Star News has been given permission to uplink from India, bringing the channel to viewers of cable systems and DTH installations across the sub-continent. The Indian government had initially refused to give permission for the channel to be broadcast (see The Channel, September 2003) but has now relented, apparently changing the rules to allow the News Corporation-owned service to begin operations.
The AIB’s Executive Committee for the two year period to December 2005 has been elected by the Association’s members.
Six representatives from members sit on the Executive Committee, and these are:
Alan Booth, Controller, Marketing, BBC World Service
Mike Chandler, Managing Director, SES-Astra (UK)
Linden Clark, Radio New Zealand International
Thomas Dine, President, Radios Free Europe/Liberty
Dennis Israel, InterMedia Survey Institute
Elzbieta Olechowska, Radio Canada International
The Executive Committee will help steer the AIB’s strategy and direction.
The BBC has announced the reinstatement of the post of deputy director general in the New Year. Mark Byford, currently Director, BBC World Service and Global News, will take up the role.
Byford will have responsibility for a new department that will include the existing editorial policy department and a controller of complaints who has not yet been appointed.
BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies said “It is clear that Britain’s most important public service broadcaster must have the highest standards of editorial compliance. The governors believe that the appointment of Mark Byford, along with the strengthened post-broadcast procedures, will ensure that this is the case.”
Greg Dyke said “As a result of the review we have decided to make a number of internal changes to modernise the complaints system and strengthen our post-broadcast compliance procedures. The most important of these is the appointment of a deputy director general who will take overall responsibility for this area.
“This means the second most important person in the management structure will now have a particular responsibility for compliance and complaints.”
BBC Global News, comprising World Service radio and World television, is a member of the AIB.
The European Broadcasting Union has appointed Jean Réveillon, the Deputy Director General and Director of Broadcasting at France 3, as its Secretary General.
He succeeds Jean Stock, who informed Members of his intention to retire at the EBU General Assembly in Stockholm in July 2003.
Jean Réveillon was elected a Vice-President of the EBU in July 2002. He will be taking office as Secretary General in February 2004.
Arne Wessberg, the President of the EBU and Director General of YLE (Finland), told the Administrative Council he was confident that “the personal and professional qualities of this extremely experienced professional will enable him to meet – on behalf of the EBU and its Members – all the challenges facing broadcasters in an ever-changing environment”.
The EBU President also paid tribute to Jean Stock’s work and, in particular, “to the impetus he gave the EBU and to the important results he achieved”.
Jean Réveillon has been the Deputy Director General and Director of Broadcasting at France 3 since December 1999, having previously been Director General in charge of broadcasting at France 3, from August 1998 to November 1999.
News Corporation is reported to be in talks over the purchase of a stake in commercial Polish TV channel Polsat.
Rzeczposplita, the Polish newspaper, reported on Monday “Murdoch’s group is in negotiations to buy 33 per cent of the shares in Polsat,” saying that the information came from sources close to the discussions.
Polsat, the only commercial television network in Poland, has denied the rumours. However Nicolas Weinstock, News Corp’s spokesman, says that Central and Eastern Europe are of interest to the group.