27 September 2016
RT received seven trophies at the prestigious Lovie Awards – the European counterpart of the Webbys, which honors outstanding achievement in digital media. RT won three People’s Lovies based on public online voting. Additionally, an expert jury composed of representatives of major international media companies such as Google, Twitter, and the Huffington Post awarded RT one silver and three bronze prizes.
Chernobyl: Fallout 30, RT’s special interactive multimedia project marking the 30-year anniversary since the nuclear disaster, received a silver for “Web: Best Practices” and a bronze for “Web: Best Use of Animation/Motion Graphics”. RT’s website RT.com and RT’s social media platforms (on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Soundcloud, Coub and Instagram) were awarded bronze trophies in the “Web: News” and “Social: Best Overall Social Presence” categories respectively.
In addition to the expert jury prizes, following an online vote, RT won “The People’s Lovie” in three categories. In the “Web: News” category, RT.com surpassed the likes of VICE News, RFERL and The Guardian. In the “Social: Best Overall Social Presence” category, viewers gave the top spot to RT, leaving behind The Guardian and the popular “Game of Thrones” TV series, while Chernobyl: Fallout 30 won in “Web: Best Use of Animation/Motion Graphics.”
“To receive seven prizes in such a prestigious and high-profile digital media competition – that’s incredibly cool! But to win the People’s Lovie in almost all the categories where we contested means even more: it proves that RT enjoys highly engaged audience, and when your real fans vote for you to win – it means more than any gold,” said Kirill Karnovich-Valua, RT’s Head of Online Projects. “We thank the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences for this honor, and we thank everyone who voted for us – it is our joint victory!”
In April 2016, RT won the People’s Voice Award Webby – the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet – in an open online vote. Webby Awards online voters chose RT social media platforms over those of BBC News, ABC News, NBC Nightly News, and the New York Times.
RT is a global TV news network that broadcasts 24/7 in English, Arabic and Spanish from its studios in Moscow, Washington, D.C., and London. RT has a weekly TV audience of 70 million people in 38 countries, and is the most watched TV news network on YouTube with nearly 4 billion views. RT is the winner of the Monte Carlo TV Festival Awards for best 24-hr newscast, and the only Russian TV channel to become a four-time finalist of the International Emmy Award for News.
The Lovie Awards is the most prestigious pan-European awards honoring online excellence. Now in its sixth year, The Lovie Awards continues to celebrate the most resonant and pertinent stories in Europe, those inside and outside of the prevailing trends. The Awards reflects the tremendous growth of the internet as a tool for business and everyday lives. The Lovie Awards presents gold, silver and bronze awards as chosen by members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). In addition, the online public votes for their favorite finalists to take home The People’s Lovie Award in each category.
(Source: RT press release)
26 September 2016
Deutsche Welle has filed a claim in a civil court in Ankara for the return of video material containing an interview with a Turkish minister. Following the filming of a TV interview in Ankara on September 5, 2016 for the Deutsche Welle broadcast series “Conflict Zone” with Michel Friedman, the Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports, Akif Cagatay Kilic, the video material was confiscated by Turkish authorities.
The Turkish ministry allowed a deadline set by Deutsche Welle for the return of the materials on the following afternoon to pass without the materials’ return. Attorneys for Deutsche Welle thence set a second deadline for their return, which was ignored by Turkey. As a result, Deutsche Welle has filed suit at a court in Ankara.
Deutsche Welle’s Director General, Peter Limbourg, condemned the Turkish authorities: “This is an event that has nothing to do with rule of law and democracy. We are now using legal methods to demand the prompt return of our video material.”
DW’s Broadcasting Board met in Berlin on September 23, 2016, where they explicitly supported the filing of a suit for the return of the video material. Board Chairman Dr. Karl Jüsten said, “We advocate for unrestricted freedom of the press. Turkey is closely connected to Europe. Along with that comes respect for democratic foundational principles including press freedom. Comparable standards must be adhered to. It is deeply troubling that Deutsche Welle has been forced to file suit in court for the return of the video interview with the Turkish minister.”
The Broadcasting Board likewise welcomed the journalistic engagement that DW has shown in regards to Turkey as well as for Turkish speakers in Germany. The Board requested that DW be financially endowed accordingly in order to adequately fulfill their responsibilities as the provider of objective information in a politically significant region.
“We cannot accept what is happening in Turkey with regards to press freedom. DW is required to inform people in a comprehensive and objective way and to convey Germany’s positions,” Jüsten said.
“Conflict Zone” is DW’s most prominent political interview television show. The interviews that take place gain international attention – though most especially in the interview partner’s country. The interviews in the political broadcast “Conflict Zone” in DW’s English-language television program are confrontational. “Conflict Zone” is uncompromising as it strives for positions and authenticity. The moderators, Tim Sebastian and Michel Friedman, are unyielding in their approach to their guests.
(Source: DW press release)
23 September 2016
Watch the trailer ► http://f24.my/2dgqiKy
FIRST DEBATE ON SEPTEMBER 27th AT 3:00am (PARIS TIME)
As part of its extensive coverage of the US presidential campaign, France 24 will live broadcast the three debates between the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Broadcast on France 24’s three channels (in English, in French and in Arabic) and on France 24’s digital platforms (France24.com, Youtube channel, Facebook pages).
Location: Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
- On October 10th at 3:00 am (Paris time)
Broadcast on France 24 English channel as well as France 24’s digital platforms in English (France24.com, Youtube channel, Facebook page).
Location: Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- On October 20th at 3:00 am (Paris time)
Broadcast on France 24’s three channels (in English, in French and in Arabic) and on France 24’s digital platforms (France24.com, Youtube channel, Facebook pages).
Location: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Following these broadcasts, France 24’s US correspondents will analyze the key moments of each debate with guests and experts on set.
On November 8th and 9th, France 24 will team up with France Médias Monde channels RFI and MCD to offer a special night entirely dedicated to the US presidential election in three languages (English, French and Arabic).
(Source: France 24 press release)
23 September 2016
A court in Uzbekistan this week upheld a decision to sentence the brother of an RFE/RL journalist to eight years in prison on drug-related charges, the latest in a series of cases that appear to target family members in retaliation for their relatives’ reporting.
The Ferghana appeals court, in the country’s southern Ferghana Valley, rejected Aziz Yusupov’s appeal on September 20 in a session in which no witnesses were present and, according to his mother, took 15 minutes. No witnesses testified in the original hearing in August, nor was any evidence brought against Yusupov to corroborate the charges.
Drug charges are frequently brought against independent journalists, human rights defenders, and other government critics in Uzbekistan.
Noting that the decision comes only two weeks after the appointment of interim president Shavkat Mirziyaev, following the death of long-serving leader Islam Karimov, RFE/RL President Thomas Kent said, “Uzbekistan’s new leaders should know that RFE/RL vigorously condemns any attack on the family members of our journalists, and any attempt to intimidate or silence us.”
In a statement issued following Yusupov’s original conviction, the media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders called the charge “trumped-up,” characterizing it as an effort by authorities to continue “stepping up their persecution of the country’s few remaining independent journalists.”
Other members of RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service and their relatives have been subject to attempts at intimidation recently. One employee’s apartment in Tashkent was seized by agents with Uzbekistan’s National Security Service in August. Another employee was warned this spring that her brother would suffer if she continued working for RFE/RL. Authorities have interrogated the family members of RFE/RL employees about their relatives’ journalistic work, and in several cases have denied their requests for exit visas to leave the country.
RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service, known locally as Radio Ozodlik, operates from Prague, having been forced to close its bureau in Tashkent in 2005 following that year’s massacre in the eastern city of Andijon. Ozodlik relies on constant innovation and a wide network of local sources to report news and engage with audiences in one of the world’s most closed societies. Despite government efforts to block access, the Service’s website averages more than 2 million visits per month; during the week that President Karimov died (August 28-September 4), the website registered 6.5 million page views, while the Service reached more than 5.1 million via social media platforms, and its videos were watched 5.5 million times on YouTube.
(Source: RFE/RL press release)
21 September 2016
Tata Communications, Official Connectivity Provider of Formula 1®, Formula One Management and Sky have tested in action live Ultra High Definition (UHD) broadcasting at the 2016 FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX. Following this first ever end-to-end broadcast of an F1 race in UHD, Sky will show all races of the 2017 season in UHD.
The successful proof of concept involved the installation of multiple state-of-the-art UHD cameras at the Singapore circuit. The footage from these was mixed in the FOM Broadcast Centre onsite, and the UHD output distributed live to Sky’s HQ in Osterley in the UK using Tata Communications’ Video Connect service. Video Connect enables broadcasters to deliver live video feeds over the world’s largest wholly-owned subsea fibre network, ensuring the highest quality experience for viewers.
“This proof of concept with Sky and Tata Communications demonstrates our ongoing commitment to make F1 the ultimate sports experience by harnessing the power of cutting-edge broadcasting technologies,” says John Morrison, Chief Technical Officer of Formula One Management.
“Delivering the race action seamlessly in UHD from any Grand Prix location to homes requires superfast, reliable connectivity on a global scale,” says Mehul Kapadia, Managing Director of F1 Business at Tata Communications. “And, other game-changing technologies like virtual reality will rely on ubiquitous, superfast connectivity too. As the break-neck speed of technology innovation continues, we’ll work with Formula One Management to enable fans to experience the exhilarating world of F1 in new ways.”
“We pride ourselves on being an extremely forward-thinking F1 broadcaster with a special focus on innovation,” says Keith Lane, Director of Operations at Sky. “UHD offers four times higher resolution than HD, making F1 a more powerful, immersive experience for fans than ever before. The success of this proof of concept in Singapore shows that we’re on track to show every race live in UHD next season using our next-generation Sky Q home entertainment service, and to continue to give our customers the action-packed F1 experiences that they crave.”
The UHD test in Singapore follows a series of other ambitious proof of concepts by Tata Communications and Formula One Management around live Over the Top content delivery and 4K broadcasting.
(Source: Tata Communications press release)
