VIACOM 18 SIGNS UP FOR CAPACITY ON MEASAT-3a

Kuala Lumpur, 29 November 2011 – MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. (“MEASAT”) announced today an agreement with Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. (“Viacom 18″) for use of the MEASAT-3a satellite for the international distribution of Viacom 18’s channels across the Asian region.

Viacom 18 is a 50/50 joint venture operation in India between Viacom Inc. and the Network 18 Group. The joint venture includes leading brands across television, film and digital media to build one of India’s leading multimedia entertainment powerhouse. The brands include MTV, NICK, VH1, COLORS and Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

“With wide coverage and a powerful Asian footprint, MEASAT-3a is the obvious satellite choice for distribution of our international services,” said Piyush Gupta, Chief Technology Officer, Viacom 18.

“MEASAT is excited to be working with Viacom 18 to distribute its popular international channels via MEASAT-3a” said Yau Chyong Lim, Senior Director, Sales and Marketing, MEASAT. “The addition of Viacom 18’s channels further enhances the assortment of premium channels on MEASAT’s 91.5°E Asia video neighbourhood.”

The MEASAT-3/3a satellites distribute News, Lifestyle, Music, General Entertainment, Sports and Documentary channels across Asia. With a bouquet of SD, HD and 3D channels, MEASAT is the preferred satellite operator for broadcast distribution in the region.

About MEASAT

MEASAT is a premium supplier of satellite communication services to leading international broadcasters, DTH platforms and telecom operators. With capacity across a fleet of five communications satellites, MEASAT is able to provide satellite services to over 145 countries representing 80% of the world’s population across Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia.

The MEASAT fleet includes the state of art MEASAT-3/3a satellites at 91.5°E which support Asia’s premium DTH and video distribution neighborhood. The MEASAT fleet will be further strengthened over the next two years with the addition of AFRICASAT-1a at 46°E in Q4 2012 and MEASAT-3b at 91.5°E in Q4 2013.

Leveraging facilities at the MEASAT Teleport and Broadcast Centre, and working with a select group of world-class partners, MEASAT also provides a complete range of broadcast and telecommunications solutions. Services include 3D, high definition and standard definition video playout, video turnaround, co-location, uplinking, broadband and IP termination services.

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

Contact:
Chan Ming Yang
MEASAT
+60 (3) 8213 2154
mingyang@measat.com

AsiaSat 7 Spacecraft Separation Successfully Completed

Hong Kong, 26 November 2011 – AsiaSat 7, a new communications satellite of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), was launched at Hong Kong Time 3:10 a.m. on the 26th of November on an ILS Proton Breeze M launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

9 hours and 13 minutes after liftoff, AsiaSat 7 successfully separated from the launch vehicle. Over the next few days, the satellite will arrive at the geostationary orbit, some 36,000 km above the Equator.

“We are extremely pleased that AsiaSat 7 has successfully achieved this significant launch milestone. We greatly appreciate the efforts of our partners – International Launch Services, Khrunichev and Space Systems/Loral for their precision and professionalism in achieving this launch success,” said William Wade, President and Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat.

“With AsiaSat 7 successfully launched well ahead of the planned date for AsiaSat 3S’s replacement, we can assure continuity of service to customers, while at the same time adding to our on-orbit capacity to service new business.”

AsiaSat 7 is a new generation satellite designed to replace AsiaSat 3S at the orbital location of 105.5 degrees East. Based on the Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, AsiaSat 7 will support a broad range of applications for the Asia-Pacific region, including television broadcast and VSAT networks.

AsiaSat 7 carries 28 C-band and 17 Ku-band transponders, and a Ka-band payload. Its region-wide high power C-band beam covers Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and Central Asia, with Ku-band beams serving East Asia, South Asia and a steerable Ku beam.

# # #

About AsiaSat

AsiaSat, the leading regional satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the world’s population with its four satellites, AsiaSat 3S at 105.5ºE, AsiaSat 4 at 122ºE, AsiaSat 5 at 100.5ºE and AsiaSat 7. The AsiaSat satellite fleet provides services to both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 500 television and radio channels are now delivered by the company’s satellites offering access to over 620 million TV households across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat also provides telecommunications operators and end users services such as voice networks, private VSAT networks and broadband multimedia. AsiaSat has ordered two more satellites, AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8, planned to be launched by early 2014. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135). For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com.

Media Inquiries:

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited
Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Sales and Marketing 
Tel : (852) 2500 0899 
Mobile : (852) 9097 1210 
Email : scubbon@asiasat.com

Winnie Pang, Manager, Corporate Affairs
Tel : (852) 2500 0880 
Email : wpang@asiasat.com 

TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM ASIA PACIFIC TO REALIGN STRUCTURE AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT ROLES

Hong Kong, November 24, 2011: More than two decades after launching with pan-regional CNN and Cartoon Network services, and having grown its business to 23 channels and 29 websites in nine languages, Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific (TBSAP) is to realign its structure to reflect its considerable business outside of Hong Kong.

The large, geographically-diverse Asia-Pacific region has over the years become a combination of distinct sub-regions, each with its own characteristics, business imperatives and growth challenges. In order to pursue the network’s ambitious new goals in an increasingly dynamic and fragmented Asia-Pacific region, TBSAP is to rebalance its resources to better seize the exciting opportunities in these territories of North Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia/Pacific, each of which will come under a new management structure.

Steve Marcopoto, President and MD TBSAP, commented: “The driving principle behind our new set-up is to provide ownership and accountability to each Asia-Pacific sub-region in pursuit of growth. To better align us to meet the challenges and opportunities of these distinct markets in the years ahead, business will be run out of each sub-region with Hong Kong oversight and support.”

Individual roles of the TBSAP executive team are to be realigned as follows:

Sunny Saha becomes SVP & MD Entertainment Networks, TBSAP, and takes on expanded responsibilities on strategic planning across the company, while continuing to oversee the functions in Hong Kong that support TBSAP’s new sub-regional operations. Sunny will also directly manage the company’s entertainment networks in Southeast Asia/Pacific, with the support of Robi Stanton who assumes the role of GM, Networks Australia and New Zealand. Sunny will remain as TBSAP’s lead executive for all activities on global properties such as Cartoon Network.

Anshuman Misra will become SVP & MD of Networks and Content Distribution (NCD) Asia-Pacific, taking on full responsibility for Turner’s content sales business across the region. He will also assume responsibility for syndication sales.

The North Asia region will be managed by Yew Ming Lau who will assume the new role of SVP & MD, North Asia.

Siddharth Jain will assume management of South Asia as SVP & MD while Monica Tata, as VP & GM Networks, will now manage all of Turner’s India networks with the assistance of dedicated business heads reporting to her.

In light of the increasing priority of CNN International News Source, Ringo Chan will devote his major focus to this pursuit as SVP, CNN Broadcast Sales & Affiliate Relations, while maintaining his responsibilities for NCD in Greater China as well as the important liaison work he conducts for TBSAP with the PRC.

Jeremy Carr will assume important additional responsibility for growing TBSAP’s digital entertainment properties as VP Entertainment, Digital & Adsales.

Finally, Phil Nelson will assume full regional responsibility for Business Development as VP of Business Development, Asia Pacific.

These new operating arrangements will take effect immediately.

“We have the best management team in the business and our new approach will focus each of our executive resources more deeply on specific areas, rather than across the entirety of the substantial and complex region of Asia-Pacific”, Marcopoto added. “This is a positive, forward-looking, strategic and long term initiative to continue to grow Turner Asia and deliver optimum performance to better seize exciting opportunities in the years ahead”.

Contacts:

Turner Corporate Communications Asia Pacific:
chris.dwyer@turner.com +852 3128 3536

Turner Corporate Communications India:
sheena.chopra@turner.com +91 11 4169 9122

About Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc.

Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. (TBSAP) creates and programmes award-winning branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the Asia Pacific region and beyond. A leader in the Asia-Pacific television business, TBSAP’s entertainment and news brands include CNN International, CNNj (Japan), HLN, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Pogo, truTV and Turner Classic Movies. In addition the company has continued to pioneer groundbreaking new channels and partnerships including Imagine TV; MONDO TV, QTV, Tabi and WB. The TBSAP brands are also available in interactive, non-linear formats, reflecting the company’s innovative and industry-leading approach to delivering content wherever consumers wish to access it. TBSAP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS), a Time Warner company.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED OF THE PRESTIGIOUS HOT BIRD™ TV AWARDS
Thematic channels distinguished for highest quality of content and innovation

Paris, 25 November 2011

The winners of this year’s HOT BIRDTM TV Awards, the unique international event distinguishing the quality of content creation and innovation by thematic satellite television channels, were honoured on November 25 at a gala ceremony in Venice in the company of over 200 international broadcasting executives. Winning public and private channels from eight countries reflected the vitality of the satellite broadcasting market and its capacity to innovate.

“The winners at this year’s HOT BIRD™ TV Awards showcase global excellence in programming and a capacity for creative inspiration and quality,” said Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO. “The strength of the winners in each of the categories demonstrates a wealth of talent and our congratulations go out to them all and to the participating channels who combine to make this an exceptional event.”

Founded in 1998, the Awards comprise 10 thematic categories, the People’s Choice Award, and Awards for Best Programme and Best New Channel launched over the last 12 months.

HOT BIRD™ TV AWARDS WINNERS 2011

Children’s:
Carousel (Russia)

Cinema:
Joint Winners
Kino Soyuz (Russia)
Sky Cinema 1 HD (Italy)

Culture/Education:
Babel (Italy)
Rai Storia (Italy) Special Mention

Documentaries:
DMAX (Germany)

Fiction/General Entertainment:
SkyUno (Italy)

Lifestyle:
Rai 5 (Italy)
NRJ Paris (France) Special Mention

Music:
France Ô (France)

News:
BBC Arabic (United Kingdom)
TG Norba 24 (Italy)

National Window:
TVE Internacional (Spain)
SMtv San Marino (San Marino) Special Mention

Sports:
TRACE Sports (France)

People’s Choice:
MiniMini (Poland)

Best Programme:
The Beethoven Project (Deutsche Welle TV) (Germany)
CCN (Comedy Central Polska) (Poland) Special Mention

Best New Channel:
TG Norba 24 (Italy)

The HOT BIRD™ TV Awards Jury includes experts from leading publications and TV associations: Jerzy Barski, Tv-Sat Magazine (Poland), Jacques Braun, Eurodata TV (France), Sergey Buntman, Echo de Moscow (Russia), Paolo Dalla Chiara, Pentastudio (Italy), Paolo Lutteri EGTA (Europe), Giovanna Maggioni, Upa (Italy), Fusun Nebil, Turk Internet (Turkey), Giacomo Mazzone, Eurovisioni (Europe), Mimi Turner, The Hollywood Reporter (Europe). Jury Chairman, Duilio Giammaria, Rai (Italy); technical expert Mauro Roffi, Millecanali (Italy).

The HOT BIRD™ TV AWARDS is an event promoted by Eutelsat, Europe’s leading satellite operator, in collaboration with Eurovisioni, a European festival dedicated to cinema and television and SAT Expo, the international exhibition of advanced digital and satellite telecommunications. This year’s event is sponsored by Thales Alenia Space and Astrium.

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 29 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 30 June 2011, Eutelsat’s satellites were broadcasting more than 3,800 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

SAT Expo

SAT Expo is the brand dedicated to services, space applications and integrated telecommunications (via satellite, HDTV, IPTV, 3D cinema via satellite, DTT, new bands and new services). Next events by SAT Expo are AllDigital Expo, the professional forum on digital technologies (with the 3rd National Meeting of the Digital Installer) at the Vicenza Fair next 22 and 23 June 2012 (3rd edition) and Estel Conference, the first international IEEE-AESS Conference in Europe about Space and Satellite Telecommunications, 2 to 5 October 2012 in Rome at the Fontana di Trevi Conference Centre.

www.alldigitalexpo.it – www.estelconference.org

Eurovisioni

Eurovisioni, International Festival of Cinema and Television, was created in 1987 and now on its 25th edition. Eurovisioni 2011 (from 16 to 19 October) received the patronage of the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the Presidency of Italy’s Council of Ministers, the Italian Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, and others. The initiative includes support from Eutelsat, RAI, the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, SACEM, Sky Italia, Canal +, ARD, France Télévisions, RTVE, TOR Film Production.

www.eurovisioni.it

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

Investors & Analysts
Lisa Sanders 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

Al Jazeera English launches across India and is welcomed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

• Global news broadcaster strengthens its foothold in India
• Announces nation-wide launch through India’s No.1 DTH platform Dish TV

 

New Delhi | November 17, 2011: Al Jazeera English has launched across India today on country’s No. 1 DTH platform.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh welcomed Al Jazeera English in a meeting with Managing Director Al Anstey and India bureau chief Anmol Saxena, saying “Al Jazeera is gaining quite a reputation worldwide. I wish them success for their launch in India.”

The channel announced the launch on Dish TV enabling Al Jazeera English to reach 11.7 million households across India and will be available to over 48 million individuals with the channel available in the family pack tier on Channel 618.

“We are delighted to be launching on Dish TV today”, said Al Anstey, Managing Director of Al Jazeera English. “India is an emerging leader in today’s globalised world, and a critical country for Al Jazeera English to broadcast across. We are confident that our coverage will be of enormous interest and value to audiences across India.

“Through our vast network of reporters worldwide, we provide eye-witness reports from all corners of the globe. We are uniquely placed to deliver honest and in-depth coverage.”

Jawahar Goel, Managing Director, Dish TV, said “Dish TV being the pioneer and market leader with many industry firsts to its credit, in yet another first for Dish TV, we are proud to have Al Jazeera channel on our platform. Al Jazeera’s launch on our platform will keep our family of 11.7 million subscribers connected and updated with latest in current affairs, issues and happenings across the globe. Dish TV has been a trend setter in offering its viewers the best content, service and quality and we will continue to bring the best of the content for our valued subscribers”.

Al Jazeera English is an international news channel, holding over 70 bureaus around the world which span six different continents. Since being established in 2006, it has continued to grow in reach and popularity due to its global coverage, especially from underreported regions. The channel currently broadcasts to over 250m households across 130 countries, a number that is expected to grow as the channel expands throughout India.

The international news provider has operated a bureau in New Delhi since its establishment five years ago. Al Jazeera has produced a showreel of its highlights since 2006 for its India launch which can be watched here http://youtu.be/R3h3oCXz9DI

The DTH market has been one of significance with broadcasters. According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the first three months of 2011 saw a climb in the number of DTH subscribers in India registered with private service providers by 3.51 million to a grand 35.56 million, making it a promising platform for international news broadcasters such as Al Jazeera English.

About Al Jazeera English

Al Jazeera English has been recognized for its distinguished reporting and programming including being awarded the Columbia Journalism Award and “Best 24 Hour News Program” at the 48th and 50th Annual Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Al Jazeera English has also won Best News Channel three years running at the UK’s Freesat awards and received awards from the Royal Television Society, Amnesty International and YouTube. The channel has received nominations for international Emmy awards in both the News and Current Affairs categories, and from the Royal Television Society awards as the 2009 and 2010 “News Channel of the Year” in the UK.Al Jazeera English is part of the Al Jazeera Network, which now consists of the flagship Al Jazeera Arabic channel, Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera Documentary, Al Jazeera Sport, Al Jazeera.net (the English and Arabic web sites), the Al Jazeera Media Training and Development Center, the Al Jazeera Center for Studies, Al Jazeera Mubasher (Live), Al Jazeera Mobile and Al Jazeera Balkans.

For more information visit www.aljazeera.com

About Dish TV India

Dish TV is India’s largest direct-to-home company and part of the biggest media conglomerate – Zee Group. Dishtv has on its platform 330+ channels and services including 21 audio channels with 11.7 million subscribers, which is growing. The company has a vast distribution network of about 1400 distributors and 55,000 dealers that spans around 6600 towns across the country. Dishtv has 24*7 call centre with 1600 seats in 11 different languages to take care of subscriber requirements at any point of time. For more information on Dishtv, visit www.dishtv.in

– END –

For further information, please contact:

Al Jazeera English
Osama Saeed
+97444892603
Press.int@aljazeera.net

Sophia Qureshi
Sophia.qureshi@aljazeera.net

Edelman India
Vidha Shukla
Tel: +91 95603 11446
E-mail: Vidha.shukla@edelman.com

Dish TV India
Hirdesh Agarwal
Tel: – 91 9899693635
Email- hirdesh_a@dishtv.in

A+E NETWORKS™ CONTINUES MOMENTUM HEADING INTO THE ASIA TV FORUM – OVER 700+ HOURS SOLD TO ASIA PACIFIC BROADCASTERS

NEW YORK (November 22nd , 2011) – Heading into the Asia Television Forum, A+E Networks™ has finalized program license agreements with broadcasters in the Asia Pacific region for over 700 hours of programming.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

South Korea

• CJ Media has acquired Seriously Funny Kids.
• Science TV has picked up Crime 360, Mega Disasters, Jaws: The Inside Story, Silence of the Lambs: The Inside Story, and Halloween: The Inside Story.
• Korean Forces Network has licensed Basic Training, Mail Call, History Raiders, IRT: Deadliest Roads, The Presidents Book of Secrets, B-25 Bomber, Battlefield, and Weather Warfare.
• Skylife has picked up The Universe in 3D.
• KBS has licensed America: The Story of US.

 

Thailand

• Thai PBS has picked up Seven Wonders of the Solar System, Hidden Cities, and Underwater Universe, along with Biography® episodes of Madame Mao, Mahathir, Ho Chi Minh and Junichiro Koizumi.
• True Vision has picked up Seriously Funny Kids, Jersey Cheer, Fairy Jobmother, Coming Home, and a volume package of the Biography series, which includes George Clooney, Patrick Swayze, Katherine Hepburn, Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, and Bette Davis, among others.

 

Philippines

• GMA has picked up several Biography episodes, including Cory Aquino: Housewife Who Led a Revolution, The Maguindanao Massacre, Manny Pacquiao, and Marcos: Fall Of A Dictator.
• ABS – CBN has licensed Glamour Belles, Seriously Funny Kids, and a volume package from the Biography series which includes Jude Law, Robert Downey Jr., Drew Barrymore, Amy Winehouse and Matt Damon, among others.

 

Japan

• Nippon TV has licensed Seriously Funny Kids and Most Extreme Airports.

 

CHINA

• CCTV 15 has acquired Ancient Discoveries and Four Heavenly Kings.

   

Australia

• Nine Network has picked up Picker Sisters.
• 13th Street has acquired a package of Lifetime Original Movies including And Baby Will Fall and Gone.
• Lifestyle and Lifestyle You has picked up Glamour Belles, Dance Moms, and Russian Dolls.
• Sci-Fi/TV1 General Entertainment has taken The Captains of the Final Frontier.
• Universal Channel has picked up a package of Lifetime Original Movies including Bringing Ashley Home.

 

New Zealand

• Sky’s Box Channel has licensed Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars and Hoarders.
• Sky – The Arts Channel has picked up The Chris Isaak Hour.
• TV3 has acquired IRT: Deadliest Roads.
• TVOne and TV2 have picked up Seriously Funny Kids.

 

“A+E Networks is known across the globe for the quality series and specials we offer from the A&E® Network, History™, and Lifetime® program catalogues,” said Sean Cohan, Senior Vice President, International for A+E Networks. “The global demand for our content continues to grow exponentially throughout the Asia-Pacific region and we are looking forward to maximizing this momentum at Asia TV Forum.”

About A+E Networks™

A+E Networks™ is an award-winning, global media content company offering consumers a diverse communications environment ranging from television networks to websites, to DVDs to gaming and educational software. Led by three iconic brands A&E Network®, HISTORY®, and Lifetime®, A+E Networks also includes Lifetime Movie Network, BIO™, History International™, Lifetime Real Women®, Military History™, History en Español™, Crime & Investigation Network™, and A&E IndieFilms®. A+E Networks channels and branded entertainment reach more than 300 million households in over 150 countries around the world. A+E Networks is a joint venture of Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal. The International website is located at www.aetninternational.com.

###

Media Contacts:

Kerri Tarmey, +1 212 551 1504 
Kerri.tarmey@aenetworks.com

Shannon Kerr, +1 212 641 3341
Shannon.kerr@aenetworks.com

Celine Xerri-Brook, +44 (0)1273 719 340
Gibraltar.brook@virgin.net