26 October 2017
The BBC has filed an urgent complaint to David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on behalf of the staff of its BBC Persian service. The urgent complaint has also been sent to Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, who will on Wednesday during her statement to the UN raise her concerns about the harassment of BBC Persian staff and their families.
The appeal comes after the Iranian authorities initiated a criminal investigation into 152 BBC Persian staff, former staff, and contributors, for “conspiracy against national security” in Iran and abroad. A subsequent court order freezes the assets of BBC Persian staff, meaning they cannot inherit family assets and preventing them and their families from selling assets, like property or even cars, in Iran. This is a deprivation of human rights which is against the Iranian constitution.
This is the latest in a sustained campaign of harassment and persecution which is designed to pressure journalists against continuing their work for the BBC. The campaign includes cases of the arbitrary arrest and detention of BBC Persian staff’s families, the confiscation of passports and travel bans on family members leaving Iran to prevent them from seeing their relatives working for the BBC Persian Service, ongoing surveillance and harassment, and the spread of fake and defamatory news stories designed to undermine the reputation of BBC Persian staff and their families.
Tony Hall, Director General of the BBC, said:
“The Iranian government is conducting what appears to be a politically motivated investigation into 152 BBC Persian staff, former staff and contributors, accusing them of conspiracy against national security in Iran. This is an unprecedented collective punishment of journalists who are simply doing their jobs. This is not just a campaign against BBC Persian staff but against fundamental human rights, and the BBC calls on the government of Iran to end this legal action immediately.
“BBC Persian provides independent, fair, and impartial news to a huge number of people in Iran and beyond, thanks to the dedication and professionalism of its staff. I would like to pay tribute to them and their families for their resilience in the face of years of concerted intimidation from the Iranian authorities.
“The BBC, on behalf of its staff, will use all available legal avenues to challenge this order and we call on the international community to use their own influence in Iran to persuade the authorities that this completely unacceptable treatment must end.”
Since the disputed 2009 presidential elections – when the Iranian government accused foreign powers of interference – BBC staff and their parents, siblings and friends have suffered at the hands of the Iranian authorities. Examples include:
- The sister of a journalist was held in Evin prison for 17 days and forced to plead with the journalist via Skype to stop working for the BBC or spy on colleagues
- Many elderly parents have been interrogated, including being questioned late at night
- A child under ten years old was called in for questioning because of their relationship to a staff member
Many BBC Persian staff have not been able to visit their dying parents for fear of imprisonment or being prevented from leaving Iran. Reputations have been attacked in the press and on social media with false and defamatory allegations. Many staff have been subjected to fake news accusing them of sexual impropriety or sexual acts which are illegal in Iran, including those which attract the death penalty.
The BBC’s complaint to the UN cites numerous severe breaches of Iran’s obligations under various international treaties to which it is a signatory.
The Association for International Broadcasting has written to the Iranian Ambassador in London protesting about the attacks on BBC Persian staff.
24 October 2017
The November programme schedule from NHK WORLD TV includes the following highlights:
Kurara
The Dazzling Life of Hokusai’s Daughter
Part 1: Nov 4 Sat 23:10/ Sun 5:10/ 10:10/ 17:10 (UTC) 42 min.
Part 2: Nov 11 Sat 23:10/ Sun 5:10/ 10:10/ 17:10 (UTC) 40 min.
The first historical drama to be aired on NHK WORLD TV tells the story of the remarkable woman who shared the life of the world-famous artist, Hokusai. It was his daughter, O-Ei, a capable and prominent artist in her own right. She is believed to have worked together with her father on his pictures once he reached middle-age. Female artists were rarely recognized in 19th century Japan, but O-Ei continued to produce art despite financial and romantic problems.
Shoot for Appare!
ABU Asia-Pacific Robocon 2017 Tokyo
Nov 11 Sat 4:10/ 11:10/ 16:10/ 22:10 (UTC) 49 min.
Handmade robots from young engineers competed in this year’s “ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest” in Tokyo. NHK World takes you into the heart of the battle to be number one. In the past 15 contests, China and Vietnam have won five times each; Japan only twice. This year, the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the University of Tokyo attempted to bring the title back to Japan after four years. May the best robot win!
Home Sweet Tokyo
Nov 19, 26, Dec 3, 10 Sun 4:10/ 14:10/ 22:10 (UTC) 17 min. x 4 Episodes
An original comic drama, made especially for international viewers. Londoner Bryan Jenkins finds himself on the other side of the world when he and his family relocate to Japan. He puts aside his advertising career to accept the responsibilities of a stay-at-home dad. While his wife works in the city, he struggles to adapt to cultural differences: making Japanese-style school lunches for their daughter and trying to understand his stoic Japanese father-in-law. The series is directed by the widely celebrated Teruyuki Yoshida, the man behind many hit TV shows and movies.
Gata no Kuni Kara
Part 1: Nov 25 Sat 23:20/ Sun 5:20/ 10:20/ 17:20 (UTC) 39 min.
Part 2: Nov 26 Sun 0:10/ 6:10/ 11:10/ 18:10 (UTC) 27 min.
Popular Thai actor Thiti Mahayotaruk lends his talents to this two-part drama about a fictional Thai personality, a Japanese high school girl, and a magical fish. Mirai is the daughter of the owner of a famous hot spring resort in Saga prefecture, but she is more interested in her pet mudskipper than the hospitality business. Samut, the performer, sees her as a way to escape from the pressures of his career while on location. He wants freedom; she craves social media followers. Together, they overcome language differences and other obstacles to make their way toward the Ariake Sea and a resolution to their journey.
(Source: NHK WORLD TV release)
24 October 2017
The MENA Broadcast Satellite Anti-Piracy Coalition has celebrated the shutting down of 30 Arabic and western pirate TV channels since the summer in their latest meeting. Another 26 other channels have recently stopped violating copyrights.
The coalition’s 11th meeting in Amsterdam, attended by the region’s major broadcasters and satellite providers, hailed measures taken by members in the ongoing efforts against TV piracy between April and September 2017.
MBC Group CEO, Sam Barnett, said during the meeting: “With this latest series of actions, the satellite broadcast industry in the region has effectively cleansed itself of the piracy scourge that has been damaging us since 2012. This has only happened because of the effective collaboration of producers, broadcasters and satellite operators.” He continued, “Even last week we have heard news of Egyptian film producers signing new deals with legitimate TV stations – deals that previously would not have happened due to piracy. This is a big boost for the sector.”
The Coalition also reaffirmed its commitment to remain fully engaged in protecting content against illegal satellite distribution, and agreed to widen its focus to IPTV and OTT piracy.
Guillaume Forbin, OSN Head of Platform & Content Security, detailed the latest industry research showing IPTV piracy still growing heavily.
Sophie Moloney, OSN Chief Legal Officer, said: “This is another great achievement for the coalition. With the growing threat from illegal internet-based piracy threats and emerging methods for pirating content, the strength and unity of the MENA Broadcast Anti-Piracy Coalition in conjunction with collaborations with local authorities is increasingly important. OSN is grateful to Noorsat for their efforts in removing the pirated channels over the past months; we look forward to a long and sustainable partnership in the ongoing battle for content protection.”
Members of the Coalition also discussed the growing threat from illegal internet streaming and downloads, and agreed to work together in order to strengthen their relationship with authorities in his context.
Okke Delfos Visser, Head of the Legal Department of the MPA in Europe and the Middle East and Africa, stated that “we need to build on the great successes achieved by the coalition so far. We now need to solidify our efforts in tackling satellite piracy and open a new front into online, such as IPTV and illicit streaming device piracy.”
In a joint commitment, the Coalition members also agreed to collaborate and develop an online site-blocking IPTV strategy.
Etisalat Senior Manager for Mobile and Satellite Products, Abdulaziz Ahmed Al Jasmi, revealed the existence of an IP blocking tool in coordination with the authorities within the UAE and promised their full commitment towards the coalition.
Intellectual Property (IP) Specialist, Office of the U.S. IP Attaché for the Middle East and North Africa, Raed Al Hout participated in the meeting and shared that “we will continue coordinating with relevant IP enforcement agencies, including the U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) in supporting the important work of the MENA Broadcast Satellite Anti-Piracy Coalition, and look forward to building upon our collaborative endeavors in future initiatives.”
The coalition was set up in 2014, bringing together major broadcast satellite providers, (Eutelsat, Arabsat, Nilesat, Noorsat, Gulfsat, Viewsat, STN and JMC) and content production, distribution companies and telecommunication (MBC, OSN, Rotana, ART, CNE, Du, Etisalat, Mediagates, My HD, Paramount, Rdatv, Sony pictures, Warner bros, Universal, WWE, Sound & light and cinema, International advertising association, Cedars art, Eagle films, Almassa art production, Egyptian Chamber of cinema industry, Media production city, Misr international films, Spot 2000, and the MPA) to fight the battle of piracy.
(Source: MBC press release)
18 October 2017
Arqiva, the international satellite and media services provider, has today announced a partnership with FOX Networks Group (FNG) Asia to deliver a 4K content stream of the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship – the first time FNG Asia has streamed 4K content to viewers across the region.
Arqiva will provide its streaming services for the remaining four races of the Formula One season – taking place in the US, Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi – having already delivered live 4K streaming of the Singapore, Malaysian and Japanese Grands Prix.
The partnership will see Arqiva utilise its fibre infrastructure to pick-up live 4K content from BSkyB, and take responsibility for transcoding and delivery into FNG Asia’s channel delivery network via a combination of traditional and cloud based services.
It is the latest project in a four-year relationship between Arqiva and FNG Asia, which has seen them working together on the delivery of content for channels in Singapore.
Chris Walder, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific at Arqiva, said: “We are thrilled to be working with a broadcaster like FNG Asia on a spectacle as prestigious as Formula One, and it is a fantastic reflection of Arqiva’s growing presence in the Asian market.
“FNG Asia shares our values in terms of providing the most efficient, stimulating viewing experiences to its customers, and we are looking forward to developing this relationship.”
Alex Pannell, Director of Media Services at Arqiva, added: “Arqiva’s managed IP streaming service leverages a combination of traditional services and cloud delivery mechanisms to provide the very best occupational and commercial proposition to our customers. It is for this reason that tier 1 global broadcasters and content owners, such as FNG Asia, are leveraging our media hub to deliver services to their audiences around the world.”
Jeroen Roeper, Vice President of Broadcast Technical Operations at FOX Networks Group Asia, said: “Having worked together with Arqiva for more than four years, we are confident in its ability to provide reliable, high quality services for our channels, no matter the requirement.
“FNG Asia has a growing base of customers who are passionate about sports and programming, so when the prospect of delivering our very first 4K stream for this year’s Grand Prix races arose, there was no question that Arqiva would be the right partner for the job. We’re excited to be extending our relationship with Arqiva into this new territory, bringing our viewers the live 4K Formula One coverage they deserve – and are incredibly pleased with the results so far.”
(Source: Arqiva press release)
18 October 2017
Leading global news agency Ruptly has announced the launch of the first video streaming platform to offer global live events with the ability to broadcast directly to social media.
The new platform gives anyone the chance to stream professional live video content from around the world in as little as three clicks, allowing broadcasters and vloggers alike, to stream live video quickly and easily.
Commenting at the launch of the new platform, CEO of Ruptly Dinara Toktosunova said:
“Live transmissions are the optimal content for our clients because they allow audiences to be fully immersed in any given moment, as if they were actually there, watching breaking news and viral stories as they happen – in both traditional and 360 formats. Live streaming allows for maximum audience engagement. What Ruptly has done is develop a break-through approach for live streams, never attempted by any other video agency. Ruptly Live is a two-in-one product. We are pushing the boundaries of accessibility by offering premium content that anyone and everyone can post on social media via an easy-to-embed live streaming solution.”
The process removes the need for specialist technology, coding or expertise – all users need to do is sign in, select an event and click to stream.
Live video can be streamed directly to social media such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Periscope, as well as delivered through CDNs to native players – giving users the freedom to embed custom adverts.
The platform will enable users to stream a diverse range of content, from light viral videos that bring millions of views to breaking news filmed by Ruptly’s teams on the ground.
Hosting multiple streams is also no problem – up to eight lives can be broadcasted directly to social media simultaneously.
It’s not just traditional lives that can be streamed. Ruptly Live will also offer users access to ground-breaking 360 degree video content and drone footage, available in 4K.
To cater for the increasingly diverse range of content creators, Ruptly Live offers a range of flexible pricing models, with the option to purchase content through subscription, revenue sharing, or on an ad-hoc basis.
The new platform was launched at MIPCOM 2017 in Cannes, France, where Ruptly hosted an insightful panel discussion with partners Vice, 9GAG, and What We Seee on the rise of live streaming, the growth of 360 video and predictions for the future of content.
Commenting at the launch, Lilian Leong, Chief Operations Officer of online platform and social media website 9GAG, said:
“Convenience and speed are the predominant factors for viral-ability these days, especially amongst the millennials who don’t have patience. Ruptly’s new move democratises the technology on LIVE videos, for people to see and to be seen, easily.”
Misan Harriman, Founder and CEO of What We Seee, a leading premium content network that reaches over 1 billion people per year, said:
“Ruptly Live heralds a new dawn of live content syndication, it allows a publisher to deliver broadcast quality live content to their audience without the high cost usually associated with setting up a global live video offering.”
The event, hosted by Jessica Davis (The Drum) also featured Vice Media’s Chief International Growth Officer, David Purdy and Ruptly’s Chief Digital Officer, Dmitry Keshishev.
(Source: Ruptly press release)
17 October 2017
Education For Employment (EFE), the leading organization linking unemployed youth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to tangible job opportunities, and MBC Hope, the CSR branch of the largest private media company in the Middle East, MBC GROUP, has launched #FirstJob – an awareness and action campaign that seeks to boost youth employment in the MENA region by changing how youth and employers view a first job. Major corporate entities such as EFE partner Citi Foundation have collaborated in the campaign. The campaign uses narrative storytelling and social media to enable inspiring individuals to share with unemployed youth the story of how they secured their first job and used it as a springboard to success, supporting EFE’s commitment to helping unemployed youth enter and thrive in the world of work. Since 2010, youth unemployment rates in the Arab have become the highest of any region at over 27%, with the percentage continuing to rise.
Andrew Baird, President & CEO of Education For Employment – Global (EFE-Global) said: “We’re pleased to launch our first regional campaign in partnership with MBC GROUP, and with long-standing EFE partners like Citi Foundation at our side. Through the #FirstJob campaign, we are engaging some of the region’s top business leaders, as well as young professionals early in their career, to share inspiring stories of their pathway to professional success. We believe that this is an innovative way to encourage youth to proactively seek job opportunities while motivating employers to hire first-time job seekers. The campaign also seeks to inspire more companies and foundations to invest in youth employment initiatives.”
Mazen Hayek MBC Group’s Official Spokesman, Group Director of Commercial, PR & CSR said: “Unemployment has become a pressing issue in the Arab world. According to Union of Arab Banks research, the number of unemployed workers in the Middle East has risen to 120 million. To address this challenge, we must invest heavily to increase economic growth rates and build knowledge economies, which will create millions of job opportunities annually. We must also educate the youth and equip them with theoretical and practical knowledge, as well as prepare them to enter the marketplace. This asserts the importance of #FirstJob and its role in educating the youth and utilizing their capabilities in their first job, which will in turn foster their competitive-edge in the future.”
Commenting on the launch, Karim Seifeddine, Head of Public Affairs, Citi, Middle East and Africa from Citibank said: “Citi is honored to be partnering with Education for Employment in the #FirstJob campaign to support young people in the region to develop sustainable economic futures and help reduce youth unemployment. At Citi Foundation, we continue to support programs that catalyze economic growth and provide our youth with economic opportunities to thrive and promote continued progress through entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and leadership development.
Dima Najim, EFE’s Managing Director – UAE noted that: “The #FirstJob campaign was launched in celebration of EFE’s tenth anniversary. Since the first youth graduated EFE programs a decade ago, over 50,000 unemployed youth across the MENA region have been connected to the world of work with support from EFE. This impact is made possible by the support of over 2,300 EFE partners, such as MBC Hope and Citi Foundation.”
- To hire EFE alumni, partner to support their work, or enroll in an EFE training program, please visit www.efe.org
(Source: MBC press release)
