3 September 2012
The Broadcasting Board of Governors has called upon the Syrian government to ensure the safety of two of its journalists who were reportedly seized by Syrian forces on Monday, August 20.
Alhurra correspondent Bashar Fahmi and his cameraman, Cuneyt Unal, were reporting from Aleppo when they went missing. A video posted on YouTube by the Free Syrian Army announced that the journalists were detained by Syrian authorities.
It was reported that Fahmi and Unal were traveling with Japanese journalist Mika Yamamoto of Japan Press. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Yamamoto was killed Monday, August 20 inAleppo, where she was covering clashes between Syrian troops and rebels.
“The safety and well-being of these two journalists is of paramount concern to us, and we strongly urge Syrian authorities to ensure their safe return,” said Michael Meehan, a member of the BBG Board and Chairman of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. (MBN).
MBN, a non-profit corporation, operates Alhurra and is financed by the U.S. Government through a grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). The BBG is an independent federal agency which serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the U.S. international broadcasters, including MBN.
3 September 2012
AIB has published its latest industry briefing, including stories from across the world’s media companies. From India to Kenya, Israel to Kazakhstan, you can gain the inside track to developments globally with AIB.
Read the latest briefing here.
28 August 2012
Regional broadcaster, Channel NewsAsia has extended its distribution to Myanmar with its latest signing for carriage with Pay TV operator, Sky Net.
MediaCorp’s Channel NewsAsia signed an agreement in Yangon today with Shwe Than Lwin Media Co. Ltd, which owns Sky Net, a Direct-to-Home (DTH) and Multiplay Service (MPS) provider, with more than 40 local and international channels. The signing ceremony, held at the Chatrium Hotel, was attended by MediaCorp CEO, Mr Shaun Seow, Deputy CEO, Mr Chang Long Jong, Singapore’s Ambassador to Myanmar, His Excellency Mr Robert Chua and Shwe Than Lwin Media’s Chairman, Mr U Kyaw Win. Also in attendance were members of the diplomatic corp and government officials.
Channel NewsAsia’s Managing Director, Ms Debra Soon says, “With Myanmar opening its doors to the world, Channel NewsAsia is privileged to be able to share its unique offering of news and information programmes with the people in Myanmar. As we gear up to take Channel NewsAsia “live” 24 hours from January 2013, we would be reporting even more out of the region. Over the past decade, the channel has been documenting all that is significant in Asia. Being a voice in Myanmar is a step in the right direction. As we embark on the next phase of our growth, we are delighted to partner Sky Net for an important sector in Myanmar.”
Channel NewsAsia will be carried on Sky Net’s Channels 40 and 20 of its DTH and IPTV platforms respectively.
Channel NewsAsia is also available on Forever Group’s MRTV- 4 International platform in Myanmar.
28 August 2012
SatLink Communications Ltd., a leading teleport and HD Playout Centre delivering content to every corner of the world, has today announced the upgrade of their MCPC platform on the premium AsiaSat 5 satellite to DVB-S2. This upgrade will allow International HD, SD & 3D channels to be distributed more cost effectively on Asia’s prime satellite that provides access to 620 million households and hotels in the fast growing Asian market.
The new DVB-S2 platform, which utilises SatLink’s full C-band transponder on AsiaSat 5, will deliver higher throughput and greater bandwidth efficiency, enabling customers to benefit from high quality, cost effective content contribution and distribution solutions to and from the Asia Pacific. AsiaSat 5, at 100.5 ºE, has established a premium international TV neighbourhood and extensive penetration into over 50 countries across Asia, including two of the world’s largest TV markets China and India. Top tier international and national broadcasters are utilising SatLink’s capabilities on AsiaSat 5 to distribute programmes to Asian free to air, Pay-TV and terrestrial markets. News channels and content providers including Thomson Reuters TV, Associated Press, euronews, France 24 as well as other leading International channels such as DayStar Network, Luxe HD, Trace HD and major sporting events are delivered to Asia via SatLink’s teleport.
William Wade, President and CEO of AsiaSat, said: “The introduction of a more efficient DVB-S2 platform on AsiaSat 5 by our teleport partner SatLink is an important move to meet the growing demand for more cost effective end to end transmission services from international broadcasters who are expanding into the rapidly growing Asian market. We are pleased to work with SatLink to continue to provide innovative and comprehensive services to broadcasters through this new DVB-S2 platform.”
David Hochner, SatLink’s CEO commented: “Providing the gateway between East and West, this upgrade will enable broadcasters and content providers to deliver content from Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas directly to Asia in one hop from our strategic location. Not only will customers benefit from greater bandwidth efficiency but also complete end-to-end broadcasting services including localisation of content via our HD playout centre, live insertions, time delay and encryption (CA) services. This upgrade will be instrumental in providing a high quality level of service and flexibility to broadcasters and channels alike as they look for a partner to deliver rich media content to access all major Pay-TV platforms across the Asia-Pacific region.”
SatLink will also be exhibiting its capabilities including its newly acquired HD Playout Centre, Asia, Africa and Latin American outreach at the IBC conference in Amsterdam, 7th-11th September on Stand A.21 in Hall 5.
23 August 2012
AIB and Wimbledon are jointly organising a major Post-Olympic Broadcast Briefing on Friday 12 October.
This high-level, invitation-only event will examine the way broadcasters around the world covered London 2012 and how the lessons learnt can be used for coverage of live sports in the future.
Full information here.
23 August 2012
As part of the major expansion of its offer for African audiences, the BBC has announced the launch of its first ever TV news and current-affairs programme in Kiswahili, Dira ya Dunia (World Compass). From Monday, 27 August, BBC World Service’s partner TV stations – Star TV in Tanzania and QTV in Kenya – will broadcast BBC Swahili’s Dira ya Dunia, bringing the viewers 30 minutes of latest global news and analysis from the world’s leading international broadcaster.
Aired Monday to Friday, Dira ya Dunia will supplement Star TV’s and QTV’s programming with news coverage underpinned by the BBC’s global news services, giving audiences access to world-class news content. The programme also draws on the BBC’s strong presence across the continent, with correspondents in 48 African countries, bringing their regional insights and expertise to Kiswahili-speaking TV viewers.
BBC Swahili’s flagship radio programme, Dira ya Dunia, is a household name for millions of listeners in East and Central Africa as well as the diaspora audiences. With the launch of the new TV news programme of the same title, the BBC is further strengthening its offer, showcasing the BBC Swahili journalism talent – London-based presenters Salim Kikeke and Charles Hilary, output editor Mariam Omar, as well as reporters based in Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the UK.
BBC Swahili Editor, Ali Saleh, says: “With the launch of Dira ya Dunia on TV, we are responding to the huge switch in news consumption across Africa we have been witnessing lately, and to the needs of our audience. As we report and analyse regional and global news stories, be it politics, economy, business or culture, Dira ya Dunia wants to be free of clichés often associated with the African news coverage and will deliver BBC journalism in a dynamic and engaging style, based on our long-standing principles of independence, accuracy and unbiased reporting.”
The main presenter of Dira ya Dunia, Salim Kikeke, adds: “I feel privileged and honoured to be part of BBC Swahili’s move to TV broadcasting. We’ve put a huge effort into this project, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I hope very much that this new TV programme will soon become essential viewing for audiences across East and Central Africa.”
The unveiling of Dira ya Dunia is part of a range of major new programming launched by the BBC this year for Africa, on TV and on radio. It follows the recent launch of the BBC’s first ever dedicated English-language TV news programme for the continent, Focus on Africa, which is also available via Star TV in Tanzania and now on NTV in Kenya. In July, days before the opening of the Olympic Games in London, BBC World Service launched Newsday – a flagship radio programme aimed largely at the breakfast audience in Africa.
BBC Africa Editor, Solomon Mugera, comments: “Over decades of multilingual broadcasting to Africa, the BBC has forged unique relations with radio audiences across the continent, telling the African story to the world and bringing the world to Africa. The BBC’s growing multimedia offer is evidence of its deep roots and knowledge of the continent. As we embark on this new journey, we are really excited to be partnering with some of the leading broadcasters in the region.”
BBC Dira ya Dunia will be broadcast Monday to Friday, at 21.00 local time on Star TV in Tanzania and at 23.00 on QTV in Kenya. It also will be available for viewing via the BBC Swahili website, bbcswahili.com.
The BBC made its first broadcast to Africa more than 80 years ago. The combined audience on radio and television makes the BBC the largest international broadcaster in Africa.
