NHK WORLD TV partners with Russia’s Tricolor TV to launch 24-hour channel

NHK WORLD TV Delivers English-Language Lifestyle, Culture and News Content to More than 7.7 million Homes in the Country

Japan International Broadcasting (http://www.jibtv.com/), the distribution company of NHK, and Tricolor TV (http://tricolor.tv/), the largest satellite television operator in Russia, have announced a new partnership which brings NHK WORLD TV (www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld) to 7.7 million households throughout the country. The stand-alone, 24-hour, English-language television lifestyle and news network produced by NHK, Japan’s sole public, independent broadcaster, launched today.

NHK WORLD TV is now available to viewers in Russia as part of the Super-Optimum and Maximum HD channel packages. The network can be found on channel 178 for MPEG4 STB holders and on channel 209 for HDSTB holders.

“Russia is one of the most significant markets in the world,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, president and CEO, Japan International Broadcasting. “We are honored to share Asian culture with its people through our high quality and captivating programming.”

NHK WORLD TV provides a 24-hour programming cycle, including a vast selection of science, travel, food and entertainment shows, such as “Science View,” “GREAT NATURE,” “Somewhere Street,” “Core Kyoto,” “Dining with the chef” and “J-MELO.” In addition, a variety of news and world financial affairs programs can be found, including “ASIA BIZ FORECAST,” “ASIAN VOICES” and “NEWSLINE.”

The network also broadcasts an assortment of groundbreaking documentaries and specials, including “Document 72 Hours,” “TOMORROW,” “Shima Kosaku’s Asian Entrepreneurs” and “NHK Documentary.” You can view the entire program schedule at http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/tv/schedule/index.html.

“Tricolor TV is committed to meeting our viewers’ great desire for international programming,” said Mikhail Goryachev director of content, Tricolor TV. “NHK WORLD TV provides a compelling lineup of lively entertainment from Japan and the rest of Asia, as well as vital financial and world news which is sure to satisfy our audience.”

NHK WORLD TV is the third international channel carried by Tricolor TV after France 24 and Deutsche Welle (DW). NHK WORLD TV is now available in 280 million households across 150 countries and regions.

 

SES receives licence to operate satellite in Brazilian orbital position

SES (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announces that ANATEL, the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency, has approved the NSS-806 satellite for use at the 48 degree West orbital position recently awarded at auction to SES. The satellite will provide capacity for Brazil and Latin America.

 “The use of NSS-806 in the Brazilian and Latin American markets demonstrates SES´s commitment to the region. Although we have up to 4 years to start providing capacity from that position, we are now ready to begin supplying our customers and partners with capacity, thereby expanding opportunities in the region,” said Jurandir Pitsch, director of SES DTH do Brasil.

NSS-806 provides C-band and Ku-band capacity and has 28 transponders available for use in Brazil. Together with SES-6, located at 40.5 degrees West, and SES-10, which is under construction and will in the future occupy the 67 degrees West position, NSS-806 will enable television broadcasters to launch new HD and Ultra-HD channels, for example, or allow telecom operators to improve mobile phone signals in remote areas.

“The demand for capacity in Latin America remains strong and SES is fully committed to meeting that demand. The use of NSS-806 in Brazil will allow our customers to improve their services in Brazil and the other countries covered by the satellite,” said Pitsch.

To expand the reception of signals, SES has initiated an antenna program for Brazilian cable operators, providing free antennas and know-how to those who are interested.

“We believe this new orbital position will be an excellent alternative for regional video distribution and signifies added value for cable operators, since most satellites serving this market already have a very high fill rate,” concluded Pitsch.

SES in Latin America

Today, SES has 11 satellites operating at 10 different orbital positions to provide service in Latin America. In addition, the company reaches 21 million homes and supports four DTH platforms in the region. In 2016, the company expects to launch the SES-10 satellite, which is being manufactured by Airbus Defence & Space and is designed for dedicated service to the region.

ANATEL Auction

In May 2014, SES won 2 Brazilian orbital positions as part of an auction by ANATEL. The company invested 33 million Brazilian Reais to operate in the FSS C, Ku and Ka-bands at the 48 degrees West position, as well as 26.8 million Brazilian Reais to operate in the BSS Ku-band at 64 degrees West. The rights granted by ANATEL are valid for 15 years, renewable thereafter for the same period.

 

AIB announces David Frost Memorial Lecture

AIB announces David Frost Memorial Lecture

Wilfred Frost at the 10th Annual AIB Awards

Wilfred Frost at the 10th Annual AIB Awards

At the 10th annual AIB Awards in London on 5 November, Wilfred Frost, son of journalist Sir David Frost, announced the inaugural Sir David Frost Memorial Lecture. The talk by a major public figure to be announced will be held on 18 February at the Association for International Broadcasting’s #iamabroadcaster Global Media Summit.

A journalist in his own right, Wilfred Frost announced the lecture in his introduction to the “In Conversation” segment of the AIB Awards gala. This year’s In Conversation featured an interview by Frost interview with documentary filmmaker Olly Lambert, who won the AIB last year in the category of Best Middle East Documentary for his film Syria: Across The Lines.

Frost said: “We debated whether an annual talk should be given in Dad’s name by a fellow TV presenter. Or perhaps by a fellow media entrepreneur or executive. But in the end, the answer was simple. If Dad were alive today, who in the world would he most want to be interviewing? On Wednesday 18th February 2015 Paradine Productions and AIB will bring you an address from an individual that fits that description – someone who can not only tell us what is happening on a set of crucial issues in the world today, but can in fact make news themselves with what they say. We will be announcing the speaker for February very soon.”

Sir David Frost, who died last year, is one of the most famous journalist of the 20th century. He is most known for his interviews with notable political figures, including eight British Prime Ministers and seven US Presidents. His series of interviews with US President Richard Nixon, broadcast on American TV in 1977, drew the largest TV audience for a political interview in US TV history. The Nixon interviews were adapted into the play Frost/Nixon, which was adapted into a film in which Frost was played by Martin Sheen, directed by Ron Howard.

The #iamabroadcaster Media Summit will offer the global media industry two days of intensive discussion on the upheavals and opportunities facing broadcasters today. Held in London from 17-18 February, #iamabroadcaster will feature provocative and challenging discussions with major players and thinkers both from within and outside the media industry. Attendees will leave with an entirely new outlook on the broadcast industry and a new definition of what the word “broadcasting” means in the 21st century.

Further information, including venue, line-up, and sponsorship opportunities will be available on the AIB website.

The 10th Annual AIB Awards cover the globe

The 10th Annual AIB Awards cover the globe

The AIB Awards 2014“Remember, remember, the fifth of November,” goes the old British children’s rhyme. After last night’s 10th annual AIB International Media Excellence Awards, many filmmakers will remember the fifth of November for years to come.

Each year the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) searches the globe for the top achievements in factual content for TV, radio and online. This year’s AIB Awards featured entries from over 30 countries, telling stories that ranged from the hard realities of current global conflicts and the inner secrets of global corporations, to imaginary explorations of extinct life and exposing to the light of day the buried troubles of decades past. The AIBs, sponsored by Eutelsat, were held again at London’s LSO St. Luke’s, a spectacular venue that is also home to the London Symphony Orchestra.

The gala evening was hosted by BBC Global and Crimewatch presenter, Matthew Amroliwala and was punctuated with poignant moments, including the presentation of a special AIB Founders Award to the late Ghanaian journalist and BBC presenter, Komla Dumor. Universally respected, Dumor died suddenly in his London home in January of this year at the age of 41. The award was accepted by Dumor’s wife, Kwansema Dumor.

The AIB’s traditional “In Conversation” guest was filmmaker Olly Lambert. During the awards dinner, Lambert was interviewed by Wilfred Frost, son of the journalist, Sir David Frost. Called “one of the most talented documentary filmmakers working in British television” by The Times, Lambert won an AIB last year in the category of Best Middle East Documentary for his film Syria: Across The Lines. The film also garnered Lambert an Emmy, a BAFTA and a Rory Peck Award. The full interview with Lambert will be available to view via the AIB website.

The 2014 AIBs covered 18 categories with most categories recognising a Highly Commended entry in addition to the category Winner.

The AIB Award nominees were evaluated by an international panel of 50 judges from the broadcast industry. AIB Awards judge Ruth Sloss, Director of Programming at Spafax, said: “The AIBs are not restricted to one language. Submissions are actively encouraged in all different languages from broadcasters across the globe, which is refreshing in a world where content can often be English-centric. They also look to take work from different budgetary backgrounds as content is assessed with the limits of a broadcaster’s budget in mind. It means a small broadcaster from a developing country can compete alongside the BBC’s and CNN’s of this world.”

The results of the 10th Annual AIB Awards (in order of presentation):

 

Domestic current affairs documentary – TV

Dispatches:Breadline Kids – Channel 4 Television (Highly Commended)
Failon Today:Deluge – ABS-CBN Corporation (Winner)
John F Kennedy: A Legacy Remembered – Voice of America
Spotlight:Guns and Government – BBC
Suidlanders- Preparing for a Revolution – E Sat Pty Ltd
The Way they Steel – Antena 3

Short news report – TV

Egyptian Clashes – Alhurra Television
Muzaffarnagar Riots: Refugee Crisis – New Delhi Television Ltd
Seleka Victims – TVC News-Continental Broadcasting Service
Typhoon Haiyan: Mass Graves – CNN
Ukraine Donetsk Airport – Voice of America
Ukraine Unrest: Shooting in Independence Square – CNN (Winner)

Short documentary – TV

ERC Syrians Camp in Jordan – Pyramedia Productions
First Sight: Sonia & Anita – Blue Chalk Media (Winner)
Mother-Daughter Reunion – Alhurra Television
Nkana Dilapidated Bridge – Channels Television
Prisoner Turned Farrier – Voice of America
Racism in Housing – BBC London (Highly Commended)
The Angel’s Music: A Pianist with Down Syndrome, His Family and His Message – Kansai Telecasting Corporation (Highly Commended)

Investigative documentary – radio

Face the Facts: A Thousand Philomenas – BBC Radio 4 (Highly Commended)
Forbidden Love in Egypt – BBC Arabic Service (Winner)
Human Trafficking – Radio Sawa
The Other 9/11 – SBS Radio
Water Wars – Radio New Zealand
Who is there to protect Erwiana? – Radio Television Hong Kong

Live journalism – TV

2014 Indian Parliamentary Election Coverage – New Delhi Television Ltd
Anti-Government Protests in Kiev – RT (Highly Commended)
CNN Coverage of the Downing of Flight MH17 – CNN (Winner)
The Legal Round Table Debate – Trial Productions
Ukraine Unrest (Live): Shooting in Independence Square – CNN
Uttarakhand Floods Coverage – New Delhi Television Ltd

Live journalism – radio

The Reality Of Life With Dementia – BBC Radio 5live (Winner)
The Death Of Nelson Mandela – BBC World Service (Highly Commended)
Egyptian Clashes – Radio Sawa

Current affairs documentary – radio

From Heungnam to Geoje: 60 Years Armistice Special  – KBS (Korean Broadcasting System)
A Good Man in Rwanda – BBC World Service
An Anatomy of Medical Malpractice in Taiwan – Radio Taiwan International
India: Resisting Rape – BBC World Service (Winner)
Operation Herrick: The Patient Pathway – BFBS (Highly Commended)
Syrian Refugees – Radio Sawa (Highly Commended)

Children’s factual programme – TV

Bushwhacked! (Series 2) – Mint Pictures (Highly Commended)
Deadly Pole to Pole – BBC Natural History Unit (Winner)
Jawla 2014 – Al Jazeera Children’s Channel
Made in SA – South African Broadcasting Corporation
Matanglawin: Worst Case Scenario Weather – ABS-CBN Corporation
Pay it Forward – Observator, Antena 1
The Joy of Life (Vom Glück des Lebens) – Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Radio personality of the year

Catherine Bott – Classic FM
David Mellor – Classic FM
RJ Teena-Salaam Indore – DB Corp Ltd (Radio Division) 943MY FM
Shaimaa Khalil – BBC World Service (Winner)

 

AIB Founders Award – Komla Dumor

 

Live sports coverage – TV

Aviva Premiership Rugby Final 2014 – Sunset+Vine for BT Sport (Winner)
Istaf Superseries Finals 2013/2014 – Astro Arena SDN BHD
The Grand National – IMG Productions for Channel 4 Television (Highly Commended)

Creative feature – radio

Brixton Ballads-Sound Stories – ABC Radio
Crossroads Generation – DW Deutsche Welle
Lost in Dutch Formosa – Radio Taiwan International (Highly Commended)
Newstalk BC – Christian Broadcasting Association (Winner)
OSM Frequency II – Radio-Canada
Will Kate Survive Kate? – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Specialist programme

AIDS: Living in the Shadows – Voice of America (Highly Commended)
Brazil’s Soccer Cities – BBC (Highly Commended)
From Here to Timbuktu Buganda – Wananchi Programming
Inside Lego – Bloomberg TV
Revealing Dali – TVE Spain (Winner)
Zashto – RT

Online factual

Cronulla Riots: The Day that shocked a Nation – SBS Television (Australia) (Winner)
Days of Rage Digital Initiative – Channel NewsAsia Mediacorp Pte Ltd
IRANORAMA – Webdoc.FR/France 24 (Highly Commended)
Sochi:Outside the Arena – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty [RFE/RL]
Serengeti: Toward an Uncertain Future – DW Deutsche Welle (Highly Commended)
Zaatari Refugee Camp – CNN

Science programme – TV

David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive – Atlantic Productions (Winner)
Secrets of Bones – BBC Natural History Unit (Highly Commended)
Synthetic Biology: Creating Life from Scratch – France 24
The Lake Megantic Tragedy – Radio-Canada
Toxic Sugar – Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Catalyst
Weed: Dr Sanjay Gupta Reports – CNN

Domestic investigative documentary – TV

Britain’s Secret Terror Force – twenty2vision Ltd (Winner)
The Paedophile MP: How Cyril Smith got away with it – Channel 4 Television
India matters: In your Face – New Delhi Television Ltd
The Armstrong System – SRF
The Cruel Cut – Channel 4 Television (Highly Commended)
The Route of the K Money – artear S.A

International current affairs documentary – TV

Difficult Destinations: Turkmenistan – deMENSEN
Dispatches: Children on the Frontline – Channel 4 Television (Winner)
Our World: Yemen-World’s Most Dangerous Journey – BBC News & Current Affairs
Pakistan’s Hidden Shame – Clover Films for Channel 4 Television (Highly Commended)
TB: Return of the Plague – True Vision Productions
The Surgery Ship – Media Stockade/SBS Television
Undercover Asia: Invisible Children – Channel NewsAsia Mediacorp Pte Ltd

International investigative documentary – TV

Dispatches: How to fix a Football Match – Channel 4 Television (Highly Commended)
Our World: Iran’s Secret Army – BBC News & Current Affairs
Our World: Saudi’s Secret Uprising – BBC News & Current Affairs (Winner)
Return to Benghazi – CNN
Slave Industry – A Year On From Rana Plaza – Islam Channel
Worked to Death in Qatar (for the 2022 World Cup) – France 24

TV personality of the year

Christiane Amanpour – CNN
Pia Castro – DW Deutsche Welle
Richard Quest (Quest Means Business) – CNN (Winner)
Kiran Jethwa (Tales from the Bush Larder Kampal) – Wananchi/Fox Int Channels
Ted Failon – ABS-CBN Corporation

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Deutsche Welle partners with Russian-language Channel 9

Deutsche Welle partners with Russian-language Channel 9

Peter Limbourg, Director General of Deutsche Welle

Peter Limbourg, Director General of Deutsche Welle

AIB member Deutsche Welle has partnered with Israeli Russian-language station Channel 9, which has the widest reach of any Russian-language TV station outside Russia. DW hopes the new partnership will enable it to target a large number of programs to a new international audience.

Channel 9 is receivable in Israel, as well as in Germany, Canada, the US and Australia, via cable or satellite networks.

Alexander Levin, majority owner of Channel 9, and representatives of DW have agreed in Bonn that, starting immediately, several formats will be adopted into the programming of Channel 9, among them the successful culture magazine Arts.21, the lifestyle show Euromaxx Highlights, the science series Tomorrow Today and the globalisation magazine Global 3000.

The agreement also includes the use of DW articles and news on Channel 9’s online portal.

Channel 9 had been owned by Africa-Israel Investments (AFI Group) until February 2013, when company head Lev Leviev sold his stake in the network to partner Alexander Levin for $6.5 million. The company had often operated at a loss and been bogged down in several legal disputes. Levin relocated from Russia to Israel in order to take control of the station. One of his stated goals had been to expand Channel 9’s offering to Russian speakers outside of Israel.

DW Director General Peter Limbourg welcomed the cooperation as an important step towards free reporting in Russian. “We shall benefit by having Channel 9 as our partner, which, just like DW, stands for independent journalism. We want to expand this cooperation still further in the future.”

Alexander Levin stressed the importance of this partnership for both parties. “Like DW, Channel 9 attaches the highest significance to a free, pluralistic reporting of political affairs. In view of the growing influence from politics on the Russian media, this is becoming for us increasingly a unique selling point.”

Euronews and SportAccord sign historic partnership

Euronews and SportAccord have signed a historic collaboration for sports programming, which will enable the Global broadcaster and the Union of all 92 International Sports Federations to establish a new sports programme. The agreement was signed today between Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews group and Marius Vizer, President of SportAccord, at the annual International Forum for international sports federations in Lausanne.

The partnership will revolutionize the global news coverage of sports. Euronews, a multi-cultural news channel broadcasting in 13 languages will distribute original sports news to an upmarket audience with a worldwide geographical spread. Under the agreement, Euronews will, amongst others, run a weekly sports-programme « Sports United » starting from January 2015, as well as several special magazine shows, focusing on specific sport disciplines. Euronews viewers will also have access to major national, regional and international competitions, from football and gymnastics to beach volleyball and judo.

Each show will be produced in 13 languages and be broadcast to over 420 million households in 156 countries, as well as on digital media platforms.

« Sports United », a dynamic sports programme covering the entire scope of sports disciplines and competitions worldwide will air in 13 languages on Euronews starting January 2015.

Speaking about the historic partnership, Marius Vizer, President of SportAccord said, “We are very excited about the mutually beneficial partnership with Euronews. This Partnership will enable premium exposure for SportAccord Members and at the same time raise interest in all sports of the masses. Euronews, the international and multi-lingual news channel offers us the opportunity to highlight the richness of our federations’ activities and to make it accessible to a broad audience”.

Michael Peters, CEO, Euronews, added, “Today, it is very complex to buy and trade distribution rights for sport events. We decided to take a more global, high-level approach. SportAccord showed interest in the idea. Furthermore, this agreement came as a natural fit. At Euronews, our editorial team of over 400 journalists from 30 nationalities represents our channel’s diversity. It was natural to us to partner with SportAccord, an organisation that represents a broad, and nearly unlimited diversity of athletes, sports and disciplines. ”

« Sports United » show on Euronews

Sports news from around the world in your own language. A show that covers all sports, a must for passionate sports lovers. Available as of January 2015 on-air and on a broad range of digital platforms. (Source: Euronews press release)