22 June 2012
RT’s “Occupy W@ll Street” game for Facebook wins bronze at PromaxBDA Global Excellence Awards 2012 – the most prestigious award in television design and marketing.
The application, which was launched by RT in February 2012, received the bronze award in the Online/Interactive Games/Immerging Platforms category. RT’s main competition came from the projects by Turner Broadcasting System and Warner Bros. Worldwide, and the channel came out ahead of Universal Networks International.
“Occupy W@ll Street” (apps.facebook.com/occupyws) is RT’s first Facebook application, and it was inspired by the global social and political phenomenon which began in the US in 2011. RT became one of the first channels to give thorough coverage to the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement since its inception.
The game has already attracted attention of the prominent global media. “I was fascinated by RT’s description of its game,” – wrote FT’s Gary Silverman. “The app enables people to leave comments and “occupy” property on a virtual map of New York’s financial district. This way they can “take a stand” or “chat with others across the globe, share their Facebook profiles, invite friends, read news and join the Occupy community from the comfort of their homes.””
RT’s Facebook page has already gained more than 500,000 subscribers – more than any other Russian media outlet, and ahead of many of RT’s international competitors including CNBC, Sky News, Bloomberg, Deutsche Welle and Reuters.
In addition to the “Occupy W@ll Street” app, another PromaxBDA-2012 bronze was awarded to RT in the Design category, for the opening credits of RT Sport News. In this contest, RT beat out two entries by the NBC Sports Agency for the prize.
RT is a global international news network that broadcasts in English, Arabic and Spanish from its studios in Moscow and Washington, DC and is available to 530 million viewers worldwide. RT became the first TV news channel in the world to pass 700 million views on YouTube. In 2010, RT became the first ever Russian channel to garner a nomination for the prestigious Emmy International Award, in the News category. RT streams online at RT.com.
21 June 2012
RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd, a leading provider of comprehensive content management and global distribution services to the television and radio broadcasting industry, announced today the launch of two new Ku-Band MCPC Platforms on Spacecom’s AMOS-5 Satellite at 17East. These two MCPC platforms, Ku-1 (West Central Africa) and Ku-3 (East West Africa), will complement RRsat’s existing focus on providing Direct To Home (DTH) content to Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The African market for broadcast television is growing rapidly,” said Lior Rival, VP Sales & Marketing at RRsat. “Together with AMOS, we believe that with these platforms we will be able to provide leading TV and radio channels the opportunity to reach a continent demanding new television viewing. RRsat is able to cost-effectively bring content from Europe, Asia and the Americas for DTH distribution
“AMOS-5 was designed and built specifically for the African market with powerful beams and superior coverage of Africa’s largest markets. We are excited that RRsat has chosen to bring their MCPC platforms to our Ku-1 and Ku-3 beams,” remarked Eyal Copitt, Spacecom’s Sr. VP Sales, Africa, “DTH has tremendous potential in Africa. These platforms on AMOS-5 represent an important element of Spacecom’s vision as we transform into a multi-regional satellite operator.”
About RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd.
RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. (NASDAQ: RRST) provides global, end-to-end, content management and distribution services to the rapidly expanding television and radio broadcasting industries, covering more than 150 countries. Through its RRsat Global Network, composed of satellite and terrestrial fiber optic capacity and the public Internet, RRsat provides high-quality and flexible global distribution services 24/7 to more than 630 channels reaching multiplatform operators, Internet TV and direct-to-home viewers worldwide and also offers occasional use services for sports, news and events with a fleet of flyaways and over 10 transportable satellite news gathering services (SNG) units. More than 130 television and radio channels use RRsat’s advanced production and playout centers comprising comprehensive media asset management services. Visit the company’s website www.rrsat.com
19 June 2012
Radio New Zealand’s Christchurch earthquake documentary, Broken River, has won a
gold medal in the prestigious New York Festival Radio Awards.
Broken River, received the 2012 award for best social issues or current affairs programme
at a ceremony last night in Manhattan. Produced and presented by Simon Morton and
Richard Scott, the programme included audio recordings made less than a week after the
city of Christchurch was devastated by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in February 2011.
Simon Morton traversed the city using the Avon river as his route, travelling on a bicycle
from the source of the Avon in the West to Heathcote Estuary, where the river meets the
Pacific east coast, stopping to talk to people along the way and recording their reactions
to the earthquake.
The New York Festival Awards recognise the world’s best radio programmes. Judges
commented that, with entries from radio stations, networks and independent producers
from twenty seven countries, the 2012 awards provided exceptionally strong competition.
The remarkable thing about Broken River, according to Paul Bushnell, Radio New
Zealand’s Spoken Features Manager, is its formal elegance:
“Given the constraints of the recording, which gathered material entirely by chance, the
programme takes the audience through an emotional as well as a geographical journey
through the heart of a city in a time of upheaval. With only a bike and a microphone, and
working alone, Simon gets an extraordinarily frank and open response from many people
who want to talk, who want to have their experiences captured.”
Broken River was a finalist in the recent 2012 New Zealand Radio Awards and was first
broadcast in 2011 on Radio New Zealand National, the top ranking radio station in New
Zealand. *
Simon Morton’s original broadcast version of Broken River can be heard on the Radio
New Zealand website: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/documentaries/brokenriver
Simon Morton can be contacted at Radio New Zealand:
Simon.morton@radionz.co.nz
Phone: 027 224 5403
18 June 2012
GlobeCast was chosen this month for one of the biggest moments in French television this year — the launch in France of new sport channels beIN Sport 1 and beIN Sport 2. GlobeCast built a comprehensive solution for the channels, including coordinating the various satellite capacities, providing fiber contribution links, and running an IPTV headend for the channels’ distribution.
BeIN Sport 1, which launched June 1, and beIN Sport 2, which will launch at the end of July, are being delivered by GlobeCast in SD and HD to reach satellite, cable and IPTV homes throughout France.
The agreement involves terrestrial contribution links to bring content to the channels’ Paris-area control center, as well as distribution links from the IPTV headend at GlobeCast’s facility in central Paris to all the major French ISPs.
GlobeCast also provides satellite distribution, handling the uplink of the channels and offering a simulcrypt encryption solution, which allows the client to directly monitor the quality of its feeds.
BeIN Sport 1 and beIN Sport 2 are being distributed through GlobeCast on the Astra satellite operated by SES at 19.2ºE and through Eutelsat on Eutelsat Hotbird 13 and Eutelsat 5 West A. The new channels will be carried by the largest pay TV operators in France.
www.globecast.com
15 June 2012
Journalists deploying to Poland and Ukraine for the Euro 2012 football competition should be aware of safety and security issues they may encounter there.
Violence flared when Polish and Russian fans clashed before a game earlier this week. According to reports, water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets were used to disperse the mob while fireworks, bottles and other makeshift missiles were thrown by fans from both sides. It was reported that 183 people were arrested and 24 were wounded.
Football crowds are notoriously unpredictable – a crowd can quickly turn aggressive, particularly if fuelled by alcohol. Camera crews could be a target for attack. Equally an overreaction by the police can cause a situation to escalate.
Recent BBC investigations have uncovered evidence of racist violence and anti-Semitism in Polish and Ukrainian football matches, and the British Foreign Office advises that “travellers of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent and individuals belonging to religious minorities should take extra care.”
Journalists travelling by car have also expressed concerns about road safety in Ukraine, with poor road surfaces and the occasional disregard for driving rules.
The International News Safety Institute issues the following safety advice for journalists operating in Poland and Ukraine for the Euro 2012 football competition:
Covering civil unrest
Before you head out
• Make sure your accreditation is in order and easily accessible.
• Alert authorities that your news organization plans to cover the protests, and obtain the cell number of the person in charge.
• Take protective gear. This can include helmets, gas masks, or vests, depending on what the local police force uses for crowd control.
• In case of tear gas, carry a bandana soaked in onion, lemon, or vinegar, which neutralizes irritation.
• Don’t wear contact lenses. Bring eye drops and spare glasses.
• If there’s a chance you might be pepper-sprayed, don’t wear face cream or cosmetics. They burn on contact.
• Wear comfortable boots that you can run in.
• Wear natural fabrics, which are less flammable than synthetic fabrics.
• Prepare a backpack with supplies to last a day: lightweight raingear, energy bars and water, spare batteries for electronic equipment.
• Pack a medical kit and know how to use it.
• Carry a photocopy of your press accreditation and telephone numbers of your editor and lawyer. Make sure your editor knows how to reach your family in case you’re arrested or hurt.
• Set your cell phone to speed dial an emergency number.
• If possible, explore the terrain ahead of time. Are there stores you can dart into? Can you arrange to film from a high vantage point? Negotiate a “safe” place where you can retreat if mayhem erupts.
At the scene
• Don’t go alone. Get someone to watch your back if you’re shooting pictures.
• As soon as you arrive, spot escape routes and look for landmarks like a tall building or lamppost. It’s easy to get disoriented in a crowd.
• Stay on the edge and do not get caught between police and protestors.
• Crowds have a life of their own. Stay aware of the prevailing mood.
• Alert your editors if the scene turns angry.
• Stay away from aggressive people. They may provoke a violent response.
• If planning to move, seek advice from people who have just come from the direction you’re heading.
• Television crews should travel as light as possible. If experiencing aggression, leave the tripod behind so that you can run fast. Consider concealing cameras / recording equipment as best you can when in a crowd.
• Consider your profile and try to portray anonymity in terms of where you are from and what you do e.g. remove logo’s from clothing.
• Consider that alcohol can lead to violence so be aware in and around bars.
Be aware of the signs of a deteriorating situation
• An increase in the noise level
• A change in the tension or mood of the crowd
• Sudden crowd surges
• The occasional missile thrown
• More aggressive behaviour vocally or physically
• The police adopting a more aggressive posture, perhaps with the donning of helmets and shields or restricting the crowd’s freedom of movement
When trouble erupts
• Avoid horses. They bite and kick.
• Stand upwind from tear gas.
• Do not position yourself between the police and the crowd.
• If the police detain you, insist that they call the cell phone of their boss, whose number you just so happen to have.
• Call your lawyer (if they are local and on standby) and editor
• Maintain a safe distance from violence.
INSI is monitoring the safety of journalists covering Euro 2012 and asks anybody with information on any incidents involving journalists to contact Rodney Pinder + 44 7734 70 92 67 rodney.pinder@newssafety.org; or Hannah Storm +44 7766 814274 hannah.storm@newssafety.org
