News Corp Ltd chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch said his media conglomerate would invest in a digital multi-channel satellite television network for Japan to be launched within the next two years as JSkyB. The service will provide at least 100 channels in its first phase by inviting Japanese terrestrial broadcasters and programmers to provide high quality Japanese content. Investment would be in the $300 to $400m range and said the set-top box satellite receivers are currently priced at around $300 but he expects prices to fall. The Super Bird C satellite to be launched next year by a Mitsubishi Ltd consortium is a likely candidate to handle transmission, he said. JSkyB is not the first to plan satellite television services for Japan – the DirecTV venture backed by Hughes Communications Inc plans services from next year and PerfecTV, which is backed by four Japanese trading houses, expects to launch its digital service beginning this fall.
