TELE-satellite News - Number 27/2004  4 July 2004

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TELE-satellite News - Number 27/2004  4 July 2004 - A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International

* Issue 06-07/2004 of Tele-satellite International magazine is out now * More details at http://sadoun.com/Sat/Products/Acces...-Satellite.htm


E U R O P E


EURO1080 OPTS FOR TELKTRONIX VIDEO SOLUTIONS TV facility provider Alfacam and Euro1080, Europe's first High Definition (HD) satellite channel, have chosen Tektronix as an official partner to supply video/audio monitors and synchronization/signal generators to support upcoming coverage that includes
Euro2004 and the Athens Olympics. Euro1080, which launched two HD satellite channels in January 2004, was founded by TV facility provider Alfacam. The deal with Tektronix incorporates a number of products being used in the refurbishment of existing Outside Broadcasting (OB) vans and fitting out of newer, larger trucks in the Alfacam fleet. Some vehicles carry as many as 36 of the latest HD cameras and require complex HD and/or Standard Definition (SD) video monitoring tools. Other facilities being outfitted include new Euro1080 studios, associated control rooms, editing suites and a play out center; all at a brand new Alfacam/Euro1080 media-complex in Lint, Belgium, due to open in September 2004. Euro1080 was launched on January 1 and is the first channel to broadcast exclusively in High Definition throughout Europe. Euro1080 offers high-quality content: sports, music, shows and cultural events are being broadcasted by satellite with best quality surround sound, exclusively in HDTV format. Euro1080 consists of 2 channels. A Main Channel, distributing a daily 4 hours' program to the European households and an Event Channel, distributing event programs (live or
recorded) to the European cinemas and larger venues.
Internet - http://www.euro1080.tv

CYPRUS

MULTICHOICE TO OFFER NOVA GREECE
Cypriot pay-TV operator Multichoice is to offer the Nova Greece channel package to its subscribers.
Multichoice (Cyprus) said it had entered a cooperation agreement with Multichoice Hellas which would offer viewers an enhanced choice of channels. Subscribers will be given the option of maintaining their existing analogue service of subscription to the local LTV and Alfa pay-TV Channels or switch to digital where they will also be able to receive the Nova package. The Cypriot company said that it would be acting only as an agent of Multichoice Greece in offering Nova.
Multichoice Cyprus is presently the only local pay-TV provider, but it is soon to face increased competition with the launch of at least two other pay-TV services anticipated this year.

FRANCE

CANAL PLUS SELLS SPORTFIVE
Pay-TV group Canal Plus said on June 25 that parent Vivendi Universal had completed the sale of its 48.85% stake in sport rights company Sportfive to private equity fund Advent International for a sum of 274 million. Under the terms of the deal announced in March, the RTL Group, the European broadcast company controlled by Germany's Bertelsmann, which also owned 48.85% of Sportfive, has sold its stake to Advent International, which has formed a new company with the same name. RTL will hold 25% of the new entity, controlled by Advent. Other stakeholders include Goldman Sachs and the company's management.

CANAL J PREPARES GIRLS CHANNEL
Canal J has unveiled the branding for its new girls
channel: Filles TV (girls TV). It will be graphically symbolized by ancient Greek letter f or Phi - which sounds 'fi' in French, not so far from 'filles.'
Filles TV, which targets teens girls, will launch on September 1 on Canalsatellite, and cable networks Noos, NC Numiricbble, France Tilicom Cbble, and Est Vidiocom to a total of 2.6 million households.

GERMANY

RTL LOSES BID TO STOP TIVION
RTL Television, Germany's biggest commercial broadcaster, lost the final appeal June 25 in its attempt to keep Telecontrol Consumer Electronics'
Tivion ad blocker off the market. In Europe's version of the debate over the impact of digital video recorders, Germany's highest court decided that Tivion was nothing more than an automated extension of a TV's remote control and not an illegal jamming transmitter, as RTL's lawyers had argued. Tivion's ad blocker either automatically switches away to a channel not showing commercials or pops up with a screen indicating which channels have programming running and lets the viewer decide whether to zap away. It can then zap back to the original channel as soon as the commercials are over.

SES ASTRA BUYS DPC FROM PREMIERE
SES Astra has entered into a binding agreement to acquire a 75.2% stake in DPC (Digital Playout Center) from German pay-TV operator Premiere. The transaction, for a consideration of 41.2 million, is subject to approval by competition authorities. DPC (Digital Playout Center) operates one of the most modern European teleport facilities in Unterfoehring near Munich and offers services comprising play-out, multiplexing, encryption and satellite uplinks to more than 100 private as well as public broadcasters. In addition to Premiere, other TV stations also share the broadcasting facility including ProSiebenSat.1 Media, Home Shopping Europe (HSE), DSF, Tele 5 and many more.
Under SES Astra's helmsmanship, DPC will diversify its service offering by launching Germany's first and only "open" pay-TV platform using Premiere compatible digital set top boxes. DPC, under its new ownership, will retain its corporate identity, name, Munich premises and headquarters, as well as the existing Management and staff. The company is being acquired debt-free and its results, which generated a turnover of 31.5 million in 2003, will be fully consolidated into the accounts of SES Astra's parent company SES Global.

DSF BECOMES PROFITABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME For the first time in its 10 year history German sports channel Deutsches Sportfernsehen (DSF) is set to turn a profit. Total revenue will be 100 million by end of the year, a 24% increase on 2003, CEO Rainer
H|ther announced on June 30 in Munich. Last years loss
of 900,000 will be turned around to a gain of around
2 million. DSF began broadcasting in 1993 as part of the Kirch group. Today EM.TV owns around 40%, Karstadt-Quelle daughter New Media around 40%, with entrepreneur Hans Dieter Cleven owning just fewer than 19%. According to industry experts losses of the past years few years stacked up to between 400-500 million, but by DSF's own account the channel is currently free of debt. For the first six months of
2004 revenue even grew by 48%. H|ther ascribes the positive business development to the capturing the German Football League. DSF holds first run free-to-air rights for the two Sunday games of the first league. The same applies for Friday, Sunday and Monday games of the second league.

GREECE

EBU PREPARES FOR OLYMPICS
EBU has started installing the technical facilities for the Athens Olympic Games transmissions, with satellite transmissions once again heavily relied upon. The Teleport of the IBC in Athens will comprise eight EBU satellite dishes, one of which is a back-up for any of the other seven. Apart from the W3A and
NSS7 permanent network satellites, the EBU will also occasionally be using capacity on AtlanticBird3 and E Bird, given the high demand for exclusive connections (which number 28 in total). Each satellite dish, mounted on a steel base, has a diameter of 4.5m.

HUNGARY

MORE CASH FOR MTV
The Parliament has decided to grant Ft 4.8 billion to Hungarian Television (MTV) and the Board of Trustees of MTV will decide how the grant should be spent.
According to MTV VP Gyvrgy Pinke, the state television is sitting on a Ft 6.8 billion debts mountain, so the entire grant would be paid out immediately. Due to MTV's near bankruptcy, the board of trustees also requested management to put together a crisis-management plan.

ITALY

MEDIASET BUYS FOOTBALL RIGHTS FOR DTT SERVICE Leading Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset, controlled by Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, agreed to pay 86 million to transmit the home matches of Juventus, Inter and AC Milan through digital terrestrial technology for the next three seasons.
Individuals will be able to buy pre-paid cards, similar to those used by mobile phone owners, giving them paid access to the matches. The current estimate is that a single match could be bought for about 2.
Although fewer than 600,000 Italian households possess digital TV set-top boxes, the move represents a strong challenge to Murdochs satellite-delivered pay-TV platform Sky Italia. The deal has provoked harsh criticism from Berlusconi's opponents who claimed that the agreement represents a conflict of interest.

RUSSIA

RUSSIAN TV CHANNELS TO START IN FAR EAST According to a report by the ITAR-TASS news agency, the television channels NTV and RTR Kultura will start broadcasting in Anadyr and other district centres of Chukotka from the end of July. The channels will appear in other towns of the autonomous area where satellite communication stations are in operation by 10 December 2004, ITAR-TASS was told by the head of the regional communications directorate Vladimir Vildyaykin that 80 per cent of people living in Chukotka would be able to watch the programmes of these channels by the end of 2005.

UNITED KINGDOM

BBC SCOTLAND WINS LIVE SCOTLAND GAME RIGHTS BBC Scotland has secured live TV, radio and online rights to broadcast Scotland's crucial away World Cup qualifiers against Norway, Slovenia, Belarus and Moldova. The away qualifying fixtures start this autumn when Berti Vogts takes his side to Moldova on
13 October. BBC Scotland will also be with the team every step of the way for the matches against Belarus, Norway and Slovenia next year. Broadcasting rights have not yet been determined for the trip to Rome, where the Scots face the Azzurri. In addition to live Scottish Cup and World Cup qualifiers, BBC Scotland has also acquired a four-year deal to broadcast four live CIS League Cup games from the third round onwards next season. In addition to live television coverage, goal action from the round's other fixtures will also be shown.

BBC SAYS DIGITAL SWITCH MUST WAIT UNTIL 2012 The BBC on June 29 challenged the government's target of turning off analogue TV by 2010, saying it does not believe the switch to digital broadcasting will be achievable until two years later. These comments forms part of the BBC's submission to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's review of the corporation's charter. The report - called Building Public Value:
renewing the BBC for a digital world - states that the corporation should be "big enough to deliver the services audiences demand, but as small as its mission allows". "The BBC will not be expanding its channels or networks," the document adds. That is a statement likely to be well received by the corporation's commercial rivals, who have long railed against what they regard as the public service broadcaster's endless empire building, with the launch of new services and commercial businesses. Building Public Value also sets out plans for helping the government achieve analogue switch-off, including an initiative to make BBC television programmes available over the internet via a new media player. In addition, the BBC is planning to move 20% of its annual commissioning spend - #2.378 billion across TV, radio and online in
2002-2003 - out of the capital and turn its Manchester operation into the "largest broadcast centre out of London".

LORAL SKYNET ESTABLISHES JAGUAR BUSINESS TV NETWORK Loral Skynet on June 28 announced that it has signed an agreement with Jaguar Cars UK to provide a business TV network covering all 100 Jaguar dealerships in the United Kingdom. This new network is in addition to Loral Skynet's previous agreement with Jaguar's sister company, Land Rover UK, which provides for business television services to 130 Land Rover dealerships throughout the UK. Jaguar Business TV will broadcast training and communications programming over a secure video and data network developed by Skynet. Jaguar Business TV will be distributed across the UK using Loral's Telstar 12 satellite, located at 15 degrees West. Skynet will provide the communications infrastructure, including on-premise dishes and receiving equipment, and maintenance services to each dealership.

BSKYB AND BBC TO COOPERATE OVER FTA SATELLITE PLATFORM The prospect of the BBC launching a free-to-air satellite version of Freeview in direct competition with a similar service from BSkyB faded sharply on June 29 as the two broadcasters indicated they would cooperate. BSkyB said it was actively talking to the BBC and hoped to persuade the corporation drop its plans. Richard Freudenstein, the BSkyB chief operating officer, said his company was discussing the level of support the BBC is prepared to give to Sky's service, dubbed FreeSat, which is due to launch by the end of the year. Freudenstein claims the BBC's proposed satellite service would offer only BBC services and not ITV, Channel 4 of Channel Five.

ESPN COULD LAUNCH ON SKY DIGITAL
ESPN, the sports cable group owned by The Walt Disney Company, is in discussions with BSkyB, the satellite broadcaster, to introduce a 24-hour sports channel in the UK. According to a report in The Times, the companies are negotiating a British launch of ESPN Classic Sport, which replays famous footage from past sporting events, such as the football match between England and Germany in 2000 at Wembley Stadium. An agreement would see the channel beamed to more than 7 million British satellite dishes in addition to the 14 million homes that already receive it in other European markets such as France and Italy, where it was launched two years ago. George Bodenheimer, co-chairman of Disney's Media Networks division, said earlier this year that ESPN hoped to have a British channel operating within 12 to 18 months. ESPN has since held discussions with NTL and Telewest, the cable operators, but its talks with BSkyB have progressed the furthest.

CANWEST SELLS ULSTER TV STAKE
Canadian media giant CanWest Global Communications Corp. said on June 30 it sold its almost 30% stake in Northern Ireland's Ulster Television to investors through the London Stock Exchange in a deal said to be worth #59 million (CAN$145 million). CanWest International Communications Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CanWest Global, said the proceeds from the sale of nearly 15.8 million shares will be used to reduce bank debt. Ulster TV, along with SMG - owner of Scottish TV and Grampian TV - and Channel TV, run the only four franchises outside ITV plc, which was formed with the merger of Carlton and Granada in February.
CanWest still has a 45% stake in TV3, the only independently owned commercial TV station in the Republic of Ireland.

BBC TO CREATE NEW TV REGION
The BBC has announced plans to create a new television region in Central England for Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. The new BBC centre will be based in Milton Keynes and incorporate BBC Three Counties Radio, which will eventually transfer to the city from Luton. The announcement was made as part of the biggest shift of investment out of London and into the Nations and Regions in the BBC's history by the BBC's Chairman Michael Grade and DG Mark Thompson.

RACING UK SIGNS OVERSEAS DEALS
New TV channel Racing UK has reported that deals for pictures from its 30 tracks have been sealed in several overseas markets. Phumelela Gold Enterprises (PGE), Racing UK's international media rights partner, has announced to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange that it has concluded exclusive agreements with Sri Lanka, the Caribbean, Russia and its adjacent territories.
Racing UK says these agreements, together with existing revenue-producing operations, meet the guaranteed minimum revenues identified in the May agreement between Racing UK and PGE. Further international simulcasting agreements are anticipated in the coming weeks.




N O R T H A M E R I C A


UNITED STATES

SENATE TO REVIEW NIELSEN TV RATING SYSTEM A Senate subcommittee said June 25 it would probe the controversial new technology for measuring television audiences by Nielsen Media Research next month. The "local people meters", electronic devices designed to replace the handwritten diaries used for decades to record local viewing habits, have come under fire from some lawmakers, News Corp. and a coalition of civil rights activists who say it undercounts minority audiences. The Senate Communications subcommittee said it would hold a hearing on the issue on July 15. It did not announce expected witnesses but said all views would be presented.

ESPN AND ABC CABLE TO JOIN UNITS
The Walt Disney Co. is merging the affiliate sales and marketing units at ESPN Networks and ABC Cable Networks Group. Effective October 1, the merger brings together a vast assemblage of cable content including basic and high-definition channels ranging from ABC Family to ESPN HD, video-on-demand, broadband and interactive properties with which Disney could collectively negotiate with cable operators and satellite services over license fees. The unification is the most sweeping restructuring of the newly christened Disney Media Networks.

DIRECTV DROPS SUIT AGAINST ECHOSTAR
DirecTV Group Inc. on June 29 dropped a lawsuit it filed against EchoStar Communications Corp. after EchoStar agreed to stop running advertisements that said customers who received DirecTV in rural areas might lose service. DirecTV claimed in a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles that the EchoStar ads falsely stated that some subscribers might lose service because of a contract dispute between DirecTV and Pegasus Communications Corp., which resells DirecTV's programming. DirecTV and the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative this month ended Pegasus' exclusive contract to resell service to 8.4 million U.S. households in 41 states. The move, effective August 31, prompted Pegasus' satellite TV unit to file for bankruptcy protection. EchoStar issued a statement saying it was "pleased that DirecTV has decided to withdraw its complaint." DirecTV said it wanted to take back rights to market its service in the rural areas served by Pegasus because it had been losing customers there to EchoStar.



L A T I N A M E R I C A


BRAZIL

TELMEX TO BUYS NET SERVICOS STAKE
Mexican telecom giant Telmex has agreed to acquire a stake in Net Servicos de Comunicacao from Globo Comunicacoes e Participacoes for $250 million to $370 million. The news comes after months of speculation that Telefonos de Mexico, which does business as Telmex, has been planning to buy Net Servicos, Brazil's largest pay-TV company. Globo Comunicacoes e Participacoes, which is also Brazilian, is one of the world's biggest television broadcasters. Telmex said it will acquire Net Servicos shares and shares of a holding company that will hold a majority of Net Servicos's voting stock. Telmex expects to hold 30 to 60 per cent of Net Servicos's shares outstanding, including its proportionate share of the new holding company's stock. The final purchase price is dependent on the outcome of Net Servicos's anticipated restructuring. Earlier this month, Net Servicos said it was close to inking a restructuring agreement for its defaulted debt of more than $318.3 million. Net Servicos was founded in 1991 by the Marinho family, owners of Globo Comunicacoes. Globo Communicacoes, also known as Globopar, is a unit of Latin America's biggest media firm, Organizacoes Globo. The acquisition is contingent on the restructuring of Net Servicos debt, along with regulatory approval and agreements with Globopar and other Net Servicos shareholders. Under current Brazilian law, Telmex can't acquire a controlling stake in Net Servicos.
However if the law changes, Telmex said it has the right to buy from Globopar a controlling stake in Net Servicos's new holding company. This would give Telmex voting control of Net Servicos. Additionally, Globopar has an option to sell 34 percent of Net Servicos's shares outstanding to Telmex for $130 million after October 31. This option expires on July 1, 2005, or when the Telmex-Net Servicos deal closes.

MEXICO

DIGITAL TV ARRIVES IN MEXICO
Techzonez Mexico made its first foray into digital television on July 2 with the release of a plan to make the new technology available to the entire population by 2021. Communications and Transport Ministry said Mexico was officially adopting the digital television technological standard and detailed steps to bring better television service to the country's population of more than 100 million. Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey along with six border cities will be the first locations where there should be at least two commercial digital channels by 2006.
In Mexico, airwaves are split between leading companies Grupo Televisa and TV Azteca and two state-owned channels for a total of seven channels with national coverage. During the 17-year transition period, for every analogue channel a new digital channel will have to be launched but they will both transmit the same programming.



A S I A & P A C I F I C


PLAYHOUSE DISNEY CHANNEL IN FIVE ASIAN MARKETS Malaysia joins Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Indonesia on the list of markets where preschoolers will be able to receive Walt Disney Television International's dedicated preschool service, Playhouse Disney Channel. This weekend's launch of the only 24-hour preschool-learning channel in Asia on Malaysia's multi-channel TV operator Astro brings the number of Playhouse Disney Channels in Asia to five, all launching in a span of three months. Playhouse Disney Channel caters for kids two to five years old, their parents and caregivers. Disney Branded Television oversees WDTVI-AP's pay-TV channels such as Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney Channel now seen in 10 countries region- wide as well as Disney Clubs and Disney branded programming blocks on free-to- air networks, reaching more than 380 million households in the region.
Internet - http://www.disneychannel-asia.com http://www.playhousedisneychannel-asia.com

AUSTRALIA

TARBS WORLD TV IN RECEIVERSHIP
The countrys only ethnic pay-TV broadcaster, TARBS World TV, on July 2 became the first pay-TV provider to fall into receivership since industry pioneer Australis Media in 1997. The Australian understands that TARBS creditor PanAmSat, which provides worldwide satellite services to the Sydney-based business, appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers as receivers. The move follows a dispute between TARBS and PanAmSat over fees paid to the satellite group. A company spokesman confirmed the receivership but said TARBS was confident of resolving the dispute. The TARBS signal remains on air while the receiver reviews the business. It is not clear how much TARBS owes its creditors but the business is fully funded with no debt. TARBS provides a 65-channel, multi-language satellite pay-TV service to about 50,000 subscribers.
It was established in 1995 as Television & Radio Broadcasting Services Australia by Egyptian-Australian businessman Mr Boulos and media executive and practitioner Regina Leviste-Boulos. In 2003, it was renamed TARBS World TV "to better reflect its core service of multicultural TV and radio". The company has also expanded worldwide, setting up regional headquarters and satellite facilities in Greece and the US. Australis, which operated under the Galaxy brand, failed in 1997. Many of its assets, and subscribers, were picked up by rivals Foxtel and Optus.

OPTUS AND FOXTEL AGREE NOT TO BUY AUSTAR Pay-TV groups Optus and Foxtel reached a secret agreement not to buy regional rival Austar just days before starting negotiations over last year's industry restructure. According to local press reports, the agreement was reached by outgoing SingTel Optus chief executive Chris Anderson and Foxtel chairman Sam Chisholm. The news comes as the Seven Network continues its $2 billion legal action against Foxtel, Optus and others in which it alleges they acted anti-competitively to kill off Seven's pay-TV ambitions. In relation to Optus, Seven disputes the validity of Optus's move to end its agreement to broadcast Seven's C7 pay-TV sports channel.

BRUNEI

BRUNEI TO ASSIST RTB MEDIA PLATFORM
The News Centre of Radio Television Brunei (RTB) and the government's Public Relations Committee have decided to work more closely in maximising RTB's broadcast media platform, BruneiDirect has reported.
The Deputy Director of RTB, Haji Mohammad Yusof bin Haji Abdul Rahman, said much can be achieved by the News Centre through an improved cooperation from government ministries, departments and relevant authorities. RTB's Head of News, Current Affairs and Sports, Haji Johari Achee said the News Centre aimed to deliver balanced news reporting, as the expectations of RTB's audience were more sophisticated. The News, Current Affairs and Sports Division contributes about 50 per cent of RTB's total transmission.

CHINA  HONG KONG

TELECOM AND BROADCAST WATCHDOGS TO MERGE Hong Kong is considering forming a "super regulator"
to oversee the telecommunications and broadcasting industries, the South China Morning Post has reported.
At present, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (Ofta) oversees phone carriers, while the Broadcasting Authority has dominion over cable firms.
"The existing legislation was drafted a long time ago.
Our current regulatory regime cannot keep up with technology development," Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Tsang Chun-wah said.
"Some kind of revamp is necessary." Legal experts in Hong Kong have welcomed the government's merger plan.
The government plans to consult the public at the end of the year on how the two should be merged.

FIJI

JOINT VENTURE TO PROVIDE MORE TV CHANNELS A joint venture between a local company and an overseas television network is expected to challenge Fiji Television's current grip on viewers with 15 pay-TV channels. Pacific Broadcasting Services director Berenado Vunibobo said it had entered into a partnership with Australian-based television company, Television and Radio Broadcasting Services (TARBS).
"At the moment we're trying to enter into partnership with the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited as well as the Ba Provincial Holdings Limited to get the project off the ground," Vunibobo said. The start-up package to sign up to the network was expected to include a portable satellite dish and a decoder at $399, with a monthly subscription fee of between $40 and $49. All 15 channels will be sourced from TARBS's network links in Europe and Asia and will include three Hindi channels as well as BBC, CNN, Discovery and specific movie channels. With the mother station based in Australia and satellite transmission being the link to Fiji, Vunibobo said Pacific Broadcasting had no intention of applying for a TV operating licence. "Since all our infrastructure will be based off-shore and the only services we will need is the Government's approval for setting up satellite dishes, we felt that we did not need to apply for a licence,"
Vunibobo said. "However, since we do not want to cause any problems, we felt obliged to at least apply for a licence but we will be paying the Government some $56 as a fee for setting up satellite equipment," he said.

INDIA

DD SIGNS CRICKET DEAL WITH ESPN STAR
After being denied a series of premier sporting tournaments over the last eight months, cricket fans will get yet another chance to catch Indian cricket stars, thanks to Prasar Bharti. The national broadcaster's deal with ESPN-Star Sports on June 29 for broadcast of India matches and the finals of the forthcoming Asia Cup tournament has lifted some of the gloom amongst sports-lovers.

ISRAEL

NEW CABLE TV DATING CHANNEL ON THE AIR
>From July, Israeli TV viewers will be able to tune in
to the first 24-hour cable TV dating channel Clicka, faces tough competition for the attention of single Israelis, who comprise about 1.2 million of Israel's population of 6.6 million. The Internet is jammed with Jewish dating services, most newspapers run "personals" and one Israeli TV station broadcasts a weekly dating show. Applicants have one-on-one conversations with a host, lasting up to three minutes, to tell viewers about themselves and what they are looking for. The segments are taped for later broadcast, with contact information flashing on the screen. Britain has a similar service, called The Dating Channel on Sky Digital, but the Israeli version will not be available to a general audience, allowing those looking for love in the Holy Land greater privacy. In the trial period, the service is free -- but by August, customers will have to pay $10 a month to find the perfect companion. The broadcasts are in Hebrew and the programming is split into age groups and education levels.

LEBANON

HEZBOLLAH TV STATION CREATES CONTROVERSY The broadcast operation of the Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah (Party of God) are being accused of anti-Semitism and inciting violence and hate. The programs of pan-Arab TV channel Al-Manar have drawn international protests, leading some countries to pull the plug on its broadcasts. Hezbollah got its TV license from the Lebanese government in 1997 and the group uses the TV station, as well as a radio station, weekly newspaper and Internet site and a charity arm that runs clinics, hospitals and schools, to seek support for its causes. Al-Manar was taken off the air in Australia, and the French government is moving to block Al- Manar broadcasts through the Paris-based satellite operator Eutelsat. Al-Manar, the self-styled "Channel of Resistance and Liberation," considers itself a voice for Arabs and Muslims and claims it is the first Arab station to stage effective psychological warfare against Israel. It broadcasts news bulletins every other hour and it airs documentaries, game shows, political talk shows and dramatic series produced in Egypt and Syria.

MALAYSIA

NEW PRIVATE TV STATIONS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT MINISTRIES VIEWS The government will take into account the views of several ministries before approving applications for new private television stations, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on July 1. He said the Cabinet meeting had discussed the issue, especially pertaining to the responsibility to control and monitor the programmes aired by private television stations. Najib said even though the issuance of the licences was under the prerogative of the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry, other ministries also played a role and were responsible in terms of the programmes' content and messages portrayed by the private television stations. "In the future, if there are anything that needs approval such as additional licences, the ministries concerned will be asked for their views," he told a media conference. Information Minister Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir was of the opinion that the issuance of licences for new private television stations should be frozen as the existing number was sufficient and if increased, it would cause stiff competition among the stations to vie for profits from advertisements.

RTM SEEKS ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO EXTEND BROADCASTS State-owned Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) will seek funds under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to set up a television and FM radio broadcast station to benefit areas in the state of Sabah which have yet to receive RTM transmissions. The official Bernama news agency quoted the Director-General of Broadcasting, Datuk Abdul Rahman Hamid, as saying RTM had identified the areas outside of transmission coverage.

NEW ZEALAND

CANWEST TO SELL SHARES
CanWest MediaWorks (NZ) confirmed on July 2 its offer of 68 million ordinary shares to the public would open July 7 and close July 21. In a statement, the offer is expected to raise between NZ$102 million- NZ$134.6 million ($63.24 million-$83.45 million). Following the offer, CanWest MediaWorks (NZ) will acquire the CanWest Group's New Zealand media operations. These include two TV networks, six national radio brands and
22 regional radio stations. Following completion of the offer, the CanWest group will have about a 70% shareholding but may reduce this 64% by offering an extra 13.6 million shares.

THE PHILIPPINES

ABS-CBN TO EXPAND DOWN UNDER
Philippine owned media giant ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. is to expand into Australia in the third quarter, according to newly appointed president Luis Alejandro. In an interview with the Business World, Alejandro said ABS-CBN was also planning to penetrate potential markets in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore. The media firm already runs a cable business in Australia where it distributes Philippine-produced content. ABS-CBN sees its global unit as one of the major drivers for its growth as the domestic market is already saturated. ABS-CBN Global offers Philippine programmes to 1.3 million Filipinos in North America, the Middle East and Europe.

TAIWAN

INTERIM LICENSES FOR 3 TV CHANNELS
The Government Information Office (GIO) announced on June 28 that terrestrial television channels Taiwan Television (TTV), China Television System (CTS) and China Television (CTV) will begin operating under a three-month interim license by the start of next month to facilitate the depoliticizing of media channels and to possibly prepare to transfer either or both of the former two channels to public ownership. According to the changes, government shares in the largely party-controlled terrestrial media outlets must be sold and individuals with party affiliations must leave media management positions. The government is considering plans to privatize one station and nationalize the other or to combine the two stations into one public television channel.

NATIONWIDE DIGITAL TV BROADCASTS LAUNCHED Digital television formally launched in the island nation on July 2, with 14 TV channels now officially available from five different television stations.
"Taiwan has just completed the third wave of the television industry revolution," Premier Yu Shyi-kun said at the formal opening ceremony. The arrival of digital television did not only mean 14 more channels to enjoy, Yu said, but also meant it would soon be possible for Taiwan people to watch television on a mobile phone. Looking at the current competitive technology industry, Yu said, he expected digital television to be available on mobile phones two years from now, putting Taiwan in the same league as other advanced countries such as Japan and the U.S. The government views the development of digital television as an important goal and has invested NT$5 billion in promoting it for terrestrial television stations China Television Company (CTV), China Television Systems (CTS), Formosa Television (FTV), Taiwan Television Enterprise (TTV) and the Public Television Service Foundation (PTV).

THAILAND

CHINA COULD LAUNCH UP TO 40 TV CHANNELS FOR THAI VIEWERS China Central Television (CCTV) has expressed interest in launching up to 40 Thai-language channels in Thailand, according to Grisanaporn Soempanich of Thailand's Public Relations Department. Grisanaporn said representatives from CCTV have paid an unofficial visit recently to inquire about broadcasting the satellite television channels in Thailand. He has asked the station to wait for the establishment of the National Broadcasting Commission, which will regulate the industry and issue permits for broadcasting frequencies. The Nation reported that CCTV's interest in Thailand has sparked concern that the Thai government is selling the broadcasting industry down the river through the various free trade agreements (FTAs).

AIRWAVES REGULATOR UNLIKELY BEFORE 2005
Thailand's National Broadcasting Commission, the independent regulatory agency, is unlikely to be formed for at least another year - dashing hopes that it could usher in public control over broadcasting stations and resolve conflicts at TV Channels 5 and 11. Prime Minister's Office Secretary-General Yongyuth Sarasombat said the selection panel was not yet ready and was still short of three members. The screening process in which 14 candidates will be picked could then start, but would take six months to complete. The senate will then spend at least another six months to choose seven out of the 14 candidates. In the meantime, existing stations are rushing to set up additional stations under the current law.



A F R I C A


ALGERIA

AUTHORITIES SUSPEND AL JAZEERA BROADCASTS The Algerian authorities have suspended Al Jazeera television broadcasts to Algeria. According to local press reports, an Al Jazeera journalist based in Algeria was ordered to suspend his work on the territory of Algeria with no explanations given. The reason why the sanctions were imposed on Al Jazeera channel were not immediately known. Presumably, the sanctions were connected with Al Jazeera reports from Algeria commenting on the politics of national reconciliation pursued by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Another version is connected with the Al Jazeera coverage of a recent explosion at a power supply sub-station that supplied power to the Algerian capital. An official version said the explosion was a result of technical problems, while independent sources said it was a well-planned subversive act.

GHANA

GERMAN COMPANIES TO SET UP TV STATIONS
German company Rohde & Schwarz has been commissioned to set up a nationwide TV and sound broadcasting network in Ghana. According to a Radio Netherlands report, in its role as consortium leader, Rohde & Schwarz will work with T-Systems International GmbH to set up state-of-the-art transmitter systems including antennas and satellite feeds at a total of 31 sites.
The German Federal Government supports the order, which is worth 17.4 million, with a Hermes export credit guaranty. The transmitter systems will be delivered by the end of July. The entire broadcasting network project will be completed in April 2005. Well over 90% of the Ghanaian population will then have access to sound broadcasting and TV.

KENYA

MEDIA OWNERS OPPOSE BROADCASTING LAW
Kenyas Capital FM has reported that media owners are opposing the countrys new media law. The Chairman of the Media Owners Association Wilfred Kiboro [also chief executive of Nation Media Group] says the clause in the proposed broadcasting bill that stops cross-media ownership could weaken the media in Kenya.
Kiboro said this will lead to lack of interest from foreign entrepreneurs yet the country needs such investments. He added that if the proposed bill is passed it would mean that a single investor is only allowed to own one TV, radio or newspaper company at a time.

SOUTH AFRICA

MARGINAL GROWTH FOR NAPSTERS PAY-TV SERVICE Media conglomerate Naspers has published its financial results for the year ending 31 March revealing very marginal growth in its pay-TV services, which include satellite TV. Technology remains a key strategic focus for the group as it has to ensure the security of its pay-television subscriber base. Due to the ongoing investment in encryption technology, the technology segment of the group reported a R23 million loss.
Naspers's operating profit was R1.289 billion last year and core headline earnings rose to R534 million compared with a previous loss of R100 million. Core earnings at the pay- TV unit rose 53 per cent. The group, which gets about a third of its revenue outside South Africa, said it would target opportunities in Africa and Asia, especially China. Analysts said the pay-TV business, which accounts for nearly 60 per cent of revenue and four-fifths of operating profit, was likely to be expanded in China and Africa. During the year, the group had invested R287 million to increase its shareholding in pay-TV channel M-Net and SuperSport to 38.6 percent.