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TATA SKY TO LAUNCH HDTV
Tata Sky has announced it will roll-out HD services
and launch more interactive channels this year,
ahead of the Commonwealth Games to be held
in October 2010. It will also introduce interactive
channels in the gaming and education space. Tata
Sky, Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV have announced
that they will be launching HD services by the time
of the Commonwealth Games in October this year.
INDIA TO HAVE 3 MILLION HD
HOUSEHOLDS BY END 2010
India is expected to have three million household
using HD TV service by the end of this year, largely
driven by major sporting events like Commonwealth
Games and the World Cup to be held during the
year, according to TRAI Secretary RK Arnold. Currently,
Discovery HD is the only channel available
on HD service in the country, but Doordarshan
plans to launch a channel on the same platform
for the Commonwealth Games. Sun Direct is
the only DTH operator offering HD service.
JAPAN
UNIVERSAL HD LAUNCHES IN JAPAN
Universal Networks International has launched
platforms. UNI said the launch was part of its focus
on the Asian market, and that it expects more
HD growth in the region in the next 18 months.
MALAYSIA
ASTRO SELECTS PACE BOX
FOR HD SERVICE
-
Astro All Asia Networks. Astro currently broadcasts
over 100 pay-TV channels across Malaysia and
Brunei to over 2.8 million subscribers in multiple
HD, History HD and National Geographic HD.
SAUDI ARABIA
HARRIS WINS CONTRACT FOR HD
BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY
Harris Corporation has been awarded several
additional contracts by the Saudi Arabia Ministry
of Culture and Information (MOCI) for products
from its HD portfolio. Recent wins include the
provision of equipment for eight new HD studios,
three new portable HD studios, two new digital
satellite news gathering/outside broadcast
(DSNG/OB) vans and three new HD OB vans.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PREMIER LEAGUE TV IN HD FROM AUGUST
is to be broadcast in HD by the Abu Dhabi Media
Company (ADMC). The service will form part of the
diya
subscription channels when the new season
kicks off in August. ADMC announced earlier this
year that it had bought the TV rights to the league
for three years, starting with the 2010-11 season.
E-VISION EXPANDS HD CHANNELS
E-Vision has announced plans to expand its
offering of HD channels in 2010 and is also
package of new services for customers. E-Vision
plans to increase the number of its HD channels
from the current nine to about 20 chan-
nels by the end of 2010. Meanwhile, Sony has
Sony revealed that it is working closely with Al-
Jazeera, Orbit Showtime and E-vision to bring
VIETNAM
CANAL+ LAUNCHES HD
CHANNEL IN VIETNAM
In partnership with Vietnam Television, Groupe
Canal+ has launched the K+1 TV Channel in the
capital of Vietnam. Along with the channel, K+
Store and the K+ Set top Box were also launched.
documentaries, will be in HD format. The channel
also holds the rights to show UEFA Champions
W O R L D
276 MILLION HD HOUSEHOLDS BY 2014
There will be an estimated 276 million TV households
worldwide receiving HD signals by 2014,
representing around 21% of all TV households
globally, according to a new report from Informa
Telecoms & Media. A meagre 5.8% of TV households
were watching HD programming by the end
of 2009, but that is expected to increase to 7.8%
by the end of this year. North America is found to
be the dominant region for HDTV, accounting for
around two-thirds of the global 2010 total, however
as other regions catch up. The UK is expected to
lead the way in Europe, accounting for 14.1 million
homes which actively receive HDTV program-
region (behind Europe) for HDTV consumption,
thanks largely to early adoption in Japan.
www.TELE-satellite.com — 06-07/2010 — TELE-satellite — Global Digital TV Magazine
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