The European Union has sanctioned RTRS, the Russian digital television transmission company, but not RSCC, the state-owned satellite company, which is doing exactly the same thing, claims Andre Lange, who heads up the influential Denis Diderot Committee. In a press release, the European Council announced that the list of new propagandists and entities sanctioned by […]
Italy’s media sector generated over €12 billion in revenue last year, a 4 per cent increase from 2023, according to the annual report of the Communications Authority (AgCom). Television accounted for the majority, contributing 72.8 per cent of the total (€8.8 billion), reflecting a 7.3 per cent growth. This growth was primarily driven by advertising […]
SES has announced the completion of its acquisition of Intelsat, creating a strengthened global satellite operator with an expanded fleet of 120 satellites across two orbits. SES says the newly combined company will “leverage its skilled teams with deep vertical expertise to deliver integrated multi-orbit, multi-band satellite and connectivity solutions to businesses and governments around […]
July 11th saw the clearest indication that the long wait for SES to receive its permissions to acquire rival Intelsat is coming to an end, with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) giving its approval to the transfer “of the control of licenses from Intelsat to SES”. This, in effect, ends the FCC’s oversight of the […]
Eutelsat and Swiss broadcasting corporation SSR SRG have announced the multi-year renewal of their capacity agreement at Eutelsat’s HOTBIRD video neighbourhood. The partnership has already spanned over 30 years. This new agreement assures the broadcast continuity of SSR SSG Group’s HD television channels and radio stations to audiences across Switzerland who are living beyond the […]
Charlie Ergen, founder and chairman of the EchoStar/DISH combination, is reported to be negotiating with some of the company’s bond and debt-holders for extensions to its debt payment obligations. However, some debt interest payment obligations have – or are about to be – met. But there are still challenges. For example, the FCC is pushing […]
Sky Europe is to sell its Sky Deutschland operation. RTL will acquire the German-language pay-TV operation which includes subscribers in Austria and Switzerland as well as Germany itself. RTL is paying an initial €150 million “with additional variable consideration linked to future value creation”. The end result for RTL will be an audience of 11.5 […]
Satellite operator trade body GSOA has welcomed the European Commission’s publication of the proposed EU Space Act and the accompanying Vision for the European Space Economy, suggesting that the developments acknowledge the strategic relevance of space infrastructure and services for Europe’s economic resilience, technological sovereignty, competitiveness and digital future. The GSOA says that as the […]
Satellite operator SES has raised two €500 million bonds. SES, as is usual in these cases, says it shall apply the net proceeds of the Notes towards its general corporate purposes, including, without limitation (i) financing all or part of the purchase price of the acquisition of Intelsat Holdings (including the payment of fees, costs […]
Eutelsat’s newly appointed CEO, Jean-François Fallacher, speaking at the Paris Air Show, firmly denied that the satellite operator was in financial difficulties. “Let me correct a misimpression: Eutelsat does not have financial difficulties: No. Eutelsat has a need for financing. There’s a difference,” Fallacher asserted. “We need financing to develop the constellation and continue our […]