ITV

Tag: Kurt Riegelman

  • NBA renews and expands agreement with Intelsat for International distribution

    NBA renews and expands agreement with Intelsat for International distribution

    MUMBAI: Intelsat has announced that it has renewed and expanded its agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA) for international distribution of the league’s games.

    The NBA distribution network will now include full-time and upgraded Intelsat capacity in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

    NBA games and NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour television network will be backhauled from New York and transmitted from three of Intelsat’s teleports to four satellites in its global fleet; the IS-901 and IS-907 for Europe and the Middle East, the IS-805 for Latin America and the IS-902 for Asia. The NBA programming carried on this network will be received and re-transmitted by rightsholders and pay-tv networks around the world, asserts an official release.

    NBA Entertainment senior vice president operations and technology Steve Hellmuth said, “Clear and reliable transmissions are crucial to bringing live game coverage and the latest NBA news and information to our millions of fans. Using Intelsat enables us to get all our domestic and international distribution services easily, from one place, and with the highest quality possible.”

    “Intelsat is at the forefront of sports programming distribution; our capability to transmit content anywhere, via satellite, fiber or both is what sets us apart from other operators. Top-level professional sports programming such as the NBA is in global demand, and Intelsat is an ideal partner for programmers looking to tap new audiences with their content,” added Intelsat senior vice president Americas sales Kurt Riegelman.

    Intelsat also transmits NBA live game coverage in both standard and high definition from most game venues to the NBA Entertainment headquarters in Secaucus, N.J., using its terrestrial fiber network in the United States.

  • Discovery launches HD service in Europe via Intelsat

    Discovery launches HD service in Europe via Intelsat

    MUMBAI: Satellite services firm Intelsat has announced that Discovery will use its Pas-12 satellite to provide Discovery HD, the company’s international high-definition network, in Europe.

    The signing of Discovery as an anchor tenant on Pas-12 marks the start of a high-powered distribution alternative to new channels looking to deliver HD programming across Europe says Intelsat.

    Using capacity on Pas-12, Discovery will provide distribution of Discovery HD, which will originate at its European headquarters in London, to Europe. GlobeCast Europe will uplink the content at its Brookman’s Park teleport in the UK. The signing of the new agreement with Intelsat marks the significant expansion of an already successful relationship, as Intelsat currently provides distribution capacity for Discovery to reach its nearly 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers worldwide.

    Discovery executive VP media, technology and operations John Honeycutt says, “High-definition in Europe is fast growing and as the leader in HD programming, Discovery will continue to play a large role in the development and distribution of content and services utilizing this technology.

    “We have long relied on Intelsat’s global system to support the implementation of our global distribution strategy.”

    Intelsat senior VP, Americas Sales Kurt Riegelman says, “A programmer the caliber of Discovery Communications committing to anchor our new HD neighborhood speaks volumes about the confidence it has in our company and in our system.

    “Intelsat has played a significant role in the distribution of HD programming worldwide and is exceedingly dedicated to furthering the advancement of HD in Europe. We believe that Discovery’s desire to distribute HD across the continent signifies a healthy and growing demand which we’re committed to facilitating.”

    Intelsat currently operates an HD neighborhood in the US on its Galaxy 13 satellite. The establishment of a new HD satellite for Europe is the company’s first step at expanding full-time HD distribution to other areas of the world.