apsattv

I enter Margarita Simonyan's office and take a seat at a long meeting table that is positioned directly in front of her desk. The sense of urgency, perfection and expectation that dominates the world of television news is intensified by about a dozen busy television monitors - each one silently displaying a different news broadcast - anchored on the wall directly opposite us. During the interview, Simonyan cannot resist taking occasional furtive glances at the screens, which betrays to me her inherent passion for this business.

Moscow News: Could you explain how you became interested in television?

Margarita Simonyan: Growing up in Krasnodar, which is in the south of Russia, I have always been interested in television and always knew that I would pursue my career in this field. When I was 20 years old, I became the bureau chief of RTR in the southern region of the country. Incidentally, RTR broadcasts included the Northern Caucasus, Abkhazia and South Ukraine.

MN: You were appointed the head of Russia Today when you were 25 years old. Did you get many questions concerning your age at the time of your appointment?

MS: Yes, there were many questions, and I suppose the biggest challenge was explaining the situation to the press. But in Russia, where everything is changing, it is quite common for young individuals to hold such positions.

MN: What were the things that prepared you for the challenges of your work at an English-language TV channel?

MS: Well, aside from my formal education and television experience, I spent one year in the U.S. as an exchange student in New Hampshire, in a town called Bristol, which had a population of about 3,000.

MN: Could you share some of your impressions of your stay there?

MS: My impressions of the US were extremely different from my original expectations. For example, I did not expect that the American people would be so similar to the Russians in terms of their hospitality. I was very warmly welcomed there. On the other hand, I had no idea at that time that the United States was such a conservative place.

Russia in the 1990s was already liberal, almost chaotic. I expected America to be even more liberal than Russia, but this was not the case. There are so many rules that people must follow there: Don't walk here, don't go there. Even if a person wants to take a risk of doing something that he knows might be dangerous, the rules tell him he can't. But what if I want to? Sorry, you can't. So the image of the United States does not always match the reality.

MN: So do you think there are some things that Russia could teach America?

MS: It seems that the United States should try to humble itself a bit. After all, it has been a very long time since Russia, for example, has lectured another country.

MN: Is there anything that America could teach Russia?

MS: Deriving from its culture of rules, America could teach Russia a better respect for the law. Even in small things, like not offering a bribe to a police officer, for example, or that motorists must slow down for pedestrians.

MN: Okay, now I must ask you a question that everyone probably asks you.

MS: If I take my orders from the Kremlin?

MN: Yes [laughter].

MS: I'm tired of answering that, really. If I do get a call from the Kremlin, it might be from somebody who works in the Kremlin press pool inviting me to go out for a beer or something. After all, I worked in the press pool myself and still have some friends there.

MN: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

MS: Well, there are two events that come immediately to mind. The first took place during Beslan. Just several hours after the siege had begun, there were reports that some of the children had been freed by the hostage takers. The parents had assembled and I told them this news. I will never forget the looks of relief on their faces.

The second event happened when I was 18 years old. I had made a story about a hospital for sick children who were abandoned by their parents. Well, there was one boy there who had a severe deformity of his face. I wrote up something on this boy and it aired as the opening story on NTV. Well, it so happened that a German surgeon watched that segment and got in touch with us to say that the boy could be treated by a special operation, which the doctor agreed to perform. So that was pretty significant for me, that something I wrote about actually changed the destiny of a person.

MN: Let's talk about former president Vladimir Putin for just a moment. What would you say has been the secret of his success?

MS: Well, let's face it, just 10 years ago it was considered unfashionable to be patriotic. But Putin changed all that. I think that he simply believed that Russia deserved more than what it had when he came to power, and he was the person who was capable of spreading this feeling - a feeling that became quickly contagious.

MN: And what about the new president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev?

MS: Of course there have been all sorts of questions in the press whether he is an independent figure or not. But after watching his performance at the economic forum in St. Petersburg, and his trip abroad to Germany, there can be little doubt that he is his own man.

MN: Okay, let's speak about the Russia Today news channel. How would you describe its mission?

MS: To show people the country as it really is, not as they are told it is. And we are seeing that our labor is paying off. We receive letters from all over the world - from Australia to Denmark - from viewers who are grateful for the opportunity to get a totally different perspective of Russia.

MN: So you would describe the channel as a success?

MS: Yes, despite some negative attitudes from some of the critics at the beginning, we have proven that there is a niche for a Russian viewpoint in the world. We have already launched an Arabic news station, and now there are plans for a Spanish channel as well.

Presently, there are 150 million people who can tune in to our channel. In Russia, 100,000 people tune in to Russia Today daily. N

FACT BOX

Russia Today is the first news channel that has been set up to provide foreign audiences with extensive coverage of Russian life as well as the Russian view on all major global events and tendencies.

The channel was founded in 2005 by the state-run news agency RIA Novosti and started broadcasting in December of the same year.

Russia Today - which is broadcast world-wide via satellite link - is a 24/7 English-language news channel with millions of viewers all over the world.

The channel employs over 700 people - Russian and foreign citizens alike - as well as correspondents in all of the Russian regions and in foreign countries.

RTTV has established permanent offices in Kiev, Vladikavkaz, Tbilisi, London, Paris, Washington, New York, Jerusalem and Cairo and it plans to further expand this network.

Russia Today is the founding Russian member of The Association for International Broadcasting, an independent not-for-profit organization designed to promote effective cooperation between the leading international broadcasters and professional associations.

From http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23961841-15306,00.html

THE Seven Network has imported at least 20,000 TiVo digital video recorders as it seeks to take on the rival pay-television product Foxtel iQ.

And the network will try to team with internet broadband providers to ensure users of TiVo have unmetered downloads for its future movie service. Unlike the Foxtel iQ, consumers who buy TiVos must connect it to their broadband internet connection to be able to access the full array ofservices.

But TiVo general manager Mark Hughes said while the TiVo connected through the internet, it was estimated to use about only 5Mb of capacity for each user a month.

"The amount of information (users) would download on a daily basis from their internet connection is minimal," Mr Hughes said.

"At most the typical user won't use more than 5Mb per month, which is a handful these days."

Mr Hughes is employed by Seven, which created a subsidiary company to buy the Australian rights to TiVo and market the device here.

Now Seven has underwritten the cost of bringing TiVos to Australia.

Asked how many TiVos Seven had imported, Mr Hughes said: "Enough that if all the 15,000 to 20,000 people waiting for their Foxtel iQs turned up at Harvey Norman tomorrow, we could satisfy them all."

He said Seven's investment in TiVo was "not an insignificant sum. But compared (with) setting up a pay-TV operation, it is insignificant."

At this week's TiVo launch, Mr Hughes said Seven would soon announce a similar arrangement to the Amazon movie service offered by TiVo in the US. "Before that we'll be pushing some short-form video of maybe five to 10 minutes to the boxes.

'But within six months, possibly a little longer, I would expect to be providing a movie download service as well."

Mr Hughes agreed downloads would use internet capacity but said "you are in complete control".

But to prevent TiVo users being swamped by excessive download fees from their internet service provider, Mr Hughes said Seven would seek to team with broadband ISPs.

"That's one of the solutions we are looking at," he said.

TiVo had yet to decide if it would also charge separately for a downloaded movie.

"With the business model around movies, we are still looking at how that would work," Mr Hughes said.

He maintained it was easy to connect the DVR to the internet.

"It's no harder then setting upa Nintendo Wii," Mr Hughes said.

Seven's internet joint venture Yahoo7, meanwhile, relaunched this week with a new-look home page and features.

Senior Management Change At TVworks

From Press Release: TVWorks

Senior Management Change At TVworks

Rick Friesen, Chief Operating Officer at TVWorks, is taking up a new role at the end of next month. He has been appointed to the dual role of Chief Executive of the Television Broadcasters’ Council and Director, Special Projects at TVWorks.

Mr Friesen’s new role will be evenly divided between the Broadcasters’ Council (see separate media release) and his new special projects role. The project work includes overseeing TVWorks’ involvement and relationship with Freeview, and development of TVWorks’ additional channels on the Freeview platform.

The additional functions currently undertaken by Mr Friesen as Chief Operating Officer will be assumed by CEO Brent Impey and CFO Peter Crossan.

Mr Friesen has been with the Company for the last eight years, originally joining on secondment from then owners CanWest in Canada.

“Rick Friesen has played a vital role in developing TV3 and C4 to help create the success stories they are today,” said MediaWorks CEO, Brent Impey.

“His decades of experience in the television business have been invaluable to me in my role as CEO, and I have appreciated his hard work and commitment towards the success of TV3 and C4.

“The good news for us is that we still get to retain Rick’s services to TVWorks, but also can apply his experience to the benefit of the television industry as a whole, through his appointment to the Television Broadcasters’ Council.

Rick Friesen commented: “In my eight years as COO for TVWorks I have enjoyed the strong support of an excellent management team and together we have grown the networks in audience, revenue and profitability. I also enjoyed the full support and guidance of MediaWorks CEO, Brent Impey, and I thank him sincerely for his leadership and his friendship. I am extremely pleased to continue working on some of the projects that have been important to the long term growth of the company, including development of new channels for TVWorks.”

The changes outlined will all become effective on 1 September 2008.

--- Ends ---

New Chief Executive For TV Broadcasters' Council

From Press Release

3 July 2008

New Chief Executive For TV Broadcasters' Council

Rick Friesen, currently Chief Operating Officer of TVWorks, has been appointed CEO of the Television Broadcasters’ Council (TBC).

He replaces Justine Wilkinson who is stepping down from the role at the end of August, due to family commitments with her pre-school children.

Mr Friesen takes up the position on 1 September 2008.

Chairman designate of the Television Broadcasters’ Council, Rodney Parker, said he is delighted to have secured the services of Mr Friesen for the TBC.

“Rick Friesen has enormous experience in the television and media industries in New Zealand and overseas. This understanding will be important as the New Zealand industry begins to enter the converged world of telecommunications and broadcasting and has to deal with many of the issues raised in the Government’s current regulations review.”

Mr Parker paid tribute to the outgoing Chief Executive, Justine Wilkinson.

“Justine’s extensive experience, particularly in Wellington, has proven invaluable to the TBC. While we fully respect her reasons for stepping back from the role, we have appreciated her passion, energy and commitment for the industry and the Council,” he said.

Rick Friesen said he is looking forward to the new challenges the TBC role would provide.

“The TBC has successfully represented the common interests of its members for many years, so I look forward to the many challenges that face the industry, and providing a strong voice for television broadcasters. I want to thank TVNZ, TVWorks and MTS for putting their trust in me to continue to develop the TBC,” said Mr Friesen.

Rodney Parker (CFO at TVNZ) becomes Chair of the TBC on 1 September 2008, replacing Brent Impey who steps down from that role, but remains on the Board of the TBC.

Ends

New Tang Dynasty Television's (NTDTV)satellite broadcast signal in Asia was abruptly terminated on June 16 by Eutelsat (a French-based satellite provider) with the excuse that the electrical supply was out of order. NTDTV spokesperson Kelly Hong said Eutelsat had not provided any formal explanation for the termination.

Hong said, "NTDTV has tried very hard to communicate with Eutelsat. Based on information from an inside source, it appears that Eutelsat has the ability to restore the signal of NTDTV's broadcasting in Asia—the termination was made under pressure from the Chinese Communist Party(CCP)".

Hong commented that the CCP was unable to carry out its commitment to improve human rights before the Olympics, and on the contrary, it intensified its restraint on freedom of the press and free speech.

Hong said that recently, while the blood of Tibetans was still fresh, the CCP created events in Flushing, New York, to shift attention from its domestic crises.

She continued, saying that by colluding with such an authoritarian regime, Eutelsat was acting against its own interest. The termination of the popular NTDTV mainland China broadcast was immoral, and in violation of the contract agreement.

She appealed to Eutelsat not to yield to the CCP's bait of economic benefits but to restore NTDTV's broadcasting in Asia immediately.

NTDTV says it is the only unfiltered independent Chinese satellite television program that can be watched by mainland people. "Since June 17, NTDTV has received numerous emails and telephone calls complaining that they were unable to watch NTDTV programs," said Hong.

Mainland human rights activist Kong Qiang from Shandong, told NTDTV that his rights watch web site in China has been closed down by the regime nearly one hundred times. His articles and views have been published on overseas media. Kong expressed his wish for the continued broadcast by NTDTV to expose the truth to mainland people.

"Only your kind of media can publish our appeals, our opinions, and our suggestions," Kong said in a NTDTV interview.

Mr. Li from Sichuan province, mainland China said, "Television or radio in China, everything is reported in the CCP's way, which is directed by the Central Propaganda Department, no other way is permitted."

Hong indicated that many mainlanders value NTDTV programs. After the termination of the Asia signal, NTDTV has continuously tried to restore the signal through various means. The reaction from Eutelsat has been indifferent.

Why hasn't Eutelsat restored NTDTV satellite broadcast?

Hong indicated that Eutelsat "can use the standby satellite transponder to immediately restore the transmission."

She said that according to experts from the satellite broadcasting industry, the termination was caused by the CCP's long term pressure on Eutelsat and the chairman Giuliano Berretta's wishes to please the CCP in order to do business.

On June 16, 2008, the largest stockholder in Eutelsat's Satellite W5 manufacturer, Alcatel, signed a US$1 billion contract with the Chinese regime. A few hours later, NTDTV's broadcast signal in Asia was suddenly terminated.

This is not the first time that Eutelsat has been pressured to discontinue its contract with NTDTV. In 2005, the Wall Street Journal revealed that Eutelsat had attempted to use the termination of NTDTV's broadcast in Asia in exchange for Beijing's enormous economic benefits.

Because of many appeals from individuals and strong condemnation from the United States, members of the European Union, and international media, Eutelsat resumed the contract with NTDTV and committed to NTDTV's continued broadcast in Asia.

This time, according to the International Federation of Journalists, the CCP used the termination of NTDTV programs, as a condition for Eutelsat to broadcast during the Olympic period.

Call on Eutelsat to honor contract

Hong pointed out that Eutelsat must follow the international and European-related agreements and its own company charters. These agreements and charters require the company not to discriminate, to observe equal opportunity principles, and to respect the principle of diversification of media.

Morally and legally, Eutelsat has a clear obligation to restore NTDTV's signals in Asia immediately.

NTDTV appealed for the support of all people to urge Eutelsat to immediately restore NTDTV's signal in Asia.

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From http://www.southtownstar.com/news/kadner/1037850,070308Kadner.article

THE HAGUE, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES NEW SKIES, an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), announced today a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement with the Essel Group for the provision of C-band satellite capacity to support the digitalization of India’s vast cable infrastructure comprising more than 70 million homes. The agreement is for capacity ramping up to six transponders over a five year period, and initially covers capacity on NSS-703 at 57° East, transitioning to NSS-12 in 2009.

The Essel Group is India’s largest media enterprise with diversified interests in broadcasting (Zee TV), direct-to-home (Dish TV) and cable networking (WWIL) among others. SES NEW SKIES’ satellite capacity will be used to support a new digital headend-in-the-sky (HITS) platform to distribute pay-TV signals to cable headends serving millions of Indian homes. To that effect, WWIL, an Essel Group company, plans to convert its existing analog cable service to “HITS”and to roll out a service of up to 150 digital channels across India. The initiative is in line with the stated objective of the Indian government to speed up the deployment of digital infrastructure, and to enable conditional access services and value added services to more than 100 Indian cities and towns with populations greater than one million inhabitants.

"SES NEW SKIES is a valuable partner for the Essel Group and this capacity initiative complements and grows the very important relationship we have in place with SES for services which range from direct-to-home satellite, VSAT and now for “HITS”capacity. The Essel Group will continue to offer the widest range of entertainment choices and state-of-the art solutions to the Indian consumer with the support of partners like SES NEW SKIES," said an Essel Group spokesperson.

Deepak Mathur, Vice President Sales South Asia for SES NEW SKIES, declared: “We are delighted to continue our strategic collaboration with the Essel Group. SES NEW SKIES already provides Ku-band capacity for Dish TV on NSS-6, VSAT capacity on NSS-11 in cooperation with Antrix Corporation (the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization), and now C-band capacity for this key digitalization initiative of Essel’s cable infrastructure. The Essel Group is one of our most valued customers globally and we are thrilled to have been selected to support the nationwide roll-out of “HITS”, which is set to provide more digital television choice to millions of Indian cable homes.”

About NSS-12

The new, state-of-the-art NSS-12 satellite will be available for commercial service in 2009, replacing NSS-703 at 57° East, and bringing increased C- and Ku-band capacity as well as optimized transmission power to a key orbital location at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. With 88 C- and Ku-band transponders NSS-12 will be among the largest and most powerful spacecraft in the SES NEW SKIES fleet. The satellite will deliver a broad array of services, ranging from direct-to-home broadcast and video contribution, to maritime services and enterprise or government networks.

About NSS-703

At the crossroads of three continents, NSS-703 at 57º East provides vital cross-connectivity for Europe, Africa and Asia. NSS-703 is ideal for video contribution from Europe to India and Africa, and is capable of bringing signals from London to India and Australia in one hop. NSS-703's coverage includes a global beam, and two C-band hemispheric beams, which cover Africa and the triangle from the Middle East to Japan and Australia, including all of India and China.

About Essel Group

The Essel Group is one of India’s prominent business houses with a diverse portfolio of assets in media, packaging, entertainment, technology-enabled services, infrastructure development and education. Subhash Chandra is the founder Chairman and the chief architect of the Essel Group of companies. Under his leadership, Essel has grown into one of the largest entities and a symbol of Indian ingenuity and power. Wire and Wireless India Limited (WWIL) is one of India's largest Multi-System Operators (MSO). WWIL provides services in analog as well as digital mode with features like video-on-demand, pay per view, electronic program guide and live gaming through a set top box (STB).

About SES NEW SKIES

SES NEW SKIES is an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) offering satellite communication services to a range of customers including telecommunications providers, broadcasters, corporations and governments around the world. SES NEW SKIES has a global fleet of seven satellites in orbit, with three additional spacecraft under construction (NSS-9, NSS-12 and NSS-14) and ground facilities around the world.

Headquartered in The Hague, the company has offices in Johannesburg, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Washington, D.C. In addition to SES NEW SKIES, SES wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA in Europe and SES AMERICOM in North America, 90% of SES SIRIUS in Europe, and strategic participations in Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 38 satellites in 25 orbital locations. Further information on the company is available at www.ses-newskies.com and on SES at www.ses.com

From http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/?p=5446

From http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23956752-5003422,00.html

From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23955701-643,00.html

A WAR of words has erupted between the Seven Network and Foxtel over the effectiveness of Seven's TiVo digital video recorder amid claims the device will struggle to make money.

But Seven television boss David Leckie -- only recently recovered from septicemia -- and his likely eventual successor, Seven sales director James Warburton, have bristled at the claims, launching attacks on Foxtel's subscription-based model.

A typically feisty Mr Leckie used his first official appearance since his illness -- the launch of the $699 device -- to suggest 70 per cent of consumers had avoided a Foxtel subscription.

"It's about an expanded television experience for seven out of 10, seven out of 10 Australians ... who choose only to watch free-to-air television," he said.

"(With TiVo), you don't have to subscribe to Foxtel, you don't have to place an order, and you don't have to wait months for someone to install it."

Mr Warburton went one step further: "Seventy per cent of Australians have voted with their eyeballs and turned their back on pay-TV."

Both Seven executives argued the device -- which will have no subscription fees -- will run significant interference on Foxtel's own DVR, the iQ, and potentially the pay-TV operator's subscription model, which has seen it move into significant profit recently.

But Foxtel's head of content, product development and delivery, Patrick Delany, was dismissive: "The Seven Network has a lot to learn about multi-channelling and set-top units.

"The free-to-air offering -- in the way the channels are being played out and in the quantum of channels -- hardly gives rise to the need for a DVR."

TiVo will provide a number of features of the iQ devices, including multiple-program recording and viewing, live pause and the ability on recorded shows to seamlessly skip advertisements.

It is this latest feature that has led some analysts to suggest DVRs, like TiVo, could threaten the ad-reliant business model of the free-to-air networks.

But Mr Warburton told The Australian Seven was moving to protect its business model. "The whole notion of ad avoidance and ad skipping -- it's not like it's a new issue. In time, you'll have ad banners that you can sell -- almost like an outdoor billboard -- that go across the commercials and actually say such and such, sale on, and whatever the details," he said.

Mr Warburton said that by 2010, official TV ratings group Oztam would account for time-shifted viewing conducted through DVRs up to a week after a show had been first broadcast, allowing networks to better monetise such viewing.

"We are going to change our industry model from saying 'here is today's live and as-live viewing', to 'here is the catch-up and time-shifted viewing'."

The Seven sales boss hinted the Australian version of TiVo may offer certain services, such as movies-on-demand, and a "walled garden" of certain types of internet television, by early 2009. Asked about whether YouTube would be offered on TiVo, Mr Warburton said: "In America (on TiVo), they've done it, and it will be here ... call it by the first quarter of next year."

Mr Warburton said Seven was using the Beijing Olympics in August to drive subscriptions.

"Our need to get to market and to launch in the Olympics was always the case," he said.

"(DVR) penetration is driven by major sporting events."

Customers Still Confused About HDTV

From Press Release: Noel Leeming

Wednesday, 2 July 2008, 10:48 am

Customers Still Confused About Hdtv

High definition technology is on a TV screen near you, but some people are still confused about the difference between Freeview Digital TV and High Definition TV.

Appliance and electronic retailer, Noel Leeming says while there has been high interest in the new Freeview|HDTM high definition digital receivers, many people are still trying to understand the technology and how to receive high definition television. To help clarify and clear up any confusion, Dean Kippenberger, Noel Leeming’s television product manager offers his expert adv

HDTV – This is the highest quality of digital television and gives you the best available picture. The technology behind HDTV is better than standard digital TV technology and with HDTV customers will enjoy the ultimate television viewing experience.

Freeview Digital TV and Radio –has changed the way television signals are broadcast. Freeview broadcasts New Zealand’s favourite programmes in crystal clear, digital quality, for free. The majority of Kiwis still view television programmes by the virtue of analogue transmission. With Freeview the viewing experience is enhanced by digital technology with clearer pictures and sound delivered in widescreen format, new digital only channels, and other digital benefits like an on screen electronic programme guide.

Noel Leeming Group CEO, Andrew Dutkiewicz says, “With the introduction of so much technology in a relatively short time period it is no wonder people are confused. Customers are unsure of what the best option is for them and what they need to view programmes in high definition.”

“At Noel Leeming we are making it as easy as possible for our customers to understand the technologies. Staff have been fully trained and are knowledgeable about the differences so that they can offer the best advice to suit our customers needs.”

“What is really great about the new high definition technology is that customers can experience HDTV in the majority of our stores. Customers will be able to compare and contrast HDTV and a non-HDTV so that they can see just how much clearer the picture is thanks to Freeview|HDTM. Although not all stores are HD ready due to locations, we are working hard to use the RF or Component systems so that customers will still be able to experience an enhanced picture.”

“Obviously the interest around high definition is rising with the Beijing Olympics fast approaching. The Games will be the first major sporting event that Kiwis can view in high definition, and I think for many people it is the next best thing to being in China,” he says. The Olympics will be screened in High Definition by TVONE only on Freeview|HDTM.

For those still not completely clear about high definition, Noel Leeming’s television product manager, Dean Kippenberger, has his top tips to help consumers understand what they need:

- Freeview satellite, broadcasts in standard definition and is available to 100% of New Zealand - all you need is a satellite dish and a Freeview digital satellite receiver - such as the Zinwell branded satellite receivers stocked at all Noel Leeming and Bond & Bond stores

- Freeview|HDTM is the terrestrial service which offers high definition pictures and surround sound. It’s broadcast using a digital signal from land based stations around New Zealand. The Freeview|HDTM service is available to 75% of New Zealand homes - it is not yet available to 100% of homes as not all land based broadcasting stations are upgraded to broadcast the high definition digital signal. See www.freeviewnz.tv to check your area

- All you need for the HD service is to be in one of the coverage areas, have a UHF aerial, a high definition ready flat panel TV with an HDMI cable input and a Freeview|HDTM digital terrestrial receiver - such as the Zinwell terrestrial receiver stocked in Noel Leeming and Bond & Bond stores. Be aware that traditional CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) style televisions are not able to display high definition pictures

ENDS

China progresses village satellite plan

From http://www.screendigest.com/online_services/intelligence/tv_and_broadband/updates/tvi-300608-lw1/view.html

China has successfully launched a new satellite, China-Sat 9, in order to boost coverage of TV signals to rural areas of the country. The 9 June launch, delayed by over one year, is aimed at bringing television penetration to 98 per cent of the country from the current level of around 96 per cent. China's first direct to home satellite, SinoSat 2, failed shortly after its launch in November 2006. The new satellite was positioned at 92.2 degree East on 20 June. It has a designed life of more than 15 years. Broadcast in Ku-band, China Sat-9 will provide 47 radio channels and 47 standard definition TV channels, EPG and data broadcasting services. Of the 22 transponders carried, 18 are currently not in service. These are likely to be used in future for pay TV services and broadband interactive services via satellite. The central government is subsidising the retail cost of set-top boxes to the tune of 3.4 billion yuan ($427m). Local governments are expected to provide another 2 billion yuan ($251m). Providers of receivers and set-top boxes are all domestic suppliers, including: SVA, Haier, Haisense, Skyworth, Co-ship, Jiuzhou, Changhong, Hunan Aerospace Information, Ideal Technology, Yinhe, Guoke Tech and Granvision.

Our take...
Although individual installation of satellite dishes is illegal in China, satellite service is key to remote rural areas given the country's vast geographic span. Before the launch, SARFT (State Administrator of Radio Film and Television) already covered thousands of rural villages with C-band communication satellite services. The new service will not phase out previous C-band broadcasting service, according to industry sources in Beijing.

It is estimated that over 700,000 villages representing qualified households between 20m to 35m are now unable to receive TV transmissions. SARFT is believed to be in charge of the whole supply chain of the project from bidding, manufacturing of equipment to product launching to market. Chips are restricted to the domestic standard ABS-S, and do not support DVB-S. This is to prevent reception of satellite signals from foreign satellites. Trials of the ABS-S standard have been organised by SARFT since January 2008 and shipment to market is expected soon. With the current financing situation, Screen Digest expects shipments of DTH boxes to reach 5m within 2008.

AFN says all broadcasts to go high-definition by 2014

From http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55892

If you’re thinking about buying an expensive plasma-screen TV from the post exchange so that you can watch the Wimbledon tennis finals in high definition, you might want to wait a few years.

American Forces Network won’t convert its satellite broadcast to a system that’s compatible with high-definition television until 2013 for Pacific viewers and 2014 for viewers in Europe, according to Larry Sichter, Defense Media Center public affairs officer.

AFN’s current digital compression system packs 10 channels into a slither of satellite broadband. So, for the meantime, watching AFN on a fancy new television set is like driving a Ferrari around post at 30 mph.

U.S. shows are broadcast in an NTSC standard (525 lines) while Europe uses the PAL standard (625 lines), Sichter said.

"As a result, video seen on a standard German television will be of a higher resolution than that seen on an American TV," he said.

The AFN signal seen in Europe goes through a process that further degrades picture quality, Sichter added.

It starts off as a digital signal but is then downlinked by AFN-Europe and converted to analog. AFN inserts regional and local command information and news spots/shows, converts the signal back using digital compression, and uplinks it to satellites, Sichter said.

"This recompression of an already compressed signal reduces the video resolution," he said.

Sgt. Randy Moon, who was shopping at the Grafenwöhr Post Exchange on Monday, said he has no plans to upgrade to an HD television while he’s in Europe.

The 24-year-old Cadiz, Ohio, native, who paid $100 for an old 36-inch television at the Thrift Shop, said the quality of the AFN signal means the only reason to buy an expensive television would be to watch DVDs.

"To me it’s not that important. I’d rather go on a vacation than pay a lot of money for a television," he said.

AFN will announce and publicize the exact details of its conversion plans sometime within the next 12 to 18 months, Sichter said.

Payload Integration Complete For Arianespace's Fourth Mission Of 2008

From http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Payload_Integration_Complete_For_Arianespace_Fourth_Mission_Of_2008_999.html

The Ariane 5 ECA for this Friday's heavy-lift mission is now complete following the installation of its upper payload passenger, the ProtoStar I satellite.

ProtoStar I, which is encapsulated in the launch vehicle's ogive-shaped protective fairing, was lowered into place over the BADR-6 spacecraft, completing the payload "stack" atop Ariane 5's cryogenic core stage.

This integration activity occurred in the upper levels of the Final Assembly Building at Europe's Spaceport, where the Ariane 5 will undergo final checkout before its July 3 rollout to the launch zone. Liftoff is scheduled for July 4 during a launch window that opens at 6:47 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

ProtoStar I is based on Space Systems/Loral's 1300 spacecraft bus, and is designed to provide K-band/C-band relay capacity over Asia.

It is the first in a fleet of relay platforms that Asian satellite services company ProtoStar plans to deploy for advanced satellite television services and powerful two-way broadband communications access.

The spacecraft was designed to meet the needs of both emerging and existing direct-to-home (DTH) operators in Asia, as well as other broadband communication requirements in the region.

Arabsat's BADR-6 satellite was built jointly by EADS Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space, and will be operated by the Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat.

This Ku/C-band relay platform will open up new video broadcasting and telecom services for the entire Middle East and North Africa region, along with a large part of sub-Saharan Africa. The satellite is designed for a lifetime of about 15 years, and is to operate from Arabsat's 26 deg. E geostationary orbital location.

Friday's launch with BADR-6 and ProtoStar I will be Arianespace's fourth of seven Ariane 5 missions in 2008 - making this the busiest year of activity for the workhorse launcher since its 1999 commercial service introduction.

Intelsat's Galaxy 26 Suffers Partial Failure

From http://www.satellitetoday.com/st/topnews/23570.html

[Satellite Today – 7-01-08] Intelsat confirmed that its Galaxy 26 satellite suffered a partial failure June 29, losing 15 watts out of its possible 37-watt capacity.
Slightly more than half of the satellite’s payload was lost, Dianne Van Beber, Intelsat spokeswoman, told Satellite Today. “We do not expect to recover what was lost,” she said.
Galaxy 26 (formerly known as Intelsat Americas 6 and Telstar 6), is located at 93° West and was built by Space Systems/Loral and placed in orbit in 1999. Customers that lost service have been redirected primarily to Galaxy 25 at 97° West and Galaxy 28 at 89° West. Some customers were redirected to Galaxy 16 at 99° West and experienced minor interruptions in service.

The Day The Beepers Died

From http://www.newsweek.com/id/92634

A Satellite Glitch Reveals A High-Tech Bottleneck

By the end of last week, most of the beepers were once again beeping. The brief bout of chaos was a sign of how dependent we've become on all our high-tech info-infrastructure gizmos. But the really scary thing was that no one anticipated such a meltdown in the first place. The culprit was the Galaxy IV, a five-year-old communications satellite hovering about 22,300 miles above Kansas. The $250 million bird, a nine-foot cube with two 50-foot solar-panel wings, has a ""footprint'' covering the United States and the Caribbean. But at 6:13 p.m. Eastern time last Tuesday, the on-board computer that kept the satellite pointed at the Earth failed; so did the backup. No one knows why, though PanAmSat, which owns Galaxy IV, has ruled out sabotage or a collision. ""This is a highly unusual event,'' says Frederick Landman, head of PanAmSat. ""The failure rate [of such satellites] has been less than 1 percent.''

That's why no one really worried about the fact that G-IV was carrying signals for 80 percent to 90 percent of the United States' 45 million pagers. When it failed, all those doctors, cops, business people and worried parents were suddenly incommunicado. But the troubles weren't limited to the beeper nation. One of about 100 communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit--that is, fixed above a single location--G-IV relayed signals for dozens of broadcasters and data networks. Gas stations lost the ability to take credit cards at pumpside. National Public Radio winked out. (A few member stations switched to a feed from a specially erected Web site.) About 20 United Airlines flights were delayed as the company waited for high- altitude weather reports and radar.

The broadcasters were able to get up and running fairly quickly; with just a few receiver dishes to shift, they could easily switch to other satellites temporarily and wait for PanAmSat to move a backup into G-IV's old orbit. The data networks weren't so lucky. They had to switch permanently to another satellite, Galaxy III-R, in a different orbit. That's a manual procedure involving ""some big sweaty man in coveralls up on the roof banging away'' to reorient the dish to the new direction, says John Pike, director of space policy for the Federation of American Scientists. For a nationwide paging company like PageNet, for example, it means performing maintenance on about 3,000 dishes, at a couple hours a pop.

How could an information network be so vulnerable? Paging companies all climbed aboard the same bird . . . because it was there. ""When the paging industry was going nationwide and it started to use satellite service, the G-IV satellite was one of the early ones that had full digital capability, and it also provided the best footprint,'' says Jay Kitchen, president of the Personal Communications Industry Association. As the business grows and more satellites fly into space, paging and other industries will likely diversify to other carriers. Want something else to worry about instead? Several other data networks have bottlenecks similar to the paging industry's reliance on a single piece of equipment. Automated teller networks share data-processing centers. Air-traffic controllers share regional radar centers. Even that epitome of decentralization, the Internet, depends largely on a small handful of server computers for routing. Like the beeper crash, the next collapse might not make a sound, but it may induce a lot more fury.

MTV/MBC launches TV Southasia

From http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080629/TV/tvtimes0011.html

Leading electronic media companies from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have come together in a historic collaborative venture with the launch of TV Southasia. The channel, which will be available across the world on various DTH & terrestrial platforms, will consist of programming from partner channels, and will focus on the cultural similarities that bind these nations together.

The brainchild of former head of Star TV and Doordharshan Rathikanth Basu, TV Southasia is operated by the regions leading private media companies such as Tara TV India, Aaj TV Pakistan, Image TV Nepal, MTV/MBC Channels Sri Lanka and several broadcasters in Bangladesh. The channel will feature many of the regions top rated TV programmes produced by partner channels including education, arts and culture, music, cuisine, documentaries, talk shows, tele-films and architecture.

TV Southasia is the first of its kind in the region and a ground-breaking initiative. Having brought together the biggest broadcasters in the region, media analysts believe the SouthAsian media initiative has already proved to be a catalyst for the development of media in South Asia, particularly since the regulatory and socio-political environments in many of these countries are very similar.

Foreign satellite firms queue up for HITS launch

From http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=327523&leftnm=3&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

At least half a dozen foreign satellite firms with over 100 C-band transponders have initiated their talks with domestic media firms which are interested in launching headend-in-the-sky (HITS) cable distribution platform.

This comes just after Subhash Chandra-promoted Essel Group got permission to launch HITS operation on Asiasat-4, a foreign satellite. Essel Group has booked 10 C-band transponders on Asiasat for HITS rollout that will be able to carry over 150 digital-quality cable channels.

This has propelled a number of foreign satellite firms like Asiasat, Intelsat, NSS-6 and Eutelsat, among others, to initiate high-level talks with several media companies that are looking for launching HITS in near future, a source said.

These satellites operate over the Indian skies and offer all kinds of transponder space for operations like HITS, DTH, and communication needs.

HITS is a satellite-based cable distribution platform through which hundreds of digital quality cable televsion channels can be distributed to the entire country simultaneously. Consumers can subscribe to these channels via a set-top box from their local cable operators.

According to industry estimates, currently there is a shortage of transponder space on the Indian satellites.

Apart from Essel Group, at least six more domestic media firms have shown interest in obtaining and subsequently launching HITS operations. Currently they are waiting for the government policy, industry sources said.

However, Wire & Wireless India Ltd (WWIL, earlier known as Siticable), the cable arm of Essel Group, has the permission to operate HITS as it got the licence over five years ago.

According to sources in WWIL, the trial-run for HITS across major towns will begin in the next few days.

"We have a couple of internal meetings after which HITS will be launched. Except the channels from STAR India and MSM Discovery (Sony bouquet) all other broadcasters have given us their channels for HITS rollout. We expect even STAR and Sony bouquets to come on our platform shortly," a senior executive of Essel Group familiar with the HITS rollout plan told Business Standard.

According to government sources, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has indicated to the media companies that foreign satellites can be used if there is a scarcity of C-band transponders on Indian satellites and the Indian Space Research Organisation has no objections for the commercial use of a foreign satellite.

Simon Twiston Davies, chief executive, CASBAA (the apex body of all Asian cable and media firms), said it was a critical time for the Indian media firms as far as the availability of transponder space on foreign satellite was concerned.

"If the widespread deployment of HITS using non-domestic capacity is significantly delayed for any reason, that capacity could be re-deployed elsewhere and may not be replaced."

The functioning of HITS is similar to that of the direct-to-home (DTH) service but differs in the end-usage and the category of transponders used.

A HITS operator uplinks the television channels to the satellite which is then downloaded by the cable operators and passed on to the consumers over optic fibre via a set-top box.

From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23942324-7582,00.html

TWO of Australia's leading media organisations say they are confronting the growing presence of organised crime networks involved in sophisticated television, DVD and internet piracy, costing the local media hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

Pay-TV operator Foxtel and Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) -- which represents the film and TV industry -- are fighting to clamp down on the escalating influence of organised crime.

"DVD and other piracy can now be more profitable than drug trafficking," AFACT's director of operations Neil Gane told The Australian. "That's why crime organisations are going into it."

Mark Mulready, Foxtel's head of fraud, said intellectual property theft attracted organised crime "because they see it as high margin and low risk. What we're finding is, these groups are operating across borders and are becoming more sophisticated in how they distribute their pirated software and hardware".

The cost for local TV networks, movie houses, DVD rental stores and others is prohibitive.

A 2005 study by LEK Consulting suggested $233 million a year was being lost by the local movie industry alone through piracy. Other analysts say the figure for the entire media is hundreds of millions of dollars more, given how the rapid spread of pirate technologies is affecting first-run content.

Foxtel and AFACT's war on piracy received a boost a fortnight ago with the conclusion in the High Court of a long-running landmark court battle -- known as the "Mod Shop Case" -- where a successful judgment was found against a syndicate operating a server that allowed various shopfronts to sell unauthorised Foxtel subscriptions. It was the first case in the world to have a successful judgment against internet-based pay-TV piracy.

"While this case did not involve a particularly sophisticated or organised group, it's a good example of the lucrative nature of piracy and the long battle broadcasters face with rapidly changing pirate technologies," Mr Mulready, a former police prosecutor and detective, said.

"In this case, Foxtel took civil action against the syndicate, but the federal police are now better equipped than ever to address large-scale piracy networks."

Mr Gane said the risks were prohibitive for Hollywood filmmakers, where the average cost of making and marketing a movie is $US100 million. Even for low-budget Australian films, "many millions" were at stake.

"People have a 'Robin Hood' attitude to DVD piracy: they see the money the Tom Cruises are making and conclude it's a victimless crime. But when syndicates can steal, reproduce and recopy that product for the price of negligible printing costs, a disc and multiple DVD burners, the criminal business model is potentially very profitable."

Mr Gane said illegal actions like "camcording in cinemas" remained a major concern.

This does not just happen in Asia. A successful prosecution in November 2007 saw an Australian convicted for making the first known illegal recording of The Simpsons Movie and uploading it onto a user-generated content website. But Mr Mulready worries piracy laws need more teeth.

"Police should have all the same investigative tools to fight piracy they currently have for organised drug trafficking or money laundering," he said.

Mr Gane said such piracy was far from victimless: "The victims, in our case, are the 50,000 people who work in the industry."

Freeview looking for greater uptake with built-in tuners

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4602580a28.html

The economic downturn has started to put the dampeners on the uptake of Freeview, but general manager Steve Browning hopes the free-to-air digital service will be given fresh legs by the arrival in New Zealand of a new generation of televisions that have built-in Freeview digital tuners.

Sony Bravia lcd televisions will go on sale next month, priced from $1900, removing the need for customers to buy a separate set-top box – costing upwards of $400 – to view Freeview's high-definition digital terrestrial television service, Freeview HD. This can be reached by the 75 per cent of people who live in New Zealand's largest cities.

Freeview is due to release updated figures on uptake in about two weeks.

At the beginning of March about 100,000 households had the equipment needed to view either Freeview HD or its standard- definition satellite service, which is available nationwide.

"The economic downturn is effecting luxury goods across every category. We are doing 'all right', but you have got to accept this year is going to be a bit tougher – I think it will be for anyone trying to sell anything that is considered a luxury," Mr Browning says.

"I am hoping the Olympics is going to give us a bit of a spurt, and that is why Sony have got this product to market."

TVNZ will be broadcasting the Games round the clock in high- definition on a dedicated channel on Freeview HD.

Mr Browning expects two more manufacturers will begin selling TVs with integrated digital tuners later this year and says they will soon be a standard feature. The development is "massively important" for Freeview, he says.

"In all the markets in the world that have had digital terrestrial television for a few years, the take- up has swung to being more driven by integrated digital TVs than stand-alone receivers."

No one in Australia will buy a new television if it doesn't have a digital tuner built in, he says. "Last time I was in Harvey Norman in Sydney, I couldn't find one."

The televisions could take some of the heat out of the "battle of the boxes" between Freeview and Sky Television, because they would allow viewers to subscribe to Sky and view all Freeview's channels without having to juggle two set- top boxes or make a choice between them.

"You can also, with the touch of one button, flick from digital to analogue, so people buying these new integrated televisions don't need to think, 'I can't get Prime' if they are in analogue coverage."

Mr Browning says there is little danger that integrated tuners will need replacing before the TVs they are built into, because Freeview opted to use the latest Mpeg4 standard for digital broadcasts. The software used by Sony's new televisions and others that will be accredited by Freeview can be updated over the air, using signals that can be embedded in television broadcasts.

Bill Ralston: Television drama defies belief

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=144&objectid=10518886&pnum=0

Never in the field of government inquiries have we heard such self-serving, hypocritical crap reverberate through Parliament. And, for once, it is not coming from politicians.

Over recent weeks, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage's digital broadcasting review has provoked a vicious internecine war between the country's main broadcasters and produced a weird reversal of the usual PR spin the big networks like to put out to the media.

Normally, all of the networks boast that they have the most viewers, the best programmes, make the most money and, generally, they are far stronger and smarter than their opponents.

Not in the submissions they have put to the digital broadcasting review. Each cries that it is being cruelly and unfairly bullied by the other and that it is doing very poorly indeed as a result.

First, you have to work out who is who in this crazy, three-sided battle. Basically, TVNZ, TVWorks (TV3 and C4), Freeview (TVNZ and TVWorks) are ganging up on Sky (Sky TV and Prime), although TVWorks is not averse to privately putting the dagger into rival TVNZ's back whenever it possibly can.

TVNZ wants the Government to "do a Telecom" on Sky, split it up and effectively "unbundle" Sky's lucrative TV rights to big sporting events, thus allowing it and TVWorks to compete more cheaply to show sport.

TVWorks wants the Government to regulate to make Sky sell Prime because it creates an "uneven playing field". Sky is desperately trying to cover its backside and hang on to what it has.

All sides are crying foul, which has led to a number of ludicrous claims and counterclaims by the spatting networks.

For example, TVNZ claims Sky is unfairly dominant in the New Zealand broadcasting scene. This whinge neatly ignores the fact that TVNZ in its own published strategy document, Inspiring on Every Screen, trumpets that "TVNZ continues to be New Zealand's leading broadcaster". Hello?

Sky counters by claiming TVNZ is truly the dominant player, with 46.4 per cent share of viewers in February this year and 18 out of the top-20 rating TV shows.

Sky claims, in fact, TVNZ has the highest percentage share of viewers anywhere in the world and it can find no other broadcaster on the planet that comes near. Normally, this would be TVNZ chest-beating but it sounds truly bizarre coming from a rival.

It also begs the question, if TVNZ has such a large chunk of the market why does it need so many millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies?

Sky makes the point that TVNZ pulls 65 per cent of the advertising revenue in the market and still gets handouts from the Government.

For its part Sky, in a "woe is me" moment, talks of its hugely risky billion-dollar investment in pay TV, how it lost $237 million in the long slog through its first 12 years, how Prime is still losing money and how Sky is now making only a modest profit because of its high infrastructure and client servicing costs. This is the kind of information companies usually try to brush under the carpet.

TVNZ and TVWorks claim Sky unfairly uses its financial muscle to snaffle top sports that they can no longer afford. Sky counterclaims that TVNZ, TV3 and C4 use their big bucks to tie-up exclusive top-rating entertainment deals with almost all the major international distributors, leaving it and Prime out in the cold.

TVNZ argues that Sky is a "gate-keeper", somehow blocking it from reaching a broad digital audience. Sky counters that TVNZ is being the gate-keeper, refusing to allow TVNZ 6 and 7 on to the Sky box and threatening to sue Sky if it shows those Government-funded channels, so wasting taxpayer dollars by denying the channels a bigger digital audience.

Forget the pathetic attempts at spin all the players are trying to put on the issue. A careful read of the submissions reveals a different and more interesting picture.

From the evidence, it is hard to escape the conclusion that TVNZ should be much more profitable than it is. The fact it can barely scrape a dividend together, and then only after receiving huge Government subsidies, must mean it is grossly inefficient.

Another picture that emerges is that TV3 is a slow starter in the digital race and lacks a real vision of where it is going in the new "wired" era.

Sky, for all its revenue, is hugely capital intensive and is not necessarily the goldmine its competitors paint it to be because it has to constantly keep upping its technology to keep ahead in the market - a fact its shareholders seem to have realised, judging by its share price.

The biggest question of all is why the Government has opened this can of worms.

Sky TV steps up war of words

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10518808

Sky Television has fired more salvos at TVNZ, MediaWorks and Freeview as it steps up a television war with free-to-air channels.

Sky yesterday released an additional "cross submission" delivered to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

The document says the free-to-air channels are trying to hobble Sky with more controls and prevent them from conducting "fair" competition.

They were making "inaccurate and misleading claims", the company said.

TVNZ said Sky was trying an old tactic of its controlling shareholder - Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.

It was "muddying the waters" to keep New Zealand broadcasting's status quo as "a wild west with no sheriff".

Sky's document hits back at proposed controls to curb its growth as it tries to avoid new rules in a Ministry for Culture and Heritage review of broadcasting regulations.

Sky is making a big scale public relations effort on calls by TVNZ, MediaWorks Freeview and the programme makers body Spada.

They include restrictions on Sky owning sports rights and a Telecom-style split of the company.

Cabinet is expected to consider the Ministry for Culture and Heritage report on July 31 but even if politicians consider regulations, nobody expects any changes before the election.

But Sky is concerned controls will become an election issue and the free-to-air channels know it could be the last chance they have to curb Sky.

The company, whose platforms deliver television to 47 per cent of New Zealand homes, also runs money-losing free-to-air channel Prime TV.

The free channels claim that among other market dominance issues, the cross-media ownership gives Sky the power to shut them out of international programming deals.

They say the convergence of the broadcasting and telecommunication world gives Sky extra power.

Sky, which has dismissed the regulatory review as "a solution looking for a problem" said that free-to-air claims are inaccurate and misleading and aimed at "hobbling" fair competition from Sky.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage said Sky's release had no official status as part of the review. TVNZ spokesman Peter Parrussini said Sky's document was focused on the current environment and ignored the effects of growing convergence of the broadcasting and telecommunications sector.

Sky fears rivals will win numbers game

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4599798a13.html

Sky Television says it is worried that the Government may be swayed by calls to split up or otherwise hobble the broadcaster, and that numbers may be against it.

The Culture and Heritage Ministry is conducting a review of broadcasting regulation and is due to report back to the Cabinet next month.

Options could include the "unbundling" of Sky set-top boxes, "anti-siphoning controls" that would limit its ability to buy exclusive broadcasting rights to sporting events, and "must carry" obligations that might force Sky to carry competing channels on terms set by regulators.

TVNZ has accused Sky of anti-competitive behaviour and called in May for the operational separation of Sky, while TV3 owner TVWorks said it should be forced to divest itself of free-to-air channel Prime.

But in a newly filed cross-submission, Sky accuses TVNZ, TVWorks, Freeview and the Screen Production and Development Association of making "misleading and inaccurate statements". It says TVNZ has no evidence to back its claim Sky is unfairly cross-subsidising Prime, and it denies hoarding free-to-air broadcasting rights.

It says officials must verify claims made by its critics before making recommendations to ministers, and that TVNZ, TVWorks and Freeview are making "thinly veiled attempts" to attack Sky for their own ends.

"This is particularly important because of the potential impact that even consulting on issues such as anti-siphoning or `must carry' legislation could have on listed share prices," Sky says.

The company labelled a summary of submissions put together by the Culture and Heritage Ministry as "inadequate" and said it was concerned about how the Government would use the document.

The ministry said in its summary that a "clear majority" of the 80 submissions it received called for a single regulator for broadcasting and telecommunications and that most favoured an open access regime and "must carry" regulations.

Sky said it feared decisions might be based on "a simple number counting game of submissions for and against particular options".

Proton-K Rocket With Military Spacecraft Launched From Baikonur

From http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1454144/protonk_rocket_with_military_spacecraft_launched_from_baikonur/

BAIKONUR. June 27 (Interfax-AVN) - A Proton-K heavy launch vehicle carrying a military satellite has taken off from the Baikonur spaceport.

"Combat units of the Space Forces are controlling the launch by means of an automatic ground guidance complex," head of the Space Forces' information and public affairs service Alexei Zolotukhin told Interfax-AVN at the spaceport on Friday.

"The separation of the spacecraft is designated for 10.37 a.m. Moscow time," Zolotukhin said.

Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, Space Forces Commander Col. Gen. Vladimir Popovkin and other high-ranking military personal watched the launch at Baikonur.

Russian-US Launch Firm To Put Satellite In Orbit In August

From http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Russian_US_Launch_Firm_To_Put_Satellite_In_Orbit_In_August_999.html

ILS provides satellite customers with a complete array of services and support and has exclusive rights to market the Proton, Russia's premier heavy-lift launch vehicle, to commercial satellite operators worldwide.

The Russian-American joint venture International Launch Services (ILS) has started preparations for the first launch of a Proton-M rocket since one partially failed in March, the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center said Friday.

A company review on June 16 cleared the Proton Breeze M to return to flight this summer following a failure during the March 15 launch of the U.S. AMC-14 satellite from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. The satellite was inserted into a lower-than-planned orbit.

"A Breeze-M booster for the Proton-M carrier rocket has been delivered to the [Baikonur] space center," the company said in a statement. "The launch vehicle will deliver the Inmarsat-4F3 mobile services communications satellite into orbit."

"The launch has been scheduled for August 2008," the statement said.

Khrunichev, which has a majority interest in ILS, is one of the cornerstones of the Russian space industry. Khrunichev manufactures the Proton system and is developing the Angara launch system.

The Inmarsat-4 (I-4) satellites are among the largest and most sophisticated commercial communication satellites in the world, and are capable of delivering advanced voice and broadband data communications to mobile users.

Three I-4 satellites were built for Inmarsat by EADS Astrium. The I-4 F1 was launched in March 2005, while the I-4 F2 was launched in November 2005.

The launch of the Inmarsat-4 F3 will complete the I-4 constellation and support the global delivery of Inmarsat's latest services.

Multichoice and FNB settle over ‘DStv ad’

From http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=218959

A FIRST National Bank (FNB) advertisement advising consumers to “cut out satellite TV subscriptions” has been scrapped following a settlement between the bank and satellite TV owner Multichoice.

In an effort to help cash-strapped consumers, FNB launched an eight week campaign guide on how to survive the credit crunch, which included what Multichoice said was the potentially harmful advice to cancel satellite television subscriptions. The pay-to-view channel has over 1.5 million subscribers who pay between R139 and R468.99 monthly for access to its television channels. Since DStv is the only television satellite service currently available, its holding company, Multichoice, took offence to the advertisement and complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Three new pay television companies are expected to enter the South African market early next year.

Jackie Rakitla, Multichoice general manager of corporate affairs, said: “We have withdrawn the matter, but we can’t go into the terms of the settlement.”

The advertisement had the potential to n