Pay-TV giant Astro has reported a four per cent increase in revenue for the first half of the financial year in what the company describes as a “challenging operating environment” in its home market of Malaysia.

Group revenue climbed to RM2.7 billion (US$630 million), a four per cent increase for the first six months of the financial year ending 31 January 2016.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), usually the fairest reflection of a company’s growth, was up seven per cent to RM962 million.

Read more at Mumbrella

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) said it will broaden its TV Everywhere horizons this fall with the expected launch of an app for the Amazon Fire TV, making it the first network in the Turner Broadcasting group to be offered on the streaming platform.

The programmer said the Watch TCM App for Amazon Fire TV will provide on demand access to TCM’s curated content, presented uncut and commercial-free, including introductions by hosts Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz.

Read more at Multichannel

SATELLITE television operator Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd said its e-commerce venture Go Shop, officially launched in February, reported RM75 million (US$17.4 million) in revenue in the first half of 2016 (H1 2016).

“Customers can also look forward to a Chinese-language Go Shop channel in the fourth quarter,” said chief executive officer Rohana Rozhan (pic above) after the company announced its financial results for the first six months of the financial year ending Jan 31 2016.

Read more at Digital News Asia

Cisco has released details of its new Infinite suite of cloud-powered video solutions.

Two key elements of the suite are Infinite Home, which allows any screen over two-way cable and telecoms networks and Infinite Video, which allows a variety of consumer electronics devices to run via over-the-top internet connections.

Cisco is claiming a window of just 90 days to launch through its ‘as a service’ deployment model and scalable cloud infrastructure.

Read more at Broadband TV News

Ooyala, a subsidiary of Australian telco Telstra specialising in video publishing, analytics and monetisation solutions, has formed a strategic partnership with Swiss community marketing and social TV platform joiz to provide third parties with video, interactive and analytics technologies.

Read more at Broadband TV News

USA – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Harmonic (www.harmonic.com), a specialist leader in video delivery infrastructure, are partnering to launch NASA TV UHD, the first consumer UHD channel in North America.

Utilizing an end-to-end UHD video delivery system from Harmonic, NASA can deliver live and linear 2160p60 video content, enabling consumers to enjoy crystal-clear footage on a wide range of television and IP-connected devices. A test signal of NASA TV UHD is currently available on the AMC 18C satellite, with an expected launch date of Nov. 1, 2015.

Read more at Displayplus.net

Irdeto, a specialist in digital platform security, will be providing security for a new Tivibu satellite pay-TV service from Turk Telecom Group, the leading telco Turkey. Irdeto’s Media Access and Management services use Irdeto CA to give Turk Telecom Group strong, renewable security across new DVB-S STBs that offer content to non-fibre customers.

Read more at Advanced Television

Shenzhen Skyworth Digital Technology partners with Metrological to bring television application on its over-the-top and hybrid set-top-boxes. Metrological Application Platform facilitates the integration of cloud-based application store on Skyworth STB. The devices will be launched in early 2016.

The integrated cloud-based application store offers regional and premium applications as well as OTT content. Metrological’s device and software-agnostic, Application Platform provides full life-cycle support for application stores and content providers on any screen. The Metrological Application Platform offers real-time access to business intelligence data and marketing analytics via the Metrological Dashboard.

Read more at NexTV Asia

Shenzhen, China, September 14, 2015 – In a landmark deal between Tencent and Disney the creation of a single Star Wars digital hub in China will provide millions of Star Wars fans across the country with unprecedented access to the complete Star Wars saga in the lead up to the much-awaited global release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December 2015.

Tencent Holdings Limited (“Tencent”, SEHK: 00700) recently signed deals with The Walt Disney Company and 20th Century Fox to be the exclusive TVOD and SVOD online provider in mainland China for the complete epic. Available online for the first time in the country, Star Wars episodes I-VI were released today via Tencent’s various online channels, including both the film and video channels of v.qq.com, film.qq.com and the Tencent Video app. Tencent has the number one video platform across PC and mobile in China.

Showing now on the Tencent Star Wars hub:
 Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
 Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
 Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
 Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
 Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

This will be the ultimate destination for fans around the country to experience the saga and stay up to date on all things Star Wars. In addition to the release of the six movies on the first official Star Wars digital hub, fans will be able to explore a variety of additional content including shorts, behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, video featurettes and a curated collection of classic Star Wars extras from each of the original films.

“The deal shows that Tencent is the destination of choice for studios seeking to extend their best movies and shows to the huge Chinese audience,” said SY Lau, Senior Executive Vice President of Tencent and President of Tencent Online Media Group. “Through this collaboration with Disney and 20th Century Fox, we will elevate and tailor the Star Wars experience for fans via Tencent’s strong understanding of the market and the viral network effect of the highly-connected Tencent user base,” he added.

“Excitement for Star Wars is at an all-time high as we get ready for the global release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” said Ms. Carol Choi, Vice President, Marketing, The Walt Disney Company China. “By working with Tencent we can extend the Star Wars franchise to Tencent’s massive user base and go to the heart of digital lifestyles in China. Tencent’s multi-platform capabilities and track record in distributing and protecting IP made it the clear choice for this collaboration,” she added.

“We are pleased to be working with Tencent to offer viewers in China the opportunity to enjoy Star Wars on demand. For the first time the country’s millions of Star Wars fans will have digital access to the biggest entertainment franchise. This is a huge win for the existing fans as well as those who will be introduced to the iconic movies through this collaboration,” said Alvin Fu, Managing Director 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment China.

Please visit the following link for the Tencent Star Wars hub:
http://film.qq.com/topic/2015/starwars901.html
-END-

About Tencent
Tencent uses technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Every day, hundreds of millions of people communicate, share experiences, consume information and seek entertainment through our integrated platforms. Tencent’s diversified services include QQ, Weixin/ WeChat for communications; Qzone for social networking; QQ Game Platform for online games; QQ.com and Tencent News for information and Tencent Video for video content.

Tencent was founded in Shenzhen in 1998 and went public on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2004. The Company is one of the constituent stocks of the Hang Seng Index. Tencent seeks to evolve with the Internet by investing in innovation, providing a hospitable environment for partners, and staying close to users.

About The Walt Disney Company China
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments. Disney’s first animation screened in China in the 1930s and today our long association continues with offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with over 3000 employees. The company is focused on creating high-quality entertainment experiences and effectively building local and Disney franchises in China. Disney currently has several established businesses in the country, including studio entertainment, parks and resorts, consumer products, media networks, interactive, and Disney English. In September 2005, Disney opened its doors to its first theme park in China, Hong Kong Disneyland and in 2011 announced ground breaking for Shanghai Disney Resort, a joint venture with Shanghai Shendi Group. On May 19th 2015, the Enchanted Storybook Castle at Shanghai Disney Resort was topped out, and on May 20th Disney opened the doors of its first Disney Store in China, in Shanghai. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $48.8 billion in its Fiscal Year 2014. For more information about The Walt Disney Company please visit: http://corporate.disney.go.com/

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™, Digital HD and VOD. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox, a 21st Century Fox Company.

For enquiries, please contact:
Tencent
Prudence Ho, (852) 31485100 ext. 68922, prudenceho@tencent.com

Disney
Tiffany Huang, (86] 21 23161238, tiffany.huang@disney.com
Alannah Hall-Smith, (86) 21 23161241, alannah.hall-smith@disney.com

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Zoe Tsui, (86) 20 86270040, zoe.tsui@fox.com

PRINCETON/LUXEMBOURG, 14 September 2015 – SES S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), one of the world’s leading satellite operators, announced today the distribution of NASA’s new Ultra HD channel, produced by Harmonic, the leading video delivery infrastructure provider. The content will be delivered over SES’s AMC-18 satellite, one of three spacecraft (SES-1, SES-3, AMC-18) that make up SES’s Ultra HD neighbourhood at the centre of the orbital arc over North America. The new UHD channel is expected to launch on 1 November, following preliminary tests.

“Our three satellites at the foundation of SES’s North America Ultra HD platform enable the programmers to potentially reach more than 100 million U.S. television homes through virtually every cable TV, IPTV and direct-to-home provider across the region,” said Steve Corda, Vice President of business development for SES in North America.

SES has developed the first Ultra HD ecosystem capable of providing cable systems with linear live Ultra HD content. SES unveiled the Ultra HD platform together with Harmonic at the NAB Conference in April. Successful cable operator trials of the plug-and-play service quickly followed, along with the launch of the first Ultra HD demonstration channels in North America.
“Armstrong is currently undergoing trials across their cable plant, and other operators are receiving our Ultra HD channel feeds over SES satellites and will undoubtedly be very excited to add NASA’s UHD channel to their viewing line-ups,” noted Corda.

“SES has been a driving force towards making Ultra HD channels available to the millions of households that now own and will own Ultra HD TVs,” said Peter Alexander, Harmonic CMO. “Together we can drastically reduce the time to market and total-cost-for-ownership (TCO) for UHD rollout, with the amazing video experience that comes from this exciting new format.”
To view SES’s Ultra HD channel line-up, visit www.ses.com/4KUHD.

For further information please contact:
Markus Payer
Corporate Communications
Tel. +352 710 725 500
Markus.Payer@ses.com

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About Harmonic
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) is the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure for emerging television and video services. Harmonic enables customers to produce, deliver and monetize amazing video experiences, with unequalled business agility and operational efficiency, by providing market-leading innovation, high-quality service and compelling total cost of ownership. More information is available at www.harmonicinc.com.

About SES
SES (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) is the world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of more than 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.
SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the satellite industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.

SES holds a participation in O3b Networks, a next generation satellite network combining the reach of satellite with the speed of fibre.

Further information available at: www.ses.com.