Loral Skynet do Brasil, Ltd. has signed an agreement with Rede TV, one of Brazil’s largest television networks, to provide satellite capacity on Telstar 12 for coverage of Campos do Jordao, Brazil’s winter festival held throughout the country during June, July and August, and for Championship Auto Racing Teams’ (CART) events throughout Brazil.
For Campos do Jordao, Loral Skynet do Brasil transmitted programming from three to ten hours several times per week, including interviews, fashion shows, celebrity performances and entertainment games. The transmissions were broadcast live from Campos do Jordao venues in Ku-band on Telstar 12 and the customer retransmitted from Sao Paulo in C-band for distribution throughout Brazil.
“We are very happy with the service we receive from Loral Skynet do Brasil,” said Wagner Victoria, technical director, Rede TV. “We are working to develop new live programming projects and look to Loral Skynet do Brasil to provide the coverage our growing company requires.”
CART auto racing events will be broadcast from Telstar 12 each weekend through the end of the year. From racetracks around the world, Brazilian viewers enjoy CART’s open-wheel “Champ Cars,” thoroughbred racing machines that reach speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour.
According to Terry Hart, president, Loral Skynet, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, “We are pleased that we can assist Rede TV with their innovative television programming in Brazil. The flexibility we can offer to them for their long-term occasional use services makes it easy for Rede TV to schedule on-the-spot live programming whenever they need it.”
Telstar 12, a satellite of Loral Skynet, covers the eastern part of the US as far west as Atlanta, most of South America, South Africa, Europe and as far East as Moscow, and the United Arab Emirates. The satellite provides transoceanic service for video broadcast, satellite newsgathering, business television, high-speed Internet access and private networking services.
Loral Skynet do Brasil, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, is the first private Brazilian satellite company offering Ku-band services, formed primarily to address opportunities in the fixed satellite services market in Brazil and South America. Loral Skynet do Brasil’s first satellite, Estrela do Sul 1, will be launched in early 2004 into Brazil’s 63 degrees West longitude orbital slot.
The company has a ground station in Rio de Janiero that will provide tracking, telemetry, and control and access management from in-country technical staff. Loral Skynet do Brasil has access to a global fleet of satellites and terrestrial resources through the Loral Global Alliance. Loral Skynet do Brasil is the legal representative for Telstar capacity in Brazil. Rede TV, a national Brazilian public television network, is one of the largest television networks in Brazil.
