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Roberts Broadcasting Signs on SES AMERICOM and SignalSAT to Distribute Programming, Streamline Operations
Station group leverages powerful AMC-6 satellite to enhance business operations and cut costs by feeding its remote television markets from centralized St. Louis-based facility
January 27, 2005 -- Princeton, NJ -- SES AMERICOM, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Exchanges: SESG), today announced Roberts Broadcasting has tapped its innovative SignalSATTM service to share a full schedule of syndicated and network programming across three UPN affiliate television stations and open the door to cost efficient expansion opportunities.
The 24/7 line-up of successful sitcoms, talk and variety shows, and UPN series originates from the station group's flagship operation, WRBU-TV 46 in St. Louis, where it's distributed throughout the viewing area and by satellite to viewers tuning in to WZRB-TV 47 in Columbia, South Carolina.
With a third station, WRBJ-TV 34 in Jackson, Mississippi, close to hitting the airwaves, Roberts Broadcasting is reaping the many benefits of its satellite-based program distribution platform, including SignalSAT's point-to-multipoint C- and Ku-band delivery capability and affordability.
"We weighed our options and looked at terrestrial-based broadcast over ATM networks, but they were no match for the reliability and price of SES AMERICOM's SignalSAT service," said Michael Drainer, assistant chief engineer for Roberts Broadcasting Company. "The flexibility and plug-and-play nature of SignalSAT has completely changed our business model, with dramatically improved efficiencies of operations and prospects for expansion and growth.
"It's now as simple as renting sales space and building a tower and transmitter versus having to put together a complete master control facility, staffing it, engineering and monitoring it," explains Drainer. "What has traditionally required a staff of 40 is being accomplished with 15."
"SES AMERICOM's SignalSAT service is designed to enable broadcast stations to consolidate their satellite delivery requirements, whether they need to send their signal to off-air repeaters, cable headends, or DBS uplink sites to maximize market reach or they want to serve more than one market from a centralized location," said Carl Capista, vice president of North American media services for SES AMERICOM. "SignalSAT offers the flexibility, affordability, and reach that terrestrial solutions simply can't match."
SES AMERICOM's SignalSAT service offers an affordable 3 MHz digital signal, using C-Band or Ku-Band bandwidth. SignalSAT can help VHF/UHF broadcast TV stations across the country cost effectively increase their household penetration. Innovative digital compression technologies have made it more affordable for broadcast stations to use satellite solutions, which in many cases are more effective and reliable than microwave and ground-based services.
Launched in 4th Quarter 2000, the AMC-6 satellite, one of 15 state-of-the-art spacecraft in the SES AMERICOM fleet, is serving Roberts Broadcasting Company with the flexible distribution platform it needs to reach stations and their viewers in three different markets. The Lockheed Martin A2100 hybrid C/Ku-band satellite operates from 72 degrees west longitude, where it provides high-powered service to a broad range of occasional video/SNG, government, VSAT network and entertainment customers.
Broadcast TV representatives who would like to review the benefits of SES AMERICOM's SignalSAT service or receive a free cost-benefit analysis and service proposal can call SES AMERICOM at 800-273-0329 or +1-609-987-4200.
About SES AMERICOM
The largest supplier of satellite services in the U.S., SES AMERICOM, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer of global satellite communications services. Established in 1973 with its first satellite circuit for the U.S. Department of Defense, the company currently operates a fleet of 15 spacecraft in orbital positions predominantly providing service throughout the Americas. As a member of the SES GLOBAL family, SES AMERICOM is able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world. In 2001, the company established AMERICOM Government Services, a wholly owned subsidiary dedicated to providing satellite-based communications solutions to both civilian and defense agencies of the U.S. government. With its combined operations, SES AMERICOM serves broadcasters, cable programmers, aeronautical and maritime communications integrators, Internet service providers, mobile communications networks, government agencies, educational institutions, carriers and secure global data networks with efficient communication and content distribution solutions.
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Contact: Monica Morgan, +1-609-987-4143,
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