SkyREPORT.COM News Headlines
News Update For 3/15/00
Rural Loans Move Ahead In Congress
Congressional action on loan programs for the delivery of local broadcast signals to rural America is expected this week at the committee and subcommittee level. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to file a report Wednesday on the Local TV Act of 2000, which the Banking Committee passed 19-0 last week. The full Senate can schedule a vote on the bill any time after the report is filed by the committee. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Phil Gramm (R-Texas) pledged that the Senate would vote the bill on before the end of March. The House Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection will hold a legislative hearing on H.R. 3615, the Rural Local Broadcast Signal Act, on Thursday, March 16. A list of witnesses for this hearing will be available Wednesday. Reports indicate that the Telecommunications subcommittee could mark up the bill on March 23, which will be followed by a full Commerce Committee mark-up the following week. H.R. 3615 was passed by the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 16.
XM Takes To the Skies
LiveTV, a supplier of real-time programming from DirecTV on commercial aircraft, will deliver XM Satellite's next generation radio programming to airline passengers beginning in 2001. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Under the 10-year agreement, LiveTV will incorporate XM-Ready receivers into its in-flight entertainment system, sell the service directly to commercial airlines and market and promote XM as part of its in-flight entertainment service. Recently, LiveTV announced a similar agreement with DirecTV. Under that partnership, LiveTV will offer airline passengers up to 24 channels of DBS programming via LiveTV's in-flight entertainment system. DirecTV is also one of XM's investors and strategic partners.
DirecTV Has Oscar Fare-Inks Hotel Deal
DirecTV and AtomFilms signed a syndication agreement that will allow the DBS provider to air a selection of live-action and animated short films nominated for an Academy Award. The short films are available in two-hour blocks for $2.99 via pay-per-view. The films are nominated in the categories of Best Short Film - Animated and Best Short Film - Live Action. The three animated and three live-action shorts will air on DirecTV between March 15 and March 31. In another move, C-3D Digital, a 3-D television network and Internet media company, announced its Hotel Movie Network (HMN) division signed an affiliate agreement with DirecTV. According to the affiliate agreement, HMN will market and distribute DirecTV programming and services to commercial establishments. HMN also will promote DirecTV to its customer base. HMN delivers programming to more than 11,000 rooms nationwide.
Microsoft-MEASAT Cut Deal
Microsoft bought a stake in Malaysia's MEASAT, the satellite operator which also delivers broadcast and Internet services throughout Asia under the Astro brand. MEASAT is owned by Malaysian tycoon Ananda Krishnan, whose group also controls Maxis Communications, the country's second largest mobile phone company. Microsoft and MEASAT hope to develop multimedia and interactive TV services for Asia through their partnership. The Microsoft/MEASAT deal marks the first time a foreign company has been allowed to invest in a Malaysian broadcaster.
COMPETITIVE WATCH: Sears-AOL Partner
- Sears, AOL Form Partnership - Sears is partnering with America Online for marketing help and for the development of Internet-linked appliances in the home. Under the deal, Sears will promote AOL in its 858 department stores. In return, AOL will feature Sears on its web sites and market the retail chain to 21 million subscribers.
- HSA Gets More Business - Classic Cable, one of High Speed Access' (HSA) first cable affiliates, has tapped the broadband ISP to extend services to an additional 25,000 homes. Under the deal, HSA will deploy high-speed Internet access to Classic Cable communities in Texas.