31/01/06
Livechat tonight 9.pm NZ and 8.30 p.m Syd time onwards
Those who are watching ABC Asia Pacific via Panamsat 8 should recive their Irdeto cards soon.
Ind vs Pak ODI cricket will be on DD NATIONAL, SEE NEWS SECTION. But they must also drop the power of the satellte signal so nearby countrys don't get out of footprint reception...
From my Email & ICQ
From Zaparra W.A
Insat 2E 83deg E
The following zone beams can now be seen in Perth 2.7mt Solid.
3428 Yo
3438 Jain TV (weak)
3447 Total TV
3554 Star Amanda
3560 S1
3572 Headlines Today
3593 Java TV
3612 Aakaash
3950 CNBC Aawaz
3960 Channel 7 JTV
3964 Indiavision News
4070 DD National
From the Dish
Nothing to report
NEWS
Seven man leads media overhaul
From http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17987531^462,00.html
A FORMER high-flying Seven Network executive who fell to earth in a dotcom-era crash has been appointed the first chief of the nation's powerful media and communications watchdog, ending a frustrating year-long search.
Chris Chapman, 51, presently chief operating officer of specialist funds management activities at Babcock & Brown, will take the reins of the newly formed Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on February 27, just days after Communications Minister Helen Coonan unveils her blueprint for media reforms.
Mr Chapman said the new role was a "unique opportunity at a particularly interesting time for an already dynamic communications sector".
His appointment received broad industry support, with Free TV, which represents free-to-air broadcasters, and the Federation of Australian Radio Broadcasters praising his wide experience.
"We are particularly pleased that the government has chosen someone with a strong broadcasting background as well as legal and telecommunications experience to lead the newly merged regulator," Free TV chief executive Julie Flynn said.
ACMA has been operating under acting chairwoman Lyn Maddock since opening its doors more than six months ago. Mr Chapman, whose appointment was approved by Cabinet late last year, has signed a five-year contract with a starting salary of $323,630 a year.
As well as playing umpire to powerful media owners such as Rupert Murdoch and James Packer, Mr Chapman will share with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission responsibility for Australia's $30 billion a year telecommunications industry - including Telstra which has taken a vociferous anti-regulation stance in the past six months.
ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said Mr Chapman would "bring a practical, private sector perspective to what will be a complex area of regulation".
The ACCC deals with competition issues, while ACMA is charged with technical issues including the sale and management of wireless spectrum.
Mr Chapman was acting chief executive at Seven in 1995 but is believed to have clashed with owner Kerry Stokes. He was chief executive of the struggling Stadium Australia from 1996 to 2000, before leading Optus's failed internet joint venture Excite@Home Australia in 2000-01.
Canberra's first choice for the post was former Howard government minister Warwick Smith, Macquarie Bank's senior partner specialising in media. Senator Coonan's plan for media reform is expected to be delivered in mid-February. It is likely to trigger far-reaching changes, enabling foreign investment interests to control Australian media assets and dismantling cross-media ownership restrictions.
The Government is also planning to broaden ACMA's powers so it can respond to breaches.
Senator Coonan said Mr Chapman's diverse expertise would help ACMA deal with rapid technological changes.
Screen Producers Association of Australia executive director Geoff Brown said safeguarding content standards for local television production would be critical.
Communications officers for Telstra and Foxtel said the companies looked forward to working with Mr Chapman.
Sondhi asks court to let show go on
From http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/31Jan2006_news15.php
Manager Group founder Sondhi Limthongkul will today submit a petition to the Administrative Court, asking it to lift CAT Telecom's suspension of the ASTV signal used to broadcast his talk show.
Suwat Apaipak, the media firebrand's lawyer, said the petition accuses senior state officials of the Public Relations Department and CAT Telecom's management of abuse of authority for their alleged role in cutting the signal of the ASTV satellite-based TV network.
ThaiDay.com, operator of the signal, is a co-plaintiff.
Named in the lawsuit are the Public Relations Department director-general Suchat Suchatvejapoom, deputy director-general Pattareeya Sumano, CAT Telecom, its president Pisarn Jorpocha-udom, and its deputy managing director.
On Jan 24, CAT Telecom cut the signal of ASTV when Mr Sondhi took his campaign to Songkhla's Hat Yai district, claiming he did not have a licence.
Mr Suwat said he will also file suit against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for alleged negligence of duty in relation to Jan 20's ruckus at his talk show.
A similar lawsuit was filed against nine other people on Jan 26, including Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat for allegedly plotting the anti-Sondhi protest at Lumpini Park.
Meanwhile, in Surat Thani, unidentified groups yesterday circulated flyers urging locals to gather in force and throw their support at Mr Sondhi's talk show due to be held at a local hotel today.
Registration forms have reportedly been sent to communities in downtown Surat Thani to collect names of those who want to attend the Feb 4 rally at Royal Plaza.
Suriyon Suwannawong, secretary-general of the anti-transfer teacher networks representing the Central and Eastern regions, said 100,000 teachers from all regions plan to travel to Bangkok to join the planned rally.
He said the teachers will come separately to avoid being kept out by the authorities. They plan to submit a petition to His Majesty the King, asking him to prevent the planned school transfer.
In a related development, Deputy Interior Minister Somchai Sunthornwat said the public has the legal right to attend the rally and the government will not hold its own rally to counter Mr Sondhi's.
Metropolitan police commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Viroj Chantharangsi, meanwhile, said that more than 20,000 police officers will be deployed to handle the gathering and that security measures would be in place for any contingency.
Andrew Introduces 3.9 M Transportable Earth Station Antenna for Military, Commercial Broadcast Use SATELLITE 2006
From http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060130005145&newsLang=en
WESTCHESTER, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 30, 2006--Andrew Corporation, a global leader in communications systems and products, has introduced a new transportable earth station antenna for military and commercial broadcast use that will operate on virtually any geostationary satellite system.
The Andrew 3.9 Meter Trifold(TM) Transportable Earth Station Antenna is the most versatile antenna of its kind, with quad-band operation and auto acquisition control systems that make it capable of C, Ku, Ka, and X-Band applications in support of users such as military units, news operations, and disaster relief agencies.
"The new Andrew 3.9 meter transportable antennas are rugged and designed for quick deployment in the toughest of conditions," said Jude Panetta, group president, Satellite Communications, Andrew Corporation. "Its versatility, superior capabilities, and low cost make it one of the best values available to customers today."
The new antennas are the latest in a proven line of Andrew transportable antennas that have a track record of more than 200 systems sold, delivered, and in operation around the world. Andrew will showcase its various satellite communications offerings February 7-9 at SATELLITE 2006 in Washington D.C.
"Globecomm Systems has been a major customer for the new Andrew 3.9 M Trifold, which we've deployed on behalf of a global multilateral program," said Dave Hershberg, chairman and chief executive officer, Globecomm Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:GCOM) "We've found that these antennas are very dependable and easy to deploy and redeploy. The radio frequency performance is exceptional."
Andrew's Satellite Communications Group provides a complete line of antennas from 43 centimeters to 9.4 meters for all enterprise, government, and consumer satellite communication applications. Andrew-designed and -built products--which cover C, Ku, K, X, and the emerging Ka band--include type approved earth station antenna hubs and gateways for broadband and broadcast, VSAT broadband antennas for consumer and enterprise customers, DBS antennas for home satellite broadcast systems, and complete installation and testing services.
About Andrew Corporation
Andrew Corporation (NASDAQ:ANDW) designs, manufactures, and delivers innovative and essential equipment and solutions for the global communications infrastructure market. The company serves operators and equipment manufacturers from facilities in 35 countries. Andrew (http://www.andrew.com/), headquartered in Westchester, IL, is an S&P 500 company founded in 1937.
Andrew 3.9M Trifold is a trademark of Andrew Corporation.
Forward Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this news release are forward looking statements and we caution our stockholders and others that these statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. Factors that may cause actual results to differ from expected results include fluctuations in commodity costs, the company's ability to integrate acquisitions and to realize the anticipated synergies and cost savings, the effects of competitive products and pricing, economic and political conditions that may impact customers' ability to fund purchases of our products and services, the company's ability to achieve the cost savings anticipated from cost reduction programs, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, the timing of cash payments and receipts, end use demands for wireless communication services, the loss of one or more significant customers, and other business factors. Investors should also review other risks and uncertainties discussed in company documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts
Andrew Corporation
Rick Aspan (News Media), 708-236-6568
[email protected]
or
Scott Malchow (Investors), 708-236-6507
Telecommunications : Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa reach 71 percent of Iraqis
From http://www.portaliraq.com/news/Alhurra+TV+and+Radio+Sawa+reach+71+percent+of+Iraqis__1111788.html
Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa together have reached an unduplicated weekly audience of 71 percent of Iraqi adults 15 and older, according to an independent survey released Jan. 25. The survey was conducted throughout Iraq during November and December 2005.
Radio Sawa alone reached 51 percent of Iraqi adults, making it the most listened to radio station in Iraq. Alhurra TV reached 42 percent of Iraqi adults weekly, ranking fifth among more than 200 satellite and terrestrial television stations in Iraq. The top four stations are Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, Al-Iraqiya (each with 71 percent weekly reach) and Al-Sharqiya (67 percent weekly reach).
Seventy-three percent of Alhurra TV's weekly viewers said the news on the channel is reliable and 63 percent of Radio Sawa's weekly listeners said that station's news is reliable. Radio Sawa was also cited as the foremost source of radio news by 32 percent of survey respondents, followed by the BBC Arabic Service (13 percent) and Radio Monte Carlo (nine percent).
Similar studies were conducted in 2004 and 2005. This survey, along with other surveys in 11 Middle East countries, were conducted by research companies such as ACNielsen and Ipsos. Those surveys found that Alhurra and Radio Sawa had an unduplicated weekly reach of more than 35 million adults.
The results are based on over 2,000 face-to-face interviews with randomly selected respondents using internationally accepted standard sampling methods. The margin of error is approximately two percent. This survey was conducted in cooperation with D3 Systems by KA Research Limited, a regional research company operating throughout the Middle East and North Africa, with offices in Iraq, Turkey and Belgium.
Alhurra TV is broadcast on the Nilesat and Arabsat satellites, the same satellites used by the major regional Arabic channels. It is also available in Baghdad on Channel 12 and in Basra on Channel 3. Alhurra TV was launched in February 2004 as an Arabic-language alternative source of news and information. Unlike the all-news networks Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, Alhurra carries a wide range of current affairs programs (covering Iraqi and international news) as well as documentaries and other informational programming on health and personal fitness, entertainment news, sports, fashion, science and technology, according to The Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc (MBN). The MBN is a non-profit corporation that operates Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa.
Alhurra TV maintains a large news bureau in Baghdad that serves as the coordination point for its nationwide network of correspondents and the origination point for interviews and roundtables on issues facing Iraq today, an MBN statement reads.Radio Sawa broadcasts on FM in Iraq in the cities of Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Nasiriya, Sulimaniya and Erbil. The station can also be heard throughout the country on medium wave (AM).
Radio Sawa broadcasts on FM radio in Morocco (Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Meknes, Marrakesh, Agadir and Fes), Jordan (Amman and Ajlun), Ramallah, Kuwait City, Bahrain (Manama), Qatar (Doha), U.A.E. (Abu Dhabi and Dubai) and Djibouti. Radio Sawa broadcasts on AM to Egypt, Yemen and Sudan. Radio Sawa streams its programming on http://www.radiosawa.com/. Information about Alhurra TV can be found on the Alhurra TV site.
DD to telecast Indo-Pak ODI matches live
From http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14130294
New Delhi: Cricket fans, who did not have access to Ten Sports and had to settle for the highlights of the test matches being played between India and Pakistan, will now be able to watch the live coverage of the forthcoming one-day international matches on Doordarshan. Today in Sify Finance
Ten Sports and Prasar Bharati today reached an agreement before a division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice Tarun Chatterjee.
According to this, Doordarshan will pay Ten Sports Rs 15 crore by February 9 as full and final settlement for sharing an "uninterrupted feed". Also, Doordarshan and Prasar Bharati will not market the series on its own and will not carry any of its own advertisements in its terrestrial feed. It would have to reduce the power of its satellite so that the signal does not spill over to the neighbouring countries. |Read more Finance news.|
K.S. Sarma, CEO, Prasar Bharati, said, that it would obey the Supreme Court order and deposit Rs 15 crore. "We will carry the feed without inserting our own advertisements," he said.
Meanwhile, the court has transferred to itself a petition pending before the Bombay High Court in which Ten Sports had challenged the validity of the guidelines issued in November last year, requiring all private TV channels and sports management companies to share live feed of all matches - national and international - featuring India with the public broadcaster.
Ten Sports to share feed with DD for telecast of ODIs
From http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/31/stories/2006013103781300.htm
Supreme Court asks Prasar Bharati to pay Rs. 15 crore in full and final settlement
Doordarshan will transmit ads also
Ensure that signals do not spill over into neighbouring countries: Bench
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed Ten Sports to share with Doordarshan its feed for live telecast of five India-Pakistan one-day international cricket matches next month. It directed Prasar Bharati to deposit before February 9 Rs. 15 crore to compensate the loss likely to be incurred by Ten Sports for `simulcast' of the ODIs.
Solicitor General G.E. Vahanvati told a Bench consisting of Justices Ashok Bhan and Tarun Chatterjee that Prasar Bharati had come to an agreement with Ten Sports for the telecast of the ODIs as about 400 million people in the country could not watch the Test matches being played now. Doordarshan was willing to share the feed including advertisements without any alteration.
The Bench was hearing a special leave petition filed by Taj Television (India), owner of Ten Sports, against the order of the Bombay High Court, which admitted its petition challenging the revised guidelines on telecast of national events but refused to grant interim relief.
No other claim
Counsel for Ten Sports P.H. Parekh said the channel had no objection to sharing the live feed on Prasar Bharati paying Rs. 15 crore. It would not lay any other claim.
In the light of this agreement, the Bench directed Ten Sports to receive Rs. 15 crore in full and final settlement for sharing an uninterrupted feed of the ODIs beginning at Peshawar on February 6.
Prasar Bharati should use the signals only for terrestrial transmission and reduce the power of its satellite so that the signals would not spill over into the neighbouring countries or West Asia.
Petition transferred
The Bench ordered transfer of the petition pending in the High Court to the apex court and posted it before a three-judge Bench, already hearing a similar petition filed by Ten Sports in 2004.
Times Now to launch on 31 January
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/jan/jan337.htm
MUMBAI: Times Global Broadcasting Co. Ltd has finally announced the launch date of Times Now. From 31 January, the channel will beam into homes and can be streamed on Reliance IndiaMobile too.
Times Now, a Times Group and Reuters service is set to target the Indian urbanite with news and shows that are relevant, distinctive and appealing. Recently, the channel had joined hands with Reliance IndiaMobile providing access with headlines to the latter's users.
The show lined-up for the weekdays includes; 16 Minutes, News Now, Nine To Noon, Across The Nation, Terminal Cap, Snapshots, Reuters World Report, The Newshour, Upfront, Sports Unplugged and News Unpullgged and A Few Good Men.
The channel will also air an array of other shows; Frankly Speaking with Arnab Goswami, Life Like That, By Invitation Only, Entertainment Now, All About Her, Brand Equity, The Foodie, Line Of Duty and Sporting Legends.
In a statement issued by Times Now, Times Now will harness the content from The Times of India, The Economic Times and Reuters, making it a news powerhouse. The channel will also carry live financial updates throughout the day from Reuters bureaus around the world - a feature unique to Times Now in the business news broadcast space.
Times Global Broadcasting Co.Ltd CEO Sunil Lulla says, "Times Now will create the second generation of television news in the broadcast space. With a focus on involving the consumer more closely in the news experience, the programming wheel blends the urgent news needs of the urbanite. It links every news story to the bigger picture. "We believe news is an experience and Times Now will make India Feel The News".
A digitally encrypted pay service, the channel was visible in form of show-reel (dry-run), since 2 January.
Dish TV opens new horizons with Movie on Demand service
From http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2006/newsfullstory.php?id=1138581465
Dish TV launches movie-on-demand service that features movies like EK Ajnabee, Wah life ho to Aisi, Garam Masala, Kyunki?, where two movies are made available for a week, allowing viewers to control which movie they want to watch, and when, right in their living room.
The evolution of TV took another step forward with Dish TV, India's first Direct-to-Home service announcing the launch of the first on-demand movie service which offers a unique opportunity to the customers to order movies directly from their remote control, and watch it right away. With the introduction of MoD, Dish TV makes quality films more accessible than ever in the most popular format worldwide desired by a growing base of movie enthusiasts in India.
Said Sunil Gupta, Managing Director, Dish TV India, "Unlike traditional pay-per-view, the consumer can watch the film at any time. In the current broadcasting environment, programme timing and selection is the exclusive prerogative of the broadcaster. The consumer is merely a passive participant with no control over the content. With MoD, the consumer has complete control over the content."
He further added, "Our goal is to provide a balance of offbeat and independent movies, in addition to a wide selection of mainstream movies. Dish TV views VOD as an opportunity for filmmakers to reach a large audience. The company is in dialogue with filmmakers and producers to secure rights to distribute as well as release their films via its newly offered MOD platform."
Our research indicates that Movies shown on a schedule doesn't interest consumers much because of their daily chores and routine. Moreover, they will go to a nearby shop at any time to get VCD's on rent. This service will allow consumers to view their choice of movie in true DVD format at more convenience, also reducing the damaged caused by video piracy. Customers can order the movie through IVR/Phone, SMS, or by simply ogging onto www.DishTVindia.com, select the movie he wants to watch and click on 'Order Now'. Once the customer is authorized, he will be able to view the movie for 24 hrs at his own convenience-all at a nominal cost of Rs. 40/month.
Direct-to-home (DTH) television services deliver television channels directly to consumer's homes via satellite without any need of a local cable service provider. Dish TV, India's first DTH service provider, entertains the viewers with 130 television and audio channels offering a superior picture and sound quality. The viewers get a complete family entertainment service through uninterrupted viewing of Movies, Historical and Mythological Channels, News, Cartoon programme for kids and much more at home. Further, the set up box comes with a warranty of one year. Dish TV has a vast distribution network of about 5000 dealers / distributors that spans the entire country. Beginning this year Dish TV has set us authorised Dish care centres in all top 10 markets of the country. Also to reach closer to the customers, all major consumer durable outlets in the cities are Dish TV retailers today.
30/01/06
Some Info Re: ABC ASIA PACIFIC
The "Sky Pacific" dish/decoder offer is only for those in the Pacific Islands who requested cards for the Rugby. Due to hardware problems relating to the Conditional access system the Panamsat 2 feed is unable to be Encrypted in IRDETO.
You do NOT need to contact ABC, unless you ordered a smartcard and have received an email from them advising of the change.
On Tuesday the PAS-2 ABC Asia Pacific signal will be timed shifted for the Pacific, meaning that all programming will move back 4 hours so that it is on at a far more convenient time for Pacific viewers. The Pacific signal people are currently seeing on PAS-8 is a test signal which will disappear from tomorrow.
TV Plus Pas8 KU running FTA..on and off as it does..
Worth a look, Special "Chinese new year" programmng is running on many of the Chinese channels on various satellites.
From my Email & ICQ
From Jsat.tv (Sunday)
Panamsat 2 is busy this Sunday morning;
[Note we have reported these before this week]
1. ISU Figure skating from Paris
FREQ: 4062
POL: H
S/r: 6620
2. Australian Open (2 channels)
FREQ: 4045
POL: H
S/r: 6111
3. Napsa4 (3 channels)
FREQ: 3808
POL: V
S/r: 13250
From Puzhakkara
SOME CHANGES ON THAICOM 3
VSNL OCC HAS LEFT 3545/26667 VERTICAL(PID"S-305,306).
RR FEED HAS REPLACED DOVE VISION ON 3551/13333 HORIZONTAL(PID"S-5001,5002).
MRTV FEEDS HAS LEFT 3569/12500 HORIZONTAL(PID"S-49,52).
MRTV 3 NOW HAS NEW PID"S ON 3569/12500 HORIZONTAL(PID"S-113,114).
MRTV NOW HAS NEW PID"S ON 3569/12500 HORIZONTAL(PID"S-4130,4131).
TEST CARD HAS REPLACED TV5 ON 3585/26667 VERTICAL(PID"S-514,642).
DM DIGITAL TV HAS LEFT 3640/28062 HORIZONTAL(PID"S-3842,3843).
TSC HAS REPLACED SINDH TV ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-514,670).
PUNJAB TV HAS REPLACED SS MUSIC ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-515,680).
VOYAGES TV HAS REPLACED TEST CARD ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-516,690).
TEST CARD HAS REPLACED DDTV ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-517,700).
VRTV HAS REPLACED TCTV ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-519,720).
SHIN SAT 10 HAS REPLACED RP4 ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-521,740).
SHIN SAT 11 HAS REPLACED RP5 ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-522,750).
SHIN SAT 13 HAS REPLACED TBO ON 3625/30000 VERTICAL(PID"S-524,5634).
SHIN SAT 15 HAS REPLACED TARA INTERNATIONAL ON 3625/30000
VERTICAL(PID"S-526,5654).
A TEST CARD NAMED SHIN SAT 9 HAS STARTED ON 3920/30000
VERTICAL(PID"S-524,5634).
A TEST CARD NAMED SHIN SAT 10 HAS STARTED ON 3920/30000
VERTICAL(PID"S-525,5644).
A TEST CARD NAMED SHIN SAT 11 HAS STARTED ON 3920/30000
VERTICAL(PID"S-526,5654).
A TEST CARD NAMED SHIN SAT 12 HAS STARTED ON 3920/30000
VERTICAL(PID"S-527,5664).
From the Dish
(Some changes may have occurred since posting)
NSS 5 177W 12691 V "The Best TV" mux has left . New SR and PIDs for MAC TV: 2961 and 1760/1720.
Optus B3 152E 12719 V "SBS Western (HD) and SBS EPG" have started on , Fta, SR 12600, FEC 5/6, PIDs 102/103 and 163/85.(been there for ages)
JCSAT 3 128E All channels in the TAS muxes on 4000 V and 4120 V are Fta.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 3832 V "NTV Mir" has started on , Fta, PIDs 257/513.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 3832 V "Israel Plus International and REN TV" have started on , Fta, PIDs 259/515 and 261/517.
ST 1 88E 3418 V "ABTV 6" has started Fta, PIDs 517/700.
ST 1 88E 3632 V "Hi Station has replaced MAC TV" on , Viaccess, PIDs 2097/2081. Life TV is now Fta.
Insat 2E 83E 3428 V "Yo" has started on , Fta, SR 3000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 801/802, zone beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 12479 H "UBC Inside" is back on , Irdeto, PIDs 519/720.
PAS 4 72E 12519 V "Radio 5" has started on , Fta, APID 784.
PAS 4 72E 12676 V "Diva Futura Channel" has started on , Fta, SR 1600, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/768.
PAS 4 72E 12682 V "Transex" has started on , Fta, SR 1600, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/768.
PAS 10 68.5E 3974 V "The Discovery Travel & Living tests and test card" are still on , Fta, PIDs 1460/1420 and 1560/1520.
PAS 10 68.5E 12682 H "RTNC" is back on , Fta, PIDs 517/700.
PAS 10 68.5E 12575 V "ManaSat 2" is now encrypted.
(DeEmEx)
NEWS
AUSTRALIA PRESS: Foxtel Books Operating Profit
From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/060129/15/3ya23.html
SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Pay-television group Foxtel posted an operating profit after interest and tax for the first time in the first week of January, and has been profitable since, the Australian Financial Review reports Monday.
Without citing sources, the newspaper says the rollout of Foxtel's digital service has helped it trim losses much faster than anticipated.
Foxtel Chief Executive Kim Williams has only said the group was on track to become cash-flow positive by June 2006 after achieving positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization in the first quarter of 2005.
Foxtel is owned by Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd. (PBL.AU), News Corp. (NWS) and Telstra Corp. (TLS).
Newspaper Web site: http://www.afr.com
ShinSat 'cut Thai stake to 40% last year' Change paved the way for Temasek's buy-out
From http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/28Jan2006_news11.php
Shin Satellite Plc last year managed to amend its concession contract, lowering Thai ownership to 40% from 51%, said a source at the Information and Communications Technology Ministry. The change in ownership structure was believed to have paved the way for the sale of Shin Corp shares held by the Shinawatra and Damapong families to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.
Temasek's take-over made alarm bells ring over national security and caused another public uproar after the capital gains tax exemption and the amendment to the telecom law to keep Shin's foreign shareholding within the statutory limits.
Shin Corp's subsidiaries include ShinSat, the operator of four satellites that orbit above the Asia-Pacific region.
However, a source close to the satellite sector allayed fears that the orbital slot would fall into the new owner's hands.
According to the source, the orbital slot was granted by the International Telecommunication Union to the Thai government via the Transport Ministry. The right was passed onto the ICT Ministry after its establishment.
ShinSat was granted the privilege to operate the satellites under the build-transfer-operate concession contract only.
''We don't have to worry about slot ownership, only the use of satellites. If it isn't regulated, it will pose problems to national security. The satellites can be used for many purposes, from commerce to espionage,'' said the source.
Holding a 30-year contract with the ICT Ministry, ShinSat could block other potential operators until 2021, said the source.
Normally, a satellite has an average lifetime of 10-15 years and needs to be replaced after that. ''If this is the case, we'd be wasting a generation if ShinSat refuses to replace the old satellites. The government may have to pay the firm to bring them down,'' said the source.
Another source said that apart from national security risks, losing satellites to foreign investors could have implications on emergency responses.
The government's efforts to resolve an emergency would be hampered if satellites were the only mode of communications available during a natural disaster such as a tsunami, said the source.
Tom Khrue-sopon, a telecom industry observer, said his initial worry about the sale of ShinSat had been eased after being assured that ownership of the orbital slot belonged to the Thai government.
''It's like we own a parking lot and we rent it out. People park their cars, or in this case satellites, but they don't own the lot,'' he said, adding that foreign investors were not the majority shareholders and thus made no management decisions.
Shin Corp is the biggest shareholder in ShinSat, holding 41.34%.
A source close to the Thai-US free trade negotiations said that the sale of Shin Corp was carried out to avoid competition in the satellite sector.
Thai-US free trade talks also touched on satellite sector liberalisation and broadening access to the satellite market.
''After liberalisation, ShinSat, a satellite giant, could be reduced to an ordinary firm. That's perhaps the reason why its owner decided to dump it,'' said the source.
Meanwhile, a source at the Defence Ministry said encryption would be required to protect information since the satellites were in the hands of a Singaporean firm.
The military uses ThaiCom satellites for communications such as video teleconferencing, and Thailand would be better off with its own surveillance satellite.
The Defence Ministry is seeking 500 million baht to fund construction of an earth station for military satellite signals.
More questions than answers at Shin :Real intention behind deal remains unclear
From http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/30Jan2006_biz01.php
The ink is barely dry on the agreement that passed control of Shin Corporation to Singapore's Temasek Holdings from the founding Shinawatra family last week, but a host of questions have now emerged about the 73.3-billion-baht deal.
The tax-free windfall enjoyed by the family of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has dominated the headlines, given disclosures about transactions made through one of Mr Thaksin's many dummy companies just days before the sale.
But the largest takeover in Thai history has other implications, given the scope of Shin's holdings. Critics cite concerns over the sale to foreigners of radio frequencies and satellite broadcasting, which are national assets, saying political stability and national security could be affected.
Meanwhile, analysts and commentators are searching for signs of a hidden agenda.
An executive at Shin Corp admitted that the sell-off to Temasek was different from the deal last November involving United Communications Industry (Ucom), when the founding Bencharongkul family sold out to Norwegian partner Telenor and exited the telecom business.
"The huge difference between the acquisition value of Ucom _ less than one-tenth that of the Shin deal, even though Shin's business is only about three times the size of Ucom's _ is not strange given that Shin gained so much of its revenues from the cellular flagship AIS," he said.
An executive of Shin Satellite said top executives, including Dr Dumrong Kasemset, were not happy with the deal for two reasons. First, it happened quickly with Shin's major shareholders not clarifying their clear intentions in advance.
Second, Shin Satellite differs from other subsidiaries of Shin since it is effectively a monopoly, while AIS is one of three major mobile operators and iTV has five free television stations as rivals.
But to be fair to the Shinawatra family, the executive said, its members had the right to sell the holding company without agreement from management executives.
The deal was helped along by a legal amendment that lifted the foreign ownership cap in telecommunications businesses to 49% from 25%. The government first tried to amend the rule in 2001 but ran into heavy opposition from 100 senators. This time around, only 10 senators were opposed and the amendment passed quickly and quietly.
The source also noted that Thailand has no equivalent of the US Federal Trade Commission to monitor deals involving the sale of strategic assets to foreigners.
"We have to separate the issues of capital and business, as most of Shin Satellite's investment capital has been borrowed from the US Exim Bank, Coface of France and foreign commercial banks, with satellites as loan collateral."
Another ShinSat executive said there should not be much worry about national security, since Shin Satellite's orbital slot was decided by the International Telecommunications Union and allocated to the Thai government which acted on behalf of the private company.
"If I were asked if the orbit still belong to Thais or not, I would say, 'Yes' because the satellites are still in orbit. It is a right rather than an asset. ShinSat is a service provider," he said.
Another telecom industry executive said, however, that there was uneasiness about a possible "hidden agreement between the Shinawatra family and Temasek".
It has been reported, for example, that the government assured Temasek beforehand that it would be able to secure a licence for AIS for potentially lucrative third-generation or 3G mobile services.
"The family's departure from the telecom business might add another level of confidence for Temasek in operating the business amid changing circumstances in terms of new licences, liberalisation and concession conversions between AIS and TOT Plc for the remaining contract life of nine years," said the executive.
In any case, given Mr Thaksin's well-known enthusiasm for all things Singaporean, something like the Shin deal may have been inevitable, said another source.
"Although the Shinawatra family will exit the business, Temasek was on the verge of linking up with the family in the property industry and future potential businesses," the source said.
THAILAND: Probe gears up into Shin Corp sell-off
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=38004
The Law Society and Press Council of Thailand demand Shinawatra family pay income tax on the B73.3 billion deal
The Law Society of Thailand and the Press Council of Thailand yesterday geared up their probe into the sell-off of Shin Corp by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family to Singapore's Temasek Holdings, saying income tax must be paid on the 73.3-billion-baht deal. Det-udom Krairit, president of the Law Society of Thailand, said a committee set up to study the impact of the sale of 14.8 billion Shin shares would meet today to look into the tax liability exemption.
The Shinawatra and Damapong families netted about 73 billion baht tax-free from the deal.
The commitee will look into the legal aspects of the tax-free sale, said Mr Det-udom, also a member of the Press Council of Thailand. He said the buyers cannot be excused from sidestepping tax.
The Law Society of Thailand has focused on two issues in the sale -- the honesty and ethics of politicians involved and the effects on national security.
"When shares are in the stock market, they are no longer called shares but stock assets," he said.
He criticised politicians for lacking honesty by exploiting the law to evade taxes over the sale.
Those who acquired shares that are not listed need not pay tax, he said, but the status of their shares would immediately change to taxable stock assets when they were in the stock market.
The lawyer also expressed his concern over the threat posed by the giant telecom deal to national security. The telecom system and satellite broadcasting are national assets as stated by Article 40 of the constitution, he said.
Mr Det-udom said the committee would look into the deal to see whether the buyout complied with the Telecom Act and whether the shares were sold at an inflated price.
Pongsak Payakvichian, president of the Press Council of Thailand, said the sale would allow foreigners to dominate and monopolise Thailand's telecom industry and would also affect national security.
The council would issue a press release to point out the negative effects of Temasek taking over the country's telecom industry, said Mr Pongsak.
Mr Det-udom said the director-general of the Revenue Department would be asked to collect tax from Shin Corp on the massive capital gains from the sale or risk being accused of negligence of duty.
Democrat executive Kobsak Sapavasu said the share sale by the Shinawatras was another tactic to hide assets. He questioned the multi-tier share transfers among Shin Corp's major shareholders before the deal was sealed.
He wondered why Ample Rich Investments, one of Shin Corp's major shareholders, had not sold its shares directly to Temasek. The firm sold its shares at one baht each to Mr Thaksin's children, who later sold them to Temasek.
The Democrat MP said Mr Thaksin failed to report to the National Counter Corruption Commission the sale of his Shin Corp shares to Ample Rich Investments. There were no documents on the share sale on Nov 30, 2000 when Mr Thaksin declared his assets, he said.
He added that Mr Thaksin could not deny that he had business connections with the firm.
He also challenged the prime minister to disclose the names of the major shareholders in Ample Rich Investments.
Tax officials admit Shin case has upset public
The Revenue Department acknowledges growing concern that Thai people will no longer pay taxes after a storm of criticism over the tax-free sell-off of Shin Corp shares by the Shinawatra and Damapong families.
"The department has encouraged Thai people to pay tax. And this is the time [of year] for personal income-tax payment. We worry that taxpayers might misunderstand that case. So we are here to clarify the issue," Sirote Swasdipanich, the department's director-general, said at a press conference yesterday.
Mr Sirote acknowledged criticisms of the Shin deal but said that everything had been handled to a high standard and without any discrimination.
The Revenue Department is responding to the current public discontent with a 100-million-baht campaign to encourage tax payment.
Under the law, there is no tax on capital gains from the sale of shares through the stock market. Mr Thaksin has said that his family's sale of shares to Temasek Holdings of Singapore -- at 73.3 billion baht, the largest share transaction in Thai history -- was in full compliance with the law.
However, critics have pointed out that before he took the premier's office, Mr Thaksin had originally transferred his shares to his children and sister Yingluck at prices below their market value. The transfer was in line with a constitutional requirement that politicians be free from business interests.
At the time, that deal was exempted from capital-gains tax even though the transactions were made outside the stock market. Tax payments could not be applied on a cash basis because profits and losses were not realised, officials concluded.
However, critics have questioned how a capital gain -- the difference between the buying and selling prices -- could be calculated in the Temasek transaction if no cost was realised in the original intra-family transfer.
Paitoon Pongskasorn, the department's deputy director-general, said that in such a case, the seller could realise the cost of the first transaction when selling the shares in the stock market. As a result, there would be exemptions from capital gains tax in both transactions.
The Securities and Exchange Commission insisted that it did not apply any double standards in the Shin-Temasek deal.
The SEC said it spent a month considering the question of whether to waive the requirement for a tender offer for Shin subsidiaries Shin Satellite and iTV for Temasek. SCB Securities, the financial adviser for the deal, had sent the original takeover proposal for SEC consideration on Dec 23.
Regulators pointed out that a tender offer was still required for Advanced Info Service Plc (AIS), because it generated more than 50% of Shin's total revenues.
Chalee Chantanayingyong, a senior secretary-general of the SEC, said officials had reviewed five similar cases and three resulted in waivers of tender offers for subsidiaries.
"The consideration and approval were transparent. We have a takeover panel to work on this issue," he said.
The SEC insisted that members of the takeover panel did not have any conflict of interest when considering the Shin case. Two of the five committee members were from Phatra Securities and Trinity Securities, which were involved in Shin share trading order execution.
"We have to have 15 committee members. Each case will use five of them, with members rotated from time to time. They don't know in advance which case they will consider," Mr Chalee said.
SINGAPORE'S BIG BUY: Temasek may sell off ShinSat, iTV
From http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/01/30/business/index.php?news=business_19781360.html
Analysts expect S'pore investment arm to dispose of non-core businesses; some see Thaksin eventually regaining control. Singapore's Temasek Holdings stands to profit handsomely from its buyout of Shin Corp Plc, despite the huge cost of Bt73.3 billion, as it will very likely move soon to divest non-flagship businesses such as Shin Satellite (ShinSat) and iTV, probably back to Shin's former major shareholders, investment bankers said last week.
S Iswaran, Temasek's managing director for investment, said Temasek means to hold on to Shin for the long term, since it has confidence in the growth potential of the company as well as the telecommunications industry here.
Stringent criteria were used to evaluate this acquisition and Temasek believes it is a good one, he said, while declining to elaborate on the expected payback period.
Temasek has just disclosed the investment in Shin and is in the process of staging tender offers, so it is unable to comment further on the transaction, he added.
Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij said Temasek, as an investment arm of Singapore's Finance Ministry, could have looked beyond the numbers when analysing the merits of the deal. Singapore has some regional problems , notably its long-running water dispute with Malaysia. The acquisition of a major Thai conglomerate could give the city-state broader political weight.
"Thus, they didn't mind the price. The strategic point of view is more important," he said, adding that right after the 1997 financial crisis, Singaporean investors led the way in staking out positions in distressed Thai companies.
A source from a foreign securities house anticipates Temasek recouping some of its capital by spinning off ancillary businesses, while keeping only Advanced Info Service (AIS), Shin's crown jewel.
Some analysts figure that at the price of Bt49.25 per share, Shin was valued at 17 times its prospective 2005 earnings. At that lofty price-earnings ratio, it is the most expensive telecom stock in the Thai market. That makes it hard to believe that Temasek will sit contentedly waiting for dividends to come in from the investment. Shin has a policy of paying out at least 40 per cent of its net income in dividends. For 2004, Shin paid out Bt2 per share, or a total of Bt5.95 billion, which represented 68 per cent of its Bt8.8 billion earnings that year.
With the 49.6-per-cent interest, Temasek is now entitled to half of the dividends Shin pays out. If dividends increase 10 per cent each year, Temasek would stand to receive Bt51.3 billion over a 10-year period. The cellular service concession of AIS, which is Shin?s cash cow, expires in 2015.
The Bt51.3 billion in dividend income still falls short of the buyer's initial outlay on a discounted basis and does not take into account the cost of funds. To finance the Bt73.3-billion deal, the buyer had to borrow Bt24 billion. It will also likely take out more loans to finance part of the Bt79 billion needed to support the tender offer for the remaining Shin shares.
Sukit Udomsirikul, assistant manager of SCIB Securities Co Ltd, which structured the complex transaction, also mentioned the vague policy of Temasek regarding Shin's subsidiaries. Temasek could sell off some companies but the big question is to whom, he said.
"I basically believe that the Shinawatra family will buy back those companies," he said, referring to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Last Monday, when the takeover deal was publicly disclosed, Iswaran said Temasek had no plan to dump its shares in Shin Satellite or iTV, two listed subsidiaries of Shin.
A week has passed and it is still unclear what Temasek plans to do with both companies. In its tender offer document submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Temasek through Cedar Holdings and Aspen Holdings said it would not tender for the remaining shares of both companies because they represent 'immaterial assets' of Shin.
Shin also runs several businesses that are not first tier. Although Thai AirAsia is the biggest low-cost carrier, it faces intense competition. Capital OK Co Ltd is also one of many consumer credit companies.
More importantly, Temasek has no expertise in these businesses. While it could benefit from its holding in AIS through its 60-per cent-owned Singapore Telecommunications, it is not considered a major player in the television and satellite fields.
A local investment banker also sees the Shinawatra clan ending up coming back into the picture, though it sold off Shin to eliminate criticism of conflicts of interest.
"I'm convinced that as long as the prime minister remains in politics, he will keep some telecommunications companies, especially iTV and Shin Satellite. These could be major resources in supporting his political role. Probably, they could buy back the companies through nominees or their business partners," the investment banker said.
After the Temasek-Shin story became a done deal, rumours started circulating that GMM Grammy which has stated that one of its key strategies is getting its own TV station was ready to scoop up iTV.
Government moves to block cable news station and website of critical media owner
From http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/71868/
(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a CPJ press release:
Renewing a battle, Thai government lashes out at media owner
Bangkok, Thailand, January 27, 2006 - The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Thai government's recent moves to disrupt the signal of the satellite-based television news station Asian Satellite TV (ASTV) and to block access to a popular news Web site. Both actions appeared to be aimed in part at veteran journalist and media owner Sondhi Limthongkul, who has been critical of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's government.
The Prime Minister's Office Public Relations Department (PRD) this week ordered the state-run Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) to block ASTV's live broadcast of Sondhi's political talk show, "Thailand Weekly," from the southern towns of Trang and Hat Yai to viewers in Bangkok, Thai newspapers reported.
The PRD claimed that the newly-launched ASTV did not have a proper broadcast license and did not have authorization for live broadcasts. Thailand's television frequencies are owned and controlled by the government and military.
News reports said that the PRD also ordered the CAT to block the popular news Web site of the Manager Media Group, http://www.manager.co.th/, asserting that the site's content was causing "social chaos." Manager Media Group is owned by Sondhi. The government later denied that it was seeking to shut down the Web site, and the site was accessible on Friday.
"The government's move to block the Manager Group's television broadcasts and news Web sites is out of step with the freedom of expression guarantees enshrined in the country's constitution," said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper. "We call on the Thai government to immediately halt practices that undermine press freedom."
Last September, the state-run Mass Communications Organization of Thailand (MCOT) abruptly cancelled Sondhi's "Thailand Weekly" talk show, broadcast over Channel 9, after the journalist accused Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on the air of disloyalty to the monarchy.
Thaksin subsequently filed a string of criminal and civil defamation lawsuits against Sondhi, his co-host Sarocha Porn-udomsak, and Thai Dot Com Co, demanding damages totaling two billion baht (US$50 million) in the civil suits. Thaksin's lawyers also won a temporary court injunction barring Manager Media Group's Web site from posting critical commentary about the prime minister while the cases were in session.
Thaksin later dropped the lawsuits against Sondhi and other journalists. The reversal followed King Bhumibol Adulyadej's December 4 nationally televised birthday address, in which the monarch urged greater tolerance of government criticism.
Sondhi continued to broadcast his "Thailand Weekly" talk show over ASTV, and his live broadcasts from various public places around the country have drawn crowds of more than 50,000. The Manager Media Group also streams the popular program live over the Internet.
CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide.
For more information, visit http://www.cpj.org/.
RR Satellite Communications Is A finalist For 2006 Independent Teleport Operator Of The Year Award
From http://www.broadcastbuyer.tv/publish/article_6708.shtml
Louis A. Zacharilla, Director of Development - World Teleport Association has announced that RR Satellite Communications is a finalist for the 2006 Independent Teleport Operator of the Year Award.
This award is given to a commercial teleport operator that has achieved a high degree of excellence in providing quality communications solutions to its customers during the past 12 months.
Winners of the Teleport Operator of the Year have identified and successfully opened new markets, introduced new technologies that gained customer acceptance, created new business processes, grew revenues substantially above normal market growth rates and achieved other significant milestones.
The recipient of the Award will be named at the annual Teleport Awards for Excellence Luncheon on February 7, 2006 at the Washington Convention Center. The Luncheon takes place beginning at 12:30 PM in Room 140 A-B in the Convention Center.
European manufacturers head for Dubai as CABSAT2006 experiences 23% increase
From http://www.ameinfo.com/76497.html
An increasing number of companies from Europe are keen to showcase their latest technologies at the 12th Middle East International Cable, Satellite, Broadcasting and Communication Event - CABSAT 2006, according to organiser Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
The show scheduled to take place from March 7 to 9, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, will have strong participation by companies from the Eurozone, including Austria, Belgium, France, Italy plus 'Government Supported' country pavilions from Spain, Germany and the UK among others thereby registering an overall growth of 23% in participating companies from Europe.
'The Middle East region offers tremendous prospects for the Communication and Electronic Media sectors and the growing presence of the many European manufacturers is proof of opportunities available ,' said DWTC General Manager, Exibitions, Trixee Loh.
Exhibiting for the first time as a 'Governmental Supported' National Group is the Spanish Pavilion, bringing the total area occupied by Spanish exhibitors to 192 square metres, an increase by 3 folds compared to the last event.
'The Middle East market is becoming increasingly important for Spanish companies in search of non-traditional market for export, given the fact that exports are the main driving force behind Spanish broadcasting products. The response for CABSAT has been overwhelming. The Spanish Pavilion will showcase highly competitive solutions and a broad array of technological products in the most diverse broadcasting fields ', said Vicente Baena from AETIC, the Spanish Electronics and Telecommunication Industries Association. 'The exhibitors are mainly SMEs who provide the most competitive solutions', he added.
In addition to the Spanish participation, other countries have all increased their space at this years show. The German contingent has increased its exhibition space by more than 52% similary the Italian participation has increased by 142 % and the UK's allocation is up by 85% making them the largest group booking with 950 sqm. This spurt in European companies participating at the show is a clear pointer to the show's ability to reach out to buyers throughout the GCC and neighbouring region. CABSAT2006 will also showcase a whole host of technological advances from regionally located companies from the GCC, Asian countries and from as far as North America and Canada.
The Pan-Arab region has seen numerous developments in the Communications and Electronic Media industy over the past two years. Liberalisation of the communication sector by government, explosive growth in the number of new FTA TV and Radio Channels and implementation of new technological advances like DVB-RCS, HDTV, Interactive TV and Broadband via Satellite have stimulated growth and spurred investment substantially.
CABSAT2006 the Leading Electronic Media and Communication Event in the Middle East, will focus on three main segments: i) Cable & Satellite Equipment and Accessories, ii) Broadcast & Production and iii) Communications. The event is expected to attract over 7,500 visitors to CABSAT this year.
Last year the event covered a gross floor space measuring 12,000 M2 and attracted 7,384 visitors. As many as 402 companies from 52 countries participated in the event including five country pavilions from the UK, Germany (Bavaria), China, Taiwan and Korea.
Netherlands Blocks Hizbullah's Manar TV, Saying it Spreads Hate
From http://www.lebaneselobby.org/News__index/news
2006/01 27 06
Netherlands Blocks Hizbullah's Manar TV, Saying it Spreads Hate.htm
The Dutch authorities have blocked the transmission of a satellite television channel from Lebanon and another one from Iran, saying they spread hate.
The transmission of Hizbullah's Al Manar TV station and Iranian Sahar TV1 to the Netherlands have been cut because they broadcast anti-semitic and radical comments, Dutch justice ministry spokesman Arnoud Stijbis said Thursday.
According to the ministry the measures have been taken as part of the Netherlands campaign to combat terrorism. The Dutch government says the channels encourage the radicalization of Muslims and glorify terrorist attacks.
The ministry of justice is also closely monitoring two other satellite television channels, Iranian Al Alam and Art Iqraa from Saudi Arabia, which might also broadcast anti-semitic and radical comments.
Despite the transmission block, the channels can still be watched on the internet and via satellites outside of Europe, Dutch media said.
Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner called for a European Union wide solution to the problem of such television channels. (AFP)
Sahara`s Filmy to charge high ad rates
From http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=213287
The advertising rates of the to-be-launched channel Filmy, an arm of Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited, will be higher than other movie channels in India.
This was stated by Shailesh Kapoor, head of marketing and content who was in the city to promote the launch.
"We plan to premiere 24 Hindi films in a year, the highest as compared to other channels. Our advertising rates will be higher than other movie channels," he maintained.
Filmy, with its base line 'Maa Kasam Filmy Hai' will be launched on February 12. Filmy is the first mega initiative of Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited to further broaden its strong base in the entertainment business.
"We are upbeat about the way Filmy looks and feels, and about its innovative content and style of presenting Hindia movies on television," saod Shantonu Aditya, CEO of Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd.
The channel is poised to reach to over thirty cities across India. It will also have slots for short films and foreign films.
"The late night slot will be reserved for European, Japanese and Asian films. Also, to encourage short film makers we will have slots for films lasting from 4 from 30 minutes," Kapoor further said while adding that they have 450 films in store as of now and they plan to add another 200 by next year.
Some of the films like Sarkar, No Entry and Page 3 have been produced by Sahara One Motion Pictures last year. Sahara One is also planning to come up with an IPO company, sources said. This comes at a time when murmurs are doing rounds that Sahara is entering into a deal with Anil Ambani to sell Sahara One, the flagship TV channel, according to reliable sources.
Sahara One, the flagship TV channel of the group's media business, ranks fourth in TRP ratings and we are close to Sony entertainment, claimed Kapoor. "While the TRP ratings stand at 3.5-4, the GRP is about 75-80 per week," he added .
The success of Woh Rehne Wali Maholon Ki has given a major thrust to the channel's success, Kapoor said. The marketing spend of Filmy is estimated to be Rs 6 crores, he said.
To promote the launch, Filmy Yatra was flagged off in Mumbai on January 24 and on January 25 from Delhi which will culminate when the floats return to Mumbai on March 14 to conincide. One of the characters Rokkky, played by Chunky Pandey was also in the city to promote the launch on Sunday.
29/01/06
No update Sunday
28/01/06
No update Saturday
27/01/06
The Commerce Commission ruling on Sky's acquisition of Prime Television, scheduled for today, has been delayed until the 8th of February. Meanwhile the commission has declined TVNZ's request for a formal conference on the planned acquisition.
The commission says the written submissions it has received are sufficient for it to make a decision and it usually holds conferences only on regulatory matters.
I have asked them for copys of the public submissions. As the link on the public register on their website only links to the TVNZ submission.
There is now FTA video and audio on some of the channels in the Asiasat 4 KU mux mentioned yesterday. The Channels are from MYTVPLUS
From my Email & ICQ
From D.Creek
Friday night
B1 12,358 V SR 6670
Aussie soccer.
Melborne vs CCM
From the Dish
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 3832 V "Inter + and The Israeli Network" have started on , Fta, SR 7271, FEC 3/4, PIDs 258/514 and 260/516.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4000 H "RFI Musique" has left .
Yamal 201 90E 3674 L "SGU TV 2" has left , moved to Express AM 2.
Insat 2E 83E 3970 V "DD Oriya" has left .
Insat 2E 83E 4005 V "ETV Telugu and ETV" are Fta again.
Telstar 10 76.5E 4089 H "Boishakhi" has started on , Fta, SR 4300, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Telstar 10 76.5E 4095 H "Channel 1" has started on , Fta, SR 4080, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
Telstar 10 76.5E 4127 H "Zee TV Asia" has started on , Conax, SR 2441, FEC 1/2, PIDs 4194/4195.
NEWS
Comcom ruling moves Sky-Prime deal one step forward
From http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=14192&cid=4&cname=Business+Today
The Commerce Commission has refused Television New Zealand's request for a formal conference on Sky's planned acquisition of Prime Television.
The commission has also extended the deadline for a decision on the $30-million purchase.
Both TVNZ and CanWest MediaWorks, which owns TV3 and C4, oppose the purchase.
They fear Sky's extensive sports rights and catalogue of films would greatly boost Prime's current audience.
The Commission has told TVNZ it has all the information it needs and it rarely holds conferences in acquisition decisions.
TVNZ is considering its position but Sky says the request was unwarranted in the first place.
Sky questions ABC deal
From http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,17948924-14334,00.html
A FURORE has erupted over the ABC's $90 million contract to provide a government-backed Asia-Pacific television service, with Sky News Australia claiming the programming will be regularly blanked out in some viewers' homes.
The ABC was awarded a new five-year contract to provide the satellite and cable service into 41 countries in December after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade preferred its bid over that of Sky News.
In a letter obtained by The Australian, Sky News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos told the department the ABC would fail to deliver a continuous 24-hour service, one of the Government's key requirements of bidders.
"Clearly, in our view, the ABC has not met this essential requirement and their tender should have been rejected as non-compliant," Mr Frangopoulos said in a letter dated January 20.
But ABC Asia-Pacific chief executive Ian Carroll hit back at the claims yesterday, saying they were a "furphy".
The ABC has said on its website there is a danger some viewers will receive "no picture on the service" when it begins carrying Super 14 rugby matches from February 10.
The rugby programming, which will also include Test matches between Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, will be broadcast using an encrypted signal.
Viewers who receive the service using their own satellite equipment will be required to obtain a smart card to enable their set-top boxes to decode the signal, the ABC website says.
"We do not insert replacement programming for viewers without a smart card," the website says.
Viewers are urged to register for a smart card on the website.
Sky News Australia is a joint venture between James Packer's Nine Network (pbl.ASX:Quote,News), Kerry Stokes's Seven Network (sev.ASX:Quote,News) and News Limited (nws.ASX:Quote,News), publisher of NEWS.com.au.
Mr Frangopoulos said in his letter that the ABC should have been excluded from the bid and the "failure to do so materially impacts the integrity of the process".
He asked DFAT assistant secretary Paula Ganly to clarify whether the department was aware of the ABC's "non-compliance" during the tender process and what actions it proposed to take.
Mr Carroll said "about 98 per cent of customers" would not be affected as they received the programming through a cable operator.
He said that viewers in Japan, where the ABC did not hold the rugby rights, would receive alternative programming when the rugby matches were carried.
In some cases, viewers may need to upgrade their set-top boxes to use the smart card.
Mr Carroll said the ABC would provide viewers with new equipment if necessary.
A spokeswoman for DFAT said the department remained "confident of the integrity of the bidding process".
The new ABC contract takes effect from August.
BigPond bundles up internet TV
From http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking/bigpond-bundles-up-internet-tv/2006/01/27/1138319436962.html
BigPond wants to tempt more Australians into watching television on their PCs with a new package of sport and entertainment designed to be accessed online.
The offering from the broadband company comprises sports highlights, music videos, and game and film trailers in a four-hour bundle that will be updated on a weekly basis.
Although existing subscribers can already access much of its video content, BigPond has now rolled it all together in one location at http://www.bigpondtv.com/ where it will also be available to non-subscribers.
"This is our first move into this format which people will find more user friendly. It's a way of bringing it all together," a BigPond spokesman said.
Within the small screen package, viewers will have access to a variety of content including sporting highlights from the AFL, NRL, V8 Supercars and horseracing and Commonwealth Games coverage in March.
Music videos featuring artists such as Robbie Williams, Pete Murray, Destiny's Child and Kate DeAraugo will also feature along with trailers for new game releases like King Kong and Lara Croft.
While the content will be available to anyone with a broadband connection, BigPond said its own subscribers would have access to additional exclusive "on demand" content all of which will be unmetered so as not to impact on monthly bandwidth restrictions.
The move is part of a larger trend in which technology and infrastructure providers like BigPond are seeking to expand their offerings to deliver content.
In March BigPond is expected to roll out the country's first internet-based video-on-demand service after signing a deal with Sony Pictures.
Both Google and Apple are both looking at video content as a future revenue driver and earlier this year Google unveiled an online pay-per-view video service in the US featuring programs like CSI and Survivor as well as professional basketball matches and music videos.
Even television channels are experimenting with the concept of destributing shows online. On Friday a new British comedy called the The IT Crowd which follows the fortunes of staff in a fictional IT department, will not only premiere online a week before it airs on television, but each episode will be available in advance for online viewers.
Globalstar Announces Data Service Expansion to Parts of Asia and Western Pacific Region Ground Station Enhancement in Korea Continues Expansion of Globalstar Simplex Data Coverage
From http://sev.prnewswire.com/telecommunications/20060126/SFTH02726012006-1.html
MILPITAS, Calif., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Globalstar, a world leader in providing mobile satellite voice and data services to business, announced today that its independent gateway operator in Korea, DACOM Corporation, plans to offer simplex, or one-way, data services to Globalstar customers throughout Korea, much of Southeast Asia, parts of China, as well as the Western Pacific and Sea of Japan maritime regions.
The capability to offer simplex data service and solutions is the result of additional hardware being added at the ground station or satellite gateway operated by Dacom. The satellite gateway is used to provide Globalstar customers with access to ground based telephone and data networks via the Globalstar satellite constellation. Globalstar recently purchased a number of new gateway hardware appliques in order to expand its simplex data coverage to various operators around the world.
The Globalstar simplex data service has been available in the U.S. and Canada since 2003, and throughout Europe, the Middle East and across the north Atlantic region since early 2005. It is one of the fastest growing Globalstar segments with the number of Globalstar simplex data subscribers increasing in 2005 by approximately 300% to over 20,000 users.
The Globalstar simplex data offering is a low cost, one-way satellite data service that allows customers to use Globalstar simplex modems and integrated back office management solutions to track mobile assets -- such as vehicles, tractor trailers, cargo containers and marine vessels, using GPS or other location-based software. Because of this, it is an ideal solution for marine and fishing vessel monitoring applications. The Globalstar simplex data service can also be used for a wide variety of industrial and security applications to monitor and send information from fixed assets, such as environmental measuring instruments and utility meters, or report the state of various mobile devices and their locations.
Using the Globalstar Satellite network and an approved integrated simplex modem solution, companies will be able to economically monitor their assets from virtually anywhere within the Globalstar simplex coverage area. The data is sent back to a customer's control and monitoring facility via the Globalstar constellation of low-earth-orbiting satellites. This information can be received at any time from remote installations far beyond the reach of ground-based communications systems.
"This investment confirms the commitment of our independent gateway operators such as Dacom, to providing Globalstar customers, who require the ability to remotely monitor their various assets, with a low cost simplex data solution" said Jay Monroe, CEO and Chairman of Globalstar LLC. "In addition, today's announcement that Globalstar and Dacom will offer this service throughout parts of China and much of the Asia Pacific region is extremely important, as it is one of the fastest growing economic areas in the world."
Commencing in the first quarter of 2006, Dacom plans to begin customer field trials of its simplex data offering, through its gateway in Korea. For sales information regarding the new simplex data offering in Asia, please contact Dong-Yeol Shin Tel : +82 2 2089 8623 Email: [email protected] at Dacom or Bob Bennett 408-933-4441 [email protected] at Globalstar.
Today's announcement combined with the recent releases announcing the deployment of simplex data service throughout parts of South and Central America and Australia, demonstrates the continued Globalstar commitment to introduce new data solutions, designed to meet the dynamic requirements of the satellite communications marketplace.
About Globalstar LLC
Globalstar offers high value, quality satellite voice and data services to commercial and recreational users from virtually anywhere in more than 120 countries. The company's voice and data products include mobile and fixed satellite units, simplex and duplex satellite data modems and flexible service packages. Many industries benefit from Globalstar with increased productivity from remote areas beyond cellular and landline service. Global customer segments include; oil and gas, government, mining, forestry, commercial fishing, utilities, military, transportation, heavy construction as well as individual recreational users. Globalstar service is available for as little as US$ 0.14 per minute in the United States.
For more information regarding Globalstar, please visit Globalstar's web site at http://sev.prnewswire.com/telecommunications/20060126/SFTH02726012006-1.html#
About DACOM Corporation
DACOM Corporation is an established, integrated telecommunications company, providing telecommunications and Internet-related services in Korea. DACOM currently provides Internet/data communications, telephony, and e-business solutions. In addition, the 45.4%-owned subsidiary, Powercomm, provides wholesale leased-line services to other telecommunications service providers as well as broadband Internet access and broadcast communications services through its nationwide fiber optic and HFC network. DACOM also provides managed co-location and other value added services. DACOM has a 6,455 kilometer nationwide fiber optic backbone network in Korea and a 2,840 kilometer intra-city fiber optic network covering most major cities in Korea, allowing the company to provide high quality telecommunications services to its customers. Founded in 1982 and the registered and head office is located at DACOM Building, 706-1 Yeoksam-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul 135-610, Korea. Common stock has been listed on the Korea Exchange since 1993.
For further media information:
Globalstar LLC
Dean Hirasawa
408-933-4006
[email protected]
Website: http://www.trafficresults.com/click-rabbit.php?acctid=qhKrvf82M8o=&docid=SFTH02726012006-1&redirect=1&url=http://www.globalstar.com/
Kazakhstan Agrees to Open Baikonur for Russia for 3 Months
From http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?idr=527&id=644127
The Russian Space Agency officially stated yesterday that they had reached an agreement with Kazakhstan on launching rocket-boosters from the Baikonur space center after the Kazakh authorities had suspended the starts. Astana permitted Russia to launch rockets in the first quarter of 2006 but plans for the remaining months are still to be coordinated.
Vyacheslav Davydenko, the spokesman for the Russian Space Agency, reported yesterday that his agency and the Kazakh government had adopted the plan of launches from the Baikonur space center for the first quarter of 2006 following the meeting of Kazakh Prime Minister Danial Akhmetov and the Russian delegation headed by the Space Agency's chief Anatoly Perminov.
Astana imposed a ban for launches of Russian rockers on January 11. The fact that the Proton-M booster did not go through the Kazakh state ecological expertise was named the official reason. According to the information of Kommersant, the ban was introduced after the launch of KazSat, the first Kazakh satellite, was delayed though it was to blast off back in December. However, the start of the satellite was not on the Baikonur launches plan list that the Anatoly Perminov and General Staff chief Yury Baluevsky handed over to the Kazakh government in last December. Only a supplement mentioned possible launches of aircrafts which were failed to blast off in late 2005. Kazakhstan was, naturally, displeased with this uncertainty.
At the recent talks, Russia pledged to put KazSat into the orbit no later than on June 20 this year. The Kazakh leadership, in response, decided to prolong flight tests for the Proton-M for two additional launches after the Russians present the certificate of the ecological examination.
The launch plan was drafted for three month, not for the whole year as before, which may mean that Kazakhstan will try to press Moscow to fulfill its obligations of launching KazSat.
Galaxy wins Web TV access fight
From http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=1&art_id=10868&sid=6404443&con_type=1
PCCW, Hong Kong's largest phone company, has failed to block Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting from entering the city's Internet television market after the High Court rejected its judicial review Thursday.
PCCW, Hong Kong's largest phone company, has failed to block Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting from entering the city's Internet television market after the High Court rejected its judicial review Thursday.
Justice Anselmo Reyes said in his decision that the Broadcasting Authority's approval for Galaxy to use Hutchison Global Communications' network will not entail unfair competitive advantage to Galaxy's controlling shareholder, Television Broadcasts.
That is because TVB, Hong Kong's largest free-to-air broadcaster, had reduced its stake in Galaxy to 49 percent from 100 percent before the approval was granted, Reyes said.
"In that circumstance, I do not see how granting Galaxy's application for an additional mode of transmission can by itself alone lead to TVB gaining dominance of the domestic TV market," he said.
Reyes ordered PCCW to pay both the Broadcasting Authority's and Galaxy's costs for the case.
PCCW made the court challenge after Galaxy said it will team up with HGC, a telecommunications service provider, a move that can boost Galaxy's network coverage from 600,000 homes to two million. PCCW claimed that the Broadcasting Authority's green light for Galaxy's entry into the Internet-TV market was given wrongly, as the move would be anti- competitive.
PCCW, through its unit PCCW Media, also offers Internet pay-TV service NOW Broadband TV, and reported more than 500,000 subscribers. Galaxy, which runs the services under the name SuperSun, never disclosed its subscriber numbers.
Galaxy's other two shareholders are Hong Kong-listed See Corporation and tycoon Charles Chan.
SINGAPORE: Firm to offer 40 TV channels over broadband from June
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=37929
Internet content firm M2B World offers diverse programming online
Broadband Internet users will soon be able to watch Korean drama serials and Hollywood blockbusters as and when they like with a new video-on-demand service to be launched in June.
Riding on a recent wave of similar services overseas, homegrown Internet content firm M2B World is offering 40 TV channels, delivered live over the Internet, to homes that have a high-speed Internet connection here.
Anyone subscribing to a local Internet service provider can tune in to the service -- if they pay for it.
Subscribers will be given a set-top box that connects to their broadband modems instead of the cable TV point at home.
They will be able to watch the programmes on their TV screens.
The company said in a statement yesterday that it would also provide the service to the United States, and would eventually cater to broadband users worldwide later this year.
M2B World's vice-president for corporate communications, Mr Liew Kim Siong, told The Straits Times that viewers could expect to watch blockbusters from 'one or two major US movie studios'.
"We also want to broadcast content from local production companies and maybe bring this to an overseas audience," he said.
The service is open to all broadband users here.
For a monthly subscription fee, users can tune in to a TV programme any time they like.
This is similar to watching a live video clip on an Internet-connected computer, except the images are projected on a TV screen.
Prices and a detailed programming list, according to M2B World, will be out next month.
The company, which started offering Internet content during the dot.com era, currently has offices in the US and Asia.
It expects to sell an initial 3,000 set-top boxes here in Singapore, with another 7,000 headed for the US.
Increasingly, companies are turning to the Net to deliver TV and music content, bypassing traditional media such as TV broadcasters.
In Hong Kong, for example, telecom operator PCCW offers TV channels, such as National Geographic, which are delivered over its broadband network.
An analyst from research firm Frost and Sullivan, Mr Nitin Bhat, said users would welcome more TV channels.
At the moment, StarHub is the only pay-TV operator here. It currently has 83 live TV channels and 20 programmes available to users on demand.
StarHub's head of commercial, Mr Mike Reynolds, said the company welcomed competition, but added that "there is no value added to the TV viewers here if competitors end up chasing for the same content."
CNN, MultiChoice to host 2006 African Journalist Awards
From http://www.strategiy.com/mnews.asp?id=20060124061020
CNN and MultiChoice Africa are to host the 'African Journalist 2006 Awards' in Maputo, Mozambique. The winners of the prestigious annual Award, now in its 11th year of honouring African journalism, will be recognised at a gala ceremony.
Chris Cramer, Managing Director, CNN International, said: "We are delighted that the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist awards continue to move around the continent and in 2006 will be in Maputo. This shows the commitment by CNN and our partners MultiChoice Africa to developing journalism in Africa and growing this truly pan-African competition. We are looking forward to this being one of the most memorable Awards ceremonies in 2006." Previous host countries for the Awards have been Ghana, South Africa and Kenya.
Eben Greyling, CEO MultiChoice Africa, said: "It is very exciting to be partnering with CNN once again to celebrate and recognise excellence in African journalism. Holding the event in Mozambique this year will reflect the diversity of our business on the continent and our commitment to the development and growth of an open and free media in Africa. We look forward to celebrating true excellence in African journalism, the 11th Anniversary of the Awards and, once again, our partnership with CNN."
The distinguished panel of judges for the 2006 awards has also been announced, with judging of the entries taking place in London from 27 April to 1 May 2006. The judges confirmed to date for 2006 are Dr Doyinsola Abiola, Managing Director Concord Press of Nigeria; Joel Kibazo, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat; CNN's Africa Correspondent, Jeff Koinange; Arlindo Lopes, senior journalist, Mozambique, and Anna Umbima, broadcaster and journalist.
The competition comprises 15 categories. This year there is a new award, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Award for HIV/AIDS Journalism. This will recognise outstanding reporting on HIV/AIDS in Africa and specifically the broad impact of the epidemic across different sectors of society "individuals, communities and nations " and the resilience of the African response to the epidemic.
The competition is held in association with South African Airways. Other prestigious sponsors for the African Journalist 2006 Awards are the African Development Bank, Camerapix, Celtel, Global Media Alliance, Johnnic Communications (Johncom), IPP Media, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), and Safebond Company Africa Limited.
The winner of the overall CNN MultiChoice African Journalist prize receives a three-week professional programme at CNN Center, Atlanta, with complimentary flights courtesy of South African Airways and a cash prize. Each of the 15 category prize winners, including the overall winner, receives a laptop computer, a modem and printer and an additional cash prize. As well, all winners will participate in a four-day finalists programme.
Satellite TV Channel 1 Goes Into Operation in Bangladesh
From http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060125/4/2en8j.html
DHAKA, Jan 25 Asia Pulse - President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed today (Tuesday) said he expected the country's mass media to broadcast programmes with maximum patriotism and responsibilities.
"Information technology has turned the whole world into 'Global Village'" the President said while inaugurating the new satellite TV 'Channel 1' as chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
The President declared inauguration of the new private channel, launched with the slogan 'Channel 1 talks about possibilities'.
Information Minister M Shamsul Islam MP also attended the programme as special guest.
Prof Iajuddin said mass media plays an important role in broadcasting the news of progress of national development for viewers at home and abroad.
"I belief that Channel 1, starting with the beginning of the 21 century, will successfully meet the demand of the country and people," he added.
The President said the country's newspapers and electronic media are publishing and broadcasting their programmes from their own perspectives as they are enjoying full freedom.
But the media must act responsibly while enjoying this freedom, he pointed out.
"The duty of the mass media is to inform people as they have a right to know," the President said.
He also hoped that mass media would perform their duty keeping up the values of journalism.
Dr Iajudin further said that Channel 1 would reach to the Bengali speaking people in home and abroad through satellite.
The channel will also feed the Bangladeshi expatriates with new of the country's present politics, economics, culture and development.
He wished all success to Channel 1.
Aljazeera plans Urdu channel
From http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar%2BNews&month=January2006&file=Local_News20060126345.xml
DOHA: The Aljazeera Channel will soon launch a new satellite TV channel, Aljazeera Urdu, targeting 110 million Urdu-speaking population globally.
"Initially we are targeting Pakistan, and then the dubbed service will spread to the Indian subcontinent as well as Urdu speakers in the United States and Europe", said Hamad Yehya Al Nuaimi, Aljazeera Channel's marketing director.
Aljazeera Channel is launching this Urdu service in a joint venture with ARY Digital Network, the world?s largest Urdu TV network. "Over the years Aljazeera Channel has made its impact on the Urdu-speaking population. Aljazeera Urdu will now break the language barrier and to an already existing viewer base yearning to understand the channel's content," said Salman Iqbal, ARY Digital Network's president and chief executive officer.
Aljazeera Channel and ARY Digital Network will launch and distribute the new Urdu service through Cable, DTH and SMATV. The channel will provide viewers with news bulletins, programmes and interviews in addition to other contents dubbed in Urdu.
SuitSat To Be Thrown Overboard February 3
From http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SuitSat_To_Be_Thrown_Overboard_February_3.html
In a laboratory at Goddard, SuitSat bends over to display its antenna and control box.
One of the strangest satellites in the history of the space age is about to go into orbit. Launch date: Feb. 3rd. That's when astronauts onboard the International Space Station will hurl an empty spacesuit overboard.
The spacesuit is the satellite - "SuitSat" for short.
"SuitSat is a Russian brainstorm," explains Frank Bauer of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Some of our Russian partners in the ISS program, mainly a group led by Sergey Samburov, had an idea: Maybe we can turn old spacesuits into useful satellites." SuitSat is a first test of that idea.
"We've equipped a Russian Orlon spacesuit with three batteries, a radio transmitter, and internal sensors to measure temperature and battery power," says Bauer. "As SuitSat circles Earth, it will transmit its condition to the ground."
Unlike a normal spacewalk, with a human inside the suit, SuitSat's temperature controls will be turned off to conserve power. The suit, arms and legs akimbo, possibly spinning, will be exposed to the fierce rays of the sun with no way to regulate its internal temperature.
"Will the suit overheat? How long will the batteries last? Can we get a clear transmission if the suit tumbles?" wonders Bauer. These are some of the questions SuitSat will answer, laying the groundwork for SuitSats of the future.
SuitSat can be heard by anyone on the ground. "All you need is an antenna (the bigger the better) and a radio receiver that you can tune to 145.990 MHz FM," says Bauer. "A police band scanner or a hand-talkie ham radio would work just fine." He encourages students, scouts, teachers and ham radio operators to tune in.
For years, Bauer and colleagues at Goddard have been connecting kids on Earth with astronauts on the ISS through the ARISS program (Amateur Radio on International Space Station). "There's a ham rig on the ISS, and the astronauts love talking to students when they pass over schools," Bauer explains. ARISS is co-sponsoring SuitSat along with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Russian Space Agency and NASA.
When will SuitSat orbit over your home town?
Use Science@NASA's J-Pass utility to find out. The online program will ask for your zip code?that's all. Then it will tell you when the ISS is going to orbit over your area. (Be sure to click the "options" button and select "all passes.") Because the ISS and SuitSat share similar orbits, predictions for one will serve for the other.
Observers in the United States will find that SuitSat passes overhead once or twice a day?usually between midnight and 4 o'clock in the morning. At that time of day, SuitSat and the ISS will be in Earth's shadow and, thus, too dark to see with the naked eye. You'll need a radio to detect them.
"Point your antenna to the sky during the 5-to-10 minute flyby," advises Bauer, and this is what you'll hear:
SuitSat transmits for 30 seconds, pauses for 30 seconds, and then repeats. "This is SuitSat-1, RS0RS," the transmission begins, followed by a prerecorded greeting in five languages. The greeting contains "special words" in English, French, Japanese, Russian, German and Spanish for students to record and decipher. (Awards will be given to students who do this. Scroll to the "more information" area at the end of this story for details.)
Next comes telemetry: temperature, battery power, mission elapsed time. "The telemetry is stated in plain language in English," says Bauer. Everyone will be privy to SuitSat's condition. Bauer adds, "Suitsat 'talks' using a voice synthesizer. It's pretty amazing."
The transmission ends with a Slow Scan TV picture. Of what? "We're not telling," laughs Bauer. "It's a mystery picture." (More awards will be given to students who figure out what it is.)
Students and teachers who want to try this, but have no clue how to begin, should contact their local ham radio club. There are thousands of them around the country. Click here to find a club near you. "Hams are notoriously outgoing; most would be delighted to help students tune in to SuitSat," believes Bauer.
Bauer expects SuitSat's batteries to last 2 to 4 days. "Although longer is possible," he allows. After that, SuitSat will begin a slow silent spiral into Earth's atmosphere. Weeks or months later, no one knows exactly when, it will become a brilliant fireball over some part of Earth a fitting end for a trailblazer.
Visit SuitSat.org for launch updates and sighting reports.
GlobeCast WorldTV Renews Contract with Intelsat for IA-5 Capacity to Support Growth of International TV Distribution Platform
From Press Release
Date: 26 January 2006
Release Number: 2006 - 02
GlobeCast WorldTV Renews Contract with Intelsat for IA-5 Capacity to Support Growth of International TV Distribution Platform
Pembroke, Bermuda, 26 January 2006 – Intelsat today announced that GlobeCast WorldTV has recommitted to a long-term, multi-transponder contract for Intelsat-Americas 5 (IA-5) satellite capacity to support the substantial growth of its international television distribution platform over North America. IA-5, located at 97ºW, hosts one of the largest neighborhoods of international video programming in the U.S. and has been home to GlobeCast WorldTV since 1998.
GlobeCast WorldTV, a subsidiary of GlobeCast, is the leading aggregator and distributor of premium international television and radio channels in North America for delivery via direct-to-home (DTH), cable, IPTV, hotels, multiple dwelling units (MDU’s) and commercial establishments. More than 161 WorldTV television and radio channels originate from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas, and represent 41 countries in over 33 languages, offering a unique line-up of native homeland programming as well as original in-language programming tailored for U.S. audiences.
GlobeCast WorldTV, a long-time Intelsat customer, has renewed its service agreements on IA-5 to accommodate the long-term and growing capacity requirements of its programmers.
“Through Intelsat and its IA-5 partners, a new channel entering the U.S. market can access a full range of services that allows them to immediately start operation and access a significant and increasing North American viewer base,” said Jon Romm, President, Media Services at Intelsat. “Our relationship with GlobeCast has remained strong because Intelsat allows them to directly access hundreds of thousands of U.S. homes, and gives them the flexibility and room for continued growth as new channels are added to the WorldTV platform.”
Lisa Coelho, Vice President, GlobeCast WorldTV, stated, ”GlobeCast WorldTV’s renewal on IA-5 confirms our long-term growth outlook for international television distribution in America. Intelsat is extremely supportive of our development needs and the IA-5 satellite offers us the versatility we need to reach the broad audience and diverse outlets for our programming.”
Contact:
Jodi Katz
+1 202 944 8223
[email protected]
Isro to hand over Insat 4A Ku-band transponders to Tata Sky on 1 February
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/jan/jan299.htm
MUMBAI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aims to hand over Insat 4A's 12 Ku-band transponders to Tata Sky on 1 February. It is in the process of bringing the satellite to the right polarisation position.
"We should be able to hand over the Ku-band transponders to Tata Sky on 1 February. Fine tuning of the ground antenna to match the correct polarisation is going on. This is a routine exercise as there are already a set of users at 83 degree East," said Isro contract management and legal services director SB Iyer.
Tata Sky, the 80:20 joint venture between the Tata Group and Star India, plans to launch its direct-to-home (DTH) service in May-June. Speaking on the progress of the launch plans, Tata Sky CEO Vikram Kaushik said it was as per schedule. "We will do extensive testing after the transponders are handed over to us. Our launch plans are on track," he added.
Along with the Ku-band transponders, the 12 C-band transponders will also be activated, Iyer said. As already reported by Indiantelevision.com, Private teleport operators Essel Shyam, Noida Software Technology Park (NSTP) and Lamhas have booked Insat 4A's C-band transponders to facilitate transmission on multiple channels per carrier (MCPC) mode.
Among the other takers are Kerala's Malayala Manorama and news channel Indiavision. While Manorama has booked half a transponder, Indiavision has gone for a quarter.
According to Iyer, Indiavision will be using 9 MHz space of one C-band transponder for its proposed entertainment channel, Indiavision Yes. The channel is expected to launch in the first half of this year.
ISRO sees mobile TV as the new money-spinner ? Mobile video tech to be packed on to Insat-4E
From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/01/27/stories/2006012702831500.htm
IN the world of entertainment, what after digital radio and DTH? Don't tell this yet to the cops who flag you down for touching the cell phone while driving - in around three years from now, you could be watching television while you move around in your car, on highways, ships or what have you, if national space agency ISRO has its way.
If DTH broadcasts beam pictures directly into fixed, single-focus platforms like homes, the revolutionary thing in the offing is a to have digitally coded signals beamed on to any automobile moving on the ground and fitted with a suitable antenna.
ISRO is working on a specially-loaded satellite that would have a large, unfurlable antenna, the complex technology to vastly compress data (to MPEG4 for small screens) and the extremely high power to enable the omni-directional transmission.
"It is a unique experiment to provide TV signals for people on the move," the Chairman of ISRO, Mr G. Madhavan Nair, told Business Line in a recent interview. "We are now in the process of finalising the satellite design; it will have a new technology for data compression, on-board antenna that will be at least 5 metres in diameter, high power and mostly S-band communication."
The mobile video technologies would be 30 months away and are to be packed on to the 2-tonne Insat-4E (or Gsat-6, the series for home-launched satellites). The recently approved satellite would also have provision for C band communication and a few routine uses.
If the DTH platform leased to Tata Sky on Insat-4A alone is going to generate Rs 40 crore a year for ISRO's commercial arm Antrix, according to Mr Nair, the mobile platform is the next big business opportunity and ISRO does not want to be left out of it.
The applications are not far behind: An NRI-promoted company in the US is ready to take all this forward in the Indian market with its own services, called Digital Enabled Video Audio Service (DEVAS), complete with a suitable ground system. The company is in talks with ISRO to lease bulk of the satellite on a long term, Mr Nair said, adding, "We are trying to work out the commercial basis of it."
The challenge before the team at ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore is to raise the power onboard the satellite 4-5 times the normal and vastly shrink the bandwidth. The prototype is being evaluated.
South Korea and Japan, according to ISRO officials, already just started sampling these services through MBSat while Europe and the US are looking at it. As for the Indian market, the private sector DEVAS player would have to build it up around a network of ground infrastructure, content providers and distribution channels. After all, "If our technology can find its use, then that is the best bargain for us," they said.
Meanwhile, the cops can figure out their mobile rules.
26/01/06
A bit of activity today!
10 channels now loading on Asiasat 4 (Australasia beam)
12430 V (might be H) sr 20000 FEC 3/4
Dai AI (FTA)
Pac TV 1 (Vietnamese, FTA)
Pac TV 2 (Vietnamese, FTA)
NTV
Inter
Israel Plus
Israeli Network
Ren TV
Russkoe (Radio)
Russkoe 2 (Radio)
The Encrypted channels are using Viaccess.
Best TV mux has left NSS5 12690
it has been replaced by
12690 V "Mac TV" Taiwan FTA
Sr 2961 Fec 5/6 Vpid 1760 Apid 1720 Sid 7
NZ Spot Beam
BushFire Feeds Optus B1 12379 H 6670 3/4 - Vpid 308 Apid 256 PCR 8190
Asiasat 4 122E 12656 v 6620 Tennis (Australasia beam)
From my Email & ICQ
From Jsat.tv (Thailand)
Panamsat 2 currently has a number of feeds up this morning. The one of
interest in normal 4.2 format (one we can all watch) and FTA is an ice
skating feed on;
Event: "ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships" in Paris
CH Name: NAPSA3
FREQ: 4057 S/R: 6620 POL: H
From Wozurfree
Pas 8 (Ku) 12726 now FTA (Australia beam)
Noticed during a scan this morning on Pas 8 that all channels (except
NHK) on transponder 12726 now FTA. Russian and Serb!
From the Dish
Nothing from Lyngsat
NEWS
Super 14 to be broadcast into 41 countries
From http://www.worldcupweb.com/WCrugby/content/show_article.asp?id=513&cat=1
The South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby Union (SANZAR) have announced ABC Asia Pacific will broadcast Super 14 and Test rugby live into 41 countries and more than 10 million homes for the next five years.
Since finalising the broadcast deals for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, UK and Ireland in late 2004, SANZAR has succeeded in growing the potential audience for rugby by selling the rights to additional markets inAsia, the Americas and Europe.
Starting with the inaugural 2006 Super 14 competition, which kicks off onFriday 10 February, ABC Asia Pacific will broadcast matches every Friday andSaturday as well as Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup Tests.
ABC Asia Pacific will share broadcast rights with Fiji TV throughout thePacific, while J Sports will broadcast rugby in Japan.
Australian Rugby Union and SANZAR Chief Executive Officer Gary Flowers saysthe ABC Asia Pacific deal is a huge step for the game and shows continued growth in markets outside the traditional SANZAR markets.
"SANZAR has worked hard to push rugby into new and existing markets and theABC Asia Pacific deal is a huge step into more than 40 countries with apotential viewing audience of 10 million households," said Mr Flowers.
"Rugby expands this year, with more teams in a new Super 14 competition,more matches, and a more intense home and away Tri Nations series betweenAustralia, New Zealand and South Africa."
"There's certainly more rugby to watch in 2006 and with markets in Franceand Italy soon to be finalised, Super 14 and Test rugby looks set to bebroadcast in some form or another to more than 60 countries."
Ian Carroll, Chief Executive of ABC Asia Pacific said:
"We are delighted to be able to offer the region exclusive access to the exciting world of rugby, a sport with millions of supporters in AsiaPacific. Fans will be able to watch an enormous amount of live Rugby,including the Super 14 series, Tri Nations Tests and Bledisloe Cup."
"This new offering is testament to ABC Asia Pacific's dedication to providing unique experiences for our audience and to bringing nations acrossthe region together through a shared passion for sport."
In Australia, Fox Sports will act as the host broadcaster for both the Super14 and Test season, with Channel Seven also broadcasting Test matches.
SKY NZ is the host broadcaster in New Zealand, with Prime having thefree-to-air rights, while Supersport has broadcast rights to Africa.
In addition to ABC Asia Pacific showing Super 14 and Test matches, ESPN Surhas brought the broadcast rights in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia while Setanta has secured rights for Canada and the USA.
Former Optus chief into Packer's shoes
From http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,17939189-14334,00.html
MEDIA and telco veteran Chris Anderson yesterday stepped into Kerry Packer's shoes, taking over the late television titan's role as deputy chairman at Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd.
In the first PBL (pbl.ASX:Quote,News) board meeting since Mr Packer's Boxing Day death, directors extended their sympathies to Mr Packer's son, James, who has been PBL executive chairman since 1998.
Mr Anderson, who was appointed to the PBL board in 2004 after resigning as chief executive of Optus (sgt.ASX:Quote,News), is a close ally of James Packer's most trusted lieutenant, PBL chief executive John Alexander. Mr Anderson was seen as a mentor to Mr Alexander when the pair rose through the editorial and executive ranks at John Fairfax Holdings in the 1980s and 1990s.
"Chris has 40 years' experience, having been a CEO in three industries - newspapers (Fairfax), television (TV NZ) and telecommunications (Optus)," James Packer said.
Mr Anderson, 60, recently took over as chairman of PBL's successful online joint venture with Microsoft, ninemsn, and was involved in PBL's recent hiring of Optus chief financial officer Pat O'Sullivan.
He was also behind PBL's recruitment of Optus consumer and multimedia managing director Martin Dalgleish in late 2004 to fill a newly created position of convergent media chief executive.
Mr Anderson, who is a director of leading online jobs site Seek, Foxtel Management and Premier Media Group and acts as an executive director at PBL, has been recently rumored to be a possible candidate to take over from fellow PBL director Sam Chisholm as chief of the Nine Network.
But sources have consistently poured cold water on such speculation, saying Mr Anderson has no interest in taking on such a role.
Global headhunters Egon Zender International are presently drawing up a shortlist of candidates to take on the Nine job.
Charismatic Nine broadcaster Eddie McGuire and BSkyB executive Richard Freudenstein are expected to be among the candidates.
Nine is likely to face a stiff challenge to its ratings supremacy from Kerry Stokes's Seven Network this year and saw its share of television advertising slip 1.4 points to 36.3 per cent of the metropolitan market last year.
PBL's share price, which hit a 12-month high of $17.27 last week, continued its fall yesterday following Monday's release of advertising data, closing down 24c at $16.49.
In the wake of his father's death, James Packer will insist that his executive team pay closer attention to Nine's bottom line rather than retain its No1 ratings position at any price.
NDS exclusive for TBS Asia
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
Turner Broadcasting System has appointed NDS Group, as exclusive interactive TV (iTV) games and enhanced television applications developer for the Asia Pacific region. NDS and TBS will deploy Cartoon Network interactive content on selected Asian Pacific digital platforms.
As part of the agreement, NDS will provide TBS a variety of iTV games on a pay-per-play basis, the Powerpuff Girls Crystal Crisis being the first pay-per-play game offered for Cartoon Network in Australia. The pay-per-play games will provide new iTV entertainment for Cartoon Network’s Australian viewers, and will be updated every month.
Defence Minister fears Singapore spying with Shin Corp satellites
From http://202.60.196.117/breaking/read.php?lang=en&newsid=108847
Defence Minister Thammarak Israngura Na Ayuttaya said the intelligence community was concerned that Singapore's takeover of Shin Corp could allow the city state to eavesdrop on Thailand with the company's satellites.
"Nothing has happened yet, but in terms of intelligence, we already have security safeguards in place. Intelligence agents are closely monitoring" for any possible espionage, he told reporters.
"We have to watch anything that could affect national security," he said.
Singapore's state-owned investment company Temasek led a takeover of Shin Corp on Monday, in a Bt73.3 billion deal to buy the nearly 50 per cent stake in the company held by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family.
The deal included Shin Satellite Public Co, which operates three telecom satellites that cover Asia and Australia, providing telephone, Internet, television and other services.
Discovery Signs Up To Distribute BBC World News In U.S. (But It May Not Be Easy)
From http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/generalities/discovery_signs_up_to_distribute_bbc_world_news_in_us_but_it_may_not_be_easy_31357.asp
Good news for international news fans: BBC World has signed a long-term partnership agreement with Discovery Communications to distribute BBC World News in the U.S.
"U.S. consumers are ready for this unique news service - one that provides an impartial, global perspective on domestic and world events," Bill Goodwyn, president of affiliate sales and marketing for Discovery Networks says. "We look forward to working with our distribution partners to deliver this compelling content in a 24/7 channel."
Broadcasting & Cable says "Discovery will try to gain carriage for the international news network at a time when cable and satellite companies are already strapped for bandwidth and skeptical about viewers" appetite for international news...Discovery has no carriage deals to announce as of yet for the network, but a company representative said distributing BBC World News is 'a high priority' for its affiliate sales group, which is in talks with cable and satellite providers."
"BBC World News will be the sole international news channel in Discovery's distribution portfolio, at a time when research studies show a significant increase in demand from U.S. audiences for international news," today's press release says.
"Discovery already distributes BBC America, which has been running promos inviting viewers to call their cable or satellite provider and request the addition of BBC World to their channel lineups,"
Japanese satellite in orbit without problems
From http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2006/01/25/71732.html
A Japanese observation satellite attained its proper orbit and was functioning without problems Wednesday, a day after its launch, officials said. The four-ton Advanced Land Observation Satellite, nicknamed Daichi, was launched Tuesday by a Japanese-developed H-2A rocket from the remote southern island of Tanegashima.
The satellite has three earth sensors that can obtain terrain data for maps and make weather observations of the Asia-Pacific region. "It has reached its orbit and there are no problems," said Masayuki Kono, a spokesman for Japan's space agency, JAXA.
Technical problems and bad weather had repeatedly delayed the launch. Its success clears the way for another H-2A launch next month from Tanegashima, and of two spy satellites by March 2007 to monitor North Korea and other trouble spots, a program approved after North Korea launched a missile over Japan's main island in 1998.
Japan is also now racing to catch up to China, which has put astronauts in space twice since 2003, becoming only the third country to send a human into orbit on its own after Russia and the United States. Beijing has said it will send three more astronauts into space as early as 2007.
Following Beijing's success, Japan, which put its first satellite in orbit in 1972, made an abrupt policy turnabout, saying it was reconsidering its focus on unmanned missions and announcing plans to send its first astronauts into space and set up a base on the moon by 2025, reports the AP.N.U.
Catholic Nun's Global Television Network Marks 25 Years; Family Celebration in San Francisco January 28 & 29
From http://www.earnedmedia.org/mpr0126.htm
IRONDALE, Ala., Jan. 26 /Christian Wire Service/ -- August 15, 2006 will mark the 25th anniversary of EWTN, and to celebrate this milestone, the Network is hosting more than 6,500 people at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for the second of five Family Celebrations. Future celebrations are planned for San Antonio, St. Louis, and Philadelphia. The Network kicked off its yearlong celebration last month in Denver.
Mother Angelica, the 82 year-old cloistered nun, who with $200 in the bank, founded the Eternal Word Television Network in the garage of her monastery in the Birmingham, Alabama suburb of Irondale, always referred to the Network's audience as her 'Family.' According to Michael P. Warsaw, EWTN's President, These celebrations are a way to thank God for his awesome Providence and to say 'thank you' to our Family for their support over the past 25 years.
Time magazine once called Mother Angelica "the most influential Catholic woman in America." Thomas S. Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza called Mother Angelica "one of the greatest entrepreneurs of all time" and Lee Iacocca said of Mother Angelica, she is "a woman who may well be the patron saint of CEO's."
EWTN Global Catholic Network is available in more than 118 million television households in 127 countries and territories. And with its worldwide short-wave radio station, its direct broadcast satellite service, its satellite delivered AM & FM radio network, its Internet website (http://www.ewtn.com/) and its publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.
Those attending the celebration in San Francisco will hear renowned speakers and can visit with the Network's hosts and well-known Catholic authors. They will be part of one of the largest studio audiences the Network has ever had for a taping of The Journey Home, one of EWTN's primetime television programs. Bishop Allen Vigneron of Oakland will celebrate Mass for those in attendance on Sunday.
The 25th Anniversary Family Celebration is being held at the Bill Graham Civic Center, located at 99 Grove Street on January 28 & 29. Visit http://www.ewtn25.com/ for more information.
MEDIA NOTE: To schedule an interview with network President, Michael Warsaw, an EWTN show host or spokesperson, contact Christine Schicker at (404) 610-8871
Alhurra and Radio Sawa Reaching 71 Percent of Iraqis
From http://sev.prnewswire.com/radio/20060125/CLW53325012006-1.html
SPRINGFIELD, Va., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa together reach an unduplicated weekly audience of 71 percent of Iraqi adults 15 and older according to an independent survey released today. The survey was conducted nationwide in Iraq during November and December 2005.
Radio Sawa alone reached 51 percent of Iraqi adults making it the most listened to radio station in Iraq. Alhurra alone reached 42 percent of Iraqi adults weekly, ranking fifth among the more than 200 satellite and terrestrial TV stations that can be viewed in Iraq. The only four stations with larger weekly TV audiences than Alhurra were Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, Al-Iraqiya (each with 71 percent weekly reach) and Al-Sharqiya (67 percent weekly reach).
The majority of viewers of Alhurra TV and listeners to Radio Sawa considered their news to be reliable. Seventy-three percent of Alhurra's weekly viewers said the news on the channel was reliable and 63 percent of Radio Sawa's weekly listeners said that station's news was reliable. Radio Sawa was also cited as their # 1 source of radio news by 32 percent of respondents in the survey followed by the BBC Arabic Service (13 percent) and Radio Monte Carlo (nine percent.)
The audience figures reported today confirmed similar findings in earlier studies done in Iraq in 2004 and 2005. This survey along with other surveys in eleven other countries in the Middle East by research companies such as ACNielsen and Ipsos show that together Alhurra and Radio Sawa have an unduplicated weekly reach of more than 35 million adults.
The results are based on over 2,000 face-to-face interviews with randomly selected respondents using internationally accepted standard sampling methods. The margin of error is approximately two percent. This survey was conducted in cooperation with D3 Systems of Vienna, Va., by KA Research Limited, a regional research company operating throughout the Middle East and North Africa, with offices in Iraq, Turkey and Belgium.
Alhurra TV is broadcast on the Nilesat and Arabsat satellites, the same satellites used by the major regional Arabic channels. It is also available in Baghdad on Channel 12 and in Basra on Channel 3. Alhurra was launched in February 2004, as an Arabic-language alternative source of news and information. Unlike the all-news networks Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, Alhurra carries a wide range of current affairs programs (covering Iraqi and international news) as well as documentaries and other informational programming on a wide variety of subjects, including health and personal fitness, entertainment news, sports, fashion and science and technology.
Alhurra maintains a large news bureau in Baghdad which is both the coordination point for its nationwide network of correspondents and the origination point for interviews and roundtables on issues facing Iraq today.
Information about MBN
Alhurra is operated by the non-profit corporation "The Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc." (MBN). MBN is financed by the U.S. Government through a grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent federal agency. The BBG serves oversight and as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters. For more information on Alhurra go to http://sev.prnewswire.com/radio/20060125/CLW53325012006-1.html#.
MBN also operates Radio Sawa which seeks to effectively communicate with the youthful population of Arabic-speakers in the Middle East by providing up- to-date news, information and a mix of Western and Arabic popular music on its 24/7 FM and medium wave radio stations throughout the region. Its secondary target audience is news-seekers of all ages. Radio Sawa is committed to broadcasting accurate, timely and relevant news about the Middle East, the world and the United States, to the highest standards of journalism, as well as the free marketplace of ideas, respect for the intelligence and culture of its audience, and a style that is upbeat, modern and forward-looking.
Radio Sawa broadcasts on FM in Iraq in the cities of Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Nasiriya, Sulimaniya and Erbil. The station can also be heard throughout the country on medium wave (AM). Radio Sawa also broadcasts on FM in Morocco (Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Meknes, Marrakesh, Agadir and Fes), Jordan (Amman and Ajlun), Palestinian territories (Ramallah), Kuwait (Kuwait City), Bahrain (Manama), Qatar (Doha), U.A.E. (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), and Djibouti. Radio Sawa broadcasts on medium wave (AM) to Egypt, Yemen and Sudan. Radio Sawa streams its programming at its all-news Web site http://sev.prnewswire.com/radio/20060125/CLW53325012006-1.html#.
First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:
Website: http://www.trafficresults.com/click-rabbit.php?acctid=nDTJH7mDJmY=&docid=CLW53325012006-1&redirect=1&url=http://www.alhurra.com/
Website: http://www.radiosawa.com/
25/01/06
Important info about Optus Aurora service, Optus C1
Dealer Advice re Aurora Platform Changes
Optus advises that Aurora system changes will be made in the near future. These system changes
are being taken to disable reception of broadcast services on receivers that have not been correctly
activated using an Optus supplied smartcard.
These changes may cause loss of services to viewers who have non Optus supported decoders or
smartcards. Optus will be displaying information on the Aurora Tune Channel to assist viewers who
may have unwittingly purchased non Optus supported equipment.
During the planned changes there will be no change to the channel numbers of the Aurora services
and no retuning of decoders will be necessary.
Valid smartcard types will be displayed on the Aurora Tune Channel to enable viewers to determine
if they require a new smartcard. Smartcards will be available through the normal distributors of
Aurora smartcards.
These distributors & their phone numbers are:
Nationwide Antenna Systems 07 3252 2947
Sciteq Pty Ltd 08 9409 6677
Hills National Antennas 02 9717 5271
Laceys TV 03 9783 2388
Strong Technologies 03 8795 7990
VideoSat 02 9482 3100
Comsyst 02 9774 7476
Jonsa Archsat 02 9648 1132
Aardvark Electronics 07 4955 5879
Phoenix Technologies 03 9553 3399
Optus is arranging for supplies of additional smartcards to be made available if required.
Another area of impact is expected to be on Common Interface STBs that currently do not use valid
CI-CAMs and smartcards. These will be required and Optus has communicated with a CI-CAM
manufacturer that deals with the Australian market regarding availability and delivery times. CICAM
modules may be ordered if required by dealers from SCM Microsystems (Asia) Pty Ltd
(email: [email protected]) allowing approximately 3 weeks for delivery
Optus is also arranging for an Information Line to be set up in time to address any viewer questions
and a website location for viewer information.
The Information Line phone number will be advised closer to the time it will be required.
The website address is www.optus.com.au/AuroraNews
Viewers will be directed to contact their equipment suppliers if they need any assistance related to
loss of service due to system changes.
From my Email & ICQ
From Future-abcviewer (FIJI)
IMPORTANT: Change to Delivery of ABC Asia Pacific Rugby Union Coverage
"Pam Murray" <*@abc.net.au>
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for registering for a Smart Card for ABC Asia Pacific's upcoming Rugby Union coverage. Your support is greatly appreciated.
You do not appear to have replied to our Confirmation email that was sent out at the time of your registration. Since this time, unfortunately, we have experienced a last minute technical hitch to do with our encryption system for the Rugby Union in the Pacific. This means that the Smart Cards which we were planning to send out to the Pacific will no longer work. We have been working on finding a new solution to allow us to be able to bring the Rugby Union to you.
The options open to you are as follows:-
IF YOU HAVE A SCIENTIIFIC ATLANTA DECODER
1) If you have a Scientific Atlanta decoder box, then you will be able to receive our Rugby Union coverage via your own satellite equipment on PAS-2. All you need to do is reply to this email with the UA and TID numbers which are on the back of your box. We can then authorise your box to decrypt the Rugby. You will not need to do anything else.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA DECODER
1) You can purchase a Scientific Atlanta decoder box. This is professional equipment and will work extremely well, however, it is expensive. If you take up this option you would need to provide us with the UA and TID numbers from the back of the box so that we can authorise your viewing;
2) We will provide you with a SkyPacific dish and decoder for FREE. This will only be authorised to enable you to pick up ABC Asia Pacific through the Sky Pacific. As you will only receive ABC Asia Pacific through the box, SkyPacific will not charge you any subscription fee. However, as you have the relevant equipment you may choose to purchase a Sky Pacific package from Sky Pacific. For details on costing of further subscription options please contact Sky Pacific. If you would like to take up this option, then you will need to let us know so that we can provide your details to Fiji TV so that they can arrange for delivery of the equipment; or
3) Alternatively, we will only be encrypting some live sport (at this stage Rugby Union and live AFL). All other content will remain unencrypted. So you can choose not to take either of the above options and you will be able to continue to view the remainder of ABC Asia Pacific programs on your existing equipment.
Please respond as quickly as you are able so that we can do our best to have you ready for kick off on February 10th.
Once again, apologies for this. We will do our utmost to help you.
Best Regards,
Pam Murray
Marketing Co-ordinator
ABC Asia Pacific
GPO Box 9994
Sydney NSW 2001
Australia
(Craig's comment, This looks to be a cunning plan to get Fiji folks to get SkyPacific equipment, as not many will be able to afford the overpriced S.A Powervu equipment. This also of course explains the ABC PACIFIC feed that started on Pas8 a few days ago.)
From Jacko via Vetruns (24th)
Just found these channels on ASIASAT 2
3834 V S/R 7272
$NTV
INTER+
$The Israeli Network
All FTA at the moment
From the Dish
Optus B3 152E 12737 V "Win TV and GWN" have started on , Irdeto, SR 14289, FEC 7/8, PIDs 33/36 and 2910/2911.
Express AM 2 80E 11093 V "SGU TV and SGU TV 2" have started on , Fta, SR 11111, FEC 3/4, PIDs 33/34 and 1057/1058.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 12479 H "UBC Inside" has left .
NEWS
PanAmSat's Galaxy 3R To Be Removed From Service
From http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/PanAmSats_Galaxy_3R_To_Be_Removed_From_Service.html
PanAmSat Tuesday announced that the Galaxy IIIR domestic satellite, operating in an inclined orbit at 74 deg W, experienced an anomaly of its secondary spacecraft control processor (SCP). PanAmSat and the satellite manufacturer, Boeing Satellite Systems are continuing to investigate the anomaly. "Galaxy 3R had already been removed from primary service," said Joe Wright, CEO of PanAmSat. "This satellite was at the end of its contract life and operating in an inclined orbit. We do not expect that this occurrence will have any impact on our proposed transaction with Intelsat or will meaningfully affect the day-to-day operations of our business."
A Boeing 601 spacecraft launched in 1995, Galaxy IIIR experienced an anomaly on its secondary SCP at 3:42 p.m. GMT on January 15. The satellite has no book value to the Company but was expected to remain in inclined orbit through early 2009.
THAI PRESS: Temasek's Shin Stake Purchase Draws Criticism
From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/060125/15/3y5sc.html
BANGKOK (Dow Jones)--The acquisition by Singapore's Temasek Holdings Pte. (TEMAH.YY) of Thailand's Shin Corp. PCL (SHIN.TH) has raised concerns over a threat to national security, economic development and media independence, the Bangkok Post reports.
Academics and political observers are concerned about the sale to foreigners of radio frequencies and satellite broadcasting, which are national assets. They fear it could jeopardize political stability and therefore national security, according to the paper.
Meanwhile, The Nation newspaper reports that the deal also draws criticism over tax payment.
Senator Seri Suwannapanont told The Nation that the premier should have advised his family members to pay full taxes on the deal to set an example for other taxpayers.
Thanong Bidaya, Minister of Finance, said Monday the share purchase isn't subject to taxes because it was executed in the secondary market, like many other share acquisition deals.
The family of Thaksin sold its 49.6% stake in Shin to a group of investors led by Temasek for THB73.3 billion. Shin has sprawling businesses including mobile phone service, satellite, media, airline and personal finance.
Sondhi show TV broadcast signal cut off
From http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/25Jan2006_news13.php
CAT Telecom yesterday cut the signal of the ASTV satellite-based TV network's live broadcast of Sondhi Limthongkul's political talk show in Hat Yai. Mr Sondhi and co-host Sarocha Porn-udomsak were explaining their plans to rescue the country during their show at the Prince of Songkhla University's conference hall when the signal was cut off, disrupting the live transmission of the programme from Hat Yai to Bangkok.
The station director, Pramen Thuk-diwatee, said they were forced to continue the broadcast via the internet.
Thaiday.Com, a firm belonging to Mr Sondhi's family, would sue those involved in cutting the transmission. The shut-down was politically motivated, he said.
State-run CAT Telecom, citing security problem, had ordered the signal cut.
PM's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva, who oversees the Public Relations Department, said he asked CAT Telecom to suspend the ASTV signal because the network was operating without permission.
He said it was policy to strictly enforce the law in a straight forward manner.
CAT Telecom had been asked to terminate the signals of community radio stations and all cable televisions which violated the broadcasting regulations.
ASTV had also violated the law by operating without permission, he said, insisting there was no ill motive involved.
Mr Pramen argued his station had rented the signal from CAT Telecom for two years. The network was legal. He had documents to prove he paid the rental he could not understand why the signal suddenly went off the air when Mr Sondhi's talk show was being broadcast.
Mr Sondhi said CAT Telecom had followed the government's orders.
HONG KONG: Now Select resurrects PCCW's pay-TV goal
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=37718
PCCW introduces new broadband TV service in effort to regain losses of previous venture Interactive TV
PCCW will relaunch its video-on-demand service on its Now Broadband TV platform today, four years after the company shut down its loss-making predecessor, Interactive TV.
The new Now Select service would be bundled with PCCW's existing Now channels as a value-added service rather than as a stand-alone service like Interactive TV, the company said.
Interactive TV was launched in 1997 but closed down after five years of operation.
Star Group's Star Chinese Movie channel will be the first to provide content to the Now Select service under the SCM Choice brand name.
Subscribers to the Star Chinese Movie channel paying $42 per month will be able to get video on demand for an extra $15 a month that will give them unlimited access to the movie archive.
"The SCM Choice's archive has more than 50 of the latest movies and we will update the list each month to keep them attractive to our users," a PCCW spokesperson said.
The archive's latest movies include director Johnnie To's Election and Wang Ching's Kung Fu Mahjong.
Under the Now Select umbrella, other Now channels such as Mei Ah Movie Channel and Hollywood movie channels will come with the video-on-demand service.
The charging system will be the same as SCM Choice -- a monthly tariff for unlimited access to the archive.
However, the monthly tariff will vary from channel to channel.
"We have learnt from the lesson of Hong Kong Telecom's Interactive TV," a source from PCCW said.
"We do think that we will have a successful business model this time.
"This time, we have not launched the service as an individual product but as a premium service on top of each linear broadcasting channel.
"This would encourage our existing paid subscribers to pick up the programmes they missed in the normal schedule in the video-on-demand service."
The company has invested in the backend network system to support the new service.
Users at home can order and select the programme through existing set-top boxes and remote controls.
PCCW expects the on-demand service to differentiate Now from its competitors and boost the average spending per user.
"As the price of movie video CDs is very low and illegal downloads are still very prevalent, the video-on-demand service should not be treated as the main source of revenue," ICEA analyst Bertrand Chui said.
Mr Chui added that football programmes such as the English Premier League were the key to Now overtaking incumbent pay-television operator i-Cable Communications
Filmy marketing campaign breaks on 26 Jan; official launch 12 February
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/jan/jan280.htm
MUMBAI: The Rs 2.5 billion-strong Hindi movie channel space will welcome its fifth player when Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited officially launches Filmy on 12 February.
As already reported on Indiantelevision.com, Filmy will begin beaming on 26 January, but initially as a test feed.
Instead of the tried and tested five-movie per day strategy, Filmy will telecast three movies per day and film-based programmes will occupy the rest of the space.
Filmy will indulge viewers in a mix of narrative and humorous programming, which, the channel claims as its key USP. The channel has created three anchors to drive the programming formats.
"We are upbeat about the way Filmy looks and feels, and about its innovative content and style of presenting Hindi movies on television. We are confident that the channel will help our network of entertainment businesses deliver even better on its promise of 'Entertaining India,'" states Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited CEO Shantonu Aditya.
"Filmy is a unique entertainment channel with a focus on Hindi movies. It will have strong original programming in innovative formats to complement the movie content," adds Filmy business head Ashutosh.
The channel will offer its daily dose of three movies at 10 am, 3 pm and 8 pm. A big movie will be telecast every Sunday in the 8 pm slot. According to Filmy marketing and content head Shailesh Kapoor, the channel has an aggressive strategy for the weekends.
"On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the 8 pm movie will be packaged with lots of interactive features. Our anchors will engage the viewers with a variety of wrap-around programming. The whole experience will take almost four hours," Kapoor says, adding that Filmy will have two world premieres every month on Sundays at 3 pm.
Filmy has identified its target group (TG) as CS4+ Hindi speaking markets (HSM). "However, the channel will be more skewed towards SEC A and B," adds Kapoor.
MARKETING STRATEGY
The first phase of the marketing campaign for Filmy will kick off on 26 January while the theatre campaign breaks on the next day. "The channel will be promoted outside the Sahara Network in channels such as Aaj Tak, NDTV, Headlines Today, Channel7, MTV and Cartoon Network. The on-air campaign will also run in cable channels across the country," states Kapoor.
Another publicity initiative, The Filmy Yatra, will cover 30 cities in 45 days. The channel will have popular films stars as well as film-makers associating with the Yatra, according to Kapoor.
"Filmy will be promoted through upcoming films. We will have various programming as well as marketing initiatives around these films. We will be running contests and other activities through this initiative," states Kapoor.
An outdoor campaign will be unveiled in 10 cities in the Hindi speaking markets. Radio also has been involved as the channel has associated with all the leading FM stations in eight cities.
TV rights next money spinner
From http://cricket.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1386126.cms
NEW DELHI : The Indian cricket board, which made a whopping Rs 610 crore by selling the logo on players' shirts and their apparel, is now getting ready for the big kill telecast rights. BCCI has already drafted the TV rights tenders and sources said the floor price set for the global telecast bid package (including terrestrial rights for India) is Rs 1800 crore ($400 million).
This bid is for approximately 160 days of live telecast of matches played at home (both One-day Internationals and Tests) over four years and includes satellite, internet, broadband, radio and telephony rights.
This means that the BCCI will make at least Rs 450 crore per year from TV rights, which is three times what it is making now Rs 150 crore. This also means that the board will make around Rs 11 crore from a single day's telecast. A crore, a player! Of course, as this is the floor amount, the original figure will certainly be higher.
This is not all. The BCCI has divided the global package into seven territories and called it the international package and is planning to invite bids for each territory separately too. "If the total amount of individual bids is more than the bid for consolidated global package, we will opt for the international package," said a BCCI official.
The Indian package is worth Rs 225 crore ($50 million) and will give the winner exclusive terrestrial rights to transmit, exhibit, distribute and exploit the feed inside the country.
The tender has been divided into two parts and the second part involves the production of matches. BCCI will give the production rights to the lowest bidder but will ask all the bidding parties to make a bank deposit of Rs nine crore ($ 2m) keeping in mind the quality of production.
"After the tenders are floated, we are going to first open the production bid and it will be followed by bids for the global, Indian and international telecast packages," said a BCCI official.
24/01/06
Live satellite chat 9.pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time wards in the chatroom tonight
Eurosports Asiasat3 encryption has been delayed untill at least the weekend.
NO MORE FTA STAR SPORT!
This latest feedback from them.
"FYI, the previously unencrypted STAR Sports Asia feed was meant for China, and it has now been encrypted to stop spillover to other unauthorized territories."
From my Email & ICQ
From Jsat.tv (Thailand)
GoalTV - MANuTV FTA again
For everyone who loves Soccer:
Goal TV
SAT: Asiasat 4
FREQ: 4120 POL: H S/R: 27500
This channel seems to be a yoyo as it is BISS -> FTA -> BISS ->FTA
See http://www.jsat.tv/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl
From the Dish
AsiaSat 3S 105.5E 3700 V "Zee Malay" has replaced Zee Indon on , Conax, PIDs 170/120.(old news?)
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4000 H "RTR Planeta has replaced DW-TV" on , Fta, PIDs 2305/2306. TV 5 Monde Asie and the DW-Radio channels have left.
Yamal 201 90E 3674 L "Radio Kultura" has left .
Telstar 10 76.5E 12462 V "GTCTV Cartoon has replaced Eurosport News" on , Viaccess, PIDs 1793/1794.
Telstar 10 76.5E 12528 V "Hakka TV has replaced ETTV Shopping" on , Fta, PIDs 1440/1441.
NEWS
Multiemedia eyes global IPTV market
From http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/3073/127/
ASX-listed satellite services provider, Multiemedia, has ambitions to be a global player in the deliver of IPTV programming by satellite.
In an update for shareholders released to the ASX on 23 January, the company said that its NewSat division "continues to develop valuable intellectual property and is well advanced in its efforts to stream, manage and deliver content via satellite to users within its worldwide footprint."
The company says its internal trials "have demonstrated an ability to transmit content more efficiently and cheaper than is currently possible.... NewSat has the potential to be a first tier provider of IP TV and 'triple play' (video, voice and data) for the commercial market in Australia and overseas as a result of its latest IP venture."
Markets it has identified include business TV and private video networks, "for example production and broadcast of extreme sports content to hotels and clubs" and its suggests that there is an opportunity to provide "business TV in ferries, trams, trains and buses [and to] present commuters with education and entertainment as well as content manufactures with new advertising possibilities."
Multiemedia to hive off non-satellite businesses
From http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/3074/127/
ASX listed satellite services provider, Multiemedia, which recently acquired satellite service provider New Skies Networks, says it is looking to sell off its non-core assets including Airworks Media and MTD and to concentrate on its satellite businesses.
It claims to have received several expressions of interest for these businesses and to also be "in discussion with overseas based interests with a view to joint venturing NewSat Middle East/Africa and potentially listing on the Dubai Exchange," to expand its satellite business.
In September 2004, Multiemedia announced plans to take a majority stake in Airworks Media. That company held a five year exclusive agreement to deliver in-store advertising content to 720 Woolworths stores for which Multiemedia supplies the two-way satellite services. Anticipated revenue of the life of the contract was put at around $60 million.
The company said at the time that the move was "in line with Multiemedia's strategy to deliver complete solutions to large corporates and SMEs via its two-way broadband satellite network" and that it "accords with Multiemedia's strategic preference to engage in direct customer relationships."
The other asset, MTD (Multie Technology Distribution), is claimed to be "one of Australia's largest integrated importers, wholesalers and distributors of computer components and accessories...representing major brands or IT products including Microsoft, Logix Panasonic, Canon, Verbatim and Honeywell."
Multiemedia says that sale of these assets would "realise substantial cash and enable management to better focus on the satellite services strategy and growth opportunities."
Shinawatra clan sells out to Singapore's Temasek
From http://www.financeasia.com/articles/F7372B5E-9027-7E17-4B134FA6703C0BA3.cfm
Prime Minister Thaksin cashes in the family jewels with $1.85 billion sale.
The worst kept secret in Thailand was revealed yesterday (January 23) with the news that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family has sold its entire 49.6% shareholding in Shin Corporation to Singapore's Temasek Holdings and its partners, in a cash offer of $1.85 billion. The rumours had been matched by recent intensity of turnover in the stock, which had spiked until it was finally suspended earlier on Monday.
Various members of the Shinawatra family had owned personal stakes in Shin Corp since the family patriarch's role as prime minister of Thailand meant he could not be the nominal owner of the shareholding.
Temasek will pick up approximately 38% in Shin Corp via its wholly-owned subsidiary Aspen Holdings Ltd and 49% owned subsidiary Cedar Holdings Ltd, with minority partners Siam Commercial Bank and several undisclosed Thai investors accounting for the remainder. Many are speculating that these Thai investments will ultimately become part of the pan-regional stable of SingTel, which is 63%-owned by Temasek.
Temasek has announced that it plans to launch a tender offer for the remaining outstanding share capital of Shin Corp plus the shares that Shin Corp does not currently own in Advanced Info Systems (AIS). With the market capitalization of Shin Corp standing at $3.56 billion and that of Advanced Info at $7.6 billion, this ranks as Thailand's biggest ever acquisition.
Shin Corp is the holding company for the entire group. Advanced Info Systems operates a 900 MHz mobile phone service under the name Digital GSM Advance, which has a 25 year build-operate-transfer concession executed in 1990 with the Telephone Organization of Thailand, (now corporatized and known as TOT Corporation PCL). AIS is Thailand's second biggest company by market capitalization, after PTT.
Offers for the remaining outstanding shares of other Shin group companies will reportedly not be made. These include ITV, a television station specializing in news and soap operas that ranks as Thailand's biggest draw of television advertising. ITV is owned 55% by Shin Corp.
The same applies for Shin Satellite, 41.5% owned by Shin Corp, the latter recently having launched a new iPSTAR satellite, known as Thaicom 4, which could see that company's earnings double next year as China and India utilize its bandwidth. Shin Satellite now plans to launch Thaicom 5 carrying 38 transponders in 2006.
Thaksin founded his telecommunications empire in 1982, when he signed a lucrative contract with the Royal Thai Police force to supply it with computer equipment. Having spent 14 years in the police force he quit that career in order to build Shin Corp into Thailand's biggest media conglomerate.
Briefly foreign minister in a short-lived Palang Dharma Government, in 1998, Thaksin founded his own political party, 'Thai Rak Thai'. This party, running on a nationalist political platform, won a landslide in 2001 over a Democrat party whose stewardship of the economic crisis had seen it fall into disfavour with the electorate.
Thai Rak Thai won an even bigger election victory last year and now has absolute control over the Thai parliament, meaning it has no need to rely on fractious coalition partners. Thaksin's dominance of Thai politics has seen him propelled into a regional leadership role. His international critics have been quick, however, to accuse him of heavy-handedness in the disputes with the Islamic inhabitants of the three Southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.
Domestically, this has not disquieted his up-country Buddhist supporters, who almost unanimously back his get-tough approach. A popular misconception is that the average Thai person is unhappy about Thaksin's business involvements and the wealth that it may result in.
Thais, both on the high street and in business largely respect him for his huge fortune and the only emotional angle they experience is one of envy. However, the regulatory playing field has become muddied with the putative changes to the state-controlled Telephone Organization of Thailand and Communications Authority of Thailand, but in the past Thaksin has always shrugged off inferences of conflicts of interest.
But it appears that spin-doctoring of domestic public relations with the electorate and the Thai business community is not the driving force behind this share sale. These companies will demand significant funds to upgrade to the 3G environment into which Thailand is entering in 2006, with the issue of 3G licensing being decided shortly.
Advanced Info Systems has said it will set aside capital expenditure of $500 million this year to finance its network with the new technology. A realistic rationale is simply that Thaksin was offered an irresistible price for shareholdings that have soared in value since his Government took office, and stand at an 11 year high. Shin Corp's stock is up 27% since mid-November, and is currently trading at 15.6 times 2006 price-to-earnings.
According to its website, Temasek has a portfolio of investments that amount to S$103 billion, spanning Singapore and the globe.
The exact size of the deal will depend on acceptances of the general offer for both listed stocks. In the case of AIS, the general offer is for the 57% of the company not owned by Shin Corp; with 20% of AIS currently owned by SingTel. However, given that the general offer for AIS is being made at around a 30% discount to the current stock price, it seems unlikely that a large amount of this stock will be tendered. This would suggest that AIS will remain listed and that the transaction's total consideration will probably amount to close to $4 billion (the cost of the Shinawatra family stake in Shin Corp, plus the cost of buying out the minorities and warrant holders of Shin Corp at the same price).
Goldman Sachs advised the Temasek consortium on the acquisition.
Thaksin himself commented that the decision to make the sale was driven by his children who wanted him to "remain in politics happily". Whilst Thaksin continues to advocate investment in Thai business from his political platform, his family has now taken its chips off the table with the divestment of this asset. Only time will tell whether (and how) these funds will potentially be recycled into Thai investments
SHIN CORP SOLD TO FOREIGNERS: Deal of the century
From http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/01/24/headlines/index.php?news=headlines_19731194.html
Temasek promises no changes to Thailand's largest telecom company. The Shinawatra and Damapong families have netted Bt73.3 billion from the sale of their shares in Shin Corp Plc in a historic deal that some claim could eliminate Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's conflicts of interest and introduce new challenges to the Thai telecom industry.
The months-long takeover saga was wrapped up yesterday when Singapore's Temasek Holdings and allies took over 1,488 billion shares or 49. 6 per cent of Shin's paid-up capital at the price of Bt49.25 per share.
One of the deal's advisers said Temasek would need an additional Bt196 billion to complete the deal: Bt76 billion for the remaining shares in Shin and another Bt122 billion for AIS shares.
The deal was wrapped up after months of speculation amid rumours that Thaksin wanted to diffuse criticism of conflicts of interest allegations by his political rivals. Thaksin was quoted as saying to Shin executives two weeks ago that his exit was meant to soften persistent criticisms of his family.
Dr Suvarn Valaisathien, who represented the families, said at a press conference yesterday that the divestment was based on 'pure "business reasons."
"The families think that the telecom business has demanded a great deal of investment," Suvarn said, adding his clients would receive the proceeds on Thursday. Suvarn said the Shinawatra family had yet to receive the cash from the share sales so they had yet to work out what to invest their money in.
He said family members had no plan to buy back shares in any interests currently owned by Shin and that the money to be gained from the deal was not subject to income taxes.
The transaction signifies the Shinawatra family's exit from the telecom flagship that Thaksin and his wife Khunying Pojaman co-founded in 1983. But telecom industrialists said it remained to be seen if the families could really cut ties with the telecom business.
At a meeting with over 200 executives of the Shin group of companies yesterday evening, Shin CEO Boonklee Plangsiri said the deal benefited three parties. While major shareholders could clear their names on the conflicts of interest issue, buyers gained access to the nation's cream assets. Lastly, the group had no political attachments so its executives could be promoted for regional positions.
"No executives will be changed, except Khun Yingluck [Shinawatra, a sister of Thaksin who is president of AIS]. But she remains in her post," he was quoted as saying. He also brushed aside the rumour that Shin would sell its stakes in subsidiary ITV Plc to GMM Grammy. "That's entirely a rumour," he said.
Aside from the shareholding changes, only three directors at Shin will be replaced. While Boonklee remains as a director, Pojaman's brother Bhanapot Damapong, as well as Surasak Vajasit and Arak Chonlatanon, have resigned as directors. Replacing them are Pong Sarasin, S Iswaran, Temasek's managing director for investment, and Wichit Surapongchai, president of Siam Commercial Bank.
Pong will also replace Bhanapot as Shin's new chairman.
AIS president Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday her resignation would take effect by the end of next month.
While quoting the price of Bt72.31 for AIS shares, against the market price of Bt104, the new buyers announced they would introduce no change to other subsidiaries of Shin, which include iTV and Shin Satellite Plc. iTV operates a TV station while Shin Sat operates satellites, both on concessions. Prior to the announcement, there was a public outcry that both companies would fall under foreign control.
Iswaran said there would be no major changes in Shin's business direction and both Shin and Temasek executives would later discuss in more detail how to chart the future of Shin.
Contrary to rumours that the new Shin could sell some businesses back to the Shinawatra family, Iswaran insisted Temasek had no plans for such divestitures or to delist Shin from the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
"We have a long term commitment to the group," Iswaran said.
The deal was wrapped up in a complicated manner. Joining hands with Temasek in the takeover were Siam Commercial Bank and a newly established Thai company Kularb Kaew Co Ltd. Kularb Kaew is owned 51 per cent by Pong Sarasin, former chairman of DBS Bank, and Thanachart Bank president Supadet Poonpipat.
The tender offer for Shin and AIS shares will start on February 2 and end on March 23.
The Shinawatra family's exit from the telecom industry leaves the Chearavanonts, who own True Corp Plc which is a major shareholder in TA Orange, as the only Thai family remaining in the field.
The Bencharongkuls were the first Thai telecom family to seek an exit by divesting all their 40 per cent stake in United Communication Industry Plc to Norway's Telenor last October.
Sigve Brekke, chief executive of Total Access Communication (DTAC), said DTAC did not have to change its strategies to cope with the entry of Temasek into Shin.
"We'll continue launching new products and be very active in marketing, regardless of the shareholding change in Shin," he said.
Iswaran of Temasek said he did not believe the entry of Temasek would spur fiercer competition in the industry.
"The Thai market has already been intensely competitive [even before Temasek's entry]," he said.
Japan launches satellite at last
From http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10997835/
After three delays, rocket puts sensor-laden ALOS in orbit
TOKYO - After repeated delays, a Japanese H-2A rocket lifted off from its launch pad Tuesday carrying a 4-ton observation satellite.
The launch of the Japanese-developed H-2A from the remote island of Tanegashima in southern Japan had to be rescheduled three times because of trouble with sensing equipment and bad weather.
But on Tuesday, the black-and-orange rocket blasted off into a clear sky, carrying the Advanced Land Observation Satellite. The probe has three Earth sensors that can obtain terrain data for maps and make all-weather observations of the Asia-Pacific region.
Success will clear the way for the launching of two spy satellites by March 2007 to monitor North Korea and other trouble spots.
That program, approved after North Korea launched a missile over Japan's main island in 1998, began with the liftoff of two spy satellites in March 2003. Tokyo put aside $2 billion for the project, prompting protests from North Korea that Tokyo was triggering a regional arms race.
INDONESIA: Jakarta bans foreign news shows on its stations
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=37627
Government will enforce controversial broadcasting rules next month
Jakarta --- The Indonesian government will enforce a set of broadcasting regulations next month that will, among others, ban local broadcasters from relaying news provided by foreign stations such as the BBC.
The rules will take effect on Feb 6, exactly two months after the government agreed to postpone the enforcement following a meeting with legislators at the House of Representatives last month.
"Come what may, we are going ahead with enforcing the regulations for the good of the public," said Dr Widiadnyana Merati, the director-general of Information at the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).
The set of four regulations, issued by the MCI, had come under fire from media watchers and journalists, who described them as being repressive. "It is a setback for press freedom," said Mr Heru Hendratmoko, a broadcast journalist and chairman of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).
The regulations are based on the Broadcasting Law of 2002 to put some semblance of order in the media industry, where more than 100 television and radio stations have been operating without official control since the fall of former president Suharto.
The rules cover the licensing of broadcasting stations, allocating air waves, monitoring of programmes, imposing sanctions and limiting foreign ownership.
But media watchers are irked by one clause that bans local broadcasters from relaying news provided by foreign stations.
Many of the 160 radio and TV stations in the country carry news and current affairs programmes of the BBC, the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Australia, Duetsche Welle of Germany and Radio Hilversum of the Netherlands.
"Millions of Indonesians throughout the archipelago will soon be unable to get alternative sources of information," said Mr Abdullah Alamudi, a university lecturer and member of the Press and Broadcast Society.
Mr Abdullah said that the local stations were merely trying to meet their audiences "continuous demand for more international news and news about Indonesia as seen from a non-Indonesian perspective."
For Mr Heru, having BBC and VOA programmes would be a benchmark for the private radio stations to learn from "the established foreign stations" in covering news.
"The government should not be paranoid that the public would be misled by the foreign news programmes because the presenters are all Indonesians and the language medium is Indonesian," he said.
But Dr Widiadnyana defended the ban, saying that it would serve to protect the public if the news items provided by the foreign stations were found to be objectionable or contain errors.
He added that the public could still listen to Western news broadcasts on shortwave radio and cable television networks.
Mr Heru said that the regulations would take Indonesia back to the days of Suharto, where there was no press freedom and the media was under strict government control.
S. Korea, China sign pact on mobile broadcasting
From http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=285222
South Korea and China have agreed to accelerate their cooperation in the fast-developing mobile broadcasting sector, South Korea's Ministry of Information and Communication said.
The ministry said South Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and China's Beijing Jolon Digital Media Broadcasting has signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB).
South Korea leads the world in DMB technologies, having launched the world's first satellite and terrestrial mobile broadcasting services in May and December last year, respectively.
The deal will call for the sharing of information, technology and content needed to facilitate China's move toward adopting the DMB service, the ministry said.
Beijing Jolon Digital Media Broadcasting is poised to introduce terrestrial DMB services in Beijing in April, providing two video channels along with traffic and travel information via handheld devices, the ministry said.
The ministry forecast the agreement will also provide an opportunity for local DMB-related companies to make headway into the world's most populous country.
Earlier this month, South Korea's largest conglomerate Samsung inked a deal to supply 200,000 DMB phones to the Chinese broadcaster.
Murdoch Complains U.K. Overtaxes Business
From http://www.forbes.com/2006/01/23/murdoch-blair-business-cx_po_0123autofacescan08.html
LONDON - For the archetypal capitalist with the hardest of noses, look no further than Rupert Murdoch, a billionaire with an eye toward globe-spanning media. Then again, one pesky obstacle still stands in the way--that "overtaxed" island on the fringe of Europe, the U.K.
In an interview with BBC radio yesterday, the head of News Corp (nyse: NWS - news - people ) aired his frustrations about operating in Britain because business was "overregulated." "It does seem here that people not only regulate, they actually want to run industries," he said in a thick Australian accent, "There's a sort of micro-management philosophy, it seems, from this government."
That rather indicated a slight souring of support for Tony Blair. Murdoch's right-leaning tabloid The Sun is credited with having helped the U.K. Prime Minister clinch his landslide election victory in 1997. But yesterday the media tycoon only had praise for Gordon Brown, the Scottish-born Chancellor of the Exchequer who is expected to succeed Blair in the near future. Murdoch hastened to add that the U.K. was "very important" to him and his companies, despite the rising cost of doing business.
Most of News Corp's businesses are in the U.S., but Murdoch still has a major stake in the U.K. with the Sun and Times newspapers, as well as satellite goliath BSkyB (NYSE: BSY - news - people ), headed by his son, James. The billionaire's influence was highlighted in a recent national radio poll, Who Runs Britain?, which saw voters put Murdoch as the second most powerful figure in the country. (Tony Blair was seventh)
As for the future, Murdoch won't let a bit of red tape won't keep him from seeing his empire go electronic. "You'll be able to, for instance, have a tablet beside your bed," he explained on newspapers, "You subscribe to the paper and it'll come there wirelessly." After tax and a bit of competition, the sky's the limit.
TV Channel to launch in Kerala
From http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5967_1606040,001600060001.htm
A Dubai-based non-resident Indian is all set to launch a 24-hour Malayalam news channel backed by the Congress party in Kerala.
The proposed Jai Hind channel, headed by Keralite Aniyan Kutty, would be launched in March or April.
"Yes, it is true the Congress party is supporting the channel and I am the chairman of it," Kutty told IANS over the phone from Dubai.'
Technical consultants would be Symphony Television.
"I have had a few rounds of talks with Congress leaders but am unable to divulge more details. My brief is the technical and programming part and I am on the job," said Krishna Kumar, chief of Symphony Television.
Kumar was also the brain behind Asianet TV in the early 1990s and the one who launched the Communist Party of India-Marxist backed Kairali TV.
He said technical aspects like booking the satellites had almost been clinched and the uplinking would be from the headquarters here.
"This would be a news oriented channel with a mix of entertainment," said Kumar.
"You have to ask the Congress leaders if it is a party channel. My brief is very clear -- to see that it takes off as per schedule. I am not that concerned about who is behind it," he added.
State Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala has often been asked about the prospects of the party starting a channel and has said: "We are not starting any channel, but if someone comes forward we would have no problem."
The Congress party in Kerala has been keen to counter the inroads made by Kairali TV in the last four years. With the assembly polls in May this year, this is as good a time as any to launch a channel.