16 June 2016
One of MMA’s greatest, Fedor Emelianenko, will take on Fabio Maldonado of Brazil in his first fight in Russia since 2012 on Friday, June 17. For the special occasion, which is part of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2016) activities, RT, the global television news network, is preparing a treat for all MMA fans – a 360-degrees video of the event.
RT will film the EFN 50 tournament, organized by Eurasia Fight Nights, though specialized 360-degree camera equipment and will make it available to fans worldwide via its dedicated panoramic video mobile app – RT360. The app is available on Google Play and from the AppStore for all fans from around the world to watch the unique event like never before.
“This will be an unprecedented experience for all the viewers who will tune in to watch Emelianenko take on Maldonado. RT is one of the world’s first media organizations to develop broadcast infrastructure to film and broadcast 360 video, which opens brand new horizons in news gathering and delivery; we already have a library of 360 video news stories and documentaries. Now we are doing a major MMA event coverage in the 360 format for millions of viewers,” said Kirill Karnovich-Valua, Head of Online Projects at RT.
Viewers will be able to see not only the MMA fights from various angles, but will also witness reaction from 9,000 spectators packed inside Sibur Area in Saint Petersburg. The event’s headliner – Fedor Emelianenko – is a four-time MMA champion nicknamed “The Last Emperor”. The main promoter of the show is Kamil Gadzhiev, co-founder and CEO of Eurasia Fight Nights. EFN has partnered up with Russia’s Summa Group to produce the show.
“We all are looking forward to the event on Friday, which will feature some of Russia’s greatest MMA stars – Fedor Emelianenko, Vitaly Minakov, Kirill Sidelnikov, Rasul Mirzaev and Sergei Pavlovich. We are happy to partner with Fedor, with Summa Group and its CEO Ziyavudin Magomedov, and we all share big plans for development of MMA in Russia,” said Gadzhiev.
RT has already produced VR 360 videos during a football match played by the Russian national team and the launch of the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur spaceport. Viewers can also tour RT studios during a newscast with the RT360 app.
For more information about EFN 50 and RT’s 360 video broadcast, please contact
Anna Belkina (RT) at +7.499.75.000.75
Max Smetannikov (MVG) at +1.212.330.8063 ext. 1001 info@mvgmain.com
(Source: RT press release)
14 June 2016
CNN International will be syndicating its news, business, feature and entertainment content to Newstag, an award-winning ‘mobile-first’ video news service. The agreement grants Stockholm-based Newstag the right to share and distribute two hours of CNN video content per day on its mobile and online platforms alongside current affairs and entertainment content from other professional content producers around the world, including AP, AFP and Reuters.
With 41 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource, CNN provides local news organisations with products and services across all platforms. CNN Newsource is the industry’s most powerful newsgathering resource.
This announcement follows the news that CCTV – China’s leading news agency – will also be joining Newstag, bringing quality news videos from four continents together through the innovative platform. By presenting these stories from different global perspectives, the platform sheds new light on international news as it breaks.
Newstag Chair and co-founder, Camilla Dahlin-Andersson, says: “Newstag is delighted to be working with CNN, one of the world’s most pioneering and innovative news providers. With the US presidential race in full flow, this partnership couldn’t have come at a better time. We’re committed to providing professionally produced global news coverage from truly distinct perspectives and CNN’s output will contribute to creating a rich and nuanced understanding of the world we live in today.”
Newstag’s ‘mobile-first’ service enables users to create their own ‘tagstream’ (or personalised TV channel) in seconds, organising, consuming and sharing stories among their social networks using the latest web and mobile technologies. These stories are available from a number of different perspectives, resulting in a platform that allows converging viewpoints to be presented side by side, shedding new light on international news as it breaks.
Alongside breaking news, Newstag also offers users access to archive footage and documentaries covering everything from business, science and politics to arts, culture and sports. Specialist content providers include IMG Media, the world’s largest independent distributor of sports programming and Videofashion, the video magazine covering all aspects of fashion.
As the platform gears up for launch, Newstag is a start-up of the year finalist in the MEG-awards and was recently selected as one the companies best positioned for growth in Asia at Asia Beat 2016. Last year Newstag received a bronze award for ‘Best News Website’ at the 2015 Asian Digital Media Awards jointly presented by WAN-IFRA and Google. The platform was also selected as a top international start-up by Mobile World Capital Barcelona in a contest to recognise the most innovative use of mobile technology in business and won ‘Best Start-up’ at the 2015 TVB Europe Awards.
(Source: Newstag press release)
14 June 2016
Euronews is a trusted source and leader for international news brands in the annual Ipsos Affluent Survey Europe.
Europe’s elite population, surveyed in this independent industry research study, shows that Euronews placed Second in highest reach to audiences in continental Europe with a digital usage increase of 23%.
In continental Europe, Euronews has the second highest daily, weekly and monthly reach of all international news channels.
Euronews is # 1 in Central and Eastern Europe, with the highest daily reach of any other international News brand, such as CNN, BBC World News, and CNBC. Euronews leaves other top News brands behind in the Central and Eastern European markets of Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland combined.
In total, Euronews services reach over 12 million people and among the most affluent and powerful people in Europe every month.
Euronews daily reach on digital services has increased by 23% year on year and every day digital adds an extra 32% to TV reach alone.
The survey again emphasized the desire of the elite to follow the News in their own language; this is what makes Euronews unique and why they provide an accessible platform to 97% of Europe’s most influential people. The independent news hub addresses audiences in 13 language editions, produced by its 600 journalists from 30 nationalities. The diversity of Euronews extensive content ranges from breaking News, through sports to culture. Today, Euronews is available 24/7 worldwide in 425 million homes in 158 countries.
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Olivier de Montchenu, Euronews Sales Managing Director |
“The Ipsos survey results confirms that Euronews is a major brand in Europe in the international news market and also perfectly fits today’s digital world. To reinforce its success with our consumers and our clients, Euronews unveiled, one month ago, its new visual identity inspired by its new strategic vision. This vision is based on a new mission that aims to empower people and their views so they can make up their own mind from a sound, reliable and trustworthy news media source. With its new positioning “All Views” Euronews clearly announces to be the source of the diversity of perspectives, based on its strong multicultural team. This new strategic approach is our solution to reinforce Euronews as a very effective media platform for our current and future advertisers.”
Ipsos Affluent Survey Europe
(formerly EMS)
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 Europe 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 51 countries and reflecting approximately 133 million adults.
Since its first launch, the Affluent Survey Europe has continually evolved and enhanced its methodology. Ipsos interviewed a sample of 27,751 Europeans representing a business elite of 52 Million audiences, across 21 countries, each of whom was screened to ensure they passed certain minimum household income thresholds established as representing the Top 13% population.
*Continental Europe: 19 countries (all countries excluding UK/Ireland)
(Source: Euronews press release)
10 June 2016
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), operator of the world’s first Globalized Network, powered by its leading satellite backbone, announced the successful launch of the Intelsat 31 satellite, which is hosting the DLA-2 payload for DIRECTV Latin America. Intelsat 31 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan aboard an ILS Proton launch vehicle. Liftoff occurred at 7:10 GMT. The Intelsat 31 satellite separated from the rocket’s upper stage at 22:41 GMT, and signal acquisition has been confirmed.
Built for Intelsat by Space Systems/Loral (SSL), Intelsat 31 is a 20-kilowatt class Ku- and C-band satellite. The Ku-band payload, known as DLA-2, is designed to provide redundancy and reliability for DIRECTV Latin America’s distribution services in South America and the Caribbean, reflecting the company’s commitment to providing their subscribers with the highest reliability in the region.
The C-band portion enhances Intelsat’s existing C-band service infrastructure serving Latin America. The satellite will be co-located with the previously launched Intelsat 30, which hosts the DLA-1 payload, at 95° West and is expected to have a service life of more than 15 years.
“Intelsat 31 will deliver additional resilience to the DIRECTV service platform, further enhancing their leadership in the region. DIRECTV Latin America is committed to providing its customers with the highest quality programming at all times,” said Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler. “Intelsat 31 will also provide valuable C-band services for our customers and further fortifies our video neighborhoods serving Latin America.”
Resources:
(Source: Intelsat press release)
10 June 2016
Thomas Kent, a longtime Associated Press journalist, has been appointed the new President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), effective June 27.
In his announcement of the appointment, Jeff Shell, the Chairman of RFE/RL’s Board of Directors, said, “Tom was chosen in a competitive selection process from a strong field of candidates. RFE/RL will benefit enormously from such an outstanding leader.” Shell, who also serves as Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), continued, “Tom’s track record in digital news expansion and his collaborative leadership style aligns with the BBG’s vision of a unified, innovative and effective U.S. International Media.”
Mr. Kent is a skilled media executive with extensive experience in management, international reporting and journalism standards development. He has worked at The Associated Press since 1972, filling roles such as Moscow Bureau Chief, International Editor, Deputy Managing Editor and, most recently, Standards Editor. In these positions, he played a leading role in the editorial and technical transformation of AP into a fully digital news organization. He has also been involved in corporate strategic planning and the development of new multimedia services.
Commenting on Kent’s appointment, BBG CEO and Director John F. Lansing said, “Our winning strategy is our talented staff. Tom joins a cadre of committed journalists around the world with the simple goal of ensuring that everyone has access to impartial, independent and professional news and information about their communities that helps citizens take more control over their lives. He brings extensive experience in developing successful digital media strategies and joins us at a highly dynamic time when BBG networks are streamlining and employing content in creative and impactful ways. I am thrilled to welcome him on board.”
“I am honored to be leading RFE/RL,” Kent said. “I look forward to joining its highly skilled team as we create great journalism across languages and geographies.”
Kent has served as a member of the advisory board of the Ethical Journalism Network, leader of the Online News Association’s Build Your Own Ethics Code project, advisor for the Society of Professional Journalists and international reporting juror for the Pulitzer Prizes. He has written and spoken extensively on journalism ethics and has a particular interest in Russian news media. Kent has taught at the Harriman Institute at Columbia University and has guest lectured at Yale University, Moscow State University, St. Petersburg University of Trade Unions, Columbia Law School, and New York University, among others. He speaks four languages and is fluent in Russian. He is a graduate of Yale University.
Shell and Lansing praised Acting RFE/RL President Nenad Pejic for his leadership and guidance since taking over after Kevin Klose stepped down in 2015.
“I am delighted to hand over the reins to Tom.” said Pejic. “I believe his passion for journalism will ensure that RFE/RL continues to deliver programs that have a positive effect on people’s lives.”
(Source: RFE/RL press release)
