Korean broadcaster uses AIB member
Radio Korea International, South Korea’s external radio broadcaster, is marking its 50th anniversary by introducing broadcasts via satellite delivered by AIB member World Radio Network.
Broadcasts in English, French, German and Russian from Radio Korea International (part of the Korean Broadcasting System, the country’s public service broadcaster) will be delivered via WRN’s radio networks.
Ms Han Hee-Joo, Executive Director of Radio Korea International said: “Radio Korea International is celebrating its Golden Jubilee and in commemoration of this very special year, RKI is diversifying its platforms for the future by launching satellite audio broadcasting in English, French, German and Russian, via World Radio Network.”
The Channel
Murdoch completes his Italian job
Sky, the international satellite TV network owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, has launched its predicted new service in Italy. Sky Italia was created from a merger between Stream Television, jointly owned by News Corp and Telecom Italia, and the Telepiu network, which Murdoch’s media empire recently acquired from Vivendi Universal/Canal Plus.
Sky Italia will offer more channels than the previous Stream and Telepiu services combined, as well as a dedicated news channel, Sky TG24. Sky Italia is 80.1 per cent owned by News Corp, with the remaining 19.9 per cent held by Telecom Italia. Murdoch sais in June that he hoped to quickly attract three million Italian customers, and aimed to win over 10 million customers in the long term.
Although News Corp will take a a loss for the creation of Sky Italia, the TV-to-newspapers media giant sees strong growth ahead.
Umbers steps up at Merlin
AIB member VT Merlin Communications has a new Managing Director. Hes Doug Umbers, and his appointment follows the decision of Fiona Lowry not to return after maternity leave. Doug was previously Director of Business Development for the VT Group, and has played an important part in the evolution of VT.
Europes first terrestrial all-digital city
Berlin has become the first area in Europe to abandon analogue terrestrial TV transmissions. The region’s terrestrial TV services are now available on digital platforms only. Since most household TV sets are still designed for analogue reception, many viewers have had to invest in set-top decoders.
According to the Berlin-Brandenburg Media Authority, 150,000 of the 170,000 households who depended on the analogue service had bought the set-top boxes ahead of the 4th of August changeover.
Next year the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and North Rhine-Westphalia will also introduce digital terrestrial TV.The German parliament has decided that analogue broadcasting should be completely phased out by 2010. Analogue reception remains possible via satellite and cable systems.