15 October 2009
Vector 3, a pioneer in graphics and playout solutions, announced that Islam Channel has installed 2 Vectorbox 8000 HD systems and Vector configured NAS system to manage automated, multi-channel playout and production storage of three Islam Channel signature channels; Islam Channel, Islam Channel Urdu, and Noor TV.
With headquarters in Central London, Islam Channel provides alternative news, current affairs and entertainment programming from an Islamic perspective. A popular and well respected channel, Islam Channel has a global viewership with simultaneous transmission to studios in South, West, and East Africa. “Our broadcast facilities will support up to 20 channels,” comments Mr Kiarash Bodouhi, Head of IT, Islam Channel.
“Knowing this, we went through a rigorous qualification process to ensure the playout automation technology we installed today would support the imminent growth of our operation with the same capabilities and reliabilities. Vector3 technology scored high when it came to adapting and supporting this rapid expansion.”
Islam Channel has two locations in London; a production center where all programming is created and a broadcast centre for continuity and live program playout and transmission. The broadcast Centre houses the 2 new Vectorbox 8000 HD automated playout systems and a custom Vector 3 NAS system to facilitate continuity playout of pre-recorded programs and live playout of thematic magazine format shows with fully integrated production storage.
15 October 2009
State broadcaster Czech Television, already home to six Quantel eQ finishing systems in its award-winning graphics department, has purchased two Quantel Genetic Engineering systems to provide a shared workflow infrastructure to further boost productivity and enhance project sharing. Czech TV has also purchased three additional eQ finishing systems bringing the total complement of eQs at Czech TV to an impressive nine workstations.
One of the Genetic Engineering systems is for the Graphics and Post Department, the second for Promotions. The Graphics and Post system includes 18 hours of uncompressed HDRGB shared workspace to three eQ finishing systems providing editing, compositing and finishing tools. The Promotions system provides 12 hours of shared storage to two eQ systems. All connected workstations have simultaneous access to all stored material at all times. Czech TV has also purchased Sam, which provides open read/write access to all shared media for 3rd party applications. This means that all the eQs, plus additional VFX workstations, can be working on creative, front-line operations for 100% of the time, providing massive productivity boosts compared with conventional SAN-based systems.
“The decision to purchase the Quantel system was driven by the need for additional workspace to accommodate our increasing workload, said Zbynek Louda, Graphics Department Manager at Czech Television. Furthermore the Genetic Engineering GenePool provides instant project sharing for all our editors which saves time, and significantly increases productivity.
Were delighted that Czech TV has once again restated its confidence in Quantels post production products by making this purchase, said Aidan Sutcliffe, Quantel Area Sales Manager. Czech TV Graphics department already has a reputation for quality and creativity. This new investment will reinforce this reputation and boost its productivity.
13 October 2009
Jan Hoek, the General Director of Radio Netherlands Worldwide, has been appointed chair of the EBUs (European broadcasting Union) International Broadcasting Group as of October 2009. Alongside RNW, the group comprises all the European international broadcasters, including Deutsche Welle, Radio France Internationale/France24 and the BBC World Service. The appointment is for a period of two years.
International public service broadcasters exchange strategic expertise within the International Broadcasting Group: everything from recent developments in the area of content and marketing to new distribution platforms.
Jan Hoek has been general director of Radio Netherlands Worldwide since January 2005. He also holds a number of administrative positions and additional functions in the Netherlands and abroad. He is, for example, chair of the BVN Foundation (international Dutch-language public TV station) and a member of the executive committee of the Association for International Broadcasting. In the Netherlands he is a director of PNO Media Pension Fund, PNO Health Insurance, the Haags Werk Bedrijf (public sector employment in The Hague) and a member of the supervisory board of Free Voice.
8 October 2009
GlobeCast has completed the deployment of a new terrestrial video network for broadcasters TF1 and LCI. The five-year contract covers the networks buildout and operation. To win this deal, GlobeCast proposed a solution including a massive Ethernet MAN network, used for the first time on such a scale, to respond to the urgent on the spot needs of TF1.
The architecture of this network allows TF1 to establish point-to-point switched links with all 13 of its regional bureaus throughout France. The network will grow with TF1s activity as the broadcaster adds new sites.
Thanks to this broadband network, the first of its kind in France, TF1 already benefits from a more reliable, flexible and cost-effective solution, compared to its old system of satellite file delivery.
GlobeCast uses the Ethernet MAN and Business VPN of Orange Business Services to connect TF1s various bureaus, and also uses the expertise of its partner NETIA. Thanks to NETIAs Nodal Master software, TF1 can remotely pilot four simultaneous incoming video feeds from its Paris HQ with a switching grid.
GlobeCast is looking to offer similar solutions to international broadcasters, building on the expertise and technology put into place for the TF1 solution.
8 October 2009
euronews, the international multilingual news channel, announced an agreement with Lattelecom, the leading provider of electronic communications services in Latvia, for the broadcast of euronews on the first Latvian digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform, launched in August 2009.
euronews is offered in the economic and basic packages of Lattelecoms DTT services, and is available in four languages: English, French, German and Russian, on channel 11. Lattelecom has also confirmed its interest in including the channels four other languages in the future.
Lattelecom also distributes the channel on its IPTV platform.
In the Baltic States, euronews is available on the Estonian DTT platform, Starman, since 2006 and the Lithuanian DTT Platform, TEO LT, since 2008. euronews reaches a total of 873,000 households via cable satellite, IPTV and DTT in the Baltic region.
Lattelecom is the owner of the licence to operate Latvias DTT platform. The first implementation phase began in August 2009 and now reaches the capital city of Riga, the local district and an area of 70 kilometres around the city, including the districts of Tukums, Bauska, and Dobele. According to Lattelecom, the DTT platform will be available to all regions in the country within the next two years.
8 October 2009
The Voice of America is hosting a two-day seminar on the narcotics trafficking in Afghanistan, where 90 percent of the worlds opium a key ingredient for heroin – is produced.
“This series of workshops is designed to educate VOA journalists working in Afghanistan to fully understand the impact of narcotics addiction, treatment, and how illicit poppy cultivation is funding the Taliban insurgency”, says Beth Mendelson, Chief of VOA’s Afghan Service.”It’s also designed to explain new and emerging U.S. polices to VOA journalists who are gearing up to do special television and radio series on Afghanistan’s narcotics problem.”
The seminar brings together top Afghan officials, U.S. representatives and experts on the drug trade, including Ahmad Beg Qaderi, General Prosecutor from Afghanistans Anti-Drug Force, General Daoud Daoud, Deputy Interior Minister of Counter Narcotics, Mark Calhoun from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Drew Quinn from the U.S. Embassys Narcotics Affairs Section.
Along with two days of briefings, VOA journalists will also visit the Nejat Center in Kabul, where treatment programs are available for Afghans suffering from drug addiction and HIV and AIDS. Over the next few weeks, the Afghan service will begin airing special radio and television segments on Afghanistans narcotics epidemic.
The Voice of America airs 12 hours of radio programming in Dari, Pashto and Special English daily in Afghanistan. The Afghan service also broadcasts two 30 minute television newscasts six days a week in Dari and Pashto, reaching Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. The service is also available on the Internet; in Dari at http://www.voanews.com/dari/ and in Pashto at http://www.voanews.com/pashto/.
