Winners Announced of the HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards 2008

Winners Announced of the HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards 2008

PARIS, November 17/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The winners of the HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards, which recognizes excellence in
thematic satellite television broadcasting, were honoured on November 14 at a
gala ceremony in Venice.

The Awards are administered by a jury of media experts and organised
annually by Eutelsat, together with Eurovisioni and Sat Expo. This year's
event assembled broadcasting talent and innovation from over 130 thematic
channels from 17 countries.

HOT BIRD(TM) TV AWARD Winners for 2008

CATEGORY CHANNEL LANGUAGE
HDTV Melodyzen.Tv French
Children's Raisat Smash Italian
Cinema Propeller TV English
Culture/Education 365 Days TV Russian

Special Mention Edusat Polish
Documentaries The Biography Channel German
Fiction Fox Italian
Lifestyle Joint winners Alice Italian

Turkmax Turkish

Special Mention Fashion TV English

Special Mention Nigezie English - Nigerian
Music C Music TV English
News RBC-TV Russian
Sport Setanta Ireland English
National Window TVR International Romanian
Excellence Award Planete Polish
Special Award SKY Cinema 1 Italian
Special Recognition Euronews English, French,
German, Italian,
Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish,
Arabic

This year, for the third year, viewers had the possibility
enter their favourite channel for the People's Choice Award. The winner was
the channel that received the majority of votes in Europe via leading
satellite TV websites.

The People's Choice Award

DUNA TV Hungarian

In recognition of particular achievements in broadcasting, Eutelsat gave
its own Special Award to NTV-Plus, the well-established Russian broadcasting
group that has consistently striven to generate diverse and quality content,
and to Orange TV a new force in broadcasting, motivated by the objective to
maximise the delivery of content over multiple technology platforms,
including satellite, ADSL and fibre.

"The HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards continues to go from strength to
strength," said Giuliano Berretta, CEO of Eutelsat Communications. "This
year's participants enable us to celebrate the highest quality of content
creation and innovative programming formats. Since Eutelsat initiated the HOT
BIRD(TM) TV Awards in 1998 we have seen a constant flow of new thematic
channels broadcasting through our satellites across Europe and the
Mediterranean Basin. Further growth of our video neighbourhoods, which will
come with the upcoming launches of new broadcast satellites, will open
increasing opportunities for new channels to reach television homes and
further expand the satellite broadcasting universe."

The Jury

The international jury for the HOT BIRD(TM) TV AWARDS is composed of
international television critics in Europe and representatives of European
satellite television organisations. The members are:

Jerzy Barski, TV-Sat Magazine (Poland), Sergheij Buntman, Echo Moscow
Radio (Russia), Jacques Braun, Eurodata TV (France), Paolo Dalla Chiara, Sat
Expo (Italy), Giovanna Maggioni, Upa (Italy), Asu Maro, Milliyet Sanat e
Milliyet Daily (Turkey), Giacomo Mazzone, Eurovisioni (Europe), Mimi Turner,
Hollywood Reporter (Europe), Patricia Wynn Davies, The Daily Telegraph
(United Kingdom).

Jury co-ordinator: Duilio Giammaria, Rai (Itay). Technical expert: Mauro
Roffi, Mille Canali (Italy).

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is
the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 24
satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, 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 revenues. At 30 September 2008, Eutelsat's satellites were
broadcasting more than 3,180 television channels and 1,100 radio stations.
Almost 1,100 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at
13 degrees East which serves over 120 million cable and satellite homes in
Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a
wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution
markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service
Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's
broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates services through its
teleport in Italy that serves enterprises, local communities, government
agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 538 commercial,
technical and operational experts from 27 countries. http://www.eutelsat.com

About Eurovisioni

Eurovisioni is an International Film and Television Festival,
established in 1987 and this year is its XXII edition. The 2008 edition theme
- Rome, 18-24 October - was "Digital television as conveyor of social
cohesion or social fragmentation". Eurovisioni 2008 was organised with the
patronage of Giorgio Napolitano President of the Italian Republic, the
European Commissioner for the Society of the information and Media, the
European Council, the Presidency of the Ministry Council, the Presidency of
the Italian Senate, Presidency of the House of Deputies, Lazio Region,
Province and Municipality of Rome and many others. Among all the others
supporters, the event was supported by, ARD, BBC, Canal +, Eutelsat, France
Television, RAI, RTVE, TVP, ZDF. The 2008 edition took place in the framework
of the Third Rome International Film Festival. http://www.eurovisioni.it

For further information
Press Contacts
Eutelsat
Vanessa O'Connor
Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88

voconnor@eutelsat.fr
HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards
Press Office in Italy:
Eurovisioni

Alessandra Lombardi
Tel. +39-06-59606371,
cell +39-347-7589385
alexlomb@gmail.com

http://www.hotbirdtvawards.com

Sat Expo
Matteo Sassano
+39-0444-543133
matteo.sassano@pentastudio.it

Source: Eutelsat Communications

Press contacts: Eutelsat, Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88, voconnor@eutelsat.fr. HOT BIRD(TM) TV Awards, Press Office in Italy: Eurovisioni, Alessandra Lombardi, Tel. +39-06-59606371, cell +39-347-7589385, alexlomb@gmail.com. Sat Expo, Matteo Sassano, +39-0444-543133, matteo.sassano@pentastudio.it

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