Thematic Channels From Across Europe and Africa Awarded for Highest Quality of Content and Innovation

PARIS, November 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The winners of this year's prestigious HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards, the only international event recognizing the highest quality of content creation and innovation by thematic satellite television channels, were honored on November 20 at a gala ceremony in Venice.

The Awards are bestowed by a jury of media experts and organized annually by Eutelsat in partnership with Eurovisioni and Satexpo. In addition to channels participating from across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, this year's event was the first to include broadcasters from across Africa, further broadening the range and diversity of content considered by the jury in each thematic category.

Almost 150 channels from 20 countries entered this year's event, making it the most significant since the HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards were established in 1998. The winning channels selected by the jury for 2009 are:

    HOT BIRD(TM) TV AWARDS

    CATEGORY               CHANNEL           LANGUAGE
    HDTV                   HD Suisse         French, German, Italian,
                                             Rhaeto-Romanic
    Children's             Tv-nanny          Russian
    Cinema                 Wojna i Pokoi     Polish
    Culture/Education      Zakon Tv          Russian
    Documentaries          Vremya            Russian
    Fiction                M-Net Action      English
    Lifestyle              Body in balance   German
    Music                  Trace Tropical    French
    News                   BBC Persian       Farsi
       Excellence Award         SKY News 24       Italian
    Sport                  SKY Sport 24      Italian
    National Window        Yes Italia        Italian

Following the success over previous years of the People's Choice, viewers had the possibility to once again enter their favourite channel for this popular Award. This year's winner, Duna TV from Hungary, was the channel receiving most viewer votes via leading TV websites.

To honour particular achievements in broadcasting, Eutelsat gave a Special Award to China's CCTV9 that has consistently striven to generate diverse and quality content abroad. An Award was also given to TivuSat, the new Italian platform using satellite to extend access to national Digital Terrestrial Television channels to homes beyond range of terrestrial reception.

In recognition of a new prize for thematic channels in Russia called 'Golden Ray', an Award was also bestowed on Vesti, the 24-hour news channel. Finally, in honour of their pioneering work in Europe on broadcasting and screening prestigious 3D events, an Award was given by Satexpo to Ciel Ecran, Opensky, dbw Communication and Eutelsat.

The Jury

The members of the international jury for the HOT BIRD(TM) TV AWARDS are:

Jerzy Barski, TV-Sat Magazine (Poland), Jacques Braun, Eurodata TV (France), Paolo Dalla Chiara, Sat Expo (Italy), Giovanna Maggioni, Upa (Italy), Asu Maro, Milliyet Sanat e Milliyet Daily (Turkey), Giacomo Mazzone, Eurovisioni (Europe), Mimi Turner, Hollywood Reporter (Europe), Stephanie Boeczy, EGTA (Europe)

Jury coordinator: Duilio Giammaria, Rai (Itay). Technical expert: Mauro Roffi, Mille Canali (Italy).

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 27 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 30 September 2009, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting 3,300 television channels and 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 123 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 615 commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

Eurovisioni

Eurovisioni, International Festival of Cinema and Television, was created in 1987 and now in its 23rd edition. Eurovisioni 2009 (from 11 to 14 of October) was dedicated to creativity and innovation in the audiovisual market, is part of the European events for the Year of Creativity, and received the patronage of the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, the European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, the Council of Europe, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Presidency of the Senate, the Presidency of the Chamber of Deputies, the Lazio Region, the Province and Municipality of Rome, and others. Among others, the initiative is supported by ARD, BBC, Canal +, Eutelsat, France Télévision, RAI, RTVE, TVP, ZDF.

    The 2009 edition took place during the fourth International Film Festival
of Rome.
    http://www.eurovisioni.it

    Press Contacts
    Eutelsat
    Vanessa O'Connor
    HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards
    Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88
    voconnor@eutelsat.fr

    Press Office in Italy:
    Eurovisioni
    Alessandra Lombardi
    Tel: +39-06-5960637
    Cell: +39-347-7589385
    http://www.hotbirdtvawards.com
    alexlomb@gmail.com

    Sat Expo
    Matteo Sassano
    Tel: +39-0444-543133
    matteo.sassano@pentastudio.it

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications

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