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Radio General - news archive

This is an archive of news about Radio General. Some links may no longer work, due to the transient nature of the internet.

Macedonia: Public broadcaster to be privatized
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 30 2008, 12.19pm
Text of report by Cambridge-based Broadband TV News website on 30 June The government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is planning to privatize the country’s public broadcaster, Makedonska Radiodifuzija (MRD), at the beginning of next year. MRD general director Saso Stancevski explained that it was impossible to avoid privatization because the EC is [...] (more)

FRCN Director-General says lack of funds affects output
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 29 2008, 11.47am
The Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, (FRCN), Ben Egbuna, has said that paucity of funds and obsolete equipment remain the major factors militating against it. Fielding questions from newsmen in Bauchi, Egbuna regretted that the Corporation was still faced with the problem of obsolete equipment. He said, “As it is now, we have transmitters [...] (more)

View from the Top: Mark Thompson, director-general of the BBC
From Financial Times. Posted June 27 2008, 3.00am
Mark Thompson took charge of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the toughest of circumstances in 2004. A BBC journalist's accusation that Tony Blair's government... (more)

Fortitude: Mark Damazer on what it takes to run the BBC's flagship radio network
From The Independent. Posted June 23 2008, 12.00am
Mark Thompson, the director-general of the BBC, ducks whenever he claps eyes on Mark Damazer. It's Thompson's black humour, a reference to the fact that since Damazer took over as controller of Radio 4 four years ago, he has rarely been out of mourning, as one much-loved presenter after another has passed away, many of them quite unexpectedly. (more)

SMG sale of Virgin Radio approved
From The Scotsman. Posted June 21 2008, 12.00am
SMG, which owns the ITV franchise in Scotland, had its sale of Virgin Radio approved by shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting in Glasgow yesterday. It said it will (more)

Dr Raj Persaud faces being struck off
From Biz Asia. Posted June 20 2008, 5.20pm
Celebrity psychiatrist Dr Raj Persaud faces being struck off after the General Medical Council ruled that his fitness to practise was impaired. A GMC panel ruled yesterday that he had brought his profession into disrepute after he admitted passing off other scholars' work as his own for a book and several articles he wrote. The panel decided that his actions meant his fitness to practise was impaired. It will now decide whether to strike him off the medical register. The doctor, famed for his appearances on the television chat show This Morning and on BBC Radio 4's All In The Mind programme, admitted plagiarising the work of other experts. But he had denied his actions were dishonest and liable to bring his profession into disrepute. Dr Persaud was accused of plagiarising material for his book following a Sunday Times investigation in 2006. The book was an anthology of the "100 most sick people in the history of psychiatry" and was intended to revive an interest in psychiatric patients' case histories. Chunks of prose, apparently written by Dr Persaud, were actually the work of other authors. He failed to attribute the so-called "stolen words". Dr Persaud said that at the time he believed he had sufficiently acknowledged other authors' work. He obtained permission to quote them in his book and included their names in the book's acknowledgements section. He told the GMC: "I realise I should have been much more careful when I started writing the book. "At the time, given the stress I was under, given the deadlines and my other work, I thought I was adequately attributing work." Article from Sky News (more)

Radio group chairman calls for multi-standard digital receivers
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 18 2008, 10.55am
Manufacturers should produce multi-standard receivers to ensure that digital radio succeeds, a radio conference in Singapore was told on Monday. Alain Masse, Deputy Director General of Radio France International, and Chairman of the EBU New Radio Group, made this point in his keynote address at the opening session of RadioAsia 2008. He said that manufacturers needed to [...] (more)

Bernard Bot new chair of RNW?s Board of Governors
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 13 2008, 2.26pm
Former Dutch foreign minister Bernard Bot has been appointed chairman of Radio Netherlands Worldwide’s Board of Governors by Education Culture and Science Minister Ronald Plasterk. He succeeds Hans van den Broek, who has spent eight years as chairman. Mr Bot will take up his new position immediately.    RNW’s Director-General Jan Hoek expressed his satisfaction with the [...] (more)

ABU?s lights off campaign against global warming
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 13 2008, 2.04pm
As a step to raise awareness of global warming, many radio broadcasters have joined forces to invite everyone to “Turn off Your Lights” for one or two hours on 21 June. Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) suggested this at the last Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) General Assembly in Tehran in November. TBS Japan supported by ABU [...] (more)

Journalists' deaths: BBC staff email
From Radio Today. Posted June 9 2008, 10.13pm
BBC Director-General Mark Thompson and Deputy Director-General and Head of BBC Journalism Mark Byford today sent an email to all BBC staff following the death of two journalists who worked for the BBC. (more)

RNW DG proposes centre to combat hate media
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 5 2008, 10.24am
Hate media, and specifically electronic media that incite people to kill others, is making its return, according to Jan Hoek, Director-General of Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW). He said the military in certain failed or fragile states were gaining a better understanding of how hate media could be used for localised psychological warfare, specifically to incite [...] (more)

Radio Television Malaysia will continue to air Tamil films and programmes
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 3 2008, 5.27pm
Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) has not stopped or has any plans to stop airing Tamil language programmes on RTM2, said Abdul Rahman Hamid, the director-general for broadcasting. In a statement today, he said RTM has also not received any directive from the Information Ministry or any other ministry on the matter and will continue to [...] (more)

Turkish parliament passes bill to allow TRT to broadcast in minority languages
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 31 2008, 10.31am
The Turkish Parliament passed a bill on Thursday allowing the state-owned television Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) to broadcast programs in languages other than Turkish, paving the way for broadcasts in Kurdish, Arabic and Farsi. TRT will now be able to allocate one of its channels to 24-hour broadcasts in Kurdish. TRT General Director Ibrahim [...] (more)

Bulgarian National Radio initiates digital broadcasts for listeners abroad
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 27 2008, 10.01am
The Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) yesterday began trial DRM digital broadcasts for listeners abroad. Presenting the project, BNR Director General Valery Todorov said “We hope to be able to attract attention to the need for more accelerated rates in joining the digital era”. The digital trials will continue with a six-hour long mix of BNR’s three channels - Horizont, Hristo [...] (more)

DW Director General presents new educational program in West Africa
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 25 2008, 1.44pm
On a trip to Nigeria and Senegal at the end of May, Deutsche Welle’s Director General Erik Bettermann will be presenting a new bi-medial, educational program for young people in Sub-Saharan Africa. “Learning by Ear”, which was developed primarily with the participation of African journalists and authors of audio books, will be transmitted via radio [...] (more)

Daily Mail and General Trust warns of advertising collapse at regional newspapers
From The Times. Posted May 22 2008, 10.43am
Daily Mail and General Trust, the newspaper and information publisher, warned this morning that revenues at its regional newspapers were tumbling after a weak Easter period. (more)

Daily Mail and General Trust's profits rise 7%
From Media Guardian. Posted May 22 2008, 7.19am
Daily Mail and General Trust said its national newspapers were 'holding up extremely well' but that the regional market was difficult. By Stephen Brook (more)

Orange deal for Xfm network
From Radio Today. Posted May 20 2008, 12.57am
GCap Media, owners of Xfm stations in London, Manchester and Scotland have signed a major six-figure deal with mobile phone operators Orange, in partnership with Viacom Brand Solutions and IPC ignite.Together they will promote gigs and tours available to Orange customers in advance of tickets going on general release. (more)

Journalist attached to VOA to be new DG of Radio Pakistan
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 18 2008, 12.29pm
ISLAMABAD: Murtaza Solangi, a journalist currently attached with the Voice of America (VOA) in Washington, will be the new Director General (DG) of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), sources in the Establishment Division told The News. A summary for the appointment of Solangi as the DG Radio Pakistan has been moved by the Ministry of Information [...] (more)

Sierra Leone opposition accuses government of shutting down radio station
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 13 2008, 2.28pm
The Opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party has reportedly complained that the All Peoples Congress-led Government has shut down Unity Radio FM 98.4 of the SLPP. The complaint was contained in a Press Statement made by the Secretary General of the party, Jacob Jusu Saffa. Mr Saffa informed the media that all legal requirements were fulfilled for [...] (more)

Deutsche Welle and Mauritanian Radio sign cooperation deal
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 29 2008, 5.11pm
Erik Bettermann, Director-General of Deutsche Welle (DW), and officials of the Mauritanian Radio Television (RTM) have signed a cooperation agreement on broadcasting. France Grebern, head of DW programme distribution in Africa and Middle East, said RTM would broadcast DW programmes whereas DW will train Mauritanian journalists and technicians, adding that Germany was ready to support broadcasting [...] (more)

Swiss Broadcasting Corporation announces loss for 2007
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 28 2008, 10.55am
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)  has announced a SFr17.2 million ($16.64 million) loss for 2007. Director General Armin Walpen cited difficulties in generating additional revenue as the cabinet rejected an increase in licence fees. The company board also announced today a review of the corporation’s governance and management structures in line with a request by the government. The [...] (more)

Radio audience meters do not restrict content providers, says metric chief
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted April 27 2008, 11.00pm
Philippe Generalle, CEO of RCS Worldwide,has defended the use of Portable Personal Meters despite RAJAR's decision to end its trial (more)

Personal meter system for radio audience measurement does not restrict content providers, says metric chief
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted April 27 2008, 11.00pm
Philippe Generalle, CEO of RCS Worldwide, which analyses radio audience figures produced by Portable Personal Meters, has defended the metric despite RAJAR's decision to end its meter trial (more)

Four State Attorneys General Say Satellite Radio Merger Anticompetitive
From radio.about.com. Posted April 25 2008, 5.33pm
Not everyone wants SIRIUS and XM Satellite Radio to become one big happy business family. According to wired.com: "Attorneys general for four states have asked the FCC to reject the... (more)

My Mentor: Sarah Mukherjee on Stephen Mitchell
From The Independent. Posted April 21 2008, 12.00am
I first met Steve Mitchell when I left local radio and started working for a little- known but vital part of the BBC called GNS, the General News Service, and he was my boss's boss. It supplies all the national and international news to the BBC's network of local radio stations. The combined audience is huge and tends to be the people the BBC is often accused of ignoring – those on lower incomes, the elderly, people living in rural areas. GNS reporters break national and international stories, produce great original journalism and are well-known names outside the M25. However, they're unknown within TV Centre. And if people don't know your work, they don't trust your editorial judgement. And, more importantly, don't give you a job. We used to call it the "Hotel California". (more)

Turkish General Staff applies for national radio station
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 18 2008, 9.38am
The Turkish General Staff [armed forces] has sent an official request to the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) to launch a radio station similar to the police and meteorology stations that will inform the public on the fight against terrorism, certain activities of the military and steps to take during natural disasters.     RTUK is expected to [...] (more)

When Good Radio Contests Go Bad
From radio.about.com. Posted April 17 2008, 1.58pm
You generally assume your local radio station is on being honest and trustworthy when running contests. After all, it's sort of the law. But, there's been a problem in ... (more)

New chief executive for DRDB
From Radio Today. Posted April 15 2008, 7.52am
National Grid Wireless general manager of broadcast Tony Moretta has been named as the new chief executive of the Digital Radio Development Bureau. (more)

Vietnam and Cambodia boost broadcast cooperation
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 11 2008, 12.53pm
Vietnam and Cambodia will continue to increase bilateral cooperation in broadcasting. At a meeting on 9 April, General Director of the VOV Vu Van Hien agreed to provide music and song broadcasts in Vietnamese to the Radio Voice of Cambodia, as requested by the Cambodian Minister of Information Khieu Canharith. Hien also presided at the [...] (more)

Serbia?s Niška Televizija starts broadcasting news in Bulgarian
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 31 2008, 2.41pm
Niška televizija (NTV) has started broadcasting news in Bulgarian twice daily, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said in a media statement. The project is realised with the cooperation of Bulgaria’s general consulate in Niš. It was presented on March 28 2008, at a special press conference in Niš, attended by Bulgaria’s general consul in Niš Georgi [...] (more)

Greg Dyke’s back: The former BBC Director General on his new job – and what’s wrong with Britain’s media
From The Independent. Posted March 17 2008, 12.00am
Rain clouds gather and storm winds howl, but Greg Dyke is sheltered indoors, no longer the noble King Lear of the media business, rudely cast out on to the heath to rage about base betrayals in the dark corridors of power ("I am a man more sinned against than sinning." Act III, scene ii). (more)

Nigerian subscription operators given 31 March deadline to go digital
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 14 2008, 12.18pm
Subscription radio and TV operators across Nigeria have been given up till March 31, 2008 to migrate from analogue to digital transmission or face sanction. Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Yomi Bolarinwa gave the order yesterday in Abuja at a meeting between NBC and the stakeholders in the broadcasting industry. The Minister of Information and Communication, John Odey, [...] (more)

New TV, radio stations to be opened in southern Sudan?s Unity State
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 14 2008, 10.28am
Text of report in English by independent, Nairobi-based, USAID-funded Sudan Radio Service on 14 March Unity State [southern Sudan] says it will open its own TV and radio stations at the end of this month in Bentiu. The state Ministry of Information Director General, Mr Rayah Ajak, told Sudan Radio Service that equipment for the stations has [...] (more)

Nigeria?s National Broadcasting Commission wants more local content on radio
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 13 2008, 2.05pm
The Director-General of Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Engr Bolarinwa, has decried the inadequacy of local programmes from broadcast stations across the nation, saying that local content programmes could boost competition in the industry. Engr Bolarinwa made the observation yesterday in Port Harcourt at the opening ceremony of a four-day joint national workshop on, ‘Broadcast Programmes [...] (more)

TV history museum to open in Moscow
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 7 2008, 12.40pm
Russia’s first ever museum of the history of television will be open in the Ostankino TV centre in Moscow. The planned exhibits have been being gathered in Ostankino during the past 10 years, and from this autumn they will be exhibited in a museum open to the general public. All TV channels, as well as Gosteleradiofond (the State Fund of TV [...] (more)

Transmitter problems silence KFAR again
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 6 2008, 1.42pm
Talk radio station KFAR in Fairbanks, Alaska is off the air again as the station’s aging transmitter continues to require repairs, general manager Perry Walley said. “We apologize for any inconvenience,” Walley said. “It’s very frustrating for us as well.” A fire crippled the transmitter almost two weeks ago, and the station went off the air [...] (more)

ViewAfrica extends contract with Intelsat to increase its channel offering
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 1 2008, 11.58am
Intelsat has announced that UK-based ViewAfrica has contracted for additional capacity on the Intelsat 10 satellite for increased channel distribution. ViewAfrica Network is distributing free-to-air programming bouquets reaching all the Sub-Saharan countries. ViewAfrica Network, uplinking out of Stellar in Germany, carries a free-to-air bouquet of religious and general entertainment programming that currently includes the following networks: Daystar, [...] (more)

Ghana: GBC restructuring document to be ready 7 March
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 29 2008, 3.12pm
The Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, William Ampem Darko, said the Corporation is working hard to come out with a working document on the restructuring of the corporation by 7 March. Restructuring, he noted, is dear to the hearts of people both in and outside the corporation. Mr Ampem Darko was addressing a [...] (more)

Generals consider bringing Prince Harry home as media embargo is broken
From Press Gazette. Posted February 29 2008, 12.00am
Generals are considering whether to pull Prince Harry out of Afghanistan after details of his secret deployment were broadcast around the world. (more)

KFAR in Fairbanks, Alaska off air due to fire at transmitter site
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 23 2008, 11.43am
KFAR [660 kHz], the dominant local talk radio station in Fairbanks, Alaska, is off the air after a fire on Thursday morning crippled its transmitter. Bad weather has delayed the delivery of a replacement part, KFAR General Manager Perry Walley said. The part is expected to arrive on Monday and Walley hopes to be transmitting by [...] (more)

Ghana Broadcasting Corporation seeks technical and finance aid from Canada
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 21 2008, 2.38pm
The Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, William Ampem Darko, has called on the Canadian government to assist the corporation in the areas of technology, finance and technical training.  Mr Ampem Darko made the call when the Canadian High Commissioner, Darren Schemer paid a courtesy call on him at Broadcasting House in Accra yesterday. He pointed [...] (more)

Ghana Broadcasting Corporation seeks technical and financial aid from Canada
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 21 2008, 2.38pm
The Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, William Ampem Darko, has called on the Canadian government to assist the corporation in the areas of technology, finance and technical training.  Mr Ampem Darko made the call when the Canadian High Commissioner, Darren Schemer paid a courtesy call on him at Broadcasting House in Accra yesterday. He pointed [...] (more)

Japan donates transmitters & studios to Cameroon Radio Television
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 14 2008, 4.20pm
The General Manager of the Cameroon Radio Television is just back from a working visit in Tokyo, the Japanese Capital where he signed a multi million agreement with the Japanese government. According to the agreement, the Japanese government shall donate eight 10 Kilowatt transmitters and three complete digital studios to the corporation. This gift, according [...] (more)

ICTR confident of arresting former president of RTLM before year is up
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 3 2008, 1.02pm
The head of International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) said on Thursday that his office is highly optimistic that Félicien Kabuga will be arrested before the department’s mandate closes at the end of this year. The Chief Prosecutor, Bubacar Jallow, emerging from a meeting with Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga in Kimuhurura, Kigali on January 31, [...] (more)

Former host of Radio Moscow Escucha Chile dies
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 3 2008, 12.24pm
Chilean communist politician and intellectual Volodia Teitelboim died on Thursday, at age 91, after being hospitalized for several days suffering from a respiratory crisis and lymphatic cancer. Volodia joined the Communist Party when he was only a teenager. He was the general secretary of the party and, during the Pinochet dictatorship (1973-1990) he was in [...] (more)

VOA condemns attack on General Manager of Macedonian partner station
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 29 2008, 4.05pm
The Voice of America has condemned the attack against Goran Gavrilov, General Manager of Kanal 77. Mr Gavrilov was beaten violently outside his home in Stip, Macedonia on the night of 25 January. “We call for a full and complete investigation of the circumstances surrounding this brutal attack,” said Danforth Austin, Director of the Voice of [...] (more)

Emap Radio sale approved
From Radio Today. Posted January 25 2008, 1.15pm
The sale of Emap Radio to German publishing company H Bauer has been approved. At today's General Meeting, 98% of Emap shareholders authorised the disposal of the groups' 38 radio stations which includes London's commercial market leader Magic 105.4. (more)

Korea to launch more English-language radio stations
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 17 2008, 2.58pm
The Korean government will launch English-language radio services in five metropolitan areas as early as this year, the Ministry of Information and Communication said on Tuesday. The new service will provide general information on Korea such as news, weather and traffic, as well as music, ministry officials said. The ministry unveiled its plans for the service [...] (more)

IBA decides not to close classical music station
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 16 2008, 4.29pm
Classical music radio station Kol Hamusica will continue to operate, despite recent plans to shut it down or merge it with another station, Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Director-General Mordechai Shklar announced yesterday in a meeting of the Knesset’s Education Committee.  The IBA has recently received tens of thousands of letters, emails and phone calls from listeners, urging [...] (more)

Director-General calls for new dialogue to restore trust in British public life
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted January 15 2008, 11.50am
Mark Thompson DirectorGeneral of the BBC is calling for a new dialogue aimed at restoring trust in British public life. (more)

Emap sets the date for Bauer
From Radio Today. Posted January 9 2008, 1.11am
The date for Emap's next general meeting will take place at 11am on Friday 25th January. The main topic of discussion will be the proposed disposals of EmapConsumer Media and Emap Radio to German publisher Bauer. Approval from shareholders will be sought by the board. (more)

Pakistan media body to reinforce external service broadcasts
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 8 2008, 10.56am
Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Islamabad, 8 January: Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has decided to retain and reinforce its external service broadcasts in Hindi, Gujarati, Bangla, Pushto, Dari, Persian and Chinese languages. A meeting chaired by Secretary Information Syed Anwar Mahmood and attended by Director General PBC Javed Akhtar and [...] (more)

Former Scotsman.com general manager named head of new media at SMG
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted January 8 2008, 12.00am
Alistair Brown appointed head of new media by SMG with responsibility for STV website    (more)

Nigeria: Muzzling FRCN Kaduna
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 1 2008, 11.38am
Currently the management of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) under its Director General, Ben Egbuna, has been restructuring the corporation, based on the recommendations of the FRCN Reform Implementation Committee that was set up in September last year. An article in the the Kaduna-based Daily Trust says that “the restructuring was the same long running [...] (more)

Audio: Former director general John Birt on the birth of BBC.co.uk
From Journalism.co.uk. Posted December 19 2007, 12.00am
Lord Birt tells Radio 4's iPM show about the inception of the the corporation's online service.    (more)

Director general finding it hard to rally the troops
From Media Guardian. Posted December 18 2007, 11.52pm
Profile: To his supporters, Mark Thompson is the only man with the strength to see through the reforms needed to save the BBC. To his detractors, he is cold, detached and hastening its demise (more)

FM104 sold to UTV Radio
From Radio Today. Posted December 18 2007, 10.42am
Communicorp has sold Dublin's FM104 to UTV Radio for £37.1million. The sale leaves Communicorp free to purchase three stations from Emap - including national network Today FM. The sale is conditional on the approval of the Competition Authority, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and of the UTV shareholders in a general meeting. (more)

Athens International Radio starts broadcasting CRI Mandarin Chinese programme
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 16 2007, 12.47pm
Athens International Radio (104.4 FM) has started broadcasting a one-hour program in Mandarin Chinese every night.  Ioannis Synodinos, General Editor-in-Chief of Athens International Radio, told Xinhua that the one-hour programme is provided free by China Radio International (CRI).  In July and August next year, before and during the Beijing Olympic Games, Athens International Radio will broadcast another [...] (more)

Call for fresh UN action to protect journalists
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 14 2007, 2.20pm
A global media forum has called on the United Nations Secretary-General to appoint a Special Rapporteur on the Protection of Journalists in peace and war. The third World Electronic Media Forum (WEMF3), meeting in Kuala Lumpur, made the call after hearing that 2007 was already the bloodiest year on record for journalists’ deaths, with at [...] (more)

CKEC 1320 in New Glasgow moves to FM
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 13 2007, 10.45am
CKEC 1320 in New Glasgow, Canada, became 94.1 East Coast FM at exactly 9:41 am on Tuesday, after four years of planning and preparation, said station general manager and vice-president Mike Freeman. The station will continue to broadcast the 1320 AM signal for another three months to ease listeners’ transition to 94.1 FM, he said. Read the full [...] (more)

Sanjhi Awaz to broadcast hour strand on DD
From Biz Asia. Posted December 11 2007, 9.39pm
New media establishment Sanjhi Awaz is venturing out with the launch of its hour strand on free-to-air channel Doordarshan. Beginning Thursday 3rd January, the 60-minute "Sanjhi Awaz" slot presented by Gulshan Dhingra will include a general debate on various issues concerning Asians UK lifestyle. As well as that, the show will also cover legal advice on immigration and employment. Gulshan Dhingra has previously worked as a producer and presenter with many years experience at Doordarshan in India. Kewal Singh – director of Sanjhi Awaz said, "We are very fortunate to recruit a person of Gulshan Dhingra's caliber." Jasmine Patara – creative director said, "It will be nice to see UK content on DD News and DD India channels." Sanjhi Awaz is launching its radio station in April nationally on Sky Digital. Related links: Sanjhi Awaz Radio to launch on Sky in April Doordarshan channels begin full testing (more)

UNESCO chief to ?re-examine? issue of Tamil Tiger radio station in Sri Lanka
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 9 2007, 3.34pm
Text of report headlined “DG Matsuura says ‘will re-examine the entire issue’ on UNESCO” published by Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order website on 7 December Director-General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, has assured Sri Lanka’s ambassador in France and delegate to the UNESCO that he will “re-examine the entire issue” on the [...] (more)

Guest editors for Today show
From Radio Today. Posted November 27 2007, 1.07pm
BBC Radio 4 is hiring a range of guest editors for the Today programme between Christmas and New Year, including Dame Stella Rimington, former Director-General of MI5 and Damon from Blur. They join previous Today programme guest editors including Bono, Stephen Hawking and Yoko Ono. (more)

Blur frontman and ex-MI5 chief to guest edit Today
From Press Gazette. Posted November 27 2007, 12.00am
Damon Albarn, the lead singer of Britpop band Blur, and Dame Stella Rimington, the former MI5 director-general, have been confirmed as guest editors for BBC Radio 4's Today programme. (more)

Leeds crowned best BBC local
From Radio Today. Posted November 25 2007, 12.08pm
Radio Leeds won the BBC Station of the Year Award at the annual Gillards in Birmingham on Saturday evening. Stars including Simon Mayo, Jane Garvey, Michael Buerk, Jon Sopal, Jane Hill along with BBC Director General Mark Thompson and BBC Trust Chairman Sir Michael Lyons all attended the bash. (more)

IBA gets another reprieve
From Media Network Weblog. Posted November 18 2007, 12.01pm
The Israel Broadcasting Authority, which has been walking a financial tightrope for several years with repeated threats of closure spurred by growing deficits, has once again won a reprieve. An agreement was signed with the Treasury on Thursday night by Eran Horn, the IBA’s deputy director-general for finances. The agreement enables the transfer of interim [...] (more)

Bangladesh launches Internet sabotage probe
From Media Network Weblog. Posted November 14 2007, 4.54pm
Bangladesh has launched an investigation after the country’s Internet link was sabotaged, disrupting communications nationwide for most yesterday. Officials said cables were also severed twice last week causing massive disruption to businesses in the impoverished country. “We are investigating the cable cutting incident which took place today (Tuesday) with high priority,” said Ziaur Rashid Sofder, general [...] (more)

Former Director-General of Rai dies at 87
From Media Network Weblog. Posted November 6 2007, 4.40pm
David de Jong writes: Enzo Biagi (87), one of the most famous Italian journalists died this morning. Biagi started his journalistic career during the dictatorial Mussolini era at 17 years of age in 1937. In 1943 he joined the resistance. It was Biagi who, at the end of the Second World War in Italy, announced the liberation on local radio [...] (more)

Two new radio stations launch on Midlands DAB
From Biz Asia. Posted October 26 2007, 8.23pm
The West Midlands today have two new Asian radio stations on DAB, both of which are from the same umbrella group - Panjab Radio. It signed a contract with MXR digital to be a service provider on their West Midlands multiplex earlier this year. The successful religious and entertainment station Panjab Radio has been available in London digitally for the past seven years. It can also be picked up on DAB in West Yorkshire. This is the first time Panjab Radio has branched into the Midlands to tap into the highly populated Panjabi market. Not snubbing its non-Panjabi audiences, Panjab Radio has also launched a new general Asian entertainment station steering towards the youth tentatively called Q Asia (previously known as Urban Asia). The station officially begins broadcasting (with presenters) at the start of 2008, until then it hopes to generate enough noise around the new addition as a direct commercial competitor to Radio XL, Sunrise Radio and its Punjabi Radio. Q Asia will be announcing its official name and programme line-up in the coming days, keep it with BizAsia.co.uk for the exclusive news break. Previously, Surjit Singh Ghuman Managing Director of Panjab Radio said, "My four years of hard work and determination to get on to West Midlands on DAB has finally paid off and feels like a dream coming true, but in reality the very hard task of getting the message to the Panjabi community will start now and our listeners will be over the moon as they will not be confined to a TV and instead listen to us on DAB digital radio anywhere in the home, work or whilst on the move." Diane Wray, Managing Director MXR Digital said, "I am really delighted that Panjab Radio are joining the rosta of stations broadcast by MXR in the West Midlands and look forward to working with the team to promote DAB in the area." Panjab Radio is replacing the slot left vacant by Jazzfm, with its 128kbps capacity being split into two 64kbps - one for Panjab Radio and the other for Q Asia. Related links: Panjab Radio to launch in the West Midlands Biz Asia Industry Whispers - Issue 74 Panjab Radio all set to celebrate seven years Biz Exec: Surjit Ghuman - Panjab Radio (more)

BBC director general confirms 1,800 redundancies
From Media Guardian. Posted October 17 2007, 1.00am
6.45pm: BBC director general Mark Thompson has confirmed to senior staff that there will be 1,800 redundancies as part of his cost-saving programme. By Leigh Holmwood. (more)

BBC Director-General forced to backtrack on job loss comments
From The Times. Posted October 11 2007, 12.00am
Mark Thompson, the BBC’s Director-General, was today forced to backtrack on comments in which he said that employees at the broadcaster would be “pleasantly surprised” by the level of job losses to be announced next week. (more)

Emap radio trading reasonable
From Radio Today. Posted September 27 2007, 7.55am
Emap's radio division is trading reasonably, according to the latest update from the Magic owner this morning. The company, which is considering a sale or break up of the business, also suggests the radio market in general is showing some improvement. (more)

New three-language Turkmen radio channel to broadcast via satellite
From Media Network Weblog. Posted September 26 2007, 10.59am
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a decree on creating a new Ovaz (Melody) radio channel of the General Directorate of the Turkmen TV.  According to the document, the radio channel will start broadcasting in Turkmen, Russian and English. The decree approves the staff list of the new radio channel. The Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan [...] (more)

Daily Mail & General Trust to buy George Little Management
From Media Guardian. Posted September 25 2007, 1.00am
Daily Mail & General Trust has agreed to buy full control of George Little Management. By Ben Dowell. (more)

BBC Director-General updates BBC Trust on action to strengthen editorial processes
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted September 20 2007, 3.00pm
BBC DirectorGeneral Mark Thompson this week provided an update to the BBC Trust in which he reported substantial progress in delivering a package of tough and rigorous measures to address concern over recent editorial breaches in competitions and voting. (more)

Malawi Broadcasting Corporation to go commercial to survive
From Media Network Weblog. Posted September 13 2007, 3.00pm
Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) says it has no other alternative to going commercial after budget cuts, claiming it has been pushed to the limit and the only way to survive is to go into business full time at the expense of social responsibility. MBC’s Deputy Director General Bright Malopa said the public radio station will now [...] (more)

Sky News to recruit citizen journalists for general election coverage
From Press Gazette. Posted August 21 2007, 12.00am
Sky News is planning to recruit “several hundred” citizen journalists to provide coverage of the next general election. (more)

UAE?s Radio Asia announces frequency change
From Media Network Weblog. Posted July 28 2007, 12.43pm
Radio Asia AM, the first Malayalam Radio Station in the Gulf and the Middle East region, is set to increase its reach by changing its frequency from 1557 kHz to 1269 kHz from 11th Aug 2007 onwards, said Brij Bhalla, General Manager. The new 1269 AM Radio Asia will further enhance its foot print across UAE and other GCC countries. Along [...] (more)

Thompson's email to BBC staff
From Radio Today. Posted July 20 2007, 8.39am
If you work for the BBC, you'll have received this email in your inbox. If not, we'll repeat it for you here so you know what Mark Thompson, BBC Director-General is telling his staff. It's all about the suspension of competitions on the BBC after some shows, including Liz Kershaw on 6 Music faked competition winners. (more)

"We must put our house in order" demands Director-General in tough response to further disclosures
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted July 18 2007, 2.45pm
BBC DirectorGeneral Mark Thompson today announced a package of tough measures to address the discovery of further serious breaches of editorial standards across some areas of BBC programmes and content. (more)

BBC Announce Plan of Action to Fix Problems
From Merry Media. Posted July 18 2007, 2.23pm
The BBC Director-General Mark Thompson has announed tough new measures that will bring about "zero tolerance" on any future lapses and thinks that all past lapses have been "totally unacceptable."Various problems have erupted over the past few months, misleading the public being the most serious.16,500 programmes and content staff will attend a new mandatory training programme in the Autumn to emphasise the importance of the BBC's values and editorial standards.All phone-related competitions suspended on BBC television and radio from midnight tonight as well as interactive and online competitions being taken down as soon as possible.. (more)

Shut by Chávez, Venezuela?s RCTV to return on cable
From Media Network Weblog. Posted July 12 2007, 1.14pm
RCTV, Venezuela’s oldest and most popular television channel before it was shut down 28 May by President Hugo Chávez, will resurface this month on cable, RCTV Director General Marcel Granier said yesterday. Granier said the privately-owned Radio Caracas Television will broadcast on subscription television from July 16, some six weeks after being shut down when Chávez [...] (more)

RNW invites feedback from our North American SW listeners
From Media Network Weblog. Posted July 10 2007, 12.41pm
As part of our ongoing evaluation of the services we offer, our English Department is interested in hearing from listeners to our shortwave services to North America. We are especially interested in knowing the following: Which of our daily shortwave transmissions do you generally listen to, and how many times per week on average? Do you consider [...] (more)

GoSS authorities hinder good reception of South Sudan radio
From Media Network Weblog. Posted July 6 2007, 12.33pm
The Director General of Southern Sudan Radio and Television, Arop Baggat Tinglot has said that the Gumbo transmitter could be in use anytime from tomorrow if the ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in the Government of southern Sudan (GoSS) releases funds for the purchase of fuel. Speaking yesterday in an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune, [...] (more)

Daily Mail & General trust buys Trinity Mirror regional titles
From Media Guardian. Posted July 6 2007, 1.00am
10am update: Daily Mail & General Trust has bought 25 Trinity Mirror regional weekly newspapers for 64.15m. By Stephen Brook. (more)

BBC signs FM rebroadcasting agreement with Radio Bangladesh
From Media Network Weblog. Posted July 5 2007, 4.26pm
Radio Bangladesh and the BBC yesterday signed an agreement for the rebroadcasting of BBC programmes on FM. The Director General of Radio Bangladesh, M Mahbubul Alam, and BBC Bangla Service chief, Sabir Mostafa, signed the deal in Dhaka. “With the signing of the deal, listeners from Dhaka and adjoining areas can hear the British radio programmes [...] (more)

BBC Trust orders inquiry into top presenters' pay
From Press Gazette. Posted July 5 2007, 12.00am
BBC chiefs are to face an inquiry into whether presenters such as John Humphrys and Jeremy Paxman are paid too much – as the director-general Mark Thompson admitted that despite the importance of the corporation's journalism, it would not... (more)

RNW 60th anniversary debate series blog now online
From Media Network Weblog. Posted July 3 2007, 3.17pm
As part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, RNW is organising a series of global debates entitled “Who Can We Trust?”. The general theme looks at the often sensitive relationship between politics, broadcasters and the public. It also comes at a time when many countries are looking at the future role of public service broadcasting. We’ve asked [...] (more)

BBC may screen more repeats, director general admits
From Media Guardian. Posted July 3 2007, 1.00am
BBC annual report: BBC director general Mark Thompson has confirmed the corporation will make less content and look at screening more repeats. By Tara Conlan. (more)

BBC paid director general Mark Thompson 788,000 last year
From Media Guardian. Posted July 3 2007, 1.00am
1.30pm, annual report: BBC director general Mark Thompson was paid 788,000 last year, despite turning down his annual bonus. By Chris Tryhorn. (more)

'ITV are copycats,' says BBC director general
From Media Guardian. Posted July 3 2007, 1.00am
11.45am, annual report: Mark Thompson has accused ITV shows including Tycoon and Grease is the Word of copying BBC formats. By Tara Conlan. (more)

Martí extending its reach, US government report says
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 20 2007, 1.55pm
The programming of Radio and TV Martí - often criticized as a waste of taxpayer funds - has improved, and anecdotal evidence suggests that it is reaching a bigger audience in Cuba, according to a new US government report obtained by The Miami Herald.The report, by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General, also says [...] (more)

New company to offer satellite capacity across the Pacific
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 18 2007, 2.33pm
GE International Holdings Inc, a holding company for the satellite businesses of General Electric Company, is now engaged in business in Asia under the name of SAT-GE. SAT-GE offers satellite capacity across the Pacific region using the GE-23 satellite (former name AMC-23). GE-23 encompasses 6 individual beams, 5 Ku-band and 1 C-band, that give almost total coverage [...] (more)

Profile: Valery Todorov, Director-General, Bulgarian National Radio
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 18 2007, 10.43am
The Sofia Echo has published a very long and detailed interview with the Director-General of Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Valery Todorov. A brief history of BNR is appended to the article. Read the article (more)

Western Europe also wants to control the Internet
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 13 2007, 10.25am
For a long time, the general feeling has been that it only happens in countries like China, Iran or North Korea. But Internet censorship is also on the rise in Western Europe. Governments are increasingly trying to gain control over the web, including in the Netherlands. Experts say it’s a dangerous road that will turn [...] (more)

Jim Cruickshank Leaving GCap Media
From Merry Media. Posted June 7 2007, 8.42pm
GCap Media has announced that Group Marketing and Interactive Director, Jim Cruickshank will be leaving the company in the next few months to join Multimap.com as General Manager of B2C.. (more)

Cuban government prevents distribution of radios by RNW
From Media Network Weblog. Posted June 7 2007, 9.22am
The Cuban government has prevented the distribution of shortwave radios that had been intended for Cuban listeners of RNW.  The prevention of the import and distribution of the radios in Cuba was unexpected, says RNW Director-General Jan Hoek. “We are disappointed. The Cuban embassy was fully aware of our initiative, with which we planned to reward listeners who [...] (more)

Telephony report: statement from the Director-General
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted May 29 2007, 12.00am
The BBC Trust today published the BBC DirectorGenerals report on the BBCs use of premium rate telephony and associated issues. (more)

All India Radio believes the future is digital
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 28 2007, 11.35am
Brajeshwar Singh, Director-General of All India Radio, thinks it will take 7-8 years to complete the transition from analogue to Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) technology. “Although 38 countries in the world have used digital mode for external transmission, India would be the first country to use the technology for national transmission,” says AIR’s Chief Engineer AS [...] (more)

Obituary: Aubrey Singer
From Media Guardian. Posted May 28 2007, 1.00am
Obituary: Controller of BBC2, head of radio and deputy director general of the corporation. By Philip Purser. (more)

Zimbabwe radio station begins test transmissions
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 26 2007, 9.49pm
Text of report by Zimbabwean TV on 26 May The new radio station Voice of Zimbabwe has started a test run and will run for a few weeks before the station’s programming is launched. Speaking to ZBC [Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation] news the station’s general manager, Mr Happison Muchechetere said Voice of Zimbabwe would be heard on the [...] (more)

Strong online growth at Virgin
From Radio Today. Posted May 25 2007, 10.07am
SMG Chairman Richard Findlay has made his latest statement at the Annual General Meeting of the Scottish Media Group this morning. He reports that the company is trading is in line with expectations, and that Virgin Radio revenues have grown by 8% with particularly strong online revenue growth. (more)

Contempt of court laws should be re-examined, says Attorney General
From Hold the Front Page. Posted May 25 2007, 12.00am
Call for research into whether pre-trial and in-trial media coverage influences jurors (more)

South African radio station in hot water over Islam
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 24 2007, 4.45pm
South Africa’s Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has filed a complaint against Talk Radio 702 and CapeTalk after a recent broadcast in which a guest allegedly linked contemporary Islam with Nazism. The topic of discussion was both the anti-Nazi movement known as “White Rose” and religious extremism in general. Nabeweya Malick of the MJC contends that the comments completely [...] (more)

Peter Ranyard appointed Assistant General Counsel
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted May 15 2007, 11.30am
The BBC has appointed Peter Ranyard currently a senior corporate lawyer at the BBC as Assistant General Counsel. (more)

Controversy over appointment of new Director General for Bulgarian National Radio
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 11 2007, 4.20pm
Controversy has broken out in Bulgaria following today’s announcement that Valeriy Todorov has been elected Director General of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR). It was reported that five members of the Council for Electronic Media (CEM) voted ‘for’, and that he was chosen at first voting among eight candidates. Three other candidates got one vote each, [...] (more)

Grenada Broadcasting Network launches HOTT FM
From Media Network Weblog. Posted May 1 2007, 12.48pm
The General Manager of the Grenada Broadcasting Network, Richard Purcell, officially launched HOTT 98.5 and 105.5 FM on Monday afternoon. Mr Purcell says HOTT FM will network with some of its sister stations in the region to bring listeners the best in music, entertainment, and programmes. “It was our dream, we are now living our [...] (more)

BBC Director-General Appeals for Johnston's Safe Return
From Merry Media. Posted April 12 2007, 9.19am
The BBC Director-General Mark Thompson appealed for the safe return of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston at a press conference in Ramallah this morning.. (more)

Sponsors and stations drop Imus
From Radio Today. Posted April 12 2007, 2.56am
Following last weeks on-air comments by American talk-show host Dom Imus, his advertisers and sponsors including General Motors have now pulled their support. His show originates from New York radio station WFAN and is syndicated by CBS across the States. (more)

ZNBC working to improve radio and TV reception
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 9 2007, 3.03pm
The Director General of the National Broadcasting station in Zambia says his institution is aware of the poor reception of Radio and Television in some parts of the country. Joseph Salasini said the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) will do everything possible to rectify the problem. He said engineers are working round the clock. (Source: ZNBC) (more)

Appointment of BBC Chairman - statement from Mark Thompson, BBC Director-General
From BBC Press Ofice. Posted April 5 2007, 11.20am
Downing Street this morning announced the appointment of Sir Michael Lyons as Chairman of the BBC Trust the BBCs new governing body with effect from 1 May 2007. (more)

New digital radio programmes to be provided by NHK
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 4 2007, 3.14pm
Hiroyuki Tsukada, Director-General of the Public Relations Department at Japanese public broadcaster NHK, told journalists at a press conference: “NHK has been remodelling its data broadcast equipment for the digital radio service and launched its test operation on March 22. Full operation is scheduled to start on April 9, with new programming of news bulletins, weather [...] (more)

Frank Gillard Awards launched
From Radio Today. Posted April 4 2007, 1.06am
The categories for the 2007 Frank Gillard Awards have been announced. Mark Thompson, the BBC's Director-General will host the awards, which celebrates the best of BBC local radio services across the UK. The deadline for entries is Friday 13 July 2007. (more)

Ghana?s Communications Ministry to regulate broadcasting standards
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 3 2007, 9.44am
Ghana’s Ministry of Communications is to introduce a bill to Parliament soon to regulate broadcasting standards in the country. The acting Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Major J R K Tandoh, speaking at the NCA’s first Consultative Forum in Accra. says the broadcast Bill will stipulate regulations on ownership and operation of [...] (more)

Radio Televisyen Malaysia needs to improve programmes before going digital - DG
From Media Network Weblog. Posted April 2 2007, 3.43pm
Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) still needs to improve the quality of its programmes to attract more viewers and listeners before going digital completely, the Director-General of Broadcasting Datuk Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid said today. He said although RTM Digital, on trial run since 1 September last year, could compete with other private digital broadcast stations, [...] (more)

Uzbek Deutsche Welle reporter under legal pressure
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 26 2007, 4.23pm
The Uzbek General Prosecutors Office has opened criminal proceedings against a reporter working for German broadcaster Deutsche Welle in the Central Asian state, her lawyer said today. Uzbekistan has taken an increasingly tough line with foreign media since they reported eyewitness accounts of troops opening fire on a crowd in the town of Andizhan last year, [...] (more)

Algeria launches new radio channel in four languages
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 20 2007, 10.14am
The Director General of Algerian National Radio (ENRS), Azeddine Mihoubi, has announced that the new international radio station in four languages commenced broadcasting at 1100 UTC yesterday. The launch coincided with the 45th anniversary of the ceasefire in 1962 which brought an end to the eight year war of independence from France. According to the website of Algerian National Radio, [...] (more)

Radio 2's Eurovision exclusive
From Radio Today. Posted March 19 2007, 3.10pm
BBC Radio 2 listeners got the lowdown on the showbiz talking-point of the weekend this morning. Talking about the cock-up surrounding the announcement of this year's Song For Europe winner, Terry Wogan told the TOGs, "Nobody died, it's a TV programme. It wasn't the general election. People got a bit confused." (more)

Legal Action Anyone?
From ASMeC - Association of Streaming Media Companies. Posted March 13 2007, 4.06pm
The disquite over the Copyright Royalty Board streaming rates has brought up the suggestion of legal action - read latest report in Digital Music News Streaming radio broadcasters are now considering legal action against a recently-revised royalty structure issued by the Copyright Royalty Board. The ruling, which replaces percentage-based royalties with per-play calculations, is widely being viewed as a death sentence for small- and mid-size webcasters. Right now the thought is that the initial response needs to be a legal response, NPR station WXPN general manager Roger LaMay recently told internetnews.com. (more)

Attorney general lifts injunction on BBC report
From Media Guardian. Posted March 7 2007, 12.00am
An injunction blocking the BBC's cash for honours story was lifted yesterday. By Will Woodward. (more)

Radio Televisyen Malaysia wants to change its image
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 2 2007, 2.59pm
Information Ministry staff were challenged today to change Radio Televisyen Malaysia’s perceived image as a propaganda machine. The Director-General of Broadcasting, Datuk Abdul Rahman Hamid, said they had to think of an idea to attract a larger audience for programmes offered by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM). “The assumption that RTM programmes are government propaganda material has resulted in [...] (more)

Radio Japan: Italian, German and other broadcasts closing down in October
From Media Network Weblog. Posted March 2 2007, 12.29pm
A letter from NHK confirms the following services of Radio Japan will be discontinued in October, 2007: Japanese language broadcasts to Europe and North America Spanish and French language broadcasts to Europe All Italian, Swedish, German and Malaysian language broadcasts. The International Planning & Broadcasting Department at NHK World explains “changes are taking place within the general policy framework [...] (more)

Somalia: Strict government laws imposed on three FM stations in Mogadishu
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 19 2007, 12.58pm
This morning, representatives and owners of three Mogadishu FM stations met with senior officials of the Somali National Security Department, who presented several articles regarding what reports the free media based in the Somali capital should or should not broadcast. General Nour Mohammed Mohmoud (Nour Shirbow), the deputy commander of the Somali National Security Department, who [...] (more)

ITU official says US broadcasts to Cuba are ?inadmissible?
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 15 2007, 2.00pm
“Radio and television transmissions broadcast illegally to Cuba from the United States are inadmissible, even more so if they are designed to promote internal subversion on the island,? said Fabio Leite, Radiocommunication Bureau Director of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Leite is in Cuba attending the 12th International Convention and Exposition: Informatics 2007, representing ITU Secretary-General [...] (more)

Cartoon Network manager quits after Boston scare
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 12 2007, 3.58pm
The general manager of Turner Broadcasting’s Cartoon Network resigned on Friday in the wake of a “guerrilla” advertising campaign that sparked a terrorism scare in much of central Boston on 31 January. The advertising campaign featured blinking electronic devices wired to battery packs and planted on transportation infrastructure, leading police to fear they were bombs. “As general [...] (more)

BBC Radio Derby Gets Phone Call From Director-General
From Merry Media. Posted February 11 2007, 12.33am
BBC Director-General Mark Thompson took to the phones as "Mark from London" to surprise BBC Radio Derby Breakfast Show host Andy Whittaker for his 3,000th show this morning.. (more)

BBC boss rings Radio Derby
From Radio Today. Posted February 10 2007, 9.34am
Mark Thompson, the BBC Director-General, disguised himself as "Mark from London" to surprise BBC Radio Derby Breakfast Show host Andy Whittaker for his 3,000th show this week. Andy's show has been running on the station since 1994. (more)

Grahame Lucas named new Head of DW-Radio?s South Asia Service
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 5 2007, 10.59am
Deutsche Welle’s Director-General, Erik Bettermann, has appointed Grahame Lucas (51) Head of the South Asia Service of DW-Radio. Lucas is responsible for radio programming in Hindi, Urdu and Bengali as well as for regionalised English language programming for Asia as a whole. “Asia is one of the priorities in Deutsche Welle’s strategic planning at the [...] (more)

Radio Veritas Asia looks for more efficiency in face of decreasing funding
From Media Network Weblog. Posted February 1 2007, 2.07pm
The new general manager of  Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) is seeking more collaboration and networking in South Asia to improve efficiency and cut costs.  Divine Word Father Roberto Ebisa, 42, who became the general manager of RVA in January, says he plans “some changes” to improve the effectiveness of its service. The Filipino priest spoke with [...] (more)

XM Radio Online available with Windows Vista
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 30 2007, 11.04am
XM Satellite Radio has announced that XM Radio Online will be included in the US version of Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows Vista, which becomes generally available today. Windows Vista will offer XM Radio Online as part of its digital music hub. XM Radio Online delivers more than 80 radio channels, including commercial-free music, the Oprah & Friends [...] (more)

Solomons’ broadcaster feels the pinch as the government cuts funding
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 23 2007, 4.20pm
The Solomon Islands public broadcaster is already feeling the pinch from the government’s decision to withdraw all funding. The General Manager of the SIBC, Dykes Angiki says the broadcaster’s 2007 annual budget, passed by the Board only four weeks ago, is now in disarray by the abrupt withdrawal of nearly US$60,000 of annual funding. However, Mr [...] (more)

Malaysian national news agency to start radio station
From Media Network Weblog. Posted January 12 2007, 12.30pm
The Malaysian National News Agency, Bernama, plans to start Bernama Radio, an all news radio station that focuses on news and information, its General Manager, Datuk Syed Jamil Jaafar, said today. He said the first stage of the implementation, planned for later this year, would allow only listeners within the Klang Valley to tune in to [...] (more)

ITV cheered by general pick-up for broadcasters as Grade joins
From The Times. Posted January 9 2007, 12.00am
ITV is hoping for a better-than-expected start to the year, after January's advertising bookings beat forecasts across all broadcasters in the first signs of recovery across the medium.... (more)

US radio group in $4.25m payola settlement
From thenoise.co.uk. Posted December 30 2006, 10.27am
The owner of 105 radio stations in the US has offered to pay $4.25m (£2.2m) to settle a payola investigation.Entercom Communications was sued in March by New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer, who accused the group of accepting payments from record labels and trading air time for gifts.The Pennsylvania-based company - the fifth biggest radio group in the US - said in a statement that it was settling out of court and was not admitting any liability.It has, however, agreed to appoint a compliance officer to detect any abuses of the system. (more)

Ludger Schadomsky new head of DW Amharic Service
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 29 2006, 3.17pm
Ludger Schadomsky (36) has been appointed by Deutsche Welle Director-General Erik Bettermann as the head of DW-Radio’s Amharic Service. After completing his studies (African studies and political science), Schadomsky worked as a trainee at Deutsche Welle in 1998. He then worked as a freelance journalist specialising in African topics. He reported for DW and other ARD [...] (more)

DPP livid at sale of Broadcasting Corporation of China
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 27 2006, 9.44am
Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday urged the National Communications Council (NCC) to immediately take back the radio frequencies used by the Broadcast Corporation of China (BCC). DPP Deputy Secretary-General Tsai Huang-liang told a press conference that as radio frequencies are public property, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) cannot sell or transfer the BCC. As former [...] (more)

Taiwan: Broadcasting Corporation of China changes hands
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 26 2006, 3.11pm
General Manger of the Kuomintang’s Central Investment Holding Company Wang Ching-hai yesterday said that the party-run Broadcasting Corporation of China has been sold to ex-president of UFO Radio Jaw Shaw-kong. However, Wang did not confirm a pro-DPP Liberty Times report that said BCC was sold at a price between NT$600 million and NT$700 million, citing [...] (more)

EBU applauds UN resolution on journalist safety
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 25 2006, 12.02pm
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has warmly welcomed the unanimous adoption of a resolution, on journalist safety by the United Nations Security Council. “We are delighted that the UN has recognised the importance of journalists’ safety,” said Jean Réveillon, Secretary General of the EBU. The protection of journalists in conflict zones is crucial to ensuring freedom of [...] (more)

Radio, TV Martí to be aired locally in South Florida: Miami Herald
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 19 2006, 10.31am
The Miami Herald says that US audiences will be able to get news from TV and Radio Martí via two South Florida stations, despite a law that generally prohibits distribution in the United States. The newspaper says TV and Radio Martí are spending $377,500 to air select programmes on South Florida broadcast stations over the [...] (more)

TV and Radio Martí face another government audit - Miami Herald
From Media Network Weblog. Posted December 18 2006, 10.08am
The Miami Herald reports that the Inspector General’s Office has launched a broad look at the operations of the Office for Cuban Broadcasting, which runs Radio and TV Martí. The investigators will be searching for evidence of fraud, mismanagement and misuse of taxpayer dollars. According to the Herald, viewe