Space Commerce

MCS TV and Newslux Pick Eutelsat to Drive TV Channel Expansion in Southeast Asia

By Marc Boucher
Press Release
July 16, 2014
Filed under ,

MCS TV (part of Altice Group, a leading multinational cable and telecommunications company) and Newslux have selected the EUTELSAT 70B satellite operated by Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) to support the expansion into Southeast Asia of two flagship channels, i24News and MCS International.
Both channels can now benefit from the exceptional features of the EUTELSAT 70B satellite that gives direct access from Europe to the economically booming Southeast Asian market. They have joined a digital platform uplinked from Italy and are broadcast across Southeast Asia to operators of cable and ADSL networks as well as homes equipped for direct reception.

Launched in 2013, i24News is an international 24-hour news and current affairs channel based in Tel Aviv and now available free-to-air via EUTELSAT 70B in French and English-language versions. MCS International is an international sports channel already available in more than 50 countries, with a strong focus on football, handball, volleyball, fighting sports, tennis and extreme sports.

Nicolas Rotkoff, CEO of MCS TV, said: “We are delighted to accelerate the reach of MCS International into South-Asian markets with Eutelsat. What we appreciate with the EUTELSAT 70B proposal is the ability from Europe to enter a new region with a high-power satellite delivering attractive coverage for a wider market penetration of our sports channel.”

Frank Melloul, CEO of i24News said: “We are pleased to reinforce our presence in Southeast Asia with Eutelsat. In less than a year, i24News is now covering over one billion homes by satellite and is referenced among leading TV operators in more than 75 million homes across the world.”

Michel Azibert, Eutelsat’s Chief Commercial & Development Officer, added: “With MCS TV and Newslux’s choice of EUTELSAT 70B further compelling TV content is converging on this satellite’s Southeast Asia service area to take advantage of its reach of Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and also Australia. We are delighted to support efforts by broadcasters to quickly and efficiently build an international footprint and to see our 70° East platform gain traction as it builds an audience across Southeast Asia.”

About Eutelsat Communications
Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world’s leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 37 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user’s location. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 32 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.
For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com

About MCS TV
Established in 2007, MCS TV broadcasts 8 sports channels in France as well as in more than 50 different countries across Europe, Africa including MCS sport, MCS Extreme, MCS Health, MCS Tennis and Kombat Sport. Headquartered in Paris and Luxembourg, MCS TV is part of Altice Group, a leading multinational cable and telecommunications company.

About i24News
i24news, the 24/7 international news channel launched one year ago, in July 17 2013, covers international news with the perspective of Israeli society in all its diversity. The channel managed by Frank Melloul broadcasts from Jaffa Port in Israel. i24news airs all international and regional news in real time : news editions and bulletins, press reviews, special editions, magazines, analyses and debates on different topics such as politics, defense, economy, culture, sports, technology and more. I24news is the new voice of the Middle-East.

Media Contacts
Eutelsat
Press
Vanessa O’Connor Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91
voconnor@eutelsat.com

Frédérique Gautier Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91
fgautier@eutelsat.com

Marie-Sophie Ecuer Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91
mecuer@eutelsat.com

Investors and analysts
Leonard Wapler Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35 30
lwapler@eutelsat.com

Cédric Pugni Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35 30
cpugni@eutelsat.com

MCS TV:
Press/International Distribution
Guillaume Liebens: Tel: + 33 1 77 46 81 32
gliebens@ncnumericable.com

Bruno Oppenheim: Tel: +352 661 855 101
bruno.oppenheim@sportv.lu

I24 News
Press Contacts i24news: Armelle Communication Strategies
Armelle Haim – Tel.: +972 544 344 686- armelle@acomstrategies.com
For Worldwide Distribution: Laurent Malek, l.malek@i24news.tv

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