Celestial Tiger Entertainment Secures Deals Across Asia

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Celestial Tiger Entertainment Secures First and Exclusive Content Deals for its Channels Across Asia
KIX is the “home of combat” with exclusive mixed martial arts and kickboxing events
CJ E&M Corporation exclusive volume deal brings edgy, top-rated Korean TV series to CTE channels

HONG KONG (April 23, 2012) – Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), the operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, announced today several first and exclusive content deals for its channels. CTE makes KIX the “home of combat” in Asia by securing two multi-year output deals with renowned mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter Bellator Fighting Championships and kickboxing promoter It’s Showtime. CTE also concludes a volume deal with CJ E&M Corporation (CJ E&M) that locks in edgy action series and thrilling dramas on a first-run basis for all CTE channels in Asia.

KIX, the new destination for “all action” entertainment in Asia, carries a multitude of combat events first and exclusively. Premiering in May is the sixth season of the world’s largest tournament-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, Bellator Fighting Championships. Bellator, distributed by FremantleMedia Enterprises, involves single-elimination tournaments with champions crowned across a number of weight classes. Viewers will be able to follow the contestants as they fight their way to the top.

CTE also signed an exclusive multi-year output deal with French media rights agency Fighting Spirit for It’s Showtime. It’s Showtime is a global championship kickboxing tournament featuring top level fights with stellar production values and the most famous kickboxers worldwide.

Together with other martial arts and combat programs currently in the channel’s programming mix, KIX establishes itself as the “home of combat” in Asia. Such programs include K-1, the worldwide promotion, founded in Japan, focusing on stand up martial arts techniques; Strikeforce, the U.S.-based MMA promotion featuring legendary fighters such as Fedor Emelianenko; and Dream, a must-watch yearly MMA fight-fest with some of the best Japanese and international MMA talents.

The largest entertainment company in South Korea, CJ E&M Corporation, will also be bringing a selection of its latest and most exciting TV series first and exclusively to CTE’s channels in Asia. Included in the volume deal are hits like Blood Thirsty Prosecutor, the number one cable series in South Korea in 2011 starring Yun Jung-hoon; Hero, with Yang Dong-gun as a bad boy who wakes up from a coma and decides to fight evil; Quiz from God, starring acclaimed actor Ryu Duk-hwan as a medical examiner who solves mysterious crimes tied to rare diseases; Ten, a thrilling police drama featuring a group of criminal investigators who tackle the toughest cases while living by the motto “No more unsolved crimes.”; and Girl Killer K, a miniseries about a female assassin starring one of Korea’s hottest new singers and actresses, Han Groo.

“With the growing popularity of mixed martial arts tournaments in Asia, we are securing two major combat promotions exclusively for KIX which, together with the current MMA programs, will make KIX the ‘home of combat’ in Asia. In addition, our partnership with CJ E&M guarantees our channels a pipeline of big-budget action series and thrillers that are truly daring, distinctive and Asian,” said Ofanny Choi, Executive Vice President, TV Networks, Celestial Tiger Entertainment.

-END-

Media enquiries

Pauline Poon
Celestial Tiger Entertainment
T: 852 2626 8131
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 broadly distributed 24-hour Chinese and Asian movies channel in the world; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, the gateway to an unparalleled array of Chinese movie masterpieces; CELESTIAL MOVIES ON DEMAND, Celestial’s subscription Video On Demand service; KIX, the ultimate in action entertainment; Thrill, Asia’s only horror and suspense movie channel; and KIX HD, featuring the best of action with a late-night dose of thrillers in high definition.

As one of Asia’s largest vertically integrated entertainment companies, CTE produces original content which complements its channels business. CTE is also the exclusive sales agent of content in all media in Southeast Asia and China from independent Hollywood studio Lionsgate.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, CTE is a joint venture among 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.

Dolby Release for Online Standard Powers Multiscreen Entertainment

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New MPEG-DASH development kit enables partners to deliver high-quality audio for HD streaming

LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) today announced the availability of a development kit to bring the full power of Dolby® Digital Plus premium-quality multichannel audio to partners that leverage the MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH) standard. MPEG ratified MPEG-DASH in November 2011, and it is quickly gaining traction as a mainstream delivery format for streaming content over the Internet.

“Netflix® welcomes the growing support for emerging online standards, including MPEG-DASH and the associated common encryption specification for ISO files. These standards will enable continued efficient and high-quality integration of over-the-top services like Netflix across a wide range of devices,” said Mark Watson, Director, Streaming Standards, Netflix.

Dolby technology has been selected by leading online video services including Netflix, HBO Go®, Vudu™, Best Buy® CinemaNow®, Samsung™ Acetrax™, Dixons KnowHow™ Movies, Voddler®, Apple® iTunes®, and Amazon® Instant Video. This development kit will enable current and future partners, such as encoder vendors and digital rights management (DRM) vendors, to easily implement and test Dolby Digital Plus for products and services in the online video ecosystem. The development kit includes test vectors as well as specifications that describe how Dolby Digital Plus can be signaled and transported within MPEG-DASH, Microsoft® Smooth Streaming, and Apple HTTP Live Streaming (HLS).

“The emergence of the MPEG-DASH specification is an important step in the maturation of adaptive bit-rate delivery for multiscreen video,” said Tony Huang, Senior Product Manager, Broadcast and Live, Digital Rapids®. “We’re excited to be extending our support for Dolby Digital Plus audio to DASH, enabling our customers to bring premium content with high-quality audio to their audiences on any compatible device in a reliable and consistent manner.”

“Envivio is closely collaborating with Dolby to provide Dolby Digital Plus alongside AVC/H.264 video at different bit rates while supporting seamless adaptive switching, enabling our customers to deliver high-quality multichannel audio entertainment to consumers on any compatible device while lowering their operational costs,” said Arnaud Perrier, VP of Solutions, Envivio®. “As the DASH standard becomes more universally adopted, even more service providers will be able to leverage these technologies.”

“As more consumers enjoy streaming content on multiple screens, it’s increasingly important that the entertainment experiences are the best quality, regardless of delivery medium and playback devices,” said Thierry Fautier, Senior Director of Convergence Solutions, Harmonic. “We look forward to working with Dolby to improve content delivery to connected and portable devices. Harmonic and Dolby believe that when consumers enjoy entertainment over the Internet, they never need compromise on quality.”

Dolby Digital Plus enables the delivery of high-quality audio to any compatible device and any distribution workflow, including broadcast, over-the-top (OTT), online, and on demand. It includes scalable, adaptive, and bandwidth-efficient multichannel coding designed for bandwidth-constrained delivery networks, as well as technologies such as loudness control and device-playback sound optimization. Widely supported within the digital entertainment ecosystem, it is available on more than 640 million products, including connected TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, game consoles, and Blu-ray™ players, making it the preferred audio solution for artists, operators, carriers, and device makers worldwide. Dolby is demonstrating how Dolby Digital Plus enhances entertainment experiences across platforms and screens at NAB Show® 2012 (booth SU1212).

About Dolby Laboratories

Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) is the global leader in technologies that are essential elements in the best entertainment experiences. Founded in 1965 and best known for high-quality audio and surround sound, Dolby creates innovations that enrich entertainment at the movies, at home, or on the go. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com.

Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. S12/25557 DLB-G

Dolby Laboratories
Daniel Schneider, 415-558-0738
daniel.schneider@dolby.com

Source: Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Europe’s Pay TV Industry Spends €15 billion on Local Content

BROADCASTERS’  €15bn ANNUAL INVESTMENT in CONTENT PLAYS KEY ROLE in DIGITAL ECONOMY

Brussels, 19 April 2012: European commercial broadcasters today released a new study gAudiovisual Content and Online Growthh, highlighting the vital role played by the commercial sectorfs €15 bn annual investment in programme content in the digital economy.

The study, commissioned from the E-media Institute by the Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) and a group of its member companies, aims to bring some factual analysis to the debate around the contribution of the audiovisual content sector to the European digital economy.

Specifically, for the first time ever, the study quantifies the aggregate programming spend of Europe’s commercial broadcasters. Speaking in Brussels, Philippe Delusinne, CEO of RTL Belgium and President of the ACT said:

”We know that European television is an €84bn sector – but we did not know until today how much of that revenue is reinvested in sport, news, entertainment or movies. Our study concludes that the largest commercial broadcasting groups in Europe invested a total of €15.1 bn in programme content in 2010. When the contributions of public broadcasters, and of smaller operators, are also taken into account, we conclude that overall around 40% of broadcastersf revenues are reinvested in the next seasonfs schedule. Quite simply, great programme content isnft cheap. The media business will continue to invest and to innovate so as to ensure that the strengths of our sector are also reflected in the online world.”

The report also shows the strong consumer take-up of the hundreds of new services launched by commercial broadcasters online, part of the legal offer of content widely seen as a vital tool against piracy. The report concludes by looking at the many different ways in which content can cross frontiers today, and tomorrow -providing there is monetisable consumer demand.

The ACT will be seeking to discuss this report with EU policymakers in the weeks ahead. Ross Biggam, the ACT Director-General, confirmed that

”This study is part of our response to a number of very pertinent questions posed by the European Commission, in its Green Paper on Audiovisual Content, in the Digital Agenda, and in other policy documents. Television has never been stronger, with the average European citizen watching linear TV for 228 minutes per day. Our member companies aim to build on their existing strengths to tap into new revenue streams and better serve consumer demand. If all players – broadcasters, producers, distributors and regulators – can rise to the challenge of the new era, then we are confident we can deliver a strong presence for European content online.”

****************

The study is available at www.acte.be.

About the ACT:

The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) represents the interests of the commercial broadcasting sector in Europe. Formed in 1989, the ACT has 33 member companies licensed in 36 different European countries and distributed across 45 European markets and beyond. Our members operate several hundred free-to-air and pay-tv channels and distribute many more channels and new

services. The ACT members encompass several business models: free-to-air broadcasters and pay-TV players, digital platform operators and multimedia groups. See www.acte.be.

About e-Media Institute

e-]Media Institute is an independent organisation founded in 1998 and based in London and Milan. e-Media Institute provides multidisciplinary economic and socio-economic research-related services on audiovisual, publishing and new media markets, including qualitative and quantitative analysis of emerging trends, market opportunities and competitive strategies in the communications industry. See www.e-mediainstitute.com.

Press contact:
Ross Biggam
Director General
Phone: +32-2-738 76 13
GSM: +32-477-407 733
E-mail: rb@acte.be

Al Jazeera English wins NY Media Award for Coverage of Nepal, China

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New York Festivals International Television and Film Awards honors Al Jazeera shows ” Nepal: Children for Sale” and “China’s Animal Crusaders”

April 18 – Al Jazeera English’s Asian current affairs show 101 East has been awarded a Silver Medal for its film Nepal: Children for Sale by the New York Festivals International Television and Film Awards. 101 East’s film China’s Animal Crusaders is also a finalist in television/documentary category of the competition.

The winners of the 55th annual New York Festivals International Television and Film awards were announced on April 17th at the National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas. The awards honor programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries. A jury of leading media professionals from around the world including Argentina, Ireland, Italy, UK, and Malaysia select winners in categories ranging from Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Feature Films, and Reality Shows.

Nepal: Children for Sale aired on Al Jazeera’s Kuala Lumpur based program 101 East in August 2011. Children for Sale investigates the lucrative business of international adoption services in Nepal. The show examines the large and complicated industry in the country, where it remains difficult to know whether children up for adoption are orphaned, abandoned, or are being trafficked.

“We are extremely proud to be honored by the New York Festival’s International Television and Film Awards. It’s exciting that the stories we are producing out of Asia are being recognized by prestigious U.S. institutions and drives us to continue to tell the stories from the region that aren’t being told,” said Sharon Roobol, Programme Editor of 101 East.

China’s Animal Crusaders chronicles the fight for animal rights in a country that has traditionally used animals for food and for traditional medicines. With no animal welfare laws except for wild animals, 101 East looked at how growing numbers of Chinese are using blogs, websites and the streets to protest against the mistreatment of animals.

Al Jazeera English is an international English language news channel with over 60 bureaus around the world. In the last year, the channel has won the Royal Television Society’s “News Channel of the Year” award, a 2012 Peabody award for its coverage of the Arab uprisings, a George Polk award for the film “Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark,” and an Alfred I. Dupont award for its film “Haiti: Six Months On.”

Malaysia: TV stations to share broadcast contents of popular sporting events from May 1

April 18, 2012 – TANJUNG MALIM: All free-to-air TV stations that do not have broadcasting rights for major sporting events of mass appeal, will be able to share the contents obtained by the rights holder from May 1.

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the move was to enable all sporting events that involved the interest of the country to receive wide coverage, so that all Malaysians can watch such action, instead of it being monopolised by the rights holder.

“Sports that have a mass appeal like the Olympics, badminton, football and other major sporting events would not be allowed to be monopolised by any one station but such broadcast contents must be shared,” he told reporters after launching ‘RTM Mobile’ in conjunction with Radio dan Televisyen Malaysia’s (RTM) 66th anniversary at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris here Wednesday.

To view the complete article, please visit http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/18/nation/20120418210428&sec=nation

To view the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 ruling, please visit 

http://www.casbaa.com/images/stories/casbaa/regulatory/competition/Malaysia_Ministerial_Determination_on__Sports_Events.pdf

The IOC slams Australia’s “anti-siphoning” rules

Olympic fury over rules for TV sport

April 7, 2012 – THE International Olympic Committee has slammed Australia’s rules for keeping major sports events on free-to-air TV, saying they are choking off competition, and warning that tough new federal laws could inflict commercial damage on valuable TV rights that bankroll the Olympic movement.

Major football and cricket groups have also warned that the Gillard government’s reforms to strengthen the anti-siphoning regime could harm their ability to get a good price for the rights to broadcast their games, with the Football Federation Australia declaring its business viability would be under threat.

In a submission sent from the Swiss city of Lausanne last week, the IOC warns that the existing laws distort negotiations when it sells TV rights to the Olympics and are based on the “simplistic and wrong” assumption that Australian viewers would be deprived of free coverage of the Games without an anti-siphoning scheme.

To view the complete article, please visit http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/olympic-fury-over-rules-for-tv-sport/story-e6frg996-1226320796182

Related story http://www.bandt.com.au/news/media/anti-siphoning-laws-will-damage-tv-deals-says-ioc

For more information about the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Anti-siphoning) Bill 2012, please visit http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s872

UAE’s 2nd Communications Satellite Ready to Launch

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United Arab Emirates’ second communications satellite ready to launch

  • Y1B, the second communications satellite for Yahsat, will be orbited by a Proton launcher from Baikonur on 24 April 2012
  • Y1B will complete the UAE’s state-of-the-art satellite communications network for both commercial and governmental users
  • Astrium and Thales Alenia space are co-prime contractors on this major contract for the UAE 

 

18 April 2012 – Y1B, the second satellite of the United Arab Emirates’ space communications programme is ready to be launched on a Proton launcher from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.

Comprising two satellites and a ground segment, the Yahsat project is a complete commercial and military satellite communications system built by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space (TAS) for the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat). Based in the UAE, Yahsat is a satellite communications operator and a pioneer in the field across the Middle East, Africa, South West Asia and Europe. The Yahsat system will offer innovative commercial solutions, including HDTV broadcasting, internet trunking via satellite, corporate data networks, and internet services for public and private users, as well as secure communications.

Astrium is responsible for the final integration of the two satellites and for delivery in orbit. Thales Alenia Space provided the payloads and is responsible for the space segment, including the launch of the satellites.

Astrium Services, with its partner Thales Alenia Space, is responsible for the ground segment, which comprises a network of ground terminals, and for a management system which provides remote control of all system hardware.

Astrium Services, in association with Thales Communication and Security, is also in charge of operating this system, providing ground segment maintenance and of training Emirati operators over a five-year period.

Y1B will deliver communications in Ka-band for both commercial and governmental users. It will provide high-data rate internet services for public and private users in the Middle East, Africa and South West Asia with state-of-the-art Ka-band multi spot-beam technology, achieving cost-effective bandwidth supply through 61 narrow spot beams. The governmental mission will bring a substantial increase in the total capacity available for the UAE secure communications over the Middle East, complementing the Y1A satellite.

With a launch mass of approximately 6,000 kg and a spacecraft power of 14 kW, Y1B has a design lifetime of more than 15 years. Like Y1A, Y1B was integrated by Astrium on a Eurostar E3000 platform and tested at its Toulouse site. More than 50 Eurostar satellites have now been launched and have accumulated over 400 years of successful in-orbit operation. Both commercial and military Ka-band payloads were built with state-of-the-art Ka-band multi spotbeam technology from Thales Alenia Space. Early orbit phase operations will be conducted by Astrium from its spacecraft control centre in Toulouse.

About Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJSC (Yahsat)

Yahsat provides multipurpose satellite solutions (government and commercial) for broadband, broadcast, military communications use across the Middle East, Africa and South West Asia. Based in Abu Dhabi, and wholly owned by Mubadala, Yahsat is the first company in the Middle East and Africa to offer multi-purpose satellite services:

  • YahClick – the satellite broadband service
  • YahSecure – the government satellite service
  • YahLink – the satellite connectivity service
  • YahService – end to end satellite solutions
  • YahCarrier – satellite solutions for telecommunications carriers

 

Yahsat’s first satellite Y1A was successfully launched in April 2011, and is preparing to launch its second satellite Y1B in April 2012 (www.yahsat.ae).

About Astrium

Astrium, the number one company in Europe for space technologies and the third in the world. In 2011, Astrium had a turnover close to €5 billion and 18,000 employees worldwide, mainly in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands Astrium is the sole European company that covers the whole range of civil and defence space systems and services.

Its three business units are: Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure; Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment; Astrium Services for comprehensive fixed and mobile end-to-end solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and networks, high security and broadcast satellite communications equipment and systems, and bespoke geo-information services, worldwide.

Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2011, the Group – comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 49.1 billion and employed a workforce of over 133,000.

Press contacts:
Jeremy Close (Astrium UK) / Tel.: +44 (0)1 438 77 3872
Gregory Gavroy (Astrium FR) / Tel.: +33 (0) 1 77 75 80 32
Mathias Pikelj (Astrium GER) / Tel.: +49 (0) 7545 8 9123
Francisco Lechón (Astrium SP) / Tel.: +34 91 586 37 41

www.astrium.eads.net

HKBN bbTV launches Setanta Sports

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bbTV of Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited (“HKBN”, a wholly-owned subsidiary of City Telecom (HK) Limited, HKEX: 1137, NASDAQ: CTEL) has launched international rugby channel Setanta Sports, bringing its action-packed line-up of live & exclusive rugby to its customers in Hong Kong.

Setanta is available on bbTV channel 323 as a premium service to residential, hotel and commercial subscribers.

Live & exclusive rugby broadcasts on the channel include the RBS Six Nations, Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship (formerly the Tri Nations), The Currie Cup, ITM Cup, Aviva Premiership, Anglo-Welsh Cup and Pro-12 (previously Magners League), as well as live Rugby League from the NRL and State Of Origin.

With over 500 exclusive rugby matches from both the Northern & Southern Hemispheres, Setanta offers an action packed line-up of rugby throughout the year.

Ms. To Wai Bing, Managing Director of Business Development, HKBN said, “We are very proud to introduce Setanta Sports to our bbTV subscribers. Rugby is becoming a popular sport in Hong Kong and I believe our subscribers will be able to enjoy the excitement bring by different rugby matches through watching Setanta Sports at home anytime.”

Roger Hall, Managing Director of Setanta Sports International, said: “We are really pleased to be part of the premium offering of television channels on bbTV at an exciting time in the development of their business.”

This is the 12th distribution agreement for Setanta in Asia, following agreements with Many of Asia’s leading subscription television operators including Now TV (Hong Kong), StarHub & Singtel mio TV (Singapore), Astro (Malaysia & Brunei), True Visions (Thailand), First Media (Indonesia) and Dialog TV (Sri Lanka), among others.

Setanta Sports now reaches over 5m households across Asia.

About Setanta Sports

Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster operating 11 different sports channels worldwide, in 31 countries to over 32m households. In Asia, Setanta Sports is currently available in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Mongolia.

To learn more about Setanta Sports please visit the Setanta website at www.setanta.com/asia

About City Telecom/Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited

Established in 1992, City Telecom (H.K.) Limited (HKEX: 1137, NASDAQ: CTEL) provides integrated telecommunications services in Hong Kong via its own self-built fiber network. City Telecom’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited (HKBN), is the fastest growing broadband service provider in Hong Kong. HKBN offers a diversified portfolio of innovative products that service over 1,240,000 subscriptions for broadband, local telephony and IP-TV. The Company has built a solid market position with top-of-the-line applications and practices enabling its substantial growth. The company takes great pride in developing its over 3,000 Talent force into a competitive advantage. Additional information on City Telecom can be found at www.ctigroup.com.hk.

Ends

Media contact information at Setanta Sports:
Ph: +61 2 8324 0600
Email: customerservice-asia@setanta.com

Eutelsat offers capacity on four satellites for French elections

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Eutelsat Communications: Capacity on four satellites mobilised to cover the two rounds of the French presidential elections
Over 400 hours of satellite links secured so far.

Paris, 18 April 2012 – Capacity on four satellites operated by Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) will be mobilised by French and international media to assure live coverage of the French presidential elections on Sunday 22 April and 6 May 2012. Over 400 hours of capacity has so far been booked on EUTELSAT 12 West A, EUTELSAT 8 West A, EUTELSAT 7A and EUTELSAT 5 West A in order to transmit live coverage from major sites across France including voting booths, the HQs of the country’s political parties and the Elysée Palace.

Resources leased on Eutelsat satellites will meet significant broadcaster requirements by France Télévision Group, and Globe Cast France and Arqiva France operators which secure capacity for their own TV channel customers.

For Jean-François Leprince-Ringuet, Eutelsat’s Commercial Director: “The French presidential elections set the stage for a year of strong activity for our on-demand allocation service with elections in several major countries and iconic sports events. Our on-demand service is mainly used for covering SNG news and large events broadcast live on TV. Furthermore, it adds flexibility to our customers’ pool of permanent resources through occasional contracts designed to address an uptick in activity.”

Eutelsat’s Booking Centre coordinates the allocation of occasional satellite capacity from minimum periods of 10 minutes for SNGs up to several days for the coverage of sporting events such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup.

In addition to these Ku-band services and following the roll-out of the KA-SAT satellite, Eutelsat has launched a new SNG solution dubbed NewsSpotter enabling the use of Ka-band terminals that can be carried in a back-pack for Fly-away use or fitted onto a small car.

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 28 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world’s three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. As of 31 December 2011, Eutelsat’s satellites were broadcasting more than 4,150 television channels. More than 1,100 channels are broadcast via its HOT BIRD video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East alone which serves over 120 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group’s satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat’s broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates access to high speed internet services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ just over 700 commercial, technical and operational professionals from 30 countries.

www.eutelsat.com

For further information

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

Investors & Analysts
Lisa Finas / Tel: +33 1 53 98 35 30 / investors@eutelsat-communications.com
Léonard Wapler / Tel: +33 1 53 98 31 07 / investors@eutelsat-communications.com

Jupiter Telecommunications announces March 2012 subscriber figures

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April 18, 2012, Tokyo, Japan — Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd. (J:COM, JASDAQ: 4817), the largest multiple system operator (MSO) in Japan based on the number of customers served, has announced that the total subscribing households*1 as of March 31, 2012 served by J:COM’s 16 consolidated franchises*2 reached 3.64 million, up 226,500 or 6.6% from March 31, 2011. Combined revenue generating units (RGUs) for cable television, high speed Internet access and telephony services reached 7.2 million, up 619,400 or 9.4% from March 31, 2011. The bundle ratio*3 increased to 1.98 as of March 31, 2012 from 1.93 as of March 31, 2011.

※ J:COM decided to deploy the new definition as the official figure since January 2012. The followings are the changes from the former definition. We continue to disclose the figure under the former definition as a referential figure.

1. In the light of the industry’s common practice to include the BS digital retransmission subscribers as cable television service subscribers, J:COM includes pay terrestrial digital and BS digital retransmission service subscribers into cable television subscribers.
2. For service subscriptions under Bulk Plan, the number of subscriptions to cable television and high speed Internet access services and the total subscribing households were calculated using multipliers based on discount rates from listing pricing applied to owners/management associations and residents, respectively. As below, the numbers of cable television, high speed Internet access service subscribers and total subscribing households under the new definition are counted based on the actual number of users. (Telephony subscriber numbers are already counted based on the actual number of users).

*1 Number of households subscribing to one or more of J:COM’s services

*2 Based on U.S. GAAP, J:COM includes subsidiaries, where it owns majority interest, in the consolidated accounts.

*3 Average number of services received per subscribing household

Year-Over-Year Subscribing Household Comparisons: (Rounded to the nearest hundred) Total consolidated subsidiaries*2: 16 franchises; 51 systems:

 

Revenue Generating Units (RGUs)

 

Total Subscribing Households

Cable
Television

High Speed
Internet Access

 

*4

 

RGU Total

 

As of March 31, 2012

As of March 31, 2011

Net increase year-over-year
Net increase as percentage

 

3,070,300

2,876,900

193,400

6.7%

 

1,848,400

1,693,000

155,400

9.2%

 

2,286,200

2,015,600

270,600

13.4%

 

7,204,900

6,585,500

619,400

9.4%

 

3,641,200

3,414,700

226,500

6.6%

*4 The number of telephony service subscribers includes the number of Cable-plus Phone service subscribers offered by YOKOHAMA CABLE VISION Inc.

APPENDIX

(Rounded to the nearest hundred)

 

Revenue Generating Units (RGUs)

Total Subscribing Households

 

Cable

Television

High Speed

Internet Access

Telephony

RGU Total

Total Subscribing Households

As of March 31, 2012

As of March 31, 2011

Net increase year-over-year

Net increase as percentage

2,876,200

2,718,100

158,100

5.8%

1,845,100

1,715,100

130,000

7.6%

2,286,200

2,015,600

270,600

13.4%

7,007,500

6,448,800

558,700

8.7%

3,689,500

3,454,200

235,300

6.8%

 

About Jupiter Telecommunications Co.,Ltd.

Established in 1995, Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd.( J:COM) is Japan’s largest multiple system and multiple channel operator. In system operation, J:COM provides cable television, high speed Internet access and telephony services to customers through 16 consolidated subsidiaries at the local level serving 3.64 million subscribing households in the Sapporo, Sendai, Kanto, Kansai, and Kyushu regions. The number of serviceable households or “homes passed” in J:COM franchise areas is 13.68 million. In channel operation, J:COM invests in and operates 17 thematic channels which are provided to CATV, satellite and telecom operators. Jupiter Telecommunications is a public company, trading on the Osaka Securities Exchange’s JASDAQ market under code No. 4817. For more information (available in English), visit J:COM’s website at http://www.jcom.co.jp/english.html

※ The above household figures are as of March 31, 2012.

 

Contact: Ms.Yukiko Harada
Train Tracks Inc.
Phone: +81 (0)3 5738 4177 Fax: +81 (0)3 5738 4178
Email: pr@traintracks.jp