15 February 2005
Harris Corporation has announced the agenda for a two-day DRM Symposium March 1-2 at the Marriott Hotel in Bucharest, Romania. The event is designed to inform and educate radio broadcasters from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East on how they can prepare for a digital future with DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) technology, and will focus on Romania’s countrywide upgrade and expansion of its national broadcast infrastructure. Representatives from Harris and S.N. Radiocomunicatii S.A., Romania’s state-owned broadcast organization, will provide insight into the strategies behind the modernization program that is establishing 100 percent radio and television coverage throughout the country.
Day one of the symposium will begin with introductory comments from John Hall, manager of Radio Programs and High-Power Products for Harris Broadcast Communications Division’s Radio Broadcast Systems business, and a keynote speech from Gabriel Grecu, president of S.N. Radiocomunicatii. Mr. Grecu will discuss the advantages of upgrading the entire country’s broadcast infrastructure in two years, as well as his vision for a digital future in radio and television. Several presentations on DRM will follow, culminating with a DRM demonstration at a nearby 400 kW high-power AM transmitter site, the Tancabesti High-Power Radio station. Once at the site, Harris engineers will install a DRM exciter package inside the transmitter. The DRM exciter package will feature a content server for transmission of a multiplexed, bandwidth-efficient audio/data stream and a modulator to drive the digitally prepared signal to a DRM-ready receiver. Attendees will be able to listen to the results.
Day two will focus on Romania’s overall modernization program and cover all aspects from finance to technology and installation. Broadcasters from countries still relying on tube transmitters will learn how Harris’ television, radio, microwave and networking divisions worked together to provide a cost-effective, turnkey system that brought Romania ‘s antiquated system up to date with the solid-state analog technology favored throughout Western Europe. Discussions also will point to how Romania is now fully prepared for a digital future. Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Israel, Syria, Nigeria, Algeria, Turkey, Poland and the Ukraine are among the many countries expected to be represented during this conference.
“Now that we’ve established 100 percent national radio coverage, we feel it’s important to get the message out to our broadcasting peers faced with the same challenges that we’ve successfully addressed,” said Mr. Grecu. “Not only have we boosted our signal quality and coverage areas, but we were able to complete the installation in a span of two short years. It’s clear that our plan to upgrade the entire infrastructure at once was correct. It provides a clear return on investment and establishes a digital-ready infrastructure featuring the best in today’s solid-state analog technology.”
“The fact that Romania was able to boost its national coverage from 70 to 100 percent in a two-year period is impressive,” said Mr. Hall. “The overall goal of the DRM Symposium is to educate broadcasters on developing digital formats and inform attendees who are still relying on outdated technology that now is the time to upgrade. As Western Europe and other countries migrate to digital technology in the coming years, it’s important that others follow Romania’s lead and reap the immediate, significant benefits of solid-state analog technology and its seamless, cost-effective upgrade path.”
Between presentations and roundtable discussions, broadcasters will be able to observe a continuous demonstration of DRM and DAB receivers with live audio in the Marriott lobby. A separate DAB transmitter demonstration and related DAB discussions also will be on the Wednesday schedule for attendees interested in learning more about this growing digital format.
15 February 2005
Leading satellite services company GlobeCast, announced on 11 February the addition of Bosnian channel BN TV to its GlobeCast WorldTV Direct-to-Home satellite television platform the leading source of international television and radio in the United States. BN TV is the first Bosnian channel to debut on the service and is a key addition to the diverse European bouquet of worldwide programming on GlobeCast WorldTV. This coverage comes in addition to BN TVs existing availability in Australia and New Zealand on PanGlobal TV, a joint venture between GlobeCast Australia and PanAmSat. The channel now has access to a potential audience of millions of viewers across the globe.
GlobeCast – a subsidiary of France Telecom – manages proprietary Direct-to-Home satellite television platforms in Europe, America, Australia, Africa and Asia. GlobeCast WorldTV is the companys American Direct-to-Home Satellite Television Service on the Intelsat Americas 5 satellite.
GlobeCast is providing BN TV with transmission to America and Australia via satellite and fiber including uplink and space segment. The company receives BN TV via satellite at the GlobeCast Technical Operations Center in Paris. The signal is then fed via GlobeCasts proprietary ATM fiber network to the Los Angeles gateway in Culver City for conversion, encoding and turnaround to GlobeCast WorldTV on Intelsat Americas 5 for Direct-to-Home broadcast in America and to PanAmSats PAS-8 satellite for DTH broadcast on PanGlobal TV in Australia on behalf of BN TV’s distributor, TV PLUS.
Founded in 1998, BN TV is the highest rated TV channel in Republika Srpska (Bosnian Serb Republic) as well as one of Bosnia & Herzegovinas leading channels. The full time channel offers news and political programs such as PULS, STAV I KONTRASTAV, PREGLED DANA, SVET DANAS, as well as entertainment programs like NEDELJNO POPODNE, I TO SAM JA, VECE SA VAMA, SLUCAJNI PARTNERI and UZ ANK. Its primary news journal, BN MONITOR, is the highest rated news program in the country. This is a subscription-based channel, available to GlobeCast WorldTV subscribers in the U.S. for $17 per month. For further information on signing up for BN TV, call 1-888-988-5288 from the United States.
15 February 2005
Radio Netherlands announced that Joop Daalmeijer has been appointed as its new Editor-in-Chief, responsible for the programming and journalistic aspects of the organization.
Mr Daalmeijer has spent more than 30 years in Dutch broadcasting. Mr Daalmeijer says: “My heart is in journalism. For me, it’s a challenge to be in charge of the journalistic process within such an innovative organisation as Radio Netherlands, that operates internationally. Radio Netherlands reaches millions of people through radio, TV and Intenet, and adapts quickly to technical developments and changing needs.”
15 February 2005
At this years 3GSM Congress, RadioScape is providing a real-time DMB feed using its new DMB Research and Test System. This unit integrates RadioScapes previous Research and Test System, which consisted of several PCs, into a complete DMB multiplex in a single compact unit. Nick Banks, RadioScapes Digital Broadcasting Infrastructure Product Manager, commented, As the DMB Research and Test System is based directly on the technology used in RadioScapes innovative DAB/DMB Professional Broadcast Systems, this guarantees compatibility with on-air transmissions.
The System provides a cost effective means of generating DMB feeds from both pre-recorded and real time sources for the development and evaluation of DMB technology. RadioScapes unique, Software Defined Digital Radio architecture enables it to work with a variety of third party DMB encoders over both UDP/IP and ASI. The System can also be upgraded to include DAB audio and data transmission capability where mixed DAB/DMB network compatibility is required. The company has already sold well over 20 Systems into the Asia Pacific region, which is spearheading the development and deployment of DMB. The latest generation of handheld DMB receivers from LG will also be on the stand receiving these DMB broadcasts.
RadioScape is a leader in both digital radio broadcast and reception technology, said Nigel Oakley, RadioScapes VP of Infrastructure Business Development. This gives us a unique, end-to-end systems knowledge which is vital for an emerging technology such as DMB. Broadcasters are actively seeking us out as they know we can deliver robust solutions. Because we control and manage both the broadcast and reception, any modifications in broadcasting will be handled correctly at reception.
RadioScape will also be showing its range of DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) receiver modules, which are becoming the solution of choice for many manufacturers, and examples of commercially available products from leading manufacturers incorporating these modules. In addition, the company will be available to discuss its recent joint announcement with Texas Instruments about the companies commitment to developing DRM technology that will enable end user digital radios for both DAB and DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) to be created.
10 February 2005
Leading satellite services company GlobeCast announced that interactive dating channel Look4Love TV has signed up to its global distribution network. Produced by Television Concepts Limited, Look4Love TV will be available on BSkyBs platform, uplinked via Eurobird 28.5°E from GlobeCasts Brookmans Park teleport. The 24-hour service offers individuals that are looking for love the chance to appear in a short, professionally-made video profile shown on the channel. Viewers can then leave a message, either by phone or text, for those that appeal.
The distribution service includes an online content storage and broadcast system which will enable Look4Love TV to create and manage its own programming schedules remotely via a VPN from its production centre in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Content for the channel is recorded by video crews at specified locations throughout the UK. GlobeCast receives the DigiBeta master copies which they encode to MPEG2 and store on their secure server.
Once content is received and stored, Look4LoveTVs 24/7 programming schedule is automatically broadcast and uplinked to the Sky Digital platform. The television-based introductions service will be available on EPG channel 685 as well as on the internet.
Look4Love TV Director Simon Woolnough said: We chose to launch with GlobeCast for a couple of reasons; not only for their flexible, can-do attitude but also for the quality of their people. Id dealt with them when I was at the BBC and was thoroughly impressed with their service.
GlobeCast head of UK channel distribution Juliet Bayliss said: It is always exciting to be involved in the launch of a new channel such as Look4Love TV. The combination of cost-effective satellite delivery and GlobeCasts remote schedule management system means that we are well-placed to provide the support these new broadcasters need to bring their channels to air.
10 February 2005
The AIB, the industry association for international broadcasting, today announces a major awards programme for the sector.
The AIB International Broadcasting Awards are open to any organisation involved in international television and radio broadcasting, and the awards cover both programmes and technology.
“With the introduction of these awards, the AIB is recognising the work of international broadcasters around the world,” says Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive. “International television and radio broadcasters produce some remarkable content for audiences worldwide and make innovative use of technology to deliver programming on a global scale. The AIB, as the leading representative of the international broadcasting industry, is delighted to contribute to the promotion of the highest standards in global media.”
There are three categories of awards:
Category One Best radio documentary or current affairs programme for an international audience (30 or less)
Category Two Best childrens or youth TV programme for an international audience (30 or less)
Category Three Most innovative use of technology in international broadcasting
The AIB International Broadcasting Awards will be judged by the AIB’s Executive Committee, elected by the Association’s members, together with the AIB chief executive and an independent industry executive.
Complete details of how to enter are available on the AIB website at https://aib.org.uk. Entries must be received at the AIB’s London headquarters by 21 March 2005.
