18 January 2011
For the launch of its new look and the switch to a 16/9 format, euronews presents a broad range of projects which will take the channel to a new dimension.
To start the year, euronews is switching to a 16/9 format and revamping the channel: a new on-air look, new pace and more reasons for viewers to tune in to euronews.
In 2011, the channel will also add programmes, with the arrival of new faces to the multicultural newsroom of euronews. Separately, two well-known journalists on the European audiovisual scene, Alex Taylor and Chris Burns, will join the channel to help take it to a whole ‘new dimension’.
11 news desks in 2011: euronews is expanding its editorial coverage and network around the world. Based in Lyon, with recently opened desks in Brussels, London, Cairo and Doha, euronews will open permanent desks in Paris, Kiev (local journalists), Istanbul, Dubai, Washington and Beijing. The Brussels office will be a key feature of the new organisation, as it becomes the first international news team to operate in the capital of Europe.
Ali Sheikholeslami is appointed as euronews permanent correspondent in London. He is in charge of covering world stories, as well as reporting on events occurring across the UK, producing TV packages and multimedia stories for the euronews website.
11 languages in 2011: euronews will launch its new service in Ukrainian, around the clock, 7 days a week, as of 24th August.
In 2011, euronews will deliver the right content to the right place at the right time:
– increased partnerships with YouTube and Dailymotion: new channels, more availability on catch-up TV in the “Shows” section of YouTube;
– euronews and UGC (User Generated Content): via its NoCommentTV application for iPhone, euronews offers UGC possibilities with “MyNoComment”; in partnership with Google, the channel will broadcast a weekly programme “Trends” which reports on keywords most requested by internet users in Europe;
– launch in one month of the euronews live application for iPhone, iPad and Android;
– launch of the full euronews application for iPad;
– launch of euronews radio, an internet radio station;
– launch of euronews display, euronews in a 100% visual format designed for busy places such as train stations and airports;
– euronews in flight: an exclusive agreement has been signed with Air France, details of which will be presented soon, jointly with Air France;
– euronews on internet-connected TV sets: following on the first agreement with Panasonic, euronews is now in the process of signing agreements with the six top manufacturers, including Toshiba, Sony and Philips.
All of these projects which reflect the new dimension of the international news channel will be presented at a series of press conferences in Paris, London, Moscow, Berlin, Frankfurt and Madrid, with Philippe Cayla, Chairman of the Executive Board, Michael Peters, Managing Director of the Executive Board, and Lucian Sârb, Director of News and Programmes.
18 January 2011
Eurosport and DFL Sports Enterprises GmbH have extended their current partnership (covering seasons 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012) for three additional seasons: 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015.
The deal renews Eurosport’s exclusive TV and digital rights, including sub-licensing rights, for all matches of Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in 22 territories in the Nordic countries as well as in Central and Eastern Europe. Bundesliga is the elite German championship and Bundesliga 2 the second-tier of German football.
The 22 territories included in the agreement are: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
Exclusive TV coverage on Eurosport 2 and Eurosport 2 HD
Eurosport 2 has established itself amongst sports fans as the channel for premium Bundesliga football action. Continuing on this success, Eurosport 2 will offer exclusive and extensive coverage of the upcoming seasons. Coverage will include five LIVE matches per week, a weekly highlights programme, dedicated magazine shows, interviews and expert insight from top consultants. Eurosport 2’s commitment to top quality production, including high definition, will continue to offer viewers the highest standard of broadcast.
Launched in 2005, Eurosport 2 is today one of the fastest growing pay TV channels in Europe reaching 48 million homes in 47 countries. The channel is also available in HD in the Nordic countries as well as in Central and Eastern Europe, and features over 2000 hours of LIVE sporting action.
All LIVE Bundesliga action will also be available in the licensed territories on the Eurosport Player, the group’s online subscriber video service.
Laurent-Eric Le Lay, Chairman, Eurosport Group says, “We are delighted to renew our partnership with DFL and to continue offering fans across Nordic, Eastern and Central European territories the best of German football. Eurosport 2 has been broadcasting the Bundesliga since 2009 and in only 2 seasons our expert coverage and promotion have significantly contributed to increased reach and ratings outside of Germany and we are convinced that Bundesliga has even more potential. The extension of our partnership with DFL confirms Eurosport 2’s strategy of acquisition of premium rights and enhances the regional offer of the channel.”
Jörg Daubitzer, Managing Director, DFL Sports Enterprises adds:
We are pleased about the prolongation of our successful cooperation. Eurosport is an established and also highly appreciated partner who presents Bundesliga as a premium product on a very high level. This agreement covers key territories and meets the growing international significance and value of Bundesliga.
12 January 2011
JVC has announced the world’s first consumer camcorder to offer 3D recording in Full HD, thanks to a new JVC-developed high-speed processor that can produce two simultaneous Full HD images.
The new GS-TD1 uses two camera lenses and two 3.32 megapixel CMOS sensors – one for each lens – to capture three-dimensional images much the same way that human eyes work. JVC’s new high-speed imaging engine simultaneously processes the two Full HD images – left and right images at 1920 x 1080i – within that single chip. The newly developed “LR Independent Format” makes the GS-TD1 the world’s first consumer-oriented camcorder capable of 3D shooting in Full HD. JVC’s new camcorder offers other shooting modes as well, including the widely used “Side-by-Side Format” for AVCHD (3D) and conventional AVCHD (2D) shooting.
11 January 2011
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has accepted, with regret, the resignation of Jeffrey Gedmin, who has served for four years as president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Gedmin announced his plans to depart RFE/RL at the end of February 2011. The BBG, which oversees all U.S. international broadcasting including RFE/RL, thanked Gedmin for his dedicated service and announced plans to begin a search for a new President of RFE/RL.
Jeff’s passion for the power of the truth has been a great inspiration for all of us involved in international broadcasting, said Walter Isaacson, Chairman of the BBG. Isaacson added, The Board looks forward to Jeff serving as a valuable adviser in the future.”
Gedmin took office in February 2007 and has overseen RFE/RLs expansion of broadcasts to critical countries, its significant development of new media, the corporate relocation to a state-of-the-art broadcast headquarters in Prague, and has served as a passionate defender of press freedom.
Jeff has been an exceptional leader of RFE/RL over the past four years, said Dennis Mulhaupt, chairman of the corporate board of RFE/RL and member of the BBG. He has immeasurably strengthened the organization and we are grateful for his dedicated leadership. We wish him the best in his future endeavors. As a Board, we reaffirm our commitment to RFE/RL’s vital mission, which is more important than ever.
Gedmin departs RFE/RL to become CEO and President of Legatum Institute, London. The BBG will start an international search for new president of RFE/RL and work closely with Gedmin during this transition.
11 January 2011
Vizrt Ltd., a leading provider of content production tools for the digital media industry, today announced it has closed a deal with a large existing broadcast customer in Northern Europe on the supply of Vizrt’s online product suite. The value of the deal will be a minimum of USD 1.2 million, and represents one of the biggest for Vizrt Online so far.
Martin Burkhalter, CEO of Vizrt, stated, “We’re very pleased that such an important customer has chosen Vizrt’s technology to extend their online capabilities. This project is further proof of the strength of our comprehensive Online product platform, which enables customers to power a media-rich online environment with multi-platform distribution capabilities while providing a smart and efficient workflow.”
With the implementation of Escenic Content Engine and Escenic Content Studio early in 2011, more than a hundred journalists will be able simultaneously to publish as many as 1,500 articles per day, including video material. Furthermore, the Viz Mobile Expansion will boost the amount of video content available on the broadcaster’s mobile platform. The inclusion of Viz Community Expansion will also provide the toolkit for building online communities.
6 January 2011
Well-known Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez tells Voice of America she hopes the growth of information networks in Cuba will lead to an end of the states information monopoly in 2011.
In an interview with VOAs Spanish Service, Sanchez said the Cuban blogosphere had a gradual growth and enrichment in 2010, despite the continuing difficulties with Internet access and government censorship.
Sanchez, who also managed to transmit a video message to the VOA website www.voanoticias.com, said, The year 2010 has been a very important one for the alternative information nets in Cuba, for those of us reporting from here to the world, and to our people about what is happening.
Sanchez has achieved international fame and won many awards for her critical portrayal of life in Cuba under its current government. She is best known for her blog, Generación Y (Generation Y), which she is able to publish by emailing entries to friends outside the country who then post them online.
Sanchez said the alternative blogosphere has grown and has been very rich on information. Now, we have more pluralism and diversity.
She said she hopes 2011 will see the definitive ending of the state monopoly in information in Cuba. We hope to conquer more spaces and especially more diversity in this island (Cuba) where one day we will finally have space for all of us, she told VOA in her video message.
