Bai Ke Hua Ren Tai 百科華人台, Bai Ke Gou Wu Tai 百科購物台

Hong Kong, 21st October 2013 – SmartCast is partnering with APT to provide end-to-end services to the Bai Ke group to launch 2 channels from Hong Kong APT uplink earth station to APSTAR 5 and 7, reaching the Asia Pacific market and as far as Africa.

APT, satellite operator in Hong Kong and listed in Hong Kong Stock Exchange, is working with SmartCast to provide end-to-end linear TV channel playout services, satellite uplink and MCPC broadcast platform to Bai Ke Group in Beijing to launch Bai Ke Hua Ren Tai and Bai Ke Gou Wu Tai.

SmartCast’s CEO, Mr Christian Brenner said: “We are pleased to work with APT to develop the Chinese market and these are the first 2 channels we are serving from Beijing, China. SmartCast’s platform supports multi-lingual and our international staff strength makes us effective in the China market.” APT’s Deputy Director, Mr Ricky Yiu also commented: “APT is delighted to work with SmartCast as their professional support and comprehensive services act as a one-stop-shop solution provider so we can focus on our transponder sales and value-added services.”

Bai Ke Hua Ren Tai soft launched on 1 October 2013 and Bai Ke Gou Wu Tai will be launched on 26 October, 2013.

SmartCast GmbH
SmartCast GmbH, a leading broadcast service provider in the European, Arabian and Asian regions. It operates through 36 decentralised playout centres and has more than 70 other signal transfer points. The Network Operations Centre is at the Media Centre in Unterfoehring, near Munich (Germany). SmartCast also conducts a downlink centre in Hong Kong and a software development department in Bangkok.
The full-service provider has a worldwide portfolio which consists of 90 TV playout customers and 53 radio customers.
The broadcast management and the playout are handled by an in-house developed, highlyspecialised software. For the German speaking market, SmartCast has so far enlisted ProSiebenSat.1, AstroTV, as well as Red Bull Media House, Deutsche Telekom, Media Broadcast and the BLM (the Bavarian controlling authority for new media) to its customerbase.
The high-tech broadcast provider, based in Unterfoehring, relies on its own national and international network of playout centres that are renowned for being extremely flexible and expandable.
Technical solutions for the signal transport in DVB quality via public Internet, a web-based MAM system, solutions for mobile TV, the administration and the management of scrambling services, digital recordings and various solutions for radio stations include the product portfolio of the high-tech provider.
www.smartcast.tv

APT Satellite Holdings Limited
Listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, APT Satellite Holdings Limited (“APT Satellite”; or the “Group”) commenced operations in 1992. It currently owns and operates five in-orbit satellites, namely, APSTAR 1, APSTAR 1A, APSTAR 5, APSTAR 6 and APSTAR 7 (“APSTAR Systems”) covering approximately 75% of the world’s population across the Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia regions. It also provides excellent quality “one-stop-shop” transponder services, satellite telecommunications and satellite TV broadcasting and transmission services to broadcasters and telecommunication customers in these regions.
The advanced APSTAR Systems, being supported by comprehensive and high quality services, has become a very important satellite resource in the Asia Pacific region.

Press contact:
SmartCast GmbH
Managing Director
Christian Brenner
Beta-Strasse 7
85774 Munich-Unterfoehring, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 89-411144-111
Email: brenner@smartcast.de

Series will be shot on location in Asia and is a light-hearted magazine show on the sport

(8 November 2013, Singapore)- Football enthusiasts now have more reason to cheer with a new football TV show that promises to drive fans into a frenzy! ‘Singha Football Crazy’, which premiered on 8 October on FOX Sports and STAR Sports, is sponsored by Singha Beer.

Filmed on location across South East Asia, ‘Singha Football Crazy’ (SFC) is co-hosted by popular Singapore radio DJ Shan Wee and Indonesian star Daniel Mananta and will include episodes from Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Vientiane and Hong Kong. Every episode of SFC will include 30 minutes of fun-filled football madness, bringing fans across the region the best and worst of the beautiful game, all wrapped with a sunny Singha smile.

Airing every Tuesday night, from now until May 2014, SFC will include celebrity guests and hardcore football fans as well as skits, hits, highlights and action, all guaranteed to tickle the football funny bone!

Produced in partnership with Fremantle Asia, Singha Football Crazy is a welcome return to the screen for one of Asia’s best-loved football franchises.

Segments on the weekly show will include:

The News: A satirical take on the weekend’s Barclay’s Premier League action

The Walk of Shame: Pitting two fans and their predictions against each other, with hideous forfeits for the loser. Frantz: Also known as ‘Fan Rants’ where football fanatics across the region share their passionate opinion about the sport. Expect fervent ranting with local slang and perhaps a blooper or two?

Animal Predictions: A win, lose or draw where we put our four (and two) legged friends on the spot.

The Slippery Balls League of Champions: An assault course like no other as punters dribble, dive and slide their way to Singha Football Crazy glory.

“With Singha sponsoring Manchester United and Chelsea FC to resonate with football fans, having them onboard as a title sponsor for a football show is a perfect fit for us.
FOX Sports takes pride in being the right platform to connect with avid sports fans, in this case, football enthusiasts, and we look forward to a great partnership for the next six months and more,” shared Simeon Dawes, Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales & Partnership, Asia Pacific and Middle East of FOX One Stop Media.

‘Singha Football Crazy’ airs every Tuesday on FOX Sports (StarHub CH 208 and Singtel mio TV CH 114) and STAR Sports (Starhub CH 209 and Singtel mio TV 115).

-END-

Media Contact
For more information, please contact
Strategic Public Relations Group, SPRG
Deborah Dayani Nanayakara
+65 6325 8275/ 9758 4071
deborah.dayani@sprg.com.sg

Nicole Su
+65 6325 8267 / 9297 4611
nicole.su@sprg.com.sg

07 November 2013 – London, UK: Inmarsat plc (LSE: ISAT.L), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today provided the following information for the three months ended 30 September 2013.

Inmarsat plc – Highlights

• Total revenues $306.9m (2012: $325.9m)
• Total active terminals up 8%
• Solid MSS subscriber growth
• Strong growth in XpressLink, major contract win in October
• Global Xpress first launch scheduled for December
• Fourth Inmarsat-5 satellite ordered
• Strategic partnership with ORBCOMM

Inmarsat Group Limited – Third Quarter Highlights

• Inmarsat Global MSS revenues $187.6m up 0.5% (2012: $186.7m)
• Inmarsat Solutions revenues $188.3m (2012: $205.9m)
• Total EBITDA $168.7m up 3.6% (2012: $162.8m)

Rupert Pearce, Inmarsat’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “The third quarter results continue to show that we are on target to achieve our objectives for the full year. Our MSS subscriber growth remains solid and we had a record quarter for our maritime XpressLink service, demonstrating the growing market interest and potential demand for GX.

Read more at Inmarsat

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. PREMIERE PUTS FOX IN THE #1 POSITION IN SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA
The premiere places FOX as the top Cable Channel in Singapore and top Western General Entertainment Cable Channel in Malaysia.

Hong Kong, 8 November, 2013 – FOX International Channels’ (FIC) latest acquisition from Disney Media Distribution (DMD), the US hit series Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., premiered in Asia on 4 November, 2013 at 9:50pm (HKT/SGT) on FOX, the network’s flagship general entertainment channel. The premiere broke a ratings record for FOX, as the highest-rated program ever on the channel in Singapore. The show’s stellar performance also secured FOX the top slot in Singapore as the #1 Cable Channel and in Malaysia as the #1 Western General Entertainment Cable Channel among all viewers in their respective timeslots.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. opened to 12.1 million viewers in the US making it the highest-rated drama premiere in almost four years. The launch of the hit show was equally well-received in Singapore, with a superb 1.50 rating among all viewers. The show was particularly popular among younger viewers, achieving an incredible 6.07 cable rating among men aged 15–24 and a 3.44 cable rating among women in the same age bracket, crowning FOX as the #1 cable channel in time slot among these young viewers respectively. In Malaysia, the show’s premiere was also a smash hit, boosting the timeslot 5 times higher than the year-to-date average among adults 15-49. It was especially popular among female viewers aged 25-34, making FOX the #1 Western General Entertainment Cable Channel in its timeslot amongst this demographic group, in addition to adults 15-49 and all viewers.

“Following its incredibly successful launch in the US, we are thrilled with the equally overwhelming reception of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Asia”, said Joon Lee, Executive Vice President of Content and Communications, Asia Pacific and the Middle East at FIC, adding that “It is FIC’s objective to pack our channel line-ups with the very best content available and thanks to our great partnership with Disney Media Distribution, we are pleased to have been the first pay-TV network to bring Marvel’s acclaimed live action series to viewers across Asia.”

Singapore: Kantar Media, Singapore. Nov 4, 2013. Target: 4+ with cable/satellite
Malaysia: AGB Nielsen Media Research. Nov 4, 2013. Target: 4+ with Astro.

-End-

About FOX
FOX brings excitement, drama and humor into your home. Renowned for providing the absolute best in US entertainment, FOX delivers the newest and most innovative US TV series as well as classic hits in a variety of styles and genres – from comedy, drama and action to science fiction, animation and reality. FOX targets bold and urban viewers who demand the very best in US entertainment. It is a rapidly growing channel in Asia and is dedicated to further cultivating the market through locally-appropriate promotions.

About FOX International Channels
FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports, movie and lifestyle channels across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, in 48 languages. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.6 billion cumulative households worldwide.

In Asia, FIC operates or distributes 30+ channel brands, including the FOX, STAR and National Geographic brands, with over 100 feeds across 14 markets. As the leading pay-TV network in the region, we reach more than 550 million cumulative subscribers across Asia Pacific and the Middle East with offices in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia, New Zealand and the UAE. For more information, please visit www.foxinternationalchannels.com.

This press release was issued on behalf of FOX International Channels Asia by Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic). For further information, please contact:

FOX International Channels 
Kelly Jang
Director, Pan Regional Trade Marketing & PR
DID: +852 2621 8875
kelly.jang@fox.com

Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic)
Kristen Gallagher
Tactic – Hong Kong
DID: +852 2114 4345
FAX: +852 2114 0880
kristen.gallagher@tacticpr.com.hk

Diana Low
Tactic – Singapore
DID: +65 6325 8264
FAX: +65 6325 8262
diana.low@tacticpr.com.sg

(Nov 7, 2013) A+E Networks Asia has expanded its presence in the Philippines with the launch of Lifetime and H2.

History, Bio and Crime & Investigation Network are currently available in the Philippines.

Read more at Advanced Television

PCCW launches HK$300 million Independent Productions Fund Offering Hong Kong viewers a greater variety of quality programs

PCCW（SEHK:0008）- HONG KONG, November 7, 2013 – PCCW announces the set-up of a HK$300 million Independent Productions Fund for the acquisition of local independent productions in a bid to support the local production industry, as well as offering a greater variety of TV program choices for Hong Kong viewers.

PCCW welcomes the Chief Executive-in-Council’s grant of the approval-in-principle of HK Television Entertainment Company Limited’s (HKTVE) application for a Domestic Free Television Programme Service License (Free TV license). Our total investment plan across the first six years of operations is estimated to be over HK$1.3 billion, a substantial part of which will be invested in programming and production. In addition to our own productions, we have set aside a pool of funds to be accessed by local creative talents. First conceived more than a year ago, the Independent Productions Fund forms part of PCCW’s preparation for its Free TV service.

This fund aims to draw together the local creative industry and independent producers who share the same vision of bringing viewers more quality choices in TV programs. It will unleash the potential of cross-media talents in films and TV and harness the creativity of independent producers in Hong Kong so that we can offer original and innovative formats of programming for the enjoyment of Hong Kong viewers.

As a start, PCCW intends to invest HK$300 million in this fund, and is open to further phases in the future upon a favorable response. We seek to bring to viewers an array of attractive TV movies and mini-series with an aim to developing about 60 titles. In addition, we will also identify other genres including reality series, variety shows and lifestyle programs.

The selection criteria will be based upon originality, creativity, production and content quality, and viability of the proposal. Quality programming of all scale and genres will be considered. Upon receiving a proposal and confirming its production budget, we will facilitate and support the production process drawing upon our production experience and facilities resources where necessary. We aim to complete the evaluation process within 60 days of receipt of a comprehensive proposal.

The fund is open to all creative talents, independent producers and new generation directors. PCCW has already been in discussion with certain partners on proposals for reality programs, series by renowned directors, refreshing romantic stories, documentaries and talk shows. It is anticipated that several proposals can be confirmed before the end of this year, with more in the pipeline. While we continue to seek out new partners and creative talents, we also welcome proposals to be sent to our project coordinator Ms. Mamie Leung, Senior Vice President of Content Development, TV and New Media of PCCW (indie.prod@pccw.com).

At the inauguration of the fund, PCCW today organized an industry forum for film and TV directors and talents to share their views on the development of the local independent production industry. They also discussed the outlook of the Free TV industry for the production industry, and the future trends for drama and non-drama TV programming, and new media. Participants included Mr. Daniel Lam Shiu-ming, Mr. Paco Wong, Mr. Lai Man-cheuk, Mr. Siu Chiu-yeun, Mr. Lawrence Cheng Tan-shui, Ms. Sandy Lamb, Mr. Lee Lik-chi, Ms. Barbara Wong Chun-chun, Mr. Patrick Kong, Mr. Fire Lee Ka-wing, Mr. Adam Wong Sau Ping, Mr. Derek Tsang, Mr. Lau Ka-ho, Mr. Sham Kwok-wing, Mr. Gary Tang, Mr. Ronald Ng, Mr. Liu Kai-chi, Mr. Joey Leung, Mr. Wang He, Ms. Mandy Lieu and others. They expressed support for the project and explored the possibility of bringing their new productions to Hong Kong TV viewers. PCCW will continue to organize more forums at various academic institutes to garner industry views.

Ms. Janice Lee, Managing Director of PCCW’s TV and New Media business, said, “We recognize the merits of creating a healthy independent production industry, as it encourages and fosters creativity of talents working across TV, film, and music, in order to bring upon the best and new formats of TV programs to viewers. Our fund provides an open platform to enable them to unleash their potential which will in turn elevate the standards of the local television industry while satisfying viewers’ need for more quality TV program choices. As we continue to engage in our own productions, we also earnestly look forward to cooperating with industry partners to turn their creative ideas into quality TV content.”

PCCW has earlier announced an outline of its Free TV plan. In addition to identifying and acquiring local independent TV productions, we will also acquire local and international drama productions. We have already completed the filming of our first high quality period drama series, Empress Wei Zifu. While post-production of this HK$60 million debut series is in progress, we have started preparation for the second and third drama series. Furthermore, PCCW intends to show some of our world-class sports content on our Free TV service. To support the development of local sports culture, our Free TV service will also broadcast various local and school community sporting events. Last but not least, PCCW has accumulated substantial experience in producing professional and award winning news programs as well as high quality variety programming.

– # –

For further information, please contact:

Ivan Ho
Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: +852 2883 8747