(July 16, 2014) BBC World News has unveiled a new suite of VoD content, meaning that its international distribution partners can now offer their customers a raft of the channel’s programmes wherever and whenever they want it.

Read more at Advanced Television

MCS TV and Newslux pick Eutelsat to drive TV channel expansion in Southeast Asia

i24News and MCS TV International select EUTELSAT 70B satellite as prime platform for growth in new Asian markets

Paris, 16 July 2014 – MCS TV (part of Altice Group, a leading multinational cable and telecommunications company) and Newslux have selected the EUTELSAT 70B satellite operated by Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) to support the expansion into Southeast Asia of two flagship channels, i24News and MCS International.

Both channels can now benefit from the exceptional features of the EUTELSAT 70B satellite that gives direct access from Europe to the economically booming Southeast Asian market. They have joined a digital platform uplinked from Italy and are broadcast across Southeast Asia to operators of cable and ADSL networks as well as homes equipped for direct reception.

Launched in 2013, i24News is an international 24-hour news and current affairs channel based in Tel Aviv and now available free-to-air via EUTELSAT 70B in French and English-language versions. MCS International is an international sports channel already available in more than 50 countries, with a strong focus on football, handball, volleyball, fighting sports, tennis and extreme sports.

Nicolas Rotkoff, CEO of MCS TV, said: “We are delighted to accelerate the reach of MCS International into South-Asian markets with Eutelsat. What we appreciate with the EUTELSAT 70B proposal is the ability from Europe to enter a new region with a high-power satellite delivering attractive coverage for a wider market penetration of our sports channel.”

Frank Melloul, CEO of i24News said: “We are pleased to reinforce our presence in Southeast Asia with Eutelsat. In less than a year, i24News is now covering over one billion homes by satellite and is referenced among leading TV operators in more than 75 million homes across the world.”

Michel Azibert, Eutelsat’s Chief Commercial & Development Officer, added: “With MCS TV and Newslux’s choice of EUTELSAT 70B further compelling TV content is converging on this satellite’s Southeast Asia service area to take advantage of its reach of Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and also Australia. We are delighted to support efforts by broadcasters to quickly and efficiently build an international footprint and to see our 70° East platform gain traction as it builds an audience across Southeast Asia.”

About Eutelsat Communications

Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world’s leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 37 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user’s location. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 32 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.

For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com

About MCS TV

Established in 2007, MCS TV broadcasts 8 sports channels in France as well as in more than 50 different countries across Europe, Africa including MCS sport, MCS Extreme, MCS Health, MCS Tennis and Kombat Sport. Headquartered in Paris and Luxembourg, MCS TV is part of Altice Group, a leading multinational cable and telecommunications company.

About i24News

i24news, the 24/7 international news channel launched one year ago, in July 17 2013, covers international news with the perspective of Israeli society in all its diversity. The channel managed by Frank Melloul broadcasts from Jaffa Port in Israel. i24news airs all international and regional news in real time : news editions and bulletins, press reviews, special editions, magazines, analyses and debates on different topics such as politics, defense, economy, culture, sports, technology and more. I24news is the new voice of the Middle-East.

MCS TV:
Press/International Distribution
Guillaume Liebens: Tel: + 33 1 77 46 81 32 / gliebens@ncnumericable.com
Bruno Oppenheim: Tel: +352 661 855 101 / bruno.oppenheim@sportv.lu

I24 News
Press Contacts i24news: Armelle Communication Strategies
Armelle Haim – Tel.: +972 544 344 686– armelle@acomstrategies.com
For Worldwide Distribution: Laurent Malek, l.malek@i24news.tv

For further information

Press
Vanessa O’Connor Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 voconnor@eutelsat.com
Frédérique Gautier Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 fgautier@eutelsat.com
Marie-Sophie Ecuer Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 mecuer@eutelsat.com

Investors and analysts
Léonard Wapler Tel: +33 1 53 98 35 30 lwapler@eutelsat.com
Cédric Pugni Tel: +33 1 53 98 35 30 cpugni@eutelsat.com

(July 15, 2014) From 21 July, StarHub will serve up a good dose of laughter for its customers with the launch of Hindi Channel, SAB TV (StarHub TV Channel 163), India’s only channel dedicated to comedies. In addition to catching laugh-a-minute linear programming from SAB TV, audiences in Singapore will also be among the world’s first to enjoy SAB TV content at their convenience, as StarHub launches SAB TV On Demand (StarHub TV Channel 164) on the same day.

Read more at mUmBRELLA

Star India’s new advertising technology Star Adsharp, which can beam advertisements only to specific target markets, will help the company to expand its advertiser pool by attracting advertisers with smaller marketing budgets compared to the national advertisers.

Star Adsharp will allow smaller brands to advertise on Star Plus and Star Gold to avoid wastage due to spillover. The advertisers will have to give a minimum advertisement commitment of a year which will ensure consistent exposure for the campaign throughout.

Read more at Television Post

Celestial Tiger Entertainment Expands Advertising Sales Team with Appointment of Su Wei Wong as Associate Director

Hong Kong (July 16, 2014) – Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, announced today its appointment of Su Wei Wong as Associate Director, Advertising Sales. Based in CTE’s newly-opened office in Kuala Lumpur, Wong will be responsible for driving advertising sales in Malaysia. She will be working closely with Astro Media Sales to boost advertising revenue for CTE’s channels Celestial Movies and KIX HD.

“We are very pleased to welcome Su Wei on board. We are confident that her local market knowledge and expertise will further drive the advertising revenue for both Celestial Movies and KIX HD, especially now that KIX HD has topped the chart as the number one English HD channel in Malaysia*,” said Nadia Hwang, Vice President, Advertising Sales, Celestial Tiger Entertainment.

“I am thrilled to be part of the ‘Tiger Team’. With a focus to grow ad sales for CTE’s channels in Malaysia, my immediate goal is to excite the market with the channels’ quality content and to impart the value of our brands to advertisers. It will be an exciting journey for me to ramp up the ad sales momentum for Celestial Movies and KIX HD,” said Wong.

Prior to CTE, Wong served as Manager, Advertising Sales at NBC Universal (NBCU), where she managed the sales target for NBCU channels in Malaysia and supported the Astro Media Sales team. She also provided local market knowledge to the affiliate relations, distribution sales and marketing teams.

Before joining NBCU, Wong was Head of Sales, International Channels for Astro and responsible for generating revenue for international channels (both SD & HD channels). In her role, she also coached the sales team to achieve revenue targets, engaged channel providers for creative solutions and implemented operational improvements.

– END –

*Source: Nielsen Malaysia, Jan-Jun 2014, average audience among Astro 4+ and across International English HD channels (AXN HD, Discovery HD World, Disney XD HD, Fox Family Movies HD, Fox Movies Premium HD, Food Network HD, Fox Sports Plus HD, FX HD, HBO HD, History HD, KIX HD, Life Inspired HD, Nat Geo HD, Sky News HD, Star World HD, Sundance Channel HD)

Media Contact:
Pauline Poon
Celestial Tiger Entertainment
T: 852 2239 6131
E: pauline.poon@celestialtiger.com

About Celestial Tiger Entertainment

CELESTIAL TIGER ENTERTAINMENT (CTE) is a diversified media company dedicated to entertaining audiences in Asia and beyond. The company focuses on the operation of branded pay television channels, content creation and content distribution targeted at Asian consumers.

CTE operates a powerful bouquet of distinct pay television channels including: CELESTIAL MOVIES, the most widely distributed 24-hour Chinese movie channel in the world; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, the gateway to an unparalleled array of Chinese movie masterpieces; cHK, a one-stop channel for cool, chic, and contemporary celebrity-powered Hong Kong entertainment; KIX, the ultimate destination for action entertainment; and THRILL, Asia’s only horror and suspense movie channel.

As one of Asia’s largest vertically integrated independent entertainment companies, CTE produces original content which complements its channels business. CTE is also the exclusive sales agent for Hollywood studio Lionsgate in Greater China and Southeast Asia, and represents Lionsgate’s television content and vast feature film library in Japan and Korea as well.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, CTE’s majority shareholders are Saban Capital Group, a leading private investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment and communications industries; Celestial Pictures, a major Asian entertainment company wholly-owned by Astro, the owner and operator of the leading DTH platform in Malaysia; and Lionsgate, the world’s largest independent filmed entertainment studio.

For more information, please visit www.celestialtiger.com.

Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo, Paris – 15 July 2014

ABS and Arab Satellite Communication Organization (ARABSAT) announced today that they have signed a strategic commercial agreement for a multi-transponder lifetime Ku-band payload on the new ABS-3A satellite planned for launch in late 2014/ early2015. This Ku-band payload deal will provide ARABSAT with additional growth opportunities to serve their customers over the Middle East and North Africa regions.

The ABS-3A satellite will be one of the world’s first all-electric propulsion satellites (a Boeing 702SP platform satellite) with nearly 8 kilowatts of EOL payload power and up to a total of 48 C and Ku-band transponders. It will be located at 3° West and will offer expanded capacity connecting the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions. Its wide C and Ku-band coverage will serve both sides of the Atlantic for trans-Atlantic as well as regional connectivity and services.

Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of ARABSAT said “We are very pleased with this payload agreement with ABS, and we hope it is the beginning of a long term successful partnership.” “ARABSAT has put in the market a Request for Proposals for 4 new satellites at different orbital locations, and yet, we continue to see rapid increase in customers’ demand on telecommunication and broadcasting services across the region, this agreement leverages ARABSAT capabilities to harness more growth opportunities over the coming three years,” Balkhyour added.

“ABS is very excited to collaborate with ARABSAT on this strategic transaction. The MENA beam of ABS-3A is the first time ABS has been able to provide a complete coverage of all of Middle East and North Africa. We are proud to announce ARABSAT as our strategic partner on this capacity which will serve the growing needs of their MENA customer base,” said Tom Choi, CEO of ABS.

****

Mumbai, July 15, 2014: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) today announced the appointment of Pradeep Hejmadi as Business Head – Zee TV. Pradeep will be responsible for the overall functioning of Zee TV and will report in to Mr. Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited.

Speaking on the appointment, Mr. Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited said, “We would like to welcome Pradeep into the ZEE family. With multi-dimensional understanding of the Indian media industry, he has spear-headed and successfully launched, innovative and first-in-class profit-bearing initiatives in the Indian media marketplace. We are confident that his industry knowledge and consumer insight will be invaluable in driving Zee TV’s further growth and innovation.”

Pradeep Hejmadi commented on his joining, saying, “ZEE’s flagship channel Zee TV has a rich and successful history behind it and I am looking forward to being a part of its future. With the incredible talent, original content and dynamic team that the channel has at hand, I am sure that we will be able to break new barriers and conquer even greater heights.”

Pradeep has over 18 years of experience in the Indian media industry spanning Media Sales, Media Planning and Buying, Consumer Research, Business Planning and Product Development. Prior to joining ZEE, he was the Senior Vice President – Strategy Group & Marketing at TAM Media Research Pvt. Ltd. where he was responsible for anticipating needs and focusing resources towards ensuring TAM that builds on its Intellectual Properties and drives the value upwards for consumer insights data and services. He pioneered the Radio Audience Measurement (RAM) Service in India and launched a Sports Sponsorship Evaluation & Consulting division – TAM Sports, thus consistently delivering revenue growth year-on-year, through development and delivery of new and innovative products/services.

He formerly served as Director – Business & Operations, Nickelodeon India at MTV Networks India Pvt. Ltd. and as Director – Research at Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. He was also associated with organisations such as Discovery Communications India, J. Walter Thompson and The Times Of India. Pradeep is a Science Graduate from Mumbai University and is extremely passionate about playing Badminton and running marathons.

Pradeep Hejmadi’s appointment is with effect from 1st July, 2014.

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Media Contact:
Jayshree Kumar / Arantxa Gonsalves
Corporate Brand – Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL)
Mobile: +91 9769286661 / +91 9820336890

(July 14, 2014) BBC Worldwide is getting a first look at productions from Cuba Pictures, which is part of the Curtis Brown Group.

BBC Worldwide will provide investment, co-production expertise, access to market research and development initiatives in addition to global marketing reach in return for the first look at new content. Cuba Pictures was set up with the aim to collaborate with Curtis Brown author, directors, screenwriters and actors in order to develop and produce film and TV.

Read more at World Screen

(July 14, 2014) Fox International Channels (FIC), the pay-TV network, has announced that it will air across its key channels in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia more than 25 shows within hours or days of its original première, whether that be in the US, Korea or other country where the content originated.

Read more at Advanced Television