How to start a satellite TV station

[kperwaiz]

Well I am not sure this is the correct forum, so don't be upset. There is not much info available on the net about how to setup a TV station. How can I rent a channel on one of the satellites, how much they cost etc.?? Any help is welcome.

[Gav]

It all depends on where you're located. Sometimes, the actual broadcasting of the channel can be cheaper than renting 'EPG' space.

For example, if you broadcast on ASTRA at 28 East, you'd have to pay loads for a sky digibox to recognize you.

[Analoguesat]

Assuming you have all the programming and studio facilities in place you have to set up:

- the distribution link to the uplink station
- carriage on the satellite with a provider (someone like Globelink in the UK)
- appropriate licencing for the county you are broadcasting to
- carriage on the local epg if your country has one.

Whilst exact figures are hard to come by you are looking at something around the lines of half a million quid a year absolute minimum BEFORE you consider any programming costs.

[kperwaiz]

Thanks for the replies. Is there a website with comprehensive info about how to go about it?? I am in India and have all the production facilities. Whom should I contact and how?? Do I need a licence from each country that will be covered by my program. Can I hire limited time say 2-hrs slot per day?? etc. etc.

[BGonaSTICK]

I would start by contacting the companies who own the satellites covering the areas you wish to broadcast to. They will be able to give you prices for carriage and be able to advise you on licensing issues.

You may find it's possible to time-share on a particular transponder to keep the costs down, and employ other tactics to make it affordable. If you don't need real-time uplinking, and only pre-recorded playout facilities, you may find that the price drops considerably. There are loads of budget TV stations popping up all over the place.

There will be plenty of new capacity coming online over the Indian subcontinent over the next few years if the noises coming out of ISRO are to be believed.