Called the Industry Message Summit, the effort aims to focus attention on the industry’s striking contributions to human welfare, safety and prosperity around the world. The alliance of industry associations, including the European Satellite Operators’ Association (Brussels), Global VSAT Forum (London) and Satellite Industry Association (Washington, DC), will drive the rebuilding of the “satellite brand” in support of the industry’s growth.
“This alliance has set a big goal: to refresh the image of one of the world’s most essential technologies, which has such profound impact at the human level,” said SSPI executive director Robert Bell, adding that the project will have both a short-term and long-term impact. “In the short term, we plan to make a contribution in the run-up to the WRC 2015 negotiations regarding spectrum allocations. Longer term, our priority is to change how we, as a global industry, view ourselves and collectively determine how to communicate our vitality and economic and social significance to those who benefit from it.”
During the past half-century, the satellite industry – once recognised by the words “Live via satellite” on every TV screen – has become almost invisible, except to its global base of current customers. While the world’s TV programming, business information, scientific data, weather information, safety, security and humanitarian traffic crosses the world’s satellite network, the contribution of that network to business, government and human welfare is unrecognised. Only in natural disaster, such as the Philippine typhoon, or in support of war does the word “satellite” appear relevant to the general media.
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