Apparently-to: scdx@get.pp.se
From: "George Wood" 
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  ::           MediaScan             
  ::      SWEDEN CALLING DXERS       
  ::       from Radio Sweden         
  ::    Number 2260--Nov. 19, 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 SCDX2260
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
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NORDIC MEDIA NEWS:
BYE BYE DONALD DUCK--This Christmas marks the end of a longstanding
tradition on public service broadcaster Swedish Television (SVT), the
annual hour of clips from Walt Disney cartoons on Christmas Eve
afternoon. The most popular program on Swedish Television, last year
it attracted 3.7 million viewers. After 37 years on the public
channel, next year the Disney Christmas program moves to terrestrial
commercial broadcaster TV4, which has bought the rights to Disney
programming in Sweden.
The last 3 years SVT has shared the rights for Disney programming with
the satellite broadcaster TV3. The rights will be shared in the future
as well, between TV4 and another broadcaster. Disney is holding talks
in London with TV3 and rival satellite broadcaster Kanal 5.
("Aftonbladet")
Disney owns ABC, which owns Kanal 5. This may make a difference.
While this may not seem like tremendous news, it was a front page
story in Sweden's largest newspaper. Watching "Kalle Anka" (Swedish
for "Donald Duck") is part of a traditional Swedish Christmas.
MUSICAL CHAIRS--On November 13th, several channels played musical
chairs on the Nordic satellites at 1 degree West. MTV stopped using
its old transponder on 12.092 GHz (continuing on 11.679 GHz), which
was taken over by Filmnet 1. Filmnet in turn left 11.133 GHz, which
was taken over by BBC Prime.
BBC Prime is now part of the CTV subscription package, along with CNN,
MTV, Discovery, the Children's Channel, and Eurosport Nordic. Viasat,
the distribution company owned by the Kinnevik media empire, is
introducing a new subscription package called Viasat plus, including
Nickelodeon, the Sci-Fi Channel, VH-1, and Kinnevik's own ZTV and TV6.
Viasat's ordinary package includes the company's various TV3 outlets
to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. There's also a package for the pay
film channels TV 1000 and TV 1000 Cinema. There are now 800,000 Viasat
cards in circulation in Scandinavia. 
Rival Filmnet has packages for its two film channels, with and without
Supersport. (Richard Karlsson, "Aftonbladet")
SUPERSPORT--Supersport has been removed from the cable networks
operated by Telia Kabel, Sweden's largest operator. Filmnet and Telia
were unable to agree on the conditions for making Supersport a pay
channel. The channel continues on other Swedish cable networks, but
Filmnet will begin negotiations with them as well . (TT) Note that
even though Supersport has been in the clear on satellite, Telia has
included it in its pay packages. It was not offered free.  
TELENOR--There's a new test pattern from Norway's Telenor on Intelsat
707 on 10.995 GHz. (Richard Karlsson, "Aftonbladet")
RADIO--Kinnevik's Power 106 is now broadcasting as the D2-MAC sound
channel when there is a test pattern on Sirius 11.862 GHz (which is
otherwise Nickelodeon and ZTV). Kinnevik's Norwegian station Radio P4
Norge broadcasts on 7.02 MHz during the test pattern on Intelsat 707
11.016 GHz (which is otherwise TV Norge). Radio Nettvirk broadcasts
continually on 7.38 MHz. Denmark's DR P3 radio uses the D2-MAC sound
channel during the test pattern on Intelsat 707 11.667 GHz (DR 2).
(Richard Karlsson, "Aftonbladet")
WEBTV--While Kinnevik still has no plans to start digital
broadcasting, it has joined the trend with TV programs about the
Internet (following in the footsteps of CNN's "Computer Connection",
C-Net Central, MSNBC's "The Site", and BSkyB's new Computer Channel).
Last Friday night Kinnevik's MTV clone, ZTV, started WebTV. Produced
in co-operation with Microsoft and Telia (the national telephone
company, largest cable operator, and now a major Internet provider),
viewers can call in (not e-mail?) and ask the hosts to showcase
particular Web sites or particular Net searches. There's also a
chatsite activated during the broadcasts. (ZTV press release) More
information at: 
http://www.funbase.se/webtv/ 
DIGITAL AUDIO BROADCASTING--Here in Sweden, public service media are
very involved in the launch of digital technologies. On the radio
side, digital audio broadcasting, or DAB, is already underway, and is
being gradually extended to cover the entire country, even if there
aren't any consumer receivers on the market yet. The public
broadcaster Swedish Radio has been allocated its own national DAB
block, which can carry up to 5 stereo channels, any of which can be
split up from time to time to make room for temporary programming,
like sports events or press conferences.
There are also 19 regional blocks allocated around the country. These
will be carrying Swedish Radio's local channels, along with a number
of local private stations. Under the current plan there's room for
three private stations each in Gothenburg and Malmoe, and either 3 or
4 here in Stockholm. ("Dagens Nyheter", Sveriges Radio's internal Web
pages)
One of those is Radio Q, a station for women, which captured one of
the first private FM allocations here a few years ago. Unfortunately
Radio Q ran out of money and had to sell its FM licence. But now it's
to return to airwaves as a digital station. Radio Q's Program Director
Eva Kaiser is on the line in today's program, answering the question:
"Why do you think you can make it this time as a digital radio
station?"
DIGITAL TELEVISION--Plans continue to introduce digital television to
Scandinavia. Multichoice, which owns the pay channel Filmnet, and in
turn owned by the Swiss-South African Nethold, has delayed the market
launch of its satellite-based digital service. Last week Multichoice
said that its new digital decoders would be in the stores this week.
They aren't -- manufacturer Nokia has once again postponed delivery.
The set-top box, called the Media Master, is still supposed to be out
in time for Christmas.
Not to be outdone, public service broadcaster Swedish Television wants
to start digital broadcasting over the terrestrial airwaves as early
as this Spring. But the Swedish government's bill on digital TV, has
also been delayed.
In September, Swedish Television received permission from the
government to broadcast its current two channels by satellite, to
reach Swedes in Europe, and the Swedish-speaking population of
Finland. The broadcasts will be digital, and will probably be over
Eutelsat's Hot Bird 2 satellite, which after several delays, has been
rescheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral on November 22nd.
Swedish Television would also like to start local terrestrial test
transmissions to Gothenburg and rural districts of northern Sweden
during the second quarter of 1997. Last February the minority Social
Democratic government reached agreement with two opposition parties
for a rapid installation of terrestrial digital TV. But the
legislation, which was due to be introduced into parliament in
October, is still being drafted at Ministry of Culture.
The obstacle is how many and which commercial TV stations will be
allowed access to the digital airwaves. But Swedish Television is
going ahead with its own plans. The public service broadcaster wants
to start 5 new channels:
One would be called the Gold Channel, and like the BBC's UK Gold, it
would carry classics from the archives. There would also be a 24 hour
news and sports channel, an outlet for reruns of programs immediately
after their first broadcast, and a channel for local news and
programming. The fifth new channel would carry programs from the BBC
and the Franco-German cultural channel Arte, subtitled in Swedish.
("Svenska Dagbladet" and TT)
EUROPE:
BRITAIN--Bad news for the many people in Britain with pirate cards to
watch the pornography on Scandinavia's Filmnet and TV1000:
The British government has introduced legislation within the  
Copyright Designs and Patents Act in order to stop smart card pirates 
from advertising any unauthorised decoder boxes. The act can send
pirates to jail for up to two years or to be fined for a maximum of
GBP 5,000 if caught breaking the law. ("Satellite Trader" via Curt
Swinehart)
ASTRA--TV Norge and VT 4 have moved their MPEG-2 transmissions from
transponder 97 to Nethold's transponder 73. 
All DMX channels on Astra 1C transponder 41 have ceased. ("SATCO DX
Chart Update")
Warner Brothers TV is still not on Astra transponder 57, where it was
supposed to start on November 1. See below under North America.
EUTELSAT--Polonia 1 is now also on Eutelsat II-F3 on 11.080 GHz
(08:00- 15:00 hrs CET). ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
TELECOM--Telecom 2D is currently moving from 3 degrees East to 5
degrees West. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
INTELSAT--Nethold has started a digital package on Intelsat 601 on
11.012 GHz. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
ORION--Apna TV has started on Orion 1 on 12.655 GHz in PAL,
17:00-23:00 hrs CET. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
POLAND--Luexmbourg-based CLT, which failed to win a broadcasting
licence in Poland, has announced it will beam a Polish-language
channel by satellite. It will be called RTL 7 and will begin
broadcasts on December 7. (AP)
HUNGARY--As of March 1, 1997, all the Eastern-European versions of
HBO, and affiliated channels, will be distributed in one 6-channel
digital package. The distribution satellite is yet to be decided but
will be either Germany's Kopernikus or Israel's Amos. Until then these
channels will continue to be distributed on S-VHS LP videotapes.
The uplink will be from Hungary. The satellite distribution will
improve the picture and sound quality, programs will start at the
right time, and live transmissions, stereo sound and teletext will be
possible.
The HBO programming however will still only be available for cable
networks. This could change in the future, but for now DTH viewers
will remain HBO-less. The Polish version of HBO is already transmitted
via a digital package, but it will join the others next year. (Tamas
Nyitrai in "Tele-satellit News")
TELEVISION WITHOUT FRONTIERS?--Digital broadcast techniques are
expanding the number of satellite channels available, a trend that
started with the introduction of analog satellite broadcasting. 
Sports are benefiting from the increased access, but public
broadcasters are concerned. Commercial satellite stations with deep
pockets have been able to capture the rights to important events,
denying access to the larger public. The European Broadcasting Union,
which groups public broadcasters across the continent, has renewed the
call for action to stop the migration of top events to pay TV
channels. Last Tuesday the European parliament agreed to press for
rules to ensure that terrestrial television viewers retain access to
major events. (Reuters)
But the parliament has given up in another area. The long fight to
force programming quotas on satellite television stations in the
European Union finally came to an end last week, as Joe Kirwin reports
from Brussels in today's program.
AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST:
BBC--The British Broadcasting Corporation says its World Service radio
is expanding local language broadcasts aimed at refugees displaced by
the crisis in Central Africa. The programs carry "humanitarian
messages" such as pleas from people trying to find their families as
well as news and current affairs from Zaire, Rwanda and neighboring
countries.
The BBC has broadcast a 15-minute program each weekday in the
Kinyarwanda and Kirundi languages since September 1994, a few months
after the genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda, followed by
the exodus of Hutus to Zaire.
From early December, the programs, which begin at 16:15 hrs UTC and
are broadcast on shortwave frequencies 11860 and 21490 kHz, will be
extended to 30 minutes from 15 minutes.
The BBC said United Nations research showed that its programs were
seen as "the most trusted information source" by the refugees in
Central Africa. (Reuters)
AMOS--IBA Channel 3 has moved from 11.131 GHz to 11.596 GHz. ("SATCO
DX Chart Update")
TURKEY--ATV has left Eutelsat II-F2, and is now on Turksat 1C. NTV on
Eutelsat II-F2 has moved from 11.018 to 10.987 GHz.
TRT 1 and TRT 2 have both left Turksat 1C, Western beam. TRT
International has started on Turksat 1C, Western beam 11.469 GHz.
("SATCO DX Chart Update" and Pedro Sedano)
ORBIT--The Orbit Satellite Television and RadioNetwork will be
introducing Pay-Per-View (PPV) services to the Arab world
as early as the first half of 1997. Orbit has announced plans to split
its transmissions between two satellites: Intelsat 705 at 18 West,
reaching North Africa and Europe, and Intelsat 703 at 57 East reaching
the Middle East. The line-up of each service will be specifically
tailored for the geographical area targeted, and will be available on
small dishes. Orbit has acquired additional transponder capacity on
Intelsat 703 in order to accomodate the PPV service and the additional
line-up of nine STAR TV channels. ("Tele-satellit News")
NORTH AMERICA:
GE--More stations are appearing on GE-1:
SportChannel Chicago has left Satcom C1 for GE-1. SportsChannel Ohio
has started on transponder 4. Turner Vision promos have started on
transponder 12. SportsChannel New England has moved from Spacenet 2 to
GE-1 transponder 14. WJLA-TV, WRAL-TV, and WNBC-TV have moved from
Galaxy 4 to GE-1. Several NBC channels have moved to GE-1's Ku-band.
("SATCO DX Chart Update") Considering that General Electric owns NBC,
this makes sense.
SATCOM--Satcom K2 has finished its move from 81 degrees West to 85
degrees West, and is expected to take over from Satcom K1 until GE-2
takesover that location early next year. ("SATCO DX Chart Update")
WARNER VS MURDOCH, AGAIN--The squabbles between Time Warner/Turner
Broadcasting and Rupert Murdoch continue. Firing another salvo at its
archrival News Corp., Time Warner Inc. has urged the Federal
Communications Commission to deny MCI Communications Corp.'s
application for a U.S. direct-broadcast satellite license, claiming
that MCI won't be eligible if it is acquired by British Telecom.
A letter from Time Warner President Richard Parsons to the FCC took
particularly sharp aim at Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., MCI's 50%
partner in the planned satellite-TV service called American Sky
Broadcasting. News Corp. is "an Australian company that, as a foreign
entity, was already ineligible to bid directly for the DBS license,"
he wrote.
Time Warner's letter was the latest fusillade in an acrimonious public
--- NetMgr 1.00.g4+
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