2 December 2009
Verizon is delivering more international content to its FiOS TV subscribers with the launch of three new channels from World TV that feature Korean, Mandarin and Greek programming. With the additions, FiOS TV subscribers now have access to 35 international channels covering 21 languages a collection that cable cant match. The three new channels will be available in all FiOS TV markets by the end of the week.
International programming on FiOS TV offers a world of diverse channels in a growing variety of languages, said Terry Denson, vice president of content strategy and acquisition for Verizon. We are introducing our first Greek channel, along with new Korean and Mandarin channels, and delivering an expanding international offering with the amazing picture-and-sound quality that only FiOS delivers.
Verizon FiOS TVs new international programming consists of:
YTN (channel 1761), the CNN news channel of Korea, which joins a new Korean package that also includes MBC (channel 1760) for $24.99 per month.
Phoenix North America (channel 1797), a Mandarin channel offering news and entertainment, including programs like Phoenix North America News and Experience America; the channel joins CCTV4 (channel 1795) and CTI (channel 1796) in a new Chinese Mandarin package for $15.99 per month.
Antenna (channel 1789), FiOS TVs first Greek channel, featuring comedies, dramas, news, current affairs programs, game shows, entertainment programming and more for $14.99 per month.
The three new channels come from World TV, a division of content management and delivery company GlobeCast, which signed a distribution deal last year with Verizon for top-tier international channels, including Russian channel RTR Planeta, Romanian channels Pro TV and RSC1, Portuguese channel RTPi, and more.
Verizon is currently offering new customers who subscribe to Verizons better or best bundled package of FiOS TV, FiOS Internet and phone service the option to add one International TV package free of charge for three months.* Customers can select a package in any one of the following languages: Chinese, Filipino, German, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish or Vietnamese. Total savings on the International TV package, if selected, range from $29.97 to $104.97, depending on the bundled packages selected.
FiOS TV offers a broad collection of programming, with more than 500 all-digital channels including more than 126 HD channels and more than 18,000 monthly VOD titles. FiOS provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide; news, entertainment and social TV widgets; remote DVR management; multi-room DVR; and more.
2 December 2009
The Associated Press will join 10 other news agencies to create a single Facebook page to interact with news consumers across the globe during the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen.
The Facebook fan page, called The Climate Pool, will bring the news agencies together in an unprecedented collaboration to spark a global conversation about climate issues. The purpose of the Facebook hub (http://www.facebook.com/TheClimatePool ) will be to engage readers in direct communication with the world-class journalists covering the U.N. conference 7 18 December 2009.
Participating in addition to AP are Agence France-Presse, ANP of the Netherlands, APA of Austria, APcom of Italy, Canadian Press, dpa of Germany, Kyodo of Japan, Lusa of Portugal, Press Association of the United Kingdom and RIA of Russia.
The climate project is based on a model for interactivity AP has used to solicit feedback and questions from the public during a major news event. The model features a blog format, which is used to give readers a behind-the-scenes view of the event and to link out to important coverage across the Web. Twitter also is used to attract followers for the blog and related coverage.
Following the AP’s experience with the model during last summer’s Senate confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, several agencies from around the world came together to design a similar project for Copenhagen under the auspices of MINDS International, a global news agency network.
“The climate summit in Copenhagen will affect the lives of billions of people, and it is likely to grip the attention of news consumers all over the world,” said Wolfgang Nedomansky, managing director of MINDS. “The Climate Pool will provide a unique outlet for Internet users to discuss climate change with some of the world’s most experienced journalists covering the conference.”
“This format created a great deal of excitement around the Sotomayor hearings, and we’re excited to share the experience this time with our global news agency colleagues,” said Jim Kennedy, vice president and director of strategic planning for the AP. “We are looking forward to engaging in a truly worldwide conversation.”
The Climate Pool page will be produced in English and will incorporate blogposts and multimedia content from the participating agencies, along with links to coverage of the talks from the agencies and the media outlets they serve around the world.
The AP has also launched a Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/AP_climatepool) to solicit followers interested in commenting on the talks or posing questions for the expert journalists covering the conference and climate issues.
23 November 2009
The International News Safety Institute on Monday expressed horror over the massacre of at least 36 people, including more than 12 journalists, in the Philippines. It was the blackest day in the history of journalism in the Philippines, already one of the deadliest nations on earth for the news media.
Gunmen abducted and killed the group of people in Maguindanao province in the southern Philippines on Monday, apparently to prevent a woman filing her husband’s nomination to run for provincial governor in elections next year, according to the military. Some of the victims were beheaded and bodies mutilated, local officials said.
“This is a horrific event for all in the world news community, but it goes beyond an attack on journalism and press freedom — it is an appalling assault on democracy itself,” said INSI Director Rodney Pinder. “INSI sends its heartfelt condolences to friends and colleagues in the Philippines news community and to the families of all the other victims.”
Reuters reported the dead included Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, who was on the way to file the nomination of her husband to contest the governorship of Maguindanao province against Datu Andal Ampatuan, the head of a powerful local family. She was accompanied by several members of her family and local journalists. The convoy was ambushed at about 10.30 AM. by about 100 armed men, some reportedly in police uniform, who took everyone off to a remote location where the killings took place. According to some reports most were shot, but some were run over by vehicles.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said the victims included at least 12 journalists covering the political development.
According to a global survey of news media casualties carried out by INSI between 1996 and 2008, the Philippines ranked 4th worst in the world with 76 dead, after Iraq, Russia and Colombia.
At least four journalists had been killed this year alone, before today’s mass murder.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo condemned the latest violence and ordered the police to hunt down the killers.
INSI is a non-governmental organisation devoted to the safety of journalists and other news media in dangerous situations around the world.
Any questions on this news release should be address to Rodney Pinder, email rodney.pinder@newssafety.org or tel: +44 7734 709267
18 November 2009
The Association for International Broadcasting announced the winners of its annual global media excellence awards at a gala event in London on 4 November 2009. The AIBs recognise creativity and innovation in global broadcasting across TV, radio, cross-media, marketing and technology.
The AIBs are unique in broadcasting because of their independence from commercial interests – an independent panel of judges consisting of respected professionals from the broadcasting and wider industries selected the winners among more than 200 entries initially submitted from 26 countries as diverse as Argentina, France, India, UAE, USA, to name but a few.
Categories covered by the AIBs include separate awards for radio and television, in current affairs, coverage of a single news event, creative features, and personality of the year, as well as awards for innovation in marketing, use of technology and cross-media productions.
The Awards event was sponsored by Bloomberg TV and hosted by Bloomberg anchor Francine Lacqua and attended by senior executives, producers and journalists from media organisations around the world.
The AIB International Media Excellence Award winners were:
Clearest coverage of a single news event television
Winner
BBC Persian TV (UK) for The elections that shook Iran
—“a young channel mastering a huge challenge given the reporting restrictions and the vilification of the channel by the Iranian press”—
Highly commended
TV2 (Norway) for Children of Gaza
—“painful and touching”—
VRT (Belgium) for Villa Politica
—” mesmerising political drama unfolding on your screen”—
Clearest coverage of a single news event radio
Winner
RFE/RL (Czech Republic) for Special coverage of the Azeri referendum
—“facing some tough hurdles in trying to reach into countries where the press is not as free as it should be”—
Highly commended
Voice of America for Coverage of the war in Sri Lanka
—“reporting that’s thoroughly useful to audiences, and
creates a deeper insight into the conflict”—
Most creative specialist genre – television
Winner
Pyramedia (UAE) for The Prince of Poets
—“astounding”— —“fantastic”—
Highly commended
Luxe TV (Luxembourg) for Lifestyle
—“stylish presentation”—
VTV (Ghana) for Make me a success enterprise challenge
—“entertainment cleverly combined with education”
Most creative specialist genre – radio
Winner
Deutsche Welle (Germany) for Family affairs how to become a political player
—“true creativity”—
Highly commended
Voice of Nigeria (Nigeria) for Kiddies’ voices Africa fit for the child
—“passionate, unique and engaging, with creative use of poetry and dialogue”—
BBC World Service (UK) for The trouble with money
—“highly informative and strong editing helps to convey complex issues”—
Best creative feature – television
Winner
Rockhopper TV (UK) for Love in a time of HIV I love NY
—“sensitive treatment of a difficult subject”—
Highly commended
CBC Radio-Canada (Canada) for Sunday with Darwin
—“informative dramatisation with excellent editing”—
Deutsche Welle TV (Germany) for Walled in Germany’s inner borders
—“excellent animation”—
Best creative feature – radio
Winner
Tinderbox Productions (UK) for The counterfeiter’s tale
—“an astonishing story – one that needs to be told”—
Highly commended
Deutsche Welle (Germany) for On skis to the North Pole
—“great use of sound to tell an incredible journey”—
Radio Netherlands Worldwide (Netherlands) for The face of forgiveness
—“great story about redemption”—
Most innovative technology – sponsored by Bloomberg TV
Winner
France 24 (France) for World pioneer on the iPhone
—“brilliant use of a particular technology to expand the channel’s audience”—
Highly commended
E4 (UK) for Skins Messenger
—“brilliant and innovative support for the programme”—
NDTV (India) for Yoda Multi-production in a laptop
—“highly adaptable to others in the industry”—
Best mobile or cross-media production
Winner
RTHK (Hong Kong) for Deconstructing Hong Kong
—“captivating story-telling that genuinely uses multiple media platforms
in their best functions”—
Highly commended
BBC World Service Trust (UK) for Condom Condom
—“a naturally seamless production”—
Most creative marketing strategy
Winner
ABC Radio Australia (Australia) for Pacific break
—“an original campaign that delivered a small idea on a very big scale
across a huge region of the world with a compelling final destination”—
Highly commended
BBC (UK) for India election train
—“energetic and engaging campaign”—
Channel 4 (UK) for E4
—“brilliantly executed campaign”—
Best current affairs documentary – television
Winners
CBC Radio-Canada (Canada) for Baby boomers take on Mount Mera
—“simply inspiring”—
Channel 4 (UK) for Dispatches Pakistan’s Taliban generation
—“powerful, risky and passionate”—
Highly commended
Arte (France) for Tibetan el Dorado
—“visually stunning, a great story about herbal medicines”—
United Nations for 21st century Central African Republic: the forgotten crisis
—“an extremely engaging production”—
Channel 4 (UK) for Dispatches Orphans of the Burma cyclone
—“a risky undertaking and very moving”—
Best current affairs documentary – radio
Winner
Tinderbox Productions (UK) for Children of God
—“a fascinating and frightening documentary about young preachers
that engages the listener from the outset”—
Highly commended
ABC (Australia) for Losing Erin
—“a well-produced insight into a much misunderstood area of mental illness”—
BBC (UK) for Lost voices of Tiananmen
—” giving a deeper understanding of events in China 20 years ago”—
Best historical documentary – television
Winner
WDR (Germany) for Tiananmen
—“informative and compelling production”—
Best investigative documentary – television
Winner
BBC World News (UK) for Korea, out of the North
—“compelling account of unfolding human tragedy”—
Highly commended
Hessischer Rundfunk (Germany) for The child, the death and the truth
—“well-crafted and well thought out opens the debate
on one of the searing images of our time”—
RTE (Ireland) for Prime time investigates: Travellers on the edge
—“fascinating account of a culture rarely highlighted”—
Best investigative documentary – radio
Winner
Ruth Evans Productions (UK) for The new scramble for Africa
— “reminding listeners how the political and economic landscape
in Africa is changing”—
Highly commended
Radio Romania (Romania) for The poisonous water
—“a well-produced, ‘old school’ documentary”—
International TV personality of the year
Winner
Zeinab Badawi BBC World News (UK)
—“a clear winner”—
AIB Editors Awards
Al Jazeera Childrens Channel (Qatar) JCC, the first Pan-Arab ‘edutainment’ channel for 7 to 15 year olds received the AIB Editors Award in recognition of the channel’s innovative and inspirational approach to providing fun education television to a region of the world where children are underserved.
VRT News (Belgium) VRT News has offered its viewers ground-breaking coverage of elections in Belgium. During the 2009 election coverage, barriers between presenters, politicians and voters were torn down, thanks to innovative and engaging presentation. For this reason, AIB decided that one of its prestigious and exclusive Editors’ Awards should go to the VRT News team.
The judges for the AIBs 2009 have a vast range of experience in different aspects of broadcasting and are drawn from all over the world. The full list is: Amir Jahangir, CEO, SAMAA TV, Pakistan; Danforth Austin, Director, Voice of America and Acting Director, International Broadcasting Bureau, US; Michael Joseph, CEO, Safaricom, Kenya; Billy Wright, Global Head Media & Games Partnerships, Nokia, UK; Hanh Tran, Chief Executive, Radio Australia, Australia; Nahida Nakad, Deputy Director, Arabic Service, France 24, France; Darby Sanchez, CEO, Globecast Asia, Singapore; Matteo Berlucchi, CEO, Livestation, UK; Alla Salehian, Director, Global Media Services Associated Press Television, UK; Torsti Tenhunen, CEO, Hasan & Partners Oy, Finland; Dirk Beusch, Senior Project Manager, Deutsche Welle TV, Germany; Dr Nabil Khatib, Executive Editor, Alarabiya News Channel, UAE; Natasha Elkington, AlertNet Correspondent/Humanitarian Crisis Reporter & Online Editor, Thomson Reuters, London; Russell Grute, Director of Marketing, Pharos, UK; Marcus Metzner, Head of Marketing & Communications, S4M, Germany; William Bird, Director, Media Monitoring Africa, South Africa; Corne Bouman, Managing Director, ProSkope, The Netherlands; Lem van Eupen, Head of Strategy, Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, The Netherlands; Julian Clover, Editorial Director, Broadband TV News, UK; Samuel Attah-Mensah, General Manager, CitiFM, Ghana; Simon Spanswick, CEO, AIB, UK.
