Broadcastpro – Page 17 – Virtual BroadcastPro Tech Summit | 14 – 15 Jun 2022

Mauritius first satellite, MIR-SAT1, is scheduled to be launched on Thursday, 3 June, onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching the CRS2 SpX-22 mission to the International Space Station at 5:29 PM (UTC).

The satellite was designed by a team of Mauritian Engineers and an experienced Radio Amateur from the Mauritius Amateur Radio Society in collaboration with experts from AAC-Clyde Space UK.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) awarded the nation the opportunity to build and deploy a 1U Cube Satellite through the International Space Station (ISS). In February, MIR-SAT1 was handed over to JAXA to be deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo) KiboCUBE on the ISS.

NanoSatellite MIR-SAT1 is a Mauritian project consisting of the design, assembly, testing, deployment and operating of a 1U CubeSat on orbit. In parallel, MRIC will set up a ground station located at its premises in Ebene, which will serve to control and operate the MIR-SAT1. This ground station will also allow the receipt of data and telemetry from other satellites. The ground station will be equipped with a FlatSat module which is a replica of the 1U, which will enable engineers to simulate all the required manoeuvres prior to sending the command to the CubeSat. The FlatSat Module is a key tool for the Mauritian Engineers to design future CubeSats after the MIR-SAT1.

MIR-SAT1 is expected to have ground contact with Mauritius 4 to 5 times per day depending on the season and its expected lifetime is about 2 -3 years.

Mauritius intends to use its first CubeSat platform to acquire knowledge on satellite technology and how to efficiently collect and process land and ocean data coming from space.

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Egypt’s United Media Services (UMS) has announced that it will launch a new regional news channel built on the latest technology.

The channel aims to present Egypt’s regional and local vision in the forefront of public debate, and is planned to debut in the Q1 of 2022.

The target audience of the channel will be Egyptians/Arabs and Arabic speakers within the scope of Nilesat coverage, as well as Arabic speakers in Europe, America, Canada and Australia via IPTV services.

It also announced an interest in expanding engagement with producers to include the largest number of dramas throughout the year. Drama productions will also be distributed in “fair form” over an extended season outside the month of Ramadan, alongside producing various intensive drama formats such as seven episodes or the production of 15 episodes.

Dramas will also be developed through a new production and price control system, and cooperation will include production companies within the Egyptian market such as Al Adl Group, Elgabry Studio, Art Maker, Rosnama, Magnum and Media Hub.

UMS also announced establishing a fund to support workers and practitioners in the media profession, as part of the group’s keenness to maximise investment in human resources.

The company announced a full administrative restructuring, starting with the appointment of Egyptian Financier Hassan Abdallah as the new chairman of the group, succeeding Egyptian Businessman and media producer Tamer Morsi.

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During the Covid-19 pandemic, MENA consumers have greatly increased their consumption of digital video and audio content, accelerating a trend that is unlikely to slow down when the pandemic subsides. Meanwhile, the already weak advertising-supported media market has been eroded further, and will take some time to recover even to its 2019 levels.

Regional media companies can therefore no longer view digital revenue as a luxury. They must urgently diversify through digital business models, and focus on subscriptions, direct relationships with consumers, and monetisation of content. Governments can facilitate this transition by devising regulation which supports the growth of the digital media market, while telecom operators can seize a growth opportunity as enablers and aggregators.

According to our Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2020-24, global digital revenue in 2020 is estimated to for the first time have accounted for more than half of the total entertainment and media revenue. The study suggests that the MENA region is not far behind the global average – the proportion of digital revenue for the region is estimated at 42%, and is expected to grow to 46% by 2024.

It is not difficult to understand why 2020 was a watershed year. With the lockdowns imposed by governments to control the pandemic, the demand for streamed video content immediately mushroomed. In the first month of the lockdown, 50% of OTT video subscribers increased their viewing time. Subscription services such as Netflix, Shahid and Starzplay Arabia responded to the burgeoning demand by adding more local content. This created a virtuous circle, with yet more viewers attracted to the platforms. Given the expanding supply of content on both regional and international platforms, OTT revenue is expected to grow by a CAGR of 12.3% between 2019 and 2024.

While there may be some quibbles over the exact figures, advertising revenue is stalling in comparison to consumer-paid revenue. Moreover, the digital proportion of advertising revenue is growing steadily. Regional media companies must adapt their business models to exploit the areas of higher growth; otherwise, global players will devote more attention to the growing MENA opportunity and invest the necessary resources to achieve a pre-eminent market position.

For larger media companies, this means a wholehearted commitment to their OTT platforms, making them as appealing as possible to the consumer in terms of both content and design. The OTT platform cannot be regarded as a second-rate alternative to free-to-air channels. Media companies will need to produce a differentiated volume of original local content and build scale through geographic expansion across the region. These platforms could either be purely subscription-based or a mix between advertising and subscription tiers.

Given their limited resources and audiences, however, it would be inefficient for smaller players to create and maintain their own platforms. They have two avenues open to them. One is to pool resources and content with other media companies to create a combined platform, thus reducing costs and increasing the reach of each individual company.

Alternatively, they can work with telecom operators as aggregators to host content from various media companies on their platforms, in return for a proportion of the revenue. Telecom operators already have the attributes to perform this role effectively – a billing relationship with customers and the necessary infrastructure and distribution capabilities. Even larger media companies could benefit from a telecom operator’s extensive reach when it comes to distribution. This is also a significant growth opportunity for telecom operators as they seek new revenue sources.

Media companies must also determine how to augment their capabilities in the most cost-effective way, possibly through acquisitions or partnerships. Essential competencies include subscriber management, original content production, digital distribution and viewer data analytics. Governments should also work with media companies to design effective digital regulation that protects consumers without stifling competition. They should strive for simplicity in regulation oversight. Governments can also help support the development of content production infrastructure and ecosystems, such as stimulating innovation through funding and incubator projects in association with development funds, venture capitalists and other investors.

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Azam Media has secured the Tanzania Mainland Premier League broadcasting rights in a deal worth Tsh225.6bn ($97m).

The broadcaster will own the sole rights of the top-tier for the next ten years following the sponsorship renewal with Tanzania Football Federation.

Speaking about the deal, Wallace Karia, President of Tanzania Football Federation, said: “We have come to an end of picking a suitable league broadcasting partner, but we have not completed the process of picking the radio partner which I think will end soon.”

Azam Media Limited, Chief Executive Officer of Tido Mhando stated that the sponsorship deal starts next season with 67% of the amount being seasonal payment to all participating teams in the league.

Tido Mhando added: “For the 2021/2022 season, sponsorship money will be Tsh12bn ($52m), clubs will receive Tsh8bn ($35m) and the remaining Tsh4bn ($17m) will go into football development. This is to say each club will get Tsh500m ($0.22m) per season.’’

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Jon Holmes, left; and Mark ter Hove, right. Photos: Inmarsat

Inmarsat has expanded its division dedicated to connectivity for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, with the addition of two new senior executives. Inmarsat appointed ed Jon Holmes as Senior Director of UAV Technology and Mark ter Hove as Senior Manager of European Market Development.

The number of UAVs flying in the airspace is expected to increase tenfold from 1.1m to 10m by 2027, with a far-reaching impact in various aspects of business and society, from emergency services, disaster relief and surveillance, to cargo delivery, inspection and urban transport.

Jon Holmes will be responsible for creating Inmarsats roadmap for UAV products and services, working with customers, partners and internal stakeholders. Jon has more than 30 years of experience in aeronautical satellite communications, most recently he served as Senior Director of Engineering and Programme Management at Cobham Aerospace Communications. Prior to this, Jon spent 16 years in a variety of engineering roles at Honeywell Aerospace, where he led the development of terminal products designed to operate with Inmarsats Global Xpress satellite network.

Mark ter Hove will be responsible for evaluating customer and market opportunities in Europe. He has over 25 years of aviation experience, including 12 years leading operations at British Airways franchise partners GB Airways and Astraeus Airlines, before serving as airline network manager at Londons Gatwick Airport. In his most recent role as Director of Global Air Transport at Cobham Aerospace Communications, Mark developed a global go-to-market strategy for the companys portfolio of satcom solutions, helping airlines, air navigation service providers and airports become more integrated through communications technology.

John Broughton, Inmarsats Senior Vice President of Aircraft Operations and Safety, said: We entered the commercial UAV market in 2020, leveraging our capabilities in both aviation safety and network operations. Since then, the team has grown from strength to strength even winning a coveted award in the ATM Magazine Awards 2020 for our pop-up unmanned traffic management solution with Altitude Angel. Jon and Mark share a wealth of experience in aviation connectivity and are perfectly positioned to take our growing UAV business to the next level. With Jons technical expertise and Marks strategic prowess, were in a strong position to unlock the true potential of the commercial UAV market.

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Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) has selected Iridium and Thales Group as its official communications partner, providing critical real-time communications for the fully autonomous transatlantic research vessel.

In addition to its scientific mission, the crewless voyage will deliver insights for the autonomous shipping movement underway in the maritime industry. Iridium will provide Iridium Certus weather-resilient broadband connectivity which can help remotely manage vessel operations including command and control, tracking, propulsion system diagnostics and more.

The Mayflower is an autonomous ship led by marine research non-profit ProMare and IBM, which will travel the same route as the original 17th century Mayflower. It will collect environmental data regarding climate change, ocean acidity, plastic pollution, marine mammal conservation, and more. The Mayflower is set to leave on its journey this June.

Speaking about the partnership, Brett Phaneuf, Founding Board Member, ProMare, and Managing Director, Mayflower Autonomous Ship, said: “The Thales VesseLINK 700 powered by Iridium Certus onboard the Mayflower Autonomous Ship provides essential connectivity to backhaul vital science data in real-time from MAS to our team of ocean and climate experts onshore. Equally important, it lets us check in with the AI Captain to see how it’s coping at sea and making myriad decisions every day to safely navigate the trip across the Atlantic. While the AI Captain won’t need the development team’s help on the crossing, and while the Mayflower won’t miss us one bit, the team in the UK that developed the ship and software is deeply attached and will worry incessantly as the voyage unfolds. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry as much with the superlative comms from Iridium that helps allay our concerns about the vessel as it makes the historic crossing.”

Don Scott, Chief Technical Officer, Mayflower Autonomous Ship, added: “The Mayflower Autonomous Ship is ultimately a research platform, not just for the science projects onboard, but for long-range autonomous vehicles as well. We don’t assume we already have all of the answers so there is much that we can learn from this crossing. The connection provided by the Iridium system gives us the ability to monitor the AI systems in real-time while underway and helps us prepare for the next steps in their development. Having the high availability communications on the vehicle provides us with much-appreciated telepresence onboard.”

Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium, stated: “When the original Mayflower crew set sail on their pilgrimage, they took a risk inspired by hope for a better future. The Mayflower Autonomous Ship serves as a modern inspiration, showing how new technologies can make a long-term positive impact on both the global economy and our environment. Iridium is proud to be the official communications partner for this ambitious expedition, ensuring the ProMare team onshore can keep track of MAS and receive the data they need.”

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Arianespace has launched the latest batch of 36 OneWeb satellites. With this launch, OneWeb has a constellation of 218 satellites in orbit.

A Soyuz rocket, operated by Arianespace and its Starsem affiliate, launched the satellites from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East.

This was the fourth launch in OneWebs ‘Five to 50’ campaign to enable its broadband connectivity to reach all regions north of 50 degrees latitude by June 2021.

The ‘Five to 50’ service will enable connectivity across the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic Seas, and Canada. This service is expected to be switched on before the end of the year and OneWeb intends to make global service available in 2022. OneWeb is targeting 648 satellites for its entire first-generation system.

Speaking about the development, Neil Masterson, CEO of OneWeb, said: Today’s successful launch is another execution milestone that puts us one launch away from delivering high speed, low latency connectivity to Alaska, Canada, Greenland, UK, and Northern Europe. Today we celebrate and thank our Florida team for their hard work and dedication that has delivered more than 200 satellites to orbit. Collaboration and teamwork are vital for OneWeb’s mission to succeed. We are grateful to all our partners around the world who are joining us on our mission to deliver global connectivity, starting with everywhere 50 degrees north.”

James Hinds, CEO of OneWeb Satellites, added: Today’s successful launch highlights the great industrial partnership we have with OneWeb and Airbus. With more than 200 satellites built in our factory, we are extremely proud of our team’s high-quality and fast production of satellites. Supporting OneWeb’s mission and constellation deployment is creating hundreds of highly skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs in the Space Coast, and we are excited to be a part of the progress made today, bringing us all one step closer to delivering global connectivity.”

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MultiChoice has announced that Friends: The Reunion will premiere on M-Net exclusive to DStv on May 30 at 20:00 and will be available on streaming service Showmax from May 31, 2021.

Friends stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer return to the comedy’s original soundstage, Stage 24, on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank for a real-life unscripted celebration of the beloved show.

Ben Winston directed the special and executive produced along with Friends executive producers Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman, and David Crane.

The special will also offer numerous special and celebrity guests, with David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Lady Gaga, Kit Harington, Mindy Kaling and Malala Yousafzai reportedly appearing.

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MultiChoice has launched its first African-focused telenovela channel, Novela Magic, to share the African telenovelas on one platform.

The channel will also showcase the vast range of cultures and languages on the continent through a diversity of original homegrown stories and local creative talent.

Speaking about the launch, John Ugbe, Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, said: “For over 30-years M-Net has been bringing to audiences across the African continent compelling stories that harness the imagination of our viewers while also showcasing the vast talent that is harboured on the continent. We want to continue this legacy of showcasing the best African stories with themes that resonate and engage our viewers, hence the launch of this new channel Novela Magic.”

The telenovela collection includes Unbroken, Zuba, Forbidden, and Battleground.

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SpaceChain and Eurasian Space Ventures (ESV) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for ongoing collaboration and developing joint projects in the field of space and blockchain technologies.

Based in Kazakhstan ESV aims to serve as an international hub for space projects and related organisations looking to capitalise on the well-established space infrastructure and ecosystem in the country.

Under the agreement, both companies will exchange information and expertise, and cross-pollinate ideas and develop joint projects in the field of space technologies over a period of two years.

SpaceChain will explore collaborative opportunities with its partners in the global space industry in leveraging ESVs existing space facilities and infrastructure in Kazakhstan. ESV will facilitate communication with the National Space Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, also known as Gharysh Sapary, on behalf of both companies.

Commenting on the agreement, Shukhrat Ibragimov, Founder of ESV, said: “We are establishing a valuable partnership with SpaceChain to not only help showcase what Kazakhstan has to offer as an international space hub, but more importantly, to help organisations discover space as an innovation platform for competitive advantage and success. By combining and integrating expertise and know-how in blockchain and space from both companies, we are very excited to have taken the historical step with SpaceChain in driving innovation and further development in the democratized space sector.”

ESV has pledged to operate and manage two joint space projects co-developed with SpaceChain for digital currency exchange Biteeu, which will be deploying SpaceChains on-orbit space-grade infrastructure to perform ultra-secure Bitcoin multisignature transactions and data back-up; and Divine a community project that leverages space technologies to broadcast the Quran audio.

Zee Zheng, SpaceChain co-founder and CEO, added: “We are entering a new era of space exploration and harnessing space technologies as a platform for business innovation. Partnering with ESV will complement our continuous efforts in building out an open-source blockchain-based satellite network that is secure and immutable for fintech and decentralized applications. We will continue to identify more commercial use cases for space technologies, and it is our firm belief that the collaboration with ESV will help accelerate the process.”

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