Distribution
SES Redefines Live Events with Synchronised Satellite and OTT
Luxembourg: SES's latest solution, which will be showcased at IBC2019 in Amsterdam, synchronises over-the-top (OTT) and satellite broadcasts by delivering IP signals to OTT platforms as fast as satellite to create enhanced live viewing experiences, SES announced today. The new solution, named Satellite and OTT in Sync, gives broadcasters the power to deliver a more consistent experience to viewers watching any screen, or even multiple screens, by eliminating the delay between their TV broadcast and OTT services.
Even a few seconds of delay between different screens can spoil the live event experience, and this has been a challenge to eliminate. SES's unique solution achieves that synchronisation, giving broadcasters confidence that their viewers will be able to enjoy unforgettable moments.
SES's Satellite and OTT in sync solution takes the source signal on its way to the satellite and distributes it via IP in tandem with satellite. By applying low-latency encoding and tuning to the IP stream at the source, the solution can deliver the content to OTT platforms in sync with the satellite signal. The technique shaves off the seconds of delay between a traditional television broadcast and other low-latency OTT solutions or regular OTT broadcasts.
"Today's broadcasters are looking to protect and grow their business by delivering the best experience possible during live events, particularly for premium sports. When a fan is watching an important match on an OTT platform and they hear the crowd at the bar down the street cheering before they even see the goal, the disappointment is palpable," said Ferdinand Kayser, CEO of SES Video. "Being a hybrid video distributor, SES can process video at the source for both satellite and OTT distribution, helping broadcasters deliver a unique, consistent, and satisfying end-user experience."
SES leads the industry with its worldwide reach of over 355 million TV households (or 1 billion people) and distributes over 8,200 channels via satellite. SES's recent unification of its wholly-owned video services subsidiary, MX1, with its SES Video business unit, means SES now manages over 525 channels and delivers more than 8,400 hours of online video streaming, including over 620 hours of premium sports and live events per day. Going to market with a unified solution for video infrastructure and services means that SES will accelerate the rollout of hybrid linear and non-linear content delivery services and solutions with unprecedented global reach.
New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has thrown open applications for fresh capacity on DD Free Dish, signalling a timely opportunity for broadcasters looking to expand reach without long-term lock-ins. The public service broadcaster has issued a dual notice for its 95th and 96th online e-auctions, aimed at filling vacant MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 slots on a pro-rata basis for February and March 2026.
The two auctions are tentatively scheduled to begin on January 27, with allotments valid from February 1, 2026. Applications for both auctions close on January 21 at 3 pm, giving channels a narrow window to get their bids in.
The 95th e-auction will cover vacant MPEG-2 slots, while the 96th will focus on MPEG-4 capacity. Participation is limited to satellite television channels holding valid downlinking and uplinking permissions from the ministry of information and broadcasting. International public broadcasters cleared by the ministry are also eligible.
As with previous rounds, channels have been grouped into buckets based on genre and language, with sharply differentiated reserve prices reflecting reach and demand.
For the MPEG-2 auction, Hindi and Urdu general entertainment channels sit at the top of the pile. The starting reserve price for bucket A+ in the first round is Rs 2,63,48,000. Movie, music and sports channels in Hindi and Urdu follow in bucket A at Rs 2,10,14,000. Bhojpuri channels and other Hindi and Urdu genres, excluding devotional content, fall under bucket B with a reserve of Rs 1,78,62,000. Hindi and Urdu news channels in bucket C start at Rs 1,33,27,000, while bucket D, which includes regional language channels, English news and devotional or spiritual channels, begins at Rs 1,13,96,000.
The MPEG-4 auction comes in at a far leaner price point. News and current affairs channels in Hindi, English or pan-India languages, grouped under bucket G1, start at Rs 13,41,000. Non-news genres under bucket G2 have a reserve of Rs 8,80,000. Regional languages such as Marathi, Punjabi and Gujarati in bucket R2 begin at Rs 4,84,000. Southern language channels in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, grouped under bucket R1, start at Rs 81,000, the same reserve price set for other scheduled 8 regional languages in bucket R3.
Prasar Bharati has underlined that compliance will be closely watched. Broadcasters must ensure that at least 75 per cent of their monthly programming, excluding advertisements, aligns with the declared genre and language. Any deviation could trigger show-cause notices or even removal from the DD Free Dish platform.
For channels chasing reach in a crowded market, the message is clear. The window is brief, the prices are set and the audience is waiting. On DD Free Dish, visibility still comes cheap, but only for those ready to move fast.
