****SATELLITE JOURNAL ITL VOL2 NO 12 INTERNET****
Gary Torrens
Volume 2 Number 10
June 9 1994
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Tescorp, Inc
Tescorp, Inc. reported that it had entered into a joint venture to
acquire cable television and communications properties in Argentina.
Tescorp has committed to loan to its joint venture partners $1.5
million, and $825,000 of the total commitment has been funded to
date. Proceeds from the loan were used to acquire Televisora
Austral, S.R.L., the Argentine company that owns and operates the
cable television system in Ushuaia, the provincial capital of Tierra
del Fuego, Argentina. Through the joint venture, Tescorp will
indirectly hold an 84.0 percent economic interest in Televisora
Austral, S.R.L.
Televisora Austral, S.R.L. serves approximately 2,800 cable
television subscribers. Ushuaia has a total population of
approximately 29,000 persons residing in approximately 10,000
households. Management of the joint venture believes an opportunity
exists to significantly increase the penetration of paying cable
television customers and thereby improve the financial performance
of Televisora Austral, S.R.L. Tescorp management believes that the
price paid for Televisora Austral, S.R.L., approximately $535.71 per
paying subscriber, was approximately half the price that would have
been paid for a comparable company in the United States.
Jack R. Crosby, chairman and chief executive officer of Tescorp,
has been active in the cable television business since 1954. Over
the past 40 years, cable television companies which he founded or
co-founded have invested successfully in the United States, Mexico
and Switzerland. Crosby made the following comments regarding
Tescorp's initial cable television/communications venture:
"During the past year, we have been exploring opportunities to
acquire cable television and communications properties in Argentina
and Chile. The economies of both countries are growing, and the
political climate favours foreign investment. We have strong local
partners in the joint venture which is acquiring Televisora Austral,
and we believe an opportunity exists to expand our presence in Latin
America.
"The economic emergence of Latin America has created significant
opportunities, especially in the cable television and communications
industries. We are positioning Tescorp to make strategic
investments before the markets rationalise on a world-wide basis.
In response to the turmoil in the domestic cable television
industry, we believe major companies will accelerate their
investment activities in the emerging Latin American markets.
C-COR Electronics
C-COR Electronics, Inc., announced that Continental Cablevision has
placed an order for C-COR's new 700 Series FlexNet(TM) Amplifiers to
be used in a rebuild project that will offer services passing
135,000 homes in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. C-COR will begin
shipments in mid-June of FlexNet(TM) Trunk, Terminating Bridger, and
Line Extender amplifiers for the 2 1/2 year project.
The Continental network will be a 2,300-mile rebuild using
C-COR's 750 MHz FlexNet(TM) Amplifiers for delivery of over 77
standard television channels along with a 200 MHz tier for future
digital television applications. Services to be offered include
traditional broadcast channels, extensive pay-per-view channels, and
on-demand service that will provide hundreds of choices of videos,
including movies and educational programs.
Commenting on the news, Mr. Perry stated, "We are very pleased
to be working with Continental on this project. We are committed to
providing Continental with the quality, reliability, and on-time
delivery of products and services for which C-COR is known."
Alan Jastczemski, Regional Vice President of Telecommunications
and Development at Continental said, "C-COR has a long-standing
reputation for high-quality, leading-edge technology products backed
by a full line of technical customer services. Those factors had a
strong influence on our decision."
Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems Presents Evolutionary VSAT Product that
Promises Customers a Single Integrated Package for Their Star and
Mesh Data
Hughes Network Systems, Inc. (HNS), a global leader in digital
communications, said it will introduce Asian consumers today to its
new Hybrid Earth Station (HES), a technology that provides a network
solution for users' star and mesh data and voice needs in a single
integrated package.
"As we continued to expand the capabilities of our VSAT (Very
Small Aperture Terminal networks) product line, we quickly realised
that a significant portion of the voice and data market was not
being served in the most efficient way possible," said Paul Gaske,
senior vice president of the International Satellite Networks
Division at HNS. "Our decision was to develop a product for that
market. The HES gives unprecedented flexibility to telecom managers
to build private satellite networks that can adapt to their changing
needs."
"Previously, users were obliged to choose a technology that
optimised either star or mesh connectivity. The introduction of the
HES will allow both types of network needs to be efficiently and
cost effectively deployed for the first time," continued Gaske.
The HES is a satellite-based solution for data/voice networks
with low cost data links between corporate headquarters and remote
sites and full mesh, demand-assigned voice links for intranetwork
voice/fax connections available in both C-band and Ku-band versions.
This technology will also let customers take advantage of the
benefits of two of HNS' premier VSAT products, the Personal Earth
Station(TM) (PES) product line and the Telephony Earth Station(TM)
(TES) product line, in one package. For the first time, users will
be able to handle their star and mesh and voice needs without having
to resort to the use of double satellite hops.
The HES provides: -- High quality digital satellite
communications at C-band or Ku-band. -- LAN and serial data
connections. -- On demand voice using state of the art voice coding
techniques. -- Access to telephone hand sets, PABXs, and the Public
Switched Telephone Network. -- Full Group III capability. "Hybrid
Earth Station users can expand their network by adding remote sites,
ports, cards, and/or channel units easily," said Gaske. "Our Hybrid
Earth Station has a comprehensive and centralised network management
for all sites." The HES is currently being deployed in the
Asia/Pacific region at the People's Bank of China and at the
Japanese retailer, JUSCO, headquartered in Tokyo.
IDB Communications Group
IDB BROADCAST, the domestic and international radio and television
transmission services unit of IDB Communications Group Inc.
announced a five-year agreement with Fox Inc. covering transmission
services and tape origination for fX, Fox's new basic cable network.
Under the agreement, IDB will provide fX with playback,
commercial integration and uplinking services on the latest cable
satellite, Galaxy 7, transponders 4 and 5. All of fX's live
programming originates from its Master Control Centre at its New
York City "home-base" apartment studio and is interconnected to
IDB's Los Angeles Teleport facility using Vyvx, a nation-wide
fiber-optic network.
"fX's unique programming offers viewers a fresh look at
television," said John Tagliaferro, president, IDB BROADCAST.
"We're pleased to be providing them with these services and look
forward to adding new cable programmers to our expanding list of
customers."
"We chose IDB because of its proven record of quality and
reliability," said Robert Fleming, senior vice president, finance &
administration. "With IDB handling these aspects of our operations,
we know that fX viewers are assured of highest quality broadcast
standards."
RadioMail Corporation
A chance for businesses and individuals to begin using wireless
messaging for less than $400 is now available through a special
offer from RadioMail Corporation, RAM Mobile Data USA Limited
Partnership and Wireless Telecom, Inc. (WTI).
The program, which runs through the end of 1994, cuts by more
than half the start-up cost of using RadioMail's two-way wireless
messaging service over RAM's nation-wide networks, and guarantees a
low fixed monthly service rate that covers an unlimited number of
messages sent and received on IBM-compatible PCs, Apple Macintoshes
or Hewlett-Packard Palmtop PCs.
The program includes: -- a RadioMail starter kit, priced at $399,
which includes an Ericsson GE Mobidem wireless modem, RadioMail
client software (for PC, Macintosh or HP95/100LX Palmtop PC), and
necessary cabling (together these products were previously priced at
$953); -- 12 months of RadioMail service (unlimited messaging) over
the RAM Mobile Data wireless service at $89 per month.
RadioMail is a two-way wireless, guaranteed-delivery messaging
service that allows geographically dispersed individuals and
workgroups to communicate in real time. Unlike paging, RadioMail
allows users to exchange messages with one another and with Internet
users, and to send messages to fax machines and pagers.
Geoffrey S. Goodfellow, RadioMail founder and chairman, said,
"Prospective users have been waiting for this sort of pricing to get
into two-way wireless messaging. This program's low start-up cost
and unlimited messaging for under $3.00 a day will appeal to mobile
workgroups and project teams who need to communicate with each other
in real time but want to dramatically reduce their cellular
telephone and paging costs."
"Once RadioMail users experience the freedom and immediacy made
possible with RAM's nation-wide seamless roaming capability, they
can't do without it," said Janet Boudris, vice president, marketing,
RAM Mobile Data. "Now, with this unprecedented, low start-up cost,
there's no reason for mobile professionals to wait."
Rob Balgley, vice president of sales and marketing for WTI, which
has been RadioMail's master distributor since February, said,
"RadioMail is the only service that has fulfilled wireless
technology's promise of providing access to messages and critical
information at any time and at any place. This joint promotion
gives WTI's expanding network of resellers a strong offering that we
expect will rapidly accelerate customers' trial and adoption of this
key productivity tool."
Users can order the RadioMail starter kit and sign up for
RadioMail service by calling RadioMail Corporation (1-800-597-6245),
RAM Mobile Data (1-800-726-3210) or Wireless Telecom, Inc. (1-303-
793-2459).
Aldus Corporation
New Non-linear Video Editor Reduces Production Costs; Shown at
Digital World, and Promax/BDA
CoSA, A Division of Aldus Corporation announced it is now shipping
Hitchcock(TM) 1.0, a software-based non-linear digital video editor
for the Macintosh platform. Priced at $1,995, Hitchcock reduces
production costs for professional editors who need a robust off-line
video editing tool.
Freelance editors, corporate communications groups and production
studios can use Hitchcock to complement their on-line editing
systems while reducing project expenses. Hitchcock currently works
with the Radius Video VisionStudio or the SuperMac DigitalFilm
Deluxe video digitising boards. On a performance vs. cost basis,
Hitchcock is extremely competitive at a price of approximately
$5,000, including a video board, when compared against the closest
turnkey system price of approximately $10,000.
Key Features
-- High quality digital video (60 field/sec, 3.5MB/sec) --
Multiple trim options -- Editable transitions -- Variable pitch
audio scrubbing -- Full screen editing -- Single clip split
edits -- Integrated Media Manager -- True SMPTE timecode and
frame rates -- RS-422 VTR control (cable included) -- Standard
EDL export (with EdlPro(TM))
"Hitchcock seamlessly integrates the disparate worlds of
professional analogue video and non-linear digital video through
standard SMPTE timecode. There is no more powerful and expandable
system nor a more intuitive and comfortable interface. Mac users
will delight in this product," said Jim Lewis, MD of Digital Film
Works.
Hitchcock also exports movies in Apple QuickTime format, a format
supported by After Effects, CoSA's award winning digital post
production tool for compositing, motion graphics, and special
effects.
Hitchcock will be available from CoSA division dealers in the
U.S., Canada and Japan. In most other countries Hitchcock will be
available through the CoSA division's international distributor,
Techexport Inc., 617-229-6900. Suggested list price of Hitchcock is
$1,995.
System Configurations
Hitchcock requires an Apple Macintosh II or greater, at least
13MB of free RAM, an 80 MB hard disk (disk array preferred), System
7.0 or later, and QuickTime 1.6.1 or later. Hitchcock also requires
a JPEG-based video compression board. Currently supported models
include Radius VideoVision Studio and SuperMac DigitalFilm.
Hitchcock works with 9-Pin Protocol, RS-422 VTRs with an internal
Time Code Reader (Sony(R) BVU-800 compatible).
CALIFORNIA MICROWAVE
CALIFORNIA MICROWAVE, INC. announced that its Microwave Radio
Corporation (MRC) subsidiary has won an initial $3 million order to
supply digital microwave radios to BANAMEX, one of Mexico's largest
banks. Expanding Relationship with Major Customer
California Microwave indicated that this initial $3 million order
is a major breakthrough for MRC, which has previously supplied
microwave radios to BANAMEX, but in smaller quantities. The
order is the first part of a long-term program to expand the
BANAMEX telecommunications network which will link branch offices
in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterey and other cities by
microwave radios. MRC is supplying 18, 23 and 38-GHz radios to
BANAMEX, with deliveries commencing immediately. According to
published reports, BANAMEX, in partnership with MCI
Communications, will be investing $600 to $800 million over the
next three years to introduce an additional telephone system in
Mexico. The team will go into competition with TELMEX, which
loses its monopoly in 1996. It is expected that a substantial
investment will be made in microwave links.
From the conventions......
ICA Expo '94 in Dallas
MCI
MCI announced the introduction of MCI Network Voice Mail, a
nation-wide voice messaging service that provides companies of any
size with the benefits of voice mail without the expense of
installation and maintenance of equipment. The announcement was
made at ICA Expo '94 in Dallas.
MCI Network Voice Mail is accessible nationally and
internationally via 800 numbers and by local access in more than 25
metropolitan areas nation-wide. This availability enables
businesses to provide remote sites and corporate headquarter offices
with the same level of voice messaging features and capabilities.
"MCI Network Voice Mail is the only networked, full-featured
voice messaging service available from an interexchange carrier on a
nation-wide basis," Nancy Gofus, vice president of MCI Business
Markets, said. "With Network Voice Mail, a firm can enhance its
productivity and cut costs by streamlining company communications
and eliminating equipment and administrative expenses. And Network
Voice Mail is yet another example of the vision prescribed by
networkMCI: To bring the office of the future to businesses of today
through the power and intelligence of telecommunications."
Unlike traditional telephone answering services, MCI Network
Voice Mail gives companies the flexibility of sending, broadcasting
and retrieving phone mail messages regardless of geographic
location. Project teams located around the world can broadcast
messages to their entire team without time or geographic
constraints. Employees are not limited by "real-time" boundaries in
delivering memos and recalling their own messages.
MCI Network Voice Mail can be customised to suit a company's
needs with such enhanced features as paging notification and direct
telephone answering. PBX/Centrex integration will be offered on a
case by case basis. In addition, MCI's new service offers menu
routing, information bulletin boards and voice survey form
capabilities for increased business productivity. MCI said the
service is ideal for companies with large mobile workforces such as
those found in the insurance, transportation and hospitality
industries.
Atlanta-based MCI Business Markets provides long distance voice,
data, and video telecommunications to America's businesses. MCI
Communications Corporation, headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
offers a full range of domestic and global telecommunications
services through one of the world's largest state-of-the-art
networks. With 1993 revenue of nearly $12 billion, the company is
the second largest long distance provider in the United States and
has more than 65 offices in 60 countries and places.
NCTA Convention in New Orleans
Scientific-Atlanta
Five new interactive services using Scientific-Atlanta's 8600X Home
Communications Terminal were demonstrated for the first time at the
NCTA's Cable-94 Show in New Orleans, May 23-25.
Scientific-Atlanta's 8600X terminal, which is now shipping,
provides a set-top gateway to expanded programming and
revenue-generating services using today's television sets and cable
systems. The advanced, analogue terminal combines new features,
such as downloadable software, an interactive on-screen program
guide and easy VCR programming, with a flexible architecture that
makes it easy to add new features or change services. In addition,
the 8600X terminal provides a smooth migration into digital
compression technology.
"A large number of firms are now working with Scientific-Atlanta
to tap the immense potential of the 8600X terminal," said David
Levitan, vice president and general manager of subscriber systems in
Scientific- Atlanta's Broadband Communications group. "These
content providers are paving the way for cable operators to gain new
revenue opportunities by offering new choices for cable
subscribers."
The five new interactive services premiered on the 8600X terminal
at the NCTA Show were the following:
Sportsvue(SM) is an interactive sports service of Prevue
Networks, Inc., a United Video Satellite Group company. Sportsvue
provides up-to- the-minute scores, standings, statistics, sports
briefs and more for all major sports.
TMS TV Listings, a division of Chicago-based Tribune Media
Services, demonstrated live access to its on-screen program guide of
local New Orleans TV and cable channel listings. Listings can be
provided to cable operators in any locality. Tribune Media
Services, a leading provider of information and entertainment
products to newspapers and electronic media, plans to offer
additional services to subscribers through the 8600X terminal.
With "Recipes on Request," subscribers can select and display any
of more than 200 popular recipes from shows on TV Food Network, the
only cable network dedicated to food and food-related topics.
On-screen food category choices -- starting with a top-level menu of
appetiser, entree, salad, soup, side dish and dessert categories --
help viewers find the recipes they need quickly and easily.
TV Data showed an on-screen television program guide using the
8600X terminal's embedded format. TV Data is a leading provider of
television listings and features to more than 2,700 newspapers,
satellite guides, print and electronic cable guides, and interactive
TV listing services. TV Data's television information services are
based on its channel schedule database containing program listings
for more than 3,600 local channels and cable and broadcast networks.
Landmark Communications, owner of The Weather Channel and The
Travel Channel, showied a product concept of on-screen, on-demand
weather information through a "virtual channel" of the 8600X
terminal. Virtual channels appear to subscribers to be regular
channels, but they require no additional video bandwidth to
implement. This will complement The Weather Channel's local and
national programming.
Virtual channels carry enhanced information services in a
signal's vertical blanking interval. This allows any data stream --
sports scores, stock quotes, news, weather reports -- to be
displayed on-screen using the colourful, bit-mapped graphics of the
8600X terminal. Operators can offer these services to subscribers
as pay or basic services without the use of any additional
bandwidth. Most systems have the capacity to offer subscribers at
least 100 virtual channels.
Also in Scientific-Atlanta's booth, seven additional services
compatible with the 8600X terminal were demonstrated. They were:
--Four leading implementations of electronic program guides
operating on the 8600X terminal -- StarSight, TV Guide On Screen and
Prevue Networks' Prevue Express and Quickvue(SM) .
--Your Choice TV, an analogue/digital cable service that packages,
promotes and distributes the best of television to subscribers.
Programs include documentaries, news specials, entertainment shows,
and top-quality programs.
--Interactive Network demonstrated the capabilities of its
subscription-based patented entertainment system, which allows TV
viewers to interact directly with sports, game shows, primetime and
news/talk programs and educational shows.
--Zing featured its easy to use, hand held device that allows
viewers to get involved with their favourite TV shows. Zing's
unique capability can simultaneously transmit signals across all
networks and continue to interact with viewers whatever channel they
select. Programming is transmitted by television networks and
advertisers along with their programs or commercials.
The 8600X terminal can be digitally upgradeable through a digital
docking station. Some of the terminal's other features include
support for "Press Movies" system, an expanded pay-per-view for
near-video on demand; easy VCR programming with the optional VCR
controller, on-screen menus and graphics with several type sizes and
fonts; downloadable software to upgrade the unit with new feature
sets and services including different languages; and upgradeability
through Genius cards to add memory to support interactive games and
other services.
In addition to applications using the 8600X terminal, an
interactive home shopping application by ShopperVision was
demonstrated. Through a 3D graphical interface representing the
store environment, ShopperVision provides "Shopping on Demand" from
local retailers using an interactive, digital set-top remote
controller from Scientific-Atlanta. Consumers can view entire shelf
sets or displays, select individual products to view, and place on-
screen orders for pick up or delivery through the set-top
controller.
Infinity Broadcasting Corp
Infinity Broadcasting Corp. announced that the FCC has granted its
consent to the acquisition by the company of Detroit radio station
WXYT-AM. The acquisition is expected to be consummated shortly.
WXYT-AM programs in a news/talk format and will expand the company's
presence in the Detroit market where the company owns and operates
WOMC-FM. The company expects to continue to look for opportunities
to further expand its presence in the nation's largest markets.
Upon completion of the company's pending acquisitions, the company
will own and operate multiple stations in 7 of the Top 10 radio
markets, Infinity Broadcasting Corp. is the nation's largest radio
broadcasting company. Infinity currently owns 23 major market radio
stations of which 19 are in the Top 10 markets and has acquisitions
pending for 3 additional Top 10 market stations.
InterDigital Communications
InterDigital Communications Corp. announced that its Broadband-Code
Division Multiple Access (B-CDMA) technology will be used for
ELLIPSO, the innovative mobile satellite system of Mobile
Communications Holdings Inc. (MCHI).
The ELLIPSO Low Earth Orbit -- Medium Earth Orbit (LEO/MEO) project
is designed to provide satellite services for mobile and fixed
subscribers. The industry anticipates millions of subscribers will
use this type of service by the year 2000.
Dr. Donald Schilling, InterDigital's president and chief executive
officer, said, "We are pleased to be selected to participate in the
ELLIPSO project with satellite industry leaders such as MCHI,
Fairchild Space and Defence, Harris, Westinghouse and Israel
Aircraft Industries."
Schilling went on to say, "Our staff's experience in space
communication technology used in the Space Shuttle, meteor burst,
and direct broadcast television, will ensure that potential ELLIPSO
subscribers will have wired line quality communications second to no
other satellite system."
Dr. David Castiel, MCHI president, said that InterDigital's
outstanding technology will add further strength to the world class
corporate team behind the ELLIPSO project...now the leader in the
Big LEO race.
Intel Corp., General Instrument Corp., TCI and Rogers Cablesystems
Intel Corp. and General Instrument Corp. announced they have
signed memoranda of understanding with TeleCommunications Inc.
(TCI) and Rogers Cablesystems Ltd. of Canada that will allow the
companies to begin working to define and develop capabilities to
deliver data to the personal computer at speeds of up to 1,000 times
faster than today's fastest modems.
This should allow a new class of services for the home PC to
emerge using the cable infrastructure.
The agreements are in addition to similar agreements signed late
last year with Comcast Corp. and Viacom International Inc.
As a result of these agreements Intel and GI will begin working
with each cable company to define and develop the capabilities
necessary to allow PCs to connect to information services via cable.
Intel and General Instrument demonstrated the technical
feasibility of this technology at the Western Cable Show in
December, 1993. This announcement moves the project ahead by
gaining even broader support for the technology, allowing the cable
industry to participate in the fast-growing home PC market.
"A lighting-fast communications network like cable connected to
lighting-fast PCs like those with Pentium processors will create a
fertile environment for multimedia-rich services and software for
the PC, " said Andrew Grove, Intel president and chief executive
officer.
The opportunity to connect the millions of homes which have
interactive PCs to a speedy communications network will cause a
tremendous explosion in uses for both the cable network and the home
PC. The rapid growth of both on-line services and CD-ROM software
is a leading indicator that home PC users are eager to communicate
via the PC using highly interactive multimedia software. This new
technology will combine both in a high-speed dynamic environment.
"This is the first practical application of cable speed to
personal computer needs, opening an important new market for cable
companies," said Daniel F. Akerson, chairman and chief executive
officer of General Instrument. "We believe the cable industry will
be able to move quickly to offer these exciting services to the home
PC using the existing cable infrastructure."
In a related development, Intel announced today it has reached
market trial agreements with leading on-line firms to develop
services specifically for the cable market. These firms' services
will range from new multimedia on-line services, to software
distribution, personal travel and planning and Internet access.
Intel is working also with additional firms to provide catalogue
shopping, multimedia encyclopaedias and personal news on demand, all
via cable.
EuroWatch
by
Martyn Williams
from London
COPYRIGHT CAN PROTECT TV LISTINGS, SAYS TOP COURT OFFICIAL
SUMMARY OF THE ADVOCATE GENERAL'S OPINION IN EUROPEAN
UNOFFICIAL COMMENTARY
An Advocate General said on Wednesday that television
companies' programme listings could be kept out of independent TV
guides under copyright law.
Danish Advocate General Claus Gulmann, whose opinion could be
confirmed or otherwise by judges later this year, was advising the
court on a case between independent publisher Magill TV Guide, Irish
TV station RTE and Britain's ITV and BBC.
RTE and ITV are appealing against a 1991 Court of First
Instance decision which supported Magill in its claim that it is
free to publish listings from all TV stations in the Republic of
Ireland.
If the court follows Gulmann's opinion, the case could have
implications for other material such as recorded music and other
printed information by establishing that copyright is a valid
defence under EU competition law.
Mr Gulmann concluded in his opinion: "I propose that the Court
of Justice set aside the judgements of the Court of First Instance."
The three TV companies obtained an injunction from an Irish
court to stop Magill publishing listings of its programmes in 1986,
but Magill asked the European Commission to intervene and it ruled
that the stations were abusing a dominant position in the market.
The TV companies lost their battle to have the Commission
decision annulled by the European Court of First Instance, and RTE
and ITV decided to appeal to the main European court.
Opinion of Advocate General Gulmann
Radio Telefis Eireann and Independent Television Publications Limited
v
Commission of the European Communities
(Competition - Abuse of a dominant position - Exercise of rights falling wi
thin the specific subject-matter of copyright)
CONCLUSION
Accordingly I propose that the Court of Justice: - set aside
the judgements of the Court of First Instance of 10 July 1991
in Case T-68/89 RTE v Commission (1991) ECR II-485 and Case
T-76/89 ITP v Commission (1991) ECR II-575;
- give final judgement on the matter pursuant to the first
paragraph of Article 54 of the Statute of the Court of Justice and
annul Commission Decision 89/205/EEC of 21 December 1988 relating to
a proceeding under Article 86 of the EEC Treaty, making the forms of
order sought by Radio Telefis Eireann and Independent Television
Publications Limited in their applications;
- order the Commission to bear the costs incurred by Radio
Telefis Eireann and Independent Television Publications Limited
before the Court of First Instance and before the Court of Justice
except for the costs relating to the intervention of Magill TV Guide
Limited;
- order Magill TV Guide Limited to pay the costs incurred by
Radio Telefis Eireann and Independent Television Publications
Limited before the Court of First Instance and before the Court of
Justice as a result of its intervention; and
- order Intellectual Property Owners Inc to bear its own costs.
Ariane launch on hold
Ariane's latest campaign was halted at lift-off when the valve
pumping liquid hydrogen failed. Ariane had hoped to get back
ontrack with its flights. The failure will delay the launch of
Intelsat 702 and the two scientific satellites for the British
Defence Ministry into orbit. Charles Bigot, president of
Arianespace, said the launch would be postponed nine to 11 days.
"It is not a bad problem," Bigot said. "But it is annoying since we
wanted to speed up our launch rhythm to make up for the time we lost
at the beginning of this year."
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service can now be heard on 107.1 FM in Paris for a
short time. The French government, in an experiment, has granted
the BBC the unused frequency for a four week period. This agreement
also will bring RFI to London for a similar period of time.
DSF
A Munich lower court ruled in favour of revoking the broadcast
license of German sports television station Deutsches Sportfernsehen
(DSF). But the Bavarian regulators said DSF can continue
broadcasting pending an appeal. Berlin regulators argued they
should have been asked to approve the license because DSF broadcasts
nationally.
BBC's World Service Television
Wharf Cable announced it will start carrying BBC's World Service
Television on its Cable International Channel from June 11. A four
one-hour blocks of WST will be broadcast weekdays and a three hour
block on weekends.
Bob Phillis, BBC Deputy Director-General and Chariman of BBC
Worldwide said "This is the first step toward our goal of resuming
24-hour transmission of BBC World Service Television to the peoples
of the Far East." Stephen Ng, Wharf Cable Deputy Chairman and
Managing Director, said WST will air on its Cable International
Channel with programmes from a range of broadcasters including CCTV
China and CFI France.
Media Service GmbH
Media Service GmbH, the digital television service company, annouced
it will begin testing interactive TV products this year, beginning
with a pilot project in Berlin. The tests, the first in Germany,
will be launched later this summer.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Satellite Journal
International
Volume 2 Issue 12
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
------The DTP version is mailed via air or First Class and has
product information, reviews and other items not in the electronic
version.
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------For information or to subscribe please contact Satellite
Journal International at:
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Satellite Journal International is a fortnightly (every two weeks)
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Copyright 1994 Satellite Journal International