4 November 2004
Harris Corporation announced on 3 November that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Encoda Systems Holdings, Inc. Encoda is the leading global supplier of end-to-end broadcast enterprise software and services solutions including traffic and billing systems, program scheduling, master control play-to-air automation, and digital asset management. The company serves more than 600 customers in 34 countries and had revenue for the 12 months ended June 30, 2004, of $124 million. Encoda had previously been owned by an investment group that included Thomas H. Lee Partners, Blackstone Capital Partners, Spire Capital Partners, and Evercore Capital Partners, among others.
Harris Corporation is an international communications technology company focused on providing assured communications(tm) products, systems and services for government and commercial customers. The company’s operating divisions serve markets for government communications, tactical radio, broadcast, and microwave systems. Harris provides systems and service to customers in more than 150 countries.
3 November 2004
PanAmSat Corporation announced on 3 November that it had signed a transponder agreement with NFL Network to host the channel’s High-Definition transmissions of National Football League games and football-related programming.
Placed into service in January 2004, Galaxy 13 is home to the industry’s first, largest and most powerful high-definition (HD) neighborhood. It is the HDTV home to some of the biggest names in cable television including: HBO HD, Cinemax HD, Encore HD, Fox Sports Net HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies, STARZ! HD, TNT HD and Wealth TV.
“PanAmSat is America’s number one provider of HD content for cable television,” said Mike Antonovich, executive vice president of global sales and marketing for PanAmSat. “We are pleased to help the NFL Network and our many other HD customers build the “must have” satellite locations for high-def cable programming. PanAmSat serves more HD programmers than any other provider, proving the value and reliability of America’s best satellite operator.”
Under the terms of the agreement, NFL Network will use the power of Galaxy 13 to support both its HD and standard definition programming.
“Galaxy 13 is the premier platform for High Definition. We’re confident that the addition of our NFL NETWORK HD programming will help to keep it that way for years to come,” said Peter Brickman, the NFL’s senior director for operations and technology. “PanAmSat’s legacy of excellent customer service, its reliable global fleet and quick response to any issues made this decision an easy one for us.”
The NFL has long been a global user of PanAmSat capacity for international distribution of programming and backhauling of NFL Europe games, as well as the backhaul feeds of games for their NFL SUNDAY TICKET service on DIRECTV.
1 November 2004
As the UKs First Battalion The Black Watch deploy further north in Iraq theyll be doing it with BFBS Radio for company. Along with their Warriors, Scimitars and armoured Snatch vehicles, the Black Watch are taking a BFBS satellite receiver, transmitter and generators in their convoy so soldiers can keep in touch with news from home while theyre deployed on Op Bracken.
Weve known for some time that a deployment was possible, says the BFBS Station Manager in Iraq, Damian Watson, but the issue is that although BFBS broadcasts in central Baghdad, as well as the south-east of Iraq, the Black Watch deployment is outside our transmitter range. Its not a huge problem though, as our engineers, Jim Hardie and Victor Hepburn, have been able to rig up a deployable system that means the guys will be able to hear BFBS Radio throughout their new area of operations.
In fact, the BFBS team at Shaibah Logistics Base in southern Iraq had the system ready before the Black Watch officially requested it. Lets just say we had an inkling, says Damian. When the quartermaster came round to enquire about it, we were able to show him the size of the kit and answer any logistical questions he had. We have an excellent relationship with all the units in theatre and its our job to help out.
Black Watch Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel James Cowan, is delighted to have access to BFBS Radio on Op Bracken. Its important that my soldiers keep in touch with home, says the CO. BFBS is an integral part of life for soldiers overseas and a quick message from family or friends on the radio can be a tremendous morale boost.
BFBS Radio is part of UK Forces charity the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC), providing TV, Radio, Cinemas, SSVC audio-visual shops and CSE live entertainment to British troops throughout the world
1 November 2004
CHUM Limited has signed an agreement with RadioScape to develop a digital radio receiver for its proposed CHUM Subscription Radio Canada (CSRC). CHUM’s application for a broadcasting licence for a national multi-channel terrestrial subscription radio system, CSRC, is currently before the CRTC.
Under the terms of the agreement, CHUM Limited and RadioScape will work together to specify the digital radio receiver and broadcast infrastructure solutions needed to deploy subscription radio services. If a licence is granted to CHUM, RadioScape will supply broadcasting and receiving technology and equipment to be used by CSRC.
“RadioScape is a respected global DAB broadcast service and receiver technology provider that supports the world’s largest digital radio networks,” said Paul Ski, Executive Vice President Radio, CHUM Limited. “We are pleased to be able to leverage RadioScape’s extensive expertise in this area to provide consumers with a truly Canadian owned and operated subscription digital radio service. CSRC will deliver the best possible content while promoting and supporting the Canadian music industry.”
“We are delighted to be given the opportunity to work with CHUM on the deployment of CSRC in Canada,” said John Hall, CEO of RadioScape. “Our expertise in Software Defined Radio solutions for receivers and broadcast infrastructure means that incorporating the enhancements for subscription radio services is a straightforward exercise. The flexibility of our platforms means that companies can easily add new capabilities that exploit the power and success of radio’s evolution into the digital domain.”
CHUM filed its application for CSRC to the CRTC in February 2004. If approved, CSRC, a Canadian owned, controlled and operated terrestrial based subscription radio service, will deliver 50 growing to 100 channels of unique content, all with CRTC prescribed levels of Canadian Content, for a monthly fee of $9.95. The channels will feature a diverse mix of programming developed by and for Canadian audiences, where Canadian artists feature prominently. Channels will include contemporary and niche music formats, francophone, multilingual and ethnic programming, and content from around the world.
1 November 2004
Arabic-language satellite news channel Al Jazeera is pressing ahead with plans for the launch of its English-language service in 2005, said Nigel Parsons, the Managing Director of Al Jazeera International.
Speaking in Hong Kong at Asia Pacific pay-TV industry meeting, the annual CASBAA Convention, Mr Parsons said the English-language network will operate from regional studios and newsrooms in Washington and London, plus a yet to be determined Asia Pacific hub, as well as its headquarters in Doha, Qatar.
The target audience for Al Jazeera’s English-language service is global, said Mr Parsons. “Not just Muslims who don’t speak Arabic. The brief is emphatically not to do an English translation of our Arabic channel. It will have international appeal and aims to fill gaps in existing output. I think we might have a ready audience there, but it is not going to be an anti-western or anti-American channel. Absolutely not.”
Apart from its core news output, in addition to hosting talk shows and a wide range of current affairs programming, Al Jazeera’s English-language channel will place considerable emphasis on events in the developing world and human interest stories.
Within the next few weeks Al Jazeera intends to announce whether its Asia Pacific hub will be stationed in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. “We expect to create more than 300 new jobs worldwide for the network,” said Mr Parsons.
Besides its Arabic-language and English-language news channels, the Qatar-based network is already broadcasting an Arabic-language sports channel under the Al Jazeera banner and intends to launch a children’s channel and a documentary channel during 2005.
26 October 2004
Leading satellite services provider GlobeCast extends its global fibre network to Japan as a result of a deal struck with Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI. Japanese and international broadcasters can now backhaul their ad-hoc or permanent video feeds to Japan, or distribute them from Tokyo to the rest of the world, via GlobeCasts global fibre network.
The Tokyo point-of-presence (PoP) is linked via a fully redundant fibre optic link from Tokyo directly to GlobeCasts Los Angeles teleport, the West Coast access to GlobeCasts global fibre network. In addition to Tokyo and Los Angeles, GlobeCasts fibre network includes 9 other points-of-presence: New York, Washington D.C., Miami, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Singapore and Sydney. The interconnection between the points-of-presence and GlobeCasts 15 teleports and technical operations centres allows the operator to offer customers hybrid satellite/fibre solutions satisfying all possible video or multimedia transmission requirements
The new circuit can move video between Tokyo and the rest of the world using dedicated 8 Mbps and 18 Mbps routes. Higher bandwidth circuits can also be provided. KDDI supplies GlobeCast with the Tokyo PoP, the Tokyo-Los Angeles link as well as connectivity with all Japanese broadcasters and international bureaux installed in Tokyo. Other GlobeCast services offered with this new link include 24/7 booking and monitoring, video standards conversion and HDTV transmissions.
