31 May 2007
The BBC‘s combined international news services attracted a record global weekly audience of more than 233 million during 2006/7. The announcement of the new audience figures came from the BBC this month, drawn from independent surveys it commissions throughout the world.
The global audience figure for the combined services of BBC World Service radio, BBC World television and the BBC’s international online news service bbcnews.com is up 23 million from 210 million last year; notably, many people used more than one service. BBC World Service’s weekly radio audience estimate is a record 183 million, up 20 million on last year.
BBC World – the commercially-funded international English language news and information television channel – now has estimated record audiences of 76 million viewers a week, up from 65 million in 2005/6.
The BBC’s international-facing online news sites attracted a record 763 million page impressions in March 2007, up from 546 million in March 2006. There were a record 38.5 million unique online users across the globe during March 2007, up from 32.8 million a year ago.
BBC Global News Director Richard Sambrook said: “This is a strong and welcome indication that the BBC’s news services are strengthening their impact with audiences around the globe in the highly competitive multimedia age. People around the world are increasingly turning to the BBC when they need quality news and information that is independent and trusted.”
There were large BBC radio audience increases in Bangladesh – up 8.3 million. Increased survey coverage added 7.5 million to the estimate in Democratic Republic of Congo and 7.0 million in Afghanistan. Weekly audiences in radio markets in India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Rwanda all grew by a million or more during the year. BBC World saw substantial growth in audiences in Africa, Canada, Egypt, India, Pakistan and the USA.
31 May 2007
WorldTV – GlobeCast¡¯s Direct-to-Home satellite brand – has expanded into Europe with the launch of a new television bouquet of seven South Asian channels on the Intelsat 905 satellite at 35.5¢ªE. A potential audience of hundreds of thousands throughout continental Europe now has access to quality channels produced in their homelands.
Already the leading distributor of international TV and radio in the US, delivering some 212 channels to viewers nationwide, WorldTV will bring its expertise in serving international content and distributing niche channels across the Atlantic, operating a full-service satellite TV bouquet from its London Broadcast Centre on Grays Inn Road. Programming will not be accessible to viewers in the UK and Ireland.
Programming on WorldTV¡¯s initial bouquet in Europe will include a rich mix of popular Indian and Pakistani channels including Sony Entertainment Television Asia, Star Plus, Star One, Star Gold, Sahara One, Max and FILMY. The bouquet offers top-notch general entertainment, news, movie and music programming in Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi.
31 May 2007
The General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) today announces the award of a prestigious fifteen-year contract to VT Communications (part of VT Group plc) for the provision of a state-of-the-art enhanced Loran (eLoran) radionavigation service to improve the safety of mariners in the UK and Ireland.
The first development phase of this contract, until 2010, will build on existing successes and provide a focus for a European agreement on eLoran service provision. This would then trigger the start of the operational phase from 2010 onwards.
The Department for Transport is sharing the costs during the development phase having recognised the broader potential of Loran to improve the resilience of critical transport infrastructure.
eLoran is intended to assist mariners navigating the complex and crowded waters around our shores and those of our northern European neighbours. It complements Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS and is entirely independent, allowing users to retain the benefits of electronic positioning, navigation and timing when satellite signals are disrupted.
This contract will see VT Communications develop a new Loran station at its radio communications facility in Cumbria, UK. The first signals from the Cumbrian eLoran station will be transmitted on 1st October 2007 with a full trial service launched in November 2007. The existing trial service will be suspended by the end of July 2007.
VT Communications Managing Director, Doug Umbers says: VT Communications is proud to be working with the GLAs to deliver this critical service to their user community. This contract demonstrates VT Communications unrivalled expertise in delivery of the LF infrastructure and service provision projects, providing the GLAs with a radically improved service.
We chose VT Communications because of its commitment to service provision and its flexible approach to partnership, comments Dr Sally Basker, the GLAs Director of Research and Radionavigation.
Over the last decade we have worked hard to reduce the overall cost of service provision by 50% in real terms. e-Navigation is the maritime sectors future: berth-to-berth navigation in the digital world with its associated safety, security, environmental and economic benefits. As we press ahead with e-Navigation, eLoran provides the only way of maintaining our service levels until 2020 without undue increases in cost or risk. eLoran will help us to deliver a reliable, efficient and cost-effective Aids to Navigation service for the benefit and safety of all mariners.
31 May 2007
Arqiva and Intelsat have signed a multi-year renewal and expansion contract to distribute content to the French territories of the Caribbean. Under the terms of the new contract, Arqiva will provide uplink services and space capacity on Intelsat satellite IS-903 at 325.5ºE, enabling direct-to-home (DTH) operator Media Overseas a wholly owned subsidiary of the CANAL+ France Group to increase its programme offering for its Caribbean viewers via its subsidiary CANALSAT CARAIBES.
Intelsat has adjusted its satellites to re-point the beams and provide dedicated streams to give optimal support to its customers. We are pleased to be able to help Media Overseas increase its regional broadcasting offering, said Stephen Spengler, Intelsats Senior Vice President, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific Sales. Intelsat prides itself on being able to adjust its fleet in order to work with its customers to support their growth and performance requirements.
We needed a supplier that could match the scope of our wider distribution services for Media Overseas, added Denis Chambon, General Manager of Arqiva France. This new deal offers us greater capacity on IS-903, increasing the number of channels we uplink for distribution to the French West Indies. With Intelsats wider coverage and Media Overseas distribution services, we are delighted to play a part in improving the range of programming across the Caribbean.
This expansion in capacity will help us to improve our programming capabilities and therefore increase our customer base. Moreover this should significantly improve the quality of service delivered to our customers and result in higher overall satisfaction levels, said Dominique Fagot, Media Overseas Chairman and CEO.
Through its flexible satellite network, Intelsat delivers more than 500 DTH television and audio channels via 27 DTH platforms worldwide.
29 May 2007
Jean-Luc Maertens has joined the EuroNews team in the newly created position of Distribution Manager for Africa. A journalist specialising in Africa and former manager of the Africa and Indian Ocean desk for Canal France International, 55-year old Jean-Luc will be in charge of boosting EuroNews presence in Sub-Saharan Africa through distribution on all broadcasting media.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, EuroNews is the only international news channel distributed via all satellite platforms. The channel currently reaches more than 3 million households. It is also the only international news channel broadcasting around the clock in Africa via direct terrestrial distribution (in Kinshasa since 2004).
Philippe Cayla, Chairman and CEO of EuroNews, explained that “EuroNews is the top international news channel in Europe and we want to become the leading international channel in Africa. I am convinced that Jean-Luc Maertens, thanks to his experience, knowledge and relations, will enable us to reach our strategic targets on this continent. I am confident that he will develop the presence and renown of the channel in Africa.
Jean-Luc Maertens, Head of Distribution for Africa, added: “I am delighted to join EuroNews, a channel which enjoys an excellent image in Africa. I have seen that the rigor of the channels editorial line, its independence and European perspective are considered important qualities by the television audience. Africans are genuinely interested in Europe, as they themselves work towards the construction of regional political and economic cooperation.”
