19 January 2012
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) announced its intention to restructure U.S. international broadcasting. It will seek legislation that would include establishing a Chief Executive Officer to manage the enterprise. In addition, the Board called for a plan to consolidate the agencys three non-federal broadcast networks: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.
The Board is ready to strengthen U.S. international broadcasting in part by freeing up resources locked up in inefficient and duplicative administrative structures and reinvesting in programming, said BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson. This is a historic agreement by the Board to streamline international broadcasting into one great organization focused on quality journalism with many brands and many divisions but unified as one organization.
In a resolution passed at its January 13 meeting in Washington, the Board announced its intention to restructure international broadcasting in accordance with its recently released 2012-2016 Strategic Plan. The Board outlined proposed reforms and its intent to develop a draft legislative package to be called the International Broadcasting Innovation Act of 2012 (the IBIA). It would establish a CEO who would report to the Board and provide day-to-day executive leadership. In addition the proposed package calls for a new organization that would reflect the optimal mix of federal and non-federal assets in support of international broadcasting; repeals the domestic dissemination ban in the Smith-Mundt Act; and renames the agency to reflect the mission of a unified structure. The restructuring package would be subject to appropriate administration approval and Congressional consideration.
While there is a compelling case for streamlining the BBGs complex structure and leveraging the highly professional newsgathering activities of our independent broadcast services, any reform plan will retain and celebrate the individual and historic brands and their journalistic mission, said Isaacson in summarizing the Boards recommendations. We look forward to working with internal and external stakeholders and experts as well as with the Administration and Congress on these proposals.
During its strategic review process, the Board engaged the services of management consultant Deloitte and external counsel Baker and Mackenzie to gain a detailed understanding of the costs, benefits and legal issues involved. The resulting studies indicated a compelling case and potential substantial savings over five years from eliminating duplicative management and administrative functions and affirmed the legal feasibility of a merger. Further details of the Boards Record of Decisions and previous discussions can be found online at http://www.bbg.gov/about/board-meetings/.
19 January 2012
Digital Media company EMM plans to launch and operate a 24/7, general entertainment TV channel from twofour54 Abu Dhabi. The channel, whose name is yet to be made public, will be distributed via satellite free-to-air with a dedicated online channel and is slated to go live by the end of 2012.
With an expected output of 650 hours of original multi-genre programming every year, the channel will contribute to the TV production value chain in Abu Dhabi, with production companies, content providers, freelancers and service providers expected to benefit. The channel will also provide career and talent development opportunities for young Arabs looking to enter the media industry.
EMMs existing digital audience will be drawn to the original and exciting offering from the distinctive new TV channel when we transmit across the Middle East & North Africa. Editorially, operationally and technically our TV programming will be distinctive, innovative, empowering and with high production values, says EMMs CEO, Nicholas Claxton.
The new channel will be produced and broadcast from the twofour54 facilities in Abu Dhabi. It will create a number of new jobs for the industry, initially with 20 technical and operational staff and as many as 30 creative production personnel. These numbers are expected to grow as output increases over the first five years.
The production facilities will also contribute to the training services provided by twofour54 by offering internships for young graduates and seminars and master-classes for the growing number of UAE National media studies students at colleges and universities throughout the UAE.
twofour54s commitment to make Abu Dhabi a regional media hub and centre of excellence for the Arabic media industry as a whole has been a major factor in our choice of deciding on Abu Dhabi & twofour54 as the home for our new TV channel, added Claxton. Furthermore, Abu Dhabi is increasingly being seen as a seriously strong and creative production base and as we share in their vision to make this a reality it made sense to establish our operations there and help make it the number one destination of choice.
Commenting on the announcement, Wayne Borg, twofour54s Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer, said, This is a significant addition to the media ecosystem we are building at twofour54. Not only will EMM be creating and broadcasting engaging, contemporary Arabic content across multiple channels, but in doing so, they will add to the talent development and employment opportunities for young Arabs and, in particular, UAE Nationals. This is another step towards establishing a sustainable Arabic media industry in Abu Dhabi.
EMMs new TV Satellite Channel will be led by EMMs CEO, Nicholas Claxton, who will spearhead the business as a whole, its strategy and its expansion plans. Nicholas Claxton has a wealth of broadcasting and digital experience. He is former MD of several UK based independent production companies and has worked with many of the worlds leading broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Discovery, National Geographic , A&E Network, among several others. He is also an Emmy award-winning Producer/Director and holds several other international awards for a large variety of programming.
18 January 2012
A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18 500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. This means that over 52% of European screens are now capable of digital projection, up from just 4% three years ago.
While the initial phase of large-scale digital conversion during 2009 and 2010 had been more or less entirely driven by 3D installations, roll-out in 2011 was for the first time driven by 2D screens. This suggests that roll-out has entered its second major phase and is now driven primarily by full conversions of larger circuits under VPF schemes and by public initiatives ranging from legislation (France), publicly funded industry-wide conversion schemes (Norway and the Netherlands) to direct public funding schemes, 60 of which have been identified at national, sub-national and pan-European level, including the new MEDIA 2007 scheme.
Analysis based on a comprehensive site-by-site listing of analogue and digital cinemas as of 2010 clearly shows that small cinemas and exhibitors have significant problems converting to digital. By the end of 2010 only 11% of single-screen cinemas had installed a digital screen, compared to 89% of multiplexes. These small cinemas, however, form a characteristic part of the European cinema landscape, with single-screen cinemas alone accounting for almost 60% of all European cinemas. Though presumably not vital for overall box office results, these smaller cinemas play an important social and cultural role in many communities. The fact that these screens have not yet converted highlights the fact that commercial financing models cannot cover all European cinemas, causing a funding gap for between 15% and 20% of European screens.
At the same time, given the high penetration rates in various European markets, the end of 35mm distribution seems to be approaching rapidly. Distributors in Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway, which was the first country worldwide to become fully digital in mid-2011, were expected to end 35mm distribution as early as 2011/2012 and a total of 11 territories had converted at least 50% of their screens by mid-2011, including the two leading markets France and the UK.
Once large distributors switch to digital distribution in such major markets, demand for film stock will drop significantly, putting pressure on 35mm economics on a pan-European level. This could cause financial strain for those distributors and exhibitors still depending on it. Many of these are presumably small companies now faced with a growing competitive disadvantage: digital cinema increases the economies of scale related to both film exhibition as well as distribution so bigger companies stand to benefit more than smaller players from the transition to digital, both in terms of cost savings as well as in increased revenue potential. This economic reality will ultimately lead to fundamental change in the fragmented European theatrical landscape and poses a challenge to the European independent sector, characterised as it is by a large number of small exhibitors and distributors.
18 January 2012
MBC Group continues to evolve and deliver the latest in Global Entertainment and content by airing most recent series in the US, in addition to new episodes of existing series that have just been released. This dynamic strategy will affect two of MBC Groups channels, namely MBC Action and MBC 4 and have commenced on January 15th. Both Channel offerings will now consist of a 7-day daily block of the best in International shows and will offer their viewers an exclusive destination for the most-anticipated TV shows, for free.
MBC Groups contemporary strategy is testament to our dedication to providing our loyal viewers with content that is up-to-date and puts them on par with the Global scale of entertainment. It further distinguishes our channels as the ultimate destinations for the latest in International drama, delivered free to the Arab world, commented Ali Jaber, Group TV Director at MBC Group.
The new and updated series will be aired from Saturdays to Wednesdays while Thursdays and Fridays are allocated to the current running series, with DOUBLE UPS, for viewers to eventually catch up with the updated episodes/seasons.
The new content on MBC 4 include: The Ringer (Season 1), Secret Circle (Season 1), The Vampire Diaries (Season 3); while the new content on MBC Action will include: Hawaii FIVE-o (Season 2), The Mentalist (Season 4), Nikita (Season 2), NCIS (Season 9), WWE, and Alcatraz, a brand new US series, the latest from JJ Abrams.
16 January 2012
OASYS, the pioneering developer of IT-based automated playout solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ed Calverley as Solutions Design Manager. Calverleys new role will see him working closely with the Sales and Development teams and with clients to build feature-rich, reliable automated playout solutions that are both easy to use and to maintain.
Calverley joins OASYS from Miranda where he held a central role in the development and delivery of the iTX IT-based playout system. Prior to this,Calverley spent several years at the BBC, joining via a graduate training programme and subsequently gaining experience across a wide range of broadcast technologies and disciplines including Studios, Outside Broadcast, Engineering Support and Playout.
Ed Calverley commented, I have been aware of OASYS for some time, but when I actually saw the OASYS software in action it was a real eye opener to the true power of IT-based playout. By focusing on actual customer requirements, OASYS has built the most versatile playout device Ive ever seen.
Mark Errington, CEO, OASYS, said, We are pleased to welcome Ed to the team. His broadcast knowledge and experience combined with his ability to design pragmatic customer solutions will be invaluable, as will his input into the continued development of our Automated Playout solutions.
13 January 2012
euronews has hit the ground running with the launch of DTT broadcasting in Greece and Cyprus. The channel targets full nationwide coverage in both countries by the end of 2012.
In Greece, euronews English is already available to 4,000,000 people in the region of Attica, which includes the capital Athens, and in Thessaloniki. More precisely, the DTT coverage reaches 75% of homes in Attica and the whole population in Thessaloniki.
Before the end of this year, euronews aims to extend its reach all over the country. ERT, the Greek public broadcaster, will offer the free-to-air DTT transmission of euronews English, as part of the digital technology deployment offer at a national scale.
In Cyprus, euronews English is available on a 24/7 basis on digital terrestrial TV since July 2011 and covers currently 95% of the population.
euronews is available on Cyprus DTT through the CYBC platform, the public broadcaster, among CYBC-1, CYBC-2, CYBC-HD and ERT-World channels.
The CYBC digital platform will cover 99% of the population by March 2012.
Michael Peters, CEO of euronews, said: “The move on Greek and Cyprus DTT is a huge step forward for euronews. Our close partnerships with ERT and CYBC enable us to be watched by a large audience and places euronews as premium international news channel at a country level. We are very proud to announce those two important agreements.”
