Last Friday June 17th another tedious Motion was submitted to the Delaware bankruptcy court in the long-running, never-ending saga that is “Worldspace Inc. Et al (Debtors)” and its chapter 11 proceedings. Worldspace was a would-be pay-radio operator which spent – and arguably wasted – billions in its attempt to match internationally what Sirius-XM had achieved […]
Norwegian public broadcaster NRK is about to embark on its longest-ever transmissions from sea. It takes the shape of a very real reality TV show during the ‘world’s most beautiful voyage’ aboard the Hurtigruten as it visits 34 ports along the Norwegian coast. NRK will install multiple cameras onboard the Hurtigruten ship, broadcasting and recording […]
Imagine, if you will, that some of our great tech companies are football (i.e. soccer) teams. Would Microsoft be Real Madrid perhaps? A great history – even if some of it, in both cases, remains shrouded in mystery – very rich and very powerful. But living a bit on past glories? A deserved reputation for […]
Canadian satellite operator Telesat is up for sale. But there’s now a highly public dispute between two of its shareholders as to the sale price. Canada’s Public Sector Investment Board holds a 36 per cent stake in Telesat but has the majority of directors because of complex local ownership rules. It is holding out for […]
It seems everyone in the satellite business wants to cosy up to Qatar’s billions! A few weeks ago, Paris-based Eutelsat struck a “strategic alliance” to build a new satellite (from Space Systems/Loral). Now Luxembourg-based SES has signed a MoU with ictQatar covering the provision of joint satellite platforms, networks and services. The agreement was reached […]
A decision which will allow Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp to buy the 61 per cent of BSkyB that it does not already own is due any day now. The UK government is expected to give its approval to a take-over subject to the well-publicised decision to spin-off Sky News into a self-contained stand-alone business. The […]
Have you heard that by 2013 and a bit, the amount of Internet Video transmitted every week will hit a guzillion Gbs? That’s the same as 20 hexabillion or 100 terratillion, and that’s loads. Only five years ago the whole Internet only carried 10 zintillion all year… think what we were missing. Actually, I just […]
A possible merger between the USA’s two satellite pay-TV giants DirecTV and Dish Network is a topic that we have already covered earlier this year. Now, however, we have the fresh knowledge that newly appointed Dish Network CEO Joe Clayton also agrees it is a possibility. This is not to say it will happen, of […]
The market’s view of SES’ May 12 results remains positive despite the potential inventory of more than 20 unsold transponders currently used to beam analogue channels to German viewers. There are also a few slippages in the upcoming six-satellite additions to the SES fleet this year. Indeed, investment bankers Morgan Stanley, in a note to […]
Sky Deutschland is Germany’s best-performing media stock this year, up 68 per cent, and helped by the consensus view that by about this time next year the company will have achieved its all-important target of 3 million subs and thus move into cashflow positive territory. HDTV has proven to be the cornerstone of Sky-D’s success, […]