8 June 2004
Ya.com Internet Factory, owned by T-Online International AG (subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom) and SES ASTRA have signed a collaboration agreement to launch, for the first time in Spain, Yacom Satélite, the new broadband Internet access services through satellite, targeted at over five million Spanish people who do not have access to ADSL. ASTRA provides the technology that is able to close the digital gap in Spain.
Yacom Satélite provides broadband access to the Internet with speeds of between 256 kbps and 768 kbps depending on the offer chosen, and a return channel through the switched telephone network. The service also includes 10 e-mail accounts of 50 MB; 1 e-mail account of 100 MB, an anti-virus and anti-spam service and 50 MB of space for personal/commercial pages, in the pack called Banda Ancha Sat Home 24 h (Broadband Sat Home 24 hr). The service also offers 120 free-to-air television channels from ASTRA on computer screens. Yacom Satélite is currently undergoing pilot testing and the commercial launch to the residential and business market is planned for next quarter. The price will be less than 17 euros a month for the Banda Ancha Sat Home (Broadband Sat Home) package.
In Spain, 10% of homes receive ASTRA digital TV, with a penetration figure reaching 1.34 million. Also, another 3 million homes with a communal antenna receive ASTRA, which simplifies the installation of the new service. According to Guillermo Mercader, Chief Executive Officer of Ya.com, The launching of Yacom Satélite is another step forward to make broadband Internet accessible to everyone at an affordable price and to help close the digital gap in Spain. 21% of the Spanish population (slightly more than five million people) are now living in 6,414 municipalities without access to ADSL service.
8 June 2004
On 2 June Antoine Schwarz took up his new position as Director General of Radio France Internationale (RFI).
He succeeds Jean-Paul Cluzel who has moved to become Director General of Radio France.
Both terms are for five years.
8 June 2004
Professor David Flint has announced that he intends to step down as Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority from the end of this week.
With the imminent introduction of legislation to merge the ABA and the Australian Communications Authority, which seems to have bipartisan support, and the public interest in that merger proceeding seamlessly with a minimum of controversy, there would be an advantage in having both the chairmanship of the ABA and the ACA vacant.
It is fortunate that both the ABA and the ACA are endowed with highly professional staff and strong boards which will ensure the merger is a success.
Notwithstanding the recent controversy, I am encouraged by the observation of my colleagues that they cannot recall an occasion when I have demonstrated actual bias in any decision I have taken. This mirrors the comments I have received from those who have, over two decades, worked with me in encouraging the responsible self regulation of the media.
Professor Flint will take leave until his resignation takes effect on 2 July 2004.
7 June 2004
Easy online registration for the third annual AIB Global Media Business Conference is now available.
The Global Media Business Conference is the meeting place of the international broadcasting industry, and this year the event takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 May.
Full details are available in the Conference section of this website.
7 June 2004
The AIB’s annual summit of the broadcasting industry, the Global Media Business Conference, was launched at an event in London on Thursday 18th March.
Bringing together AIB members, industry executives, journalists and politicians, the launch provided a comprehensive briefing about the 2004 Global Media Business Conference which will be held in Prague on 12 and 13 May.
For more information, contact Anver Anderson on +44 (0) 1245 399 965
7 June 2004
To mark the opening of the AIB’s Asia-Pacific office in Sydney, a networking evening was held on Thursday 26 February.
Hosted by Kerry Stevenson, the AIB’s Communications Director who is based in Sydney, the event brought together a range of global media executives and experts.
