The BBC has confirmed that it will start beta testing its popular iPlayer service on Freesat from the end of this month. BBC's iPlayer debuted on Virgin Media's cable service last year, but this will be the first subscription-free platform to get the fully-fledged version of iPlayer. ….
The global DTH market for subscribers is likely to pass the 200 million mark by 2018, according to the research firm NSR. A total of 99 DTH operators beamed over 13,800 channels to 114 million subscribers and generated over $65 billion in subscription revenue as of the end of 2008. The report spans 10 regions […]
SES has confirmed that the public Polish television Telewizja Polska (TVP) will launch a free-to-air platform on Astra. TVP has therefore extended its satellite capacity contracts for the use of two transponders at Astra's main orbital position 19.2 degrees East. TVP has been using this capacity since 2005. TVP is the largest public TV broadcaster […]
Intelsat, the world's leading provider of fixed satellite services, has confirmed that South African direct-to-home (DTH) television operator, MultiChoice, has signed a long-term, multi-transponder agreement for satellite capacity. The agreement extends and expands MultiChoice's existing contract on the Intelsat 7 satellite at 68.5º E to the follow-on satellite, Intelsat 20 (IS-20), which is slated to […]
GlobeCast has renewed and significantly expanded its contract with UEFA in a deal to provide HD coverage of the Champions League and HD and SD coverage of the Europa League to non-European rights holders. As a result, GlobeCast has made a significant investment of more than E2million in HD upgrades for its two UK sites, […]
US and European economic stimulus packges are hampering the prospects for delivering broadband Internet access via satellite, SES, the world's largest satellite operator, has warned. Support for wireless broadband technologies through tax breaks in the US and auctions of broadcast spectrum in Europe were giving terrestrial technology the edge, Romain Bausch, chief executive, said. "I […]
Spain’s Telefonica is still interested in being a minority partner in the pay-TV group Digital+ the company’s chief operating officer Julio Linares has said. Telefonica previously tabled an offer for Prisa’s Digital+ along with the French group in partnership with Viviendi, but the bid was rejected by Prisa as being too low. Linares said Telefonica […]
News Corp has unveiled details of a shake-up of its Hong Kong-based Star television group as James Murdoch, chairman and chief executive for Europe and Asia, looks to cut costs and consolidate overlapping businesses in the region. About 150-200 jobs at Star are expected to go in the Hong Kong office over the next 12 […]
The pay-TV merger between Showtime Arabia and rival Orbit has concluded. The deal was announced last month, although no official valuation was given. Showtime Arabia had reportedly bought out its Viacom minority partner in its Gulf-DTH operation. Kipco, an investment vehicle ultimately controlled by the Kuwait royal family which already controlled 75.3% of Gulf-DTH.
Intelsat reported results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2009 with revenue of $642.5 million and a net loss of $32.7 million for the three months. The company reported EBITDAi, of $522.4 million. "Intelsat's record Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of 2009 surpassed the $500 million level for the first […]