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Tag: Joseph R. Wright

  • PanAmSat Q2 results boosted by football world cup coverage

    PanAmSat Q2 results boosted by football world cup coverage

    MUMBAI:PanAmSat, the global video and data broadcasting services provider has reported revenues of $209.2 million for the second quarter of 2002, in financial results declared last week.

    The slight increase in revenues over corresponding figures last year (total revenues for Q2 2002 were $209.2 million, compared to revenues of $208.2 million for Q2 2001) was facilitated by the company’s world cup soccer coverage, claims PanAmSat. The successful completion of the company’s largest single event ever for broadcast services, consisting of more than 23,000 hours of 2002 FIFA World Cup coverage to over 24 countries around the globe, was concluded this quarter. 

    The company has also declared EBITDA of $150.8 million, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of $61.0 million and earnings per share (EPS) of $0.13 during the quarter ended June 30, 2002. The companys EBITDA margin was 72 per cent of revenues for Q2 2002, a seven per centage point increase over the same period last year, says the company. 

    Other business highlights of PanAmSat’s Q2 2002 results include: 

    # The culmination of the companys $2.0 billion, 30-month, seven-satellite modernisation programme with the successful launch of the Galaxy IIIC satellite on 15 June, giving PanAmSat the youngest, most modern fleet in the FSS industry.

    # Quarterly EBITDA increased $16.3 million or 12 per cent as compared to the same period in 2001, despite relatively flat revenues for PanAmSat and the satellite industry as a whole. 

    PanAmSat president and CEO Joseph R. Wright says the company began to reduce its cost base relative to the revenues realistically expected for this year after last summer’s performance. “Our operating costs are now over 20 per cent below this time last year. We also refocused our company away from the expensive development of new products for the Internet and back to completing our seven satellite fleet modernization program to create the youngest, most reliable FSS operation in the industry. ” 

    The company expects total revenues for the third quarter of 2002 to be in the range of $190 million to $200 million, with no new sales or sales-type leases. 

  • Panamsat sets record with World Cup coverage

    Panamsat sets record with World Cup coverage

    PanAmSat Corporation today announced that more than 24 top broadcasters, programmers and news agencies in over two-dozen countries are using the company global satellite network for delivery of the World Cup.

    With more than 17,000 hours of video transmission time booked to date, it is the largest special events offering in PanAmSat history, a company release states. Through its coverage of the event, PanAmSat offers customers unparalleled global reach, state-of-the-art production and transmissions facilities, as well as the ability to uplink live directly from remote locations throughout Korea and Japan via mobile transmission units.

    “Our global resources, in conjunction with the collective expertise of our onsite special events staff, ensures that millions of viewers around the world experience the excitement of the World Cup,” said Joseph R Wright, PanAmSat president and CEO. 

    According to Catherine A Palaia, PanAmSat vice-president of special events and occasional use broadcast services, the company is serving more than 24 countries during the world’s most-watched sporting event including: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Korea, Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom. PanAmSat, acting as a third-party provider for rights holders at the International Broadcast Center (IBC), is offering comprehensive services such as compression, transmission hardware and an encryption system, providing conditional access to the World Cup. In addition, PanAmSat is working closely with local Korean and Japanese satellite carriers and broadcasters to provide services such as Onse Telecom, DaCom, Japan Telecom and KDDI. 

    PanAmSat’s special events team has been on site since April to ensure seamless service for its customers. The company is employing over 60 satellite paths and 30 transponders across 11 spacecrafts to transmit the games. PanAmSat, a Type One (T-1) carrier since November 1995, was the first US company awarded this license by the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. The license enables PanAmSat, one of the only non-government entities in Japan to hold a T-1 classification, to offer international satellite-based services directly to customers in Japan. Under the umbrella of PanAmSat’s license, customers will be able to obtain a temporary operating license in Japan so as to receive and then broadcast the games on their own network.

    Official rights holders have the option of uplinking to the PanAmSat spacecraft directly from the IBC in Seoul, Korea. PanAmSat has coordinated with local production and transmission facilities so that non-rights holders and occasional-use customers can also uplink to a satellite in PanAmSat’s fleet of 21 spacecraft for distribution.

    In addition, PanAmSat Napa, Fillmore, Ellenwood and Homestead teleport facilities will serve as critical retransmission points for the onward delivery of live coverage from Korea and Japan to sites throughout the Americas and around the world.

    In addition to this year’s World Cup, PanAmSat Broadcast Services Department has teamed with dozens of leading broadcasters and programmers to deliver hundreds of thousands of hours of live coverage of the worlds premier sporting and special events, as well as breaking news to audiences around the world. Past events include the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia; the 1998 World Cup tournament in Paris, France; the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada; and the 2000 Millennium celebrations.