Monster Media 1994 #2/Monster Media No. 2 (Monster Media)(1994).ISO/ham/snews.zip/SNEWS132.TXT

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:---------------------Electronic Headlines----------------------:
:                                                               :
: Issue: 132 :-------:Published Biweekly:------: Date: 03/05/94 :
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:---------(C) Copyright 1991-94 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD ----------:
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: 1991-94 M2 Communications Limited. This   :  INTERNET         :
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MTV, STAR TV TO GO SEPARATE WAYS IN ASIA
It is understood that MTV Networks is to break its three-year business
relationship with STAR TV, the pan-Asian satellite channel backed by
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.  Industry sources suggest that MTV is
realigning its global business activities and that there is possibly
attrition between it and Murdoch-backed businesses.  A STAR TV spokesman
declined to comment on the news but suggested that a series of
announcements would be made this week.  STAR has been relaying the MTV
service through its AsiaSat transponders since 1991, but it is thought
that the company is planning to launch an English and Chinese-language
version of MTV by the year-end on the Apstar-1 satellite.  Viacom, parent
owners of MTV, has leases on Apstar-2, set to be launched in 1995, and it
is possible that Apstar-1 transponders could be used in the interim.
There has apparently been some friction between STAR and MTV in recent
months after STAR refused to revise payments for licensing and
advertising.  STAR itself is thought to be developing its own
replacement. STAR has been restructuring its programming after the
departure of BBC World Service Television from its northern beam and the
programming on the southern beam is expected to go in the future.

NEW FIBRE-OPTIC CABLE DEVELOPED FOR HOME ENTERTAINMENT
A Missouri, USA-based start-up company called ASM Labs Inc. has developed
what it claims is the first fibre-optic cable system for stereos, video
machines and other home entertainment equipment. The so-called Mongoose
cable system is designed to replace conventional wires and uses analogue
optical signals, removing noise, interference and attenuation problems
inherent with conventional cable. "There is a measurable, observable
improvement when fibre optic cable is used in place of wire. Optical
fibre is the ideal way to connect components.  It is non-conductive, has
no impedance, and neither causes nor attracts electrical noise.  Our
innovation is that we have developed a way to send high fidelity analogue
audio and video signals over the fibre and created products that are plug
compatible with conventional equipment," said Armando Martinez, founder
and vice--resident of development for ASM Labs Inc. "It is important to
recognize that we are working in an all-analogue format," Mr. Martinez
said.  "There are no digital conversions, so there is no loss of
information, no jitter, and no need for error correction. The integrity
of the original signal is uncompromised.  The applications for this
technology have tremendous practical benefits as well as a strong appeal
to purists and professionals."  A Mongoose transmitter and receiver for
video, including two power supplies, cost US$369. Optical cable, marketed
by ASM under the brand name Cobra, is sold in lengths of one metre, five
metres, ten metre, and longer custom ordered lengths.  Optical connectors
are factory installed on all cables. Twin-lead Cobra cable for audio use,
is priced at US$125 for the first meter, plus US$10 per metre in greater
lengths.  Cobra for video, a single-lead cable, costs US$62.50 for the
first metre, plus US$5 per metre in greater lengths.

VISA TO EXPAND EUROPEAN VSAT NETWORK
Visa International is expanding its European VSAT data service network,
known as VisaNet, to provide service to affiliate members in Turkey.  By
linking banks directly onto the Visa data network, better service is
likely to be offered to the established Visa user base and to the 6.7
million people who visit the country each year. Introduction of VSAT will
also allow Turkey to compete even more effectively in today's electronic
banking environment. The installation of satellite dishes at 20 sites in
Turkey is the largest single application of VSAT by Visa to date. The
first Turkish banks to benefit from the technology are Yapi Kredi Bank,
Sekerbank and Pamukbank. All 20 VSATs should be installed by the end of
June. Bill Scarlett, executive vice-president, delivery systems, Visa
EMEA, said: "VSAT provides benefits to cardholders and financial
institutions by providing us with a cost-effective way of linking
countries which are a long way away from Visa's computer centre. Turkey
is the fastest growing country in Visa EMEA in terms of both Visa
cardholder expenditure and numbers of cards. Introduction of VSAT will be
vital to support and sustain this growth."

SHAW CABLE TO BUY UP CANADIAN PRIVATE CTV STATIONS
Shaw Communications said late last week that it is to buy CUC
Broadcasting Ltd., a privately-owned cable television company, for C$635
million.  The acquisition will give Shaw a foothold in the lucrative UK
cable market as well as a major controlling interest in the Ontario,
Canada market.  Speaking to Reuter James Shaw, chairman and CEO, said:
"The business is getting very complicated, it's getting competitive. It
takes a lot of re-investment. It's going digital, it's going fibre, it's
going compression. You've got satellites coming at you. You've got
telephones looking over your shoulder at what you're doing. And that
really scares people." Shaw is also in the process of taking over part of
Maclean Hunter's business, following a deal made with Rogers
Communications after the merger. All the deals are subject to approval by
the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.  Once
the deals are completed Shaw will have around 1.43 million cable
subscribers; a 19.5 percent share of the Canadian market.  Shaw said that
the purchase of CUC would affect net profit for up to three years
although income is likely to stay steady or improve.

INTELSAT SIGNS FIRST EVER DIRECT USAGE CLIENT
Intelsat, the international satellite services organisation, has signed
up the first ever direct-usage customer for the system. Beednet -- Bravo
Eastern Europe Digital Network -- signed a contract to use the satellite
system for service between the UK and the Czech and Slovak republics.
Charles Ross, founder of Beednet, said that the company won the first
satellite user licences for the republics.  In March a major change
affected the way in Intelsat member countries provided access.
Previously access was made through a signatory -- in the UK's case BT --
but the UK government ended BT's monopoly, enabling users to buy
satellite capacity direct from Intelsat.  The UK uses around 11 percent
of Intelsat's traffic, equal to that of Hong Kong. Only the US uses more
with 22 percent of services.  "It is absolutely in our interest to open
up access [to the Intelsat system].  Companies don't have to go through a
third party when dealing with our competitors," said Irving Goldstein,
director-general and CEO of Intelsat.

HUGHES WINS AMERICATEL VSAT CONTRACT
Hughes Network Systems has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract
by AmericaTel Corp. to supply a range of range of equipment, services,
and technological expertise to ensure the successful deployment of
AmericaTel's Shared Hub two-way works in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed. "HNS will provide AmericaTel
with the most technically advanced satellite-based networking solution
available today. Our leading edge technology and AmericaTel's knowledge
of the Latin America/Caribbean region will ensure AmericaTel's clientele
of the highest quality telecommunications and value added services in the
Americas," said Paul Gaske, senior vice president of HNS. Patricio
Northland, president of AmericaTel said:"Our strategic partnerships with
the major Latin American PTTs and carriers coupled with Hughes'
technology places AmericaTel in the best position to provide corporate
satellite network solutions in the region." AmericaTel Corporation is a
US carrier based in Miami and provides private telecommunications and
value added services to create fully-integrated business solutions
(voice, video, data and fax capabilities).

BBC WARNS MALAYSIA ABOUT EDITING NEWS BULLETINS
The BBC (British Broadcasting Corp.) has warned Radio Televisyen Malaysia
that if any part of its news bulletins are cut or edited it will cease
news broadcasts. RTM relays the BBC broadcasts through its Good Morning
Malaysia programme, but it cut several scenes from a news clip concerned
rioting in Sumatra because it considered them unsuitable.  The BBC said
that it would not permit the editing of its news material in such a way
in order to preserve its impartiality. Footage showing a ethnic Chinese
person being beaten to death was cut.  Abdul Rahman, Information Ministry
Parliamentary Secretary, said that southeast Asian countries had agreed
not to broadcast news that could be sensitive to neighbouring countries.

ITC TO READVERTISE COMMERCIAL ADDITIONAL SERVICE LICENCE
The UK's Independent Television Commission is to readvertise the
Commercial Additional Service Licence to use spare VBI capacity on
terrestrial Channel 4.  The licence, for a ten-year period, was
advertised in 1992 although no application was received. The licence will
be for data broadcasting services, typically provided to subscription or
closed user groups, although subject to the ITC's agreement, capacity may
be operated by sub-licensees. The Broadcasting Act 1990 makes provision
for the allocation of a number of lines in the Vertical Blanking Interval
(not used for  sound and  vision)  to users other than the television
broadcasters and the public teletext licensee.  Data Broadcasting
International already owns a licence to use VBI capacity on terrestrial
Channel 3, acquired in the 1992 auction.

TELEWEST TO FLOAT, VALUED AT GBP1.8 BILLION
The UK's largest cable television operator Telewest is planning to float
on the London Stock Exchange, raising around GBP1.8 billion on full-term
valuation. Telewest is jointly owned by US West, a US regional telco and
Tele-Communications Inc, the biggest cable company in the US. Telewest
owns 16 UK cable television franchises and has stakes in a further seven,
covering 3.6 million homes. Initially 25 percent of the company is being
floated, raising GBP350 million in the process.  Telewest will use the
money to expand its networks by 1998. Kleinwort Benson and Goldman Sachs
have been appointed as the merchant banks jointly co-ordinating the
sale. Goldman Sachs has copyrighted a word which it feels will describe a
company with multimedia ambitions -- Communicopia -- although most
industry observers do not feel that the word will take off.

BELLSOUTH UNDECIDED OVER QVC NETWORK INVESTMENT
BellSouth Corp. has not yet decided whether to exercise an option to
invest US$500 million into QVC Network Inc., after getting the option to
purchase 8.3 million shares at US$60 by 15 August when it agreed to
support the QVC takeover attempt for Paramount Communications.  John
Clendenin, chairman and CEO, said that the stock price will have to rise
considerably before QVC decides to make a strategic investment; QVC
shares are trading at around US$40 per share presently. "Home shopping is
one of the things that will be very, very actively pursued as this
interactive, multimedia world of the future evolves. What we have to
decide is whether it would be strategically advantage us to have a
significant ... ownership position in that home shopping channel," said
Clendenin.

CHINA CRACKS DOWN ON SATELLITE RECEPTION
Shehzhen City in China has banned the unauthorised reception of satellite
television programming. With immediate effect the Radio and Television
Bureau, Public Security Bureau and the State Security Bureau of Shenzhen
City will penalise persons caught tuning into programming not uplinked
from China without permission.  Equipment has to be approved by a city
government department, which places hardware restrictions on receivers.

LOCKHEED WINS SATELLITE SENSING SYSTEM CONTRACT
Lockheed Corp. has received the first US Department of Commerce licences
to operate a satellite system that will allow it to offer high-definition
images to customers.   Lockheed now plans to look at forming deals for
its planned Commercial Remote Sensing System, providing image relief from
one metre. Most commercial remote-sensing satellite systems now offer
customers images of 10 to 15 metres resolution, and closer images must be
received through aerial photography. The licence, awarded to Lockheed
Missiles and Space Co., will allow the company to tap into the envisaged
multi-billion dollar industry. Additionally colour images will be
possible with four metre resolution.  Meanwhile GeoStar International
Inc. has been formed as a subsidiary of DCX Inc. to provide high-
resolution satellite image services as well as a range of laser optic
products and environmentally secure computers manufactured by DCX.
GeoStar International will utilize technology that digitally combines
high-definition satellite images, geological information software and
ground-based laser optic technology to perform a variety of services for
government and private sector customers.

COMSAT TO OFFER SATELLITE COMMS TEST FACILITIES
Comsat Technology Services is to offer an independent satellite
communications system In-Orbit Test facility from its Clarksburg facility
from the autumn.  The service will allow satellite users, owners and the
insurance industry to perform an IOT on a satellite to verify
performance.  CTS will perform the tests or will allow others access to
the IOT system at the satellite control centre.  Already American Mobile
Satellite Corporation has contracted with CTS to use the IOT facility
after the launch of its first satellite later this year; terms were not
disclosed.  Once a satellite has been launched it undergoes a range of
complex communications system tests to certify that the satellite
survived the launch environment, meets performance specifications and can
be put into commercial operation. Periodic tests are also carried out
during operation to ensure that things are still working correctly.  "The
availability of an independent state-of-the-art, highly reliable IOT
facility such as ours will allow satellite owners to avoid a high-cost
permanent investment in a limited use facility," said Paul Schrantz, CTS
vice president of satellite systems and consulting.

BRAZIL PLANS TO WIDEN USE OF NAHUEL SATELLITES
In a bid to help pay the massive costs of launching the next-generation
of Brazilian satellites, Renato Archer, president of the state-owned
Brazilian Telecommunications Company (EMBRATEL) says that neighbouring
countries such as Ecuador, Paraguay and Columbia may wish to use the
satellite to save them the expense of launching their own or co7ntracting
elsewhere for service. Archer said that Embratel was examining the best
orbital positions for the new satellites so that they could serve Brazil
as well as its neighbouring countries. The Brazilian government has
backed the idea for the satellites, which will replace the ageing
Brazilsat satellites.

DESERT ISLANDS GO LIVE ON QVC
Regular watchers of QVC and other home shopping channels expect to see
the usual range of watches, televisions, fur coats and kitchen utensils,
but how many times do you see a US$2.8 million private island?   Hopkins
Island in the Florida Keys was  on sale last week on the "Can We Shop?"
QVC Show. Apparently the estate agent received over 50 calls about the
island, and one inquirer offered to mail a US$300,000 deposit to show the
serious intent of the inquiry.  The island has a four-bedroom home,
solar-powered generator, a boat and a second home on the mainland.

COMEDIAN SPRAY PAINTS 'VULGARITY' ON SHOW
Bobcat Goldthwait, a US comedian, apparently spray-painted a rude word or
two on the walls of the Arsenio Hall Show set, reported AP. Goldthwait
also overturned equipment on the nationally-syndicated show to protest
about the show's demise. After asking Hall, "Are you really quitting?"
Goldthwait stepped over the couch, pulled out a can and spray-painted the
set's backdrop with the words ``Paramount Sucks." Paramount Television is
the distributor of the show. Television monitors were thrown off their
stands, jumped on and cushions thrown into the audience as part of the
ten-minute programme segment.  At one stage Hall had to restrain
Goldthwait as he tried to throw a couch through the set's backdrop.
Security guards and floor staff did not intervene.

BBC ALIGNS WITH CABLE RATHER THAN BSKYB FOR TENNIS
UK cable television channel Wire TV has signed a GBP500,000 contract to
screen two-hour daily highlights of the Wimbledon tennis championships.
The BBC will be relaying constant live coverage of the tennis and Wire TV
will be acting as a partner to the coverage. British Sky Broadcasting
(BSkyB) wanted to show the tennis championships live but the All England
Tennis Club was reluctant to end its 57-year relationship with the BBC.
The BBC has, to date, tended to form alliances with BSkyB -- like it did
for the Premier League football,  and it was widely thought that the
alliance would once again be called into play for the tennis.  The All
England Club has apparently been deluged with letters from tennis fans
urging it not to take coverage away from the BBC, virtually guaranteeing
that the BBC will retain the live broadcast rights in the near future.
Wire TV is backed by the six major UK cable companies, and coverage will
be available to around 600,000 viewers.

MURDOCH PAY TV ALLIANCE TO CONTINUE 'FOR NOW'
News Corp., Telecom Australia and Packer have continued to keep their PMT
pay-television consortium going for the time being, even though the
venture has been hit by a number of setbacks recently.  Previously the
alliance failed to get a satellite licence and now there is talk of in-
fighting and problems with consortium members.  Nine Network, owned by
Packer, has taken a 15 percent stake in Optus Communications, Telecom
Australia's rival, and this has not helped matters. In a bid to salvage
some business it is understood that the venture is looking at using TA's
cable network to deliver programming and Microwave MMDS services in other
areas.  A decision has yet to be taken over MMDS services and a
government auction and sale of the frequencies is planned.  In July the
Spectrum Management Agency will auction off MMDS licences, with 196
licences in state and city regions being offered. The focus of attention
will be on the Sydney and Melbourne licences, with six licences in each
city up for grabs. The fate of those 12 key licences, which would enable
a broadcaster to reach nearly half the Australian population, will
determine who the largest player is to be.

SHINAWATRA JOINS FORCES WITH CAT FOR SATELLITE SERVICE
The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) has received formal
approval from its board of directors to form a joint venture with
Shinawatra Satellite Co to provide uplink and downlink services to Thai
customers.  The joint venture, known as C.S. Communication, will see
Shinawatra holding a 51 percent shareholding with CAT holding the rest.
CAT says that the uplink and downlink services will be restricted
initially to the Thaicom series of satellites. The firm will not have
protection on the services and CAT will not impose royalty fees from the
joint venture.

WORLD EARTH SATELLITE DAY
Comsat used five international satellites on World Earth Day to allow
children all around the world discuss environmental issues with vice-
president Al Gore. From the US Information Agencies office in Washington,
USA, Gore was linked into a national and international teleconference.
Intelsat satellites were used to link the US with Sydney, Australia;
Stuttgart, Germany; Tokyo, Japan; Quito, Ecuador and Dakar, Senegal.

MUSIC CHOICE ENTERS ISRAEL
Music Choice Europe is now available in Israel, following a 25 April
launch. The Israeli venture is between MC Europe, General Instrument and
Telemusica, providing a 24 hour, CD-quality multi-music channel service.
The Israeli service will initially be restricted to 15 channels but by
early 1995 cable television subscribers will have access to the full
service. Up to ten of the Israeli channels will be locally originated
and orientated. Eli Roshgold, owner of Telemusica, said: "It is vital
that not only local consumer tastes but also the real needs of Israel's
cable operators are satisfied. This is not something that can be done by
any broadbrush service beamed from the United States."

GREEK STATE-TV FIRED OVER FUNERAL COVERAGE
Dimitris Katsimis, head of ET1 -- the Greek state television company --
has been fired after Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou criticised TV
coverage of the funeral of his former economy minister. Katsimis, as
general director, oversaw news programming and day-to-day operations for
the channel. Papandreou said he wanted 'heads to roll' after the channel
failed to place the funeral as the lead story on the evening news.
"ET-1's coverage has added to my deep sadness over the death of George
Yennimatas [the economy minister]," said Papandreou said in an official
statement, and that ET-1 had "...failed to stay in touch with the feeling
of the Greek people."

PAGING PARTNER SIGNS WITH SPACECOM FOR NETWORK EXPANSION
Paging Partners Corp. has signed an agreement with SpaceCom Systems
whereby SpaceCom will relay paging data by satellite for PP's new
expanded service in the northeast corridor from Boston to Washington.
Paging Partners is presently operating a paging system providing one-way
wireless messaging in the New York metropolitan area and parts of five
states -- New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Parts of the new system are set to be operational later this year, with
the entire system operational next year. Rick Giacchi, chief executive
officer of Paging Partners, said that using SpaceCom to deliver data for
the system not only allows for enhancements in quality and delivery, but
for expansion into additional services the company intends to provide.
"Our enhanced information services include headline news stories,
financial updates and sports scores, but our expanded service will be
designed to include large quantities of information which our resellers
can offer to subscribers with a high degree of customisation," said
Giacchi.

DIRECTV LICENCES WARNER MOVIES FOR PPV SERVICE
DirecTV Inc. has signed a pay-per-view movie distribution agreement with
Warner Brothers to relay major films from Warner and the many independent
productions Warner distributes on its Direct Ticket PPV service. Warner
is the fifth studio to sign agreements with Hughes for Direct Ticket PPV.
Direct Ticket will offer approximately 40 channels of pay per view movies
with start times beginning as often as every 30 minutes. "We are very
pleased to include feature films from one of the most successful names in
film production and distribution," said Eddy Hartenstein, DirecTV
president.  "Warner Bros. is one of the leaders in developing the pay per
view industry, and we believe that its great selection of hit, quality
films will add even greater marquee value to the Direct Ticket
offerings."

PORTUGUESE CABLE OPERATOR SELECTS MAJOR SUPPLIERS
TV Cabo, the Portuguese cable television consortium, has selected an
alliance of Sirti Portugal, Banco Essi and SDT Electronics to provide it
with cable television network infrastructure. The holding, which leads
Telecom and TLP's cable TV venture, will expand the initial phase of the
implementation of the network. Instead of just covering Lisbon, Amadora,
Coimbra, Oeiras and Oporto, the network will be expanded to include
Matosinhos and Braga. Terms of the contract have not been disclosed. TV
Cabo begins trial broadcasts in July and should be in full operation by
October. ESC2 billion (GBP1=ESC263.1) is being invested in the project
by the year-end, in addition to an already invested ESC1.5 billion.

AMSC EXPECTS TO BE FIRST SATELLITE COMMS OPERATOR
American Mobile Satellite Corp says that it expects to be the first
company to provide mobile phone service in rural parts of the USA by
early 1995.  Brian Pemberton, president of AMSC, told Reuters that the
company expects to be in operation for at least five years before it sees
any competition. AMSC has US$450 million funding for its start-up costs
and the FCC licence to use 30MHz of L-band spectrum.  It even has special
multi-service telephones being developed by Mitsubishi Electronics, so
that it can offer mobile phone service in areas not connected to cellular
networks when users go out of range. AMSC plans to align itself with
cellular providers such as McCaw Cellular Communications Inc. to use its
marketing channels -- in fact McCaw is a major shareholder in AMSC.
Pemberton said that once the company gets 400,000 subscribers its network
would be at full capacity. Other AMSC investors are Hughes Electronics
Corp, Singapore Telecom and Mobile Telecommunications Technologies
(MTEL).

PATENTS, WRITS AND MPEG 2 PROBLEMS
Legal wrangling over MPEG2 intellectual property rights is threatening to
send the development of digital television using the service into
litigation overdrive.  The MPEG committee is recommending patent pooling
to expedite development and roll-out, with royalty payments made to a
central point and revenues redistributed. Cable Television Labs, an R&D
consortium of cable TV companies is looking at becoming the US pooling
point as Baryn Futa, Cablelabs CEO is chairman of the MPEG2 video
intellectual property rights working group, and he has asked companies
which believe they hold patents relevant to MPEG2 video to get in touch
by 13 May.

US CHILDREN ASKED TO THINK ABOUT WHY THEY WATCH TV
Continental Cablevision Inc., the third largest US cable television
company, hopes to make children become more literate by watching
television.  A special educational programme makes children think why
they are watching programming and encourages them to ask questions.
Topics being covered include to explore the difference between
advertising and programming, how women and minorities are portrayed, and
depictions of violence. In the 650 communities it serves, Continental is
sending schools, libraries and families materials to teach children to
become TV-literate.

CBS SORTS BEIJING AGE DISCRIMINATION CASE
US television giants CBS Inc. has settled a case brought against it by
its former Beijing, China bureau chief which alleged age discrimination
practices. CBS was alleged to have fired John Shehan to avoid paying a
full pension and health benefits, and the network was sued for US$1
million in back pay, damages, benefits and costs. Terms of the settlement
have not been disclosed. CBS had argued that Sheahan's dismissal was part
of routine downsizing and that news from Beijing was no longer essential
to the network's nightly news bulletins.  There are two other known age
discrimination cases presently pending against CBS.

SATELLITE ATTENDANCE ON THE UP
Organisers of the 1994 Cable & Satellite show said that the expansion of
the exhibition area and the inclusion of new events was very successful;
and overseas attendance was up 35 percent. "The extra ten percent space
that the move to the larger Grand Hall gave us was completely sold out,"
said Lynn McBain, marketing manager for Reed Exhibitions. "The three
conference streams were also very well received: