Newstag’s relationship with UN agency will provide unique opportunity for real impact on the world
Joining over a dozen global charities, NGOs and non-profit organisations, The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) – the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide – has signed up with Newstag. The multi-level agreement allows the initiative to fundraise through the Stockholm-based video news service.
Newstag’s pioneering and innovative approach to the distribution and consumption of news brings together video news stories from professional content producers around the world, including AP, AFP and Reuters, as well as top brands. By radically rebalancing the traditional relationships between industry stakeholders, Newstag aims to make journalism sustainable through a proper funding stream.
The ‘mobile-first’ service enables users to create their own ‘tagstream’ (or personalised TV channel) in seconds, organising, consuming and sharing the stories that they care about among their social networks using the latest web and mobile technologies. The wide variety of stories from trusted sources ranges from entertainment to current affairs.
These stories are available from a number of different perspectives, putting users at the heart of the experience and in complete control. The result is a platform that allows converging viewpoints to be presented side by side, creating contrasting frames of reference.
Alongside this, Newstag is not just about understanding the world, it also offers users a unique opportunity to make a difference. Consumers can take action by supporting causes and research they think are important. A part of Newstag’s revenues are available for users to allocate to charitable, NGO and NPO partners, such as WFP. The more they watch and share, the higher their impact.
Charities, NGOs and agencies joining this new media model will also be able to provide video news content to users on international initiatives, using the platform both to fundraise and communicate.
WFP Head of Television Communications, Jonathan Dumont says: “The United Nations World Food Programme has an obligation to inform the public about what we are doing to help make this world a Zero Hunger world. As the UN’s frontline emergency relief organisation we have an inherent relationship with news organisations by providing content and information that helps them tell the humanitarian side of the story. Working with outlets like Newstag takes the relationship one step further by providing an opportunity for information providers and consumers to give back. That can make a world of difference to those who need help the most.”
Newstag Chairman and Founder, Camilla Dahlin-Andersson, added: “This link with The United Nations World Food Programme goes to the heart of Newstag’s new media model – creating value while enabling charities, NGOs and international agencies to tell their story. This multi-faceted relationship will transform the role of users by providing them with a unique opportunity to have real impact on the world around them.”
Newstag has rapidly expanded its network of commercial and content partners in recent months as it gears up to launch its application. Newstag recently opened a Cairo bureau and received a $1.3m investment from a group of private and institutional investors.
Newstag, currently in beta stage, is continuously bringing new users onboard. To sign up, visit www.newstag.com.
Egyptian security officials have demanded that DW partner broadcaster ONTV stop showing “Women at a Turning Point.” The interview format, hosted by Egyptian journalist Reem Maged, is produced by DW and ONTV in Cairo.
Deutsche Welle has broadcast the show weekly since May 2 as part of its Arabic TV programming. DW condemns the Egyptian officials’ intervention as a massive affront to press freedom and free expression. Germany’s foreign broadcaster has pledged its support to ONTV in the latter’s efforts to continue to produce and broadcast the show for an Arab audience. On Saturday, May 16, DW proceeded to present the third episode online and on TV. ONTV says it is exhausting all avenues to continue producing the show and possibly distribute it on other platforms.
In the series “Women at a Turning Point,” courageous women take a stance on social and political issues. Reem Maged is one of the most influential voices and popular presenters in Egypt. “Economic, social and cultural topics must also finally be taken up and discussed widely,” she said at the beginning of May, marking the first broadcast of the German-Egyptian coproduction.
“The show is culturally valuable and important for our Arab audience. Women can learn many things first-hand about significant personalities and their projects,” explains Naser Schruf, head of DW’s Arabic program. “DW is promoting socially critical discourse, emphasizing dialogue and the presentation of cultural diversity along the way,” Schruf adds.
In the first edition of “Women at a Turning Point,” Egypt’s cultural heritage was in focus through a conversation with researcher Shahira Mihrez. The second episode featured the renowned Egyptian photographer Iman Hilal as Reem Maged’s interview partner. The topics discussed included her pictures of the Egyptian revolution.
Reem Maged has already hosted a political talk show for Egyptian broadcaster ONTV in the past. The new series stems from a partnership between DW and ONTV that has been in place for four years. As part of this collaboration, Reem Maged will be a guest from June 22 to 24 at Deutsche Welle’s Global Media Forum in Bonn.
The 25 April 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal and subsequent aftershocks have disrupted last mile communications to communities with millions of people needing medical and other relief support. Intelsat (NYSE: I) has donated its satellite services to two organizations making a difference in the region: the American Red Cross working in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Team Rubicon. These organizations are deploying satellite-based broadband networks to support critical medical and logistical operations in the region.
The Red Cross network is utilizing capacity on Intelsat 906 located at 64° E, linking via the IntelsatOne® terrestrial network at Intelsat’s Fuchsstadt, Germany Teleport to support internet and Voice over Internet Phone (VoIP) service to remote hospitals in Nepal, providing field aid workers with connectivity that improves safety, morale and peace of mind in the wake of the disaster.
“With the connectivity provided by Intelsat, the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network is better able to deliver relief to tens of thousands of people dealing with the effects of the earthquake that killed thousands and injured many more in Nepal,” said David Meltzer, General Counsel and Chief International Officer at the American Red Cross. “Communications are key to the global relief effort underway and being able to provide voice and data connectivity between Nepal and the rest of the world is a critical tool in our disaster relief work.”
Separately, Intelsat is also supporting a network established by Team Rubicon, a disaster response organization that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to deploy emergency response teams, to further aid in their relief efforts. Team Rubicon brought medical supplies and sent several teams to aid the Nepalese people.
“When a natural disaster occurs, broadband connectivity is an essential component to ensuring that relief organizations are able to identify and prioritize the needed services and resources as they deliver aid to those impacted by the tragic event,” said Kurt Riegelman, Intelsat Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “Given the nature of satellite technology and our global fleet, we are able to deliver the rapid response and deployment of critical communications necessary to support organizations as they provide needed assistance to those impacted. Our thoughts are with the people of Nepal and the men and women from all over the world who are coming to their aid.”
AIB is pleased to support Project Everyone, launched by filmmaker Richard Curtis who also founded the Comic Relief charity.
In September 2015, the United Nations are launching global goals, a series of ambitious targets to end extreme poverty and tackle climate change for everyone by 2030.
If the goals are met, they ensure the health, safety and future of the planet for everyone on it. And their best chance of being met is if everyone on the planet is aware of them.
So the simple but mighty ambition of Project Everyone – is to share the global goals with 7 billion people in 7 days.
Project Everyone is harnessing the power of global media – TV, radio and online – to tell the world about the Sustainable Development Goals. A number of AIB Members have already signed up to this important innovative initiative. Now’s your chance to take part and help make the world a better place.
Riedel Communications today announced that Australian broadcast network ABC has installed the Riedel Artist Trunk Navigator system to support a VoIP-based communications network connecting producers, journalists, and presenters working at ABC bureaus across Australia. By simplifying the networking of geographically diverse Artist digital matrix intercom systems over 80 VoIP trunk lines, the Artist Trunk Navigator facilitates simpler, more efficient, and more reliable communications between sites during production and broadcast.
Riedel’s Artist Trunk Navigator software enables each of ABC’s existing Artist intercom systems to be connected to a central trunk master via a WAN connection. The Riedel solution dynamically allocates either analog or digital (AES3) audio trunks between up to 32 Artist intercom systems on VoIP lines.
For example, operators can now make direct calls from an executive producer’s panel in Perth to an executive producer’s panel in Melbourne. Presenters on the studio floor are equipped with a Riedel Artist RCP-1112 control panel that enables them to create their own IFB submixes and make direct calls to production staff at busy times. Autocue operators are now able to create their own presenter mixes. Edit suite operators have the audio output of their editing stations interfaced into the Riedel Artist system, so they can listen back to the assets they are editing and be on communications during a news broadcast. ABC also uses local panel GPIs to interface camera tallies out in the field.
In Canberra, ABC has linked its Parliament House and Northbourne site with a 15-kilometer redundant fiber link that allows technical staff to administer the entire system from either site. ABC has also installed multiple nodes at its Ultimo site in Sydney to form an Artist network. Rather than install new CAT5 cabling from a central point, ABC linked multiple Artist nodes via fiber within the site and used existing cabling from the distributed Artist nodes to the Artist key panels.
ABC’s VoIP network has been configured as a mesh network with each site connected to many other sites. Thus, in the case of a power failure at a site or when a trunking path is busy, the Artist Trunk Navigator simply finds an alternate path though other ABC site routes. A redundant design enables the Artist Trunk Navigator software to run on two computers simultaneously and to switch seamlessly from one computer to the other in the case of failure.
Amid violence, civil unrest and a crackdown on independent media in Burundi, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) is surging media operations to Bujumbura and surrounding cities.
“Keeping the airwaves open for our audience to get reliable news and information is our top priority in Burundi. We have confirmed reports that all five major independent news broadcasters are off the air in Burundi, and during this time of crisis we know that through its 24/7 FM station VOA is playing a pivotal role,” said BBG Interim CEO and Director André Mendes.
The BBG remains on air 24/7 in Burundi, via its own FM station in Bujumbura carrying Voice of America programming. VOA affiliate stations Renaissance TV and RPA and Rema Radio were attacked and burned Wednesday night by unknown attackers, and at the time of this release all other major news channels are offline.
VOA Kirundi/Kinyarwanda remains the only broadcaster engaging Burundians in Kirundi several hours a day about events unfolding in their own country. This week, VOA added a daily live call-in program in Kirundi, as well as additional news in Kirundi, Swahili, and French. VOA plans to launch additional live programming in the next several days. VOA East Africa Bureau Chief Gabe Joselow is on the ground reporting from Burundi, as well as several local stringers. More information on VOA’s reporting can be found here.
“Amid the crisis, people are starving for information on what is happening in their country and their neighborhoods. As people look for access to independent and up-to-date information, VOA plays a key role in helping people know what is happening,” said Mike Jobbins, senior program manager for Africa for Search for Common Ground, a conflict prevention and conflict resolution NGO. (Source: BBG press release)
