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High Above

The untold story of Astra, Europe's leading satellite company

  • Book
  • © 2011

Overview

Editors:
  1. Chris Forrester

    1. 37 The Towers, Broadgate Publications, Richmond, United Kingdom

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  • Reports on all aspects of broadcasting with special emphasis on satellite, the business of television and emerging broadcast applications
  • This is the story of Europe’s leading satellite company
  • Many photos and fascinating anecdotes
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
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  2. 01 TV that ‘Comes Alive’

    • Chris Forrester
    Pages 12-21

  3. 02 Location, Location, Location

    • Geoff Bains, Chris Forrester
    Pages 22-35

  4. 03 A Place in Space

    • Geoff Bains, Chris Forrester
    Pages 36-45

  5. 04 Luxembourg: The Mouse that Roared

    • Chris Forrester
    Pages 46-61

  6. 05 Achieving the Breakthrough

    • Jacques Santer, Chris Forrester
    Pages 62-83

  7. 06 Europe’s Dish and Box Wars

    • Chris Forrester
    Pages 84-99

  8. 07 Astra Cracks the German Market

    • Jörn Krieger, Chris Forrester
    Pages 100-107

  9. 08 Overcoming the Barrier

    • Chris Forrester
    Pages 108-115

  10. 09 Astra Adds Up for Canal+

    • Serge Siritzky, Chris Forrester
    Pages 116-125

  11. 10 Countdown to Launch

    • Geoff Bains, Chris Forrester
    Pages 126-139

  12. 11 The Brave Pioneers

    • Julian Clover, Chris Forrester
    Pages 140-151

  13. 12 Satellites: The ‘Early Birds’

    • Geoff Bains, Chris Forrester
    Pages 152-163

  14. 13 The Satellite Miracles

    • Geoff Bains, Chris Forrester
    Pages 164-175

  15. 14 The TV Revolution: Beyond the Shannon Limit

    • Julian Clover, Chris Forrester
    Pages 176-187

  16. 15 The Future for the Box

    • Julian Clover, Chris Forrester
    Pages 188-195

  17. 16 How on Earth?

    • Chris Forrester
    Pages 196-205

  18. 17 Hard Science or Science Fiction?

    • Chris Forrester
    Pages 206-215

  19. 18 The Astra Chronicles

    • Chris Forrester
    Pages 216-231

  20. Back Matter

    Pages 232-242
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Keywords

About this book

Frequently it is suggested that the ‘golden age' of television was during the period 1950-1960. It is true that television almost ruined Hollywood's fortunes during this period. But if this was the authentic golden age, then it was an age of black and white, somewhat limited creativity, poor reception, lack of competition (except in the United States) and – by and large – public service broadcasting. However, if we take 1950 as a generic ‘starting point' for modern television broadcasting, then we talk about a kind of prehistoric stage of the medium – in which it remained for the best part of three decades. The younger days of broadcasting were the 1980s; the time when commercial television started on a large scale and, in this youth, was getting younger in terms of programming. Luxembourg-based SES Astra appeared on the scene at exactly this time. Astra was instrumental in the dramatic developments in television that we have witnessed since then. This is the story we want to tell in this book. Without satellite technology and the success of satellite reception, without the resulting mass-market penetration of television sets and general economic prosperity we would not have the necessary base ingredients to make the great leap forward into digital, into HDTV, 3D-television, and the prospects of Ultra High Definition now in sight.

Editors and Affiliations

  • 37 The Towers, Broadgate Publications, Richmond, United Kingdom

    Chris Forrester

About the editor

SES ASTRA, Château de Betzdorf, Luxembourg

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