23 September 2004
According to a note posted on the EBUs website, France’s television channel TF1 has stopped sending news teams to Iraq because of the risk of kidnappings.
“We have decided not to replace the teams going to Baghdad. When our team that is currently over there comes back, we will wait a little before sending another one,” said TF1 news director Robert Namias, speaking on RTL radio on 22 September.
The current team is due back at the end of this week, Namias added.
Two French journalists, Radio France correspondent Christian Chesnot and Le Figaro reporter Georges Malbrunot, and their Syrian driver, Mohammed al-Jundi, were seized south of Baghdad on 20 August.
21 September 2004
ABC Television Network, a unit of The Walt Disney Company, has reached agreement with Teletrax to electronically track the U.S. television airings of its TV show promotions. ABC will use Teletrax to detect and monitor usage of its on-air promotions by ABC broadcasters in the top 100 U.S. markets.
ABC will use Teletrax to monitor television promotions for some of its most popular series including “Alias”, “NYPD Blue” and “The Bachelor.” ABC produces thousands of promotions every year that are featured in news, daytime, primetime, late night, and sports slots, which will now be tracked by Teletrax. In employing Teletrax’s patented technology and monitoring service to track and analyze TV airings of show promotions, ABC joins other high-profile Teletrax clients who have also signed long-term contracts with the video watermarking company to monitor similar content.
“Each day, ABC television programming entertains and informs millions of Americans, making the network’s content eminently valuable,” said Andy Nobbs, managing director of Teletrax. “We are delighted that ABC has selected Teletrax’s unrivaled short-form, promotional spot tracking service to enhance the ROI practices for its properties.”
Teletrax’s technology embeds an imperceptible and indelible digital watermark into video whenever it is edited, broadcast or duplicated. A global network of decoders, or “detectors,” then captures all occurrences of the embedded video being broadcast via satellite, cable or terrestrially and generates tracking reports for the original content owners. Additionally, Teletrax can detect usage with granular precision, down to one second of video, and it is unaffected by conversion from one video format to another, such as transfer from NTSC to PAL, the two most widely used television systems worldwide.
Launched more than two years ago as a service using patented technology developed by a joint venture between Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands and Medialink, Teletrax is the first and only global video watermarking service. With the continuing growth of TV channels worldwide fueling demand for video material, Teletrax services and technology hold vast potential to help content providers such as motion picture studios, TV sports and entertainment program producers and distributors, news organizations and advertisers unlock greater benefits from their video assets. Significant applications of Teletrax include monitoring contractual compliance, auditing residuals, understanding repurposing of long-form and promotional material, and managing copyrighted material.
Since 2002, Teletrax has rapidly expanded its global monitoring network to nearly 50 nations with more than 800 channels currently tracked in North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, the Middle East and South America.
20 September 2004
The Advert Channel has signed a three-year contract with independent global communications company, Inmedia, that will see Britain get its first 24 hour TV station dedicated solely to airing adverts. Broadcasting on the Sky digital satellite channel 694, the Advert Channel is dedicated to bringing viewers the best (and worst) TV adverts from around the world, with a focus on adverts as a form of entertainment, culture and from an artistic and creative aspect.
Love them or hate them, everyone has an opinion on adverts, says the channels co-founder, Chelsey Baker. Programmes on the station will include Ad Chat, where presenters will chat live about the top TV adverts; Advert Focus, looking at ads making the news; Adverts for You, featuring the adverts that make you laugh, cry and those that are controversial; and Adverts Today, a behind-the-scenes look at how top adverts are made. Themed shows will focus on commercials of a certain era and segments, such as ads from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, late night adverts, sports and celebrity adverts.
The deal will ensure the smooth delivery of the new channels 24 hour programming to Skys 7.3 million subscribers using Inmedias fully-managed playout and satellite uplinking via its EUROBIRD transponder.
20 September 2004
Albanias Head of State Alfred Moisiu awarded his country’s Presidential Medal for “special civilian merit” to the Voice of America’s Albanian Service in an award ceremony in Tirana on 17 September.
VOA “was and continues to be a joint traveler of our history of the last six decades by being the voice of hope and freedom to Albanians,” President Moisiu said as he presented the medal to International Broadcasting Bureau Director Seth Cropsey. Calling VOA broadcasts an “irreplaceable source of information,” the president recalled the period of democratic transition in the early 1990s as “especially unforgettable…when people followed the Voice of America as if it was water in the desert.” President Moisiu also said that VOA continues to enjoy the attention of a large audience thanks to its objective news and airing of independent and balanced views. Director Cropsey accepted the award on behalf of VOA’s Albanian Service, thanking Albania for its continued support of VOA, its allegiance to the United States, and its assistance in the war on terrorism.
VOA Albanian’s popular TV news program Ditari is broadcast daily to audiences throughout the Balkans. VOA also transmits 8 hours a week of news in Albanian via shortwave. Programs are available on the Internet at www.VOAnews.com/Albanian.
20 September 2004
SES ASTRA has further strengthened its position as the UK’s leading direct-to-home (DTH) satellite company with a major two-transponder contract with Channel 4.
It is SES ASTRA’s first direct deal with the British terrestrial channel, and the transmission capacity will be used across a variety of Channel 4’s digital channels as well as its extensive range of associated interactive TV applications.
David Scott, Deputy Chief Executive of Channel 4, said: “These transponders will provide Channel 4 with considerable flexibility when considering the expansion and future development of our broadcast services. We have worked with SES ASTRA in the past and look forward to a continued successful relationship.”
Alexander Oudendijk, SES ASTRA Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said: “Channel 4 programmes are watched by more than 75% of the UK population during an average week and we are delighted to add such a prominent terrestrial broadcaster to our client list. The UK is an extremely important market for SES ASTRA and this deal not only strengthens our position in the UK but also underpins our status as Europe’s leading DTH satellite company.”
On 15 September, SES ASTRA had announced its first transponder contract with the Broadcast division of communications giant ntl. The agreement gives ntl additional capacity in the rapidly expanding UK market for small channel launches.
The deal allows ntl to offer a seamless one-stop-shop solution including studio facilities and playout services from its Broadcast Media Centre at Feltham, contribution links, and the ASTRA 28.2° East satellite uplink and downlink. It will be of particular interest to new broadcasters and satellite channel start-ups.
ntl’s Broadcast division provides end-to-end service solutions for satellite channels and transmission services for terrestrial broadcasters. The company uplinks around 150 services from three teleports in London and Hampshire. It also provides comprehensive studio and playout services, and a full range of satellite newsgathering facilities including fully crewed production and uplink vehicles.
ASTRA’s 13 satellites transmit over 1400 analogue and digital TV and radio channels as well as multimedia and internet services. Its two prime DTH orbital positions are 19.2° East and 28.2° East. Professional services such as Satellite News Gathering and Cable Contribution transmit from 23.5° and 5.2 °East.
20 September 2004
On 16 September Intelsat announced that is has decided to end its 51% participation in Galaxy Satellite TV Holdings Limited of Hong Kong, whose subsidiary Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited provides local and international pay-TV programming to the Hong Kong market.
Intelsats partner in the Galaxy business, TVB, will acquire Intelsats share in the joint venture and has agreed to release Intelsat from any future cash contributions. A related existing agreement for Intelsats in-kind contribution of satellite capacity on the IS-709 satellite will end on 31 March 2005. Intelsats financial results for the period ended 30 September 2004 will reflect a non-cash charge of approximately $30 million to write down the Galaxy investment.
We continue to believe that Galaxys service offering represents an attractive alternative for pay-TV subscribers in Hong Kong, said Conny Kullman, CEO of Intelsat. Galaxys growth has been slower than anticipated, however, and it is not in Intelsats strategic interest to invest additional resources and management time on this business.
