South African presenter Ayanda Charlie to host the AIBs 2025

8 September 2025

South African presenter Ayanda Charlie to host the AIBs 2025

Ayanda Charlie to host 21st annual journalism awards in London

Winner of the AIBs 2024 Emerging Talent award will lead global celebration of journalism and factual storytelling

The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) is delighted to announce that Ayanda Charlie, South Africa-based freelance multimedia producer and presenter, will host the 21st annual AIBs, the international awards celebrating journalism and factual productions across video, audio and digital platforms.

The AIBs gala will take place in London on 14 November 2025 at the Park Hyatt London River Thames, welcoming journalists, editors, producers, directors and media executives from across the globe to honour the very best in international factual storytelling.

Ayanda Charlie is best known for her work with BBC Africa Eye, including Fear And Loathing in South Africa, a powerful investigation into the xenophobic group Operation Dudula. She is the winner of the AIB Emerging Talent Award in 2024 and a 2022 Open Society Foundations Investigative Journalism Fellow, establishing her as one of the most dynamic and courageous voices in investigative journalism today.

Ayanda Charlie said:
“I am absolutely delighted to be invited to host the AIBs in 2025, especially after winning the Emerging Talent award last year. The AIBs shine a vital spotlight on the power of journalism and the importance of reporting facts with integrity – something that is urgently needed, particularly across my home continent of Africa where courageous reporting can change lives. It is also deeply meaningful to me, as a woman in journalism, to stand on this stage and celebrate the outstanding work of colleagues around the world who are holding power to account and telling the stories that matter.”

Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the AIB, said:
“We are thrilled that Ayanda Charlie will be hosting the AIBs 2025. Ayanda embodies the values of fearless, independent journalism that the AIBs were created to celebrate. Her work with BBC Africa Eye has highlighted critical issues with integrity and bravery, and her voice will add an inspiring and compelling presence to this year’s awards gala in London.”

The AIBs 2025 will showcase entries from across the world, recognising the creativity, determination and impact of journalists and producers who bring factual stories to audiences on television, radio, podcasts and digital platforms.

For more information about the AIBs, visit www.theaibs.tv.

Radio Taiwan International announced as Broadcast Partner of the AIBs 2025

14 August 2025

Radio Taiwan International announced as Broadcast Partner of the AIBs 2025

Rti joins with the 21^st annual AIBs to demonstrate its commitment to global journalism and media freedom

The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) is pleased to announce that Radio Taiwan International (Rti) has joined the AIBs 2025 as the official Broadcast Partner. As part of the partnership, Rti will have exclusive rights to distribute the 21st annual AIBs gala awards event, which will take place in London on 14 November 2025, across its platforms.

In addition to its broadcast partnership, Rti is also confirmed as the sponsor of the News Coverage – Audio category, one of the most competitive awards recognising outstanding journalism in radio and podcasting from around the world.

This collaboration underscores Rti’s long-standing commitment to media freedom, impartial journalism, and international collaboration. At a time when press freedom is under threat in many regions, Rti continues to provide trusted, independent news and programming in multiple languages, serving audiences across Asia and globally.

Cheryl Lai, Chairperson of Radio Taiwan International (pictured), said: “The AIBs are a vital platform to honour and amplify the work of journalists and storytellers who bring truth to light in an increasingly complex world. At Rti, we believe in the power of journalism to hold power to account, to inform the public, and to build mutual understanding across cultures. Supporting the AIBs reflects our dedication to these values and our desire to stand with fellow broadcasters and content creators who share our commitment to editorial integrity and public service.”

Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting, commented: “We are delighted to continue our close collaboration with Rti in 2025. Rti has generously supported the AIBs for a number of years, and this continuing relationship demonstrates the importance that Rti and the nation of Taiwan attaches to media freedom and impartial journalism. Through Rti’s support, we are able to celebrate the work of journalists and their colleagues in bringing the stories that matter to audiences globally.”

Established in 2005, the AIBs are the international competition that celebrates the best journalism and factual productions across video, audio, and digital platforms. With entries from broadcasters, media companies and production houses in more than 40 countries, the AIBs represent a global benchmark of excellence in factual media.

The AIBs 2025 gala on 14 November will bring together leading figures from across the international media industry, recognising work that informs, educates and inspires audiences worldwide. This year, the gala dinner will take place at the Park Hyatt London River Thames, moments from Westminster and the Houses of Parliament.

For more information about the AIBs and this year’s categories, visit www.theaibs.tv

The AIBs 2025 closing date extended

30 June 2025

The AIBs 2025 closing date extended

The AIB Secretariat has been receiving many calls from broadcasters and production companies around the world seeking an extension to the closing date for this year’s AIBs, the 21st annual competition for journalism and factual productions.

As a result, we have extended the closing date to 14 July to allow more time for entries to be submitted.

“The AIBs are run to showcase and reward the world’s best journalism and factual story telling,” says Clare Fuller, producer of the AIBs. “We recognise that everyone working in media companies around the world are under increasing pressures and ever tighter deadlines, so we know we need to respond to requests from potential entrants. So we are allowing two more weeks for entries to be submitted.”

Full information on all the categories and how to enter is on the AIBs website: www.theaibs.tv. The closing date is now 14 July 2025.

AIB members gain instant access to 10,000+ freelance journalists

20 June 2025

AIB members gain instant access to 10,000+ freelance journalists

Over the past few months, the AIB Secretariat has been working with Paydesk, a global network of more than 10,000 freelancers – from audio and video reporters to producers and fixers – and comprehensive workflow management software platform. Paydesk simplifies the process of finding, booking, hiring, paying and insuring freelances. Paydesk is used by major news organisations such as Euronews, RTE, CBS, The Sunday Times and The Sun to contract freelancers in territories around the world to deliver quality news reporting and related services.

Paydesk is a one-stop shop to hire freelancers in areas where news organisations may not have their own reporters, or where it is too costly to deploy crews at short notice.

Importantly, Paydesk provides insurance cover for the freelancers when carrying out jobs contracted through the platform, helping to provide a level of security for the freelancer and their family if something untoward occurs during the assignment.

AIB members are now able to take advantage of a Paydesk account “seat” for their newsroom and gain immediate access to the international freelance pool that is on Paydesk’s books. There is no charge for this seat to AIB member companies.

“This is an important new benefit for our members,” says AIB Chief Executive Simon Spanswick. “As budgets shrink but demand for news coverage increases, AIB members gain a real advantage through access to a global network of freelancers, while back office administration for bookings is greatly simplified.”

To discuss how your company can benefit from this new initiative, and from all the other services that the AIB provides, contact the Secretariat.

AIB dismayed as Togo bans French international media for three months

20 June 2025

AIB dismayed as Togo bans French international media for three months

The Association for International Broadcasting is dismayed by the decision of Togo’s High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) to suspend the broadcasts of France 24 television and Radio France Internationale in the country for three months.

According to the press reports, HAAC claims that the Paris-headquartered broadcasters have “repeated failures, already reported and formally recalled, in terms of impartiality, rigour and verification of facts”. In 2024, the HAAC put RFI “on notice” for “unfair treatment of information” and “dissemination of false news about the country”.

“This suspension of independent fact-based news organisations deprives citizens of Togo of important information sources,” says AIB Chief Executive Simon Spanswick. “At a time when rumour spreads on social media platforms, the checks and balances provided by international broadcasters such as RFI and France 24 are vital to counter mis- and disinformation. The AIB calls on the HAAC to rescind its reported suspension rapidly and to allow RFI and France 24 to resume broadcasting in Togo.”

Also in June, a correspondent working for France’s TV5 Monde, Flore Monteau, has been arbitrarily detained in Togo. Monteau had been covering anti-government demonstrations in Lomé and was filming the dispersal of protesters by security forces. CPJ says that police seized her equipment and forced her to delete footage of the protests. She was also required to unlock her mobile phone by the police.

Togo, with a population of just under 9 million, is ranked 121^st in the World Press Freedom Index 2025 published by Reporters Without Borders.

Image: HAAC headquarters in Lomé; courtesy Republique Togolaise

LLM “strip mining” content – what can media companies do?

12 June 2025

LLM “strip mining” content – what can media companies do?

As artificial intelligence companies accelerate the development of Large Language Models (LLMs), trusted content from broadcasters – like that of AIB members – is being used to train these systems, often without compensation or consent. This presents both a significant challenge and a major opportunity for international media companies.

That’s why the next AIB AI Group meeting on 30 June 2025 at 0900 London time will explore how AIB members can benefit from licensing their content to AI companies for LLM training purposes.

The meeting will feature a keynote presentation by Madhav Chinnappa, Advisor to AI licensing company Human Native. With extensive experience at BBC News and Google News, Madhav brings a unique perspective on how content creators can negotiate fair, ethical, and profitable licensing arrangements with AI developers.

This is a critical moment for collaboration across the AIB membership. By working together, AIB members can:

Develop strategies to protect and monetise content
Leverage collective bargaining power to negotiate more favourable licensing deals
Ensure that non-English content – increasingly in demand by AI companies – is properly valued and represented in AI training datasets

To support the discussion, we have prepared a briefing paper for AIB members: “Content Licensing to LLMs – A Winning Strategy Against Strip Mining?”
It provides essential background on:

How LLMs are trained and the role that media content plays
The current legal and ethical landscape
The emerging global market for content licensing
The unique value that AIB members can bring – especially those producing in languages other than English

AIB member companies from all over the world will be taking part. If your organisation is not involved with the AIB yet, talk to us about how membership can benefit you and your colleagues in the field of AI, as well as cyber security, media freedom, regulatory affairs, sustainability and far more besides.