14 May 2013
One of Asia’s leading sports executives and a football guru for the “beautiful game”, has joined the Association for International Broadcasting [AIB] as an adviser.
Les Murray (right) is known in his adopted homeland – Australia – as “Mr. Football”. He will provide a wide range of skills for the AIB as it develops its new Asian base.
In a rapidly expanding Asian market for sport, Murray’s experience in football will be vital to expanding the interests of the AIB, said its Chief Executive Simon Spanswick.
“Les will play a crucial role in our plans for Asia, especially with football properties. We intend to be an aggressive player in the market,” Spanswick said from London.
Mr. Murray was until recently the chair of the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union’s Sports Group (ABU), a position from which he retired after 12 years.
Mr. Murray, a Fifa Ethics Commissioner, is something of a legend in Asia, having covered football there for 30 years.
“We are delighted to have Les on board our new broadcast vehicle ,” said Spanswick. “He will add a tremendous amount of value to our brand, as well as our ability to attract new business,” he added.
Les Murray’s interest in sports broadcasting has roots in his boyhood love for football in his birthplace of Hungary.
After immigrating to Australia as a child refugee in 1957, he continued his passion for his beloved game and made it a life mission to convert Australians to the world’s favourite sport.
Ultimately, after he stepped into broadcasting in the late 1970s as commentator and sports presenter, the mission met with success through the exposure he brought to football on Australian television. Murray is now largely credited with football’s vast growth in awareness and popularity in his adopted country over the past 30 years.
In 1996 Murray was appointed head of sport at Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, SBS, and continued in that role for ten years. During that period he negotiated many major sports rights deals, including three FIFA World Cup contracts, the UEFA Champions League, the Tour de France and international athletics with the IAAF.
Murray has spoken at many international forums, including the United Nations, and in 2006 was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to football and sports journalism. In 2009 he was given the Australian Sports Commission’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Said Murray: “I am delighted to accept this invitation by the AIB and be given the opportunity to work with broadcasters in Asia.
“Sport and, in particular, sports broadcasting are fabulous catalysts for advancing and enriching national cultures and for empowering cultural identities.
“I am thrilled to be able to assist Asian broadcasters in achieving these goals.”
13 May 2013
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has launched its 9th annual international awards covering all that is best in information media, with a call for entries in any language from every country to be submitted by 5 July.
CRANBROOK, UK 13 MAY 2013 –For the ninth successive year the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) is shining the spotlight on the best of factual broadcasting, whether it is on radio, on TV or on transmedia platforms. Entries for the 2013 AIBs are invited from all over the world and can be in any language.
The AIBs have a history of attracting the very best content, with programmes entered by broadcasters, independent producers and journalists from countries on every continent. The awards are independent of commercial interest and judged by a panel of independent highly respected media professionals.
“Winners have told us how much it means to be presented with an AIB Award,” says Simon Spanswick, CEO of the AIB. “It is a recognition of fantastic effort and skill given by their peers in the broadcasting industry. Being selected for the shortlist has also helped programmes to gain commercial success and programme-makers to develop their careers. Broadcasters have bought featured programmes and producers have spotted rising talent. We’re proud to have helped talented people further their careers over the last eight years.”
As well as live journalism and documentaries that inform debate, the AIB is also searching for the best in science programming, and the best children’s factual programme or series. For the second year there is an award for the best short documentary, feature or report – factual story-telling in under ten minutes; this will represent this growing genre which is available not just from traditional broadcasters but also from online platforms such as YouTube and increasingly on the websites of newspapers and online news publishers.
Online upload and viewing capability will make the AIBs greener than in previous years. It will save entrants having to ship tapes and the judges, who are based all over the globe, will have easy access to the entries.
Entries must be submitted to the AIB by Friday 5 July 2013. Full details of the awards and how to enter are contained in the “AIBs 2013 Entry Booklet” which can be viewed and downloaded from the AIB website at www.aib.org.uk.
The winners will announced at the AIB awards gala in London on Wednesday 6th November 2013 which will be held in the stunning surroundings of LSO St Luke’s, the education and training centre of the London Symphony Orchestra, in the company of guests from around the world.
The AIBs also include awards for best TV and radio personality and for innovative production technology. The full list of categories is:
TV AWARDS
- Live journalism
- International current affairs documentary
- Domestic current affairs documentary
- Investigative documentary
- Children’s factual programme/series (sponsored by RTG TV)
- Science programme or scientific coverage
- Specialist genre programme or series
- Live sports coverage
- Short documentary or report
RADIO AWARDS
- Live journalism
- Current affairs documentary
- Investigative documentary
- Creative feature
ON-AIR TALENT
- International TV personality
- International radio personality
TRANSMEDIA
TECHNOLOGY
- Most innovative production technology
E N D S
About RTG TV
Russian Travel Guide TV is sponsoring this year’s “Children’s factual programme/series” award. RTG TV is an international documentary TV channel focused on the cultural and geographical variety of the world’s largest country. It covers a wide range of topics from history to culture, cuisine, nature programmes, active holidays, andRussia’s ethnic mix.
About the AIB
Established in 1993, the AIB is the international not-for-profit, non-governmental industry association and global knowledge network for the international broadcasting industry – cross-media, cross-border, cross-cultural. With a reach of over 25,000 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 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
Media Contact
For further information please contact Roger Stone at the AIB
AIB |PO Box141|Cranbrook| TN17 9AJ |United Kingdom
T +44 20 7993 2557
F +44 20 7993 8043
www.aib.org.uk
11 May 2013
Japan International Broadcasting (JIB) announced that NHK WORLD TV is now available, in full HD, to Virgin Media XL TV customers on channel 625.
NHK WORLD TV, an English-language television service for viewers all over the world, provides the very latest information from Japan , Asia and the rest of the world, as well as a wide variety of programming, 24 hours a day.
Making full use of NHK’s extensive global network, “NEWSLINE” updates viewers every hour with the latest hard news, covering world events and business-related news. Other popular programs include “J-MELO”, which highlights the latest Japanese music of all genres ranging from pop and rock to jazz and classical, as well as “Dining with the chef”, which introduces the world view and attraction of Japanese cuisine that cares about the overall harmony of a variety of ingredients.
Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK. Through its expanding cable network, it has developed the most advanced interactive television service through combining broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to millions of UK households.
NHK, Japan’s only public broadcaster, operates four television and three radio channels in Japan. NHK WORLD is the overseas wing of NHK providing TV, radio and internet services.
http://www.jibtv.com
For more information, go to www.virginmedia.com
9 May 2013
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I; formerly Intelsat Global Holdings S.A.), the world’s leading provider of satellite services, today reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2013.
IntelsatS.A.reported revenue of $655.1 million and a net loss of $7.8 million, or $0.09 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The company also reported EBITDA1, or earnings before net interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization, of $496.8 million, and Adjusted EBITDA1 of $505.8 million, or 77 percent of revenue, for the three months ended March 31, 2013. Contracted backlog at March 31, 2013, was $10.4 billion.
Intelsat CEO Dave McGlade said, “Intelsat provides critical communications infrastructure on a global basis for customers in the media, network services, and government sectors. By offering solutions for global media distribution, broadband infrastructure for fixed and mobile applications, and innovative, end-to-end government services, Intelsat is positioned to benefit from the rapidly expanding global consumption of content and data.”
“Total revenue grew 2% in the first quarter of 2013, as compared to the year-earlier quarter. On-network revenue grew 4% in the period, reflecting solid demand for transponder services and the benefit of refreshed video neighborhood capacity and mobility capacity provided by our 2012 launch campaign,” McGlade continued. “In addition, managed services revenue increased, reflecting demand for our global hybrid infrastructure of terrestrial and satellite capacity, particularly for mobility applications for network services customers. New customer and renewal activity remains steady, and our backlog, at $10.4 billion, offers visibility into future revenue trends.”
“I am pleased to welcome common and preferred stockholders following our IPO in April 2013. We are using the funds raised in our stock offerings, combined with the interest savings from our recent debt re-financings, to begin a positive cycle of de-leveraging that we believe will enhance the equity value we create for our stakeholders.”
About Intelsat
Intelsat (NYSE: I) is the leading provider of satellite services worldwide. For almost 50 years, Intelsat has been delivering information and entertainment for many of the world’s leading media and network companies, multinational corporations, Internet Service Providers and governmental agencies. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video, data and voice services. From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and broadband access, with Intelsat, advanced communications anywhere in the world are closer, by far.
8 May 2013
Arab Satellite Communications Organization – Arabsat – has signed a contract to build its new headquarters in the Diplomatic Quarter inRiyadh. The new building will be constructed by Al-BAWANI Co. Ltd on land provided by the Government of theKingdomofSaudi Arabiato Arabsat and covers an area of nearly 14,000 square meters.
Eng. Khalid bin Ahmed Balkhyour, President & CEO of Arabsat, stated “This project has been in collaboration with the High Commission for Development of Riyadh, where His Royal Highness the Prince of Riyadh issued his consent so that Riyadh Principality take over the supervision of the design and implementation of the building through an international competition in which more than 25 local and global designers have participated. Al-BAWANI Co. Ltd will build Arabsat headquarters within 30 months.”
Balkhyour praised the fundamental support received by theKingdom ofSaudi Arabia since the establishment of Arabsat, when the Kingdom hosted Arabsat headquarters in the Diplomatic Quarter and its main station in Dirab outsideRiyadh, allocating pieces of land to these headquarters. The Kingdom also provided a grant to build Arabsat’s new headquarters, which will be one of the main features of the Diplomatic Quarter inRiyadh as expected by the High Commission for the Development of Riyadh.
Mr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Tuwajiri, Chairman of Al-BAWANI Co., Ltd. said, “We thank Arab Satellite Communications Organization for providing the opportunity for Al-BAWANI Co. Ltd to build this important building with its distinctive architectural features.” He added that his company is looking forward to a lasting strategic partnership with Arabsat.
1 May 2013
The Broadcasting Board of Governors today announced a new strategic partnership with leading audio platform SoundCloud, adding hundreds of hours of audio programming weekly for users to access worldwide. The move is expected to expand the BBG’s online audience by introducing its radio broadcasts to a new, widely-available mobile platform and to content-sharing through social media.
“Audio programming is the lifeblood of our broadcasters’ connection to much of their worldwide audiences,” said Syndication Product Lead Addie Nascimento with the BBG’s Office of Digital and Design Innovation. “Reinventing that experience through the SoundCloud platform and allowing for audio to become a social experience will revitalize our audio content in a powerful way.”
From Khmer to Kurdish, content in more than 40 languages from all five broadcasters of the BBG will be made available through the platform. Each of the broadcasters has multiple accounts based on the language services it provides, and there is flexibility to add more accounts based on user demand.
Users will be able to find BBG content by searching SoundCloud for either their favourite program or a broadcaster’s name. Listeners will also be able to connect directly on SoundCloud’s waveform with other users who share similar interests.
SoundCloud provides an easy way to share audio programming on the web, as it lets users distribute content seamlessly across numerous social channels. BBG content uploaded to SoundCloud may be posted to Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler and Pinterest, appearing on the user’s profiles via SoundCloud’s HTML5 widget, thereby increasing audience reach for the BBG.
“SoundCloud is thrilled to be working with BBG to share their expansive, multi-lingual content across the web,” said SoundCloud Head of Audio Manolo Espinosa. “Collaborating with the BBG enriches our community with their global audio programming and offers an opportunity for the BBG to expand their online growth and secure new listeners.”
The partnership between the BBG and SoundCloud provides more comprehensive access than an individual membership would in order for BBG to centrally manage multiple language profiles, through automated feeds or manual uploads.
SoundCloud is available as an app for both iOS and Android, and is available online at www.soundcloud.com.
