Preface ix uplinks for the gathering of news, and nothing else. Throughout the focus remains on newsgathering, and the use of satellite technology in the field to serve this purpose. I have treated the whole subject of SNG in a `holistic' fashion, as there is a flow and intertwining of the different themes in the following chapters that put this subject beyond a strictly technical treatise on satellite communications engineering (of which there are numerous in print). This book covers a range of issues and hopefully can continue to act (as it did with the first edition) as a handbook for both pro- fessionals working in the field as well as those with an incidental interest. The most expert people in the use of SNG have strong editorial, technical and logistical skills ­ be they an uplink technician, producer or reporter ­ and so this book covers the subject in a similarly multi-disciplined approach. Finally, I want to express gratitude to the many colleagues and friends across the industry, who freely gave their time for both the first and the second editions to discuss issues, look at drafts of chapters, make suggestions, supply information, provide images, and generally encouraged me in this endeavor. I also want to thank all at Focal Press, particularly Joanne Tracy, who patiently waited for the manuscript while several deadlines passed. Not least, I thank my wife Annie, who has constantly supported and encouraged me from the very beginning when I first decided to launch into a writing career, and has endured countless lost evenings, weekends (and occasionally holidays!) throughout without question. Jonathan Higgins April 2007