18 January 2006
The Kyrgyz Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, known locally as Radio Azattyk, in partnership with Kyrgyz state television has launched a new youth programme that aired for the first time on January 16. Called “Azattyk Plus TV Show,” the 30-minute programme is aimed at young people aged 15 to 29. RFE/RL Acting President Jeff Trimble noted that latest census figures show nearly 30 percent of the Kyrgyz population, or one and a half million people, belong into this age bracket. “We aim to attract these young people to Radio Azattyk and its message of democracy,” Trimble said.
The first Azattyk Plus TV Show aired at 5:30 PM Kyrgyz time (6:30 AM EST) with segments on Internet cafes in Kyrgyzstan, the meaning and practice of flash-mobbing, how the Internet brings families together and other topics. RFE/RL’s partner, the Kyrgyz National Broadcasting Corporation (KTR) is the only nation-wide TV network in the country. It will carry Azattyk Plus TV Show as a weekly, live programme, providing technical support. Under the partnership agreement, RFE/RL has full editorial control. The show is prepared and moderated by broadcasters in RFE/RL’s Bishkek bureau and the audio will be rebroadcast the next day on Radio Azattyk.
Azattyk Plus TV Show is RFE/RL’s second programme on Kyrgyz television. Radio Azattyk’s award-winning talk show, “Inconvenient Questions,” has been on KTR since May 2005. The weekly programme features one guest answering tough questions from an RFE/RL host on business, politics, social problems and the economy. The independent “Zamandash” magazine last month gave “Inconvenient Questions” an award for “the best TV show of 2005.”
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a private, international communications service to Eastern and Southeastern Europe, Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia, funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
18 January 2006
Mobile operator O2 and transmission group Arqiva have unveiled initial findings of their mobile television trial in Oxford: 83% of triallists are happy with the 16-channel service, and 76% want to take it up if offered over the next year. The trial, which launched in September with 375 O2 subscribers aged 18-44, shows an average viewing duration of 23 minutes per session, with one to two sessions per day. On average, triallists are watching the service for three hours per week, though some enthusiasts are spending more than five hours a week glued to their Nokia 7710 smartphones.
Usage is high in the mornings and early evenings, with users watching in the home, at work and on their daily commute. “Interestingly, the results also demonstrate a lunchtime viewing peak higher than the normal TV pattern, suggesting that viewers are enjoying news, sports and their favourite daytime soaps while on their lunch break,” said O2.
The channel line-up includes terrestrial channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, combined with programming from Sky, MTV and other content providers. O2 said demand for additional multimedia services was high, including digital radio, interactive services and ‘live’ links to channel web sites. Seven out of 10 triallists would like to have digital radio channels included in a commercial service.
Dave Williams, O2’s chief technology officer, said: “This trial is further illustration that we are moving from a verbal only to a verbal and visual world in mobile communications, and we are encouraged to see the trial results confirm this. “We already see a powerful trend among O2 customers to use a wide range of visual services such as video downloads and streaming, interactive games, various messaging services with live or streamed video, music including radio and a whole host of web portal services. Broadcast TV for mobile can be a powerful new service that further enables users to personalise their mobile handset so that they can always have the content they want. We call this trend ‘Personal TV’ and the addition of TV content digitally broadcast straight to your mobile is a huge part of that vision.”
Dr Hyacinth Nwana, Arqiva’s managing director, Mobile Media Solutions, added: “The Oxford Mobile TV trial has proved there is a market for mobile broadcasting and now we’re looking to make it happen with the collaboration of the whole industry. The trial is proving that mobile multichannel broadcasting, including TV and radio, is mass market in addition to meeting consumer demand for content and choice of programmes. We have also demonstrably proven scalability, even if we have to deliver to millions of handsets simultaneously.”
Full results from the DVB-H trial will be released in the spring. Last week BT hailed the success of its four-month mobile TV trial, which used DAB digital radio spectrum. Two-thirds of customers would be prepared to pay up to £8 per month for the BT Movio serviceformerly known as BT Livetimesaid BT, which now plans a commercial launch for the service later this year.
18 January 2006
Australias metropolitan commercial radio stations attracted advertising revenue of $591 million in calendar year 2005, a 6.2 per cent increase over 2004, according to data released by industry body Commercial Radio Australia.
The data, compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the five major capital city markets, showed Perth recorded the strongest growth in advertising revenue over the 12 month period (up 10.3 per cent), followed by Melbourne (up 8.2 per cent). Sydney, which accounts for about 40 per cent of revenue, grew by 3.5 per cent over the year, while Brisbane rose by 6.4 per cent.
While advertising growth has slowed compared with the exceptional 15 per cent increase experienced in 2004, the figures show commercial radio continued to perform well in 2005, said Commercial Radio Australia chief executive officer Joan Warner. Advertising revenue grew by 8.7 per cent in the June half and 4.1 per cent in the December half, reflecting the overall slowing of the advertising market in 2005, Ms Warner said.
Advertising revenue for the five markets rose to $315.7 million in the December 2005 half compared with $303.4 million for the same period previously. In the month of December 2005, revenue increased by 3.3 per cent to $52 million compared with December 2004.
Ms Warner said commercial radio was expected to remain competitive in 2006 against other main media. Radio has traditionally weathered periods of uncertainty well because its immediacy and shorter production times provide advertisers with more flexibility. Commercial radio has also been successful in retaining strong audiences through 2005, particularly in the highly competitive breakfast shift, where listener numbers reached their highest levels in more than five years.
The first radio ratings survey period for 2006 began this week, with results to be released on February 21. There will be eight surveys conducted by Neilsen Media Research during the year in each of the five mainland capital cities.
18 January 2006
TVNZ’s assistant Chief Executive, Stephen Smith, has announced the appointment of Jason Paris as the broadcaster’s new Head of Marketing. Mr Paris, a New Zealander currently based in London, will be joining TVNZ from his position as Senior Manager responsible for Marketing with Nokia (United Kingdom). He will be joining TVNZ at the beginning of March.
Mr Smith said Mr Paris’ experience in high profile companies and future-focussed communications has positioned him extremely well to address TVNZ’s particular challenges and opportunities.
12 January 2006
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] has appointed Kim Dalton to the post of Director, Television.
Dalton has been the Chief Executive of the Australian Film Commission since August 1999. He has worked in the film and television industry for more than 30 years, operated his own production company from 1987 to 1991, worked with the Australian Film Finance Corporation and the Australian Childrens Television Foundation in senior management positions, and prior to joining the AFC worked with Beyond International Limited in the development, financing and production of a large number of television and feature film projects.
“I am confident Kim Dalton will bring great expertise to this key ABC position. His very broad experience in all facets of television and film production – both in the private and public sectors along with his considerable management and policy experience, will be a valuable addition to the ABCs leadership team. I warmly welcome Kim to the Corporation”, Russell Balding, ABC Managing Director, said.
“Its tremendously exciting to have the opportunity to contribute to ABC TV’s continued growth and development in what is a changing and very dynamic broadcasting and media environment. I also look forward in this role to continuing to work very closely with Australias independent film and television production sector,” Kim Dalton said.
Dalton will take up the position late next month, succeeding Sandra Levy, who resigned from as Director of ABC Television in September 2005.
12 January 2006
Norm Pattiz, a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors which oversees US international television and radio broadcasting, has resigned.
Pattiz, widely credited as being the force behind new US international broadcasting initiatives such as Radio Sawa and Al Hurra TV, cited “personal reasons” for his resignation. In his resignation letter to President Bush, Pattiz, founder of radio syndicator Westwood One Inc., said the two ventures are “reaching mass audiences previously unheard of for U.S. international broadcasting in that region of the world.”
Pattiz said that he wanted to devote his time to other ventures and that his decision to quit the board had “nothing to do with politics.”
