MBC hired transponder AB 7

[de vrije fries]

hoi,

PR/69/11
MBC GROUP PICKS EUTELSAT’S ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 SATELLITE TO SUPPORT
HDTV ROLL-OUT ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
Paris, 31 October 2011
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) and MBC Group announce the signature of a
multiyear contract for capacity on Eutelsat’s new ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 satellite at 7 degrees West.
The lease of a full transponder will enable MBC to expand its platform of channels addressing
viewers in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly new HD content which the Group is
preparing to launch in January 2012. The announcement was made at Digital TV Middle East, the
broadcast and broadband conference taking place in Dubai from November 1 to 2.
The new contract cements a 20-year relationship between Eutelsat and MBC Group which began
in 1991 with the launch of MBC1, the first pan-Arab free-to-air satellite station. Over the past 18
years, MBC has developed a network comprising ten TV channels, two radio stations and a
production house to forge a leading media and broadcasting group in the Middle East, among
other media platforms such as VOD (shahid.net), SMS and MMS services. The move into HDTV
reflects the Group's commitment to delivering the latest technology and superior television
content.
Launched on September 24, ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 brings first-class resources to 7 degrees West,
an established video neighbourhood delivering Arab and international channels into almost 30
million satellite homes. The satellite’s significant Ku-band resources enable broadcasters to
launch new Standard Digital and HD content. Its broad footprint expands reach of satellite TV
homes located from the North African Atlantic coastline across to the Gulf States.
Commenting on the new contract, MBC Group’s COO Sam Barnett said: “We are enthusiastic
about this additional capacity on the ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 satellite that will allow us to further
expand in the future and meet the expectations of our loyal viewers across the MENA region”.
Andrew Wallace, Eutelsat Chief Commercial Officer, added: “With MBC Group’s selection of
ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 as their chosen platform to move into HDTV we are even more excited
about the potential of our new satellite to partner broadcasters in the Middle East and North
Africa. This is a great start for ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 and we look forward to furthering our
longstanding presence and strong partnerships across the region and playing our part in the
ongoing roll-out of HDTV”.
Eutelsat’s ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 satellite has replaced ATLANTIC BIRD™ 4A at 7 degrees West.
The transfer of 400 TV channels onto the new satellite took place on October 23. Click on the link
below for ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7’s frequencies for TV reception:
http://www.eutelsat.com/satellites/7 w-ab7.htm l
About MBC Group
MBC Group is the first private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World. It was
launched in London in 1991 and later moved to its headquarters in Dubai in 2002. Over the past 20 years,
MBC Group has grown to become a well-established media group that enriches people’s lives through
information, interaction and entertainment. Based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, MBC Group
includes 10 television channels: MBC1 (general family entertainment), MBC2 and MBC MAX (24-hour
movies), MBC3 (children’s entertainment), MBC4 (entertainment for new Arab women), MBC Action
(action series and movies), MBC Persia (24-hour movie channel dubbed in Farsi) , Al Arabiya (the 24-
hour Arabic language news channel); Wanasah (24-hour Arabic music channel) and MBC Drama (24
hour Arabic drama on Paid TV) and two radio stations: MBC FM (Gulf music), and Panorama FM
(contemporary Arabic hit music); as well as O3 productions, a specialized documentary production unit. It
has also several online platforms: www.mbc.net, www.alarabiya.net, and www.shahid.net.
MBC Group
Ruba Al Ayed
Group PR Manager
Tel: + 971 4 391 999 ext 9825
Mobile: + 971 56 6038358
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mbc.net
About Eutelsat Communications
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of
Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 29 satellites that provide coverage over the entire
European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the
Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. As of 30
June 2011, Eutelsat’s satellites were broadcasting more than 3,800 television channels. More than 1,100
channels are broadcast via its HOT BIRD™ video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East alone which serves
over 120 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group’s
satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution
markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport,
maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates access
to high speed internet services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local
communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ just over 700 commercial, technical and
operational professionals from 30 countries.
www.eutelsat.com,
For further information
Press
Vanessa O’Connor Tel. : + 33 1 53 98 37 91 [email protected]
Frédérique Gautier Tel. : + 33 1 53 98 37 91 [email protected]
Analysts and Investors
Lisa Finas Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35 30 [email protected]
Léonard Wapler Tel. : +33 1 53 98 31 07 [email protected]

 

[sofien72tu]

Major Mid-East HD win for Eutelsat
By Chris Forrester



Eutelsat has won a ‘multiyear’ contract to supply capacity on Atlantic Bird 7 to MBC, the Middle East’s market-leading broadcaster. The deal covers a full transponder allowing MBC to transmit a number of HD channels to Arab viewers. Atlantic Bird 7 sits alongside Nilesat’s two major satellites and is thus ‘visible’ widely throughout the Middle East.

MBC says it will be using the new capacity to expand its platform of channels, and will be adding extra HD material from January 2012. Atlantic Bird 7 takes over from AB-4A, and already carries some 400 TV channels. MBC’s position on the satellite, and a commitment to HDTV, is a key indicator that high definition is beginning to happen in the region.

However, the contact begs the question of ‘where’s YahSat?’ A similar contract with YahSat’s ‘Yahlive’ service has been talked about for some time. YahSat/Yahlive has made much of its strong commitment to HDTV, and winning channels such as MBC would be vital to its future success.

A report from YahSat’s CEO Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani recently admitted that some capacity bookings had been achieved, and talks were still underway with a number of Middle East broadcasters about carriage on the new satellite. “For broadcasting, we have some channels already signed and some are lining up. So it’s just a matter of finalising contracts,” he said. “We are targeting all the major broadcasters.”

Yahsat reportedly is in talks with Dubai Media Incorporated” (DMI) – which broadcasts channels such as Dubai TV, Dubai One and Dubai Sports and with Abu Dhabi Media, which owns channels such as Abu Dhabi Al Oula and the Abu Dhabi Drama Channel.