Satellite Journal Itl. Vol 2 No 2 + Extra Edition
Gary Torrens (Sat Jrn)
International | International
A Fortnightly News Journal |
January 20 1994 | SPECIAL EDITION
|
Volume 2 Issue 2 | A N I K E 2
PRINT SUBSCRIBERS LOOK FOR SPECIAL EDITION THIS WEEK
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ANIK E2 SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL
-------------------------------
Canada's telecommunications have been severely damaged with the
apparent loss of Anik E2.
The problem began at noon on Thursday 20 January. Telesat
Canada was performing routine alignments on both birds when Anik E1
suddenly began to spin out of control. This disrupted mainly data
services and the printing of the Toronto based Globe and Mail
newspaper. Engineers were able to go to the redundant systems on
E1 and bring it under control. Two hours later E2 began to exhibit
the same problems. Engineers once again went to the redundant
system, however, this time the redundant system failed.
A Telesat executive told Satellite Journal Itl. that a
unusually strong electromagnetic storm caused a build-up of
electricity that discharged into the satellite's circuits and may
have blown a transmitter that operated its gyroscopic stabilization
wheel. Later in a news conference monitored by SJI, a Telesat
official said, " The prospects of recovering the $225 million
uninsured satellite were not good and if it turns out it was a
circuit failure, the prognosis is not good,"
Most satellite are not insured once in orbit. The reason being,
the loss of satellites in space is less than one percent and the
cost of insurance is two percent per year or in the case of Anik E2
24 percent of the original $225 million for the projected life of
the satellite.
Telesat has arranged with Hughes Galaxy for four transponders on
Galaxy VI, however, these transponders are only available until
mid-March. Telesat will pay the cost of the leased transponders.
Early reports also indicate that Intelsat K (a similar design)
had a circuit failure at the same time. Also the GEOS weather
satellite located in the vicinity reported an unusual
electromagnetic storm in the area.
At this point the future of telecommunications in Canada are in
question. A number of options are available. Telesat could order a
new satellite but they said if they went this route they would order
a smaller satellite. Any new "off the shelf satellite" would take
two years to get into orbit.
Some of the video services could be digitally compressed and thus
free up transponder space. The most likely candidate would be the
Cancom package. This would require Cancom to outfit their DTH and
cable customers with digital decoders. A Cancom official told SJI
that," it is too early to speculate what we will do".
A third option would be a loan of another satellite. Galaxy I
and II are scheduled to come out of service this year but both are
near their "end of life". A possibility exists one of them or both
could be used a replacement, however, Telesat said it is to early
to consider any long term options.
TELESAT CANADA RESTORATION PLAN ON E1
Transponders not mentioned carry data traffic.
ANIK E1
TR 2 The Sports Network
TR 6 WDIV
TR 8 CHCH
TR 9 The Weather Channel
TR10 WXYZ
TR11 CBC C Feed Pacific English
TR12 WJBK
TR13 Newsworld
TR14 WTVS
TR15 CBC A Feed French
TR16 Global
TR17 CBC D Feed
TR18 CITV
TR19 TVNC
TR20 CBC H Feed Eastern English
TR22 BCTV
TR23 CBC B Feed Atlantic
TR24 TV5
Cancom CFTM/TVA has no assigned home yet.
E1 Ku Band
TR 5 Newsworld from T31
TR 6 Nova Net / FM2
TR 7 Rogers Network Services
TR 8 Digital Video Services
TR 9 Alberta Access
TR10 Parlimentary Channel
TR11 Family Channel
TR12 CBC E Feed
TR13 Much Music
TR14 SuperChannel
TR15 Knowledge Network
TR16 SCN
TR21 Radio Quebec
TR22 Quatre Saisons
TR23 Canal Famille
TR24 MusiquePlus
TR25 TVO French
TR26 TVO English
TR27 Super Ecran
TR28 Ontario Legis.
TR29 R.D.S.
TR30 Family Channel
TR31 First Choice
TR32 ASN
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--Satellite Journal--
International
A Fortnightly News Journal
January 20 1994
Volume 2 Issue 2
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Radiation Systems, Inc., announced that the Kuwait Ministry of
Communications has selected the company's prime contractor, Gulf
Deep Foundation International Contracting Co. (GDF), to build an
international satellite communications complex near Kuwait City
valued at approximately $32 million. Radiation Systems' subcontract
with GDF is expected to exceed $18 million, subject to final
negotiations and will include two 18.3-meter INTELSAT "A" stations,
one 13-meter ARABSAT station, one 13-meter INMARSAT station and
associated equipment and software.
The satellite communications system supplied by Radiation Systems
will enable the state of Kuwait to dramatically expand its
long-distance capacity from 28 countries to 58 countries. The new
complex will replace the facilities destroyed by Iraq during the
1991 Persian Gulf War and is scheduled for completion in late 1995.
Richard E. Thomas, chairman and chief executive officer of
Radiation Systems, said: "This award will showcase the sophisticated
capabilities of Radiation Systems in such a manner that the world's
major telecom system providers are sure to take notice. Six of the
company's 12 divisions will participate in the design, manufacture
and integration of this system of unsurpassed quality."
Thomas added that this international gateway system is the
largest international contract to be awarded to the company and
marks the company's continued success as a major supplier of
satellite systems to the international market.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gemstar Development Corp. announced that it has filed a
counterclaim against StarSight Telecast Inc., charging StarSight
with patent infringement and seeking preliminary and permanent
injunctions.
The counterclaim was filed in United States District Court,
Northern District of California.
StarSight filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Gemstar in
November 1993, relating to the control of cable boxes. The Gemstar
counterclaim charges that the StarSight electronic television guide
infringes the "Levine" Patent (U.S. Patent 4,908,713, "VCR
Programmer"), which covers the electronic storage and retrieval of
television scheduling information.
The Levine Patent also covers on-screen programming, a feature
which has been licensed to all major manufacturers and widely
adopted in VCRs sold in the United States.
"The Levine Patent has a filing date of 1981, several years
earlier than any of the StarSight patents. The Levine Patent is a
pioneering patent broadly covering the operation of electronic
television guides, including StarSight's, " said Henry Yuen, chief
executive officer of Gemstar. "Gemstar will take all necessary
legal actions to protect its intellectual property rights."
Gemstar filed two lawsuits against StarSight in November 1993,
the first charging StarSight with patent misuse, violation of
various federal and state antitrust laws and tortuous interference.
The second lawsuit charges StarSight with patent infringement under
a patent which covers program selection by themes in electronic
television guide systems.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Data Broadcasting Corp. announced that as a result of a second
memorandum of understanding signed with the State Information Center
of the People's Republic of China, Data Broadcasting expects to
begin first- stage testing of its wireless broadcast system in China
immediately.
Under terms of the latest agreement, the technical steps required
to enable Data Broadcasting's equipment and systems to transmit data
in the Chinese language will be undertaken immediately, and testing
of its services is expected to commence in Shanghai and two other
major cities within 90 days.
The new agreement was based upon an extensive feasibility study
conducted by both parties regarding the prospects for Data
Broadcasting's wireless broadcast services throughout China and the
dissemination of Chinese financial and economic data in North
American and other markets.
Both parties have agreed to commence certain of their activities
in advance of the official approval of the formal joint venture.
Alan Hirschfield and Allan Tessler, Data Broadcasting's co-chief
executive officers, said, "We are excited by the vast potential of
the financial marketplace emerging in China. Our partnership with
the State Information Center in every major Chinese city positions
us favorably to provide our services throughout the country and will
also provide Data Broadcasting with valuable access to the State
Information Center's Chinese database for marketing to a worldwide
marketplace."
In a separate but related area, Data Broadcasting announced that
it has signed a memorandum of understanding with New T&T Hong Kong
Ltd., a division of the Wharf Group, a leading Hong Kong property
company. Wharf was recently awarded the exclusive rights to build
the cable system in Hong Kong. Data Broadcasting and Wharf expect
to market the full range of Data Broadcasting's services utilizing
this network that, when completed, will be the world's largest
single cable system. It is anticipated that Data Broadcasting and
Wharf will initiate a joint venture to deliver Hong Kong/Hang Seng
stock market data too customers in Hong Kong and China.
Additionally, other timely data, including sports information, will
be made available.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cooper Industries Inc.(CII) announced the opening of an earth
satellite ground station in Rochester, New York. CII offers full
service Ku Band facilities with full redundancy, transportable audio
and data uplinks with data transmission rates up to 2.048 Mbps.
Richard Cooper president of CII said, " We are also pleased to offer
services for audio and broadcast production. With the ability to
uplink to many satellites for full-time or occasional use, Cooper
Industries Inc. can provide coverage to North America and beyond."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In EuroWatch this fortnight, Martyn reports about private
Turkish television channel Interstar. Since the filing of his report,
further details have been released.
The reason for the name change was to circumvent a five-day closure
order for violating election laws in Turkey. The High Board of
Election banned Interstar TV owned by Cem Uzan, because it
illegally ran paid campaign commercials of political party
candidates ahead of local elections on March 27. It was this ban
that prompted Interstar to switch its name to Teleon, the name of
the music channel also owned by the Uzan family.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DirectTv Inc. has signed an agreement with ESPN Inc, to
distribute the ESPN network on the DirectTv direct broadcast
satellite service.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ericsson Network Systems Inc., Richardson, Texas, and Reliance
Comm/Tec Corporation, Cleveland, have formed a joint team to define,
develop and implement Video-on-Demand field trials for the U.S.
market. The team will combine the technical and marketing strengths
of Ericsson and Reliance by bringing together Ericsson's ATM
switching and access expertise with Reliance Comm/Tec's Next
Generation Digital Loop Carrier (NGDLC), Hybrid Fiber Coax and
Fiber-in-the-Loop (FITL) access experience. The team will also work
with other Video-on-Demand system components suppliers as necessary
to provide customers with full service Video-on-Demand solutions.
The team will be based in the Dallas- Ft. Worth Metroplex area.
Video-on-Demand offers services to consumers such as movies on
demand, interactive network video games, home shopping and
education. Video-on-demand and future multi-media services will be
prime sources of revenue for existing telephone companies,
competitive access providers and cable television companies. The
joint Ericsson/Reliance team will be looking for participants from
among these groups for field trials of Video-on-Demand capabilities.
"The Ericsson/Reliance team is uniquely positioned to pursue the
opportunities for Video-on-Demand and future multi-media services.
It is a logical extension of Reliance's existing strength in access
products and experience in broadband multi-media networks," said
Dudley P. Sheffler, president of Reliance Comm/Tec.
"Video-on-Demand and multi-media are areas of strategic
importance for Ericsson, and we have found field trials to be an
effective way to test the technical and marketing assumptions behind
new capabilities. The Ericsson/Reliance team will offer our
customers unsurpassed depth and breadth of technical expertise in
this area," said Bjorn Hemstad, president of Ericsson Network
Systems, Richardson, Texas.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Spiegel, Inc. and Time Warner Entertainment said that five
national upscale catalog companies have agreed to participate in the
development of new home shopping services for cable television:
Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma, The Sharper Image,
and The Nature Company.
Merchandise from the participating companies, as well as Spiegel
and Eddie Bauer catalogs, will be featured on "Catalog 1," a 24-hour
cable shopping service featuring fashion, accessories, children's
products, home furnishings and additional programming.
Catalog 1 will debut in four markets beginning in March 1994. A
full roll-out is planned for the Fall of 1994.
"This is a significant step in the development of our television
shopping concept," said John J. Shea, vice chairman, president and
chief executive officer of Spiegel, Inc. "These are highly
respected catalogers whose names consumers associate with quality
and value. Having them on board reinforces our belief that the time
has come for upscale shopping via television."
Gerald M. Levin, chairman and chief executive officer of Time
Warner Inc. added, "Time Warner is dedicated to achieving a
leadership position in upscale electronic shopping through alliances
with the dominant companies in the direct response and retailing
fields. We are extremely enthusiastic about the potential of
Catalog 1, particularly now that these catalog leaders have agreed
to participate in our joint venture with Spiegel."
Spiegel and Time Warner announced the formation of their joint
venture in September of this year. In addition to Catalog 1, a
second, interactive channel is currently in development and targeted
for debut on Time Warner Cable's Full Service Network in Orlando in
1994. The second channel will, in effect, be a video shopping mall
and will potentially feature Catalog 1 participating companies.
Cable customers will be able to enter any catalog "store" at any
time, view a variety of merchandise in full motion video and make
purchases on demand.
Each participating cataloger will have its own time slot on
Catalog 1 and will be responsible for its own ordering, fulfillment,
billing and inventory.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Coca-Cola Co and SportSouth will produce seven hours of
prime-time television programming for a 3 day cable-TV channel
(Coca-Cola Big TV) .At press time, it was not clear if the channel
would be encrypted and if so, would it be available to the DTH
market.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
GTE Spacenet Corp, a unit of GTE Corp, has received a
multimillion dollar contract to provide AmericaTel Corp with
teleport facilities for international satellite communications.
The teleport will be the first international teleport in Miami
dedicated completely to offering voice and data services between the
U.S. and Latin America. AmericaTel is a joint venture company
between Northland Communications and ENTEL Chile.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Arianespace plans to hold its leadership status in the world
satellite launch market chairman Charles Bigot said. "In 1993 we
signed sixteen new contracts, and our customer base has grown even
larger." Starting in 1994 Ariane plans ten launches per year for
next three years. "World demand for satellite telecommunications is
likely to increase, but with increased power of satellites, the
overall number of launches is likely to remain at around 15 to 20 a
year," he said. [See page 6 for a list of launches this year and
the list of sixteen contracts signed in 1993]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lockheed-Krunichev-Energia International, a joint space venture
with two Russian companies has contracts to launch up to five U.S.
satellites on Proton rockets from Baikonur in Kazakhstan starting in
the last quarter of next year.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AsiaSat said its AsiaSat 2 100.5 deg. east has been granted an
export licence from the U.S. Department of Commerce so it can be
exported to China for its scheduled launch in early 1995.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Not to be outdone by its rival Nintendo, Sega Enterprises Ltd
has launched a task force to study the possibility of broadcasting
video games via satellite. Sega is discussing the venture with NHK
and three game software makers in Japan. Sega's rival, Nintendo Co
Ltd announced a similar project jointly with its affiliate,
Satellite Digital Audio Broadcasting Co Ltd.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bell Atlantic announced the selection of three vendors for the
set-top devices to be used in the delivery of interactive video
services to the home using telephone networks.
The vendors are IBM, a partnership of Philips Digital
Videocommunications and Compression Labs, Inc., and a consortium of
DiviCom, Adaptive MicroWare and EURODEC.
Bell Atlantic's first use of the set-top units, also called
digital entertainment terminals, will be in Bell Atlantic Video
Service's (BVS) market test of Stargazer(TM) programming on demand
service, slated to begin within the next six months. It will also
use the devices in the commercial roll-out of Stargazer service in
the Washington metropolitan area, scheduled for implementation in
the second half of 1994.
The set-top devices will include a chip based on the Motorola
68000 family (with future migration to the PowerPC),with memory (2
million bytes), the ability to decode compressed video signals (per
the Motion Picture Experts Group standard), the ability to generate
computer graphics on a TV, the ability to generate an arrow or
"cursor" on the television screen that can be manipulated with a
remote control device and the ability to communicate over fiber
optic, coaxial, copper or wireless transmission systems.
Philips and CLI are designing and delivering two configurations
that are essentially identical in function: one for use on existing
copper twisted pair networks with ADSL technology, and the other for
fiber-to-the-curb networks.
The Philips/CLI terminals will decode compressed digital signals
entering the home over the phone network into a standard signal
usable by conventional TVs and stereos. The terminals will use the
MPEG-2 (Moving Picture Expert Group) international standard for
digital video compression, and the MPEG-specified Musicam audio
system.
Performance will exceed that of existing conventional TV
broadcast and cable systems, offering picture resolution of 720 x
480 accompanied by CD quality sound.
"The advent of digital compression for video-on-demand systems
represents the most significant breakthrough in television since
color," noted Bill Kennedy, senior vice president, Philips Digital
Videocommunications Systems.
"Philips is a world leader in television and digital interactive
multimedia systems, and is therefore ideally suited to deliver
information and entertainment programming through a new generation
of advanced yet flexible consumer electronics products."
John E. Tyson, president, chief executive officer and chairman
of Compression Labs, said: "The experience gained by CLI providing
set-top decoders for Bell Atlantic's initial video-on-demand
marketing trial in Northern Virginia enabled CLI to design key
network components for the new Bell Atlantic Digital Entertainment
Terminals.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Paramount Communications Inc. announced that its board of
directors has unanimously recommended that Paramount's stockholders
reject the revised tender offer by Viacom Inc. and not
tender any of their shares pursuant to the Viacom offer. The
Paramount board also reaffirmed its recommendation that Paramount
stockholders accept the tender offer by QVC Network, Inc.
and tender all of their shares pursuant to the
QVC offer.
Following its evaluation of recommendations from Paramount's
financial and legal advisors, the board reaffirmed its determination
that the revised QVC offer and its second-step merger, taken
together, are fair and in the best interests of Paramount's
stockholders. The board also determined that, although the
per-share cash consideration offered in the revised Viacom offer is
higher than that offered in the QVC offer, the aggregate
consideration offered in the QVC offer and its second-step merger,
taken together, represents the best value available to Paramount
stockholders.
Martin S. Davis, chairman and chief executive officer of
Paramount Communications, said, "The bidding procedures adopted by
the board were designed to solicit the best obtainable bid and,
therefore, the greatest ultimate value for shareholders. The board
remains committed to that objective and it will continue to closely
monitor the situation for new developments. The board also will
continue to communicate to shareholders its views regarding any
significant developments."
"Any future bids," Mr. Davis added, "will, however, continue to
be rigorously reviewed with regard to their compliance with the
bidding procedures. The board strongly encourages the bidders to
submit their best and final bids at the earliest possible date.
Nonetheless, the procedures were designed to preclude bids from
being submitted after Feb. 1 and that deadline will not be
extended."
"The procedures set up by the board," Davis emphasized, "ensure
that Paramount's shareholders will ultimately determine the winning
bidder by tendering their shares based on their own judgment."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Encore Media Corp, a unit of Liberty Media Corp, announced the
launch its Starz! cable television channel. More details in
the next issue.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
IVI Publishing and QED Communications, Pittsburgh, announced
an agreement to produce a CD-ROM title based on WQED's widely
acclaimed PBS series, "Space Age."
With this title, IVI introduces its new affiliate label program,
under which the company will market and distribute multimedia titles
produced by other companies.
IVI will fund development of the "Space Age" CD-ROM, provide
production management and technical assistance, and market and
distribute the title. QED will develop the CD-ROM using video and
audio programming and print materials from the television series
hosted by Patrick Steward. QED also will collaborate with Carnegie
Mellon University for additional technical resources to produce the
multimedia title.
QED Communications is best-known for producing such public
television programming as the Emmy award-winning series "Planet
Earth," "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," "Where in the World is Carmen
Sandiego?", "The Infinite Voyage, " "Wonderworks," and many National
Geographic Specials through its PBS station, WQED/Pittsburgh.
"IVI feels very privileged to be selected by QED as a partner for
this title," said John McIlvaine, vice president of sales and
marketing for IVI. "QED is clearly a visionary in utilizing
interactive media, and 'Space Age' is an exceptional example of
television programming that provides high-quality content for
multimedia development. We look forward to a long relationship with
QED."
"IVI provides us the perfect opportunity to do this the way it
needs to be done," said James Rogal, vice president of QED
Enterprises, the division of QED Communications that will manage
production of the CD-ROM. "They allow us the freedom to create the
content but provide the production, programming and marketing
expertise that has made the Mayo Clinic titles so successful."
Under the affiliate label program, IVI will market and distribute
a variety of CD-ROM titles through its national sales force. The
company will continue to develop, publish and distribute health,
medical and educational reference titles such as "Mayo Clinic Family
Health Book" and "Mayo Clinic -- The Total Heart," both developed in
partnership with Time Life Inc. to produce six Time Life
health-related children's books on CD-ROM.
Joy Solomon, IVI Publishing senior vice president and general
manager, said, "Our affiliate label program gives IVI an opportunity
to expand into other title areas and to take advantage of our
national sales force. Titles we select for the affiliate label
program will be of the same high quality as our Mayo Clinic titles.
We will expand to a relatively small number of affiliate label
titles in total and by doing so will concentrate more attention on
those titles than larger affiliate label programs."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bell Atlantic Video Services Company, a Bell Atlantic company,
and Oracle Corporation announced plans to jointly develop and market
interactive multimedia software and services.
Bell Atlantic Video Services will deploy Oracle's software,
systems and services as the platform for its Stargazer(TM)
programming on demand and interactive home shopping services this
year. Bell Atlantic will begin offering its Stargazer services in a
market test this spring, pending regulatory approval, leading
directly to the commercial deployment of on-demand, interactive
services later this year. In addition, both companies will offer
their software and services to other telecommunications and cable
companies.
"Bell Atlantic's deployment of programming-on-demand will mark
the dawning of the interactive information age," said Raymond W.
Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Bell Atlantic
Corporation. "With this announcement, Bell Atlantic and Oracle are
beginning to build the storefront of the future, with affordable,
interactive services available at the touch of a button."
"We were eager to ally with Bell Atlantic because of its clear
vision, strategy and commitment to the market for interactive
multimedia services," said Lawrence J. Ellison, president and chief
executive officer of Oracle Corporation. "We look forward with
great anticipation to deploying real, commercial services in 1994."
Bell Atlantic and Oracle have created an alliance that will use
the synergies of the two companies to hasten the development of the
interactive multimedia industry. The companies will form an alliance
management committee to pursue joint marketing opportunities and the
development of additional services. The early commercialization of
Bell Atlantic's Stargazer services will give the two companies
experience that they can use in marketing the Stargazer interactive
multimedia services and Oracle's multimedia software to telephone
and cable companies.
"Bell Atlantic welcomes Oracle as a strategic partner," said
Stuart Johnson, chairman of Bell Atlantic Video Services. "They
have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the success of Bell
Atlantic's interactive multimedia business and to the interactive
multimedia industry as a whole."
Bell Atlantic Video Services' intent in 1994 is to develop and
deploy a commercially viable system for delivering interactive
multimedia services. The company will license Oracle's multimedia
database, applications development and networking software for the
system. The company said it intends to use video dial tone
providers to deliver the service into homes, coupled with the
Stargazer navigational system and a combination of symmetrical
microprocessor (SMP) and massively parallel computers (MMP), which
will be provided as part of the agreement with Oracle.
Oracle's software is designed to run on a variety of computers
and with a variety of operating systems. The company also has
designed its software to run on advanced massively parallel
computers. Massively parallel computers string together thousands
of inexpensive microprocessors in a single system. Each processor
has its own communications pathway to the outside world. The total
system thus avoids the congested data pathways that plague
traditional computers and limit their use in providing services such
as movies on demand, wherein thousands of users are getting data
from the computer at the same time. Oracle has rewritten and
expanded its software to accommodate video, audio and textual data.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Turner Broadcasting System Inc, announced that CNN has opened a
news bureau in Johannesburg.
The 20th international news bureau, will provide coverage of the
upcoming South African elections as well as the ongoing process of
political reform under the direction of CNN reporter Mike Hanna.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EuroWatch by
Martyn Williams
European Transponder Watch
(c) Martyn Williams 1994
(c) Martyn Williams 1994
Transponder Watch
LWT MERGER TALKS FAIL
LWT's merger talks with Yorkshire Tyne Tees TV have failed
leaving the channel open to a hostile takeover by Granada TV.
Ironically the blame for the failure was laid at the feet of the
television ownership rules which made the talks possible in the
first place.
FLEXTECH AQUIRES UAE PROGRAMMING ASSETS
Flextech announced 31 December plans to become one of Europe's
biggest suppliers of cable and satellite programming. Under the
plan Flextech will aquire the European programming assets of United
Artists European Holdings. In exchange UAEH's US parent, TCI, will
take a 60% share in Flextech.
Flextech already holds stock in The Children's Channel and the
deal will add a further 24.6% of TCC, 25% of UK Gold and 31.3% of UK
Living. Also involved are The Discovery Channel Europe, Bravo and
The Learning Channel.
GERMAN FIGURES FOR 1993 RELEASED
German audience research company Gfk has released it's year end
survey of German TV. The winner in the ratings race depends upon
what figures you look at and who you listen to.
ARD, the German state broadcaster, claimed victory in the
Primetime 2000-0100 slot. (They call 0100 primetime ?) For this
slot the rating were - ARD 18.7%, ZDF 17.8%, RTL 17.6%, SAT 1 15.5%.
ZDF presented figures for the 1700-2300 period which showed
them as the winners. ZDF 20.8%, ARD 17.8%, RTL 17.3%, SAT 1 15.2%.
Overall figures for 1993 put RTL on top with 18.9%, ZDF 18.0%,
ARD 17.0%, SAT 1 14.9%. RTL took the lions share of the advertising
spend with revenue of 2.4 billion DM (38%) . Following in second
place was SAT 1 with 1.7b DM (27%) and PRO 7 with 980m DM. State
broadcasters ARD and ZDF came in with 9 and 8 % of the total
revenue. Advertising on these networks is severely restricted.
PPV SET FOR MARCH DEBUT ON SKY ?
Many reports are now suggesting that Sky is about to launch a
Pay Per View series of events to viewers in the UK. The Videocrypt
scrambling system that Sky uses to encrypt almost all of its
channels has a PPV facility but this has never been used. Recently
Sky have been testing PPV compatibility with a number of receivers.
This would be the first PPV satellite use in Europe.
DWTV TO CUT BACK BROADCASTS
Reports suggest that due to budgetary constraints Deutsche
Welle TV will reduce it's broadcasts by two hours to 14 hours daily
from February 1st. DWTV had recently announced ambitious plans for
a 24 hour news programme.
TELE ON BACK BUT WHERE IS STAR ?
Turkish channel Teleon is back on satellite. Sister channel
Interstar has disappeared. Both stations come from the same company
in Germany and use satellite to beam into Turkey. Star was
available via three transponders on Eutelsats at 13 and 10 degrees
east but now Teleon has returned all of the Interstar relays have
gone.
ALL CHANGE ON INTELSAT 601, TLC TO SCRAMBLE
Several channels are moving on Intelsat 601 at 27.5W. The
Parliamentary Channel has completed a move to 11.055H. Wire TV and
The Learning Channel have begun using 11.095H. From the 4 February
Wire TV and TLC will only be available on this transponder. This
date will also see an increase in TLC programming by one extra hour
a day and the scrambling of TLC using SAVE.
PAL PLUS ON ASTRA
SWF has begun tests in the new PAL Plus standard. The
nighttime test card on Astra ch 19, ARD, is now in PAL Plus. The
ARD signal is uplinked from Sudwestfunk in Baden Baden.
WAS STAR A WISE PURCHASE ?
That's what many analysts are asking themselves. The exit of
Star TV chief executive Jim Griffiths leaves many wondering if
Murdoch bit off more than he could chew when he took over Hong Kong
based Star TV in 1993. The network was not helped by Murdoch's
comments that Star could help change the political make up of the
region. This led to a banning of satellite dishes by the Chinese
government, cutting off Stars biggest growth area.
BSKYB's deputy managing directory was appointed the networks
new chief. No explanation was given for the exit of Griffiths.
CNN BECOMES OFFICIAL OLYMPIC BROADCASTER
For the first time in its history CNN is an official Olympic
broadcaster. The channels teletext service, CNN Text, is the
official results carrier of the 1994 Winter Olympics at Lillehammer.
NBC SWITCHES EURO FEED
The NBC feed to Super Channel has switched from Intelsat K to C
band. The feed carries all of the programming from the US to NBC
Super Channel.
LANDSCAPE CHANNEL TESTS
The Landscape Channel has begun testing on Eutelsat 2F1. They
are using the nighttime hours on the Dutch PTT transponder which is
leased to Turkey's TRT during the day.
SERBIAN TV MOVES
RTS SAT has moved from the high powered Eutelsat 2F4M to
Eutelsat 1F5 at 21.5E. RTS Sat is the only broadcaster using this
old satellite and the reason for the move is unclear. The new
transponder is almost certainly cheaper to lease however.
WDR 2 ON ASTRA
West German radio station WDR 2 has begun a service on Astra
1C. The station can be heard via WDR's West 3 TV on sound
subcarriers 7.38 and 7.56 MHZ.
GOSPEL MUSIC CLUB
The Gospel Music Club have been testing on Eutelsat 2F3. The
programming consists of coverage of a gospel music concert. The
transponder in use is that of the Dutch PTT and the address given
for GMC is in Hilversum, The Netherlands.
UAE CONSIDERS SATELLITE
The UAE communications company, Etisalat, is considering plans
to buy a USD 100 million satellite. The official news agency, WAM,
quotes Etisalat General Manager Ali Salam al Owaiss as saying the
company is expected to complete a feasibility study within 3 years.
Satellite Journal
International
Volume 2 Issue 2
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