BBC World Service in Kuala Lumpur to record The Arts Hour On Tour

11 November 2024

BBC World Service in Kuala Lumpur to record The Arts Hour On Tour

BBC World Service is bringing its flagship arts and culture programme The Arts Hour on Tour to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday 26 November 2024, featuring live performances and interviews with leading creatives from the city and country.

The programme will feature live performances and star guest interviews with Malaysian creatives who will join BBC presenter Nikki Bedi on stage, along with a live audience, to discuss the themes of cultural life in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia right now.

Guests include screen star Sharifah Amani, whose latest film La Luna is Singapore’s submission to next year’s Oscars and tells the story of a woman who opens a lingerie shop in a conservative Malaysian village.

Film director Ng Ken Kin talks about Pendatang, his crowdfunded film, available to watch on YouTube, which depicts a fictitious dystopian Malaysia, where different races are forbidden to live together.

There will be live music from the extraordinarily talented Kuala Lumpur singer-songwriter Takahara Suiko, and from the phenomenal Sabahan band Tuni Sundatang with sensational singer, Dabra Sia, whose collaborations are fusing the folkloric traditions of Borneo with contemporary rock music.

Recorded in English for BBC World Service Radio, The Arts Hour on Tour visits cities all over the world to explore their hottest cultural trends by talking to the artists who live and work there, promoting cultural exchange across the world.

We are especially excited to visit Malaysia, with its rich mix of cultures, ancient and modern, and we hope to create an amazing opportunity for Malaysian talents and culture to be heard by our worldwide audience.

The show will be broadcast on BBC World Service Radio, to millions of listeners worldwide.

Everyone is invited to register to attend for free and be part of the audience for the recording:

Date: Tuesday 26 November
Venue: Playhouse @ The Campus Ampang
Address: Jalan Kerja Air Lama, 68000 Ampang, Selangor, Malaysia
Doors open at 7.15pm for a prompt 8pm start

Please register for FREE seat reservations here

ABC Radio Australia expands FM transmission service in Lorengau, Papua New Guinea

11 November 2024

ABC Radio Australia expands FM transmission service in Lorengau, Papua New Guinea

Residents of Lorengau in Papua New Guinea (PNG) can now tune into ABC Radio Australia on 101.9FM and enjoy its full suite of news, sports, music, culture and health programming.

The launch of the new transmission site in Manus Province, in Papua New Guinea’s northern region, marks a new milestone for ABC Radio Australia and its ongoing FM footprint expansion.

ABC International Head Claire M. Gorman said: “We are delighted to be reaching new audiences in Lorengau and to continue to deliver on our commitment to expand ABC Radio Australia’s transmission footprint. We invite listeners in and around Lorengau to explore the growing offering of programs available every day, connecting its residents with the latest in regional news, conversations and music.”

Manager of Audio Output and Strategy Justine Kelly who oversees the ABC Radio Australia network said: “It has been a tremendous year at ABC Radio Australia with new presenters, the growth of new bespoke programming that includes even more topics of interest from across the region, and the expansion of our transmission network reaching new audiences. We’re thrilled that Lorengau is now on-air and broadcasting the incredible stories, voices and music of ABC Radio Australia.”

ABC Radio Australia has a long-standing commitment to Papua New Guinea and its diverse regions and audiences, and the new Lorengau service comes in addition to existing services in locations including Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka, Mount Hagen, Arawa (Bougainville) and Kokopo.

WAYS TO LISTEN:

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.

ABC Radio Australia is available in Papua New Guinea on 101.9FM in Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka, Mount Hagen, Arawa (Bougainville), Kokopo and Lorengau.

NHK WORLD-Japan programme focus for November: Hokkaido

1 November 2024

NHK WORLD-Japan programme focus for November: Hokkaido

Hokkaido: Finding warmth in Japan’s northern wonderland

Hit the Road: Hokkaido Nov 13 Wed. 1:30/6:30/12:30/17:30/22:30 (UTC) Take a scenic drive through Eastern Hokkaido and discover two milks: creamy cow’s milk from the land and fresh oysters, known as “milk of the sea.”
Remote Onsen: Hokkaido in Summer Nov 2 Sat. 1:10/7:10/13:10/19:10 (UTC) Hokkaido summers are short, but you can soak in hot springs hidden in the wild, marvel at the views from onsen in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and visit an area with an abundant variety of waters.
Journeys in Japan – Sapporo: Ski Mountaineering Tradition Nov 12 Tue. 0:30/5:30/10:30/15:30/21:30 (UTC) In Hokkaido Prefecture, the sport of ski mountaineering has a long history. Making your way up into the mountains is possible when you have skis. Climbing through the deep snow requires skill, experience and thorough preparation. But the ascent is fun and heading down is even more so. In Japan, the first place where ski mountaineering began was the Academic Alpine Club of Hokkaido, which is part of Hokkaido University. The students here have been skiing for over 100 years. Cveto Podlogar is a licensed international mountain guide from Slovenia. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, Cveto heads out into the mountains with the Alpine Club for a training session, to get a taste of their ski mountaineering tradition.

UK budget increases BBC World Service funding

30 October 2024

UK budget increases BBC World Service funding

In the first budget of the newly elected Labour government in the UK, additional funding has been allocated to BBC World Service. The organisation has been setting out its case to government to demonstrate its need for increased financing to meet the challenges posed by the threat of hostile nations’ international media operations and an increasingly troubled world.

The budget statement said: “In 2025-26, the settlement provides an increase in funding to the BBC World Service, protecting existing foreign language service provision and its mission to deliver globally trusted media, in support of the UK’s global presence and soft power.”

A statement issued by the BBC this afternoon says: “We warmly welcome the announcement of enhanced funding. We are pleased the government has acknowledged the strong case for investing in the World Service. As the world’s most trusted broadcaster, we are in a unique position to lead the global news and information market.

“Today’s announcement will enable us to maintain all of our existing language services, to continue fighting disinformation around the world, and also to provide emergency information services to those in crisis, as we have recently done in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

“However, despite today’s announcement, the BBC World Service is not immune to the immense pressures facing the rest of the BBC – freezes to the BBC licence fee, materially significant global inflation, and the need to make investments for tech and digital upkeep.

“Given this, we will need to work through the details of the funding, and we will say more in due course about any changes and savings we need to make to stay competitive in the face of those continuing pressures.”

BBC World Service English announces new rebroadcasting partnership in The Bahamas

24 October 2024

BBC World Service English announces new rebroadcasting partnership in The Bahamas

Guardian Media Group will rebroadcast BBC World Service English radio in The Bahamas

BBC World Service English has partnered with the Guardian Media Group to bring our factual programming, impartial news reports and analysis to audiences in The Bahamas.

Guardian Media Group is the leading local multimedia group in The Bahamas.

BBC World Service English radio will be received digitally, and broadcast live on Guardian Radio FM 96.9 when not in local programming.

Fred Durman, BBC’s Head of Business Development for the Americas and Europe, says: “The BBC is delighted to strengthen its presence in The Bahamas through this dynamic rebroadcasting partnership with Guardian Media Group. This collaboration underscores our dedication to informing, educating, and entertaining audiences worldwide.

“By delivering trusted news, insightful storytelling, and a rich array of diverse programming, we aim to foster deeper connections and promote shared understanding across communities. This initiative not only extends our global reach but also ensures that Bahamian residents have access to high-quality journalism and content that reflects a variety of voices and perspectives from around the world.”

Dwight Strachan, Guardian Radio Station Manager, says: “Guardian Radio – The Bahamas’ number one source for talk and radio news – is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with the legendary BBC World Service. We will offer BBC programming to our listeners when we’ve completed our regular programming overnight and on Sunday.

“This will further demonstrate to our listeners our commitment to providing credible news from all over the globe, and from one of the world’s most trusted news sources. Without a doubt, Guardian Radio with the BBC World Service will make for round-the-clock-radio – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week”.

[Source: BBC press release]

IBAB Approves Jeffrey Gedmin as President and CEO of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks

23 October 2024

IBAB Approves Jeffrey Gedmin as President and CEO of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks

The International Broadcasting Advisory Board (IBAB) – which provides oversight and strategic guidance to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) – unanimously authorized the board of Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. (MBN) to name Jeffrey Gedmin as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Gedmin has served as MBN’s Acting President and CEO since April 2024.

“We are elated to pave the way for Jeff’s continued leadership at MBN,” said IBAB Chair Kenneth Jarin. “His vast experience and tremendous wealth of knowledge make clear that he is the right person to lead the networks into a new era. We look forward to continuing to work alongside him every step of the way.”

Gedmin was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the IBAB in 2023, where he served before becoming MBN’s Acting President and CEO earlier this year. He was Interim President and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) from July to December 2023, and previously served as RFE/RL’s President and CEO for four years.

Gedmin was co-founder and editor-in-chief of American Purpose, and former president/CEO of the London-based Legatum Institute. Prior to leading RFE/RL, he served as president and CEO of the Aspen Institute in Berlin, was a Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and was Executive Director of the New Atlantic Initiative.

Gedmin has authored and edited several books about German and European security, and co-executive produced two major documentaries for PBS.

He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on several advisory boards, including the Institute for State Effectiveness, the Justice for Journalists Foundation, the Tocqueville Conversations, and the Institute for Current World Affairs. Together with former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Norm Eisen, Gedmin is co-chair of the Transatlantic Democracy Working Group, hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. He is currently a Research Council Member at the National Endowment for Democracy, senior fellow at Georgetown University and at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Gedmin earned his M.A. in German Area Studies from American University. He received his Ph.D. from Georgetown University in German Area Studies and Linguistics.

[Source: IBAB press release]