12 June 2017
The Association for International Broadcasting has been visiting parts of Asia, meeting Member organisations and exploring potential new relationships with organisations across the region.
The AIB’s chief executive Simon Spanswick took part in the Asia Media Summit organised by the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in Qingdao, China. Attended by more than 400 delegates from over 40 countries, the Summit addressed the issues surrounding the role of media in global development and sustainability. The AIB CEO met Mme Liu Yandong, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China, alongside Ministers from Russia, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Samoa, Myanmar and Malaysia and the heads of the AIBD and ABU as well as senior officials of the United Nations and a number of its agencies.
Following the Asia Media Summit, Spanswick travelled to Seoul where he met executives of the Korean Broadcasting System, an AIB Member. Discussions centred on the work of the AIB and how KBS – as a Member of the Association – benefits from the activities the organisation carries out on behalf of its Members. There were also conversations about the future of the media and how public broadcasters like KBS can maintain their relevance to audiences – particularly the youth – as consumption patterns change.
31 October 2014
EBU President Jean-Paul Philippot, Director General Ingrid Deltenre & ABU Secretary General Dr Javad Mottaghi (ABU)
Leaders of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) have demanded global action to protect spectrum to guarantee the future of broadcasting.
The call was made on the closing day of the 50th Anniversary Annual Assembly of the ABU (28 October) which was hosted in Macau by the public service broadcaster of the China Special Administrative Region Macau, Teledifusao de Macau, S.A.R. (TDM).
EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre told delegates that 250 million Europeans rely on spectrum to watch digital terrestrial TV (DTT) – where the signal is received through a TV’s aerial.
“DTT remains the backbone to public TV access,” Ms Deltenre said. “We cannot allow the mobile industry’s insatiable appetite for spectrum resources to highjack this precious resource.”
Ms Deltenre was supported by ABU Secretary General Dr. Javad Mottaghi who highlighted the essential service terrestrial TV plays in regional areas of Asia Pacific.
“Terrestrial broadcasting remains a crucial tool in emergency situations,” said Dr. Mottaghi. “It is often the only technology which continues to function and can reach a mass audience despite difficult external conditions. Terrestrial television is the cornerstone of the broadcast industry and its survival is essential to the region’s people.”
ABU President Cho Dae-hyun, who also heads South Korea’s national broadcaster KBS said spectrum is crucial to the future of terrestrial broadcasting.
“The Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union is working closely with the EBU to protect spectrum,” said Mr Dae-hyun. “Without securing the new media platform, we cannot consider the launch of UHD broadcast service. Quick and firm global action should be taken to safeguard this resource for digital TV broadcasting.”
With preparations well underway for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conference on spectrum WRC-15 administrations around the world are taking positions on the assignment of spectrum to different applications.
The broadcast industry has been working with administrations to illustrate the efficiency of modern DTT networks, the strong demand for DTT services, and the evidence that the spectrum assignments currently reserved for DTT should not change.
28 May 2012
The mid-year meeting of the ABU Technical Bureau took place this weekend in Kuala Lumpur with the Bureau deciding to set up a Strategic Advisory Group on technical issues. The six member group will make recommendations on areas such as human resource development and information transfer, among others.
The meeting, chaired by the Technical Committee Chairman, Mr Yeo Kim Pow of MediaCorp, was attended by 16 members of the Bureau. It addressed the activities carried out by the Technical Department and identified some of the important issues faced by the broadcasters today and discussed possible solutions.
The Bureau was presented with reports on studies taking place in production, transmission technologies, training and frequency spectrum developments. A review of the ABU Engineering Excellence Awards was taken up with the Bureau recommending amendments to the existing guidelines.
The two-day meeting also addressed preparations for the annual Technical Committee meeting to be held in Seoul, Korea later this year.
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