12 July 2016
Arqiva, the communications infrastructure and media services company, has today announced that it will support the BBC in extending coverage of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
The agreement will see Arqiva carrying an additional eight DTT services through its COM8 multiplex contributing to the BBC’s commitment to bring more than 3,000 hours of live sporting action from the games to their audience.
The services, which will be in a mixture of Standard and High Definition, will be accessible via the Red Button and available on Freeview HD, Freeview Play and Youview receivers.* Carried on COM8, one of Arqiva’s two DVB-T2 multiplexes, they will broadcast nationally in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with 76 per cent population coverage.
Mike Finchen, Director of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), commented: “Rio 2016 is a hugely important event and we’re delighted to help support the BBC deliver even more coverage to audiences. We have a long history of supporting the broadcast of major sporting events, including Wimbledon and the World Cup, and this experience is reflected in the quality of service we provide.
“Today’s deal is also a good proof point for our COM8 multiplex, which will be at full capacity during the games and is another demonstration of the on-going value of the DVB-T2 multiplexes to DTT viewers.”
The additional DTT services will launch on the 5th August 2016 and be available throughout the period of the games until the 21st August 2016.
*Viewers may need to retune their receivers in the week leading up to the opening ceremony to receive the services.
(Source: Arqiva press release)
7 July 2016
Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIB) and Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) announced a major expansion of their partnership. On 1 July, JIB started to use AsiaSat 7 to broadcast NHK WORLD TV HD, an English language news and lifestyle TV network, and for the continued distribution of its SD channel in the Asia-Pacific.
“Since our SD service launch on AsiaSat in 2009, AsiaSat has proved to be our insightful and dependable partner in Asia and has done an excellent job in helping us to expand our penetration. Our new HD service will bring a brand new viewing experience of high quality news and entertainment content to home viewers and travellers in Asia,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, President and CEO of Japan International Broadcasting Inc.
“Introducing an HD service is a strategic and competitive move of all leading broadcasters to attract new audience and satisfy existing viewers’ changing appetite for enhanced picture and sound quality. We are proud of JIB’s decision to choose AsiaSat once again to support this exciting expansion of their HD service in Asia. We look forward to continuing to contribute to NHK WORLD TV’s success in the region with our industry leading audience penetration and market knowledge,” said Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Marketing and Global Accounts of AsiaSat.
NHK WORLD TV’s 24-hour programming cycle includes its signature news show, “NHK NEWSLINE,” and a wide selection of technology, lifestyle and entertainment programs, including “great gear”, “TOKYO FASHION EXPRESS”, “Dining with the Chef”, “SPORTS JAPAN” and “Journeys in Japan”. In addition, the channel offers an assortment of groundbreaking documentaries and specials, including “Asia Insight”, “Inside Lens” and “NHK Documentary”.
NHK WORLD TV HD/SD channels are available free to air on AsiaSat 7 (105.5°E) with the following reception parameters:
Transponder C12V C7H
Downlink Frequency 4100 MHz 3880 MHz
Downlink Polarisation Vertical Horizontal
Transmission Standard DVB-S2 DVB-S
Compression Standard MPEG-4 MPEG-2
Modulation 8PSK QPSK
Symbol Rate 29.72 Mbps/sec 27.5 Mbps/sec
FEC 5/6 3/4
(Source: JIB press release)
7 July 2016
Following the new IPSOS Affluent Survey Middle East release today, Euronews digital consumption makes a significant contribution to reach in an area which is clearly a region where digital distribution is at least as important as linear distribution.
The Middle East area for Euronews is clearly one of the regions where digital distribution is at least as important as linear distribution.
IPSOS analyses the media consumption of the Middle East’s elite including the top 13% of the most prosperous and influential adults in 13 key cities in 8 countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE) across the region, which represents 2.25 million people.
Available in Middle East through all its platforms (online, social networks, mobile apps), the digital platforms increased Euronews monthly TV audience by 86%.
Every month, 302,000 of the most Affluent people in the region consume Euronews which represents over in one in eight.
Once again, the multilingualism of Euronews is a key element to succeed around the world.
In the Middle East, the Euronews Arabic platform is the most popular language ahead of second placed English and reaches 131,000 users every month.
Olivier de Montchenu, Euronews Sales MD, said: “Middle East is a key region in terms of business and political influence for all renowned international news media. Today, Ipsos Affluent Survey Middle East results confirm that our strategy to further build the loyalty of our multiple digital audiences worldwide by strengthening Euronews’ ecosystem of non-linear services, positions Euronews perfectly to cater for new consumer habits. The type of screen no longer matters and that’s why we have been proposing for several years to our clients cross-media advertising campaigns using all Euronews’ products from TV to our platforms and social networks”.
IPSOS Affluent Survey (formerly EMS Middle East)
In 1995, EMS was designed to expand the Pan European Media market and to allow comparative analyses on a national and multi-national basis. EMS contained significantly more detailed demographic, classification and marketing data than any other survey available at the time or indeed now.
The Affluent Survey Middle East is part of the Ipsos suite of Affluent surveys which now covers Europe, The Middle East, Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America and the USA, spanning 50 countries and reflecting approximately 147 million affluent individuals.
(Source: Euronews press release)
6 July 2016
BBC Director General Tony Hall (left) has announced his reshaped senior leadership team at the Corporation.
He said: “I am proud of what we have achieved over the last few years. Together we stabilised the BBC after a difficult period in its history. We went on to create a compelling case for a new decade of the BBC and secured an eleven-year charter as a result.
“Now, as we move towards this new Charter period, I want us to turn our energy to focus on the future of public service broadcasting and what it means for our audiences. We must continue to harness the creative power of the UK. We must continue to be a creative beacon to the world and we will do this best by renewing the way we engage with our audiences as we enter our centenary year.
“The leadership changes I am making today can help ensure that the BBC is best equipped to do this. We must never stand still. We must always be looking to innovate and change. The new Executive will lead this process of creative renewal to ensure the BBC remains the most creative force in the world.
“On a practical level, these changes are also about creating a simpler BBC with fewer layers and clear lines of accountability. Much has already been achieved, but this process must now be accelerated.
“The BBC also needs to reinvigorate its offer to the public on education – something I am passionate about. That’s why its importance is now recognised at the very top of the BBC.
“The UK is changing and changing fast. The BBC needs to recognise and address that. That’s why the work of improving our news and programming offer to the nations and regions is so important. It will be a challenge in an environment where resources are tight, but it is a priority and the steps taken today recognise that.”
Below are the major changes:
• Anne Bulford becomes the BBC’s Deputy Director General. In addition to continuing to lead finance, operations, HR, legal, and design and engineering, she will take on the additional responsibilities related to the BBC’s marketing and audiences teams and create a new centralised commercial and rights group which will co-ordinate all BBC’s negotiations to deliver the best possible deals. This puts Anne in charge of the distribution of content and reaching audiences in the most effective way – something vital as audiences change viewing habits. Anne will look at what more can be done to ensure the BBC spends as much money as possible on content.
• We will have a new director of Nations and Regions. The BBC already produces around 50% of its output from outside the M25. That is a strong record, but the UK is changing and so must the BBC. The role will bring together and enhance the BBC’s offer to the nations and regions of the UK to improve our content while also looking for savings so that more money can be released for content. The role will bring together the nations and regions of the UK. The Directors in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the regional hubs in the North, Midlands and South West will report to this role. The Nations directors will continue to play a crucial role.
• Charlotte Moore will become Director of Content, and remain as Controller of BBC One. She will be responsible for all the BBC’s TV channels and iPlayer. She will also take on oversight of BBC Sport.
• James Purnell will become Director of Strategy and Education. He will lead the BBC’s work on strategy and on the delivery of the BBC’s new Ideas Service, which aims to partner the BBC with leading academic, arts and science institutions such as the British Museum, the Royal Society, the Royal Shakespeare Company, leading arts festivals and galleries to curate and commission content and offer an online resource. This is part of a renewed drive to put education at the heart of what the BBC does. The aim is to reinvigorate the BBC’s mission on education through a new education strategy for BBC Children and BBC Learning – both of which will now report to him. James will also lead on BBC’s broader partnerships work.
• Helen Boaden will continue to lead the BBC’s Radio output and will formally take responsibility for 5Live as it moves into BBC Radio.
• James Harding will continue as Director of News and Current Affairs. Tim Davie’s role as Director of Worldwide and Mark Linsey’s role as Director of Studios also remain unchanged.
• The BBC is also confirming that the Executive position representing BBC North will close. The director of BBC Children’s – Alice Webb – will lead the region on a day to day basis. As a result of these changes, the Executive Team will reduce from 16 members to 11. The BBC has already saved over 40 per cent on its senior manager pay bill and reduced its overall pay bill by £150 million a year. As a result of this reshaped top team, each area will now look at the immediate layers below to identify further headcount and post savings.
(Source: BBC press release)
4 July 2016
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), operator of the world’s first Globalized Network, powered by its leading satellite backbone, announced that it has partnered with AfricaOnline, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gondwana International Networks, a leading provider of communications solutions across Africa, to provide a managed broadband internet service for sub-Saharan Africa.
Under the agreement, Intelsat will provide satellite services via Intelsat 28 located at 33° East, and Gondwana will provide ground support and network management services from AfricaOnline’s facilities at Hartebeesthoek in South Africa. Together, Intelsat and Gondwana will deliver high-quality, Ku-band broadband service on a virtual network operator (VNO) basis.
The VNO platform leverages Intelsat’s extensive service infrastructure and Gondwana’s network management expertise to facilitate easier deployment of Ku-band VSAT services. The large upfront capital commitment otherwise required of regional VSAT operators for both infrastructure and minimum capacity obligations will be reduced, as will VSAT operators’ operational costs. This is beneficial to VSAT operators, distributors and end-users alike and allows VSAT operators to focus on marketing, service provisioning/support and their customers, and not on network infrastructure.
“We want to be the preferred provider of VSAT services across Africa, and this initiative with Intelsat allows us to enhance our portfolio of service offerings,” said Mathew Welthagen, CEO of Gondwana International Networks. “The upfront capital commitment and ongoing fixed operating cost structure of Ku-band VSAT has constrained expansion of services in Africa. A managed VNO platform allows for increased economies of scale, both in terms of capex and opex, and is a giant step forward in bringing cost-effective connectivity to Africa. Our ultimate goal is to drive connectivity across the continent. Our vision resonates with Intelsat, and this partnership allows Gondwana to continue to lead the way in providing our customers with high-quality, cost-effective, forward-looking communications solutions.”
“Enabling connectivity to communities and businesses is at the core of everything we do, and our partnership with AfricaOnline and Gondwana International Networks will provide millions of people working in Sub-Saharan Africa businesses with access to high quality and affordable internet service,” said Kurt Riegelman, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Intelsat. “The continent is materially underserved with relatively low internet penetration. Leveraging the strength of Intelsat’s Ku-band satellite solutions with AfricaOnline’s ground segment services will help foster business development, enhance medical and educational services to local communities, provide critical backup support during times of crisis, and enable citizens across Sub-Saharan Africa to maintain communications with friends and family within Africa and around the globe.”
Supporting Resources:
(Source: Intelsat press release)
