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Sat-ND, 24.4.97

Sat-ND 97-04-24 - Satellite and Media News

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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
LAUNCHES
* GOES DELAYED
FEEDS & LINKS
* BT, PAS: FLEXIBLE CONTRACT
DIGITAL
* PC-BASED MPEG AUDIO
CHANNELS
* U.S. FAMILY VIEWING IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
* GOLDEN WORDS

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LAUNCHES

GOES DELAYED
As expected, the launch of the weather satellite GOES-K had to be
postponed because of bad weather -- thunderstorms and winds of more than
50 km/h. The launch was rescheduled for Friday, 1:49 a.m. EDT (05:49
UTC.)


FEEDS & LINKS

BT, PAS: FLEXIBLE CONTRACT
British Telecom's (BT) Broadcast Services are a good PanAmSat customer.
Indeed, the BT division said it would take advantage of a flexible
contract designed exclusively for the group, ensuring satellite capacity,
when available, for a variety of global broadcast services applications,
including part-time and special events transmissions. 
A total of 5,000 hours of capacity on PanAmSat's satellites will be used
on an as-needed basis through 1999. The global contract outlines a
procedure for service requests on any of PanAmSat's current and upcoming
satellites while offering the flexibility for BT Broadcast Services'
varied needs and capabilities.


DIGITAL

PC-BASED MPEG AUDIO
"Sky Radio is Australia's largest affiliated commercial satellite radio
network, supplying over 140 radio stations across Australia with an
extensive range of programs and. In Australia and New Zealand, Sky Radio
distributes programs from the American ABC and CBS networks, Radio Today
and Premiere Radio. Sky Radio has a live, 24-hour satellite link,
carrying high-quality audio services from Los Angeles to Sydney."
That's how Sky Radio sees itself, and maybe it's necessary to quote this
as there are other radio operations with the same name in other parts of
the world.
It's not a surprise that Sky Radio will in future use the digital MPEG
standard for the distribution of audio signals. However, they chose a
newcomer from Canada to supply the equipment. Sky Radio's satellite link
will use the company's Capella Live MPEG Codecs at both the transmitting
and receiving ends. Interestingly, these are no black boxes but PC-based
solutions. "It enables us to operate a multi-point distribution service
of audio and data to radio stations throughout Australia and New Zealand
with a user-friendly PC interface. It also enables us to enhance the
solution by writing new software as our needs evolve," stated Brendan
Sheedy, General Manager of Sky Radio Network.


CHANNELS

U.S. FAMILY VIEWING IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
April 30, 1997 is a date that has created quite a stir in the U.S.
television business. On that Wednesday, ABC will air another episode of a
show called "Ellen." What's more or less unusual about it is that the
main character will reveal she's a lesbian. That's nothing but "a slap in
the face to American families," members* of a "Media Research Center"
were foaming with rage in a full-page ad in Daily Variety: "Shame on
Disney, and shame on ABC. American families deserve better." 
Indeed, they do. At the age of twelve, an American child has witnessed an
estimated number of 8,000 fictional murders on TV but hasn't seen a
single gay lead character in a TV series (and of course, it's just the
same in most countries of the world, give or take a few corpses.) 
Most TV professionals don't have any problem with the coming-out episode
of "Ellen" because it's up to every single viewer whether he or she wants
to watch it or not. Only the ABC affiliate WBMA-TV in Birmingham,
Alabama, has decided that the episode was "inappropriate for family
viewing" and said it will not carry the programme.
Gay rights advocates have now arranged for a satellite downlink to beam
the show into Birmingham. Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
(GLAAD) Entertainment Media Director Chastity Bono criticised the
black-out, saying viewers should decide for themselves what they wish to
see. Birmingham Pride Alabama and GLAAD will host a "Welcome Out 'Ellen'
Party" at the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham that night, complete with
a feed of the banned programme. The organisers said the party will allow
Birmingham residents the chance to participate in "television history in
the making."
--
*I was wondering whether I should include some names here. However, most
of those guys seem to be running TV ministries and/or have been involved
in some U.S. political scandals over the past such as the Iran-Contra
affair or even Watergate, so -- no. Mentioning them by name would be just
too much of an honour.


GOLDEN WORDS
"A TV station in Alabama is refusing to air the coming-out episode of
'Ellen.' A spokesman...said, 'Homosexuality is not a topic that two
cousins should watch with their children.'"
(Conan O'Brien)



Copyright (c) 1997 by Peter C. Klanowski, pck@LyNet.De. All rights
reserved.

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