31 May 2005
SW Radio Africa, a radio station based in the UK targeting listeners in Zimbabwe, has said that its last short wave transmission would be Tuesday 31 May 2005.
The station – operated by a number of expatriate Zimbabweans – has been subject to extensive jamming, seemingly carried out by the Zimbabwe government. This forced the station to broadcast on multiple frequencies. While this was successful and SW Radio Africa’s listeners have been able to clearly receive the station, it has proved financially unsustainable. The station simply could not afford the extra sums needed to pay for multiple short wave transmissions.
From 1 June 2005 SW Radio Africa will be carried on medium wave for two hours in the early morning
(05000700 Zimbabwe time) and 24 hours a day on the website www.swradioafrica.com.
The station reports that its medium wave signal does not cover the whole of Zimbabwe and many listeners will no longer be able to hear the channel which carries uncensored news from across Zimbabwe.
The station manager, Gerry Jackson, commented: “A free media is the cornerstone of any democracy and we will do our very best to ensure that we continue to provide a voice for Zimbabweans, as we struggle along this difficult road to freedom together.
“A luta continua (the struggle continues) was the slogan of African liberation movements. Sadly its a slogan that is still applicable to Zimbabwe.”
31 May 2005
The AIB has submitted its response to the UK government’s Green Paper which is part of the review of the next BBC Royal Charter, due to start in 2007.
The AIB response, which has been forwarded to the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport, carries the views of the Association’s members in regard to the future of the BBC, with particular emphasis on the BBC’s international operations.
“Part of the AIB’s role is to ensure that the voices of its members are heard by governments and regulators around the world,” commented Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive. “We monitor media regulators and potential media legislation in many of the countries that AIB members operate in, and this includes the United Kingdom. The AIB makes sure that its members’ views are heard by legislators, regulators and politicians throughout the world.”
Download a copy of the AIB response by clicking on the link below.
25 May 2005
The AIB has announced that it will postpone the fourth annual AIB Global Media Business Conference, scheduled for 6 and 7 June in Montreal, Canada.
“We have taken this decision with extreme regret,” said Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive. “In spite of an extremely strong agenda with excellent speakers from all over the world combined with the fantastic facilities offered by the CBC, the conference has not attracted sufficient delegates to provide the range of discussion, debate and networking that weve enjoyed at AIB conferences over the past three years.
“As a not-for-profit industry association, the AIB has to ensure that all its activities support and provide value for money to members,” continued Spanswick. “The risks of running a conference that is not fully attended are too great and that is why we decided, in conjunction with AIB member and conference host Radio Canada International, to postpone the 2005 conference.”
The AIB International Broadcasting Awards due to be presented at a gala evening at the headquarters of the Cirque du Soleil will now be rescheduled in a few weeks time.
Meanwhile, the work of the AIB on behalf of its members continues, providing market intelligence, lobbying, representation and marketing support. For example, the AIB is currently working on its response to the UK governments Green Paper on the BBCs Charter Review, incorporating the views of its global membership in a document that will be submitted to the UKs Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 30 May.
21 May 2005
Five Institutional and three new Affiliate members were approved for admission to the ABU by the Administrative Council at its half-yearly meeting in Islamabad.
The Institutional members are the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Prix Jeunesse, the World DAB Forum, the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium and the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB).
These are the first Institutional members to be admitted to the ABU following the approval of changes to the ABU Statutes by the Almaty General Assembly last year.
The Institutional membership category is designed for organisations with which the ABU seeks closer relationships through reciprocal membership arrangements. Admission is by the invitation of the Administrative Council.
The three new Affiliate memberships approved were National Geographic Venture, USA; Multi Carrier (Mauritius) Ltd; and Network 1 Pvt Ltd, India.
The Administrative Council also agreed to have the applications from four broadcasters for Additional Full and Associate membership submitted to the Full members for balloting.
The ABU now has 148 members in 55 countries and special administrative regions.
The 78th Administrative Council meeting was hosted by PTV Pakistan. The Council accepted an invitation from Radio Television Maldives to hold next years half-yearly meeting in the Maldives.
21 May 2005
Harris Corporation announced that Siemens Business Services has purchased its NetVX high-speed integrated video transport networking system for BBC News following a successful test during coverage of the U.S. presidential election.
Towards the end of last year BBC News was in the process of digitizing its Washington Bureau so the election became the ideal event to test the capabilities of NetVX. Within two days NetVX was installed to enable the BBC to use parallel networks for contributions to and from Washington. Among other benefits, NetVX makes it easy to switch from one type of network to another – the easiest and most cost-effective technology available to do this today.
NetVX provides an infinitely flexible platform that can handle multiple packet-based architectures such as ATM and IP over multiple networks such as microwave and satellite, and provide the same, and often greater, level of functionality than would previously be found in a myriad of individual hardwired components. Further, NetVX can scale to meet the BBC’s future requirements. With NetVX, analogue or digital video, audio, and/or data can be transported over any combination of networks simultaneously. NetVX systems can support various contribution and/or distribution applications including point-to-point or point-to-multipoint, local or centralized, unidirectional or bi-directional.
Siemens Business Services has a 10-year partnership with the BBC to deliver technology services to the BBC; where relevant, the company works with third parties – such as Harris – to deliver specific services.
“The BBC is recognized as one of the most trusted sources for news worldwide,” said Jim Denny, vice president and general manager of Harris Broadcast Communications Division’s Networking and Government Solutions business unit. “We are pleased to be able to provide an integrated platform that helps to ensure the reliability of their broadcasts.”
21 May 2005
Strong demand for HD programming helped PanAmSat return to profit in Q1. The results are the first since the US satellite operators IPO in March.
The company, which provides links for broadcasters, news organisations and telecoms groups, reported earnings of $1.1 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $31.9 million. Revenues increased by 1.6 per cent to $208.8 million from $205.4 million, led by the companys fixed satellite services segment. For the year, PanAmSat forecast an increase in revenues of 3 per cent on earnings up 4 per cent.
