Baljeet Singh Lalli, currently Secretary for Border Management in the Union
Ministry of Home Affairs, is to be the new Prasar Bharati Chief Executive
Officer.
Lalli was selected for the post by a committee chaired by Vice-President
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
The International News Safety Institute has welcomed an historic action by the United Nations Security Council to protect journalists working in conflict zones. The Council has unanimously adopted a resolution condemning deliberate attacks on journalists and called for an end to such practices.
To ensure that the issue remains on the Security Council agenda, the resolution asks the Secretary General to address the safety and security of journalists in his regular reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
“The resolution is a vitally important step in addressing the spiralling death toll of journalists and other news media staff covering conflict,” said INSI Director Rodney Pinder.
“It could not come at a more critical time, with 2006 heading towards an all-time record number of news media killed trying to tell the story.”
As of 21 December, INSI counted 147 journalists and critical support staff killed as they tried to keep the world informed. Most were local journalists working in their own countries and the great majority were murdered. The Iraq war continues to exact a heavy price with 161 dead since the start of the conflict almost four years ago.
INSI congratulated the Greek government, which left the Security Council at the end of 2007, for having joined with France in leading the push on the Security Council for action. Although UN agencies like UNESCO have drawn attention to problems facing journalists over the years, this is the first time one of the main bodies of the United Nations has taken up the matter.
A draft resolution on journalist safety was drawn up by the International Federation of Journalists, the European Broadcasting Union and the International news Safety Institute. The three organisations had been lobbying for support for almost two years. The draft was presented to outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan a year ago at the World Electronic Media Forum, alongside the UN Summit on the Information Society.
The resolution as adopted “condemns intentional attacks” against journalists” and calls upon “all parties to put an end to such practices.” The Security Council stresses that the deliberate targeting of civilians “may constitute a threat to international peace and security” and reaffirms its readiness “to consider such situations and, where necessary, to adopt appropriate steps.”
The resolution “urges all parties involved in situations of armed conflict to respect the professional independence and rights of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians.” It also urges warring parties “to do their utmost to prevent violations of international humanitarian law against civilians, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel.”
The resolution emphasises that there are existing prohibitions under international humanitarian law against attacks intentionally directed against civilians, including journalists, “which in situations of armed conflicts constitute war crimes.” The resolution asks the Secretary General to address the safety and security of journalists in his regular reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Hailing the resolution, IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said: “This last point is significant. From now on we can expect the United Nations to identify and highlight those nations that are failing to protect journalists.”
Georgia’s TV33 went back on the air in the country’s capital, Tblisi, on 29 December 2006, according to the channel’s Managing Director, Hans von Sachsen-Altenburg.
von Sachsen-Altenburg told the AIB that TV-33 was bought in early 2006 by an investors group from America, England, Germany and Georgia.
With permission of Georgian media regulator, the GNCC, TV33 temporarily ceased to broadcast in October pending reorganization.
The channel, which covers greater Tbilisi, will provide traditional and modern programs from various providers, including direct broadcast from Germany provided by Deutsche Welle. In addition to open broadcast, TV33 will also be carried on Ayeti Cable TV.
“TV33 will at first provide a holiday program and normal programming thereafter”, said Hans von Sachsen-Altenburg.
The end of 2006 marked the close of an era in Finnish broadcast history. On 31 December, YLE – the Finnish Broadcasting Company transmitted its final short wave broadcasts.
For half a century, short wave radio was the only way to stay in touch with home. But YLE decided earlier this year to close down all international shortwave broadcasts in favour of Internet, mobile and satellite services. Finlands first pre-war short wave broadcasts were transmitted from Lahti, former home of the nations only longwave station. The countrys post-war attempts at international broadcasting were transmitted from a shortwave station at Pori on the west coast.
Opened in 1948, it provided a link with home for Finns residing abroad. Broadcasts sent out from Pori also attracted many enthusiastic listeners around the world through its popular English language broadcasts. For a time, there were also broadcasts in German and French.
Cold war power battles over the airwaves soon began to drown out Finlands small voice and a new purpose-built short wave centre was inaugurated outside Pori in the eighties. A powerful medium wave transmitter at the site served Finnish speaking listeners in parts of Sweden.
The closure of the Pori short wave station also means YLE will lose some listeners to its Russian service. These broadcasts are more and more aimed at the Russian minority living in Finland. YLE broadcasts daily news bulletins in English on radio and television but these are aimed for audiences in Finland.
Replacing the short wave broadcasts are an Internet service and mobile phone services as well as satellite distribution of all YLE radio channels. Jorma Laiho, Director of Corporate Technology at YLE believes few people will miss the short wave service.
However, he admits that older Finns abroad might protest at the closure of the service from Pori that has kept them informed of events back home for over half a century.
SES ASTRA has announced that it is carrying the Luxembourg-based channel LUXE.TV. The channel has been on the air since
4 December 2006 on ASTRAs orbital position 19.2° East. The lifestyle
programme is transmitted free-to-air both in German and in French.
“We are very pleased to add even more diversity to one of our most
important orbital positions”, says Alexander Oudendijk, Chief Commercial
Officer of SES ASTRA. “This pan-European channel from Luxembourg dedicated
to luxury and lifestyle is bringing a new type of programme in the
broadcast offer via ASTRA.”