30/12/04

The last update of the year tomorrow will include the annual Apsattv predictions for Next year.

The Thai TGN channel is running some sort of Telethon, Tsunami fundraising event

New website link for ANTV on Palapa C2
http://www.an.tv/

An Iranian channel coming to B3 Globecast?

From my Emails & ICQ

From Steve Hume

Tsunami feeds

WARNING!! Extremely graphic vision
The stuff they should air here on FTA to show the REAL story.

Telkom 1 4014H - Sr 6000

Steve Hume

From Jason WU

About NSS5 Ku

Dear Craig and all,

According MAC TV(Taiwan) official document,
MAC TV will leave B3, join Measat 2 Ku (11602H) for Oz viewers, and will be added to NSS5 "Best TV" mux for NZ on New year eve.
http://www.mactv.com.tw/images/n-94.doc

It mentions the polarization of 12691MHz is Horizonal, not Vertical as listed on Lyngsat!

This is why few months ago vk4bkp and I had received and confirmed the 12692MHz off NSS5 was Vertical in Australia and not the NZ beam overspill of the BEST TV, I had suggested some information of the Best TV was wrong at that time, you could check vk4's and my previous posts for the details.

BTW, Cricket feed on Asiasat 4 C-band few days ago
3966 V, SR6111, FEC 3/4
Channel name loaded as "CRICKET AUST V PAK"

It should be uplinked from Australia.

Hope we find more SNG next year!

Cheers,
Happy new year!
Jason Wu

From Adhoc

Fiji Mux off I701

4055 L 16500
All Free to air:

ABC Asia Pacific Vpid 516 Apid 690
CNN Internation Vpid 517 Apid 700
Discovery Channel Australia Vpid 518 Apid 710
Fiji 1 Vpid 512 Apid 650
TCM/Cartoon Network Vpid 514 Apid 670

From the Dish

Intelsat 701 180E 4055 L "ABC Asia Pacific and CNN International Asia Pacific" have started on , Fta, PIDs 516/690 and 517/700.

Telstar 18 138E 12302 V "ETTV News, CTI TV News, ETTV News S, ETTV Variety, CTI TV Comprehensive" and CTI TV Entertainment on are now encrypted.

Telstar 18 138E 12425 V "Super X and Rainbow Channel" are Fta.

Telkom 1 108E 4097 H New FEC and PIDs for SCTV Jawatimur and JTV on : 3/4 and 308/256.

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3880 H "Sana'a Radio and Aden Radio" have started on , Fta, APIDs 2612 and 2712.

ST 1 88E 3582 H All channels in the TBL TV mux are Fta.Fashion TV Hong Kong & Asia has replaced TBL Movies Asia on PIDs 513/514. Star Sports Asia has replaced TBL Sport 3 on PIDs 545/546.TBL Movies Western has left, replaced by an info card. Home TV has replaced TBL Xxx on PIDs 593/594, clear.

ChinaStar 1 87.5E 3848 V "GreatSports Channel" is encrypted again.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H A Thaicom test card has started on , Fta, PIDs 522/750.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H "LoveWorld" has started on , Fta, PIDs 4002/4003.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3640 H "MRTV 3" has left , replaced by an info card.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3671 H "BlueKiss and BlueKiss Express" have started on , enc., PIDs 769/770 and 781/782. New PIDs for KurdSat: 7002/7003.

Telstar 10 76.5E 3760 H "Pink Plus" has left .

NEWS

Action urged on privacy breaches

From http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Action-urged-on-privacy-breaches/2004/12/29/1103996612012.html?oneclick=true

The federal privacy commissioner has been urged to take tougher action against companies that breach privacy laws after pay-TV operator Foxtel released a customer's silent number to a telemarketing company.

Josephine Wadlow-Evans, of Sydney, was incensed to receive a call from a telemarketer earlier this month asking for her by name.

When Ms Wadlow-Evans demanded to know how the company had obtained her number, she was told: "Foxtel sold it to us."

Ms Wadlow-Evans had signed a document marked "s/l" for silent line when she paid to receive Foxtel's service.

Ms Wadlow-Evans said that when she rang to complain, Foxtel admitted her details had been released to marketing companies, and said it would contact these companies to remove her number from their files.

A Foxtel spokeswoman said that: "Due to human error the customer's original opt-out request was not recorded. Foxtel regrets the mistake and acted to correct the error as soon as it was notified."

But Foxtel's director of corporate affairs, Mark Furness, said the information could not have been sold because its privacy policy states: "Foxtel will not sell, rent or trade your personal information."

"We don't sell customer information to unrelated businesses to promote products unrelated to Foxtel," he said.

However, the policy also says that Foxtel's owners, Telstra, News Corp and PBL, "may use this information to provide promotional and marketing information".

Telstra subsidiary Sensis offers services to telemarketers. PBL has an interest in the data warehouse, Acxiom.

David Vaile, executive director of the Baker & McKenzie Cyberspace Law Centre at the University of NSW, said the privacy policy was only "lip service" if there was "internal trafficking in data" between the companies, and Foxtel had no control over how it was ultimately used.

He said the Privacy Act contained broad principles for companies to abide by, but many were burying in their fine print details of how consumers could opt out of having their data passed on.

Telstra confirmed it had access to the Foxtel database but said: "Telstra does not sell any of that information to third parties." News Corp said it had not accessed the Foxtel subscriber list. Neither had PBL.

The Telecommunications Ombudsman received 131 complaints this year about silent numbers being disclosed.

Comdek buys Hobart satellite ISP

From http://www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNCID=34&CIaNID=17420

Perth voice and data provider Comdek has agreed to buy Tasmanian satellite broadband provider eSat for a consideration of 5.3 million shares and 6.7 million convertible notes.

Comdek and Hobart-based eSat Communications signed a sale of business agreement on Christmas Eve, Comdek said in a statement released to the ASX.

The listed Perth company has agreed to pay a consideration of 6.7 million convertible notes at a deemed price of 16.64 cents each and 5.3 million shares for eSat, subject to shareholder approval and customer acquisition targets.

Haydn Collins, managing director at Comdek, said the deal would allow Comdek to deliver satellite voice and data services to regional Australia with the equipment at the user end.

“That was previously too expensive for the individual user to be practical, provided or subsidised by the Federal Government,” Collins said.

Also, eSat must issue five million shares at a price of 12 cents each, with the aim of raising $600,000 in working capital by 31 January.

Comdek was expected to inherit eSat’s accreditation under the Federal Government’s $107.8 million HiBIS scheme as part of the deal.

“eSat arranged for a $250,000 marketing fund that had been partly used to begin marketing the HiBIS products,” Comdek said. “The remainder of the marketing fund will be transferred to Comdek.”

HiBIS offers registered internet service providers incentive payments to supply higher bandwidth services to regional, rural and remote areas at prices comparable to similar metropolitan services.

“The eSat business has been trading for some time but only achieved HiBIS accreditation in the last few months,” Comdek said.

eSat had been marketing HiBIS-registered products in the last two months and had signed up some 260 new customers by Christmas, the company said.

Two eSat directors would be nominated to the Comdek board at an upcoming annual general meeting, Comdek said.

Comdek has been around for some 20 years. It specialised in data reticulation services and began operating as an ISP in 1999, the company said.

Taiwan's space programme offers tsunami satellite images to aid relief

From http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/041229100745.vs4szz6r.html

Taiwan's national space programme offered Wednesday its satellite images of the damage caused by powerful tsunamis that ravaged Asia at the weekend to affected countries and aid groups for free.

The National Space Programme Office (NSPO) normally charges 3,000 euros (4,080 dollars) for each photograph covering an area of 600 square kilometres (240 square miles), the office said.

The images would be provided free of charge to affected countries and had been posted on NSPO's website, programme head Lance Wu said.

Its images of badly hit Puhket island in Thailand and Indonesia's Banda Aceh were probably among the first taken of the huge waves that killed thousands of people on Sunday, it said.

Some had been immediately sent to foreign ministries and research centers in countries with which Taiwan had diplomatic contact.

But Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, only has diplomatic ties with 26 countries, the majority of the world's nations choosing to recognise Beijing instead.

"The problem is that all those countries do not maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan," Wu said.

"We are not sure which countries and which responsible units would need these satellite images," he said, explaining the decision to post the pictures on the www.nspo.org.tw website.

The Taiwan's FORMOSAT-2 satellite would continue taking images for another week of seriously damaged areas including the west coast of Thailand, Sumatra of Indonesia, the east coast of India, Sri Lanka and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

"Hopefully the free photos would help those countries hit by the tsunamis make a precise analysis while launching various rescue and rehabilitation programmes," NSPO official Liu Yung-nien said.

ISRO comes to the global doorstep

From http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld/storypage.php?hpFlag=Y&chklogin=N&autono=176797&leftnm=lmnu9&leftindx=9&lselect=0

In 2004 the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) stepped out into the world and took steps to engage it. This marks a watershed in the life of an organisation that has had to rely on its own devices.

During the year, India hosted a high profile conference in Bangalore on Indo-US civilian space co-operation, attended by top NASA officials and a host of US aerospace companies. ISRO is looking at innovative ways to engage multinational aerospace firms like Boeing, to take its own growth to the next level.

ISRO announced at the conference that it had awarded a contract to US-based Raytheon to supply major subsystems for an ambitious satellite-based augmented navigation network, GAGAN. Boeing circulated a press note saying it had US government approval to talk to ISRO on finding common ground.

Experts studying the impact of US strategic and the closely-linked trade policies, however, point out that not much has changed on the ground.

This is despite Kenneth Juster, a US undersecretary in the department of commerce, telling the conference that over 90 per cent of export licence applications were either cleared or didn’t need licences. Export of technologies needed by ISRO continue to be stringently monitored by the US state department.

Licences continue to be denied most of the time. Plus, in the run up to the US presidential elections, ISRO saw little change in the policy of disallowing exports of technologies from US-based firms which could speed up ISRO’s programmes.

US exports of high technology to ISRO or related ‘entities’ was only at some $57 million last year. G Madhavan Nair, ISRO’s chairman has gone on record saying it could be tripled or more.

Some think tanks explain this caution by pointing to the use of an ISRO-developed engine in the country’s ballistic missile, Agni, or even the organisation’s capability to provide satellite imagery with a one-metre resolution for border security.

ISRO officials say these were no more than spin-off applications and never at the heart of their strongly civilian mandate. Nair was being both pragmatic and elliptically eloquent when he suggested at the conference that “perhaps it will take some time for mutual trust to develop”.

Engines for ballistic missiles apart, the year also showed how tightly protected the third party satellite launch services market is.

ISRO has launched four small satellites, including a Korean and a German payload. Three more such satellites will be launched in late 2005 or early 2006, onboard ISRO’s polar satellite launch vehicles, for Singapore, Europe and Indonesia.

But, a cartel, including American and European private launch vehicle companies, backed by their respective governments, will not allow parties with commercial satellites that are significant for other satellite based downstream businesses to seek ISRO’s services.

“The September 11 attacks on the US made matters worse,” a senior ISRO official said. “There was already overcapacity in the launch vehicle market and the reduction in the number of satellites launched post-9/11 didn’t help,” an official said.

Having thrived on being stonewalled by the West, ISRO is looking at alternatives.

The Next Steps initiative on co-operation in high technology areas, started by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and American President George Bush is part of the effort to remove political roadblocks in the way of ISRO’s commercial ventures.

At the same time, outsourcing, which Indian IT has shown works for American firms, is being explored as a possibility in space as well.

“We have perfected and standardised the two-tonne class satellite’s platform,” says a senior ISRO official, “which can be customised to go with any payload.”

The platform typically comprises 60 per cent of the weight of a satellite and supports the payload, which forms the actual mission of a satellite. “There are very few manufacturers who have a proven platform with a space heritage.”

So, US firms are being offered the attractive option of having ISRO build platforms very cost effectively for payloads of their choice. This could open up a new revenue stream for ISRO’s marketing arm, Antrix, which last year did sales of nearly Rs 300 crore.

As part of the process of becoming bigger, ISRO has been raising its engagement with private companies to make parts for satellites, rockets and even rocket fuel for its missions.

“Today we have a robust network of private companies who supply products and services. Up to 70 per cent of the value of any given project is accounted for by our private sector partners,” ISRO officials say.

The year saw ISRO get a more public image, not the least because its first inter-planetary mission, the Chandrayaan moon mission, got the nod from the Centre.

A second launchpad at Sriharikota reached near operational stage and ISRO publicised plans to build an entirely new two-and-a-half stage launch vehicle that would give it the capability to put satellites weighing four tonnes in geo-transfer orbits. Christened the GSLV Mark III, would be built over the next four years.

ISRO is working on two other projects. One is the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment and air breathing engines. The latter, involving what are called scramjet engines, has perhaps a time frame of 20 years for its development.

The idea was to make launches cheaper by getting at least a part of the rocket to get its oxygen from the atmosphere instead of carrying it along in liquid form. Presently experiments are at very initial stages, ISRO says, though it has conducted some tests on the ground.

29/12/04

Our thoughts are with all Apsattv readers throughout Asia who have may have been affected by the recent Tsunami disaster. I hope you and your Familys are all safe and well.

Steve Hume would like to advise that he is available to do any uplinking or camera work anywhere throughout Asia. He has a full news kit.camera, tripod, lights, mic, .Eng Kit you can contact him on +61 438779265

Pas 212411v sr 2500 fec 1/2 signal is back
nothing loading, data? My nokias pidfinder says something on pid 0365?

From my Emails & ICQ

From Steve Hume

Asiasat 2 FTA Feeds, Tuesday afternoon
4105V-6111 TV (EBU-REUT-COLOMBO)

4083V-6664 PHUKET_U19 (4.2.2)
3687V-5632 PTV-DSNG (Cricket)

3713H-4166 /MHz, PAL, 2 Audio (International feeds - APTN)

Steve Hume

From http://www.aus-city.com/

Dear Customers

TV+ are proud to announce the recent signing of further Balkan channels

BHTV1 of Bosnia

http://www.pbsbih.ba/BH_TV_1/
http://www.pbsbih.ba/

&

NTV Hayat of Bosnia
http://www.ntvhayat.com/home/

Many more channels are in the final stages of being finalized and TV+ will advise accordingly.

PINK PLUS has also signed exclusive with TV PLUS

We regret effective immediately the PINK PLUS signal has been switched of on the UBI Optus B3 platform and all prospective viewers will need to switch their dishes to Panamsat PAS8.

TV+ expects to launch these channels late Jan early Feb on PAS8.
For further information please contact TV PLUS on 1800 888 088

(Craigs comment, that leaves UBI'S Serbian/Bosnian Package in tatters)

From Sky_satt (NZ)

Pas2 ku feed

Channel ID was: TVBS SNG02

Freq: 12378V, S/R - 4284
PIDS: VPid - 308, APid - 256, Pid - 8190

had been showing funeral/memorial service:
received off 1.1m on maxplus Sig strength 75%, quality 52%

Cheers
sky_satt

(Craigs comment, I caught this on my 76cm as well , quite unusual to see feeds on Pas 2 KU Australasia beam)

From Jeff

Darts

If you really like your sports i've seen "Darts championships" from Sky Sports UK on Pas 10
4064 Horizontal SR 19850 FEC 7/8 free to air....
SVR2 is the channel id...
Sunday night at 9:30 Perth time....

From the Dish

Telstar 18 138E 12302 V "ETTV News" is fta again.
Telstar 18 138E 12425 V "Dsky promo" has started on , Fta, PIDs 4902/4903.
Telstar 18 138E All channels on 12425 V are now encrypted.
Telstar 18 138E 12425 V "Novel Channel has replaced Star Winged" on , Viaccess, PIDs 2502/2503.

Apstar 1A 134E 3952 V "ToonMax TV" has started on , Fta, SR 4420, FEC 3/4, PIDs 5606/56

Worldsat 1 108.8E 12411 V "YTN has started on" , Fta, SR 4440, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1110/1211, NE Asian beam.
Worldsat 1 108.8E 12427 V "MBC (south korea)" is on , Fta, SR 4440, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1110/1211.

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3669 V "BlueKiss, BlueKiss Express, Trace TV and the BlueKiss promo" have left .
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3760 H "BlueKiss (enc.) and a BlueKiss promo" (Fta) have started on ,PIDs 769/770 and 781/782.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 4046 V "Tianjin People's Radio and Tianjin Bibhai Radio" have started on , Fta, APID 44.

AsiaSat 3 105.5E 12660 V Beijing People's Radio, Shanxi People's Radio, Hebei People's Radio, Hebei Music Radio, Hebei Economic Radio, Hebei Life Radio, Hebei Traffic Radio and Hebei Entertainment Radio have started on , Fta, APIDs 256, 266 and 710-713.

NSS 6 95E 11457 H The New Skies promo has left .
NSS 6 95E 11685 H "PlanetSky has replaced AMS" on , SR 13331, FEC 7/8, Middle East beam.
NSS 6 95E 12535 V "Jeevan TV" is encrypted again.

Yamal 201 90E 4084 R "Radio Orfey" has started on , Fta, APID 4153.
Yamal 201 90E 4084 R "Radio Mayak" has started on , Fta, APID 4112.

ST 1 88E 3632 V "Novel Channel has replaced Star Winged" on , Viaccess, PIDs 1585/1569.

ST 1 88E 12722 H "MAC TV" has started on , Fta, SR 3074, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1860/1820.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3512 V "Tara" has started on , Fta, SR 4040, PIDs 1160/1120.

Telstar 10 76.5E 12734 V "CSN" has left .

NEWS

Broadcasters Struggle to Make Sense of a Disaster

From http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/28/arts/television/28tape.html

An earthquake that sent walls of water tumbling inland through South and Southeast Asia left television news networks sifting through thousands of images sent from around the region as they struggled to make sense of the largest earthquake in 40 years.

The massive scope of the disaster touched on more than six different countries, many of which have the kind of technological infrastructure that allowed vivid imagery to be transmitted before the dimensions of the disaster were actually known.

Video compression technology, fed by digital cameras and enabled by satellite and videophones, along with laptops with uplink capabilities, meant that people all over the world saw the deadly aftermath of the earthquake just hours after it ended. And by yesterday morning, real-time video footage of the tidal wave striking the shores, much of it taken by tourists on or near the beaches in Thailand began showing up on network broadcasts.

Because of the ubiquity of the footage, there was little competition for good pictures, with the television operations of both Reuters and The Associated Press finding themselves awash in video feeds from the region.

"Like many natural disasters, there was not anything live actually to begin with," said Sandy MacIntyre, director of news at APTN, the video arm of The Associated Press in London. "But now, a day after, some of the most vivid images, the ones of the waves hitting the beaches, were filmed by the people most affected."

Still, Mr. MacIntyre said, "this has been one of the most geographically and logistically challenging stories to cover in a generation because of the sheer scale of it." He added, "When I was woken and told of what happened, I got the atlas open and I looked at the mass of the Indian Ocean rim and realized what a big story we were looking at."

Robert Muir, the acting news editor of Reuters Television in Washington, said there had been no scarcity of video imagery. "It is not as if there was a single plane crash where someone had exclusive footage," he said. "This was happening many places at once, and we found many people who were willing to part with video just so the story could be told."

It is a far cry from the 1988 earthquake in northern Armenia where tens of thousands of people also died; it took more than two days for images of the devastation to emerge.

Bill Wheatley, vice president of NBC News, said that at that time the network had to charter a 300-seat Soviet aircraft because it was the only one available to get images of the Armenian disaster back to Moscow so they could be transmitted.

"It's amazing how much things have changed," he said. "We now have the ability to feed our pictures from virtually anywhere. In fact, the ability to feed pictures sometimes outpaces the ability to get extensive editorial information to go with them, although in the instance of this story, the pictures almost speak for themselves."

Yesterday the airwaves were full of pictures of the aftermath, but stringers in the area are now finding bystanders who shot video of the disaster and lived to tell the tale.

"We knew right away that we needed to get to the beaches of Thailand because that's where the tourists were," said Chuck Lustig, director of foreign news for ABC, who immediately dispatched the network's Hong Kong correspondent to the Thailand.

John Paxson, London bureau chief of CBS News, sent two crews, one from Beijing and one from Tokyo, as soon as he got word of the disaster.

"One of our producers sat down and began looking at the many, many images from so many different places and said, 'I don't know where to start,' " Mr. Paxson said. "This isn't a race for pictures, this is an attempt to tell a massive story."

As recently as 1998, when there was a huge tsunami that landed on the coast of Papua New Guinea, the networks found themselves scrambling to get pictures out of the disaster area, in part because the wave landed in a technologically underdeveloped place.

"We didn't get pictures from that until days later, because it was such a primitive area," said David Rhodes, director of news gathering at Fox News in New York. "This has been nothing like that. There is a lot to work with and a lot to try and make sense of."

Bob Calo, an associate professor at the graduate school of journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, said that there had been something of a reversal in the news-gathering process. "If you think back, news gatherers would get the story and then commission a photographer to go and get the pictures," he said. "Now we have flipped it around to where reporters are chasing the pictures, trying to create some context for what viewers are seeing."

Mr. Paxson of CBS said that it was axiomatic that most of the coverage was coming from areas that had been hit the least hard.

"The story now moves to what happened in places that are more remote and less connected, places like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands," he said. "No one really knows what we are going to find out there."

ISRO saw the killer wave but chose to remain silent

From http://www.indiadaily.com/breaking_news/18590.asp

A day after the killer tsunami cut a swathe of destruction on the country's eastern seaboard, questions have been raised over whether the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) could have done more to alert the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the nodal agency for issuing weather alerts, and perhaps save hundreds of lives. Though ISRO's weather satellites could not have imaged the tsunami's early phases, they must have recorded the later surface manifestations and could have alerted the nation, at least in time before the powerful waves struck the Indian coast. Did our satellite system image the tsunami? ISRO officials here took a defensive posture by evading this crucial question. But according to a scientist who spoke on condition of anonymity, ``Our satellite system is capable of imaging a tsunami as it becomes manifest on the ocean surface, though not at its origin.'''' Many space scientists believe that there could have been some ``harbinger'''' indications of the tsunami. Tsunamis, caused by seabed disturbances, initially travel like undercurrents, making it difficult for satellite imaging in their early phases. But as the undercurrent approaches shallower regions, the waves appear on the surface, satellite images of which, had they reached the IMD, could have generated an alert at least an hour before the disaster struck the coastline. IMD officials in the City pointed out that though ISRO satellites generate real-time images, the Department's central office in Delhi depends entirely on the space agency for timely access to this data. ``The Meteosat - Kalpana, which was launched in 2003 - and Insat-3A are the satellites which are deployed for meteorological applications. We normally receive, via IMD Delhi, real-time data on cyclones, low pressure areas and cloud storms. The IMD centres in the country can only forward the prediction and forecast received from Delhi,'''' explained the Director of IMD Bangalore, Dr. Anand Koppar. Another expert rued the lack of a definitive technology to predict earthquakes. ``Such cases involve displacement of thousands of people at a short notice. We cannot evacuate people based on a forecast that is not 100 percent reliable.'''' he said.

ISRO sends communication equipment to islands

From http://www.keralaonline.com/technews.asp?folder=Tech&file=8_750.xml

India's space agency Tuesday airlifted crucial communication equipment to the Andaman and Nicobar islands, which were battered by Sunday's tsunami.

A top Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official said that satellite based-communication terminals would help revive tele-medicine facility in the Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal.

"We are dispatching VSATs (very small aperture terminals) along with diesel generators to Car Nicobar island via Port Blair," the official told IANS.

"In addition, INSAT-based multiple satellite service terminals and Inmarsat-based satellite phones are being sent to Port Blair for deployment in far-flung areas of the islands devastated by the tsunami," he said.

The satellite terminals and phones will help agencies to coordinate rescue and relief operations in areas that have been cut off from Port Blair and the mainland.

Of the eight VSATs ISRO had set up in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, four were damaged by the tsunamis, a train of giant waves caused by undersea disturbances.

"Even the tele-medicine facility set up at Port Blair and Car Nicobar for real-time tele-consultation with specialist doctors was damaged in the deluge," the official said.

A fresh set of equipment is being deployed at the facility to enable local doctors to communicate with specialty hospitals like Apollo at Chennai and Amritha Institute of Medical Sciences at Kochi, which are in the ISRO tele-medicine network.

ISRO scientists are analysing images of tsunami-hit areas beamed by the Indian Remote Sensing satellite "Resourcesat-1" that passed over Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry Monday.

"The pictorial data acquired from its spectral cameras is being analysed to assess the damage caused by the storm," he said.

"The National Remote Space Agency (NRSA) of Hyderabad is conducting an aerial survey of the southern coastal areas to assess devastation caused by the tsunami."

Co-founder plans to prove 320,000 shares in EMTV

From http://www.thenational.com.pg/1228/nation1.htm

PETER Sam, a co-founder of Media Niugini Limited (trading as EMTV), is contemplating a legal challenge to prove that he may still be a 25% shareholder of Papua New Guinean’s only television company.

Mr Sam’s intending court challenge comes 14 years after current owner, PBL Pacific Television Pty Ltd, bought out his 25% shares and his partner Alun Beck’s other 25% shareholding in Media Niugini, although they were not altogether in agreement for selling.

The court challenge by Mr Sam also follows PBL’s announcement last week that it was selling its 100% shares of Media Niugini to Fiji TV after operating EMTV for the past 17 years.

Mr Sam wrote to Media Niugini board of directors last week highlighting this and expressing concern that PBL has now decided to sell its shares in this company to foreign interest.

Mr Sam, a corporate lawyer by profession who has not been practising for some time, said yesterday that Media Niugini and PBL may have erred in law in two instances during the tenure of their television licence.

He said in his letter to the directors that when Media Niugini started television broadcasting, the shareholders were PBL Pacific Television (50% or 640,000 A class shares of K1 each), Alun Beck (25% or 320,000 class B shares of K1 each) and he, Peter Sam (25% or 320,000 B class shares of K1 each). At that time, the government body which controlled foreign investment in PNG, National Investment and Development Authority (now renamed Investment Promotion Authority of PNG), imposed an important restriction – that within a 17-year period 25% of the shareholding in Media Niugini must always be owned by a PNG citizen or citizens.

PBL could not, in other words, own 100% shareholding in Media Niugini Limited until after expiry of the 17-year limitation, Mr Sam said in his letter, adding that the limitation expired last month.

He said that if that restriction was applied to the letter, he saw no reason why he should not be still be 25% shareholder, or Alun Beck for that matter since he was a naturalised citizen.

Mr Sam said the other matter that should be tested in court is whether section 69, chapter 146, of the Companies Act as it applied then was breached in the purchase of his and Alun Beck’s shares.

This section means that Media Niugini was prohibited from buying its own shares. It also prohibited Media Niugini giving loans to anyone, including PBL, for purpose of buying shares from Media Niugini Limited.

“The purchase of Alun Beck’s shares and my shares in Media Niugini, being purchased in contravention of section 69 of Companies Act, was in fact null and void and is of no legal consequence whatsoever,” said Mr Sam.

He said this, however, meant the only obligation he and Mr Beck had now was to repay what Media Niugini had paid them purportedly for the purchase of their shares – K250,000 for Mr Beck and his K98,000.

Media Niugini Limited could not be contacted on Friday to verify that it had received Mr Sam’s letter to its board of directors.

Same old news for NPC viewers

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3139154a1823,00.html

Sky Television has retained total control of how much top rugby Kiwis see free-to-air for the next six years.

News Corporation, Sanzar's partners in the new $US323m broadcasting deal and the majority owner of Sky, resisted NZRU overtures to remove the NPC from the new deal and at least ensure an improved free-to-air profile for the competition.

The NZRU was unable to force the issue due to the strong renewal rights in the original 10-year deal with News but has moved to break the NPC out of the Sanzar package when the new agreement expires in 2010.

Sky retains absolute control over how many games it on-sells to free-to-air networks, and the length of the delayed telecast window for All Blacks tests.

TVNZ, TV3 and Prime had hoped the NZRU would at least break the NPC out of the Sanzar package so free-to-air networks could negotiate directly with the union instead of Sky. Sky CEO John Fellet confirmed that free-to-air coverage will remain largely the same.

NZRU boss Chris Moller acknowledged this, saying: "It's News' responsibility to sell to broadcasters in the market and will probably be Sky's decision as to where they sell the free-to-air rights and how much the game is delayed on free-to-air.

"We work in partnership with Sky and News but at the end of the day they are the ones who paid $US323m to us and therefore they have the right to call the shots."

Moller confirmed that the NPC will be totally controlled by the NZRU at the end of the new five-year deal.

"All of the (NPC) rights, including the ability to sell that competition, will be controlled solely by the NZRU rather than Sanzar."

"We believe it's an anomaly in the Sanzar package because all the other games are played between nations. It's a very positive step because it means we manage our own competition and broadcasting rights. It gives us a big incentive to make that competition as good as it's been for its 30-year history."

"This agreement creates a pathway to be able to take full ownership and control of the NPC. This is a halfway house to start stepping through the process to return the ownership to the only party involved.

"We will then have the opportunity to sell those rights as we see fit. They may be sold to Sky or another party. We will have that choice."

Meanwhile, Fellet is confident the new deal will translate into more viewers for Sky. Top players now had the financial security and incentives to stay here and that would maintain the integrity of the TV product.

He supported Moller's rejection of claims that too much rugby is killing interest. Figures were up for Super 12 and the Tri Nations.

"You can always niggle for less money (for TV rights) but if the product goes downhill with players going overseas to play or changing to another code, then that doesn't help me," Fellet said.

Frankly speaking

From http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=13722

AND what does the all-seeing seer, to wit, the old Magic Mirror on the wall, predict for 2005?

First, remember that this is Rotfi, where the impossible happens just naturally and all things are and anything is possible.

Many Rotfians will be awaiting the long advented advent of Sky Pacific, the oft-heralded extension of the offerings of Fiji Television.

It was actually launched last week, Fiji TV has admitted with sheepish pride, and is being seen everywhere in the Pacific but naturally not in Rotfi owing to a little balls-up of the dishes needed to haul shows into to one's TV set from somewhere in space still being somewhere far out at sea.

What the cost of the dishes will be I know not, although I seem to remember hearing a figure of around 500 bucks floating about.

What channels (said to be 10) will be on offer one can only deduce from flashes of CNN and Turner Home Reruns flashed now and then on the free channel in between the long processions of advertisements that make Fiji TV so tedious to watch. Are there Rotfians who have the impression that the Government's suddenly announced TV policy is shaped to afford the Yasana Holdings majority-owned TV company as much protection as possible even as the Government declares its intention, yet again, to encourage competition in all sectors of Rotfi's stressed economy as long as some particular sectors aren't actually exposed to it?

In Papua New Guinea, where Fiji TV is taking over the only local outfit, EMTV, the nation's lucky TV audience can tune into 30 or more other channels relayed into the country by semi-pirate and not so pirate outfits.

Papua New Guineans are thus not chained to EMTV the way Rotfi's less fortunate inhabitants have been shackled to Fiji TV, thus giving it an enslaved audience to present to advertisers.

Despite the competition EMTV has survived mainly by dint of showing as few local programmes as possible, thus saving cost.

From what I've seen of EMTV its local program content is actually less than Fiji TV's fabled 30 per cent claimed for it free channel.

That 30 per cent is a figure I can't figure out how they figured it out, not frontwards, backwards, sidewards or jumping and downwards.

A Fiji TV bloke invited me to come along and have the formula explained in simple slow English for idiot infidel unbelievers.

I declined, preferring to bath happily in the pleasure of my own prejudice and probably saved his job by doing so.

Announcing the EMTV takeover, and good luck with it, Fiji TV declared that it would be sensitive to PNG's cultural whatevers.

That set me wondering whether I had heard that right.

There's precious little PNG culture on EMTV.

I see the PNG station quite often, briefly, before, flicking through all those other non-EMTV channels to find something of interest.

Culture?

Well, at on Fiji TV, they've just resorted to the resurrection of what must be the earliest Xena - Warrior Queen and her dim-witted blonde bimbo series again as a prelude to Shortland Street. Culture?

What a combination. All last week they seemed to be running rerun after rerun of Alien as a change from those imbecilic Police Academy series.

Ah, well, such is life as Ned Kelly remarked just before abruptly departing from it.

Now, about the rest of 2005.

What awaits 860,000 unsuspecting Rotfians?

Boom or Bust? Magically uninterrupted water and electricity supplies?

That's too much to hope for.

Civil service efficiency and COLA restraint? Again, too much to hope for. Salvation for Sugar? That's a lot to hope for. Frankly, maybe everything's just best left to Frank.

Russia launches two satellites

From http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1597417&PageNum=0

MOSCOW, December 24 (Itar-Tass) - Russia launched two Russian-Ukrainian Earth probing satellites from the Plesetsk cosmodrome at 14:20, Moscow time, on Friday.

The Sich-1M satellite and KS5MF2 mini-satellite were sent into preset orbits at 15:02, Moscow time, by the Tsiklon-3 booster.

The height of the space vehicles' circular orbits is 650 kilometers. They are controlled by Russia's Mission Control Center.

After meeting the calculated orbit parameters, and establishing two-way communication, the satellites will be handed over to the customer - Ukraine's National Space Agency.

The Sich-1M and the KS5MF2 were developed by the Yuzhnoye State Design Bureau based in the town of Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, in cooperation with Russian partners.

Russian-launched satellite misses its mark

From http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=qw1104048365170B262

Moscow - A Russian-Ukrainian Earth survey satellite launched on Friday has failed to reach its planned orbit, the Interfax news agency said on Sunday.

It was not immediately clear whether the orbit reached by the Sich-1M satellite, launched from the Plessetsk space centre in northern Russia, would allow it to carry out its mission, or whether it would be possible to correct the orbit.

The satellite was launched along with a smaller Ukrainian-built craft aboard a Russian Tsiklon-3 rocket. Both satellites are designed to map the earth's surface in all weather conditions, and to provide navigational services for ships. - Sapa-AFP

NDTV business channel launching 10 January; Profit likely name

From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/dec/dec219.htm

MUMBAI: 'Profit' is the name the Prannoy Roy promoted New Delhi Television Ltd has "almost" finalised for its proposed 24-hour business channel. And barring any last minute hitch, the channel will start beaming into Indian homes from 10 January 2005.

If not 10 January, then the 17th is when Profit will have its formal launch, broadcast industry sources tell indiantelevision.com. The company is toying with the idea of including the NDTV brand name with the name Profit for the channel.

The overall head of the channel would be Vikram Chandra who currently doubles up as CEO NDTV Convergence, besides being the senior editor of NDTV. Other editorial people who would form the core team would include the present NDTV business editor Shivnath Thukral, Ashu Dutt and Manvi.

The channel has come up with a swanky new studio in its Delhi office and has also hired several professionals. A point of note is that NDTV is not looking at overtly leveraging the existing infrastructure and manpower of the two existing channels NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India for the new business channel.

A decision seems likely that the proposed business channel would be a pay channel. "On the programming part, NDTV will have everything that such existing channels have and more," an industry source familiar with the developments says.

The programmes will also have an international component, including live feeds from the US and the Europe. Apart from hardcore news bulletins and business related affairs, the channel would also have lifestyle programmes aimed at appealing to the audience which would include anyone and everyone over 18. There would be a significant but short element of news all the time on the channel.

Looking at the feel and look of the present NDTV channel, the aim of the business channel would be to have a world class product run but the cost of production operations will be kept tight under control.

As already reported by indiantelevision.com, NDTV has already secured permission from the government for uplink of the channel from India. The permission came through on 14 December.

The NDTV board had approved launch of a separate business news channel in May. The company had made an application to the information and broadcasting ministry for uplinking permission for the same in September.

The fight for the business news channel has begun, it seems. The Raghav Bahl-promoted Television Eighteen Ltd (TV-18) is pressing ahead to meet a new deadline for launching a Hindi business news channel by next month, while Zee Business, was launched on 30 November

DTH: Will it turn into another flop show?

From http://financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=77975

The future of DTH in India hinges on regulatory norms and govt vision, reports Nivedita Mookerji

Will direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting take off in India? Four years after the government allowed it, there are no clear answers to that question yet. Industry insiders and domain experts argue that DTH could have a bright future in India, only if....

• “Anybody who can afford to pay will take DTH, if he gets value,” points out media lawyer Tamali Sengupta.

• “The future of DTH is good, if it is successfully implemented. Latent demand and pricing of the service will hold the key,” indicates Madison India general manager Basab Datta.

• “DTH would take off, if there’s exclusivity,” stresses media expert Sunil Kumar.

Regulatory norms, foreign investment restrictions and sectoral cap are being cited as the biggest roadblocks. While the recently announced ‘must provide’ norms are being termed a hindrance, the 20% FDI limit has been bit of a dampener too for DTH players. So is the 20% sectoral cap for broadcasters. Also, even as DTH is usually not a market for multiple players, India is witnessing a contrary trend, which could be a setback for the industry in the longer run, according to industry pundits.

While Zee chairman Subhash Chandra-promoted ASC Enterprises launched Dish TV end of 2003, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati kicked off its DTH venture recently. A third player, Space TV (a 80:20 joint venture between Tata Sons and Rupert Murdoch’s Star), is awaiting government clearance.

Apart from the multiple-player phenomenon, India is home to yet another peculiar model. It is perhaps the only market with a free DTH platform. Prasar Bharati’s DTH platform carries only free-to-air private channels, in addition to Doordarshan content. But, asks media expert Sunil Kumar: “Is Prasar Bharati DTH going to remain free forever? What’s the agreement with the consumers?”

According to Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma, the modalities will be reviewed after one year. And that includes a decision on keeping the service free or making it pay.

As for numbers, Prasar Bharati is learnt to have sold 5-6 lakh set-top boxes already for its DTH. ASC’s Dish TV is said to have crossed the magic figure of 1 million customer base. But critics argue that thousands of customers have been given set-top boxes free of cost to popularise the service. But doling out free boxes is quite a norm, when it’s DTH. UK’s BSkyB, for instance, had distributed free boxes at the time of launching its satellite service there. For the India market, Space TV is understood to be planning a similar rollout strategy.

Whatever the rollout model, content drives the DTH platform, says Ms Sengupta. In some developed markets, sports, movies and adult content are considered the backbone for direct-to-home or pay TV, as the case may be.

Consider the content on offer. Dish TV gives its consumers a mix of Hindi, English and regional channels of various genres. But, none of the channels from Star and Sony are on the Dish platform yet. Therefore, Dish TV may not be an attractive option for a consumer, if there’s more choice in the market, argues an industry insider. Meanwhile, both Star and Sony officials cite piracy issues as the reason for not joining Dish.

As for Prasar Bharati’s DD Plus, it has a mix of DD channels and a few free-to-air private channels (news and entertainment) — a total of 31 channels so far. This too is not seen as a hot offering for the city types, who have access to cable TV. But like Prasar Bharati’s Mr Sarma had said, “it’s a revolution” for those with don’t receive any cable TV signal. Currently, both Dish TV and DD Plus are targeting people in remote areas.

However, it may be a different game altogether once the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) norm on ‘must provide’ comes into force. As per the ‘must provide’ provision, no broadcaster can deny content to any distribution platform. While most in the industry are protesting against the order, Trai chairman Pradip Baijal insists the norm is consumer-friendly and that there’s no room for exclusivity.

But says Ms Sengupta that TRAI’s ‘must provide’ clause is likely to be a transitional thing.

As for cost, DTH is considered an elite option. But the cost goes up only with exclusive and premier content along with value-added services.

DTH is all about reaching TV homes directly without any intermediary like a cablewallah.

25/12/04 - 28/12/04

Apsattv break

24/12/04

APSATTV wishes all readers a safe and happy Christmas, The site will next be updated on Wednesday 29th of December. Keep the emails and reports coming in they will be compiled for Wednesdays update.

A reminder for those going away on Holiday. The Apsattv mailing list post can be zapped into a single email per day. By selecting DAILY DIGEST in your yahoogroups options.

Those of you on BIGPOND the Apsattv mailing list is blocked for some reason.

Cricket VB series to be on FIJI 1??

From my Emails & ICQ

All quiet

From the Dish

Telstar 18 138E The I-Sky-Net muxes have left 3460 V and 3660 V.

Telstar 18 138E 12302 V "ETTV News" is now encrypted.

Apstar 1A 134E 4160 H All channels in the CCTV mux are now encrypted, except CCTV Kids.

JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "CTV has replaced PTS" on , Fta, PIDs 1200/1201.

Worldsat 1 108.8E 12411 V "JBS 1 TV and JBS 2 TV" have started on , Fta, PIDs 4194/4195 and 4625/4626. CMC TV has left.

Telkom 1 108E 4097 H "Radio Suara" has started on , Fta, APID 257.

Telstar 10 76.5E 3880 H "Toon Disney India" on , PIDs 2660/2620, is now encrypted.

NEWS

Evangelists convert to pay-TV

From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11771933%255E7582,00.html

AS Christians prepare to celebrate Christmas, a growing number of religious broadcasters are preparing to preach the yuletide message.

In the past month, Australian Christian Channel has launched on metropolitan pay-TV service Foxtel Digital and regional pay-TV services Austar and TransACT. And Christian radio group United Christian Broadcasters spent $115,000 on a further 17 narrowcast radio licences to take its total to about 250 services across rural Australia.

UCB, which gains funding for each licence from the local communities, has grown quickly after beginning with just seven radio services five years ago. ACC general manager Neil Elliott says the evangelical-style pay-TV channel caters for an increasing demand.

"About 60 per cent of Australians believe in God and about 2 million go to church every weekend. But until now there has been no Christian presence to represent them in the TV media and that's what we aim to do," he says.

The channel, which broadcasts 24 hours a day, features a similar program line-up to most TV channels, with religious-flavoured children's programs in the afternoon, followed by programs targeted at the older audience and youth-styled programs in the early evening.

Mr Elliott said ACC was a not-for-profit group that got most of its funding from business supporters, but hoped to start selling advertising soon.

ACC began on the Optus pay-TV service five years ago, and Mr Elliott said 15-20 per cent of its programming was produced in Australia, with a number of churches filming their services.

"But they are now breaking into the second generation of programs and are starting to do chat shows and documentaries," he said.

For example, a Melbourne group is currently filming a pilot for an Oprah-style Christian chat show called Christie B.

UCB chief operations officer Andrew Pitchford said its signal was broadcast from Brisbane and sent via satellite to rural regions across Australia. About 65 per cent of the music is categorised as "contemporary Christian" and the remainder is a combination of news and other programming.

"It's focusing on Christian family values but it's not church-on-air," he said. "We don't want to have an electronic church, but the radio is there to help them with their faith the rest of Sunday through to the next Saturday."

The latest auction of narrowcast licences, which require broadcasts to niche audiences, was the first in two years.

The increase in Christian media services mirrors the success of the Christian-style political party, Family First. Both ACC and UCB said they had no direct affiliation with Family First.

Eutelsat, Multichoice Deal to Boost Dvb - in Sub-Sahara

From http://allafrica.com/stories/200412230080.html

MULTI-MILLION Naira deal, recently sealed between European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (EutelSAT) and MultiChoice Africa, is expected to boost the deployment and usage of Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) technology in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

DVB is an industry-led consortium of over 260 broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators, software developers and regulators committed to designing slot standards for global delivery of digital television series and data services, in over 35 countries.

EutelSAT, a global leader in satellite operations, made the disclosure at the weekend, following the conclusion of a new agreement with MultiChoice Africa.

MultiChoice, a South African-based Digital Satellite Television (DStv), pioneering pay-TV in the continent, has continued to spread its network around Africa, including Nigeria.

Confirming this deal, the Public Relations Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Fayose, said that the arrangement is to boost the operations of the company through DVB, which would extend to Nigeria.

Although the exact cost of the deal was undisclosed, a press statement from EutelSAT office in Paris and made available to Champion Infotel, said that the agreement is for satellite capacity which would enable MultiChoice to expand its pay-TV offering in Sub-Sahara.

The statement pointed out that through the capacity selected in 2000 by MultiChoice Africa on W4, the leading pay-TV operator has built a subscriber base of over 170,000 homes which could receive over 50 television and 30 radio programmes catering for English, Portuguese, Indian and French-speaking communities.

In order to support the continued expansion of DStv, Eutelsat reconfigured its Siberia Europe Satellite (SESAT 1) satellite, which is co-positioned with W4, so that subscribers could receive additional services through the same antenna.

W4 is a real time system for tracking people and their body parts in monochromatic imagery. It constructs dynamic models of people's movements to answer questions about what they are doing, where and when they act. It also constructs appearance models of the people it tracks so that it could track people (who?) through occlusion events in the imagery, which are described as computational models.

EUTELSAT pointed out that MultiChoice Africa has taken a lease of two transponders on SESAT 1 in order to offer up to 36 television channels in French and Portuguese targeting, in particular, Angola, Mozambique and French-speaking countries in Central, East and West Africa.

The new capacity joins the seven transponders already operated by MultiChoice Africa on Eutelsat's W4 satellite, ensuring that DStv remains the leading provider of digital television services to Africa.

Eutelsat's Commercial Director, Mr. Olivier Milliès-Lacroix, said "We are delighted to further cement our relationship with MultiChoice Africa and to be supporting their expansion through new capacity over Sub-Saharan Africa where DStv has built a loyal and growing subscriber base".

By reconfiguring SESAT 1, he said, Eutelsat is demonstrating its high levels of in-orbit flexibility and its commitment to meeting individual customer needs.

For the chief executive of MultiChoice Africa, Mr. Ian Tennant, over the last 10 years, his firm, has experienced steady growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.

"We are pleased to be extending our association with Eutelsat with the SESAT 1 satellite which will provide additional satellite capacity to our ever-growing DStv needs, specifically in the Portuguese and French markets in Africa. We are additionally planning to include a number of commercial free-to-air channels from East and West Africa to the DStv services to strengthen the local feel of the DStv bouquet in these regions" he asserted.

I&B ministry seeks clarifications on financing & management control from Space TV

From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/dec/dec218.htm

NEW DELHI: The government today refused to be cowed down by strident questions relating to the Tata-Star DTH joint venture and hinted that procedures were followed in the case of Dish TV, 20 per cent owned by Zee Telefilms, too.

Replying to a written question on whether the government is still examining Space TV's (the JV's proposed brand name for a DTH service) application even after accepting Rs. 100 million as a precursor to the licence, information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy said that certain clarifications had been sought from the joint venture.

"Space TV has been asked to provide certain clarifications about project financing and nature of management control to ensure conformity to DTH guidelines," Reddy said in a written reply in lower house on the last day of the winter session of Parliament today.

However, the minister clarified to another part of the same question, asked by Congress MP Avtar Singh Bhadana, that licence was granted to the Subhash Chandra-controlled ASC Enterprise "after detailed examinations" of its application.

"The ministry granted licence to ASC Enterprise Ltd also after detailed examination of their application, in accordance with DTH guidelines, including sources of funding, foreign investments, shareholders agreements, etc," Reddy informed parliamentarians, trying to make it clear Space TV was not being handed step-motherly treatment.

23/12/04

Fiji TV mux was off air lastnight but has returned this afternoon.

They are still in a "test period" so don't panic if things change. Try a manual save using Steve Humes settings

138E Cskynet gone? both transponder appear to have left Cband?

Cricket ODI India vs Bangladesh look for it on Insat2e

From my Emails & ICQ

From Steve Hume

Encryption on 701

Can I make a suggestion on 701. So far, I have not seen any channel
encrypted on the Fiji MUX. A simple delete all and reload has always
remedied the problem. OR, do what I've now done. A full manual load.

Channel 1 VID 512 AUD 650 PCR 128
Channel 2 VID 513 AUD 660 PCR 129
Channel 3 VID 514 AUD 670 PCR 130
Channel 4 VID 515 AUD 680 PCR 131
Channel 5 VID 516 AUD 690 PCR 132
Channel 6 VID 517 AUD 700 PCR 133
Channel 7 VID 518 AUD 710 PCR 134
Channel 8 VID 519 AUD 720 PCR 135
Channel 9 VID 520 AUD 730 PCR 136

This will save the reload.

Just a thought guys.

Steve Hume

From Pabitra (NZ)

Hi Everyone

Fiji Mux is back now. I am getting 76% Quality and 86% signal using 1.8 solid dish In Palmerston North. NZ. But Sky Ent and E1 channels are encrypted currently.

Pabitra.

From the Dish

Intelsat 701 180E 12648 H "Nickelodeon New Zealand" has started on , MDS, PIDs 516/644.
Intelsat 701 180E 12648 H "New Channel 1, PPV Channel and Radio 16 NTC" have started on , MDS, PIDs 517/645, 524/652 and 661.

Asiasat 3 105.5E 4066V sr 4420 (check here for new Chinese services)

NSS 6 95E 11457 H "A New Skies promo" has started on , Fta, SR 4340, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4194/4195, Middle East beam.
NSS 6 95.5E 12535 V "Jeevan TV" is now Fta.

Yamal 201 90E 4084 R "Several updates in the Netservice mux" .

Telstar 10 76.5E 3780 V "Almajd Space Channel" is now encrypted.

PAS 10 68.5E 3774 H "Hum TV" has started regular transmissions on , Fta, SR 3300, FEC 2/3, PIDs 300/310.

Intelsat 602 has left 50.5 East, moving east.

NEWS

Rugby deal boosts SkyTV

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/manawatustandard/0,2106,3137005a6410,00.html

SkyTV's increasingly lucrative access to rugby broadcasting rights has been virtually guaranteed for at least five more years, removing any doubts about its core programming and pushing its shares to a record high.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, which owns a controlling stake in SkyTV, agreed yesterday to pay $US323 million ($NZ460 million) for the rights to broadcast rugby matches played in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

SkyTV is expected to win the sub-licence to broadcast live Tri-Nations, Super 14 and NPC games in New Zealand when negotiations start in the new year. SkyTV has the ability to "trump" any other bidder with a "last right" option to make the final bid in any auction.

It also has the financial power to outbid any rival, given it is generating revenues of close to $500 million a year, based largely on the exclusive rugby programmes at the heart of its schedules.

If, as expected, it wins the sub-licence, SkyTV would then negotiate with a free-to-air broadcaster over the delayed telecast rights, which are currently owned by CanWest Mediaworks' TV3.

Analysts and investors welcomed the news of News Corp winning the rugby rights. SkyTV shares rose five cents to a record-high $6 a share, giving it a market capitalisation of $2.3 billion.

The shares have almost doubled in the past two years as the satellite network started making substantial profits, ending years of losses while it invested heavily building its network and subscriber base to nearly 600,000.

"Now SkyTV can go ahead with its pipeline of programming secured," said Macquarie Equities analyst Stephen Freundlich. "It was critical that they achieved this good result, and they have."

CanWest MediaWorks also welcomed the win for News Ltd.

"The fact that News has secured the ongoing rights is a positive from our point of view," said chief executive Brent Impey, adding that TV3 had not lodged any separate bid for the rights.

"We've had a long-standing positive relationship with SkyTV," he said.

But TV3's access to the free-to-air delayed broadcast rights to Tri-Nations matches is not guaranteed. SkyTV is expected to have an open auction for them once it has secured its own broadcast rights.

The aggressive expansion of Prime Television into current affairs programmes with the poaching of Paul Holmes from TVNZ signals a shift in the landscape.

As does the appointment of New Zealand-born Sam Chisholm as Prime chairman on Tuesday. Mr Chisholm was the executive close to Rupert Murdoch who created the BSkyB juggernaut in Britain. It revolutionised the sports industry when it created the football Premier League to launch its pay television programmes.

Free TV coverage uncertain

From

THE future of free-to-air television coverage for the expanded Super 14 competition remains unclear, despite a $US323 million ($430m) five-year deal for the broadcast rights to major rugby union matches signed by The News Corporation Limited yesterday.

The rights, signed with the South African, New Zealand and Australian (SANZAR) rugby unions, will start from 2006 and take News Ltd into its second decade of rugby broadcasting as its $US555m 10-year deal ends.

"This agreement secures the future for rugby in Australia both at an elite level and a grassroots level," Australian Rugby Union chief executive Gary Flowers said.

But he dodged questions on whether the Super 14, which will include a new team based in Perth and another in South Africa from 2006, will be guaranteed free-to-air coverage, indicating it was a matter for News (publisher of The Australian.

The media giant will separately sell free-to-air rights, believed to be worth $25-30 million.

Simon Francis, spokesman for the Seven Network, holders of rugby union rights until the end of next year, said Super 12 was not a free-to-air product.

"There are strict broadcasting restrictions around the games," Francis said. "They cannot be broadcast on free-to-air until at least 1½ hours after being shown on pay-TV.

"You are damned if you do and damned if you don't, but people want to see sport live."

News is expected to begin negotiations early next year.

Francis said the Seven Network, which has broadcast rugby for 10 years, is interested in retaining the rights.

"But the challenge for any sports code is increasing," Francis said.

"The fact that the rights for AFL and NRL are also up for renegotiation next year added a new twist to the equation."

The new deal between News Ltd and SANZAR will include the rights to all Super 14 matches and the expanded Tri-Nations Tests between the three countries, as well as the rights to all other internationals played by the three countries on their home soil.

Broadcast rights contribute about 40 per cent of the ARU annual budget and the new deal is an increase of about 25 per cent per year on existing arrangements, Flowers said.

Australia's Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) chief executive Tony Dempsey hinted at a push by players for more money.

"Whenever the size of the pie goes up, the players' share of that pie goes up as well," Dempsey said.

"This is only good for the players. They're happy with it as it gives them peace of mind knowing the game's secure going forward."

Dempsey said that with the addition of a fourth team in Australia (Perth) in the expanded Super 14, more players would have to share the pie.

He said they would also have "a slightly higher workload" in terms of playing more matches.

For pay-TV in Australia, Fox Sports - a joint venture between News and the Kerry Packer-controlled Publishing and Broadcasting Limited - will take up the rights for replays of the Wallabies' Tests as well as the rights for either exclusive live or delayed coverage of all Super 14 matches.

Fox Sports will also broadcast matches and the other internationals played in the SANZAR countries involving New Zealand and South Africa.

The new deal will also cover the Currie Cup in South Africa and New Zealand's National Provincial Championship and Ranfurly Shield.

The news comes as Australia's two other main football codes, Australian football and rugby league, begin considering the future of their broadcast rights.

The AFL's five-year deal with Foxtel, and the Nine and Ten free-to-air networks and Telstra expires in December 2006, but the group is understood to be keen to have the issue finalised by the end of 2005.

The NRL is in a similar situation with its pay-TV rights also expiring in 2006.

Both codes are likely to start preparations for new broadcast tenders early in the new year. Hanging over the next round of negotiations for the AFL and NRL will be the landmark court case brought by the Seven Network against News, PBL and 20 other media and communications companies.

Due to start in Sydney's Federal Court next year, Seven is accusing the case's defendants of conspiring to force the closure of its C7 pay-TV sports channel. Seven is seeking $480 million in damages.

Two Way TV debuts in line with IPO price

From http://afr.com/articles/2004/12/23/1103391874930.html

Shares in Two Way TV Australia debuted on the Australian Stock Exchange on Thursday at $1 each, in line with the interactive television content company's initial public offer price.

Under the offer, Two Way TV raised $40 million through the sale of shares at $1 each.

The stock remained stalled at $1 and had not traded either side of that figure by 1115 AEDT.

Two Way TV produces interactive content, such as games, for digital television subscribers.

It already provides games channels to pay TV group Foxtel and regional pay TV company Austar.

It has also developed its own proprietary interactive racing application that will potentially allow punters at home in New South Wales to place bets with a licensed State Totalisator.

Managing director Jim McKay has said the funds will be used to expand its operations in Australia, as capital for a planned expansion into Asia and to complete the interface of the racing application with betting management systems.

Two Way TV produced revenue of $239,229 in 2003 and made a net loss of $1.78 million.

The company lists television industry supremo Sam Chisholm as its top shareholder with 12.6 million shares comprising 13.99 per cent of the 58.2 million of stock on issue.

Mr Chisholm's holding is subject to voluntary escrow arrangements.

Mr Chisholm, a former chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's Sky Broadcasting in the UK, was this week named chairman of Prime Television's operations in New Zealand.

He is also chairman of Foxtel and a director of Kerry Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd.

Delta comes a cropper

From http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,11762674%255E663,00.html

THE maiden flight of Boeing's new Delta 4 heavy-lift rocket stranded a dummy satellite in the wrong orbit yesterday when the booster's first stage failed to perform as expected.

The giant 23-storey rocket rumbled off Cape Canaveral's seaside launch pad 37B and began a spectacular climb through clear blue skies.

About six hours later, however, US Air Force officials confirmed the mission fell short of delivering its 6.7 tonne payload into the proper orbit 35,400km above Earth.

For unknown reasons, Delta 4's first stage did not reach the right altitude during its 5 1/2 minute burn. To compensate, the rocket's second stage burned longer than planned. That left the second stage without enough fuel when it restarted to insert the satellite into its final orbit.

"The first stage burned a little shorter than we expected," Boeing spokesman Robert Villanueva said. "The second stage burned a little longer to make up for it."

The US Air Force financed the $184.43 million mission to demonstrate that the Delta 4 Heavy was ready to fly national security missions for the US government.

Any long-term impact on the program is likely to depend on what caused the first stage's poor performance. The Delta 4 Heavy is expected to replace the ageing Titan 4 as the primary means of launching the largest US military satellites to orbit.

The Titan 4's final two flights are scheduled for next year.

NASA Updates TV Coverage of Christmas Delivery to Space Station

From http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=15770

NASA TV will broadcast live the arrival of the next Russian Progress cargo spacecraft at the International Space Station. The Progress is scheduled to dock at about 6:31 p.m. EST, Dec. 25. NASA TV coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. EST.

The Progress is carrying approximately 5,000 pounds of cargo for Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov. This is the 16th Progress to dock with the Station. The supplies include food, fuel, spare equipment and Christmas gifts. Chiao and Sharipov have been aboard the Station since mid-October.

The NASA Johnson Space Center Newsroom will be open on Christmas during the live coverage of the Progress arrival. The Progress is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 5:19 p.m. EST tomorrow. There will be no television coverage of the launch, but a status report will be issued once the Progress reaches orbit.

Intelsat Ltd. Receives Federal Communications Commission Approval for Zeus Transaction

From Press Release (Edited)

PEMBROKE, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 22, 2004--Intelsat today announced that it has received the necessary regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to proceed with the proposed purchase of Intelsat, Ltd. by Zeus Holdings Ltd.

Shareholder approval of the proposed acquisition was received earlier this year.

Cabinet approves cost of GSAT-5/INSAT-4D Spacecraft Project

From http://www.webindia123.com/news/m_details.asp?newscode=86251&catcode=ENG3&subcatcode=

New Delhi, Dec 22 The Union Cabinet today approved undertaking of the GSAT-5/INSAT-4D Spacecraft Project at total cost of Rs 123.75 crore, with a foreign exchange component of Rs 83.25 crore.

The launch of the high power INSAT-4D/GSAT-5 satellite with 24 C-band transponders - 12 with India coverage and 12 with expanded coverages will enhance the capacity in the INSAT System in C-Band considerably, providing much needed back-up to the present C-band capacity.

This satellite will provide C-band transponders available from foreign satellites systems in the Indian Ocean Region. This will help telecom and TV operators to use the Indian National Satellite System.

The realisation schedule of GSAT-5/INSAT-4D spacecraft is a total of 18 months from the date of commencement.

Cabinet nod for new satellite spacecraft

From http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13635048

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday approved Rs 123.75 crore for a new spacecraft project, which will help telecom and broadcasting companies to use national satellite system for their operations.

The cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave its approval for undertaking the new project, GSAT-5/INSAT-4D, at a total cost of Rs 123.75 crore with a foreign exchange component of Rs 83.25 crore, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"This will help telecom and TV operators use the Indian National Satellite System," the official said, adding the project would come up within 18 months from the date of commencement.

Kerala HC directs ESS to share feed with DD

From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/dec/dec206.htm

MUMBAI: In a ruling on similar lines to one laid down earlier this year by the Supreme Court in the Ten Sports Vs Doordarshan case, the Kerala High Court today directed the national broadcaster to telecast the one-day cricket series between India and Bangladesh beginning at Chittagong tomorrow.

The two-judge division bench division bench of Chief Justice B Subhashan Reddy and Justice Kurian Joseph, in an interim order also directed exclusive telecast rights holder ESPN Star Sports to share revenues at the ratio of 80:20, subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Supreme Court in pending cases.

The Bench also made it clear that Doordarshan should exhibit the logo of ESPN and advertisements which ESPN has committed for the one-day series.

Reacting to the developments, ESPN Software India managing director RC Venkateish said the sports broadcaster was "aggrieved by the high court order". "We will be moving an application in the Supreme Court challenging the ruling either later this evening or tomorrow morning," Venkateish added.

On Monday, ESPN said it holds exclusive right to telecast the India-Bangladesh cricket series and was not willing to share its revenue with Doordarshan for telecasting the three one-dayers, the first of which starts in Chittagong on 23 December.

Senior advocate Rakesh Munchal, representing ESPN, had submitted before the Kerala High Court, that ESS was "not agreeable to revenue sharing". ESPN would suffer a "huge financial loss" if asked to share its revenue with Doordarshan in the ratio of 80:20, Munchal had submitted.

In a ruling made in March during the historic India-Pakistan series, the Supreme Court had directed Ten Sports to make available its signal to DD. The apex court clarified in its order that Ten's signal should be relayed by DD as is - complete with logo and all the advertising that the Dubai-based sports broadcaster had secured.

Ten had moved the SC in February after a Chennai high court ruled in favour of DD. The apex court, in an interim order in March on the eve of the first one-dayer between India and Pakistan, had directed that DD should relay Ten signals.

The court had also asked DD to deposit Rs 500 million with it as surety towards compensation payable, if any, to Ten Sports in regard to the dispute.

Kerala ; India to launch ASTROSAT to study galaxies, black holes

From

Kerala News, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Even as the country's eyes are fixed on the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) prestigeous moon mission, the space agency is simultaneously working on another ambitious project to launch a special satellite, 'ASTROSAT', to study the various objects in space such as galaxies and black holes.

Talking to mediapersons here last evening on the sidelines of the 15th annual conference of the Kerala Academy of Sciences, ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said the government had already approved the project and the design work had started on ASTROSAT.

The mission is scheduled for launch in 2007-08, around the same time as Chandrayan-1, the moon mission.

Explaining the 'ASTROSAT' objectives, Mr Madhavan Nair said the satellite, weighing about 1.5 tonnes and orbiting around the Earth, would act as an observatory about 600 to 700 km above the atmosphere.

Stating that galaxies, stars and black holes emitted radiation in various spectral bands, Mr Nair said the satellite would be able to detect these, undisturbed by Earth's atmosphere.

The mission would help the space scientists in the country to understand the various phenomenon related to the birth and death of stars and black holes.

22/12/04

Sorry about the late update (Blame Christmas shopping)

Bluekiss on Asiasat 3 is shifting transponders. The change to a transponder using a Fec of 7/8 may cause problems for those using a just barely big enough dish for this service.

Now you know why TRACE TV has moved to Asiasat 2

Thaicom 3 signals up and down again? power problems again

Another pic of the Atom, for those asking about connections at the back.

From my Emails & ICQ

From James Sugiharto

If you're watching Bluekiss TV across Asia on Asiasat 3s, we are moving on
the 24/12/04 at 12:00 GMT to new reception parameters on AsiaSat3s@105.5E

That's this Friday so don't forget to change the details on your receiver
box or you will miss all the action.

The new details are:
AsiaSat3s@105.5E
Transponder: 4H
Frequency: 3760
Polarization: Horizontal
Symbol Rate: 26Msps
FEC: 7/8

We sincerely regret that we have also had to remove Bluekiss Express from
the Asiasat line up as a result of pressure from our Satellite provider who
has in turn received letters of complaint from a number of regulatory
authorities in countries within the footprint of our Satellite.

Please contact your local distributor or email info@bluekiss.tv,including
your card number for more information and possible extension of your monthly
subscription.

Despite the 'toning down' of some of the content we are committed to
ensuring that Bluekiss remains the leading Adult entertainment broadcaster
in the region. To this end we shall be showing the best in the latest
productions from the USA, All New Live shows from Europe, AVN winner of the
'best production company', Michael Ninn films, Naked News daily and some
award winning European films including a new series direct from
France-Charmed.

Bluekiss TV, still serving up the hottest dish across Asia.

For further information please visit http://www.bluekiss.info/ -
http://www.bluekiss.info/ or email info@bluekiss.tv

From Jason Wu

Dear all,

Current (8am, melbourne time) I701 C-band Fiji mux channels line-up

Fiji one V512/A650
SKY Ent V513/A660
TCM/TOON V514/A670
MTV/Nick V515/A680
ABC AP V516/A690
CNN V517/A700

All 6 channels are in clear.

Cheers,
Jason Wu

From JJ

That receiver you published the picture of the other day. Can we see a shot of the insides?

(Craigs comment, Here ya go sorry its not to sharp I'm not to sure on how to use the macro feature of the camera)

From the Dish


Intelsat 701 180E 4055 L "ABC Asia Pacific and Discovery Channel Australia" have started on FTA, PIDs 516/690 and 518/710.

Telstar 18 138E 12425V sr 30000 Fec 5/6 "Dskynet" (China beam.for our readers in Asia)

ChinaStar 1 87.5E 3848 V "GreatSports Channel" is now Fta.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H The Shin promos have left , replaced by test cards.

LMI 1 75E 12608 H New SR for the ABS-CBN mux on : 20000.

PAS 4 72E 3857 V New SR for SkyVision on : 40000.
PAS 4 72E 11575 H "Jaya TV" has left .

NEWS

ISRO broadcast extends to Asia-Pac region

From http://sify.com/finance/equity/fullstory.php?id=13634430

Bangalore: The Indian Space Research Organisation and Malaysian counterpart MEASAT Global Bhd have decided to form a 50:50 joint venture to promote their satellite capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region, the ISRO said on Tuesday.

An agreement signed in New Delhi to this effect paves the way for ISRO to extend the commercial reach of its broadcast and telecom satellites, the Insats, to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia that have a high density of such users.

MEASAT also signed a letter of intent with Antrix to procure a new satellite from ISRO for launch during the first quarter of 2007. To be called MEASAT-4, the satellite will provide additional Ku-band capacity for the MEASAT fleet. Detailed discussions on technical and commercial issues are at an advanced stage, ISRO said.

The tie-up will use the MEASAT's new KL Teleport and Broadcast Centre and also explore the feasibility of developing a world-class customer teleport in India.

The agreement on the tie-up was signed on Monday between ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corporation and MEASAT in the presence of Dr Manmohan Singh and the visiting Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahamad Badawi. The move will develop a "satellite neighbourhood for millions of broadcasting and telecommunications customers across the wider Asia-Pacific region," the release said.

The joint company, yet to be registered and mostly to be in Bangalore, is expected to promote ISRO's satellite-building expertise. It will tap MEASAT's considerable commercial presence in the region to initially market Insat transponder capacity in the APAC region that covers 70 per cent of the global population. The eventual purpose is to jointly build and internationally market satellites using ISRO's expertise, officials told Business Line.

Both agencies operate high-powered fleets of satellites for broadcast and telecom customers. They would pool capacities from their neighbouring satellites to provide C-band and DTH quality Ku-band services to over 160 million TV households. For instance, ISRO has Insat 3A in 93.5 degrees East longitude. The Malaysian agency currently operates two satellites; of them, MEASAT-1 is slotted at 91.5 degrees East longitude while the upcoming MEASAT-3 will also be co-located there when it is launched in mid-2005.

The breakthrough agreement is considered a major step in the ongoing cooperation between the satellite sectors of the two countries. The Antrix Executive Director, K.R. Sridhara Murthi, said, "We have been working closely with MEASAT across a number of areas over the last few years, including the provision of its satellite." The joint venture would and position INSAT as a leading satellite system in the wider Asia-Pacific market.

"We have used Indian space technology and expertise on the MEASAT-1 and MEASAT-3 programmes,'' said Y Bhg Tun Haji Mohammed Hanif Omar, Director, MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd (formerly Binariang Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd.).

ISRO has so far launched four commercial satellites and has contracts for three more over the next two years, mostly for domestic and public sector users. MEASAT operates its network for customers in South-East Asia, Indo-China, South Asia and Australia.

Prime hires 'feared' boss with links to Murdoch

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3135809a13,00.html

Prime TV has scored a coup as the battle of the networks looks set to hot up, by luring high-profile media executive Sam Chisholm to be chairman of its New Zealand operation.

Mr Chisholm, who also happens to be a Kiwi, has close links to media moguls Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Packer.

He has been an executive in several broadcasters in Australasia and Europe and is chairman of Australia's Foxtel. He has been a director of News Corporation.

Prime's rivals in the ratings war, TVNZ and Canwest, are likely to take note of the executive dubbed "the most feared man in television" by the Australian press. Rupert Murdoch has described him as "one of the best executives I have ever worked with".

He is credited with turning Murdoch-owned British company BSkyB into the world's most successful pay TV operation, now worth about $29 billion.

Mr Chisholm spent nearly a decade as chief executive and managing director, overseeing the merger of Sky Television with rival British Satellite Broadcasting, in what has been described as "one of the most dramatic turnarounds in broadcasting history".

Before joining Sky in Britain in 1990, Mr Chisholm was credited with performing a similar turnaround with Packer-owned Channel Nine in Australia. In his 15 years at the top he took Nine from last in ratings and revenue to a position of dominance.

His success in turning companies around has been attributed to his reputation as a ruthless boss. While head of Nine in Australia he had a sign on his desk: "To err is human; to forgive is not my policy".

Mr Chisholm has recently resigned as a director of Telstra to be on the board of the Kerry Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting, but he has been credited with being the architect of dumped chief executive Ziggy Switkowski's demise.

Prime NZ chief executive Chris Taylor described Mr Chisholm as changing the face of broadcasting in many regions of the world and said he was "delighted" to have him on board.

Just before he stepped down as chief executive of BSkyB in the 90s, Mr Chisholm was reportedly Britain's highest paid executive, earning more than E3 million a year (NZ$8.2 million).

Mr Chisholm, 65, was born in Auckland and educated at King's College.

Netball: Four-year deal signed with TVNZ

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=4&ObjectID=9004315

More netball games will appear on free-to-air television after the sport secured a four-year deal with Television New Zealand.

TVNZ will next year screen two National Bank Cup games a week along with the semifinal and final as well as all Silver Ferns tests, Netball New Zealand confirmed in a statement today.

Previously TVNZ had screened just one National Bank Cup game a week.

The deal followed speculation in July that Sky Television had also been seeking the rights.

Netball New Zealand chief executive Shelley McMeekin would not disclose the amount of the deal but said it was a good deal for the sport.

"Netball fans have been telling us for some time that they want to see more of their sport on TV and we are pleased that TVNZ has agreed to help make this a reality," she said in a statement today.

The deal begins next year and replaces a three-year contract with TVNZ, which finishes at the end of this year.

Rugby secures $460m TV deal

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=4&ObjectID=9004297

UPDATE - The Sanzar rugby alliance has finalised a five-year US$323 million ($460 million) broadcasting rights deal with News Ltd, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has confirmed.

The deal with Sanzar -- the alliance between the South Africa, New Zealand and Australia rugby unions -- is a 16 per cent increase on the previous agreement struck in 1996, the NZRU said at a media conference today.

This was calculated on an average per annum basis compared to the previous US$555 million 10-year rights.

The deal contradicts speculation expressed earlier this year that Sanzar could have faced a 30 per cent reduction in revenue.

The agreement allows Sanzar to move ahead with expanding the Super 12 competition into a Super 14 and to add a third round to the Tri Nations series.

NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs said the agreement was one of the most significant for the sport in New Zealand for years.

"It's a very significant announcement for New Zealand rugby and Sanzar. From our perspective we are extremely pleased, as the financial security of the game for the three unions has been secured for the next five years.

"It's an outstanding result in a tough global rights market."

NZRU chief executive Chris Moller added in a statement: "This is a superb result for rugby as it allows us to plan the future with certainty and confidence.

"The agreement also demonstrates that our broadcasting partners view Super Rugby and Tri Nations Rugby as high value television events.

"Crowd figures and television ratings for Super 12 and Tri Nations matches have grown every year since 1996, and this agreement allows us to continue that growth."

The new agreement covers broadcast rights for the three Sanzar countries and the United Kingdom. News Limited acquires the rights for New Zealand, Australia and Britain, with Supersport acquiring the rights for Africa, the NZRU said.

The new agreement does not include the broadcast markets in France, Asia, the Americas and the rest of Europe. Sanzar estimated it could negotiate further deals for these areas worth between US$20 million and US$30 million.

Satellite Operator Weighs Stock Offering

From http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/business/10469988.htm

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Satellite operator PanAmSat Holding Corp. is signaling a return to the U.S. stock market, proposing a public offering of $1.1 billion of its stock just four months after it was acquired by private equity groups.

The Wilton-based company, which operates a fleet of 24 satellites that provide television to 125 million households worldwide, filed the proposed initial public offering Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In August, PanAmSat was sold for about $3.4 billion to affiliates of Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., The Carlyle Group and Providence Equity Partners Inc.

A small portion of the company's shares had been publicly traded until the sale. The company is expected to go public by the spring.

The move was considered unusually quick and timed to take advantage of an improved environment for IPOs. "I didn't expect it quite this quickly," said Thomas Watts, an analyst with SG Cowen in New York. "It makes a lot of financial sense."

The IPO would help the new owners recoup some of their purchase price. The company said it would use the proceeds to retire debt and pay a $200 million dividend to existing shareholders.

The IPO comes amid consolidation in the industry, with three major buyouts this year.

Intelsat Ltd., the pioneering satellite operator founded by a multinational government consortium, is being acquired by a group of investment funds for about $3 billion in cash.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., the new owners of PanAmSat, was edged out of that deal.

Intelsat, privatized in 2001, has twice dropped plans to go public with an initial public offering of stock, first in 2002 and then this past May.

In the filing, PanAmSat said it believes the industry will benefit from the increased transmission of high definition television. Last year, the company launched a satellite that provides a platform for the distribution of high definition television programs in the United States.

U.S. Bans Al-Manar, Says TV Network Backs Terror

From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18011-2004Dec21.html

Al-Manar, one of the most popular television networks in the Arabic-speaking world, has been removed from U.S. airwaves after the State Department designated it a supporter of terrorism.

State Department officials placed the satellite television network, run by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, on its Terrorist Exclusion List on Friday because of what they described as its incitement of terrorist activity. The designation means foreign nationals who work for the network or provide it any support can be barred from the United States, officials said.

"It's not a question of freedom of speech," State Department spokesman Richard A. Boucher said. "It's a question of incitement of violence. We don't see why, here or anywhere else, a terrorist organization should be allowed to spread its hatred and incitement through the television airwaves."

Al-Manar is protesting the designation, saying on its Web site that banning it was an attempt "to terrorize and silence thoughts that are not in line with U.S. and Israeli policies."

The U.S. action had the effect of banning al-Manar in the United States, where its programming had been beamed via GlobeCast, a company that sells access to foreign television programs by satellite. "As of Friday last week, that channel is no longer on the satellite," GlobeCast spokesman Robert Marking said.

Some Arabic-speaking Americans expressed frustration with the State Department's action. Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News, a newspaper in Dearborn, Mich., said al-Manar is popular in this country in part because of its strong support for "resistance against Israeli occupation."

"I disagree with the State Department that it incites violence," he said. "By that standard, they should shut Fox News for inciting violence against Muslims."

Earlier this month, French officials prohibited the network from broadcasting in France, citing what it called al-Manar's anti-Semitic content and appeals to violence. French officials cited al-Manar programs reporting that Jews spread AIDS around the world and that they seek children's blood to bake into Passover matzoh.

A radical Lebanese political party that was formed in 1982 to represent Shiite Muslims, Hezbollah has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government for years. Its military wing, funded by Iran and dedicated to the destruction of Israel, is widely admired in the Arab world for forcing Israel from southern Lebanon in 2000. Hezbollah also funds schools and hospitals in Lebanon.

In the early 1980s, Hezbollah was involved in the kidnapping of Americans in Beirut and the bombings of U.S. Embassy buildings and a Marine barracks there. U.S. officials say Hezbollah trained al Qaeda members in the use of explosives before they bombed U.S. embassies in east Africa in 1998.

Al-Manar airs a wide array of programming, including children's shows and soccer games. It heavily covers events involving the Palestinians, and it shows militants setting off explosives and shooting at Israelis and American troops, often to musical accompaniment.

"Al-Manar often juxtaposes sacred Islamic text with images of 'martyrdom' to incite its viewers to support and even carry out acts of terror," according to a recent report by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a pro-Israel think tank. "Potential bombers are implored to focus their attention on the afterlife and on Judgment Day 'instead of getting preoccupied with our lives on earth.' "

Indian marketplace Coming soon: 50 channels

From http://us.rediff.com/money/2004/dec/22tv.htm

If entertainment industry sources are to be believed, Playboy wants to launch an adult channel in India, and it is just one of more than 50 channels that telecasters want to launch in the next few months.

More than 23 free to air foreign channels and an estimated 20-25 more pay and niche channels could be on air in India in 2005.

To put that into perspective, India now has some 250 channels. Of these, 70-90 are available through the cable operator, without a set-top box. Some 130-140 are delivered either through a set-top box or via direct-to-home broadcasting.

Hordes of niche channels will be on air. After having tasted success with mass channels, major telecasters like Zee, Sahara and Star as well niche ones like MTV and UTV have drawn up plans to launch new channels.

The list of the new foreign channels that want to enter India is long. These include free to air international Urdu channels like Indus Vision, Geo Pak, ARY, ARY One, Indus Music, The Music, Uni Pus, KTN; English channels like Euro News, Now TV and Cine World (a pay channel), Arabic channels like Dubai TV, Dubai Sports, Al Jazeera and Saudi Channel 1, Spanish TVE International, Portugal's RTP International, Irania IRIB3, Japanese NHK Premium and Nepal's Nepal1.

At home, meanwhile, the Subroto Roy-controlled Sahara Samay has lined up six regional news channels catering to regional audiences in Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

Says Prabhat Dabral, vice-president, news and current affairs, Sahara Samay, "We have noticed that as in the case of the print media, the television audience is getting segmented. Regional aspirations are rising and so people are more keen to watch events happening closer home than international or even national affairs."

The group is launching vernacular language channels in Bengal and Rajasthan. The group's flagship channel, Sahara One, is planning a new Bollywood movie channel. Not to be outdone, Zee is planning on using its direct-to-home platform by launching cookery and travel channels.

MTV is planning to showcase Hollywood music on its new channel V1. Hindi news telecaster Aaj Tak is weighing the option of new channels trageting niche segments.

Star India is expected to announce its new niche channel plans once it gets the government's go-ahead on its DTH venture with the Tata group, according to a source at Star India.

"There is room for dedicated channels on classical music, gardening, motoring and travel on a DTH platform," the source says.

That's not all. Even small enterprises have channel plans. Kohinoor Broadcasting Corporation, the content company which reported over Rs 15 crore (Rs 150 million) of business in its first year of operation, has decided to set up its own telecasting facilities to air around eight channels at an investment of Rs 20 crore (Rs 200 million), according to a newspaper advertisement.

The Delhi-based Rai University along with other educational institutions is planning a 24-hour education channel, to be launched in two phases.

What explains this rush to launch new channels? Says Rajesh Jain, executive director at KPMG Consultants, "The domestic broadcasting industry is witnessing a fragmentation of viewership and the trend is expected to continue for the next 2-3 years. Hence regional players, niche players and new players will enter the television industry."

The fragmentation, according to Jain, is an outcome of India's cultural diversity, which has a bearing on the viewing habits of the masses.

Many national level broadcasters are thinking of moving into south India, which already accounts for more than 50 per cent of cable and satellite viewership.

"The industry will look at this market seriously and come out with customised content. The news industry which is already growing will see further impetus in the coming two years," forecasts Jain.

The television industry's revenues, according to a Federation of Indian Chambers and Commerce report on the entertainment industry, were Rs 12,900 crore (Rs 129 billion) in 2003, including revenue from advertising, subscription and software exports.

The industry, it is estimated, will grow by 20 per cent over the next five years to gross Rs 28,852 crore (Rs 288.52 billion) in revenue.

Yet can so many channels survive? Niche channels can, if they are on the direct-to-home distribution platform, because the DTH business is driven more by direct subscriptions than advertisements.

Says Meenakshi Madhvani, managing partner at media audit company Spatial Access Solutions, "While the general entertainment channels depended to a large extent on advertising revenues, for the niche channels 90 per cent of the revenue will be from subscriptions."

She does not rule out the possibility of targetted advertising arriving with niche channels. "At this juncture, DTH is the only addressable platform for the niche channel business model to be successful, though in the long run new modes of addressibility will come in India," agrees Sunil Khanna, who heads Zee's DTH business.

Television viewers will have more channels to surf through, but they'll also have to pay more for the privilege.

Says Ashok Mansukhani, executive vice president, corporate services, Hinduja TMT, "With niche channels, cable and satellite homes will see their monthly cable rents increasing by Rs 100 from the existing rate."

Win TV to have three more channels next year

From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/19211501.htm

Chennai: City-based Win TV, which is in its fourth year of existence, proposes to open three more channels - Bengali, Gujarati and Marathi - by the end of next year.

Win Bangla would be telecast from May 12 2005, while the other two channels, Win Gujarati and Win Marathi, would commence telecast from the end of next year, the channel's Managing Director, Mr T Devanathan and the CEO, Mr Florent C Pereira told reporters here.

Win TV, which already has Tamil and Kannada channels, proposed to invest Rs 18 crore for the three new channels.

On DTH, Mr Devanathan said Prasar Bharati had promised to include Win TV channel in the second phase of Direct-to-Home telecast next year. - PTI

(Craigs comment WINTV is on Insat 2)

Uplinking clearance for NDTV business news channel

From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/dec/dec196.htm

MUMBAI: The Prannoy Roy-promoted NDTV Ltd has finally got permission from the government to uplink its proposed business channel from India.

A government source confirmed the move, saying the green signal was given earlier this month. However, the source refused to provide any further details on whether NDTV has finalised a name for its business channel. According to industry sources, is likely to be headed by NDTV business editor Shivnath Thukral or Ashu Dutt who has had stints at CNBC-TV 18.

If the city-based broadcasting industry sources are to be beleived, the yet-to-be-named business channel from the NDTV stable is also likely to be formally commissioned some time next month.

Though NDTV had mentioned that it is targeting the end of 2004 for the launch of a business channel, indiantelevision.com had reported last month that the channel's launch had got deferred till the first quarter of 2005. And professionals for the NDTV business channel are still being inducted.

After the uplink permission from the information and broadcasting ministry, NDTV will have to get several other clearances from various agencies, including the department of telecommunications.

It is, however, not clear whether the proposed business channel would be beamed via an Insat or a foreign satellite. The two existing news channels, NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India, are on PAS-10 satellite.

Despite the delay, NDTV has been making good use of time available by airing primarily business-related programming and news on NDTV 24x7 for the last several months, which have got them good ratings too vis-à-vis competition.

The NDTV board had approved launch of a separate business news channel in May. The company had made an application to the information and broadcasting ministry for uplinking permission for the same in September.

Information available with indiantelevision.com indicates that NDTV business channel's differentiating pitch will be that it would cover a far wider canvas than the focus on stock markets that CNBC-TV18 is still perceived as having.

The fight for the business news channel has begun, it seems. The Raghav Bahl-promoted Television Eighteen Ltd (TV-18) is pressing ahead to meet a new deadline for launching a Hindi business news channel by next month,

while Zee Business, was launched on 30 November.

21/12/04

Live satellite chat in the chatroom tonight 9p.m NZ and 8.20pm Syd time onwards LAST official chat session for the year.

Sorry not a lot of stuff today my internets been really slow

Mike Boulas back in Australia since yesterday so the spys tell me. Rumour says he's here to buy a share in Austar??? yes it must be the silly season! He better watch out for the ex Tarb's subscriber Lynch mob that are still looking for refunds.

From my Emails & ICQ

From Paul

Subject: xxx asiasat 3

Analysis of the data on this transponder using TSreader show IP data
on the PID's noted, not video or audio.

I have no doubt there is some mpeg data present ;).

I suggest anyone with a sat card has a look to satisfy themselves.

From Servicom (Vanuatu)

Fiji TV report

It is now a 6 channel mux.
TCM/Cartoon Network has left.
AP has its own channel.
Discovery Travel and Adventure has it own channel.

From Adhoc

FIJI Update
I701 4055 SR 16500, FEC 2/3

Discovery has started
Vpid 518Apid 710

ABC Asia Pacific
Vpid 516 Apid 690

From the Dish

Nothing received

NEWS

Fiji TV promises cultural sensitivity

From http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2004/12/20/20fbcl17.html

Fiji Television, the new owners of Papua New Guinea's only television station EM-TV, have given an assurance they will be culturally sensitive, and take into account the needs of the local market.

Fiji Television bought the struggling channel for a little more than one-and-a-half million US dollars from the Australian media conglomerate PBL.

Chief executive Ken Clark says he's realises the importance of local content in commercial television operations:

"And having come out of the Canadian, and subsequently, the New Zealand television broadcasting industry, I'm perfectly aware that unless a television operation feeds information and a reflection of itself back on itself, then it's in trouble.

And so our intention will not be to simply impose one point of view on somebody else, but to find the synergies that make an operation as successful as it can be, in the environment in which it operates."

Chisholm named chairman of Prime NZ

From http://www.theage.com.au/

Prime Television has made another move to bolster its presence in New Zealand broadcasting by appointing Australian industry heavyweight Sam Chisholm as its NZ chairman.

Chisholm, a former chief executive of British Sky Broadcasting, is also chairman of Foxtel and a director of Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd.

"Sam Chisholm has changed the face of broadcasting in many regions of the world and we are delighted to have him join our company," Prime Television New Zealand chief executive Chris Taylor said.

The free-to-air broadcaster is a joint venture between Prime Television Australia and the Nine Network.

Outgoing chairman Brent Harman will remain a director.

Terry Jackman, a Prime director in Australia and chairman of Tourism Queensland, was also appointed a director.

Board director and major shareholder Paul Ramsay welcomed the moves.

Prime has been a relatively minor player in New Zealand television since it began broadcasting in 1998 and only about 75 per cent of homes are estimated to be able to receive its diet of soap operas, lifestyle programs and re-runs.

However, it has shaken up its free-to-air rivals in recent months by poaching top stars and plans a new current affair program in the new year featuring New Zealand's best-known TV host, Paul Holmes.

State-owned Television New Zealand (TVNZ) and commercial broadcaster TV3 have responded by launching new current affairs programs and TVNZ management attracted government ire when the salary of its top news reader was doubled to prevent her leaving.

India-Malaysia sign agreements

From http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG3_sub.asp?newscode=86053&catcode=ENG3&subcatcode=

New Delhi, Dec 20 (UNI) India and Malaysia today added a new dimension to their relations when they signed key agreements for cooperation in the satellite sector and twelve industry-to-industry MoUs in diverse areas such as IT, biotechnology and agriculture as visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmed Badawi called for a bilateral Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement.

The three accords were signed after extensive talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Malaysian leader after wide-ranging talks between them. Official sources said the two leaders discussed various bilateral matters as well as international developments, including the global war against terrorism.

One agreement was between the Antariksh Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO, and MEASAT (Malaysia East Asia Satellite), for pooling their satellite capacities, in a major move to develop a satellite neighbourhood for millions of broadcasting and telecommunications customers across the wider Asia Pacific region.
<