Factual TV, radio and online programme producers from Australia, Qatar, the USA, Turkey, the UK and France are coming together to share knowledge and ideas at the second #iamabroadcaster The AIBs Masterclass in London on 2 November.
Finalists in the 13th AIBs – the annual international competition for factual productions – are taking time out of their schedules to meet colleagues and others with an interest in factual programme-making at the informal, interactive half-day event.
“We are privileged that each year, the world’s top producers share their work with the Association for International Broadcasting in our awards,” says Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the AIB. “We are even more fortunate that many travel to London to share in our celebration of success at our gala awards event. We want to make sure that they get the best possible value from their trip and that’s why we’ve introduced the Masterclass. It’s a way of helping to share experiences and develop new concepts, and anyone is welcome to come to the Masterclass to learn and exchange ideas.”
This year’s Masterclass takes place on Thursday 2 November at the M by Montcalm, City Road, London EC1V 1JH. Panellists taking part come from TRT WORLD, AFP, Al Jazeera, the BBC, Blue Chalk Media, BFBS, Media Stockade, Brinkworth Films and Afshar Films.
The panellists will be discussing their work on investigative documentaries, human interest stories, and branded content, among other areas.
“The #iamabroadcaster Masterclass is a unique event,” says Spanswick. “Rarely do so many factual story-tellers from so many parts of the world come together to discuss their work with their peers and others who are perhaps interested in starting a career in factual television or radio. The Association for International Broadcasting is honoured to be hosting this event and helping to develop new relationships in the factual programme-making industry.”
There will also be a presentation from UK-headquartered Celebro Media about its innovative OB unit in a box.
The half-day Masterclass is free-to-attend for everyone who is taking part in the AIBs awards gala dinner on 1 November. There is a modest fee for others and a specially-reduced rate for those in full-time education.
Full details on the #iamabroadcaster The AIBs Masterclass are available online at http://theaibs.tv.
The Association for International Broadcasting has worked in the global media business for almost a quarter of a century. As the organisation moves towards its 25th anniversary in 2018, we’re making more of our archive of conversations, magazines and video footage available.
The latest video we have included in our conference archive includes highlights of the 2004 AIB Global Media Business conference in Prague. This was hosted at the then headquarters of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty which, before the fall of the Soviet Union, was the Czechoslovak parliament building. Guests attended from across the world, and the subjects under discussion ranged from “fake news” (before that name was coined), to the need for technology companies to adopt the mindset of broadcasters, through to media in the Arab World.
Looking back at this conference, it’s clear that the AIB brings together experts on subjects that are at the cutting edge of the global media industry. Have a look and see what you think – and you can read about the event in the conference report that we published in The Channel, our global media magazine.
The Association for International Broadcasting is delighted to reveal the AIBs 2017 shortlist.
2017 has been a record year for this competition that rewards the best factual productions across video, audio and online. The AIBs are truly international, with work submitted from every continent.
It has been a tremendous challenge for us to deliver this shortlist, as so many – if not all – of the entries deserve recognition. The productions included in this year’s final selection are remarkable, adopting a wide range of techniques to cover a wide range of subjects.
Our global panel of judges have now received the productions that they are going to evaluate. They now face an even tougher challenge than our long and shortlisting teams.
On Wednesday 1 November, we will announce the overall winners in each category at our gala awards night at LSO St Luke’s in London. Hosted by Matthew Amroliwala from BBC World News, this is a meeting point for producers, editors, journalists and executives from all over the world and provides an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas in a collaborative and celebratory atmosphere. The following day, 2 November, we will hold our #iamabroadcaster The AIBs Masterclass. This offers the chance to learn from colleagues and peers in the international factual media industry in a half-day event that helps share knowledge and foster cooperation.
Places are already being booked for both events and we’re looking forward to another sell-out gala evening and Masterclass. Details of how to book places at the AIBs gala awards night and the #iamabroadcaster Masterclass are online at http://theaibs.tv/the-aibs-2017-gala-dinner/.
We wish good luck to all our finalists and look forward to welcoming you to your celebration of success in November!
The Longlist for the 13th annual AIBs – the international awards for factual content, is announced today, Tuesday 12 September 2017
Factual content from countries as diverse as Papua New Guinea, Denmark, the UK and Argentina
18 distinct categories to reward factual video, audio and online productions
From the hundreds of entries, the Association for International Broadcasting’s shortlisting team has narrowed down the list of contenders across the 18 programme categories.
“This year’s range, breadth and depth of entries is astonishing,” says Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “The energy demonstrated by the programme producers around the world is astonishing. We have seen and heard remarkable stories told imaginatively and sensitively – despite many being truly difficult and disturbing subjects.”
“To illustrate the range of work entered, there are political stories from the USA, Philippines, North Korea and the Maldives,” says Clare Dance, the AIBs Co-ordinator. “Deeply moving personal stories have come from Korea, Japan, the UK and Denmark. And then there’s news coverage of the major events of the past year.”
The international spread of entries is reinforced this year, with work from almost 40 countries submitted. Work has been submitted for the first time from Italy and Papua New Guinea, while increased numbers of productions have come from Europe, North and South America, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
Inclusion on the AIBs 2017 Longlist indicates that the production is among the world’s best factual content produced for television, radio or online platforms.
International judges
The AIBs 2017 Shortlist will be announced on 22 September as the panel of 55 jurors in more than 20 countries starts work on the final judging of entries.
The 2017 winners will be announced at a gala evening at LSO St Luke’s in London on 1 November, hosted by Matthew Amroliwala (pictured left) presenter and journalist at BBC Global News.
The leading awards for quality factual productions
First awarded in 2005, the AIBs are recognised as one of the leading prizes for factual productions in any language. The list of winners includes the world’s leading broadcasters and production companies, and notable personalities including Sir David Attenborough, Larry King and Christiane Amanpour.
The AIB is saddened to learn that Les Murray, the former football broadcaster and known to football fans across Australia as “Mr Football”, has died aged 71.
Regarded by many as the voice of Australian football, Murray had been battling a long-term illness, according to his long-term employer SBS. He had retired from his role on the The World Game in July 2014, having played a major role in the game’s development in Australia since the 1980s.
In a statement, SBS said: “Les will be remembered not just for his 35-year contribution to football in Australia, but for being a much-loved colleague, mentor and friend who has left a unique legacy. To say he will be sorely missed is an understatement.
Murray pioneered football broadcasting in Australia following the launch of the National Soccer League in 1977, initially on Channel 10, and went on to become the voice of World Cup coverage on SBS for several decades. He hosted eight World Cups in total, his debut coming at Mexico 1986.
He also worked across the Asia-Pacific region as Chair of the ABU Sports Group for more than 10 years, and had been an advisor to the Association for International Broadcasting. Murray was also a member of the FIFA Ethics Committee.
Murray came to Australia from his native Hungary at the age of 11 after the 1956 uprising, without any knowledge of the English-language. Murray began his career at SBS in 1980 as a Hungarian subtitle writer, but it was his passion for football that rapidly brought him into the network’s sports team. By 1986, he was hosting SBS’s World Cup coverage. As an SBS football commentator and presenter, he covered eight World Cups before retiring in 2014.
Tributes have flown from all circles, with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the football community and fans sharing their accolades of the lauded sports commentator.
Over his career, he championed the cause of immigrants in Australia, devoting much time to breaking down the many barriers that newcomers to the country had to face and helping to develop the country as a model of tolerance to all races. It was fitting that he worked for SBS, Australia’s multicultural network.
Les Murray will be greatly missed by his colleagues at SBS, the AIB, ABU and across the world of football and sports broadcasting.
The second World .Radio Advisory Board meeting was held in Geneva on 4 July 2017 at the headquarters of the EBU. This Board, chaired by AIB Chief Executive Simon Spanswick, steers the development of the new .radio top level domain and resolves issues surrounding name allocations in the new TLD.
At present, the .radio TLD is being offered through the Pioneers Programme. This allows companies that have a serious interest in using – and promoting – the new .radio extension to gain exposure globally. The Association for International Broadcasting is a pioneer, providing a special web site for its annual awards – the AIBs – at www.theaibs.radio. Companies interested in becoming a .radio pioneer and having use of a .radio domain in advance of the opening of registration requests can contact the AIB for more information.
In August, “sunrise” registrations will be opened, with general availability from 15 November 2017.
“The .radio top level domain will allow every organisation with radio operations, or companies and individuals with close links to radio, to demonstrate their involvement in the radio industry,” commented Simon Spanswick, WRAB President and Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “This is the first community domain in the world, and it’s great that the radio industry is able to lead this new global domain initiative.”
Pictured above, from left: WRAB Members at the Geneva meeting – Giacomo Mazzone (EBU); Simon Spanswick (AIB); Olya Booyar (ABU); Graham Dixon (EBU); Alain Artero (EBU)
The 2017 winners will be announced at a gala evening at LSO St Luke’s in London on 1 November, hosted by Matthew Amroliwala (pictured left) presenter and journalist at BBC Global News.
