31/10/01
TVNZ goes with Sky. See the Satfacts page and news section. Although no real technical details have been released yet as to how it will all work.We will have just have to wait until the technical details come out.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Luke Mckimmie
Craig, I responded to the request from Mediasat, and received a reply today
(see below). Maybe someone out there may have relevant info that Mark
Lobwein could use.
Luke Mckimmie.
Thanks for you message Luke,
Yes we are trying to get as many FTA CH up on our platform as we can.
I have been trying a few Greek Channels but to date have had no luck.
If you know of any contacts to go through this might help speed up getting
new channels up and running.
Best regards
Mark Lobwein
Technical Sales Manager
MEDIASAT Pty Ltd
PH: +612 9221 6999
FX: +612 9221 6988
Mobile: +61 (0) 419 989 475
Email:mlobwein@mediasat.com.au
Website: http://www.mediasat.com.au <http://www.mediasat.com.au>
Craigs comment, Let them know what you want to see. I never thought about Worldnet that would be a good one to have! What would be good is a channel thats out of reach of the average cband system. How about a russian channel!
From Chris Pickstock
ABC on B1
2 pm SA Time
These channels currently load from B1 at 12670 H, 12690 H and 12707 H sr 14300.
ABC HDTV Vpid 512, Apid 0
ABC NSW Vpid 512, Apid 650
ABC TV3 Vpid 512, Apid 650
ABC TV4 Vpid 2311, Apid 2312
ABC Kids Vpid 1021, Apid 1031
TV4 is showing colour bars and has the Pids that TV3 used to have, and Kids has changed to new Pids.
This morning all 5 loaded, at midday only two loaded and now all 5 again. Expect more changes, as it makes no sense to have TV3 with the same Pids as ABC NSW.
Chris
From the Dish
Agila 2 146E 4087 H "RPN 9, IBC 13 and TBN" have left.
Telkom 1 108E 4028 H "Trans TV" has started , Sr 6000, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256. (This should be fine in Northern Australia)
Asiasat 3 105.5 E 12595 H "Five Star Media mux" changed SR to 8890.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3951 H "Five Star Media mux" changed SR to 8890.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3608 V "PTV World and PTV" are also here , Sr 3333, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256, time sharing with PTV Channel 3.
NEWS
MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday, 31 October, 2001
From http://www.skytv.co.nz/invest/press/TVNZ_31_Oct.doc
TV ONE AND TV2 TO BE AVAILABLE ON SKY DIGITAL
SKY Television is pleased to announce that TV ONE and TV2 will join SKY’s satellite platform on 1st December 01.
The additional channels will give SKY subscribers a full compliment of all national Free-to-Air channels. SKY already carries TV3, TV4, Prime and Trackside.
/or the first time, viewers will be able to watch all the national Free-to-Air channels in crystal clear digital quality picture and sound no matter where they live in New Zealand,” said John Fellet, SKY’s Chief Executive Officer.
?I am also pleased that now all the national broadcasters will be able to work together to develop interactive television applications,” said Fellet.
TV ONE and TV2 will be on buttons 1 and 2 respectively on the SKY digital remote control. SKY will take this opportunity of reconfiguring its digital channel line-up. This will be announced in the December SkyWatch.
-END-
For further information please contact:
John Fellet Tony O'Brien
Chief Executive Officer Director of Communication
Ph: (09) 579-9999 Ph: (09) 579-9999 / Mobile 025 978309
Press Release: New Zealand Government
31 October 2001 Media Statement
From http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0110/S00539.htm
Minister welcomes TVNZ/Sky deal
Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs says she’s pleased TVNZ and Sky Television have reached agreement for TV ONE and TV2 to be available on the Sky digital platform.
?I’ve been concerned that TVNZ risked losing viewers because Sky customers couldn’t access One and Two easily via the hand-held remote,” she said.
?In the longer term however my concern is still to ensure all New Zealanders have access to the choice and opportunities that digital can offer.
"This requires setting a direction that supports open access and open standards for one set top box for consumers.
"These matters are being investigated and considered at the moment.”
ENDS
MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 31 October
From http://www.tvnz.co.nz/links/media/mr2001311001.htm
TV ONE AND TV2 TO BE AVAILABLE ON SKY DIGITAL
TVNZ Chairman Dr Ross Armstrong today announced an agreement between TVNZ and Sky Television that will see TV ONE and TV2 available on the Sky Digital platform from 1 December 2001.
The agreement provides TVNZ with a low cost digital expansion option, while TV ONE and TV2, with 73 % of the total New Zealand television audience, will be available to Sky digital subscribers through the satellite platform.
TVNZ Chief Executive Rick Ellis said that the agreement will ensure that TV ONE and TV2 are available to New Zealand television viewers in a digital environment.
"In addition to providing TVNZ with carriage of TV ONE and TV2 on the Sky digital platform, the agreement gives TVNZ the option to introduce additional channels, plus interactive extensions for TV ONE and TV2 in the future.
"An important aspect of the agreement will see TV ONE and TV2 occupy positions 1 and 2 on the Sky Electronic Programme Guide and the Sky remote.
"TVNZ and Sky have also agreed to co-operate on the future development of interactive services," said Mr Ellis.
As part of the agreement, Sky Television will continue to make its set top boxes available for rental to those viewers only requiring free to air services.
For further information please contact Glen Sowry, TVNZ General Manager Public Affairs on 09-916 7565 or 021-461 775
TVNZ channels will be broadcast on Sky
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,992793a13,FF.html
TVNZ today announced TV1 and TV2 would be broadcast on the Sky digital service from December 1.
TVNZ chairman Ross Armstrong said the stock exchange was informed this morning.
"TVNZ and Sky Television have reached agreement that we'll see TV1 and TV2 available on the Sky digital service from December 1, in just over a month's time," Dr Armstrong said.
"The agreement provides for free carriage of (channels) one and two and the agreement also provides a low-cost digital expansion option for Television New Zealand."
He made the announcement at Parliament's finance and expenditure select committee, saying the board of TVNZ was "delighted" by the initiative.
"We believe it not only adds value for Television New Zealand. We believe it reaches out to embrace the 250,000-odd subscribers to Sky Digital."
The agreement also helped many, many thousands of New Zealanders in a difficult geographical location who had not been able to receive satisfactory reception, he said.
The Government previously axed TVNZ's plans for going digital and Opposition MPs today criticised the announcement as falling far short of TVNZ's plans.
ACT MP Rodney Hide said the agreement made TVNZ simply a "content provider" for Sky.
National broadcasting spokeswoman Katherine Rich said despite the gloss TVNZ was putting on the announcement, it was a result of the deteriorating financial position of the State-owned company.
"You really had no choice and that decision was inevitable," she said.
However, TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis said TVNZ had been in discussions with Sky for three years and the agreement had no bearing on the company's current financial state.
New Zealanders expected to be able to receive TV1 and TV2 on "whatever device, whatever platform they choose" so the state broadcaster had had in place a strategy for implementing a digital future, he said.
TVNZ plans to launch a digital television service by October earlier fell apart after TelstraSaturn pulled the plug on a proposed joint venture.
Mr Ellis said he expected today's announcement to have a positive impact on TVNZ's value because "digital homes" were being included in ratings and if TVNZ was not broadcasting digitally that would ultimately affect ratings and revenues.
"Being on that platform, I've no doubt will enhance the value of the company," he told the committee.
TVNZ going digital - via Sky
From nzoom.com
TVNZ is launching a digital service on December 1, piggy-backing on rival Sky Television's platform.
The widely anticipated agreement between the public and private broadcasters means TV viewers will not have to contemplate having two set-top boxes to pick up the rivals’ separate signals.
Sky has agreed to continue to rent its set top boxes to households that don’t want to pay for channels, but want to take advantage of the better reception and picture quality digital signals provide on free to air channels.
Canwest, TVNZ’s rival free to air broadcaster, already broadcasts its channels TV3 and TV4 on Sky’s digital platform.
TVNZ Chairman Ross Armstrong confirmed the agreement to the parliamentary finance and select committee on Wednesday.
Industry sources say the deal was struck after Prime Minister Helen Clark and Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs left no doubt in the broadcasters’ minds the government’s preference for one set-top box.
Hobbs made it plain back in August that she would ensure all New Zealanders had access to the choice and opportunities that digital offers and that required “setting a direction” that supported open access and open standards for one set-top box.
The sources say the government was prepared to legislate to get what it wanted.
But just whether the agreement is a win:win, or TVNZ has been able to leverage its political advantage to get what it had been pressing for from Sky if it was forced to abandon its own digital dream, has yet to come out in the wash.
TVNZ Chief Executive Rick Ellis says the agreement between TVNZ and Sky ensures TV One and TV2 will be available in a digital environment. But he says it also gives TVNZ the option to introduce additional channels, plus interactive extensions for TV ONE and TV2 in the future.
*n important aspect of the agreement will see TV ONE and TV2 occupy positions 1 and 2 on the Sky Electronic Programme Guide and the Sky remote,” Ellis says.
The move to the Sky platform finally buries TVNZ’s ambition to create its own digital platform.
Its original plan, estimated to cost $217 million over several years, was put on hold by the government in February last year. That saw the state owned broadcaster first write off $7 million in March and another $6 million in September, recovering just $1.6 million in capital costs from what it had already spent on the project.
TVNZ had planned to use the digital technology to develop a combined pay TV, internet and e-mail service alongside its free to air channels.
Despite the government lid, TVNZ bounced back in November last year with a partnership deal with Australian-backed Telstra Saturn.
When Telstra Saturn largely pulled out of that deal in August this year, industry sources said an agreement between TVNZ and Sky seemed inevitable.
ESPN Star sports launches channel in Korea on 1 November
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k1/oct/oct93.htm
ESPN STAR Sports will launch its first joint venture led dedicated sports cable channel in Korea on November 1.
Known as MBC-ESPN Sports, the channel will be an entirely localised sports service that delivers live and exclusive coverage of major sports events, launched in association with Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation. This includes seven live and exclusive games per week of Major League Baseball (MLB) and two live and exclusive games per week each from the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Korean Football League.
MBC-ESPN will also air coverage of the Korean Open Golf Tournament, Korean Intercontinental Football and the ATP Tour. This is in addition to popular ESS programs such as the English Premier League and UEFA Champions' League. Transmitted entirely in Korean, MBC-ESPN's localized programming includes on-air presentation, commentary, graphics and dedicated promos. ESS will provide sports programming on MBC-ESPN while MBC provides the on-the-ground production facilities needed to customize and re-transmit the locally versioned feed from Seoul.
ESS officials say, "We began by launching dedicated feeds to key Asian markets, followed by versioning our programming to the local language. We've now taken it a step further by working with the strongest local partners in Korea who have the resources and expertise to help us continue providing compelling sports programming to our viewers, expertly localised." MBC-ESPN is the ninth feed of ESS and the fifth feed of ESPN in Asia.
Craigs comment expect the feed will be in Stars mux on Asiasat 3 like the others are
30/10/01
The Athlon pc's not going to arrive until Friday, in the meantime I decided to upgrade from Mcafee Virsu Scan Deluxe 5.21 to version 6. Big mistake! the install trashed the 5.21 version when removing it to install version 6. When I rebooted the Version 6 was there but did absolutely nothing! So I thought I would remove it and put the older version back. Wrong! it would no longer let me put the old 5.21 version back! it also toasted outlook express and the control panel! So I ended up installing IE6, outlook express 6, Nortons antivirus 2002 and updated Blackice firewall to 2.9 version. All seems to be fine now.
If it ain't broke don't mess with it!
Tommorow the NBA season is starts, You can watch Michael Jordans return to the NBA on the big Dish.
Nba Basketball New York, NY USA Washington Wizards @ New York Knicks Live on Star Sports Asiasat 3. check your local tv guide for the times. Star Sports will be showing 28 games. Feeds will probably be via Pas2 Adhocs or Pas 8. Let me know if you see the feeds somewhere. Also let me know if you see NBA matches on any other FTA services.
From my Emails & ICQ
From "Victor" via the mailing list 30/10/01
4.30pm Syd
NASA TV is currently on Pas 2 Adhoc III
From "Jsat" 29/10/01
B3 12595 V "Aurora" Sr 30000 Fec 3/4..Auroa free to air as of 8.48 pm west oz time....
Craigs comment this switched off around 5.30pm NZ this afternoon
From the Dish
ST 1 88E 3632 V "CASA has replaced SBN - Scholar Business Network" Here Sid 206, Vpid 5169 Apid 5153.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3585 V "Thaicom test card" is back, Vpid 513 Apid 641
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3524 H "Occasional feeds", Sr 20480, Fec 3/4, global beam.( This signal still there anyone have the pids for it)
NEWS
Nothing to report today
29/10/01
The site update may be late tommorow or else no update, The chatroom will go ahead as normal though. Only so many hours in a day and tommorow the 2nd Athlon 1.4ghz pc system will be arriving. I will need to spend quite a while getting that set up for my brother. Things like downloading the 20 megs of patches that have come out so far for Xp. I can't be online and doing the site update at the same time. As downloading the updates will need to use my net account on the other machine at the same time. I don't have internet connection sharing setup.
Seen in the newsgroups.
Hi All
Can anyone please tell me if you are viewing the programing on Mediasat
and if you like the programing????
Mark
Technical sales
Mediasat
"Mark" <mlobwein@mediasat.com.au
Your chance to have your say. I suggest you don't mention anything to do with feeds though
From my Emails & ICQ
From Zapara
ABC SE is running on Foxtel 12376 H transponder Optus B3
Craigs Comment any more details?
From Tony Drexal, "FTA Satellite Services"
Posted on newsgroups and also sent to Apha, Mega, and Antenna:
Congratulations ALPHA SKAI for becoming the number one Greek station in
Australia.
Since Antenna Pacific and Mega Cosmos encrypted their signals four weeks
ago, thousands of Greek families in Australia and the Pacific have been
watching ALPHA SKAI, because these families have privately owned satellite
systems and can not or will not pay the high price being asked for by
pay-tv.
Well done Alpha, and may the people who advertise on your channel also
benefit by reaching a far greater audience then would be possible by pay-tv.
Craigs comment, They won by default though!
An interesting email from "Siam Global"
DEAR MR SUTTON / APSATTV,
The line beween piracy and legal viewing of satellite programmes is often very thin. If a Thai resident subscribes paying the full subscription through a Malaysian friend and views Astro, the Malysian DTH service, is he pirate ? Certainly copyright of the program provider is infringed and the Malaysian friend is in breach of a civil contract but not many people would call this piracy. The UK for example does not criminalise such cross border subscribing to sevices in other counriies. But what if the Thai resident concerned is an hotelier...does it then suddenly become piracy ? This is exactly what is happening more and more here in Bangkok. UBC charges very high per room rates should a hotel wish to make CNN (for example ) available in guest rooms. More and more Thai hotels are now getting Astro installed with the aim of avoiding the astronomical UBC per room rates. It is not illegal in Thailand for Thais to suscribe to or watch ASTRO. No hacking of any nature is involved. So is this piracy or just clever use of a legal loophole ? Worth giving a thought. A useful analogy is where one buys a car. Is it illegal to rent it out to hundreds of people and allow them full use of the vehicle. ?
Sincerly Siamglobal Bangkok
From the Dish
PAS 2 169E 12297 H "Feeds" Sr 3347, Fec 3/4
PAS 2 169E 12291 H "Feeds" Sr 3723, Fec 3/4
PAS 8 166E 3850 H "The test card has left" , VPID 470.
PAS 8 166E 12394 H "HMB Radio 1-2" have left
Optus B1 160E 12320 V "Occasional feeds" on, Sr 6110, Fec3/4.
Optus B3 156E 12363 V "Kupundra racing feed for Sky" Sr 6110, Vpid 4160 Apid 4120
Sinosat 1 110.5E 12396 H "Football feeds" Sr 6200 Fec 3/4
Sinosat 1 110.5E 12387 H "Football feeds" Sr 6250 Fec 3/4
Telekom 1 108E 4028 H "Trans TV" Sr 6000, Fec 3/4 (this Indonesian channel is one of the new private channels, should be recievable in many parts of Australia) Reports needed if you see it
Asiasat 3 105.5E 4000 H "Phoenix Chinese" FTA, has replaced National Geographic Asia on, Sid 1743, Vpid 517 Apid 660.
Chinstar 1 87.5E 12388 H "Football feeds" Sr 5632 Fec 3/4
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3524 H "Occasional feeds" , Sr 20480, Fec 3/4, global beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "3ABN Radio has started" , Apid 2051.
NEWS
Interactive TV firm targets NZ
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=157265&thesection=technology&thesubsection=general
New Zealanders could soon be perched in front of their televisions taking part in quiz shows or simply browsing the web if a United States company can find an investment partner here.
Paul Vachon, senior vice-president of the technology firm Liberate, said it wanted to invest millions of US dollars in New Zealand setting up interactive television.
The company has already set up interactive television in Britain and the US, and Mr Vachon has spent the past month meeting potential partners in Australia and New Zealand.
He confirmed he had talked to Sky Network Television and all "obvious" communication and broadcast companies.
If a deal was struck, interactive TV could be available in New Zealand by the middle of next year, said Mr Vachon.
The concept involves viewers using their television sets like a computer, accessing the internet and e-mail.
A viewer would be able to participate in game shows. Banking, education and instant shopping would be available.
Subscribers would need a keyboard, a telephone line and a "black box" containing the technology. The box would be leased, similar to the Sky decoder system.
Mr Vachon declined to reveal the cost of the service, but said that as with any new technology the first variations would be more expensive until mass use evolved.
Eventually, he said, interactive television would be very cheap.
Subscribers would be able to choose from packages of services.
"People will be able to watch what they want, when they want it.
"As you get more and more channels of content, you get more ways of sifting through that content to be able to watch what you want."
Mr Vachon said trials in Britain revealed that people who had the technology did not want to give it up.
High internet use by New Zealanders should help sell the product here, he said.
Liberate, which has a market capitalisation of $US3 billion ($7.56 billion), is owned by several high-profile technology companies, including Oracle, Netscape, America On Line and Sony.
The company already has an agreement with Ice Interactive to run a pilot scheme in New South Wales.
Six Mideast Countries Plan Satellite Channel
From Satnewsasia.com
Six Muslim states in the Persian Gulf region are expected to launch a new English-language satellite TV channel that would convince Americans that not all Muslims support terrorism.
Information ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met in Manama to discuss a media strategy aimed at dispelling anti-Arab sentiment in the West.
GCC is a political and economic alliance that includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
GCC proposed setting up an English-speaking satellite channel in its information drive. It would also urge press outlets in their respective countries to rectify the image of Islam that has been damaged by some Western media organizations.
GCC assistant secretary general Hamad Ali al-Sulayti had earlier disapproved of the way U.S. and other Western media were portraying the Middle East as a hotbed of terrorism.
The one-day GCC meeting emphasized the growing attention being paid to the propaganda battle to defend the image of Islam worldwide as a religion of peace.
?We are putting our efforts together as ministers to reach all media in the Western world to explain our position that all Muslims and all Arabs are against terrorism,” Bahraini Information Minister Nabil al-Hamer said after chairing a closed-door meeting of GCC information ministers.
During the past three-weeks, the Qatar-based satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera TV has been the Muslim world’s main source of news about America’s military campaign in Afghanistan.
Washington has openly criticized Al-Jazeera of being a propaganda tool of Usama bin Laden. Al-Jazeera, however, is awaiting Washington’s go ahead for an interview with President George Bush.
India Launches 3 Satellites; ISRO Developing Launch Engine
From satnewsasia.com
India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C3) has successfully lofted three satellites into their intended orbits.
PSLV-C3 lifted off from SHAR Center in Sriharikota island off India’s southeast coast to orbit the Technology Experiment Satellite (TES) of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Germany’s BIRD (Bispectral and Infrared Remote Detection) and Belgium’s PROBA (Project for On Board Autonomy).
This is the second PSLV launch of three satellites simultaneously. The first was in May 1999 when ISRO’s IRS-P4, the German DLR and Korean KITSAT-3 satellites were successfully orbited.
TES and BIRD satellites are in the 568 km sun-synchronous orbits while PROBA is in elliptical orbit.
TES is an Indian remote sensing satellite with a ground resolution of one meter. It is considered India’s first military satellite. ISRO, however, said TES is a significant acceleration in the Indian remote sensing program and will be for civilian use consistent with India’s security concerns.
ISRO Chairman Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan said that TES has a camera with one meter resolution that can identify buildings, structures and moving vehicles. Existing Indian remote sensing satellites have a ground resolution of 5.6 meters.
ISRO plans to launch a remote sensing satellite, CARTOSAT-1, with a resolution of 2.5 meters in 2002 or 2003, to be followed by CARTOSAT-2 with a resolution of one meter.
Analysts said the early launch of TES was intended to remedy what India perceived to be security lapses in the Indian-controlled Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir where bloody fighting with Pakistan occurred in 1999. The two hostile neighbors have disputed Kashmir for over 50 years.
The failure of Indian remote sensing satellites to detect Pakistani infiltrators or their camps was pinpointed as one reason for the extended fighting in Kargil. An Indian committee set-up to review the Kargil conflict said the Pakistani intrusions could have been detected earlier if India had half-meter resolution satellite imagery.
India is presently buying one meter ground resolution images from the IKONOS satellite owned by the American company, Space Imaging.
TES’ launch was also designed to demonstrate critical technologies for future PSLV missions.
Reports say India has almost finished developing a cryogenic engine that would enable it to launch high-altitude communications satellites and, probably, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The cryogenic engine uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to launch 2.5-ton satellites to an orbit of up to 22,000 miles. It could give India the capability to build ICBMs by modifying the launch vehicle and replacing the satellite with a warhead. India conducted nuclear tests in May 1998.
In 1992, India's bid to develop its own cryogenic engines was delayed significantly by Russia’s signing the Missile Technology Control Regime that bans the transfer of missile technology. The US objected to Russia giving India the technology because of its potential use in nuclear missiles.
N. Vedachalam, director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Center, a wing of the Indian Space Research Organization, said ISRO was ready with the engine.
?We will test it within two or three months. But commissioning it in our launch vehicles could take considerable time,” he said.
DD 1 to telecast news bulletin every hour
From http://www.economictimes.com/281001/28tech02.htm
DOORDARSHAN will telecast news bulletin every hour on its DD1 channel from January 2002, minister for information and broadcasting Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday.
The ministry was planning more programmes based on news and current affairs. The slot for news and current affairs based programmes would be raised to 30 per cent from the current 10 per cent, Swaraj told a meet the press programme here.
Eight hours would be dedicated for programmes meant for children and another eight hours for cultural ones, she said.
She said the decision to discontinue DD News was independently taken by Prasar Bharti and had some justification.
On global competition, Swaraj said India is being developed as uplinking hub for SAARC countries and would generate a huge revenue though exact generation of revenue has not been calculated.
According industry status to the entertainment sector would make available to them the instutional finance, the minister said adding IDBI had earmarked Rs 100 crore this year and Rs 61 crore had already been disbursed.
She expressed hope that turnover of entertainment sector was presently Rs 10,000 crore which would go upto Rs 30,000 crore in future.
The government will act as facilitator for the entertainment sector, Swaraj said adding her ministry was also exploring some good locations for shooting of feature films that may save precious foreign exchange. (PTI)
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 43/2001 October 28 2001 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by Tele Satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A
MIDEAST COUNTRIES PLAN SATELLITE TV CHANNEL
The Gulf Co-operation Council is studying a proposal to establish an
English-language channel to counter efforts to blacken the image of the Arabs
in the West. The proposal was submitted to GCC information ministers during
their summit in Manama on October 24. The proposal would establish a satellite
channel in English that would seek to battle Arab stereotypes in the West in
the wake of the September 11 suicide attacks on New York and Washington.
CHINA
FOREIGN BROADCASTERS TO ENTER TV MARKET
More foreign-backed television broadcasters are poised to launch services in
China. Liu Changle, chairman and chief executive of Phoenix Satellite
Television, said he was told by the mainland's broadcasting authority that two
broadcasters - Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and AOL Time Warner - would soon be
permitted to broadcast to television viewers in Guangdong province. The new
approvals would come within weeks, said Mr Liu, following a meeting on October
18 with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT)
director-general, Xu Guangchun. News Corp plans to reach Chinese viewers
through an as-yet-unnamed Putonghua channel run by its Asia operating arm, Star
Group. AOL Time Warner's plan involves expanding the distribution of the
existing China Entertainment Television channel in which it has a stake.
Conditions of News Corp and AOL Time Warner's licences to broadcast to the
mainland are that they will be required to provide reciprocal distribution
rights to China's state-run flagship network, China Central Television, to
broadcast. The development follows an announcement last week that Phoenix TV
has been formally allowed by Beijing to broadcast to households in the Pearl
River Delta, making it the first foreign TV operator to gain legal broadcasting
rights in China. At present, the 22 approved foreign TV channels, such as CNN,
CNBC and Phoenix's Chinese and movie channels, can broadcast only to a select
group such as hotels and residential areas for foreigners.
INDONESIA
ABS-CBN INTERESTED IN INDOSIAR
Leading Filipino broadcaster ABS-CBN has conformed it is talking to top rated
Indonesian commercial terrestrial Indosiar. ABS-CBN has not said whether it is
one of the bidders for a 49% stake in Indosiar, but is thought to want
management control of the company should it get involved. As a foreign
broadcaster ABS-CBN would have to bid for Indosiar through a local concern.
Other bidders for the broadcaster are thought to include Hong Kong outfit TVB
and Australian Seven Network. The highest bidder will be revealed in December.
THE PHILLIPINES
STAR TV PULLS CHANNELS FROM CABLE
The STAR TV Group, which delivers Star Sports, Star Movies and ESPN to cable
television subscribers of merged SKYCable and Home Cable, on October 19 cut off
its services to local operator SKY Vision Corp. while contract renewal
negotiations were going on. "SKY and Home owe us a total of $3.1 million,
equivalent to P160 million. Their contract with Star expired in April this
year. Since then we have been working on a month-to-month basis," David Ilagan,
Star vice-president for distribution said. SKY and Home Cable have not been
paying their monthly dues with Star since May this year. Meanwhile, SKYCable
has added several new channels including Channel News Asia (CNA), Solar TV and
AXN Action TV.
SOUTH KOREA
SKYLIFE TO LAUNCH INTERACTIVE DIGITAL TV
Korea's first fully interactive digital satellite television system is to be
launched by Skylife later this year. Skylife will become the sole provider of
satellite broadcasting services in Korea. Skylife will offer Korean consumers
almost 150 channels of digital video and music programming. The company expects
to be on air by the end of 2001, with a plan to grow to approximately 3 million
subscribers by 2005. Skylife's main investors comprise public telecommunication
and broadcasting companies including Korea Telecom, KBS, MBC, and KT Freetel.
HD INTERACTIVE LAUNCHES
The first high-definition (HD) interactive digital television service started
on October 26 from the commercial broadcaster Seoul Broadcasting System.
Following SBS’ launch, state controlled Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) and
Munwha Broadcasting Corp. (MBS) are also scheduled to relay their first digital
television signal on November 5 and December 2, respectively, ending year- long
trial periods. The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) said it
would require broadcasters to expand their services across the country by 2005.
Broadcasters are likely to return their analog channels to the government by
2010. Moreover, Korea Digital Broadcasting (KDB), a consortium for digital
satellite broadcasting, is slated to start operations in December. KDB has
filed business license applications for 76 satellite television and 60 radio
channels. KDB is an industry-leading consortium of over 140 companies mainly
led by state-run Korea Telecom and Korea Broadcasting System. KDB leased a
total of 10 satellite transponders on one of the three Mugungwha III Satellites
earlier this year from the government.
28/10/01
Taking a break today back Monday
27/10/01
Indy Cars on Optus B1 at the moment, nice 384kbit audio, brrrm brmm vrooom vroom in car cam looks nice if you sit very close to the screen feels like you are really driving. Over on B3 12363 V seems to be very very low power. Netball Final tonight, feed via B3? and B1? Or you can watch via ABC if you don't mind missing the last 2 minutes.
From the Dish
From Chris Pickstock 27/10/01
Optus B1 12320 V "ASTRALINKS AUSTRALIA" Honda Indy 300 Car race Feed Sr 6110 Fec 3/4 Vpid 308 Apid 256
Screenshot by Bill Richards
Optus B1,12317 H "WNBL Basketball".Sr 6980 Vpid 4194 Apid 4195
Probably same as last weekend will be followed by the netball NZ v Aus
From Bill Richards 26/10/01
1028UTC
Asiasat 2 3945 V "*cyasa3" Unkown Feed in 4:22 Sr 6666 Fec 7/8 Vpid 512 Apid 4112 SID1
Regards
Bill
From Me 26/10/01
10pm NZT
Optus B1 12357 V "Fox sports Boxing" "Globecast LF8" Sr 5630 fec 3/4 Vpid 308 apid 256
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E 12320 V "Indy Car Feed" Sr 6110, Vpid 308 Apid 256 "Astralinks Australia"
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3864 V "Beijing TV" encrypted again.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3945 V "Cyasa3 4.2.2 Mystery feed" Fec 7/8 Sr 6666 Vpid 512 Apid 4112
ST 1 88E 3632 V "TTV has replaced Taiwan Entertainment TV" on Sid 208, Vpid 7217 Apid 7201
Insat 2E 83E 4040 V "ETV Bangla Info card, replaced by a test card.
NEWS
China will be watching closely as foreign TV arrives
From http://www.smh.com.au/news/0110/27/world/world25.html
Just what the Chinese Government thinks American audiences will make of CCTV-9, China's English-language news channel, is anybody's guess.
That is, if anybody watches the often turgid and always politically sanitised version of world events, to be broadcast by China Central Television (CCTV) on cable soon in New York, Los Angeles and Houston.
This is news as propaganda, although at the moment the same accusation could be levelled at some US networks.
Far more interesting will be how the people of southern China respond to the first freely available foreign television about to hit the Chinese mainland. A deal signed this week in Beijing by AOL Time Warner will see its China Entertainment Television channel made available to cable viewers within weeks.
China's television audience is enormous. CCTV broadcasts to an estimated 1billion viewers. Capturing just a slice of that - especially the rich urban market - is an attractive proposition.
Last week Hong Kong-listed Phoenix Satellite Television - 38 per cent owned by Rupert Murdoch's Star Group - announced it had been granted the right to broadcast via two cable channels in Guangdong province in southern China.
In fact, broadcasts from free-to-air stations in Hong Kong have been seeping across the border for years.
Analysts see entry to the southern market as a test run. How the Government deals with the politically sensitive material that pops up in dramas remains to be seen. The South China Morning Post reported this week that an episode of the US political drama West Wing being broadcast from Hong Kong earlier this year disappeared from Chinese screens when it hit a sensitive theme.
CCTV-9 will be carried on select Time Warner Cable systems - the first time a CCTV network will be carried on any US cable system on a 24-hours basis.
"The reciprocal nature of the agreement means that American audiences will gain a greater understanding of Chinese culture as well as an appreciation for the immense intellect, artistry and creativity of the Chinese people," said Gerald Levin, AOL Time Warner chief executive and a man who has clearly never watched much Chinese television.
Reciprocal content deals between China and Western broadcasters already exist, and 22 approved foreign TV channels are available in selected hotels and residential areas for foreigners.
But the AOL Time Warner and Murdoch deals represent a quantum leap by the Chinese, with the entertainment channels being broadcast to an estimated 42million households without direct government supervision.
Foreign television - like the Internet - will have an impact on China's internal political dynamic. And like the Internet, it will be difficult to control.
While the diet at first will most likely be light entertainment and B-grade movies, another light bulb - however dim - has been switched on.
OpenTV reaches 20 million deployments
From http://www.cabletoday.com/ct/1004097892.html
Based on reports received to date, interactive TV company OpenTV said it has passed 20 million set-top box middleware deployments, a doubling of deployments since announcing it reached 10 million set-top box deployments in October 2000.
OpenTV said the three-month period ending Sept. 30 marked the fourth consecutive quarter in which the company saw an excess of two million deployments of its middleware offerings.
EchoStar's DISH Network has deployed more than two million set-top boxes with OpenTV's EN2 middleware, the company said. In the satellite TV business, the company has developed PVR solutions for EchoStar's 501 and BSkyB's Sky-Plus set-top boxes. In addition, the company is helping with ITV services for DirecTV Latin America.
For the third quarter, OpenTV said its net loss was $118.5 million, while revenues were $25.1 million.
OpenTV Delivers Strong Third Quarter Results-Surpasses 20 Million Set-Top Boxes
From http://www.digitalbroadcasting.com
Increased Profitability in the Core Platform Line of Business -- Announced Four Additional Network Operators, Including Three Cable Operators -- Launched Device Mosaic and Static's PlayJam Channel with Cablevision in U.S.
OpenTV (NASDAQ National Market and Euronext Amsterdam: OPTV), the world's leading interactive television company, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2001.
Financial Highlights
For the quarter ended September 30, 2001, OpenTV's revenues were $25.1 million compared to $18.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2000. Third quarter 2000 results include the impact of OpenTV's acquisition of Spyglass, which closed on July 24, 2000. Third quarter 2001 results include the impact of OpenTV's acquisition of Static, which closed on July 2, 2001.
The Company's pro-forma(1) operating expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2001 totaled $33.9 million compared to $25.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2000.
OpenTV's pro-forma net loss was $6.7 million, or $0.10 per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2001 compared to a pro-forma net loss of $3.2 million, or $0.06 per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2000. On a reported basis, the Company's net loss for the quarter ended September 30, 2001 was $118.5 million, or $1.71 per share, compared to a reported net loss of $83.4 million, or $1.49 per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2000.
As of September 30, 2001, OpenTV had cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities of $195.1 million. Third quarter 2001 cash outlays included $9.2 million related to the Static acquisition and $4.7 million in capital expenditures.
"We are pleased to report yet another successful quarter for OpenTV and that we have surpassed the twenty million set-top box deployment mark," said OpenTV CEO James Ackerman. "Once again, we delivered another quarter of solid financial and operational results. We believe this quarter demonstrates our continued success as the leading interactive television company that provides integrated interactive television technology, services and content."
Core Platform Business Highlights
For the quarter ended September 30, 2001, OpenTV's core platform generated revenues totaling $22.5 million and a pro-forma operating profit of $3.4 million. Highlights for the quarter include:
-- Based on reports received to date, OpenTV announces it has surpassed 20 million set-top box middleware deployments, a doubling of set-top box deployments since announcing the Company reached 10 million deployments in October 2000. This is OpenTV's fourth consecutive quarter in excess of two million deployments. -- OpenTV increased its market-leading network operator customer base to 48 by announcing four additional customers, three of which are broadband cable networks. OpenTV announced that Israeli cable operator Tevel, with 430,000 subscribers, and ntl's Cablecom in Switzerland, with 1.4 million subscribers, have agreed to deploy its iTV platform. The Company also announced an agreement with Sichuan NTC to deploy OpenTV's iTV platform and an application suite on China's Henan Cable network of 1.5 million subscribers. Additionally, OpenTV announced an iTV platform agreement with Showtime, a Middle East satellite network operator with 100,000 subscribers. -- OpenTV's core platform portfolio - which includes the EN2 middleware, the Device Mosaic HTML engine, and the integrated EN2/Device Mosaic solution - continued to penetrate the U.S. digital television market. EchoStar announced that their DISH Network has deployed more than two million EN2-enabled set-top boxes. Cablevision launched their new suite of interactive services on Device Mosaic-enabled Sony high-end set-top boxes. -- OpenTV is a leader in enabling personal video recorder (PVR) functionality in set-top boxes. The Company has partnered to develop PVR solutions for EchoStar's 501 and BSkyB's Sky+ set-top boxes, which are now available to consumers in the U.S. and U.K., respectively. Applications Platform Business Highlights
For the quarter ended September 30, 2001, OpenTV's applications platform generated revenues totaling $2.6 million, and a pro-forma operating loss of $12.3 million. The pro-forma operating loss reflects OpenTV's significant investment in growing its applications platform business. Highlights for the quarter include:
-- PlayJam, Static's interactive entertainment and games channel, was launched as part of Cablevision's new interactive television service suite. PlayJam currently reaches over 9 million homes through cable and satellite networks in the U.S., the U.K. and France.
The Company's third quarter 2001 financial results conference call will be Webcast live on the Investor Relations section of http://www.opentv.com at 2:00PM PDT on Thursday, October 25, 2001, and will be available there through 5:00PM PST on Friday, November 2, 2001.
26/10/01
Another new New Indian channel "DD Bharati" will appear on Pas 10 soon, (See news section) it will be in Analogue and Digital. It seems to be aiming at the same market the recently launched "Splash Kids" channel is aimed at. No word on if they will have English language programming. Though they may in the educational programming segment.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards 25/10/01
0850 UTC
Asiasat 2 3927 V "EBU ISLAMABAD Feeds" Sr 6110 Fec 3/4 Vpid 33 Apid 34
From Chris Pickstock 25/10/01
12397 H, the Cricket has finished, but C7 Sport continues. Currently showing Speedway Sidecars, North Queensland Championship.
Hopefully C7 will continue all night. (Doubt it though)
Chris
From Chris Pickstock 26/10/01
10.30 am SA Time
C7 Sport is on again on B1. Started on 12335 H, but has now switched to 12317 H. sr 6980
After the cricket on C7 Sport finished yesterday, C7 Sport continued all night.
12397 H, is currently showing some feeds from Afghanistan.
Chris
From the Dish
Palapa C2 113E 3622 H "The test card has left"
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3864 V "Beijing TV" is currently FTA.(Confirmed from yesterday)
Yamal 102 90E 3645 L "ART Telenet" has started on Sid 12, Vpid 201 Apid 202.
ST 1 88E 3632 V "SBN - Scholar Business Network" has replaced "CASA" on,Sid 206, Vpid 5169 Apid 5153.
PAS 10 68.5E 3776 V "BBC World test card has started" , Sid 255,Vpid 1660 Apid 1620.
NEWS
New addition to DD family soon by the name Bharati
From indiantelevision.com
Prof UR Rao's first announcement after taking charge as chairman of pubcaster Prasar Bharati's board recently was to declare that two non-performing channels of national broadcaster Doordarshan would be shut down some time soon. Well before that a new edutainment channel with a commitment to public service broadcasting to cater to the needs of children, health, music, dance and fine arts is being launched. DD Bharati is scheduled to go on air from Republic Day, 26 January, 2002.
DD Bharati will be a 24-hour channel available on PAS-10 on transponder no C-19 and C-23, both in analog and digital mode.
The channel will feature four hours of health programmes from 6 am, followed by six hours of children's programmes from 2 PM The channel will also have four hours of programmes on music, dance, fine arts from 8 PM
Doordarshan has broken up DD Bharati's programming into three segments. The morning segment will focus on meditation, yoga, and alternative systems of medicine, discussions with experts, documentary features on health related issues, and health news. It may also incorporate a one-hour segment of live phone-ins on health issues daily, officials say.
The second segment, which will focus on children aged between four and 18 years, will telecast cartoon films, wild life films, children's serials, counseling and sports, talent hunts, 'antakshari' programmes and magic shows. A unique feature would be a news bulletin 'by children for children'. Now didn't we here the same one from southern animation major Pentamedia at the launch of its kids' channel Splash.
The third segment will feature music, dance, fine arts, Indian classic music, countdown shows, event based programmes and travel shows. Folk, devotional and tribal music will also feature in this segment.
Purportedly a showcase of Indian culture, DD Bharati will focus on presenting the best of the country's literature through telefilms and serials. There will be documentaries on Gyanpeeth and Sahitya Akademi award winners too.
Prasar Bharati has now invited private producers to make programmes under the sponsored category for DD Bharati's prime time (8 to 10.30 PM) as well as the non-prime time slots.
The deadline for submitting programme proposals to DD is 5 PM on 9 November.
This one may be in orbit specifically for snooping
From http://www.economictimes.com/today/24poli02.htm
INDIA’S launch of three satellites by a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle yesterday without the usual fanfare has raised questions whether the country has begun experimenting with spy satellites.
Fuelling the speculation is the fact that India is in a state of heightened defence preparedness given the war raging in nearby Afghanistan.
?It is a question of interpretation,” Indian Space Research Organisation chairman K. Kasturirangan said here late yesterday. “Whatever you call it, earth observation or spying ... all I can say is that this satellite is a forerunner for a high-resolution satellite system.”
India, he indicated, would soon be in a position to place many such satellites in space at costs of about Rs 1 billion each.
What raised questions about India’s intentions was the fact that television crew and print journalists were not taken to the ISRO launch facility at Sriharikota, as is usually done. All news channels were given public broadcaster Doordarshan’s shots of the launch.
Kasturirangan admitted that security considerations compelled the space research organisation to launch the PSLV C3 without the hype of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle launch this April.
Many, especially in the Western military establishment, may be greatly interested in the imaging facilities the Indians can provide.
Especially if the images can pinpoint vehicle movements in the subcontinent to one-metre resolution, covering Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries in India’s neighbourhood.
For countries like the US, Britain and Russia, buying specific images from India would certainly be more cost-effective if such defence cooperation is agreed, space agency sources say.
?There is a market for this,” the ISRO chief conceded.
The PSLV placed two small European satellites -— the German BIRD and the Belgian PROBA -- into orbit at 10:23 am.
The third satellite was India’s Rs 750 million Technology Experiments Satellite, which ISRO said had achieved a height of 572 km. The TES can spot cars and convoy movement on the ground.
The TES launch was scheduled at the beginning of 2002 but was speeded up, superseding the schedule of Cartosat, a remote sensing satellite, and the Ariane 5 flight, also giving rise to speculation here that due to the war situation in the region, this technology testing was given priority.
The final destination of one of the three satellites will be higher than the other two. But which one, none in ISRO is revealing. The usual orbit for a PSLV satellite is less than 900 km above the earth and it can weigh up to 1,200 kg.
But Kasturirangan emphasised that the idea was to launch “intermediate class” satellites and not the “three or four-tonne class” as “there is a niche market for this”.
The PSLV is about 45 metres tall and uses a four-stage solid and liquid propulsion system.
It first placed the Indian Remote Sensing ID in March 1999 into a polar orbit. ISRO calls it “a tried and tested workhorse” and space watchers say there is no better system to use than the PSLV for snooping.
Outlining ISRO’s schedule over the next few months, Kasturirangan said INSAT 3C was to be launched in December-January launch, INSAT 3E by the middle of 2002 and the next IRS by end of next year. Ariane 5 and Cartosat are due to be launched by this yearend. (IANS)
Demand ABC show netball Test in full
From http://foxsports.com.au
NETBALL AUSTRALIA chief executive Pam Smith has demanded a commitment from ABC TV that the national broadcaster will screen the third and deciding netball Test between Australia and New Zealand tomorrow afternoon in full.
"We want to see it right to its conclusion," Smith said.
Smith faxed ABC chairman Donald McDonald, managing director Jonathan Shier, and director of television Sandra Levy after Wednesday's second Test was cut short at 6pm with just over five minutes to fulltime.
But Smith received no reply, apart from an e-mailed copy of a statement by the ABC apologising to its audience cutting the second Test for "the inconvenience and disappointment that this situation caused".
Smith said if she had not received a reply this morning, she would seek personal assurances for a full telecast.
"Obviously, they'll be hearing from more people than just us wanting the same thing," she said.
Talkback radio yesterday showed a real depth of anger at the decision by ABC management - not its sports department - to unplug the live Test telecast.
The game had started five minutes late and caused programming problems for the ABC, which had its series Something in the Air programmed for 6pm (AEST).
"Australians feel insulted by their own national broadcaster," she said. "It's quite an extraordinary thing.
"Our girls were graceful in defeat. They were hurting anyway at the loss (58-47) so they definitely didn't need a kick in the teeth as well from our national broadcaster."
The players found out the telecast had been pulled when they were in the change rooms.
A spokeswoman for the ABC would not comment on Smith's request for a guarantee to show Saturday's third Test in full.
She said the ABC had expected the match to finish at two minutes to six and had wiped 120 seconds of program announcements to try to fit the game in but then had to pull it.
"Under these circumstances our general policy is to resume scheduled programs rather than stay with a live broadcast that will interrupt the scheduled programming," the ABC statement said.
"However, we realise we must be flexible about sport over-runs and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis."
Smith stressed it was important to remember ABC TV Sport was suffering the consequences of a management decision.
"They're between a rock and a hard place," Smith said.
"They can't come out and slam their management but they've been insulted as well."
The ABC has screened netball for a decade.
25/10/01
A late update very busy setting up this Athlon 1400 mhz system. The new Windows Xp takes a bit of getting used to. Speaking of Windows Xp. I caught a feed on B3 12363 V about 2pm NZ. The "Today Show" Windows XP Australian launch hosted by Rove. P.S the PC isn't mine, and I will probably have another to setup tommorow which will keep me busy also and probably delay the site update.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards 24/10/01
Palapa C2
0522 UTC
3622H "No test card present" Sr 6000 Fec 3/4 Vpid 1110 Apid1211 SID1 PMT 1001
Radio Station still running but no video/picture.
Palapa C2
0528 UTC
3934H "Unknown Feed in 4:22 Format "MTT-ENC1" Sr 6110 Fec 3/4 Vpid 100 Apid110 SID100 PMT 768
Regards
Bill
Craigs comment, Bill and others may like to try using DVB2000 recorder via scssi to record the raw data stream then try playing back with some software that handles 4.2.2 playback!
From John Harrison
B1 12397 H "Pura Cup Cricket" Sr 7200 Fec 3/4
Queensland vs Victoria Day 1 For C7 Sports
From Siam global
Some good news from LMI at 75 degrees east. The colour test card has now been replaced with a notice saying that a 24 hour Sri Lankan service shortly to start.
Siam Global
From Felician Fernandopulle in Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka to run global digital TV channel
Oct 24, Colombo - Sri Lanka is to become one of the first countries
in the region to operate a worldwide digital satellite television
channel.
This state of the art 24-hour channel named `TV Lanka' will soon be
on air according to the operator, Electroteks Ltd. who runs a global
satellite communication network.
Electrotek will operate two full time digital video and six
audio/music channels to run cultural and entertainment programs in
addition to news.
`TV Lanka' is a fully Sri Lankan owned and operated service without
any foreign skill or funding.
Felician Fernandopulle
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E Tune Info has moved from 12595 V to 12407 V, MPEG-2/clear, PIDs 53/54.
Asiasat 2 100.5E 3864 V "Beijing TV" Sr 4420 Fec 3/4, reported FTA? unconfirmed
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3608 V "PTV Channel 3 and Radio Pakistan" have started Sr 3333, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256 and Apid 256, Asian beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3612 V "PTV 1 and Radio Pakistan" have started on, Sr 3333, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256 and Apid 256, Asian beam.
Intelsat 704 66E 3805 R The British Telecom mux with BBC World and Sky News is still on ,/enc., Sr 22900, Fec 3/4, East hemi beam.
NEWS
AOL Time Warner welcomes legal distribution in China
From http://www.adageglobal.com/cgi-bin/daily.pl?daily_id=6059
HONG KONG - AOL Time Warner has achieved a longtime goal--legal distribution of its programming in mainland China.
The agreement however, is limited to cable TV subscribers in the southern Chinese province of Guangzhou near Hong Kong and even there, Chinese viewers will not be tuning into CNN, the media giant's flagship news channel.
Instead, they will have access to CETV channel, a 24-hour Mandarin-language information and entertainment channel. CETV was founded by Robert Chua in Hong Kong in 1995, acquired by Time Warner in June 2000 and relaunched by Turner in February, 2001.
Still, it's a landmark deal, giving CETV carriage on Guangdong Cable TV Networks Co., Ltd. (GCTV), one of China's largest cable operators, from January 2002 onwards.
As Minister Xu Guang Chun, director of China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), explains, "This is the first time for a foreign TV institution to be granted cable TV carriage rights in mainland China."
It is also the first Sino-US cooperative agreement signed after last week's APEC meeting in Shanghai. The carriage agreement was signed this week at SARFT headquarters in Beijing by representatives of AOL Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System Asia/Pacific unit and GCTV, as well as China Central Television (CCTV), China's national television network, and China International Television Corporation (CITVC), the commercial branch of CCTV.
As part of the agreement, CCTV-9, CCTV's English-language news and information channel, will be carried on select Time Warner Cable systems, the first time a CCTV network will be carried on a 24-hour basis on any U.S. cable system.
The deal "represents a significant step," says Gerald Levin, CEO of AOL Time Warner, and "is part of a sustained effort by our operating divisions to work with Chinese partners in creating products and services for this dynamic marketplace."
Star TV gets foothold for Phoenix in southern China
From http://www.adageglobal.com/cgi-bin/daily.pl?daily_id=6060
HONG KONG - While AOL Time Warner is enjoying its own success at gaining a foothold in mainland China's cable TV market, Rupert Murdoch's Star Group Limited in Hong Kong has something to cheer about as well.
China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has formally granted landing rights for the Phoenix Chinese Channel in the Pearl River delta region--the same southern Chinese region where AOL's CETV channel soon will be carried by one of the mainland's largest cable operators.
News Corp. owns just over one-third of the Mandarin-language Phoenix Chinese Channel, a publicly-traded company which has broadcast general entertainment programming in China out of Hong Kong for more than four years.
"As a major shareholder of Phoenix, Star is very pleased about this development. We see it as yet another milestone for Phoenix," says Star chairman and CEO, James Murdoch, who confirmed that Star's discussions with SARFT and China International Television Corporation (CITV) for landing rights of a new channel in the Guangdong province continue and are anticipated to soon reach a conclusion.
News Corp. has been negotiating with the Chinese government for years about launching a Star-branded channel in the mainland.
ABC's netball snub slammed
From http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,3116616%255E9787,00.html
IRATE Australian netballers claimed their professional image had been tarnished after ABC executives pulled the plug on live coverage of their Test match against New Zealand last night.
With just three minutes remaining in a thrilling Second Test in Invercargill, ABC executives decided to cut coverage and go to the scheduled 6pm program Something In The Air.
Australian captain Kathryn Harby-Williams and vice-captain Liz Ellis called on the Australian public to demand an explanation from the ABC for abruptly ending the TV coverage.
The world champion Australians were furious when told of the ABC's move after they had played themselves to a standstill.
New Zealand had just levelled the the three-Test netball series against world No.1 Australia with a thrilling 58-47 victory.
"It has made me very angry and it has made a mockery of the sport," Harby-Williams stormed.
"I can't imagine the impact it will have on the image of us as professionals. It's a personal insult."
Ellis said she was livid when told fans in Australia had been deprived of full match coverage and that she couldn't imagine it ever happening to male sporting teams like the rugby league Kangaroos or the rugby union Wallabies.
"It's an absolute disgrace," she said. "After the ABC had threatened to scrap the sport people were so excited when they came to the party to show the games live.
"To see this happen is devastating. I can't imagine why it happened.
"It smacks of hypocrisy and it is an insult to the players."
ABC TV's head of policy, Michael Ward, said the decision had been made by senior executives because the game started late in New Zealand and ran over time.
But an ABC source told The Daily Telegraph that in the half hour after the game the station had received a barrage of complaints from viewers.
"ABC Television had to make a decision to break off transmission of the match and resume scheduled programming with some minutes of the match remaining," Ward said
"The ABC delayed leaving the netball until the last minute, choosing to drop a number of scheduled program announcements to stay with the match as long as possible.
"However, when it became clear that the match would continue until after 6pm, the decision was made to go to the scheduled program, Something In The Air. "This was announced as the live broadcast ended."
Netball Australian chief executive Pam Smith last night said she had received a "courtesy call" from a member of the ABC sport department minutes before the game was unplugged.
"They would not have done it if it was one of the men's sports," Smith said.
"It's a slight on one of the most successful teams this country has ever produced.
"I will be taking it up officially with the ABC."
Earlier this year the ABC indicated it was thinking of changing its programming and that netball -- along with a number of other sports including women's basketball -- could be casualties of the change.
Netball Australia sent 20,000 signed petitions from netball fans from around the country calling on the station to continue its coverage which the ABC is now doing.
A one-woman band in the form of super shooter Irene van Dyk last night saw New Zealand level the series.
For 40 minutes of the hour-long game, van Dyk shot at 100 per cent -- a feat even more impressive given she was being marked by arguably the world's best goalie, Sydney's Liz Ellis.
The 190cm former South African captain was lethal under the net, ending the game with an incredible tally of 45 goals from 47 attempts.
24/10/01
The chatroom was fairly quiet last night. It was good to see a couple more people from NZ in there its nice to discuss "local satellite reception". A few reminders, ABC FLY was testing on B1 last night, this is not a new channel though I think it only runs after the ABC Kids programming has finished from 6pm onwards, it starts on Optus on channel 21 and Austar channel 14 November 1st, same date as ABC National Starts (B3,12407v) . FTV the Skin and fashion channel on Asiasat 2 is encrypting November 1st also, so once again we lose something but gain something else seems to be the way it is lately.
Live Netball NZ vs Aus, tonight, was on Mediasat last time and also B1 ABC feeds channels.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
ABC FLY Testing weeknights after 6 pm, replaces ABCTV3 test card
12706 H Sr14300 Fec7/8 Vpid 2311 Apid 2312 Text 2214 Sid 675
From Peter Watkins
RE:Torroidial dish setup
Craig,
I have a toroidal (90 cm) which I've been setup but not yet completed. I
tried to follow the instructions which arrived with the dish but these are
only suitable for Sydney. I've been trying to calculate the Az/El for the
satellites and think I have a solution but haven't tried it yet.
The procedure so far.
a) Get the lat. & long. for the earth station.
b) Calc. the Az & El. for the bird/s.
c) The Azimuth values are for True North - this need to be corrected for
Magnetic North.
d) The El and corrected Az values need to be plotted on the provided graph
(with the dish).
e) From the graph, calculate the tilt angle. One way to do this is draw a RH
triangle on the graph and find the angle from arctan; i.e. tan(angle) =opp/adj.
That's the theory - I've tried this with the values for Sydney and get very
close results as to those on the graph. I've yet to it into practice. I got
the calculations as an Excel spreadsheet - if you're interested I could
forward you a copy.
Regards, Peter
From the Dish
Nothing received in my email..
NEWS
FTV encrypting 1 November
From indiantelevision.com
Come 1 November and French fashion channel FTV will become an encrypted feed.
Preparations for the conversion to a digital feed are on in full swing, says Rajan Kaaicker, CEO Distribution Group, Modi Entertainment Network, the channel's current distributer in India. According to Kaaicker, 60 per cent of the seeding operations concerning distribution of set top boxes have been completed. The full rollout is expected to be complete by 15 November, he says.
Kaaicker said Modi was using the more expensive Scientific Atlanta set tops costing roughly Rs 33,000 and had no plans to subsidise them. He however said that there would be various payment packages that would be worked out with operators. Kaaicker would not reveal how many boxes he planned to distribute across the country.
Queried as to whether distribution of the channel would be restricted post-encryption considering its niche character, Kaaicker said all-India distribution was what he was looking at as FTV was being positioned as a youth and lifestyle channel. He said currently FTV had a viewer base of 23 million and that was the viewership he expected post-encryption as well.
As to what price the channel was being offered, Kaaicker would only say it would be part of a package deal. Cable industry sources reveal that MEN is bundling FTV along with Hallmark and DD Sports, the two other channels it currently distributes along with French music channel MCM. The cost for all three channels has been put at Rs 13.15 in the metros. The sources say that for the present no price tag is being put on FTV but the costs of both DD Sports and Hallmark have been hiked and the softener as it were is that FTV comes along with the other two. According to the sources, DD Sports which was earlier priced at Rs 5.50 will now cost Rs 7.15 while Hallmark will go up from Rs 3 to Rs 6.
How the cable operators will respond to this move is still unclear though. It should be noted that representatives of two MSOs in Mumbai said they were yet to receive notification on the issue. The representative of a third MSO, while acknowledging that they had received an intimation, said a decision had yet to be taken as to whether to accept the new package rates.
The question that has no clear answer is who would be willing to pay for FTV. It seems to attract a very fragmented viewer base and that too at odd hours. One cable operator had this insight to offer though. According to him, the channel is very popular in the smaller centres for its "hot" content.
It is also true that the monies coming to FTV through ad sales is zilch and moving to a pay mode makes sense if for no other reason than the fact that a regular income source is established.
FTV beams off the Asiasat 2 satellite.
23/10/01
Live chat in the chatroom tonight 8.30pm Syd time and from 9 pm NZ onwards. Speaking of chatrooms I asked Christian Lyngmark why dosn't he run "Lyngsatchat" a chatserver via his site he said he can't because local law would make him legally responsible for any illegal activity discussed via his site. A pity because I could see great possibilitys for such a huge chatroom. Perhaps he needs to host a chatserver somewhere with freedom of speech.
There seems to be quite a bit of interest in Toroidal dish's at the moment. Does anyone have decent setup instructions I can put on the site? lots of people seem to be having trouble setting them up.
From the Dish
Optus B3 156E 12336 V "Tzu Chi TV" has started on Vpid 1760 Apid 1720.
Palapa C2 113E 3760 H "MMBN" has left, Lets hope something good replaces it
Palapa C2 113E 4000 H "MMBN" has left
Palapa C2 113E 10972 V "MMBN" has left
Palapa C2 113E 11132 V "MMBN" has left
ST 1 88E 3632 V "CTS has replaced Taiwan Folk Channel on , Vpid 2079 Apid 2081.
NSS 703 57E 3980 R "Kondattam TV" has started on ,Vpid 1960 Apid 1920
NEWS
China opens its skies to foreign broadcasters
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20011023/efetop3.html
China will soon allow more foreign-backed television broadcasters to launch services on the mainland, the South China Morning Post reported on Monday.
China’s Broadcasting Authority will permit Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and AOL Time Warner to broadcast to viewers in southern Guangdong province, Liu Changle, chairman of the Hong Kong-listed Phoenix Satellite Television told the daily. The new approvals would come within weeks, he added.
China last month said it was considering allowing News Corporation and AOL Time Warner access to cable viewers in a restricted area of Guangdong in what would be an unprecedented opening of the communist nation’s tightly-controlled media market.
?It is clear China will continue to open up the sky for foreign broadcasters,” Liu said, quoted by the daily. Liu, however, does not expect a sudden and massive influx of foreign television operators into China.
?Only a couple more will be approved in the near term. It is the Chinese government’s general practice to liberalise individual sectors gradually never in a rush,” he said.
Craigs comment, Perhaps we will see more services using Asiasat 2/3? to broadcast to China.
AOL TIME SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH BEIJING CHANNEL
From (Reuters)
The United States media giant AOL Time Warner Inc on Monday declared that it had signed an agreement with Beijing to distribute an entertainment cable TV channel in southern China in exchange for carrying a Chinese-government channel in certain parts of the U.S.
Under the terms of this groundbreaking pact, AOL Time Warner will broadcast its CETV channel in Guangdong province starting in January, featuring both original Chinese fare and the dubbed versions of American cartoons and shows such as “Miami Vice” and “La Femme Nikita”.
In turn, AOL Time Warner will carry CCTV-9, an English-language news and information channel of the state network China Central Television, on its cable systems in New York, Houston and Los Angeles on a 24-hour basis. CCTV is currently shown in the United States only in certain programming blocks. The agreement is to allow a major foreign-owned broadcaster direct access to viewers in China, although many overseas channels can be seen in luxury hotels and in homes with satellite dishes.
However, last week, Hong Kong-listed Phoenix Satellite Television, 38 per cent of which is owned by a unit of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and has been “unofficially” broadcasting into China for 5 years, which said that it was given state approval to land its signal in Guangdong province.
INTELIVISION LAUNCHES SPLASH FOR KIDS
From http://www.hclinfinet.com/2001/OCT/WEEK4/3/BusInsideTS5frame.jsp
Intelivision Limited, seeded by Pentamedia Graphics with Rs one crore investment, announced the launch of its kids’ channel, ‘Splash’, on Monday.
Targeted at audience in age group of 3-18, in the initial stages, this English channel would receive 75 per cent of its programme from international studios such as Columbia Tri-Star, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and BBC, among others, while the remaining programming would be taken from in-house production.
The channel was test run for two months and launched on October 18. Though it was seeded by Pentamedia Graphics, at present, Pentamedia holds only 30 per cent equity in Intelivision, while the remaining equity is held by a few associate companies and NRIs, said P.S. Sundaram, director and chief executive officer.
The company has an authorised capital of Rs 10 crore and has invested Rs 4 crore into the channel, till now. Additional investment of Rs 5 crore would be made in the next six months of operation, Sundaram said. Intelivision plans to expand its equity either through private placement, deferred credit or term loans, he added.
This apart, Intelivision, which has secured the license for teleport to uplink channels from Chennai, is likely to tie-up with broadcasters to set up the teleport facility in January next year, Sundararm said. Once the teleport facility is in place, a bouquet of 6-8 channels could be be uplinked, he added.
Southern Spice and Jeevan TV ( Malayalam channel), have signed up for this facility. Apart from ‘Splash’, Intelivision comprises ‘i vision’ that provides content for Indian and overseas channels and ‘i-service,’ which will provide consultancy for programming.
The channel, which is at present being telecast in southern India, would soon be available in the rest of the country. The channel has already earned an advertising revenue of Rs 3 crore. The company hopes to break even in the second year of its operations.
Intelivision’s kids channel to make a national splash
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20011023/con1.html
Chennai-based Intelivision, a company originally promoted by Pentamedia Graphics Ltd, plans to go national with its exclusive channel for children —Splash— by mid-November. The free-to-air channel was launched in Chennai on Monday and is now available in two million homes in South India.
Intelivision vice president, finance and company secretary PK Sundaresan said, “The television company is talking to other cable operators like Hathaway to take the channel to the rest of the country.”
Targeted primarily at four to 14 years-old “schoolers’, the content of the channel is classified into three broad categories — 50 per cent entertainment, 25 per cent edutainment and 25 per cent infotainment.
The programming includes animation, live action, “clean” feature films, music, dance and entertainment, apart from educational and informative features.
Currently, about 75 per cent of this is sourced from international studios like Columbia Tri-star, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and BBC among others.
Later, the company plans to have a completely Indian channel. Programmes will also be available in multiple language feeds — Tamil and Hindi currently.
Craigs comment, This is Splash Kids channel on NSS 703 at 57E, I did read they planned to also transmit FTA via Asiasat 3 at some stage.
SET hopes to evade legal wrangle with WorldTel
From http://www.business-standard.com/today/corp4.asp?Menu=2
Sony Entertainment Television (SET) may manage to avert a legal battle with Mark Mascarenhas' WorldTel, which has threatened to sue SET over non-payment of advances totalling $0.75 million for coverage of cricket matches in Bangladesh.
According to the $17 million deal with SET, WorldTel was to produce and license to SET televison coverage of certain Bangladesh Cricket Board cricket tours.
Sony is now rethinking future plans and has refused to pay up the advance for the upcoming series against Zimbabwe.
Kunal Dasgupta, CEO of SET India, said: "We are negotiating with WorldTel over the issue and are confident of settling the matter amicably. We do not believe that the matter would result in a litigation."
Earlier this month, Drew and Napier LLC, legal representatives of WorldTel, had served a notice to SET Satellite (Singapore ) to pay all amounts due under an agreement as well as to confirm the performance of certain obligations. The notice also threatened to sue SET in the absence of such payment and confirmation.
The agreement was signed on November 9, 2000, and specified 13 cricket tours that WorldTel would cover for SET, the territorial rights that SET would acquire, the fee that SET would pay and the schedule of payment. The comprehensive agreement was to be drawn later.
As per the agreement, according to the legal notice, WorldTel produced and delivered to SET, which accepted and telecast the inaugural test between India and Bangladesh which was held in November last year.
However, after WorldTel invoiced SET for a fee of $500,000, SET did not pay the amount and wanted the comprehensive agreement to be in place before payment.
SET also claimed in a letter to WorldTel that there was no legal binding agreement between the two parties. However SET has subsequently paid the amount on October 9, company officials confirmed.
WorldTel has an agreement with the Bangladesh Cricket Board according to which it has to cover each tour set out in the agreement.
The current tussle comes in the wake of the impending tour by Zimbabwe to Bangladesh scheduled to commence on November 8, 2001.
The first instalment of $750,000 under the agreement was due on September 24 , which is 45 days before the event and which SET has refused to pay in the absence of any formal agreement on the matter.
22/10/01
Not much news today a few emails from readers, its always good to get emails and hear what everyone is up to. Good to see at least one dealer is letting the government know about the TARBS situation. I doubt Senator Alston has ever heard of TARBS though. Isn't he the one who created Australia current messed up DTV Terrestrial system?
From my Emails & ICQ
From Tony Drexal (FTA Satellite Services)
Hi Craig,
Here is just one of the many communications I am having with the Australian and Greek Governments concerning the operations of a pay-tv company.
I once again will state:
NONE OF THIS ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY IF THEY HAD NOT GONE THE EXTREME MEASURES OF SCRAMBLING THE INTERNATIONAL C BAND SIGNALS.
(Foxtel, Optus, and Austar never treated people this way)
Dear Mr Drexal
Thank you for your Email of 7th October 2001 to the Hon Tony Abbot MP, Minister for Employment Workplace relations and small business reguarding your concerns that satellite companies through out Australia are being directly affected by TARBS an Australian Pay Tv company.
The Minister has noted your views. As the matter that you have raised falls within the portfolia responsibilities of Senator the Hon Richard Alston, Minister fo Communications, Information technology and the Arts. I have referred your email to Senator Alston for his attention.
Yours sincerely
Melanie Wilson
Parlimentrary and Government Team
16 October 2001
From "Siamglobal"
MAY I BE PERMITTED TO REPORT THAT THE INTELSAT 704 MUX AT 3805R IS STILL UP AND RUNNING AND THAT SKY NEWS AUDIO , ( THE ONLY DOMESTIC UK CHANNEL AVAILABLE IN SE ASIA OTHER THAN BY SUBSCRIPTION ) IS STILL THERE FTA 24 HRS A DAY. THE REPORT ON YOUR SITE 19 OCT THAT IT HAD GONE IS THANKFULLY INCORRECT.
SINCERELY
SIAMGLOBAL
BKK
From Robert Anthony 21/10/01
VH1 NYC Benefit Concert was on PAS-8 3940 MHz (H) Adhoc 2.
From Mathew Nelson
Tuning Channel has been activated. Optus Test Card with feed from "REF TONE
- Aurora Audio Reference" Radio in the background.
TUNE is still on the other channel, (Ch19 on my box)
ABC NAT is still clear - nothing shown but. anc Ch62 is still clear with
another Optus Test Card.
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 12401 H "Sky Shopping" has started, Sr 2646, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308/ Apid 1210.
Optus B1 160E 12608 V "Sundance Channel, Sky Sport Extra, Prime TV, NHK World Premium and The Wolf Radio Network" are encrypted again.
Optus B1 160E 12608 V "Occasional feeds for Sky NZ" ,Vpid 517 Apid 655.
Optus B1 160E 12671 V "TAB - Trackside" has started on, Sid1045, Vpid 516 Apid 654.
Optus B3 156E 12407 V "Optus Aurora TUNE channel" Vpid 53 Apid 54 Sid 301
Agila 2 146E 3824 H "TBN" is still on, Sr 3400, Fec 3/4, Vpid 33 Apid 36.
ST 1 88E 3632 V CTV, FTV and FTV News Channel have replaced Scholar Movie Channel, Savoir
Knowledge Channel and MusicCountry Pacific Rim
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3682 H "Mediasat Test:" Sr 4998 Fec 3/4 Vpid 4096 Apid 4097
NEWS
Australia to Help Japan Launch Spy Satellites
From satnewsasia.com
Australia’s Foreign Ministry said Australia will launch four Japanese spy satellites beginning 2003.
Details of the launch and about the spy satellites were not released, however. In addition, Australia will also launch two scientific, research and commercial satellites.
Australia will also build two satellite ground stations at Telstra Corporation’s International Telecommunications Center in the western Australian capital of Perth. The stations will help Japan enhance its space-based information gathering capability and will communicate with all six Japanese satellites.
The satellite launches and the building of the new stations are part of an agreement between Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA) and Xantic, a joint-venture company established in cooperation with Telstra.
The Foreign Ministry said Australia’s hosting of the ground stations will further strengthen the economic, political and security aspects of its relationship with Japan.
21/10/01
Lots of activity on B1/B3 last night which is good to see, Sky NZ on 12608 V is still FTA, the "ENG26" channel seems to be some kind of internal feeds channel, its seen sometimes FTA with colour bars, last night I saw there a Broadcast Tower Feed card and Golf from the U.K was on after it then later they ran English Soccer. Earlier in the evening they had a Telstra card then NPC Rugby. Keep an eye on that one details are.
12608 V "ENG26" Sr 22500 Fec 3/4, Vpid 517 Apid 655 Sid 1026 PMT 261 (NZ Beam)
From my Emails & ICQ
From Me and several others Via the Mailing list 20/10/01 9PM NZT
B1 12357 V "Globecast DSNG5 A" NBL basketball Kings vs Hawks, Sr 5630 Vpid 308 Apid 256
B1 12367 V "LF8" Fox Sports Big Time Boxing (Mundine Fight), Sr 5630 Vpid 308 Apid 256
B3 12363 V "NSL Soccer Marconi vs Kingz" usual settings
B3 12336 V "ABC programming" this seen ocassionally here when a lot of sports is on
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E "TAB - Trackside and Sky Sport Extra" on 12608 V and 12671 V have swapped
frequencies, same SIDs and PIDs as before.
Optus B1 160E 12608 V "Sundance Channel, Sky Sport Extra, Prime TV, NHK World Premium and The Wolf Radio Network" are FTA.
Agila 2 146E 3824 H "TBN" has left , moved to 4087 H.
Agila 2 146E 3834 H "IBC TV has started on , Sid 2, Vpid 32 Apid 33.
Agila 2 146E 4080 H "The mux that was here has partly moved to 4087 H.
Agila 2 146E 4080 H "KSTV, Kusan TV, Zoom TV tests and FEBC" have left.
Agila 2 146E 4087 H "A new mux has started here , Sr 9500, FEC 3/4, "RPN 9, IBC 13 and TBN".
Apstar 1A 134E 4063 V "Shandong TV" has started, Sr 7500, Fec 2/3, Sid 1, Vpid 32 Apid 33.
Express 9 103E 3875 R "Region TV" has left
ST 1 88E 3632 V "All channels in the MMBN mux are now FTA" (This Satellite visable in Australia)
Intelsat 902 62E 4184 L "Occasional feeds", Sr 5632, Fec 3/4, global beam.
NEWS
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 42/2001 October 21 2001 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by Tele Satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
(Edited Apsattv.com Edition)
highlights programme soon after the meeting has ended.
UNITED STATES
HALLMARK SIGNS OUTPUT DEALS
The Hallmark Channel has inked licensing deals for a raft of feature films and
dramas to air on its international channels, including Mission: Impossible and
Star Trek. For the channel’s Taiwan feed, Hallmark has acquired 15 movies from
Paramount International, including Mission: Impossible, Days of Thunder, The
Hunt For Red October, The Saint and five films from the Star Trek franchise.
Hallmark has also acquired a number of titles from CBS Broadcast International,
including a seventh season - 27 episodes - of Touched By An Angel for broadcast
throughout Asia. Also in the bundle is a drama series Judging Amy for its feed
in Turkey and 150 one-hour episodes of Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, destined for
its Central Europe feed. Judging Amy already airs on the Hallmark Channel in
Spain and Portugal.
NO MORE WWF PPV ON DIRECTV
World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. on October 15 announced that it
would no longer offer pay-per-view programming on DirecTV, starting with the
``No Mercy'' pay-per-view event on October 21. WWFE and DirecTV have been in
negotiations over a new contract, but have not been able to come to terms on
the fundamental issue of what the revenue split should be. The prior contract
expired in January 2001, and WWFE granted several extensions during that time
while the parties continued to negotiate. WWFE is encouraging its fans who are
DirecTV subscribers to seek alternative ways to view `` No Mercy'' this Sunday,
as well as future WWFE PPV programs.
ARIRANG TV JOINS DISH NETWORK
On October 18, DISH Network added to its offer Arirang TV, the only
English-language Korean channel, to consumers in the United States. Arirang TV
showcases entertaining and informative programs for viewers of every age and
background, featuring news, sitcoms, dramas, quiz shows, financial updates,
music, documentaries, and Korea's latest box office releases (sub-titled in
English and Spanish). Arirang TV, owned by The Korea International Broadcasting
Foundation, launched in 1999 and now reaches more than 40 million households in
Asia-Pacific and Europe as well as North and South America.
Internet - http://www.arirangtv.com
information.
E! ENTERTAINMENT SETS OUT GLOBAL EXPANSION PLANS
Although E! Entertainment programming is distributed in over 120 territories
worldwide, the company is focusing on efforts to rollout in markets where it
has not had a presence to date. According to Kevin MacLellan, senior vice
president of E! Networks International, the company would like to launch fully
dedicated channels in such markets as the U.K., Ireland, New Zealand and
Australia. According to MacLellan, there is also an interest in launching a
Spanish-language E! channel for the U.S. Hispanic market. The idea would be to
use E!
MacLellan’s ambitions is to launch a second channel brand, Style, in Latin
America and Asia. Style currently has some 15 million subscribers worldwide.
A S I A
IHT WORLD ON STAR WORLD
Fact Based Communications, producer of International Herald Tribune
Television’s business newsmagazines, and STAR Group have signed a deal under
which IHT-TV’s IHT World will go out to 16 million TV homes across Asia on the
STAR World channel. The deal between FBC and STAR, which is News Corp.’s Asian
unit, marks a key step in the growth of the Rome-based provider of financial
news for TV and the Internet. IHT-TV programming will now be distributed in 55
countries across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. IHT World is a specially
tailored edition of the IHT’s “Global Economic Review,” co-produced by FBC with
Italian pubcaster RAI. The award-winning program is backed by the Paris-based
International Herald Tribune, the newspaper co-owned by the New York Times and
the Washington Post.
AUSTRALIA
WORLD CUP PLAYOFF ON SEVEN NETWORK
Seven Network has won the TV rights to the country’s football World Cup
qualifier. The Australian broadcaster reportedly paid about A$500,000 for the
game, which it will show free of charge rather than on its pay-TV outlet C7.
Seven is upping its football coverage to combat rivals Nine and Ten Networks
coverage of Australian rules football.
CHINA
RESTRICTIONS FOR FOREIGN BROADCASTERS?
Uncertainty continues to surround attempts by foreigners to gain entry into
China's TV market after reports from Hong Kong that the State Administration
for Radio, Film & Television (SARFT) will not issue any licences to overseas
broadcasters in 2002. The Chinese-language Hong Kong Economic Times quoted
unnamed SARFT sources saying that it wished to prevent 'excessive penetration'
by foreigners into China's broadcasting sector. Currently 21 companies hold
licences that allow them to broadcast in China so they can be picked up by
cable TV operators and carried under excerpt agreements. Direct satellite
broadcasts are allowed, but they are only seen in hotels with three or more
stars, housing compounds for foreigners, government offices and select
businesses.
NDS GROUP SIGNS INTERACTIVE TV DEAL WITH CCTV
NDS Group has struck a deal with China Central Television (CCTV) to provide the
mainland's first digitally interactive service. NDS’s Chinese-language
application is the third interactive television sports service it has
developed. It allows viewers to choose from four sports broadcasts, while
providing simultaneous access to a number of additional services. These
services include checking the results of other competitions; local and national
news headlines; and a message board linked to CCTV's Internet Web site. The
application will be launched next month on CCTV-5, the official sports channel
for the Ninth National Games. It will reach provincial cable networks via a
digital cable platform established by China's Information Network Centre and
will be controlled by NDS's Open VideoGuard conditional access system. CCTV has
11 channels, carrying more than 138 hours of programming daily. The television
network reaches more than 84 per cent of the population. The network estimates
it has more than 900 million viewers.
INDIA
MID-DAY MULTIMEDIA AND ZEE NEWS TO COOPERATE
MID-DAY Multimedia Ltd said on October 17 that its board of directors has
approved a memorandum of understanding signed by the management to undertake a
strategic alliance with Zee News Satellite Television Channel. "Basically,
Mid-Day will provide content in the form of soft news for a branded programme
that will go up on the Zee News platform from January 2002," said an official.
B4U TV PLANS IPO
In a bid to raise funds, B4U Television Network is planning to go in for an
initial public offering (IPO) in the third quarter of 2002, Mr Ravi Gupta, CEO,
B4U Worldwide, said. "IPO plans are in the offing and the timing could be
between July to September 2002," Mr Gupta said. B4U Television Network is
expected to end the current fiscal with an operating profit of $2 million. The
next fiscal would see profits, Mr Gupta said. B4U Music, which is seen in 14
million homes in India, entered profitability in the first-year of its
operation, Mr Gupta said. B4U Bouquet is scheduled to go pay in the second
quarter of 2002. "We have signed for technical solutions. Once these are in
place, we plan to go pay," he said. B4U Television Network recently launched
B4U Movies, a 24-hour Bollywood movie channel. Apart from movies, the channel
also telecasts Bollywood-based programmes. The channel is likely to telecast
South Indian films dubbed in Hindi. "This will help us expand our base," Mr
Gupta said.
RAJ TV TO BUILD TELEPORT AND EARTH STATION
RAJ Television Network Ltd, which runs the Tamil satellite channel Raj TV, on
October 18 formally commissioned its own teleport and earth station. The
teleport has been put up at a cost of about Rs 8 crore and, at present, can
provide uplinking for six channels, of which two are taken up by the two Raj TV
channels. Work on constructing a teleport that can provide uplinking facilities
to at least 20 channels has started and is expected to be completed in about
six months. Raj TV obtained the teleport licence and started using its own
teleport from April 5, 2001, but until then it was physically sending the tapes
to Bangkok where it had an uplinking arrangement with the Thaicom - III
satellite. The company plans to market the teleport facility to all those
satellite channels that had obtained the uplinking licence from the Indian
government.
SOUTH KOREA
KDB TO GET DIGITAL SATELLITE LICENSE
The Ministry of Information and Communication plans to give Korea Digital
Broadcasting (KDB) a licence for digital broadcasting via satellite by early
next month, the ministry said on October 17. The broadcaster filed an
application to obtain the licence for its 76 television and 60 audio channels.
The ministry also said it plans to issue the licence for 10 transponders from
Koreasat 3, leased by the broadcaster, after deliberation on issues such as
technical standards. KDB is planning to use the six broadcasting and four
communications transponders of Koreasat 3, the country’s broadcasting
communication satellite launched in September 1999. A ministry official said he
expects the nation to enter the satellite broadcasting era later this year if
the licence is issued next month. The advent of digital satellite broadcasting
is forecast to create 7 trillion won in production and 60,000 jobs by 2005 for
related industries including equipment manufacturers, the ministry said.
20/10/01
Good news for those that can get Sky NZ on B1, the transponder on 12608 V has the following FTA at the moment, Prime TV, Sundance movies, Sky Sports Extra, NHK, Wolf Radio, and I note since this afternoon, a Telstra Testcard there as well. the Mundine Fight is on tonight, I don't think there will be a FTA feed anywhere but you never know. I will be watching it off Sky NZ if its still FTA there. (See screenshot below, seems I am authorized for it ;-). ABC Northern on B1 has had a power increase. Some other new Splash kids channel on NSS703 at 57E has launched officially (This channel also plans to start its FTA service up on Asiasat 3)
Netball NZ vs Australia is live currently on Mediasat Ocassional 2 feed on B3 (12336v)
From my Emails & ICQ
From Dave Devon 19/10/01
Sky TV currently is FTA B1 12608v 22500 3/4
Wolf radio
JTV
Sky sport extra
Sundance
Prime
Seems only to be the one transponder 6U
From Me.
Screenshots of Sky channels that are FTA at the moment
Prime TV (NZ) and Sundance Movies (Sky NZ Optus B1 12608 V)
Sky Sports Extra (PPV) and NHK World (Sky NZ Optus B1 12608 V)
From David Knight
Mediasat Bouquet on B3. 12336 V, 30000, 3/4.
Looks like the Chinese channel (on MSAT 7) has become permanent.
MSAT 7 header info has changed to "Tzu Chi".
From Chris Pickstock
1.20 pm SA time
B1, 12317 H "WNBL Basketball,Canberra Capitals v Sydney Panthers" Sr 6980, Vpid 4194, Apid 4195
Reference was also made to the NZ v Aus Netball coming on later
3.05 pm SA time
B1, 12397 H "SKY Racing is currently showing ", Sr 7200
4.00 pm, SA Time
NZ v AUS Netball is on B1 12317H and 12335 H, as well as Mediasat on B3.
From Bill Richards
Pas 2 3776 V "George W Bush News feed" Sr 5632 Fec 3/4
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 12410 H "Occasional feeds" , Sr 4410, Fec 5/6.
Asiasat 3 105.5E 4129 H "CCTV mux, Chinese sites are reporting Star Movies popping up here!" (Worth checking reports to me please, may be on the feeds channel)
St1 88E 12631 H "unknown 4.2.2 feed" Sr 4560 Fec 3/4 ( South Asia beam)
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3484 H "mystery" Sr 18195 Fec 3/4
PAS 10 68.5E 3776 V "Discovery India mux has a new SR:19850.
PAS 10 68.5E 4119 V "Mystery 4.2.2" Sr 6620 Fec 1/2
Intelsat 704 66E 3805 R "The mux with BBC World and Sky News has left"
Insat 2DT 55.1E The occasional DD feeds have left 3811 L, 3922 L and 4089 R (PAL).
NEWS
Pentamedia's kid's channel Splash formally launched
http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k1/oct/oct65.htm
Chennai based animation major Pentamedia Graphics Ltd (PGL) may be facing difficulties in other areas but that did not put a spoke in the formal launch of its kids channel Splash today.
Targeted at children below 14, Splash is a free-to-air 24-hour digital channel promoted by Intellivision, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pentamedia.
Test transmission of the channel began on August 17 as a seven-hour block from 2:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
Among the shows the channel is showcasing are Splash-o-Paedia and Splash In, two programmes that explore facts and examine current affairs and are anchored by children. These two shows will be aired on Sundays at 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm respectively.
Splash will be the first channel to kickstart with India-specific animated programmes like Pot Pourri and India Folk Tales. While Pot Pourri takes a look at Indian culture and art, India Folk Tales will feature interesting tales with engrossing plots and deep moral and philosophical values.
The channel has also lined up Casper, the friendly ghost on weekends at 9 am and Splash Busters a movie block for the movie buff. The channel promises to air Hollywood blockbusters like Back to Future I,II and III, Flintstones, Junior and The Nutty Professor.
According to reports, Rs 100 -120 million has been sunk into the venture and Pentamedia hopes to achieve revenues of Rs 140 million in the first year of operations. The channel has hired transponder space on Intelsat so as to target the markets in neighboring countries as well.
19/10/01
There is still very little news around, Hopefully there will be plenty of eyes looking for feeds this weekend. That's why the mailing list is there for quickly notifying others of activity that has been found. It's interesting to note PTV leaving Thaicom 3, maybe Asiasat 3 PTV will leave next? I will be running the Links checker over the site later tonight and doing some maintenance.
From my Emails & ICQ
From John Harrison 18/10/01
B1 12397 H Sr 7200 Fec 3/4 "Live feed of ATN 7 Sydney Currently Showing Home Improvements"
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 12403 H "IBS has started testing", MPEG-2/clear, SR 2206, Fec 3/4, Vpid 308 Apid 256.(N.E Beam)
Optus B1 160E 12671 V "Trackside Radio" has started on, Sid 1179, Apid 663.(encrypted)
Asiasat 3 105.5E 3900 V "SAF Radio" has left
Yamal 102 90E 3578 L "REN TV has replaced TV 6 Moskva" on , 17-14 UTC.
Insat 2C 93.5E 3725 H "The occasional feeds have left"
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3476 V "The PTV mux has lef"t (MPEG-2).
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3480 V "PTV 1 and Radio Pakistan" have left .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3585 V "The ETC Channel Punjabi info card" has left, replaced by a test card. The test card on PIDs 513/641 has ceased.
Intelsat 902 62E 4195 L "Occasional feeds", Sr 5632, Fec 3/4, global beam, (No reports from Australia yet?)
NEWS
Aaj Tak -Sony distribution talks stuck
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20011019/con1.html
Talks between Sony Entertainment Television and Aaj Tak are stuck, as the news channel from the India Today stable has stalled its plans to enter overseas markets.
While Sony is keen on distributing the news channel in India as part of its bouquet, Aaj Tak wants the tie up primarily for the global market. “We wanted to take Aaj Tak to the US, UK and the Middle East through the Sony network, but we have put on hold our expansion plans, as we want to currently consolidate our position in India. We are not proceeding with the talks at this stage,” said TV Today Network executive director and chief executive officer G Krishnan.
SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta agreed that the two companies had not made much progress in entering into a distribution agreement. “The management at Aaj Tak has to make up its mind whether they want to encrypt the channel. Besides, they are interested about getting the channel distributed internationally. We are keen on the Indian market, though we are also interested in the overseas distribution,” he said.
Aaj Tak has also stalled its plans to launch an English feed. “It is not in our immediate plans. We are putting our resources and efforts on covering the war against terrorism. But we see an opportunity in an English news channel,” he said. While BBC and CNN are international channels, Star News is the only local channel addressing this audience.
Aaj Tak was also in talks with Sony for sharing the platform in the direct-to-home (DTH) business. However, there has been no development in DTH the business yet to accelerate the process of pulling the two companies together.
Aaj Tak sees the war in Afghanistan as an opportunity to increase viewership and stay a free-to-air channel to augment its reach. Mr Krishnan said the channel was ahead of Zee News in ratings, according to TAM and Intam data.
?We were down for just one week, when the time spent on our channel was two minutes less than Zee News, as indicated by Intam. But we are back to leadership position. According to TAM, we have always been ahead in ratings in the coverage of the war in Afghanistan.”
The distribution realignment is yet to take place as talks between AOL-Time Warner and Sony have not matured. “There is no movement on the talks, but we have not called off the discussions,” said Mr Dasgupta.
Aaj Tak would give Sony a general news channel in its bouquet. It already distributes a business channel, CNBC. Rival companies Star and Zee run their own news channels.
Doordarshan television awards on 11 December
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k1/oct/oct59.htm
In a bid to recognize talent within (and maybe also kick in some much needed enthusiasm) the national broadcaster is holding its own 'Doordarshan Awards 2000-2001' for excellence in different fields of television.
To be held at the Sri Fort auditorium in Delhi on 11 December 2001, the awards will cover excellence in thematic, aesthetic and technical quality of programming for television produced by the different Doordarshan Kendras (stations).
The awards ceremony, which promises to be a mega event showcasing the best DD has to offer, will be telecast live on the DD1 national network from 7 pm onwards on 11 December.
The DD Mumbai team headed by its director Mukesh Sharma will be looking after the ground event while live telecast will be handled by Doordarshan Delhi Kendra.
The awards will be judged by a committee headed by the controller of programmes, DD, Mandi House, New Delhi, with liaison work between all the Doordarshan networks being handled by Shehzadi Simon, DD Delhi.
Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has agreed to inaugurate the awards presentation ceremony with information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj as the other main VIP invitee, says Sharma.
According to Sharma: "DK Mumbai have sent in their nominations for 22 of the categories."
The various categories under which the Doordarshan awards 2000-2001 will be presented are:
A
1. Most innovative Programme
2. Best Music Programme
3. Best Agriculture (Rural / Social) Programme
4. Best Documentary
5. Best Telefilm
6. Best Serial (Play)
7. Best Children's Programme
8. Best Youth Programme
9. Best Women's Programme
10. Best Sports Programme
11. Best Programme on Wildlife and Environment
12. Best Science and Technology Programme
13. Best Dance Programme
14. Best Cinematography
15. Best Sound Recording
16. Best Set Design and Art Direction
17. Best Animation
18. Best Editing
19. Best News Report of the year
20. Best Make-up
21. Best Graphics
22. Live Event of the Year / OB (Outdoor broadcast)
23. Lifetime Achievement
24. Best Spot
25. Best TV Show
B. Engineering and Technical Awards. There will be two awards, the first and the second prize for all categories under this head.
1. Best installed Studio / HPT Project in country
2. Best installed LPT/VLPT Transponder
3. Best Maintained Kendra in the country
4. Best Maintained DMC in the country
5. Best designed building in the country
C. Individual Awards
1. Best Technical Paper
2. Best Innovation
D. Best Doordarshan Kendra
18/10/01
Very little happening today. Ihug's email server seems a little delayed at the moment so not much emails comming in. Perhaps they are checking them for suspicious white power? The Satfacts section has been updated. I note today the following load from Skys NIT, I hope they get the SKY receivers to work with FTA signals such as TVNZ.
12456 V (This one TVNZ mux)
12626 H sr 29473, never found anything here not sure why they list this one)
12671 V
12644 V
12546 V
12519 V
12608 V
12581 V
From the Dish
Optus B1 12608 V "Eng 45" Vpid 517 Apid 655 Sid 1026 (was running some kind of tests with Video and Clock up the top) usually only see FTA colour bars here.(Note this is Sky NZ)
NEWS
Nothing to report
17/10/01
The chat room was good fun last night despite a smaller than usual turnout. Intelsat 902 at 62E has enabled its cband services the coverage area on Global and South West beams cover most of Australia (See Lyngsat site for footprints and details) you will need a circular feed setup for "Proper" reception.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Alan Karpati
I live in the Campbelltown area on a hilly area where I am in between two transmission towers. Clear view to both of them .When my antenna is facing towards Thaicom3 one tower directly facing to my dish. When I am on Asiaset 3 the other tower hitting the dish from the side ( direction from East) I can receive Sabe TV, the Indian Music channel but Arirang (3755 MHz) is not even showing any signal. Thaicom 3 does not exists for me( 3424 MHz Korean channel on it would also be good). 3660 MHz Dubai on Asiaset 2 also can not get but everything else after that is fine.
We checked it with spectrum analyser and it shows two digital carrier signal picks around the 3700 MHZ and 3500 MHz spectrum.
I tried to shield the dish with galvanised iron with not much success
I reckon that some kind of filter might be the idea since I tried shielding, moving, the dish , fine tune LNB but no avail.
Equipment 2.3 Meter mesh dish, MediaSat brand, feed is also MediaSat , LNB also some generic low end cheap LNB,
Coax 12 meters quad shield good quality
Any ideas welcome
Thank You
Allan
Craigs comment can anyone help Allan? You mention a low end cheap LNB, Thaicom 3 needs an extended cband lnb.(That could be your problem on Thaicom)
From Bill Richards
0950 utc 16/10/01
Pas 2 4063 H "FUJI TV BEIJING TESTCARD" Sr 6620 3/4 Vpid 308 Apid 101
From George up in Thailand
Dear Craig
Some good news
Antenna Pacific and Antenna satellite two greek channels are FTA on the NSS K sat at 21.5 W
Bad News unfortunately we can't recieve them!
More good news
ERT Sat Greece and Mega Cosmos FTA on GE 515 at 37.7 W
more bad news unfortunately we can't recieve them!
I wonder why they are FTA over there?
The same as CNN International they are FTA on NSS 803 21.5 W
CNN International FTA on Arabsat 2A 26.0E hey do you think I can get this one? No that sucks even if I could get the sat in my view the footprint covers only India C-band that means India can get it! Bummer
CNN International FTA on Astra 1B 19.2 E even on Astra 1H at the same orbital location two feeds FTA one analogue and one digital they are FTA its an outrage!!!!
It looks likes in that part of the world they are FTA more than in our part of the world I wonder why?
have any ideas if we could pull in those footprints hahahahaha!
Could you post my e-mail on your site to make my point clear if you are going to encrypt then fine please encrypt everywhere!
That's justice for you
THANKS
George
THAILAND
From the Dish
Yamal 102 90E 3645 L "TV 6 Moskva has been, replaced by a test card.
Intelsat 902 62E "This satellite now active on Cband, C band services have moved here from the older Intelsat 602." (Yes the SW beam here covers most of Australia, let have some reports, you will need a circular feed for best reception)
Intelsat 902 62E 4173 R & L also "Feeds", SR 5632, global beam
NEWS
Pay TV customers tuning in for free
From http://www.smh.com.au/news/0110/17/biztech/comment1.html
Up to 10 per cent of Austar an
