12 June 2012
AIB has published its latest industry briefing, its round-up of news from and about AIB members, plus stories from the wider industry. In this edition, F1 rights in Italy, Smart TV app for Eurosport, people news from euronews, SatLink Communications and A+E Networks as well as technology and distribution news.
You can read the briefing online here.
These briefings are published by AIB every four weeks or so and reach more than 26,000 media leaders globally. For information on how you can use this industry briefing to tell your story, contact Matthew Porter or Judy Lund on +44 20 7993 2557.
11 June 2012
SatLink Communications Ltd., a leading teleport delivering content to every corner of the world, has today announced that it has expanded its operations into Asia by opening a new office in Singapore. The new office will support the company’s strategy to expand its reach and provide a gateway for broadcasters, enterprises and telecoms operators into and out of Asia. The office will be headed up by Rajeev Kaushik, the newly appointed Director of sales for Asia, who will be spearheading new business activities in the region.
SatLink will be using their strategic location in the Middle East, connecting East and West to provide broadcasters and content owners with the ability to deliver Asian content to Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas. Satlink operates two MCPC (Multi Channel Per Carrier) platforms on the AsiaSat 5 C-band satellite, delivering content for tier 1 international and news broadcasters to Asian Pay TV markets. Sporting highlights and major breaking news stories previously broadcast by SatLink include live events such as the UEFA Championship League, Beijing Olympics, FIFA World Cup and live footage of the Japanese Earthquake, which were distributed out of and into Asia using SatLink’s teleport and HD Playout Centre.
To mark the opening of the new Asian office, SatLink will be offering a special offer on current AsiaSat 5 platforms offering international broadcasters the ability to reach both the Asia-Pacific and the Middle Eastern market www.satlink.tv/asia. SatLink will also provide localisation solutions via SatLink’s HD Playout Centre, including live and advertisement insertions, time delay and encryption (CA) services.
Mr Rajeev Kaushik as Director of Sales, Asia will be heading SatLink’s Asian sales and business development activities. He brings to the role more than 15 years experience in the Satellite and Broadcast market within Asia and the Middle East. Prior to joining SatLink, Rajeev held engineering and management roles within the satellite and VSAT market including: SingTel and Intelsat. In his role at SatLink, Rajeev will be responsible for establishing and developing strategic partnerships with leading industry operators and broadcasters within Asia.
David Hochner, SatLink’s CEO commented: “The Asian market is one of the largest in the world and growing at an incredible speed. With the expansion of our operations we are providing a bridge between East and West and enabling broadcasters in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas to distribute content both into and out of Asia. We are providing a strategic gateway for western content to reach this versatile and content rich continent and look forward to working with new partners in the region.”
www.satlink.tv
9 June 2012
Eurosport is to make its popular mobile streaming app available to Android users for the first time today, and has signed Samsung as exclusive launch partner.
Sports fans with Android devices across Europe* will be able to download the Eurosport Player app, to access live simulcasts of both Eurosport and Eurosport 2 TV channels.
Customers will be able to watch the London 2012 Olympic Games as well as live cycling from the Tour de France, motorsports, football, snooker, wintersports and live tennis action from US Open tennis Grand Slam.
The arrival on the Android platform is also expected to open up new audiences for Eurosport’s commercial clients.
As part of the Android launch initiative Samsung customers who purchase a GALAXY SIII will receive a month long promotional subscription to the Player app to experience Eurosport’s comprehensive London 2012 Olympic Games coverage. (1 month promotional period begins on July 14th for 30 days until August 12th) Customers can learn more about this offer by visiting Galaxys3.eurosportplayer.com.
Samsung, which is a Worldwide Olympic Partner, is also extending its promotion with Eurosport during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Viewers can win Samsung GALAXY SIII’s by answering questions posed on Eurosport’s daily Olympic TV show “Together to London” via the Londonbuzz.Eurosport.com digital hub and use the online site to interact with athlete guests on-air.
Laurent Eric Le Lay, Eurosport Chairman & CEO, said: “The Eurosport Player app demonstrates how we are putting mobile at the core of our online development. We have received positive feedback from sports fans who have downloaded the app and are delighted to be able to now make our unrivalled content available to Android users. Eurosport continues to attract strong audiences across all its available screens, TV, PC, mobile and tablet and with such an exciting summer of sport ahead we are able to help fans follow the action wherever they are.”
Young Hee Lee, SVP and head of global marketing at mobile communications business said, “We are excited to be taking part in London 2012 Olympic Games and partner with Eurosport to promote the new GALAXY SIII to sports fans. I hope our customers will enjoy the mobile experiences Samsung is providing via the Eurosport Player app.”
The Eurosport Player app for Android is available for download today, on the Google Play app market https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eurosport&hl=en via a monthly pass costing 5.90 euros, or on Samsung Apps for GALAXY SIII users http://www.samsungapps.com/topApps/topAppsDetail.as?categoryId=G000016428&productId=G00007114287.
A Eurosport Player app is already available on the iOS operating system. The Player is also on PCs, and offers additional exclusive content and access to VoD.
All Player app versions are available at http://www.eurosportplayer.com/
9 June 2012
International news network RT has garnered four nominations for the most prestigious award in television design and marketing, the Promax/BDA Global Excellence Awards 2012.
Two of RT’s nominations are for excellence in Promotion Marketing: Noticias No Tienen Fronteras in the News/Information Program Campaign category, and Occupy W@ll Street Application (for Facebook) in the Interactive Media: Online/Interactive Games/Immerging Platforms category.
RT is also a finalist in the Design competition: promotional video for RT Spanish YouTube page is nominated in the Website Promotion – Video-Based category, and RT’s Sport News under Sports: Open/Titles.
In its nominated categories RT is competing against such prominent media outlets as CNN, Fox International Channels, Fox Sports Marketing, Turner Broadcasting System, Universal Networks International, Warner Bros. Television Marketing and NBC Sports Agency and Al Jazeera English. The award winners will be honored at the Promax/BDA: The Conference, which will take place inLos Angeleson June 12-14, 2012.
RT’s outstanding work has been repeatedly recognized by Promax/BDA. RT’s QUESTION MORE promotion campaign has won two gold awards in 2010, alongside another gold (for RT Prime Time) and bronze awards. Also in 2010, RT Spanish won six awards in the Promax/BDA Latin America competition. In 2008 the channel won the Gold Award in the Promotional Items category.
Promax/BDA is recognized as the industry standard for excellence in television marketing, advertisement and design. The contest is run annually for the best work submitted by the world’s leading TV channels.
RT is a global international news network that broadcasts in English, Arabic and Spanish from its studios inMoscowandWashington,DC, and is available to 530 million viewers worldwide. RT became the first TV news channel in the world to pass 700 million views on YouTube. In 2010, RT became the first ever Russian channel to garner a nomination for the prestigious Emmy International Award, in the News category. RT streams online at RT.com.
8 June 2012
Samsung Electronics and RTE Digital have released a free connected TV app that will allow Smart TV users to access content from the national broadcaster dirct on their Internet-connected TVs. The new offering adds to RTE’s existing online presence with its desktop RTE Player service, apps on Android and iOS, and PlayStation 3.
The agreement gives Samsung Smart TV users to access a selection of RTE’s flagship programmes such as Fair City, Home and Away, Saturday Night with Miriam, Father Ted, and coverage of GAA matches.
Brendan Carr, product marketing manager, Samsung Ireland said: “RTÉ Player is the latest addition to our ever growing library of great TV Apps, and further demonstrates our leadership in the Smart TV category. Catch up TV services are one of the leading drivers of Smart TV usage, so RTÉ Player will be a real added value benefit for Samsung Smart TV owners.”
“RTEs strategy is to be available wherever and whenever our audience wants,” said Aisling McCabe, director of strategic platforms and partnerships, RTE Digital. “We’re excited to partner with Samsung on our entry into the Smart TV market. Audience engagement, interaction and satisfaction is our primary focus. Our catch up service puts the viewer firmly in control, allowing them to view RTE content whenever they want. Marrying quality content with best-in-class products such as the Samsung Smart TV and the RTE Player App will provide an enhanced user experience that will allow the audience greater choice than ever before.”
RTE Player will join YouTube, Netflix, Muzu.tv, Facebook and Twitter on the Smart TV platform.
(Source: www.techcentral.ie)
8 June 2012
Members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors praised top officials of the Czech Republic, the headquarters of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, for their country’s long-term support for U.S. international broadcasting, a key instrument of U.S. foreign policy.
While in Prague for a board meeting, Dennis Mulhaupt, Michael Meehan and Victor Ashe conferred with Czech President Vaclav Klaus and First Deputy Foreign Minister Jiri Schneider. U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Norm Eisen, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty President Steven Korn, and IBB Director Richard M. Lobo participated in the discussions.
The Board observed that the Czech government has been a stalwart supporter of RFE/RL, which moved its headquarters to Prague from Munich in 1995 with the help of the late playwright, activist and former Czech President Vaclav Havel.
“The mission of U.S. international broadcasting is as relevant as ever, and Czech support is essential,” said Mulhaupt, the Board’s alternate presiding governor, who chairs the board of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. “We could not imagine more hospitable, dedicated and supportive hosts, and we look forward to an even more rewarding relationship in the future.”
During their meetings, BBG members and the Czech officials discussed ways to engage audiences in countries of strategic importance that are served by RFE/RL, such as Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The governors also expressed their appreciation to the Czech Foreign Ministry for supporting RFE/RL operations in Belarus, and for its willingness to speak out about cases of intimidation and harassment of BBG journalists.
The Foreign Ministry also has enthusiastically supported the Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowships at RFE/RL, created to honor the legacy of Havel, who passed away in December at 75.
Recently, RFE/RL renewed its long-term commitment to a presence in the Czech Republic by renegotiating a lease agreement with the new owners of the Prague building where it has been headquartered since 2009.
The Broadcasting Board of Governors is an independent federal agency supervising all U.S. government-supported, civilian international broadcasting, whose mission is inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy. BBG broadcasts reach an audience of 187 million in 100 countries. BBG networks include the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa), Radio Free Asia, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and TV Martí).
