ARD launches on Eutelsat

PARIS -- Germany's first television channel, the ARD, has selected Eutelsat in order to extend its international reach to television viewers in countries in south-east Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

Called "ARD Das Erste" the channel is broadcasting in digital free-to-air via Widebeam capacity on EUTELSAT's HOT BIRD 5 satellite (downlink frequency 11.604 GHz, horizontal polarization, Symbol rate 27.5, FEC 5/6).

Broadcasting via Hot Bird capacity gives ARD access to an estimated new market of eight million German speakers who holiday or travel for business reasons in Greece, Turkey, North Africa and eastern Europe.

According to research commissioned by Eutelsat, 98 percent of three, four and five star hotels in south-east Europe, North Africa and the Middle East already offer television channels broadcast by the satellites. Installations in equivalent categories in eastern Europe are currently 75 percent.