September 28, 2009

From rewarding a fresh take on videoclips, to documentaries exposing the most spectacular human achievements and sports coverage putting you at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, the HOT BIRD™ TV Awards is a unique event for celebrating the achievements of thematic satellite channels. Now in its 12^th edition, this international award is bestowed annually to thematic channels broadcast by Eutelsat satellites that are considered by an international jury to have excelled in terms of programming ideas and innovation.

For this year’s event, the jury of journalists and media experts assessed a record number of channels broadcasting in Europe, the Middle East and, for the first time, in Africa. Among the 144 channels viewed, a total of 34 in 11 thematic categories have been shortlisted for an Award on the basis of the quality of their production and innovative concepts.

The nominations for 2009 are:

Votes open for People’s Choice Award

Repeating the popularity of the last three years, this year’s HOT BIRD™ TV Awards includes the People’s Choice Award, which will go to the channel with the largest number of votes from viewers. All participating channels are eligible to take part in the People’s Choice, with viewers invited to vote through each channel’s website and key industry sites including hotbirdtvawards.com, eutelsat.com, eurovisioni.net, satexpo.com and lyngsat.com/hotbird.html.

3D – a first Award in 2009

And continuing the HOT BIRD™ TV Award’s strong tradition of celebrating technical innovation, an Award will be presented for the first time for pioneering developments in 3D transmissions.

The 2009 HOT BIRD^TM TV AWARDS ceremony event will be held on November 20 in Venice at the Scuola Grande of San Giovanni Evangelista.

HOT BIRD^TM TV AWARDS Jury

Jerzy Barski, TV-Sat Magazine (Poland), Jacques Braun, Eurodata TV (France), Paolo Dalla Chiara, Pentastudio (Italy), Giovanna Maggioni, Upa (Italy), Asu Maro, Milliyet Sanat and Milliyet Daily (Turkey), Mimi Turner, Hollywood Reporter (Europe), Stefanie Von Beöczy, EGTA (Europe). Jury coordinator: Duilio Giammaria, Rai (Italy); technical expert Mauro Roffi, Mille Canali (Italy).

The HOT BIRD^TM TV AWARDS is an event promoted by Eutelsat, Europe’s leading satellite operator, with the collaboration of Eurovisioni – a leading European event dedicated to the video market, to be held in Rome from 11 to 14 of October as part of the International Film Festival of Rome, and SAT Expo, the international exhibition of advanced digital and satellite telecommunications, which will be held in Rome from 4 to 6 February, 2010.

Eutelsat Communications

With capacity commercialized on 27 satellites providing coverage over the entire Europe 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 turnover. At 30 June 2009, Eutelsat’s satellites broadcast almost 3,200 television channels and 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD ™ 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 also provides TV contribution services, data services and broadband solutions on ground, at sea and in flight.

www.eutelsat.com

SAT Expo

SAT Expo Europe is the international event dedicated to the aerospace industry, its services and applications and integrated telecommunications. Held annually in Rome, it houses an exhibition area, which comprises representatives of the industries, applications and services of the four aerospace  macro areas (Earth observation, navigation, exploration and space transportation, integrated telecommunications) and three days congresses (Mediterranean Space Conference), dedicated to aerospace market and its internationalization. SAT Expo Europe enjoys the patronage of the Presidency of the Italian Republic and the scientific collaboration of ESA and ASI.

www.satexpo.it

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) is 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.

2009 edition takes place during the fourth International Film Festival of Rome.

www.eurovisioni.it

Press Contacts:

HOT BIRD™ TV Awards e-mail: hbapress@gmail.com

Mobile  +39 338 1033788

Eutelsat Vanessa O’Connor, Tel. +33 1 5398 3888,

e-mail: voconnor@eutelsat.fr;

Organisation:

Promospace – Tel. +39 0444 543 133 – e-mail: hba@satexpo.it