3 November 2003
Starhub’s planned launch of its digital cable service has run into a wall of angry viewers, particularly those with older video cassette recorders. Incoming digital signals from StarHub interfere with the preset frequency of some VCRs, resulting in poor or no TV reception or video playback. TV sets not connected to VCRs are not affected by the digital signals.
StarHub’s assistant vice-president for corporate communications Jeannie Ong said the company had anticipated that some VCRs, especially older ones, would face the problem. StarHub said it will again send mailers about the upgrade to all households. Ms Ong said that with digital cable technology, viewers could look forward by the year’s end to more channels and interactive TV services such as an electronic programme guide and future applications such as e-mail, SMS and games.
Simon Twiston Davies, chief executive of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), said: “Digital TV is not going to revolutionize TV watching overnight. It will take time.” The Media Development Authority (MDA) told The Straits Times it “will monitor the situation and ensure that digital broadcasters retain their current analogue services until there is a substantial digital TV take-up rate.”
27 October 2003
AIB member Radio New Zealand International is back on shortwave. And to prove just how far the broadcasts from such a small broadcaster can reach, good reception was noted on 11820 kHz in the south of France.
The shortwave transmitter had been off the air since Saturday 30 August. The station’s web site reported: “Spare parts have arrived and we are back on the air. The transmitter is still under test but we hope our service has now returned to normal”.
RNZI has now ended its temporary relays over a transmitter leased from Radio Australia. In common with other international broadcasters, RNZI makes its seasonal schedule changes on Sunday 26 October. The current and new schedules can be found on the RNZI web site.
27 October 2003
The BBC Brazilian service BBC Brasil has further expanded its presence on the Brazilian media market through partnerships with CBN, RadioBras and online provider, Terra.com.
Following a deal signed with CBN, the main national all-news radio network in Brazil, the rebroadcaster will now take up BBC Brasil’s two new 30-minute programmes.
Cooperation is gaining momentum between BBC and its rebroadcasting partner in Brazil, state radio and TV network Radiobras. For the first time, the BBC’s international charity, BBC World Service Trust, has organised a special workshop for Radiobras journalists under its “Who Cares?” project.
The BBC is also expanding its online presence in Brazil. As a result of the deal between BBC and Terra.com – one of the largest access and content providers in Latin America – a whole new audience will now have access to BBC online product in Portuguese. The multimedia content of BBC Brazilian Service online site – bbcbrasil.com – will be distributed across Terra.com portals in Brazil.
22 October 2003
The two companies that currently form the UK Independent Television organisation (ITV) having been given a conditional go-ahead to merge, but infighting has already broken out. The heads of the two companies Carlton (Michael Green) and Granada (Charles Allen) were expecting to become chairman and CEO respectively.
But not so easy. Michael Green made his name and won his position in a particularly flamboyant way, which did not make him popular in some quarters. Now, in another display of shareholder power, where shareholders go against the wishes of their directors, Calrtons investors have voted against Michael Green as chairman of the new single ITV company, and the Carlton board have complied with this demand.
There was already unease that a merged ITV might be bought by commercial interests, possibly from the USA, and that programming standards would consequently be lowered. One English head has already rolled. Will that of Charles Allen follow, and what then will be the future?
22 October 2003
Speculation persists that one-time small phone company Kingston Communications, which started as a telephone company in the UK city of Hull and grew in the great technology boom into 6 operating divisions, may soon be broken up.
The division which most international broadcasting people know about is satellite division Kingston inmedia, specialising in enterprise, broadcast and Internet solutions to business customers. The other divisions include business services, call centre operations and local UK operations such as broadband and directories.
CEO Steve Maine was suddenly sacked recently, and the CEO-designate Malcolm Fallen is in believed to be in favour of a breakup. Likely purchasers of the UK-based bits of the business include UK telecoms operator Thus, IT services and telecoms provider Energis and communications specialist Colt Communications. Perhaps Kingston inmedia, being so internationally-based, will be a target for a buyer already in the international broadcasting field.
22 October 2003
The Voice and Vision Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran [Islamic Republic Broadcasting, IRIB] has been elected as the deputy chairman of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union at the ABUs meeting in Istanbul. The meeting also awarded a special prize to IRIB for its good coverage of the developments in Iraq.
The communication and international affairs deputy director of IRIB, Mr Honardust, stressed the need for setting up a common market to promote Asian products and joint programme production among members of the union. The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, ABU, has 104 members including various radio and television broadcasting stations.
