Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/pc/text/spacedig/v16_9/v16no887.txt

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Space Digest                Sat, 17 Jul 93       Volume 16 : Issue 887

Today's Topics:
                            Satnews 112-1

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Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1993 15:06:02 +0000
From: Darren Ingram <[e-mail]>
Subject: Satnews 112-1
Newsgroups: sci.space

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EUROPEAN PORN TV CHANNEL CLOSES
Red Hot Television, the European pornographic TV channel
previously known as Red Hot Dutch, has closed down. Reports
suggest that the closedown has been prompted by a failure to pay
the PTT for transponder and uplinking services.

Other reports say that a hack on the Enigma encryption system
(Satnews 111) also contributed to the closedown.

Pornographic television services in general have came under fire
from national governments and the European Commission.  Red
Hot Television was proscribed in the UK, making its support by UK
firms or sales and marketing activities illegal.

On 19 March the UK's National Heritage Secretary Peter Brooke
gave Continental Television, the UK agent for Red Hot Television,
notice that unless it ceased broadcasting within 15 days then the
government would take steps to ban the channel.  Continental
Television refused to comply with the government's order.  Attempts
to overturn the decision failed, and Continental closed its
Manchester offices and moved overseas.

Within 48 hours of the government's intended ban, Continental
Television says that over 3000 new subscribers were signed up. It
had a reported 40,000 subscribers at its close. It is not clear
whether subscribers who paid for decryption cards did, in fact,
receive them.

Existing adult programming channels like VTO and The Adult
Channel are not affected by the ban because of their somewhat
softer programming content.  In Germany there have been calls by
government and opposition officials to ban VTO, a new porn channel
operated by the former German porn star Teresa Orlowski. The
channel will time-share with The Adult Channel on Astra, although
the two companies are not linked together.

Television clean-up campaign groups were pleased with the news of
the demise of Red Hot Television.

"It is a very welcome development and the [Broadcasting Standards]
Council played an important part," said Lady Howe, chairman of
the Broadcasting Standards Council.

ECHOSPHERE INTRODUCE EUROPEAN SAT RECEIVERS
Echosphere Corp. has introduced a new Echostar SR-8700 satellite
receiver for use within Europe.  A number of integrated encryption
decoder options are available, offering either Videocrypt or D2-MAC
decoding capabilities.

Enhanced video threshold features have been built into the receiver,
enabling viewers in fringe coverage areas to receive clearer pictures
than they may get with other receivers.

A built-in positioner automatically tracks the satellites in the sky
and tunes into get the best possible picture.  It has been
programmed to receive only 1500 channels with 200 preprogrammed
favourite video and 100 preprogrammed audio channels.   Multi-
lingual on-screen graphics are available with Wegener quality stereo
as standard.

Other features include a four-week, 8 programme VCR-type timer,
the ability to connect two external decoders, FSS/DBS/Telecom/C
and S-band compatibility, VCR outputs and parental lock.

"By manufacturing three different versions of the SR-8700, once
again Echosphere is catering to the different needs of the European,
African and Middle Eastern markets, who deemed nothing but the
finest in satellite video and audio entertainment," said Dave
Carlson, executive director of Echosphere Corp.

CNN DROPS PLANNED AIRPLANE NEWSLETTER
According to an article in Editor & Publisher, a planned deal
between States News Service in Washington and CNN to provide a
newsletter of late breaking news to airplane travellers has fell
through.

Travellers flying between New York-Washington and Boston-
Washington on USAir and New York-Chicago on American Airlines
on weekdays would have been given a free 26-page newsletter with
material taken from CNN and SNS.  SNS already produces a
smaller free Latest News newsletter on flights.

E&P says: "Midlevel CNN executives agreed to the concept and
wanted to package the print ads with CNN cable TV buys,
eventually integrating buys with Turner Private Networks' Airport
Channel, a place-based CNN news feed at airline terminals.

SNS owner Leland Schwartz was quoted in The New York Times as
saying that CNN chief executive Ted Turner quashed the idea as he
did not want the company to be "in the newspaper business."

"Losing what we thought was a magic CNN deal is crushing news to
us," said Schwartz.

PAS-4 LEASES GO TO SOUTH AFRICA
The South African Broadcasting Corporation and M-NET have
signed two long-term transponder leases with PanAmSat for the
launch of a direct-to-home satellite service in the country.

Three Ku-band transponders will allow the SABC and M-NET to
launch the service late in 1995, dependent on the successful launch
and deployment of PAS-4, PanAmSat's satellite destined for location
in the Indian Ocean Region.

Digital compression will be used to increase the number of channels
carried on the DTH network.  Presently satellite television reception
in South Africa is restricted to C-band through large antennas,
although the DTH service will allow 90 cm antennas to be used.

"We are thoroughly pleased. We will provide the SABC and M-NET
a very high quality solution for DTH broadcasting," said Fred
Landman, president of PanAmSat.

"Millions of viewers will be able to tune into broadcast feeds
received directly and easily on premises.  We feel South Africa is on
the edge of an explosive growth in broadcasting, and PanAmSat is
the only global satellite system designed to meet this demand with
the latest innovative satellite service."

PAS-4 will be a second-generation Ku-band satellite. PanAmSat will
launch PAS-2 for the Asia-Pacific region in May 1994 with PAS-3
for the Atlantic Region in December 1994.  The three new satellites,
once deployed, will be used for the ORB-X global satellite
networking programme planned by PanAmSat as an 'Intelsat
buster.'

UK WOMEN'S CHANNEL TO LAUNCH
A satellite-delivered channel designed solely for women is to be
launched in the autumn by Thames Television, the former London,
UK independent television franchise owner. The launch of such a
perceived 'sexist' channel is much to the chagrin of many women
who feel that it will feature "sewing, sex and children" and put the
case for equality back some time.

Thames TV, Telecommunications Inc. and Cox Cable are behind the
new channel, which will complement UK Gold, a classic UK
television channel.  The channel, destined for 24-hour broadcasting,
will be broadcast on Astra 1C subject to transponder leasing, and is
likely to form part of the BSkyB basic package.

It is not clear whether the channel will be encrypted or left in the
clear and  supported by the package.  United Artists will be
responsible for the first six months of the launch, and the channel
will broadcast for 18 hours daily from 7am.

The new service will be called UK Living.

Thames Television is owned by Pearson, a major media
conglomerate who also owns a 17.5 percent stake in British Sky
Broadcasting. The company has also been actively holding
discussions with a potential view of taking a share in Star TV, the
Hong Kong based satellite broadcaster.

Industry analysts claim that the channel, which is being set up with
30 million of equity, could earn around 4 million a year in profits.

British Sky Broadcasting is also reportedly looking at launching a
second sports channel and an arts channel, despite the fact that it
closed down its Sky Arts channel shortly after launch claiming that
it was 'not in tune with its overall broadcasting philosophy.'

David Einstein, director of programmes at BSkyB, said in a
Financial Times interview that the company had rights to many
more hours of sports coverage than it could show on one channel,
and that he would personally like to see an arts channel.

* British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) has came under fire from UK
advertising watchdogs and fellow satellite channel broadcasters over
the advertising for its planned portfolio of satellite services. It
proudly claimed that initially 14 channels would be included within
a basic package, including MTV, who promptly asked for a change
as they had nothing to do with the venture!

MTV TO ROCK RUSSIA
An agreement has been signed between MTV Europe and Biz
Enterprises, one of the largest media entertainment companies in
the CIS, that will see 42 hours of MTV Europe's programming
beamed across the former Soviet Union (CIS).

Over 88 million households are now able to tune into the service on
five different terrestrial networks under the initial one-year
agreement.  The agreement is just the latest part in MTV's battle
for global televisual dominance, although with teenagers in the CIS
still listening to classic songs from the 1960s, some of the music
played on MTV Europe may be a little too modern for their tastes.

William Roedy, managing director of MTV Europe, said in a
statement: "As MTV reflects the diversity of its audience, this
launch will add a new dimension to the channel.  Along with the
social and political changes in the CIS, MTV can provide a cultural
and musical window to Europe.  We are delighted to bring the youth
of the CIS into the MTV network."

Programming usually carried on the MTV network will be utilised
for the CIS service.

Boris Zosimov, the CEO and president of Biz Enterprises who was
recently given a medal by Boris Yeltsin for his contribution to the
youth of Russia, said: "There are two main reasons why we are so
enthusiastic about our new association with MTV.  For the past two
years we have been devoid of any foreign music and by broadcasting
MTV we are introducing an entirely new 'youth cult' to young adults
throughout the region."

"Secondly, MTV will be an inspiration to our musicians who will see
the quality of international music and learn from it."

Moscow's 2x2 channel will carry 35 hours of MTV to ten million
Muscovites, Ostaniko Channel 1 and Russian TV Co. will carry an
hour to 88 million homes in the CIS, St Petersburg will carry to five
million homes and Channel 6 will carry two hours to ten million
Russian households.

* Latest figures issued by MTV at the end of May show that 46.06
million homes are now able to receive MTV programming.

WEATHER SATELLITE TO LAUNCH BY ARIANESPACE
The International Eumetsat organisation has signed a launch
contract with Arianespace for the launch of its Meteosat 7 satellite.

Previously Arianespace launched five Meteosats for the European
Space Agency.

ESA has transferred the launch business and operation of Meteosat
satellites to Eumetsat.  The satellite will be placed in a
geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane launch vehicle in late
1995 or early 1996, following a launch at Kourou, French Guiana.

Meteosat 7, when launched, will ensure the continuity of the
meterological observation service programme after the end of the
Meteosat Operational Programme in December 1995 and the start
of the second-generation Meteosat satellites, set to be launched in
2000.

"As the world leader in space transport, Arianespace guarantees
free access to space for Europe under the best possible conditions.
This makes us particularly pleased to be able to provide our services
to the European Meterological Satellite Organisation."

Ariane now has 41 satellites waiting to be launched by its series of
launchers.

MERGER SOUGHT WITH EMBATTLED HOME-SHOP NETS
QVC has proposed a merger with Home Shopping Network in a bid
to consolidate its position and restore order to the embattled North
American teleshopping marketplace. If such a merger took place it
could become a dominant force in retailing, with anticipated annual
sales in excess of US$2 billion.

If a merger is made, the proposed new corporate name would be
QVC Network Inc., with a listing held on the New York Stock
Exchange.

Home Shopping Network is not performing well presently, and it is
labouring under a cloud of suspicion while a grand jury investigates
allegations  of  financial impropriety by its chairman and other
senior executives (Satnews passim). On the other hand, QVC has
had a radical shake-up under former Fox executive Barry Diller.

Diller has been 'kicking ass in a big way' according to one New York
industry analyst contacted by Satnews who declined to be publicly
identified.  "He has taken the bull by the horns and started to
resuscitate the company."

HSN has a larger audience (60 million) compared to QVC (47
million) in the US, although the marketing styles of the companies
are quite different.  QVC has a greater perceived style compared to
HSN's 'rough and ready bargain basement' offering.

QVC has seen its share price double since January with great
confidence in the company by investors and analysts alike.  Major
investors in HSN and QVC such as Liberty Media and TCI are
reportedly in favour of such an alliance.

The planned BSkyB/QVC shopping alliance is not affected by these
plans.

Just one day after news of the proposed merger emerged, John
Malone, executive of Home Shopping Network, resigned from the
company for unspecified reasons.  Peter Barton, president of Liberty
Media, has also resigned from the board of HSN.

BT TAKES ASTRA 1C UPLINK CONTRACTS
In a slightly misleading press statement issued last week, BT's
Visual and Broadcast Services subsidiary announced that BT
"'maintains [its] pre-eminent position for Astra uplinks" and "[it]
has become the first company in the UK to provide an uplink to the
Astra 1C satellite."

Through careful wording the statement manages to convey the
impression that BT is the only UK company who has been awarded
an Astra 1C contract or who has uplinking capabilities.   The actual
situation is that BT has a specially-constructed uplink at Madley
ready for use and that BT has been awarded its first uplink contract
with Nickelodeon.

Steve Maine, director of BT's visual and broadcast services, said:
"We are the only supplier in the UK currently able to offer uplink
services to Astra 1C - in addition to our 14 other contracts for
service over the Astra satellite system.  No other company has so
far been able to uplink to Astra 1C from the UK and we consider
that is our ability to meet exacting standards -- not only from our
customers but from other authorities too -- that enables us to keep
ahead of our competitors."

National Transcommunications Limited is close to completing its
own purpose-built uplink at Winchester.  Originally slated to be
ready by July, it is now expected to be operational late August.
NTL has won uplink contracts for The Discovery Channel Europe,
Bravo, TNT and Cartoon Network with a fifth yet unnamed contract
waiting in the wings.

It is believed that the new unnamed launch contract is the Family
Channel/Children's Channel onto a shared transponder, although
executives for the companies declined to comment.

BT is claiming that its Nickelodeon launch contract is the first,
although the channel is not set to commence transmissions until
September. Presently there is just an ident slate on the system.
Discovery and Bravo also have ident slates on their transponders,
sourced through SES.

Is it an argument of semantics or a case of "lies, lies and damn
statistics?"  As one NTL source said: "BT is miffed about its failure
to attract wholesale business for Astra 1C uplinking.  Once we get
our uplink operational there will be no stopping us."

Just as Satnews was closing for press we heard that BT had
allegedly had part of its uplinking licence withheld because of
possible interference on the top transponders of Astra 1C, which
includes the Nickelodeon channels.  A spokesman for BT VBS said
that as far as BT was concerned there were no problems with its
licence and would be continuing unabated.

TONGA FLEXES SATELLITE MUSCLES
The tiny Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific is locked in a
confrontation with Indonesia over a satellite orbital position which
has been snatched by the larger country.

The International Frequency Regulations Board had assigned a
position at 170.75 degrees east longitude to Tonga, but Indonesia
has hi-jacked it for its own use (Satnews 056).

Mats Nilson, managing director of Tongasat -- the leasing agency
for satellite services in Tonga, said that while satellites would not
physically collide neither would work when both are switched on.

Intense diplomatic manoeuvring between the countries has failed to
ease  the deadlock, and Indonesia has ignored the orders of the
IFRB.  Nilson said that one option would be to move the Tonga
satellite into one of Indonesia's existing orbital positions, switch it
on, and cause tremendous havoc to Indonesia's satellite
communications service.

"It has been using this other slot for 15 years, so it is a vital
communications link, and we will block it as a tit-for-tat measure if
Indonesia does not move the satellite out of our registered position."

Tongasat 1, a Russian Gorizont satellite, is set to be moved into its
new position on 20 July.  A close partnership has been made with
Rimsat in the US and Tongasat will be able to access a constellation
of orbiting Russian satellites (Satnews 097)

The tiny island is keen to provide telecommunications services from
its lucrative orbital position, offering significant discounts over
Intelsat, the dominant carrier in the region.

MORE GERMANS DESTINED FOR ASTRA 1C
Two regional German broadcasters have signed contracts with
Societe Europeenne des Satellites for access to the Astra 1C
satellite.

Middeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) has signed up for transponder 43
with transmissions commencing on 27 August 1993, while West 3
has already started broadcasting on transponder 39.

The latest suite of contracts means that the three regional German
ARD channels are now being carried on Astra (MDR, NDR and
West 3).

"Via their Astra distributors, the regional ARD programmes grow
into the role of 'audiovisual ambassadors' to their states of origin.
We at SES are glad to be able to contribute through Astra a better
understanding of the people in the different federal states of
Germany," said Dr Pierre Meyrat, director general of SES.

ESA SIGNS AGREEMENT FOR MIR SPACE FLIGHT
The European Space Agency has signed a contract with MPO
Energia over a planned mission and spaceflight to the Russian
manned space station Mir.

Yuri Semenov, director general of MPO Energia and Fredrik
Engstrom, director of Space Station and Microgravity at ESA signed
the contract worth ECU45 million.  Four ESA astronauts have been
sent to Star City near Moscow, Russia for initial space training.

Two missions are planned. A 30 day mission will take place in
September 1994 with a second 135-day mission in August 1995.

"We have now embarked on crewed spaceflight with the Russians.  I
have no doubt that the operational experience and scientific results
that will be acquired in the course of these missions will enable
ESA to strengthen its role in future covered flight programmes,
whether they be in cooperation with other partners or purely
European," said Engstrom.

PRODUCER SELLOFF PLANS ABANDONED IN INDIA
Doordarsham the state-owned broadcasting company in India, has
abandoned plans presently to sell air time to programme producers
on a first come, first served basis.

This decision sees the end of a ten-day queue outside its New Delhi
offices after the network said that it would receive applications for
airtime on its two terrestrial channels and three satellite channels
on 23 June.

Over 100 million people tune into Doordarsham broadcasts and
advertisement rates are high.  Airtime would be able to be resold to
advertisers, making it a very lucrative commodity.

A strategic review of the whole affair is now being promised by
officials.

MTV GO TO (MAKE) THE MOVIES
MTV Productions and Geffen Pictures in the US have signed an
agreement to develop and make a movie, marking MTV's first
venture into film making.

The film, called Joe's Apartment, will be a live action and animated
sequence showing a young man's efforts to cope with a big city and
a tiny apartment full of talking cockroaches.   It will be based on an
award-winning short film written by John Payson.  Payson will also
collaborate on the feature-length film.

"We are extremely excited about Joe's Apartment and also welcome
the association with MTV, which has proven itself to be a
productive source of new talent and ideas," said David Geffen, head
of Geffen Pictures.

"Joe's apartment, a cockroach movie, fittingly marks MTV's entry
into the feature film business," said Tom Freston, chairman and
CEO of MTV Networks.

The film will be distributed by Warner Brothers in the US and
possibly worldwide in the future.

Doug Herzog, president of MTV productions, said: "Making Joe's
Apartment, the movie, realises one of the major goals of MTV
productions -- to give our uniquely talented people a place to spread
their wings and grow creatively."

BRAZILIAN TV SHOW AIRS RECORDED SUICIDE
Producers of the Brazilian news and current affairs show Aqui
Agora are defending their decision to broadcast footage of a 16-year
old girl jumping off the roof of a shopping centre to her death.

The show, renowned for its transmission of shocking images, has
faced a nationwide storm of protest. Broadcasters SBT have also
received numerous telephone calls and letters of protest.

Before the footage was aired, viewers were warned about the
extreme content and over 40,000 switched off in advance, according
to comparable ratings.

Cameramen followed the girl to hospital where she was pronounced
dead.  Aqui Agora cameramen follow police, fire and ambulance
crews on their calls, broadcasting footage of gore and human
misfortune as a matter of course.

NTN TO PROVIDE ZING PROGRAMMING
NTN Communications has signed a agreement to provide
interactive games programming to Zing System, a new interactive
device partnered by 15 cable networks including CNN, MTV, HBO
and Discovery in the US.

As well as providing its QB1 football program on the network, NTN
will create additional original and exclusive programming.

Zing is a hand-held in-home device that decodes interactive
programming messages transmitted by television networks along
with their video signal (through the VBI), and the portable unit can
be used wherever there is a television signal available.

Pat Downs, president of NTN, said: "This agreement with Zing gives
us the chance to do what we do best -- provide compelling
interactive programming that will ultimately drive consumer
demand for the hardware.  We're very pleased to align ourselves
with this system and its many reputable partners."

NTN and Interactive Network are currently embroiled in legal
disputes over alleged patent and marketing infringements.

------------------------------

End of Space Digest Volume 16 : Issue 887