ASTRA 19.2 -Degrees- East: Pubcasters ARD and ZDF Renew Satellite Distribution Contracts.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers BETZDORF, Luxembourg--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 28, 2003 New Long-Term Contracts Enable German Public Broadcasters Nation-Wide Ubiquitous Conversion from Analogue to Digital Satellite Broadcasts German public broadcasters ARD Ard (ärd), in the Bible. 1 Son of Benjamin. 2 Benjamite, perhaps the same as (1.) An alternate form is Addar. and ZDF ZDF Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen ZDF Z-Firm Document Folder ZDF Zone Definition File will continue their partnership with SES ASTRA SES Astra SA, is a corporate subsidiary of SES, based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg, that owns and operates the Astra series of geostationary satellites, which transmit approximately 1100 analogue and digital television and radio channels via 176 transponders to 91 , an SES GLOBAL company (Luxembourg and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges Frankfurt Stock Exchange The largest of Germany's eight securities exchanges, operated by Deutsche Borse AS. : SESG SESG Systems Engineering Steering Group SESG Software Engineering Support Group SESG System Engineering Sub-Group ), under new, long-term contracts. The new contracts enable ASTRA ASTRA Ancient Instruments Sound/Timbre Reconstruction Application ASTRA Australian Strategic Air Traffic Management Group ASTRA Arab Supply and Trading Corporation ASTRA Automatic System for Transport Analysis ASTRA Automatic Satellite Tracking Research Antenna satellite households in Germany to continue to receive the variety of public TV and radio programmes direct-to-home and allow for a nation-wide, ubiquitous switch-over from analogue to digital satellite transmissions. The agreements therefore reflect the German Federal Government's media policy target of discontinuing analogue TV distribution by 2010, if market conditions allow. The new long-term contracts cover analogue and digital satellite distribution via ASTRA's prime orbital position of 19.2(degrees) East for virtually all of Germany's public TV and radio programmes. Prof. Jobst Plog, Chairman of ARD, stated: "In transmitting our programmes, SES ASTRA has proven a reliable and fair partner over many years. The long-term continuation of this cooperation will give our viewers and listeners a clear and secure perspective for the switch-over from analogue to digital satellite reception." Markus Schachter, Intendant intendant (ĭntĕn`dənt), French administrative official who served as the chief royal representative in the provinces under the ancien régime. of ZDF, drew particular attention to the consensus governing the agreements: "The new contracts cover both the analogue distribution in line with market realities, and the long-term digital distribution via ASTRA. Therefore, they enable a smooth, consumer-friendly transition to the exciting new world of digital TV, without however adversely affecting existing analogue receivers, for example with second and third TV sets in households." Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of SES ASTRA, underlined the importance of the new contracts with ARD and ZDF: "We are extremely grateful for the trust placed in us. Satellite transmissions will continue to spearhead the roll-out of digital television. Therefore, we are particularly pleased that the broad spectrum of public programmes provided by ARD and ZDF will remain an integral part of ASTRA's programme line-up on Europe's most popular orbital position. ASTRA direct-to-home reception is the driving force behind the Federal Government's target of completely digitalizing the audiovisual market. We consider it an honour to be able to shape the future together with our long-standing customers ARD and ZDF. For the further successful conclusion of the switch-over scenario, we trust we shall have, as in the past, strong market partners from industry, trade, and the skilled-crafts." Note to the Editor: Some 14 million German households are currently already equipped for ASTRA direct-to-home reception. About SES ASTRA www.ses-astra.com The ASTRA Satellite System is Europe's leading Direct-to-Home satellite system chosen by a wide range of television and radio broadcasters and multimedia service providers for the delivery of free-to-air and pay broadcast and broadband services to more than 92 million Direct-to-Home and cable households in Europe. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 13 satellites, transmitting more than 1100 analogue and digital television and radio channels as well as multimedia and internet services. ASTRA's two prime orbital positions for DTH (Direct-To-Home) Typically refers to satellite TV broadcasting directly to a dish antenna on the roof of a house. See DBS. (Direct-To-Home) services are 19.2(degrees) East and 28.2(degrees) East. Professional services are offered from the orbital positions of 23.5(degrees)/24.2(degrees) East and 5.2(degrees) East. SES ASTRA is wholly owned by SES GLOBAL, a publicly quoted company with securities listed on the Stock Exchanges in Luxembourg and Frankfurt (SESG). SES GLOBAL wholly owns two operating companies, SES AMERICOM and SES ASTRA, and has strategic holdings in other leading regional satellite service providers around the world - AsiaSat, AMERICOM ASIA Asia (ā`zhə), the world's largest continent, 17,139,000 sq mi (44,390,000 sq km), with about 3.3 billion people, nearly three fifths of the world's total population. PACIFIC, NSAB NSAB National Security Advisory Board (India) NSAB Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Arztebund (German: National Socialist German Doctors' Association) NSAB Nova Scotia Animal Breeders , Nahuelsat and Star One. Through these SES GLOBAL can provide outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 41 satellites across the globe. Additional info at: www.ses-global.com |
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