PARIS and ROME, November 13,
2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Rai and Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) have
sealed an agreement enabling Italy's public service broadcaster to deliver
its new portfolio of HD channels across Italy via the TivùSat satellite platform that
already reaches into 1.7 million television homes.
Rai will broadcast its three flagship channels in HD - Rai 1,
Rai 2, Rai 3 - via TivùSat that transmits through Eutelsat's HOT
BIRD satellites, Italy's leading
video neighbourhood. This latest agreement between Rai and Eutelsat
marks a new phase of collaboration in satellite broadcasting that
has stretched over almost 30 years, spanning analogue, digital and
now HD. For Rai, it confirms its commitment to enhancing the
technical quality of its programming and strengthening the role of
the public service in Italy's
digital landscape.
Italian satellite TV homes will automatically receive Rai's new
HD channels on a free-to-air basis through HD compatible set-top
boxes receiving TivùSat. Launched in 2009, TivùSat is a
free-to-view digital satellite platform that offers a wide range of
Italian and international channels.
Renato Farina, CEO of Eutelsat
Italia, declared: "This new step underscores Eutelsat's
longstanding commitment to playing our part in the digitisation of
broadcasting in Italy and to
constantly enhancing the viewing experience. The launch of this
initial test phase of Rai's new HD content at our HOT BIRD
neighbourhood ensures immediate 100% coverage of Italian territory
and underscores the increasing penetration of HD content across our
broadcasting satellites."
About Eutelsat Communications
With capacity commercialised on 31 satellites delivering reach
of Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, Asia, significant parts of the Americas and
the Asia-Pacific, Eutelsat
Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is
one of the world's leading satellite operators. As of 30 September 2013, Eutelsat's satellites were
broadcasting more than 4,700 television channels to over 200
million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle
East and Africa. The
Group's satellites also provide a wide range of services for TV
contribution, corporate networks and fixed and mobile broadband
markets. Headquartered in Paris,
Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ over 780 commercial, technical
and operational professionals from 30 countries.
http://www.eutelsat.com
SOURCE Eutelsat Communications
