24/02/03

New audio service on Globecast B3 12336V "DMX Music" Fta, Apid 1622 ,Sid 16

April looks very busy for our region , Optus C1 launch?, Insat 3A, Asiasat 4 all set to launch in April.

I must get around to updating all the pages especially some of the gallerys, Thaicom 3 seems active with a lot of changes recently

From my Emails & ICQ

From Bill Richards

Screenshot NBN World TV

From Dave Devon 22/02/03

B1 feed

Golf from Goldcoast
12410V SR6110 3/4
16x9

From Spencer 22/02/03

B1

12420 V 6670 3/4 "Im a celeb" NTSC feed

From the Dish

PAS 2 169E 4087 V "NITV and TV Chile" have left , PIDs 518/646 and 519/647, replaced by test cards.
PAS 2 169E 4126 V "NBN" has started , Fta, SR 3615, FEC 3/4, PIDs 33/34, Pacific beam.

Optus B3 156E 12336V "DMX Music" started in the globercast mux, Apid 1622, Sid 16

JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "ETTV Entertainment" has replaced BNE TV Network, Viaccess 2, PIDs 1232/1233.
JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "Hollywood Movie Channel" is now encrypted.

ST 1 88E 3632 V "CASA TV" has replaced Scholar Business Network, Fta, PIDs 5169/5133.

Thaicom 2 78.5E 3800 H "MCOT Thai TV 9" has started, Fta, SR 6111, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/650.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3530 V "TVK" has started, Fta, SR 3367, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256, Asian beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3530 V "Radio Cambodia" has started , Fta, APID 256.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3554 V "Occasional feeds" on , PIDs 514/642.The test card has left PIDs 512/640.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H The test card has left .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3585 V "SS Music" has started, Fta, PIDs 517/645.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H A test card has started , Fta, PIDs 517/700.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3685 H "Indiavision" is back testing, Fta, SR 6830, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1160/1120.

Intelsat 906 64E 3742 RThe test card has left again.

Intelsat 702 55E Intelsat 702 has stopped at 55 East, not 33 East. Reception reports are very welcome.

NEWS

GMA lauds NBN for launching worlwide services

From http://www.gov.ph/news/default.asp?newsid=2596

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night lauded the National Broadcasting Network (NBN) for its unprecedented move in expanding their broadcast services worldwide and providing accessible lines where Filipinos can interact, by means of communication with their counterparts in other parts of the world to the million Filipinos living and working abroad.

In her one-minute message during the launching of NBN World at the Hotel Intercontinental Manila in Makati City, the President cited the government-controlled network for its important role in delivering the good message about the Filipino throughout the world.

"Ngayong gabi natupad ang isang pangarap. Ngayong gabi, isinilang ang ating sandaigdigang pamayanan. Nagkakaisa nang tunay ang sambayanang Pilipino (Tonight, a dreams becomes a reality. Tonight, a world community is born. The Filipino people are really united with each other)," the President said.

In her message, the President said NBN World is now opening new windows of opportunity for Filipinos.

The President congratulated the officials and employees of NBN for the timely launching of their broadcast services all over the world.

"Binabati ko ang NBN sa dakilang pangarap na isinakatuparan natin ngayon – isang lahi, isang bayan, isang pananaw, isang daigdig – isang Republika ng Pilipinas (I would like to congratulate the NBN for making the dream come true – one nation, one vision, one world – one Philippine Republic)," she said.

She also expressed her congratulations to all the members of Congress, who worked for the passage of the Absentee Voting Law.

The President stressed that the launching of NBN World was timely because a few weeks ago the absentee voting bill was finally passed into law by the two chambers of Congress.

Before delivering her message, the President led the formal launching by switching on the facilities for global telecast followed by a short dialogue with overseas Filipino workers in Sydney, Australia through satellite.

Among the overseas Filipino workers who interacted with the President were Philippine basketball legend Carlos "Caloy" Loyzaga, Kate Andres, Leo Seneza, and Kim Campos.

For his part, Loyzaga expressed his thanks to the President because after so many years of stay in Australia, he can now watch the live telecast of Philippine basketball game through NBN World entertainment and TARBS World TV.

The President answered the questions raised by Kate Andres about the security measures being undertaken by the government.

She also inform Leo Seneza that the Philippine government is ready to implement the contingency plans to ensure the safety of 1.5-million overseas Filipinos working in the Middle East in case of an outbreak of the war in Iraq.

She also answered the question by Kim Campos about the dual citizenship bill pending in the Senate.

NBN will start its global service on Monday, February 24, the government network has been on the air almost 30 years.

(Craigs comment does anyone know the situation with this channel? is it going to be a FTA via Pas 2 Cband? is it there under Tarbs control? anyone know? Also is it a customized feed or is it the same as NBN in the Philipines?)

Celestial to launch 24-hour Chinese movie channel in March

From http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=11369

Hong Kong’s Celestial Pictures is set to roll out its 24-hour Chinese movie channel, Celestial Movies, in Malaysia and Brunei on March 3, with launches in other territories around the world to follow over the coming year.

The channel will be carried on Malaysian satellite platform Astro, which is majority owned by Celestial’s backer, Malaysian media empire Usaha Tegas. Following its launch in Malaysia, the channel will be rolled out in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Taiwan over the next six months with the US, Europe and Australia to follow within a year.

About 30% of the channel’s content will be sourced from the 760-title Shaw Brothers library, which Celestial acquired three years ago, while acquisitions will account for the remaining 70%. Among the product Celestial has licensed is a portion of the Golden Harvest library, owned by Warner Bros, which includes around 170 titles produced in the 1990s – several of which star Jackie Chan.

"We want to make it clear that this isn’t a classic movies channel or a Shaw Brothers channel, but a Chinese movie channel," said Celestial CEO William Pfeiffer.

Celestial also has output deals with the mainland’s two largest studios, Beijing Film Studio and Shanghai Film Studio, and first-run deals with Hong Kong production houses Applause Pictures, EMG and Filmko; Taiwan’s Central Motion Picture Corp; Korea’s Cinema Service and CJ Entertainment and Japanese studios Shochiku and Toho. The company is also buying individual titles such as mainland feature Cala, My Dog! which screened in the Forum section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

Celestial is in the process of digitally restoring the Shaw Brothers library and has so far released about 20 titles across Asia on DVD. Some of the titles have also been re-released in theatres in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Pfeiffer added that Celestial still intends to co-produce with Asian production houses. The company planned a large slate of productions last year but failed to greenlight any because of weak market conditions: "Last year was a bad year for Hong Kong, but the market is much more buoyant now."

INSAT-3A launch postponed to April

From http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_194547,0008.htm

The launch of India's INSAT-3A satellite has been postponed to April as the country's space agency and European space consortium Arianespace are taking extra care for its success, sources in Indian Space Research Organisation said on Sunday.

INSAT-3A, which would have applications in communication and meteorology, was originally scheduled to have been put into space by Arianespace's Ariane-5 rocket from Kourou in French Guyana anytime during the week beginning February 28.

"But this was postponed to March 21, and now Arianespace has now informed us that they would be needing 20 days more (for the launch)", the sources told PTI Bangalore.

The postponement has not come as a surprise.

The recent Columbia space shuttle disaster in the US has shaken the confidence of the space community in the world, the sources said.

In addition, ISRO sources said, Ariane-5 rocket was yet to "establish" itself having thrown up a "few problems" in its earlier flights. "Both ISRO and Arianespace want to be thorough. They don't want to leave anything to chance", a top ISRO official said.

T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 8/2003 23 February 2003 -

A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic

Edited Apsattv.com Edition

A S I A

AUSTRALIA

BROADCAST AUSTRALIA TO LAUNCH DVB-RCT TRIALS

Broadcast Australia has announced trials of a new digital TV technology that will allow digital TVs to be both stand-alone and interactive. Called DVB-RCT, the technology means the set-top boxes needed to receive the digital TV signals no longer need to plug into telephone lines to get a "return path" for interactive services such as banking or shopping. The TV aerial will instead provide the return path, and once set-top boxes are integrated into digital TVs they will become stand-alone interactive TVs. Broadcast Australia chairman Gerry Moriarty said the two to three-month trial would take place in April or May in Sydney or Canberra.

SBN LAUNCHES IN AUSTRALIA

Under the approval from National General Bureau of Radio & Movies &Television, Shanghai Broadcasting Network (SBN) inked Agreement with Television Broadcast Ltd. Int'l (TVBI) on SBN Satellite Channel Landing/Settling in Australia on January 16. This is another overseas expansion of SBN after landing in Japan on January 1, 2002. SBN is now the only Chinese TV media settling in Australia besides CCTV-4. SBN has started digital satellite broadcasts via the TVBS-Asia interactive TV platform since January 1 and its signal covers the whole of Australia. The TVBS-Asia Interactive Platform is made up of the following services: CCTV-4, TVB Channel 8, TVB Galaxy, TVBS-N, TVBSASIA and CNBAUSTRALIA.

DIGITAL TV IN 35% OF HOMES BY 2008

Digital TV growth is inevitable and will probably reach 35% of homes by 2008, said Senator Richard Alston, Communications Minister. He halved the around 70% digital STB penetration anticipated by equipment makers. Alston added that with the exception of maybe the UK, Australia has the world's most advanced digital TV system. The government has frozen new free-to-air commercial TV licences until 2006, while existing players are encouraged to switch to digital. It has also rejected proposals for a new law requiring a common set-top box for free-to-air and pay-TV services due to a lack of industry agreement on the specifications for a shared system. The decision is good news for pay TV operator Foxtel, which is on the verge of rolling out its own digital services, and not favourable news for competitors such as the Ten Network and the Seven Network, and regional television broadcasters. These broadcasters will now be forced to negotiate with Foxtel for their digital services to be retransmitted via its networks.

BANGLADESH

GOVERNMENT FORMS COMMITTEE ON BTV AUTONOMY

The Bangladesh government says it has set up a committee to find out why an act of parliament granting autonomy to Bangladesh Television and the national radio service, Bangladesh Betar, was not acted on by the former government. The national news agency, BSS, quoted Information Minister Tariqul Islam as saying the act had been passed under the old government, which had failed to implement it. Mr Islam also ruled out issuing a new licence to the now-defunct private channel, Ekushey TV. The channel was shut down last August after a court ruled that its licence agreement, signed by the previous government, was illegal. Mr Ismail said two other private channels were giving an alternative choice to viewers.

NTV TO LAUNCH IN APRIL

National Television (NTV), new satellite television channel, will start operating in Bangladesh in April 2003. Enayetur Rahman, NTV's chairman, said: "NTV plan to be on air sometime in April and it will be beamed to 78 countries including those in the Middle East, South Africa, Australasia and most of Europe.”It will be a news and current affairs dominated channel with entertainment getting a 30 per cent time slot." Mr Rahman said NTV was set to sign an agreement with Cable News Network (CNN) to receive international news and to provide footage on Bangladeshi stories. Bangladesh's first private channel, Ekushey Television (ETV), was shut down in August last year after a court ruled that its licence agreement, signed by the previous government, was illegal. Many of those who worked for ETV have joined NTV

CHINA - HONG KONG

CCTV TO LAUNCH NEWS CHANNEL

China Central Television's announcement that it is to launch a 24-hour news channel is the latest move in a plan to gradually reform the state-owned station. Due to be launched on 1 May, the new channel - dubbed "the 13th" fits into a long-term plan to make CCTV more relevant in the highly competitive information age. While the news channel will be government-funded and its content tightly controlled, CCTV's other ten channels and two run by the Motion Picture Bureau will gradually become subject to market forces. The news channel will air news, investigative reports and round-table current affairs discussions, supplemented with a heavy dose of international news as well as clips of provincial and local news.

GALAXY TO LAUNCH SERVICE BY YEARS-END

Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting said on February 20 it will launch broadcast services by the end of 2003 with the aim of reaching break-even in three years. Galaxy General Manager Danny Tang told a press conference the break-even goal was incumbent on the pay-TV broadcaster reaching 300,000 subscribers. As an enticement to attract market share from dominant pay-TV broadcaster i- Cable Communications Ltd, Galaxy will price its services below the prevailing market rate. I-Cable currently has about 600,000 subscribers. Tang's meeting with the press came a day after communications satellite operator Intelsat bought a 51% stake in Galaxy from Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts for US$69.5 million in cash and transponder capacity over three years. The purchase turned Galaxy into a joint venture valued at US$136.3 million, with TVB contributing US$66.8 million in cash and programming over three years. Galaxy plans initial capital expenditure of HK$300 million. Galaxy plans to expand its coverage to 1.5 million households of potential subscribers after three years. To reach break-even, Galaxy is factoring in only a minimal contribution from advertising. The Hong Kong broadcasting regulator requires Galaxy to launch a minimum of 24 channels by August, he said. TVB will provide content for five channels and Galaxy is in talks with other content providers to fill the remaining channels, Tang said. However, he added that it is possible Galaxy won't meet the 24-channel requirement on time. Intelsat will move an Intelsat VII series satellite to the 85-degree East orbital location to transmit Galaxy programs with service expected to begin within 12 months.

SUN TV EXPECTS FIRST PROFITS NEXT YEAR

Sun Media Group expects its TV unit to post its first profit for the year ending March 2004, largely because of cost cuts. The firm would also relaunch its 24-hour infotainment channel in April, group chief executive officer Bruno Wu said. For the six months ended September 2002, Sun Media expanded its net loss by 16 per cent to HK$43.36 million, while its turnover plunged 34 per cent to HK$96.12 million from a year earlier. ``Because of the significant cost cuts, we expect Sun [satellite] TV, not the whole group, to break even and record earnings in the next fiscal year,' Wu told The Standard on February 18. The company said its broadcasting unit posted an operating loss of HK$36.25 million from March to September last year. For the March to December period last year, Sing Pao Media posted a net loss of HK$101.9 million, despite a 368 per cent rise in turnover to HK$138.2 million. Sun Media launched its Sun TV satellite operation, which is engaged in broadcasting repackaged documentaries to the mainland, two years ago. Wu said the firm would relaunch its 24-hour infotainment channel in April, featuring 14 hours of programmes provided by a couple of content providers, including some educational programmes for the remaining time slots.

FIJI

FIJI TV TO BE MONOPOLY UNTIL 2012

Radio Fiji quotes Assistant Information Minister Saimone Kaitani as saying the government will accept Fiji TV's offer to provide a public service channel in return for a 10-year extension of its monopoly until 2012. Mr Kaitani says the government's move was prompted by public concern at the lack of local content on Fiji TV. The station is majority owned by Fiji's 14 indigenous provinces through a holding company.

INDIA

CAS TO BE INTRODUCED FROM JULY

The Government of India has fixed July 14 as the deadline for implementation of conditional access system (CAS) in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. The system will be extended to major towns and cities by December 2003. The new systems will introduce a subscriber-friendly option-driven regime under which the subscriber can chose the channels through set top boxes. Those who do not want to buy set top boxes (STBs) can opt for basic service of free channels, for which the Government of India will announce the price. The subscribers accessing pay channels will have to pay an additional cost as fixed by the broadcasters. STBs will cost Rs10,000 but the Government can bring down prices to Rs4,000 by offering subsidies.

MAK TV CLOSES BEFORE LAUNCH

Manoranjan Aur Kya (MAK) Television Network has closed down operations even before it could launch a bouquet of channels due to the fact that the Indian investors have backed out. MAK TV Network had started a test signal in August 2002, with uplink from Singapore. The plan was to launch the channels towards the end of 2002. The initial bouquet of free-to-air channels were supposed to include MAK Prime (Hindi entertainment), MAK Telugu, MAK Music and MAK Bangla Movies. Later on, MAK Sindhi and MAK Style (fashion) were to be launched. The plan was to have a bouquet of pay channels in a short time.

IRAN

IRIB TO LAUNCH GLOBAL TV NETWORK

Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) will launch a global television network in Arabic and English in the near future, IRIB Vice President Ali Aghamohammadi said on February 19. The Al-Alam World Network will cover Arab and Islamic counties with programmes which will be 80 percent in Arabic and the rest in English, he said.

Internet - www.irib.com

JAPAN

GOVERNMENT TO EASE TV STATION OWNERSHIP RULES

A Public Management Ministry study group has compiled a report urging the government to allow media companies to own more than one TV station, government sources said on February 19. The proposal by the Study Group on Broadcasting Policy to review the current ban on the ownership of several TV stations by one company is intended to support financially troubled commercial broadcasters. The policy formulated by the advisory panel to the ministry's director general of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau, urges revising the Broadcast Law to allow a broadcaster to acquire a controlling interest in another broadcaster. The panel also urged the government to significantly ease restrictions on broadcasters holding stakes in broadcasters in neighboring prefectures, in an effort to promote realignment of the regional broadcasting industry. The final report is expected to be officially released within this month and the ministry is expected to respond by drafting bills to revise relevant laws. The current Broadcast Law prohibits TV broadcasters from operating more than one station in a single service area. The broadcasting license granted to each television station authorizes the network to cover a single prefectural area, except for those given to stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area. A law restricts broadcasters from holding more than a 10 per cent stake in another broadcasting company in the same service area. Stakes held in a broadcaster from another service area are limited to fewer than 20 per cent. Terrestrial broadcasters' ownership in broadcast satellite television companies is limited to less than one-third of the satellite firm's total capital. The panel called for raising the maximum stake of major stations in broadcast satellite digital stations from less than one-third to less than one-half.

FUJI TV REPORTS FOREIGN OWNERSHIP

Fuji Television Network said on February 18 that the proportion of shares held in the Japanese TV company by foreign investors came to 15.06 per cent on February 14. Under Japanese law, broadcasters lose their licenses if the foreign ownership share stands at 20 per cent or above. If the share reaches 15 per cent, broadcasters are obliged to release the news in a public statement.

MALAYSIA

CELESTIAL MOVIES TO LAUNCH ON ASTRO

Malaysia will be the launching pad for Celestial Pictures' new 24-hour Chinese movie channel, Celestial Movies, which bows March 3 with plans to enter numerous other markets. The channel will be packaged into Malaysia's pay-per-view satellite network service Astro, run by Measat Broadcast. Astro has 800,000-plus subscribers in Malaysia. Brunei, which receives the same feed, also will be able to access the channel beginning March 3. Celestial plans to roll out the channel in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Taiwan over the next six months, with the United States, Europe and Australia to follow in the second half of the year.

NEW ZEALAND

GOVERNMENT TO DECIDE ON ROLE OF DIGITAL TV

The New Zealand government has set up a working group to assess the best and cheapest way for state broadcaster TVNZ to move into digital TV. Rival terrestrial networks TV1 and TV2 already have carriage deals with Sky Television, the country's only digital TV platform which reaches 30 per cent of households, but talks between it and TVNZ have yet to produce an agreement. The government is keen for TVNZ to remain free-to-air whatever strategy is eventually taken. Officials have been asked to report to Cabinet by mid-2003 on options for allocating spectrum for digital terrestrial and satellite television; issues relating to the digital television market; industry progress in adopting digital television technical standards; funding of analogue terrestrial television transmission in outlying areas; and implications of digital television for TVNZ and the Maori Television Service.

SKY TV CUTS LOSSES

Pay-TV operator Sky Television posted a net loss for the six months ending December 31, 2000, even as it became cash-flow-positive for the first time since it went on the air 13 years ago. The net loss after tax was NZ$4.4 million, compared with NZ$13.2 million for the corresponding six months in 2001. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization jumped 41.6% to NZ$73.8 million for the half-year. Subscriptions reached a new high of 516,731, or 37% of households. Advertising revenue rose 18.1% to NZ$8.6 million while programming costs as a percentage of revenue fell from 48.6% to 42.4%. Sky expects to lose NZ$8 million-$11 million for the fiscal year and post a break-even profit by the end of the calendar year, according to CEO John Fellet. Subscribers reached a high of 520,541 - some 74.2% of subscribers take the digital service, while 25.8% are UHF customers. Sky TV is 66 per cent owned by publishing company INL.

THE PHILLIPINES

NBN LAUNCHES TV SERVICE

NBN World was launched on February 19 with a live telecast nationwide while the global service will start on February 24. The wide reaching satellite link will be through Australia's leading multi-cultural broadcaster, the Television and Radio Broadcasting Services (TARBS), which has 65 24-hour television channels using a comprehensive global satellite platform that covers major population regions in the world. Teleports in Greece, Egypt and the U S downlink and uplink programming services of TARBS with signals beamed to the Thaicom 3, PAS 10, PAS 8, PAS 2, AsiaSat, General Electric and Mabuhay Satellites.

TAIWAN

BLOOMBERG SECURES CABLE DEAL

Bloomberg Television is set to boost distribution in Taiwan through a partnership with the ERA Group to provide regional and international finance news, information and analysis to the Group's 24-hour cable TV news channel, ERAnews. The agreement gives Bloomberg Television access to Taiwan's 5.2 million cable households, in the key morning financial news slot of 6am to 8am (Taiwan time), 7 days a week. During weekday mornings, ERAnews will broadcast Bloomberg Television's market-moving Bloomberg International and Moneycast Asia programmes. Bloomberg Television will also be streamed over ERA Group's Taiwanese broadband service, IDTV, which is a joint venture with Pacific Century Cyberworks Limited (PCCW). In addition to the programming partnership, ERAnews will be using Bloomberg's news and data within its own programmes to keep viewers on top of the latest global financial market developments.

Internet - http://www.bloomberg.com/asia

http://www.eracom.com

THAILAND

UBC TO COMPENSATE SUBSCRIBERS

Pay-TV operator United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) said it would give a Bt70 discount per additional point (secondary subscription) to its satellite pay-TV subscribers in April to compensate them for technical problems caused by Shin Satellite (SSA)'s Thaicom 3 satellite since February 7. Sompan Charumilinda, UBC's chief executive officer, said that the Bt70 discount was equal to a six-channel discount for one month. UBC estimates that around 25,000 secondary subscribers have been affected. UBC charges Bt419.15 per month for secondary subscribers. The Thaicom 3 glitch has caused interruptions in reception for secondary satellite TV subscribers. SSA said that full service would be restored by March 8.

UBC AIMS TO BOOST REVENUES

UBC aims to boost its total revenue by 12 to 14 per cent this year to climb out of the red for the first time, despite staggering accumulated losses of Bt12.80 billion, said Vasili Sgourdos, deputy chief financial officer. UBC plans to increase revenue this year by expanding its subscriber base by another 30,000 to 50,000 customers and selling sub-licensing rights to its own nine channels to provincial cable operators. The plan is aimed at stemming the proliferation of pirated signals, which have limited legitimate customer subscriptions, according to Sgourdos. Sompan Charumilinda, CEO of UBC Group, said that although the company expects to post gains for the first time this year, wiping out all its accumulated losses, totalling Bt12.80 billion, would prove to be a daunting task. The company said in its statement that its 2002 revenues grew by 15.7 per cent to Bt6.78 billion, mainly due to a 9.2-per-cent rise in revenue per unit after the company raised its prices by 18 per cent in August 2001. It also reported that its net loss narrowed in 2002, due to subscriber growth fuelled by a consumer boom that is heating up the Thai economy. It reported a net loss of Bt248 million for 2002, or Bt0.33 per share, versus a Bt1.42-billion loss in 2001. Its subscriber base rose by about 8 per cent, or 31,256 customers, to 437,845 at the end of 2002, but fierce competition from local cable operators offering cheaper prices slowed that growth in the fourth quarter.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

AL-ARABIYA TO START BROADCASTING

The new Middle East News television channel, Al-Arabiya, began broadcasting on February 20 from Dubai in direct competition with Qatar's Al-Jazeera channel. Middle East News (MEN) is also the owner of Middle East Broadcasting, the Arab satellite station, and the light entertainment channel MBC-2. The company has 32 news bureaux around the world, including Iraq, Israel, Palestine and the United States. The new channel will focus on news and talk shows and has Lebanese, Kuwait and Saudi financial backing. Al Arabiyah will run for 12 hours a day until March 3, when it will go head to head with Al Jazeera, as a 24-hour news network

23/02/03

No update Sundays why are you here?

22/02/03

No update this weekend as things are so quiet at the moment, Hopefully some NEW Impactv news on Monday or Tuesday next week!

21/02/03

Not as much to report today .

From my Emails & ICQ

From "anon"

Hi Craig,

Some Apsattvers may be interested in the feed for the celebrity survivor program presently being shot in NSW.
I'm unreliably informed:

Uplinking on PAS 8 4004 vert 3/4 sr 6670?
Return feed PAS 2 3937 3/4 sr 13200
Unencrypted

I'm not in a position to have a look myself presently.
You may want to have a look. On air from middayish QLD time for the next couple of weeks.

From Mark Fahey

EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA - News) will broadcast worldwide the Feb. 24, 2003 first flight of its newest jetliner, the 777-300ER (Extended Range).

The broadcast will be available for viewing on the Internet beginning at 3 p.m. Pacific Feb. 24 at http://www.boeing.com/commercial/777family/rollout/.

Inability to immediately view the event may occur due to heavy traffic on the site.

Video of the first flight will be available to the media on Feb. 24 from 4
to 4:30 p.m. Pacific on the following satellite frequencies.

North America AMC-2/C11 C-band Vertical Downlink Frequency 3920 MHz
Analog, Audio: 6.2/6.8 MHz, located at 85 degrees W.

Europe & Eutelsat W1 B5 Ch A KU Band Horizontal Downlink
Middle East Frequency 11134.75 MHz, FEC: 3/4, Symbol rate:
5.7 Msym/sec, Video format: PAL

Asia Pacific PAS-2/04C/Slot "E" C-band SCPC Horizontal Downlink
Frequency 3803.5 MHz, FEC: 2/3, Symbol rate:
6.62 Ms/s, Virtual Channel 101, Network ID: 1,
Video format: NTSC

Australia & AsiaSat 2/8A ASB1 C-band Y downlink frequency
Asia 3944.50 MHz, FEC: 3/4, Symbol rate: 5.7 Msym/sec,
format: PAL

So the sat feed is at 10am Sydney time on Feb 25th (2300 Hrs GMT)
The internet feed is one hour earlyer.

Cheers,
Mark

From the Dish

PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Scholar Business Network" has left , replaced by occasional feeds.

Thaicom 3 78.5E 3501 V "Tara Bangla" has started, SR 2401, PIDs 4194/4195, Asian beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3585 V "Tara Bangla" has left , replaced by a test card.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3685 H "Indiavision" has left again.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3600 H A Herbalife test card has started , Fta on , PIDs 519/720.

Intelsat 906 64E 3742 R A TBN test card has started Fta on , SR 6620, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1360/1320, West hemi beam.

NEWS

ACCC may push for Telstra to quit Foxtel

From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/21/1045638466699.html

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission may push for Telstra to quit its 50 per cent stake in Foxtel when it reports to the Government early next month.

The ACCC has delayed finalising its report on the structure on the media and telecommunications industries so it can examine the submissions to the Government's aborted inquiry into splitting up Telstra.

Although the ACCC approved the program-sharing agreement between Foxtel and its pay TV rival Optus last year, the regulator remains concerned Telstra will exploit its Foxtel stake to further entrench its dominance in telecommunications.

The Government asked the ACCC to prepare a report on how the Foxtel-Optus deal - which brings together the country's largest media and telecom players, News Corp, PBL, Telstra and Optus - would affect competition in pay TV and telecommunications.

The regulator originally planned to deliver the report in January but wading through all the issues involved has taken longer than expected.

The ACCC hopes to deliver the report in a fortnight. Mergers commissioner Ross Jones said the watchdog needed the extra time so it could consider the submissions to the aborted House of Representatives inquiry into the structural separation of Telstra.

Mr Jones said many of the issues raised in submissions to the inquiry overlapped with those being canvassed by the ACCC in its report.

However, he denied this meant the ACCC was likely to recommend Foxtel be restructured so Telstra was restricted to owning the pay TV network only and News and PBL jointly owned the Foxtel content.

"The commission is still quite open-minded on all these matters," Mr Jones said.

But he confirmed the report would address the ownership structure of Foxtel and its effect on competition. "We're not doing our job unless we investigate what the consequences for competition are in terms of different market structures," Mr Jones said.

The Government cancelled the structural separation inquiry earlier this month, after Labor abandoned its proposal to split Telstra into a network company and services business.

Totally opposed to the concept of privatising Telstra's growth businesses (such as pay TV and mobile) and maintaining majority public ownership of the core network, the Government staged the inquiry to expose the deficiencies of Labor's plan.

Having given up on structural separation, Labor is now focusing on Telstra's Foxtel shareholding. It claims Telstra's ownership of the Foxtel pay TV cable is stifling competition in broadband. Kerry Stokes' Seven Network is pushing for Telstra to be forced to sell out of Foxtel.

Meanwhile, a Telstra spokesman said it was "a bit rich" for Optus chief Chris Anderson to complain about subsidising Telstra's services in the bush. Optus has to pay a proportion of its revenue to Telstra to help meet the cost of the universal service obligation.

"It's necessary to ensure services are provided to remote parts of the country," the spokesman said.

TARBS World TV launches NBN World globally

From Press Release - February 19, 2003

TARBS World TV has launched the first 24-hour international channel of the Philippine Government, bringing 24-hours of news and entertainment, from the Philippine Government’s perspective, to Filipinos in Australia and the rest of the world.

Officially launched by Philippine President, Madame Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and TARBS World TV in Australia, through a special live, two-way satellite link between Manila and Sydney, the occasion marked an important milestone for Filipinos at home and overseas.

TARBS World TV Chief Executive Officer Regina Boulos said, "We are excited to be part of NBN World’s launch into the global community. At no other time is the coming of this channel more appropriate than now, when our kababayans abroad as well as the international community are very keen to know what the Philippine Government’s position is on important domestic and international issues, and how we are moving forward as a country. We know NBN World will be able to fill this gap because it will serve as the medium for meaningful dialogues and exchange of views between the Philippine Government, and the Filipino and world audiences via the magic of satellite television."

NBN World offers quality programming which specifically addresses the information needs and cultural interests of the global Filipino audiences as well as other viewers interested in the Philippines. Viewers can watch hourly news capsules as well as daily early evening and late evening newscasts in Filipino, current affairs and talk shows, and a sprinkling of lifestyle, cultural, children’s, public service and entertainment programs.

The channel also airs live coverage of the Philippine President’s major press conferences, national addresses and messages direct from Malacanang, the seat of the Presidency.

The much-awaited Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Games can also be enjoyed on the channel.

With the addition of NBN World, TARBS World TV’s Filipino Service now provides subscribers with three premium 24-hour TV channels direct from the Philippines: The Filipino Channel (TFC), the general entertainment channel of ABS-CBN; Cinema One, which airs Filipino blockbuster movies; and NBN World. DZMM, a top-rating news and current affairs radio station broadcasting live from Manila, is also included in the package.

Subscribers can also enjoy six popular English channels comprising ESPN (world sports), CNN (world news), TCM (classic Hollywood films), Cartoon Network (popular cartoons for children), MCM (pop music videos) and Sky Racing (Australian racing events), as well as a selection of over 50 premium TV channels from around the world.

To subscribe to TARBS World TV, contact 1300 78 27 27 from anywhere in Australia, or visit www.tarbs.com. Inquiries from Filipino customers can be made directly on 1300 78 27 27 extension 131.

(Craigs comment, I had a look on the Tarbs site but couldn't find the tv guide for it anywhere?, so not sure what they are screening on this new channel)

Irdeto enables tracing VOD content

From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html

Irdeto Access, the end-to-end security solutions company, says it has patented a new technology that allows content owners to trace the source of pirated content.

The technology developed by Irdeto Access enables an operator to trace the initial smart card or the device that was originally used to decrypt the content. It also allows unique fingerprints to be inserted into encrypted content under the management of a secure device or smart card.

The advantages over conventional fingerprinting techniques include the ability of the smart card to control the insertion of the fingerprint. This means that the fingerprint insertion process is secured within the smart card and cannot easily be tampered with. In addition, it provides an upgrade of the watermarking or fingerprinting the algorithm without impacting the set top box or player device.

20/02/03

New Tarbs Filipino channel? NBN World TV. Should make things better value for those getting Tarbs for just the filipino channels.

A lot of news items today, quite a few Press Releases.

From my Emails & ICQ

From Dave knight

2.30pm Syd

NTSC Feed, Optus B1, 12420V 6670 3/4

"I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!"

From the Dish

PAS 2 169E 3744 V "BBC World" has started, Fta, PIDs 1360/1320.
PAS 2 169E 3836 V "RAI International 1 and RAI International"are now encrypted.
PAS 2 169E 4087 V "TV Globo Internacional" has left , PIDs 516/644, replaced by a test card.

Palapa C2 113E 3880 H "MTV Indonesia, Metro TV and TV 5 Asie" are back on , Fta, SR 28125, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1057/1058-3105/3106.

Palapa C2 113E 4080 H A test card has started , Fta on , PIDs 518/656.

Thaicom 2/3 78.5E 3480 H "ATV, Show TV and ATN Bangla" are now encrypted.
Thaicom 2/3 78.5E 3600 H "Tara Bangla" has started on 3, Fta, PIDs 514/670.
Thaicom 2/3 78.5E 3551 H "ATV" has left , replaced by a test card.
Thaicom 2/3 78.5E 3685 H "Indiavision" has started regular transmissions, fta, SR 6830, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1160/1120.

NEWS

Sky signs one in three homes

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

More than one-in-three New Zealand homes have Sky Television, according to latest figures from the pay network.

Sky yesterday reported 520,541 subscribers, up from 503,000 in August, which a spokesman said gave the service a 37.2 per cent market penetration.

Nearly 75 per cent of people, or 354,471 subscribers, take Sky's digital service and 123,360 have analogue delivery via UHF.

Sky's subscription figures were released a day after the Government announced that it was investigating ways to deliver public television on a digital signal.

No date has been set for switching off the analogue signal, which would force people to take up a digital system, but Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey and Communications Minister Paul Swain said policy work was under way.

"The starting point is that broadcasters and viewers should be free to choose the platform by which digital television is provided, based on factors such as cost, content and reliability," they said in a statement.

Sky carries free-to-air channels TV3, TV4, Prime Television and Trackside but scrambles the signal so they can not be received without renting a decoder.

TV One and TV2 are not scrambled under a deal between Sky and TVNZ.

But TVNZ is anxious about the future of its channels on Sky when the deal expires in two to three years.

Free-to-air broadcasters have told the Government they favour digital terrestrial television that allows the current system to be converted to digital.

Sky and TelstraClear are opposed to Government intervention in digital television technology.

* TVNZ has knocked out Sky TV's pay-per-view boxing coverage featuring David Tua with a deal to broadcast his major bouts free-to-air.

The first fight, against Hasim Rahman, will air on March 30.

Tough talking helps Sky to minimise loss

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

Savings on programming costs have allowed pay TV operator Sky Network Television to substantially reduce its first-half loss.

The pay TV company yesterday reported a net loss after tax of $4.4 million for the six months to December 31, compared with a $13.2 million deficit the year before. The company will not pay an interim dividend.

Chief executive John Fellet said Sky had continued to increase its subscriber base and reduce losses, primarily through tough negotiations with programme suppliers.

"A year ago in this period, 49 per cent of total revenue went to programming. Now it's down to 42 per cent goes to programming - and we're adding more and more programmes."

The result did not include anticipated benefits from the strengthening New Zealand dollar because of currency hedging. Sky buys its programmes in US dollars.

Fellet repeated the company's aim to make a profit in the first half of its next fiscal year.

Sky's revenue rose 11 per cent to $186.1 million during the last half year.

It now has more than 516,000 subscribers, 74 per cent of whom receive its more expensive digital service.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 33 per cent to $71.6 million, bettering analysts' estimates of about $68 million.

Much of Sky's losses have been attributed to the outlay in decoder technology to match the company's rapidly growing subscriber base.

Mr Fellet said those costs were still there.

"This is a business that costs us $850 to install and, right off the bat, we only probably receive $199 worth of revenue. You've got to be in it for the long haul."

Sky shares closed up 8c, or 2.2 per cent, at $3.68 yesterday.

SKY TELEVISION RELEASES 31 DECEMBER 2002, HALF YEAR RESULTS

From Press Release

Wednesday, 19 February 2003.

SKY Television has reduced last year's $13.2 million interim net loss by $8.8 million to $4.4 million in the six months to December 31, 2002. In the same period SKY became free cash flow positive for the first time in its history, a significant milestone.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), increased by 41.6% in the previous interim period from $52.1 million to $73.8 million.

Subscriber revenue grew by 14.7%, while total operating expenses fell by 2%. Programming costs as a percentage of revenue fell from 48.6% to 42.4%. The reduction in programming costs was achieved with little benefit from the appreciating NZ dollar as SKY maintained a high level of hedging during the period. The average US$/NZ$ exchange rate in the period for payments was 44.5 cents, well below current rates of around 55 cents. SKY will benefit from the stronger NZ dollar in the 2004 year.

SKY's subscriber base reached a new high of 516,731 at 31 December 2002, a gain of more than 13,400 subscribers. There are now 354,471digital subscribers (74.2% of total subscribers) and123,360 UHF subscribers (25.8%).

Churn, a measure of subscribers who disconnect their service, remained low. Gross churn fell from 21.8% in the previous period to 18.4%. Net churn, calculated by removing subscribers that reconnect, fell from 14.4% to 13.4%.

Total revenue increased by 11.6%. Advertising revenue continued to grow, up 18.1% to $8.6 million.

On the interactive front, SKY launched its new email service, SKYmail, on 25 November 2002. To date more than 1400 wireless keyboards have been purchased by subscribers. SKY's interactive games channel, LudiTV has enjoyed strong growth with a subscriber count of more than 15,200.

Since 31 December both churn and subscriber growth have continued to improve. As of yesterday the subscriber count reached yet another high of 520,541.

For further details please Contact:

Tony O'Brien,
Director of Communications
Tel: (09) 579 9999
Mob: 021-497-830
Email: tobrien@skytv.co.nz

Sky TV reduces previous interim net loss

From http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/default.asp?id=28976

Net loss after tax of $4.37m for year to Dec 31 reported by SKY TV - compares with loss of $13.19m for prev year

Sky TV has reported a net loss after tax of $4.37 million dollars for the half year to December 31.

The result compares with a loss of $13.19 million for the same period the previous year.

The company says it has become free cash flow positive for the first time in its history.

EBITDA increased by 41.6 percent in the previous interim period from $52.1 million to $73.8 million.

Sky TV says subscriber revenue grew by 14.7 percent while total operating expenses fell by two percent. Programming costs as a percentage of revenue fell from 48.6 percent to 42.4 percent. The reduction in programming costs was achieved with little benefit from the appreciating New Zealand dollar, as the company says it maintained a high level of hedging during the period.

Sky TV is expecting to benefit from the stronger New Zealand currency in the 2004 year.

The company has not declared a dividend. SKY TV last traded at $3.80.

Sky TV stems losses

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=3147139&thesection=business&thesubsection=latest

Sky Network Television appears to have stemmed much of its bleeding, posting an interim loss of $4.37 million after tax.

That compared with a $13.2 million loss in the previous six months to December 31.

The company did not declare a dividend.

Shares in Sky TV, which is two-thirds owned by publisher INL, rose 3c to $3.63 in late morning trade.

INL incorporated its Sky shareholding into its own half year results today, announcing a net after tax profit of $38.8 million, a 43 per cent rise on the corresponding period in 2001.

INL chairman Ken Cowley said Sky had continued to grow its subscriber base and reduce losses. Its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) rose 33 per cent to $71.6 million, outpacing INL Publishing's ebitda rise of 7.8 per cent.

Operating revenue for Sky rose 14.6 per cent to $162.3 million from $141.5 million the year before.

Sky's costs have previously been impacted by the cost of outlaying technology for new subscribers and of programming, which is primarily bought in US dollars.

But in January the company said its hedging policy mean it would not immediately benefit from the New Zealand dollar's recent huge rise against the greenback.

In June last year, Sky announced it had reached a subscriber base of more than 500,000 or 37 per cent of all New Zealand households.

TVNZ's digital future to be reviewed

From http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/default.asp?id=28942&cat=978

Government sets up work programme to investigate the key issues involved in moving TVNZ into the digital age

The Government is looking for a cheap way to transform TVNZ into a digital broadcaster.

A working group has been set up to investigate the key issues involved in moving TVNZ into the digital age.

Sky Television is currently the only digital broadcaster in New Zealand.

Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey says he is hoping the Government will be offered a cheap solution to make the move - for example, a partnership deal between Sky and TVNZ.

Officials will report back midway through this year.

TVNZ's digital history has made a number of false starts; an initial digital TV partnership with the European cable giant NTL was stopped early in 2000 by the then Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs, because of the $200 million price tag.

After that, a deal with Sky - which by that stage was already broadcasting digitally - failed, and TVNZ hooked up with TelstraSaturn.

The latter deal would have involved viewers paying up to $300 for the set-top box which decodes the digital signal into something which the TV receiver can show.

When that deal also fell through, TVNZ signed up with Sky, and its two channels are now broadcast, unencrypted, on Sky's digital service.

The digital versions of TV One and TV2 can now be viewed by any subscribers who pay the minimum $4 weekly for decoder hire without any of Sky's pay services, such as its movie, sport or entertainment channels.

GlobeCast's Asian expansion

From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html

Satellite broadcast provider GlobeCast a subsidiary of France Telecom -is expanding its operations to Japan and Korea with the opening of a new liaison office in Tokyo.

Singapore-based GlobeCast Asia provides a gateway to the company's worldwide transmission resources from Asia.

"The Tokyo liaison office will serve as the local GlobeCast bureau to broadcasters and corporate network users in Japan and Korea, ensuring a local gateway to the company's worldwide transmission resources, in addition to regional access to Singapore-based master control and teleport facilities, satellite platforms and SNG capabilities", says Doug Triblehorn, Chief Executive Officer, GlobeCast Asia. In addition to Japan and Singapore, GlobeCast Asia operates an office in New Delhi, India.

Nicolas Deal has been appointed to head up the office in Tokyo as Director of Marketing for Japan and Korea.

AsiaSat 4 Arrives at Launch Site

From Press Release

Hong Kong - 18th February, 2003.... AsiaSat 4, the fourth satellite of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), has arrived in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA aboard a chartered heavy lift cargo aircraft.

Preparation for launching AsiaSat 4 by the Atlas IIIB rocket has commenced. This new satellite is currently scheduled for an early April launch.

Mr. Peter Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat said, "AsiaSat 4 will be the largest member of AsiaSat's satellite fleet. Its unique and high performance C-band coverage will complement and provide redundancy for our two existing satellites, AsiaSat 2 and AsiaSat 3S. It will further expand our satellite capacity over the Asia Pacific region and enable our customers to enjoy unbeatable back up and greater flexibility for regional coverage."

"AsiaSat 4's high power Ku-band beams customised for Australia, East Asia and Hong Kong would be the ideal platform for delivering Direct-to-Home (DTH) and broadband solutions to these regions."

AsiaSat 4, a Boeing 601HP model, will be deployed at the orbital location of 122 degrees East longitude, to replace AsiaSat 1. The new satellite is designed to provide advanced satellite services such as DTH television broadcasting, VSAT networks for business, rural telephony, broadband and IP solutions.

Carrying 28 C-band and 20 Ku-band transponders with a 15-year design life, AsiaSat 4's pan Asian C-band footprint will cover more than 40 countries and regions from Auckland to Tehran. The Ku-band coverage will consist of two high-power focused beams for East Asia and Australia, as well as a new BSS (Broadcast Satellite Service) Hong Kong payload for DTH services in Hong Kong and the adjacent South China region.

Intelsat and TVB Announce Hong Kong Pay-TV Service

From Press Release

Hong Kong, 19 February 2003 - Intelsat and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) today announced an agreement to provide a new pay-television service for Hong Kong. Through the agreement, Intelsat owns a 51 percent stake in Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited (Galaxy), which is licensed to provide pay-TV services in Hong Kong as well as teleport services.

Intelsat and TVB are contributing cash, transponder capacity and programming valued at over US$136 million to launch the venture. The contribution commitments between the two companies are broken down as follows: Intelsat HK$ 413.3 million (US$53 million) in cash over three years (HK$173.9 million, HK$158.3 million, HK$81.1 million) and transponder capacity of HK$128.7 million (US$16.5 million); TVB HK$196.6 million (US$25.2 million) in cash over three years (HK$138.1 million, HK$45.2 million, HK$13.3 million) and programming valued at HK$324.15 million (US$41.6 million).

The all-digital, multi-channel service will feature a range of premium Cantonese and other Chinese language programming exclusively supplied by TVB, including a 24-hour news program. The high- quality Cantonese programming is targeted to the more than 90 percent of the Hong Kong population who speaks the language. Galaxy subscribers will also receive a full spectrum of international news, documentary, information, movie and other entertainment channels.

Intelsat will move an Intelsat VII series satellite to the 85º East orbital location to transmit the Galaxy service via a high-powered Ku-band beam. Service is expected to begin within 12 months. Additionally, Intelsat will work with TVB to support the global distribution of its programming.

"Our alliance with TVB, the premier content provider in Hong Kong, will allow us to provide Hong Kong residents with a new level of quality programming and bring an innovative pay-TV service to this market," stated Conny Kullman, Intelsat, Ltd. CEO.

Louis Page, Managing Director of TVB, commented, "Intelsat's global distribution network and premium satellite capacity make it the ideal partner for TVB. Together we can offer a very competitive pay-TV service with programming that appeals to all members of Hong Kong's diverse community."

The Galaxy service will be uplinked from Galaxy's teleport in Hong Kong over an Intelsat VII series satellite and downlinked at roof-top receiving dishes. Existing in-building wiring will deliver the service to individual subscriber apartments.

Contact:

Intelsat
Ms Susan Gordon - Washington
E-mail: susan.gordon@intelsat.com
Tel: +1 202 944 6890

Mr Azwar Ghazali - Hong Kong
E-mail: azwar.ghazali@ogilvy.com
Tel: +852 2884 8563

TVB
Ms Winnie Ho - Hong Kong
E-mail: external.affairs@tvb.com.hk
Tel: +852 2335 2300

Galaxy
Mr Stanley Tang - Hong Kong
E-mail: joeliu@tvbihk.com
Tel: +852 2335 3461

(Craigs comment, looks like one less possible customer for Asiasat 4)

Intelsat Profit Fell 68% in Fourth Quarter

From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32484-2003Feb19.html

Firm Blames Decline in Telecom Business; Annual Earnings Also Down

Satellite firm Intelsat Ltd. gave the public its first look at the company's quarterly financial performance yesterday, announcing that net income fell 68 percent as revenue declined because of a continued erosion in its telecommunications business.
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