IBC: Intelsat Inks New Agreements With Major Programmers

Also signs a major deal with ESS to provide satellite capacity for a new video multiplex platform

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/6/2012 4:46:17 PM

Complete Coverage: IBC 2012

Intelsat S.A. has announced several new agreements with media customers utilizing Intelsat's video distribution neighborhoods.

The multiyear agreements included deals with Grupo Televisa and TV Azteca in Mexico, RRsat Global Communications Network and Overon America in North America and Discovery Communications in Asia.

Other recent deals include one with Madrid-based Telefonica Global Solutions, which inked a multi-year agreement on Intelsat 905 to distribute its Chello Multicanal package of programming to cable headends across Spain and Portugal.

"Intelsat's premier video neighborhoods provide strong value to programmers and broadcasters seeking to reach the broadest audiences," said Intelsat senior VP of global sales Kurt Riegelman in a statement. "Customers are also taking advantage of the diverse capabilities of our MCPC platforms in places like Europe, Africa and Asia, as well as the vast reach of our IntelsatOne terrestrial network, enabling them to expand their services and reach new viewers like never before."

Also at IBC, Intelsat announced that it has signed a deal with Eastern Space Systems Romania (ESS) to provide satellite capacity for a new video multiplex platform designed to serve Central and Eastern Europe.

Under a multiyear contract, Intelsat will provide Ku-band capacity at 1° West for ESS's new DVB-S2 platform for standard- and high-definition programming serving the Central and Eastern European video sector.

The ESS platform includes NBT in Bulgaria, TV SONCE in Macedonia, Kanal D, TV Paprika, VH1 Romania, Filmbox and Reflektor. The new video multiplex platform will also enable the distribution of MOOZ HD, Romania's first HD music channel.

"This agreement will allow Eastern Space Systems to continue addressing the increasingly strong demand for video programming in Central and Eastern European," said Jean Philippe Gillet, Intelsat's regional vice president for Europe and Middle East sales in a statement.