NBC used Intelsat to carry 'Today' show from the USS Roosevelt

Submitted by ITV Production on Apr 02, 2002

"Reporting from USS Theodore Roosevelt." US broadcaster National Broadcasting Company (NBC) did just that when it utilised a short-term satellite space lease in combination with occasional use TV services to broadcast its Today show from the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier recently.

Intelsat has claimed that NBC chose Intelsat‘s global satellite fleet to carry the show as its flexibility and powerful satellites are well positioned to serve broadcasters looking for high-quality, reliable transmissions from virtually anywhere in the world - even from the middle of the ocean. The transmission of the Today show broadcast, which aired on 26 and 27 March, was between the ship in the Atlantic Ocean and Verestar‘s Holmdel and Glenwood, New Jersey earth stations. The capacity was also used for full-bandwidth video ‘cross-talking‘ between sailors on the ship and their families. It was carried over the Intelsat 605 satellite, located at 332.5?E.

Jonathan Wald, Executive Producer of Today said that guaranteed reliability of transmission that Intelsat could provide at short notice resulted in its selection for transmission of the show.