5 April 2019
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and his newly-appointed Special Envoy on Media Freedom Amal Clooney (pictured) will establish a panel of legal experts to counter draconian laws that hinder journalists from going about their work.
After a meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister and Amal Clooney at a G7 event in France, Mr Hunt set out the next stages of the UK’s campaign to defend free media around the world.
The High Level Panel of Legal Experts will examine legal and policy initiatives that states can adopt to improve media freedom including by:
- Offering advice to governments who want to strengthen legal mechanisms to improve media freedom;
- Supporting the repeal of outdated and draconian laws;
- Encouraging and supporting governments to help ensure existing laws and international obligations are enforced;
- Promoting best practice and model legislation to protect a vibrant free press.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Violence against journalists has reached alarming levels globally and we cannot turn a blind eye. The media has a crucial role to play in holding the powerful to account. There is no escaping the fact that draconian and outdated laws around the world are being used to restrict the ability of the media to report the truth. Amal Clooney’s leading work on human rights means she is ideally placed to ensure this campaign has real impact for journalists and the free societies who depend on their work. She will use her expertise to chair a panel comprising the world’s best legal minds to develop and promote legal mechanisms to prevent and reverse media abuses.”
International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney said: “I am honoured to have been appointed as the Foreign Secretary’s Special Envoy on Media Freedom and to have been invited to chair the High Level Panel of Legal Experts. Through my legal work defending journalists I have seen first-hand the ways in which reporters are being targeted and imprisoned in an effort to silence them and prevent a free media. I welcome the UK Government’s focus on this issue at a time when journalists are being killed and imprisoned at record levels all over the world and I look forward to working on new legal initiatives that can help to ensure a more effective international response.”
The global campaign on media freedom aims to shine a spotlight on media abuses and reverse the trend of violence against journalists.
The announcement on 5 April comes ahead of the International Conference on Media Freedom to be held in the UK on 10-11 July, co-hosted with the Canadian Government. The Association for International Broadcasting is collaborating with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the planning of this important event.
The conference will bring together leaders from around the world to share good practice on media freedom, and seek consensus behind the measures that can be taken to improve the protection of journalists.
5 April 2019
The leading innovators in software driven real-time production systems combine to accelerate innovation and advance a shared vision for video creation, production and distribution
San Antonio, USA and Bergen, Norway – Vizrt, the world’s leading provider of visual storytelling tools for media content creators, has acquired NewTek, world leader in IP-based, software-driven live video production solutions. The acquisition creates the largest company in the broadcast space that is dedicated to enabling IT based video production. The goal is to make it possible for people to tell their story using video, whether they are a kid in a classroom or a tier-1 broadcaster.
The combined companies emerge as the driving force in the transition to IP video for live production with NDI® and SMPTE 2110, with each serving different needs. The company will deliver flexible end-to-end workflows for all levels of production and software-based products and services for media, sports, entertainment, education, enterprise, and esports.
“Combining our organizations allow us to pursue our joint vision of software-based video production, leveraging the power and flexibility of computing and IT-based systems.” said Michael Hallén, Vizrt CEO. “The combined business will be very well positioned to deliver turnkey systems that give creative power to any organization that has ambitions of producing content for any output platform.”
The combination is a perfect match.
- Complementary software-based technology that creates an end-to-end workflow for the growing content creation market.
- A dedication to growing the adoption, strength, and accessibility of IP technology for all markets.
- A valuable channel network in place, that will benefit from taking a wider portfolio of products to customers.
- The new company combines the brilliant minds that invented the NDI protocol with the innovators that invented template-driven real-time graphics. The company will be R&D focused with the vision of providing the software-based video technology that is the foundation of the future of the media industry.
“Taking advantage of computational, software, and network technology to make video more accessible, and fun to create has always been NewTek’s mission. These changes have revolutionized the way stories are told worldwide, allowing anyone to create and share a show.” said Dr. Andrew Cross, President & CTO of NewTek. “The tools from our two companies have fueled the video revolution—from kids in classrooms, little league games, and web shows, to the highest levels of broadcasting, news and sports. The combined company represents one of the most disruptive changes for the video industry in decades, however the goal remains the same—to build a new world of IT-based video technology to grow the reach and impact for anyone with a story to share.”
With a mission to unleash the power of storytelling through video for everyone, the combined company is committed to the creation of accessible video production tools for all markets, while ensuring a smooth transition from traditional broadband to the flexibility of IP video.
Michael Hallén, current President & CEO of Vizrt, will lead the business. Dr. Andrew Cross, current President & CTO of NewTek, will assume the role as President of Research & Development of the combined company.
Both companies will be presenting to customers, partners, and press at NAB on Sunday 7th April in the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall. The NewTek community event will commence at 5:30pm and include a panel session, talk with NewTek’s Dr. Andrew Cross and welcome drinks.
Press contacts: Chris Black CBlack@vizrt.com / Cath Webb CWebb@vizrt.com
About Vizrt:
Vizrt is the world’s leading provider of visual storytelling tools for media content creators in the broadcast, sports, digital and esports industries. Vizrt offers market-defining software-based solutions for real-time 3D graphics, video playout, studio automation, sports analysis, media asset management, and journalist story tools. More than three billion people watch stories told by Vizrt customers everyday including from media companies such as CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox, BBC, BSkyB, Sky Sports, Al Jazeera, NDR, ZDF, Star TV, Network 18, Tencent, and many more. Vizrt is a global and diverse company with over 500 employees, operating in 30 offices worldwide. Vizrt is a privately-owned company by Nordic Capital Fund VIII. Vizrt is creative power made easy. www.vizrt.com
About NewTek
As the leader in IP video technology, NewTek is transforming the way people create network-style television content and share it with the world. From sporting events, Web-based talk shows, live entertainment, classrooms, and corporate communications, to virtually any place people want to capture and publish live video, we give our customers the power to grow their audiences, brands and businesses faster than ever before.
Clients include: New York Giants, NBA Development League, Fox News, BBC, NHL, Nickelodeon, CBS Radio, ESPN Radio, Fox Sports, MTV, TWiT.TV, USA TODAY, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and more than 80% of the U.S. Fortune 100.
3 April 2019
The AIBs celebrate factual programming across TV, radio and online platforms
The 15th annual AIBs have opened for entry, helping programme makers across the world share and showcase their best work of the year. Launched in 2005, the AIBs have become established as the major international competition for factual productions. The AIBs are highly valued and respected by producers, editors and journalists across every continent, demonstrated by the ever-increasing number of entries from broadcasters and independent producers in almost 50 countries.
The AIBs 2019 have 21 categories ranging from daily journalism through to human interest, sport to children’s. The complete list is:
TV/video
- Children’s
- Science, technology, nature – sponsored by Radio Taiwan International
- Sport event coverage
- Arts and culture
- Human interest
- Short documentary
- Daily journalism: single report
- Daily journalism: ongoing reporting
- Politics and business
- Investigative
- Domestic affairs
- International affairs
Radio/audio
- Arts and culture
- Human interest
- Daily journalism: single report
- Daily journalism: ongoing reporting
- Investigative
- Factual podcast
Specialist
- International channel of the year
- Breakthrough talent
- Impact
Demonstrating the truly international dimension of the AIBs, all categories are open to work in every language. Winners in the past have submitted work in Arabic, Cantonese, Czech, French, German, Hindi, Mandarin, Spanish and Swedish, among other languages.
“The AIBs are one of the highlights of the Association for International Broadcasting’s work each year,” says Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “Each year we are truly privileged to see so much of the world’s best factual programmes entered into the competition. Many programmes deal with really tough, challenging subjects but they provide an extraordinary snapshot of the contemporary world. We work to ensure that that the entries are shared as widely as possible, helping to share best practice among programme makers around the world.”
Judging of the AIBs is undertaken by an international panel of experts, who bring global perspective and extensive industry experience to the competition. The judging takes place in September using the AIB digital voting system which provides online access to all shortlisted entries.
“We have more than 50 judges who give their time voluntarily to make the AIBs a success,” says Clare Dance, co-ordinator of the AIBs. “Every year our judges tell us that they are astounded by the range of content they see and hear, much of it material that they would not normally be able to view or listen to. Judges have gone on to commission programmes from producers who have been shortlisted, so the AIBs help develop international collaboration.”
The AIBs are open for entry until 28 June 2019. See the entry book online at http://theaibs.tv/Assets/AIBs-2019-books/AIBs-2019.html and more information at http://theaibs.tv.
25 March 2019
Ruptly, the award-winning global multimedia agency, has been announced as a finalist in two categories of Digiday’s European Media Awards. Ruptly’s Live platform secured runner-up for Best Use of Live and Ruptly’s World Cup coverage scored a nomination for Video Team of The Year.
Dinara Toktosunova, CEO of Ruptly, said:
“These nominations are recognition of our innovative approach to providing the direct access to live moments that is so essential for broadcasters and publishers alike. We will continue covering the biggest sporting, cultural and news events with our highly-mobile broadcast fleet.”
Ruptly Live is a live distribution platform designed for broadcasters and publishers, as well as individual bloggers, to broadcast groundbreaking moments as they are taking place. Users of Ruptly Live are able to stream up to 9 simultaneous live events from Ruptly’s platform in just three clicks, including events in 360 degrees. Other finalists for Best Use of Live were Hearst UK & The Laughing Cow (Good Housekeeping), Singuar.Live (The Kick Off), TheNewsMarket (PwC’s 21st Annual Global CEO Survey).
The Ruptly Live platform was used in the distribution of its World Cup coverage in 2018. Ruptly is nominated for Video Team of the Year for its coverage, which also included a multi-camera, live transmission of a FIFA Legends vs Russian Legend game in Kaliningrad, using its newest outside broadcasting van. The van is equipped with Riedel’s Mediornet video router, Bolero wireless intercom and Arri’s Amira cameras to provide the highest quality live stream. Other finalists in this category include Jungle Creations, Boiler Room, COPA90 and Axel Springer Akademie – mission: truth.
Winners will be announced at the Digiday Media Awards Europe Gala on 9 May 2019 in London. https://digiday.com/awards/jungle-creations-hearst-uk-lead-digiday-media-awards-nominations/
22 March 2019
A veteran of the media industry with extensive experience throughout Europe and North America, Roch Pellerin joined Eurovision Services on 1 March 2019 from TRT WORLD where, as Director of Marketing, Communication and Distribution, he implemented a linear and digital distribution strategy for major territories and platforms, expanding the global reach to 260 million television households.
Before this, Roch held a number of senior roles with Al Jazeera Media Network, ESPN/DISNEY, and Canal+ Group. Additionally, he served as Managing Director in charge of sales, marketing and administration for Eurosport France and he worked in New York City at A&E Television Networks as director of financial planning.
“I am delighted to welcome Roch to the team. Roch brings the global experience and industry insight needed to help Eurovision Services expand its presence in North America and elsewhere. He will be an essential part of our strategy to continue to grow the Eurovision Services portfolio through various areas, including new media and online platforms, to ensure that we maximise the content value for our clients and help them to reach the widest possible audiences,” says Marco Tinnirello, CEO of Eurovision Services.
Roch added: “After years of international experience across all continents, it’s important for me to work for a company that has a global footprint and strategy. Eurovision Services provides such an opportunity and offers new challenges for me to take on. It’s an ideal match and I’m eager to put my professional sport and news background to work. The fact that Eurovision Americas operates one of the largest media markets in the world is also an important factor. I look forward to joining such a forward-looking and energetic team.”
