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 News From You
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Week ending October 2, 2010
Media Development Loan Fund co-founder Sasa Vucinic will step down as Managing Director on March 31, 2011. He has decided not to seek to renew his appointment when his current term expires. Harlan Mandel, MDLF's Deputy Managing Director for the past 13 years will succeed Mr. Vucinic at MDLF's helm.
Mr. Vucinic co-founded MDLF in 1995 with Washington Post journalist Stuart Auerbach to provide affordable financing to independent news businesses in emerging democracies.
"By the time I officially release the steering wheel in March next year, I will be just one month shy of running MDLF for 16 years," said Mr. Vucinic. "I was lucky enough to be holding MDLF's hand from it being only a nameless two-page memo promoting a new idea, to this summer's passing of the US$ 100 million mark of extended loans, investments and technical assistance.
"I was working with brilliant people to assist some other brilliant people in 25 countries in the developing world. All of us together built something extraordinary and in an extraordinary way. But I feel that this is the right time for me to move on and invent and build 'the next big thing'. MDLF, I am convinced, is more than ready and mature enough to be passed on to the next generation of leaders."
At a meeting on 9 September 2010, MDLF's Board of Directors reluctantly accepted Mr. Vucinic's decision not to seek to renew his appointment.
Chairman Bernard Poulet, Chief Editor of the French economic monthly L'Expansion and head of the Expansion think-tank, said: "The Board of Directors understands Sasa Vucinic's decision, even if we regret it. Sasa is an entrepreneur and likes new challenges and adventures. Sasa's input to this organization is inestimable and working with him has always been a pleasure. His leadership and his imagination, and his sense of humor, his involvement in the defense of press freedom, were decisive in MDLF's success. We are sure we will continue to cooperate with Sasa over his new projects, whatever they may be."
At the 9 September meeting, MDLF's Board of Directors unanimously appointed Deputy Managing Director Harlan M. Mandel to the position of Managing Director with effect from April 1, 2011.
"The Board of Directors unanimously approve with enthusiasm the choice of Harlan Mandel to become Managing Director in April 2011," said Mr. Poulet. "We have worked with Harlan for many years. He has demonstrated all the talents needed for the job and we have no doubt at all about his capacity to maintain and develop MDLF."
Mr. Mandel said: "Sasa has been a visionary leader in the fields of media support and impact investing, and I feel privileged to have worked at his side. Under Sasa we have built a talented staff, a network of extraordinary clients and a strong balance sheet. With such an exceptional base to build on, I look forward to leading MDLF as we continue to provide financing and strategic support for leading news businesses in emerging democracies."
Through affordable capital and business advice and assistance, the New York City-based MDLF helps journalists build sustainable businesses around quality journalism. More than 32 million people receive news and information from MDLF clients.
Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Chairman Walter Isaacson tonight announced a new direction for U.S. international broadcasting that "seizes on the latest media tools and technology to stay one step ahead of those who seek to repress free information around the world."
As Chairman of the BBG, Isaacson oversees RFE, VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio/TV Marti, Radio Sawa, and Alhurra TV, which have a combined weekly audience of more than 171 million people.
"The challenges we face in the new global struggle against repression and intolerance are as great today as they were during the Cold War," he said at a reception marking the 60th anniversary of RFE's first broadcast.
"And just as the founders of Radio Free Europe succeeded in developing creative and innovative ways to get news and information to people suffering behind the Iron Curtain, so too must today's U.S. international broadcasters respond to modern threats to freedom in new and inventive ways."
Speaking at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., Isaacson said, "America cannot let itself be out-communicated by its enemies."
"Our traditional role of delivering the news top down needs to be complimented by a new approach that catalyzes social networks," said Isaacson. "By creating peer-to-peer global communities, we help guarantee the universal human right of access to the free flow of information."
Tonight's reception honored six decades of RFE. On July 4, 1950, Radio Free Europe went on the air for the first time with a broadcast to communist Czechoslovakia from a studio in New York City's Empire State Building.
Today, RFE reaches nearly 20 million people in 28 languages and 21 countries from Europe to the Middle East. In Afghanistan, RFE's Radio Azadi is the most popular media outlet in the country. In Iran, RFE's Radio Farda is influential - its Facebook page has more than 50,000 fans.
"We remain a lifeline for people living in war zones and under authoritarian rule who seek accurate and reliable news," said RFE President Jeffrey Gedmin, who moderated tonight's reception.
BBC World Service has further expanded the availability of its live radio broadcasts via mobile phones in the United States. The extension of the BBC’s agreement with provider of mobile phone radio distribution in North America, AudioNowTM, means that now, in addition to BBC Arabic radio, BBC World Service’s broadcasts in English, Persian, Somali and Urdu are now available across the US via any mobile phone without downloads or data services simply by calling a national access number.
Building on the success of the 24/7 availability of BBC Arabic radio on US phones, launched earlier this year, BBC World Service has added further international radio news programming to the service. The development of partnership between BBC World Service and AudioNow will expand the content for mobile listeners:
- BBC World Service in English is now available live to listeners in the US 24 hours a day, every day, by calling 7124326580
- on-demand news programming from BBC Persian can be accessed by calling 7124326583
- on-demand news programming from BBC Urdu can be accessed by calling 7124326584
- on-demand news programming from BBC Somali can be accessed by calling 7124326582.
While the service is free to callers in the US, listeners should check their mobile phone contracts for any additional charges.
Simon Kendall, Head of Business Development, BBC Global News, says: “We are delighted that more BBC World Service multilingual programming is now available to audiences in the US - in English, Persian, Somali or Urdu - thanks to our agreement with AudioNow. While we already have significant English-speaking and diaspora audiences listening to the BBC via web-streaming on their PCs, this service takes our connectivity to a different level and provides a more flexible and convenient service for audiences. We have been impressed by the take-up of BBC Arabic via the AudioNow service, and this arrangement builds on that success.”
Elan Blutinger, Managing Director of AudioNow, says: “Listening to the BBC in the United States should be as simple as pressing a single speed dial button for the more than 80% of the market that do not access data services on their phones. BBC's rich content will now be available to every mobile phone listener simply by calling a single number without downloads or the need to access data services.”
Commenting on the launch of on-demand Persian, Somali and Urdu broadcasts, AudioNow’s Chief Technology Officer, Marcel Barbulescu, says: “The service was developed in response to the growing demand by mobile listeners for instant access to regularly updated pre-recorded audio programming of sports, news, radio and online news content, without having to download audio files. Our broadcast radio partners can now expand distribution of their pre-recorded audio content including podcasts to any mobile phone, simply, and at virtually no cost.”
Public service TV and radio channels in some EU Member States stand in need of proper financial backing as well as safeguards for their independence, says Parliament's Culture Committee in a draft resolution adopted on Tuesday. These broadcasters also need to boost their presence on the internet to reach out to young people, say MEPs.
"Public broadcasters in some Member States are confronted with major problems jeopardising their political independence, their viability and even their financial basis", maintains the Culture Committee.
Political interference must end
The draft resolution "calls on the Member States to end political interference regarding the content of services offered by public broadcasters", saying that "some Member States still fail to respect European standards on freedom of expression, media pluralism, and the independence, remit and funding of public service media". It also "notes that the transparency of ownership of private broadcasters has to be guaranteed in all Member States, and calls on the Commission to monitor and support progress to this end".
Proper funding the only guarantee of independence
Member States are urged "to provide appropriate, proportionate and stable funding for public service media to enable them to fulfil their remit, guarantee their political and economic independence and contribute to an inclusive information and knowledge society". The committee "insists that Member States should be held accountable for failing to fulfil these commitments".
Reach out to younger generation via the internet
Public broadcasters are called upon "to offer attractive, quality online content in order to reach young people who access the media almost exclusively via the Internet" and "preserve a vibrant media landscape in the online environment". Meanwhile Member States should adopt laws on public service broadcasting on the internet, and address the digital divide, for example between urban and rural areas, so that "all individuals in all regions have equal access to public service broadcasting".
Lastly, the Commission is asked "to adapt copyright to the new digital era", to "facilitate the re-use of archive content and to put in place extended collective license-systems and easy one-stop-shop systems for the clearance of rights". Content aggregators should be made to respect existing laws, and the Commission should "consider ways in which search engines and internet service providers could contribute to the financing of content creation".
The draft report was adopted by the committee by 19 votes to 5, with 1 abstention.
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