Sharjah24: Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and with oversight from Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of Sharjah Media Council (SMC), the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority has successfully completed a significant strategic initiative. This initiative involves the establishment of a ground station for satellite broadcasting, enabling the transmission of its television and radio channels via the allocated frequency spectrum on the Nilesat satellite.

The newly established satellite broadcasting network comprises a primary broadcasting station located at the authority's headquarters in Halwan and a backup station situated in the premises of Al Wasat Channel building in Al Dhaid. This setup ensures uninterrupted signal transmission even under challenging circumstances. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including satellite devices and antennas, the station has been set up by the skilled engineers and technicians of the authority. They have been engaged in successful trial operations since the beginning of the current year, with the testing phase expected to continue until April, when the station will officially commence its operations. With this development, the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority becomes the first media entity in the country to possess its own satellite broadcasting station, eliminating the need to rely on third-party satellite providers.

The broadcasting bandwidth allocated amounts to 36 megahertz, capable of transmitting 42 megabits using the DVBS1 system, with the flexibility to switch to 54 megabits through the DVBS2 encoding system, thereby facilitating an increase in the number of available channels. This capacity adequately caters to broadcasting all of the authority's channels across Arab countries, spanning from the ocean to the Gulf and the Middle East.

Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, emphasised that the establishment of the ground station aligns with the visionary directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, aimed at enhancing the emirate's media infrastructure to the highest standards. Additionally, it signifies a significant stride towards solidifying Sharjah's stature as a leading media hub in the region.

Khalaf further highlighted that the satellite station facilitates high-quality and reliable broadcasting of television and radio channels, underscoring the authority's pride in being the first in owning a satellite broadcasting station among media outlets in the country.

He emphasised that this strategic endeavour, accomplished through the dedication of the authority's personnel, will result in substantial operational cost savings compared to global television stations, coupled with enhanced broadcasting reliability and the augmentation of engineering and technical expertise within the authority's media workforce, particularly among national talents in the engineering domain. He reiterated the authority's unwavering commitment to advancing its technical and engineering infrastructure and staying abreast of the latest technological advancements in broadcasting, reception, external transmission, television, and radio production. The proficiency demonstrated by the authority's engineers enables them to implement necessary changes crucial in a fiercely competitive landscape, both locally and globally.

The Sharjah Broadcasting Authority oversees five television stations, including Sharjah TV, Sharjah Sports Channel, Al Sharqiya Channel from Kalba, Al Wusta Channel from Al Dhaid, and Sharjah Second Channel, in addition to four radio stations: Sharjah Radio, Quran Kareem Radio, Plus 95 Radio, and Watar Radio, alongside the electronic platform, Maraya.