22 May 2003
London’s Financial Times newspaper reports that BBC World Service is to join forces with international commercial broadcaster Viacom to launch the first pan-African radio campaign aimed at combating HIV/AIDS.
BBC World Service – a member of the AIB – is to produce anti-AIDS radio messages in seven African languages. The station’s audience in Africa is around 60m people.
The development follows a reported approach by Viacom – the company that owns MTV, CBS TV and Paramount Pictures – to the BBC. Viacom is to jointly fund the programming in association with the American health charity, the Kaiser Foundation.
22 May 2003
The AIB is taking part in the Production Show, the London exhibition that focuses on television and radio production equipment and services.
Join us at stand 670 for a chat about the AIB and how we can serve your needs.
22 May 2003
Dubai-based Middle East Business News (MEBN), an affiliate of CNBC, is to launch an Arabic-language channel CNBC Arabiya in June. The programming will cover Middle Eastern economic and business news.
CNBC Arabiya, owned and run by MEBN under a licensing and affiliation agreement with CNBC, will be based in Dubai and will have bureaus in Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain. An investment of around US$45 million has reportedly been earmarked for the next three years.
CNBC Europe – an AIB member – and CNBC Asia are to provide CNBC Arabiya global news link.
21 May 2003
ND SatCom of Germany, a leading
global supplier of satellite based broadband VSAT, broadcast and
military communication network solutions – and a a member of the AIB -has announced the
opening of its Beijing, China office. ND SatCom decided to increase
its presence in China due to the areas potential and growing
satellite communications needs. The ND SatCom AG Beijing
Representative Office will better serve ND SatComs clients and
strengthen activities in the Asian region.
Mr. Roland Schua, Chief Representative China will head the new ND
SatCom office that includes highly experienced local sales and
engineering support. ND SatComs’ presence in Asia has grown from its
beginning in 1997 with an office in Singapore to a current network of
four sales and service offices in Singapore, New Delhi, Jakarta and
Beijing.
“By augmenting our activities in Beijing we believe that not only are
we positioning ourselves perfectly for the Chinese market but also for
expansion into more areas of Asia”, commented Mr. Schua, Chief
Representative China. He continued, “The official opening of ND
SatComs Beijing office represents our long term commitment to become
a major provider of satellite communication solutions in this
important emerging market.”
19 May 2003
Geneva – World Radio Network (WRN), the London-based international broadcaster and transmission service provider, has joined the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium.
DRM comprises broadcasters, network operators, manufacturers and researchers who have created a digital system (also called DRM) for the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. DRM is the world’s only non-proprietary, digital system for short-wave, medium-wave and long-wave with the ability to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. WRN’s participation brings DRM’s membership to a record high of 81 members from 30 countries.
Placing his full support behind DRM, Karl Miosga, WRN’s Managing Director said: “World Radio Network is delighted to be playing an active part in DRM which represents a combination of digital innovation and close cooperation between broadcasters around the world – two of the founding principles behind WRN. We have been a long-time proponents of the distribution of international, cross-border radio by innovative and sustainable digital platforms, be that the Internet, digital satellite, digital cable or mobile cellphone services in order to reach new listeners around the world. To this list we add DRM because we believe it is going to offer listeners increased choice in radio listening combined with digital audio quality.”
“Several of DRM’s broadcaster members are also associated with WRN,” said DRM Chairman Peter Senger. “The addition of WRN as a member of DRM is a great fit, and we look forward to working together in the future.”
The world’s first DRM broadcasts will be transmitted across the globe on June 16th, 2003. The precise moment of DRM’s inaugural broadcasts will occur during the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003) in Geneva, marked by a reception at the Château de Penthes.
