29 May 2014
The Board of the African Media Initiative (AMI) has appointed Mr. Eric Chinje, a Cameroonian national, as the new Chief Executive Officer of AMI. Mr. Chinje’s appointment is for a 3-year term beginning July 1, 2014. He will be expected to build on the successes of his predecessor, Mr. Amadou M. Ba, by:
- Strengthening the role of AMI in improving the quality of media in Africa;
- reinforcing the financial base of the Initiative;
- Liaising with regional and global media institutions to improve the quality of media support interventions on the continent;
- Strengthening management, leadership and professionalism in the African media sector and
- Helping African media houses embrace technology to cultivate new revenue streams and enhance sustainability.
Dr Roukaya Kasenally has been appointed acting CEO until Mr Chinje assumes his new position.
Eric Chinje brings stellar journalism, communications and development experience along with valuable management skills and an unalloyed commitment to Africa’s development.
Mr. Chinje is currently Senior Advisor with the Washington, DC-based International Communications and Trade Relations firm, KRL International, where he has been providing high-level, strategic communications advice to the Governments of Liberia and South Sudan among others. He came to KRL after a stint as Director of Strategic Communications at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, London.
Eric Chinje was chosen for the wide experience he brings to the position. A veteran broadcaster, Chinje was Head of News and Programs and Editor-in-Chief of Cameroon Television and, at various times from 1984- 1991, a contributing correspondent for CNN World Report, and a stringer for the BBC World Service, Voice of America, and Deutsche Welle Radio.
Mr. Chinje spent over 16 years at the World Bank in Washington, DC and held senior management positions, including leading the Global Media Development Program at the World Bank Institute (WBI) and as Manager of the Africa Region Strategic Communications (AFRSC) Unit where he oversaw a team of over 80 communication professionals located across Sub-Saharan Africa. He was the Bank’s Spokesperson on African affairs.
Keenly interested in the issues of governance, Mr. Chinje’s signature achievement was the launch of the Independent Media for Accountability, Governance and Empowerment (IMAGE) program that ran a series of journalism capacity-building workshops on Economics and Business Reporting, Investigative Journalism, Covering the Budget, Reporting on Agriculture and others, reaching over 2000 journalists in Africa and Asia. He also served as Vice Chair of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund Africa Club from 1996–2002.
Between 2004 and 2008, Mr. Chinje was Head of External Affairs and Communications at the African Development Bank, working at the AfDB temporary headquarters in Tunis.
Mr. Chinje is currently a Visiting Scholar at the George Mason University in Virginia, USA. He received a BA (Honors) from the University of Yaounde, Cameroon (1977), an MSc in Telecommunications from the Newhouse School of Communications, Syracuse University (1981), and was a Fellow for International and Intercultural Communications at the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University (1991). (Source: AMI press release)
28 May 2014
SES today announced the introduction of its latest satellite broadband technologies at the international eLearning Africa conference this week in Kampala, Uganda.
The SES affiliate SES Broadband Services, the Eichstätt-lngolstadt University in Germany and the Permanent Centre for Education of Uganda have partnered for an exclusive demonstration of a live streamed e-learning session and a new satellite Wi-Fi hot spot service.
The demonstrations will see Eichstätt-lngolstadt University in Munich connected live to Kampala via satellite to show the features of the virtual classroom through a satellite connection between teachers and pupils. SES Broadband Services will also launch its new Wi-Fi hot spot service.
“We are continuing to strengthen strategic partnerships with educational content and solution providers such as Teachers Media International (TMI) to offer unparalleled reach in African rural areas. The SES Broadband Services’ solution allows connectivity services at affordable prices, fast deployment and full coverage of large and dispersed areas,” said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of SES Broadband Services. ”Other advantages are a low power consumption through solar powered equipment, and the ability to integrate creative learning and web-based tools.”
“The new Wi-Fi hot spot service could truly change the lives of African people who live in more rural areas allowing more flexible pricing models and service capabilities,” continues Biewer. “We are committed to helping economic and sustainable growth in developing regions by innovating constantly to bridge the digital divide.”
The eLearning Africa conference is taking place between 28 and 30 May in the Uganda capital Kampala. For more see: www.elearning-africa.com.
22 May 2014
Leading regional broadcaster, Channel NewsAsia, announces that it intends to open a new bureau in Vietnam. This will be the channel’s 14th bureau in Asia, following the launch of the Yangon bureau in January 2014 in Myanmar. The bureau will increase Channel NewsAsia’s ability to cover the region’s developments more comprehensively, reporting from the ground with credibility and authenticity.
Ms Debra Soon, Managing Director of Channel NewsAsia says, “Vietnam, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, is a fast growing and vibrant business hub. Having a ground presence there will allow us to uncover business opportunities, look at companies and developments, and beyond business, report on how a new generation of Vietnamese see themselves and the rest of Asia. We have been covering South East Asia well for the past 15 years, it’s time to go even further and beef up our ability to cover the IndoChina region even better, a mass of over 220 million people in Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.”
Ms Soon made the announcement at Channel NewsAsia’s Vietnam Business Insights in Ho Chi Minh City today.
The channel’s premier regional business forum gathered expert speakers and international corporate leaders to discuss the new growth model for sustainable development in Vietnam. Delegates shared views on “Redefining Sustainable Business Growth for Vietnam”, with a look at how the transformation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the private sector need to drive growth in the country.
Panel speaker and CEO of Ho Chi Minh Securities, Mr Johan Nyvene, said “Vietnam has re-emerged from global economic challenges and has rewarded savvy investors with good opportunities. Channel NewsAsia’s Vietnam Business Insights provides an excellent ’insider’s look’ at local issues.”
Leading Vietnam economist, Dr Le Dang Doanh, noted the strong economic outlook for the country, with international financial institutions forecasting a stable annual GDP growth rate at 5.6 – 5.7% in the coming years. But he said there remain other challenges.
CEO of KPMG Vietnam and Cambodia, Mr Warrick Cleine, said “sustainable growth will not occur without a robust corporate sector. There’s a real need for local companies to step up their service levels to be competitive.”
The panel discussion today is facilitated by the channel’s award-winning business journalist and presenter, Ms Lin Xue Ling.
About Vietnam Business Insights
Business Insights is a regional series of Channel NewsAsia’s CEO leadership seminars, aimed at establishing linkages across Asia by promoting the understanding of the business climate and practices in the host country.
Hosted in Ho Chi Minh City over two days on 21st and 22nd May 2014, the event kicked-off with a corporate golf challenge at Long Thanh Golf Club, attended by more than 100 participants.
Highlights of Vietnam Business Insights – Redefining Sustainable Business Growth for Vietnam will be broadcast on Channel NewsAsia on 5 June 2014.
The Business Insights series has been hosted in Jakarta, Bangkok, Yangon, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City. It will next travel to Kuala Lumpur in September 2014. (Source: Press release)
22 May 2014
Vizrt Ltd. announced today a deal worth USD 1.6 million for the implementation of media asset management (MAM) products with a broadcaster in Asia-Pacific. The purchase is an upgrade of the customer’s existing MAM workflows to enterprise-scale. The broadcaster currently uses the Vizrt Ardome Media Asset Management, which is primarily managing transmission focused workflows. The customer is now looking to leverage the platform across other parts of the business and to take advantage of functionality available in the latest Viz One version.
The initial stage of the project is the installation of a new Viz One MAM system to act as a centralized storage area for all media within the enterprise, allowing for the use of this media across all areas of the business – including web, mobile devices, IPTV, and of course, broadcast television. Media will be accessible by the various departments throughout the organisation, such as archivists, editors, producers, engineers, sales and legal staff.
Subsequently, the existing Viz Ardome system workflows will be migrated to Viz One to allow all media to flow through one system, thereby maximising content flow efficiencies.
“In making this investment, the broadcaster will be able to leverage its content across various delivery channels, increasing its economic value, while at the same time improving efficiencies,” said Martin Burkhalter, Vizrt CEO. “This project solidifies Viz One as the premiere media asset management solution available in the market today.” (Source: Press release)
22 May 2014
Graham Phillips, the RT freelancer and British national detained for a day and a half by the Ukrainian authorities, was released near midnight on May 22nd.
Following his release, Phillips tweeted some details of his detention, saying that after being stopped at Mariupol, he was “transferred to Zaporozhye where I stayed the night, under armed guard. Removed by armed guard today, questioned thoroughly on my work for [RT]. All my work in order, no charges, no deportation, no one laid a hand on me in anger, Ukrainian authorities treated me fairly. All ok.”
Graham Phillips was detained at a Ukrainian National Guard block post early on May 20th. He could not be reached for more than 30 hours. RT worked with Russian, Ukrainian, British and international authorities, watchdog groups and human rights organizations to secure his release.
“We are grateful to everyone who worked with RT to bring about Graham’s release,” said Margarita Simonyan, RT’s editor in chief. “Let’s hope that the two LifeNews reporters, Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko, who are still being held captive, are freed as well in the shortest order, and that all journalists are allowed to freely and safely carry out their work in Ukraine going forward.” (Source: Press release)
19 May 2014
Bloomberg Media Group CEO Justin B. Smith today announced that Adam Freeman has been appointed as the first Managing Director of Bloomberg Media for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, responsible for leading Bloomberg’s multi-platform media operation – web, mobile, television, digital video, print magazines and live events – across the regions. The new leadership structure reflects Bloomberg Media’s new strategy to expand its global media footprint beyond television to multiple media platforms across European, Middle Eastern and African markets. Freeman’s appointment will ensure Bloomberg’s consumer media content, ad products, distribution, licensing deals are carefully tailored to serve each distinct, individual market. The new management structure is part of Bloomberg’s new global media strategy, first outlined by Smith in March. Freeman will start this week and will be based out of Bloomberg’s European headquarters in London.
Freeman is the founder of Mutual Media, a digital advertising start-up, and served as Chairman for Metropolis Music Group. During a thirteen-year tenure at The Guardian – most recently as Executive Director of Guardian News and Media until 2013 – he worked alongside the editorial leadership to drive the digital transformation of its print brands and spearheaded the expansion of its global commercial operations. Freeman held a variety of positions at The Guardian, including Director of Media Consumer Media and Digital, General Manager; and leadership roles in sales and marketing, publishing, advertising and business development.
“With bureaus in 72 countries, Bloomberg’s global presence is unrivalled in the consumer media industry,” said Bloomberg Media CEO Justin B. Smith. “Adam’s appointment is a statement of our ambition to develop the world’s leading next-generation global business media company. We will be investing across every platform – web, mobile, TV, digital video, print, live events – with a powerful focus on new digital channels and audiences. Adam has a clear track record of leading digital transformations and successfully building the types of teams and cultures required for media innovation. He is going to take our operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to the next level.”
“This is a world-class organization, sitting in a unique position of opportunity as the entire media landscape is evolving everyday. And the global aspirations here are immense — so when the opportunity came, I jumped at it,” said Freeman. “An inspiring entrepreneurial spirit permeates the entire company and with a dead set commitment here to invest, we are going to expand Bloomberg’s global footprint beyond TV, and take it across all media platforms, across continents. I can’t wait to get started with the incredible team already here and be a part of what Justin has begun to build.”
Freeman is Chair of the Advertising Association’s Media Business Course for 2013 and 2014 and is an active Member of the Advertising Association’s Council. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the Newspaper Marketing Agency (Newsworks) and Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) Board of Directors. (Source: Press release)
