*****Satellite Journal Itl Vol 2 No 8*******************
Gary Torrens
International
A Fortnightly News Journal
April 14 1994
Volume 2 Issue 8
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Cable & Satellite 1994
FIRST NEWS ....
By Martyn Williams at Olympia, London
DIGITAL !
---------
Visitors to the eighth annual Cable and Satellite Show at London's
Olympia exhibition centre were shown the future of European
television and it's digital !
PACE NTL SHOW MPEG 2 LIVE !
---------------------------
Europe's first demonstrations of real time MPEG 2 video
compression have been given at Cable and Satellite. NTL showed MPEG
2 standard video compression at data speeds of 1.5Mbits/s.
Compression to this speed would allow around 16 channels to be
carried across a conventional satellite transponder at quality of
around S-VHS or an average terrestrial TV picture.
The demonstrations took place live from the Pace stand after the
announcement of a new joint venture company Pace NTL.
The company also showed a mock up of the first MPEG 2 consumer
units that are expected on the market next year.
EUTELSAT BACKS UP DIGITAL AND ANALOGUE
--------------------------------------
Eutelsat demonstrated Europe's first high performance simulcast
of digital and analogue television in a single 36MHz transponder.
The demonstration uses MPEG compression technology from NTL and a
single Eutelsat 2F1 transponder. The organisation used 27MHz of
space to carry one analogue TV channel and the associated
subcarriers whilst using the remaining 9MHz to carry a digital
channel with audio and data.
DMX AND MC EUROPE TO LAUNCH DTH
-------------------------------
Europe's two competing digital music services used Cable and
Satellite to announce new deals with BSkyB and DTH launches later
this year. Both companies have signed agreements with Sky for audio
subcarrier space to carry their digitally compressed services of non
stop, commercial and DJ free music. The two also signed deals for
subscriber management and promotion with BSkyB.
DMX announced plans for an expansion of the present 30 channel
service to 86 channels of niche programmed, CD quality audio in time
for a late 1994 launch on the Astra satellite. The service is
presently available to cable companies via Intelsat 601 at 27.5
degrees West. A spokesman for DMX told SJI that the contract for
subscription management was signed in July 1993 but the marketing
and subcarrier deal can in March 1994.
DMX was originally launched in Europe in the spring of 1993 and
is currently heard by subscribers on cable in the UK, Denmark,
Norway, the Czech Republic and Ireland.
MC Europe also announced a deal with Sky for subcarriers,
subscriber management and marketing. The service also hopes for a
late 1994 launch and will move it's operation to the UK shortly
after the launch.
Presently the MC Europe service, available to cable companies,
is uplinked from Staten Island Teleport in New York and sent to
cable headends direct via Intelsat K. The uplink and base will move
to London in early 1995. Representatives were keen to impress that
MC Europe will be a European service programmed by Europeans in
Europe and not from the USA.
The 56 channel service will also offer selected special event
programming such as special guest music interviews and edited
concert highlights. MC Europe is owned by Music Choice in the USA.
Both services are quoting prices of around L6-7 a month.
CHINESE CHANNEL CHOOSE CRYPTOVISION
-----------------------------------
New Astra broadcaster, Chinese Channel, has chosen Cryptovision
as their encryption standard. The service, currently broadcasting
from 0000-0300UK on Astra channel 34, has announced plans to encrypt
from the summer. Explaining the decision, a Chinese Channel
spokesman told SJI that they had an audience that was mainly new to
satellite TV and not all tied to Videocrypt with existing channels.
This enabled the channel to look at the full range of encryption
technology on the market and choose the one that best suited. The
Cryptovision system will enable the service to individually address
decoders and provide certain programming in open key mode, where a
decoder but no subscription is required, if desired.
The subscriber management side of the business will probably be
handled by agents but the Chinese Channel is anxious to retain
contact with the public and so will be the initial customer service
contact point.
The service holds exclusive rights to programming from TVB, one
of Hong Kong's leading broadcasters, and draws from the channels
Jade Network.
A network of service agents will be built up throughout the
country soon who will be able to advise of equipment and costs.
Pace manufacture a range of Cryptovision IRD's and stand alone
decoders. The Chinese Channel hope that most dealers will be able
to provide a Cantonese language contact with customers.
The service plans to increase to five hours a night from May and
introduce encryption during the summer. The likely cost will be
L13.99 a month which will rise as the channels approaches a full
10-12 hour service as transponder space becomes available.
A spokesman for Cryptovision was very pleased with the deal and
added that the system has never been hacked despite extensive use
across Europe on UK armed forces television SSVC and the Norwegian
cable network.
Next issue - Full show report including:
PACE GO DIGITAL
NTL SHOWCASE MPEG 1 AND 2
WIDE BAND AMSTRAD - THE NEW RANGE
NEW FROM CHAPARRAL - THE MC115
NEW FROM ECHOSTAR - THE SR800
GRUNDIG SELECT LAUNCHES NEW RANGE OF RECEIVERS
MC EUROPE AND DMX - SYSTEMS COMPARED
CHINESE CHANNEL AND CNE ON ASTRA
FLAT DISHES
SCI FI CHANNEL MAKES AN APPEARANCE
THE WORLD CUP ON MBC
NEW MULTI FOCUS DISH FROM SWEDISH MICROWAVE
PICTURE IN PICTURE FROM KOREAN TELEMAX
... and more from the show ! (not all in free versions)
STARSIGHT
---------
StarSight Telecast Inc. the Silicon Valley-based developer of
a patented on-screen television program guide with one-button VCR
recording, is rapidly deploying its data transmission network to
Public Broadcasting System (PBS) stations nation-wide in
anticipation of the company's national product launch later this
year.
In addition, the company is using equipment already delivered to
PBS stations to test its patented electronic television program
guide. The two announcements were made by Martin Henkel, StarSight
Telecast's vice president of operations.
"Currently, StarSight data transmission equipment has been
deployed and is delivering the StarSight signal to 95 percent of the
television households in the United States," commented Henkel.
"Within 3 months, we expect to have that coverage effectively raised
to cover the entire country. The fact is that StarSight is the only
real electronic program guide with the capability of serving the
entire nation on the market today -- even before a presence of the
much-anticipated Information Superhighway."
JONES INTERCABLE
----------------
Jones Intercable Inc. and Jones Global Group Inc., (Bell Canada
International Inc. and Cable and Wireless jointly announced that
they have signed a letter of intent to consolidate their cable
television and associated telephony operations in the United
Kingdom.
The transaction will combine the cable interests of these
companies into BCETI Cable Ltd., which is currently owned 80 percent
by BCI and 20 percent by Cable & Wireless.
As part of the transaction, Jones will contribute its United
Kingdom cable interests, and Cable & Wireless will contribute its
equity interest in Jones Cable Group of Leeds Holdings Plc, in
exchange for shares in BCETI Cable.
The new group will have a major presence in the London
metropolitan area, along with operations in Yorkshire, East Anglia
and South East England
"This is a natural evolution in the progress of our relationship
with the BCI family of companies," commented Patrick Lombardi,
president of Jones Financial Group Inc., "as well as a continuation
of the U.K. relationship we've developed with Cable & Wireless."
Alan Bates, managing director of Jones Cable Group, noted that
"through this proposed amalgamation, our interests into the United
Kingdom can achieve the full benefit of access to both capital and
expertise, allowing us to deliver a wide range of video, voice, and
data products to consumers and businesses." It is expected that
Bates will become the chief executive of the consolidated company.
Derek Burney, chairman and chief executive officer of BCI said,
"This transaction underlines BCI's commitment to cable service in
the United Kingdom.
The liberal regulatory environment permits cable providers to offer
both television and telephony services. The consolidated strength
of BCI, Jones, and Cable & Wireless will serve our U.K. customers
and our investors very well."
Rod Olsen, executive director, Finance of Cable & Wireless said,
"This alliance recognises the changes taking place in today's
telecommunications industry. It strengthens Cable & Wireless'
position in the U.K. in the provision of communication, information
and entertainment services and complements the activities of our
subsidiary, Mercury Communications Ltd."
LODGENET
--------
LodgeNet Entertainment Corp. has reached an exclusive agreement
with American General Hospitality, Inc., one of the United States'
leading hotel management and consulting firms responsible for more
than 70 hotels and 14,000 guest rooms nation-wide, to provide
in-room entertainment for its hotels.
LodgeNet's agreement with American General Hospitality includes
an assortment of guest-pay viewing services, such as
movies-on-demand and network-based Super Nintendo(R) video games, as
well as advanced interactive services such as video check-out and
guest surveys. LodgeNet will also provide American General
Hospitality guest rooms with a free-to-guest in-room entertainment
package of satellite-delivered basic and premium cable television
programming.
"Our agreement with LodgeNet allows American General Hospitality
to improve service and offer a larger selection of programming to
our hotels and guests," said Steven D. Joms, president of American
General Hospitality.
According to Tim C. Flynn, president and CEO of LodgeNet, this
exclusive relationship amounts to initial agreements totalling
nearly 7,000 rooms, with additional agreements to come in due
course. "Our agreement with American General Hospitality is an
indicator that large management companies are recognising LodgeNet
as the most viable choice to meet their high expectations for
technology and service," said Flynn. "The opportunity to work on
such a broad scale with a quality company like American General
Hospitality is very exciting, and caps off the most successful
quarter in LodgeNet sales history with the addition of more than
17,000 contracted guest pay rooms."
PEOPLE'S CHOICE TV
------------------
Michael Whalen has been named Vice President, Finance and
Acquisitions, for People's Choice TV Corp. a newly created
position, announced by Matthew Oristano, chairman of PCTV. His
office will be located at the Shelton corporate headquarters.
People's Choice TV Corp. is a developer, owner and operator of
wireless television systems with major television frequency rights
in Houston, Tucson, Kansas City, Baltimore, St. Louis, Phoenix,
Indianapolis and Milwaukee and frequencies in several other markets.
Overall, the company controls approximately 233 wireless TV
frequencies, including rights issued by the Federal Communications
Commission covering between 13 and 33 channels in each of the above
markets. This represents approximately 5.7 million households which
the company expects can be served by the wireless technology.
ICT AND BSKYB
-------------
ICT(R)-Europe and BSkyB have concluded a joint agreement which will
give an estimated 3 million Astra satellite homes in the U.K.
access to the 24-hour a day Digital Music Express (DMX(R)) premium
music service. A further 11 million subscriber homes in mainland
Europe will also be able to receive the service via the Astra
satellite system.
The DMX direct-to-home service is expected to be available to
subscribers toward the end of 1994, offering 86 channels of
CD-quality music. BSkyB has agreed to lease to ICT-Europe up to 40
digital audio sub-carriers on the Astra system and will jointly
market the service to its subscribers. ICT-Europe is currently in
negotiations with other groups for the provision of additional audio
sub-carriers.
Heavyweight marketing of DMX to BSkyB subscribers will be carried
out on BSkyB television channels through authorised Sky consumer
retail establishments and in the "Sky Plus" magazine when the
service is launched.
DMX was originally launched in Europe in the spring of 1993 and
is currently available to cable subscribers in the United Kingdom,
Denmark, Norway, the Czech Republic and Ireland.
To receive DMX, satellite subscribers in Europe will need to
purchase a special tuner, which will be available from high street
consumer electronics retailers. ICT-Europe is currently negotiating
with several European manufacturers regarding production of the
tuner, which will work in conjunction with a smartcard. ICT-Europe
also signed a subscriber management agreement with BSkyB's
subscriber management subsidiary, Sky Subscriber Services Ltd., in
July 1993.
Lance Thomas, chief executive of ICT-Europe, commented, "We are
very pleased to have BSkyB as a strategic partner in the
distribution of DMX. This agreement and the joint efforts of the
two companies should create tremendous consumer awareness for this
exciting new service."
David Chance, deputy managing director of BSkyB, added, "We're
happy to be working with DMX to offer an innovative music
programming service to satellite homes in the United Kingdom. We're
confident that our subscribers will welcome the new service, which
represents an important development in expanding the choice and
range of entertainment services available to our DTH subscriber
base."
DMX, currently available in Denmark, Norway, Israel and the
United Kingdom, offers 30 channels of CD-quality music, 24 hours a
day, with no commercial and DJ interruption, with the widest range
of music formats of any premium audio service, ranging from
alternative rock to opera, classical to country and chart hits to
country-specific genres.
Q2 FINDS HOME
-------------
Q2, the new electronic retailing service, has established its
headquarters and production facilities at Silvercup Studios in the
Long Island City section of New York City.
Q2, which is scheduled to begin test broadcasts in May, is being
launched as Resource Television, an electronic retailing service
designed to reach an audience that hasn't yet become involved with
traditional home television shopping.
SEGA SIGNS PARTNER
------------------
Sega Channel announced the signing of InterMedia Partners as a cable
launch partner for the new interactive video game channel.
InterMedia (San Francisco) - representing approximately 750,000
subscribers in 11 states - signed a letter of agreement to launch
Sega Channel in Fall 1994, following its three-months summer trial.
"We believe the Sega Channel concept goes beyond the early
adapter community into a mass market business," said Dick Maul,
director of programming services for InterMedia. "We are excited to
deliver Sega Channel to our cable subscribers."
InterMedia is the 11th cable company to sign an affiliation
agreement with Sega Channel. Charter affiliates will deliver to 27
million subscribers when the Sega Channel launches nationally later
this year.
Sega Channel affiliates (including partner systems) are: Adelphia
Communications; Coaxial Communications; Colony Communications;
InterMedia Partners; Maclean Hunter; Metrovision; Multimedia
Cablevision; National Cable Co-operative; Post-Newsweek Cable; Prime
Cable; Sammons Communications; TeleCommunications Inc.; and Time
Warner Cable.
Sega Channel is the cable industry's first interactive service,
providing Sega Genesis video games on-demand, 24 hours a day. Sega
Channel subscribers will choose from a wide selection of popular
games, special versions of soon-to-be-released titles, gameplay
tips, news, contests and promotions. The programming will be
updated monthly to keep it new and exciting. Sega channel will be
priced in the range of most premium subscription services.
"We are very pleased to have InterMedia join our group of charter
affiliates, " said Stanley B. Thomas, president and CEO of Sega
Channel. "Their commitment, and the commitment of our other
affiliates, brings our distribution to 45% of total U.S. cable
households. I'm very confident that we will reach our launch goals
of all cable households in the U.S."
METRO WIRELESS
--------------
Metro Wireless Interactive Corp. announced it has executed a letter
of intent to distribute and market a revolutionary miniaturised
satellite signal receiving system to which Processing Research Inc.,
Vienna, Va., holds the patent license rights.
The joint announcement was made by Metro Wireless Chairman K.A.
(Kenny) Green and Processing Research President Dr. William T.
Bloodworth.
Under the agreement, Metro's rights are exclusive and world-wide.
The satellite receiving system known as VIPR (pronounced "Viper")
retrofits to a satellite receiver's Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) using
an antenna about the size of a portable cellular phone. Viper
performs generally to the same specifications as a large 10-meter
(33-foot) satellite receiving dish.
In 1993, Processing Research demonstrated the Viper technology at
the facilities of a major telecommunications company based in
Gaithersburg, Md. The Viper system "bit error rate" performance was
nearly identical to that of the telecommunications company's large
satellite receiving dish.
The technology, known as "Coherent On Receive Only" or "Vector
Integration Processing Receiver," was developed for the U.S.
military by the late Dr. Clarence H. (Toby) Stewart, a nationally
recognised expert in signal intelligence systems architecture,
design and analysis. He was granted four patents on the Viper
technology.
According to a study published by Arthur D. Little, the LNA
market is experiencing rapid growth. Little estimates the LNA
market and its related products will achieve sales of $8.4 billion
by 1997. Based on the Little study, Processing Research estimates
that Viper sales could reach $320 million by 1997.
Processing Research has signed letters of intent with three large
end users. VNTL Transportation Labs/ZENWA intends to use the Viper
technology in a satellite beacon tracking system for a Department of
Transportation project. LORAL has expressed an interest in using
the system in a satellite network. And NAVCOM Ltd., a division of
Philips Electronics, Amsterdam, Holland, is planning on using Viper
in specific geographical areas for vehicle tracking and onboard
navigation systems.
Under the letter of intent, Metro will be supplying these
companies with the system, thus giving Metro an immediate potential
revenue base from the Viper technology.
The Viper system has broad application possibilities. The system
is totally compatible with all satellite systems and their various
frequencies and modulation techniques.
"The letter of intent, signed March 30, reflects preliminary
discussions, which are subject to further due diligence, financing
and the execution of a definitive agreement that could serve the
business objectives of both Metro and Processing Research. No
assurance can be given that the contemplated transaction will be
consummated," Green stated.
Metro Wireless Interactive is actively seeking acquisition
opportunities in wireless cable, paging, cellular-like
communications and interactive software and services.
SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY
--------------------
Satellite Technology Management, Inc announced that a wholly owned
subsidiary of Malaysian-based conglomerate Berjaya Group Berhad has
entered into agreements to acquire approximately 20% of STM's Common
Stock.
STM and Berjaya Group have also agreed to establish an
Asia/Pacific joint venture with equal ownership to provide satellite
communications services and products for that region.
"We are delighted to have Berjaya Group as a strategic partner.
The investment and joint venture create a strategic link between
Berjaya Group, a significant world-wide conglomerate, and STM, one
of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of satellite
communications equipment," said Emil Youssefzadeh, President and CEO
of STM. "There are many areas in which we expect to work together,
including marketing and sales. The proceeds from Berjaya's
investment will also provide STM with increased financial resources
as strategic opportunities arise to expand the business."
AMERICA'S TALKING
-----------------
America's Talking ("A-T"), the all-talk cable network set to
launch July 4, kicked off its nation-wide search for an unknown talk
show host in Minneapolis on Friday, April 8.
The winner of the nation-wide "Talk Search" contest will receive
a one-year $75,000 contract to host a national talk show on "A-T."
In launching the search, Roger Ailes, president of CNBC and
America's Talking, said, "For the first time in television history,
anyone in America will have the opportunity to become the next
national talk show star. It could be a school teacher, a steel
worker, a cab driver, a company executive, or even a local talk show
personality. I'll be putting together a blue ribbon panel which
will choose America's next talk show personality."
Added Mr. Ailes, "More than a million dollars will be spent on
marketing, promotion and prizes during the national talent search."
Two Ways To Enter
Auditions will be videotaped over a three-day period in ten cities
where entrants must provide their own 1/2-inch VHS tape and take
responsibility for mailing in their audition tape with a completed
official entry form. In addition, individual home-produced audition
tapes will be accepted via mail with an official Talk Search entry
form. Official contest rules and entry forms can be obtained at the
event sites, through local cable operators or by writing to:
America's Talking Talk Search Contest Entry, P.O. Box 1603,
Bensenville, Ill., 60106-8603. Entries must be received no later
than May 16, 1994.
The Selection Process A four-step judging process will determine
who is awarded the new host position on "A-T." The preliminary round
judged by an independent, qualified panel will select 100
semi-finalists. The 100 semi-finalist videotaped auditions will
then be reviewed by a team of "A-T" production and editorial
consultants who will select 20 Blue Ribbon Finalists. The Blue
Ribbon Finalists will receive transportation to "A-T" headquarters
in Fort Lee, N.J., where a panel of judges comprised of television
talk personalities will select the top five contestants. From the
top five selected, "A-T" programming executives will choose the
winner, awarding them a one-year contract to host a show on the new
network.
In preparation for the launch of the new cable network, two state
of the art studios are under construction at "A-T" 's recently
acquired facilities in Fort Lee, N.J. The studios, one of which
will be two stories high and accommodate a studio audience of more
than 100, will be linked to remote sites throughout the United
States via a battery of satellite dishes. The latest in interactive
technology will make "A-T" one of the most interactive services on
cable.
America's Talking will be a 24-hour-a-day cable network providing
viewers with 14 hours of live, interactive talk programming focusing
on information, entertainment and news shows. Experts and
celebrities will join viewers each day, creating a national
dialogue. America's Talking, owned by NBC, will launch July 4.
IDB GETS NEW LICENSE
--------------------
IDB Communications Group Inc. announced that the United Kingdom
government has granted a 25-year license as a public
telecommunications operator to its European subsidiary, IDB WORLDCOM
Europe (formerly WorldCom International Inc.)
"We are pleased by this grant of license and applaud the U.K.
government's action in this significant opening of the U.K. market
to competition," said Steve Carroll, president of IDB WORLDCOM.
"This license will bring substantial benefits to IDB WORLDCOM's
customers in the U.K. through both cost savings and enhanced
services."
IDB WORLDCOM Europe has been operating in the U.K. for three
years and, as a result, has established a leading position as a new
international entrant, responsible for 1% of all outgoing U.K. IDD
traffic with an enviable blue chip client base.
IDB WORLDCOM recently signed an interconnect agreement with BT in
February, allowing the company use of BT's network to carry all
calls. Together with the new license, the U.K. company will
greatly expand its market, bringing the benefit of competitively
priced international services to smaller businesses and residential
customers.
INTERACTIVE SATELLITE BROADCASTS
--------------------------------
The first in a series of four live interactive satellite broadcasts
on the impact of wireless technology will address strategic issues,
including applications, business opportunities and the technology's
future as part of the national information superhighway.
Presented by the National Technological University, the initial
program in the series will air Tuesday, May 3, from 11 a.m. to 5
p.m. Featured speaker will be Dr. William C.Y. Lee, chief
scientist and vice president, applied research and science, AirTouch
Communications (formerly PacTel Corp.).
Lee will discuss opportunities presented by the upcoming FCC
Personal Communications Services (PCS) auction and the impact
wireless communications will have in the future. Included will be
his assessment of the current state of wireless communication
technology, its advantages and limitations, and system
alternatives.
Lee stressed that there is no difference at present between PCS
and cellular technology. However, he pointed out, the high-speed
transmission of volumes of data over a national or international
wireless communications network will present challenges.
Among these challenges, Lee said, are overcoming the limitations
presented by Mother Nature, signal strength vs. location, and
terrain configurations. One solution he offered is the development
of intelligent cells strategically placed in zones of heavy
subscribers.
Among considerations in choosing a PCS system are availability,
vulnerability, system capacity and data transmission rate, Lee said.
Ultimately the development of a wireless communication system will
provide subscribers with a cellular unit that is lightweight, easy
to carry, at low cost and with many features that will function in
all environments including underground, he added.
The wireless communications series, moderated by Michael Killen,
president of Killen & Associates, includes Spectrum, Interfaces, and
Relocations Issues, to be aired May 10; Applications and Technology,
May 17; and Product Opportunities and Design Considerations, May 24.
Air times will be the same - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SCRIPPS COMPLETES PURCHASE
--------------------------
The E.W. Scripps Company completed the previously announced
purchase of Cinetel Productions, one of the country's largest
independent producers of cable television programming, from its
founder and chairman, Ross K. Bagwell, Sr.
Cinetel produced seven cable network series and numerous
prime-time specials in 1993. Cinetel clients have included The
Nashville Network, The Arts & Entertainment Channel, The Discovery
Channel, The Learning Channel and Nickelodeon. Cinetel is one of
the largest program suppliers to The Nashville Network. It also
produces television commercials for advertising agencies and
workplace videos for an impressive list of business clients.
Cinetel's recent production credits include: -- "Travelquest" and
"America's Castles" for A&E -- "Earthguide" and "Easy Does It" for
The Discovery Channel -- "Hey, Dude" for Nickelodeon -- "Homebodies"
for The Learning Channel -- "Club Dance," "Remodelling and
Decorating Today," "Exploring America," "Shadetree Mechanic," "Hot
Spots," and "Dance Line" for The Nashville Network. Scripps will
also assume ownership of Cinetel's 2500-hour library of
programming.
Scripps' new Home & Garden Television Network (HGTV), a 24-hour
cable channel scheduled for launch in late 1994, will be
headquartered in a companion facility to be built adjacent to the
Cinetel complex. The 30,000-square-foot construction project will
accommodate the needs of HGTV and Cinetel's growing production
business.
The Cinetel communication centre is located on more than 12 acres
in west Knox County. In addition to administrative offices, the
facility houses an 80' X 100' main sound stage with 750,000 watts of
computerised lighting. There is also a 40' X 40' sound stage, an
insert studio and a viewing theatre.
VIACOM SELLS..
-------------
Viacom Broadcasting has entered into an agreement for the sale of
KSRY-FM, San Francisco, and KSRI-FM, Santa Cruz/San Jose, to
Crescent Communications of California Limited Partnership.
REUTERS RESTRUCTURES
---------------------
Reuters is restructuring its Latin American editorial operations and
media business, consolidating editorial oversight of its Latin
American regional coverage while strengthening local, country-based
coverage. The company said its purpose is to serve more effectively
the needs of its customers in the region and elsewhere.
Reuters Latin America Media Services Inc., a new company based in
Miami, has been formed to direct the restructuring process and to
oversee this effort to serve Reuters customers for text, pictures,
graphics and television news.
Key features of the restructuring include consolidation of
Reuters international Spanish-language news desk from disparate
sites in Buenos Aires and Mexico City to a single location here.
The new desk is to be fully operational in the second quarter of
1994, with a staff of 30.
The Miami centre will emerge as a Latin American multi-media news
desk co-ordinating the regional production of textual news, news
pictures, television news and graphics, and directing their regional
dissemination via advanced satellite communications resources
available to Reuters in Miami.
The complete integration of Reuters Television Latin America into
Reuters 20 Latin American textual news bureaus is a significant
feature of the reorganisation.
Tacio Carvalho, Senior Vice President, Latin America, Reuters
America Inc., said: "We have several goals in mind with this plan.
First, it is our intention to raise the quality of Reuters
Spanish-language news service, making it fully international with
regard to content and language style.
"On the business side a reorganised structure under a
newly-formed company, with its own executive vice president of
operations and technical development manager, heightens our ability
to promote and co-ordinate sales for textual and visual news
services throughout Latin America, and helps us develop the kinds of
technical solutions our clients increasingly demand based on a
multimedia technology."
Carvalho emphasised that Miami offers several benefits as a
centre for the renewed Latin American media efforts. Miami
continues to be the centre of Reuters Latin American television news
activities, is increasingly tied to Latin America, and offers
extensive telecommunications and satellite resources.
Carvalho added that the restructuring strengthens key domestic
financial news services in Latin American countries such as
Argentina and Mexico. Reuter domestic news services continue
operating within country borders, edited from news desks in the same
key Latin American cities as before, though with renewed focus on
local news and, in some instances, increased resources.
The company said that Hector R. Lopez directs day-to-day
activities of the new Latin America Media unit as its Executive Vice
President, reporting to Carvalho. Lopez, who joined Reuters in
1973, was Editor of Reuters Spanish-language news service from 1979
to 1982, and he managed regional Reuter business units based first
in Caracas and subsequently in Mexico City.
Alberto Arebalos, currently Senior Correspondent, Andean Region,
is named Editor, Latin America Media Services, and has
responsibility for production of all Latin American media services
in Spanish. Arebalos joined Reuters six years ago and has held
journalist posts in Buenos Aires, Bogota and Caracas.
John Reichertz is named Development Manager in the new unit. In
this role he will introduce new technology and develop new products.
Reichertz has been responsible for Latin American media marketing
activities in the past four years, prior to which he was
Correspondent in Buenos Aires and Washington, DC.
SFX BUYS KYXY
-------------
SFX Broadcasting Inc. announced that it has agreed to acquire radio
station KYXY(FM) in San Diego, California, from Parker Broadcasting
Inc. for $14 million in cash and stock as well as $3 million for a
multi-use real estate property.
The closing of the acquisition of KYXY(FM) is subject to the
approval of the Federal Communications Commission. With the
addition of KYXY(FM), SFX Broadcasting, headquartered in New York,
will own 11 radio stations, including KRLD-AM (Dallas), KODA-FM
(Houston), KJQY-FM (San Diego), WSIX-FM and WYHY-FM (Nashville),
WMYI-FM and WSSL-AM/FM (Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina), and
WMSI-FM, WJDS-AM and WKTF-FM (Jackson, Mississippi). It also
maintains a joint selling agreement with WJDX-FM in Jackson and owns
the Texas State Networks, a group of regional and national radio
networks.
STARSIGHT
---------
As a continuation of the national rollout of StarSight, Sammons
Communications Inc., the 14th-largest cable operator in the United
States, will offer the premier on-screen interactive television
program guide with one-button VCR record feature to its customers in
Denton, Texas, beginning in May 1994, it was announced by John Burns
III, executive vice president, sales and marketing, StarSight
Telecast Inc., and Mark Weber, president, Sammons Communications.
Sammons will provide 500 StarSight-equipped Jerrold CFT 2900
converter boxes on a first-come, first-served basis to its 16,000
subscribers. Sammons will roll out new converters as they become
available and as consumer demand for StarSight increases.
"We are constantly looking for ways to update and improve our
services, and StarSight is the only navigational tool with this
depth of programming information," stated Weber. "We believe our
customers are going to love StarSight and especially its
consumer-friendly simplicity and one-button VCR record feature.
It's sure to be a winner."
"StarSight provides a win-win situation for both the cable
subscribers and the cable operator," commented Burns. "With the
touch of a button, StarSight will allow viewers to access the
variety of wonderful new services and programming that are quickly
becoming available through their televisions. Once subscribers
begin accessing these services, Sammons will then be able to tap
into a new, unregulated revenue stream."
StarSight offers Sammons' cable viewers access to StarSight's
powerful features through its patented interactive technology.
StarSight gives consumers seven days of updated program-schedule
information; direct tuning by title, theme and channel number; and
easy, one-button VCR recording of selected programs.
Later this year, Sammons will provide StarSight to its Waterbury,
Conn., customers when it tests near-video-on-demand (NVOD) using the
Jerrold 2200 box.
SEES U.S. 'DEATH STAR' AS SERIOUS THREAT TO DISRUPTING CANADIAN
BROADCASTING SYSTEM
In a speech at the Ontario Cable Telecommunications Association's
"Cable Day" Conference, Ted Boyle, vice-president of Corporate
Development at Tee-Comm Electronics Inc. outlined the
"Telesat/Tee-Comm Plan," a Canadian direct broadcast satellite (DBS)
service using Tee-Comm digital video compression equipment and
Telesat's ANIK E1 satellite. Boyle underscored the fact that the
plan will be crucial to the successful future of both Direct To Home
(DTH) and small- and medium-sized cable systems in Canada.
"With the Telesat/Tee-Comm plan, the cable industry is put on the
right side of technology and CRTC policy," Boyle said in his
address. "Canadian DTH will be a lesser threat to cable, and it
will satisfy a clamouring crowd of under-served Canadians who would
deeply resent a cable technology that excludes them."
The plan calls for the use of the MPEG2 ISO standard, digital video
compression technology "The success of DBS in the United States, as
well as our service in Canada, combined with digital initiatives
world-wide, will allow for cheaper components and increasingly less
expensive hardware in the future," Boyle said. The plan also allows
for multiple vendors to provide competitive set top box pricing in
the future.
"All CRTC approved signals will be available with the
Telesat/Tee-Comm package, " Boyle emphasised. "All Canadian
services will be duplicated and digitised, as well as all approved
American services, including the six U.S. superstations. Late this
year, a 75 to 100 channel offering would be made available on one
Canadian satellite."
Boyle summed up by saying, "We are at a critical juncture in our
business and technology choices. If we move forward together into
the digital world we will see a startling change in service levels
where DTH will receive the full range of programming choice, with
Canadians coast to coast to coast receiving the same full level of
service."
Boyle's speech comes at a time when the CRTC is requesting comments
from the public on its published proposed exemption criteria for
Canadian DTH providers, thus allowing Canadian companies to compete
with the giant U.S. "Death Stars."
BELL ATLANTIC ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION ON DEMAND
------------------------------------------------------
Bell Atlantic announced that it will open in July a
multimillion-dollar Digital Production Centre in the Washington, DC,
area to support Stargazer(TM) interactive video programming.
"Bell Atlantic's Digital Production Centre is the place where actual
interactive multimedia services will be created and packaged for
delivery to consumers," said Ray Smith, Bell Atlantic chairman and
chief executive officer. "The first generation of these services
will include movies, television programs, documentaries and video
health care information, all delivered on demand. Our Reston
facility will be a bridge between the full service network that we
have been testing for the last year in Northern Virginia and the
information and entertainment services which that network will
deliver when, where and in the way people want."
Bell Atlantic has just completed the first year of its technical
trial of on-demand video programming in Northern Virginia. In this
trial the company tested the transmission, switching, video file
server and digital compression technologies that make possible
on-demand delivery of entertainment and information. For the past
year, participants in the test have been able to order a movie which
is then transmitted over their telephone line to their TV just
moments later. The next stage in Bell Atlantic's product
development process is to test market Stargazer on-demand
programming this summer. This test will pave the way for the
commercial introduction of Stargazer services in the Washington, DC,
area next year.
Bell Atlantic's Digital Production Centre will house a: -- Digital
Production Studio, that will create the packaging and promotional
elements of Bell Atlantic's Stargazer programming and will develop
new Stargazer interactive products, services and applications.
-- Digital Service Bureau, that will digitise and compress analogue
video tapes and films for storage on and delivery from computers to
consumers' homes.
-- Operations Centre, which will house servers and databases, with
sufficient backup power and communications to support the commercial
deployment of Stargazer programming.
-- Demonstration Centre, where programming can be tested and
reviewed by clients and customers.
Bell Atlantic Video Services Company (BVS), a Bell Atlantic company,
will begin moving its operations and development staff into the
Reston facility this month. By July, up to 100 BVS employees and
80-90 subcontractors will be working at the Centre. The Reston
facility can support up to 350 people and the growth and expansion
of Stargazer programming during the next several years.
"In order to build the information super highway, Bell Atlantic has
to locate and integrate a complex series of new technologies in a
single place," said Stu Johnson, Bell Atlantic group president for
Large Business and Video Services. "In Reston we will begin to
master the new ways in which people will get their entertainment,
information, education and on-line transactions in the world of
interactive multimedia."
Bell Atlantic's Digital Production Centre
The successful delivery of a commercial video-on-demand service to
consumers requires that a whole range of complex computer and
television technologies be mastered. To this end, Bell Atlantic is
building under one roof a state-of-the-art Digital Production
Studio, Digital Service Bureau, Demonstration Centre and Operations
Centre in Reston, VA. Taken together these four elements might be
referred to as a Digital Production Centre. The Centre will support
the creation and deployment of commercial Stargazer(TM) interactive
products and services. It also will provide an ongoing research and
development capability for exploring this new technology. This
end-to-end approach will enable Bell Atlantic to successfully
integrate these highly complex computer and television production
systems and to maintain its lead in the highly competitive and
rapidly changing environment of interactive multi-media services.
Digital Factory
The Digital Production Centre, which will occupy the first floor of
the building in Reston, can be understood through an analogy to a
factory. Raw materials in the form of filmed and video taped
productions or in the form of concepts and scripts for advertising
and service applications will enter the Centre. The videos and
ideas will be processed into Stargazer(TM) programming in the
Digital Production Studio and Digital Service Bureau. The
interactive programming will be delivered to the Operations Centre,
where it will be stored in an "electronic warehouse" or server,
waiting to be delivered -- on demand -- to customers over Bell
Atlantic-Virginia's telecommunications network. Quality control
will be provided at the Demonstration Centre, where the programming
will be able to be viewed before being placed in the electronic
warehouse.
Digital Production Studio
The Digital Production Studio (DPS) will design and produce the
software that will enable consumers to get at the video, text and
audio products they want, when they want them. The DPS, which is
slated to be fully operational by late summer, initially will serve
Bell Atlantic clients. These include entertainment and educational
programmers, retailers, advertisers and other service providers who
are working with Bell Atlantic Video Services to be part of the
Stargazer service.
The DPS will feature an advanced, high-speed local area network that
will allow for efficient, high quality production processes. Work
stations will be connected by high speed data circuits so that
graphic designers, animators, sound engineers and others can work in
parallel on different elements of a video product. They can then
send their efforts to a compositing workstation where the elements
are combined into finished scenes and images. Such scenes, which
are examples of the outputs of the DPS, can then be sent over high
speed circuits to the Digital Service Bureau. There the images will
be encoded and converted into the Motion Pictures Expert Group
(MPEG) format, suitable for transmission across telephone or cable
networks.
The DPS will combine traditional television production and
interactive multimedia production techniques with computer software
logic design in order to package and present programming for
consumers.
Customers of Stargazer services will pick and choose the
entertainment and information they want. Computer software
programmers, called authoring engineers, will take the television
program elements and interactive designs and apply the computer
software commands that will cause the typical TV set to respond to
consumer requests.
The DPS will be equipped to process incoming program materials in
all film, video and digital formats and convert it to digital
versions in a variety of formats, including all available broadcast
standards from around the world. In addition, powerful workstations
will be harnessed through the high speed local area network to
handle screen replications, animation, text creation, rapid visual
layouts and cost-effective television graphics generation.
On-line video editing rooms will be linked to all other platforms
over the high speed local area network, saving valuable time in the
post-production process. Image enhancement, character generation,
digital visual effects and editing will take place in the on-line
area.
Digital Service Bureau
The Digital Service Bureau (DSB) will provide post-production and
content preparation services including encoding, encrypting,
packaging and reformatting all forms of content for playback on a
public network delivery system, a private network delivery system or
stand-alone playback devices. The DSB takes the finished work from
the DPS and prepares it for display in its new interactive
environment.
Operations and Demonstration Centre
The output of the DPS and the DSB will be sent to the Operations
Centre for storage in the on-line transaction computers and the
video servers that store entertainment, informational, promotional
and other material. The on-line transaction computers comprise the
"brains" of the Operations Centre. Consumers will communicate with
the transaction computers when they order their movie or other
service. The transaction computers will capture data for billing
purposes. They also will communicate with the video servers and
order them to "pump" video material to consumers' homes.
The output of the DPS and the DSB can be sent alternatively to the
Demonstration Centre for review and testing. The Demonstration
Centre will be a showcase for the interactive television products
being developed by Bell Atlantic. The Centre will be dedicated to
public, press and client demonstrations as well as focus group
research and other development activities. A research area will
support focus group activity and will include viewing rooms that can
accommodate meetings and presentations.
Pending regulatory approvals, Bell Atlantic will test market its
Stargazer services this summer. The company will bring up to 1,000
customers to Bell Atlantic-Virginia for connection to Bell
Atlantic-Virginia's video dial tone network in Northern Virginia.
Commercial deployment of Stargazer services is slated for early
1995.
PLAYBOY TV GOES TO 24 HOURS ON MAY
----------------------------------
Playboy TV will move its ten-hour-per-night, seven-nights-per- week
programming schedule to a full 24-hour schedule on May 1, it was
announced by Tony Lynn, president of Playboy Entertainment Group.
The decision was made following a successful test that began on
January 1 in 16 cable systems representing more than 700,000
pay-per- view addressable households. Cable systems participating
in that test saw an incremental increase in pay-per-view buys that
ranged from 25 to 100 percent.
The test also proved Playboy TV's viability as a multi-transactional
network with a number of successful block configurations sampled in
the test. Under the new 24-hour offering, Playboy sales and
marketing staff will work with cable affiliates to determine the
block configuration that provides the optimum cash return to
operators.
"The 24-hour configuration with its blocks of programming provides
cable operators with the benefit of more purchasing options and a
pricing structure that best suits their customer usage
requirements," stated Lynn. "It also provides to provide existing
operators with a means to increase their revenue and to bring in new
systems who previously were unable to offer us in a 10-hour
configuration. Systems offering Playboy as a monthly subscription
service will have the option to expand our program offering to their
subscribers at no extra charge." Over the past two years, Playboy
has increased its production of original programming to 75 percent
of the scheduling mix and has introduced a number of new series,
including the popular night-time soap "Eden," which had a successful
run on USA Network; the "no-holds barred" talk show "Who's On Top,"
featuring long-time NBC news correspondent Eric Burns, actress and
comedienne Nora Dunn and Playboy Men columnist Asa Baber; the
sensuous tales of "Erotic Fantasies;" and the variety entertainment
game show "Playboy's Love & Sex Test."
The full 24 hours of Playboy programming will be available on
Playboy's current satellite, Galaxy 5, transponder 2.
Soros Fund Management
---------------------
George Soros, funds advised by Soros Fund Management (SFM), and a
group of SFM's directors have made a substantial investment in USSB
(U.S. Satellite Broadcasting). In May of this year, USSB will
begin operating a fully digital Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS)
service.
"The Hubbard family has a well-earned reputation as a group of the
most honest and creative executives within the broadcasting
industry," said Walter Burlock, a managing director of Soros Fund
Management. "We at Soros are extremely enthusiastic about backing
the Hubbards and their strong management team at USSB as they roll
out their DBS service."
Hubbard Broadcasting owns nine television stations; two radio
stations; two television production companies and is the founder and
managing partner of Conus Communications, which pioneered satellite
news gathering and now produces All News Channel in partnership with
Viacom International Inc. USSB is a Minnesota corporation and a
subsidiary of Hubbard Broadcasting.
Hongkong Telecom
----------------
Hongkong Telecom officially launched its two new $100 million
digital Inmarsat M/B land earth stations at Cape D'Aguilar, marking
a new era of digital mobile satellite communications in Hong Kong.
The new stations represent the 19th Inmarsat site in the Pacific and
Indian Ocean regions, as well as the most technologically advanced.
Inmarsat M supports voice telephony, fax and low-speed data while
Inmarsat B is the digital successor to Inmarsat A, the full-featured
service supporting telephone, fax, data and telex services.
"Inmarsat M and Inmarsat B are the most advanced products we have in
terms of all-digital technology," said Keith Thacker, executive
vice-president of Inmarsat. "Inmarsat M is destined to become known
as the global phone in a briefcase and Inmarsat B will provide all
the services of Inmarsat A but at roughly half the cost." "The $100
million spent thus far represents only the first half of our overall
investment," said Norman Yuen, Hongkong Telecom's strategy director,
at a press conference just prior to the official opening.
"This investment offers proof of Hongkong Telecom's commitment to
providing truly regional services while keeping at the forefront of
technology. "The new land earth stations also solidify Hong Kong's
position as the region's telecommunications and business hub and
underline Hongkong Telecom's position as the pre-eminent service
provider in Southeast Asia. By the turn of the century, these
stations will help pave the way for the day when you will be able to
call anywhere in the world via Inmarsat using mobile phones similar
to the ones many of you carry now. "
Annual satellite communications traffic in the Pacific and Indian
Ocean regions has reached approximately 50 million minutes. Yuen
predicted this figure would double by the end of the century, by
which time the two regions would account for half of the global
traffic. As a means of making satellite communications more
affordable to users, Yuen cited Hongkong Telecom's new Project
Condominium, a low cost alternative to building a land earth station
while providing many of the same benefits. As the name suggests,
Project Condominium enables users to lease a land earth station
identity to market and sell their own Inmarsat services at a
fraction of the cost of building a land earth station of their own.
"The partnership enables us to cover all four of the earth's main
ocean regions," said Yuen. "The arrangement provides economy of
scale, lower investment costs, and the ability to expand coverage
throughout the world as required. These benefits and savings are
then passed along to our Project Condominium customers who, in turn,
use them to their sales and marketing advantage."
Project Condominium is provided by a consortium comprising Hongkong
Telecom, Cable & Wireless, IDB Mobile Communications of the US,
Teleglobe Canada and Morsviazsputnik of Russia.
NEW SONY NETWORK
----------------
Sony Software Corp and Warner Music Group announced a joint-venture
radio syndication network to debut this autumn. The network will be
called SW Networks and will create programming to be distributed by
satellite, digital radio and conventional broadcasting.
Mitsui & Co Ltd will invest 70 billion yen in its multimedia
business by 2000. Investments will be made in such fields as
interactive cable television, mobile phones, entertainment and
leisure.
Ascom Holding AG plans to sell its cable television systems in
Switzerland and Austria to a group consisting of Siemens-Albis AG ,
Fischer Holding AG and the Swiss PTT Telecom.
Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network.
--------------------------------------------
BBC World Service Television signed an agreement with Saudi-owned
Orbit Communications Co., for an Arabic news service. The channel
will initially carry six hours of regional and international news
and offer 24 hour programming by the end of this year.
The channel will be delivered by satellite to Rome, then uplinked
to Arabsat 1 as part of a digitally encrypted multi-channel package.
Also included in this package will be BBC World Service radio in
English, French and Arabic. Studio, newsroom and news-gathering
facilities will be located at BBC Television Centre in West London.
Turner Broadcasting System Inc is negotiating a partnership with
India's Doordarshan state television to broadcast programmes aimed
at the world's second most populous nation.
Turner Broadcasting System Inc. is expected to become the new
home-video distributor for Public Broadcasting System. The first
title under the partnership, expected to be announced next week,
will be Ken Burns' long-awaited "Baseball" series.
The BBC and BSkyB signed deals together worth 34 million pounds for
the rights to transmit rugby union for a three-year period. The
Committee of Home Unions said it entered into two contracts, one
with the BBC and one with BSkyB, which will end at the close of the
1996-97 season.
TMI Communications has reached an agreement to test the ground-based
portion of its MSAT satellite network using Solidaridad 1. The
agreement with Telecomm telecomunicaciones de Mexico allows TMI to
complete much of its testing prior to the launch of the MSAT
satellite sometime between December of this year and March of next
year.
Fox Inc announced a further 84 cable television operators agreed to
carry its new basic cable network, FX. This brings the total to 107
cable outlets , covering 38.5 million cable households and 66
percent of all cable subscribers. FX is scheduled to launch June 1
(Galaxy 7) with seven hours of programming originating from New York
City.
Torstar Corp and Salter Street Films Ltd to launch a new Canadian
cable network, the Popcorn Channel. The plans are to launch the
channel in 1995 and will provide television viewers with localised
movie theatre listings and previews of top motion pictures in
current release.
EUROWATCH
----------
What's making news across Europe's skies
By Martyn Williams in London,
Additional reporting by Joel Wirstzel in Paris
VOX IN LIQUIDATION
------------------
German "infotainment" channel VOX has called in the liquidators.
The programme, which can be seen on Astra 1A's transponder 5, has
been in financial trouble ever since the network launched. An
emergency programming schedule was started on April 1st.
Many of Germanys other satellite channels with no terrestrial
outlets are poised to fight for the VOX network outlets across the
country if the channel does close.
NDR'S N-JOY RADIO LAUNCHES
--------------------------
NDR Radio's new youth network, N-Joy Radio launched to a
European audience on Easter Monday, 4 April at 1644 CET. The
network can be heard across Northern Germany on FM and across Europe
on transponder 17 of the Astra 1B satellite.
N-JOY RADIO PROGRAMMSTRUKTUR
Montag bis Freitag :
0000 Top Hits, Comedy, News
0600 Die Morgencrew
1000 Service, Interviews, Aktuell
1300 Infos uber Schule/Ausbildung, Popnews, Musikwunsche
1500 Service, Interviews, Aktuell
1800 Live aus Rostock
1900 Top Hits, Comedy, News
oder N-Joy Radio - Background Berichte
Samstag :
0000 Top Hits, Comedy, Aktuell
0600 N-Joy the weekend
1000 Service, Interviews, Aktuell
1300 Musik, Pop news, Gewinnspiel
1500 Aktuell, Reportagen, Comedy
1900 N-Joy the party
Sonntag :
0000 N-Joy the party
0200 N-Joy Radio - Charts
0600 N-Joy the weekend
1100 N Joy Radio - Charts
1500 Aktuell, Reportagen, Comedy
1900 N Joy Radio - 47 70 60
2100 Top Hits, Comedy, News
NDR N-JOY RADIO -
Astra 1B, channel 25 (NDR N3 TV), Stereo 7.38 / 7.46 MHz
Kiel 94.5, Hamburg 94.2, Klutz/Hamberge 103.4, Schwerin 99.5, Robel
97.4, Bad Doberan 103.7, Rostock 88.9, Putbus 95.5, Heringsdorf
92.3, Cuxhaven 91.6, Hannover 92.6, Braunschweig 100.3.
EURONEWS ANNOUNCE DEAL WITH ITAR-TASS
-------------------------------------
Lyon based Euronews have announced a new co-operation deal with
Russian news agency ITAR-TASS. The first phase of the deal will be
a co-production a European version of "Business in Russia"
CNN INTERNATIONAL OPENS NEW NEWSROOM
------------------------------------
CNN International began programming from their new newsroom on
Monday 4 April. The network are very proud of the new facility.
CNN's Joie Chen said, whilst introducing one of the first bulletins,
"Welcome to CNN International's World News and CNN's International's
new, state of the art newsroom". The newsroom will allow CNN
International to better serve their growing world-wide audience.
The new, two level, facility covers 21,000 square feet and cost
$11m to build. CNN have equipped the centre with the latest in
modern technology including Sony Digital Betacam machines.
Flexibility is the key to the new system with journalists now
able to directly access the main BASIS news system via their own PCs
enabling them to access data directly. The centre is capable of
production of two live bulletins simultaneously and allows the
network to better program its three services, to Europe, South and
Central America and Asia.
MORE 16:9 ON ASTRA
------------------
German broadcaster is continuing with tests in the new PAL Plus
format on Astra, channel 19. The broadcasts consist mainly of
movies. Meanwhile JSTV has just begun a series of documentaries
filmed in the NHK Hi-Vision system. Whilst the system used here is
standard PAL, the documentaries retain the 16:9 ratio. Recent
documentaries have included a history of Japanese Arts and a look at
Tokyo and the surrounding area.
MORE SPORT FOR SKY
------------------
Sky Sports has secured television rights to UK Rugby Union club
games. The L7 million deal was announced as the BBC won rights to
the five nations championship games in a L27 million deal. The cost
of sports rights has increased dramatically since Sky Sports came
along a couple of years ago.
Sky Sports now holds many major TV rights and have their sights set
on the Wimbledon tennis championship.
THE QUEEN TO SIGN WITH SKY ?
----------------------------
A front page report in the UK's "Independent" newspaper recently
reported that Sky TV had approached Buckingham Palace for exclusive
rights to broadcast the Queen's Christmas Day message to the
Commonwealth.
The broadcast is watched by around half the TV audience every
Christmas Day at 1500 and by countless millions around the world.
The newspaper went on to report that under the Sky deal the
broadcast would be moved to 1445 to accommodate the Simpsons
Christmas special and a movie. Sky would like the Queen to wear
some sort of crown or tiara and present a more upbeat performance.
Anyone interested in reading more about this should see "The
Independent", issue ...... April 1st !
PROGRAMMING NOTES
-----------------
CBS's Late Show with David Letterman will begin airing weeknights at
2300UK on Sky One from 18 April one day after the US showing.
Unlike the US, Letterman will air an hour after the rival Tonight
show with Jay Leno on NBC Super Channel. The schedule that Sky sent
out to UK listings magazines gives the programmes title as "Late
Night with Letterman", his old shows title from NBC.
The May schedule for NBC Super Channel shows "13 degrees East - A
Eutelsat information show for satellite enthusiats". The programme
airs on Monday 30 May / Tuesday 31 May at 0400 CET.
MBC has proudly announced that it will carry the World Cup live.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Satellite Journal
International
Volume 2 Issue 8
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
------The DTP version is mailed via air or First Class and has product
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------For information or to subscribe please contact Satellite Journal
International at:
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Direct-Line
Online System London U.K.
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-----If you wish to post Satellite Journal International (EV) to any
other electronic medium please do, however, please advise me of
where you are posting Satellite Journal International.
-----Satellite Journal may be distributed freely as long as the file
remains whole.
-----Minitel [French and English] versions are edited versions of
the DTP version.