The Channel | 2002 | September

5 / 28

the channel | 5
Global Brief
The latest news from the international broadcasting industry
Research shows gains
Migration of viewing to international
channels continues across Europe, according
to the latest research house surveys.
The annual survey of media use by Europe’s
“business elite” conducted by Ipsos-RSL puts
sport and news at the top of the viewing
figures. CNN International and Eurosport have
the largest audiences, according to the
survey, with the weekly reach of Eurosport
standing at 2,858,000, just in front of CNN
International with 2,852m. Third place goes
to MTV with 1,699m and then other surveyed
channels have weekly reaches of:
EuroNews: 1,570m Discovery: 1,479m
BBC World: 1,334m CNBC Europe: 982m
TV5: 902k Nat. Geog.: 872k
Bloomberg: 632k
In monthly reach, CNN heads the table,
followed by Eurosport, MTV, EuroNews, BBC
World, Discovery, National Geographic, TV5
and Bloomberg.
In France, the regular domestic MédiaCabSat
survey for the six months to June 2002 shows
that EuroNews has increased its daily reach
by 24%, with 483,000 viewers aged 15+
watching the channel every day.
CIBAR 2002
This year’s international broadcasting
audience research conference will be held in
Stockholm from 6th - 8th November, hosted
by AIB member Radio Sweden. CIBAR is the
collaborative grouping that focuses
principally on audience research for member
international radio broadcasters. More
information is available at
Iranian satellite ban to be eased?
BBC Monitoring reports that Iranian
newspaper Hambastegi said in its issue of 7
August that Iran may reconsider its stance
on satellite dishes, banned since 1995.
Behruz Afkhami, deputy for Tehran, has said
discussions were held on the question of
finding ways to commission satellite
televisions and changing the current laws in
a way that will make the utilization of
satellite televisions possible.
He pointed out that in the near future,
because of technical reasons and the
expansion of networks throughout the world,
Iranian television will have to have satellite
sections and the expansion of many networks
will come out more cheaply for Iran if satellite
technology is used.
Afkhami added: It seems that the laws
banning the use of satellite equipment must
change in a way that will allow the utilization
of technical and technological advances.
Radio Prague back on AM
In May 2002, AIB member Radio Prague
returned to 1287 AM, a frequency it used
until 1990. It was then occupied by Radios
Free Europe/Liberty but since 1995 domestic
channel Czech Radio 6 has used it.
Radio Prague´s programmes in English,
German, French, Spanish and Russian are
broadcast on 1287 AM and 1233 AM daily
from 1200 to 1400 CET. This is a multilingual
service for foreigners in the Czech Republic
and is also heard in neighbouring countries.
Radio Prague continues to broadcast on SW,
satellite and Internet on .
mini-studios at major financial institutions acrossAsia, including ING in Hong Kong,
and four major banks in Japan.
Bloomberg believes that mini-studios are less intimidating for guests who are
unfamiliar with the bright lights and high-tech environment of full scale TV studios
and that they will encourage more contributions from guests in the financial world.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg is forging
ahead with interactive television
applications, starting in the UK
market through the Sky Digital
platform. The broadcaster has entered into a strategic agreement with UK-based
NDS – part of News Corp – to use the NDS Value@TV applications suite. Viewers
will be able to customise personal share portfolios, check the latest prices, vote on
stock market issues and view stock market indices, whilst still watching the Bloomberg
broadcast channel. Future versions may introduce further services by synchronizing
activity with the broadcast content.
Michele O’Brien, Director of Interactive Television, Bloomberg, comments
“Bloomberg Television is a 24 hour global financial news network committed to
providing its audience with the most advanced services possible and we see interactive
television as a key driver to the rapid growth of our distribution. These value-added
services, customizable to individual needs, clearly deepen our relationship with our
viewers; a valuable audience of serious investors with considerable purchasing power.”
In a further development, Bloomberg’s radio service is now syndicated in Spanish to
radio stations throughout Latin America. Bloomberg has signed an exclusive
distribution agreement with Boston based Hispanic News Press, (HNP). HNP produces
and distributes business and political news content for radio in Latin America and
the U.S. Hispanic markets. The Bloomberg Financial Report, providing news and
analysis for the world’s financial markets, airs daily in Costa Rica, Bolivia, Ecuador,
Panama, the Dominican Republic andVenezuela and is scheduled to roll out in Chile,
Peru, Colombia, Argentina and other locations in Central America.
“This is the beginning of what we hope will be a long-term relationship that will
bring Bloomberg to the major radio stations in LatinAmerica,” comments Luis Lugo,
HNP’s business development director. “Radio is the most popular medium in Latin
America and we think Bloomberg and Hispanic News Press will be the perfect
complement.”
BBC World Service gets more
BBC World Service will gain an average annual increase of 3.4% in real terms over
the next three years as part of the British Government’s Spending Review for 2003-
2006. The new investment represents an extra £48 million spread over the three
years.
The money will be used to:
• consolidate recent extensions in BBC services following the events of September
11th and launch new programmes serving Afghanistan, South West Asia and the
Arab World;
• develop landmark radio programmes on global issues such as Global Security;
Islam in the 21st century, and Development and Democracy;
• develop new flagship programming serving Africa, China and Europe;
• strengthen online capability through more depth in key language sites and increased
interactivity; expand World Service availability on FM, particularly in capital cities;
• support the World Service’s important capital modernisation programme;
Mark Byford, director of BBC World Service, said: “The settlement is a strong
endorsement of the BBC World Service at a time when the global appetite for
international news and analysis has increased. It is recognition that the need for our
values, of impartial, authoritative and editorially independent journalism, is greater
than ever.
“The investment comes on the back of a year of outstanding achievement for the
World Service in which we extended key services and won numerous prestigious
awards in response to September 11th and the war inAfghanistan. This is a significant
settlement for the World Service, representing real terms growth.”