The new generation Russian satellite, Express-6, will become operational from November-December.
And with it has begun a scramble amongst broadcasters to get on to the hot-bird satellite. BiTV earlier had plans to start at least four channels through four transponders on Express-6 in its capacity as the anchor tenant.
Intersputniks India representative, Ravina Khurana said, Express-6 will become operational by the end of the year. Intersputnik is the Russian agency which operates satellites.
Intersputnik excutives said a final decision on the allotment of transponders to interested broadcasters will take place by the first week of November after the satellite is put in its designated 80 degree east slot. Lot of broadcasters, including Subhash Chandra of Zee TV, have evinced keen interest in leasing a transponder on Express-6, Intersputnik executives said. Chandras company has leased a transponder on another Russian satellite through which the Music Asia channel is beamed. Intersputnik, however, were not forthcoming on BiTVs status as an anchor tenant on the satellite.
Though both Business India publisher Ashok Advani and BiTV executive chairperson Malavika Singh were in town, efforts to get in touch with them proved futile. In August, BiTV shifted its omnibus channel, TVI, on to Intelsat from an ageing Russian satellite. The deal, is said to be for five years.
The race for a transponder on the new-generation Russian satellite is likely to get tough as, according to Intersputnik, the Russian government has already snapped up four transponders for its own communications use.
Express-6, launched in the last week of September, has 10 C-band transponders and two KU-band transponders. Others who have shown interest in leasing a transponder on Express-6 include Southeast Asian broadcasters, Pakistans media house which publishes the Jung group of newspapers and a few Russian broadcasters too.