News Analysis

Las Vegas, Nev., April 7, 2014--Ross Video announced at the NAB show in Las Vegas that it has acquired Massachusetts-based Unreel LLC, an augmented reality (AR) and virtual set (VS) solutions provider. The acquisition makes Ross Video the only company in the broadcast industry that’s able to offer a single-vendor turnkey AR/VS studio solution, accoridng to the company.

Paris, France, April 7, 2014--Dalet Digital Media Systems, a provider of Media Asset Management (MAM) solutions, software and services for broadcasters and content providers, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Advent Venture Partners to acquire AmberFin, a UK-based company that specializes in video ingest, complex media manipulation, transcoding and quality control (QC) solutions.

Jerusalem, Israel, April 3, 2014- Israel-based SintecMedia today announced that the company has acquired Pilat Media, both providers of media business management software. According to the Wall Street Journal, Pilat shareholders registered as of 6.00 p.m. (London) on April 2, 2014, shall receive 95 pence (US$1.60) in cash for per share, save where they have validly requested to receive such cash payment in NIS.

El Segundo, Calif., April 1, 2014--Various media outlets are reporting that U.S. Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite operators Echostar and DirecTV are engaging in possible merger talks. The merger will create a monopoly of DTH services in the U.S., which is the second largest DTH market in the world with 34 million subscribers.

The April 2014  issue focusing on the North American Broadcast Market of  the  Satellite Executive Briefing magazine  sponsored by  ABS is now available.  Featuring:

NAB 2014 to Highlight the New Multiplatform Media Environment  by Virgil Labrador

Trends in Broadcasting by Elisabeth Tweedie

Direct-to-Home Satellite Trends by Dmitri Buchs

Back and Forth with Jorge Villareal, Tomaz Lovsin and Eric Greenberg by Lou Zacharilla

The Road to Sprint/T-Mobile Merger Goes through DISH by Armand Musey

plus Product and Services MarketPlace Profiles for NAB 2014, Case Study on Digital Cinema Distribution Via Satellite, Market Briefs, Executive Moves, Vital Statistics and Satellite Markets and Research 25^TM Stock Index  and many more.   Click here to read or download the file

Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland, March 26, 2014 – The Kudelski Group announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Conax AS from Telenor Broadcast Holding AS for approximately CHF 200 million (approximately US$ 226 million). Headquartered in Oslo, Conax is a provider of content protection for digital TV services over broadcast, broadband and connected devices.

Burbank, Calif.,  March 25, 2014 – The Walt Disney Company announced that  they are acquiring Maker Studios, the leading network of online video content on YouTube. Maker Studios shareholders will receive total consideration of US$ 500 million, and a performance-linked earn-out of up to US$450 million if the strong performance targets are met, according to the company.

Kourou, French Guiana, March 22, 2014--Arianespace's Arian 5 rocket successfully launched Hispasat's Amazons 4A satellite and SES' ASTRA 5A satellite from its launch facility in Kourou, French Guiana.It was the 59th successful launch in a row for the Ariane 5 rocket.

Doha, Qatar, March 20, 2014- Qatar satellite company Es’hailSat, today announced that a Request for Proposals (RFP) has been issued for the design and manufacture of the company’s second satellite, Es’hail 2. The new satellite will be positioned at the 26 degrees East hotspot position for TV broadcasting will add to the company’s ability to provide high quality, premium DTH television content across the Middle East and North Africa.

Hong Kong, China, March 20, 2014-- Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited reported that turnover was down 16% and profits attributed to shareholders  down 4% for the year ended 31 December 2013 from the previous year. Turnover from continuing operations in 2013 was HK$1,498,631,000 (approximately US$ 194,822,000) and profits attributed to shareholders was HK$747,520,000.