Announcing Third Arabic Channel and New Cost-Saving Technology

Following the successful and uninterrupted broadcast of both the SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS channels on the NILESAT satellite platform for the past year, SAT-7 felt the time was right to make some important cost-saving moves, freeing up more funding for the ministry’s all important program production and audience relations work.  It was therefore decided to consolidate the two Arabic-language channels that are on the HOT BIRD satellite platform, and create a new schedule, SAT-7 PLUS - based on the best current programming on both SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS!  This move helps to ensure that those in the Arab World and Europe who only have access to these broadcasts through the HOT BIRD platform will continue to receive a good range of programming; and that the millions who have satellite receivers to pick up both the NILESAT and HOT BIRD broadcasts would actually have even greater viewing options – being able to chose programming from 3 different schedules!

The SAT-7 PLUS channel will ensure that the children’s programming will be scheduled the best time for kids in the time-zones that will be the most impacted by the loss of SAT-7 KIDS on the HOT BIRD satellite.

SAT-7 management has also taken the opportunity presented by these changes to make other significant advances and savings in the way the ministry works – how it stores programs, and how it schedules and broadcasts its four (soon to be five) channels!  This has involved some significant investments in both new computer hardware and software but the finished systems will not only save the ministry about USD 60,000 per month in operational costs (more than USD 3 million over the coming 5 years!) but it will also provide our viewers with a much richer viewing experience, with enhanced on-screen graphics and viewer-information, more varied schedules, better quality live-feeds and new services to mobile devices, Video-on-Demand and IPTV viewers, etc.  It also better positions the ministry to roll out more such new services or channels in the coming years!

When “change” like SAT-7 PLUS is possible – expanding audience, offering choices, increasing operational quality and, using funds and human resources more efficiently and effectively – it is especially good.  For this, SAT-7’s Board of Directors, International CEO Terence Ascott, and staff members give God the praise for a wonderful expansion of the ministry.  SAT-7 is also grateful for those faithful supporters who have generously funded this project.

The new SAT-7 PLUS channel will begin broadcasting at 1:00am local time on the 10th of December, 2010 on HOT BIRD 8 at 13˚ E 12.380 GHz V – the current frequency used by SAT-7 ARABIC.