Satellite News - North America 11/1/02

[Sadoun]

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

* Issue 02-03/2004 of Tele Satellite International magazine is out now * More details at http://sadoun.com/Sat/Products/Acces...-Satellite.htm


CANADA

BELL EXPRESSVU ADDS 45,000 NEW SUBSCRIBERS
Satellite TV provider Bell ExpressVu, backed by telecommunications giant
BCE, added 45,000 subscribers during the third quarter, representing a 31
per cent increase since third quarter 2001. Bell ExpressVu had 1.221
million subscribers at the end of the third quarter. Star Choice, the other
Canadian satellite TV provider backed by Shaw Communications, was reported to have a base of 760,000 customers for its dish service at the end of the third quarter.

UNITED STATES

CABLEVISION INTERESTED IN DBS
Cable operator Cablevision Systems plans to quickly sell assets that it
currently has under consideration for disposal if regulators in Washington
approve a proposed deal with satcaster EchoStar Communications that would facilitate Cablevision's plans to launch a satellite service in the spring. According to industry observers, the plan is proof that Cablevision, which is controlled by the Dolan family, is committed to entering the DBS space despite long-running Wall Street concerns, even if it means divesting current holdings. Analysts and investors have said the launch and operation of a DBS service will put further financial pressure on Cablevision, which has already had to cut jobs and spending to avoid a cash crunch next year. Top executives at Cablevision Systems are confident that their company will end up in strong financial shape for a DBS service.

ECHOSTAR-DIRECTV MERGER HITS LEGAL HURDLE
The planned £12 billion merger between US satellite broadcasters EchoStar and DirecTV appears to be sliding into even deeper regulatory trouble amid reports that the US justice department will file a lawsuit to block the deal. Anti-trust officials are against combining the country's two largest satellite networks because consumers in rural areas without access to cable TV would have no choice but to subscribe to the merged group's services. The justice department's opposition comes despite concessions EchoStar offered last week to bolster a rival company and avoid concerns about a potential monopoly. The lawsuit is expected to be filed on behalf of the justice department, 23 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, arguing the deal would reduce competition and hurt subscribers, according to Jay Nixon, the attorney general of Missouri. The federal communications commission had already voted unanimously to oppose the merger, saying it would create a monopoly that would have "staggering" adverse effects for consumers. EchoStar runs the Dish Network, while the General Motors-owned Hughes Electronics group operates DirecTV. Together, they serve about 18 million subscribers and a merger would create be the largest pay-TV service, although it would be overtaken if a merger of AT&T's cable operations and Comcast is approved. To address those complaints, EchoStar agreed to sell or lease its own satellites to Cablevision Systems. That concession would have given Cablevision the capacity to deliver TV shows nationwide. Today, Cablevision delivers cable programming to 3 million customers in the New York.

SHOP AT HOME SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE TRANSACTION
Shareholders of Shop At Home on October 30 approved a transaction that will result in The E.W. Scripps Company acquiring 70 per cent of Shop At Home's TV retailing network division. Shareholders also approved a proposal to change the name of Shop At Home to Summit America Television. Summit America will continue as a publicly held company with its primary assets being a 30 per cent interest of the Shop At Home television retailing network, wireless spectrum rights and five broadcast television stations it owns and operates in Cleveland, San Francisco, Boston, Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and Bridgeport, Conn. Summit America's television stations will continue to broadcast Shop At Home television retailing network programming as part of a three-year affiliation agreement with Scripps. Summit America will be paid $49.5 million by Scripps for 70 percent of its television retailing network division and also will obtain a $47.5 million loan from Scripps at 6% interest to be repaid in three years. Shop At Home reaches more than 69 million cable and satellite households. Internet - www.shopathometv.com

DISH NETWORK ADDS NBA LEAGUE PASS
EchoStar’s DISH Network on October 30 announced a multi-year agreement to offer the National Basketball Association's NBA LEAGUE PASS to DISH Network subscribers. DISH Network will carry NBA TV, the league's 24-hour television network, in conjunction with NBA LEAGUE PASS. NBA LEAGUE PASS offers up to 40 out-of-market regular season games each week through April 16, 2003. DISH Network will offer its customers a free preview of NBA LEAGUE PASS from now through November 11, 2002.

CTN SALE COMPLETED
CTN Media Group on October 31 announced it has completed the sale of
College Television Network to MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, for $15 million in cash. CTN intends to use the proceeds of the sale to Viacom to repay its secured indebtedness of approximately $11.9 million to LaSalle Bank and U-C Holdings.

NHL AND ESPN SIGN GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION DEALS
The National Hockey League in conjunction with ESPN announced it has
expanded its international broadcast distribution of NHL programming
throughout Europe, Japan and Latin America. The NHL and ESPNthe League’s exclusive worldwide television representativerecently secured a series of new international television agreements that will increase the NHL’s overall international coverage to 217 countries and territories during the 2002-03 season. In separate multi-year agreements, broadcasters in Italy (Tele +), Japan (J Sky Sports), Latin America (Digital LA), Norway (TV 2 and NRK), Portugal (Sports TV), Romania (Telesport), Switzerland (RTSI) and the United Kingdom (NASN) have agreed to televise NHL games. The new NHL broadcast partnerships in Portugal and Romania will allow television viewers in those countries to receive NHL programming for the first time. The NHL and ESPN also renewed multi-year broadcast agreements in Australia (Fox Sports), Finland (MTV 3), France (CANAL+), Germany (Premiere), the
Nordics (CANAL+ Television AB), Sweden (SVT and TV 4) and Russia (NTV +). ESPN International also will distribute NHL programming to more than 120 countries and territories on its networks that televise throughout Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim. This year’s NHL
international broadcast distribution will air more than 400 original NHL
games including, regular-season, NHL All-Star and Stanley Cup Playoff
broadcastsa 20 per cent increase in programming over last year’s
international distribution. It’s estimated that over 300 million households
outside North America receive NHL programming. A weekly schedule of NHL International broadcasts is listed each week on NHL.com and NHLmedia.com.

MORE TV CHANNELS SWITCH TO DIGITAL
This week, the National Association of Broadcasters said 17 more TV
stations have made the transition to digital. The association said 535
Stations in 154 Markets - cities that include nearly 92 per cent of the
nation's of TV homes - are delivering signals in digital.

GLOBECAST WORLDTV ADDS JORDAN TV
Jordan TV is joining the GlobeCast WorldTV Direct-to-Home platform serving North America from Telstar 5. Jordan TV, the international satellite service of the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation, broadcasts live from Amman to all Arab countries, southern Europe, Turkey, West Iran and parts of Africa. The Arabic-language satcaster is available in North America free-to-air on GlobeCast World.

Source: T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 44/2002 3 November 2002 - A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International http://www.TELE-satellite.com/