News From You

followthemedia.com - a knowledge base for media professionals

ftm News From You

News From You

We receive dozens of news tips and press releases each week from ftm contributors. We want MORE. And we want to share the raw information as quickly as possible. NEWS FROM YOU is the forum for adding what you know to what we know. Share what you know...or what your hear. We will apply the light-touch of the editors axe for clarity. We will also accept NEWS FROM YOU in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese...without translation. (We do insist on being able to understand what you contribute.) You also must clearly indicate that your contribution is for publication in NEWS FROM YOU.

Please note: we cannot use PDF files, only text and .doc files.

Send us NEWS FROM YOU

Week ending November 1, 2008

VOA Provides Multi-Media 2008 Election Night Coverage in 45 Languages - October 29 2008
from Michelle Harris/VOA

Live reports from Kenya, home of Barack Obama’s late father, and Vietnam, where John McCain was imprisoned for seven years, highlight the Voice of America’s (VOA) special election programs around the globe November 4.

VOA’s coverage of the historic election will be available in English and 44 other languages that reach an estimated worldwide audience of 134 million. Comprehensive, multimedia coverage at VOA’s new website, www.USAVotes2008.com, allows people to receive up-to-date news and information and post comments about the race.

“The presidential contest of 2008 has riveted people around the world from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe,” said VOA Director Danforth Austin. “Because we broadcast in English and vernacular languages, VOA has the unique ability to deliver news and information about the election, the democratic process and the people of the United States,” he said, adding, “We’ll be using every technology possible to reach people with the results of this race.”

VOA's English-language radio and TV will air extensive election coverage, culminating in non-stop simulcast programming beginning at 10:00 p.m. EST (0300 UTC) and running until five minutes past the winning candidate’s victory speech. Coverage will include the latest election returns, live correspondent reports from the McCain and Obama camps and updates on key Congressional and regional races.

Audiences in Kenya, Vietnam, and Indonesia, Obama’s childhood home, have shown a particularly keen interest in the race, prompting special VOA programs. On election night, the Swahili service will co-produce shows with Citizen FM and Radio Free Africa in East Africa; the Vietnamese service will fan out across the United States to interview people in Vietnamese communities; and the Indonesian service will participate in a 90-minute panel discussion on Metro TV.

Highlights of VOA language coverage include:

Radio:
- African affiliate stations in Rwanda and Burundi will expand programming from VOA’s Kinyarwanda and Kirundi services with a live interactive show involving VOA reporters and RPA-FM in Kigali.

- VOA Kurdish will air an extra hour of programming to Iraq, from 0600 to 0700 UTC Wednesday morning (1:00-2:00 a.m. EST).

- VOA Spanish reporters will conduct live interactives with affiliate stations throughout Latin America.

- VOA Creole will have two live, one-hour interactive broadcasts with Haitian analysts and journalists in Washington and Port-au-Prince.

Television:
- VOA Persian will produce a live election night special 10:30-11:30 p.m. EST (0330-0430 UTC), including guest commentary and analysis, and reports from each candidate’s campaign headquarters.

- VOA Albanian will cap a week of special programming with a 90-minute program on the elections, co-produced with Albania’s Top Channel and co-hosted by Top Channel’s news director.

- VOA Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian, and Ukrainian services will all provide live reports for affiliate stations.

- VOA Indonesian will deliver more than two dozen reports to seven Indonesian national TV networks throughout November 4, along with the 90-minute panel discussion with Indonesia’s all-news station Metro TV.

- VOA Cantonese will supply live election updates to Asia TV, serving Hong Kong and southern China.

- VOA’s Thai service will report on radio and through Thai TV networks MCOT and True Vision.

- VOA’s Urdu service will broadcast election specials with the Pakistan Television Network (PTV), the state broadcaster.

On the web:
- VOA Russian will provide on-camera, hourly updates; blogs from Republican and Democratic headquarters; views and commentaries on how a new president may shape U.S.-Russian relations; and interactive dialogue about the election and process.

- VOA Mandarin will engage audiences through a live web chat with VOA reporters and U.S. experts.

IBIQUITY DEMONSTRATES DIGITAL HD RADIO™ TECHNOLOGY AT MEDIENTAGE MÜNCHEN 2008 – October 29, 2008
from Yvonne Dettling/Ruoss AG

iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of digital HD Radio technology for AM and FM audio and data broadcasting, and the European HD Radio Alliance (EHDRA) announced today they will demonstrate the HD Radio system at MEDIENTAGE MÜNCHEN 2008 in Munich, Germany. MEDIENTAGE MÜNCHEN began as a platform for the pioneers of private broadcasting but has evolved into Europe’s major media conference meeting of its kind over the past few years.

“HD Radio broadcasting is a very good opportunity for regional radio stations to take their first step into digitalization,” said Jürg Bachmann, head of digital projects for Goldbach Media Management and Chairman of the European HD Radio Alliance. “iBiquity Digital’s participation at MEDIENTAGE MÜNCHEN will allow European broadcasters to see the benefits that HD Radio technology has to offer broadcasters around the world.”

“MEDIENTAGE MÜNCHEN 2008 is an excellent opportunity for us to discuss HD Radio technology with a growing number of interested broadcasters and regulators in Germany and the surrounding regions,” said Hal Kneller, Director, International Broadcasting Business Development, iBiquity Digital Corporation. “The successful testing of the HD Radio system early this year on 102.8 Radio Regenbogen in Heidelberg proves that the technology is a viable and affordable choice for digital radio in Europe.”

HD Radio technology offers FM radio broadcasters and listeners worldwide a seamless solution for a digital transition. By utilizing existing channel allocations and broadcast infrastructure, the technology offers an affordable transition for broadcasters and an efficient solution for regulators by allowing stations to maintain existing analog services while listeners upgrade to digital receivers. In addition to the superior audio quality and reliability it brings existing broadcaster services, HD Radio technology enables additional audio and data services that will keep FM radio vital now and in the future.

The ITU (International Telecommunications Union) recognized HD Radio technology as Digital System C (Recommendation ITU-R BS.1114) and the AM HD Radio system as IBOC DSB system below 30 MHz (Recommendation ITU-R BS.1514), giving world-wide credibility to these systems from a regulatory standpoint. In the U.S., where there are already over 1,800 HD Radio stations on the air, the HD Radio system is the only technology approved by the Federal Communications Commission for digital AM and FM broadcasting. HD Radio adoption continues to grow worldwide. Systems are operating in more than 10 countries and over 50 stations around the globe.

Radio Netherlands Worldwide launches Arabic radio - October 27, 2008
from Marjolein Klaassen-Hulst/RNW

HILVERSUM- Radio Netherlands Worldwide is launching a daily Arabic radio programme called ‘Huna Amsterdam’ (Here’s Amsterdam). This young-sounding news and current affairs programme is aimed at a progressive audience looking for independent information. The radio broadcasts can be heard from now on throughout the Middle East and the Maghreb via short wave, satellite and www.rnw.nl/hunaamsterdam.

The radio broadcasts will be launched officially on 15 November during a special debate that Radio Netherlands Worldwide is organising in Morocco (Rabat). The debate ‘Moroccan brats and disrespectful Dutch’ is about the media and the formation of reciprocal images in the Arabic and the Western world.

Migrant communities
The radio programme is aimed at the entire Middle East and the Maghreb, particularly focusing on Morocco, the Palestinian territories and Iraq. The editors of Huna Amsterdam will be bringing news, analysis and reports from the region and from the Netherlands/Europe as well as reporting from migrant communities. The Arabic desk at Radio Netherlands Worldwide also has a website: www.rnw.nl/hunaamsterdam.

Divide
Radio Netherlands Worldwide hopes the broadcasts will help close the divide between the Arabic and Western worlds. General Director Jan Hoek explains: “More than ever the two worlds seem to be talking simultaneously and at cross purposes, rather than with each other. The Arabic world is clearly in need of an independent moderate (Muslim) sound, one which encourages dialogue.”

Broadcast times and frequencies
Radio Netherlands Worldwide will broadcast the radio programme during the evening hours via short wave, satellite, podcasts and audio streams on www.rnw.nl/hunaamsterdam. Radio Netherlands Worldwide will soon be adding broadcasts on medium wave and via FM partners, who will take over parts of the programme. Here are the options for reception:

-          Iraq and the Golf states: 19.00-20.00 (UTC) on 11830 kHz;
-          Other Middle East states: 20.00-21.00 (UTC) on 7385 kHz;
-          North Africa: 22.00-23.00 (UTC) on 5970 kHz;
-          The Arabic satellite channel ‘Sawt Al Alam’ on ‘Eutelsat Hotbird’, ‘Arabsat BADR4’ and ‘Nilesat 101’: 19.00-20.00 and 22.00-23.00 (UTC).

Radio Netherlands used to broadcast in Arabic, but stopped after more than four decades in 1994. “We will build on our past knowledge, contacts and reputation. But our main target group is not our old audience. Today’s listeners are much younger,” says Jan Hoek.