Chris Forrester is one of the most experienced and highly regarded journalists in the field. His insight and analysis, particularly in the satellite and pay-TV arena, is highly prized. He has written for all the major business journals in the sector as well as several national newspapers.
Russian space agency Roscosmos says the modernisation of the Sea Launch rocket platform will start in November. Sea Launch is now based in the Russian Far East and Roscosmos director general Dmitry Rogozin says the reconstruction of the launch platform also meant that other problems including legal issues needed to be solved. Rogozin made his […]
A major report on satellite operator SES from analysts at investment bank Berenberg is blunt and expresses doubt in the growth of its ‘Mobility’ division which the bank expects to suffer “materially” slower growth in its coming Q4 numbers and not aided by the pandemic hitting some of SES’s major clients (IFE operators Gogo and […]
Virgin Orbit, the satellite launch business headed by Sir Richard Branson, has reportedly hired a couple of investment banks. Normally this suggests the company is looking for strategic investors or perhaps even a sale or merger. According to Space Intel Report (SIR) the Branson company has hired Lion Tree Advisors as well as Perella Weinberg […]
Investment bank Jefferies has initiated coverage of Israeli telco and broadcaster Bezeq and giving the company a ‘Buy’ rating. Jefferies confirms that Bezeq, which supplies fixed-line and cellular telephony and is the 100 per cent owner of pay-TV operator YES TV, will launch its fibre network later this year following a change to Israeli regulations […]
RTL-owned production giant Fremantle says that out of some 200 of its TV productions that were closed down during the Covid-19 lockdowns, around 80 per cent have restarted or been completed. RTL Group CFO Björn Bauer, speaking at Deutsche Bank’s 2020 European TMT Conference, told delegates that 2021 should see demand being strong from streaming […]
Nicolas de Tavernost, CEO of French broadcaster M6 (backed by RTL Grp), has reiterated his view that a major change of European regulation is needed regarding broadcaster consolidation as he believes the headlines will be dominated by the theme over the next years. In an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche, de Tavernost put forward […]
Most satellites that depend on chemical propulsion once in orbit are designed with an orbit lifetime of some 12-15 years. However, electrical propulsion can dramatically extend that life in orbit. Turksat is using Airbus Defence & Space to build its latest craft, Turksat 5A which is scheduled for launch in later this year by SpaceX. […]
Earlier this week Giles Thorne, a media & telecoms analyst at investment bank Jefferies, gave Eutelsat a set of rosy expectations and a target share price of €18. A similar examination of prospects for satellite operator SES does not deliver the same optimistic forecasts… Indeed, the bank’s summary is pretty miserable, and despite a ‘Buy’ […]
Investment bank Jefferies, in its report on Sky Italia renewing their long-term distribution contract with Eutelsat, says that the deal removes a “sword of Damocles” from Eutelsat’s prospects. “It removes a huge overhand for the stock,” says analyst Giles Thorne. Eutelsat’s share price has been in the doldrums for months, and the renewal news lifted […]
Israel-based Gilat Satellite Networks has reported Q2 revenues of $38.3 million – down 36 per cent on the same period last year. The company also confirmed that the purchase of Gilat by Comtech Telecommunications remains at considerable risk. Gilat and Comtech are involved in litigation against each other. The purchase was originally priced at $50 […]
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