Update: New Skies Races Ahead In Japan

New Skies Satellite N.V. [NSK], a global satellite operator in The Hague, Netherlands, will use its newly gained license from the Japanese government to provide domestic and international satellite services from that country to deliver live coverage of a Formula One Grand Prix auto race to audiences throughout Europe.

A Radio Station License from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, combined with the Telecom Business Registration granted to New Skies in July of this year, will enable the company to serve both Japanese and non-Japanese companies with links to, from and within Japan. The company quickly arranged to provide several European broadcasters with live digital coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. The event, held Oct. 8-10, used the NSS-6 and NSS-7 satellites to broadcast the practice, qualifying and race sessions. Audiences in Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland were able to watch the action involving their favorite Formula One drivers navigating the difficult course in the rain.

As a tiny global satellite operator, New Skies needs to find revenue-generating opportunities when it can during a time of weak demand for satellite capacity. It plans to leverage its new contract from Japan as it competes for international business with the industry’s behemoths.

The license “opens up” a highly developed market and a world leader in digital video and high-definition television to New Skies’ high-powered Ku-band video distribution network as well as to the company’s portfolio of Internet and data services, Sprague said.

(Jeff Bothwell, New Skies Satellite N.V., 011 31 70 306 4239)