SES S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) is executing on its pronounced growth strategy with the procurement of three new satellites, SES-14, SES-15 and SES-16/GovSat, all to be launched in 2017.
As announced on 16 February, SES has ordered three next-generation satellites, SES-14, SES-15 and SES-16/GovSat, the latter together with the Luxembourg Government in a new joint venture, LuxGovSat.
The satellites are using the newest spacecraft technologies, leading to optimal performance and highest efficiency and allowing SES to address the accelerating needs of fast growing markets where SES is already well positioned. The satellites will be manufactured by Airbus Space and Defence, Boeing and Orbital AKT, respectively. The new orders bring the total number of SES satellites currently under procurement to seven, out of which six are delivering incremental growth capacity.
“The new spacecraft will support our growth and add significant high-power capacity to all four key strategic business verticals – video, data, mobility and government,” said Karim Michel Sabbagh, President and CEO of SES. “These fleet investments – all delivered within SES’s forecast CapEx envelope – enable us to differentiate our service offering in our target markets and set the foundation for continued growth. They will allow us to capture the significant potential of numerous vibrant regions and market segments, including Direct-to-Home (DTH) in Latin America, and mobility in the aeronautical and maritime sector throughout the Americas and the North Atlantic, as well as powerful end-to-end solutions for governments, defence and security.”
SES-14 and SES-15 are both powerful hybrid satellites, using Ku-, Ka- and – in the case of SES-14 – also C-band in wide-beam and high-throughput (HTS) technology and a purely electric propulsion system that significantly enhances the satellites’ economic efficiency thanks to the enhanced payload that can be carried as a result of the reduction in fuel mass.
SES-16/GovSat is a state-of-the-art multi-mission satellite with high-powered and fully steerable beams for government missions. It will be owned and operated by LuxGovSat, a new joint venture between SES and the Luxembourg Government.
“These fleet investments augment our capacity to address the high demand for connectivity in several key regions and segments,“ continued Karim Michel Sabbagh. “They allow us to launch a full range of attractive offers for video distribution and platforms, and data, mobility and government services, with a focus on SES’s large and world-leading customers in the aeronautical and maritime sectors. They underscore our confidence in the high demand and growth potential in both emerging and mature markets and provide the basis for the creation of a truly unique combination of our geostationary fleet (GEO) with the medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet of O3b, in which we hold a 45 percent stake.“
The Pacific’s largest media companies, France Télévisions – Overseas Network 1st and ABC International have signed an agreement that will see increased coverage of Pacific events across the two networks.
The Pierre Riant Memorandum of Understanding 2015, named after the recently-deceased French journalist who presented 24 in the Pacific, was signed by representatives of both organisations in Papeete today (Friday, February 6, 2015) as part of the Oceanian International Documentary Film Festival (FIFO).
The MOU aims to build on the relationship between ABC International’s Radio Australia service and France Télévisions that began in 2005. It will see a growing exchange of Pacific content between the two broadcasters to all of the Pacific’s French-speaking territories.
Listeners in New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and Tahiti will now have access to a weekly seven-minute Pacific roundup 24 Hours in the Pacific as well as a three-and-a-half minute Pacific update produced by Radio Australia. Radio Australia will also produce for France Televisions a weekly three-to-four minute program plus two video reports per month which will be broadcast on the first Outremer Network.
The MOU was signed by the CEO of Outremer 1st Network, Michael Kops and the Head of Pacific and Mekong for ABC International, Domenic Friguglietti.
Radio Australia’s French content is produced by Caroline Lafargue and can be heard on RA’s partner rebroadcasters in the Pacific and online at www.radioaustralia.net.au/french. France Télévisions – Network Overseas 1st is available in the Pacific on multi platforms across satellite and terrestrial television, radio and online.
Globecast has today announced that it has completed a company-wide reorganisation in order to enhance its position as a fully integrated media solutions provider, operating in a truly unified manner across all its territories and addressing the changing needs of its customers.
Olivier Barberot, Globecast CEO, said, “Globecast has expanded tremendously since its inception, and seen enormous success with its satellite and fibre services. We have listened to our customers and closely examined the next phase of our development using their responses and our market expertise.”
This is an important milestone in the move from the largest independent teleport operator and satellite services provider to an integrated, global media solutions company. Powered by the ongoing launch of Media Factories around the world, Globecast is building on these strong foundations to deliver an end-to-end solution offering.
With Media Factory, Globecast has rationalised existing workflows to create a single, efficient process; the company can handle everything from content preparation, formatting, quality control, to creative services and compliance review and editing, in addition to existing contribution, playout and distribution services.
Broadcasters and media companies – whatever their size – are having to respond to evolving consumer viewing habits, and Globecast is perfectly positioned to help them take advantage of new market opportunities. Globecast continues to supply market-leading contribution and distribution services, using its unrivalled global connectivity – be that satellite or fibre – easy-to-access PoPs that are strategically positioned, as well as channel packaging and marketing services via its strong relationships with TV platforms around the world.
Barberot added, “The primary concern for our customers is how to generate new revenue opportunities from their existing content or channels or drive new channel launches – it’s all about the bottom line. This is something that we have always understood and we will keep providing customers with greater access to our expertise.“
Euronewscontinues its development in Sub-Saharan Africa thanks to new distribution agreements with DStv Africa andOuest TV, as well as launching for the first time on an African DTT network in Mozambique.
EuronewsPortuguêsnow on DTT in Mozambique
EuronewsandMultiChoice Africa have strengthened their cooperationwhich began in 2004. In the evolving African audiovisuallandscape, theDStv Africa satellite bouquet is showcasing the Portuguese service of Euronews, the only international newschannel broadcasting in that language, by launching EuronewsPortuguêson“GoTV+”, its DTT service in Mozambique.
Allocation of an additional channel on the Portuguese language satellite bouquet
To meet the growing demand of viewers on its satellite platform in Portuguese-speaking countries, DStvhas also decided to allocate a specific channel to Euronews Portuguese for its customers in Mozambique and Angola, giving them prime access to an international news source in their language.
DStv Africaoffers its Sub-Saharan viewers 7out of Euronews’ 13 languages (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Italian and Russian).
Agreement with the news channel Ouest TV in Senegal
EuronewsandOuest TV, a news channel for West and Central Africa, have signed an agreement allowing the African channel to rebroadcast programmes, live, from EuronewsFrench, every hour between 18:30 and 23:30, in 30-minutesegments.
Based in Senegal, Ouest TV broadcasts in French to 24 countries in West and Central Africa.It is also available unencryptedacross Sub-Saharan Africa via the AMOS 5 satellite.
Arnaud Verlhac, Euronews’ Director of International Distribution:“Africa has been a key focus of our development for many years.Currently, 18 million viewers in Sub-Saharan Africa receive Euronews. And, as we prepare for the launch of its sister channel, Africanews,* our strengthened relations with the biggest TV operators on the continent is a very positive sign for our development in the future.”
Jean-Luc Maertens, Head of Distribution Africa and the Middle-East: “Reinforcing our presence in Portuguese-speaking Africa proves that the multilingualism of Euronews is a determining factor in our development in emerging markets such as this one. DStvAfrica wisely chose to create a dedicated channel for Euronews in Portuguese for its satellite line-up and to include our channel on its brand new DTT bouquet, GO TV+in Mozambique.”
* In 2015, Euronewswill launchAfricanews, the first multilingual Pan-African news channel.
Reuters and global content service provider TIMA have announced a new global partnership designed to offer location services including studio facilities and logistical support to broadcasters and online media outlets. Reuters-TIMA Location Services combines Reuters global editorial content with TIMA’s technology and experience of service delivery for the international media industry.
The new service, created in response to the increased demand for live content in a shifting media landscape, will form a vast news and editorial network providing every aspect of newsgathering facilities and support services. It will combine invaluable local knowledge with strategically placed broadcast and satellite resources in regional hubs. The service will launch at the 87th Academy Awards ceremony on 22nd February 2015, where live positions overlooking the red carpet will be provided to clients.
Reuters-TIMA Location Services will offer experienced production and editorial staff on the ground at key global events, rapid access to events of regional significance, logistical services and dedicated customer support. The service will also give clients access to high-tech live studio facilities around the world, many with stunning city backdrops.
From New York to Moscow and Rio to Singapore, plus a network of Middle Eastern offices, including TIMA’s facilities in Tehran, Reuters-TIMA Location Services has been set up to cover every major world event, from elections to summits, sports to national celebrations and breaking news such as war, natural disasters and militant attacks.
Tim Santhouse, Reuters Global Head of Video Products, says: “Reuters-TIMA Location Services will support broadcasters and online publishers with editorial, technical and infrastructure support on location. Our service will enable our customers to focus on what they’re good at – telling their story to their audience – while the entire operational side, including technical and local knowledge, is taken care of. This partnership brings together two sets of skills and experience that will create a powerful newsgathering service for the benefit of media companies.”
Alla Salehian, CEO of TIMA, says: “International news stories today have more impact beyond their borders than ever before. Alongside this, there are an increasing number of TV channels across the world and a growing appetite for online video content. The result is a huge demand for live international video news and analysis 24-hours a day. Reuters-TIMA Location Services is uniquely equipped to support this trend in a way that is both affordable and of high quality.”
Reuters-TIMA Location Services will include:
Breaking news facilities: Reuters-TIMA Location Services will provide every aspect of newsgathering facilities and support services on the ground during breaking news stories throughout the year
Event facilities: The partnership will also provide coverage of key global events and unprecedented access to events that are also of regional significance, as well providing logistical and editorial services and dedicated customer support
Studio space: The service will also offer clients access to high-tech live studio facilities around the world, many with stunning city backdrops
