News

English Club TV, the English-language teaching channel, has launched a high definition version of the channel available to viewers in the Ukraine and CIS and Baltic countries. ECTV is aimed at viewers of all ages who want to learn or improve their English. The channel broadcasts from the ASTRA 4A satellite at 5°E and as part of the MagtiSat platform from ASTRA 1G at 31.5°E.

Visit www.english-club.tv for more information

Pay TV platform Viasat has launched three new high definition TV1000 film channels for Russian speakers in the Ukraine and CIS countries. TV1000 Premium HD carries premieres of Hollywood titles, TV1000 Megahit HD includes Russian blockbusters premieres, and TV1000 Comedy HD is dedicated to US comedy films. The three channels broadcast 24 hours a day from the ASTRA 4A satellite at 5°E, together with existing Viasat film channels, TV1000 East, TV1000 Russian Kino and TV1000 Action East.

By 2017 there will be over 1.3 billion homes worldwide receiving digital TV, according to a survey from Digital TV Research. The survey, which covers 80 countries, says that nearly 650 million digital TV homes will be added between 2011 and 2017, and penetration of digital TV will reach 87% in five years' time. ASTRA satellites currently broadcast digital TV to more than 135 million homes across Europe and beyond from 19.2°E, 28.2°E, 23.5°E, 5°E and 31.5°E.

Children’s channel KidsCo is now watched by over 15 million subscribers across Europe, Africa and Asia. Aimed at children aged 6-10 and with programming that is family friendly, safe and non-violent, KidsCo broadcasts to Europe by ASTRA satellites at 19.2°E and 5°E.

Visit www.kidscotv.tv for more information

NHK World, the English-language service from Japan’s state broadcaster NHK, can for the first time be viewed via satellite in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Featuring a 24-hour service of Japanese and international news, as well as programmes on arts and music in Japan, and travelogues and tourism guides to the country, NHK World is broadcast as part of the Viasat platform via the ASTRA 4A satellite at 5°E.

Visit www.viasat.se for further information

Swedish broadcaster TV4 has secured rights to show all the qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, to start in September next year, and extended its exclusive broadcasting rights to the UEFA Europa League for another three years up to the 2014/2015 season.

TV4 Sport broadcasts from ASTRA 5°E as part of the Viasat platform.

Visit www.tv4.se/tv4sport for further info

The Playhouse Disney preschool children’s channel is changing its name to Disney Junior. The rebranded channel maintains its schedule of cartoons and live studio shows but aims to reach further up the age range, catering for 2-7 year olds.

Playhouse Disney broadcasts in different versions for different European countries, including the UK (on ASTRA 28.2°E), Germany (ASTRA 19.2°E and ASTRA 23.5°E), France (ASTRA 19.2°E) and Scandinavia (ASTRA 5°E). In the UK (the first country worldwide to receive Playhouse Disney), the channel has already made the name change and other countries will follow during the year, starting with France on May 28.

Visit www.disneyinternational.com for further info

Nordic direct-to-home broadcaster Viasat has launched a high definition version of its flagship channel TV3 in Sweden, to be followed by two more HD channels on March 10. Swedish viewers are able to see programmes such as The Mentalist, Navy CIS, and The Simpsons in high definition for the first time on TV3 HD.

On March 10 Viasat will start broadcasting HD versions of its live Formula One and Moto GP racing channel, Viasat Motor, and its UK Premier League and UEFA Champions League football channel, Viasat Fotboll. The Viasat channels broadcast from the ASTRA 4A satellite at 5°E.

Visit www.viasat.se for further information.

Pan-European news channel, Euronews has announced a number of developments for 2011 to improve its service and reach. In January, the channel changed its on-air ID and switched to a 16:9 widescreen broadcast format, and in the coming months plans to show more presenters and reporters on-screen in a break from its unique voiceover-only presentation style.

During the year, news bureaus will be opened in 11 new locations around the world – Beijing, Dubai, Istanbul, Kiev, Moscow, New York, Paris, Tel Aviv, Shanghai, Warsaw and Washington – to expand the channel’s news gathering. Ukrainian will join the multi-lingual soundtrack in the summer to become the 11th language used by the channel.

Launched in 1993, Euronews is owned by 21 European TV networks, and broadcasts from ASTRA satellites at 19.2°E, 23.5°E and 5°E.

Visit www.euronews.com for further information