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SIS - THE FACTS
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The
most prolific producer of live television in the UK, with more than
10500 hours of live programmes per year.
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SISLink
is the largest satellite linking fleet operator in the UK - over 40
trucks. Nearest competitor is BT.
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Has
a turnover of £100 million and employs 350.
1986
- SIS was formed in response to the impending change in the law. Betting
shops were able to have televisions displaying live racing action, replacing
the previous Extel service of commentary over a loudspeaker.
1987 - Service
launched on 5th May. Supplied race coverage from two horse race and one
greyhound meeting per day. Received by just 100 shops in Bristol with
a target of 3,000 shops in its first year.
2002
- Successfully renegotiated contracts with the UK and Irish bookmakers
for a further five years. Appointed by the betting industry to manage
its rights licence with 49 of the UK racecourses and to include those
races within its services.
2003
- The service supplies more than 1200 UK horse race meetings per year,
1500 greyhound meetings, 300 Irish and 300 South African horserace meetings
and, as a response to the introduction of the National Lottery, a range
of numbers betting products, including virtual horse and greyhound racing.
Now received
in virtually all UK and Eire shops, together with 300 outlets in Western
Europe - a total of 9,500 shops. It is also broadcast to betting outlets
in the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Italy and the former USSR.
Consists
of:
- live pictures and commentary of the races and numbers games,
- discussion and previews of the day's action,
- a comprehensive text information service giving live up-to-the-minute betting information, results and starting prices.
SIS also
supplies data stream services that enable customers to drive their own
branded text systems, EPOS and automated bet settling equipment.
As part
of the service SIS owns, maintains and leases:
- the
satellite dish and receiver in each shop
- the
information display systems
- the
television sets in many of them
Presented
from Corsham Street SIS studios, pictures are sourced from the RCA's Racetech
outside broadcast units. Signals are linked from the courses to Corsham
Street via satellite, using SIS linking trucks, for onward transmission
within the betting shop service.
Produced
and transmitted The Racing Channel direct to the home through Sky and
cable television. Launched in 1995 as a high premium (£19.99 monthly)
stand-alone channel, it was the first single-sport channel in the world.
Currently attracts around 35,000 subscribers. In November 2000, the rights
in the channel reverted to the RCA, with SIS continuing to produce and
transmit the channel on a commercial basis for the Association. The channel
was subsequently sold and later closed by the new owners.
Having built
its own fleet of satellite linking trucks to deliver the television signals
from the courses to London, SIS developed the fleet to meet the demands
of UK television companies for linking news stories from location using
this technology. The company, SISLink, now has exclusive contracts to
serve ITN and SKY News, together with a number of smaller, non-exclusive
contracts for other companies.
The company
also produces sports programmes for Sky and the BBC, CCTV programming
for a number of racecourses and Corporate Network production, delivery
and management for a number of clients.
SIS
is owned by:
Ladbrokes 23%
Thales (Racal) 23%
United News & Media 19%
William Hill Organisation 19%
Racecourse Association 10%
Tote 6%
(all
figures rounded)
Click
here for the Satellite Information Sevices web site
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