9 May 2014
Download a pdf of this press release here
Africa’s Digital Media Future – benefits for social and economic growth
London, 09 May 2014
The Africa Digital Media Future conference (#AfricaDMF), to be held in London on 15 May 2014, is drawing together DGs and CEOs from major broadcasters across Africa, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Swaziland and South Africa. The event, organised by the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) in partnership with Channels TV from Nigeria, will address practical steps to ensure that Africa can harness the extensive potential of digital media developments for social and economic growth across the continent.
It will also launch an innovative free-to-view TV platform for Africa and ambitious plans for a new pan-African news channel.
Among those leading the conversations at the conference are Suvi Linden, Commissioner of the United Nations Broadband Commission for Digital Development, and January Makamba, Deputy Minister of Communications, Tanzania.
‘Digital migration represents a major opportunity for Africa to provide a richer, more informative and more local range of broadcasting to serve the needs of the continent ‘ said Simon Spanswick, CEO of the AIB. ‘But it is vital that it is implemented so that information is accessible and affordable to all. Bringing together senior media figures from across Africa provides a powerful platform for sharing insights and co-operating in delivering relevant solutions to each country’
‘Africa’s talent is creating exciting innovation in countries across the continent and digital media is a vital tool to harness this talent and help it build the future of Africa.’ said John Momoh, chairman and CEO of Channels TV. ‘We have the opportunity to work together to provide national and international media that helps to strengthen our social structures and build strong economic growth.’
The invitation-only conference will include sessions on Africa’s digital dividend, creative transformation and digital migration.
– E N D S –
For more information and to request press accreditation, contact Roger Stone at the AIB in the United Kingdom on +44 (0) 20 7993 2557, e-mail roger.stone@aib.org.uk.
About Channels TV
Channels TV has operated since 1993 as an independent television station broadcasting in Nigeria and now has an audience of over 20 million. Its mission is: to produce and broadcast television programmes of quality and integrity that recognize and challenge, the intelligence and curiosity of our viewers; to provide community oriented programmes that will enrich local and international viewers; to give an alternative medium of communication to the government-controlled media in Nigeria; and to perform the role of a true watch-dog of the government and its policies, and hold public officers accountable to the people. It has been named “Best Television Station of the Year” by the Nigerian Media Merit Award Trust 8 times in the last 13 years.
For more information, visit www.channelstv.com
About AIB
Established in 1993, the Association for International Broadcasting | AIB is a non-profit, non-government, industry association founded in 1993 to represent, promote and assist its members. It currently has a membership of over 50 companies in around 30 countries, including major broadcasters serving audiences of hundreds of millions of people each week.
With a reach of over 26,000 communicators and media professionals, AIB is a unique centre of information about international broadcasting, covering TV, radio, online and mobile. AIB researches regular market intelligence briefings for its members and provides client-specific consultancy and project support. Members receive an extensive package of services throughout the year. AIB publishes the comprehensive AIB Global Broadcasting Sourcebook and the international media magazine, The Channel. AIB hosts the annual AIB International Media Excellence Awards – the “AIBs”. For more information, visit www.aib.org.uk and theaibs.tv or call +44 (0) 20 7993 2557
AIB | PO Box 141 | Cranbrook | TN17 9AJ | United Kingdom
T +44 20 7993 2557 F +44 20 7993 8043
www.aib.org.uk
25 April 2014
News from the BBC Hausa service is now available via BBMTM in Nigeria, thanks to collaboration between BBC World Service and BlackBerry. Subscribers to the service will receive up to five BBC Hausa news alerts daily, each with shareable story links, with users able to engage with the BBC by sharing their comments and story ideas.
The launch of the BBC Hausa news content via BBM is part of the BBC’s ground-breaking move to see how “chat apps” could be used to deliver its content to, and engage with, a wider demographic of users. The app fits organically in the BBC Hausa offer as the service operates on a “mobile-first” basis, with its online content primarily optimised to be viewed on mobile phones.
Trushar Barot, Assistant Editor for the Social Media Hub at BBC News, says: “We had been speaking to BlackBerry for a few months about their plans to develop their BBM product. We were keen to try and find a BBC service that we felt would be a good fit to test the service. Many Nigerians use BBM, with consumption of news content on mobile phones also very high, so linking up with the BBC Hausa service felt like the right choice.”
BBC Hausa Editor Mansur Liman adds: “With over 96% of the traffic to the bbchausa.com website coming to its mobile version, BBC Hausa has prioritised its mobile offer as our key platform to reach our audiences. The launch of the BBC Hausa BBM in Nigeria – our biggest market – is a great development which will allow us to tap into new audiences, and also create a very simple, cheap and immediate way of connecting us with our users there.”
To connect to the account, subscribers will need to download the latest version of BBM (available on iOS and Android, as well as on BlackBerry handsets) and search for ‘BBC Hausa’ from the ‘Channels’ tab. Alternatively, users can connect via the BBM PIN: C00334DDD. Links to the BBC Hausa BBM channel will also be available via the website bbchausa.com and via the mobile website BBM.com/bbchausa.
BBC Hausa is part of BBC World Service. (Source: Press release)
25 April 2014
Japan International Broadcasting (http://www.jibtv.com/), the distribution company of NHK, and MEDIA BROADCAST (http://www.media-broadcast.com/en/homepage.html), the leading service provider for the broadcast and media industries in Germany, have announced a new partnership which brings NHK WORLD TV (www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/) to all HbbTV-enabled devices with DTT reception in Berlin. The stand-alone, 24-hour, English-language television news and lifestyle network produced by NHK, Japan’s sole public, independent broadcaster, launched on Saturday, March 15, 2014 and uses MEDIA BROADCAST’s hybrid TV service, multithek, for transmission.
“MEDIA BROADCAST is a well-regarded, globally established broadcast and media company,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, president and CEO, Japan International Broadcasting. “We are delighted to be working with them to deliver NHK WORLD TV to Berlin, the capital city of Germany and one of the most influential and vibrant markets in the world.”
NHK WORLD TV provides a 24-hour programming cycle, including the network’s news show, “NEWSLINE.” The objective reporting, particularly in economic news originating from Asia with programs such as “ASIA BIZ FORECAST”, “Asia This Week”, and “ASIAN VOICES” provides balance for a more comprehensive perspective on world financial affairs. The channel also offers a variety of lifestyle and cultural shows, including “TOKYO FASHION EXPRESS”, “Asia Insight”, “J-Architect”, “cool japan” and “BEGIN Japanology”, as well as an assortment of documentaries and specials.
NHK WORLD TV is currently available in 275 million households across 140 countries and regions. (Source: Press release)
22 April 2014
ABC International and its Australia Network have further strengthened and expanded the long term international relationship with China’s media powerhouse, the Shanghai Media Group, with support from the media authorities of the Chinese Government in Shanghai.
On the back of the Australian Government’s Australia Week in China trade mission, ABC International and the Australia Network have struck an international multi-platform media cooperation arrangement supported by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film and TV. The detailed agreement to formalize the arrangement is slated to be signed in Shanghai on May 4.
Through the cooperation, ABC International will establish an online portal in China through which a range of ABC and other Australian media content and services can be offered and presented to partner Chinese media organisations.
The arrangement also enables the ABC to establish a base in Shanghai with official approval to represent and sell media content across China, enter into international co-productions, and generate international sponsorship and promotional opportunities.
“This historic agreement opens up a whole new world of television and online cooperation between Australia and China,” ABC Managing Director Mark Scott said. “It provides a truly unique window for all Australian media to build a friendly and mutually cooperative relationship with China.”
“International Channel Shanghai last week broadcast a week of Australian TV programs provided by the ABC and Australia Network to coincide with Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s visit. Q&A’s live broadcast in China was the first open interactive public comment style program broadcast live from China to Australia. The success of last week and the future under this agreement will help build understanding between China and Australia.”
Mr Sun Wei, the Executive Director of the Shanghai Media Group’s International Channel Shanghai, said: “The Shanghai Media Group is China’s second largest media organization and its recent restructure ensures we are looking to further build our international media partnerships.
“Ground breaking international broadcasts such as Q&A, which was produced as a collaboration between Australian and Chinese television crews, pave the way for bigger and better international media cooperation and cultural connections in the future.”
Lynley Marshall, the CEO of ABC International, said: “This agreement will enable us to put the full range of Australia Network programming and content from other Australian media into China and for China to connect more closely with our media”.
“Most importantly, the agreement will provide opportunities for promotion of Australian business, tourism, entertainment, culture and education”. (Source: Press release)
22 April 2014
Channel NewsAsia programmes have been honoured with 12 awards at two prestigious international and film contests over the last fortnight. It won two gold, three silver and four bronze World Medals at the 2014 New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards; and at the 2014 WorldMediaFestival in Hamburg, it took one gold and two silver Intermedia-globe Awards.
2014 New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards
The New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards, now in its 57th year, announced its winners on 8 April at its annual gala in Las Vegas. A jury comprising members of award-winning industry experts gave the top honours to 9 of Channel NewsAsia’s programmes, amidst competition from 35 countries.
Channel Newsasia’s wins are as follows:
• Gold World Medal -Silent Screams
(Best Investigative Report)
• Gold World Medal -Living In The Shadows
(Human Interest)
• Silver World Medal -China Close-Up -Free Lunch
(Best Direction)
• Silver World Medal -China Close-Up -Fat Camp
(Best Editing)
• Silver World Medal -China Close-Up
(Social Issues)
• Bronze World Medal -Factory Towns
(Community Portraits)
• Bronze World Medal -Silent Screams
(Current Affairs)
• Bronze World Medal -Silent Screams
(Human Concerns)
• Bronze World Medal -Boomtown Asia – Japan
(Science & Technology)
Six of the channel’s programmes are also awarded finalist status:
• IT Figures: Preoccupation With Population – for Best Editing
• IT Figures: Rags to Riches – for Best Public Affairs Program
• Crossroads: Dutiful Donkeys – for Community Portraits
• China Close-Up: Free Lunch – for Human Concerns
• Get Rea!: Point Blank – for Social Issues
• China Close-Up – Free Lunch – for Community Portraits
2014 WorldMedia Festival
In addition to the accolades at the New York Festivals, Channel NewsAsia also took home awards from the 2014 WorldMedia Festival. A total of nearly 700 entries were submitted from 35 nations for this competition which honours and celebrates excellent solutions in corporate film, television, web, web TV and print productions. The awards will be presented in Hamburg on 14 May.
Channel NewsAsia’s wins are:
• Intermedia-globe GOLD – TILT’s Channel NewsAsia’s Channel Branding Promo – Clarity (Haze) (Station Image Promotion)
• Intermedia-globe SILVER – Surviving Haiyan
(Global Issues)
• Intermedia-globe SILVER – Insight Special – The Plight of Indian Farmers
(Society & Social Issues)
Ms Debra Soon, Managing Director, Channel NewsAsia says: “It is an incredible honour to be recognized by our peers and industry experts internationally, and we are proud to work with the best media professionals in Asia, to tell the stories of Asia. These programmes have helped us highlight the uncomfortable truth of society in investigative programmes, such as Living in the Shadows and Silent Screams, but we’ve also told stories about progress and success, such as IT Figures, China Close-Up and Boomtown and highlighted Asia’s challenges along the way in a nuanced and insightful manner. We truly believe in helping the world to Understand Asia, and our partnerships in industry, here in Singapore and the region, have helped us produce quality content for the world. As the channel celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, with a refreshed programming grid and on-air look, we will continue to raise the quality of our productions to tell the story of Asia to the world. ”
Channel NewsAsia has also been awarded other industry accolades over the last 6 months, by PromaxBDA Asia, Asiavision, The Association for International Broadcasting, and the Securities Investors Association of Singapore.
(Source: Press release)
22 April 2014
Anevia, a leader in video streaming and infrastructure solutions for OTT, live TV and Video on Demand (VoD), today announced that global content management company Globecast has chosen Anevia’s ViaMotion solutions suite – Packager, Origin and Edge – to support its new Over-The-Top (OTT) modular solutions. The new platform pairs high-performance with massive scalability, enabling Globecast customers to accelerate the delivery of live, VoD and live-to-VoD TV services to audiences worldwide.
Given the large number of transcoders shaping its ecosystem, it was critical for Globecast to bring an agnostic platform on board; hence the decision to deploy the Viamotion Plus which interoperates with all transcoders out there. Viamotion also met two more requirements outlined by Globecast as high priority for their Live TV infrastructure: massive scalability to support future service delivery and the support of new format like MPEG Dash.
Viamotion Plus was also deployed to enable non-linear service delivery through the new multiscreen platform. Globecast can now provide full content management services to broadcasters and pay-TV operators willing to push new VoD features such as start-over, catch-up or nPVR to their audiences. The fact that Viamotion’s flexible APIs also enabled a smooth integration with Kaltura workflow solutions proved an added benefit to this project.
“Anevia precisely understood our OTT vision and it provided a comprehensive suite of solutions required to make it come true,” says Sonia Missul, OTT product manager at Globecast. “With ViaMotion on board, we are now well positioned to deliver innovation to broadcasters and pay-TV operators for years to come without being hindered by performance limitations.”
“Globecast is a great example of a visionary media management company enabling its customers to monetise video delivery now and in the long run,” explains Anevia co-founder and executive vice president Damien Lucas explains. “We are extremely proud to be the innovation fuel behind such a strategic move.” (Source: press release)
The Africa Digital Media Future conference (#AfricaDMF), to be held in London on 15 May 2014, is drawing together DGs and CEOs from major broadcasters across Africa, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Swaziland and South Africa. The event, organised by the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) in partnership with Channels TV from Nigeria, will address practical steps to ensure that Africa can harness the extensive potential of digital media developments for social and economic growth across the continent.
Among those leading the conversations at the conference are Suvi Linden, Commissioner of the United Nations Broadband Commission for Digital Development, and January Makamba, Deputy Minister of Communications, Tanzania.
‘Africa’s talent is creating exciting innovation in countries across the continent and digital media is a vital tool to harness this talent and help it build the future of Africa.’ said John Momoh, chairman and CEO of Channels TV. ‘We have the opportunity to work together to provide national and international media that helps to strengthen our social structures and build strong economic growth.’