13 December 2010
On the occasion of UN Human Rights Day 2010, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) renewed its call for press freedom and freedom of information around the world.
Advancing press freedom is central to our mission, including our efforts to combat censorship online and on the airwaves said Walter Isaacson, Chairman of the BBG. As a model of free press, our journalists around the world endure hardships and take great risks to bring news and information – via everything from SMS text to shortwave radio – that is vital to our audiences, particularly in places in conflict or without a free and vibrant media.
Since their inception, BBG broadcasters – Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Sawa, Alhurra Television, Radio and TV Marti and Radio Free Asia – have worked to facilitate the free and open exchange of ideas, and they continue to do so in some of the most repressive, closed societies: Listeners of Radio Free Asia and VOAs Burmese services will soon be able to engage Burmese opposition party leader Aung San Suu Kyi on topics of their choice in two unique weekly series. The audience will be able to ask questions on any topic, which are then answered by the recently freed Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
At the same time in another county without press freedom, Radio and TV Martí have begun to open their programs to callers from the island of Cuba. “We want our audience to know that they are valued contributors to our programming and the exchange of ideas and information is central to our broadcasts,” said Carlos A. García-Pérez, director of Radio and TV Martí. The Cuban government fosters one the world’s most restrictive media environments in the bottom ten of the Freedom of the Press rankings by Freedom House.
Unfortunately, it is all too common that journalists endanger themselves simply for reporting the news. This year, VOA journalist Abdumalik Bobayev was tried in Uzbekistan after authorities charged him with threatening public safety, slander, insult, and visa violations. The BBG has condemned the government’s attempt to silence objective reporting for VOA, noting that the manipulation of the criminal justice system to punish journalists for freely expressed views has a chilling effect on journalists throughout the country. Similarly, in the last week, Alhurra’s journalists covering Egypt’s recent elections face formal complaints made by the country’s Ministry of Information.
The BBG will continue to work in some of the most difficult and challenging environments to bring reliable news and information to those denied this fundamental human right. For more information on UN Human Rights Day visit http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/2010/. For more information about press freedom around the world, visit freedomhouse.org (http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=16.
In addition, this year World Press Freedom Day will be recognize in a series of events May 1-3, 2011 in Washington, DC. The BBG welcomed this announcement by UNESCO and the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/12/152465.htm.
13 December 2010
Sony Professional has unveiled its first European Customer Experience Centre at its offices in Basingstoke, UK. The new resource will allow visitors to gain an understanding of the latest broadcast solutions in a relaxed and comfortable setting reflecting the work Sony is doing to ensure that the customer is at the heart of its propositions. The centre boasts a state-of-the-art 3D broadcast training facility, ensuring that stereographers and camera operators are equipped with the skills required to ensure that live broadcast 3D is a success.
The Centre is equipped to demonstrate the Sony lens to living room story. The sizable training area contains 3D rigs and camera systems allowing users to learn how to capture the best 3D footage while dealing with issues such as changes in lighting, temperature and speed of action. A section of the main lounge is set up as a production gallery, enabling visitors to experience the MPE-200 multi format processor box, which is central to the production of high quality live 3D. Customers are then able to view the output of their work in the lounge area where professional 3D monitors and consumer 3D BRAVIA televisions are set up.
Aside from 3D solutions, visitors will also be able to experience a fully functional TV production gallery including the latest switchers and Sonaps system. A further demonstration area will allow customers to get to grips with the latest software offerings, including XDxchange, Media Backbone and Ensemble. As well as the static broadcast solutions, customers are able to visit the Solutions team, who are responsible for large scale broadcast transformation projects as well as the design, fitting out and testing of Outside Broadcast trucks.
David Bush, Director of Marketing, Sony Professional, commented; Until now our ability to demonstrate a functional broadcast workflow to customers has been restricted due to the space and equipment requirements. This new Experience Centre will change that, allowing us to work with our customers to understand the issues which they face and working collaboratively to solve them.
Bush, went further; We know from the Sony 3D Technology Centre in Culver City, USA, that customers are appreciative of being able to experience equipment and improve their skills in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. We hope that our European customers will gain the same benefits, from this, our first Customer Experience Centre in Europe.
An exciting extension to this Centre is the upgrade taking place in the current Studio+ facility. This area is being transformed into a fully fitted cinema complete with 2K, 4K and 3D projectors. This project is due for completion in January 2011 and will complete the Sony Professional Customer Experience Centre.
Source: Sony press release
13 December 2010
IBM Deutschland GmbH (IBM) and S4M – Solutions for Media GmbH, a subsidiary of arvato systems and RTL Television, want to tighten cooperation on an international level. The partners are planning joint sales and marketing activities to bring in their long business experience.
With this collaboration IBM and S4M want to harness both companies’ strengths regarding hardware, software and services and offer integrated solutions for national and international media focused customers. Furthermore both companies want to cooperate to be compatible for the Framework for interoperable Media Services initiated by AMWA (Advanced Media Workflow Association) and EBU (European Broadcast Union).
Customers benefit from synergies in consulting and service as well as from optimizing the joint IBM/S4M technical solution portfolio such as server and storage components as well as software modules. Furthermore all offered solutions will be an integral element of the IBM Media Enterprise Framework (MEF).
By including S4Ms products into the IBM Media Enterprise Framework we are creating integrated solutions for tomorrows complex media business. These solutions can easily be configured and expanded to adapt to new challenges, says Thomas Ross, Manager Media Industry, IBM Global Business Services. “Customers will benefit from this cooperation”, says Holger Noske, VP Digital Media Management at S4M. “Within the media industry, S4Ms and IBMs products and services perfectly complement one another.”
10 December 2010
Al Jazeera English, the award-winning 24-hour global news and current affairs channel, is pleased to announce that the channel has been granted a downlinking license to broadcast in India. The decision, which was made by Indias Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, allows cable and satellite companies in India to add Al Jazeera English to their current line-up of channels.
The announcement from the Indian Government follows a formal application process by Al Jazeera English, which was initiated in 2006. Cable and satellite platforms will now be able to begin distributing the channel immediately, and Al Jazeera has already received indication from a number of providers that they will air the channel.
This is an exciting breakthrough that has been in the works for several years, and we are extremely pleased that Al Jazeera Englishs groundbreaking news and programming will soon be available in India, said Al Anstey, Managing Director of Al Jazeera English. We know there is a great demand for our award-winning content. Through our dedicated resources in India, Al Jazeera is already presenting important stories from India to our global audience in more than 100 countries. We are delighted that we now have the opportunity to present viewers in India with Al Jazeera Englishs in-depth coverage and rich context of todays most important global events.
Al Jazeera English currently has a bureau in New Delhi which has covered major stories of international significance including The Mumbai Siege, The General Elections, The Commonwealth Games, the impact of the global Recession on India, and President Barack Obamas visit to India. Additionally, Al Jazeeras reporting from India follows the Networks goals of presenting important stories that are too often overlooked by other mainstream media outlets.
Anmol Saxena, Al Jazeera Englishs Bureau Chief in New Delhi stated that With Indias increasing engagement in world affairs and strong interest in international events, we are certain that Al Jazeera English will have a substantial following throughout the country. Diana Hosker, Head of Distribution for the region added: We look forward to working closely with distribution platforms to bring the channel to India soon as possible. With the prospect of reaching an estimated 115 million households in India, this important market will be significant as we continue to expand our global reach.
Since launching in 2006, Al Jazeera English has become a world leader in the coverage of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. With more than 65 news bureaus around the world, the majority of which are located in the Southern hemisphere, the channels aim is to provide independent and impartial news for a global audience.
Al Jazeera English has more than 1000 employees worldwide, representing more than 50 nationalities. The channel is currently available in more than 100 countries, reaching more than 220 million households around the world, a number that will continue to grow as the channel expands throughout India.
10 December 2010
The Associated Press, the worlds leading source for news and information, announced today a new major agreement to market Los Angeles-based agency CelebrityFootages video archive. The deal is part of APs strategy to build the worlds leading entertainment stock footage offering.
Under the terms of the agreement, AP Archive, the APs footage sales division, will distribute CelebrityFootages video to the APs global customer base. The videos will be sold alongside videos by the AP and its content partners. The CelebrityFootage archive dates back two decades and is refreshed with new footage every day. The entire collection has been added to the AP Archive website where it can be searched and viewed alongside all of APs existing entertainment video. AP currently produces four daily entertainment video news feeds and its own entertainment news archive comprises approximately 100,000 videos.
AP is committed to expanding content and coverage to meet the changing needs of our customers. We are firmly in the age of the celebrity and entertainment content accounts for a rapidly growing proportion of our total sales, Alwyn Lindsey, APs director of international archives, said. By adding the CelebrityFootage collection to our own entertainment content, we have created the definitive one-stop-shop for celebrity-based video and I dont believe that any other supplier can claim to be close to the depth and breadth that we now offer.
The CelebrityFootage collection represents a comprehensive video archive of Hollywood stars and international celebrities for the past two decades.
Michael Goldberg, CEO of CelebrityFootage, said, Were really excited to be working with AP and our video adds a new dimension to their already impressive portfolio. APs global distribution network exposes our footage to a vast international audience.
The content partnership with CelebrityFootage is the latest in a growing number of significant partnerships with broadcast and media organisations that AP Archive now represents, including Democratic Voice of Burma, ABC News, Chinese Central Television, Vatican Television and WWF, the conservation organisation.
6 December 2010
Journalists across the Democratic Republic of Congo are learning about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in a series of eight workshops organized by the Voice of America.
We are very happy with the VOA initiative and its contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS, said Dr. Aime Mboyo, coordinator of the national HIV/AIDS program in DRC.
The workshops, organized by Ferdinand Ferella of VOAs French-to-Africa Service, include a mix of information about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in DRC, along with practical information about covering health issues such as HIV/AIDS. The VOA workshops are supported by the U.S. Department of State through its embassy in Kinshasa.
Dr. Mboyo said, We are already seeing the first results. Participants in the Kinshasa and Lubumbashi workshops have decided to set up a network to stay in touch and exchange information. The role of the media is crucial, particularly community radio because 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas, she said.
The workshops also drew praise from participants, such as Zacharie Lunda of Radio Parec in Mulongo. I live in a remote town in Katanga, Lunda said, I was very touched to be invited to the Lubumbashi workshop, just the idea that someone out there cares for me.
The workshops began in Kinshasa, in late November, and more are scheduled for Goma, Dec. 7-8, Bukavu, Dec. 10-11, and Kisangani, Dec. 14-15. Early next year, VOA will also organize programs in Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga and Matadi.
The U.N. estimates between 400,000 and 500,000 in DRC are living with HIV/AIDS. There was a1.3 percent prevalence among adults at the end of 2007, and recent studies suggest the prevalence may be increasing. More than 40,000 children are born with HIV/AIDS each year.
