31/08/04

Things are all very quiet at the moment. Not a lot to report.

From my Emails & ICQ

From Many

Australian Idol feed seen
B3 12552V sr 6667

From the Dish

Superbird C 144E 12692 V "CTS" has started on , Fta, SR 1777, PIDs 33/34.

Telstar 18 138E Two D-Sky muxes have started on 12302 V and 12402 V, Viaccess, SR 30000 and 22425, FEC 5/6, Chinese beam, same line-up and PIDs as on Telstar 10:12333 H and 12493 H.
Telstar 18 138E Two HKC Sat muxes have started on 12598 V and 12720 V, Nagravision,SR 43000, FEC 3/4. (China beam)

NSS 6 95E 12535 V "Splash" is encrypted again.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "The Imagine Sat info card" has left .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H New SR for the RR Sat mux on : 28066.

Thaicom 2 78.5E 3764 H "BBTV Channel 7" has started on, Fta SR 4700, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1160/1120.(Been there for weeks i think)

Telstar 10 76.5E 3760 H "Nojoom" has started on , Fta, PIDs 260/516.

PAS 10 68.5E 3836 V "SuperSport + and Fame" have left , replaced by info cards.
PAS 10 68.5E 4075 V "The Hungama Channel test card" is now encrypted.

NEWS

Telekom Malaysia to launch broadband TV service

From http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/story/0,4567,126964,00.html

STATE-OWNED Telekom Malaysia Bhd will launch its broadband television on Wednesday, competing with two others in a growing pay-TV market, a business weekly said.

Existing subscribers to Telekom's Streamyx broadband in the capital and surrounding areas will be hooked up in the first two weeks of September for a three-month free trial of the new service, the Edge said, quoting unnamed sources.

Astro All Asia Networks, controlled by Malaysia's richest man Ananda Krishnan, now holds a monopoly over the country's subscriber-based TV market.

Another operator, MiTV Corp, backed by gaming tycoon Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, plans to launch its pay TV service over wireless broadband in October.

Telekom, the country's largest fixed-line operator, is expected to start with an initial 18 channels, adding another 30 at a later date, the Edge said. Telekom officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The three operators are competing in Malaysia's TV market which has around five million viewers. Astro claims over a quarter of the market, or 1.4 million customers, with its subscriber base growing by 30 per cent last year.

Astro, which broadcasts via satellite, plans to double its number of television channels to 101 by mid-2005.

MiTV has said it would offer at least 50 channels.

They will also be competing for a share of the country's advertising revenue which is forecast to grow by 5.4 per cent to RM3.9 billion (S$1.75 billion) this year, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

Advertisers spent some RM3.7 billion last year, with television getting just under RM1 billion, or a 27 per cent share. - Reuters

China Opens Cartoons And Pay TV To Foreign Investors

From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=67385

BEIJING: China has opened its pay television and cartoon sectors to foreign investment, a newspaper said on Monday.

But foreign investors would not be able to work in the country without a Chinese partner, the Beijing Youth Daily said, quoting officials from the state broadcasting regulator.

Analysts said the statement was a rare official endorsement of foreign investment in the media sector, but was not expected to herald a radical shift because policy had been moving in that direction in recent years. Western media firms such as Viacom Inc, News Corp and Time Warner Inc have been courting Chinese officials for years in efforts to gain footholds in the Chinese market, the largest in the world by viewers.

Viacom unveiled with much fanfare in March a joint venture to produce TV shows in Shanghai. The venture, in which Viacom took a minority stake, was said to be the first of its kind. “The broadcast and television sectors are being opened to foreign investments. The cartoon and pay TV sectors specifically allow foreign investment,” vice minister of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), Hu Zhanfan, was quoted as saying. Officials from SARFT were not immediately available for comment.

The newspaper did not offer details, but analysts said the statement showed a further relaxing of controls on two relatively innocuous segments of the broadcast media sector.

China jealously guards what its 1.3 billion people can see on television and in theatres. Programmes with sexual, religious and political themes are under tight leash.

‘Clean’ fare on DTH

From http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=52646

There is no pornography available on any available direct-to-home (DTH) channels, and while a subscriber theoretically can switch to a smutty channel, it will take the person so much effort that he or she would rather take easier options.

This is largely the conclusion that an inter-ministerial committee today came to after being asked to examine the case in the wake of a petition filed by Mr N Bhaskara Rao of CMS in court. At a meeting where representatives of the information and broadcasting ministry, the Intelligence Bureau and the departments of space and telecommunications were present, DTH was largely given a clean chit. An official said the same arguments had been looked at in the past and DTH has been found to be “cleaner”.

To get pornography on DTH, one has to buy the relevant “card” for the X-rated channel and re-wire the DTH apparatus to get it. In comparison, it is easier to get smut on the normal C-band. All one has to do is buy a dish and aim it at the right channel, is the argument. Besides, if one really wants to access porn, there is the Internet or VCDs and video cassettes that are widely available at any big market in a city. These are much easier options than re-jigging the DTH platform. Finally, two DTH systems — belonging to Zee and Doordarshan — have launched telecasts and there is no pornography on them. If there is, there are enough laws to make sure the channel is swiftly banned. The other issue relates to national security. While DTH could theoretically be used, there are easier options, including the Internet.

30/08/04

Sorry about the recent server outages. Unless you wish to pay to have a tech called out on the weekend the repairs have to wait until Monday. Its not the end of the world if the servers down a few days anyway.

Star Sports Asia via b3 Globecast has gone black screen

From my Emails & ICQ

From many

MTV music awards were seen on B3 Adhoc channel (all day Monday)

From JonC Thailand

Latest log off Telstar 18 138E cband
These all seem to load here of Telstar 18 what about down under?

C band

1/ 3869V 5000
2/ 3591V 37501
3/ 4041H 24803
4/ 3896H 1520
5/ 3890H 2223
6/ 3867H 4290
7/ 3786H 5000
8/ 3665H 3617

From Mayuran Sivarasa

Aus vs Pak cricket final seen on Insat2E ,Doordarshan Chandana 3859V 6250

Mayuran

From Bill Richards

2210UTC
Thaicom3
3600H 26667 3/4
Vpid523 Apid760 SID12 Encrypted in Irdeto2.

Regards
Bill Richards
South Australia

From the Dish


PAS 8 166E 3987 V "Occasional feeds" on , SR 3253, FEC 3/4.

Optus C1 156E 12638 HA Bubble TV info card has started on , enc., PIDs 1091/1092.

Optus B3 152E 12525 V "Australian Christian Channel and Star Sports Asia" have started on , fta, PIDs 2081/2082 and 2091/2092.

Telstar 18 138E 12476 V "A CCTV HD promo" has started on Fta, SR 41250, FEC 1/2,PIDs 308/256, Chinese beam.

AsiaSat 4 122E 12333 V The test card has left again.

Palapa C2 113E New SR and FEC for the Kabelvision mux on 3500 H: 27000 and 3/4.

NSS 6 95E 12595 V "ABC Asia Pacific has replaced Raj Music" on , Fta, PIDs 1302/1303.(India beam)

Measat 1 91.5E 3880 H "RTM Radio 1" has left .

Telstar 10 76.5E The UBI mux has moved from 3980 V to 3780 V, clear, SR 28066, FEC 3/4 (Due to interference issues with Thaicom3)
Telstar 10 76.5E 12493 H All channels in the D-Sky mux are now encrypted.

NEWS

Austar to refinance

From http://afr.com/articles/2004/08/30/1093717888851.html

Pay TV provider Austar United Communications today announced a refinancing that would include a combination of a $290 million senior debt facility and $100 million hybrid debt security offer.

Austar said it planned to offer 1 million STARS (subordinated transferable adjustable redeemable securities) at $100 each with the ability to accept up to $15 million in oversubscriptions.

"STARS will pay cumulative interest quarterly in arrears at a rate equal to the 90-day bank bill swap rate plus an indicative margin of between 3.75 per cent to 4 per cent, to be determined by a bookbuild," Austar said.

The offer comes as the company's financial and operational improvements allow it to change its arrangements.

"This proposed refinancing is a direct reflection of the fact that Austar has made significant improvements in the last two years and we're pleased to be able to convert that success into an opportunity for investors," Austar chairman Bill Ferris said.

"At the same time, the company will be able to move past the restrictive covenants that have been a feature of its debt arrangements over the past few years. Financing flexibility is particularly important to Austar given our growth potential and the new opportunities facing subscription television."

Chief executive John Porter said the company was in its strongest position ever and wanted to capitalise on recent growth.

"Austar is a different company today to the one which signed up to the current debt structure," Mr Porter said. "Our prospectus forecasts $96.3 million in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the year ended December 2004 and a further $54.7 million in EBITDA for the six months to June 2005.

"We have turned the corner and among other substantial financial and operational gains are now operating free cash-flow positive. It's time now to re-strike our arrangements with a smaller, more streamlined bank syndicate, more appropriate covenants and the opportunity for the broader market to participate in the future of Austar."

Austar restructures debt in growth bid

From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/30/1093717909682.html

Regional pay TV provider Austar United Communications Ltd revealed plans to restructure its debt arrangements to fund future growth.

Chief executive John Porter said a hybrid financing approach would reduce Austar's senior debt and allow greater access to cash going forward.

The company is the second largest pay TV provider behind Foxtel, predominantly using satellites to service its regional subscriber base of 467,000 across all states and territories except for Western Australia.

A revised senior debt facility of up to $290 million will combine with an offer of up to $100 million of tradeable hybrid debt securities called STARS (subordinated transferable adjustable redeemable securities).

Mr Porter said the decision to refinance had been prompted by Austar's improved financial performance.

"Austar is a different company today to the one which signed up to the current debt structure," he told analysts and media in Sydney.

"We have turned the corner and among other substantial financial and operational gains, are now operating free cash-flow positive. It's time now to re-strike our arrangements with a smaller, more streamlined bank syndicate, more appropriate covenants and the opportunity for the broader market to participate in the future of Austar."

Earlier this month, the pay TV operator pleased investors with earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $46 million in the six months to June 30, up $19 million on the corresponding half-year period.

Its reported net loss of $4.84 million for the six months was almost half the $8.723 million loss it booked in the first half of 2002/03.

Mr Porter said today that Austar's retention of customers was at an all-time high as the process of transferring customers to its digital offering continued.

He said senior debt will be reduced from $365 million to $290 million via three facilities, including an $80 million revolving debt tranche, a $190 million amortising debt tranche and a $20 million working capital smaller syndicate.

The STARS will have an issue price of $100, with a minimum investment of $5,000.

While investment bank UBS is acting as Austar's financial adviser, ANZ Securities, Deutsche Securities Australia, Ord Minnett and UBS Private Clients will be co-managers of the offer.

Optus B3 celebrates its 10th anniversary!

From http://optusbusiness.com.au/00/03/0003b.asp?ID=437

Optus B3 satellite will celebrate its 10th anniversary on 27th August 2004. Ten years ago, the Chinese Long March rockets launched Optus B3 and blazed a fiery trail into the night skies.

One year later, the Optus Aurora platform for remote area broadcasters (RAB) was launched using B3's transponder capacity. This marked the beginning of Optus B3's contribution to Optus' success in becoming Australia's leading satellite provider for all 13 RAB licensees throughout Australia. Subsequently, a Foxtel contract was signed in December 1998, making Optus B3 the 'Hotbird' that ensured high quality and reliable distribution satellite platform for Australia.

In July 2003, Optus B3 was replaced by Optus C1 and moved to 152 degrees East. With just one year at its new orbit location, Optus B3 is over half full with services. Today, Optus B3 provides Australia and New Zealand with narrowcast Pay-TV, Aurora closed user group customers (Sky Channel, and business TV), Business Satellite services (VSAT services), Remote Area Broadcasting Services (RABS), and Globecast services.

Over the past 10 years, Optus B3 has achieved an impressive and unprecedented success of utilisation rate of its transponder capacity for Australia and New Zealand coverage. Today, Optus B3 is standing proudly in orbit as Optus' shining star.

(Craigs comment, Late birthday wishes to B3)

CHINA: Free set-top box offer to help pay-TV promotion

From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=14049

Official says government will have new way to connect with the masses

Free set-top converter boxes will be offered on the mainland to promote pay-TV and speed up the move to digital broadcasting, officials said yesterday.

Zhang Haitao , vice-minister of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, said the move would connect millions of households to interactive government, education and shopping services, along with providing entertaining and informative programming.

He told a cable TV executive management conference that the government would be given a new way of connecting with the masses.

Mr Zhang said the administration had given its approval to four media groups, in addition to China Central Television, to operate pay-TV networks.

The announcement of the free set-top boxes comes after the landmark decision to allow satellite broadcasting of pay-TV programming from August 1.

Sun Yusheng , president of China Central Digital Television, said this was a major break for pay-TV operators as it would make it easier to connect far-flung areas. Satellite transmission would also break down barriers put up by local governments that had invested in cable TV rollouts and resented the inroads being made by national pay-TV operators, industry sources noted.

The new pay-TV service will be officially rolled out on September 1. CCTV is offering a six-channel package for 58 yuan per month.

Mr Sun admitted that despite the central government's support, the pay-TV industry still faced many obstacles including technical ignorance about encoding and decoding, plus unfamiliarity with pricing and packaging.

Although mainlanders have more than 50 free-to-air channels to choose from, Mr Sun said he believed there was still significant demand for pay-TV given the size of the market.

In Germany, where the airwaves are saturated with free-to-air channels, pay-TV had only penetrated just above 7 per cent of households. But Mr Sun said the population of Germany was equal to that of a large mainland province and if just 7 per cent of the mainland's 100 million cable TV users signed on for digital pay-TV, this would amount to seven million subscribers.

The key was not to fragment into regional pay-TV franchises, but to build a national mass market, Mr Sun emphasised.

Apart from competition from free-to-air TV, Mr Sun said rampant piracy of films and foreign satellite channels were other hurdles that had to be addressed.

Mr Sun noted that digital TV was the way of the future with the dawn of high-definition TV, exclusive content and interactivity, which would justify the extra cost. CCTV is planning to launch high-definition TV next year.

China launches satellite

From http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,10608428%255E1702,00.html

FLEDGLING space power China today launched a satellite from a remote desert region for a short-term scientific mission, state media reported.

The satellite, atop a Long March 2C carrier rocket, blasted off mid-afternoon from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwestern Gansu province, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The satellite, which will remain in orbit for just a few days before returning to Earth, will be used for land surveying, mapping and other scientific experiments, the agency said.

China became the third country after the US and the former Soviet Union to achieve manned space flight in October last year, when astronaut Yang Liwei orbited the Earth 14 times.

TM Net to provide online TV

From http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/8/30/nation/8783806&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia, through its TM Net Streamyx broadband network, will provide online television entertainment from Wednesday.

Initially, selected Klang Valley residents will be given a free trial period of two or three months.

TM Net chief executive officer Datuk Baharum Salleh said that some free to air (FTA) stations like RTM1, RTM2, TV3, 8TV, NTV7 and Channel 9 were also expected to be available through the Streamyx network.

“We are still working with these television stations and nothing has been finalised.

“The television broadcast can be received through TM Net’s Streamyx on to a PC with a modem or direct to a television through a set-up box with a decoder,” he told The Star.

The transmission will be similar to Hong Kong’s Now Broadband TV, which provides 24-hour, high quality service with world-class television channels like Hallmark, Soundtrack Channel, MGM, Discovery Showcase and many more.

Streamyx will also offer customers the choice of paying only for the channels they want to watch.

However, subscription rates have not been confirmed, according to Baharum.

TM Net Sdn Bhd (www.tm.net.my) aims to double its number of Streamyx users to 300,000 by year-end.

29/08/04

No update Sunday

28/08/04

No update Saturday

27/08/04

2 new channels on B3 FTA! 12524V sr 30000 Fec 2/3 "Globecast WTV MUX" ETV (showing Star Sports!) and ACC Australian Christian channel. Star Sports of course is the very popular channel off Asiasat 3. The picture quality on Star Sports is good let's hope it stays. But I have to wonder how it can be broadcast surely Foxtel won't be happy?

UBI Have a card up on B3 warning people not to be taken in by scammers.(NO COMMENT, cough cough)

"This is a temporary test signal for United Broadcasting International. Please be advised NOT to purchase any equipment and that there are NO U.B.I. representatives authorized to offer any of these services. Announcements will be made when the services become available to subscribers.

From My Emails & ICQ

From Mondo R

G'day Craig,

In April this year Tarbs contacted me to do signal measurements of transponders on Optus B3 here in Derby WA. I asked why and was told could I please measure them and don't ask questions and I would be paid accordingly. I declined as their attitude always bothered me.

Seeing a few of the Public Servants here are married to Filipino women when ABS CBN put up a web site and offered decoders, at a price, to do their new services for Australia on Panamsat 8 a few sent away for them.

Now they have the IRDs it turns out the IRDs are useless.

One of the recipients brought one to my shop and trying everything I could not get it going. He then rang ABS CBN from my office and eventually getting through was told it worked when it left the Filipines and must be his fault it does not work now.

After checking with the other two had sent away for IRDs I was told they have had the same problem plus if they ring the number supplied on the website the call sometimes ends up in America or Australia instead of the Flipines.

My advice was for them was to get Foxtel and it would help their partners learn english with interesting programs.

Has any one else encountered these above?

Strange but true

Mondo R
Derby. WA.

(Craigs comment, so Tarb's were making plans to move to Optus in case they had to leave Pas8 way back in April??? so much for the sob story that Pas ditched them without warning. remember this? "Mr Boulos said he was shocked in early July when TARBS's satellite distributor PanAmSat called in receivers PriceWaterhousecoopers after failing to meet a debt repayment."

Are there any other installers that had similar approaches from Tarbs?

As to the Filipino receiver problem does anyone have info as to the brand being used?)

From Bill Richards

0750 UTC
I701
Pacific Broadcasting Services have moved frequency from
12691H to 12728H
Channel lineup remains the same.

Regards
Bill Richards
South Australia

From Adhoc

Optus C1 Update

Bubble T[V] has started on 12638 H 27800
Vpid 1091
Apid 1092
PCR 1091
PMT 1099

PAL Encrypted with NDS and Irdeto 2
Web page -->http://www.bandinabubble.com/

From the Dish

Intelsat 701 180E The PBS mux has moved from 12691 H to 12729 H, SR 28066, FEC 3/4.

Optus B3 152E 12701 H "ATV Turkiye has replaced Nile Drama", fta, PIDs 517/645.

(F Zoltan)

PAS 10 68.5E 3836 V "SuperSport + " is now encrypted.

NEWS

Court rules in Fiji TV's favour

From http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=7408

FIJI TV has succeeded in its legal action for breach of contract against New Skies Satellites NV of Netherlands.

In a ruling handed down by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal on Monday, New Skies was ordered to deliver satellite transponder services to Fiji TV in terms of a 10-year contract made between the two parties in March this year.

Fiji TV chief executive Kenneth Clark said they were pleased with the ruling and that he looked forward to working with New Skies so that they could deliver their promise to the Government and people of Fiji. This will enable Fiji TV to launch its 12-channel Sky Pacific service in October this year and to deliver direct-to-home television services to subscribers in other countries in the Pacific region.

"We have encountered few, if any, problems on the technical side, which is a real tribute to Fiji TV's technical team and our installation contractors, AZCAR International Inc. We are looking forward to providing to the public and to our Sky Pacific subscribers a new level of programming quality and choice," Mr Clark said.

He said the development represents a new business for them on which to build new levels of value for their shareholders and new professional challenges and rewards for their employees.

Mr Clark said the testing of the service had gone extremely well.

BSA beams in record profit

From http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,10584895%255E462,00.html

BROADCAST Services Australia Ltd (BSA), which posted a record annual net profit of $2.7 million today, said growth was being driven by the need to continually upgrade communications infrastructure in regional Australia.

BSA, Australia's largest provider of domestic and commercial satellite installations for the pay TV industry, said it is well placed to efficiently deliver a range of service solutions to support the industry.

BSA secured a two-year Telstra contract worth more than $40 million in May, which helped drive up revenue by 46.8 per cent to $100.2 million for the 12 months ending June 30, 2004.

It also doubled the number of subcontractors to meet the required demand for the launch of Foxtel Digital and started work on its first major communications contract for the Department of Defence.

Joint managing director Daniel Lipshut said BSA had established profitable momentum and continued to grow and develop new related areas of business.

"The demand for service and installation contracting services in the broadcast and telecommunications sector is growing, particularly in regional Australia," Mr Lipshut said.

"We are well placed to continue to profitably scale up and efficiently deliver a range of service solutions to support these industries."

BSA undertook a successful $5.5 million capital raising during the year with institutional investors and existing shareholders, which strengthened the balance sheet and allowed for efficient capital management strategy.

"Future growth for BSA is being driven by the need to continually upgrade communications in regional Australia, the move to digitalise broadcast and online communications and optimising the efficient delivery of installation and maintenance services to customers," Mr Lipshut said.

At 1.45pm (AEST), shares in BSA were up half a cent to 33 cents.

New AFRTS Movie, Family Channels Debut In September

From http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2004/n08262004_2004082606.html

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2004 – The Defense Department's American Forces Network television system will start broadcasting new movie and family channels to overseas audiences Sept. 3.

The new channels -- made possible by new satellite technology -- will enhance choices for servicemembers and their families stationed overseas, said Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Smith, operations officer at American Forces Radio and Television Service headquarters in Alexandria, Va.

"The Family Channel is something we've been wanting to do for a very long time," Smith said, noting that programming content will be targeted to children ages 2-17.

The Movie Channel, he continued, will offer "the best of Hollywood" films, with behind-the-scenes specials detailing how some popular movies were made.

For years, Smith noted, the American Forces Radio and Television Service has provided news, sports, and entertainment -- as well as Defense Department- specific programming -- to troops and families stationed overseas. The new channels, he said, will fill "a couple of niches" previously unavailable to audiences.

AFRTS, Smith said, provides policy guidance for American Forces Network, DoD's television and radio broadcasting programmer. The overseas audience, he noted, currently numbers about 850,000 people.

Larry Sichter, AFN's affiliate relations chief at the Defense Media Center at March Air Reserve Base near Riverside, Calif., noted that AFN provides 10 television services and 12 radio services to 180 ships at sea and to servicemembers and families stationed in 177 countries.

"Our audience get the most popular programming that's in the states, and, they have a lot of choice," Sichter said.

This spring the Pentagon Channel began broadcasting military news programs, Pentagon news conferences and congressional hearings featuring senior DoD leaders to servicemembers stationed overseas 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Pentagon Channel also is available to stateside military bases for airing on installation cable systems or to anyone wishing to receive it via satellite. To request Pentagon Channel service, visit the channel's Web site.

Turner, Zee may beam sports channel

From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=165337

Turner International Asia Pacific, an AOL Time Warner group company, has made a proposal to the Subhash Chandra-controlled Zee Telefilms for jointly floating a global sports channel.

This comes close on the heels of Zee emerging as the highest bidder for the Board for Control of Cricket in India’s (BCCI) cricket telecast rights for the next four years.

Zee had outbid the field with a bid of $260 million (Rs 1,180 crore).

The deal, if concluded, will be Zee’s second partnership effort with the global media conglomerate. It currently has a 74:26 distribution joint venture called Zee Tuner Pvt Ltd., with Turner International India for television channels.

A Zee group spokesperson confirmed the developed but refused to divulge details. “We have received a proposal from Turner International for setting up a global sports channel. We are looking into it. It is too early to comment on what shape this proposal will take,” he added.

Turner’s proposal is being viewed as a shot in the arm for Zee. Though Zee as a broadcaster has a considerable presence in terms of general entertainment and movies, sports has not been its focus area. Sony Entertainment and Star India have a major presence in sports broadcasting through Set Max and ESPN-Star Sports, respectively.

“The alliance will have financial muscle to bid for further sports telecast rights. While Turner will get an entry into Indian sports business, Zee will be in a position to leverage its direct-to-home (DTH) platform. The alliance will be a win-win situation for both Turner and Zee,” an analyst said.

Time Warner, though has access to some international sports properties, its presence its relatively insignificant compared with other international media companies.

Zee Telefilms has already announced its plans to launch a global sports channel which would telecast domestic cricket in all the international markets, including the US, the UK, Middle East and South Africa.

Time Warner Inc is the world’s leading media and entertainment company with businesses including filmed entertainment, interactive services, television networks, cable systems and publishing.

26/08/04

After a report of an increase in power on Asiasat 4 KU I drove my motor down and managed to pick it up on the 76cm. But some how in the process a cable appears to have caught on the U bolts on the mount and managed to pull the F connector socket out. ARGGGGGGGH! I did a temp repair and it should fine until I can be botherd taking the whole thing down and open it up to fix it. In the meantime I have the Asiasat 4 KU test signal at %36 quality on the Innovia (approx 36-39 on nokia 9500). Which is just enough to play without breakup on a fec 3/4 signal. If you are looking for this in NZ on a motorized mount try H pol due to low look angle the skew will be well off.

ADL feed on NZ Auction site Just perfect for Nasa off 701
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics/Other/auction-14987679.htm

Odds and Ends

Sky NZ have added to services, one labeled Panasonic the other labeled "Rugby TGT" I reckon both may be for interactive services.

ETV test ? has left B3 Globecast mux

From my Emails & ICQ

From Terry P

Craig,

I hear on the grape vine that the signal up on Asia Sat 4 is a test signal for a new DTH platform. Apparently Australian DTH Services is operated by Sydney Teleport Services which is operated by Sydney Film & TV Studios. I don't know the fellows name but he's signed up some channels which were on tarbs.

Cheers
Terry

From the Dish

Intelsat 701 180E Occasional feeds on 3709 R, 3718 R, 3727 R and 3736 R, SR 5632, FEC 3/4,West hemi beam.

Telstar 18 138E 12402 V The D-Sky mux has left again.(China beam)

AsiaSat 4 122E 12333 V An Australian DTH Services test card has started on , Fta, SR 5878,FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256, Australasian beam.

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3760 H "Indus Plus" has started on , Fta, PIDs 1040/1041.

NSS 6 95E 11598 H "Eros Sat and Cosmoradio 95.1" have left
NSS 6 95E 11635 H "KTR (Kyrgyzstan)" has replaced SpaceGate on , Fta, SR 3324, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4194/4195, Middle East beam.
NSS 6 95E 11679 V "Al-Islah TV" has left .
NSS 6 95E 12535 V "Splash" is FTA.

Thaicom 3 78.5E Apna Channel has started testing on 3480 H and 3520 H, Fta, PIDs 516/644.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H "Apna Channel" has started testing on , Fta, PIDs 521/740.

Telstar 10 76.5E 3760 H "ATV Turkiye" has started on , Fta, PIDs 259/515.

NEWS

Broadcasters busy

From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/25/1093246617936.html?oneclick=true

There's plenty of movement in the world of ethnic broadcasting.

Mike Boulos, founder of the defunct ethnic pay TV group Television & Radio Broadcast Services (TARBS), is planning a new pay TV venture; regional pay TV group Austar has picked up TARBS's Italian and Greek channels; and Foxtel has been busy reassuring subscribers to its Italian and Greek channels that those services are secure.

But despite all the activity, the word from TARBS's receivers, PricewaterhouseCoopers, is that nobody wants to buy TARBS's 60,000 subscribers in 14 different language groups across Australia.

TARBS had been broadcasting its 65-channel service via satellites owned by PanAmSat. Last month, PanAmSat, TARBS's largest creditor, decided to appoint PwC as receivers to the group after two months of discussions with Mr Boulos to renegotiate an estimated $US2.4 million debt.

(Craigs comment, no surprise here what use is a list of subscribers to obscure ethnic channels if you don't also have the rights to broadcast them)

Foxtel mellows on extra channels

From http://finance.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10572878%255E14309,00.html

PAY-TV group Foxtel has softened its hardline stance against rival free TV networks providing several channels on a single digital TV signal - but on the proviso the federal Government ends restrictions on sports broadcasting.

The move, which is the first major concession in the critical digital TV debate, was outlined in Foxtel's submission to the federal Government's review of multi-channelling.

Free TV networks such as Seven, Nine and Ten are not allowed to offer extra channels on their digital TV signals until at least 2007.

Foxtel now says it will not oppose so-called multi-channelling in 2008 "as long as it is introduced as part of a balanced deregulation of the TV broadcasting regime".

Multi-channelling has been suggested as a way of accelerating the free TV sector's slow take-up of digital technology, but has always been opposed by the pay-TV industry due to the competitive threat.

Since 2001, only 410,000 Australian homes have converted their free TVs to digital, while the pay-TV sector has converted more than 500,000 subscribers to digital in six months.

But Foxtel - which is 25 per cent owned by News Limited (publisher of NEWS.com.au) and 25 per cent owned by Nine Network owner Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd - now argues a 2008 start date for multi-channelling would give pay-TV four years to establish its $550 million investment in digital pay-TV.

That compares with the six-year ban on new competition given to the free TV networks when they launched their digital signals in 2001.

"Any regulatory change in relation to 'free' multi-channelling must give subscription TV an equitable opportunity to that given to the commercial TV networks to establish their digital investments," Foxtel said.

But Foxtel remains opposed to any subscription multi-channelling by the free TV networks.

The federal Government is now extending the anti-siphoning regime, which restricts the number of sports able to be shown on pay-TV, until 2010.

Foxtel wants that period reduced so a fairer playing field, which includes multi-channelling, can begin.

"To give the networks the new advantage of multi-channelling, without first correcting the inequity of the anti-siphoning system, would ... multiply the destructive impacts of the system on competition from subscription TV," it said.

Foxtel had no opinion on whether a fourth free TV network should start, but said any new station should have time to become established before existing TV networks could multi-channel.

"Otherwise these (existing) broadcasters will be given an even greater first-mover advantage over the fourth network," it said.

The Seven, Nine and Ten networks also released their multi-channelling submissions yesterday, reiterating their divided opinions on the issue.

Nine remains opposed to all multi-channelling, saying it would reduce the quality of existing TV services.

Seven "strongly supports" both free and subscription multi-channelling and says it will have "no significant impact on existing free TV or pay-TV broadcasters".

Ten wants to offer subscription multi-channels but opposes free multi-channelling.

Harmonic Advances the Art of Next-Generation Standard and High Definition Encoding at IBC2004

From Press Release (Slightly edited)

SUNNYVALE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Aug. 25, 2004 -- At IBC2004 which is to be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 10 - 14, Harmonic Inc. (Nasdaq:HLIT) will demonstrate advances in the development of digital video solutions based on next-generation codecs. A series of Harmonic's DiviCom(R) MV 100 encoding platforms, running either SMPTE VC-9 or MPEG-4 AVC, will compress video in real-time and seamlessly interoperate with recently introduced third-party set-top boxes. This is the first major European event where Harmonic will show side-by-side MV 100 systems utilizing the new codecs.

The DiviCom MV 100 will also be presented within solutions for digital terrestrial (DVB-T) and satellite broadcasting (DVB-S), video-over-xDSL, and stored content applications such as video-on-demand. The MV 100 has set the benchmark for MPEG-2 bit-rate efficiency and video quality while providing a straightforward path to the next-generation codecs that reduces the total cost of ownership.

Harmonic will showcase the new DiviCom Ion(TM) multichannel MPEG-2 encoder. Ion's compact and modular architecture enables operators to deliver four times the digital channels from a one rack-unit (1RU) encoder while maintaining high levels of video quality. A particularly attractive solution for DVB-T, Ion gives operators a more cost-effective way to provision a combination of local and national programming, increasing their overall revenue potential. At the same time, Ion's IP output capability permits cable and telecom operators to realize increased flexibility while reducing their deployment and operational costs.

A leading provider of high definition (HD) solutions, Harmonic will be presenting HD in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC formats. To simplify the introduction of HD services, Harmonic will demonstrate how HD and SD encoding systems can be mixed within the same statistical multiplexing pool, essential to bandwidth sensitive networks as well as cable operators seeking to maximize channel carrying capacity of their network.

Other solutions to be featured in the Harmonic Inc. stand include:

-- Video-on-demand based on the industry leading NSG 9000 edgeQAM and the 10-Gb/s GIGALight digital DWDM transmission system, which has earned the title "biggest contributor to the future of content delivery."

-- Video overlay for passive optical networks (PON) and Ethernet fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP/FTTH) environments. Using this architecture, operators will be able to efficiently transport a complete line-up of analog and/or digital broadcast television, including 250 or more HD channels.

-- A network operations center (NOC) based on Harmonic's NMX Digital Service Manager(TM) which controls and monitors both Harmonic and third-party equipment. In addition to managing broadcast services, NMX provides the most comprehensive management of VOD services from the headend to transport equipment and edge devices distributed throughout the network. NMX has been deployed by satellite, cable, terrestrial and telecom operators worldwide.

-- A compact and fully integrated DVB-compliant Digital Turnaround solution that permits operators to quickly and cost-effectively introduce and expand their pay-TV services.

-- Distributed digital program insertion (DPI) using Harmonic's award-winning DiviCom encoders, NMX Digital Service Manager and Terayon DM-6400 Digital Splicer. This standards-based end-to-end solution helps DVB-T and cable operators meet regulatory requirements and strengthen customer relationships by delivering localized content.

ISRO`s re-entry vehicle by 2015

From http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld/storypage.php?hpFlag=Y&chklogin=N&autono=165248&leftnm=lmnu9&leftindx=9&lselect=0

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will take the first step to develop its own space shuttle, a Re-entry Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD), in about five years time by 2010.

G Madhavan Nair, chairman, ISRO and also chairman - Space Commission & Secretary to Government of India, Department of Science, told the Eighteenth NAL Foundation Day celebrations here today: “The RLV-TD is aimed at demonstrating the ability to make a launch craft re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic (above Mach 10) speeds, slow it down subsequently, and make it land like a normal aircraft. The conceptual design has been completed and work will soon start on making the craft."

It will subsequently form part of a two stage to orbit (TSTO) re-entry launch vehicle capability to be developed by 2015, which will enable ISRO to reuse launch vehicles for launching satellites at low cost.

The RLV-TD will possess wings and tail fins, and will be launched atop a solid booster, similar to the ones on the PSLV. The booster will then separate and fall away, and the craft will go on to make an unpowered ascent.

It will then re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speed, which will be slowed down using aerodynamic breaking techniques. It will be brought to a gliding, unpowered cruise speed of about 0.8 mach, and slowed down further to make a horizontal landing.

The craft will have materials designed to withstand the high temperatures of re-entry – carbon in the nose, thermal protection in the upper fuselage, and ceramic tiles in the lower fuselage.

In the TSTO concept targeted for 2015, the winged re-entry vehicle and the rocket booster will be separately recovered, with the booster making a parachute landing.

Nair further underlined the need to develop a hypersonic wind tunnel facility in the country (the existing ones are supersonic) which will enable testing of models of aircraft designed to fly at hypersonic speed.

The TSTO concept was more feasible than the much talked about SSTO (single stage to orbit) concept, which might take time till 2050 for any country in the world to develop, he said.

In the path towards developing the RLV-TD, ISRO will be launching a 500 kg 're-entry capsule’ next year, a small satellite which will then be brought back to earth.

It will be launched along with CARTOSAT-2, by PSLV, sometime in late 2005 or early 2006.

The project will try out important re-entry technology, which will cover the issues like precise control of the angle of entry into the atmosphere, materials technology to minimise the chance of burn-up at the high temperatures generated during re-entry, and control of the spacecraft to ensure its landing at the desired spot on the ground.

New comedy channel from the Zee group

From http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=96892

Ludhiana, August 24: Come September 3, get set to watch the country’s first comedy channel titled Smile TV, from the Zee group.

Till recently, Smile TV was available on Direct-to-home Dish TV. With the cable telecast, it will be open to all viewers. The channel has been positioned distinctly as a 24-hour fun and entertainment channel.

Smile TV aims to offer wholesome fun and entertainment for all age groups, said a Zee official.

(Craigs comment, FTA on Asiasat 3 at the moment)

25/08/04

Things are very quiet. There have been a few reports of firms trying to sell TVChile via B3! don't get sucked in. A reminder the so called "UBI" channels are nothing more than test signals. Do not hand over any money for them yet.

Optus B3 12501H sr 30000 Fec 7/8 has a signal unknown

Data snooping? suggested freq Telstar 18 138E 4040H

From my Emails & ICQ

From Jsat

Asiasat4
Just to let u know....3.7m KTI with dual C/KU feed in the lower south west
of WA...81% and 90% on the fortec..

regards jsat

From Jason

Asiasat 4
Fine here in Perth on 1.8m...lots of signal.
Test pattern still on at the moment.

Jason

From Steve Hume

St1 88E 3484V sr 2408
ABtv1 - VPID - 512, APID - 650, PCR 8190
ABtv2 - VPID - 513, APID - 660, PCR 8190

ABtv2 shows mainly test cards with "ABtv2 Buddhism & National News"
Sometimes a readers comes up. Looks like a Thai channel by the writing
on the bottom of screen.

From Steve Hume

Latest Telstar 18 scan

Frequency Pole Symbol Usage
3590 V 37500
3665 H 3615 China Stockmarket TV
3670 H 3350
3677 H 2498
3760 H 24812
3786 H 4996
3866 H 4289 VSat01
3869 V 4996
3889 H 2222 Loads as radio/data
4040 H 24812

From the Dish

No Lyngsat update

St 1 88E 3484 V sr 2408 2 new channels loading (Weak to Australia, strong in Thailand)

NEWS

Murdoch's media vision

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3013976a1864,00.html

Rupert Murdoch says his grand plans to delist in Australia and reincorporate News Corp in America will provide a better deal for investors. John Durie reports.

Rupert Murdoch is prepared to predict the next media revolution and he is confident his News Corporation will be in the vanguard.

The future is the personal video recorder, and he reckons this gadget will rewrite the rules and the media winners and losers. He expects News to be a winner.

In Australia last week to cajole and persuade investors that his grand plans to delist in Australia and reincorporate News as a United States-listed company is a better deal for them, Rupert Murdoch finished his week-long tour with a meeting with Kim Williams, who runs Foxtel, of which News owns 25 per cent.

To Mr Williams the PVR is a "category killer" that will "end forever the thought that there is nothing on television because what's on TV will be what you choose to watch".

Foxtel owns the technology in Australia, so he probably would say that. Yet Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan could not agree more. The way the PVR works in Australia is that by clicking the remote control on Foxtel's electronic programming guide, viewers can tape up to a month ahead, and two or more programmes can be taped while they are watching another taped programme.

The same remote will allow you to pause programming and fast forward through advertisements. The concept is not new – earlier versions that allow you to pre-record up to 150 hours of programmes have been in existence for five years, but Rupert Murdoch argues "technology is making them better and easier to use". Penetration rates are low with 3.5 million homes using them in the United States and 300,000 in Britain using the BSkyB system that will be the Foxtel model.

The Yankee Group predicts a 20 per cent penetration in the US by 2007, so while it's a stretch to call it a mass-market product yet, advertisers and broadcasters are watching the space carefully.

In an interview with the Australian Financial Review, both Rupert and Lachlan extolled the virtues of PVR, which they argue is compatible with their huge investment in satellite technology. "They are a fantastic equaliser for satellite in the technology race with cable because they bring the memory and technology into the home, bypassing the need to spend billions of dollars laying cable," Lachlan says.

Rupert Murdoch is equally convinced. "I think they will become ubiquitous. People won't have loyalty to a particular channel. They'll hear about programes on some unheard-of channel and watch that."

Like any technology, it comes with its risks to incumbents but Lachlan says: "For us, it will be a big plus because we carry 850 hours of news a week and live sport, which people want to watch live."

He added – no doubt with his investment in the US Fox television network in mind – that "the negative, of course, is that network loyalty diminishes and we have to make better programes". "But people watch news and sport live and this means advertisers will want to spend more money on those programmes and they are two areas we specialise in."

Product placement is an obvious alternative. Lachlan used the example of Coca-Cola "which gives us a lot of money for American Idol". "People sit on Coke colour couches with Coke colour sets drinking Coca-Cola."

"People won't have loyalty to a particular channel. They'll hear about programmes on some unheard-of channel and watch that."

US studies show the 18 to 39-year-old demographic is the big user of PVRs and is overwhelmingly the age group that will fast-forward through the ads when they can. In the US, News Corp has every base covered from programming through its Fox Films to its free-to-air broadcast network and via DirecTV.

In Australia, Foxtel is the only broadcast vehicle that News has an interest in, and if both Rupert Murdoch and Mr Williams are right, its monopoly control of the capital city pay television market will only get stronger.

The Seven and Ten networks, while still arguing over the terms under which they will join with Nine and SBS to grant re-transmission rights to Foxtel, will add their programmes to Mr Williams's favourite device – the EPG – which, to the non-converted, is an electronic programming guide.

Once all the networks sign on, Foxtel's digital box will be the device through which people will watch television and once it has its remote controls in more homes, Mr Williams gets to sell them more products and programmes to enhance their viewing experience. He will control what Madison Avenue advertising executives call "the most valuable square foot in America" – the set-top box.

Foxtel sells them for between A$48.95 (NZ$52.80) and A$94.95 a month and it is through channel choice and applications such as interactive games and pause buttons that Mr Williams argues it will grab more share.

Rupert Murdoch's fight for a greater percentage of the consumer wallet space puts him in direct conflict with his Foxtel partners, the Packer controlled PBL and Telstra who, in different ways, are preparing for the fight.

Telstra is pushing its "DVD on demand" product as a direct competitor to Foxtel, but it also wins if the latter is successful through its 50 per cent ownership.

The concept of convergence has dominated the global media industry for the past two decades, yet free-to-air television is confident. The US experience has shown that with more differentiation and more products on offer, free-to-air has remained the sure way to reach a mass market.

Pay television calls 2 per cent audience share a success, and while free-to-air obviously loses some eyeballs, the fact is that though during the past decade US free-to-air broadcast share has fallen below 50 per cent, advertising revenue has increased exponentially.

When video recorders first emerged, they were said to spell the end of film. Now DVDs threaten pay television because they get first grab of the new films. Companies such as News Corp earn half their film revenues from DVD sales.

Network Ten has proved it is possible to dominate Sunday night television viewing by running cop shows instead of movies that not so long ago were treated as sure winners by the networks but are seen by Ten as a filler when there is nothing else to run.

However, Rupert Murdoch argues: "I haven't heard anyone who has their own recorder who doesn't rave about them, and, what's more, surveys have shown those who have one watch 10 per cent more television."

He left Australia confident that he had convinced investors of the merits of his plan to change News Corp's domicile to the US. The News camp cautions that approval is not a sure thing and will keep pushing till the vote at the company's annual meeting in late October in Adelaide.

China to test digital TV in 2 years

From http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-08/25/content_1880111.htm

BEIJING, Aug. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior official says China will test digital terrestrial and satellite TVs within the next two years.It will elimiate the analogue TV transmissions in 2015.

Vice Minister of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Zhang Haitao, told a meeting in Beijing that China will develop a signal transmission standard before testing the digital terrestrial TV system at the end of this year. China Radio International reported Wednesday.

Testing on the digital satellite TV will begin after the launch of a satellite for direct broadcasting either next year or in the first half of 2006. .

China has decided to eliminate the analogue TV transmissions in 2015.

(Craigs comment, and still no word on any NZ Digital tv plan...)

HK PRESS: Guangdong State Media Firm To Buy 10% In ATV

From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/040825/15/3mnsh.html

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Guangdong's Southern Broadcasting Media Group will buy a 10% stake in Hong Kong's free-to-air television operator Asia Television for 200 million yuan (US$1=CNY8.28), the South China Morning Post reports.

The report, citing unnamed sources, doesn't name the seller of the stake. Southern Broadcasting is controlled by the Guangdong branch of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

Pro-Beijing businessman Chan Wing-kee, ATV's chief executive, now owns 46% in ATV. Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings (8002.HK) Chairman Liu Changle controls 42% of ATV, the paper says.

Malibu TV

From http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb149705.htm

Years ago, Cyril Viguier, a French television journalist, fell in love with the lifestyle of those who live by the beach in Southern California. He was determined to live here one day. He and his family now enjoy their beach residence and the lifestyle that accompanies it.

Cyril Viguier wanted to share these images that so affected him with young people around the world. We can't imagine that what we take for granted would make such an impression on teens in Asia, for example, but it does.

"It's a new world," Cyril Viguier describes. What exists now in the realm of television didn't exist years ago. People dream about the lifestyle in Malibu. We provide images of the beach culture, fashion, sports, travel, events, restaurants, education, music and more on videos shot in Malibu. The videos are short, patterned after those on MTV.

"We are going all over Asia with a major satellite company called ASIASAT," Cyril Viguier explains. Via cable and satellite feeds, AsiaSat3S takes Malibu Television to 25 million homes across Asia. The shows are run locally on Charter and Adelphia cable.

Described as a radical departure from traditional programming, the images balance adrenaline-pumping action to up-close profiles of surfing superstars, innovative three-five minute original segments that present the viewer with looks into the worlds of ecology, music, travel and fashion.

"I read all over that Americans are unpopular. That's not true," Cyril Viguier states. "The lifestyle dreams of people around the world are reflected in our shows. They demonstrate that everything is possible. We get feedback from China, Indonesia and Japan," he continues.

"Thousands of segments of California dreams are shot every day. The lifestyle here is #1. We promote real life-styles 'edutainment,' we call it. We get the help of local residents to send a strong message on environmental issues, for instance.

"In the future, we hope to create new channels to distribute these positive images to more states in our country and around the world. It is also important to have faces - identities reflecting the lifestyle. We are constantly trying to find young people to promote the images.

"Now there are 800 channels on a satellite dish. We are in competition for attention. Viewers eat television in a new way."

In January of next year, Cyril Viguier is planning to launch the Malibu Film Surf Festival. This will be yet another way to share the Malibu lifestyle with even more viewers.

Channels Fight A Cricket War

From http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=66830

MUMBAI, AUG 24: A fierce bidding war for the lucrative rights to broadcast international cricket matches in India has pitted a deep-pocketed sports network against the country's biggest listed media firm.

Up for grabs are broadcast rights for all matches organised by the Indian cricket board over four years starting in October, a bigger share of the expanding TV advertising pie and more subscriptions in the world's third-largest cable TV market.

Zee Telefilms Ltd, India's third-ranked network, emerged as the surprise highest bidder with an offer of $260 million. Its shares have gained more than 15 per cent since the bids were made public last week.

But ESPN-Star Sports (ESS), a joint venture of Walt Disney Inc and News Corp that offered $230 million, has opposed Zee's bid on the grounds that the company did not have the required experience in broadcasting live cricket. Zee disputes that.

"General entertainment networks are looking to use cricket to drive the ratings and advertising on their other channels," said RC Venkateish, managing director of ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd, which provides programming to ESS. "But we are a sports channel--this is our bread and butter."

Bids from Sony Corp, Dubai-based Ten Sports and state-owned Prasar Bharati were much lower.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to award the broadcasting rights later this month.

BATTING FOR RICHES

Cricket corners three-quarters of sports advertising spending in India and draws millions of viewers. Air time during the recent India-Pakistan series sold at Rs 200,000-300,000 ($4,300-$6,500) per 10 seconds.

Zee wants a share of the spoils.

"Cricket is an exceptionally positive property-- we have bid for cricket events in the past, as there's a lot of ad money to be had and eyeballs to target," said Ashish Kaul, a vice president of brand development at Essel Group, which owns Zee.

Sony Entertainment pocketed more than $43 million from advertising during last year's cricket World Cup after paying an estimated $225 million for rights to ICC matches until 2007.

The historic India-Pakistan series in March brought ad revenues of about Rs 1.2 billion to Ten Sports and the recent Asia Cup in Colombo generated nearly Rs 750 million for ESS.

ESS earns more than $60 million from subscriptions in India and has rights to six of the 10 test-playing nations.

Zee owns India's largest cable distribution unit, Siticable, which reaches 5 million of the 48 million cable homes, and the sole direct-to-home platform, Dish TV, with 150,000 subscribers.

Zee does not have a sports channel, but has said it will launch one next year. Adding cricket now will increase Zee's clout with local cable distributors and drive domestic and overseas subscription revenues, analysts say.

Research firm Media Partners Asia estimates India's cricket-related ad market at more than $70 million a year. Cable TV advertising is expected to grow more than 10 per cent this year.

Analysts say the BCCI rights would strengthen Zee's cable and direct-to-home platforms, and provide greater stability to its domestic pay-TV revenues. Zee, once the top network, now trails Star and Sony in advertising and subscription revenues.

"But Zee will have to drive subscription and other revenues to justify the price," said Sanjeev Prasad at Kotak Securities.

"Advertisement revenues alone (about Rs 4-5 billion over four years) may be insufficient," he said.

Turner game for sports tie up with Zee

From

NEW DELHI: Even as Zee Telefilms Ltd and ESPN-STAR Sports remain embroiled in a fight for the BCCI cricket rights, a top international media company has also shown keen interest in the game.

According to top sources, Time Warner’s arm Turner International Asia Pacific has made a joint venture offer to Zee Telefilms, under which it has proposed that in case Zee wins Indian cricket’s telecast rights, it will partner the media group to launch a sports channel for the Asia Pacific region.

When contacted, Zee Telefilms vice-president Ashish Kaul confirmed the receipt of a letter from Turner International Asia Pacific head Steve Marcopoto, but declined to divulge details. “We have received a letter from Turner International Asia Pacific in which the media company has congratulated our chairman (Subhash Chandra) for emerging as the top bidder for BCCI rights. We can’t disclose anything further,” he said.

Sources, however, said that the Turner International Asia Pacific head has made a categorical offer in the letter for the joint launch of a sports channel.

Incidentally, Turner Broadcasting System, the holding company of Turner International Asia Pacific, does not have a sports channel of its own in the region, but the group owns quite a few prestigious and popular sports properties internationally.

The media company owns NBA rights, US Professional Golfers’ Association rights, the top US motor sports property called Nascar and quite a few boxing events.

The sources said that the Time Warner company has said that a sports channel with access to the best domestic and international sports properties will be a winning proposition for both the media groups.

Sources in Zee Telefilms said that the media group is also quite upbeat about the offer. “It’s a win-win proposition for us. Along with the BCCI rights, the best of international sports events will help us expedite our plan to launch a global sports network,” a source said.

Zee Telefilms and Turner International already have a distribution joint venture in India under which all Zee and Turner channels are collectively distributed to cable operators across the country.

The distribution JV was signed in 2002. Turner International operates three channels in India: Cartoon Network and Pogo, which are both kids channels, and news channel CNN.

The Board for Control of Cricket in India had recently invited bids for the telecast rights of the international matches that India will play in the next four years. Zee Telefilms had emerged as the highest bidder with an offer of $260 million.

24/08/04

Live satellite chat in the chatroom tonight 9p.m NZ and 8.30p.m Syd time onwards

First KU signals reported from Asiasat 4 on the Australia /NZ? Beam

I have not had a decent look for it here. But No sign of it when I drove the 76cm down on the moteck. It may just be that the low end of my Ku arc is a little out of alignment. I will take a better look for it tomorrow. Satfacts magazine a while ago suggested a 1.6M for Asiasat 4 ku in NZ. Yet other info I had from Asiasat said a 76cm would be fine for reception in NZ.

ATV Turkey has appeared on B3 12701 V Tarbs/UBI mux

OLYMPICS page updated

For those reading in Asia

Telstar 18 138E 12477 V Sr 41246 Fec 1/2 China beam
CCTV TEST in HDTV! perhaps testing for the Olympics closing ceremony.
Some pics here http://www.tvrobbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2970

The below readings off a satellite tuner card.

CCTVSI Default Service2008 16x9
Display Information:
Video Mode: Bob
Display Mode: DirectShow
FourCC Code: YV12
Surface Type: Hardware Video Accelerator (DxVA)

Video Attributes:
Video compression mode: MPEG-2
TV system: 625/50 (PAL)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Display Mode: Both Pan&scan and Letterbox
Source picture resolution: 1920x1088 (625/50)
Frame Rate: 25.00
Source picture letterboxed: Not letterboxed
Bitrate: 20.00Mbps

Audio Attributes:
Audio Coding mode: MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 without extension bitstream
Sampling Rate: 48kHz
Audio application mode: Not specified
Number of Audio channels: 2
Bitrate: 384 Kbps
Number of Audio streams: 1

From my Emails & ICQ

From Jason Wu (Who found it first)

Dear Craig and All apsattvers,

I found a test card on 12333V, SR5878, FEC 3/4.
It's uplinked from Sydney. See attachment.
The signal is very strong using 65cm in Melbourne.The position is above As3S, I guess it is from either As4 or Jcsat3, maybe on the OZ/NZ beam!

Cheers,
Jason Wu (meltvro)

From Vk4bkp

Asiasat 4
Very strong in Mackay, 94% ID Digital, 1.2m 15 segment wood dish and cheap Jonsa LNBF.

From Dave

got it here
test pattern australian dth services
aus dth channel name

12331 v 5878 3/4 v 308 a 256 pcr8190
40% signal level
70% quality
on a hummy with moteck

From Simmo

Asiasat4
84%S 85% Q on 90 and motek in Cairns

Also Palapa C2

FLY AWAY CARGO VAN....3921 H 3500 is a news feed channel, and has been
active a couple of times in the last day or two

From Yogesh

Hi Craig,

Bangladesh TV on AsiaSat3S shows live Olympics every night.
BTV on As3s
3725 V 4450 SR
English commentary

Also Insat2E DD channels

DD Chandana is showing Aus-Ind Cricket from Holland
DD Punjab is showing Olympics Men's volleyball Rus-Ita
DD Kolkatta is showing Weightlifting

Cheers
Yogesh

From Head Gun

Craig, just wanted you too know that
samanyolu tv has been on b3 for about 1 week
kanal 7 has been on for 3 days and also there is bktv
just telling you this because you and lyngsat havent said anything

From the Dish

Intelsat 701 180E 12691 H New PIDs for BBC World, Mad TV and Mazzika on : 521/649-523/651.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H The KTN info card and Thai TV Global Network (PIDs 525/5644) have left ,replaced by test cards.

(K Kirkby)

NEWS

Satellite project grounded

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3586252&thesection=business&thesubsection=telecommunications

Telecom has ditched plans for a national satellite broadband service following its failure to secure the Government's Project Probe funding.

The Government recently awarded its provincial broadband extension tender to Auckland internet provider Iconz, which has secured a deal with Thai-based satellite operator Shin Satellite.

Shin is in the process of launching a satellite that will service New Zealand and the rest of the Pacific.

Telecom was keen to use the satellite to reach the 5 per cent of the country it cannot reach with broadband services via other means.

Now Telecom, which had also been negotiating with Shin, is ending its efforts and will direct customers interested in satellite services to its competitors, Iconz and Timaru-based provider BayCity, says Telecom's general manager of technology investment, Steven Crombie.

"We won't be servicing customers directly but will instead work with other providers to ensure they are catered for," he said. No contracts would be signed with Iconz or BayCity, but Telecom would ensure its customers were well taken care of.

"We don't want to be in the business of reselling a product so it's better for us to direct customers to these other providers."

Iconz general manager Sean Weekes said Telecom's move was a good one for Iconz and BayCity.

"There won't be a contract signed. It'll be more of an ad hoc arrangement, but it's all good news."

BayCity managing director Barry Payne said the company was on the verge of making an announcement about its relationship with Shin Satellite but was not prepared to comment until later in the week.

Iconz has signed a contract with Shin and will be offering services immediately. Shin plans to launch IP Star, one of the world's largest capacity telecommunications satellites, in February, but is already offering service via existing satellites.

BayCity is also expected to begin offering services shortly and will be targeting remote rural settlements.

BayCity originally worked with technology provider Ericsson and wireless network company BCL to provide internet services to Fonterra farmers. It has been working with Telecom since 2002 in rural New Zealand.

Shin is to spend $15 million building an earth station in Auckland to manage the satellite, which will offer service in New Zealand, Australia, India and most of Southeast Asia.

At Telecom's full-year profit announcement last month, chief operating officer Simon Moutter said he was disappointed about missing out on the Probe funding.

He said Iconz had put in a less sophisticated and cheaper proposal.

AUSTAR welcomes Australia's Italian and Greek communities with dedicated channels

From Press Release

AUSTAR announced today that from October 1, RAI and Antenna, the Italian
and Greek channels previously supplied into regional Australia by defunct
provider, TARBS, will be offered as part of the New AUSTAR Digital lineup.

"Italian and Greek Australians form the backbone of many of our regional
communities, and we're thrilled to announce that RAI and Antenna will soon
be available as part of the New AUSTAR Digital service," AUSTAR's Group
Director Corporate Development, Deanne Weir, said today. "New AUSTAR
Digital is about providing choice and value, and offering customers unique
experiences which they can't find elsewhere. To that end, we say
kalosorisate and benvenuto to our Greek and Italian friends and customers."

New AUSTAR Digital will offer RAI and Antenna free of charge to customers
in October and November. From December 1, the channels will be available as
special channel options for $13.95 per month.

"Over the years AUSTAR has invested more than one billion dollars in
providing services to regional and rural Australians, and we will continue
investing to provide valuable, innovative and unique services to our
customers," Ms. Weir continued.

Mr Tony Ishak, Managing Director of World Media International,
representative of RAI and ANTENNA in Australia, said, "We are delighted to
be a part of the New AUSTAR Digital service. There are many people in
regional Australia with an interest in Greek and Italian language and
culture, and our two channels will help them access those worlds regardless
of where they live."

RAI and Antenna will be available as part of the New AUSTAR Digital service
from October 1. To find out more, phone 132 432.

Loral's Powerful and Far-Reaching Telstar 18 Satellite Enters Full Commercial Service Over Asia

From Press Release (Slightly edited)

One of Asia's Most Advanced Satellites Will Provide a Host of Broadcast Video and Networking Services for Its Full 13-Year Design Life

NEW YORK, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Loral Space & Communications today announced that Telstar 18, a powerful and flexible satellite designed to provide communication services across Asia, has completed its in-orbit testing and is now fully operational.

"With Telstar 18 joining Telstar 10 over Asia, Loral now operates two of the most powerful and strategically placed satellites in that region," said Patrick Brant, president, Loral Skynet. "Telstar 18 covers a large area that stretches from Central Asia, through the Indian sub-continent, China, Korea, Japan, South East Asia, Australia and Hawaii. It offers our customers a strong footprint for intra-regional applications, as well as the ability to directly connect with the US."

Built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) and operated by Loral Skynet, Telstar 18 was launched June 28, 2004 aboard a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket. During the launch, the rocket's upper stage shut down early and placed the satellite in a lower than expected orbit. Engineers from SS/L, however, were able to raise the satellite to its proper orbital position at 138 degrees East longitude. The satellite still has sufficient on-board fuel to exceed its specified 13- year life.

Telstar 18's users include well-known regional video and data providers, such as Smart Digital Communications Bhd, of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and PSVN, Inc., which is based at the Hawaii Pacific Teleport. Loral's other satellite over Asia, Telstar 10/APSTAR-IIR, hosts one of the largest video communities in Asia at 76.5 degrees East longitude.

In addition to transmitting innovative new applications, cable programming and direct-to-home broadcasting services, Telstar 18 is scheduled to begin hosting Skynet's SkyReach(SM) two-way IP-based networking solution in 2005. SkyReach is already available and in use by customers throughout the Americas, allowing organizations to create an instant infrastructure using a VSAT network, connecting offices between cities or around the globe.

Telstar 18 carries a total of 54 active transponders, of which sixteen are high-power Ku-band transponders and thirty-eight are C-band transponders. In consideration for funding a portion of the satellite project's cost, APT Satellite Company Limited, Hong Kong, will initially use 68.5 percent of Telstar 18's transponder capacity for APSTAR-V services. The number of transponders used by APT will be reduced over time, ultimately to 54 percent of the satellite's capacity. For more information on APT, visit http://www.apstar.com.

Telstar 18 is a version of SS/L's space-proven 1300 satellite platform, which has an excellent record of reliable operation. The geostationary 1300 has a specified service life of 13 years and maintains station-keeping and orbital stability by using bipropellant propulsion and momentum-bias systems. In all, SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1,100 years of on-orbit service.

A pioneer in the satellite industry, Loral Skynet continues to deliver the superior service quality and range of satellite solutions that have made it an industry leader for more than 40 years. Through the broad coverage of the Telstar satellite fleet in combination with its hybrid VSAT/fiber global network infrastructure, Skynet is a source for all broadcast, data network, Internet access, IP and systems integration needs. Headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey, Loral Skynet is dedicated to providing secure, high-quality connectivity and communications. For more information, visit the Loral Skynet web site at http://www.loralskynet.com.

Space Systems/Loral is a premier designer, manufacturer, and integrator of powerful satellites and satellite systems. SS/L also provides a range of related services that include mission control operations and procurement of launch services. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company has an international base of commercial and government customers whose applications include broadband digital communications, direct-to-home broadcast, defense communications, environmental monitoring, and air traffic control. SS/L is ISO 9001:2000 certified. For more information, visit the Space Systems/Loral web site at http://www.ssloral.com.

Loral Skynet and Space Systems/Loral are both subsidiaries of Loral Space & Communications (OTC Bulletin Board: LRLSQ - News). For more information, visit the Loral Space & Communications web site at http://www.loral.com.

23/08/04

Fashion TV was seen on B3 Globecast earlier this afternoon loading as ETV

TVSN has left Sky NZ channel 45.
The Olympics page is looking pretty sad how about some reports? surely some FTA channels up in Asia are offering live FTA coverage?

All satellite pages have been updated

Cricket tonight on Insat 2E DD channel

Seen on the Forums

"OBAVE TAVAMO GLEDAOCE U AUSTRALIJI, AMERICI I KANADI DA JE BN TV POTPISALA UGOVOR SA NOVIM KOMPANIJAMA ZA DISTRIBUCIJU TV PROGRAMA. POCETAK EMITOVANJA OCEKUJE SE OKO 1. SEPTEMBRA. "

Roughly translated a new company signed contract to carry the "BN TV" signal from 1st of September.

Who are TV Plus PTY LTD ? supposedly to broadcast a Serbian channel September 1st onwards. Could it be the new Tarb's/UBI name?

Extracted from ASIC's database at 22:33:50 on 20/08/2004
Name TV PLUS INT PTY LTD
ACN 110 467 975

Type Australian Proprietary Company, Limited By Shares
Registration Date 11/08/2004
Next Review Date 11/08/2005
Status Registered
Locality of Registered Office Melbourne VIC 3000
Jurisdiction Australian Securities & Investments Commission

These are the documents that ASIC has most recently received from this organisation. Page numbers are shown if processing is complete and the document is available for purchase.

Date Number Pages Description
11/08/2004 020635863 8 201C Application For Registration as a Proprietary Company

END OF LIST

Also of interest

Extracted from ASIC's database at 22:42:30 on 20/08/2004
Name TV PLUS OPERATIONS COMPANY PTY LTD
ACN 110 294 294

Type Australian Proprietary Company, Limited By Shares
Registration Date 30/07/2004
Next Review Date 30/07/2005
Status Registered
Locality of Registered Office Melbourne VIC 3000
Jurisdiction Australian Securities & Investments Commission

These are the documents that ASIC has most recently received from this organisation. Page numbers are shown if processing is complete and the document is available for purchase.

Date Number Pages Description
30/07/2004 020635143 11 201C Application For Registration as a Proprietary Company

END OF LIST

Does anyone have any info on this?

From The Dish

From Steve Hume 22/08

Latest Telstar 18 scan

3590 V 37500
3665 H 3615 China Stockmarket TV
3670 H 3350
3760 H 24812
3786 H 4996
3866 H 4289 VSat01
3869 V 4996
3889 H 2222
4040 H 24812

Looks like 3889 and 3760 might have something interesting come up. Still
no loads/channels on the ones with no descriptions.

Also Bull Fights seen on

Telstar 18 - on VSat01 3886H 4289

From Stu Mcleod (NZ)

Hi Craig ,

You may have these details already , maybe not .

I realise some of the T18 stuff was listed before of the last few days , but I do find it frustrating when the FEC is not listed . So I went to the hassle and found these out for others who dont have Auto FEC .

Telstar 18 @ 138
Hz 3762 , 24797 , 7/8
Hz 3787 , 4998 , 2/3
Hz 3868 , 4289 , 3/4
Hz 3891 , 2222 , 3/4
Hz 3958 , 2498 . 2/3
Hz 4042 , 24797 , 7/8
Vt 3871 , 4998 , 1/2

AS-4 @ 122
Hz 3763 , 27715 , 7/8
Hz 4003 , 20000 , 1/2
Hz 4123 , 27495 , 3/4
Vt 3867 , 4298 , 3/4
Vt 4023 , 27495 , 3/4 - FTA + CA
Vt 4103 , 27495 , 3/4 FTA + CA
CAT has both Irdeto + NDS listed at present

regards
stu mcleod

From Mark Fahey

Yemen TV has joined the Arabs on Asiasat 3.
3880 H 25500 3/4

This time (unlike a few weeks ago) the service is actually Yemen TV.
Yemen Radio 1 & 2 have also joined the transponder.

Cheers,
Mark

From Joe

Cricket series live from Holland Live on DD Bangla
Insat 2E 3832 V sr 6250

(Craigs comment, another game on tonight with Australia playing)

From Dharmesh Bamrolia

Hear and Enjoy the Very Best Hindi Tunes only on SAHARA SWAR!!!

Please note everybody that SAHARA SWAR (4 radio channels)
is playing the very best in Hindi tunes on its one of radio channel
on Asisat 3S, on freq.4020 V and s.r.27250.

Hear and enjoy the very best tunes ever only on SAHARA SWAR.

From the Dish

Intelsat 701 180E 12691 H "Test cards" have started on , Fta, PIDs 517/645-519/647.Some of the test cards are now encrypted.
Intelsat 701 180E 12691 H "BBC World" has started on , Fta, PIDs 520/648. Mad TV and Mazzika are now fta.

Asiasat3 105.5E 3880 H "Yemen Satellite TV" has started on Fta PIDs 1121/1122.

NSS 6 95E 12647 V "AIR Vividh Bharati" has started on , Fta APID 701.

Telstar 10 76.5E 3760 H "Kanal 7" has started on , Fta, PIDs 258/514.

NEWS

Hezbollah TV channel still on air

From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10512629%255E7582,00.html

A HEZBOLLAH-BACKED television channel is still being broadcast across Australia almost 12 months after an investigation into allegations that it was raising funds for the banned terrorist organisation and inciting hatred of Jews.

The Australian Broadcasting Authority told The Weekend Australian last night that it did not know Al-Manar was continuing to be broadcast in Australia.

The nation's telecommunications watchdog also admitted that its investigation into the Lebanese channel had still not been completed.

A spokesman for the ABA said the investigations had been given a "lower priority" because the company that initially provided the channel -- TARBS TV -- had taken it off the air.

At the time it was removed, it was Australia's second-most popular Arabic pay-TV channel.

"We will consider what action, if any, should be taken now," the spokesman said.

The ABA requested tapes of Al-Manar broadcasts after advertisements were seen that urged viewers to make donations to help the Palestinian cause, giving a bank account believed to be linked to Hezbollah.

The Australian arm of French-based telecommunciations group GlobeCast TV has been broadcasting Al-Manar via the Optus B3 satellite.

A spokesman for its Australian operations said Al-Manar was carried as a part of a package for GlobeCast. Viewers need only buy a $595 satellite dish and the program is available free.

Al-Manar is the mouthpiece of Hezbollah -- or the Party of God -- an Islamic Shia group formed in Lebanon in the mid-80s to fight the Israeli occupation of Lebanon.

The federal Government proscribed the militant arm of Hezbollah last year, calling it a terrorist group under the nation's new counter-terrorism laws. Anyone found belonging to, training, funding or recruiting members for the group could be jailed for up to 25 years.

Hezbollah, which is also banned in Britain, Canada and the US, has been blamed for launching suicide attacks against Israelis and US and Western targets.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Jeremy Jones said it was "outrageous" that Al-Manar was still being broadcast.

Mr Jones said the Al-Manar screening last year of a mini-series called al-Shatat, about a Jewish conspiracy to rule the world, was "a clear breach of standards".

"The way they describe Jews is designed to incite racial hatred," he said.

Mr Jones said the broadcasting authority should take more responsibility and check on what programs were being shown. "You should not be doing any favours for people promoting hatred just because they use new technology."

But telecommunications experts told The Weekend Australian yesterday that even if GlobeCast were forced to remove Al-Manar from its free-to-air program packages, it would be impossible to stop people tuning into the program with their own satellite dishes.

The broadcasting authority spokesman said it had no jurisdiction over programs broadcast from outside Australia.

(Craigs comment, a $595 satellite dish? Certainly a controversial channel I would like to see Globecast ditch it for something in English that people may actually want to watch such as NASA TV. That would add far more value to what the offer via their platform. But read that last line again "The broadcasting authority spokesman said it had no jurisdiction over programs broadcast from outside Australia")

Hezbollah-Linked Network Ordered to Comply

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4439157,00.html

PARIS (AP) - France's highest administrative body on Friday ordered a Lebanese TV network linked to the anti-Israel group Hezbollah to adhere to broadcast regulations or face being banned from French airwaves.

The Council of State said a decision rests with France's media watchdog, the CSA, about whether to give Al-Manar network a license it needs to beam programs through a Paris-based satellite broadcaster.

The CSA had taken legal action to try to force Al-Manar to halt broadcasts through the satellite operator Eutelsat after Jewish groups complained the network had aired an anti-Semitic series.

The council decision means the door remains open for Al-Manar to show that it will follow French law. If the agency ultimately rejects the newtwork, Eutelsat will be forced to stop transmitting the network's programs.

The 29-part series, ``Al-Shatat,'' was produced in Syria and broadcast throughout the Middle East by Hezbollah. Based on ``The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,'' it depicts among other scenes the killing of a Christian child on the orders of a rabbi so the blood can be baked into matzos for Passover.

An Al-Manar lawyer on Thursday acknowledged the broadcast was unfortunate. ``Al-Manar broadcast a series that everyone recognizes was of an inadmissible nature,'' said attorney Denis Garreau.

But Lebanon's Foreign Ministry has defended the network, saying the station's programs condemn the policies of Israeli governments but are not racist or critical of Jews or their faith.

The United States lists Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, linked to Shiite militants who carried out suicide bombing attacks and kidnapped Americans in Lebanon in the 1980s

Sky NZ to start DVD service

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3586136&thesection=technology&thesubsection=general

Pay TV operator Sky has a $15-million-a-year business opportunity in its sights with plans to launch an internet-based DVD rental service that will compete with its own movie channels.

The venture, disclosed with the company's $35.3 million profit last week, is being set up to muscle in on the market occupied by rental chains such as Video Ezy, which are able to release movie titles before Sky gains access to them.

Sky's chief executive, John Fellet, said the service would allow Sky subscribers to pay a flat fee each month for which they would be sent a number of DVDs that they would return in a pre-paid envelope.

But a number of small companies have a head start on Sky. Auckland-based www.fatso.co.nz is already operating on the model Sky is pursuing.

Fatso's Robert Berman said there was a "definite window" of opportunity to reach the movie audience before Sky and it was only a matter of time before the pay TV operator moved in.

"I'm not surprised, there are other companies looking at this space as well," he said. Fatso offers an all-you-can-eat monthly DVD subscription for $40 and is starting an advertising campaign to attract subscribers.

Berman said Fatso would compete on quality of service.

Fellet said the economics of the movie industry meant the pay TV operators were unlikely to get to screen movies at the same time as the rental chains any time soon.

"The studios make so much money off the DVD segment that they don't want to destroy that market."

Sky made the bulk of its $441 million in revenue for the year to June 30 from pay TV subscriptions, but has been trying to open new revenue streams. It has dabbled in interactive TV services and introduced pay-on-demand movies, which contribute about $15 million a year revenue.

Fellet said the DVD rental business had the potential to deliver a similar amount. "It's less than 5 per cent of our revenue but that's not to say it isn't a nice healthy piece of business."

Fellet said: "Similar to pay-per-view, it will cannibalise our movie channel and it will cannibalise our pay-per-view a bit. But, at the end of the day, we think we have an advantage in that we know a great deal of people that like movies."

Macquarie analyst Stephen Freundlich said Sky was moving to counter the major disadvantage of playing second fiddle to the cinemas and rental chains in receiving content. "By the time they get it, they're third cab off the rank. Maybe they're trying to take one step back in that chain and catch some of that revenue a bit earlier."

Sky's move mirrors that of major media players who are attacking the market share of large rental chains such as BlockBuster.

"It's terribly ironic to me that with today's technology it's economically more feasible to mail you two DVDs than it is to download the movies," Fellet said. "It's like we're going backwards technology-wise but that's the way the economic model works right now."

Infrastructure players such as Telecom, a partner of Sky's, have talked about delivering movies over phone lines on a "video-on-demand" model. Fellet said the DVD mail-out service was a stop-gap until the market tipped in the favour of instant-access technologies such as video on demand.

(Craigs comment, It looks like Sky are trying to make up for having mediocre movie channels. So If you can't beat em join em.)

Sky audience jumps 9pc

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3585867

Ratings for subscriber network Sky Television have leaped at the expense of the major free-to-air channels, viewer figures released by ACNielsen reveal.

Channel share ratings for a variety of age groups in the Auckland region and nationally show the network's ratings have risen by up to 9 per cent in the past year, a huge leap for an industry that equates each point to about $6.5 million in earnings.

Figures for the 20-year-old to 54-year-old group in the Auckland region show the Sky channels attracted a daily average of 22 per cent of the viewing audience between January and July, the same as TV3.

The same results show a drop in channel share for the major free-to-air stations - TV1, TV2 and TV3 - of up to 6 per cent each for the same period compared with January to July last year.

Sky Television chief executive John Fellet said Sky's growth reflected international trends towards pay TV, but attributed most of the rise to the popularity of new services, the Disney and History channels and UKTV.

According to the network's annual report, released yesterday, Sky subscribers increased by almost 34,000 to 576,602 in the past 12 months.

About 85 per cent of Sky customers are residential digital subscribers.

Britain's BSkyB this month announced it had attracted 81,000 new subscribers to its base of 7.4 million between April and June.

Mr Fellet said more than 40 per cent of New Zealand homes now had either Sky's digital or UHF service and total subscriptions had been growing by an average of 2.5 per cent each year.

While pleased with the, he said it would not necessarily suck advertising revenue from thefree-to-air channels.

"We get less advertising than the number of eyeballs we attract should deserve, but people watching Sky don't want to be swamped with ads. So our ratings probably won't affect the other channels too much.

"We have a different focus - it's not better or worse than what they're doing, it's just different."

Mr Fellet predicted a 50 per cent increase in subscriptions over the next 10 years.

"Given our steady growth and looking at the United States where 80 per cent of homes have pay TV, I'd say we have a long way to go before we slow down."

Peter Myles, media director for advertising agency Colenso BBDO, said the growth of pay television in this country was expected, although Sky's recent success had taken many by surprise.

But improving ratings did not necessarily mean increasing advertising revenue.

"When you talk about Sky, you talk about a multitude of channels," he said. "So it's not so easy to buy a good spot for your ad.

"Do people stick around to watch the ads between the movies? I'm not so sure."

TVNZ spokeswoman Avon Adams suggested the figures reflected growing diversity within the industry.

Roger Beaumont, TV3's head of communications, said the channel was not concerned about Sky's performance - provided TV3 ratings remained strong in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic.

DD to telecast Videocon Cup cricket matches live

From http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IES20040820130815&Title=Sports&Topic=0&

NEW DELHI: Doordarshan will telecast live the ''Videocon Cup super challenge 2004'' to be played between India, Australia and Pakistan in Amsterdam in Holland from Saturday to August 28.

All the four matches will be telecast live on National channel (dd1) starting from Saturday? India-Pakistan tie from 1355 hrs IST to 2215 hrs (or till the end of the match).

India will take on Australia on August 23 while Pakistan will meet the world champions on August 25.

The finals will be played on August 28.

Edusat launch on September 20: ISRO

From http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/002200408220219.htm

Bangalore, Aug 22. (PTI): The launch of India's first education satellite Edusat is slated for September 20 on board the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from the spaceport of Sriharikota.

"The launch window will be open from September 20 to 30," Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation G Madhavan Nair told reporters after delivering the Prof Brahm Prakash Memorial Lecture here on Saturday.

ISRO officials said if everything goes well, Edusat would be launched on September 20 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), SHAR, Sriharikota, some 80 kms north of Chennai.

The Edusat programme, according to ISRO, is planned to provide a sustainable distance education service in India using advanced space and ground based technology.

The system is primarily meant for school, college and higher level education and would also support non-formal education, the Bangalore-headquartered space agency said.

Earlier, delivering the lecture on "India's advanced space missions - challenges in materials development" at the Indian Institute of Science here, Nair said: "ISRO hopes that Edusat will bring about a revolution in the field of education in the country in the coming years."

He spoke about the role of Edusat in the context of dearth of teachers in the country.

The spacecraft would have five spot beams in Ku band, one national beam each in Ku band and extended C band (six channels), the ISRO Chairman added.

22/08/04

No update Sunday

21/08/04

No update Saturday

20/08/04

End of a messy week sorry about the site going down due to a billing glitch. Yes the Bill was paid on time but a glitch saw them turn the connection off by mistake.
If you will scroll right down the page you will see daily updates for the days the server was offline I did the page as normal except I couldn't upload it!

Be sure to check out the news items from the last few days plenty of interesting items to read.

New Satellite coming Telkom 2 in December 2004 @ 118E

Fiji TV signal on 701 signal has gone off.

From my Emails & ICQ

From Andrew H

Telstar 18 Signal Report
Location: Port Vila - Vanuatu
Dish: Orbitron Mesh 3 Meter (the 3.7 seems to be stuck on Bluekiss, motor problems???)
Feed: el cheapo with Norsat 15deg lnb
Receiver: Fortec LTU

1/ 3869V 5000 s/r 90% Q
2/ 3591V 37501 s/r 60% Q
3/ 4041H 24803 s/r 75% Q
4/ 3896H 1520 s/r 60% Q
5/ 3890H 2223 s/r 75% Q
6/ 3867H 4290 s/r 60% Q
7/ 3786H 5000 s/r 15% Q dodgy but there
8/ 3665H 3617 s/r 77% Q

From the Dish


Tel18 138E 12400 V Sr 22425 New Service testing China beam?
Tel18 138E 12720 V sr 43000 New Service testing China beam?

NSS 5 177W New frequency and SR for the Best TV mux on tp 373A: 12691 V and 17600.Good TV and PTS have started on PIDs 101/268 and 800/801, fta.

Intelsat 804 174E 3873 R Occasional feeds on , West hemi beam.

Palapa C2 113E 3500 H "CNN International Asia Pacific" is now encrypted.

Telstar 10 76.5E 3760 H "BK TV Sat" has started on , FRta, SR 28066, PIPDs 257/513.

NEWS

Sky TV announces $35.3m year net profit

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3585647&thesection=business&thesubsection=media&thesecondsubsection=television

Sky Network TV today posted its first significant profit since its expansion into digital delivery of its pay TV was embarked on five years ago.

The company, which is 78.3 per cent owned by the Rupert Murdoch-controlled Indpendent Newspapers Ltd, posted a net profit of $35.3 million, against last year's $694,000 net profit.

Last night, INL announced a plan to merge with Sky by about the middle of next year.

The two listed companies announced after the sharemarket closed yesterday that they were in the early stages of merger discussions.

The merger would require various regulatory approvals, the approval of shareholders of both companies, and High Court approval.

INL chairman Ken Cowley said: "At this stage we anticipate that the proposal would not be put to shareholders until the first quarter of 2005."

The merger discussions come eight months after INL's failed takeover bid late last year for Sky.

INL lifted its stake to 78.3 per cent of Sky from 66 per cent but did not reach the 90 per cent needed to compulsorily buy the rest of the shares.

The offer price was too low for most shareholders except Telecom, which sold its 12 per cent stake in Sky to INL.

INL sold its New Zealand publishing business last year to John Fairfax Holdings for $1.18 billion. It returned $340 million to shareholders in April this year through a share buyback and now has its shareholding in Sky and $300 million in cash.

Sky chief executive John Fellet said the merger timetable envisaged completion in about 10 months from now.

INL and Sky said today that shareholders in both companies would receive shares and cash in a new company to be formed to acquire Sky and INL, Newco.

Newco would be renamed Sky Network Television, the same as the old company.

Mr Fellet said Sky's existing staff and management would continue to run Sky.

The details of payments to shareholders are vague at this stage.

Sky shareholders would receive one Newco share plus a cash payment for each Sky share, the companies said. INL shareholders would also receive Newco shares and a cash payment.

INL shareholders would be issued 78.3 per cent of the Newco shares on a pro rata basis reflecting INL's ownership of Sky.

Sky shares closed yesterday at $5.32 today, 5 cents up. INL shares closed at $4.73, 1c up.

Sky's revenue rose 12.6 per cent to $440.6m and earnings per share rose to 9 cps from 0.17 cps.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) increased 24.1 per cent to $187.2m.

"The 2003/4 results were in line with the guidance issued last year and were achieved by continuing improvements across several areas of the business including an increase in subscriber growth, as well as a decrease in operating expenses relative to revenue," Mr Fellet said.

He said subscriber numbers were at records and disconnections and churn rates (subscribers disonnecting at period intervals) at all-time lows.

The growth in viewing came from entertainment channels including recently added Disney Channel, The History Channel and UKTV. News and sports viewing was static.

Sky's subscriber base reached 576,602, a gain of 33,711 over the previous year. This breaks down into 478,080 residential digital subscribers (84 per cent), 91,286 residential UHF subscribers (16 per cent) and 7,236 commercial subscribers.

The gross churn rate fell from 17.6 per cent to 17.1 per cent

Sky and INL plan merger to simplify ownership

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

Media groups Sky Network Television and Independent Newspapers are considering a merger to rationalise the complicated ownership of the satellite broadcaster.

The deal will also allow Sky, due to disclose its full-year earnings today, to pay shareholders a greater share of its $100 million-plus annual cashflow.

Analysts expect annual profits to rise from $750,000 to about $34 million.

Sky Network shares closed yesterday up 5c at $5.32. INL was 1c up