13 March 2015
Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli has called on media outlets to help the government conduct a “healthy election”, Fars news agency reported on 7 March.
“I call on media outlets to help us hold healthy elections [the upcoming Majlis election], and inform us whenever they see any violations, leveraging, or God forbid, any fraud,” Interior Minister Rahmani-Fazli was quoted as saying.
Rahmani-Fazli was also quoted as saying: “After all the Interior Minister is a family, consisting of 31 governor-generals, 400 governors, and four thousand district governors, who might make some violation during the election process and we may not be informed of it. I ask them to inform us and be confident that I will deal with it immediately and I will not allow this issue to be dealt with by [some] committee. We should assure people that healthy elections will be held. All these things that we are doing are considered political.”
According to the report, Rahmani-Fazli also said that the government is a moderate government. “[President] Rouhani is not a reformist either. All of us [in the government] follow moderation,” Interior Minister Rahmani-Fazli was quoted as saying.
Later it was observed that Fars news agency deleted this report.
Source: Fars News Agency website, Tehran, in Persian at 0601 GMT 07 Mar 15
12 March 2015
Gilat’s CellEdge small-cell-over-satellite solution combined with Intelsat’s fully integrated, end-to-end satellite solutions deliver rural cellular connectivity to mobile network operators worldwide
As demand for mobile connectivity increases in regions where there is an absence of terrestrial infrastructure, mobile network operators (MNOs) are looking to satellite communications to expand their subscriber base, comply with universal service obligations and most importantly, provide rural communities with the necessary connectivity to help their populations and economies thrive.
Today, Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: GILT), a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions and services, and Intelsat SA (NYSE: I), the world’s leading provider of satellite services, announced that they have joined forces to provide MNOs with a comprehensive 2G/3G cellular infrastructure solution to better serve rural regions.
Gilat’s CellEdge small-cell-over-satellite solution, combined with Intelsat’s global satellite coverage and IntelsatOne® terrestrial infrastructure, means mobile network operators can now expand 2G/3G services quickly and profitably throughout their desired service territories.
An initial example of the collaboration between Gilat and Intelsat is RuralCom’s thousand-mile-long Alaska Highway and British Columbia Coast cellular network. Gilat’s CellEdge 3G network is leveraging Intelsat’s global satellite fleet through its Intelsat Horizons 1 satellite and its IntelsatOne terrestrial network. Gilat’s CellEdge 3G network is optimizing space segment usage through a hub located at an Intelsat teleport. Joining forces, the two companies are enabling RuralCom to quickly expand its network and extend its subscriber base at a significantly reduced capital expenditure base level.
“There are vast stretches of the Alaska Highway and BC Coast which have no existing wireless service. We believe that providing such coverage greatly benefits the public safety and brings significant protection to life and property.” claimed Bob Hillman, President and CEO of RuralCom. “We searched for the most advanced technology and equipment and chose the Gilat-Intelsat solution for their innovative cost-effective offering coupled with their vast rural expertise in deploying under harsh environmental conditions.”
“At Intelsat, our mission has always been to provide satellite solutions that can deliver broadband connectivity to any location,” stated Stephen Spengler, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Intelsat. “The innovation and collaboration occurring throughout the satellite ecosystem, such as the optimization of Gilat’s platforms on the Intelsat EpicNG infrastructure, result in attractive and efficient solutions for MNOs that connect their subscribers and support profitable growth for their businesses. Our collaboration with Gilat provides MNOs with a seamless and cost efficient way to deploy and expand their wireless networks, and the opportunity to transition over time to the higher performance of Intelsat EpicNG as it begins entering service in 2016.”
“Teaming up with Intelsat brings tremendous value to our joint customers,” expanded Erez Antebi, Gilat’s CEO. “Intelsat’s vast global array of fully integrated, end-to-end satellite solutions, together with our innovative all-inclusive solution, allows operators to extend their cellular coverage to virtually anywhere in the world within two to three months.”
12 March 2015
The BBC today launched Make it Digital – a major UK-wide initiative to inspire a new generation to get creative with coding, programming and digital technology.
The UK is facing a significant skills shortage with 1.4m digital professionals needed over the next five years.[1] BBC Make it Digital will capture the spirit of the BBC Micro, which helped Britain get to grips with the first wave of personal computers in the 1980s, for the digital age. It will put digital creativity in the spotlight like never before, and help build the nation’s digital skills, through an ambitious range of new programmes, partnerships and projects. These include:
- A major partnership to develop and give a ‘Micro Bit’ coding device to all year 7 children across the UK for free to inspire a future generation – 1 million devices in total
- A season of programmes and online activity involving the BBC’s biggest and best-loved brands, including Doctor Who, EastEnders, Radio 1, The One Show, Children in Need, BBC Weather and many more, including a new BBC Two drama based on Grand Theft Auto and a documentary on Bletchley Park
- The Make it Digital Traineeship to create life-changing opportunities for up to 5,000 young unemployed people, the largest traineeship of its kind
- Partnerships with around 50 major organisations across the UK, including Apps for Good, ARM, Barclays, British Computing Society, BT, Code Club, DWP, Google, iDEA, Microsoft, Nesta, Samsung, Skills Funding Agency, Tech City UK, the Tech Partnership, TeenTech, Young Rewired State
- A range of formal education activities and events, including Bitesize, Live Lessons and School Report
Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, said: “This is exactly what the BBC is all about – bringing the industry together on an unprecedented scale and making a difference to millions. Just as we did with the BBC Micro in the 1980s, we want to inspire the digital visionaries of the future. Only the BBC can bring partners together to attempt something this ambitious, this important to Britain’s future on the world stage.
“BBC Make it Digital could help digital creativity become as familiar and fundamental as writing, and I’m truly excited by what Britain, and future great Britons, can achieve.”
BBC Make it Digital aims to get the nation truly excited about digital creativity. It will inspire audiences young and old through world-class TV, radio and online content, and focus on helping younger audiences discover their creative potential and take their first steps. Make it Digital will also amplify the great work already taking place across the UK through major initiatives with partners, and ensure young people can continue their learning journeys long after 2015.
[1] Digital Sector Skills Assessment, August 2014. Parthenon Analysis.
11 March 2015
Even before the public unveiling of their new locations services partnership, Reuters and TIMA were planning their live facilities provision for the 87th Academy Awards.
The physical set up, which commenced several days before the show, was culmination of weeks of planning and coordination between the Reuters bureau in Los Angeles, and staff in Washington DC and London from both Reuters and TIMA. The live camera was set up on a specially-constructed steel bridge over the red carpet on Hollywood Boulevard, near the entrance to the Dolby Theatre.
With Reuters-TIMA broadcasting live for clients in Europe as well as Latin America, it was essential to ensure that the transmission route’s working as planned. The substantial US fibre network meant that Reuters-TIMA didn’t need to hire its own satellite truck to broadcast from the Oscars. Clients who used the services for run-up broadcasts included a broadcaster from the Middle East and Polish Television who, with the nomination (and subsequent win) of Polish drama Ida, was closely watching the race for Foreign Language Film.
Rain on the day of the Oscars required event organisers to construct a temporary rain cover running the length of the red carpet, which threatened to block broadcasters’ view of the arrivals, but on the day of the show, the cover was removed. During the Oscars pre-show, Reuters-TIMA broadcast transmissions for clients in the Middle East, Poland, Japan and Argentina with the Reuters Video News team editing Oscars footage and writing scripts for the news service.
“I couldn’t have hoped for a more successful launch of our new partnership. Clients from all over the world booked with us and everything went smoothly. It feels like the months of planning, hiring and buying are now beginning to pay off – despite the rain,” said Tim Santhouse, Reuters Global Head of Video Products.
Reuters’ Martin Veal kept a diary detailing the challenges of settging up and executing the Reuters-TIMA Oscar coverage. Read it here.
9 March 2015
The international news channel is now available via cable to 1.1 million Indian homes in Delhi and its region.
Broadcast in luxury hotels* in India since 2013, Euronews has made significant advances in the country, through the signing of four distribution agreements with regional leading cable networks covering Delhi and the suburb of Noida.
The English service of Euronews is now part of the basic digital line-up of the cable operators Star Broad Band, Satellite Channels Pvt Ltd, Home Cable and Neo News Network, received in 1.1 million homes.
* Euronews began its distribution in India in 2013 through agreements with the most prestigious hotels, including international chains such as Radisson, Hyatt and Crown Plaza.
Over 10,500 rooms in some 50 hotels around the country receive Euronews.
… and mobile devices
| Euronews and Samsung in India |
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Samsung has chosen to pre-load Euronews on its new operating system, Tizen, which made its world premiere in India.
The Euronews Tizen app is available on the new Samsung Z1 smartphone, exclusively on the Indian market since 14th January 2015, and later in Bangladesh.
This development is part of a global agreement with the South Korean company.
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| Euronews is also present in India, as elsewhere in the world, thanks to its digital distribution via all of its apps for connected devices, its website, YouTube channels and social networks. |
Arnaud Verlhac, Worldwide Distribution Director of Euronews stated: “Asia and the Indian sub-continent are a key geographic area for Euronews’ development. The obvious growth potential of India makes the country a strategic and necessary place to do business. These recent distribution agreements are the result of three years of work by the entire team and testify to the value of our objective editorial approach and the quality of our programmes and magazines.”
Sabrina Mimouni, Regional Distribution Manager Asia-Pacific added: “Launching Euronews in the Delhi area is the first visible sign of Euronews’ arrival on this market which is particularly difficult to penetrate. I am delighted by the confidence the four big cable operators have shown in us. In just a few weeks, they put Euronews in their basic line-up so that the largest number of subscribers would have access.” (Source: Euronews press release)
Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli has called on media outlets to help the government conduct a “healthy election”, Fars news agency reported on 7 March.