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AZTECA AMERICA SELECTS GE-2 FOR NEW HISPANIC SERVICE
February 21, 2001 - Princeton, NJ
GE American Communications (GE Americom) announced today that Los Angeles-based Azteca America will use GE-2 C-band capacity to distribute Spanish language television programming to major Hispanic market areas. Azteca America will begin full network operations during the second quarter of 2001 with the combination of the popular programming of TV Azteca - the owner of two nationwide broadcast networks in Mexico - and a broad network of television stations contributed by Pappas Telecasting.
"Azteca is providing a valuable service option to the Hispanic community, and we are pleased to have entered into a long-term agreement to provide for the distribution of their inaugural U.S. satellite service," said Carl Capista, GE Americom's Vice President, Satellite Services-North America.
"When we researched all the opportunities available to Azteca America, we saw GE Americom as a natural fit due to their outstanding reputation and technical excellence. We can think of no one better to help launch our network than the GE-2 technology, and look forward to a longstanding relationship with this distribution leader," said Azteca America's CEO Harry J. Pappas.
GE-2 became fully operational in early 1997 at 85° W.L., serving the needs of the cable, broadcast, education, government and private business markets. GE-2 has twenty-four 36 MHz eighteen watt, adjustable, SSPA C-band transponders as well as twenty-four 36 MHz sixty watt Ku-band transponders. GE-2's coverage encompasses all of the U.S. (except Alaska) plus Canada and the Caribbean.
On September 7, 2000, Pappas Telecasting Companies, the nation's largest privately-held owner and operator of television stations, and TV Azteca, the world's second-largest producer of Spanish language programming, announced an alliance to create Azteca America, a new nationwide Spanish language television network in the U.S. The network is 80% owned by Pappas Telecasting and 20% owned by TV Azteca.
With over twenty-five years' experience, GE American Communications, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and leading provider of global satellite communications solutions. GE Americom is able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world through a fleet of 21 satellites. GE Americom's key customers include ABC Radio Networks, AT&T Alascom, British Telecom, Cidera, Deutsche Welle, Discovery, Disney, Gannett, ICG, Merlin, NBC, the New York Times, NHK, PaxNet, PBS, TELE Greenland, TV Europa, Viacom and Time Warner/Turner Broadcasting.
GE Americom is a GE Capital company. GE Capital, with assets of over US$370 billion, is a global, diversified financial services company with 24 businesses. A wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric Company, GE Capital, based in Stamford, Conn., provides equipment management, mid-market and specialized financing, specialty insurance and a variety of consumer services, such as car leasing, home mortgages and credit cards, to businesses and individuals around the world. GE is a diversified services, technology and manufacturing company with operations worldwide.
Contact: Monica Morgan
609-987-4143
Contact: Carmen Lawrence
310-966-5523
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