2 July 2004
From 1 July, VT Merlin Communications and Vosper Mantech will be known as VT Communications. The new name and brand will be rolled out over the coming months. VT Communications will not however be a legal entity and customers will continue to contract with either VT Merlin Communications or Vosper Mantech.
The new name and brand aims to enhance the existing image and allow the company to present a clearer offering for all its customers.
Together, VT Merlin Communications and Vosper Mantech form the Communications Division of VT Group plc. Significant integration of the two businesses had already taken place with a unified management structure and co-location of certain key functions. Increasingly, the combined capabilities of VT Merlin Communications and Vosper Mantech were used to satisfy customer requirements.
2 July 2004
As part of a major re-launch, Middle-East based broadcaster, Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), has selected Encoda Systems to act as systems integrator and supplier to replace all its existing manual transmission and scheduling systems.
The phased implementation will see the installation of Encodas D Series Automation and programme scheduling and air-time sales solution Broadcast Master to transmit and manage its four current channels; EDTV, Channel 33, Dubai Sports and Dubai Business Channel. In addition, Broadcast Masters commercial sales module will allow DMI to optimise sales revenue from commercial air-time for the first time.
In order to make this critical project run as smoothly as possible it was essential we contracted a single vendor with outstanding technical depth and expertise gained from managing substantial and sophisticated projects, explains Hassan Chahine, technical director of DMI. Encoda was the only company that could provide a one-stop-shop solution for automation and scheduling that fully met our needs and guaranteed delivery, implementation and training to our extremely high quality standards and within our demanding timescales.
DMIs re-launch marks yet another milestone in the creation of the center of excellence for media, which General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister pledged to build in Dubai in 2000, said Angelika Bergmann, EMEA president of Encoda. We are delighted Encodas existing clients in Dubai Media City are being joined by DMI ensuring the Emirate becomes a world class center for broadcasters in the region.
2 July 2004
The Indian television broadcaster, DOORDARSHAN has chosen Autocues QSeries NRCS and QSeries Automation, in the form of Cap Gen Control, for seven regional newsrooms. The shipments have already taken place and installations shall begin soon.
The regional newsrooms shall be scattered at various places all over the country and each of them shall have remote licenses too since Doordarshans central newsroom has also been Autocues QSeries in recent years. Currently Doordarshans 24 hours News Channel, DD News is using 35 QSeries Licenses.
Autocue now has ten QSeries Newsroom installations in India. Richard K. Dukes, Autocue Executive Sales and Marketing Director, states India is Autocues leading business market in Asia and the subcontinent and everyone is excited by this latest success in this most important market.
2 July 2004
SES Astra has entered into a binding agreement to acquire a 75.2% stake in DPC (Digital Playout Center) from German Pay-TV operator Premiere. The transaction, for a consideration of EUR 41.2 million, is subject to approval by competition authorities.
DPC (Digital Playout Center) operates a teleport facility in Munich and offers services comprising play-out, multiplexing, encryption and satellite uplinks to private as well as public broadcasters. Under SES Astras helmsmanship, DPC will diversify its service offering by launching Germanys first and only open Pay-TV platform using Premiere compatible digital set top boxes.
Dr. Georg Kofler, President and CEO of Premiere, explains: SES Astra and Premiere have concluded an agreement which will allow DPC to offer a wide range of services on a neutral basis. We are convinced that DPC under SES Astra Management will be in an ideal position to grow its business and to establish itself as the leading value-added service provider in the fast developing digital market.
Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES Astra, concurs: With this transaction, SES Astra is extending its position in the value chain and broadening the scope of its service portfolio with the provision of encryption services. DPC will offer its state-of-the-art services to customers on a non-discriminatory and neutral basis. We are convinced that the creation of the ASTRA/DPC open platform corresponds to a true market demand. Using Premiere compatible set top boxes, of which several dozen models from different manufacturers are readily available in the marketplace, German households wanting to enhance their TV line-up beyond the host of free-to-air channels on ASTRA can subscribe to the Pay-TV offer of their choice. DPCs extended service offering will ultimately enhance freedom of choice in the interest of the consumers and provide another overall boost to ASTRA DTH reception. It will also significantly speed up the uptake of digital and support the German governments proclaimed policy of switching off analogue broadcasts by 2010.
DPC, under its new ownership, will retain its corporate identity, name, Munich premises and headquarters, as well as the existing Management and staff. The company is being acquired debt-free and its results, which generated a turnover of EUR 31.5 million in 2003, will be fully consolidated into the accounts of SES Astras parent company SES GLOBAL.
2 July 2004
GlobeCast will deploy nine SNG (satellite newsgathering) trucks on location during the 2004 Tour de France to secure live transmissions, including world feed delivery, of the international cycling race for the Tour de France organizer A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation), EBU (the European Broadcasting Union), francetélévisions, and Intelsat on behalf of OLN (Outdoor Life Network). The 2004 Tour de France takes place 3-25 July.
GlobeCasts SNG teams will mobilize at each stage of the Tour de France, providing both satellite and microwave trucks to transmit world feed footage from location to mobile studio facilities located at the finish line in Paris. The world feed is being filmed by SFP (Société Française de Production) on behalf of world feed producer francetélévisions. Up to 16 channels will be available from the GlobeCast field SNG units, which will also accommodate broadcasters unilateral feeds.
From the finish line studio, fiber will carry the produced world feed signal to four stationary SNG trucks dedicated to A.S.O., EBU, francetélévisions and Intelsat for OLN, furnished by GlobeCast for the entirely of the race. Additionally, GlobeCast will manage 24/7 booking and global satellite distribution to supply rightsholders throughout Asia, America and Australia.
The Tour de France is just one of the world’s major sporting events covered by GlobeCast every year.
1 July 2004
The AIB Executive Committee, the governance body that oversees the administration and long-term strategy of the Association for International Broadcasting, has elected Dennis Israel of InterMedia Survey Institute as its Chairman.
Other members of the Executive Committee are Mike Chandler, SES ASTRA; Linden Clark, Radio New Zealand International; Tom Dine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Elzbieta Olechowska, Radio Canada International.
