14 September 2011
DW-TV ARABIA will now feature six hours of programming in Arabic
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle joins discussion with the Egyptian author Alaa al-Aswany and several young bloggers recorded on September 8, 2011 in Berlin
More dialogue in a time of upheaval: Deutsche Welle today began broadcasting its new television channel for the Arab World. Audiences from Morocco to Oman can tune in to a six-hour block in Arabic always in primetime throughout the region. DW-TV ARABIA will continue to inform its viewers about the most important developments in Arab countries, Germany and the rest of the world.
Deutsche Welle continues to implement its strategy by introducing new, regionalized productions to help improve the connection to its viewers around the world. Germanys international broadcaster is offering the possibility to engage in dialogue about regional issues especially with its talk shows with representatives from Germany and the Arab World. DW-TV ARABIA will now broadcast a block of programming in Arabic during primetime. English-language programming will complete the channels 24-hour line-up. Up until now, the schedule alternated hourly between Arabic, or German with Arabic subtitles, and English.
The initial broadcast featured Germanys Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Mohammed ElBaradei, as well as young bloggers from Germany and Egypt, discussing the latest developments in the Arab World. The talk show was recorded on September 8 in Germanys Federal Press Conference building in Berlin. It was moderated by Dima Tarhini from DW-TV ARABIA.
The core of the new DW-TV ARABIA schedule is made up of four 30-minute segments of Journal Deutsche Welles news flagship. There will also be Arabic versions of Arts.21 and GLOBAL 3000. In addition to Quadriga, there will be four new talk shows added to the mix. These will all be conducted and broadcast in Arabic and offer viewers the chance to participate while shedding light on the changes in the Arab World.
Shababtalk is a co-production with Al Hayah TV, the leading station in Egypt. Young representatives from the democratic movement in Egypt join in on discussions with their German counterparts from youth organizations, political parties and other associations.
On the Pulse brings Arab and German experts together to discuss issues related to democratization, politics, economics, the role of the government, justice and religion.
Talking to the Press is a roundtable discussion with German and European editors-in-chief and their Arab colleagues.
Guest of the Week offers the chance for public figures to come into the studio to discuss current developments in the Arab World.
The target audience for DW-TV ARABIA is made up of viewers in the Arab world who are interested in Germany and the German position on international and regionally-relevant issues and who expect reliable information about their own country from Deutsche Welle Germanys international broadcaster. With DW-TV ARABIAs consolidated schedule, we are offering attractive programming in Arabic for our target audience between Morocco and the UAE, says Deutsche Welles Director of Television, Christoph Lanz. In an era of such political instability, we are meeting the needs of our viewers by offering reliable news, insights and information.
Deutsche Welle began broadcasting in Arabic in 2002 with a two-hour block, which has been continuously expanded over the years. DW-TV ARABIA can be received via Nilesat and Arabsat/Badr 4 between Morocco and Oman as well as in Europe.
14 September 2011
MBC Group announced today a new partnership with the acclaimed Emirati Film Director and Producer, Ali Mostafa, (writer, co-producer and director of City of Life) involving the production of a unique online mini-series entitled Classified. The series is exclusive to mbc.net and will launch on September 28th 2011, promising viewers a thrilling, entertaining and exciting drama which sees four friends taking a journey across the region, played out over five episodes.
As the digital world is transforming, the web has changed the way network providers develop and deliver new content and applications. This is especially true in the Middle East region, where there are currently 28 million Arab Facebook users and 1.5 Twitter users. Combine this with the staggering statistic that global internet traffic is expected to quadruple by 2015, and it becomes clear that online content will continue to play an increasingly important role in the media mix.
MBC, in a unique co-production association with companies Boomtown Productions and Filmworks, acknowledge the importance of the digital arena, demonstrated via this specially created mini-series tailored to MBCs Arab online viewers. Classified is a dramatic thriller mini-series that will be produced with the same standards of a feature film, including suspense, action, drama as well as elements of humor. It will consist of five episodes and will run exclusively on MBCs online platform: mbc.net/classified from 28th September to 26th October 2011.
Ali Mostafa, a pioneering Emirati film maker brought up in the UAE, has joined hands with MBC to bring the best of film content onto the digital platform, in a way never before seen in the region.
Ali Mostafa said about the project This was a challenging yet fulfilling project to deliver for the region. We were quite excited to see this story come to life on screen for an audience that would be more inclined to watch because of its presence online.
About MBC Action:
MBC Action is MBC Groups action-packed channel that targets young Arabic males. It delivers the best in high-octane Western series, movies and action reality shows, keeping everyone buzzing around the clock. Some of its prime time shows include The Mentalist (exclusive on MBC Action), The Vampire Diaries (exclusive on MBC Action), Fringe (Exclusive on MBC Action), Supernatural, V (exclusive on MBC Action) and True Blood.
The channel recently produced its first production, Driven, which is a weekly, cutting edge, credible magazine format show that earns the respect and satisfies the insatiable appetite of diehard car enthusiasts. It holds an editorially-strong package geared predominantly towards the ever-growing Saudi male youth who are fully engaged in the car-pimping culture in particular and those who are into the joy of driving in general.
5 September 2011
As reported by AFP, US online video service Hulu.com has begun streaming movies and television shows in Japan in its first expansion outside the United States.
Hulu, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal, News Corp. and Providence Equity Partners, a private equity firm, said the popular video service will cost Japanese subscribers 1,480 yen ($19) a month.
Unlike in the United States, where Hulu provides both free and premium services, the offering in Japan is subscription-only.
Japanese subscribers can watch advertising-free Hulu programming using personal computers, tablet computers, Web-connected TVs, video game consoles, Blu-ray players and smartphones.
Hulu senior vice president Johannes Larcher said in a blog post that Hulu’s launch in Japan is part of the service’s plan to become a “global brand.”
“We are taking a first, but important step to make good on our aspiration to serve customers all over the world,” Larcher said. “This is just the first of more markets outside of the US for Hulu.”
Hulu said it plans to eventually add Japanese-produced content and content from across the Asian region to the service in Japan.
“We are in Japan for the long term, and excited to continue building our product for Japanese consumers,” Larcher said.
Hulu’s owners have reportedly been seeking to sell the company and potential suitors include Google, Yahoo!, Amazon and DirecTV, according to the Wall Street Journal.
5 September 2011
During the IFA international trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, in Berlin, euronews announced the signing of international agreements and predicts that the merging of television and internet will revolutionize the future of traditional channels.
After Panasonic in 2010, euronews is consolidating its progress in 2011 by integrating the offers of global giants of connected television: Philips, Samsung, Toshiba and LG as well as Vestel and Loewe via NetRange MMH, Europe’s # 1 independent manufacturer of white-label portals.
euronews is becoming the most distributed international channel on connected television in an exponential market estimated to reach over 123 million sets by 2014 and cover 100% of the market by 2016.
Panasonic
Since June 2010, owners of Panasonic’s Viera Connect range have had access to the English, French, German, Italian and Spanish editions of euronews.
Viewers can access all the latest news in ‘News’, as well as the magazines ‘Cinema’ and ‘Le Mag’ as well as the programme ‘No Comment’, one of euronews’ most symbolic programmes with its award-winning and unique concept: striking images of current events from around the globe, unedited with their original sound.
This service has been available with Panasonic for over a year now and has proved a great success with viewers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Philips
euronews has launched on Philips Smart TV products in June 2011. With the exception of the USA and Canada, owners of Philips connected Blu-Ray televisions and Home Theatre Systems around the globe can access 4 editions of euronews: English, French, German and Italian (other editions will be gradually added). Across Europe, Russia, and in Argentina and Brazil, euronews is placed in premium position on the manufacturer’s Smart TVs.
Viewers can consult the latest events via ‘News’ whenever they want, they can also watch the magazines ‘Cinema’ and ‘Le Mag’. Furthermore, they will have access to the channel’s most recent episodes of ‘No Comment’. euronews is also part of Philips’ new offer, MediaSuite, aimed specifically at the hotel sector.
Samsung
Samsung Electronics, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, and euronews have signed a partnership agreement, which will see the channel join Samsung’s Smart TV application offering. The euronews App will be rolled out across European markets in the coming months. euronews broadcasts will begin with 4 programmes: ‘News’, ‘No Comment’, ‘Le Mag’ and ‘Cinema’ in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish editions. euronews programmes will also be part of the Samsung Smart@TV solution for the hospitality industry.
Toshiba
euronews will also integrate Toshiba Places, Toshiba’s connected TV solution. On the menu: ‘News’, ‘No Comment’, ‘Le Mag’ and ‘Cinema’ available in English, French, German, and Italian in France during the launch phase, and then later across the rest of Europe.
LG
euronews is joining LG connected TV offer, to be launched primarily in France and then expected to be extended to all Europe. The manufacturer will offer euronews’ application in 5 editions – English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish – within all LG NetCast TV sets. Owners of connected LG devices such as LCD TV, Plasma TV, BD Player and BD HTS will have the opportunity to watch 4 euronews programmes: ‘News’, ‘No Comment’, ‘Le Mag’ and ‘Cinema’.
Vestel and Loewe via a NetRange MMH solution
And last, but not least, euronews will be integrated in the NetRange offer by MMH, Europe’s largest independent operator of white-label portals for online interactive services and television. This agreement makes euronews accessible worldwide with Vestel (leader in mass-marketed white-label LCD TVs) and top-of-the-range Loewe.
These key partnership agreements mark an important phase in the international news channel’s progression its brand deployment. The strategy was presented at the beginning of the 2011 during a European tour and will be significantly reinforced in 2012.
This also represents new opportunities for the channel’s advertisers with new spots and new target audiences, both globally and locally.
euronews is currently under discussion with all major world manufacturers of connected TV and will specify new partnerships in upcoming communications.
5 September 2011
Vizrt and LiberoVision announce the launch of a sports analysis tool with unparalled speed the Libero Playbook at the IBC 2011 convention in Amsterdam (Hall 2, Stand A31). From September 9th to 14th, LiberoVision will showcase its new Libero Playbook, an ultra-fast version of Libero Highlight, offering 3D game analysis in less than 60 seconds.
Analyze the action as the game unfolds
Depending upon setup, in-game analysis can go live, on-air in as little as 30 seconds. LiberoVisions powerful 3D annotations work in the same way as Libero Highlight, seamlessly combining live camera feeds. All major annotations are included, such as arrows, areas, player marks, etc.
Instead of a typical replay, Libero Playbook provides its users with the option of telling the viewer at home exactly why a players movement disrupted his teams entire offensive or why a tiny movement of the ball prevented his defense from conceeding, said Stephan Würmling Stadler, CEO at LiberoVision. The product is our direct response to a huge demand in the market. We feel confident that both new and existing customers will appreciate the extra dimension it adds to in-game analysis.
Key Features of Libero Playbook:
· In-game 3D replays
· Typical turnaround time of 30-60 seconds
· Fast playbook analysis
· Powerful 3D annotations
All LiberoVision products come as one-box-solutions for easy integration into a production environment. No additional infrastructure is required inside the stadium.
Tighter Integration with the Vizrt workflow
In addition to the new Playbook features, LiberoVisions incorporation into the Vizrt workflow will reach new levels in Amsterdam. Through its Viz Engine real-time renderer and Viz Trio CG software, Vizrt already supports bringing Libero Highlight clips into a Vizrt workflow. With Viz Anchor, on-air talent can start sports analysis from an iPad. And as of September 2011, Vizrt will also offer an interactive sports studio application enabling the Viz Engine renderer to smoothly interact with Libero Highlight clips. Analysts and presenters can interact with the Libero clips using a touch screen, for example showing arrows on the field, highlighting certain players, and describing their movement, all in perspective and tied to the field.
With this product integration, sportscasters can deliver Libero clips with defined starts/stops and annotationsinto the Vizrt workflow. They can then control the playback of the clips from any Vizrt control software and play it out, embedded in graphics, through the Viz Engine. Metadata, such as short text, can be exported and then rendered by Viz Engine. LiberoVision analysis can reach videowalls, virtual sets and can be distributed to mobile devices by using the device-optimized delivery of video to all devices.
About LiberoVision
Fully acquired by Vizrt, LiberoVision provides integrated hardware and software products to generate unique 3D imagery for several types of sports broadcasts. LiberoVision’s Emmy nominated technology is available for football, American football, basketball, ice hockey, baseball, rugby, and handball. Broadcasters around the world such as ESPN, NBC, Univision, ZDF, Canal+, and Globosat use LiberoVision to enhance their sport analysis.
5 September 2011
OASYS is celebrating 20 years of pioneering IT-based automated playout solutions by unveiling some key new features at IBC 2011 on Stand 8.B38d.
The new features on display include:
TimePlay – Using a unique combination of automatic event refresh on a playing event and time delay event synchronisation, a single operator can perform different local insertion on multiple systems, insert streams from multiple live sources, and create files on the fly for playout.7
DVB subtitling as well as supporting Teletext and Open Sub-titles, OASYS now supports DVB and streaming outputs, enabling users to play subtitles directly out of the playout system.
Audio Shuffling – this allows users to move the audio tracks between outputs depending on which language is required for which output, either from a schedule, metadata, or the Quicktime reference file.
