27 January 2015
DW’s Crossroads Generation is being offered as in-app content on Mxit – a South African mobile social network with millions of monthly active users.
Deutsche Welle has added to its portfolio of partners in Africa with Mxit – one of the largest mobile social networks on the continent. DW and Mxit worked together to develop an app for Crossroads Generation, which makes the educational audio content available to users throughout Africa. Users with any Internet-enabled mobile phone can listen to the program for free after adding “crossroadsgen” as a contact in their Mxit account.
Crossroads Generation is an educational radio novella designed to help Africa’s youth deal with everyday challenges in a fun and easy way. Listeners learn about real-life issues like drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and domestic abuse.
“The new deal with Mxit will ensure that we reach our target audience in Africa even better,” says Petra Schneider, Director of Distribution at DW. “We can definitely imagine expanding the partnership in the near future to include online and audio content in several African languages, as well as video content in English.”
Ben Carl Havemann, Marketing and Communications Manager of Mxit, called Crossroads Generation app as a format featured by the platform “especially valuable for our core target group.”
With nearly 5 million users in South Africa alone, Mxit is particularly popular among young people and rivals heavyweights like Facebook. The majority of Mxit users are located in South Africa, and other key markets include India, Nigeria and Indonesia.
Mxit compresses digital content to make it accessible on all types of handsets and over all types of networks – something that is especially important in Africa, where network speeds have remained slow in many places. Mxit users can engage in private chats, group chats, play games or read news, and most of the content is free.
Crossroads Generation is broadcast on DW radio in Amharic, English, French, Hausa, Kiswahili and Portuguese and rebroadcast by 260 DW partner stations in Africa. It is being offered initially on Mxit in English.
27 January 2015
#iamabroadcaster will be held at London’s spectacular RIBA
CNN and Reuters will join the roster of high-end speakers at AIB’s #iamabroadcaster Global Media Summit next month.
Greg Beitchman, VP Content and Partnerships at CNN will participate in a conference session called “Where’s the cash?” The panel discussion will look at the challenges to current funding models and will also look at the issue of piracy and the need to have robust revenus protection systems.
Reuters’ Tim Santhouse, Global Head of Video Products, will take part in a session called “Individualisation – the ultimate engagement”, which will delve into the art and science of getting the right content to the right individuals at the right price point.
A PDF of the full summit agenda can be downloaded here.
The #iamabroadcaster Summit will be two days of networking and education by and for some of the top broadcast decision-makers in the world.
With extracts of programmes showcasing the very best in TV broadcasting globally, audience insights from key market research studies, and unexpected extras, #iamabroadcaster is designed to challenge preconceptions and expand creative and strategic thinking.
#iamabroadcaster takes place on 18-19 February at London’s Royal Institute of British Architects. Tickets are still available from the AIB online store.
Conference sponsors include African mega-broadcaster Channels TV. Further sponsorship and advertising opportunities are available. For more info, contact AIB’s Business Development Director, Ed Wilkinson, at +44 20 7993 2557 or edward.wilkinson@aib.org.uk.
23 January 2015
Tom Roope, Founder and Creative Director of award-winning design firm The Rumpus Room, has been a creative pioneer since the early years of digital content. Brands from Google to the International Olympic Committee have sought out the innovation and engagment that The Rumpus Room has become renowned for.
Roope will be a speaker at AIB’s #iamabroadcaster Global Media Summit, hosted by the AIB on 18-19 February at London’s Royal Institute of British Architects.
How did The Rumpus Room start?
We’ve all seen that music and publishing was all radically changed by digital. But TV hasn’t yet. So we started the Rumpus Room based on what’s going to happen to TV.
Our process started by making interactive films – and we realised that nobody cared. Then we started making content with the audience and that started feeling like a really interesting area of activity, because it had social value. It generated value both in the creation and in the content that you were accessing. And it also had a kind of different spirit compared to how content is usually created for those spaces.
It’s a transactional relationship. You must be giving people back more than they’re putting in. That has to be. You can do that with prizes, or maybe you get on TV if you’re good, but if the idea is good enough, it should be generating enough value for people socially for them to participate.
There’s an idea that almost anyone with access to a camera and a web connection is in some sense a broadcaster. Is it true? Are we all broadcasters?
We are in the same way that we all became graphic designers when desktop publishing came out. There were suddenly lots of bad graphic designers around! But technology throws up all sorts of things, doesn’t it? It makes you realise how television is such a construct. Why must everything be a half-hour or sixty or ninety minutes? I think it is interesting how people’s ability to create something, people’s passion to create something, is really greater than we all expected.
At the Rumpus Room we talk about the ‘Ikea Effect’. People value things that they have made more than other people might value those things. If you participate in creating something, you perceive its value as higher than other people do. A lot of the work we do at The Rumpus Room is based on the idea that if we get some people in to create some content, then they’re more likely to share it. They’re a participate in this creation.
The key brand for most people is themselves. And a lot of the work that we do is helping them promote themselves. Or helping brands help people promote themselves.
What place does storytelling have in a media world where we’re always talking about experiences and things happening in real time?
Did you see the Stefan Sagmeister critique of storytelling? Basically, every concert you go to, everybody’s talking about storytelling. Sagmeister met someone who designed a rollercoaster, and the designer said he was a storyteller. And he replied, “If you’re a storyteller, it’s a pretty stupid story that you’re telling.”
We definitely design experiences. We do lots of experiences that we hope are engaging and fun. I wouldn’t class them as stories, but a lot of them manifest thmeselves in stories. A lot of our work is a kind of game that manifests itself in stories. We’re not totally obsessed with this story thing. There’s a nice piece we did for X Factor where a cat is playing the guitar. Is a cat playing a guitar a story? I don’t know. I don’t dwell too much on it. but it’s quite funny.
Tickets are still available for AIB’s #iamabroadcaster Global Media Summit. Featuring two days of conversation by top figures from the global media industry, and the inaugural David Frost Memorial Lecture, #iamabroadcaster will be held at London’s Royal Institute of British Architects on 18-19 February.
In addition to Tom Roope, other speakers include, Peter Limbourg, Director General of Deutsche Welle; Dido Harding, CEO of TalkTalk; and John Momoh, Director of Nigeria’s Channels TV. Download the conference agenda here.
(read this article in full in the next issue of AIB’s print magazine, The Channel)
19 January 2015
Komla Dumor received a posthumous AIB Founders award last year
The BBC has today launched the BBC World News Komla Dumor Award in honour of presenter Komla Dumor, who passed away a year ago, aged 41.
Komla was an exceptional Ghanaian broadcaster who in his short life made an extraordinary impact – in Ghana, in Africa and across the world – on Joy FM and at the BBC. He worked tirelessly to bring a more sophisticated African narrative to the world. In June 2012, he was named the presenter of Focus on Africa, the BBC’s first-ever dedicated daily TV news programme in English for African audiences, broadcast on BBC World News. He also interviewed a number of high-profile guests including Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Kofi Annan, Tony Blair and Africa’s wealthiest businessman, Aliko Dangote. He anchored live coverage of major global events including the death of Nelson Mandela and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. In 2013, the respected publication, New African, listed Dumor in its list of 100 most influential Africans.
Komla Dumor was the recipient of an AIB Founders award at the 2014 AIB Awards. The award was accepted by his widow, Kwansema Dumor at the AIB Awards ceremony in November of last year.
The BBC World News Komla Dumor Award is now open for applications and will be given to an outstanding individual living and working in Africa, who combines strong journalism skills and an exceptional talent in telling African stories, with the ambition and potential to become a star of the future.
The winner will be awarded the opportunity to gain skills and experience, working with teams across BBC News during a three month placement in London. They will have the chance to broadcast on TV, Radio and Online to the BBC’s audiences of 265 million across the world.
Solomon Mugera, BBC Africa Editor said: “Komla epitomised a new Africa; youthful, dynamic and enterprising. With his infectious enthusiasm, beaming smile and engaging personality he made the stories of a new Africa, good and bad, difficult to ignore. The BBC is committed to continuing Komla’s dedication to this continent with this award. We are searching for a rising star who displays exceptional talent, someone who embodies the spirit of Komla.”
Applications close on Monday 2nd February 2015 at 23.59GMT. For more information on how to apply, entry criteria, and terms and conditions visit bbc.com/komladumor.
The BBC World News Komla Dumor Award is supported by Standard Chartered.
14 January 2015
Discovery Communications today announced two new executive appointments that will further strengthen the company’s global sports expertise and strategy. Jean-Thierry Augustin has been named President, Sports Strategy & Development in a newly created position at Discovery Networks International, and Peter Hutton has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Eurosport.
Augustin, who previously held the position of CEO at Eurosport, will report directly to JB Perrette, President of Discovery Networks International and continue to be based in Paris. Augustin will work closely with Discovery’s international leadership team and Peter Hutton to create a compelling sports business development strategy that utilizes sports as a game-changing asset and drives new growth globally.
Hutton joins Eurosport from MP & Silva Group, where he held the post of Co-Chief Executive Officer. As Chief Executive Officer of Eurosport, Hutton will oversee the negotiation of sports rights and lead Eurosport’s content strategy to bring renewed focus to programming, production, promotion and platforms. Hutton will take advantage of Discovery’s local infrastructure and global platforms to maximize Eurosport’s value across more than 70 countries and in 20 languages. Hutton also will report to Perrette and will be based in Paris, with a start date of March 1, 2015.
Perrette said, “As we approach the one year anniversary of Discovery’s acquisition of Eurosport in May, our focus is now on unlocking the full value of our must-have sports content for the entire Discovery Communications portfolio to benefit our advertisers, affiliates, audiences and shareholders around the world.”
Perrette continued, “Jean-Thierry has been at the helm of Eurosport for a number of years during which he has proved to be a tremendous commercial leader and this new role will harness his expertise to build Discovery’s global sports strategy and expertise. Similarly, Peter has excelled in the sports media business. With extensive experience in Europe, Asia and Middle East, and strong relationships with broadcasters and rights holders, he is the perfect executive to strengthen Eurosport’s position as a global leader in sports. I am excited to work with both Jean-Thierry and Peter as we take our business to an exciting new level.”
In May 2014, Discovery increased its interest in Eurosport International to 51% from 20% as part of a larger strategic partnership with TF1 Group that began in December 2012. TF1 Group continues to be the majority shareholder of Eurosport France, in which Discovery holds a 20% equity stake.
Jean-Thierry Augustin: Quote and Background
“It has been a privilege to lead Eurosport over the past several years. I look forward to applying my experience and working with JB and Peter to help utilize sports content to drive growth, and create long-term relationships with key partners throughout Discovery’s global business,” said Augustin.
Augustin joined Eurosport in 2001 as Regional Distribution Director and following various promotions was named Chief Executive Officer, Eurosport Group in June 2013. During this period, Augustin played a key role in the launch of Eurosport 2, which is available in 74 million homes in 51 countries and broadcasts 2,300 hours of live action every year. He also oversaw development of Europe’s number-one online sports destination, Eurosport.com which comprises 15 websites in 11 languages, and Eurosport Player, which provides live streaming of Eurosport and Eurosport 2 channels as well as catch-up TV around selected events in 35 markets.
Peter Hutton: Quote and Background
“After over 30 years in sports media, I can’t think of a better brand to lead than Eurosport,” commented Hutton. “I look forward to building on the great work of Jean-Thierry Augustin and his team to ensure that we further improve our line-up of world class sports relevant to our audiences throughout Europe and Asia. With the support of the Discovery teams around the world, we will deliver the best possible global and local events to our viewers and to our commercial partners.”
During his time at MP & Silva Group, Hutton oversaw a portfolio of rights that included the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championships, Formula 1, Grand Slam tennis and Serie A football. He helped launch joint venture channels with Be In Sports in Asia, and took the business into the sponsorship market and key local rights, such as Belgian and Polish football. Before joining MP & Silva Group, Hutton’s previous roles included Managing Director ESPN Star Sports, Senior Vice President Fox International Channels Sport, as well as COO and one of the founders of Middle East and Asian broadcaster Ten Sports.
Source: Eurosport press release
14 January 2015
BBC Indonesia has launched #TrenSosial (Social Trend) project which will involve the Indonesian audience in an exciting new approach to digital journalism.
Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, is the city that tweets the most in the world, and the country, which ranks Facebook’s fourth largest market, is referred to as Asia’s social-media capital and one of the most “social” countries in the world. Around 70% of mobile social-media users in Indonesia are under 25. They spend more time on social media than watching TV, reading news websites, listening to the radio or reading a newspaper.*
The BBC Indonesia #TrenSosial teams in London and Jakarta engage with audiences via social channels to identify topics that matter to them, bring in experts to talk about the issues – and create more stories for the BBC Indonesia website, bbcindonesia.com. The project will bring at least one social media-sourced story a day to the site, to be shared across other BBC Asian outputs.
BBC Indonesia Editor, Karishma Vaswani, sees #TrenSosial as a way to reach young social audiences who like to talk about news: “With our new social-media product, #TrenSosial, we will engage with more young Indonesians, attracting them to our news content. #TrenSosial will energise both the BBC Indonesia content and our interaction with the Indonesian users. Users of social media, who are looking for accurate, engaging and informative news reportage online, will love #TrenSosial.”
David Cuen, Social Media Editor at BBC World Service, adds: “Social media is no longer a distribution channel or a marketing window. It’s a space for engagement and it’s a source of original journalism. Young people consume news and engage with news on social media, through mobile devices. If that’s where they are, that’s where we as a news broadcaster need to be. There’s a huge scope to do original journalism through social media. With #TrenSosial we will be able to use social media to source original Indonesian stories – and do that based on the same distinctive values of impartiality and accuracy that the BBC is known for.”
With #TrenSosial, BBC Indonesia adds to the BBC World Service languages output that builds around social audiences, adapted to regional media consumption habits: the BBC Turkce Sosyal Meydan, the BBC Brasil #SalaSocial, and BBC Thai – a social-only service delivered as a news stream on social media. BBC Trending (#BBCtrending; @BBCtrending) on BBC World Service explains the stories the world is sharing on social media – in a weekly radio programme and a regular blog.
BBC Indonesia is part of BBC World Service.
(Source: BBC press release)
DW’s Crossroads Generation is being offered as in-app content on Mxit – a South African mobile social network with millions of monthly active users.
