gaining ground on all other international news channels in
Europe. Among business channels, EBN is watched by more
viewers, on both a daily and weekly basis, than is CNBC. In
the last year, EBN's daily viewership has grown 42%,
according to EMS, while that for NBC Europe (which carries
CNBC during the daytime) dropped 31%, and CNNI declined 6%.
The overall changes in viewing patterns are replicated among
sought-after demographic groups such as senior and middle
managers and corporate decision-makers: EBN viewing is up
sharply in these groups, while NBC, CNN and EuroNews are all
down. (Only BBC World also shows growth.)
European Business News is owned by a partnership
between affiliates of Dow Jones and Flextech, plc, an
affiliate of TCI International. Dow Jones owns 74% of EBN,
Flextech 26%. EBN began broadcasting in February 1995; it
now reaches more than 23 million homes. Its headquarters
are in London.
Asia Business News is also owned by affiliates of Dow
Jones and TCI International. Dow Jones and TCI each owns
50% of ABN. ABN began broadcasting in November 1993; it now
reaches more than 15 million homes. Its headquarters are in
Singapore.
Brazilian satellite SACI to be launched in 1998
A Chinese rocket will launch by early 1998 the
Brazilian scientific satellite SACI, being tested by the
space agency Inpe (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas
Espaciais). SACI will carry four experiments, and its
project is to cost total investments of US$4.5mil, with the
launching to cost US$150,000 funded by Finep.
CSG Systems Signs Third DBS Client
CSG Systems Inc. has signed a contract with ExpressVu
Inc. of Canada. CSG will provide its customer care and
billing systems, Communications Control System and CSG
Advanced Customer Service Representative, to support
ExpressVu's direct-to-home satellite entertainment and
information service.
CSG's CCS product is the outsourced customer management
system and ACSR is the front-end graphical user interface
for CCS. ACSR reduces training time and eliminates the need
for customer service representatives to memorise
transactions and codes, allowing them to easily access
reference tools, help screens and customer data.
CSG currently serves approximately 43 percent of all
DBS customers in the United States, which includes contracts
with EchoStar and four out of five companies in the
PrimeStar Partners consortium.
AlphaStar Canada Unveils Expanded Channel Line-up
Starting this summer, AlphaStar Canada will offer
Canadians up to 120 channels of digital video, audio and pay-
per-view. The proposed channel
offering will include existing Canadian, American and
international program sources, as well as a number of newly-
approved domestic and U.S. specialty channels. Currently,
the network is broadcasting 35 video, 30 audio and 10 pay-
per-view channels.
Some of AlphaStar Canada's new channels will include
TMN Multiplexes and MOVIEPIX, Television Quatre Saisons, and
western time zone channels such as BCTV, CITV, Superchannel
and Moviemax. The network also plans to carry a number of
new specialty channels currently awaiting licensing by the
CRTC.
AlphaStar Canada's planned migration to Loral Skynet's
new Telstar 5 satellite in mid-Summer will facilitate the
expanded channel count.
Television Nacional de Chile
Worldwide Television News Corporation (WTN) reported
that Television Nacional de Chile (Chilean National
Television) has contracted to become the newest subscriber
to WTN's 24 Hour Latin American News Service.
Through a network of twelve regional affiliates, the
Santiago-based network provides news programming to more
than 6 million television homes throughout Chile, also
reaching audiences in Argentina and Paraguay. Under the new
agreement, Television Nacional de Chile will have access to
all of WTN's news gathering resources, as well as the
ability to use WTN's permanent satellite paths to transmit
stories from its correspondents worldwide.
TSAT Successfully Completes First Test
TCI Satellite Entertainment successfully completed its
first high-power service marketing test, and the acceptance
by consumers of the Company's satellite-cable combination
product. TSAT offered a combination of digital satellite
service and cable to residents of Pueblo West, Colorado
through the local TCI system. Dubbed "MAXTV" for the
purposes of the test, TSAT offered the service to more than
1600 homes, resulting in a penetration of over 15 percent in
a nine week period. TSAT signed up over 240 customers to
the MAXTV service, while increasing the penetration of the
local TCI cable system by seven percent over the same time
period.
The MAXTV or "cable plus" model offered by TSAT
provided a combination of the programming strengths of
Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) with the advantages of wire-
line cable to local customers. For the MAXTV test, TSAT
offered customers over 70 channels of service, including
their local cable and broadcast networks, for $29.99 per
month (with a $49 installation fee). The MAXTV service test
combined 10 channels of pay-per-view, 14 digital audio
channels, 14 regional sports networks, The Disney Channel
and 10 core programming networks (including Turner Classic
Movies, TV Land, Sci-Fi, Comedy Central, and ESPN2)
delivered via satellite, with the 34 channels of service
offered through the local Pueblo cable feed. Furthermore,
multiplex channels of HBO, Cinemax and Starz/Encore were
offered as a la carte additions. Prior to the introduction
of MAXTV, the local cable system was unable to provide pay-
per-view, audio services or out-of-market sports, and was
limited to seven pay services without multiplex options.
In order to simulate the "cable plus" model, a
PRIMESTAR dish and antennae were used with a universal
remote control to provide easy transference between the
cable and satellite services. Only one set-top box was
necessary, as premium signals were trapped within the Pueblo
West system.
Upcoming Launches
" Check our web site for current listings of 1997
launches.
" Click on "Launch Info".
Next Delta Launch Next Ariane Launch
THOR 2A -- May 11, 1997 INSAT 2D/INMARSAT 3F4 --June
3, 1997
New files and documents at our WebStand
1 DVB News International Vol. 2 No 3
1 PBS Monthly Programming Schedule
1 PBS Weekly Previews
1 A&E Prime Time Schedule
In Brief
" AUSTAR, has received an underwritten commitment from
The Chase Manhattan Bank for AU$200 million (US$155
million). The proceeds will be used to fund the balance of
AUSTAR's subscriber acquisition and working capital needs in
its 1.5 million home franchise area.
" Star Choice has begun shipping its direct-to-home (DTH)
satellite television systems to retail outlets across
Canada. For a limited time only, the Star Choice 921 premium
digital satellite receiver, universal UHF remote, and 60 cm
dish will retail for C$999 with the purchase of a one-year
C$400 programming package. The Star Choice 921 receiver is
manufactured by General Instrument for Star Choice.
" DIRECTV JAPAN (DTVJ) named several new executive
appointments: Akira Yoshigi to vice president, director for
programming; Masanori Ueda to vice president, director for
sales; and Richard J. Neiger to vice president, director for
finance.
" COMSAT Corporation has acquired full ownership of
Mexican corporation IntelCom Red S.A. de C.V. (IntelCom
Mexico), a wholly owned subsidiary of ICG Satellite
Services, Inc., and named it COMSAT Mexico S.A. de C.V.
(COMSAT Mexico). COMSAT Mexico is part of COMSAT
International, a business unit of COMSAT Corporation that
provides digital network services to corporate customers and
carriers in rapidly growing international markets. COMSAT
Mexico holds a teleport license for both domestic and
international satellite communications and will provide
digital networking services through its teleport in Mexico
City.
The information contained in Satellite Journal International
MAY NOT be republished or redistributed without the prior
written authority of Satellite Journal International (see
end of issue for contact information ). SJI `s home forum
on Compuserve is (GO CIS:UKFORUM Sec 7). If you need to
download previous issues, all our files are in that library.
We also welcome anyone wishing to discuss satellite topics
to post messages to that section.
SJI is available via E-Mail. There is no charge for this
service. If you would prefer to receive this file via mail
send a message to the SJI Subscription Dept.
satellite_journal@compuserve.com and request SJI via E-Mail.
Please specify which version you wish (HTML, WORD 6, ASCII).
The HTML version requires a web browser, however an Internet
account is not required, but recommended. The Word 6 version
requires Microsoft Word or the free viewer, available from
www.microsoft.com or on the Windows 95 CD.
Now in our fifth year and the first `satellite news' service
on the World Wide Web (Jan 1994)
Visit our WebStand at http://members.aol.com/satjournal
Satellite Journal Weekly--a news journal for
satellite professionals and enthusiasts.
SJI is produced in Burleson, Texas USA and Brantford,
Ontario Canada.
Comments or news items may be sent to:
Internet E-mail: satellite_journal@Compuserve.com
or
Satellite Journal International
PO Box 2065 Burleson Texas 76097- 2065 USA
or
Merriam & Torrens Advertising Inc.
PO Box 23058 Brantford Ontario Canada N3T-6K4
519-751-1487 9am-5pm eastern time
--- Msged/386 4.00
---------------
* Origin: Rendezvous!! 4gigs_10000files_500echoareas 512-303-1324 (1:382/92)
|