Total Digital Nabs Six More Programmers
By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/15/2006 7:39:00 AM
The Total Digital Solution, a turnkey transmission service provided jointly by cable giant Comcast's Denver-based Comcast Media Center and satellite operator SES Americom, has signed up six more programmers representing 10 East and West Coast feeds.
The newly added channels include A&E Television Networks' A&E and The History Channel, Hallmark Channel, Jewelry Television, ION Media Networks' Pax TV, Oxygen, and Tribune's Superstation WGN.
The Total Digital Solution combines Comcast Media Center's content management capabilities with SES AMERICOM’s 50-state AMC-4 satellite to provide programmers with the opportunity for additional penetration in cable systems deploying digital simulcast or all-digital service. The all-digital platform features secured authorization, optimized ad insertion [Digital Program Insertion] triggers and high-quality video and audio.
Television networks that have already signed with Total Digital Solution include Comcast’s content networks and investments including AZN Television, E! Entertainment Television, G4, The Golf Channel, PBS KIDS Sprout, The Style Network, TV One; C-SPAN and C-SPAN 2;EWTN Global Catholic Network; The Inspiration Network; Lifetime Networks' Lifetime Television and LMN; Scripps Networks' HGTV, Food Network and Great American Country;and TBN – Trinity Broadcasting Network.
When fully deployed, the basic and expanded basic channels included in the Total Digital Solution will combine with over 150 digital video and audio services offered through Comcast Media Center's HITS (Headend In The Sky) digital overlay platform, providing a choice of over 200 video and audio services in total.
“The expansion of channels available via the Total Digital Solution provides numerous benefits to both the participating networks and their cable system affiliates,” said Gary Traver, COO of Comcast Media Center, in a statement. “For the industry’s programming networks, Total Digital represents a cost-effective and complementary distribution method for reaching their affiliates.
"For cable operators, our Total Digital Solution offers a highly efficient means for launching all-digital service in their markets by shifting much of the investment, maintenance and quality assurance for digital compression to a company that’s been providing this service to the industry for over 12 years."
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