Sam Barnett Stepping Down as CEO of MBC GROUP, Mike Sneesby Named Successor

9 April 2025

Sam Barnett Stepping Down as CEO of MBC GROUP, Mike Sneesby Named Successor

Central European Media Enterprises (“CME”) is pleased to announce that Sam Barnett, a seasoned broadcasting professional, has been appointed as CME’s Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1, 2025.

“I’m very happy to welcome Sam to CME. After conducting a thorough succession process, we are confident that Sam’s global expertise and leadership experience make him the right person to lead CME in the future,” said Didier Stoessel, PPF Chief Investment Officer and CME’s current CEO, responsible for the Czech and Romanian markets.

In his new role, Mr. Barnett will succeed Mr. Stoessel, freeing Mr. Stoessel to focus solely on his duties as Chief Investment Officer of PPF, which also includes overseeing PPF’s media investments. Mr. Stoessel has held these dual roles at PPF and CME since 2022.

Since its acquisition by PPF four years ago, CME has undergone significant transformation as it moved from a linear-focused broadcaster to a linear and digital media group. The extraordinary growth of the Czech-Slovak subscriber base of the Voyo streaming service, from 30,000 to 950,000, the launch of Oneplay, an integrated over-the-top video streaming and live television platform, and the ongoing audience leadership of CME’s television channels across most of its markets underline the strength of CME’s business.

“I look forward to Sam and CME’s senior management continuing to lead the company to even greater successes, seizing the new opportunities in the company’s ongoing digital transition across our markets,” added Mr. Stoessel.

The new OTT platform Oneplay of CME’s Czech broadcaster Nova and PPF’s telecom operator O2 Czech Republic exemplifies the profound digital transformation of CME.

Sam Barnett commented on his appointment: “For over three decades, CME has always performed at the top of its game as the leading television entertainment and news source across multiple markets. The ongoing digitalization, forcing an evolution of viewing habits, is an opportunity that CME has seized. I look forward to building on this strategic advantage, maintaining CME’s pole position as the go-to source of video content in Central and Southeastern Europe.”

Mr. Barnett, a British and French citizen, will join PPF after more than two decades in senior management roles, including CEO at MBC Group, the leading media company in the Middle East with a daily audience of 140 million viewers. Earlier this year, as CEO of MBC, Sam oversaw the broadcaster’s successful initial public offering of its shares on the Saudi Exchange. Having lived and worked in many countries, from his native U.K. to New Zealand to Kenya and Dubai, Mr. Barnett brings truly global experience, as befits CME’s international business.

Before his career in broadcasting, Mr. Barnett worked in management consulting with PwC and Arthur Anderson. He holds a degree in economics from Cambridge University and an MBA from INSEAD. Mr. Barnett will relocate to Prague, where CME is headquartered, at the start of his tenure.

[Source: MBC press release;

Photo: new CEO Mike Sneesby]

USAGM Rescinds RFE/RL Grant termination

28 March 2025

USAGM Rescinds RFE/RL Grant termination

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On March 26, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) was informed by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) that the Agency is rescinding its letter terminating RFE/RL’s grant agreement for fiscal year 2025, and that the agreement is therefore back in effect.

The notification from USAGM follows a Tuesday ruling by Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granting RFE/RL’s request for a temporary restraining order against USAGM over its unlawful termination of RFE/RL’s congressionally appropriated funding. RFE/RL’s lawsuit seeks to ensure that the nonprofit media company receives the approximately $77 million that Congress appropriated to it.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said:

“This is an encouraging sign that RFE/RL’s operations will be able to continue, as Congress intended. We await official confirmation from USAGM that grant funding will promptly resume based on the intention expressed in last night’s letter. We are eager to speak directly with USAGM leadership about the extraordinary and cost-effective work that RFE/RL performs for the American people.

This is not the time for RFE/RL to go silent. Millions of people rely on us for factual information in places where censorship is widespread. We must not cede ground to our adversaries at a time when threats to America are on the rise.”

About RFE/RL

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach a weekly audience of nearly 50 million people in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM. 

BBC statement on detention and deportation of Mark Lowen

27 March 2025

BBC statement on detention and deportation of Mark Lowen

This morning (27 March) the Turkish authorities deported BBC News correspondent Mark Lowen from Istanbul, having taken him from his hotel the previous day and detained him for 17 hours. Mark Lowen was in Turkey to report on the recent protests. He has been told he was deported for ‘being a threat to public order’.

BBC News CEO Deborah Turness said: “This is an extremely troubling incident and we will be making representations to the Turkish authorities. Mark is a very experienced correspondent with a deep knowledge of Turkey and no journalist should face this kind of treatment simply for doing their job. We will continue to report impartially and fairly on events in Turkey.”

On arrival to London this morning (27 March), Mark Lowen said: “To be detained and deported from the country where I previously lived for five years and for which I have such affection has been extremely distressing. Press freedom and impartial reporting are fundamental to any democracy.”

Euronews and Africanews Now Available on Freeview LCN 257

27 March 2025

Euronews and Africanews Now Available on Freeview LCN 257

London, UK – 27 March,- Global Distribution Services is pleased to announce the launch of Euronews and Africanews FAST channels on Freeview LCN 257 in the UK. These channels are now part of the growing hybrid streaming news and entertainment lineup on the UK’s DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) platform, offering viewers even more choice in high-quality international news content.

Euronews and Africanews join an impressive roster of global news channels already available on Freeview UK through Global Distribution Services, including NHK, France24, Channel News Asia, Newsmax, and many others.

“We are thrilled to expand our reach in the UK through our partnership with Freeview, enabling UK viewers to stay informed on the latest developments in Europe via Euronews, and across the African continent through Africanews. In the current global context, we have seen a growing demand for our media globally as audiences seek reliable, independent and fact-based journalism – a hallmark of our group for over three decades”, said Maxime Carboni, Chief Business Officer at Euronews Group.

This strategic expansion enhances Freeview’s content offering, providing UK audiences with diverse, high-quality international news and entertainment. Global Distribution Services and its technology partner Synapse TV enabled their cutting edge SSAI for seamless integration of high value programmatic ads and the CMP for audience consent collection on UK DTT platforms such as Freeview and Freely.

“We are thrilled to bring Euronews and Africanews to Freeview audiences, offering premium content through an innovative and scalable distribution model,” said Tanya Kronfli, founder and managing director at Global Distribution Services. “Our partnership with Synapse allows us to maximize monetization while delivering a superior viewing experience and also collecting consent of the viewers on all UK DTT platforms including Freeview and Freely.”

The launch reinforces Global Distribution Services’ commitment to providing broadcasters with cutting-edge distribution solutions, ensuring broader audience reach and sustainable revenue generation.

RFE/RL Makes its case in US District Court

25 March 2025

RFE/RL Makes its case in US District Court

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Monday 24 March

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia held a hearing on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) emergency request for $7.5 million in funds that Congress appropriated for its operations in March but that the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) had failed to provide. RFE/RL also requested that the Court halt USAGM’s March 15 direction that RFE/RL close out its operations.

Shortly before the hearing, USAGM notified the Court that it will take immediate steps to disburse the $7.5 million, equivalent to two weeks of operations. However, the hearing went forward to determine whether to grant RFE/RL a temporary restraining order to forestall closing out its operations. If the court grants the order, RFE/RL will be free to continue fulfilling its mission to serve its global audiences while it pursues a full resolution of the lawsuit. RFE/RL also seeks a preliminary injunction requiring USAGM to disburse the additional approximately $77 million that Congress appropriated for the rest of the fiscal year.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said:

“We hope the imminent disbursement of two weeks’ worth of funding that Congress appropriated to RFE/RL will keep our lights on until the court rules on the broader case. We’re confident the law is on our side as the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the exclusive power of the purse. It is unlawful to deny us the funds that Congress has already appropriated to RFE/RL for the rest of this fiscal year.

The dedicated staff of RFE/RL remains on the job, buoyed by the support we’ve received. But the situation is dire, and we’re especially concerned about the fate of our journalists who are unjustly imprisoned around the world. The decision to abruptly terminate our grant puts their lives—and the overall welfare of our staff—at increased risk.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tuesday 25 March

Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted RFE/RL’s request for a temporary restraining order in its lawsuit against the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) over the termination of RFE/RL’s congressionally appropriated funding.

In his order, the judge held that USAGM did not adequately justify its decision to terminate RFE/RL’s grant and that forcing RFE/RL to close out its operations while it challenges the agency’s decision would cause “irreparable harm.” He also noted, “…in keeping with Congress’s longstanding determination, that the continued operation of RFE/RL is in the public interest.”

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said:

“We appreciate Judge Lamberth’s thoughtful and airtight ruling to prevent USAGM from ignoring the will of Congress. We look forward to further advancing our case that it’s unconstitutional to deny us the funds that Congress has appropriated to RFE/RL for the rest of the fiscal year.

This ruling further sends a strong message to our journalists around the world: Their mission as designed by Congress is a worthy and valuable one and should continue. For 75 years, RFE/RL has been closely aligned with American national security interests by fighting censorship in many of the world’s most repressive societies.”

Shortly before yesterday’s hearing, USAGM notified the Court that it will take immediate steps to disburse $7.5 million, equivalent to two weeks of operations. However, the hearing went forward to determine whether to grant RFE/RL a temporary restraining order to forestall closing out its operations, which Judge Lamberth issued today.

The next step will be a decision on RFE/RL’s request for a preliminary injunction requiring USAGM to provide the approximately $77 million that Congress appropriated for RFE/RL’s activities for the rest of the fiscal year. The Court is expected to rule on that in the coming weeks.

About RFE/RL

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach a weekly audience of nearly 50 million people in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.

RFE/RL Sues USAGM to Block Termination of Federal Grant

18 March 2025

RFE/RL Sues USAGM to Block Termination of Federal Grant

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) today (18 March) sued the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as well as USAGM officials Kari Lake and Victor Morales, to block their attempted termination of RFE/RL’s federal grant.

The complaint makes the case that denying RFE/RL the funds that Congress appropriated for it violates federal laws—including the U.S. Constitution, which vests Congress with exclusive power over federal spending. The case will be heard in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said: “This is not the time to cede terrain to the propaganda and censorship of America’s adversaries. We believe the law is on our side and that the celebration of our demise by despots around the world is premature.”