From WOOD@stab.sr.seSun Oct 22 23:30:06 1995
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 1995 15:21:12 +0200
From: George Wood <WOOD@stab.sr.se>
To: wood@stab.sr.se
Subject: MediaScan/Sweden Calling Dxers 2230
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: MediaScan ::
:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2230--Aug. 15, 1995 ::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Satellite, shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2230
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's nice to be back after a month's vacation home in California. And
while I was in the United States, there was a lot of media news there.
Please note that editions scdx2228 and scdx2230 exist only as radio
programs and as sound files of those programs.
RADIO IN CYBERSPACE:
RADIO SWEDEN--The big news is that on August 5th, Swedish Radio's much-
delayed World Wide Web site on the Internet finally opened. You can
look for it at:
http://www.sr.se
It will be a few weeks before we've got the Radio Sweden section
running. Right now the single Radio Sweden page contains a comment in
Swedish that more is coming. We're hoping to have a new billigual page
within a week, with a link to the unofficial MediaScan Web page, as
well as a link providing the previous evening's Radio Sweden news in
the Real Audio format.
WRN--Real Audio allows you to listen to sound files while they
download, providing audio-on-demand. Our Real Audio news is being made
available through the World Radio Network, which has put all of its
broadcasters in Real Audio. WRN also has a new Web page, at:
http://www.wrn.org
BBC--(Curt Swinehart from Usenet News)--The BBC World Service has a new
version of its WWW pages at:
http://www.bbcnc.org.uk/worldservice/
WGN--(Shoptalk via "Tele-Satellit")--The American satellite and cable
superstation WGN, in Chicago, is now on the Web:
http://www.wgntv.com
DENMARK--(Per Lind)--Radio Energy Denmark is at:
http://www.energy.dtu.dk/
GLOBAL DAB--(Worldspace)--The WorldSpace Global Satellite Digital Audio
Broadcasting System, which plans to offer hundreds of direct-to-
portable digtal audio channels worldwide when in launches in 1998, is
now on the Web:
http://webworqs.com/worldspace/
CLUB--The club d'ondes courtes du quebec has a new Web page at:
http://www.infobahnos.com/pedro/PEDRO.HTM
SATELLITES--("Tele-Satellit")--The current list of geostationary
satellites is available at:
http://hea-www.harvard.edu/QEDT/jcm/space/jsr/geo.log
NORDIC MEDIA NEWS:
RADIO SWEDEN--Radio Sweden is now available on ZDF's transponder 33 on
Astra (10.964 GHz), audio 7.38 MHz. While we've been told the reason
we've been moved from Sky Movies Gold is because British Sky
Broadcasting has moved its downlink station to outside the coverage
area of the Tele-X satellite, Bertil Sundberg writes in "Paa TV" that
this is because the audio channels on Astra transponder 26 are being
used for Astra Digital Radio.
MERGER MADNESS--In the biggest merger in media history, on July 31,
Disney bought Capital Cities/ABC, followed the next day by Westinghouse
making moves to buy CBS (although Ted Turner is also interested in
getting ahold of CBS, and has now a new ally in Microsoft, which is
looking for program content for the new Microsoft Network online system
that launches with Windows 95). Now there's also speculation that
General Electric could put NBC up for sale, or might turn the whole
trend around and buy Time Warner.
All this merger madness has a direct application here in Scandinavia.
ABC holds a large share of the Scandinavian Broadcasting Systems, which
owns Sweden's TV 5 Nordic, also known as Femman, Norway's TV Norge, a
local TV station in Denmark, and local radio stations, as well as a TV
channel aimed at Belgium.
In today's program we ask the new head of TV 5, Lena Aahman, how the
merger might be affecting their programs. So far things are unclear,
but she does talk about TV 5's programming plans, and its relationship
with SBS sister station TV Norge.
NSD--One merger project that's been blocked is Nordic Satellite
Distribution, a joint venture of three of Scandinavia's largest
telecommunications companies. The European Commission says the project
is anti-competitive, as Alan Pryke reports in today's program. We also
hear EU Commissioner Karel van Miert, and Swedish Minister of Culture
Margot Wallstroem.
("Dagens Industri" and "The European")--But rather than excluding
Kinnevik, it looks as though NSD may instead be trying to expand its
position by bringing in Finland's Helsinki Media, the largest cable
television operator in the Nordic region, and owner of the PTV
television channel. However, it's hard to see how creating a company
with an even more powerful position would meet the EU's objections.
(Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")--Some weeks ago, Kinnevik announced it
was taking over the distribution of subscription cards on the Thor
satellite, for the package that includes CNN, Nordic Eurosport,
Discovery, Children's Channel, and MTV, along with arch-rival FilmNet.
Now, apparently because of the European Commission ruling, that
distribution has been taken over instead by Filmnet's owner
MultiChoice.
FILMNET--(Tele-Satellit)--FilmNet is also starting a new channel,
called Super Sport, which Tele-Satellite says will be on Astra
transponder 60.
BYE BYE FILMMAX--(Dagens Nyheter)--Kinnevik's TV1000 has decided to
discontinue its oldies film channel FilmMax, and concentrate instead on
TV1000 and its companion channel TV1000 Cinema. Like FilmNet, TV1000
offers its two channels for the price of one, although the main benefit
seems to be time-shifted programming. FilmMax, which did cost extra,
will go off the air on November 1.
STJAERN-TV--(TT)--Kinnevik has also suffered a set-back in its attempt
to stop the city of Stockholm from selling its cable-TV network,
Stjaern-TV, the largest in the capital, to Singapore Telecom. Kinnevik
had wanted the network itself, but a court has ruled that the sale can
go through.
OUT OF ASTRA--Kinnevik has been attracting attention for other reasons.
The company has announced it will be closing it's 4 transponders on
Astra in October, which means hundreds of thousands of Nordic home dish
owners will have to decide whether to move their antennas, or to buy a
new package to pick up the Nordic channels on the Sirius and Tele-X
satelites at 5 degrees East and Thor, TV-Sat, and Intelsat 702 at 1
degree West.
("Expressen")--And bad news for those who have bought the inexpensive
package to watch those satellites....Kinnevik has announced that TV3,
TV6, and Z-TV, all of which are broadcasting in clear PAL on Sirius,
will be switching to coded D2-MAC. So at least 70,000 viewers will have
to buy new decoders.
The channels have been operating in clear PAL because Sirius is only
supposed to be receivable in the Nordic region. But apparently
Hollywood is afraid the signal is spilling into other areas.
EUROPEAN MEDIA NEWS:
ASTRA--(Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV" and "What Satellite TV")--It's been
reported that besides a channel on Hot Bird, aimed solely at cable
networks, the Science Fiction Channel will also be taking an Astra 1D
transponder, and joining the basic tier of the Sky Multichannels
package. This is scheduled for October 5, in connection with Sky's
expected GBP 2 a month price increase.
(James Robinson)--UK Living is the first Astra channel to abandon use
of 6.5 MHz, making the 6.1 to 6.84 MHz region on transponder 34
available for 5 DMX channels, as part of Astra Digital Radio. There are
a further 5 new DMX channels now operating on transponder 47, Sky
Sports 2 etc., in the 7.74 to 8.46 MHz region. This brings the total of
57 DMX channels operating on Astra. Receivers for Astra Digital Radio
are expected to go on sale in Germany and Britain next month, costing
around GBP 300.
(James Robinson, "What Satellite TV")--Despite denials from British Sky
Broadcasting, Astra 1D transponder 60 is to be the new home of Sky
Movies Gold. It is being moved from the more accessible transponder 26
to make room for the new Disney Channel, scheduled to begin operations
on October 1st or 5th. The Disney Channel will only be available to
subscribers to BOTH of Sky's recent film channels. Beginning September
16, Disney promos will be carried in the clear PAL at 05:00-21:00 hrs
UTC. Sky Movies Gold will continue scrambled at 21:00-03:00 hrs, even
after Disney launches.
(James Robinson)--The Christian Channel will be launching on Astra
transponder 47 (Sky Sports 2 etc.) in clear PAL daily at 05:00-07:00
hrs UTC. From November 1 the schedule will be 04:00-07:00 hrs.
(Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")--The Netherlands' TV Veronica is due to
started broadcasts in September on Astra 1D transponder 51, 10.774 GHz.
("Tele-Satellit", "Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV" and "What Satellite
TV")--SES is going ahead with the 8th Astra satellite, Astra 1H, due to
launch in the spring of 1998. It will have 28 active transponders.
Astra 1E is due to be launched this Fall, Astra 1F in 1996, and Astra
1G in the second quarter of 1997.
("Tele-Satellit")--SES has announced some of the customers taking space
on the future Astra digital satellites:
Satellite Company transponders
------------------------------------------
Astra 1E Kirch 3
Canal Plus 3
CLT 2
Pro 7 1
Astra 1F Kirch 3
Canal Plus 4
CLT 2
Pro 7 1
Astra 1G Kirch 2
Canal Plus 2
CLT 3
Pro 7 1
A further 11 transponders on the 3 satellites are reported to have been
signed by British Sky Broadcasting, and 8 by FilmNet's owner Nethold.
CHINESE CHANNEL--("Tele-Satellit")--Hong Kong's TVB International has
bought a 52 percent stake in The Chinese Channel, which broadcasts to
Europe on Astra transponder 34.
HALLMARK--("Tele-Satellit")--Hallmark Entertainment has announced plans
to launch TV channels to 8 European countries. In the Benelux and
Scandinavia, the Hallmark Entertainment Network will be a joint venture
with FilmNet owners Nethold. Service was to begin August 1 in the
Benelux and in January, 1996 in Scandinavia. The company's UK partner
is TCI. Hallmark owns the Encore group of pay movies channels in North
America.
EUTELSAT--(James Robinson and Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")--Now that
Deutsche Welle is broadcasting 24 hours a day on Eutelsat II-F1, the US
Information Agency's WorldNet has had to move (exactly as when France's
TV5 went 24 hour on the same satellite). WorldNet is reportedly sharing
11.575 GHz on Eutelsat II-F2 with Med-TV.
(Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")--The Franco-German cultural channel Arte
is now broadcasting on Eutelsat II-F1 on the French TV5's old
transponder on 11.080 GHz. Before Arte begins broadcasts in the
afternoon, Eutelsat uses the transponder for promos. (Wouldn't this be
a better place to put WorldNet?)
A new German channel aimed at women is scheduled to begin operation on
Hot Bird on August 25 on 11.345 GHz. The working name is TM 3, but it
will probably have a more interesting name when it goes on the air.
("Tele-Satellit")--British Telecom has confirmed it will lease a
transponder on the upcoming Hot Bird 3 satellite to Central European
Media Enterprices, a company based in Bermuda with headquarters in
London.
(Eutelsat)--Eutelsat's Board of Signatories has given the go-ahead for
5 new satellites. One will be Hot Bird 4, the 5th television satellite
for direct-to-home transmissions from 13 degrees East. The 20
transponder satellite will be built by Matra Marconi Space, and will be
launched in the third quarter of 1997.
Three new telecommunications satellites, marking the first Eutelsat III
series satellites, will be built by a consortium headed by
Aerospatiale, and wiull start to replace the Eutelsat II series at 7,
10, and 16 degrees east from 1998. Each of these satellites will
provide 50 percent more capacity (24 transponders) than the current
satellites, as well as increased power, broadcer coverage, and
steerable beams.
A contract for the fourth telecommunications satellites will be
finalized with NPO-PM of Russia, for launch in the beginning of 1998.
Positioned at 48 degrees East, Eutelsat's most easterly orbital
position, the satellite's 18 transponders will be used for
communications in far eastern Europe and central Asia.
HISPASAT--("What Satellite TV" and Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")--The
subscription package on Spain's Hispasat at 30 degrees West has gone
less well than expected...only 3000 subscribers signed up. So Tele
Deporte, Canal Clasico, Telesat 5, and Tele Noticias are now in the
clear. The only channel remaining coded is Cinemania 2, owned by the
Canal Plus Consortium.
ORION--The New York-based Asianet, aimed at people from South Asia, has
moved transponders on the Orion 1 satellite at 37.5 degrees West.
Asianet is now on 11.594 GHz instead of 11.622 GHz.
TDRS--(Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")--The British military's TV service,
SSVC, which broadcasts material from the BBC, ITN, and Sky to Germany
and Cyprus, is now also broadcasting on TDRS at 41 degrees West on 3712
GHz.
ITALY--("The Economist")--Silvio Berlusconi has snubbed Rupert Murdoch,
and has reached an agreement with a consortium of companies who will
acquire an interest in Berlusconi's TV empire. By selling only 20
percent of of Mediaset, Berlusconi retains control over his
controversial networks.
BRITAIN--("Tele-Satellit")--The British government has revealed plans
for future digital broadcasting, paving the way for up to 24 channels
of digital terrestrial broadcasting. Licenses are to be awarded to the
companies providing the digital multiplexing services rather than to
the channels. The current terrestrial broadcasters are all guaranteed
space.
NORTH AMERICAN MEDIA NEWS:
RADIO SWEDEN IN MINNEAPOLIS--(Steven Clift)--The World Radio Network is
now being carried on cable in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the sound on a
public access channel. For those with Paragon Cable, the channel to
tune to is 49B. Radio Sweden can be heard daily at 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM
Central Time. Radio Finland is available at 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM Central
Time, with a 5 minute news summary in the Finnish language at 7:25 PM.
TDRS--("Tele-Satellit")--The recent mission of the space shuttle
Discovery orbited NASA's 7th Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-7.
BBC--("Daily Variety" via "Tele-Satellit")--The BBC has postponed the
launch of an American-based cable channel, due in part to distribution
problems, and an inability to decide on the right program mix. A 1995
launch date is now out of the question.
MTV--("Tele-Satellit")--MTV Networks will launch the MTV Radio Netowrk
in September. The service will include simulcasts of MTV shows, and
will be distributed to 6000 radio stations worldwide on the Westwood
One Radio Network.
VIVA USA DEAD--("Tele-Satellit")--Sony, Time Warner, Thorn EMI, BMG,
and Polygram have agreed to end their plans for a music video channel
to take on MTV.
USA VS MURDOCH--("Santa Rosa Press-Democrat")--The Federal
Communications Commission will allow Rupert Murdoch to hold on to the
Fox Network. Capping a 2 year investigation, the FCC ruled that
Murdoch's continued ownership of the network serves the public
interest, even though it exceeds the federal limits on foreign
ownership.
LATIN AMERICAN MEDIA NEWS:
MURDOCH MOVES SOUTH--("What Satellite TV")--Rupert Murdoch's News
Corporation is joining with Brazil's largest media conglomerate, Rede
Globo, to launch a digital DBS package to South America next year.
It's likely that either Intelsat or Panamsat will be used to deliver
the primarily Portuguese-language programming.
This follows three other announced plans to begin satellite broadcasts
to South America next year: DirecTV Latin America, Galavision, and the
Peruvian based Amigo package.
AFRICAN MEDIA NEWS:
DSTV--("What Satellite TV")--Multichoice, the subscriber management arm
of FilmNet's South African owner Nethold, is to launch its first
digital multi-channel package to Africa on October 15. The 16 channel
package will be called Dstv, and will broadcast from PAS-4. It includes
several Astra channels, mildly reworked for the African market, namely:
TNT/Cartoon Network, Sky News, Sky Travel, VH-1, and Zee-TV. DMX says
it will offer a 40 channel pay-audio service as well. The Sci-Fi
Channel and BBC World are said to be considering joining Dstv, while
Nethold's existing kids channel K-TV, the pay film channel M-Net, and
the planned Super Sports channel have also signed up.
ASIAN MEDIA NEWS:
APSTAR--The Chinese authorities now admit that the explosion that
destroyed the Apstar 2 satellite earlier this year was caused by
windshear. Originally Chinese newspapers blamed foreign sabotage or the
manufacturers of the satellite, Hughes.
KOREA--("Tele-Satellit")--The failure of a booster rocket to separate
from the Delta rocket carrying Korea's first satellite into orbit could
mean a reduced life. The satellite, called Mugunghwa, carries 12 TV
transponders.
PAS--(NewsPage via Curt Swinhart)--PanAmSat's PAS-4 Indian Ocean Relay
satellite was successfully launched on August 3. When it goes into
operation next month at 68.5 degrees East, PAS-4 will beam broadcast
and telecommunications services through-out Africa, Europe, the Middle
east and South Asia. It carries 16 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders.
The PAS-4 line-up includes China Central Television, Disney, ESPN, HBO,
Liberty, South Africa's M-Net/MultiChoice (see above) and SABC/Sentech, Sony,
Turner Broadcasting, and Viacom International.
The replacement for the crashed PAS-3 Atlantic Ocean Region satellite
is scheduled for launch in December, 1995. PanAmSat's continued
expansion plans include launches in 1996/1997 of the PAS-5 and PAS-6
satellites to serve the Americas.
MALAYSIA--("What Satellite TV")--Malaysia has confirmed it will lift
its ban on satellite dishes. The country's first communications
satellite, Measat 1, is scheduled to go into operation at the beginning
of April.
MGM--("What Satellite TV")--MGM is to launch its first satellite
channel, called MGM Gold, to Indonesia. It will be digitally encrypted,
and part of the Indovision DTH package to broadast from Palapa B2P
early next year.
HOBBY NEWS:
POSTAGE COSTS--Ian McFarland, formerly of Radio Canada International
and Radio Japan, is involved in Marbian Productions International, which
is seeking to save postage costs for shortwave stations and SWLs.
In return for a postcard, the company will send
free a selection of current SW station program schedules from around
the world.
The address is:
Marbian Productions International
Box 1051
Pointe Claire, Quebec
Canada H9S 4H9
Fax: +1-514-697-2615
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sweden Calling DXers/MediaScan is the world's oldest radio program
about international broadcasting. Radio Sweden has presented this
round-up of radio news, features, and interviews on Tuesdays since
1948. It's currently broadcast on the first and third Tuesdays of the
month.
Radio Sweden broadcasts in English:
To Europe:
16:15 hrs UTC on 1179 and 6065 kHz
17:30 on 1179, 6065, 13690, and 15600 kHz (also Africa and the Middle
East) 20:30 and 21:30 on 1179, 6065, and 9665 kHz (also heard in
Africa)
21:30 on 1179 kHz and 6065 kHz
22:30 hrs on 1179 kHz
Asia and the Pacific:
11:30 hrs on 13740, 15120, and 15240 kHz
01:30 hrs on 9695 kHz
North America:
12:30 and 13:30 hrs on 11650 and 15240 kHz
02:30 and 03:30 hrs on 7120 and 9850 kHz
Latin America:
OO:30 hrs on 6065 and 9810 kHz
The broadcasts at 16:15 and 17:30 hrs are also relayed to Europe
by satellite:
Astra 1B on ZDF's transponder 33 at 10.964 GHz, audio subcarrier at
7.38 MHz
Tele-X via TV5 Nordic/Femman's transponder at 12.475 GHz, audio
subcarrier 7.38 MHz
Radio Sweden is also relayed to Europe via the World Radio Network on
VH-1's transponder 22 on Astra, audio 7.38 MHz, daily at 22:00 hrs CET.
Radio Sweden can also be heard on WRN's North American service on
Galaxy-5, on WTBS's transponder 6, audio 6.8 MHz, daily at 16:00 and
20:30 hrs Eastern time.
Our (temporary) World Wide Web page is at:
http://www.abc.se/~m8914/media.html
The new Swedish Radio WWW site has opened at:
http://www.sr.se
Sound files of Mediascan are archived at:
ftp.funet.fi:pub/sounds/RadioSweden/Mediascan.
You can also find the programs among the offerings of Internet Talk
Radio at various sites, including:
ftp://town.hall.org/radio/Mirrors/RadioSweden/MediaScan
Radio Sweden news (recorded at 01:30 hrs UTC daily) is available in the
Real Audio format via the World Radio Network, at:
http://www.wrn.org
Contributions can be sent to DX Editor George Wood by fax to
+468-667-6283 or by e-mail to: wood@stab.sr.se
Reports can also be sent to:
Radio Sweden
S-105 10 Stockholm
Sweden
Contributions should be NEWS about electronic media--from shortwave to
satellites--and not loggings of information already available from
sources such as the "World Radio TV Handbook". Clubs and DX
publications may reprint material as long as MediaScan/Sweden Calling
DXers and the original contributor are acknowledged, with the exception
of items from BBC Monitoring, which are copyright.
We welcome comments and suggestions about the electronic edition,
Sweden Calling DXers, and our programs in general.
The mailing list for the Electronic Edition is now open to general
subscription. If you can send e-mail over the Internet, send a message
to:
wood@stab.sr.se
In the subject field write "subscribe mediascan"
You ought to get a confirmation message in reply. To unsubscribe from
the list, send another message to the same address, with the words
"unsubscribe mediascan" in the subject field.
To get a copy of Radio Sweden's English program schedule, include the
words "English schedule" in the subject field.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to this week's contributors Good Listening!