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Sat-UK #164 04.11.97: MORE DIGITAL - TCC - CANAL 24 HORAS

Sat-UK Report #164:
- More digital channels on Astra 2A
- The dodgy future of TCC
- Canal 24 Horas gone from II-F1
thursday 4th december 1997
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Email: dsedghi@TELE-Satellite.com
Sat-UK Web: http://www.sat-net.com/sat-uk/
UK Satellite Control: http://www.sat-net.com/uk-satellite/
And now the news:


---------- More digital channels on Astra 2A
(source: What Satellite TV)

We all know that next year, Sky will launch its digital television
package, BIB, which will contain more than 200 different channels. BSkyB
have only acquired 14 transponders on the new satellite, leaving a
further 14 for other prospective entrepreneurs. We already know that
Flextech Television, owners of such channels as UK Gold, Living,
Discovery Europe and TCC, has leased six transponders, and new-comers
Wow Television International, who will bring ten channels of pure
shopping channel (a story covered FIRST on Sat-UK), are set on taking at
least one transponder. So, we know who the transponder belong to, but
which channels will be present? Let's take a look:
Flextech has confirmed the use of one of its transponders for its
Discovery presence in Europe, providing the channels 'The Discovery
Channel', 'Discovery Animal Planet', 'Discovery Home & Leisure', and
possibly 'Discovery Kids' Channel' and 'Discovery Science and
Civilization', which are two popular American cable channels. Another
transponder to be shared between Flextech and the BBC will feature all
of the UK TV channels ('UK Gold', 'UK Style', 'UK Arena' and 'UK
Horizons'). All of the other transponders will be used to broadcast
Flextech's other channels, which include 'Living', 'Bravo' & 'Trouble',
'Challenge TV', 'Playboy TV', 'The Parliamentary Channel', 'EBN' and
'ScreenShop'. 'TCC' may also appear here, but its future looks unsteady
(see below). It is also possible that the new joint channel between the
two corporations, 'People & Arts Network' will also appear in this
package. It is not yet known whether these channels will form part of
the BIB package, or whether they will be offered in a seperate package,
or even free-to-air.
As already covered, Wow TV International will offer 10 shopping channels
('Futura', 'Passion for Fashion', 'Automania', 'Home Sweet Home and
Gardens', 'Country Estates and Town Houses', 'The Investment Channel',
'Global Dominator 1', 'Global Dominator 2', 'The Holiday Channel' and
'Book Wowm'). Other channels which look likely to appear here include
Welsh Channel 'S4C', which has reserved space for up to three channels,
'HGTV - Home & Garden Television', a popular channel in the States, 'NBC
Europe', 'Court TV', 'Performance', 'The Auction Channel', 'Apna TV' and
perhaps even Rupert Murdoch's 'Star TV'!


---------- The dodgy future of TCC

Flextech-owned kids' channel, TCC, which has been receiving poor ratings
recently, may be scrapped. Flextech has said that it will make a
statement regarding the channel's future soon. Recently, a Sat-UK
subscriber spotted a fifteen minute appearance by something calling
itself the 'Travel Industry Channel', broadcasting from 05.45 to 06.00
UK Time. Considering the current popularity of 'Travel' and 'Sky
Travel', a new travel channel does not seem unlikely.


---------- Canal 24 Horas gone from II-F1

Canal 24 Horas has left its old frequency on Eutelsat II-F1. It is now
only receivable in analogue from HotBird 2 at the same orbital position.
It can also be found digitally on Hispasat 1A/1B as part of the Vía
Digital package. In fact, the channel you can watch on HotBird 2 is an
analogue feed from the digital package on Hispasat 1A/1B!


All contents (C) 1997 Dominic Sedghi, except where indicated. All rights
reserved. The above may not be reproduced without written consent.
Information is subject to change and/or may be incorrect.

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