu)
As you may remember from a previous column, Spacenet 1 was sold to
the Hong-Kong based Asian Pacific Telecom for use in the China Sat
project. Spacenet 1 is in the process of being shut down and moved
to the Asian arc. Here is a listing of services and where they
are going:
Sky High TV has disappeared. It probably will come back when the
actual purpose of the project comes.
Art Bell (talk show) has gone to Galaxy 6
SCOLA has gone to ASC1/23 (c-band)
Keystone Inspirational Network has gone to Galaxy 3/1
Health and Sciences Network appears to just be using their normal
Ku-band feed. They are encrypted with the OAK ORION system.
Occasional video services will move to other satellites
UNIVISION part-time feeds appear to have moved to Galaxy 6
The Gannett Ku-band services appear to have moved to GSTAR-2
The In-store music services have moved to Spacenet 3R/18
Playboy-at-Night is dual-illuminating on Satcom F4R/22 and Galaxy
5/2 through to 11 January. On 12 January, Playboy-at-Night will be
exclusively on Galaxy 5. The services that borrow the same
transponder as Playboy (a home shopping network a few
disability/silent networks) will be fed on Galaxy 5 in their
normal time slots.
KGAY, a radio network for gays and lesbians, has moved their
Spacenet 3R/22 feed to Galaxy 6/17 at 7.48 MHz wideband audio.
The Canadian Home Shopping Network has gone to a digital video
feed. The location of the digital video feed is unknown at this
time. They used to broadcast their service in the clear on Anik
E1/20.
SATELLITE TV EVENT OF THE WEEK: With the holiday season, the
skies were somewhat quiet. The networks cut back their feeds
(they operated with a skeleton staff) and many home shopping
network were not selling goods on Christmas Eve or Christmas.
With New Year's Eve, the sky was filled with feeds. Feeds of the
"apple" dropping in Times Square, New York City, were found on
Satcom K2, Telstar 302, Telstar 301, SBS-4, GSTAR-3, GSTAR-2,
SBS-6, GSTAR-2, and Telstar 303 to name a few satellites. My
personal favourite televised New Year's Eve event, "New Year's
Live" was broadcasted on GSTAR-4 and Telstar 301/23 with backhauls
on GSTAR-2. "New Year's Live" is a celebration for the west coast
of the United States.
The cities of Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco
are linked up by satellite and the programme hops from city to
city showing what types of celebration events are going on. I am
especially in awe when I think about all the broadcast technology
that goes into an event like that. KRON-TV in San Francisco was
the flagship station for this event, and it was broadcasted in
several cities in Washington state, Oregon state, California, and
Alaska.
SATNEWS DIARY
14-16 January
SBCA Satellite Trade Show
San Diego, California, USA
Tel: +1 703 549 6990
18-21 January
Middle East Broadcast
Manama, Bahrain
Tel: +44 (0) 71 486 1951
20 January
Conference for Cable Suppliers & Vendors
Inn on the Park, London, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 71 734 6143
4-5 March 1993
Eurosatellite 93
Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 71 637 4383
5 April 1993
Cable Television '93 - The Key Issues
Olympia, London, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 71 637 4383
5-7 April 1993
Cable & Satellite '93
Olympia, London, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 21 705 6707
16-20 September 1993
Live '93
Olympia, London, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 71 782 6000
Companies are requested to fax information about forthcoming events
to "Satnews Diary" on +44 203 717 418 or through mail in good time
to the Satnews editorial office. There is no charge for this
facility.
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