4 March 2004
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) today expressed its concern at the decision by Ukrainian authorities to close Kiev-based broadcaster Radio Kontinent. Kontinent, an independent station, was closed by an order issued by Ukraines State Centre of Radio Frequencies (Ukrchastnotnaglyad) on 3rd March. As well as producing its own principally music-based programmes, Kontinent is a rebroadcasting partner of the Ukrainian-language services of BBC World Service, Deutsche Welle, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Polonia and the Voice of America, all members of the AIB.
“Radio Kontinent has been a vital source of impartial information for the people of Kiev,” says Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the AIB. “The station has worked in partnership with leading western broadcasters to bring world and regional news to its audiences in the Ukrainian capital. The AIB believes that this closure is not in the best interest of the Ukrainian people who want access to free speech as well as unbiased news and information. The AIB urges Ukrainian authorities to allow Kontinent to return to the air as a matter of urgency.”
Radio Kontinent has worked with international stations for several years, rebroadcasting news and current affairs programmes to listeners across the Ukrainian capital. Kontinent recently started to take the output of Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) which until February 17 had been transmitted by the Radio Dovira network in Ukraine. However, following a management change, the station ceased its working arrangement with RFE/RL.
“Hundreds of radio stations around the world carry programming from many international broadcasters,” continues Spanswick. “Tens of millions of people in countries from Argentina to Zambia tune in to local broadcasters who relay news and current affairs programmes from stations abroad. International radio and television stations provide trusted, reliable information, to make sense of our complex, confusing and contradictory world, and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas. It is vital to democracy worldwide that these broadcasts are not interfered with by governments and politicians.”
The closure of Radio Kontinent has drawn criticism from broadcasters. Speaking in Bonn, Deutsche Welles Director of Programmes Joachim Lenz said that the closure “was further proof that the Ukrainian state does not allow freedom of press and speech.”
From Prague, Tom Dine, President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said “We at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are angry and outraged by this blatant act in suppressing factual news and information from a variety of high-quality journalists. Ukraine’s name and its people are badly damaged; the first freedom – free expression – is harmed.”
David Jackson, Director of the Voice of America, said: “The Voice of America has a reputation around the world for providing balanced and reliable news. Silencing that Voice is not in Ukraine’s interests.”
And the BBC in London issued a statement in which it expressed its disappointment with the closure of Radio Kontinent and expressed hope the station will be given a chance to re-apply for a licence and be on air again. “Many BBC listeners in Kiev have been tuning in to our programmes through Radio Kontinent, and we are sad that they will now be deprived of this option. We have enjoyed working with Radio Kontinent and hope they will be able to re-apply for the licence in the future in order to continue to enrich the choice of the Ukrainian listener with their mix of news, jazz and classical music.”
The AIB has written to Ukraines Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych and to Ukraines Ambassadors in Berlin, London, Prague, Warsaw and Washington concerning the closure of Radio Kontinent. The AIB has urged the return of its confiscated transmitting equipment and sought reassurance that stations in the Ukraine that broadcast programmes from abroad will not face censure or harassment.
2 March 2004
BBC Technology, provider of products and services to media-driven organisations, announced on 1 March that it will be providing consulting services to Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Hong Kong’s public service broadcaster. Under the terms of the agreement, BBC Technology will deliver a strategic analysis to help RTHK define, solve and progress complex issues and enable the future provision of engineering services and technical operations. BBC Technology will provide RTHK with a roadmap for the transition in late 2006 to a new format for the delivery of technical and operational support when current agreements run out.
The contract, which was awarded following a comprehensive competitive tender process, will see BBC Technology deliver the strategic analysis and roadmap by Q1 2004. It furthers BBC Technology’s relationship with RTHK, following a previous assignment to develop the broadcaster’s technical strategy for the digital age. BBC Technology’s consulting services will enable RTHK to extract as much value as possible from its broadcast infrastructure and services, and to re-engineer key broadcast processes for maximum efficiency and alignment to the new media landscape.
RTHK is government funded and the sole public broadcaster in Hong Kong. It broadcasts on seven radio channels in English, Cantonese and Putonghua and produces approximately 560 hours of original public affairs television programs for prime time viewing on terrestrial TV, with an additional 42 hours of educational television. Its web page attracts 16 million hits per day with over 50% orginating overseas.
2 March 2004
EuroNews, the European news channel, is now distributed by Germanys largest cable operator, Kabel Deutschland, on its digital cable platform, DigiKabel.
DigiKabel targets Germanys extensive foreign communities and EuroNews is included in five of the packages: DigiKabel RUS, DigiKabel I, DigiKabel P, DigiKabel E and DigiKabel D which carry EuroNews in the Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and English language versions respectively.
The German language EuroNews remains widely available in the analogue basic cable offer in Germany. The channel reaches a total of 17.8 million homes throughout the country, including 1.4 million by digital cable and 1.9 by digital satellite.
Kabel Deutschland has a total of 10 million subscribers to analogue cable in 6 regions of Germany (Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania / Lower Saxony, Bremen / Brandenburg / Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia / Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland / Bavaria.)
2 March 2004
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), one of the world´s major providers of international transmission services of live sports and news events, has signed a Master Purchase Agreement and ordered network switching and customer equipment from Net Insight. Eurovision, the operational service of EBU, will use Net Insights Nimbra platform for its new international fiber TV and data network.
The Eurovision network will during the second quarter of 2004 complement Eurovisions existing satellite network to offer TV transport services as well as LAN connectivity to EBU members and other media customers. The network will carry real time critical traffic, including breaking news and sporting events.
The agreement with Eurovision is the ultimate acknowledgement of our solution within the professional media industry, says Tomas Duffy, CEO at Net Insight. There are few other companies that have the same high demands when it comes to reliability and QoS for transporting high quality video traffic.
With its new network, Eurovision will provide connectivity for TV traffic between the largest media cities in Europe, with trans-Atlantic connections into the USA. The first phase of the network roll-out includes seven cities in Europe and two in the USA, with the objective to connect around twenty cities in later phases.
This new development will bring Eurovision quality to digital video through fiber contributions and complement perfectly the existing Eurovision satellite network”, said Stefan Kürten, Director of Eurovision Operations.
The network implementation has begun with the objective to launch a full commercial service in April 2004.
27 February 2004
ND SatCom, a leading global supplier of satellite based broadband, broadcast and military communication network solutions, today announced the foundation of ND SatCom Defence GmbH. The new subsidiary will be responsible for ND SatCom’s activities in the market for global security and enables the company to strengthen its leadership position in the European defence arena. ND SatCom has appointed Mr. Harald Reder as CEO with full responsibility for guiding and managing the company’s continued growth
within the defence market.
“ND SatCom Defence faces challenging tasks in the defence market. I am looking forward to further developing ND SatCom’s MilSat activities and continuing to enlarge its clientele in the market segments for global security.” commented Mr. Reder. “ND SatCom’s proven capabilities to supply turnkey solutions are a major reason for the Company’s success in this market. We are committed to become a leading military satellite solution provider in the European Region and beyond.”
The decision to form a subsidiary was based on the enormous potential of the international defence market for secure communications networks. ND SatCom Defence will be able to enhance service and support for their existing clients, while developing products tailored specifically for the unique needs of military and security related
customers.
ND SatCom is a member of the AIB.
27 February 2004
Leading satellite services company GlobeCast has chosen TANDBERG Television, a leading provider of open solutions for digital broadcasting and broadband, as its broadcast equipment provider of choice for this summers Olympic games in Athens. A host of TANDBERG Televisions latest equipment, including multiplexers, MPEG-2 encoders, modulators and network adapters, will be at the heart of GlobeCasts compression and satellite/fibre distribution services for the duration of the games.
The worlds media will descend on the main Olympic stadium (the OCC) and other locations across Athens from late July, with billions of viewers tuning in throughout August. Located very close to the OCC, the majority of TANDBERG Television equipment will be housed at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC). The IBC will be used as a base by rights holders from around the world, including TV Globo and ATV Hong Kong, who have already been signed up by GlobeCast. Feeds taken from around Athens will be distributed to broadcast platforms all over the world via TANDBERG Television equipment. TANDBERG Television technology will also be used at GlobeCasts broadcast area – Athens Broadcast Services – which will assemble an all-digital MCR, playout, connectivity, C and Ku-band satellite transmission, as well as production edit suites, offices and work space with ancillary services to serve the requirements of non-rights holders and other broadcasters.
GlobeCast is a member of the AIB.
