26 February 2016
SES Platform Services GmbH (SES PS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SES S.A.
(NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), announces an agreement whereby RR
Media (NASDAQ: RRM), a leading provider of global digital media services to the broadcast and media
industries, will merge its operations with those of SES PS, to create a world-leading global media solutions
provider.
SES will pay a consideration of USD 13.291 per share to acquire a 100% interest in RR Media. The
consideration corresponds to an Enterprise Value of USD 242 million, which will be funded from the group’s
existing financial resources. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals, which are expected to be
completed in Q2/Q3 2016.
On completion of the transaction, RR Media and SES PS will be combined to create a new, stand-alone worldleading
media services provider, offering full continuity and enhanced service to their existing customers. With
a comprehensive range of innovative video and media solutions on a global scale, the new organisation will
focus on offering its customers highly optimized content management and distribution solutions that utilize the
combined network of SES PS and RR Media leveraging their multiple satellite positions as well as a large fibre
network and the Internet, in order to maximise audience reach and add monetisation capabilities.
24 February 2016
RT’s channels have secured 13 finalist spots in one of the world’s largest news and documentaries festivals.
Stuck in Yemen, RT’s coverage of the evacuation of U.S. and U.K. citizens from Yemen following air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition, will be competing with CNN, PBS and Al Jazeera for the trophy in the Best Coverage of Continuing News Story division. RT also facilitated Russia’s efforts to get Yemen residents from the U.S. and U.K. out of the country.
RT’s special reportage on the United Nation’s General Assembly meeting in September 2015 and RT America’s coverage of the Baltimore protests that erupted after the death of Freddie Gray are both nominated for Best Newscast.
In the Now, RT’s daily current affairs and media commentary program, is in the finals of the Best News Analysis/Commentary category, while Ameera David is nominated as best News Anchor for hosting financial show Boom/Bust on RT America.
Four of RT’s documentaries made the cut: Trauma, about the humanitarian crisis in eastern Ukraine, in the Current Affairs category; Sleepy Hollow, Kazakhstan, about a sleeping anomaly in a small Kazakh village, as an Environment & Ecology feature; Her War: Woman Vs ISIS – among National/International Affairs documentaries; and Sumud. 40 Years of Resistance, focused on the refugees from western Sahara, by RT Spanish, in the Politics category.
The final four nominations went to RT’s promo projects: Cosmotrek, Politicking with Larry King, Victory Day 70 (RT’s special project dedicated to the anniversary of the Great Patriotic War), and RT 2035 video, created to celebrate the network’s 10 years on air in 2015. The viral clip imagines the channel 20 years from now, with retired President Barak Obama and Secretary John Kerry lamenting the changes in the world.
New York Festival’s World’s Best Television & Films competition honors programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries in Television and Film industries. The 2016 awards ceremony will take place on April 19, 2016 in Las Vegas at NAB Show.
RT is a global TV news network that broadcasts 24/7 in English, Arabic and Spanish from its studios in Moscow, Washington, DC, and London. It is available to 700 million viewers worldwide. RT is the most watched TV news network on YouTube with more than 3 billion views. It is the winner of the Monte Carlo TV Festival Award for best 24-hr broadcast, and the only Russian TV channel to garner three nominations for the prestigious International Emmy Awards for News. (Source: RT press release)
24 February 2016
Two days before the parliamentary elections in Iran, DW Director General has urged the government in Tehran to grant people access to information. “Internet censorship remains very common in Iran,” Limbourg said.
Access to the DW webpage in Farsi has been blocked since 2009. The circumvention software provided by DW has been accessible only irregularly since mid-January.
“Obviously the drastic encroachment on the freedom of the Internet is linked to the upcoming elections and DW’s extensive and balanced reporting,” Limbourg said.
On a special page in Farsi, DW offers information, analysis and opinions on the elections scheduled for next Friday.
Limbourg: “Blocking access to our Farsi website has led to a clear decrease in the number of page impressions in January in comparison to the month before. The Iranian government should become more transparent and end censorship.”
In the meantime DW would try to create alternative opportunities for entering the Internet, the director general said. Limbourg added that Iran would only thrive if people were allowed to speak out without fear of state repression.
“Young people especially depend on the Internet and social media as instruments for social dialogue and individual formation of opinion,” Limbourg said. (Source: DW press release)
23 February 2016
TIMA Film has been granted exclusive “access all areas” to produce and distribute highlights from this year’s BRIT Awards, one of the biggest and most prestigious events in the global music calendar. TIMA Film, launched in January of this year, is the new global production arm of international content and service provider, TIMA.
The BRIT Awards with MasterCard will be hosted by presenting duo, Ant & Dec, at London’s O2 Arena on 24 February 2016. TIMA Film will cover red carpet arrivals, the winners’ press conference and they will also have exclusive access to backstage interviews. TIMA Film will distribute easy-to-edit video packages of the event to global broadcasters, news organisations and online publishers. Alongside UK broadcasters ITV (TV), BBC Radio 1), The Bauer Network (Radio and TV) Capital FM (radio) and Somethin’ Else (BRITs digital), the BRIT Awards will be broadcast by 20 international channels, covering over 100 territories around the world.
The BRIT Awards have celebrated the success of UK and overseas music since 1977 and are watched by an average of six million people annually. This year, the 36th awards will be attended by some of the world’s most outstanding musical talent: from Adele to Rihanna; Coldplay to Little Mix.
Daniele Rispoli, Media Project Manager, TIMA Film said: “The BRIT Awards are vital to the UK and international music industry and it’s a real honour for TIMA Film to be granted this fantastic opportunity to bring them closer to international audiences. Not only do we hope to capture the spontaneous emotions and reactions of the artists, but also to highlight some behind-the-scenes moments that convey the sheer glamour and excitement of the event.”
TIMA Film, set up by CEO, Alla Salehian, launched in January this year with a 10-part series for CNBC called Sustainable Energy presented by James Wright. TIMA Film produces compelling content across all programme genres for UK and international broadcasters and online publishers, ranging from one-off features and documentary series to short films. TIMA Films is also set up to create and distribute video content for PR companies worldwide. With access to facilities and studios of parent company, TIMA, in more than a dozen cities, the team prides itself on its ability to bring broadcasters insider knowledge and local insights alongside seamless production values.
The BRIT Awards 2016 with MasterCard will be broadcast live on ITV1 at 20:00 GMT on 24 February 2016.
23 February 2016
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili used his visit to RFE/RL’s Prague headquarters today to affirm his government’s commitment to Europe, amidst fraught relations within the region and between the West and Russia over European security, Ukraine, and Syria.
The visit, part of an official two-day trip to the Czech Republic that included meetings with political counterparts, business leaders, and students, came just days after the prime minister spoke exclusively with RFE/RL’s Georgian Service in Tbilisi in his first major interview with any media since assuming office on December 30, 2015. The interview was cited by dozens of media outlets in both Georgia and Russia, and reached 200,000 people via the Georgian Service’s Facebook page and website.
In the interview, Kvirikashvili declared, “We are not moving towards Europe, but we are Europe,” removing any ambiguity about his government’s political vision. He said, “We will do everything in our power to make sure that every citizen of Georgia, every business entity, every single small-scale entrepreneur becomes aware of the benefits of European integration.”
He then described how his government would reconcile its European aspirations with the challenges posed by Russia. “We are doing everything we can to bring our message to Russian politicians — that Georgia, with its Western values, pro-Western orientation and its desire to integrate with the West, is not opposing Russia and is not seeking any confrontation with Russia.” At the same time, Kvirikashvili flatly rejected the possibility of political normalization with Russia absent its recognition of Georgia’s territorial integrity, calling this principle “fundamental” and beyond compromise.
Kvirikashvili spoke warmly of Georgia’s relationship with the U.S., characterizing it as “one of our best,” and recognized the U.S. as “a very solid supporter of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
About RFE/RL and its Georgian Service
RFE/RL is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach influential audiences in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).
RFE/RL’s Georgian Service, Radio Tavisupleba is a rare, and award-winning, source of balanced journalism in a country where much of the press openly supports, both editorially and through the selection of news, either the government or the opposition. ( Source: RFE/RL press release)
19 February 2016
NHK WORLD TV, a 24-hr English language channel, further consolidates its IPTV presence in Asia with its launch on PEO TV on 8 February 2016 in a deal with Sri Lanka Telecom PLC. This launch effectively adds 160,000 new subscribers to NHK WORLD TV’s existing presence via broadband in Sri Lanka.
“This deal, coming soon after our successful launch in Indonesia (October) and Vietnam (November) last year, demonstrates the relevance of NHK WORLD TV’s content in Asia. Going forward, we will continue to provide up-to-date domestic and international news on Asia from various perspectives with accuracy and speed to our discerning subscribers,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, President and CEO, Japan International Broadcasting.
Yoshihiko Shimizu added that the wide variety of entertainment programs available to the new subscribers will make the English language channel a complete package for the whole family.
Operating from Japan, NHK WORLD TV is a 24-hour English language television service for international viewers; providing the latest Asia-centered informative and entertainment programs. NHK WORLD TV is available to 290 million households in 150 countries and regions. It is accessible via free mobile app, online live-streaming and video-on-demand on its website. (Source: NHK World TV press release)
