Apparently-to: scdx@get.pp.se
From: "George Wood" 
networks, which have far more viewers than satellite TV, because of a
technical dispute with the cable operators, who are dominated by
Deutsche Telekom. In late September ZDF reached agreement with
Deutsche Telekom, Bertelsmann, and Kirch on cable access. DT offered
the public broadcasters access to the coming digital network via the
"D- Box" decoder Kirch developed.  (AP)
KOPERNIKUS--Almost all of the digital channels have ceased on
Kopernikus 3. There are now colour bars in MPEG-2/clear on all these
frequencies:
 11,466 H / 11,500 H / 11,530 H / 11,541 V / 11,573 V / 11,605 V /
 11,616 H / 11,650 H / 11,680 H / 12,524 V / 12,559 H / 12,591 V /
 12,658 V / 12,692 H.
For the latest information see:
http://www.satcodx.com/k3.html
("SATCO DX")
ITALY--There has been a slight change of plans for the launch of RAI's
new thematic satellite channels. Instead of all 3 new channels
starting on September 29, only RaiSat 2, the children's channel
started that day. The educational channel called RaiSat 3 will follow
on October 13th, and finally October 27th will see the launch of the
arts and cultural service RaiSat 1. All three will broadcast as party
of RAI's clear digital package on Hot Bird 2. See:
http://www.raisat.rai.it
http://www.raisat2.rai.it
("Tele-satellite News")
POLAND--The American cable company At Entertainment Inc. plans to
launch Poland's first digital satellite service in April, 1998, on
Astra 1F, pm transponders 79 (11.993 GHz), 95 (12.305 GHz), and 99
(12.383 GHz). Among the offerings will be the existing Atom TV and
Knowledge TV, plus Wizja TV, 12 themed channels, and a film channel.
Altogether they will be 21 all-Polish channels, with 14 carrying
original programming. (Reuters and Richard Karlsson, "Aftonbladet")
RADIO--As reported in edition 2276, Xtra Music plans to launch a pay-
audio Astra Digital Radio service to replaced the failed DMX. Founder
Jerry Rubenstein told "What Satellite TV" that his 92 channel service
is "very likely" to be up and running by the end of October. ("What
Satellite TV")
The Student Radio Network launched on Astra transponder 33 (ZDF) 7.38
MHz Mono B ADR on September 21. This is a sustaining service for
university radio stations in the UK. (James Robinson)
Lithuanian Radio restored broadcasts of its 2nd home service on medium
wave, just a few weeks after it was closed down on September 1,
following complaints from listeners. The channel is now on 612 kHz,
formerly used by the 1st program, which is now only using 666 kHz.
(Sigitas Zilionis)
AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST
TURKEY--The Turkish government has decided to broadcast TV programs in
the Kurdish language. Broadcasts in Kurdish are currently illegal in
Turkey, and the government has tried to stop programs from the private
MED-TV, which broadcasts on satellite from London, claiming the
channel is a mouthpiece for the PKK guerillas. According to a
government spokesman, 65 percent of women and 20 percent of men in
Turkish Kurdistan don't speak Turkish. (AP)
EGYPT--Egyptian Moslem militant leader Ayman al-Zawahi will launch a
satellite television channel with Islamic fundamentalist billionaire
Ossama Ben Laden, the Egyptian newspaper "al-Usbua" reported September
22. The channel will broadcast for 10 hours a day beginning in
December, and will be seen in both Europe and the Arab world. (AFP)
UNOFFICIAL--Radio New Nigeria was to broadcast on October 1,
Nigeria's Independence Day, from Germany. The schedule is to Nigeria:
06:00-06:59 hrs on 11995 kHz
Central Europe:
18:00-18:59 hrs on 5890 kHz
North America:
00:00-00:59 hrs on 5900 kHz
For more information:
http://www.nagdhr.com
(Hans Johnson in "Cumbre DX")
AMOS--Sziv TV has started on 11.308 GHz in clear MPEG-2. ("SATCO
DX")
ARABSAT--On Arabsat 2B TV de Mauritanie and RTM 1 have swapped
frequencies. The new line-up is 3.876 GHz RTM 1 in SECAM, and 3.918
GHz TV de Mauritanie in PAL. ("SATCO DX")
RASCOM--African state plans to launch a pan-African communications
satellite called Rascom-1 in 2000 or 2001. It will be operated by the
Regional African Satellite Communications Organization, for both the
distribution of TV and radio signals, and telephone communications
across Africa. (Reuters)
ASIA/PACIFIC
INDIA--India's Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy
says the ban on direct to home broadcasting is likely to be removed by
the end of the year. On the first day of the Winter session of
parliament, the Joint Parliamentary Committee's report on broadcasting
will be ready, he says, and the Broadcast Bill will be passed. Once
the Bill is passed, Reddy says, the Authority would be constituted
without much delay. ("The Hindu" via Curt Swinehart)
Rupert Murdoch and a senior official from his Star television network
have been summoned by an Indian court for broadcasting four "obscene"
films, the "Statesman" newspaper reported on September 25. It said a
court on Wednesday ordered Murdoch and the chief of Star's operations
in India, Rathikanata Basu, to appear in court on October 27 to answer
the allegations. 
Delhi's chief metropolitan magistrate Prem Kumar said complaints about
the four films -- "Dance of the Damned", "Stripped to Kill", "Big Bad
Mama" and "Jigsaw Murders" -- were justified as they were "filthy,
indecent, obscene and show indecent representation of women." (AFP)
NBC Asia announced on September 23 that it had reached more than 3
million homes in India during its first year of broadcasting on the
sub- continent. Besides the information channel NBC Asia, NBC also
broadcasts the business channel CNBC to India. There are plans to
launch several new India-specific shows on both channels next year.
NBC also inaugurated its new studio in Bombay. But there are no plans
to dub American serials into Indian languages, as Rupert Murdoch's
Star-TV has done, as NBC is targeting the "international Indian".
(Reuters)
JAPAN--The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications said that the
digital broadcast system committee of its Telecommunications
Technology Council has suggested that more than one method be used for
transmission of digital signals from broadcast satellites.
On Sept. 24 the committee released a list of five tentative 
transmission methods, paving the way for digital broadcast satellites
to be used to transmit regular television programming in addition to  
high-definition programs. The committee is also looking into
terrestrial digital transmission methods, but it has only put together
an original draft which reflects the current realities of mobile
reception technologies.
The committee expects that each satellite repeater will transmit two
channels of high-definition programming. It listed three possible 
transmission bands: 27 MHz (for a data transfer rate of 39 megabits
per second); 33 MHz (50 megabits/sec); and 36 MHz (53 megabits/sec).
It then pointed out that a single channel of high-definition
programming would need 18-22 megabits per second,   suggesting that
the 27 MHz bandwidth might not be able to accommodate two channels. It
also noted that use of the 36 MHz band will require international
coordination with neighboring countries. This month the ministry will
petition the ITU to grant Japan a wider frequency band. (Nikkei
English News)
DirecTV has tested several transponders on Superbird C at 144 degrees
East in preparation for the launch of their digital package early in
October. ("SATCO DX")
MEASAT--The ASTRO package is on Measat 2 at 148 degrees East in
addition to Measat 1, frequencies: 11.168, 11.540 and 11.602 GHz. This
version is mainly for West Malaysia and Indonesia due to its different
footprint. ("SATCO DX")
PHILIPPINES--On the new Agila 2 at 144 degrees East CNBC has started
on 4.165 GHz in PAL. ("SATCO DX")
CHINA--On Apstar 1A at 134 degrees East XJTV (Xinjiang TV) on 4.120
GHz has switched from PAL to MPEG-2. ("SATCO DX")
INDONESIA--On Palapa C2 the Indovision package on 11.500 GHz is
identical to what's on 3.500. The content of 3.580 H is also found on
11.645. Since 18 September, Indovision is also 3.460 GHz, in
MPEG-2/NDS, with some more TV channels: TVRI, RCTI, SCTV, IVM, TPI and
ANTV. ("SATCO DX")
NORTH AMERICA
MURDOCH--The Fox Group will not share ownership of the Los Angeles
Dodgers with a business partner, assuming Major League Baseball
approve the sale of the team, according to a statement from Fox on
September 30. The "Los Angeles Times" had reported that such a
possibility might exist. (AP)
Some public interest groups want the Federal Communication Commission
to stop Rupert Murdoch from folding his U.S. satellite business into
Primestar Partners. The Media Access Project, the Consumers Union, the
United Church of Christ and others planned to jointly ask the FCC on
September 25 to block the deal on the grounds that it will stifle
competition in the direct-to-home satellite TV business. 
"The deal would permit cable companies to absorb what would have been
a significant player in the U.S. DBS business," said Andrew
Schwartzman, president of the Media Access Project, a public interest
law firm. "It will eliminate a DBS competitor," he said. 
Primestar Partners was formed by the nation's biggest cable companies
and ranks as America's second-largest direct satellite broadcaster
behind DirecTV. Murdoch had been seeking an established partner for
his nascent American Sky Broadcasting unit since May, when a deal to
merge it with EchoStar Communications fell apart. The deal with
Primestar was announced in June. 
Under the deal, Murdoch's ASkyB satellite unit -- 80 percent owned by
News Corp. and 20 percent held by MCI Communications -- will
contribute two satellites under construction as well as the license
for a key orbital slot to a new company called Primestar Inc. 
The transfer of control of the satellite license is subject to FCC
approval. The FCC's review of the proposed transaction is to determine
whether it will be in the public interest. The public interest groups'
filing comes as the FCC collects public and industry comments on the
proposed deal. The largest shareholder of Primestar Inc. will be TCI
Satellite Entertainment, a publicly traded spinoff of cable's
Tele-Communications Inc. Murdoch will receive nonvoting convertible
stock and bonds worth USD 1.1 billion, as well as full distribution on
Primestar of Fox Sports Net and the Fox News Channel. (AP) 
AFRTS--Television viewers overseas will soon be able to use their
remote control for more than turning their television on and off. More
news, sports and entertainment will soon be available to Department of
Defense personnel assigned overseas. The Armed Forces Radio and
Television Service has already begun transmitting two new television
services overseas, while a third feed started September 26. The two
services already being sent from the AFRTS broadcast center near Los
Angeles are new TV channels called "NewSports" and "Spectrum."
NewSports provides a balance of news and sports while Spectrum  
delivers a variety of made-for-TV movies, cartoons, documentaries, 
dramas and situation comedies. The third service, a full-service
entertainment channel, is called American Forces Network. The AFN
channel will provide a full day of news, sport adds entertainment
programming.
AFRTS uses eight satellites to provide service to more than 450  
outlets in more than 150 counties and U.S. territories. Also, more
than 300 U.S. Navy ships receive AFRTS programming. (AFNS)
LATIN AMERICA
MEXICO--Mexico has agreed to move its radio and television satellite
from 78 degrees to 77 degrees West to reduce interference with signals
from a Canadian satellite. The Mexican Communications and
Transportation Ministry says the decision came after months of
negotiations between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. (AP)
Presumeably this is about allocations, because no Mexican or Canadian
satellites are near 77 degrees West.
PANAMSAT--There are some new channels in the Net-Sky package on
PAS 3R:  
ch 24: Canal Future (replaced WorldNet)
ch 29: Premiere Preview
ch 33: Sexy Hot
ch 34: Nickelodeon
For the complete package see:
http://www.satcodx.com/pas3r.html
("SATCO DX")
BRAZILSAT--There are no analog transmissions on Brazilsat B2, but
several encrypted digital TV channels. Brazilsat B2 mainly serves as a
backup for Brazilsat B1.
Here is a list of some known TV channels: (all digital):
3.650 H: Rede Globo occasional feeds
3.650 V: Rede Transporte (for truck and bus companies)
3.670 V: TV Alterosa
3.670 H: TV Senac
3.690 H: Rede Vinde
3.690 V: TV Rio
("SATCO DX")
Continued in Part 2.....
--- NetMgr 1.00.g4+
---------------