WorldSpace, Inc. was founded in 1990 by Noah
A. Samara, its Chairman and CEO, with a mission
to provide digital satellite audio, data
and multimedia services primarily to the
emerging markets of Africa and Asia. A pioneer
of digital satellite radio, Mr. Samara was
also instrumental in the development of the
satellite radio industry through his early
involvement with XM Satellite Radio in the
United States.
The company’s mission is to provide a
variety of high quality programming through a
subscription-based service that uses low-cost
portable satellite radios and is available in
underserved markets that lack programming
choices. WorldSpace is the first and only company
with rights to the world’s globally allocated
spectrum for digital satellite radio. Its broadcast
footprint covers over 130 countries including
India and China, all of Africa and the Middle
East and most of Western Europe – an area
that includes five billion people and more than
300 million automobiles. Its two fully operational
satellites and ground infrastructure are based
on proprietary and patented technology.
The Content:
The company has assembled an extraordinary
combination of news, sports, music, brand name
content and education programming which it delivers
to Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Western
Europe. Currently, WorldSpace broadcasts 62 channels – 32
of which are content provided by international,
national and regional third parties and 30 WorldSpace-branded
stations produced by or for WorldSpace. These
stations represent the most popular international
music formats including contemporary hits, country,
classic rock and jazz.
WorldSpace’s program directors and radio
jockeys operate from studios in Washington, DC,
Bangalore, India and Nairobi, Kenya, where 30
original music and lifestyle channels are created
for distribution. Four of these stations are
also available in the United States, on the XM
Satellite Radio network.
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The Technology:
The WorldSpace satellite network is comprised
of two operational satellites that service three
large geographic areas through three beams that
are each capable of carrying up to 80 channels.
These powerful L-band satellites have traveling
wave tube amplifiers and on-board baseband processors
that link with WorldSpace radio receivers equipped
with a special micro-integrated circuit that
processes the satellites’ high-quality
audio and data transmissions.
Broadcasters and organizations can uplink their
content through a centralized hub site or an
individual feeder link station. The satellite
then transmits the signal received from the uplink,
to any combination of the three downlink beams.
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