22 October 2010
After TeleBiel and TeleZüri, TeleBärn is the third Swiss TV station to choose NorCom’s NCPower product, NorCom AG and its partner Jordi AG Communication have announced.
NCPower has been chosen since it comprises the whole journalistic workflow in one system and can be integrated in an ideal way. These advantages allow journalists to produce with utmost flexibility, better and faster. In addition, NCPower uses modern standards and therefore reduces management expenditure for the system.
TeleBärn is part of Espace Media Gruppe which belongs to Tamedia AG. The portfolio of Tamedia AG also contains the TV station TeleZüri that already works with NCPower.
“Orders based on recommendations are the best compliment, says Dr. Tobias Abthoff, CEO of NorCom AG. The mandate of the third Swiss TV station shows that we are well-reputed in Switzerland together with our partner Jordi AG. It is also proof that NCPower delivers what it promises: measurable enhancement of efficiency, a smooth journalistic workflow and lean structures.
21 October 2010
Voice of America’s dynamic and cost-free English language teaching program for Chinese and Farsi speakers, goEnglish.me, is now even easier to use with the introduction of new mobile phone apps.
The apps provide on-the-go access to VOA’s interactive, online learning program, a fun and effective way to learn contemporary English.
VOA Director Danforth W. Austin says, “For years people around the world have been improving their English by listening to the Special English programs of the Voice of America. These new mobile phone apps expand on that, teaching English in a convenient, user-friendly way for anyone with a mobile phone.”
The goEnglish apps are available for both iPhone and Droid devices.
By accessing the self-study program, a user can learn how Americans talk about everyday aspects of their lives, ranging from relationships to shopping to filling out a job application.
The interactive Chinese and Farsi language editions, which are also available online at www.goEnglish.me, cater to English learners of all abilities. The beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons offer access to the latest learning techniques, including voice recognition software, virtual characters and video clips. There are also games and dialogues that guide users through day-to-day situations, and help them practice newly-learned skills.
21 October 2010
Discover Science (Physiakawn), an innovative science magazine co-produced by Al Jazeera Childrens Channel (JCC) and Japans NHK/NED, won the best prize in the category of TV youth program at the ABU Prizes closing ceremony held in Tokyo on 19 October 2010.
Discover Science consists of 26×14-minute episodes that help children better understand scientific theories by seeing them in action through spectacular and entertaining mega experiments.
Discover Science was shortlisted alongside 4 other programs from Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands and Germany; the co-production was awarded the ABU prize for the best series targeting children and youth in the TV youth category for its professional use of advanced techniques in implementing scientific experiments. This category was created to recognize outstanding entertaining and educational TV programs aiming at an audience aged 12-17 years old.
JCC and NHK are currently promoting Discover Science worldwide. This unique project has already attracted international co-producers and broadcasters such as the German broadcaster SWR, UR from Sweden, EBS from Korea, and others, and will be available in the Arab World next year. Since its launch three months ago, Discover Sciences revenues have exceeded 300 thousands US dollars; JCC and NHK share these revenues.
Mahmoud Bouneb, Executive General Manager at Al Jazeera Childrens Channel, and Malika Alouane, Director of Channels Programming, attended the ABU closing ceremony while in Japan to discuss with NHK the production of a second season of Discover Science and other quality programs related to science, technology and environment. The two parties are planning to sign a 5-year-agreement that will enable them to produce these programs using the highest technical and visual standards in collaboration with prestigious international scientific institutions.
19 October 2010
The Associated Press is to oversee the creation of an organisation to help newspapers and broadcasters generate funds as more and more people get their news from mobile phones and other wireless devices.
The ambitious project announced yesterday by APs CEO, Tom Curley, at a newspaper convention in the States, indicates that AP the worlds oldest and largest news cooperative – intends to play a leading role in tackling the problems experienced by long-established media organisations that have been unable to capitalise on the Internet.
The project will see the creation of a digital rights clearinghouse which will help the news media protect their content and generate more revenue as fast-developing technology hatches new channels for distributing the news they produce.
At the same time, for its member news organisations, AP is also expanding development of apps and content modules for the growing array of handheld devices, from mobile phones to tablets like the iPad, helping newspapers and broadcasters tap into the digital explosion.
“We’ve stood by while others invent creative, new uses for our news and reap most of the benefit,” Curley said yesterday in a speech before the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association in Austin, Texas USA (18th October). “The digital marketplace is on the cusp of an even bigger phase of growth on new platforms and devices
We have arrived at a moment of significant opportunity,” he added.
Under the rights clearinghouse plan, AP together with other news organisations would establish an independent entity which would provide rights clearance and privacy tools, a variety of ways to license content from publishers, and media intelligence services that would give insights to businesses about consumption of news content.
The clearinghouse uses AP News Registry a tagging system developed by AP which allows participants to tag, track and measure use of their content online. As well as detecting unauthorised use of content, the registry’s tagging system can provide useful information about who is viewing specific content or the frequency with which specific information is mentioned.
The clearinghouse could be in operation by the end of 2010. As yet no chief exec has been appointed.
More than 70 AP member newspapers and broadcasters have already gone live with private smart-phone apps developed by AP, in conjunction with Verve Wireless, Inc. AP also is working on private label iPad applications. Both leverage APs own award-winning AP Mobile platform, providing a complete content publishing and advertising system with no upfront development expense. AP is the only news organisation providing white label apps that leverage a common content management system for all brands of devices.
19 October 2010
Wednesday October 27th, 2010 at 19:30 CET, euronews launches in Persian, broadcasting 24/7, (www.euronews.net website will launch it on Wednesday October 20th, 2010 at 19:30 CET).
euronews will now be transmitted in 10 different versions. With this new addition of the Persian service, 3 milliard people will now be able to understand euronews. This is equivalent to 44% of the worlds population.
A week ahead of the official TV launch, Persian euronews will be available on the internet site: www.euronews.net on October 20th, 2010 at 19:30 CET (21:00 Tehran).
This launch follows euronews successful bid for a competitive call for tender from the European Union on December 21st, 2009, in Brussels. The channel and the European Commission signed a service agreement to extend the channels programming to include Persian.
Persian is spoken by 126.5 million people in the world. It is an official language in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan but it is also commonly spoken in Bahrain, Uzbekistan and other regions of the world.
The addition of this 10th version represents a very important step for euronews on its multilingual strategy — A strategy that has proven successful in term of audience in Europe, Middle East and Africa, with the channel developing in all areas.
With the Persian language as part of its repertoire, euronews will increase its audience in central and western Asia. The channel can now offer its unique brand of news and information, in all its forms, to a whole new audience. It will also offer the Persian diaspora in Europe, the Middle East and the greater Mediterranean area, a deeper insight to European affairs.
Along with Turkish and Arabic, Persian allows euronews to be broadcast in the three major languages of North Africa and Middle East. It also enhances euronews reputation as a platform for intercultural dialogue in Europe and the Mediterranean.
To accomplish this mission, euronews has recruited 17 Persian speaking journalists who have been integrated into our broadcast operations in our Lyon headquarters over the past few months. During this period the newcomers have been acclimatizing to euronews systems of production and editorial values, and getting used to working with the nine language teams (Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish).
From its launch, Persian euronews will be immediately available on five satellites from its distribution network. It will also be commercialized on covered distribution zones: Europe, Mediterranean, Middle East, and Asia. Satellites: Eutelsat, Hot Bird 6, Arabsat Bad-4, Nilesat 101, Asiasat 5 and Eurobird 1 (which will be launched at the end of 2010). This presence will allow 71 million homes to follow euronews.
13 October 2010
A24 Media, Africa’s first online content generator and sales platform, has announced another formidable partnership with the African Press Organization (APO). Through this partnership A24 will distribute APOs wire service via its portal, http://www.a24media.com .
Through the agreement with the multi-lingual wire service, news releases issued by governments, political organizations, NGOs and United Nations duty stations across Africa concerning the continent’s political, legal and social events will be made available to the hundreds of thousand members of A24medias online community.
This latest partnership reinforces our desire to continue providing current information both from the government and private stakeholders within the continent to our growing audience, said Asif Sheikh, A24 Medias Chief Executive Officer.
“As a global leader in media relations services related to Africa, the African Press Organization is constantly exploring opportunities that provide quick access to current news releases from the African’s most important institutions and companies,” says Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, APO’s Franco-Gabonese General Secretary.
“Aligning with A24 Media, further cements our position as the global leader in distribution of Africa related press releases,” he added.
About APO
The African Press Organization provides free services to African journalists, innovative communications products to public authorities, companies, and supports many African and international institutions in their strategic communications.
African Union Make Peace Happen 2010 Initiative
Meanwhile A24media has also partnered with Africa Union in a venture titled as Make Peace Happen 2010. Under this initiative, top African personalities such as former and incumbent presidents and business leaders express their opinions on a vision of a continent free of conflict and the resultant benefits.
The partnership with A24 Media is in line with the companys bold vision to provide an authentic voice to Africas people and help in consolidating a brighter future for the millions of inhabitants in the continent.
