China’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) image processing chip for 8K TV has been released by Hisense in Beijing, CGTN reports.The chip, named Hi-View HV8107, uses AI-assisted technology to process 8K TV output, making it clearer, more colourful and more fluent in motions.
7 January 2022 | Bhutan aims to complete digitalising cable TV by year’s end
Bhutan aims to complete the digitalisation of cable TV by the end of this year, BBS reports.
The Bhutan InfoCom and Media Authority says more than 60 of the country’s 90 local cable operators have already gone digital. The local operators are being connected to two multi-service operators.
The digitalisation programme began in the capital, Thimphu, in 2018 and has been extended to much of Bhutan. The focus is now on five districts in the more rural east of the country.
Despite the equipment being available, one of the challenges has been a lack of expertise.
Phuntsho Choden, the proprietor of one cable service, said most customers in her district had been asking for a better quality visual but due to limited expertise, the company had not been able to fulfil public demand.
“They have been asking for digitisation of the cable service and we will give it. The equipment is ready and it won’t take much,” she told BBS.
To help meet this challenge, the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, in partnership with a private company, has completed a week of training on how to go digital for local cable operators from the five eastern districts.
3 January 2022 | Digital terrestrial TV set to start in Sri Lanka in 2023
The first digital terrestrial television broadcasting in Sri Lanka will start in 2023 after the launch last week of the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Project (DTTB), the Daily News reports.
The project to digitise Sri Lankan television broadcasting is being carried out by the Ministry of Mass Media in conjunction with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and financial assistance provided by the Japanese government to Sri Lanka.
“Over the implementation of this project, more than 40 years of the analogue broadcasting system will be migrated to a digital broadcasting platform by enabling high definition (HD) viewing experience for each and every Sri Lankan television viewer,” Mass Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.
One of the biggest advantages of the DTTB project is the ability to offer automatic early disaster warnings targeting specific areas for natural calamities such as floods, earth slips and even tsunamis.
In addition, broadcasters will be able to offer high quality service at a lower platform cost for all Sri Lankan viewers, and advertisers will have greater opportunities to market their products.
It is planned to totally switch off the analogue broadcasting services in the country by 2027.
“Sri Lanka has been using analogue TV for over 40 years and due to the implementation of this project, 200 more TV channels will be allowed to broadcast a number of new programmes in addition to the existing television channels,” the project Director of DTTB, Prasanna Rajapaksa, said.
December 2021 | Prescription for 2022: A prognosis by Dr Ahmad Zaki Mohd Salleh, Director of Technical Operations, Media Prima, on managing the broadcast and media business during a pandemic
By Shaun Lim, APB+
Like many industries, the broadcast and media industry has not been exempted from the disruptions brought forth by the Covid-19 pandemic. If anything, broadcasters and media operators have arguably been even more adversely impacted during this period of uncertainties.
Take, as an example, the coverage of large-scale live events, a production staple for the industry. With tight restrictions and SOPs on huge gatherings put in place by the Malaysian government to contain the pandemic, integrated media company Media Prima found their ability to organise concerts and large entertainment events “stifled”, according to Dr Ahmad Zaki Mohd Salleh, Director of Technical Operations, Media Prima.
Besides facing a shortfall in content production, Media Prima also had to manage the impact of the pandemic on the company’s most valuable asset – its people. Dr Zaki told APB+, “From time to time, we experienced COVID-19 infected staff and exposures that resulted in loss of manpower. Every time any of our production staff comes into contact with a COVID-positive person, they have to be quarantined for 10 days.
“Our production facility has to be sanitised a few times after every COVID case is confirmed, and studios are particularly vulnerable as they are closed areas and extremely susceptible to infections.”
Throughout the pandemic, Media Prima also realised the growing importance of Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP) and systems, with special and emergency procedures heading the agenda during management meetings, Dr Zaki revealed.
He also highlighted the importance of equipment resilience but this pales in comparison to manpower resilience, urging organisations to include manpower redundancy into their DRPs. “We may have all the standby equipment in the world, but when people need to be quarantined, no one is there to operate your standby equipment, no matter how sophisticated your equipment is!” he asserted.
Automation, AI and cloud infrastructure the keys
As for what technologies can help broadcasters create content that will attract and retain eyeballs, Dr Zaki identified automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure, although he was quick to emphasise that no matter what technology is utilised, efficiency and productivity will hold the key to success.
He explained, “The proliferation of digital media platforms provides different conduits for delivering content. Everyone is into this [creating and delivering content], but the successful ones are those who operate from ‘shophouses’ or ‘garages’ with a few guys with laptops doing everything from content ingest, editing, transcoding, to re-transmitting.”
With financial recovery likely to be a top priority for many broadcasters and media operators in 2022, Dr Zaki cautioned about the scarcity of potential new revenue streams. Instead, broadcasters may need to concentrate on capitalising on available revenue streams and finding different ways of making them more viable.
He added, “There will be more sponsored content in addition to commercial spots but digital revenue still has a long way to go. TV commerce is also making a comeback, but we are still far behind online commerce.”
As the pandemic continues to accelerate digitalisation, many broadcasters are also in the process of fine-tuning or implementing their digital transformation plans, which, Dr Zaki recommended, should focus on people rather than purchasing new equipment.
He concluded, “Improving the skillsets, attitudes and creativity of staff will remain the main challenges we have to face.
“As for opportunities, we should definitely pay more attention to automation, AI and machine learning – especially in the areas of subtitling and quality control – and better engagement with authorities on issues such as compliance and control.”
Embracing cloud and live IP key for media companies in 2022
With OPEX-based models the directive for many broadcast and media organisations in 2022, expect cloud adoption to gain pace, was the prediction of Paul Maroni, Sales and Marketing Manager, Magna Systems & Engineering Group.
Maroni told APB+, “Cloud provides versatility and agility without having to invest in hardware and infrastructure, although it can work out to be more expensive over time, and there are risks involved due to the reliance on connectivity, as well as security concerns.”
The largest investment facing established media companies, however, lies in the move to live IP, Maroni noted. “There needs to be a compelling argument to move to IP from traditional baseband video,” he said. “One of the catalysts for change is 4K/Ultra HD (UHD), which is easily managed in IP, compared to the bandwidths required in baseband.
“The other catalyst is relocation or consolidation – it makes sense to build a new IP infrastructure for greenfield sites.”
Maroni also identified the upskilling required for both the IT technologist and the Broadcast technologist as the main stumbling block for media companies to embrace live IP and cloud, and reiterated Magna Systems’ commitment to continue building consultative relationships with their customers, and to help them better understand, and make the transition to, these technologies.
He continued, “We not only rely on our vendors for the latest trends and technologies, but also the industry standard bodies like SMPTE and IEEE for training and access to their knowledge base.
“We need to be one step ahead of our customers to ensure that what we propose will not only suit them today, but well into the future.”
7 December 2021 | MEDIAGENIX goes ‘Fast Forward to Data Value’
MEDIAGENIX PRISM & SPECTRUM to accelerate the value of Media Data Assets
Brussels, 7 December 2021 — MEDIAGENIX, the market leader in lean content supply chain solutions with Media Business Management Platform WHATS’ON, announced two new professional data services, MEDIAGENIX PRISM and MEDIAGENIX SPECTRUM. The two services are aimed at accelerating the value of actionable content intelligence and AI capabilities to solve some of the media industry’s toughest challenges in digital transformation: data fragmentation and Time-to-Value.MEDIAGENIX PRISM
MEDIAGENIX PRISM is a Data-Hub-As-A-Service offering that enriches content supply chain data from Media Business Platform WHATS’ON with third-party, in-house and open data sources. The data platform is set up with a short Time to Value and can scale to accommodate changing needs and new use cases.
MEDIAGENIX Product Manager Lucas Denys said: “If you want to successfully deliver BI and AI applications that improve your content supply chain, you need to connect data assets from all relevant steps in that content supply chain into a qualitative and trustworthy Data Hub. MEDIAGENIX PRISM leverages our industry expertise to combine all data assets into one unified data model embodied by a modular data platform.”
MEDIAGENIX SPECTRUM
MEDIAGENIX SPECTRUM is a service for fast-tracking a Proof-of-Value for BI and AI applications that visualize and optimize content ROI.
Lucas Denys: “In order to speed up the time-to-value of data investments, we have designed a dedicated project approach where our innovation analysts will work with our customers to pinpoint promising use cases, explore potential solutions, and create a Proof-of-Value for those, all in a time-boxed manner. The entire process is gated so that our customers can always make an informed decision on the next stages of the project.”
One area where MEDIAGENIX believe they can create a lot of value for their customers is audience engagement prediction in all kinds of different contexts. They have already developed a state-of-the-art ratings prediction algorithm for linear TV, which automatically forecasts the ratings of content and breaks with an accuracy that outperforms human experts by about 25%.
Partnering with AE
Both MEDIAGENIX PRISM and MEDIAGENIX SPECTRUM combine the MEDIAGENIX experience in data-centric media workflows with the proven data science methodology of consultancy firm AE.
This means that with MEDIAGENIX, media companies have a single point of contact to be assured of the experience, in-depth knowledge and focus that will help them go Fast Forward to Data Value, and steer their competitive future and content ROI in today’s multi-platform market.
23 November 2021 | IBC Cancels Amsterdam Event Amidst Escalating COVID Concerns
LONDON, UK – 23 November 2021 – IBC announces that the in person IBC2021 event has been cancelled. The move follows growing concerns about the COVID-19 situation in The Netherlands, which has deteriorated over the past week, and feedback from the IBC exhibitor and visitor community.
The IBC Partnership Board made the decision today in order to prevent exhibitors and visitors from travelling to The Netherlands.
Due to take place on December 3-6 at The RAI in Amsterdam, IBC20201 will now focus on bringing the content and technology community together via IBC Digital.
General Enquiries: E: enquiries2021@ibc.org T: +44 (0) 204 534 1000
16 November 2021 | Hamid Nayeri re-elected ABU Technical Bureau Chairman
Mr Hamid D Nayeri of IRIB-Iran has been re-elected Chairman of the ABU Technical Bureau for a further two-year term.
The election took place at the Technical Committee Meeting on 16 November. Mr Nayeri has been Chairman since 2018.
Mr Sunil of DD-India and Mr Masashi Kamei of NHK-Japan were re-elected as Vice-Chairmen of the Bureau and Mr Kazim Pektas of TRT-Turkey was elected Vice-Chairman for the first time.
There are four newly elected members of the Bureau: WALESI-Fiji, NTV-Nepal, PTNI-Philippines and VOV-Vietnam.
They join NRTA-China, TVB-Hong Kong China, Phoenix TV-Hong Kong China, RRI-Indonesia, DD-India, IRIB-Iran, KBS-Korea, RTM-Malaysia, NHK-Japan, Mediacorp-Singapore, MTV-Sri Lanka, NBT-Thailand, TRT-Turkey and VTV-Vietnam on the 18-member Bureau.
11 November 2021 | MEDIAGENIX opens office in Sydney
MEDIAGENIX has opened an office in Sydney to serve growing demand and strengthen its market position in Australia and New Zealand.
The company has described the move as another step in its commitment to the Asia-Pacific region.
Johan Vanmarcke, Managing Director MEDIAGENIX APAC, manages the offices in Bangkok, Singapore and Sydney as one team and heads business development in the whole APAC region.
“The decision to open an office in Sydney came naturally as we continue to expand our business operations in the Australia and New Zealand region,” he said.
“The timing is right as the Australian and New Zealand media industry is transitioning to Digital First and MEDIAGENIX has a proven track record in helping media companies in this digital transformation journey.”
Fabrice Maquignon, CEO of MEDIAGENIX, said: “This new office is the continuation of our strategy to serve every market as global leader in the field of innovative content supply chain management solutions.”
MEDIAGENIX is the company behind the market-leading media business management platform WHATS’ON.
It says over 150 media companies across the globe rely on WHATS’ON to achieve a lean content supply chain with streamlined content, rights, and planning workflows that are unified for all delivery platforms, including VOD and linear.
2 November 2021 | Global Trekker joins MEASAT’s HD Video Neighbourhood
MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. (“MEASAT”) has announced an agreement with Rock Entertainment Holdings for the distribution of Global Trekker HD via MEASAT-3a satellite.
The channel joins MEASAT’s HD video neighbourhood at 91.5°E for viewers across the Asia-Pacific.
Global Trekker is a premium channel which features a broad range of content that broadens one’s mind, heart, and soul. Here viewers get to explore the world, bringing them closer to nature and giving them insights to business success and how technology improves everyday lives.
“Since 2017, MEASAT has proudly served Rock Entertainment Holdings with its distribution of ROCK Entertainment, ROCK Extreme, ZooMoo and Smithsonian HD channels,” said Ganendra Selvaraj, Associate Vice President, Sales, MEASAT.
“The addition of Global Trekker HD on MEASAT’s platform will further enhance the variety of our HD channel bouquet, making us the preferred satellite operator for HD channel distribution in the region.”
The 91.5°E prime video hot slot is home to the MEASAT-3a and MEASAT-3b satellites, forming the region’s strongest video neighbourhood.
From 91.5°E, MEASAT supports broadcasters and DTH operators to distribute UHD, HD and SD channels to audiences across Asia, Australia, East Africa and Eastern Europe.
The MEASAT fleet will be further strengthened with the addition of MEASAT-3d in 2022.
27 September 2021 | ABE 2021 – Postponed
The organisers of ABE, the Content Production & Delivery Conference & Exhibition for Australia and New Zealand, regret to announce that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in Australia, the Conference & Exhibition will no longer be taking place from November 09-10, 2021.
This world class Media & Entertainment Industry event will, instead, be held under strict COVID-safe guidelines in Sydney during 2022. Further announcements will be made closer to the time.
Visit www.abeshow.tv
23 September 2021 | Joan Warner to leave Commercial Radio Australia
Commercial Radio Australia’s long-serving Chief Executive Officer, Joan Warner, is to step down early next year.
Ms Warner advised the CRA board that she would leave at the end of March 2022.
CRA is the national body representing the interests of Australia’s commercial radio broadcasters.
The search for a replacement CEO will start immediately with the aim of a new CEO taking up the position during the first quarter of 2022.
“While I informed the CRA board some time ago of my intention to step down at 31 December 2021, the board requested, and I agreed, to remain as CEO to 31 March 2022 to allow the company to undertake a comprehensive and far-reaching search for a replacement,” Ms Warner said.
“There are also major projects with which the board has asked I continue to assist in the early implementation stages and to ensure a smooth and seamless handover to the incoming CEO.”
The board has thanked Ms Warner for her commitment to CRA over the past 20 years.
The Chair of CRA, Grant Blackley, said: “We have been fortunate to have Joan leading our industry as CEO of Commercial Radio Australia and we are very pleased that she has agreed to extend her time with CRA to allow for an orderly transition to a new CEO.
“Joan has had a substantial and meaningful impact on CRA and the industry over the past two decades and has worked tirelessly to advance the strategic imperatives for a healthy and vibrant radio industry.
“This has included expert policy and regulatory management, a drive to innovate trading and advance the sector’s digital posture, while continually maintaining a focus on the marketing and promotion of the industry to the benefit of members and key stakeholders.
“The radio industry has recovered well from the Covid impact and is gaining further momentum with a renewed commercial approach at industry level to drive increased share of advertising to radio.”
16 September 2021 | NAB 2021 cancelled because of Covid
The National Association of Broadcasters has cancelled its annual Las Vegas convention, one of the largest annual trade shows in the United States, because of an increase in cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant.
The NAB show typically attracts tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world. In 2019 it drew around 91,000 attendees.
In 2020, it took place virtually as a result of Covid. It was to have been held as an in-person event this year on 9-13 October. But with infection rates remaining high, the organisers felt it was impossible to proceed.
Gordon Smith, who has headed the NAB since 2009, said he regretted the cancellation.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that we will not be holding the NAB Show in person this year as originally planned,” he said.
“It turns out that we will not be able to offer the NAB show experience 2021 that our industry is now expecting or that meets the high standards that we set ourselves.”
NAB 2022 is scheduled for 23-27 April.
14 September 2021 | MEDIAGENIX welcomes Aksel van der Wal to Board of Directors
New independent board member brings digital vision and experience to the table as senior media executive
Groot-Bijgaarden (Belgium) – MEDIAGENIX today announced the appointment of Aksel van der Wal as new non-executive Director of MEDIAGENIX.
Bringing the knowledge and experience of this former senior executive of Turner/WarnerMedia to the table, will further support MEDIAGENIX in their strategy of strong global growth in the field of innovative Content Supply Chain Management solutions for media companies. It shows the determination of MEDIAGENIX to stay at the forefront of innovation as a mature global player, by anticipating the media companies’ need for greater agility, scalability, and efficiency with the continuous development of their product WHATS’ON and their services.
“We are very pleased to welcome Aksel van der Wal to the Board of Directors,” says Dirk Debraekeleer, Chairman of the Board. “I strongly believe having Aksel on board will be of great added value for MEDIAGENIX. His background and extensive knowledge of the media business — with a clear vision of its digital future — will be invaluable to MEDIAGENIX as we continue our global growth and expansion. His network and his personality, too, will strengthen the efforts of this Board to lead with passion and give the right support and direction to the company.”
Aksel van der Wal was COO International DTOI at Turner/WarnerMedia in London before he decided last year to move back to Amsterdam. Prior to this role as COO, he held senior executive roles at Turner International, including EVP Digital Ventures & Innovation, CFO International and SVP Finance EMEA.
“I am very excited to join the MEDIAGENIX team,” says Aksel van der Wal. “It is a first-class team with a market-leading product. It is also an exciting time to join the team, due to the continuously changing media landscape. My focus will be to support the global expansion and innovation ambitions of the company.”
“I am very excited to join the MEDIAGENIX team,” says Aksel van der Wal. “It is a first-class team with a market-leading product. It is also an exciting time to join the team, due to the continuously changing media landscape. My focus will be to support the global expansion and innovation ambitions of the company.”
1 September 2021 | NBC-PNG installs new AM transmitter
Papua New Guinea’s national broadcaster, NBC-PNG, has installed an AM transmitter to improve radio services in the country’s highlands provinces.
The transmitter, built by Nautel, a Canadian-based company, was installed in Goroka, capital of the Eastern Highlands Province. It was inaugurated on 15 July.
It is aimed at ensuring that people living in small population centres in far-flung places can get easy access to radio services.
Because the pandemic and lockdowns prevented a team coming to Papua New Guinea to assist, staff from NBC-PNG handled the installation themselves. They were helped by a locally based system integrator, South Pacific Systems Private Ltd.
The installation was deemed a success after repeated tests taking into account the signal strength, distance and other parameters.
The transmitter will provide improved radio services to people living in a wide swathe of the country including the central and eastern highlands, Morobe Province and the Gulf Province.
From left to right
Russel Woruba, Deputy Secretary, Department of Information and Communication
Joe Wafewa, NBC-PNG, Deputy Managing Director/Chief Engineer
Bannie Popate, NICTA- Spectrum Management Office
Kora Nou, Managing Director, NBC- PNG
13 August 2021 | Australian commercial radio ad revenue rises
Commercial radio ad revenue in Australia remained in positive territory in the month of July despite the impact of lockdowns, with revenue up 19.3 percent compared to July 2020, according to data released by industry body Commercial Radio Australia.
Ad revenue for the five major Australian capital city markets totalled A$48.571 million (US$35.7 million) in July compared to $40.724 million a year ago.
“The extension of lockdowns has taken some momentum out of the recovery but it’s encouraging to see growth for radio being sustained at a double digit level,” said CRA chief executive officer Joan Warner.
The figures include agency and direct ad revenue and were compiled by media data analytics company Milton Data, which took over responsibility for industry revenue reporting from Deloitte from 1 July 2021.
Melbourne stations reported a 30 percent year on year increase in ad revenue to $16.408 million in the month of July, while Sydney was 11.3 percent higher at $13.874 million.
Brisbane was up 21.6 percent to $7.654 million, Perth rose 18.4 percent to $6.296 million and Adelaide increased 8.2 percent to $4.339 million.
Metropolitan radio ad revenue had rebounded by 72.6 percent year on year in the month of May and by 40.9 percent in June before the most recent Covid outbreaks.
6 August 2021 | MEASAT to retire satellite MEASAT-3
MEASAT Global Berhad (“MEASAT”) is to retire its MEASAT-3 satellite after an anomaly on 21 June 2021.
The incident resulted in a complete outage of service. MEASAT said it was still under investigation in partnership with its satellite provider Boeing Satellite Systems (“BSS”).
Despite maintaining continuous telemetry and command control of MEASAT-3, further testing and recovery efforts found that the satellite could not re-enter service, MEASAT said on 6 August. The satellite would be de-orbited in the following weeks.
MEASAT-3, a Boeing 601 satellite, had provided satellite communication services for almost 15 years since its launch in December 2006.
The spacecraft was equipped with C-band and Ku-band transponders that covered over 100 countries across Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
MEASAT is currently finalising the launch date of MEASAT-3d for early 2022.
This is expected to restore its in-orbit satellite redundancy at the company’s key orbital hotslot 91.5°E, providing Direct-to-Home (DTH), broadcasting and telecommunications services for the region, besides significantly enhancing broadband speed of up to 100 Mbps in areas with limited or without any terrestrial connectivity throughout Malaysia.
Announcements on the MEASAT-3d launch will be released in due course.
21 July 2021 | IABM to set up group to promote diversity
IABM, the international trade association for broadcast and media technology suppliers, is to form a group to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry.
The industry-wide group, Diversity Action, will provide a forum for IABM members to share knowledge, experiences and best practices to drive change and equal opportunity for all.
The decision to form Diversity Action follows the Big Debate session that closed the recent IABM BaM Live! event, where leaders from a number of national and international diversity organisations debated ‘Getting to grips with diversity in Broadcast, Media & Entertainment’.
During the session, it became clear that the sharing of ideas and best practice could accelerate diversity and inclusion initiatives across the industry.
IABM CEO Peter White said: “Almost as soon as the Big Debate started, I could sense a shared ‘lightbulb’ moment where it became obvious to all the participants that collaboration between their organisations would be immensely beneficial in accelerating diversity and inclusion globally.
“With its international reach and membership, and commitment to connecting and informing the entire global industry, IABM is ideally placed to be the fulcrum of that collaboration – the champion of diversity.”
IABM’s Lucinda Meek, CFO and chair of diversity action, and Lisa Collins, Head of Membership Engagement, will be instrumental in setting up and running Diversity Action.
“Collaboration is key, and IABM is already working with many organisations on a global basis,” Ms Collins said.
“So it is well placed to raise awareness of the message on diversity, to share experiences and best practices, and drive the change that will make our industry a better place.
“Working together through Diversity Action we can enhance the health, vibrancy and equality of our industry and raise standards on a global basis.”
19 July 2021 | WBU calls for end to violence against journalists
The World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) has called for concerted efforts to combat threats and violence against journalists and other media professionals, which it described as an attack on democracy.
At its annual meeting on 19 July, it said the safety of journalists and media professionals had deteriorated over recent years and the Covid-19 pandemic had aggravated the situation in many countries.
“Attacks are getting more severe and include online harassment and threats, but also physical violence.
“Broadcasters’ journalists and production crews are confronted with increasing hostility and violence when they are simply doing their job, reporting from important events, giving balanced information, and putting facts in context.
“This intimidation has a chilling effect on media freedom and the ability of journalists to support the public with trusted and reliable news and information which has been so vital during the pandemic.”
Women journalists were particularly targeted, the WBU said, with UNESCO research pointing to a sharp increase in online violence against them that often turned into online violence.
“Numerous standard-setting statements and practices adopted at international levels recognise off- and online threats and attacks as a serious danger to media freedom, which is a cornerstone of informed, healthy democracies.
“The intimidation of journalists can interfere with the right to freedom of expression and with the right of the public to receive information.
“These internationally agreed statements give guidance in areas of prevention, protection, prosecution, promotion of information, education and raising awareness of the potential threat to media freedom.”
The WBU called on the authorities to guarantee rights and put into practice international principles and measures to protect journalists online and in the field.
This would help ensure journalists and other media professionals could continue to provide a critical service to society at all times.
The WBU serves as a coordinating body for the world’s regional broadcasting unions including the ABU.
17 July 2021 | MEASAT investigates satellite anomaly
MEASAT Global Berhad (“MEASAT”) announced on 17 July that while MEASAT has maintained continuous telemetry and command control of the MEASAT-3 satellite since the previously reported anomaly on 21 June, an in-depth investigation is still being conducted with Boeing Satellite Systems (“BSS”) to determine the root cause of the anomaly.
To date, almost all customer services on MEASAT-3 have been restored onto backup satellite capacity on other co-located MEASAT satellites and third-party satellites serving the region. Migration and service restoration for broadcast services was immediate, affirming the resiliency of the MEASAT fleet at 91.5°E orbital hotslot.
All the MEASAT-3 transponders have been deactivated to prevent interference with other satellites. MEASAT has also informed Combined Space Operations Centre (CSpOC) via Space-Track to track the MEASAT-3 satellite and notify other operators of the satellite’s orbital location, while the full investigation is being conducted by MEASAT and BSS. A report on the outcome of the investigation will be released in due course.
For latest updates, please visit www.measat.com
13 July 2021 | Mediacorp providing wide coverage of Tokyo Summer Olympics
Singapore sports fans are in for a treat, as Mediacorp will be broadcasting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games across multiple platforms, including 14 channels of dedicated content on the video-on-demand (VoD) streaming service meWATCH.
As Singapore’s Olympics Network, Mediacorp will offer viewers broad-ranging live and on-demand coverage of the Games – including blue-ribbon Olympic Games sports like athletics, badminton, football, swimming, and table tennis – bookended by the opening and closing ceremonies on 23 July and 8 August.
Angeline Poh, Chief Customer & Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp, said: “We are delighted to work with Singtel to bring live coverage of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 to more viewers in Singapore. As the national media network, we hope to bring our communities together in this global showcase of athletic achievements.
“Through Mediacorp’s extensive coverage, audiences can look forward to catching the Olympic Games, live and on-demand from the comfort and safety of their homes.”
The Tokyo Summer Olympics coverage will also be accessible to Singapore viewers via carriage arrangements, with customers of telco and pay-TV provider Singtel able to enjoy 14 Mediacorp Olympic Games channels for free on Singtel TV Channels 21-34, Singtel TV GO, as well as CAST.
(APB+ News)
9 July 2021 | Astro Streams 4K HDR Live Sports with Harmonic
Sports fans in Malaysia are enjoying premium sports content in 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) with pay-TV operator Astro employing Harmonic’s XOS software-based advanced media processing solution to deliver outstanding streaming experiences.
Astro has teamed up with Harmonic to offer HDR video in stunning colour and contrast during the year’s biggest sports events – including the UEFA EURO 2020 and Summer Games in Tokyo. In addition, Harmonic’s XOS software-based solution also enables bandwidth reduction for Astro.
“We are trailblazing a new, state-of-the-art viewing experience for sports fans in Malaysia by bringing 4K HDR DTH services to market,” said Mauro Di Pietro Paolo, chief technology officer at Astro. “Harmonic’s XOS software-based appliance simplifies HDR delivery and ensures pristine 4K video quality, taking our sports offering to the next level.”
Harmonic’s XOS advanced media processing solution enables key capabilities for Astro, including:
Simplified delivery of 4K HDR channels via the Astro DTH platforms.
On-the-fly SDR-to-HDR upconversion through an extensive HDR toolset.
Bandwidth reduction by leveraging the latest in AI technologies.
Harmonic’s XOS software-based solution ensures efficient service delivery on every device. Featuring an advanced software encoding engine that leverages AI, the Harmonic XOS appliance guarantees optimal quality at all times.
Harmonic’s XOS software-based appliance is deployed in a containerised cloud architecture, offering Astro an easy-to-upgrade solution for years to come. The XOS solution also gives Astro the ability to process video streaming and DTH services from a single appliance, simplifying operations.
Visit https://www.harmonicinc.com
(Content + Technology)
6 July 2021 | IABM launches BaM Zone
IABM, the International Trade Association for Broadcast & Media Technology, has launched the BaM Zone, a digital engagement platform and meeting place for the broadcast, media and entertainment industry.
The BaM Zone is designed to be a destination where all IABM members, partners, stakeholders and subscribers can meet, exchange ideas, discuss trends and technologies, collaborate, and access the latest innovations in technology to help them do better business.
The platform also offers the ability for participants to set up private meeting rooms, focus groups and even host their own events.
IABM research has highlighted how much the industry has missed the face-to-face contact that in-person events deliver.
However, the industry has also adopted digital communications as a partial ‘workaround’ – the success of which is leading it to keep using this new way of working in future, alongside in-person, as part of a more efficient and eco-conscious approach post pandemic.
“Business models are rapidly changing to continuous engagement – it naturally follows that relationships will move to being ‘always on’ as well,” said Peter White, CEO at IABM.
“In-person regional events will of course continue to play a vital role as cadences within this continuum. The BaM Zone is conceived to continue those engagements throughout the year and in every geography.”
For more information, visit bamzone.online
23 June 2021 | DRM Releases Energy Efficiency Calculator
The DRM Consortium has developed a comprehensive calculator tool to determine how much energy can be saved by switching transmitters from analogue to digital DRM operation.
The DRM Energy Efficiency Calculator (https://energyefficiency.drm.org) has been created using typical performance data from transmitter manufacturers.
It then calculates total expected energy usage for up to 10 transmitters by considering operational mode, time on-air, and broadcasting technique assessing the energy consumption and electricity costs, based upon local market information.
By comparing data sets for both analogue and DRM digital operations, it can estimate the potential savings broadcasters might expect from switching over to DRM.
This not only benefits broadcasters by reducing their electricity bills by double-digit percentages but proves specifically how DRM supports broadcasters’ efforts to become more sustainable though green technology, significantly reducing requirements for energy produced in large parts of the world from fossil fuels.
“This new energy efficiency tool can be easily programmed into an Excel spreadsheet for ease of use and universal distribution in pdf reports summarising the findings in simple text and graphs,” said Simon Keens, Sales and Business Development Manager, Ampegon Power Electronics AG (a member of the DRM Consortium), which devised the calculator.
“This will help the engineers and all those interested to present concretely one of the great advantages of DRM, i.e., delivering substantial and sustained energy savings over many years.”
Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Consortium Chairman, invited all those interested to a “Zoom launch” of the new energy efficiency tool, “Savings at Your Fingertips”, on 30 June at 10:00 UTC to introduce the device.
To join the seminar, please click here.
18 June 2021 | Mr Sunil of Prasar Bharati elected BES President
Mr Sunil of India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has been elected President of the country’s Broadcast Engineering Society (BES) for 2021 to 2023.
Mr Sunil is Prasar Bharati’s Additional Director General (Global Outreach). He was elected to the BES position unopposed.
Established in 1987, BES has its headquarters in New Delhi and 12 local chapters spread across India.
It promotes the advancement and dissemination of knowledge and practices of broadcasting in the field of radio, television and other media, to enhance the knowledge of broadcast engineering professionals.
The society conducts conferences, seminars, tutorials and exhibitions regularly. Its signature event, BES Expo, an international conference and exhibition, is held every year in New Delhi.
Prasar Bharati oversees the operations of All India Radio (AIR) and India’s public television broadcaster, Doordarshan.
Mr Sunil has 33 years of experience in broadcasting. In addition to his role at Prasar Bharati, he holds several key positions at AIR including Head of International Relations, Marketing and Global Distribution. He has wide experience in implementing broadcasting projects in India and overseas.
Mr Sunil is also Vice Chairman of the ABU Technical Committee.
He won the ABU Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award in 2018 for his important contributions to the modernisation and development of Doordarshan.
He received the IETE S N Mitra Memorial Award in 2016. He serves on the international jury of the Association of International Broadcasters (AIB).
9 June 2021 | G&D launches VisionXS
The KVM manufacturer Guntermann & Drunck (G&D) has launched a new high-end extender product series, VisionXS.
G&D has developed this compact multi-purpose KVM tool following the motto “smaller, more compact, more powerful”. It provides a wide range of functions in the smallest possible housing.
The new VisionXS systems are high-performance KVM extenders with a bandwidth of 10G and video transmission for resolutions up to 4K.
Especially fast videos and frequently changing image content now require significantly less compression thus improving the user experience many times over.
Initially, the German manufacturer will provide extender modules for KVM-over-IP, followed by solutions for classic KVM systems for direct transmission.
More information on the new product series is available at https://www.gdsys.de/en
2 June 2021 | G&D Asia Business Group Expands
The KVM manufacturer Guntermann & Drunck (G&D) has expanded its Asia Business Group.
The group has two new employees, Julia Zhang in Shanghai and Alex Chen in Guangzhou, to provide customers in China with even better local service.
Both are control room experts with many years of KVM experience and will be able to provide G&D’s customers with closer individual consulting and support.
Samuel Chen, G&D’s long-time employee and Sales Director, will manage the G&D Asia Business Group from Taipei.
“We are excited to have such an experienced team at our side and are already planning additional measures to further strengthen our focus on Asia,” Jochen Bauer, G&D Director Sales & Marketing, said.
1 June 2021 | NHK STRL Open House underway
The NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories (NHK STRL) are holding their annual Open House from 1 to 30 June to showcase their latest research results.
This year it is being held online at https://www.nhk.or.jp/strl/english/open2021/
The Open House gives visitors a close look at broadcast technology research that they would not ordinarily be exposed to.
With the theme “Pursuing science and technology. Enriching your experience”, NHK STRL has created video and experiential content that can be seen on the event website.
Researchers have worked hard to find ways to convey details of their latest research in terms that are easy to understand, creating web pages for each exhibit.
“With the great changes occurring in broadcast media environments, we have set our major objective going forward to be to create media environments that deliver new experiences and new excitement to all people,” the Director of NHK STRL, Kohji Mitani, said.
“Anticipating what media environments will be like in the years 2030-2040, we have also set targets and directions for NHK STRL, as the research centre for NHK, and these are described in ‘Future Vision 2030-2040’.”
Judy Parnall, Head of Standards and Industry, BBC R&D, and Chair of the Technical Committee of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), will present views from Europe for the future.
These are from both the BBC’s Research & Development Department and from a group of public service R&D laboratories that come together through the EBU.
28 May 2021 | Senior Nepalese broadcaster passes away
The President of the Broadcasting Association of Nepal (BAN), Chandra Neupane, had died of Covid-19 at the age of 50.
Mr Neupane died on 28 May at Birat Medical College in Biratnagar, where he was being treated for the virus, a spokesperson for the Federation of Nepali Journalists said. He was diagnosed with Covid-19 on 11 May.
Mr Neupane was the Station Manager of Saptakoshi FM in Itahari, one of the largest FM radio stations in eastern Nepal. He had held the position for 10 years.
BAN is an umbrella organisation of privately owned FM stations in Nepal. It is an Associate member of the ABU.
Mr Neupane leaves a son and a daughter.
11 May 2021 | WorldDAB factsheet highlights the environmental benefits of DAB
New factsheet looking at the environmental and economic factors of broadcast radio explains why DAB is the most economical and energy-efficient radio platform.
As the development of DAB+ digital radio continues to progress, determining the environmental impact of DAB+ is one of WorldDAB’s key priorities.
WorldDAB has published a factsheet – Understanding the environmental impact of DAB – presenting the findings of multiple recent studies looking into the environmental and economic impact of broadcasting radio via DAB and other platforms.
Focusing on three areas – energy consumption, transmission costs and recycling initiatives – key findings are:
• The BBC estimates that DAB radio energy consumption per device hour (distribution and receivers) is lower than for any other platform, i.e. AM, FM, IP or DTV
• Bavarian public broadcaster, Bayerischer Rundfunk, found that broadcasting one service on DAB+ required, on average, only one fifth of the energy required to broadcast one service on FM
• Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR estimates that after FM switch-off 2022-2023 the total energy consumption for broadcast radio distribution via DAB+ will be less than 10% of what it was for FM
• MDR, public broadcaster for Germany’s federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, found that radio services broadcast via DAB+ would require 10% of the current radiated power (ERP)
View the factsheet
28 April 2021 | Top Australian broadcast engineer Richard Barton dies
Richard Barton, former Director of Engineering at the Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations (FACTS), died on 21 April 2021.
Mr Barton took an active role in many ABU activities and was a member of the ABU Technical Bureau for several years.
He won the ABU Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award in 2004. The award is given annually for outstanding contributions to broadcasting engineering.
He was Director of Engineering at FACTS (now known as Free TV) from 1981 to 2001. He earlier worked as a broadcast engineer at TV stations in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
Mr Barton’s expertise in the area of digital television standards was critical to Australia’s move from analogue to digital broadcasting.
His skills were internationally recognised in many forums, including being requested by the United Nations International Telecommunications Union to chair the 1999 preparatory meeting for the World Radio Conference in 2000.
Free TV’s Director of Engineering, Roger Bunch, said: “Dick Barton set a great example of the high values for accuracy required in science and technology to ensure standardisation achieved the intended scope and objectives for the end users.
“He will be remembered internationally as an excellent ambassador for Australia in his ITU activities and a dear friend to many in the broadcasting industries in many countries, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.”
Free TV’s Chief Executive Officer, Bridget Fair, said: “Dick Barton loved television and devoted his career to ensuring that every Australian could enjoy a world class service.
“He was a formidable champion for the industry over many years at the national and international level.”
31 March 2021 | KOBA Notice of Cancellation
The KOBA 2021 Secretariat has been closely monitoring the guidelines and measures prescribed by the Korean government and Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Despite the release of the COVID-19 vaccine, the number of new confirmed patients has averaged in the 400s for the month of March, showing no clear sign of a decrease in spread.
In addition, there has been a growing concern about a relapse of COVID-19 around Europe, and with the continued spread of COVID-19 in countries such as the United States and Japan, the NAB Show, the broadcasting exhibition annually held in the United States in April, has been postponed to October.
Accordingly, we have taken into consideration the safety of exhibitors and visitors, as well as the prevention of the spread of COVID-19, and issues regarding the supply of new products by exhibitors, and discussed with our co-organizers, sponsors, and related organizations about the issue at hand.
In addressing the health and safety concerns of stakeholders, we have consulted with partners including our co-organizers and sponsors throughout the broadcasting industry, and we have decided to cancel KOBA 2021, originally scheduled to be held at COEX from May 11th to 13th, 2021, and reschedule the exhibition for 2022. In doing so, we kindly ask for your understanding. For your information, all the fees paid for 2021 will be transferred to the 2022 account.
KOBA, for the past 30 years, has contributed to the development of the domestic broadcasting, audio, and lighting related industries.
Since 1991, KOBA has been a big part of Korea’s broadcasting industry as the nation’s only comprehensive media show, showcasing the next-generation multimedia industry.
As demands for broadcasting and audio equipment used in non-media related fields increase, KOBA is gradually expanding its market through interactions with professionals from various fields including studios, production, religious circles, large venues, and educational institutions.
With the support of the related industries, the KOBA has been aiming to expand its market under the slogan “Meet the Media Revolution.”. In doing so, it has not only upgraded the World Media Forum, but it also prepared various events, commemorations, as well as award ceremonies by expanding the Personal Media Show and Media Contents Creation Zone.
Considering how much effort and preparation all the exhibitors have put into participating at KOBA, it is with great dismay that we announce the cancellation of KOBA 2021.
We pay tribute to the exhibitors who constantly strive for the growth and development of the relevant industries in Korea and hope that we can overcome this difficult situation by working together.
Furthermore, as we announce the postponement of this year’s show to the next year, we promise that we will work harder to bring new possibilities as well as a new vision.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
KOBA 2021 Secretariat
16 March 2021 | Ideal Systems teams up with Sarawak’s TVS
TVS, a regional TV broadcaster based in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, has selected cloud and broadcast systems integration company Ideal Systems to design and build its next generation News Studios and Newsroom Computer Systems (NRCS).
In a first of its kind, the state-of-the-art news studios and master control room will run on a redundant hybrid SDI/NDI (IP) infrastructure designed by Ideal Systems as part of a larger system that will deliver TVS’ vision of creating a new digital media hub in Sarawak.
The cloud-enabled NDI infrastructure includes NewtekTM TC1 and TC2 Elite NDI integrated switchers for the news studio and multi-purpose studio, with Kiloview NDI converters.
The baseband infrastructure, signal processing and routing will utilise the latest state of art software defined Ultrix routing and multi-viewing solution from Ross Video.
TVS is the first Sarawak state-owned TV channel. Launched in October 2020, it provides news and programming from Sarawak to the state itself and to other parts of Malaysia. It is owned by the Sarawak Media Group (SMG).
The Director of Technology at Ideal Systems, Updesh Singh, said: “Our robust hybrid system architecture has an NDI signal for every signal baseband path. All signals are active, and TVS can use any signal they want when they want it.”
The Chief Executive Officer of TVS, Suhaimi Sulaiman, said: “For TVS, the most important thing is the quality of our production. Of course, we also want glitch free broadcast and a reliable system.”
26 February 2021 | G&D wins innovation award
G&D CEOs Roland Ollek and Nils Strauch are excited about the TOP 100 Award.
KVM manufacturer Guntermann & Drunck GmbH (G&D) has received a TOP 100 award 2021.
The German company compamedia gives the awards each year to particularly innovative medium-sized companies.
More than 120 criteria from five categories were used to evaluate the submissions: innovation-friendly top management, innovative climate, innovative processes and organisation, external orientation/open innovation, and innovation success.
Because of the ongoing pandemic, this time the study also examined how flexibly companies are responding to the coronavoris crisis and how fast they are adapting their strategies to the new situation.
“The Top 100 Award is the most important award for innovative companies in the SME sector, and we are delighted that it recognises the creativity and problem-solving skills of our entire team,” the G&D Managing Director, Rolland Ollek, said.
The company develops and produces KVM products for extending and switching computer signals, and operates on a global scale.
KVM systems from G&D are installed in numerous control rooms around the globe, including in air traffic control centres and airports, on ships, in TV & film production studios, in the chemical and petrochemical industry and in the energy sector.
Compamedia has been presenting the TOP 100 awards to innovative medium-sized companies since 1993.
25 February 2021 | DRM digital radio transmission test launched in India
A Digital Radio Mondiale radio transmission went live on air in Delhi in mid-February as part of a DRM trial conducted by Prasar Bharati and its radio arm, All India Radio (AIR).
The transmission was launched with three audio services and Journaline advanced text information in the FM band, alongside the existing analogue FM radio transmissions.
The test was requested by the regulator TRAI and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as part of their deliberations that will lead to the recommendation of the most suitable radio standard to digitise the FM band in India.
The transmission is part of an extensive trial and demonstration of DRM conducted by Prasar Bharati and AIR with the help of the DRM Consortium and its local and international members.
The trial is being carried out in two locations. The first phase, in Delhi, will demonstrate and test the key features of DRM, its efficient coverage potential and flexible on-air signal configurations.
The second phase, in Jaipur, is designed to prove the compatibility with the FM band channelisation in India, where DRM fills the gaps between existing analogue FM services that are not otherwise usable, as well as the existing shared FM transmitter infrastructure.
“We hope for good results at the end of this test where DRM has to be judged on its own merits and unmatched capabilities,” Ruxandra Obreja, the DRM Chairman, said.
“We hope that the expected good results will convince the Indian authorities that DRM is the right standard to upgrade All India Radio’s already established country-wide DRM services in the AM bands to the FM band.”
Yogendra Pal, Honorary Chairman of the DRM India Chapter, said: “This demonstration of DRM services in the FM band will be a feast of ‘firsts’ for digital radio services and features in India, including the multi-DRM transmissions on a single transmitter or the distance learning enabled by the non-proprietary, open-to-all DRM radio standard.”
26 January 2021 | EBU wins 3 Emmy Awards
The European Broadcasting Union has been awarded three Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for excellence in engineering creativity.
The awards recognise three key technologies collaboratively developed by the EBU that have shaped or underpin systems widely used by the broadcast industry today.
The first Emmy Award honours the EBU’s role in the creation of the Advanced Authoring Format (AAF), an interchange file format that paved the way for cross-platform post-production workflows.
The award is shared with AMWA (formerly AAF Association Inc), Avid Technology and BBC Research & Development.
The second award recognises the standardisation and commercialisation of broadcast, hybrid electrical and fibre optic camera cable and connectors.
The EBU shares this award with SMPTE, The Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB), LEMO, Belden and NEMAL.
The third award rewards the work on Common Encryption, a fundamental technology design that separates the encryption function from the content contribution or distribution system and can accommodate the presence of multiple encryption or conditional access system in parallel.
The EBU shares this Award with DVB.
“These three Emmy Awards confirm our conviction that collaboration between organisations is key to successful innovation, and we will continue on this path,” EBU Director of Technology & Innovation Antonio Arcidiacono said.
EBU Technology & Innovation experts coordinate working groups and develop innovative solutions on behalf of the EBU membership represented by the EBU Technical Committee.
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