TVRO YEAR IN REVIEW 2001 by Robert Smathers JANUARY ======= - Lifetime-East moves to Galaxy 5 - Renaissance Channel launches - National Geographic Channel launches - KPOC-TV in Ponca City, Oklahoma lights up Galaxy 3R/7 announcing themselves as the "Global Broadcasting Network". They only stay for about 3 weeks before disappearing forever - Some programmers start charging for the 4DTV IPG - DISH NETWORK adds some public interest channels - Panhandle Area Educational Consortium, The Early Childhood Network, California Community College, SatNet, Family Star Learning Network, and RFD-TV - At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the rage is DSS and DISH NETWORK receivers with built-in digital personal video recorders (PVRs) as well as DISH Network unveiling a 2-way ISP by partnering with Starband - It is reported that Anik F1 will have a shorter on-orbit life due to the fact a lot of fuel had to be expended to place the large satellite into geosynchronous orbit - Arianespace launches Turksat 2A and Eurasiasat 1 on a 44P rocket - FCC approves the AOL/Time Warner merger with conditions - USA Networks gives up on a chance to acquire Rainbow Network Communications - FCC Commissioner William Kennard steps down and is eventually replaced by Michael Powell - DirecTV reports their best last quarter new subscriber count ever, saying in the 4th Quarter 2000, they signed up 527,000 new subscribers - SatMex receives an insurance payment to cover the Solidaridad 1 satellite failure and will use the funds to construct and launch SatMex 6 - CBC converts their analog c-band feeds to digital - DirecTV launches a massive ECM on the Sunday prior to the Super Bowl; 100,000 are estimated to have lost their hacked DirecTV service - George W. Bush is sworn in as President; satellite feeds in analog and digital were everywhere in the Clarke Belt - 130 million watch the Super Bowl where the Ravens defeated the Giants 34-7. BT North American Broadcast Services distributed the worldwide Super Bowl feeds FEBRUARY ======== - WB TV Network and Warner Brothers Domestic/International Distribution convert to digital format on Galaxy 4R - MTV contracts with GE Americom to deliver M2: Music Television over GE-1, C-band transponder 20. - TV Land digitizes their service on Satcom C3/18 and launches an analog east feed on Galaxy 10R, transponder 16 C-band - HBO announces it will sell HBO Direct to Superstar/Netlink - DISH Network adds KWGN Denver WB and KTVD UPN to their Denver local package - The short-lived XFL launches on NBC and TNT and UPN - DISH Network adds ESC-1, Nile Drama, Dubai Satellite Channel and Future TV services - The International Channel reaches 10 million subscribers - Shuttle Atlantis launches to the ISS with the Destiny Lab - Arianespace launches Skynet 4F on a 44L rocket - Anik F1 goes into service at 107.3 degrees West - Primetime 24 drops WSVN Miami FOX feed and replaces it with a national FoxNet feed located on GE-7 - Panamsat PAS-1R goes into service - HBO and TBS sign contracts to anchor themselves to the next generation of cable-distribution satellites (satellites that in the near future will replace Galaxy 5 and Galaxy 1R) - NPS signs a marketing agreement with DirecTV MARCH ===== - DISH Network has their first price increase - increasing the price of the America's Top 40 package by $2.00 a month - Anik E1 lights up at 118.7 deg W and Anik E2 lights up at 111.1 deg W to complete the shifting of the Anik satellites that occurred after Anik F1 went into service - DISH Network pulls KRON-TV off the San Francisco locals over a carriage agreement dispute - The National Network operations are moved to New York City, WWTN-FM is pulled from subcarrier audio on Galaxy 5/18 - Shuttle Discovery launches to the ISS with the Expedition 2 crew - Ariane launches Eurobird TM and BSAT-2a satellites on an Ariane 5 rocket - GE-8 goes into service, replacing Satcom C5 - XM's "Rock" satellite successfully launched - Echostar begins talks to try to acquire Hughes Electronics - Sirius Satellite Radio announces there is a solar array problem on one of their satellites and that the problem will not substantially affect operation - Teleglobe leases four transponders on Anik F1 to provide data services to South America - Space Station MIR is deorbited - GE Americom announces they will sell their satellite unit to SES Global of Luxembourg for $5billion in cash and stock - True Blue and Extasy is pulled from Expressvu DBS APRIL ===== - Hughes Electronics purchases Telocity - that acquisition allows DirecTV to provide high speed data services - CBS and Infinity pull out of the NAB - Lifetime TV is the leading cable network in prime time ratings for the first quarter of 2001 - Telstar 4 goes out of service before being restored - Shuttle Endeavour launches to the ISS with the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) - Galaxy 3R suffers a loss of the primary CPU and is currently operating on the backup CPU - Dennis Tito visits the ISS as a space tourist during a routine Soyuz taxi mission MAY === - XM's "Roll" satellite is launched - Panamsat-10 successfully launched on a ILS Proton rocket - Premiere Radio Networks channel 1 launches on subcarrier auido on GE-3, C-band trapsonder 18 at 6.80. The service features Dr. Laura, Rush Limbaugh and Art Bell - Disney Channel sells their C-band subscriber service unit to Satellite Receivers Ltd. - Cinemax launches WMax, @Max, OuterMax and 5StarMax JUNE ==== - Ariane 44L rocket places Intelsat 901 into orbit - Canada's CRTC approves 12 new channels - Drive-in Channel, SoapTV, World Film Channel, International Film Channel, Relationship TV, Toronto-based channel Pulse 24 serving B.C., Alberta, Prairies, and National Capitol Region, Persian Vision, Jewish TV Network, and High School TV Network - Panamsat unveils a new digital platform service on Galaxy 9 - Starchoice adds 46 new radio services - ILS Proton rocket launches Astra 2C - CCTV and Panamsat agree on a five-year carriage contract - several Korean services sign on with Panamsat for carriage - Bell Expressvu signs a contract to acquire all 32 transponders aboard Nimiq-2 - CourtTV celebrates 10 years of being on the air JULY ==== - Globecast adds 9 channels to their Telstar 5 Ku digital package - Croatian Hrvitska Televizija, Croatian Information Center Satellite TV, SPT, five Turkish DTH channels and Radio Seoul - Univision moves from GE-3/5 to GE-1/16 C-band - Shuttle Atlantis launches to the ISS with the airlock - DISH Network adds VH1 Classic - Echostar satellites continue to have problems - Echostar 5 lost a momentum wheeland Echostar 6 lost a stationkeeping thruster as well as two transponders - Intelsat privatizes itself after having been a consortium of several governments since the 1960's - Walt Disney Co. reaches a $3billion deal to acquire Fox Family Worldwide; Fox Family Channel to be renamed ABC Family by the end of 2001 - Playboy Networks sign a contract to distribute the analog Playboy TV feed over Telstar 7 AUGUST ====== - Sunday Ticket PPV launches on Galaxy 3R and Telstar 6 - SEDAT transmissions are turned off on GE-8; radio stations now receive their programming using the Starguide-III system - Japan's JSAT Corp. and Panamsat agree to launch a satellite for the 127 deg W slot in 2002-2003; Panamsat will use the C-band side and JSAT will use the Ku-band side of the satellite - Pegasus Communications receives a license to operate Ka-band satellites at 107 deg W and 117 deg W - Odyssey Network is renamed to the Hallmark Channel - Orange County Newschannel is shut down as Adelphia cable lost money on the venture - CNN Headline News changes the format of their service; it is now composed of several tickers, graphics, and informational bits with the video portion taking up about 1/4 of the screen - For the sixth straight month, Fox News Channel beats CNN in ratings - Space Shuttle Discovery launches to the ISS with the Expedition 3 crew - Panamsat puts Panamsat-10 into service - C-band subscribers number 975,103, placing that figure below the one million subscriber mark for the first time since November 1992 - The Mexican transportation and communications group grants licenses to Panamsat de Mexico, GE Americom, Groupo Televisa and Satmex to land and market services to Mexico - InDemand PPV signs a contract to distribute their service over the next generation of GE Americom cable satellites (GE-10 and GE-11) - Intelsat 902 is launched on an Ariane 44L rocket SEPTEMBER ========= - Triangle TV Network launches on Telstar 7 - The new Canadian channels launch: Drive-In Classics, Scream, Country Canada, Movieola, Mystery, Independent Film Channel Canada, Lone Star, Documentary Channel, Pridevision, CourtTV Canada, Fox Sports World Canada, BBC Canada, and Issue Channel - HDNET launches on DirecTV - ABC announces several dramas will be available in HDTV format for 2001-2002 TV season - September 11 terrorist attacks happen and the skies are filled with feeds - Viacom signs contract with GE-Americom for distribution over GE-10 and GE-11 - Lockheed Martin wins a contract from GE Americom for A2100 series satellites to be used for GE-10, GE-11 and GE-18 - Telstar 5 goes temporarily out of service before service is restored - XM Satellite Radio launches, starting with San Diego and Dallas/Ft. Worth - Arianespace launches Atlantic Bird 2 - DISH Network launches CBS HDTV signals (WCBS New York and KCBS Los Angeles) - Panamsat-7 suffers power problems coming out of eclipse OCTOBER ======= - NBC digitizes their Skypath and affiliation feeds on GE-1 Ku-band - Wisdom Channel simulcasts analog and digital signals on GE-1 C-band - NBC adds Crossing Jordan to the very few programs they transmit in HDTV format - World Radio Network adds to their distribution system by showing up on DVB radio on Telstar 5 Ku-band - NBC acquires Telemundo network - It is announced ratings are super low for many of the new Canadian channels that recently launched - W0KIE Radio Network moves to GE-7 C-band, transponder 5 at 7.50 MHz - Deutsche Welle Radio service 7 launches as subcarrier audio on the DW TV service on GE-1 c-band - KHCB-FM Houston moves subcarrier audio location from GE-1 C-band to GE-3 C-band, transponder 19 - Rupert Murdoch drops out of the bidding to acquire Hughes Electronics - Echostar Communications announces intent to acquire Hughes Electronics; the deal hinges on FCC and FTC approval NOVEMBER ======== - ABC and CBS discuss a news aliance. Each organization would have their own on-air talent but would save expenses by sharing common things such as camera crew, studios, and satellite trucks. - Directv 4-S spot-beamed satellite is launched on an Ariane 44LP - most NBC Studios shows go to digital international syndication distribution using the Warner Brothers distribution system on Galaxy 4R - HDNET and NBC announce they will work together to show some 2002 Winter Olympic events in HDTV format - Pittsburgh International Telecommunications signs a long-term contract for transponder space on Telstar 5 Ku-band - Playboy TV moves from Galaxy 5/2 to Telstar 7/15 C-band - SES Global completes GE Americom acquisition; several satellites are renamed from GE-x to AMC-x using the SES Americom name DECEMBER ======== - Starz! removes Mountain time zone feeds and adds Starz! East, Starz! West and Starz! Cinema channels - America's Collectibles Network moves from Telstar 5/19 to Telstar 7/21 C-band - Shuttle Endeavour launches to the ISS with the Expedition 4 crew - U.S. Appeals Court rules that DBS providers must provide all local stations in local television markets they make available over satellite; DISH Network and DSS ramp up to provide the new local stations in January 2002 - DISH Network announces a $1.00/month rate hike for local television packages to help pay for carrying the additional local stations they are mandated to carry for each market - DirecTV 4-S goes into service - due to spot beams and frequency reuse, DirecTV 4-S is able to offer up to four times more local television stations than previous satellites - Vivendi purchases USA Networks; the new company will be called Vivendi Universal Entertainment