Euroconsult, the research and analyst firm specialised in the satellite communications sector, has published the findings of its most recent study of fixed satellite services. The report provides in-depth profiles of all 37 currently-active FSS satellite operators, plus nine companies that will launch commercial satellites in the near future. “2010 was a particularly important year […]
Paraguay’s Cable Operators Association says some 40 per cent of its former pay-TV subscribers are now viewing signals direct from satellites. The Association’s 60 members have a presence in 55 main cities and regions of the country, and have now requested a meeting with Paraguay’s president to discuss what they see as a major problem. […]
India multi-system cable operator Asianet has reportedly switched off transmissions from ESPN’s local channel in an argument over carriage fees. Asianet says it is being asked for “unjustifiable commercial terms”. ESPN’s Star Sports channel is directly affected, and is currently the source for the England vs India cricket contest. ESPN’s contract expired back in May […]
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is reportedly looking to launch an Arabic financial news channel. Arabian Business says his Kingdom Holdings is in talks with Bloomberg about a joint-venture that would compete directly with Dubai-based CNBC Arabia, a financial news channel that has been on air since 2003. Should the channel get the go-ahead, it would […]
Australian pay-TV operator Foxtel will consider taking legal action against the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) if it is unsuccessful in overturning the regulator’s preliminary view that its A$1.9 billion acquisition of regional pay-TV group Austar is anti-competitive (see ‘Regulator raises Foxtel Austar bid concerns’, July 22). Foxtel chief executive Kim Williams contends that […]
India’s reliable Business Standard magazine is reporting that “Worldspace India”, once it has its local output established, has plans “also to tap markets outside India and increase the number of channels on offer to 20”. The report confirms that the proposed DTH and web-based radio service has also “now acquired the licence to use the […]
Skylink, an operator of satellite television broadcasting in the Czech and Slovak markets, has approved SMiT’s Irdeto Advanced Security Dual Mode CAM for its digital satellite network services. New product will be launched on the market via local partners on July. SMiT VP Stephen He noted that SMiT had been supplying secure CA modules to […]
It seems increasingly likely that James Murdoch will be asked to step aside from his chairmanship role at BSkyB while the assorted investigations into News Corp continue. BSkyB’s independent directors are reportedly adamant that until the phone-hacking scandal is resolved – and which has now seen former News of the World editor Colin Myler directly […]
Australia’s competition regulator has raised concerns that the planned A$2 billion takeover of pay-TV operator Austar by rival Foxtel, part owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, could hurt competition on three fronts. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has delayed its decision on Foxtel’s bid until September, a strong indication that it sees problems […]
Just days after announcing its first long-term contract to start pay-radio transmissions over Italy, Solaris Mobile has been awarded its operating licence for Spain. The licence covers both S-band satellite transmissions as well as matching ground transmissions. This latest European licence authorisation brings to twelve the total number of Mobile satellite service licences awarded to […]