Marc Thiessen and Ilan Berman Join RFE/RL Board of Directors

14 February 2025

Marc Thiessen and Ilan Berman Join RFE/RL Board of Directors

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has announced that Marc Thiessen and Ilan Berman have joined its Board of Directors.

Thiessen is an author and weekly columnist for The Washington Post who served as a speechwriter for President George W. Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He is a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Berman is Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council and a veteran national security policy advisor for the Department of Defense, Congress, and U.S. government agencies. He also recently served as head of the team handling the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) transition on behalf of the Trump administration.

RFE/RL President & CEO Stephen Capus said: “Both Marc and Ilan bring decades of respected foreign policy and defense experience to RFE/RL’s Board of Directors. Marc has been a champion for American values and leadership in his extensive writings. And Ilan is one of the most knowledgeable experts on regional security in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Russia – exactly where we work. I look forward to working with them to ensure that our journalists have the tools they need to bring accurate news and information to our weekly audience of 47 million people in places where censorship is the norm.”

Lisa Curtis, Chair of the RFE/RL Board, said of the new members: “I’m delighted to welcome Marc and Ilan, who deeply understand the valuable role RFE/RL plays in making America safer and more respected around the world. Authoritarian governments are spending a staggering amount of money on propaganda trying to turn people against America, but RFE/RL has one important advantage: people trust us because we deliver the news without censorship. As we mark RFE/RL’s 75^th year, the Board of Directors will continue to make sure that our global audiences, from Russia to Iran, have access to the truth.”

Thiessen and Berman join a distinguished Board of Directors with extensive experience in foreign policy, national security, and journalism. They include Lisa Curtis (Chair); Stephen Capus; Scott Carpenter; Usha Chaudhary; Jackson Diehl; Margaret Hoover; Michael Kempner; Tom Malinowski; and Vance Serchuk.

[Source: RFE/RL press release]

Channelbox brings adrenalin-fuelled sport to UK’s Freeview

13 February 2025

Channelbox brings adrenalin-fuelled sport to UK’s Freeview

GINX TV and Extreme Channel Now Available on Channelbox via Freeview 271

Two High-Energy Channels Expand Channelbox’s Freeview Lineup

Channelbox, the only FAST multi-channel platform on Freeview, has launched GINX TV and Extreme Channel, bringing top-tier esports and adrenaline-fuelled action sports to UK viewers. Available on Freeview channel 271, both channels offer free access to dynamic gaming and extreme sports content.

GINX TV – The Home of Gaming and Esports Entertainment

GINX TV is the world’s leading independent Gaming/Esports DIGITAL/TV network, offering 24/7 gaming and esports content, including top tournaments, exclusive interviews, in-depth analysis, and original programming. Covering titles like League of Legends, CS:GO, and Dota 2, it’s a must-watch for gaming enthusiasts.

“We’re excited to bring GINX TV back to Freeview, making Gaming and esports content more accessible than ever,” said Peter Einstein, CEO of GINX TV. “Channelbox is the perfect platform to engage UK audiences with the thrill of Video gaming content and competitive Esports.”

Extreme Channel – The Best in Action Sports, Wrestling and Combat sports

Extreme channel is becoming the home of UK wrestling and MMA. It also delivers high-octane adventure sports, from skateboarding and snowboarding to BMX, motocross, and surfing. Featuring exclusive documentaries, live events, and behind-the-scenes footage, it’s the go-to channel for wrestling, combat sports and action sports fans.

“Bringing Extreme back to Freeview via Channelbox allows us to share the energy and excitement of action sports with a wider audience,” said WillIam Lee, CEO of Extreme Channel. “We’re thrilled to connect with sports fans across the UK.”

Both GINX TV and Extreme Channel are now accessible to UK audiences through Channelbox on Freeview (channel 271) on any Freeview-compatible TV or device with internet connectivity.

“Bringing GINX TV and Extreme Channel to Channelbox reflects our commitment to diverse and engaging content,” said Tanya Kronfli, Head of Business Development at Channelbox. “Gaming, Esports Wrestling and action sports are growing fast, and we’re excited to offer these fantastic channels to Freeview viewers.”

Radio Liberty journalist released from Belarus detention

13 February 2025

Radio Liberty journalist released from Belarus detention

Trump Administration Secures Release of Radio Liberty Journalist Andrey Kuznechyk from Detention in Belarus

RFE/RL welcomes news of Andrey’s release and is grateful to the American and Lithuanian governments for their support.

After more than three years of imprisonment in Belarus, Radio Liberty journalist Andrey Kuznechyk (pictured) has been freed.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty President Stephen Capus said: “This is a joyous day for Andrey, his wife, and their two young children. After more than three years apart, this family is together again thanks to President Trump. We are also grateful to Secretary Rubio and his team, and to the Lithuanian government for their support.

We remain hopeful that our journalist Ihar Losik will also be released and look to the Trump administration for its continued leadership and guidance.”

Andrey Kuznechyk is a veteran journalist with Radio Liberty, known in Belarus as Radio Svaboda.

Image: RFE/RL

ABC Radio Australia on-air in Kiribati

10 February 2025

ABC Radio Australia on-air in Kiribati

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s international radio service, ABC Radio Australia is now available on 92.3FM for residents across the Tarawa atoll in the central Pacific island nation.

The launch in Tarawa, Kiribati marks the return of the service after a decade off air and is the latest milestone for ABC Radio Australia in reaching new audiences across the Pacific. The full radio service offers listeners an extensive schedule of bespoke programming covering the latest in news, music, sports, culture, health, science and faith.

ABC International Head Claire M. Gorman said: “We are delighted to be starting the year with the launch of our tenth new ABC Radio Australia service in collaboration with BPA. This latest development signifies not only the network’s incredible growth in both its transmission expansion across the Pacific region but is also reflected in the growing suite of Pacific-focused content that is now accessible to audiences across Tarawa.”

ABC Radio Australia’s FM transmission service is available across Nauru, Palau, Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia), Kokopo and Lorengau (Papua New Guinea), Gizo and Auki (Solomon Islands), Rarotonga (the Cook Islands), with plans for FM services to be made available in 2025 in the Marshall Islands and Buka in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.

WAYS TO LISTEN:

If you’re in Tarawa, Kiribati, tune into to ABC Radio Australia on 92.3FM.

Across the Pacific region, there are multiple ways to listen to ABC Radio Australia – live via internet streaming or in your area through 24-hour FM stations, or catch up with full episodes on ABC Pacific online.

BBC World Service launches Arabic edition of award-winning educational programme ‘Dars’ in the Middle East and North Africa

4 February 2025

BBC World Service launches Arabic edition of award-winning educational programme ‘Dars’ in the Middle East and North Africa

Dars, described by the UN as a “learning lifeline” for children barred from school in Afghanistan, supports learning for children who cannot access education

In line with its commitment to providing vital services to audiences in crisis, the BBC World Service is bringing its educational programme, Dars or ‘lesson’– which was described by the United Nations as a “learning lifeline” for children in Afghanistan – to the Middle East and North Africa through Dars Arabic, a new programme by BBC News Arabic.

At least 30 million children are out of school in the Middle East and North Africa[1], many have been displaced by conflict and crises in Sudan, Yemen and Gaza, which have severely affected access to education. Dars Arabic aims to connect these children facing immense barriers to an education with learning.

Dars Arabic utilises the content and expertise of BBC Education to offer children aged 11-16 lessons in Maths, English, Science and Geography at varying skillsets. Each week, the programme also shares inspirational stories about young people overcoming obstacles, positive news stories on climate, tech, health and more, and bespoke mental health lessons.

These mental health lessons are short, animated films, produced in consultation with expert conflict psychologists to provide young people with the tools needed to understand their emotions and improve their wellbeing. Topics covered include coping with bereavement, adjusting to displacement and change, managing stress, and finding hope during challenging times.

The animated films are available across Dars Arabic broadcasts on BBC News Arabic TV and digital platforms, as well as internationally through broadcasts across the BBC World Service’s 41 language services and in English on the World Service YouTube channel.

Dars first launched in 2023 on BBC News Pashto and Dari, it brings learning to Afghan children who are not able to go to school. Girls aged 11-16 have been restricted from accessing education in Afghanistan since 2021. Dars is hosted by female BBC journalists, many of whom were evacuated from Kabul in 2021 after the Taliban’s return to power.

Dars Arabic provides an offering specific to children across the Arabic-speaking world. The 30 minute episodes launch on BBC News Arabic TV, digital platforms and lifeline radio services in Gaza and Syria from Sunday 9 February.

The programme is broadcast from the BBC Bureau in Cairo by a team of young presenters from across the region and its English lessons are presented by BBC News Arabic correspondents Hanan Razek and Yasmine Abukhadra.

Fiona Crack, Deputy Global Director BBC News, says: “Hearing from our Dari and Pashto speaking audiences about the difference Dars has made to their lives has been very humbling over the last two years. In line with the BBC World Service’s commitment to inform and educate audiences across the globe, we’re thrilled to launch a similar educational opportunity with Dars in Arabic. While it can’t replace going to school, we hope it will help spark curiosity and a love of learning for our youngest audience members and their families.’

BBC News Arabic TV airs new episodes of Dars Arabic weekly on Sundays at 05:30 GMT (07:30 EET) and is repeated at 10:05 GMT (12:05 EET) and throughout the week. Dars Arabic is also available on BBC News Arabic’s digital platforms, including BBC News Arabic YouTube, and through BBC News Arabic’s lifeline radio services in Gaza and Syria, available on medium wave and FM.

[Source: BBC World Service press release]

BBC publishes Net Zero Transition Plan

3 February 2025

BBC publishes Net Zero Transition Plan

The BBC has published its first Climate Transition Plan, detailing how it intends to be Net Zero by 2050. This forms part of the Corporation’s commitment to building a sustainable BBC and wider media industry.

The BBC has been making significant progress towards its science-based targets, aligning a commitment to world-renowned natural history programming with ambitious and tangible actions off-screen.

From reducing emissions on acclaimed drama Blue Lights by replacing diesel fuel with HVO in generators and production trucks, to replacing refrigeration chillers and gas-fired boilers with heat pumps in its offices, the BBC is committed to driving decarbonisation across the BBC Group.

Its first Transition Plan, developed in line with the Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT) Disclosure Framework, sets out the BBC’s Ambition, Action and Accountability in reaching Net Zero, including:

Reducing, optimising and innovating its energy to low-carbon solutions;
Developing the skills and competencies across the business to drive action within operations, editorial and content production teams, and;
Playing an important role in contributing to the industry and economy-wide transition.

The BBC recognises that climate change and bio-diversity loss are real, serious and urgent, and this plan details the strategy it is putting in place to reduce its environmental impact.

Earlier this year, the globally-respected Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved the BBC’s Long-Term Targets to reduce all emissions by at least 90% by 2050, building on its existing Near-Term Targets to halve emissions by 2030.

This Transition Plan explains how the BBC will reach this target, and how Net Zero is one of the three pillars of the BBC’s Sustainability strategy, along with Nature Positive and People Positive.

These pillars underpin and shape the BBC’s climate ambitions for the future, aligned with the its mission to inform, educate and entertain all audiences, and the broadcaster’s Value for All strategy.

The BBC expects to update its Transition Plan and will continue to review its approach to ensure that it always meets the highest standards in sustainability practice, reporting and disclosures.

Danielle Mulder, Director of Sustainability, says: “This Transition Plan will support the BBC’s journey to Net Zero and is a hugely important milestone as we commit to a low-carbon future.

“Given the importance of climate change and biodiversity loss, we know our commitment to Net Zero matters to our staff, our suppliers and our audiences. We invite everyone we work with to get involved as we reduce our environmental impact.”

Read the BBC’s Climate Transition Plan
Find out more about the BBC’s sustainability strategy and plans.

The BBC, as a member of the Association for International Broadcasting, takes part in the AIB Sustainability working group that brings together AIB member organisations across the world to share intelligence and experience on sustainability issues across their whole businesses.