Apparently-to: scdx@get.pp.se
From: "George Wood" 
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  ::           MediaScan             
  ::      SWEDEN CALLING DXERS       
  ::       from Radio Sweden         
  ::    Number 2257--Oct. 1, 1996    
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Satellite, shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio
Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2257
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
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NORDIC MEDIA NEWS:
RADIO SWEDEN--RealAudio is the most popular method of broadcasting
radio on the Worldwide Web on the Internet. Instead of having to wait
around for a huge audio file to download, you can listen to the sound
while it's downloading. Radio Sweden has been available in RealAudio
for some months, via the World Radio Network. Now our own RealAudio
server is up and running. Besides our English programs, we're also
relaying broadcasts in Swedish, German, and Russian in RealAudio. 
And we're also archiving important broadcasts, and MediaScan. So if
you miss a program, you can always listen to it later, on your
computer. Our Web pages start at:
http://www.sr.se/rs
Naturally, something has gone wrong....our RealAudio server decided to
switch from Daylight Savings to Winter time Sunday (despite our Net
wizard telling it not to), so all our RealAudio programs today are
wrong (Estonian instead of English, etc.). I've removed most of the
links from our Web pages until Wednesday morning. After around 14:15
hrs UTC Tuesday, however, if you want to see if we got the right
English program, check out:
http://www.sr.se/rs/english/sounds/english.ram
We also have good news for satellite listeners in Europe. Some months
ago, when we were obliged to switch transponders on Astra, we lost
coverage of the Canary Islands, where a lot of Swedes spend their
time, especially during the Winter months. 
We've now signed a contract to use the NBC Super Channel transponder
on Eutelsat II-F1, which covers both the Canaries and Eastern Europe
better than Astra. That's at 10.987 GHz, and we should be using the
audio subcarrier at 7.56 MHz, right next to WRN2. The new service
starts on January 1st, but we should be continuing to Astra and Tele-X
during a transition period for some months afterwards. This won't be
affecting our relays via WRN, which continue on Astra, and other
satellites, and through rebroadcasts around the world.
Usually at this time of year, we change shortwave frequencies here at
Radio Sweden, in connection with Western Europe's switch from Daylight
Savings to Standard Time. But this year Summer Time is continuing in
the European Union until the last Sunday of October, to harmonize the
rest of us with Britain. So that's when our changes will be happening,
and we'll have the details next time. You'll also be able to read
about the new schedule on our WorldWide Web pages.
FILMNET/NETHOLD--We're still waiting for FilmNet/Nethold to launch its
long-promised Scandinavian package. The signals are up there on the
Astra satellites, and apparently Nethold is already marketing the
system in the Netherlands. But the new generation of digital receivers
have yet to appear in the shops here. Following Nethold's merger with
France's Canal Plus, which was involved in a different decoder system,
the group now says it plans to launch a new European-wide decoder for
digital TV. (Reuters) Hopefully Scandinavians will be introduced to
digital satellite TV by Christmas.
Nethold has signed a USD 1.1 billion contract with South Korea's
Hyundai Electronics to supply digital satellite receivers for services
to Europe and Africa. (Curt Swinehart)
FINLAND--The Finnish authorities have granted the country's fourth
terrestrial TV licence to a local company, Sanoma Oy, owned by the
publishing empire which also produces the Nordic region's largest
morning newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat. In choosing a domestic company,
the Finnish government rejected bids from the Scandinavian Kinnevik
concern, and Luxembourg's giant CLT. The new national commercial radio
licence has been granted to a consortium of Finnish interests as well.
Critics are saying that while the government kept foreign interests
out of Finnish media, it has also increased the concentration of media
ownership within the country. ("Svenska Dagbladet")
Media concentration is a major issue in Europe right now, especially
as digital TV is just beginning. The European Commission is preparing
new measures to stimulate competition, and today's program has a
report from our correspondent in Brussels, Joe Kirwin.
ADVERTISING TO CHILDREN--The advocate general of the EU high court
ruled on September 16 that Sweden's ban on television advertising
aimed at children must not be used to restrict commercials broadcast
from other European Union nations. Advocate Francis Jacobs said
however, the rules can continue to apply to advertisements on Swedish
domestic channels. The opinion must be approved by the European Court
of Justice, which is expected to rule within the next six months. In
most cases, the EU high court follows the advocate general's opinion.
(AP)
This means that Kinnevik's TV3, which broadcasts from London to avoid
Swedish media laws, can continue to target advertising at children
under 12.
KINNEVIK--Today sees the launch of many new TV channels under the
umbrella of two of those media concentrations the European Commission
is working against.
Here in Scandinavia, the Kinnevik media empire is now relaying a
number of English-language channels from Viacom from the Nordic
satellite positions. On Sirius, at 5 degrees East, VH-1 is now on
11.785 GHz, and Nickelodeon is sharing 11.862 GHz with Kinnevik's
youth channel Z-TV. (According to "What Satellite TV", the German
version of Nickelodeon, currently on Astra transponder 49, will move
to the current Swedish Nickelodeon Astra transponder 27 at the end of
the year.)
The Sci-Fi Channel is now on TV-Sat at 1 degree West, on 12.053 GHz. 
MTV is supposed to be joining Kinnevik's offerings next year, but the
station has already taken over the former TV Plus transponder on
Intelsat 707, which shares 1 degree West with TV-Sat. Apparently the
MTV signal on Thor, which is also at that position, will be coming off
the air. There are also reports that BBC Prime will join the package.
All these channels are in D2-MAC. (Richard Karlsson, "Aftonbladet")
TCC/DISCOVERY--TCC Nordic and The Discovery Channel have left Intelsat
601, 11.055 GHz. (SATCO DX Chart Update) They continue on Thor, in
D2-MAC Eurocrypt.
DENMARK--In his fortnightly program in English on Radio Denmark in
shortaave on September 15, Juliah Isherwood mentioned there are NO
indications that the program will continue after 1996. Radio Denmark
reintroduced regular broadcasts in English while Copenhagen has been
the City of Culture of Europe, during 1996. The next broadcast will be
on October 6. (Anker Petersen)
EUROPE:
SKY MULTICHANNELS--There are several new channels joining the British
Sky Broadcasting offerings on Astra today, most from British domestic
broadcaster Granada: 
The general entertainment Granada Plus and a sports-oriented channel
called Men and Motors are on transponder 3. 
Granada Talk is on transponder 59, and the Granada Good Life package
is on transponder 58. Both run until 18:00 hrs British time daily.
Starting November 1st, they'll be joined by some new programming when
they sign off. Transponder 58 will be the home of Sky's Computer
Channel, while a new outlet we haven't heard of before, called Sky
Scottish, is scheduled to start on transponder 59. They'll both be on
the air for two hours every evening.
It's possible Sky will launch pay-per-view movies on those channels
after 20:00 hrs British time. 
PPV may also be put on transponder 24, which is being vacated by JSTV
and CMT. ("What Satellite TV")
The Weather Channel is now sharing transponder 60 mornings with Sky
Movies Gold. And Rupert Murdoch's American channel Fox Kids Network
will be joining his European Sky Two on transponder 7 on October 19th.
(James Robinson)
MURDOCH VS TIME WARNER AND TURNER--According to the "Wall Street
Journal", Rupert Murdoch has decided not to launch Time-Warner's
general entertainment channel WBTV on the BSkyB service on November 1.
This follows a comment by Ted Turner comparing Murdoch to Adolf
Hitler, at a private luncheon celebrating the impending merger between
his Turner Broadcasting and Time-Warner. The outburst continued a
dispute touched off the week before, when Time-Warner deicded to carry
the news channel MSNBC on its cable systems, rather than Murdoch's Fox
News Network. (Federal authorities approved the merger on the
condition that Time-Warner cable systems carry a news network besides
CNN.) (AP)
It's hard to believe Murdoch could and would stop the
widely-publicised launch of WBTV on Astra transponder 57. If
Time-Warner has its contract with Astra, then BSkyB can't block the
channel launch, but could keep WBTV out of its subscription package.
Then it would join Turner's CNN and TNT/Cartoon Network as a free
channel available to all Astra viewers in Western Europe, rather than
just those inhabitants of Britain and Ireland who subscribe to the
BSkyB package.
RADIO--There are two new radio stations broadcasting on Astra, both in
ADR format. Neither of them will automatically store on receivers,
because no name is transmitted with either. They are:
The Institute of Radio Techniques on 8.46 MHz of transponder 45
(Bayern 3), and Granada FM on 7.56 MHz (mono A) of channel 54 (Zee
TV).  The first of these stations is broadcasting in stereo, a
five-minute loop tape, demonstrating various types of music with
digital audio.  Pop and classical music snippets are included, plus a
fading "A" note at the beginning.
The second station, Granada FM cannot be received correctly with the
Tehcnisat Astrastar AX1, as the station transmits at 230 kBits/sec. 
The Technisat receiver can only receive stations transmitted at 192
kBits/sec.  Granada FM is a UK motorway service station radio station
which broadcasts news on the hour, plus music.  It can additionally be
found on 6.30 MHz of NBC Super Channel on Eutelsat 2F1.  Again it is
in the ADR format, and is on the Mono B channel in this case.
It is reported that Classic Gold will close on Astra on 1 October. 
This station is distributed digitally via Orion 1 at 37.5 degrees
West. (James Robinson)
RACING CHANNEL--The Racing Channel is to move transponders again from
1 October. From that date it will be on transponder 60 (Sky Movies
Gold) from 1000-1500 UTC.  From 1 February 1997, the programming will
run from 1100-1800 UTC, but on which transponder is a mystery!  Sky
Movies Gold will then be on from 1500-0500 UTC only.  The Racing
Channel will cease on 1 November on channel 53. (James Robinson)
QVC--QVC Germany started test transmissions on 20 September.  They are
in PAL clear on channel 52 (10.752 GHz V), the former home of RTL 4. 
This channel is due to start on 1 December. (James Robinson)
SCI-FI--The Sci-Fi Channel has launched a teletext service, which
shares information with the channel's Web site, which is known as the
Dominion. ("What Satellite TV")
USA NETWORKS--USA Networks, owner of the Sci-Fi Channel, is
considering launching two TV channels featuring suspense and mystery
programs. ("What Satellite TV")
TRAVEL CHANNEL--The Travel Channel will close on Intelsat 601 on
January 1, 1997. Kindernet will close on the same transponder on
December 1, 1996. Travel will be avaialble in MPEG-2 clear on Astra 1E
from November 1, on transponder 71, 11.837 GHz. (James Robinson)
FRANCE--Correcting the report last time, Radio France International is
broadcasting on Astra transponder 46 (and not 48 as we wrote), audio
7.38 MHz. (Marc Remijn)
ADULT CHANNELS--The erotic channel Rendez-Vous TV (RTV) is back on
Eutelsat II-F3, on 10.986 GHz in D2-MAC, Eurocrypt. RTV is also on
Gorizont 31, 3.875 GHz, in PAL Smartcrypt. 
There's now a Eurotica promo on Hot Bird 1: 11.489 V, nighttime.
(SATCO DX Chart Update)
BBC--BBC World has extended its contract on Eutelsat II-F1 until 1999.
The channel has also concluded a 12 year agreement until 2011 for
carriage on Hot Bird 5, which is scheduled to replace II-F1 at 13
degrees east in 1999. (Eutelsat)
The BBC and Discovery Communications (and Discovery's European sister
Flextech) are teaming up to launch new TV channels and produce
programming. Discovery is 49 percent owned by the largest American
cable operator, TCI. Under the complex deal, most of the financing
comes from Discovery Communications, while the BBC will be
contributing its valuable program library. The proposed new channels
wil include a U.S. channel for BBC- produced drama and performing arts
programming, which now appears frequently on the Public Broadcasting
Service and the A&E cable network, and a US version of the BBC's news
channel BBC World. The first channels are expected to launch in the US
next Summer. (AP, UPI)
The BBC is already in partnership with Flextech in running the UK Gold
and UK Living channels, which are part of the Sky Multichannels
package to Britain and Ireland only. 
DIGITAL BROADCASTS--BSkyB has swapped digital transponders with its
new friend, Germany's Kirch Group. The deal involves Sky handing over
its four remaining (and unused) digital transponders on Astra 1E and
1F, in return for an unspecified number of transponders on the new
Astra satellite that will be launched to 28.2 degrees East. The 1E and
1F transponders will now be used to boost the output of the German DF1
package in which Kirch and Sky arer partners. DF1 was launched in July
over 7 transponders. 
Sky will use its new transponders at 28 degrees East to increase the
channel count for its own digital service, due to launch next year
with 200 to 300 channels. ("What Satellite TV") Sky had already booked
half the transponders on the satellite.
Bertelsmann said on September 25 that the German cartel authorities
view any involvement by Rupert Murdoch in the German pay-TV
broadcaster Premiere critically. Murdoch's BSkyB has been promised a
25 percent stake in Premiere as part of Murdoch's alliance with German
media mogul Leo Kirch. According to Bertelsmann board member Thomas
Middlehoff, BSkyB's involvement with Kirch's DF1 is thus thrown into
question. (Reuters)
The German alternative to DF1 has fallen apart. On September 19,
Bertelsmann and its Luxembourg partner CLT announced they have
abandoned plans for a digital pay-TV service. A few days later came
the announcement that Deutsche Telekom is leaving MMBG, the group of
broadcasters and companies once created to distribute digital TV in
Germany. (Reuters, "Tele- satellit News")
--- NetMgr 1.00.g4+
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