AIB-Nx-brief-220119

AIB media industry briefing | Channels | People | Events | Programming

AIB Media Industry Briefing | January 2019

Welcome to the latest media industry briefing from the Association for International Broadcasting, covering news from our Members and the wider industry.

Visit the AIB website here

The AIB’s mission is to support , sustain, promote and protect its Members, wherever they are in the world, via a range of specialist services.

The Association was formed to support organisations that face unique challenges by virtue of their remit to broadcast to and publish in multiple global jurisdictions and cultures. Today, thanks to the rapid developments in distribution and accessibility to content, this includes almost every domestic broadcaster since their services have become available to international audiences.

Our Members operate television, radio and online services in multiple languages that, every week, reach well in excess of one billion people in almost every country on the planet.

We help our Members to collaborate, and to innovate.

We help our Members to solve problems.

We help our Members to tell their stories.

We draw on 25 years of knowledge gathering, intelligence sharing and understanding in the international media market to deliver outstanding support to our Members.

To find out more about the benefits that Membership of the Association for International Broadcasting delivers, see our Guide to Membership booklet and talk to Tom Wragg at AIB headquarters in the UK.

Brexit and Channel Licensing

It had been thought that there would by now be clarity on the issue of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU at the end of March. However, the political debate in the UK has been mired in discord and confusion resulting in no one knowing what will happen after 29 March.

This continuing uncertainty presents a challenge for many businesses, including those operating pan-European TV channels. That's why the AIB is working constantly on research on behalf of its Members and liaising with regulators and governments across Europe. More here .

Talk to us about how the AIB helps Members on Brexit and other mission-critical issues - contact our Business Development Director Tom Wragg .

AIB moves ahead with major Media Freedom Initiative

On 8 November, the AIB convened a high-level meeting of Association Members and other interested parties to explore the concept of a collaborative media freedom initiative among broadcasters.

At its meeting in January, the AIB Executive Committee agreed that the Association can now start work on developing a collaborative work programme. The Secretariat is in discussion with broadcasters to establish a steering group and to decide on the mechanisms to develop this crucial initiative. Read more here .

The AIB is grateful to Al Jazeera Media Network for providing support for the initiative which now moves into a wider, global arena.

beIN Media unveils anti-piracy website

As the AIB has reported over the past year, the satellite network BeoutQ is broadcasting sport and entertainment programmes from across the world in what can only be described as industrial-scale piracy. Now Qatar’s beIN Media – the broadcaster most affected by the piracy operation – is ramping up its international efforts to hold the pirates to account.

beIN has launched a website giving details of what it says is the evidence it has gathered about the beoutQ operation. It provides a time-line from before the launch of beoutQ through to the present, including beIN’s US$1bn compensation claim against Saudi Arabia.

Bauhaus festival powered by Ruptly

A grandiose festival kicked off in Berlin’s Academy of Arts on Wednesday 16 January, celebrating 100th birthday of Bauhaus. After an opening speech by the president of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, prominent composer Michael Wollny took the stage with a unique concert, offering a musical perspective inspired by the work of the world-famous design institution.

On behalf of ZDF the event was streamed live by ARTE Concert, production company ifbbw (Institut für Bildbewegung) while director Thomas Janze contracted Ruptly’s Outside Broadcast Van to bring the concert to the screen.

Read more here

AIB reducing its environmental impact

As part of the AIB's work and efforts on sustainability , we no longer have office milk in plastic bottles. Instead, we have our milk delivered in #glassbottles from local dairy Hinxden Farm , just a few miles away from the AIB's head office. This is much better for the environment as we've cut out a significant number of single use plastic bottles, and our milk travels a far shorter distance to reach us!

Share your stories about what your organisation is doing to reduce its impact on the environment, and we'll tell the world. Tweet your stories @AIBnews .

French journalists between a rock and a hard place

Journalists covering the Gilets Jaunes demonstrations in France have been threatened, harassed and physically attacked by the movement’s supporters who accused them of lying; journalists have also come under fire from some political circles for allegedly encouraging protests.

AIB Media Analyst Morand Fachot has been investigating the unprecedented insults, harassment and attacks - read his report here .

New Arabic-language news channel from TRT

TRT , Turkey's public broadcaster, has relaunched its Arabic-language TV channel. TRT Arabi takes many cues from TRT WORLD, the English-language TV channel that went on air in 2015.

The channel's director of news and programmes is Resul Serdar Atas, formerly director of TRT WORLD.

Read the full story, with videos, online here .

RT seeks judicial review of UK regulator findings

Following a ruling by UK media regulator Ofcom a bout programming on the English-language international broadcaster RT , the Moscow-based channel is to seek a judici al review.

A statement by the broadcaster said: “Ofcom investigated ten RT programmes, and decided that seven were in breach; we firmly believe that none were [sic] in breach. RT is left with no choice other than to seek judicial review of the matter.”

Ofcom published the findings of its investigations on 20 December 2018, covering programmes broadcast in the aftermath of the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in early 2018. Ofcom’s report is available here.