28 September 2007
RRSat Global Communications Network Ltd., a rapidly growing provider of comprehensive content management and global distribution services to the television and radio broadcasting industries, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Loral Skynet to offer distribution of video content to the Asian Market via a powerful digital platform using Loral Skynet’s Telstar 10 satellite.
Through the multiplexed content delivery platform, RRSat customers will gain access to over 80 million cable households across 33 countries in Asia using Loral Skynet’s Telstar 10 satellite. RRSat will complement its video offering by supplying comprehensive, content management and distribution services.
“We are extremely excited about this new cooperation with Loral Skynet. This platform will offer customers a total end-to end solution, from broadcasting through distribution, enabling channels based out for the US, Europe and Middle East the ability to further expand their services to new regions in Asia.”
Commented Mr. David Rivel, CEO and Founder of RRSat, “Through this shared platform customers will have access to the leading Loral Skynet Telstar 10 satellite and RRSat’s comprehensive content management platform”.
28 September 2007
Host broadcaster TVH calls on GlobeCast for end-to-end SD and HD contribution services
GlobeCast is putting HD in the spotlight at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, providing end-to-end satellite and fibre contribution services for host broadcaster TVH as well as other major broadcasters, and experimenting with uncompressed HD signal transmission, an exciting development that promises to make life easier for telecoms wishing to transmit HD footage in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
To service its clients at this major event, GlobeCast will deploy a fleet of 15 SNG vehicles to matches in every corner of France, including three trucks dedicated to HD. It will also provide on-site production, dedicated facilities and network capacity to deliver High Definition coverage of the games.
Host broadcaster TVH asked GlobeCast to transmit coverage in SD and HD from the matches to its International Broadcast Centre (IBC) outside Paris. Additionally, for the first time in Europe, GlobeCast will provide long-distance, terrestrial transport of non-compressed HD signals a development that promises to help telcos transport HD video without modifying infrastructures, updating equipment or compromising quality. This experiment will be held at matches in Marseille.
As a security measure, GlobeCast will also ensure the transport in SD of all backup feeds via satellite.
The Rugby World Cup, which starts at the Stade de France on 7 September, will be one of the biggest sporting events of the year and GlobeCasts expertise in providing broadcast services from major competitions such as this will ensure secure and flawless quality of coverage.
26 September 2007
The Azerbaijani National TV and Radio Council approved a radio licence to be used jointly by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA) on Friday. The one-year licence for FM broadcast will be subject to annual renewal.
Broadcasting from Baku, the station carries 67 hours of Radio Liberty Azerbaijani programming per week (which consists of 40 hours of original programming and 27 hours of repeated programming) and about eight hours per week of programming from VOA’s Azerbaijani service (which consists of about four and a half hours of original programming and three and a half hours of repeated programming). The remaining hours feature VOA’s Music Mix program.
Broadcasting Board of Governors Chairman James Glassman said of the licence approval, “We are glad to have a home for VOA and RFE/RL on the airwaves in Baku. We look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership.”
RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service also broadcasts via satellite and AM signals. Azerbaijani Service programming is available via the Internet, at the service’s website www.azadliq.org and at www.rferl.org; English-language news about events in Azerbaijan can be found on the RFE/RL website, at www.rferl.org/featuresarchive/country/azerbaijan.html.
VOA also broadcasts via shortwave and television. VOA’s Azerbaijani Service maintains two separate websites; www.VOANews.com/azerbaijani in Latin script and www.VOANews.com/azeri in Persian-Arabic script. All VOA Azerbaijani radio and television programs are streamed for on-demand listening and viewing
26 September 2007
GlobeCast and satellite operator Arabsat announced at IBC 2007 that they have agreed to extend their cooperation on the worldwide distribution of the Arabsat/ASBU digital bouquet of Arabic-language channels for five additional years, from 2009 to 2014.
Since the launch of the partnership in 2004, GlobeCast, Arabsat and ASBU have expanded the bouquets potential viewership and footprint, offering maximum global coverage by attracting new broadcasters and offering new services. Channels worldwide are now able to join the bouquet and viewers on five continents are free to view its community channels, including: Abu Dhabi TV, Abu Dhabi Sports, Al-Iraqiya TV, Al Jazeera, Al Ordoniyah, Jamahirya Satellite Channel, Oman TV Satellite, Qatar TV, Saudi Arabian TV 1, Saudi Arabian TV 2, Sharjah TV, Sudan TV, Syrian Satellite Channel.
As of today, the available services cover the following regions: North America via WorldTV on Galaxy 25; South America via Hispasat 1C; Africa via NSS 7; Asia via AsiaSat 2.
GlobeCast also provides individual DTH channel distribution for selected ASBU member channels to:
Europe via Hot Bird and Astra 1E; Australia via Optus B3 and Intelsat 8.
The continued partnership between GlobeCast, Arabsat and ASBU proves our commitment to bringing international programming to viewers around the world, said GlobeCast president and CEO Christian Pinon, The renewal of our cooperation for the next five years will help to ensure the success of the bouquet.
Arabsat CEO Eng. Khalid A. Balkheyour ads, We are looking forward to continue our cooperation with GlobeCast which has set an important precedent in the industry and has proven the effectiveness of bundled programming and one-source global distribution.
ASBUs Director General, Salaheddine Maaoui emphasized on the role of the Union for providing comprehensive and consistent services, in partnership with Arabsat and GlobeCast, to its eminent members.
26 September 2007
A new 24-hour TV news channel based in Chennai, India has confirmed a deal to deploy ENPS as their newsroom computer system at IBC today (9 September).
This makes the broadcaster, Raj TV, the 7th TV station in India to choose the Associated Press award-winning software, following in the footsteps of the worlds biggest terrestrial broadcaster, Doordarshan. The station, which will broadcast exclusively in Tamil, plans to go live by the end of this year.
We evaluated all newsroom computer systems and decided upon ENPS, for its ease of use, seamless integration with other newsroom hardware and track record said Mr Ravindran, Director of Raj TV.
The deal was won by Shaf Broadcast, ENPS authorised distributor in India. Other components of the Raj TV newsroom will include Omnibus, Omneon, Orad and the Apple Final Cut Pro editing system. Regional roll-out is currently under discussion and is expected in the early 2008.
