Sky Group reinforces partnership with Eutelsat for European newsgathering operations

Amsterdam, London, Paris, 8 September 2016 – Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) is reinforcing its collaboration with Sky Group with the signature of a direct, multi-year contract for satellite bandwidth that will serve newsgathering requirements for Sky’s UK, German and Italian operations.

The contract covers the equivalent of three transponders on the EUTELSAT 16A satellite whose reach includes the core newsgathering footprint of Sky Group in Europe and the Middle East. The capacity will be used by SNG vehicles that are the backbone of a mobile broadcasting infrastructure originating live news and sports reports for Sky channels in all three markets.

With the EUTELSAT 16A satellite, Sky journalists are guaranteed access to reliable, high-power Ku-band capacity in an established footprint. Connectivity can be mutualised across the entire Sky SNG fleet, allowing for cost-efficient and global access to connectivity.

Jackie Faulkner, Director of Operations at Sky News said “Sky reporters and OB teams need constant access to reliable bandwidth in order to cover events quickly and deliver the highest signal quality. The EUTELSAT 16A satellite delivers both on reach and power, enabling live transmissions to be seamlessly integrated into news and sports channels.”

Michel Azibert, Eutelsat Chief Commercial and Development Officer, added: “For broadcasters who won’t compromise on quality or jeopardise live coverage of highly valuable sports events, Eutelsat offers best-in-class capacity and flexibility across multiple satellites. Sky Group is in the premier league of media groups for whom quality and reliability are indispensable. We are delighted to support their newsgathering operations in the UK, Germany and Italy and to offer the flexibility that meets Sky’s evolving requirements across all its operations.”