31/08/03

No update Sunday

30/08/03

NO update back on Monday

29/08/03

Some more interesting stuff from the NZ Digital TV announcement

DIGITAL SATELLITE PLATFORMS

8 While TVNZ content is now available free-to-air via satellite to any user who purchases a suitable set top box (STB), other free-to-air terrestrial services such as TV3, TV4 and Prime are encrypted by Sky and are only able to be decoded by STBs supplied by Sky. As Sky does not sell its STBs to the public, satellite consumers face ongoing monthly charges to receive programmes that are freeto- air when transmitted using a terrestrial transmission system and are vulnerable to price increases determined by Sky.

9 Officials see some benefits to the public if all terrestrial free-to-air services were available unencrypted on the satellite. Availability of additional "free-to-air satellite" services might encourage consumers in poor reception areas or where fewer terrestrial services are available to purchase free-to-air STBs as an alternative to subscribing to the Sky service. Increased demand for free-to-air STBs might in turn result in their ready availability at reasonable cost. Sky mightalso move to un-bundle the capital cost of its STB from ongoing subscription programming charges. Broadcasters could be encouraged to provide enhanced digital content for the satellite platform, rather than simply simulcasting terrestrial services. The availability of free-to air satellite services could also reduce the perception that Sky controls the satellite TV market.

10 The arrangements between Sky and the terrestrial broadcasters are contained in commercial agreements between private companies, and government would need to have compelling justification for imposing conditions on these arrangements. Terrestrial free-to-air broadcasters such as CanWest and Prime currently elect to fund distribution of their terrestrial services through advertising revenues. Equally, these broadcasters have decided that their services will be encrypted when distributed via satellite. Government intervention could be justified if evidence came to light of a breach of the Commerce Act by Sky, or if there were grounds on which to impose price controls pursuant to Part IV of that Act. Officials understand that Sky offers broadcasters a significant cost benefit if the broadcaster's services will be encrypted when distributed using Sky's satellite capacity, but are not aware of any recent complaints about Sky's practices in this respect.

The last piece is rather interesting they seem aware of the issues, is it time for a multiple complaints to be made ? any lawyers out there?

From my Emails & ICQ

From Tariq

Setmax fta on Insat 3a

Setmax curently fta on zee package.
last night axn was also fta on 4065 vertical

From the Dish

NEWS

Sky offer set for good reception

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

Independent Newspapers' takeover offer for Sky TV looks destined to succeed, meaning another listed company is likely to go off-air soon.

INL, the former publisher turned cashed-up 66 per cent Sky shareholder, yesterday revealed a cash-plus-shares takeover offer for the rest of the pay-TV network.

With Sky's only other major shareholder, Telecom, supporting the deal, and enough sweetening to make it attractive to smaller investors, INL seems likely to reach the 90 per cent stake it needs to compulsorily acquire the balance.

Once that happens, Sky - one of the stock exchange's 10 biggest companies by market capitalisation - will disappear and INL will pick up the Sky name.

INL chairman Ken Cowley said the board believed the takeover offer as proposed was the best way forward for INL and its shareholders.

Telecom holds 12 per cent of Sky and stands to receive about $150 million in cash plus its share of the distribution of INL's remaining capital.

Combining its present 9.2 per cent INL holding and the new shares it will receive under the takeover deal, Telecom will end up with about a 10 per cent stake in the new-look company, a level chief executive Theresa Gattung said would "ensure we continue to have a meaningful investment in the pay-TV industry in New Zealand, which we regard as strategically important for our future".

Cowley said the INL board had decided on the deal yesterday but formal notice of the offer would not be made until a prospectus had been registered and was available to Sky shareholders.

That formal notice was expected to be made in mid-September and the offer should be sent to Sky shareholders in early October. They have 30 days to accept it.

While the deal is unconditional, with INL and Telecom's combined stake at 78.2 per cent and no other shareholder holding more than 5 per cent, INL is not likely to strike resistance in reaching 90 per cent.

Macquarie Equities' NZ investment director, Arthur Lim, described the offer as an attractive "self-correcting deal" because it included INL shares as well as cash.

"One would anticipate that some of the Sky TV shareholders, if they wanted to maintain their shareholding in Sky, would use the cash proceeds [of the deal] and buy INL shares."

INL's cash reserves were bolstered yesterday by the announced sale of its last publishing asset, Victoria's Geelong Advertiser newspaper and magazine group, to News Limited for $64 million. The Rupert Murdoch-controlled News owns 45 per cent of INL.

Once the Sky takeover is complete, INL will have about $375 million in capital - or 80c a share - to return to shareholders.

INL yesterday reported a profit for the year to June 30 of $388.48 million, which included $292.4 million from the sale of its publishing assets to John Fairfax Holdings in April.

It will pay a final dividend of 5c a share.

The offer

* INL is offering Sky TV shareholders $3.35 cash per share plus three INL shares for every 10 Sky shares.

* At yesterday's closing market prices, the deal is worth $610 million $440 million in cash plus $170 million worth of INL shares - or about $4.64 a Sky share.

* INL and Sky would be amalgamated into one company, which would retain the Sky name.

* All surplus capital in INL, expected to be about $375 million, or 80c a share, would be returned to shareholders by the end of next February.

INL targets NZ pay-TV

From http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,7099341%255E462,00.html

CASHED up from selling its Kiwi newspapers to John Fairfax Holdings, Independent Newspapers Ltd wants to take complete control of New Zealand's pay-TV market.

INL, which is 49 per cent owned by News Limited, publisher of The Australian, already owns 66 per cent of Sky Television and yesterday announced a $NZ613 million ($552 million) bid for the rest.

The move is part of a global push by Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Limited parent company The News Corporation Ltd, to dominate pay-TV.

Mr Murdoch is awaiting watchdog approval of a $US6.6 billion ($10.2 billion) deal to take control of US satellite TV company DirecTV.

INL sold off its 11 New Zealand newspapers, including Wellington's Dominion Post, the Christchurch Press and Sunday Star-Times, to Fairfax in June for $NZ1.18 billion.

It announced a record consolidated net profit after tax of $NZ77.3 million yesterday.

INL also revealed it would sell its one remaining newspaper, Australia's Geelong Advertiser in Victoria, to News Limited for $NZ64 million.

"The result is a product of having the right competitive strategy, sustained strong management performance and excellent trading conditions," chairman Ken Cowley said.

As well as the annual profit, INL made $NZ292.4 million profit on the newspaper sales, including a redundancy bill of $NZ1.6 million caused when 130 INL staff took payouts rather than switch employers.

The rest of the redundancy bill, believed to be about $NZ6.5 million, was met by Fairfax.

Telecom NZ, which owns 12 per cent of Sky, has accepted INL's offer of $NZ3.25 cash for each Sky share.

"As both an INL and Sky shareholder, we believe the offer is fair," Telecom chief executive Theresa Gattung said.

Every Sky shareholder who takes the bid will also get three INL shares for every 10 Sky shares.

The offer will be formally made in mid-September, and INL will concentrate solely on running Sky.

The two companies will be merged under the Sky name.

Juicier

From xtra.co.nz

Juice TV is trying to head off the 3 October launch of CanWest's revamped
TV4 music channel, C4. Juice TV, formerly available only on Sky's digital
satellite service, is going free-to-air in the Auckland market on UHF
channel 57, estimating 86% of Auckland homes will be able to receive it.

Mercury goes national

From xtra.co.nz

Southland's TV minnow, Mercury TV, is making its play for the big time. It
will launch a "national" channel on 1 September via a channel on Sky's
satellite digital service rented for a rumoured annual fee of $1.2million.
It will carry a selection of local Southland shows and some distance
learning programming from the Southern Institute of Technology.}

Connexion by Boeing signs new satellite provider

From http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2003/08/25/daily26.html

Connexion by Boeing, a Seattle-based business unit of Chicago-based Boeing Co., has signed an agreement with Tokyo-based Space Communications Corp. for satellite coverage for Boeing's in-flight broadband information services.

Connexion by Boeing will lease transponder capacity on the company's Superbird-C satellite for service coverage on Asia-to-Europe airline routes.

It is the second such contract signed by Connexion by Boeing this week. Earlier, Connexion signed a contract with satellite operator Eutelsat.

Connexion by Boeing's service offers a permanent two-way connection between an antenna installed on the plane and the Superbird-C satellite. Airline passengers will be able to send and receive e-mails and access their corporate intranets and the Internet.

Connexion by Boeing will begin the installation of its service onboard commercial airliners in early 2004.

INSAT Search and Rescue system helps save 28 lives

From http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/10291310.htm

Bangalore, Aug. 29. (UNI): The Satellite Aided Search and Rescue transponder on board Indian Space Research Organisation's INSAT-3A has helped save lives of 28 crew members of Chinese cargo vessel M V YUJIYA which sank in the Bay of Bengal on August 11.

The transponder picked up the distress signals from the cargo vessel and beamed it to the ISRO Indian Mission Control Centre here which in turn alerted the Indian Coast Guard and all the 28 members of the ship were rescued, ISRO said in a release here today.

INSAT 3A was launched on April 10, 2003 and its payload included the Search and Rescue transponder that kept a constant vigil over the Indian Ocean region for detecting distress signals from beacons carried by maritime, aviation and land users.

The satellite then transmit the distress signals to the local user terminals located by ISRO at Bangalore and Lucknow. The alert signals were then passed on to the Search and Rescue coordination centres in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi along with local information for mounting rescue operations.

War over Zee's HITS platform takes a new twist

From http://moneycontrol.com/news/highlights/newsdetail.php?filename=news28082003155434.htm

The war between Zee and broadcasters over joining Zee's HITS platform has taken a new twist. The MRTPC has asked broadcasters to provide signals to Siticable.

The war between Zee Network and broadcasters like Star, Sony and ESPN-Star Sports over joining Zee's ambitious headend in the sky, HITS, programme has taken a new twist. The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, MRTPC, has asked the channels to provide signals to Siticable, reports CNBC-TV18.

"Since there is no regulation in India and the Indian government has no teeth we approached the MRTP to give a verdict," Zee head distribution Jawahar Goel said. However, Star, Sony and other channels can move to the courts over the issue.

Zee's distribution subsidiary Siticable is marketing HITS under the brand name Galaxzee. The programme ran into trouble after Star and ESPN-Star Sports refused to join the distribution platform.

The prime concern of most broadcasters over the HITS platform is related to security aspects. They fear that if their signals end up being beamed in places where they were not allowed to, they would be in the dock for piracy.

Most broadcasters are apprehensive of the fact that they will not have any control over where the CAS-encrypted signals are downlinked. Since, a footprint of a satellite covers a huge geographical area, the signals can be downloaded in certain areas without the knowledge of the broadcaster.

The HITS programme involves the setting up of a back office company that downloads all channels in a single location. These channels are then encrypted and beamed up to a satellite.

The satellite then acts as the headend - the location of CAS - and the subscriber management system, which keeps track of the billings and other related information.

The signals are then received by cable operators who have to 'trans-modulate' them and then distribute it among their subscribers. The subscribers can then receive the channels through a digital set-top box.

28/08/03

The NZ Govt released more info about the future development of digital television in New Zealand. I had a quick skim through it and noted these 2 interesting parts.

"Some parts of industry have recently made representations to MED about a possible “New Zealand” satellite. If a New Zealand satellite were widely
supported by industry, the proponents would need to seek venture capital funding to progress the overall project. Such a satellite could provide some
competition in satellite services, but the extent of demand and price elasticity in the overall market is not yet clear. A spectrum reservation process has been
initiated with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), but will take a number of years."

"The MED understands that the Optus B1 satellite is due to be replaced in the near future. MED also understands that negotiations are continuing between
Sky and various satellite services providers on whether Sky will move to a replacement Optus satellite or to a different satellite. Any replacement broadcasting satellite used by Sky is likely to downlink in the 12 GHz bands, but could well operate from a different orbital location. One possibility may be a
“New Zealand satellite” which is currently being investigated by commercial interests."

Very interesting! I wonder if the footprint would look like this? Hmm wait a minute where did this come from???

A Couple of links to the info below

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.cfm?DocumentID=17684
http://www.med.govt.nz/pbt/broadcas/digitaltv/index.html

From my Emails & ICQ

From ANON

It looks like the Telkomvision pay tv service on Telkom 1 (108E) may go bankrupt shortly

From the Dish

No Lyngsat as yet

NEWS

INL bids for remaining third of Sky TV

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

Rupert Murdoch's Independent Newspapers Ltd has launched a takeover offer for the remaining third of pay-TV operator Sky Network Television.

INL has offered $3.35 in cash plus three INL shares for every 10 Sky shares, to buy the 34 per cent of Sky it does not already own.

Based on INL's closing share price of $4.27, INL considered the offer worth $4.63 per Sky share ($3.35 in cash plus $1.28 worth of INL shares).

The offer values Sky TV at $1.8 billion. It will pay $600 million for the shares it is seeking to acquire.

Shares in Sky closed yesterday at $4.52.

Twelve-per cent shareholder Telecom has agreed to accept the offer. Telecom also owns 10 per cent of INL

INL recently sold its New Zealand newspaper assets to Australian publisher John Fairfax Holdings for $1.2 billion, and had around $754 million net proceeds.

INL said it would return its surplus cash to shareholders.

INL chairman Ken Cowley said the offer would be made formally in mid-September, and was unconditional.

The offer will be made under the Takeovers Code, and the New Zealand Exchange (NZX) has conditionally waived the requirement for any shareholder approval of the offer.

Once the conditions to the NZX waivers are satisfied, the INL 2003 annual report is available and the prospectus has been finalised and approved, INL would be in a position to give formal notice of the takeover offer to Sky and the NZX, Mr Cowley said.

If successful, INL and Sky would be amalgamated into one company under the Sky name.

Assuming the offer is successful, for each INL share the return of capital is expected to be approximately 80 cents, based on a capital return of $375 million. This would correspond to 24 cents per Sky share based on the terms of the offer.

INL expected to return about $375 million in surplus capital to shareholders by the end of February 2004.

INL also said today it had sold its Australian publishing business, the Geelong Advertiser, to Mr Murdoch's News Ltd for $64 million.

The Geelong Advertiser publishes three newspapers in Victoria and a number of local magazines. INL had earlier rejected a $62 million offer from Fairfax at the time of the sale of its New Zealand publishing business.

INL today reported a full year profit to June 30 of $388.48 million, up from $37.82 million the previous year.

The pre-sale, net profit after tax of $77.3 million was a record. The previous highest net tax paid profit was $50.4 million in 1997.

INL will pay a fully imputed final dividend of 5 cents a share, on top of the 4.5 cents a share interim dividend in March.

"The result is a product of having the right competitive strategy, sustained strong management performance and excellent trading conditions," Mr Cowley said.

Way forward on NZ digital television outlined

From http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.cfm?DocumentID=17684

The government is to invite industry to establish a group to plan for the roll-out of digital television in New Zealand, Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey and Associate Minister of Communications David Cunliffe said today.

It is inevitable that New Zealand broadcasters will migrate from the current analogue television to digital television in the future because of technological change and the age of existing equipment – although there is a need for a viable business plan to enable the rollout of free-to-air digital television.

Steve Maharey said decisions taken by the government ensure New Zealand broadcasters will be able to learn from digital television developments in other countries and will ensure that they are able to migrate to the new technology in the most cost-effective way to the benefit of consumers.

“Digital television is able to provide viewers with more programmes, interactivity and better picture quality than traditional analogue broadcasting – but no broadcaster has yet developed a business plan to roll-out free-to-air digital television in this country.

“Without a broad industry consensus, digital terrestrial television is unlikely to go anywhere very quickly. The government is enlisting the industry to work together to develop such a business case. A viable business model is an essential part of any investment in a platform to roll-out digital television.

“Planning for digital television was put on hold at the end of the 1990s, a decision now widely acknowledged within the industry to have been the right one. It’s now a good time to be working on this issue because we are able to take account of overseas experience, such as the development of the United Kingdom's free-to-air digital terrestrial platform,” Steve Maharey said.

David Cunliffe said the government has decided on how digital television spectrum should be allocated and wants to work with broadcasters on the most effective way of developing a digital television platform.

“Digital television can be provided in a number of ways, including satellite and terrestrial or land-based transmission.

“To help industry plan for digital terrestrial television, we have agreed in principle to an allocation plan for the necessary broadcasting spectrum.

"Actual allocation of spectrum will occur following further consideration of demand and industry developments. We will also make some changes to management of the spectrum used for satellite television to increase the available capacity.

"We will continue to make spectrum available for testing of digital terrestrial services, and we will also allow holders of existing licences the ability to swap those licences for digital ones at no extra cost. This puts conversion to digital within reach of some existing broadcasters,” David Cunliffe said.

Steve Maharey said public broadcasters such as TVNZ will be invited to plan for the provision of digital content. In addition, interested parties will be contacted over the next few months and invited to establish a digital television group.

Terrestrial analogue coverage will continue for the foreseeable future. TVNZ terrestrial transmission to remote areas, previously a NZ On Air responsibility, will now be maintained through a direct subsidy to TVNZ.

Ready or not, here comes digital TV

From http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=6888&cid=1&cname=Media

Free-to-air digital television has been put on a front burner by the government after languishing for years completely off the coil.

Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey and Associate Minister of Communications David Cunliffe said today that they are calling on the television industry to establish a group to plan for the roll-out of digital television in New Zealand.

Mr Maharey said that the group could help the government make decisions about the most cost-effective way to handle the change, but suggested that the migration would happen in any event.

He said government had put the issue of digital television on hold while the technology shaped up, but that there was now enough history in the service to warrant moving ahead.

The duo said in a joint statement that migration to digital from analogue was "inevitable" because of both advances in technology and the age of existing equipment.

They said the primary stumbling block to the transition was the need for a viable business plan to enable the rollout of free-to-air digital television.

The industry advisory group, they said, could be expected to provide that element.

The pair said the government would make use of the deep levels of experience that had developed around the world over the last ten years as other governments rolled out digital television.

In the UK, for example, the government has operated a free-to-air digital television service, Freeview, that has achieved a 44 per cent penetration after years of struggle. The primary obstacle to takeup was the cost of set-top adaptors, which have only recently fallen to a price level affordable by most consumers.

Here, Sky TV provides a pay digital signal that it says is consumed by nearly 75 per cent of its subscriber base.

Digital television signals can be broadcast by satellite, as is Sky's, or terrestrially, by both cable and special repeaters. When it comes through the air, it uses government licenced spectrum, something that has slowed its takeup in many countries where regulations and costs have constituted too much of a barrier for investors.

Here, the government is talking about allowing broadcasters free access to the spectrum.

David Cunliffe said the government has decided on how digital television spectrum should be allocated and wants to work with broadcasters on the most effective way of developing a digital television platform.

"Digital television can be provided in a number of ways, including satellite and terrestrial or land-based transmission.

"To help industry plan for digital terrestrial television, we have agreed in principle to an allocation plan for the necessary broadcasting spectrum.

"Actual allocation of spectrum will occur following further consideration of demand and industry developments. We will also make some changes to management of the spectrum used for satellite television to increase the available capacity.

"We will continue to make spectrum available for testing of digital terrestrial services, and we will also allow holders of existing licences the ability to swap those licences for digital ones at no extra cost. This puts conversion to digital within reach of some existing broadcasters," David Cunliffe said.

"Digital television is able to provide viewers with more programmes, interactivity and better picture quality than traditional analogue broadcasting — but no broadcaster has yet developed a business plan to roll-out free-to-air digital television in this country," Mr Maharey said.

"Without a broad industry consensus, digital terrestrial television is unlikely to go anywhere very quickly. The government is enlisting the industry to work together to develop such a business case. A viable business model is an essential part of any investment in a platform to roll-out digital television.

"Planning for digital television was put on hold at the end of the 1990s, a decision now widely acknowledged within the industry to have been the right one. It's now a good time to be working on this issue because we are able to take account of overseas experience, such as the development of the United Kingdom's free-to-air digital terrestrial platform," he said.

Steve Maharey said public broadcasters such as TVNZ will be invited to plan for the provision of digital content. In addition, interested parties will be contacted over the next few months and invited to establish a digital television group.

Terrestrial analogue coverage will continue for the foreseeable future. TVNZ terrestrial transmission to remote areas, previously a NZ On Air responsibility, will now be maintained through a direct subsidy to TVNZ.

Some links

http://www.nbr.co.nz/Images/Terrestrial%20spectrum%20allocation.pdf
http://www.nbr.co.nz/Images/Satellite%20spectrum%20management.pdf
http://www.nbr.co.nz/Images/Standards%20and%20platforms.pdf

SA company wins Australian contract

From http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/business/2003/0308271206.asp?O=FPT

[Johannesburg, 27 August 2003] - UEC Technologies, a Durban-based subsidiary of the Altech group, has won a three-year contract, valued at R302 million for the first year, from its Australian pay TV customer, Foxtel.

Altech CEO, Craig Venter, says UEC was able to secure the three-year contract with Foxtel to supply it with satellite and cable set-top boxes (STBs) following announcements by the company regarding its intention to start digitising its cable network by early next year.

“The first of these products will start shipping form our Mount Edgecomb plant later this year, while UEC has already received fixed orders for the period up to the end of next year,” he says. “In addition to this contract, and as a prime supplier of satellite STBs to Foxtel for the past year years, UEC has also secured a long-term services agreement for the upgrading and maintenance of the entire installed base of Foxtel's STBs.”

The new products being supplied to Foxtel differ from previous models supplied because they incorporate UEC's latest technology required for interactivity and return path communication.

The company has established a service centre in Sydney, as Venter states the service agreement was of great importance to UEC.

“This flow of recurring revenue is significant, especially considering global economic conditions,” he says.

Malaysia MEASAT Unit Gets $250M Syndicated Loan Facility

From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030827/15/3dps7.html

KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--Malaysian satellite company MEASAT Global Bhd. (D.MSG) said Wednesday wholly-owned unit, Binariang Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd., has obtained a $250 million syndicated loan facility from a group of financial institutions.

The loan facility will be used to repurchase and redeem Binariang's outstanding $250 million Islamic debt and finance the cost of the MEASAT-3 satellite, MEASAT said in an exchange filing.

The facility was lead arranged by Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd. It comprises a seven-year term loan facility of up to $130 million and a 12-month standby loan facility of up to $120 million, MEASAT said, without going into other details.

Korean STB company Opentech to tap Indian market

From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/aug/aug209.htm

MUMBAI: Opentech Inc, a Korean company, that produces high end digital satellite broadcast receivers of DVB-S and MPEG-2 standards, is planning to set up a liaison centre in India.

A senior delegation comprising of Sujun Ha (Opentech Dubai office branch manager) and EW Devdas (marketing manager) are visiting India this week and meeting several multi system operators (MSOs) and consumer durable companies.

The company which has a turnover of $70 million started in 1996 (the digital STB foray happened in February 2001) and is operating through its ISO certified factory located in Ansan, Korea. The visiting delegation members claim that they have received several enquiries for embedded digital set top boxes (STBs). The company plans to tie up with Indian MSOs, cable operators as well as dealers of consumer durables.

The products include FTA (Free To Air) model ODS 2000F and CI(Common Interface) model ODS 2000CI. While speaking to indiantelevision.com, Opentech's Sujun Ha says: "We produce high quality digital satellite broadcast receivers of DVB-S and MPEG-2 standards, which are the current standard of digital satellite broadcasts in Europe. In addition, we attempt to build sales channels and overseas exports with our own brands, Opentel and OEM brand through our bases in Dubai and Frankfurt."

"Besides developing FTA and CI type satellite receivers, we are in the process of developing various products such as a positioner built-in model, CAS built-in model, interactive multimedia built-in model, digital cable and a terrestrial receiver," Ha adds. The company has a licence agreement with CAS companies such as Nagravision, Viaccess, Iredeto. Conax and will soon obtain the same from NDS Systems.

Opentech's marketing manager EW Devdas says that the company has received enquiries from Indian consumer electronics durable companies such as Onida, Videocon and BPL. "As integration, digitalisation and interaction of broadcast and telecommunications tend to be accelerated, the Digital set-top box is expected to face substantial growth to become a platform for household multimedia appliances. Hence, Opentech tends to lead the new digital era as the major market player worldwide in total information appliance through continuous investment on Research & Development and global marketing," says Devdas.

The company plans to tap the opportunities provided by DTH (direct to home) in India. "Besides developing FTA and CI type satellite receivers, we are in the process of developing various products such as a Positioner built-in model, CAS built-in model, interactive multimedia built-in model, digital cable and a terrestrial receiver," Devdas adds.

Opentech officials expects worldwide sales to touch the 10-billion mark and claim that Korea is the No 1 STB player in the world.

(Craigs comment, anyone heard of this brand before? or used one?)

Paul Allen looking to sell TechTV

From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=149190

NEW YORK: Paul Allen, the entrepreneur and co-founder of software maker Microsoft is looking to sell his technology-related cable channel TechTV, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the situation.

TechTV, owned by Allen's investment firm Vulcan Ventures is worth between $250 million and $300 million, said the paper, citing sources. A TechTV representative was not immediately available to comment to Reuters.

Cable channel operator Viacom, and Sony, co-owner of the Game Show Network have been approached to buy TechTV, the Journal said. Spokespeople for Viacom and Sony declined to comment to the paper, and were not immediately available to speak with Reuters.

The newspaper said a spokeswoman for TechTV declined to comment on the possibility of the channel being sold outright, and said a spokesman for Vulcan also declined to comment.

27/08/03

Satfacts section updated

From my Emails & ICQ

Nothing to report

From the Dish

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3960 H "CNN Radio" is still Fta.

AsiaSat 2 100.5E 3905 H "Reuters World News Service" is encrypted again.

NSS 6 95E All channels have left the SatLink mux on 12729 V, except NTD TV and Fashion Tv.

Insat 3A 93.5E New PIDs for Lashkara on 3894 V: 4194/4195.New PIDs for Gurjari on 3899 V: 318/256.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3424 H Occasional feeds on , SID 1100, PIDs 1110/1120.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3686 H "Indiavision" has started, Fta, SR 3333, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1160/1120.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3966 H "Occasional TVT Channel 11" feeds on , SR 2732, FEC 3/4.

NEWS

TARBS World TV Launches Tapesh and ITN

From Press Release

TARBS World TV announced that Persian Broadcasting Company’s Tapesh Television Network and Iran Television Network (ITN) are now broadcasting on its platform, providing Australia’s Iranian community with the excellent mix of entertainment and information programming that has endeared the two channels to Iranian audiences throughout North America.

Tapesh TV is the leading Farsi language channel in the USA, broadcasting 24 hours of the latest news and commentaries, popular movies, music and sport, including educational and cultural programs, catering not only to Iranians but also to their neighbours in the Middle East. Tapesh TV also reaches Iran and the rest of the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and Asia.

ITN offers 24 hours of quality movies, music, variety and other top-rate entertainment shows, as well as news and interviews. Through its programming, ITN aims to unify Iranians worldwide by providing a balanced mix of entertainment and information in their language and helping them re-establish ties with their culture.

TARBS World TV CEO Regina Boulos said, “TARBS World TV is excited to bring two of the most sought-after Persian channels, Tapesh TV and ITN, to Australia. Their launch is our direct response to many requests from our Iranian subscribers for channels that will not only inform but also entertain them. Tapesh TV is a by-word among Persian viewers in the USA, while ITN is also well-known for offering great entertainment. With Tapesh TV and ITN now available in Australia exclusively on TARBS World TV, Iranian-Australians can now also enjoy and appreciate their excellent programming”.

Tapesh TV replaced IRIB 3 Jame Jam, a channel originating from Iran, while ITN replaced NiTV, the first Iranian channel from the USA launched by TARBS World TV in 2001.

In addition to the premiere of the two most popular Iranian channels, TARBS World TV revealed further improvements, with the upcoming launch of Movie Network, an optional add-on package of three exciting movie channels.

“Tapesh TV and ITN are just the start of bigger and better things happening to TARBS World TV’s Iranian package. We are pleased to announce that from September, our Iranian subscribers, including subscribers of our other language services, can experience Movie Network, a premium package offering the biggest Hollywood blockbusters on three fantastic channels. For our subscribers, these new and upcoming additions mean more information, more entertainment and greater enjoyment of their TARBS World TV service all in line with our continuing commitment to providing the best possible television service for the Iranian community ”, Boulos added.

To receive TARBS World TV’s Iranian package featuring Tapesh TV and ITN, plus six (6) popular English channels and over 50 premium channels from around the world, subscribe to TARBS World TV today on 1300 13 30 25.

(Craigs comment, Interesting does anyone know which movie channels Tarb's will be offering?)

News Corp looks to sell SkyPerfecTV stake

From http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059479326520

News Corporation is looking to sell its stake in SkyPerfecTV, Japan's only satellite broadcasting company, in a move that would deal a blow to its ambitions in one of the world's largest broadcasting markets.

Rupert Murdoch's group is believed to have asked SkyPerfecTV's other shareholders whether they were interested in buying its 8.1 per cent stake in the broadcaster, which was formed through the merger of three satellite companies. News Corp's holding is valued at Y2.36bn ($20m) at Tuesday's closing price of Y130,000.

"We have been approached by News Corp about their stake," Sony said on Tuesday. Sony is among the leading three shareholders in SkyPerfect, along with Fuji TV and Itochu, each of which owns a 12.6 per cent stake.

"We are aware that News Corp has wanted to sell its stake for a while," Itochu said, adding that no decision had been made, while Fujitsu said: "We cannot comment since nothing has been decided yet."

A sale of its stake in SkyPerfecTV would signal a re-evaluation of News Corp's strategy in Japan, a market where it has not had much success.

Kota Nakako, media analyst at JP Morgan Chase in Tokyo, said it probably meant News Corp was "reviewing their platform business in Japan". News Corp had not been able to participate in strategic planning at SkyPerfecTV, which was effectively controlled by the three large Japanese shareholders, he said.

Mr Murdoch has not had an easy time in Japan, where a nationalistic reaction to his 1996 investment in Asahi Broadcasting, one of five national broadcasters, forced him to sell out just three months later.

Although News Corp was, together with Softbank, one of the original founders of JSkyB, a forerunner of SkyPerfecTV, its influence waned after Sony and Fuji TV became major shareholders.

SkyPerfecTV's chairman comes from Sony, its president from Fuji TV and its vice-president from Itochu. News Corp has an outside director on the board. Until last year, it was one of four large shareholders, with an equal stake with the others, but when Hughes Electronics sold its stake in SkyPerfecTV last year, News Corp did not increase its holding and fell behind Sony, Fuji TV and Itochu, which did boost their stakes.

Mr Nakako did not believe News Corp had given up on the Japanese broadcasting market which, with a value of Y2,000bn, is an important market but Japan's 20 per cent cap on foreign investment in broadcasters was a deterrent.

SkyPerfecTV, which has made losses for the past seven years and is only forecast to turn profitable for the first time this year, is expected to see stable rather than high growth.

Data Access plans IPO next year $50-m global network expansion on anvil

From http://www.hinduonnet.com/bline/stories/2003082701870700.htm

INTERNATIONAL long distance operator Data Access India Ltd is planning a $ 50-million expansion plan for its network in five countries and is considering an IPO to fund half the cost involved. The remaining will be generated from internal accruals of the company, according to Mr. Siddhartha Ray, Chairman and Managing Director, Data Access.

"The IPO to be offered in the second quarter of 2004 would be in the region of $ 25 million. We expect that 2004 will be the year when we would be enter the Indian bourses to mop up funds for our expansion plans," he said.

Noting that the company had registered 80 per cent of its revenues this year through the Indian market, he said this was likely to change as its overseas expansion would go online. It was expected that the overseas market would ultimately contribute nearly 60 per cent by September 2004. It already had licences for the US, the UK, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong even as it was pursuing expansion in West Asia, Latin America and Africa as potential markets, he said.

Earlier, he announced a multi-million dollar agreement with Intelsat to support its International Private Leased Circuits (IPLC) operations. Under this agreement, Data Access will utilise satellite capacity from Intelsat worth 100 Mbps for a multi-year period. The deal marks Data Access' enhancement of the lucrative IPLC business between India and Europe.

"This marks the beginning of a long-term relationship between the two companies. This will significantly boost Data Access' current capacity of 1024 Mbps on C & KU band to 1200 Mbps." He said.

Data Access will utilise capacity on multiple Intelsat transponders on the 704 satellite located at 66° E in geostationary orbit. Connectivity would be established from Data Access' Network Operating Centre (NOC) in Delhi to Intelsat's teleport in Fuchsstadt, Germany, via satellite, he said.

Mr Ray pointed out that traffic would be routed from Germany on fibre backhaul to Intelsat's London Point of Presence (PoP) to connect with Data Access' London PoP.

The market potential of switched IPLC business in this sector was getting stronger with current volumes reaching 18 million minutes per year and estimated to go up to 90 million minutes per year by 2006-end, he said.

Humax enters H.K. set-top box market

From http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2003/08/27/200308270010.asp

Humax, a set-top box maker in Korea, said yesterday it has agreed to provide its flagship satellite and cable TV set-top boxes to Galaxy, a Hong Kong-based paid broadcasting service provider, in a deal valued at $3.15 million.

Humax said the contract extends through the end of August of 2004, with the first shipment scheduled next month.

The set-top boxes to be exported to Hong Kong are ND-2000C and ND-2000S models, Humax said.

"The contract paves the way for not only Hong Kong but also mainland China," the company said. Humax recently announced it would use its set-top-box manufacturing know-how to enter the digital liquid crystal display TV market in order to find new revenue in the export arena.

26/08/03

Live chat 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards in the chatroom tonight.

Still not much news around.

Sky has responded to the TVNZ RWC channel ,

"FREE RUGBY"

For all the rugby fans out there, and we know there's a few of you, SKY has a special offer. The Rugby Channel will be available to all SKY Digital subscribers EVERY WEEKEND, from 6 am Friday to 6am Monday during the Rugby World Cup when the Rugby Channel will be showing classic All Black's encounters with their traditional foes.

Rumours

An older Astra sat has been sold and it will be moved to our region?? hmm anyone have any ideas or gossip about this??

From my Emails & ICQ

From Jason

B1 12358 V 6666 3/4 "Australian idol" feed seen

Jason

From the Dish

PAS 8 166E 3718 V "Pinoy Central TV" is now encrypted.
PAS 8 166E 3880 V "Knowledge Channel" is Fta.New APID for DZMM - Radyo Patrol: 1222.
PAS 8 166E 3900 H "MGM" has started, PowerVu, SID 8, PIDs 519/720.
PAS 8 166E 3940 H The test card has left .
PAS 8 166E 4020 H "I-Net Radio" has started, PowerVu, SID 17, APID 1830.

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3960 H "CNN Radio" is encrypted again.

AsiaSat 2 100.5E 3905 H "Reuters World News Service" is Fta.

NSS 6 95E 12729 V The "Israel History Channel promo" has left .
NSS 6 95E 11543 V New PIDs for Free-XTV on : 3524/3644.

NEWS

Indian Channels Not To Be Allowed

From http://www.paknews.com/flash.php?id=15&date1=2003-08-25

LAHORE, Pakistan: Aug 25 (PNS) - Federal Information Secretary Syed Anwar Mahmood on Sunday said that government was committed to Providing healthy entertainment facilities and reiterated that cable operators would not be allowed to screen Indian channels.

He told newsmen at a luncheon meeting here at a hotel on Sunday. With a view to providing healthy entertainment to the families, he said, the government has decided to launch another satellite-based channel of Pakistan television, "PTV Home," shortly.

The Secretary Information warned that suitable action, including cancellation of licenses, would be taken against cable operators violating rules and regulations.

He said it would be unwise to link country's survival with screening of Indian channels and appreciated that certain cable operators are doing good business in Pakistan by not showing Indian channels.

He said members of the Indian Parliamentary delegation, who recently visited Pakistan also asked the Pakistani government to allow screening of Indian channels in Pakistan. Anwar Mahmood said the issue of re-opening the Indian Channels could be discussed with cable operators at an "appropriate time".

The Secretary also responded questions pertaining to national affairs and the media policy of the government.

(Craigs comment, most likely to be on Asiasat 3)

25/08/03

Looks like it was a good weekend for G.P satellite viewers, at least it was found in English!

Some reports on the weekend that WIN TV on Aurora was down due to rough weather. Just been watching on the TV news and it looked a little windy!

From my Emails & ICQ

From Bill Richards

Pas 2 4037 H Sr 6620, FEC 2/3 Vpid 1160 Apid 1120 SID1 "Womens Boxing" Feed FTA

Pas 2 4027 H Sr 6620, FEC 2/3 Vpid 4160 Apid 4120 SID401 "Nascar TNT Car Racing" Feed FTA

2235 UTC

Pas 2 4023 V Sr 13328, FEC 3/4 Vpid 3160 Apid 3120 SID 301 "Golf Feed" FTA NAPSA3

Regards
Bill

From Zapara W.A

Insat 2E DD Metro 3961 V showing Formula 1 live and in English, 5.5mhz audio

From Chris Pickstock

Palapa C2, 3935 H, Sr 5632, F1 GP, in English

From Steve Hume

For those in the north of Australia, take a look at,

ST1 3632V Sr: 26667 Fec 3/4

Getting a partial load on the north east coast.

NEWS 24x7
Steve Hume
Townsville, QLD

From the Dish

PAS 2 169E 4023 V "Occasional feeds" on , SR 13330, FEC 3/4.

PAS 8 166E 4121 VNew PIDs for Iglesia ni Cristo TV on : 257/258.

Optus C1 156E 12398 H All channels have left the Austar/Foxtel mux on , replaced by a test card on VPID 512, Fta.
Optus C1 156E 12558 H "Country Music Channel has replaced The Soundtrack Channel Pacific" on., PIDs 513/641. The test card has left this mux.
Optus C1 156E 12607 V All channels have left the Austar/Foxtel mux .TVSN has started on PIDs 308/256, Fta, new SR: 27800.( those lucky people in Hawaii should be able to watch TVSN now!)

NSS 6 95E 12688 VNew PIDs for Free-XTV on : 3524/3644.

Insat 3A 93.5E 3985 V The MTV mosaic has left .

Intelsat 906 64E 3891 L "TVT (Tanzania)" has started , Fta, SR 4445, FEC 1/2, PIDs 4194/4195, SW zone beam.

Intelsat 902 62E 4180 L "Sky News and AtTheRaces" have started, Fta SIDs 1 and 5,PIDs 512/650 and 516/690.

NEWS

NO news!

24/08/03

Sunday no update

23/08/03

Good to see the media bringing up the issue again of Tv3/4/Prime/TAB being encrypted. Pretty obvious why when you read this.

"With the Cabinet close to an announcement about how digital television will become available nationwide, installers of free-to-air decoders and satellite dishes have accused Sky TV of trying to monopolise the satellite market. Sky chief executive John Fellet says that is not the case. The broadcasters could chose whether to be encrypted or not, although if they were not they would have to pay their share of satellite costs."

Gee lets see be on Sky Encrypted, or you can be there FTA ( at the flick of a switch) if you hand over perhaps $1 million or more for some unnecessary B.S fee. This is how Sky controls their platform and keeps the other Free-to air networks encrypted.

"Fellet predicted if too many free-to-air decoders were sold, TVNZ would be forced to encrypt its signal because it would lose some of the regional advertising that earned it $20 million a year."

This is more B.S from Mr Fellet , with his Sky platform dominating the NZ market he would clearly prefer NO alternative signals be available free to air such as the TVNZ fta mux.

Perhaps some of you may like to email him your comments, jfellet@skytv.co.nz

From my Emails & ICQ

From Various

CNBC Mux Pas 8 was FTA for a while.

From the Dish

Telkom 1 108E 3580 H All channels in the TelkomVision mux are encrypted again.

Insat 3A 93.5E 3816 V Occasional DD feeds on , SR 3800, FEC 3/4.

Insat 2E 83E 3454 V "Sky Bangla" has started, Fta, SR 13020, FEC 3/4, PIDs 257/258.

PAS 10 68.5E 3864 H "ARY Digital Mideast" has started on , Irdeto, PIDs 516/690.
PAS 10 68.5E 4034 V Both All India Radio have left .

NSS 703 57E 3750 R "Sun TV" has left (PAL).
NSS 703 57E 3980 R "Suryan FM" is now encrypted.

NEWS

HK AsiaSat/Earnings: Chairman Expects Challenging 2H

From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030821/15/3dju9.html

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Ltd. (SAT) said Thursday net profit for its first half ended June fell 14% to HK$240.1 million from HK$279.8 million a year earlier.

Asiasat said earlier the utilization rate for its satellites had been falling since last year following the launch of a new satellite, as a sluggish economy slowed demand for additional capacity.

Revenue during the six months dropped 5% to HK$455.6 million from HK$478.8 million.

Despite the weaker earnings, the satellite operator still proposes to raise its interim dividend to 8 HK cents from 6 HK cents per share.

The overall utilization rate of AsiaSat 2 and AsiaSat 3, the company's two most important operating satellites, fell to 61% by the end of June, from 64% at end-2002.

"In Asia, there remains considerable oversupply (in transponder capacity)," company Chairman Mi Zengxin said in a press release. "The effect of SARS on the region's business environment is challenging for regional television operators."

However, AsiaSat said the decline in net profit during the period was mainly due to an increase in Hong Kong's profit tax rate to 17.5% from 16%. The company's tax bill jumped 56% on year to HK$53.3 million from HK$34.2 million.

AsiaSat's first-half pretax earnings fell just 7% to HK$293.4 million.

The company said the outlook for the second half of 2003, when AsiaSat 4, the new pan-Asian satellite launched in April, will be incorporated in its accounts, isn't promising.

Analysts expect the new satellite to result in higher depreciation charges and to weigh further on AsiaSat's overall utilization rate.

Mi said he expects a challenging second half.

"For the rest of 2003, we don't expect the Asian satellite market will improve until the general economies of the region start to grow once again," Mi said.

Mi said even if such a recovery were to materialize sooner than expected, AsiaSats revenue growth would likely be offset by the depreciation and insurance fees associated with AsiaSat 4 in 2003.

The world beams in

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3519525&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

Dutch, Chinese, Turkish and Arabic television channels are being beamed into New Zealand homes, encouraging sales of free-to-air decoders and satellite dishes.

Satellite is presently the only method of broadcasting digital television here. But TVNZ is the only New Zealand broadcaster that allows its satellite broadcasts to go out free.

Sky TV has deals with all the other free-to-air broadcasters so only those with Sky decoders can watch their satellite broadcasts.

With the Cabinet close to an announcement about how digital television will become available nationwide, installers of free-to-air decoders and satellite dishes have accused Sky TV of trying to monopolise the satellite market.

Sky chief executive John Fellet says that is not the case. The broadcasters could chose whether to be encrypted or not, although if they were not they would have to pay their share of satellite costs.

Fellet predicted if too many free-to-air decoders were sold, TVNZ would be forced to encrypt its signal because it would lose some of the regional advertising that earned it $20 million a year.

All the free-to-air channels are relayed through the Optus B1 satellite and, apart from TVNZ, on to Sky decoders.

TVNZ has three channels going through Optus B1, TV1, TV2 and the "promo" channel which it plans to devote to the Rugby World Cup tournament in October and November.

People who sell and install free-to-air decoders and satellite dishes have been warned to prepare for increased demand for their products, particularly from pubs and clubs wanting the RWC channel.

Cable television operator Bob Cooper, of Mangonui, who publishes the monthly Sat Facts magazine, described TVNZ's move as innovative.

"Is there a pub, tavern, sports bar any place in New Zealand that will not want this coverage?"

Mr Cooper said decoder importers had stocked up in expectation of increased demand.

An estimated 6000 free-to-air decoders are in use, many owned by immigrants keen to watch programmes in their language and get news from home.

Peter Escher of Auckland company SatLink said he had installed satellite dishes throughout New Zealand, many for immigrants.

Mr Escher said he could sell and install a basic dish and decoder for $400 in the Auckland region. Larger dishes and remote locations cost more than $1000.

"You line up Optus B1 for TVNZ and Sky, then by moving the dish 4 degrees to the left you can pick up C1 with Dutch, Turkish and Arabic TV."

TV3 and TV4, Prime and the Racing Board (Trackside) have all agreed to allow Sky to broadcast their channels in encrypted form.

Prime management refused to discuss the reasons .

TV3 and TV4 operations and engineering director John Allen said one of the reasons was the company's strategy to advance the cause of digital "terrestial" television.

Richard Ellerington, broadcast operations manager of the Racing Board's Trackside TV, said when Trackside agreed to put its channel on Sky's digital satellite broadcast it had not occurred to the board to seek to have it unencrypted.

"The arrangement was that they would effectively carry us at no cost and provide us with the opportunity of nationwide coverage," Mr Ellerington said.

"It was not financially viable for us to expand the UHF network any further than what we already had."

He said Sky now regarded Trackside as part of its "sports bouquet" along with Sky Sport 1, 2, ESPN and Rugby Channel.

"From Sky's perspective they'd probably say Trackside to some degree complements our sports channels and adds value to subscriptions, so why would we want to accede to TAB's demands."

Under the arrangement Sky uses Trackside's UHF channel, which is free-to-air, to broadcast Discovery in encrypted form when Trackside goes off air.

Time lag for digital

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3519528&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

It's the next big breakthrough in broadcasting: digital television. Crystal-clear pictures beamed into your home, hi-fidelity stereo sound, widescreen pictures and, best of all, a remote you can vote with.

That's right. When the bloke with the squeaky voice on Big Brother gets up your nose, push a button and help to send him packing. If you want to see another camera angle on the sports replay, you can do that, too.

Interactive television shows, where the audience can give instant feedback, are part of the success of digital television in Britain.

Broadcasters here are watching intently as television - regarded by some as old hat in the internet age - gets a new lease of life.

Appliance retailers are also licking their lips in anticipation of a bunch of high-tech, high-spec and, best of all, high-priced equipment running out the door.

But wait, haven't we got most of that stuff already? Some of us have spent megabucks on state-of-the-art, widescreen, 100hertz, flat-tube, flicker-free, slim-line plasma goggle boxes. And isn't that dish on the roof the Sky people put up giving us digital pictures already?

Well, no.

The broadcast might be digital and the picture nice and clear (except when the rain's heavy), but virtually none of the televisions sold in New Zealand are capable of displaying a digital picture.

In any case, the Sky digital decoder not only decodes the picture, it converts it from digital to analogue so your television can show it.

Does that matter? Not really, according to TV3's operations and engineering director, John Allen.

"The fact is, the quality of the picture of a 100hertz analogue TV off free-to-air is excellent," Allen says.

And that is part of the problem for those eager to see New Zealand make the conversion.

Sound and picture quality on the latest sets is already so good that many people would struggle to notice the difference.

Marty Behrens, TVNZ business development manager, says there has to be a considerable and demonstrable consumer benefit to make people go out and spend several hundred dollars on a set-top box, let alone several thousand on a digital television.

"In the UK, people are actively getting digital set-top boxes and the reason they are is because they have a substantial free-to-air viewing. Pay TV can't drive 100 per cent penetration of set-top boxes. It has to be free-to-air television that drives the conversion.

"A lot of this debate is trapped in the narrowness of seeing digital as pay - that it's okay to have digital only being in a pay market.

"My argument is digital television is something that eventually 100 per cent of New Zealanders are going to get. The question is, how do we get there."

Sky TV may never get 100 per cent penetration in New Zealand homes, but it aims to go close. It has close to four out of 10 homes as customers and it aims to make that seven in the next decade.

That will give it a significant edge because it will already have a box on top of most television sets.

Free-to-air decoders, capable of picking up TVNZ's un-encoded satellite broadcasts, are available but only an estimated 6000 are in use.

Sky chief executive John Fellet says the quality of television receivers in people's homes was sometimes getting ahead of the quality of the broadcast product, such as sports fixtures bought from overseas. Fellet says the more sales there are of high-value analogue sets, the longer it may take to get digital televisions into the market.

At present there were so few that Sky had not even considered bringing in a digital decoder.

One clear advantage of digital is that it will enable free-to-air broadcasters to transmit widescreen pictures, as Sky does on its Movie Max and Rugby channels.

But the road to a digital future is not smooth. Northland cable television operator Bob Cooper is disappointed that the ideal of adopting a universal standard of digital television called MPEG - which would have been good for manufacturers and therefore consumers - has been shattered. Various countries, apparently fearful of their citizens' using satellite dishes to watch foreign broadcasts, have chosen variants of MPEG, Cooper says.

New Zealand appears to be moving towards something close to the European standard, which is different from the United States and Japan. Australia's is different again.

This means that television manufacturers will have to make different sets for each country, Cooper says. "It is so contrary to common sense."

Both major free-to-air broadcasters are satisfied that trailing the international field in digital TV is not a bad thing.

Allen: "We've seen problems in England with On Digital, the ITV company, completely falling over and going bankrupt.

"Australian broadcasters are currently required to 'triple-cast' in high definition TV, standard definition digital and analogue all at the same time. That's very expensive."

Perhaps surprisingly, the rival broadcasters do their best to speak with one voice on the issue, recognising that none of them alone can lead the change. They, with Sky and Prime, are represented by the Television Broadcasters Council digital advisory committee.

There it has been accepted that digital terrestrial television is likely to be the preferred method of free-to-air broadcasting to between 60 and 80 per cent of the population, and the rest will be mopped up either by satellite or a cable system.

Terrestrial means transmission over Ultra High Frequency in the same way TV1, 2, 3 and 4 are beamed out in Very High Frequency. Sky broadcasts in UHF (as well as satellite), as does Prime and Trackside.

Fellet says phone companies Telecom and Clear as well as power companies had plans to offer their lines as platforms for digital broadcasting.

"Our read is there's going to be several options for people to take their television. We want to be on every platform."

Fellet thinks it is inevitable people will end up with more than one set-top box, but Allen believes that is not necessary if Sky is prepared to share.

Behrens: "It's going to take an industry-wide effort, co-operation between all the players as well as Government to figure out how to migrate our analogue infrastructure to digital.

"We're going to have to figure it out together rather than seeing it as a short-term battle between short-term commercial interests."

The Government's role is firstly to decide how to allocate the rights to existing broadcasters over the airwaves and how much to set aside for new broadcasters such as Maori Television.

It also has to decide whether it needs to set technical standards or leave that to the industry.

The Cabinet is expected to address those matters within a few weeks, but then there is likely to be a further hiatus while the broadcasters continue to work out the most cost-effective way of making the conversion.

And until then, consumers itching to get their hands on the new technology will have to wait - or satisfy themselves with what's already available.

T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 34/2003 24 August 2003 -

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

Editor: Branislav Pekic

Edited www.apsattv.com Edition

A S I A

BANGLADESH

ETV WINS COURT VICTORY

A private television station which was ordered off the air last year, won a small victory on August 20 when a high court directed authorities to consider its application for a fresh broadcasting license. Ekushey Television, or ETV, Bangladesh's first private free-to-air television, was closed down on August 29, 2002, after the Supreme Court declared its broadcasting license invalid. ETV, with more than 40 million viewers, had been airing news and popular entertainment programs since 2000. The network applied for a new license in May this year. But the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, an autonomous authority for issuing network licenses, rejected the application. ETV then petitioned the Bangladesh High Court. The high court on August 20 gave the commission 30 days to consider ETV's revised application for a fresh license and allocation of frequency for satellite transmission.

CHINA - HONG KONG

BROADCAST AUTHORITY APPROVES CETV STAKE SALE

The Broadcasting Authority said it has approved tom.com Ltd.'s acquisition of 64.07% of China Entertainment Television Broadcast from AOL Time-Warner. The purchase by the Hong Kong publishing and outdoor-advertising firm was announced last month. Tom.com financed the US$6.8 million purchase by issuing 21 million new tom.com shares at HK$2.535 each. The Broadcasting Authority said at the weekend it was satisfied that the ownership transfer wouldn't affect CETV's compliance with regulations under the Broadcasting Ordinance.

INDIA

STAR AND ESPN WON’T USE ZEE HITS PLATFORM

Zee’s ambitious Headend in the Sky (HITS) programme seems to have run into trouble with Star and ESPN-Star Sports refusing to join the distribution platform. Sony is also yet to decide on a tie-up with Zee for the Rs 400-crore HITS platform. Zee’s distribution subsidiary Siti Cable, which is marketing HITS under the Galaxzee brand name, has been talking to the other broadcasters on this project for some time now. However, it was clear at the last meeting of the implementation committee meeting for the conditional access system (CAS) held on July 14 that there were still wide differences on this issue. The HITS programme involves the setting up of a back office company that downloads all channels in a single location. These channels are then encrypted and beamed up to a satellite. The satellite then acts as the headend i.e., the location of the CAS and the subscriber management system that keeps track of the billings and other related information. The signals are then received by cable operators who have to ‘trans-modulate’ them and then distribute it among their subscribers. The subscribers can then receive the channels through a digital set-top box. Zee is at present using the HITS platform to beam its own channels, besides channels like Ten Sports and Nickelodeon, in south Delhi and certain areas in Kolkata.

CNBC REDUCES TV18 STAKE

Singapore-based CNBC Asia Pacific is set to reduce its equity in its Indian joint venture CNBC-TV18 to 10%. This development follows the company's announcement in May when it reduced its equity to 26% from 46% to comply with Indian government guidelines for foreign-owned news channels. That led to the venture's Delhi-based partner TV18 India acquiring 49% equity. TV18's stake has now gone up to 90% which is "cash neutral" for the company. The new equity structure has been set up for TV18's newly established unlisted channel broadcast subsidiary, iNEWS.com, in which CNBC AP will hold 10% equity. The current operations of the CNBC-TV18 business news channel will go to iNEWS.com.

ISRAEL

NDS DELIVERS INTERACTIVE “MILLIONAIRE”

NDS, a News Corporation company and a leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, enables delivery of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' to multi-platforms across multiple middleware within Israel. The application, delivered by EMTV, providers of interactive direct marketing services, uses NDS's Value@TV interactive infrastructure and Production Suite. Interactive solutions crafted using the NDS Value@TV technology will work across multiple digital platforms irrespective of the underlying middleware. The 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' show has been deployed in Israel on cable and satellite platforms that use NDS Core and OpenTV middleware.

JAPAN

FUJI TV FOREIGN OWNERSHIP CLOSE TO LIMIT

Fuji Television Network Inc. said on August 18 its foreign ownership has neared the 20 per cent legal limit, and stood at 18.44 per cent. The Japanese law concerning broadcasting businesses sets the limit, and when foreign ownership with voting rights exceeds the ceiling, a broadcaster's licence will be revoked. To avoid such a situation, the law allows broadcasters to bar new foreign investors from becoming stockholders when foreign ownership exceeds the limit. Broadcasters are required to publicize the level of foreign ownership when it surpasses 15 per cent as a way of notifying foreign investors who might be interested in investing.

NEW ZEALAND

SKY TV MAKES FIRST PROFITS

Better programming terms and a stronger New Zealand dollar have helped pay-TV leader Sky Television to post its first profit since launching a digital satellite service five years ago. Sky TV said on August 20 it posted net profit after tax of NZ$671,000 for the year ending in June, compared with a year-earlier loss of NZ$30.2 million. Total revenue was NZ$391.3 million, up 13.6% over the year-earlier period, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization increased 39.4% to NZ$150.8 million. During the year, Sky's subscriber base hit a new high of 542,891 subscribers, a rise of 39,642 over the previous year. Churn, a measure of subscribers who disconnect their service, "remained low," Sky said. Gross churn fell from 19.9% to 17.6% and net churn, calculated by removing subscribers who reconnect, fell from 11.7% to 10.8%.

THAILAND

SUBSCRIBERS DOWN AT UBC

Pay-TV operator United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) reported a net profit of €1.59 million for the first half of 2003 - a massive 520 per cent increase in operating income from the same period in 2002. The figures also showed that net profit for the April to June quarter were €1.43 million - which was also an improvement on the same period 12 months earlier. However, subscriber numbers fell by nearly 17,000 from March 31 of this year to finish at 420,643 at the end of June, although UBC said that it was earning more revenue per subscriber following a price rise earlier on this year.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

CNBC ARABIYA LAUNCHES IN DUBAI

Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, formally inaugurated CNBC Arabiya at its new studio complex in Dubai Media City. CNBC Arabiya - owned by Pakistani businessman, Zafar Siddiqi, launched its regional broadcasting in late July, and is the world's first 24-hour Arab business and economic news channel. At the inauguration Sheikh Mohammed said: The arrival of CNBC Arabiya heralds a new stage in the development of the satellite industry and brings the two worlds - of Arab media and business - together according to the highest level of excellence.

Cakrawarta 1 107.7E TBN has replaced CNN Financial Network on 2625 H, Videoguard, PIDs 519/647.

NSS 6 95E New SR and FEC for the SatLink mux on 12688 V: 26087 and 3/4.
NSS 6 95E 12729 V "It's only an Israel History Channel promo" , Fta, PIDs 1281/1282.
NSS 6 95E 12729 V "TGRT, TelePace, Public TV Armenia and ATV (Turkey) have replaced Nile TV
International, MBC Europe and ESC 1", Fta, PIDs 769/770, 785/786, 818/817, and 833/835.
NSS 6 95E 12729 V "ESC 2, Thai TV Global Network, TV Moda, the mosaic and MBC Europe have left 12729 V, are NOT encrypted.

Cakrawarta 1 107.7E Updates in Indovision, Videoguard:
Fashion TV has replaced Metro TV on 2625 H, PIDs 515/643.
Da Ai TV has replaced ANTV on 2625 H, PIDs 512/640.
Celestial Movies has replaced Fashion TV on 2655 H, PIDs 512/640.