Feature Story News joins Association for International Broadcasting

17 October 2023

Feature Story News joins Association for International Broadcasting

Global news and connectivity provider becomes latest AIB member company

The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) is pleased to announce that Feature Story News (FSN), a global leader in providing high-quality news coverage and connectivity services to broadcasters and media outlets, is joining the organisation.

The AIB is the leading trade association for international broadcasters, content providers, and technology companies. It plays an important role in promoting the highest standards in international broadcasting, journalism, and content production, as well as sharing knowledge and expertise on key issues ranging from artificial intelligence to media freedom.

Through its membership in the AIB, Feature Story News will gain access to a wealth of resources, networking opportunities, and industry insights. This partnership will enhance FSN’s ability to deliver even more comprehensive and in-depth news coverage to its clients worldwide.

Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting, expressed his enthusiasm for Feature Story News becoming a member: “We are thrilled to welcome Feature Story News to the AIB community. FSN’s commitment to delivering timely, accurate, and engaging news stories aligns perfectly with the AIB’s mission to promote excellence in international journalism. Through their membership, FSN will have the opportunity to collaborate with other leading media organisations, access valuable industry insights, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the future of international broadcasting.”

He further highlighted the benefits that Feature Story News will enjoy as an AIB member: “As a member of the AIB, Feature Story News will gain valuable insight to the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices through the AIB’s Working Groups. They will have access to a global network of broadcasters, content producers, and technology experts, which will enhance their ability to deliver world class news coverage to their clients. We look forward to FSN’s active participation in our events and initiatives and believe that their expertise will be a valuable addition to the AIB community.”

Feature Story News is excited about the opportunities that its AIB membership will bring and is committed to upholding the highest journalistic standards while contributing to the advancement of international broadcasting.

Simon Marks, FSN Chief Executive (pictured), said: “Joining the AIB is a strategic move that confirms FSN’s commitment to promoting excellence in international journalism and strengthening the company’s presence in the global media landscape. With over 30 “bricks and mortar” news bureaux across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, FSN is relied upon by editors around the world to provide timely, accurate on-the-ground packages, lives, production services, and connectivity to enable them to serve their audiences with the highest quality tailored content from all corners of the globe. We are looking forward to taking an active role in the AIB’s activities as we continue to grow and support the global media industry.”

The AIB supports its members through advocacy, knowledge exchange, and research with special focus on artificial intelligence, cyber security, media freedom, and sustainability.

AIB condemns asset freeze on Iran International staff and jamming of channel

27 November 2019

Iranian government’s action mirrors attack on BBC Persian

The Association for International Broadcasting today condemned the freezing of assets of journalists working for London-based Iran International by the Iranian authorities.

The move, reported by the Fars news agency in Tehran, imposes legal restrictions on journalists working at Iran International, the Persian-language TV network that broadcasts news, current affairs and feature programmes from its headquarters in west London. The asset freeze come in the wake of the Iranian government’s failure to stop reporting by Iran International of the crack down on protestors in the country following the threefold rise in petrol prices.

The asset freeze and legal restrictions mirror the actions taken by the Iranian authorities against BBC Persian journalists and staff based in the United Kingdom two years ago. The scale and severity of the Iranian authorities’ actions led the BBC to file a complaint at the United Nations, the first time the Corporation had taken such a step.

In addition to the asset freeze, Iran International’s satellite television signal has been jammed as the authorities in Tehran attempt to prevent viewers in Iran watch the channel.

“We are appalled by this latest attempt by Iran’s government to silence journalists who are reporting news from and about Iran,” said Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “The Iranian government is once again trying to use a jurisprudence dragnet to intimidate journalists and their families. At the same time, it is seeking to restrict access to news and information by its own citizens. The Association for International Broadcasting and its Members – who collectively serve audiences of over one billion people every week – call on the Iranian government to immediately cease from this act of harassment and intimidation and to lift the asset freezes immediately. The jamming of the channel’s signal must also end.”

In March 2019, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran deplored the harassment of BBC Persian staff and reiterated the seriousness of the persecution of BBC staff, which included the publication of fake and defamatory news to undermine the reputation of BBC Persian journalists.

The Iranian authorities ban both Iran International and BBC Persian in the country. Despite the restrictions, both broadcasters reach significant numbers of people in the country, counted in the millions.

The AIB is supporting its Members around the world through its Media Freedom Initiative that seeks to increase the cost of infringements of media freedom to governments and other actors.

Over 100 top-flight entries shortlisted in the AIBs 2019

18 September 2019

Productions across TV, radio and online from 20 countries have made the final cut

The shortlist for the AIBs 2019 – the 15^th annual competition for the world’s best factual productions – has been published by the Association for International Broadcasting.

Work from over 50 companies has been selected to go through to the final judging by the international jury, with an immensely wide range of subjects covered. With 19 categories covering sport, daily journalism, human interest and much more, the AIBs are one of the most comprehensive international awards for factual producers.

“We have had the largest field of entries in the 15-year history of the AIBs,” says Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “Over 400 hours of work was submitted to this year’s competition, from production companies and broadcasters on every continent. The standard of work was extremely high and selecting the entries to go through to the final judging was a very real challenge. With reports and investigations covering child abuse, war crimes and natural disasters through to lighter subjects such as microscopic art, the subject range is immense.”

The shortlist of over 100 entries is now in front of the international jury of 59 programme makers, broadcast executives and other experts who will evaluate all the work. The winners in the 19 categories will be announced at the AIBs gala dinner in London on 6 November, attended by guests from all over the world. Bloomberg Television and Radio anchor Nerja Ćehić will host the awards, and Rana Rahimpour of BBC Persian will present the “in conversation” segment.

“The AIBs competition does not discriminate,” continues Spanswick, “between productions from large-scale broadcast networks or small-scale production companies, nor between productions in English or in any other language. It’s a level playing field and over the past decade and a half, prizes have been won by individual producers as well as by the broadcasting giants. That’s what makes this contest so appealing, and has gained its global reputation.”

Full details of the AIBs are at the special awards website: http://theaibs.tv. Highlights of the 2018 awards are online at: https://vimeo.com/304404353.

AIB Members urge broadcast manufacturers to engage over cyber security

30 May 2019

Members of the Association for International Broadcasting have written to key suppliers to the broadcasting industry urging greater engagement over cyber security. The letter calls on suppliers to broadcasters to ensure that their products – which form critical parts of the broadcast chain – have high-levels of robust security that will help to mitigate the effects of cyber attacks.

The letter is a result of work by the AIB Cyber Security Working Group to identify key issues of concern within Members of the Association for International Broadcasting about the current state of security provided within equipment. The Working Group has been active for the past four years, drawing together the Chief Information Security Officers and Chief Technology Officers across a wide range of AIB Members. Its purpose is to share intelligence about threats and to share knowledge about ways to mitigate attacks on broadcasters.

“The number of attempts to breach the security of broadcasting networks is constantly increasing,” says AIB Cyber Security Working Group chairman and CISO at Arqiva, Denis Onuoha. “Yet the supply side of the industry is not accelerating its work on developing robust security at the same rate. This disconnect is something that the AIB – and other industry associations – is striving to end. We want suppliers to the broadcasting industry to understand the concerns and the needs of broadcasters across the world and to work across the sector to improve security.”

Not every cyber attack is successful. However, the high-profile attacks that have been revealed clearly demonstrate the havoc that can be wreaked when defences are breached. The costs involved in recovering a broadcasting operation following a successful attack run into tens of millions of dollars, while the reputational damage is potentially even more damaging.

“As a global trade association, it is in our DNA to support Members in dealing with challenging subjects, such as cyber security,” comments AIB chief executive, Simon Spanswick. “There is often a reluctance to discuss cyber security, or a hope that an attack ‘won’t happen to me’. This is misguided as it is only through collaboration that the questions that the industry faces can be successfully navigated. The AIB wants to ensure that none of its Members have to deal with the aftermath of a cyber attack and that is why the Association is calling on the supply side of the industry to engage.”

Through its Working Group, the AIB is now in regular contact with the national security services in a number of countries in order to share knowledge and expertise. The Association is developing plans for the creation of a broadcast cyber security research unit within the information security department of a major UK university that will develop a live broadcast production and transmission laboratory where undergraduate and postgraduate research into security of equipment will be undertaken in conjunction with industry.

“All the work that the AIB undertakes on cyber security is of benefit both to Members and the wider industry,” continues Spanswick. “That’s why we’re encouraging the active and supportive involvement by the supply side in our cyber security initiatives. It’s only by working together that the industry can combat the very real threats that exist.”

Inaugural AIB Asia-Pacific Sustainability Awards presented

1 October 2018

First regional awards event recognises key programmes about challenges facing Asia and the Pacific

The inaugural Association for International Broadcasting Asia-Pacific Sustainability Awards have been presented to the winners at a ceremony held in Taipei.

These new awards – sponsored by Radio Taiwan International – recognise the best coverage of sustainability issues in the region on television and radio. This is the first year that the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has organised a regional element of its annual awards for factual productions across television, radio and online. Known as the AIBs, these awards are now in their fourteenth year and are highly regarded in the global broadcasting industry.

The shortlist for the Asia-Pacific Sustainability Awards included programmes from DW TV, Al Jazeera, Red FM, Mediacorp and Radio New Zealand. Each production investigated issues around sustainability in an area that’s home to two-thirds of the world’s population. Climate change, equality, poverty, waste and other issues around sustainability are real and tangible challenges on a daily basis for many of the citizens of the Asia-Pacific region.

“As the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals mark their third anniversary, the AIB wanted to demonstrate the importance of the media in ensuring that facts and events relating to these challenges reach global audiences,” said Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “We were delighted to see a wide range of entries from broadcasters within and outside the region, showing that relevant stories about the Asia-Pacific region and the challenges it faces are receiving the attention they deserve.”

Philippa Tolley, Executive Producer of RNZ’s “Insight” receives her award from John Maguire, Director of International Relations, France Médias Monde, and AIB CEO Simon Spanswick

The winner of the radio award was Radio New Zealand for its programme Insight: Climate Change – Politics and Actions. The judges noted the depth of investigation and incisive story-telling in this episode that focused on the archipelago of Hawaii. It reported on how the islands are reacting to the effects of global warming particularly in light of the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

The television award went to Mediacorp’s Channel 5 for an edition of Talking Point – Can We Ban the Bag? The judges were impressed by the way the programme involved Singaporeans in better understanding their voracious appetite for single-use plastic bags. They noted the clever involvement of the public and the way that context was provided to viewers.

Sharon Roobol, Executive Producer, Al Jazeera English, receives the highly commended certificate for “Earthrise: Eco-cremation”

A high commendation went to Al Jazeera English for Earthrise – Eco-cremation. This dealt with the challenge of adjusting custom and practice around the difficult subject of death, examining the fact that 8.5 million Hindu[s] deaths mean more than 50 million trees are being cut down each year to provide wood for funeral pyres. The judges praised the way the programme makers dealt sensitively with the subject.

The awards were presented in Taipei at a gala dinner that also marked the 90th anniversary of AIB Member Radio Taiwan International. AIB Executive Committee deputy chair John Maguire (director of international relations at France Médias Monde) joined AIB CEO Simon Spanswick on stage to present the winners with their awards.

The rest of this year’s AIBs – across 20 categories ranging from daily journalism to children’s factual – will be presented at the annual awards dinner in London on 7 November hosted by Bloomberg Television’s Mark Barton. The sell-out event is attended by journalists, editors, producers and senior executives from media companies throughout the world and marks a high point for programme markers on the international calendar. This year, the event partner is Al Jazeera Media Network, while Celebro Studios and Signiant are sponsors.

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