NEWSLETTERS

Belgian platform TéléSAT to broadcast French-language channels via Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD™ neighbourhood

Eutelsat has signed a long-term contract with AIRFIELD MEDIA GROUP for capacity at the HOT BIRD™ video neighbourhood and associated ground services. The capacity will be used to broadcast the five Belgian French-language channels in the new TéléSAT, pay-TV platform, comprising RTBF La Une and La Deux, RTL-TVi, Club RTL and PLUG TV. The service is scheduled to launch in December.

The contract also covers provision of contribution links, multiplexing and uplinking of the five TéléSAT channels from Eutelsat’s Rambouillet teleport in France. Direct-to-home satellite reception will be available throughout Belgium with MPEG 4 decoders (MPEG 2 compatible) using Nagravision’s Mediaguard 3 encryption system. By choosing the premium HOT BIRD™ neighbourhood, TéléSAT can also give subscribers access to a wide variety of French and international channels of interest to all Belgian homes.

TéléSAT is part of AIRFIELD MEDIA GROUP that operates TV VLAANDEREN, the leading digital satellite platform for Flemish-speaking Belgium. Launched in June 2006, TV VLAANDEREN has a subscriber base of 70,000 homes.

For more information: www.telesat.be

RTBF SAT reaches further afield with HOT BIRD™ 7A

Belgium’s public service broadcaster, the RTBF, has picked Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD™ 7A satellite to significantly boost coverage across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East of its international TV channel, RTBF SAT, and radio station RTBF International. Broadcasting from Eutelsat’s prime video neighbourhood began on November 13, with a widescreen 16/9 format of RTBF SAT due to be available by the end of the month.

Targeting Belgian’s abroad and broadcasting free-to-air 24h per day, RTBF SAT’s programme line-up includes live news broadcasts, quality magazine and lifestyle programmes, documentaries, concerts, children’s programmes, public services and entertainment. RTBF SAT also broadcasts live sports, cultural and political events.

With 1,100 channels, of which 45% broadcast free-to-air, the HOT BIRD™ neighbourhood is the leading video position in the world in terms of number of channels broadcast. The satellites reach an audience of more than 120 million satellite and cable homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

For more information: www.rtbfsat.be

Where to find RTBF: 
Satellite: HOT BIRD™ 7A
Frequency: 11.240 MHz
Polarisation: Vertical

New DTH platform for Albania

Albanian Satellite Communications (ASC) has launched Tring, a new Direct-to-Home (DTH) pay-TV platform for Albania. The new platform began broadcasting on Eutelsat’s W2 satellite in October.

Tring offers 20 channels including channels produced in-house such as the film channel, Tring Super; Tring Serial for television series and telefilms; general entertainment channel, Tring Gallery; and documentary channel, Tring World. International channels include MTV Europe, National Geographic Channel Europe, Fox Crime South East Europe and Fox Life South East Europe.

With over 300 channels, Eutelsat’s W2 satellite at 16 degrees East is the leading neighbourhood for digital broadcasting in central Europe, including the Balkans. Its powerful coverage enables broadcasters to reach homes throughout the region, and expatriate communities to stay in touch with local news and culture. W2 is scheduled to be replaced in early 2009 by Eutelsat’s W2M satellite, which will bring additional capacity to 16 degrees East.

For more information: www.tring.tv

The Global Broadcasting Company joins Eutelsat’s KabelKiosk

Los Angeles-based Global Broadcasting Company Inc. is preparing to launch a package of seven thematic English-language channels on KabelKiosk, Eutelsat’s digital television and radio platform for cable operators in continental Europe. The content, provided by independent TV and film producers from the United States, includes the general entertainment channel America Unleashed, Total Hip Hop Television, News and Finance, Indie Pix and Classics, It’s My Faith, Indie Sports, Games and Comedy, and Travel, Home and Garden. America Unleashed and Total Hip Hop Television are scheduled for launch in KabelKiosk in early 2009, with the other channels to follow.

The KabelKiosk digital platform offers cable operators over 100 channels in eleven languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Spanish and Turkish. The Direct-to-Cable package commercialised by Eutelsat’s German affiliate is marketed to over 250 independent cable networks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Denmark, serving 2.6 million cable households. In 2009, KabelKiosk is expected to move to Eutelsat's rapidly expanding 9 degrees East video neighbourhood which is already used by the German cable operator TeleColumbus.

For more information: www.kabelkiosk.de, www.globalbroadcastingcompany.tv

Fastweb chooses Eutelsat’s Tooway™ service to extend broadband in Italy

FASTWEB has signed an agreement with Eutelsat via its Skylogic subsidiary that will allow it to extend the reach of broadband throughout Italy. FASTWEB’s telecoms network currently reaches 50% of the Italian population. Thanks to the connectivity provided by Tooway™, broadband will be available to homes in areas which were previously impossible to reach including to 6% of Italian territory not currently served by any broadband provider. The broadband access service will be provided through Skylogic’s SkyPark teleport facilities in Turin, while the commercial strategy, pricing and development of further value added services will be driven by FASTWEB on a fully independent basis.

“Broadband access is a vital growth factor”, said Mario Mella, FASTWEB’s Director of Network & Systems. “FASTWEB’s aim has always been to use every technological tool available to bridge the digital divide and serve the entire country. With Tooway™ we have found an innovative solution guaranteeing high performance and reliable service which enables us to extend our new broadband to even the most remote areas of the country”.

For more information: www.company.fastweb.it

Congratulations to all channels for the HOT BIRD™ TV AWARDS 2008!

The Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista in Venice was the magical setting for this year’s HOT BIRD™ TV Awards. Initiated by Eutelsat, in collaboration with Eurovisioni and Satexpo, the HOT BIRD™ TV Awards is the only international event which recognises the excellence of thematic satellite television channels broadcasting across Europe. The ceremony, which began with a screening of a film in 3D, assembled 200 executives from the broadcasting and satellite industries as well as advertisers, policy makers and the media.

Giuliano Berretta, Eutelsat Chairman and CEO opened the prize-giving saying, “The HOT BIRD™ TV Awards continues to go from strength to strength. Over the last 10 years we have seen the emergence of digital broadcasting and more recently of High-Definition Television. Full immersion into a 3D experience could be the next leap forward in broadcasting and we believe satellites can help to usher in this new era.”

The international jury of media experts who drew up the shortlist of this year’s winning and runner-up channels was highly impressed by the innovative programming concepts and commitment to quality shown by the 130 participating channels from 17 countries. New creative concepts which were rewarded include Melody Zen, the HDTV channel which enables viewers to create a mood by matching video to one of three soundtracks, Fox Italia for its new domestic productions and Romania's TVR International for tackling challenging social issues.

HOT BIRD™ TV Award Winners for 2008

A Special Prize was given to Russia's NTV Plus for its longstanding commitment to high-quality content, and to Orange TV from France in recognition of the significant impact it is making in the broadcasting landscape with Orange Sport and Orange Cinema Series.

For more information: www.hotbirdtvawards.com