16 January 2007
Autocue, the leading provider of prompting and newsroom automation solutions, has today announced its partnership with highly regarded UAE-based distributor, United Broadcast & Media Solutions (UBMS), further strengthening its presence in the Middle East market.
Founded in 1997, UBMS offers a variety of cutting-edge products and services in the broadcast field. The company is promoting the full Autocue portfolio of newsroom and prompting systems in UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Yemen. As part of this agreement, UBMS will represent Autocue at CABSAT, in March 2007 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Hero Bhatia UBMS, Senior Vice President commented, Autocue is a leading global brand and we are delighted to partner with them. The company has an excellent line up of professional prompters and newsroom automation software that is a perfect fit for the Middle East market. The addition of the QNxt solution is particularly exciting, offering significant benefits for our customers, and providing us with clear competitive differentiation. UBMS is the only player in the broadcast industry that has a state-of-the-art broadcast showroom in the Middle East and a very experienced team of technical experts that offer customised solutions. This alliance of Autocue with UBMS is a win-win situation for customers – first-class products from Autocue combined with excellent service from UBMS.
We are delighted to announce this new partnership with UBMS. The Autocue brand is synonymous with quality products and is recognised by broadcasters worldwide. The alliance between Autocue and UBMS further strengthens Autocues commitment to the Middle East broadcast market and we look forward to announcing some major sales in 2007, concluded Frank Hyman, Autocues Sales & Marketing Director.
12 January 2007
WRN, the UK-based radio and television transmission company, and WorldSpace Satellite Radio, one of the world leaders in satellite-based digital radio services, have signed a facilities hosting agreement in which WorldSpace’s London broadcast operation will move to the headquarters of WRN.
WRN is expanding its Master Control Room to house WorldSpace’s satellite radio broadcast operations equipment and will provide access to studio facilities and office space for its technical staff. WorldSpace’s London team is expected to move to the WRN facilities in March 2007.
“We are pleased with the availability of capacity in WRN’s state-of-the-art operations facility and look forward to building on our long-standing relationship,” said Randall Scott, Vice President, Production Engineering and Operations for WorldSpace Satellite Radio.
Gary Edgerton, WRN’s Managing Director, said: “WRN is delighted to offer WorldSpace Satellite Radio a new home in London and this agreement builds on the synergies between our two organisations.”
8 January 2007
Mo & Me, the internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning
documentary about renowned Kenyan photojournalist, Mohamed Mo Amin, has been released
for worldwide purchase via the films official website: www.moandme.net
The eagerly anticipated direct distribution deal is the result of a joint venture agreement between
Mo & Me producer, Camerapix Ltd and media and entertainment management group, Quantock.
With just a few clicks of a computer mouse, customers around the world are now able to acquire
Mo & Me from the comfort of their homes. Additionally, the DVDs accompanying book, The
Man Who Moved the World, can also be purchased via the website.
Speaking from Camerapix headquarters, chairman and CEO, Salim Amin said: I am delighted
that Mo & Me is now available globally to individual customers. There has been huge publicity
from the documentarys numerous awards and this has led to tremendous buying interest from
those who have already seen the film as well as those who have only heard about it.
Mr. Amin added that there was a delay in launching the websites shopping module due to
extensive testing to ensure a problem-free online environment for buyers: At one point, we were
aiming for a pre-Christmas release. However, we decided in the end to spend some more time
fine-tuning our infrastructure and logistics in order to enhance our customers electronic
shopping experience.
Directed by Roger Mills (Himalaya, Around the World in 80 Days) and Murad Rayani
(Refusing To Die) and narrated by Salim Amin, Mo & Me offers a raw, soulful and, at times,
humourous recollection of the man whose camera lenses captured much of 20th century African
history. Mo & Me was co-produced by Camerapix of Kenya and the Aljazeera Channel of Qatar.
Plaudits received by the documentary during the 2006 festival season include:
Calgary International Film Festival (Best International Documentary)
Kenya International Film Festival (Best Documentary)
Zanzibar International Film Festival (Chairpersons Award)
13th New York International Independent Film &Video Festival (Grand Jury Prize for Best
Documentary Feature)
39th US International Film and Video Festival (Silver Screen Award)
This year, Mo & Me will be in competition at the Mumbai International F.I.C.T.S. Festival (18th-
21st January) and the Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles (8th -19th February)
5 January 2007
Harris Corporation is to supply Berin-based A-Medialynx GmbH, a specialist production facility and satellite services provider, with a Harris Platinum router for the playout of services in Germany.
A-Medialynx manages the transmission of numerous signals including those from television stations such as MTV, VIVA, VIVA Plus and Nick Germany. The Platinum router will serve as the core component of the signal distribution workflow at A-Medialynx, routing all satellite transmission signals live and distributing them to the additional satellite uplinks. Sold by TERACUE AG, Harris Broadcast Communications Division’s German representative, the new 512×512 Platinum router is slated to go into operation at A-Medialynx in February 2007.
“We purchased the Platinum router because we needed a robust routing matrix that could manage not only the current channel requirements of our customers, but also could provide them with options for future growth as their businesses need it,” said Helmut Audrit, chief executive officer of A-Medialynx. “Our existing 128×128 router, which is from another vendor, cannot be upgraded to meet our customers’ needs for more channel playout capabilities in 2007. With the Platinum router’s powerful capabilities and compact form factor, we can now meet these additional requirements within our available space.”
5 January 2007
Middle East pay-TV platform Orbit has gained exclusive distribution rights for EuroNews in 12 countries including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait in addition to non-exclusive rights across 13 other countries including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Cyprus.
Launched in 1993, EuroNews – based in Lyon, France – covers world news from a European perspective. The channel was launched to all Orbit subscribers in English and in French during December. Viewers can select the language of their choice by pressing the language button on the remote control.
This exclusive deal adds to what Orbit describes as its “unmatched portfolio of information and news channels”.
Philippe Cayla, Chairman and CEO of EuroNews said, “The Middle East is a very significant market in terms of our international growth. I am pleased to have concluded an agreement with Orbit, an important platform in the region, EuroNews will be joining their offer which gives viewers the best in Arabic and Western programming. Our mission is to bring European viewers balanced coverage on world events and Middle East news and this is an integral part of EuroNews’ international agenda.
“Since the channel has become widely available worldwide it has been met with interest and EuroNews has proved that it is a leading news channel covering world news with a guarantee of independent, impartial reporting thus successfully avoiding taking a particular national viewpoint something that is clearly important to viewers across the globe .”
Samir Abdulhadi, President and CEO of Orbit Communications Company stated, “With enormous universal interest in news, information and political affairs EuroNews will have a strong appeal among Orbit’s audiences across the Middle East. EuroNews is one of the leading channels in the news category and we are pleased to sign this agreement which will enable us to deliver European news to our valued subscribers.
5 January 2007
Perhaps starting a trend, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has acquired 760,500 shares (around 3.0% of total issued and outstanding shares) in Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV).
Under a tie-up agreement concluded in February 2006, DoCoMo had already been working with NTV to provide attractive services converging mobile communications and broadcasting. With the successful launch of “One-segment” terrestrial digital broadcasting in April 2006, and growing sales of compatible handsets, the relationship between mobile communications and broadcasting has become closer than ever before, the telco said.
In a press statement, DoCoMo said it believes stronger ties with NTV will enable it to better offer customers a variety of exciting new services.
This could be the start of real convergence between commercial broadcasting companies and telecommunications operators, most of which are desperate for added-value content for subscribers and the ability to cross-promote major consumer brands.
