8 April 2013
Infront Sports & Media announced the promotion of Infront China’s CEO and Managing Director, Ma Guoli, to Chairman of the Infront China Board of Directors. He will step up from his operational position to the new role as of 1 January 2014.
Philippe Blatter, Infront’s President & CEO, said: “Under Ma Guoli’s tenure Infront China has become an important growth engine for our Group. He has fostered considerable development and increasing commercial appeal of Infront’s properties, including key events such as the annual CBA All-Star Game and the CBA League Finals. We very much welcome that he continues to contribute his outstanding experience, leadership skills and reputation at Board level. This ensures continuity of experience and maintains Infront’s excellent relationships with our key partners and stakeholders across Asia.”
Ma Guoli added: “Following an important and successful phase of development and further expansion of Infront China since 2009 and after more than 25 fulfilling years in operational business, I am now greatly looking forward and proud to take on my new role as Chairman of the Infront China Board, focusing on the company’s long-term strategic development and the further enhancement of its network in the region. I am convinced that Infront with its strong international team will remain the leading force in Chinese sports business.”
A key role in Infront China’s success
In the past five years, Ma Guoli has played a key role in Infront China’s success. Under his leadership Infront’s role as the most prominent and respected international sports marketing company in the country has been further strengthened. Infront has successfully extended its commercial partnership with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) to represent the country’s top sport basketball both at National Team and League level until 2018 and 2017 respectively.
As part of its comprehensive role, Infront has created tremendous momentum for Chinese basketball, resulting in record levels of sponsorship and media coverage. Just recently the company secured the Li Ning sport apparel brand as the CBA League’s Official Partner – by far the biggest sponsorship commitment ever for a Chinese sports property and one of the largest in today’s world of sports. Through its “Gateway China” service, Infront has successfully encouraged several international companies and sports to access the Chinese market. The transfer of the European concept “Art on Ice” to China was one the most recent example for the success of this initiative.
One of the most influential figures in Chinese sport
Ma Guoli is one of the most influential figures in Chinese sport. He is known not just in the country but throughout the sports world for his role as founder of CCTV-5, the first sports TV channel in China. With more than 25 years of experience in the sports industry, he has been responsible for China’s television broadcast of the 1990 and 1994 Asian Games and has worked on six Summer Games and four Winter Games in total before becoming the Chief Operating Officer of BOB. In 2000 he has been named as one of the top 50 “Most Influential People in Sport” in a survey by the Guardian newspaper in the UK.
Infront’s search for an ideal successor has been already initiated. Ma Guoli will assume the position as Chairman of the Infront China Board from Philippe Blatter who will continue to serve as a Board Member.
4 April 2013
RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd., a leading provider of comprehensive content management and global distribution services to the television and radio broadcasting industries today announced several changes to the company’s operational leadership team, designed to support and accelerate growth. The changes include:
On April 1, 2013, Mr. Ohad Har-Lev was appointed president of the company’s U.S.subsidiary, RRsat America Global Communications Network Inc. Mr. Har-Lev most recently served as RRsat’s MSS Managing Director as well as Corporate General Counsel and Company Secretary. The appointment of Mr. Har-Lev, who has extensive experience as a leader in the communications technology field, reflects RRsat’s strong commitment to significantly expand its presence and activities in the US market. Mr. Har-Lev previously held senior positions as VP, Business Development and General Counsel of Kamor Ltd (TASE: KMOR); VP, General Counsel & Business Development fiber optics division of Gilat Satcom (TASE andAIM); and corporate counsel at Amdocs (NASDAQ:DOX).
RRsat also announced the appointment of Ms. Tzurit Golan as VP, Human Resources & Organizational Development. Ms. Golan has held executive HR positions in leading high-tech companies such as AudioCodes , where she served as Head of International HR, and VP HR at Orbit Technologies Ltd (TASE: ORBI).
In addition, RRsat has appointed Mr. Shmulik Koren as CFO as of May 1, 2013. Mr. Koren is an experienced executive leader who served as CFO and CEO of public companies. Prior to joining RRsat, Mr. Koren served as CFO and COO of Orbit Technologies Ltd. (TASE: ORBI) where over the last three years he was responsible for worldwide finance, facility, IT, legal, IR and operations departments. Prior to Orbit, Between 2006 to 2009, Mr. Koren served as President and CEO of Better Online Solutions (B.O.S.) Ltd. (NASDAQ & TASE:BOSC). Previously, from 1999 to 2006, he served as CFO and a director of Visonic Group (London & TASE: “VSC.L” & “VSC.TA”). RRsat’s CEO, Mr. Avi Cohen, and Mr. Koren worked together at Orbit as CEO and CFO for more than three years. Mr. Itzik Zion, who has served as the company’s CFO since December 2011, will be leaving the company in May to pursue personal interests. Mr. Zion will work with Mr. Koren to facilitate a smooth transition.
“We are excited with the appointments of Ohad, Tzurit and Shmulik, three talented and experienced executives,” said Avi Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of RRsat. “Each of these proven executives brings to the job outstanding industry knowledge as well as impressive leadership and professional abilities. Ohad’s new role and the addition of Tzurit and Shmulik, both of whom I had the pleasure of working closely together at Orbit, to the RRsat management team, are among the organizational changes we are implementing toward executing on our growth strategy in general. Specifically, our goal is to increase our North American business, and these appointments will facilitate our efforts to focus on target geographies, particularly the United States, create local leadership, expand our sales organization, and add local origination capabilities. These strategic initiatives will further improve our offerings and make us more attractive to major U.S.customers and support our increased focus on live sports and events, leveraging the SM2 acquisition. We are confident that they are the right people to help drive our successful journey going forward.”
4 April 2013
The Berlin-based agency provides real-time and archived visual news materials from all the global hotspots via state-of-the-art delivery platform, RUPTLY.TV.
RUPTLY aims to become the go-to alternative resource in a highly concentrated market of professional news video footage, and to deliver coverage of stories that other agencies miss. RUPTLY works heavily with the international stringer network and leverages RT’s extensive global presence that counts outposts in Washington DC, London, Madrid, Damascus, Cairo, Gaza and Baghdad among its 22 bureaus. From its Berlin headquarters RUPTLY manages nearly 100 industry professionals who have worked for the largest news agencies and media organizations around the world.
“Right now there are basically a handful of agencies that provide majority of news footage to international outlets, and particularly to TV channels and online platforms that cannot afford to have bureaus or send correspondents to every hotspot. As a result, viewers often see events around the globe through the eyes of these providers. In such a market there are inevitable gaps in coverage, plus the risk of bias in the eventual reportage,” says Margarita Simonyan, RT’s editor-in-chief. “RT has already established itself as the alternative voice on the international news landscape and now, with RUPTLY, we can bring our vision and expertise to a whole new market.”
One of RUPTLY’s breakout features is its unique and game-changing delivery mechanism, which allows TV stations, online media outlets and mobile multimedia platforms to receive and broadcast RUPTLY video feeds of live events in real time, as the events are happening, via RUPTLY’s website, http://ruptly.tv/. The platform enables simultaneous streaming of five live video feeds, of the highest quality, including HD, and built-in redundancy ensures continuity of streaming even if one of the servers goes out. RUPTLY is the first video agency in the world to utilize such a high-tech delivery system.
RUPTLY builds on success of FreeVideo, RT’s unique project for media professionals, launched in 2009. FreeVideo became Russia’s first English-language video agency, and over 16 000 TV channels and agencies from 185 countries avail of the service, including CNN, Fox News, ABC News, AP, and Reuters. RUPTLY offers flexible subscription packages, a range of payment options, and a wide range of benefits to users from all media platforms.
RT is launching RUPTLY on the eve of MIPTV, where it will present the agency to media professionals from around the world. MIPTV is the world’s largest television content market, forum and festival, which takes place every spring in Cannes, France. This year’s event kicks off on April 8th and will mark MIPTV’s 50th anniversary.
www.RT.com
RT is a global international news network that broadcasts in English, Arabic and Spanish from its studios in Moscow and Washington, DC, and is available to 630 million viewers worldwide. Pew Research Center’s 2012 study named RT, whose YouTube channel has passed 950 million views, as the largest provider of news video footage on the world’s largest video sharing platform. RT is the only Russian TV channel to garner two nominations for the prestigious Emmy International Award.
4 April 2013
Euronews’ CEO Michael Peters announces the appointment of Arnaud Verlhac as Director of Worldwide Distribution of Europe’s leading international news channel.
Arnaud Verlhac, who joined Euronews in March 2012 as Deputy Director of Worldwide Distribution, is now in charge of the Worldwide Distribution Department. His tasks comprise the development of the channel’s international distribution across all broadcast platforms (cable, satellite, ADSL, internet, etc.) and in the out-of-home market (aircrafts, ships, hotels, public places…).
In this context of strengthening, the Euronews distribution department will expand and includes as of now the development of digital distribution as well as the deployment of Euronews Network.
Walid Chamak, previously Marketing Manager since 2007, is appointed Head of Digital Partnerships and he reports to Arnaud Verlhac.
Walid will be in charge of expanding the brand territory of Euronews across all digital platforms: content syndication, Smart TV, mobile, radio, automotive and ground-breaking distribution channels.
His role is to advance Euronews’ goal to become the leading international news hub by developing key partnerships at a global scale and reinforcing its multi-screen strategy. This move strengthens the commitment of Euronews to be a digital pioneer, striving to be at the forefront of the technology.
Iris Abraham, Head of International Relations and Strategic Partnerships with Universities, International Organisations and leading Institutions, will be additionally in charge of the Euronews Network offer and she reports to Arnaud Verlhac.
The Euronews Network aims to develop partnerships with media groups from around the world, letting them take advantage of Euronews content and services, and more generally its credibility and renown. The Euronews Network concept is based on tailor-made cooperation between Euronews and those partners who wish to profit from Euronews’ know-how in programmes, production and resources.
Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews, said: “I’m pleased to announce the new role of Arnaud Verlhac and the new organisation of our distribution department. Since Arnaud joined the company only one year ago, he proved his commitment and I am convinced that Arnaud is the right person to lead our distribution department and to apply the new strategy that I am setting up in this phase of constant adaption to the evolution of distribution modes.”
Arnaud Verlhac said: “It is an honour to take over these new responsibilities. There is a huge potential for Euronews international distribution still yet to come and I am proud to be a part of this development. Enforcing our digital distribution is our response to the changing modes of broadcasting and media consumption.”
About Arnaud Verlhac: Before joining Euronews on 19 March 2012 as Deputy Director of Worldwide Distribution, Arnaud Verlhac had a four-year spell at France 24, where he had been Distribution Director (North and South America) since 2009. He was previously a Global Account Manager for Carlson Wagon Lit (2006-2008). Verlhac began his career in 1999 at Air France; after several positions, he became a Contract Manager in the International Commercial Directorate.
Arnaud Verlhac holds an Executive Master’s degree in Strategy and Management of International Business from ESSEC Business School, and a DESS postgraduate degree in Financial Management and Auditing from the Institut d’Administration des Entreprises (IAE) in Paris.
In parallel to his career, he taught on the Accounting, Control and Audit Master’s degree programme (levels 1 and 2) during three years (general-economics and financial-management modules) at the University of Paris 13.
3 April 2013
Vizrt Ltd. and Zeebox announced today a partnership that allows broadcasters and program makers to integrate interactive second screen experiences into live TV shows.
The partnerships allows votes, polls, audience metrics and other real-time audience participation within zeebox to be fed in real time into the broadcast stream for participating shows, allowing broadcasters to create dynamic new forms of interactive broadcast entertainment.
Zeebox provides viewers a unique social user experience on their mobile device to enhance programs they are viewing on television. With tools to help manage program guides, interface with social media and find out quick information about virtually anything talked about on television, Zeebox becomes a powerful source for broadcasters to interact with their audience.
Vizrt’s Social TV solution, the interactive social media visualization solution from Vizrt, brings in user generated content from Zeebox – live. This data is then visualized based on multiple parameters that give media houses a new source of content for their broadcast. Location, social media interactions including Facebook and Twitter, polls and viewing preferences can all be visualized to create a unique story.
“Our integration with Zeebox places the social interaction between the media house and the viewer directly in the hands of the viewers at home in a controlled workflow,” said Håvard Myklebust, Executive VP Products and Marketing. “With the additional integration to the Vizrt Online Suite, broadcasters have a powerful tool to maintain their content on every platform while giving the end user the best possible user experience supported by a cost-effective workflow which makes 2nd screen production affordable.”
“People have always wanted to participate in TV shows. Once upon a time viewers’ letters would be read on screen, then you could text in messages, then you could tweet at the show” said Anthony Rose, Co-founder & CTO at Zeebox. “The Zeebox – Vizrt integration takes that to the next level, providing broadcasters and program makers with a wide range of creative ways to incorporate audience participation in TV shows. From talent and games shows to news and comedy programs, broadcasters can now engage with their viewers and bring audience participation directly into the show in a way that wasn’t previously practical.”
28 March 2013
Eurosport has today marked the -100 day countdown to the start of the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan by announcing details of the first ever multi-screen coverage of a Universiade event.
Viewers can follow the competition from Kazan on the move via Eurosport’s online streaming service for mobile, tablet, and connected TV’s, the Eurosport Player – bringing a truly multi-screen experience to a Summer Universiade for the first time.
The leading Pan-European sports entrainment group will broadcast over 120 hours of live TV coverage from the multi-sport event between 6-17 July 2013, as the first activation in the six-year agreement signed with FISU in September 2012 to cover all Summer and Winter Universiades until 2017.
Live coverage of the Summer Universiade in Kazan will be shared across Eurosport and Eurosport 2 with action from up to nine different sports being showcased across the 12 days of broadcast. Evening and afternoon highlights will also be shown from selected events.
Eurosport will also have reporters and film crew on-site in Kazanto report breaking news and record athlete interviews. Results and news reports will also be posted on Eurosoport’s dedicated University sports section on Eurosport.com.
The 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan is expected to host over 10,500 athletes, aged 17-28, from 170 countries who will compete across the 10 compulsory disciplines each host city has to stage – athletics, basketball, fencing, football, gymnastics, judo, aquatics, table tennis and volleyball – alongside optional sports chosen by the local organisers.
Host city Kazan has also opted to include: badminton, beach volleyball, belt wrestling, boxing, chess, canoe sprint, field hockey, rugby 7’s, sambo, sport shooting, synchronised swimming, rowing, weightlifting and wrestling.
Many of the gold medal winning performances at the Summer Universiade events are close in timing/scores to the Olympic Gold medal winning standard and several Olympic Champions first achieved their taste for victory at the SU events.
At the London 2012 Olympic Games, no less than 154 former Universiade medallists – 75 men and 79 women – achieved 174 Olympic medals: 48 gold, 56 silver and 70 bronze, in 21 of the 26 sports.
Eurosport is currently broadcasting a monthly magazine show entitled CAMPUS which is counting down to the Kazan Summer Universiade and profiling four athletes who will be competing. The show also features the latest news from the world of University sports as students work towards qualifying for Kazan.
Eurosport Chairman & CEO Laurent-Eric Le Lay said: “Eurosport has considerable expertise of broadcasting large-scale, international events and the ability to unite million of fans around them. The 2013 Summer Universiade promises to be an inspiring, and highly competitive sporting event, and one that perfectly demonstrates Eurosport’s capacity to deliver an event to the fan, wherever they are on TV, mobile, tablet or PC. I look forward to watching the world-class performances from Kazan in July.”
FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien said: “With Eurosport as a partner FISU will be able to bring the Universiade to the homes of everybody who cannot be present in Kazan. Especially the parents, siblings and friends of our student-athletes will be thrilled. As well as also the FISU Family. Never in FISU history will the Universiade be so extensively covered by broadcasting and available on multi-media platforms for everybody to witness. Our student-athletes will without doubt excel in front of the TV cameras and I’m pretty confident the crews from Eurosport will do the same behind those cameras sharing some exhilarating moments of international university sport with millions of viewers.”
Li Na, 2011 Roland Garros winner and 2013 Australian Open finalist told Eurosport about her experience at the 2001 Beijing Summer Universiade: “The Universiade gives university tennis players a chance to experience world level competition and meet different people. On my side I was pretty excited because I was playing in Beijing, in front of all these local fans and I said to myself ‘ok, that was pretty good tennis!’ I won singles, doubles and mixed doubles! Not bad?”
Notes to editors:
About FISU FISU stands for Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (International University Sports Federation), founded in 1949. FISU’s main responsibility is the supervision of both Summer and Winter Universiades as well as the World University Championships. The Universiade is an international sporting and cultural festival which is staged every two years in a different city. The Summer Universiade consists of 13 compulsory sports (Athletics – Basketball – Fencing – Football – Artistic & Rhythmic Gymnastics – Swimming – Diving – Water Polo – Tennis – Table Tennis – Judo – Volleyball) as well as a number of optional sports chosen by the host country. The record figures are 10,622 participants in Shenzhen, China in 2011 and 174 countries in Daegu, Korea in 2003. The Winter Universiade consists of 7 compulsory sports (Alpine Skiing – Nordic Skiing composed of Ski Jump, Cross Country & Combined – Biathlon – Ice Hockey – Short-Track Speed Skating – Figure Skating (including Synchronised Skating) – Curling) and one or two optional sports also chosen by the host country. The Winter Universiade gathered a record 2,511 participants in Torino in 2007 and a record number of 52 countries in Erzurum, Turkey. Around 30 World University Championships are organized every even-numbered year in sports which do not figure on the compulsory Universiade program. More info can be found on www.fisu.net
