On 8 November, leading satellite services company GlobeCast announced that a further three channels have signed up to its global distribution network. New horse-racing channel Racing UK and TWC Re:loaded a spin-off from The Wrestling Channel will be available on BSkyBs platform, uplinked via Eurobird 28.5°E from GlobeCasts Brookmans Park teleport.
GlobeCast has also struck a third deal with Discovery Networks Europe to deliver, via its London to Paris fibre connection, the broadcasters flagship channel in France. Discovery Channel launched in September on Canal Satellite, France Telecom Cable and NC Numericable in France as well as on Parabole Reunion within the French-speaking territories in the Indian Ocean. The launch, with a potential subscriber base of 3.2 million, completes the channels footprint in Western Europe.
GlobeCast head of UK channel distribution Juliet Bayliss said: It is a measure of GlobeCasts flexibility and range of services that such a wide variety of broadcasters have chosen us for their DTH delivery requirements. We now deliver more than 500 channels worldwide and many of those are looking to expand into new territories. We are well-placed to help them.
Racing UK, broadcast by Setanta Sport, is available on Sky Digital EPG 432 as well as via cable on Telewest channel 537. The channel, which launched in May 2004, broadcasts racing from 31 UK racecourses. At launch, it shared its satellite channel location with iSport but moved to its own channel (432) in September. It introduced subscription in October, signing up 50 per cent of its year one target audience in a week. GlobeCast also broadcasts North American Sports Network (NASN) for Setanta.
The Wrestling Channel, run by Dolphin TV, is broadcast on Sky Digital EPG 427 while TWC Re:loaded launched on 25 October on EPG 428.