SkyREPORT.COM News Headlines
News Update For 1/10/00
Kennard Talks On Interactive TV
LAS VEGAS - Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard praised efforts so far to get interactive personal television into TV households, but said more must be done to make the next wave of TV a reality for consumers. Kennard told attendees at last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that "you can go onto the exhibit floor of this convention and see wonderful glimpses of the future of television, and it is all about IPTV. But IPTV has yet to become part of the American household. "Why is this?" he asked. "It is not because of lack of consumer demand." The problem, Kennard said, is that those involved can't agree on standards that will allow delivery platforms and TV enhancements to work together. He also pointed out that the parties impacted by new TV services can't agree on copyright protection measures. Despite the delays, Kennard said the market is moving towards the interactive future. "While you have been negotiating standards," he said, "services like iCrave TV and the European service Chello are developing Internet-based TV distribution that threatens the market share of traditional media. And Broadcast.com is streaming video, although not yet in broadcast quality." Kennard said he knows most in the industry are troubled by those developments. "But the best way for you to respond is to resolve these compatibility problems." If interactive TV doesn't move forward, the FCC will intervene. "To date, the commission has exercised restraint on this matter," Kennard said. "But this hands off phase is about to end. Your time - and our patience - are running out."
More Programming For DISH
EchoStar expanded its public interest and educational programming channels at no additional cost to subscribers. The company also is adding basic and premium programming choices for customers. DISH Network now offers more than a dozen channels providing international news, university and K-12 level coursework, academic research, family life programming and foreign language instruction. The educational/informational programming is a requirement for DBS providers. Channels available from satellites at 119 degrees include C-SPAN, Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), global cultural channel WorldLink, The NASA Channel, Universityhouse Channel from Northern Arizona University, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and UCTV from the University of California. Channels from the 110 degree location include content from Brigham Young University, Hispanic programming from HITN, PBS YOU, and Research TV. Educational/informational programming also is available at EchoStar's 61.5-degree location from DELLL, FREE SPEECH TV and Mayerson Academy. DISH Network also is adding Scripps Networks' Do It Yourself (DIY) to its expanded basic programming offerings and new premium movie channels: Showtime Beyond, Showtime 3 and The Movie Channel 2. The Showtime channels will become part of DISH Network's Showtime Unlimited package, available to customers who have a DISH 500 system. Showtime Unlimited's 10 channels will sell for $10.99 a month. The Movie Channel 2 will launch in the spring of 2000. In addition, DISH will soon offer west coast feeds of The Movie Channel and The Movie Channel 2 in an upcoming, enhanced programming package available this spring for DISH 500 customers.
New Products Highlight CES
Once again, this year's CES show in Las Vegas delivered a ton of new product announcements and services. Below is some of the news that came out of the four-day event:
- Philips, WebTV In Partnership - Philips Consumer Electronics and WebTV Networks will jointly develop and deliver a set-top box incorporating WebTV's new personal TV service featuring digital video recording capabilities, TV pause and Internet services.
- Motorola Debuts New Sat-Phone - Motorola unveiled what it said is the world's smallest flexible multi-mode satellite phone, the Satellite Series 9505 portable handset. The phone is designed for the struggling Iridium system.
- Thomson Unveils HDTV Sets - New HDTV systems from Thomson Consumer Electronics, 38-inch and 34-inch sets with the RCA and ProSCAN brands, will become available in late 2000. The models feature a fully-integrated electronics package that allows reception of over-the-air analog and digital signals as well as standard and high-definition programming from DirecTV.
- Zenith, Wink Score Deal - Zenith Electronics and Wink Communications will incorporate Wink's Enhanced Broadcasting technology into Zenith's multimedia TV line.
- Globalstar Makes Limited Debut - Globalstar USA, the provider of the satellite-based phone service in the United States, announced its offering is now available to customers for the first time. During the limited service phase, customers can purchase Qualcomm tri-mode handsets and satellite phone service, as well as activate the cellular mode of their handset. Globalstar announced plans for an early January launch last week.
SkyBOX: Down the Rabbit Hole
Welcome to a world where microwave ovens read recipes and watches take pictures. Yep, we once again braved the 100,000-odd (and we do mean odd) crowd at the Consumer Electronics Association's big CES show in Las Vegas. Thinking of Alice in her tumble after the rabbit, we went home reeling like a hokum smoking caterpillar. Among the amazing sights and sounds for the satellite-minded: DirecTV's Eddy Hartenstein wowed even the most numbers-jaded with a December sub growth of 225,000 plus 89,000 PrimeStar high-power conversions. In a stadium-sized booth packed with ooohers and aaahers, the company demoed its long-awaited TiVo/DirecTV personal-TV receiver (very slick and easy to navigate). Wink's Maggie Wilderotter was there to help show off the Wink alliance, too. The DBS big daddy also unveiled a whole slew of new HDTV/DirecTV receiver manufacturers while, to the great delight of high-def fans, Thomson Multimedia (the original DirecTV maker) announced a 50 percent cut in its suggested retail high-def prices. (Down to $3,999 from $7,999, so we don't think the hordes will be beating down Circuit City's doors just yet.) Meanwhile DISH pulled another first-ever out of its hat, announcing the advent (well almost, it won't be out until sometime this summer) of the first-ever DBS/DVD receiver, named, what else?, DISH DVD. Never one to leave the crowds yawning, DISH's Charlie Ergen also announced a free DISH 500 system plus free professional installation to anyone willing to commit to a year's worth of programming at $39.98/month. "We're crazy at EchoStar," Ergen deadpanned to the crowd. Anyone who believes that had better get in line for the "jam yesterday, jam tomorrow, but never jam today" breakfast. Let's not forget that Mr. Ergen is sitting atop a $1 billion cash horde, courtesy of some very successful trips to Wall Street, and since the name of the game these days is subscriber acquisition.... Most amazing of all, however, was the rabbit-like absence of cable companies at the annual consumer electronics fest. Speaking on a satellite panel hosted by SkyTRENDS, Circuit City's Rick Souder noted that, in regions where his stores sell cable modems, the cable penetration numbers soar substantially. Yet walking the floor, we saw one entourage from Time Warner and a lone soul from Media One. Not another wire head in sight, which pretty much kept the dish crowd grinning. (Acknowledgment: A tip of the carrot to EchoStar's Judianne Atencio who put us in mind of Alice and her adventures.) Do you have a comment or letter for SkyBOX? Write the editors at: editor@skyreport.com.
PEOPLE: Globecast Selects New VP
- Sanchez To Lead Latin American Effort - Globcast America, a unit of France Telecom, selected Darby Sanchez as vice president of the Latin American and Florida regions. Before working for Globecast, Darby was the director of sales for Latin America at L3 Communications-Satellite Transmission Services.
- Showtime Promotes Programming Exec - Pancho Mansfield was promoted to senior vice president, development, of original programming at Showtime Networks. Mansfield will supervise various Showtime original pictures from development through production.
- Cancom Appoints Chief Financial Officer - Canadian Satellite Communications, the satellite services company that merged last fall with DTH provider Star Choice, appointed Anil Amlani as senior vice president and chief financial officer. Amlani was previously head of finance for the personal and commercial segment of TD Bank.
- Veteran Joins Cable Web Company - ICTV, a company that provides cable operators with a digital platform for high-speed Internet access, named Robert Clasen chief executive officer. Clasen has 25 years of experience in the cable television and telecommunications industries.