RNW Media gives a voice to Syrian refugees
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Euronews now available in Japan
Hikari TV, the leading IPTV operator in Japan, introduces the international news media to Japan by offering Euronews in its basic package
Euronews and Hikari TV announced today that, starting this month, Euronews internationally acclaimed programmes will be available for the first time in Japan. Euronews will be part of Hikari TVs basic service with its English and French language services. Not only the channel premieres in Japan, Euronews is also broadcast for the first time in HD. Several millions of subscribers to Hikari TV in Japan will be able to discover international news from a European perspective and follow Euronews lifestyle and business programmes, including regular reports about Japan.
Appreciative of the channels’ values of diversity and independence, M. Koji Bando, President of Hikari TV, commented: “Our company offers seven international channels so that foreign residents and visitors to Japan may also enjoy watching Hikari TV. We are pleased to add Euronews to our line-up of broadcasting services, a media which has enormous popularity in Europe, and I am convinced that it will enhance the product competitiveness of our company. I also hope broadcasting Euronews will foster increased cooperation between the EU and Japan.”
Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews, commented: “We are very honoured to work with a strong and innovative partner like Hikari TV in Japan. Through its powerful service, Hikari TV will give its millions of subscribers the opportunity to access our independent international information everywhere in Japan and premier our HD offer. This shall contribute to making Euronews in Japan a long lasting and sustainable project.”
Arqiva supports Daystar TV’s HD launch on Sky
Daystar Television, one of the largest religious broadcasters in the world, has today announced the launch of its network in High Definition (HD) on Sky, in the UK, which is supported by Arqiva’s Direct-to-Home satellite solution. This launch makes Daystar Television the first religious TV channel to launch an HD channel, on the Sky platform, in the UK.
Marcus Lamb, Founder and President Daystar Television Network says: “We wanted to make available to viewers watching faith based television on Sky, in the UK, the best viewing experience possible. Daystar is the first Christian Television Network to launch in HD (High Definition) on Sky. We feel that Daystar viewers will appreciate this enhanced HD viewing option.”
David Crawford, Managing Director, Satellite & Media commented: “We have worked with Daystar Television since their UK launch in 2011, and we are delighted to partner with RUM’s Media Service to help Daystar continue their growth in the UK, by launching Daystar HD on the Sky platform. Arqiva’s commitment to service excellence will ensure that we deliver the very best viewing experience to Daystar’s viewers.”
Broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Daystar Television is available on Sky Channel 583 after 4pm GMT on Monday 23 November, 2015.
BBC World Service to receive funding boost
The British government has announced that it proposes to provide a grant of £34m [US$51.42m] between 2016 and 17, and £85m a year from 2017-18 for the expansion of BBC World Service.
In its National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review, the government says:
The BBC currently reaches 308 million people worldwide, and its goal is to reach 500 million people by 2022. The BBC World Service reaches into some of the most remote places in the world, providing a link to the UK for individuals and societies who would otherwise not have this opportunity. We will invest £85 million each year by 2017/18 in the BBC’s digital, TV and radio services around the world to build the global reach of the World Service and increase access to news and information.
BBC Director-General Tony Hall commented on the news: “I warmly welcome today’s announcement. It’s fantastic news.
“This new funding is the single biggest increase in the World Service budget ever committed by any government.
“The millions announced today will help the BBC deliver on our commitment to uphold global democracy through accurate, impartial and independent news reporting.
“The World Service is one of the UK’s most important cultural exports and one of our best sources of global influence. We can now further build on that. The funding will also help speed us on to our target of reaching half a billion people globally.”
The new funding will allow the BBC to develop a range of services, including:
- Enhanced TV services for Africa
- New radio services for audiences in North Korea; radio and digital services for Ethiopia and Eritrea
- Additional language offers via digital and TV in India and Nigeria
- More regionalised content to better serve audiences to the BBC Arabic Service
- Dedicated TV output for Somalia and a fully digital service for Thailand
- Enhanced digital and TV services for Russian speakers, both in Russia and surrounding communities
- A video-led digital transformation of Languages services
- To expand the impact and future-proof World Service English
The BBC took over the funding of BBC World Service – including all radio services and foreign language television services, but not BBC World News – in April 2014. It had previously been funded by a “grant-in-aid” from the British Foreign Office [Ministry].
AIB Executive Committee election underway
The AIB’s governing Executive Committee is a six-person team elected from the AIB’s Membership. The Committee holds office for two years.
Elections for the next two-year period have now started, with five nominees for two vacancies, and four current members of the Committee standing for re-election. Voting papers have been sent to the primary contact in all AIB Member organisations. Votes must be cast no later than 9 December 2015.
Details of the candidates are here:
Those standing for re-election – click here
New candidates standing: click here
RTI President in conversation with the AIB
Radio Taiwan International has been broadcasting since the 1920s. Now it’s moving into the future with increased online and video activities supplementing its traditional radio offering. AIB chief executive Simon Spanswick visited RTI’s headquarters and talked with the broadcaster’s President, Weber Lai.