1996 TVRO Year in Review By Robert Smathers (roberts@nmia.com) In December 1995, the Tech Talk Network (TTN) left the air. FNL and other TTN shows were done by RealAudio on the TTN web page. With that piece of history earlier than 1996 in mind, here are the events of 1996 in TVRO as compiled from my logbook: JANUARY ======= - CNNfn launched on January 1. CNNfn is a financial network from CNN - Lost Children TV Network also launched on January 1. It was ITC and didn't last very long - Blizzard of 1996 hits the NorthEast United States. Feeds were plenty on TVRO, especially Ku-band SNG feeds - The Wall Street Journal reports DSS has been hacked. - PAS 3R and Koreasat-2 were launched - DSS announces addition of Classic Sports Network, Outdoor Life Channel, Speedvision, and the Primetime 24 West coast stations for the evening hours only - BET on Jazz launches on G7/20 - it later moves to its current slot of G7/21 - On the Anik satellites, New Country Network, Meteo Media, and The Weather Network go into digital video compression. - Galaxy 3R lights up this week -- HBO and Cinemax multiplex feeds launch on transponders 16, 17, 19, and 20. - Echostar-1 reached the 119 deg W slot and began testing. DISH will launch when testing is completed on Echostar-1. - Multi-level marketers flood the Internet with messages about Alphastar DBS system in an effort to get people involved in the MLM selling of it. - Echostar DISH signs contracts with Eternal Word TV Network and Trinity Broadcasting, 2 religious channels. - CBS signs contract to use GSTAR-4 for SNG/backhauls usage in addition to the Galaxy 4 Ku-band they already have been using. - NPR finally converts to digital audio mode on Galaxy 4/3 using the Comstream Musicam system. - Eagle Radio Network launches on Galaxy 6/14 at 7.56 MHz. - Tech Talk Network launches on Anik E2, channel 18 at 5.80 MHz - MCI won a license for the 119 deg W slot in a FCC auction, paying $682.5 million. Immediately, Ruppert Murdoch's Newscorp reached an agreement with MCI to operate a DBS service at that 119 deg W slot. That service will be called American Sky Broadcasting (or A Sky B for short). - Echostar, at that same FCC auction, won a license for the 148 deg W slot, paying $52.3 million for the license. - AT&T and DirecTV team up. AT&T will be offering DSS systems through some special offers. - UPN ratings are decreasing. UPN beat the WB network by only .1 of a share. FEBRUARY ======== - There was no FNL early in February -- a snowstorm hit the VCC uplink and the dish filled with snow and not enough signal made it to the Anik E2 satellite to illuminate the transponder very well. - A plane crash in the Dominican Republic made Brasilsat A1 at 63 deg W a little more active for a few days - Radio Quebec leaves Anik E1 Ku - Chinese Long March 3B with Intelsat 708 fails; the rocket lifted off, then tilted towards a 45 deg angle and eventually lost upward movement and turned around and plowed into the ground satellite first. Chinese say only 4 died due to inhaling rocket fuel fumes, but many believe the damage and loss of life due to the launch failure is much worse. - Turner and Time Warner announce CNN-SI, a 24 hour sports network. - PAS-3R tests and officially enters service at 43 deg W - CONUS Communications announces Washington Direct feeds will be using the CLI Spectrumsaver system in about 4-6 weeks on SBS6. - The CRTC licenses PowerDirecTV and Expressvu for DBS service in Canada MARCH ===== - DSS is able to handle the DSS hack -- ECMs are effective - U.S. West agrees to buy Continental Cablevision, the third largest MSO in the United States - Viacom purchases 4 transponders on Galaxy 9, yet to be launched at this time of purchase. MTV West, Nickelodeon West, The Movie Channel West and Sundance to be using those transponders - Echostar signs Ariane to launch Echostar-2 later this year - NTV starts to talk about going digital. They encourage viewers to write or call NTV with their thoughts. - Echostar's DISH service launches on March 4. - Intelsat 707 is successfully launched by Ariane - It is announced that United Video Satellite Group and TCI Liberty Media will combine Netlink and Superstar into one group with UVSG and TCI having 50/50 ownership of the combined programming company - Menendez Brothers found guilty in a California court, SNG feeds plentiful about the verdict and the end of that case - Swiss Radio International shows up for a short period of time on the Deutsche Welle Satcom C4 transponder. - On March 26, Anik E1 suffers a major failure. The South solar panal array circuit to the satellite payload broke and the satellite suffered 50% reduction in power. The number of C-band transponders was cut from 24 to 9 and the number of Ku-band transponders was cut from 32 to 10. Programmers moved over to Anik E2 for the most part. This was Anik E1's third problem since beginning in-orbit operations in 1991. APRIL ===== - Tech Talk Network on Anik E2/18 at 5.80 goes away. FNL and other shows look for a new home. Shortly, FNL and other shows find a new home, on the Eagle Radio Network on Galaxy 6, transponder 14 at 7.56 MHz. - Echostar DISH signs RAI - Jones Satellite Networks announces they will be delivering some Jones music formats on Satcom C5 in digital audio mode; the Galaxy 5/21 audio subcarriers will remain as the cable companies use those. - Turner purchases two more transponders on GSTAR-4 for digital video usage. - Nickelodeon's TVLand launches on Telstar 402R/14. MAY === - FOX moved some feeds to Telstar 402R/transponders 5, 13, and 17. - A fuel leak postpones Galaxy 9 launch, but Galaxy 9 makes it into orbit later in the month. - American Independent Network moves to Telstar 303 - CBC problems, such as competition and union labor negotiations become apparent; this may be the end of the CBC or at least result in money saving cutbacks at the CBC - Ariane launches Indonesian and Israeli satellites - W0KIE Network launches on SBS6/13B at 6.20 - DSS continues to have effective ECMs against pirate cards; a smart card swapout is announced and will occur later in the year - Eagle Radio Network pulls the plug at the end of broadcast activities on May 31 JUNE ==== - The first Ariane 5 rocket launch is a failure as the rocket ended up flying almost horizontally and was destroyed by ground controllers - Omega Radio Network takes over Eagle Radio Network's G6/14 7.56 subcarrier; this is where FNL and other shows end up after Eagle Radio Network's demise - Dean Spratt takes over guest-hosting duties of FNL as Gary takes a break from doing the show - DISH unveils $199 system in an attempt to increase DBS market share - ESPN announces ESPNEWS, a 24 hour sports network - MTV announces they will launch M2: Music Television soon - British Entertainment Network (BEN) was supposed to have launched but didn't - Westinghouse and Infinity Broadcasting announce a merger - CBS acquires the Telenoticias channel JULY ==== - DSS piracy busts occur in the U.S. and Canada - TWA 800 disaster occurs; plenty of news feeds from Long Island - The Feds approve the Time Warner/Turner deal - CNNfn expands service coverage 2 hours into primetime. It's becoming clear that CNNfn and CNN International may split into 2 separate channels - MSNBC launches - Atlanta hosts the summer olympics. AUGUST ====== - China successfully launches Apstar 1A on a Long March 3 rocket - ESPN announces GamePlan college football PPV to begin in September - M2: Music Television launches - FCC approves a law for dishes 3 feet and smaller to allow people to put up small dishes in some situations - Superstar programming acquires a Jones Intercable satellite programming subsidiary - Ariane successfully launches Italian and French satellites - AFRTS chooses Scientific Atlanta's Powervu system; the digital delivery of AFRTS was carried out in December - Amway and Alphastar break a contract that had Amway selling Alphastar systems - A Long March 3 rocket failed to put Asiasat-7 in the proper orbit; the launch is considered unsuccessful - The CRTC licenses Star Choice for DBS in Canada SEPTEMBER ========= - Omega Radio Network on Galaxy 6/14 7.56 is sold to Bill Cooper. Cooper renames the network to Worldwide Freedom Radio Network - GE-1 and Echostar-2 launch - Echostar's DISH wins an award from a video magazine for having the best video out of the all the DBS services - It is announced 4DTV is expected to be released for the Christmas shopping season; of course 4DTV was delayed again, now saying a new release date is March 1997 - Winnebago Industries is selling their Cyclesat division; Cyclesat is a television commercial distribution service - DSS pirate cards continue to come out and are effectively shut down by ECMs - DSS annouces by the end of the year TV Asia will be dropped; the Travel Channel will be dropped also - Hughes Communications announces intent to purchase Panamsat - DSS announces they will offer a $200 rebate (purchase a receiver at $399 and one years programming and receive $200 back). It effectively makes the DSS receiver $199 to match Echostar's DISH offer OCTOBER ======= - Fox News Channel launches on Galaxy 7/20 - GE-1 goes operational; the Ku side went operational the first few days in October while the C-band side lit up a few weeks later; NBC moved to GE-1 Ku around October 20th - Echostar-2 reaches it's 119 deg slot and begins testing - It is announced NewsTalk Television will cease operations at the end of the year - Worldwide Freedom Radio Network moves to GE-1, transponder 7 at 7.56 MHz audio NOVEMBER ======== - ESPNEWS launches in fixed key Videocipher 2 Plus mode - Prime Network regional sports channels change names to FOX - this includes FOX Sports Southwest, Rocky Mountain, West, Midwest, Intermountain West, Northwest, Pittsburgh, Arizona, and Net Base - Some of the Sportschannel services move to GE-1 - WGN satellite feed don't have Bulls games due to a legal action between WGN and the NBA - CBC Newsworld goes ITC on Anik E2, channel 6 - Election 96 happened November 5, the sky was on fire with SNG news feeds and election coverage over-the-air TV station feeds - Gary returns to hosting FNL after a long rest - Ariane successfully launches satellites Measat-2 and Arabsat 2B - CNN tries to establish a news bureau in Cuba; Cuban government gives approval but the U.S. one hasn't yet - Talk America Radio Network launches Talk America Radio Network #2 on Spacenet 3R/channel 9 at 5.41 MHz - TCI announces Intro TV to be replaced by Encore Plex - TCI announces some channel moves on some cable systems starting January 1 -- Animal Planet and Cartoon Network to be added; WGN, WWOR, E!, Comedy Central, Knowledge TV, The Weather Channel, VH1, Travel Channel, Odyssey, TNN and BET among those to be dropped. - Consumer Reports did a writeup on satellite DBS systems; DSS came in first, DISH second and Alphastar was third DECEMBER ======== - CNNSI launches - SSN Extra launches -- it brings three regional sports channels into the C-band market (those three channels originate in digital video mode) - An agreement is reached to allow some Bulls games to be shown over WGN's satellite feed - TCI annouces they will lay off 2000 employees and cut executive salaries - Viacom purchases half of the UPN network - MCI finished paying off their auction bid for a license at the 119 deg W slot and the FCC officially grants them their license; Echostar finished paying off their bid for the 148 deg W license and the FCC made it official also. - Worship TV goes digital on Galaxy 6/23. Praise TV is launched on that transponder. Amerinet Broadcasting moves to Galaxy 1R/ 17 at 8.10 MHz - The International Trade Commission is investigating DirectTV/USSB and various DSS equipment manufacturers for patent infringements - The TV industry comes up with a ratings system; it will be put into effect in January 1997 - Newscorp threatened to remove FOX affiliates from Time-Warner cable systems but an agreement was reached to prevent that from happening in January - Some broadcasters are suing Primetime 24 for selling satellite network stations (those in Primetime 24 East and West) to home dish owners and DSS owners who are not eligible to be receiving those stations - DSS smart card swapout continues - WWOR will be leaving Satcom C4/15 in January; Animal Planet will replace WWOR on that transponder That's the year of 1996 in the TVRO and related industries! Robert