WEEK ENDED 27 JANUARY 2012

A weekly summary of news from ABU members and other broadcasting news items
from around the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

27 Jan 2012

German public service broadcasters seek HD cable carriage

German public service broadcasters ARD and ZDF are seeking cable carriage for their 10 new HD channels, which will be launched on April 30 2012, broandbandtvnews.com reports.

27 Jan 2012

Kuwait allows Al Jazeera to resume local operations

Al Jazeera is re-opening its Kuwait office a year after authorities in the Gulf state ordered its closure, rapidtvnews.com reports.

27 Jan 2012

Russian channel to air WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s TV show

Russia Today, the Kremlin’s English-language TV channel, has forged an unlikely partnership with the founder of WikiLeaks Julain Assange, British newspaper The Guardian reported.

26 Jan 2012

India: AIR, DD to expand reach in tribal areas

The Indian government is set to expand the reach of national broadcasters, All India Radio and Doordarshan, in tribal areas in the next few years. Most of these areas, affected by Maoist insurgency, will now be served by special programmes in tribal languages like Halbi, Gondi, Munda and Sargujia. The step has been initiated in an effort to reach out to the local population of the backward tribal regions of the country in their mother tongue.

26 Jan 2012

Al Jazeera set for Romania

The English language version of Al Jazeera is to become available in Romania, sat-universe.com reports.

26 Jan 2012

Yahoo! India intensifies role in video advertising

Yahoo! India is going  to venture into the online video advertising space. The digital  giant has announced its offerings to leading marketers to reach their target audiences through online video messaging.

25 Jan 2012

Indian Government considers tax holiday for broadcasters

A ten-year tax holiday, duty exemptions, and the granting of infrastructure status are among the proposals reportedly being considered for the Indian broadcasting industry by the government, rapidtvnews.com reports.

26 Jan 2012

MCOT selects Aspera Mobile for remote news gathering

MCOT’s Thai News Agency has selected and implemented Aspera’s mobile data transfer solution for Apple iOS and Google Android, asperasoft.com reports.

26 Jan 2012

Nepali TV station broadcasts by lantern light to protest power cuts

A television station in Nepal has broadcast a news bulletin lit by a lantern to protest the country’s long hours of power cuts, the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported.

26 Jan 2012

Only half of Nepal’’s licensed radios are regularly on air

The Nepalese government has issued broadcasting permission to 405 FM radio stations until mid January. However, only 242 of them are regularly on air according to the Nepalese website myrepublica.com.

25 Jan 2012

Sale of popular Turkish commercial TV Channel

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, Time Warner and Texas Pacific Group are among five foreign companies expected to show interest in assets belonging to Turkey’’s second-biggest media group ATV-Sabah this week, but international bidders have doubts about the $700 million – $1.25 billion auction process leading to a sale.

26 Jan 2012

34 percent of Uzbekistan population uses Internet

The number of Internet users, including mobile Internet users, in Uzbekistan has reached 8.8 million in 2011, Gazeta.uz website reported.

26 Jan 2012

3.3 million TNTSat receivers sold at end of 2011

Satellite operator SES Astra’s TNTSat French digital terrestrial offer on satellite sold a total of 3.3 million receivers at the end of 2011,..

26 Jan 2012

Sweden launches 24-hour news channel TV4 News

Sweden has its very own 24-hour news channel following the launch of TV4 News, broadbandtvnews.com reports.

26 Jan 2012

Indian government to set up new agency to oversee telecom, cyber security

India plans to set up a new body that will oversee telecom and cyber security to avoid overlap between various ministries and intelligence agencies that are currently handling this issue.

26 Jan 2012

BlackBerry maker to offer Facebook and Twitter in Saudi Arabia

The maker of the BlackBerry smartphone plans to roll out services to support Facebook and Twitter in Saudi Arabia after sales in the kingdom more than doubled last year.

26 Jan 2012

ITU launches Girls in ICT web portal

ITU has launched a new web portal (http://girlsinict.org/) focused on helping girls and women access training, job opportunities and career information in the fast-growing information and communication (ICT) sector.

26 Jan 2012

WRC-12 Conference on Frequency Spectrum opens in Geneva

The 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference opened on 23 January in Geneva, addressing a large number of issues on the use of radio frequency spectrum by several industries including the broadcasters. This conference is organized by the International Telecommunication Union, the Specialized UN Agency on telecommunications.

26 Jan 2012

Indian PM goes on Twitter

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s office made its debut on popular microblogging site Twitter on Monday.

25 Jan 2012

CCTV, Cisneros strike doc deal

Chinese broadcaster CCTV and Venevision International have struck a wide-ranging documentary deal at NATPE, the American documentary market.

25 Jan 2012

30th anniversary of CCTV Festival Gala

The annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala held successfully on 22 Jan 2012; attracting people’s attention across China, cctv.com reports.

25 Jan 2012

Saran Media brings 3D sports technology to Turkish TV

Turkish broadcasters will be now having local access to 3D sports programming following the acquisition of SterGen’s 3D conversion platform by Istanbul-based sports broadcast and entertainment distributor Saran Media, sat-television.com reports.

26 Jan 2012

Small Japanese paper reconnects with readers during earthquake disaster by handwriting its stories

When the March 2011 tsunami struck a great swathe of the northeast coast of Japan leaving 19,000 people dead or missing and triggering the Fukushima nuclear disaster, it also submerged the Ishinomaki Hibi Shimbun’’s presses.

26 Jan 2012

German court rules against Samsung Electronics in its lawsuit against Apple

A German district court has ruled against Samsung Electronics in a lawsuit the Korean firm filed against Apple regarding communication patent violations.

25 Jan 2012

BBC World Service Trust becomes BBC Media Action

After twelve years supporting and strengthening the media in the developing world, the BBC World Service Trust has entered a significant new stage. As of 16 December 2011, it has changed its name to BBC Media Action.

25 Jan 2012

First DTH TV platform in Georgia starts via Astra

Satellite Services (SES) and MagtiCom, the Georgian mobile and telecommunication company, have announced the launch of MagtiSat, Georgia’s first domestic direct-to-home (DTH) satellite platform, via Astra. The pay-TV offer will be available beginning 23 January 2012.

30 Dec 2011

‘Top 10 most dangerous places for reporters’

The Arab Spring has taken its toll on the media with double the number of journalists being killed in the Middle East in 2011 compared with 2010.

30 Dec 2011

Pakistani broadcasters under threat

At least two prominent broadcast journalists in Pakistan have accused the state security of threatening them, International Business Times reports.

30 Dec 2011

China to launch 3D channel

China’s first 3D TV channel will begin a trial run on Jan 1, before its official launch in late January, in time for the Chinese New Year holiday, China Daily reports.

30 Dec 2011

Philippine Catholic TV station gets green light

The Philippine House of Representatives has granted a Filipino Catholic organisation a franchise to operate and maintain a television station in the country, Business Mirror reports.

30 Dec 2011

Journalists attacked during protests in Yemen

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the attacks on at least eight journalists over the weekend by armed forces loyal to outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

30 Dec 2011

RTM’s new integrated news centre nearly complete

The RM100-million (US$31.4 million) integrated news centre of Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) in Kuala Lumpur will be ready next month, Bernama reports.

30 Dec 2011

End of era for NZ TV as Avalon faces sale

As 2011 draws to a close, so does an era in New Zealand’s television history, Wellington-based Internet news agency Stuff reports.

30 Dec 2011

China vows to speed up convergence of TV, Internet, phone

China will push ahead the convergence of television, Internet and telecom services in 2012, said Miao Wei, China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology today, Xinhua reports.

30 Dec 2011

Saudi TV channel to broadcast to Spain, Latin America

A new TV channel, sponsored by the government of Saudi Arabia, will begin broadcasting on 1 January, El Pais reports.

30 Dec 2011

BBC Bangla turns 70 with TV debate

BBC’s Bengali services, known as BBC Bangla, marked its 70th anniversary – and 40 years of Bangladeshi independence – with a special television debate about the changing media scene in Bangladesh.

ABU Weekly News Digest  4 November 2011

A weekly summary of news from ABU members and other broadcasting news items from around the Asia-Pacific region. Click on the headline for the full story.

Latest News

• 04 Nov

ABU to hold radio and TV song festivals

The ABU will hold both a radio and a television song festival in 2012, the Programme Committee heard today.

• 04 Nov

Demand for global action to halt killing of journalists

More than 400 representatives of global news organisations today issued a call for global action to halt the killing of journalists.

• 04 Nov

Singapore’s MediaCorp names fund recipients

Six projects have been chosen to received pilot funding from MediaCorp’s S$5 million-dollar (US$3.95 million) Content Innovation Fund.

• 03 Nov

Veteran broadcasters win ABU technical awards

Senior broadcast engineers from India and China have won ABU Excellence Awards.

• 03 Nov

Sports broadcasters to benefit from training in Hanoi

ABU Sports members will benefit from training to be held in Hanoi next March, the Sports Group meeting heard today.

• 03 Nov

Japanese documentary wins 2011 Child Rights Award

A documentary about the lives of two disabled children in Japan has won the 2011 Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award for broadcasting.

• 03 Nov

MPEG-4 HD interoperability tests show good results

A series of MPEG-4 HD video encoder and decoder interoperability tests involving equipment from six vendors has recorded a 98 percent pass rate.

• 03 Nov

Singapore finds the One

Asian entertainment channel One will launch in Singapore following a carriage deal with pay-TV platform Mio TV, C21Media reports.

• 03 Nov

Pakistan government defends PTV-Zee TV venture

The joint venture between state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) and India’s Zee TV is an open business deal, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has told Pakistan’s Upper House of Parliament, RapidTVNews reports.

• 03 Nov

SBS launches Your Language app

SBS has launched its Your Language app, allowing users to livestream and replay radio programmes in more than 60 languages.

• 02 Nov

ABU annual meetings open in New Delhi

The ABU’s annual meetings open today in New Delhi, hosted by India’s national broadcasting corporation, Prasar Bharati.

• 01 Nov

US’ BBG unveils five-year plan

The US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has released the framework of its new strategic plan to enhance the global impact of US international broadcasting.

• 01 Nov

BBC marks 75 years of television

It’s been 75 years since the BBC’s first regular “high-definition” television broadcast was made from Alexandra Palace in north London on 2 November, 1936.

• 01 Nov

NZ Labour party promises new public broadcaster

New Zealand’s Labour party has promised to launch a new public broadcaster if it is elected, TVNZ reports.

• 01 Nov

Mediacorp to discontinue DAB radio

In December, MediaCorp will discontinue its Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) service, ChannelNews Asia reports.

• 31 Oct

SBS faced with cutting jobs and programmes

The Managing Director of SBS-Australia Michael Ebeid has told staff that the multicultural broadcaster has a A$4 million (US$4.15 million) budget deficit and will cut staff and programmes if it doesn’t get additional government funding, The Australian reports.

• 31 Oct

India’s Press Council seeks wider powers

The Chairman of India’s Press Council, Markandey Katju, has called for the council’s powers to be widened to cover the electronic media, The Times of India reports.

• 31 Oct

IRIB-Iran wins URTI Radio Grand Prix

IRIB-Iran has won the 2011 URTI Radio International Grand Prix for its programme, Street Children, which was produced by Khosro Rasouli.

Latest News

• 26 Aug

New ABU NEWS head appointed

A senior Korean journalist, Se-Deuk Ahn, has been appointed the new Director ABU News.

• 26 Aug

TVNZ posts NZ$2 million profit

TVNZ has seen a big jump in revenue in the past year and today posted an after tax profit of NZ$2.1 million (US$1.75 million).

• 26 Aug

Australian journalists sacked over fake reports

Australia’s Channel Nine has sacked three journalists for faking reports about the search for the remains of a young murder victim, ABC News reports.

• 26 Aug

CNN plans special coverage of 9/11 anniversary

CNN will mark the 10th anniversary of the 11 September attacks with live broadcasts from New York, Washington, D.C., Shanksville, Pennsylvania and Afghanistan.

• 25 Aug

Australia and NZ lose two veteran broadcasters

Last week saw the loss of two veteran broadcasters: ABC pioneer Ian Carroll and New Zealand sports broadcaster Graeme Moody.

• 25 Aug

Be constructive, Bangladesh media told

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invited constructive criticisms from the media to help her government run the country on the right track, The Daily Star reports.

• 25 Aug

‘Cheap imports killing Australian TV productions’

Australians are watching less home-made television as networks favour cheaper foreign productions over dearer local content, The

• 24 Aug

Pakistan to set up radio, TV stations in tribal areas

The Pakistan government is planning to set up radio and television stations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to provide tribesmen a window of opportunity to show the world their culture and traditions, and to counter extremism, The Express Tribune.

• 24 Aug Australian reports.

Videos assist deaf to switch to digital TV

New Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN) videos aimed at helping the deaf and hearing-impaired community switch from analogue to digital only free-to air TV have been released by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, Content + Technology magazine reports.

• 24 Aug

Bangladesh to get an all IP broadcast network

Bangladeshi broadcaster Maasranga, part of local conglomerate the Square Group, is upgrading its network to launch the first fully IP-based digital, HD and 3G-enabled rich media network in the country, reports Telecoms.

• 24 Aug

PacTV to transmit 9/11 anniversary events globally

Pacific Television Center (PacTV), a Los Angeles-based independent, global transmission and production company, is preparing its New York facility for hundreds of hours of transmission to ensure that the events surrounding the 10th anniversary of 9/11 reaches viewers around the globe.

• 24 Aug

Study: HDTVs the next most desired device in Asia Pacific

Among Chinese respondents, HDTVs were the second most cited device when considering purchase intentions in the next six months, according to recent surveys conducted by ABI Research on the Asia-Pacific consumer electronics markets Business Wire reports.

• 24 Aug

Philippines’ NTC endorses Japan’s digital TV standard

Philippines’ National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Tuesday said it will endorse to the government the adoption of the Japanese standard for the Philippines’ migration to digital terrestrial TV, The Manila Times reports.

• 24 Aug

NHK to launch net radio next month

NHK will launch a live online streaming service of its domestic radio channels, with its first programme airing at 11 a.m. on 1 September.

• 23 Aug

CNN reporter hit by shell in Libya, continues reporting

CNN reporter Sara Sidner experienced the hazards of covering an unstable region Tuesday when she was hit by a shell of a bullet shot in celebration of the rebel takeover of Tripoli in Libya, Hollywood Reporter reports.

• 23 Aug

Radio host shot dead in Philippines

Gunmen shot dead the host of a political radio show in the Philippines, police said on Tuesday.

• 23 Aug

ABU Engineering Excellence Awards get good response

The ABU has received over a dozen nominations from members and industry players in 11 countries for this year’s ABU Engineering Excellence Awards.

The features take a nostalgic look back 65 years to the mid-1940s and the personalities, programs and station profiles of Australian Heritage AM Radio across the country before TV and FM arrived on the
scene.

Slightly quaint and qwirky for today’s reader, the first series, now approaching 50 features of individual stations gives a wonderful insight into how radio entertained and informed Australians of the age.

The new features cover the three original stations of the Victorian Broadcasting Network – 3HA Hamilton, 3SH Swan Hill and 3TR Sale & Gippsland and are all free to access at www.radioheritage.com.

Old station letterheads and photos of Managing Director David F Syme and General Manager Rupert A Fitts have been found to illustrate the items, along with original station logos and a pre-war network
advertisement.

If you have your own memories, memorabilia and more you’d like to share about any of these VBN stations, or any of the stations featured in series, the Radio Heritage Foundation wants to hear from
you.

It may be some old photos, booklets, newspaper or magazine articles or even some recordings. Memories of listening to the radio over the years are also important and wanted because they help people understand the important community role played by radio over several generations.
Coming soon….2DU Dubbo and 2GN Goulburn……………
______
Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization connecting popular culture nostalgia and radio heritage. Our global website is www.radioheritage.com.
Enjoy hundreds of features, rare radio audio, images and much more with free worldwide community access. Unsubscribe: email ‘no thanks’ to info@radioheritage.net and allow five working days for removal.
Currently fund raising to recover operational costs. Your donation or personal gift today will help us maintain this free community service.
(Sumber: Radio Heritage Foundation melalui Hard Core DX Digest Vol. 104 No. 16 dan Radio Activity)