30 August 2003
In a groundbreaking move, the World DAB Forum and Digital Radio Mondiale have announced their co-operation at the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin, Germany.
The two organisations have agreed to co-operate in fostering conditions that are favourable for both digital systems. It is anticipated that this close collaboration will pave the way for a new genre of future digital radios on the market, enabling listeners to receive any digital radio service without having to worry about the underlying transmission system.
Since DRMs international debut in June of this year, broadcasters are now transmitting live, daily DRM programmes. The next step is for consumers in markets worldwide to have access to DRMs excellent audio and reception quality, said DRM Chairman Peter Senger. DRM is a market-driven system, so we are committed to strategic alliances that will increase listeners options across the globe. We are delighted to collaborate with the World DAB Forum. Since the DRM debut in June, the number of stations transmitting live, daily DRM programs and periodic specials has risen to 26. DRM is showcasing live broadcasts on a range of receivers — including the first, second-generation DRM consumer radio at IFA.
29 August 2003
ABCs Asia Pacific TV network has started its schedule of top-grade information programmes from around the world, including features on medicine, history and music.
Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is to be distributed by the Thai Cable Association throughout their networks, and a regional office has been opened in Singapore.
29 August 2003
AIB Member Dalet Digital Media Systems has established itself as a pioneer in digital convergence. Dalet’s experience in developing broadcast and media management tools has helped transform many organizations from paper and tape environments dependent on proprietary solutions into modern, digital operations.
Dalet is now introducing its new media asset management platform – DaletPlus. Versatile and expansive, the underlying DaletPlus architecture supports a wide range of media management and production features and functionality. The breadth and depth of these features enable Dalet to provide a number of DaletPlus solutions that can be tailored to meet specific client demands in a wide variety of markets.
In addition Dalet will be hosting a special “New Technology Seminar”. The event will take place at 16:00 on 14 September at the Novotel Hotel. The subject will be Media Asset Management (MAM) – Measuring Quality and Success of Integrated Newsrooms. Well known industry consultant, Charles Bebert will be on hand to evaluate best practice.
28 August 2003
Co-founder of AIB member Omnibus and broadcast industry veteran, Glyn Powell-Evans today confirmed both his departure from the firm which he established as a global leader in automation, and his reputation as one of the industry’s serial entrepreneurs, when he unveiled plans to launch a new venture at IBC2003.
IdeasUnlimited.tv will specialise in transmission verification and monitoring of content. It targets an urgent need among broadcasters for automated remote TV and audio-signal monitoring and Powell-Evans is predicting a price-point of as little as 5 per channel per day when the firm rolls-out its new ContentProbe suite on its IBC debut (Hall 8, Stand 536).
Powell-Evans, whose career highlights include tenures as managing director of PAG, joint-owner of PictureBox Productions and co-founder of G2 Systems before he founded OmniBus in 1992, commented: “My passion is creating and building new ventures. While I look forward to a long prosperous relationship with OmniBus, as a significant customer, I’m delighted to focus on a major new opportunity.”
28 August 2003
The S4M system S4Commercials is now being used for airtime sales management at financial broadcaster Bloomberg TV (Germany) and Discovery Channel Germany.
German market leader RTL may use sumptuous custom-made software solutions, but Cologne-based S4M offers smaller-scale software specially developed for smaller companies.
S4Commercials covers all the existing administrative tasks at Bloomberg and Discovery, and is being used by more and more clients. It is successful because it complements large-scale systems such as S4AdSales.
S4Commercials is used not only by music channels VIVA and VIVA2, but also by computer channel Giga, the Berlin metropolis channel XXP and the regional channel tv-nrw. Visit S4M at the IBC 2003, September 12-16, Amsterdam, RAI, booth 1.121.
26 August 2003
News Corporation may sell its share of SkyPerfecTV, Japan’s sole satellite broadcaster. Shareholders including majors Sony, Fuji TV and Itochu, have been asked if they are interested in buying News Corps share of 8.1%. A sale would damage Murdochs attempt to be a player in one of the world’s biggest broadcasting markets.
News Corp has probably not given up on the important Japanese broadcasting market which has a value of Y2,000bn, but Japan’s 20 per cent cap on foreign investment in broadcasters is a deterrent. SkyPerfecTV has made losses for the past seven years.
And theres trouble brewing in India, where Stars news broadcasting unit is 74 per cent Indian-owned. But now the Indian government has ordered that a single dominant investor must hold at least 51 per cent of news broadcasting organisations.
The broadcaster has a month to comply with the changes, which emerged after a meeting chaired by prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Friday. The policy shift brings news broadcasting into line with foreign investment norms in print media.
