27 January 2005
EICTA, the European industry organisation representing the information and communications technology and consumer electronics sectors, has published its Conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices and associated HD ready label.
The HD ready label is introduced as a quality sign for the differentiation of display equipment, capable of processing and displaying high definition signals, awarded on the basis of minimum functionality requirements detailed in the EICTA conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices.
The EICTA Conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices are the result of a concerted effort from the European high technology industry, elaborated in close dialogue with representatives from the European public and private broadcasters,
infrastructure and service providers, as well as national HDTV-related initiatives. The conditions embody a carefully sought after balance between technology and business drivers. I am pleased to announce that EICTA is taking the lead in driving the dynamic changes we are seeing in what is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most exciting and revolutionary industry sectors . Setting the Conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices marks real progress in the rollout of HDTV in Europe and demonstrates the organisations commitment to actively creating the conditions for the digital economy as well as fully embracing the challenges and benefits of innovation, says Rudy Provoost, CEO Philips Consumer Electronics, as President of EICTA and Chairman of the Executive Board.
In an early response, some of the parties that were involved in the process that led to the definition of the EICTA Conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices commented: It is critically important that the public is informed about the capabilities of home displays to provide high definition television – and that broadcasters understand what will happen to their content. The HD ready label is fully supported by Europes national broadcasters, the Members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The EICTA Conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices offers a well balanced approach which responds to viewers and broadcasters needs for certainty regarding interoperability with future HD receiver products. says Daniel Sauvet-Goichon, Chairman, EBU Technical Committee.
Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, states: The HD ready label provides consumers with the guarantee that displays from different manufacturers are genuinely future -proof and fully compliant with commonly agreed technical standards for state-of-the-art High Definition broadcasts. In combination with ASTRAs unique 24 hour HD promo channel which is available for live demonstrations on HD displays at points of sales all across Europe, it provides a powerful marketing tool to educate millions of end-consumers about the single most important technological development in broadcasting since the introduction of color TV: HDTV!
The issues addressed by the EICTA HD ready label are critical to fostering growth, guaranteeing confidence in the Consumer Electronics sector, and achieving the goals of putting Europe on the worldwide HDTV map. The EICTA Conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices offers a carefully balanced approach which preserves the incentives for European innovation in broadcasting technologies, while also responding to the consumers call for certainty and clear messaging regarding interoperability with future HD receiver products. The HD ready label should introduce consumer assurance and confidence when purchasing new display devices assumed to be ready for use with High Definition broadcasts and other HD equipment. The label is awarded within a self-certification regime.
27 January 2005
As reported on the ABU web site, Radio Taiwan International announced on 27 January that it will stop five foreign-language broadcasts as part of its efforts to streamline the company.
The five languages – Korean, Burmese, Arabic, Mongolian and Tibetan – will cease broadcasting from 1 February.
Chairman Lin Feng-cheng said that the company, with a workforce of 488 people, currently broadcasts in 18 languages daily worldwide and is the only international broadcasting station in Taiwan.
27 January 2005
Harris Corporation announced on 27 January the completion – nearly two years ahead of schedule – of the $85 million first phase of a comprehensive programme to upgrade and expand the nationwide broadcast infrastructure of S.N. Radiocomunicatii S.A., Romania’s state-owned broadcast organization. Modernisation of Romania’s ageing broadcast communications system marks a critical step forward for Romania and its population, bringing the country up to date with the solid-state analogue technology favoured in Western Europe. Harris’ end-to-end radio and television solution also provides S.N. Radiocomunicatii S.A. with a clear path to the digital future.
Phase 1 of the three-phase project, which is providing 100 percent radio coverage throughout Romania, was completed in just 20 months instead of the anticipated four-and-one-half years. Harris accelerated the project by dedicating the additional engineering and technical resources needed to establish nationwide radio coverage before Romania’s election in November 2004. Harris supplied 28 low-power (10kW to 50kW) medium wave transmitters, eight high-power (200KW and 400KW) medium wave transmitters, and 106 FM radio transmitters for local coverage as well as longer distances of difficult terrain at sites throughout Romania. The range and diversity of transmitters was essential to ensure 100 percent nationwide radio broadcast coverage for Romania’s regional network and two national networks across urban areas and vast stretches of rural communities often divided by the Carpathian Mountains.
Gabriel Grecu, president of S.N. Radiocomunicatii, said, “The ability to transmit high-quality radio and television broadcast signals throughout the country is crucial. Our previous system employed Eastern technology and frequency standards that were of poor quality and frequently unreliable. Our nationwide reception is now excellent, and we’ve harmonized our radio frequency bands with Western standards. We’re even looking into digital audio broadcasting (DAB) for the Bucharest area. The whole project represents a huge improvement that benefits not just our broadcast capabilities, but Romanian society as a whole. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that, due to the often-remote geography of Romania, there are really only six months of the year when many of these areas are accessible. The engineering, technology and co-ordination support of our Harris team was superb.”
The end-to-end transmission solution also included antenna systems, microware links for resource sharing, engineering, installation, training and commissioning services. In addition, the first of many high- and low-power television transmitters and transposers were installed. The television installations begin upgrades to Romania’s television transmission infrastructure, which will be expanded and completed during the remainder of the modernisation program. Furthermore, three control and monitoring networks will reduce operational costs at each station facility by enabling the remote monitoring of all radio and television transmission equipment from four regional headquarters.
Until now, it has been estimated that the country’s ageing broadcast technology did not reach up to 40 percent of Romania’s 22.3 million. With the completion of the radio phase of the modernisation project, the country now enjoys 100 percent radio coverage at a higher fidelity and lower cost. With the inclusion of new RDS capabilities, public radio stations can be received and retained on the move throughout the country. Romania also has the ability to reach Romanians living in other European countries with the use of a Harris long-wave AM transmitter.
“Romania is showing Eastern Europe that the time to upgrade to solid-state analogue technology is now,” said Debra Huttenburg, vice president and general manager of Harris Broadcast Communications’ Radio Broadcast Systems business unit. “This is a great example of how the move from antiquated tube technology to solid-state technology can provide significantly lower operating costs and higher reliability. Romania has not only undergone the single largest installation programme in radio history, but it has also ensured that there is a digital future in place for its entire broadcast communications infrastructure. The fact that Harris completed the first phase nearly two years ahead of schedule also demonstrates that we can deliver comprehensive broadcast systems no matter what size and scale.”
27 January 2005
The Arab Advisors Group conducted a comprehensive survey of the media and telecom usage habits of the population of Greater Cairo between November 2004 and Jan 2005.
On the TV front, despite the relatively wide adoption of Sat TV, terrestrial TV is still ahead with 91% of households in Cairo tuning in to Egypts terrestrial TV channels. Of the Sat TV viewers, 68.3% tune in to news channels. Al Jazeera news channels are the most widely watched (88.4% of households with Sat TV watched it), followed by Al Arabiya (35.1%), Nile News (8.9%), CNN (6.6%), Al Hurra (4.6%), Al Ekhbaryia (3.9%), BBC (3.1%), ANN, Euronews and Manar (each with 0.4%).
The survey also probed the channels watched in the categories of: Music Channels, Entertainment Channels, Sport Channels and Religion Channels. On the GSM front, the survey revealed that some 71% of households in Cairo have a GSM line.
Arab Advisors Groups survey involved face to face interviews with 562 people from different households in the Greater Cairo area selected randomly from different areas in the city in a manner proportionate to the population size of the different areas. Respondents were over 18 years old.
To obtain a copy of the survey questions contact: www.menareport.com
25 January 2005
Deutsche Welle is supporting the reconstruction of radio stations in the tsunami-stricken province of Aceh on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. This was announced on 20 January in Bonn by Erik Bettermann, the Director-General of Germanys international broadcaster.
Bettermann said that Deutsche Welle has been working in partnership with a number of broadcasters, primarily small FM stations, in northern Sumatra for over 40 years. Most of the stations eight in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and in the city of Meulaboh were entirely destroyed by the tsunami and the quake. In the regions most affected by the catastrophe on the western coast of Sumatra, the devastation has left the survivors with no access to information about aid measures and the general situation in their homeland.
Radio 68 H is one of DWs partner stations in Indonesia. This internationally funded news broadcaster distributes its programmes via satellite to over 400 private radio stations throughout Indonesia. Every day, Radio 68 H broadcasts one hour of the DW-RADIO / Indonesian Service and is planning to rebuild a number of radio stations in Aceh.
Director-General Bettermann announced that DW will provide funds for the construction of up to nine new radio transmitters. In addition, with the help of sponsors, Germanys international broadcaster is planning to purchase 1,000 radios and distribute them in the reception camps of the province. In view of the destruction of the media infrastructure, this measure is aimed to help get information to the people about developments in the region.
A staff member from the Indonesian Service of DW-RADIO has journeyed to the northernmost province of the island of Sumatra to coordinate the aid measures, reported Bettermann.
Expansion of the broadcasting time of DW-RADIOs Indonesian Service would be desirable under these circumstances. Deutsche Welle is capable of satisfying the enormous interest of the population in reliable information on local events. As soon as additional funds are made available for this, we will temporarily expand the Service, said DWs Director-General.
The current programmes of the Indonesian Service of DW-RADIO report exhaustively about the situation in the crisis region. DW-RADIO / Indonesian broadcasts 50 minutes of programming twice a day via shortwave and satellite (ASIASAT 2) and is also present on the Internet (www.dw-world.de/indonesia). The province of Aceh, which continues to be assailed by civil war, will remain a focal point of reporting. Deutsche Welle hopes to continue its close cooperation with its partner stations there and hence also make an important contribution to media and freedom of information in the region. Three weeks after the catastrophe, according to international observers, the situation in northern Sumatra is again intensifying. Aid workers are apprehensive about the initial clashes between Indonesian military leadership and rebel groups in the catastrophe region in spite of the ceasefire agreed in late December.
25 January 2005
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, expressed his concern about recent cases in Poland in which journalists have been sentenced to prison terms for criminal libel. In a letter to the Polish Minister of Justice Marek Sadowski, he said that the current provisions may constitute legal precedents curtailing freedom of the media in Poland in the future. “The trend in most of the democratic world is to offer less protection to public figures than to private individuals,” Miklos Haraszti wrote. “However, the recently applied Polish speech laws do not even offer equal protection to private individuals and public figures. The latter enjoy an elevated level of protection from criticism. These laws should be repealed.”
The case of Jerzy Urban, editor of the magazine Nie, is an example of how Polish speech laws work. On January 14, a Warsaw prosecutor requested that Mr. Urban be sentenced to a 10-month suspended prison term and fined the equivalent of 5,000 Euros for insulting a foreign head of state in an “offensive” editorial. A court in Warsaw is due to give its verdict. This case follows the sentencing of two Polish journalists to prison terms in May and July last year for slandering a public official. These were the first cases of applying criminal libel in democratic Poland.
Haraszti acknowledged the full independence of the courts deliberating in those cases. However, he expressed his disappointment with the lack of action in trying to change the inadequate libel and insult provisions of the Polish law. In most EU countries such laws have not been used for many years, even if they remain on the statute book. In this regard, Haraszti recalled that the European Court of Human Rights has on many occasions stated that elevated protection for public officials and applied prison sentences for journalistic opinions were contrary to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
“Our joint recommendation with the freedom of expression Rapporteurs of the United Nations and the Organization of American States, issued in November 2002, states: “Where libel is still a criminal offence, courts should refrain from imposing prison sentences, including suspended ones,” wrote the OSCE media freedom representative. Haraszti urged Polish authorities to put in force a moratorium on the use of the restrictive laws and to introduce laws to decriminalise libel and defamation.
