29 November 2011
euronews is opening up 100% of our live output by launching its LIVE applications in all language services produced by our editorial department and broadcast on our international rolling news channel.
This option is provided free of charge on all multimedia screens when the euronews LIVE application is launched, or on euronews.net, and can be changed at any time.
Users can now watch the news and all other programmes produced by euronews’ editorial department live and in one of 11 editions: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish or Ukrainian.
You just need a mobile or web connection to take the pulse of the planet and get the right content, at the right place, at the right time.
euronews is available live at www.euronews.net, on iPad and iPhone from App Store, and from Android Market, via the euronews LIVE application.
28 November 2011
Russian news channel RT was selected as the best channel representing Russia in Europe at the prestigious Hot Bird TV Awards 2011.
Founded in 1998 by Eutelsat, the Hot Bird TV Awards ceremony took place in Venice on November 25th. News channels broadcasting in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa via Eutelsat competed for prizes.
This is not the first time RT has topped international prize lists. In 2010 the channel was the first Russian broadcaster to be shortlisted in the News category at the Emmy International Awards.
RT was launched in 2005. The channel broadcasts 24/7 from it studios in Moscow and Washington to an estimated audience of over 430 million viewers in 100 countries. The channel is available online, at www.rt.com. RT was the first news channel in the world to break the 500 million view threshold on Youtube.
24 November 2011
Voice of Americas Croatian Service signs off for the last time Wednesday, after 19 years of broadcast history that began during the bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia, and ends with Croatias emergence as a democratic member of the European community.
VOA Director David Ensor called the service a model of journalistic integrity that provided the people of Croatia with fair and impartial news during the dark days of civil war in the Balkans. Ensor commended the service, which he said, served as a vital source of independent reporting and insight into American policy.
Voice of America established its Croatian Language Service on February 20, 1992, a time when the most brutal war since World War II was raging in the Balkans. Spun off from the former Yugoslav Service which had been broadcasting to the area since 1943, VOA Croatian broadcasts began on radio, but were quickly expanded into television. The service was one of VOAs first to establish an online presence.
VOA Croatians five-minute TV NewsFlash was broadcast daily on eight affiliate stations and focused on American news of relevance to Croatian audiences, including business, science, American culture, and politics. The popular Breakfast Show, a roundup of US, Croatian and world news, aired on radio for 19 years, without a single day of interruption. An evening radio show aired on shortwave and ten affiliate FM stations in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In addition to news coverage, VOA Croatian served as a source of entertainment and cultural programming for more than a decade. Nearly 700 episodes of Saturdays American Cultural Magazine were aired, with stories on leading entertainers, from blues guitar legend B.B. King, to Los Lobos, the Grammy-winning Los Angeles band that performed in Zagreb in 2010.
VOA Croatian Service Chief Zorz Crmaric called going off the air a bittersweet moment that comes as the country begins a new chapter in European integration. He noted Croatia is now a NATO member and is scheduled to join the European Union in 2013.
22 November 2011
Voice of Americas Burmese Service is reporting a sharp increase in direct visits to its popular webpage since Burmas government lifted firewall restrictions in September.
The new data show visits to the VOA site, both from within Burma and from the worldwide Burmese diaspora, jumped to 807,000 in October from 640,000 in August, a 26% increase. The figures do not include visits through so-called proxy servers that Voice of America has used in Burma and elsewhere to overcome government censorship.
Burmese Service Chief Than Lwin Htun says visits to VOA Burmese language social media sites, including Youtube and Twitter, have also increased. People in Burma look to VOA to provide balanced and comprehensive coverage of events there and around the world, and the recent lifting of media restrictions will improve our ability to communicate directly with the Burmese people, Lwin says.
Voice of Americas Burmese Service has provided extensive coverage of the latest developments in Burma, including President Barak Obamas Friday announcement from Bali that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Burma in December, the first visit by a U.S. Secretary of State in more than 50 years. Mr. Obama cited what he called, flickers of progress from the Burmese government, which ended decades of military rule in March.
Saturday, VOA Burmese TV carried comments from Burmese President Thein Sein, who spoke with VOA and other reporters at the East Asia summit in Bali. Earlier this month VOA had an exclusive interview with Burmese Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin.
Burmese opposition leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who ended her boycott of the countrys political system on Friday, has been a regular contributor to a VOA radio program, answering listener questions on a broad range of political, social, and economic issues.
21 November 2011
Press TV has upgraded its broadcasting image aspect ratio from 4:3, the universal video format of the 20th century, to 16:9, the universal format for high definition and European digital televisions.
All new broadcasts for Press TV audiences worldwide will be in 16:9, and the image resolution of the broadcasts will also be higher.
The decision to shift to the widescreen (16:9) image aspect ratio comes as other major professional news agencies have also transferred their aspect ratios to the widescreen version.
21 November 2011
MBC Group celebrated its 20th Anniversary since its inception and launch of MBC1 as the first Arab Private Free-To-Air Satellite back in 1991. The celebration was limited to management, employees and their families, and reflected the Groups growth over the years, in addition to honoring staff members who have witnessed the growth with the Group over the past 20 years.
During his speech, MBC Group Chairman, Sheikh Waleed Al Ibrahim focused on the Family Spirit that binds the group together as one team, and the combined efforts and achievements that make the Group a proud organization today. Al Ibrahim said: Two decades have elapsed by quickly
starting with a big dream and reaching a reality that clearly exceeds expectations
Together, we have achieved a sustained growth thus reaching millions of Arab citizens, in the MENA region and around the world, on daily basis; enriching their lives with premium content up-to international standards, through a unique multi-media & multi-platforms experience; via blue-chip, strong and valuable recalled brands. He concluded by saying: Success comes with Responsibility
Responsibility comes with Initiative & Innovation! Together, we embody the Groups slogan: “We see hope everywhere…Yesterday, Today, and tomorrow.
From his part, the Groups Director General, Ali Al Hedeithy highlighted the Groups main stepping stones and roadmap for the future by saying: As we all know, MBC1 will soon air ARAB IDOL, and MBC4 will broadcast Season-2 of ARABS GOT TALENT. While MBC Drama has joined the Group, local productions remain in the forefront adopting International standards. He resumed by saying: MBC2 and MBC MAX continue their sustained growth with multi-year output deals concluded with the largest Hollywood and Bollywood studios, among others. MBC Action gave birth to ACTIONHA, the trademark that reflects the channels personality and the youth audience. Furthermore, and faster than before, MBC4 has witnessed the development of its grid, targeting the young Arab family, while still focusing on the contemporary Arab Woman. As for MBC3, we are progressing towards further local productions, while building partnerships with international firms. He further added: From a News perspective, Al Arabiya News Channel continues to be the category leader, with brio and clout – thus maintaining its lead as the credible and balanced News channel. Al Arabiya enjoys a competitive edge in providing on-the-ground, first hand coverage of major events and Breaking News. Whereas AlArabiya.net website, in its new and revamped format, provides international standard News content, on multi-platforms, be they interactive or mobile.
Al Hedeithy concluded by stressing: The journey continues, seeking better content, viewers engagement and adopting new avenue, while offering digital apps and Multi-Media platforms, as well as transmitting in HD, shifting to tapeless, providing apps for smart phones, in addition to other technological advancements that cater to MBCs competitiveness and will hopefully continue to do so
