News Broadcasting
Eutelsat launches India-focused satellite – W5
MUMBAI: Satellite service provider Eutelsat has successfully launched its W5 satellite and it is being positioned at 70.5 degrees East, an orbital position that allows Eutelsat to cover the whole of Asia in complement to the company’s SESAT satellite.
W5 will be operational by mid-December, according to an official release.
Equipped with 24 Ku-band transponders with 72 MHz bandwidth, W5 is configured with one fixed Widebeam covering western Europe, central Asia and the Indian sub-continent and two steerable spotbeams. The steerable spotbeams can cover north-east Asia including the whole of China and Mongolia as far as Korea and southern Japan, and south-east Asia as far as northern parts of Australia.
W5 will be capable of delivering a full range of digital communications services: video distribution and contribution links, occasional-use video and particularly Satellite News Gathering (SNG), as well as Internet backbone connections. Through a new bundled turnaround onto Eutelsat’s Digital Platforms on its HOT BIRD ?broadcasting satellites that reach an estimated 96 million cable and satellite homes, Eutelsat will also be able to offer Indian broadcasters seamless connectivity directly into Europe.
Eutelsat is also perhaps the only Satellite Company offering dedicated Ku-band connectivity to its Indian customers for India to Europe, Europe to India, and India to India through SESAT Satellite, an official release says. Eutelsat already has substantial capacity dedicated to the South Asian market with its SESAT satellite. SESAT (36oE) features a fixed widebeam that extends over the Atlantic Islands to eastern Russia. In addition, it has a spotbeam centered over India to offer single hop connectivity between east and west.
W5 Vital Characteristics
Orbital position: 70.5 degrees East
Payload: 24 Ku-band transponders
Downlink frequencies: 10.95-11.70 GHz, 12.50-12.75 GHz
Transponder bandwidth: 72 MHz
Coverages : 1 fixed Widebeam up to 46 dBW and 2 steerable spotbeams up to 48 dBW.
Lifetime: minimum 12 years
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
