7 October 2004
Harris Corporation has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Encoda Systems Holdings, Inc., a leading global supplier of software and service solutions for the broadcast media industry, including television, radio, cable, satellite, and advertising agency customers around the world. Encoda’s end-to-end workflow solutions include traffic and billing and program-scheduling systems that are broadcast industry standards, and their automation and media asset management solutions are very complementary to Harris’ existing automation business.
Encoda Systems is a privately held company, owned by Thomas H. Lee Partners, Blackstone Capital Partners, Evercore Capital Partners, and others, that resulted from a combination of Enterprise Software, Columbine JDS Systems, and Drake Automation. Today, the company has approximately 700 employees with operations in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia. It serves more than 600 customers in 34 countries. Encoda revenue for the 12 months ended June 30, 2004, was $124 million. Harris will acquire Encoda Systems for approximately $340 million in cash, subject to post-closing adjustments, customary closing conditions, and regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in early November, and the acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to Harris earnings in fiscal year 2005 at approximately $0.12 per diluted share. This excludes the write-off of in-process R&D and one-time integration costs, which cannot be determined at this time without unreasonable efforts.
“Encoda Systems is an outstanding strategic fit with Harris’ industry-leading Broadcast Communications business,” said Howard L. Lance, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Harris Corporation. “Encoda’s enterprise software solutions will significantly expand Harris’ existing product offering to the global broadcast media market. Encoda will also give Harris market reach beyond our existing customer base into new cable and satellite markets.
“As digital content continues to move center stage in the media industry, Harris will be leading with solutions for our customers that automate workflow, improve efficiency, and reduce costs,” Lance continued. “With this acquisition, Harris can now truly offer end-to-end workflow solutions – software, hardware, and services – for customers worldwide. Clearly, the combination of Harris and Encoda solutions will create a powerful resource that can address all phases of the complex transition of technology to modernize and streamline operations.”
“The Harris-Encoda combination is a solid partnership between two leaders in the broadcast media industry,” said Don Doctor, chairman of Encoda Systems. “It is good news for our customers and good news for our employees. Harris has made a long-term commitment to the broadcast media industry and has the size and resources to insure continuing investments in technology.”
6 October 2004
The AIB has responded on behalf of its members to the UK’s media regulator’s proposals on Britain’s broadcasting code.
“The AIB is committed to ensuring that the views of international television and radio broadcasters are know by regulators around the world,” said Simon Spanswick, AIB Chief Executive. “We monitor plans for changes to established broadcasting regulation, let our members know what’s happening in markets they may operate in and then collate views and provide a unified response. It’s vital that as broadcasters develop services in new markets worldwide that they know about the regulation there, and planned changes that could have an impact on their business.”
The proposed Ofcom Broadcasting Code in Britain will replace separate codes that were implemented by Ofcom’s predecessors, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission and the Radio Authority.
The AIB submission is available for download at
www.aib.org.uk/UK_Ofcom_Response.pdf
6 October 2004
The AIB will be exhibiting at this year’s Broadcast India industry convention, taking place in Mumbai from 28 to 30 October.
With more than 20,000 visitors expected, this event is the main broadcasting exhibition in South Asia, a burgeoning media market.
“We’ll be representing AIB members at Broadcast India,” says Anver Anderson, AIB Director of Business Development. “Members have the opportunity to use the AIB exhibit as a base, and to display promotional material ensuring that whether or not they have their own exhibit at the show, their brand is in front of thousands of visitors.”
More details of the AIB’s participation will be published at the AIB website in the run-up to the conference and exhibition. The conference takes place on 26 and 27 October, with the exhibition running between 28 and 30 October 2004.
6 October 2004
As a sign of the explosive growth in the Eureka 147 digital audio broadcasting (DAB) market, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) announced that it is has shipped one million digital radio basebands for receivers in the DAB market. Spurred by the launch of the first TI digital signal processor (DSP)-based RadioScape module in September of 2003, TI continues the pace it set in this market by outgrowing competition over the past year.
We are very excited to get to the one million milestone in such a short space of time, said Nigel Oakley, vice president of Marketing at RadioScape. The release of our range of modules has really accelerated the adoption of DAB and contributed to the record time of reaching one million units shipped. Our modules combination of RadioScapes Software Defined Digital Radio approach and TIs powerful DSPs meets manufacturers needs perfectly by providing tremendous scope for rapid innovation and product customization as well as being highly cost effective. This has resulted in milestones such as the first MP3 and DAB player, the first FM/RDS DAB radio and the first tri-band DAB receiver. In addition, this software approach has enabled us to pioneer innovative features such as pause, rewind, record, Electronic Program Guide, 5.1 surround sound and video that can be implemented for nominal additional costs as these are done via software.”
Many of the leading digital radio manufacturers have built radios around TIs analog and digital radio basebands, including Acoustic Solutions Limited, Cambridge Audio, Hitachi, Intempo, LG Electronics, Morphy Richards, Perstel and Roberts Radio Limited. In addition, module makers leveraging TIs digital radio solution have played an important role in the growth of this market, including GyroSignal, KwangSung Electronics and TBK Electronics, by enabling manufacturers to get DAB radios to market more quickly and cost effectively.
We would like to thank RadioScape and all of our customers and technology partners for the tremendous success we have seen so far in the DAB market, said Les Mable, business development manager for Digital Radio, Texas Instruments. TIs Digital Radio business has experienced exceptional growth over the last two years and will continue to drive this market by pioneering innovations that will enable the technology and features of tomorrow.
RadioScape is one of the world leaders in Software Defined Digital Radio solutions and provides not only DAB broadcast infrastructure but also the software used on these TI chips and designs DAB modules based on these same chips.
5 October 2004
ProSiebenSat1 Produktion and SES ASTRA are serving up a first in European commercial free-to-air television. On 14 October, ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion will, for the very first time, simultaneously broadcast a high-resolution HDTV (High Definition Television) signal in parallel with the traditional digital standard-resolution via ASTRA 19.2° East.
The ProSieben/BBC co-production “Pride – The Law of the Savannah” (a wildlife programme about the adventures of a young lion) will be available to viewers equipped with appropriate receivers both via conventional standard-definition (SD) reception and, exclusively via ASTRA, in the new, crystal-clear HDTV standard.
The visual experience will be completed by Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, providing viewers for the first time ever with true cinema quality in the living room. Technically speaking, the broadcast will be simulcast in parallel to the regular SD signal, the film being played out in HDCAM SR (1080i/50 Hz) and delivered to an MPEG-2 HD encoder with a data rate of some 1.4 gigabits/s. The HD broadcast of Pride will be available via ASTRA Transponder No. 103 (12460 Mhz, H-polarisation, SR 27.500, FEC ¾.). An HD promo trailor of Pride will be available as of October 12th. The transponder capacity required for this HDTV premiere in commercial Free-TV is provided courtesy of SES ASTRA.
Dr. Martin Emele, Management Board Member and Head of Technologies, views the first HDTV broadcast of ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion as a milestone, and Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, welcomes the HD Initiative: “ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion has produced an HD trailer for ‘Pride’ which is broadcast as part of the ASTRA HDTV promotion channel and which has proved to be an eye-catcher notably at the recent IBC trade fair in Amsterdam. We are very pleased to be able to assist one of Germany’s leading private broadcasting companies in testing HDTV and, based on current market trends, remain convinced that the successive transfer from standard resolution to HDTV will have the same impact on the television sector as the introduction of colour TV.”
5 October 2004
French international broadcaster Radio France Internationale has signed a partnership agreement with public service broadcaster Radio Canada.
From 4 October, RFIs information and cultural programmes can be heard on Radio Canadas Première Chaîne every day.
Radio Canada will also be able to tap into RFIs vast network of correspondents, which is particularly extensive in African countries.
Sylvain Lafrance, VP Radio of Radio Canada welcomed the cooperation by saying: « De tels échanges entre médias internationaux permettent d’offrir à l’auditoire canadien un contenu plus diversifié en matière d’information et d’accroître notre ouverture et notre compréhension du monde. » And Antoine Schwarz, Président of RFI commented that he hopes this is a first step which will lead both stations to explore further possibilities of cooperation.
www.radio-canada.ca/radio
www.rfi.fr
