AIB is pleased to support Project Everyone, launched by filmmaker Richard Curtis who also founded the Comic Relief charity.
In September 2015, the United Nations are launching global goals, a series of ambitious targets to end extreme poverty and tackle climate change for everyone by 2030.
If the goals are met, they ensure the health, safety and future of the planet for everyone on it. And their best chance of being met is if everyone on the planet is aware of them.
So the simple but mighty ambition of Project Everyone – is to share the global goals with 7 billion people in 7 days.
Project Everyone is harnessing the power of global media – TV, radio and online – to tell the world about the Sustainable Development Goals. A number of AIB Members have already signed up to this important innovative initiative. Now’s your chance to take part and help make the world a better place.
Broadcasters responded rapidly to the devastating earthquake in Nepal that is believed to have killed more than 10,000 people and made hundreds of thousands homeless.
BBC World Service is now broadcasting additional programming on shortwave in both Nepalese and in English while BBC Media Action – the BBC’s international development charity – is working with the Nepali Service on BBC World Service (radio and online) and local partner radio stations to broadcast ‘Lifeline’ programming.
Liliane Landor, Controller of World Service Languages, says: “Information is vital and we are doing all we can to make sure that our audiences in the affected areas receive their local and regional news as well as ‘Lifeline’ programming designed to give practical information to help deal with the aftermath of the earthquake.”
The Nepali language programme is available on shortwave as follows:
Nepali dawn transmission (01:30-01:45 GMT) on 11995 kHz (25 metre band) and 15510 kHz (19 metre band)
Nepali evening transmission (15:00-16:00 GMT) on 9650 kHz (31 metre band) and 5895 kHz (49 metre band)
The availability of World Service English on short wave to Northern India and Nepal has been extended with the service now starting one hour earlier than normal at 23.00 GMT.
Additional frequencies for World Service in English (to S Asia) from 23:00 GMT to 24:00GMT: 5895 kHz (49 metre band) and 9540 kHz (31 metre band)
From 00:00GMT the broadcasts continue as normal on 12,095kHz, 9,410kHz and 5970kHz.
For broadcasters covering the disaster, Reuters-TIMA are operational from the Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu offering
HD/SD live stand-up positions
Multi format playout facilities
Editorial support
International point-to-point delivery via the Reuters-TIMA network
The External Services Division (ESD) of All India Radio reacted quickly to the situation.
As soon as the News of devastating Earthquake ravaging large part of Nepal started trickling in, as an immediate measure, SOS announcements advising people not to panic and take precautionary safety measures against the possible aftershocks were made. Thereafter, the service got in touch with the MEA officials and by 7 pm, the helpline numbers of MEA, the Indian Mission in Kathmandu were repeatedly announced. People were advised to take all precautionary measures, as per the guidelines provided by the NDMA. Appeal of ADG, NDMA was also recorded over telephone and broadcast.
Since all lines of communication had broken down, the Nepali Service being broadcast on short-wave remained the only available communication link to reach out to the distressed people in Kathmandu valley and the hinterland Nepal.
Normal programming of the whole evening transmission was changed and programmes relating to the Earthquake were broadcast continuously.
The Association for International Broadcasting today condemned the cyber attack on TV5 Monde that took the broadcaster’s global channels off the air on 8 April.
The attack, apparently by the so-called Islamic State, was a concerted effort to take the international channel off screens around the world and take over the network’s social media accounts.
“To attack an international television channel that screens mostly cultural and entertainment programming is unprecedented,” commented Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “It is unclear exactly who was behind this major assault on TV5 Monde. However, those responsible were clearly intent on attacking freedom of expression.
TV5 Monde was able to resume most of its operations by Friday 10 April, although some of its live output is still limited by the attack.
“International broadcasters provide a life-line service in many parts of the world,” continues Spanswick. “We cannot stand by and let this type of attack on broadcasters that touch the lives of so many people around the world go unremarked.”
AIB is calling on all its members around the world to ensure that their computer security systems are up-to-date and, if necessary, reinforced in the light of the events at TV5 Monde’s Paris headquarters. AIB will assist its members in working to promote improved cyber security to help prevent further occurrences of this type.
At the AIB’s #iamabroadcaster conference in London in February, Michael McEwen, Director-General of the North American Broadcasters Association, kindly provided an overview of the media market in the region.
McEwen (pictured left) recounted the experiences of members of NABA and talked about the challenges – and opportunities – that face his organisation’s members.
SES S.A.has announced that the ASTRA 2G satellite is ready for its scheduled launch on board an ILS Proton booster from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 28 at 03:37:49 Baikonur Time (December 27 at 22:37:49 CET and 16:37:49 EST).
Designed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space, ASTRA 2G is based on the highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform. It will have a launch mass of 6 tons, a wingspan of 40m once its solar arrays are deployed in orbit, and a spacecraft power of 13kW until the end of its 15-year design life.
ASTRA 2G will be deployed in geostationary orbit at the 28.2/28.5 degrees East neighbourhood to provide next generation broadcast and broadband services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The spacecraft carries 62 Ku-band transponders and 4 Ka-band transponders.
ASTRA 2G will be the twenty-fourth SES satellite to be launched by ILS Proton, and the ninth Eurostar satellite in the SES fleet. Three more E3000s are currently in production for SES. The Proton booster itself will mark its 401st launch with ASTRA 2G.
A live broadcast of the launch in high definition quality will be available via Astra at the orbital position of 19.2 degrees East, channel 1.037, downlink frequency 11023.25 MHz, horizontal polarization, Symbol rate 22.0 MSym/s, FEC 5/6, service ID 5221, service name ASTRA 2G Launch.
A webcast will also be available via http://astra2g.imgondemand.com/. The video transmission of the launch of ASTRA 2G will begin approximately 30 minutes before liftoff. (Source: SES press release)
The annual general meeting of the Southern Africa Broadcasting Association [SABA] took place in Swaziland on 29 August, following the organisation’s second Digital Broadcasting Summit, hosted by Swazi TV. AIB CEO Simon Spanswick chaired the second day of the Summit.
Gender equality was one of the discussion points and SABA took the lead when it held elections for its board of directors and the appointment of the organisation’s new Secretary-General. Albertus Aochamub, D-G of Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, was appointed SABA President for a third term, while Ellen Nanuses – also from NBC – was appointed Secretary-General, succeeding long-serving Cecil Nguvauva.
The board elections resulted in four women being appointed:
Ms Marlyn Garises – Chief Accounting Officer
Ms Elisa Martin – Director of Programmes, Television Mozambique
Ms Soondaree Devi Soborun – Deputy Director General, Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation
Ms Thembi Hlope – Radio Programme Manager at Swaziland Broadcasting & Information Services
Appointments to the remaining positions were:
Bontle Mogotlwane – Director, Broadcasting Services of Botswana
Ambassador Dr Benson Tembo – Director General, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation
Antoine Onezime – CEO, Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation
Clement Mshana – Director General, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation
“This is the first time that SABA’s membership has elected women to its board,” reports AIB CEO Simon Spanswick from the event just outside the Swazi capital of Mbabane. “It marks a major shift in thinking on the continent that is not known for gender equality. It’s an important, noteworthy step and the SABA membership is to be congratulated for putting gender equality at the very heart of the Association.”
Broadcasters responded rapidly to the devastating earthquake in Nepal that is believed to have killed more than 10,000 people and made hundreds of thousands homeless.
The Association for International Broadcasting today condemned the cyber attack on 
The annual general meeting of the