26 April 2011
Available to 160 million households in 180 countries, FRANCE 24 has recently signed a series of new broadcasting agreements that will strengthen the channel’s distribution over the Asian continent.
The new agreements in detail :
► In India, in just four months, FRANCE 24 already reaches more than 3 million households. FRANCE 24 English channel is now available in the State of Orissa and throughout the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) on more than thirty cable networks.
► Already accessible in English to 1.2 million households in Hong Kong on NOW TV and HKBN, FRANCE 24 French version is now available à la carte on the new HKBN package BB TV. Available on the channel 738, FRANCE 24 in French is offered for a fee ranging from 30 to 70 HK dollars (2.5 to 6.5 euros) depending on length of customer subscription.
► In the Philippines, following the annual PCTA Convention (from April 5 to 8 in Manila) gathering major Philippines cable operators, the English version of the channel is available to 100,000 households across the country.
► In Japan, while the English version of the channel is already available on NTT DOCOMO, FRANCE 24 is now available in French “à la carte” on the IPTV platform KONA TV.
► In Thailand, the number of households receiving FRANCE 24 in English grew from 1.5 to 1.8 million in three months, thanks to recent agreements with cable operator associations TCTA (Thailand Cable TV Association) and COA (Cable Operator Association).
► In the hotel sector, FRANCE 24 has extended its partnership with the ACCOR group in Asia, and the channel is now available in 91 luxury hotels across the region.
For Brice Bertrand, Director of Distribution in Asia Pacific, “these markets are eager to discover a new tone in international news and we make every effort to ensure that all countries of the continent can get FRANCE 24 as quickly and as simply as possible, in English, but also in French.”
26 April 2011
CNN now has a free application for Android phones. The CNN App offers intuitive navigation with the news experience, giving users direct access to CNN’s global resources – from live field reporting to user-generated content and a variety of enterprise interviews and podcasts.
“We are excited to offer the millions of Android phone users around the world access to CNN’s global reporting,” said Louis Gump, Vice President of Mobile at CNN.
The CNN App showcases news of the day through text, audio and photos, live and on-demand video, and a direct gateway to CNN iReport, the network’s participatory news community. By clicking on the menu button, users can toggle between US and International editions.
Drawing on the resources of CNN Radio, the CNN App also features a section devoted to audio content. The Radio section of the App includes hourly news updates, original reports from CNN Radio correspondents, audio of interviews from CNN television, and podcast series about politics, entertainment, tech and food. Users can also personalise their radio experience while they’re on the go.
Users can track local news and weather based on location and view stories they’ve saved even when they’re offline. Text stories and images can also be shared directly from the App via e-mail, Facebook and Twitter.
The CNN App features push-notification breaking news alerts, and a widget that allows a user to view the latest headlines from a variety of categories directly from the phone’s home screen, without even launching the app.
26 April 2011
Darren Long, a London-based media professional, has been named to the post of Video Integration Manager for The Associated Press, a new position. Its the latest appointment tied to APs multimillion-dollar upgrade of its newsgathering infrastructure in order to provide high-definition images to the broadcast and digital industries.
As Video Integration Manager, Long will play a vital role in this process by helping the AP transform its international video production processes to ensure our journalists around the world are equipped for the digital age and the AP leads the market in creating and delivering video content for all platforms, said AP Director of Emerging Products-International Sue Brooks, who made the announcement today. Long reports to Brooks. He will be responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of several projects which will fundamentally affect how AP staff collect, produce and archive content, she added.
Last year, Long was appointed CEO of Screenocean and succeeded in starting up this new business-to-business media licensing and content management venture representing content from the UK Channel 4 network and a range of rights holding production and distribution companies. Before that he was Head of Collections and Information at the British Film Institute from 2005 to 2010. He started working for Independent Television News in 1987 and left in 2005 as Director of Operations at the ITN Archive, now ITN Source.
As part of its video business transformation, AP will also significantly increase the depth and breadth of video content available from around the world. The upgrade, aimed at helping the AP lead the market in creating and delivering video content for all platforms, is the single biggest investment in the APs London-based video business since 1998, when the AP bought its competitor, Worldwide Television News.
26 April 2011
Al Jazeera English has announced the launch of The Stream, a social media show which is premiering online at Stream.aljazeera.com.
The programme draws on the enormous growth of the social networks that are transforming today’s news and current affairs agendas and that have played a key communication role in the recent revolutions in emerging democracies.
The Stream, which will be airing live daily at 1930 UTC, has launched in beta form online and will begin broadcasting on Al Jazeera English on 2 May.
The programmes host is Derrick Ashong, a passionate advocate for the power of social media to promote change and development. Working with various guest co-hosts, Derrick will guide the show, monitoring live activity on the web and presenting viewers with real-time developments from around the world.
21 April 2011
21st April 2011
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) today announced that Russian Travel Guide (RTG) TV have joined as a Platinum member.
RTG TV is a dynamically growing international TV channel that targets both Russian and Western audiences. It broadcasts international documentaries about Russia, dedicated to culture, art, the unique nature of the country, traditions of native peoples, contemporary cities, scientific and technical achievements. All films broadcast on the RTG TV channel are produced by wholly-owned production companies and are exclusive to RTG TV.
We are delighted to welcome RTG TV to the AIB family. Its membership reflects the growing importance and breadth of Russian broadcasting in general, as well as the energy and ambition of RTG TV itself. The AIB continues to increase its worldwide membership, enabling us to provide even greater networking opportunities for members and deeper insight into international broadcasting said Simon Spanswick, CEO of the AIB.
Membership of the AIB brings prestige and importance to any TV channel. RTG TV is proud to become a part of this influential and independent association commented Fedor Strizhkov, CEO of RTG TV.
RTG TV is also sponsoring the Best TV Current Affairs Documentary category at the 2011 AIBs, the seventh international media excellence awards, which are open for entries until1st July. The Best TV Current Affairs Documentary category is for single documentaries, or an extended themed series, covering a topic in an interesting and perhaps unusual way and providing insight that is difficult to get elsewhere.
For more details of RTG TV please visit
target=_blank>www.rtgtv.com
15 April 2011
15th April 2011
The Association for International Broadcasting is delighted to announce OASYS as the first sponsor for its seventh international media excellence awards. OASYS has been delivering software-based automated playout solutions for two decades delivering reliable on-air operation and providing productivity gains by allowing quick and easy creation, management and assembly of content for playout.
OASYS has chosen to sponsor the Most Innovative Technology category at the AIBs. The demands of new platforms and cross-media publishing mean that new technological solutions need to be employed in broadcasting centres that allow producers and journalists to craft programmes for multiple outlets. At the same time, the production process needs to be as simple as possible. This award therefore will recognise the company that has developed the most appropriate, useful and transferable technological solution for the international broadcasting industry, in production, scheduling, distribution or in content repurposing.
Describing the decision to sponsor the awards, OASYS CEO Mark Errington commented OASYS is honoured to work with the AIB in promoting excellence and innovation in the media industry. It is always nice to celebrate success and the winners of the annual AIB International Excellence Awards should feel justly proud that they have been acknowledged for their hard work, dedication and creativity, by both their peers and experts. We look forward to seeing a record level of entries in 2011 and very much look forward to meeting all the entrants in London in November.
Simon Spanswick, CEO of the AIB, commented We are delighted to welcome a company of OASYS reputation and background in the broadcasting industry as a sponsor for the awards, and especially for the Most Innovative Technology category given their standing in this area. Further sponsors will be announced in the near future.
For more details of OASYS and its Channelled Information please visit
target=_blank>
www.on-air-systems.com
