MEDIABLAB NOVEMBER 14
November 14th 2007 01:30
NOV 14
MediaBlab by Peter Olszewski appears daily on Dow Jones' Factiva, soon to become News Corp's Factiva
MURDOCH SAYS NOT INTERESTED TO NOTION OF BUYING AUSTRALIA’S TEN TELEVISION NETWORK
Rupert Murdoch has put the kybosh on any notion that News Corp may be harbouring a notion to buy Australia’s Ten Network, adding that the company was not interested in buying any free-to-air TV stations.
According to AAP, Murdoch said, “It would be a matter of price, but Ten was unjustifiable."
At a shareholders' meeting in Adelaide, Murdoch also said he was not aware of any proposed further changes to Australia's media ownership laws, beyond the round introduced this year by the Howard government.
"I'm not aware of it, the foreign limits are gone, the cross media ownership limits are gone," he said.
Murdoch also said the group's specialty television channels are proving to be a growth engine, and the channels are "in total making very fast rise in profits".
INFORMATIVE BULLETIN MAGAZINE TO CARRY ADD-ON LUXURY PUBLICATION
Australia’s most established and pre-eminent current affairs and business magazine, The Bulletin, will launch its first-ever separate magazine, Ultimate Luxe, this week.
On sale November 14, the 72-page luxury magazine, will be available with the main magazine and has major advertiser support, including Rolex, Hugo Boss, L’Oreal Prestige, Raymond Weil, Accor Hotels and Qantas.
“This has been a remarkably successful project with tremendous support from advertisers. It goes to show that the market will respond to innovative new media environments,” said Mike Buckley, The Bulletin group national advertising manager.
The Bulletin editor-in-chief John Lehmann added, “We anticipate it will not be the last project of this kind.”
The Bulletin will be a 96-page issue and will sell for the usual cover price of $6.25 with Ultimate LUXE.
The Bulletin, akin to Time and News Week, is Australia's longest running magazine and the country's only weekly magazine devoted to news and current affairs
MACQUARIE COMMUNICATIONS BUYS MORE OF UK’S ARQIVA
Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group has acquired a (further 3.27 percent interest in Arqiva in the UK from Cheyne Special Situations Fund LP, a minority investor in Arqiva, for a net consideration of £63.3 million (A$142 million).
The acquisition follows the exercise of a call option agreed between Cheyne and Macquarie at the time of the original Arqiva acquisition in January 2005, increases Macquarie’s economic interest in Arqiva to 47 percent and is in line with its strategy of building its position in Arqiva.
The A$142 million will be funded from a combination of existing cash reserves and drawing on a new debt facility with the ANZ. The drawing on the debt facility is anticipated to be repaid over the next two years.
Macquarie chief executive Scott Davies said the company is, “Pleased to be able to build its investment in Arqiva. It is a high-quality asset and increasing Macquarie’s interest increases our ability, and our security holders’ ability, to benefit from the significant revenue streams arising from Arqiva’s long-term contracts with blue-chip clients and the ongoing rollout of digital television in the UK.”
CHANNEL SEVEN SUCCEEDS WHERE OTHERS HAVE FAILED –
IT’S MUZZLED THE CHASER WITH A COURT INJUNCTION
Channel Seven has prevented ABC-TV’s program The Chaser's War on Everything from screening a segment featuring the Today Tonight host, Anna Coren, this evening following a NSW Supreme Court injunction last night.
The Sydney Morning Herald today reports that two Chaser presenters, Chas Licciardello and Andrew Hansen, were detained by security guards at Seven's studios in Martin Place yesterday.
They had asked Coren to feature in a sketch which lampoons tabloid television.
Coren agreed to be in the skit, and invited the pair into her office after they had apparently wandered into the building. But Seven producers and other staff intervened, and the pair was prevented from leaving for an hour and a half.
RADIO AUSTRALIA TO HOST LIVE BROADCASTS IN PHNOM PENH CELEBRATING CAMBODIA’S WATER FESTIVAL
Radio Australia’s Khmer and English services will broadcast live from Phnom Penh on Friday November 23 as part of the celebrations and festivities at the annual Water Festival in Cambodia this month.
The broadcast commences with Breakfast Club program host, Phil Kafcaloudes, sharing a traditional ‘noodle cart’ breakfast with local audiences on the banks of the Mekong River.
Executive producer of Radio Australia’s Khmer service and Australian of the year finalist, Seda Douglas, will commence Radio Australia’s daily one hour Khmer broadcast at midday, joined by local Cambodian pop star Preap Sovath.
Later, the Radio Australia team will join forces with the Phnom Penh International University of Cambodia and popular local identity Khat Sokhim to host a reality style quiz focusing on English learning.
This complements Radio Australia’s bi-lingual English language learning materials available via download from the Radio Australia website.
For three days up to a million Phnom Penh citizens and people from various provinces gather in the capital to celebrate the Water festival on the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers.
Participation and attendance at the Water Festival builds on the growing links Radio Australia has established with audiences and partners in Cambodia, and highlights the appeal of Radio Australia’s Khmer service which is broadcast over 90 percent of the country through a myriad of partner rebroadcasters, as well as the English language service available locally on 101.5FM in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
NEW NARCO-STATE GUINEA-BISSAU IS BAD FOR JOURNALISTS’ HEALTH
Guinea-Bissau is a putative narco-state where news of the cocaine trade is a national taboo and Reporters Without Borders says there is evidence that some of the military are linked to the drugs trade.
Journalists who dare to investigate the cocaine trade have faced death threats, been forced into hiding or have even fled the country, it says. And it details specific instances of press harassment by senior officers.
Researchers visited Guinea-Bissau last month and spoke to officials, journalists and human rights activists.
Their report quotes Guinea-Bissau's national interpol director Carvalho Aucarie saying, “On an individual basis certain Guinea-Bissau officials strike deals with drugs traffickers.” The NGO notes that it is not only journalists who are struggling to find out the truth. Even the justice minister has reportedly received death threats.
BUNFIGHT OVER FILM INSTITUTE AWARDS NIGHT IN AUSTRALIA
The Australian Film Institute has instigated some major changes to the broadcast of its annual awards to be held in December, which ABC TV feels shows a lack of respect for the television nominees, and seriously diminishes the role television plays in the ceremony.
ABC TV has withdrawn its support for the awards, and as a result, the network will not be attending either The AFI Industry Awards (December 5) or the on-air AFI Awards Dinner ceremony (December 6) or funding the attendance by any nominees.
ABC’s director of television Kim Dalton said, “We have not taken this decision lightly. The AFI has removed a number of major television awards from the broadcast night. Some categories remain part of the Award Dinner, while others have been moved to the Industry Awards, effectively splitting up some program teams.
“The AFI alone has selected those they believe are the highest-profile faces to attend the broadcast, while other members of the team do not receive an invite to the dinner/broadcast. Instead they are invited to view the telecast on a large screen elsewhere.
“As we all know, making television is a team effort, and ABC TV cannot support this move which favours some over others,” he said.
The major TV nominations being moved include Best Comedy Series, Best Light Entertainment, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Children’s Drama, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, and Outstanding Performance in a Television Comedy.
“We have spoken with the AFI to see if there is any way they will address our concerns, and they have advised us that changes can’t be made. Therefore, ABC TV management has decided, with regret, that we are unable to support this year’s AFI Awards,” said Dalton.
AMERICANS WORRIED ABOUT MEDIA REPRESSION IN AZERBAIJAN
Dow Jones Newswires reports that the US has expressed concern about treatment of the media in Azerbaijan.
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack urged Azerbaijan "to comply with its stated commitments to respect freedom of speech and rule of law and to support the development of an independent media."
The US has been cautious about criticising Azerbaijan because of its strategic value in an oil-rich region.
The State Department statement mentioned Eynulla Fatullayev, the founder and editor of two independent newspapers that stopped publication this spring under government pressure.
He was sentenced recently to 8 1/2 years in prison because of an article that alleged the former Soviet republic could support a US attack on neighboring Iran.
NEW ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DAILY LAUNCHES IN DELHI IN ANTICIPATION OF NATION-WIDE ROLLOUT
The India Today Group has announced the launch of the English-language Mail Today, a newspaper venture in collaboration with Associated Newspapers, the publishers of Daily Mail.
The 48-page Mail Today is expected to hit the Delhi market by the end of this week, and the group plan’s are to gradually increase editions for a nationwide presence, according to exchange4media.
With a number of newspapers already in the market, India Today and Daily Mail have decided to adopt a different look for the newspaper with a completely different approach towards its packaging and content creation. The idea is to target the middle class Indians, and give them what the other newspapers haven’t been providing.
Aroon Purie, chairman and editor-in-chief, India Today Group, said, “It was 32 years ago when India Today expanded into TV, radio, music and books. We never got a chance to be among the newspapers. We are now delighted to officially announce the launch of Mail Today in India with the Delhi edition going upfront.”
He said there was a need of a paper that was bold, easy to read, compact and more importantly, one that would take a clear stance.
Purie also explained that content for women was an area uncovered by the existing newspapers, and that Mail Today would have it as a differentiating factor along with content for young and aspiring professionals..
Bharat Bhushan, editor, Mail Today, stressed that the content would concentrate on taking a stance. He said, “We believe we have hired people who are the best in the business. On the content side, there is clear focus on considering moral issues and taking a stance. Through innovation in style and look, and by setting high quality journalism standards, we think that Mail Today will make its own mark in the market.
“Our readers are those who have great social concern, who are intelligent, young and professional middle class people.”
TWO THIRDS OF EUROPEANS ARE FAVOURING ONLINE NEWS REPORT REVEALS
Almost two thirds of internet users in Europe are trading other forms of media for online, a survey by the European Interactive Advertising Association suggests.
It says 62 percent of those surveyed are now turning to the internet as a main source of news rather than traditional media. The association’s Mediascope Europe Study, which interviewed 7,008 people from the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Belgium in September, found that 65 percent of European internet users access news sites at least once a month.
News sites came top in the list of websites visited at least once a month by users in the study above local information (52 percent) and travel sites (51 percent), reports Journalism.co.uk.
In addition 28 percent of the respondents admitted to reading newspapers less frequently as a result of the availability of news online. A further 40 percent said they watched less television, while 22 percent found they were listening to the radio less. Listening to the radio and watching television or video clips online, however, featured in the top ten most popular online activities across Europe with 31 percent of those surveyed having listened to radio on the web and 30 percent having streamed television or video.
In its analysis of the results, the association said it predict this trend to continue growing in favour of online sources.
CHINA DEFENDS DATABASE INFORMATION COLLECTION ON 30,000 FOREIGN JOURNALISTS COVERING THE OLYMPICS
Chinese Olympic officials yesterday defended the collection of information on journalists, saying such databases would be used to help the media at Beijing 2008, not to create blacklists or hinder reporting.
The comments came a day after state media said authorities were building a database of information on about 30,000 foreign journalists accredited to cover Beijing 2008.
Reporters Without Borders reported that while Chinese authorities have reacted to an outcry over its recent decisions to create files on foreign journalists covering the Olympics, everything suggests that keeping files on journalists opens the way for every kind of abuse.
It said, “We are also outraged by the Propaganda Department's orders to the Chinese media about coverage of preparations for the games. This dashes our hopes of greater editorial freedom in the run-up to next August. When the organisers of the games and the Beijing authorities misbehave in this manner, the International Olympic Committee should react and should firmly remind them of the undertakings given in 2001."
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that the Propaganda Department last week sent a directive to the leading Chinese news media asking them to avoid publishing negative stories on matters affecting the games such as air pollution, a dispute over Taiwan's inclusion in the Olympic torch relay, and public health issues.
The government newspaper China Daily meanwhile reported that the authorities, in particular the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) was compiling files on the approximately 30,000 journalists expected to get accreditation for the games.
The official reason given was the need to identify "fake journalists" and to help Chinese officials respond to interview requests. But the government has not said what kind of information will be gathered. The GAPP has been campaigning against "fake journalists," accusing them of being a "threat to society," and Liu Binjie, the minister in charge of the GAPP, has promised they will be severely punished.
A campaign was launched in August against "fake journalists" who use bogus accreditation with foreign news media, including Hong Kong media, to practise extortion and disinformation.
Reporters Without Borders is aware of four recent cases of arrests of "fake journalists." The most recent case was this week in the north-eastern province of Liaoning, where those arrested were two of the editors of The Social News, a newspaper regarded by the authorities as illegal. It is very hard to independently verify the facts when the authorities accuse journalists or news media of being fake.
The authorities have just announced that this campaign, which is due to continue until March, has netted 150 "fake journalists" and 300 unlicensed news media. Several independent journalists and Chinese intellectuals have condemned a new crackdown on journalists who are not directly affiliated to any news organisation or to China's sole official journalists union.
Finally, the authorities have refused to relax the regulations on foreign news agencies operating inside the country. In response to questions by the European Union, Canada, Japan and the US before the Word Trade Organisation, China said yesterday that it had not signed any provision requiring it to open up the business news market.
When the government reinforced the state news agency Xinhua's control over the distribution of foreign news agency content in China in September 2006, Reporters without Borders described Xinhua as a predator of free enterprise and the freedom to report the news.
TELSTRA SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH CHINA NETCOM AND SEVEN NETWORK TO BROADCAST LIVE IMAGES OF CHINA OLYMPICS
Telstra has signed agreements with China Netcom and Australian rights holder, the Seven Network to broadcast live images of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Telstra will monitor the international broadcast feeds as they travel from Beijing across more than 15,000 kilometres of submarine optic fibre cable, to the Seven Network studios. Seven will then use Telstra's Digital Video Network for carriage to the television transmitter sites for delivery to television screens across the country.
Telstra International's managing director, Drew Kelton, said the increasing popularity for high definition digital plasma and LCD TVs in Australia was driving the need for high bandwidth connectivity from overseas.
Research conducted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Digital Media in Australian Homes 2006, revealed the household penetration of digital free-to-air television had more than doubled to 30 percent since the July 2005 level of 13 percent.
Kelton said Telstra had a great track record of delivering major sporting events to fans throughout the world.
"In the last decade, Telstra has been contracted by the Seven Network for wideband services for the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, 2004 Athens Olympics, and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
"In addition, Telstra has also beamed the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games to Asia, Europe and the Americas and the 2006 FIFA World Cup from Germany to the Asia Pacific."
Telstra International has more than 500 people spread across 20 offices in more than 10 countries, and provides voice and data solutions to half of the world's top 500 companies.
AL JAZEERA SAID FINANCIERS AND GOVERNMENTS SHOULD GET OUT OF THE NEWSROOM AND OPEN UP MEDIA TO DIVERSITY OF VIEWS
Media in the Arab world is "suffering from four major defects", the director-general of Al Jazeera today warned delegates at the Arabian Business Media and Marketing conference in Dubai.
Arabianbusiness.com reported that speaking to a packed crowd, Wadah Khanfar said that 24-hour news was "obsessed by breaking news", suffering from a "severe lack of historical context", was "betraying" the masses, and should focus on diversity as the key to future success.
"We are suffering from immediacy and are obsessed by being the first to break news, we should have something called 'slow journalism' which digs deep and understands the consequences,” said Khanfar.
"We should go more in-depth in our stories and have more investigative journalism. Often we do not understand or study the historical context of the region before arriving there and writing about a situation such as Iraq and Afghanistan and this is a grave problem."
Khanfar explained that the mass media had begun to "betray the masses" and suggested that it is now "much closer to the elite than the people themselves".
"We have to disassociate ourselves from the elite. Rather than having political or commercial agendas we should act as people responding to reality and give people the context of reality. We, as journalists, are a tool to empower people and to give them a voice and not the tool of dominance," he urged.
"Diversity is also key. Before Al Jazeera was launched in 1996 the majority of voices in the region were Western. The concept of diversity is one of the key secrets to success. We have Muslims and Christians, we have men and women and we have a huge age and experience range with people who have 35 years experience at the BBC and others who have only known Al Jazeera," he added.
"We should always try to embrace diversity and distance ourselves away from one colour and one religion."
Khanfar also urged "those who finance media" and who want to make an instant return on their investment to "distance themselves from the newsroom".
"The Qatari government understood this from the beginning and more than any other government in the region. Journalism should be left alone from governments."
SINGAPORE’S THE NEW PAPER LAUNCHES SHIFTING PUBLICATION SCHEDULES
Singapore Press Holdings newspaper, The New Paper, is introducing a rather radical new publishing schedule. The former afternoon paper will become a “full-fledged breakfast paper, seven days a week,” but on two days of the week, it will produce two editions of the paper: the usual morning edition and a noon sports edition.”
“We're customising the paper twice a week to cater to different tastes,” Ivan Fernandez, editor, told the Straits Times.
Readers who enjoy the TNP-style news and features, plus its in-depth sports analysis, tips and graphics, can opt for the morning edition.
Sports lovers who crave the latest results of overnight matches on the same day can choose the lunchtime sports edition.
“Our lunchtime editions are now more targeted,” said Fernandez. “We zero in on the big matches on Mondays and Thursdays, in particular English Premier League and Champions League clashes.
“Of course, during big soccer tournaments such as Euro 2008 and the World Cup in 2010, we'll have regular lunchtime editions during these periods.
“And when there's other big breaking news, like a major disaster, TNP will keep you updated in a special afternoon edition.'
The Straits Times said an indication of the demand for a 'bright-and-early' edition was seen when The New Paper on Sunday was launched in April 1999. Last year, an average of about 144,000 readers bought the paper every Sunday, mostly in the morning.
The Saturday edition became a morning one in 2004 and the Friday edition followed suit last year.
During a break in the soccer season in July, TNP became a morning edition paper for six weeks. Sales were consistently higher during this period. TNP now reaches about 531,000 readers daily.
The latest Nielsen media survey also noted that TNP was making greater inroads among condo-dwelling readers.
Most of its readers are younger spenders: working adults with a median age of 33, against the national average of 36.8.
TV GUIDE IN THE US SYNDICATES CONTENT TO OTHER MEDIA
The US TV Guide magazine is, as the Americans would say, desperately trying to save its ailing ass by syndicating its content to newspapers and other media outlets.
Editor & Publisher reported that Gemstar-TV Guide International announced yesterday that it has signed several agreements for syndication of its program-listings grid, editorial content, and videos.
Among the agreements are ones with the Star Tribune of Minneapolis and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The Minneapolis paper will have the right to use the TV Guide listings grid on StarTribune.com and in the daily print and electronic versions of the Star Tribune. TV Guide's talk-show highlights content will also accompany the Star Tribune print grids.
In addition, TV Guide is entering a marketing partnership with the Minneapolis paper to sell TV Guide magazine to Star Tribune subscribers who want a stand-alone TV listings source. The newspaper recently discontinued its TV listings book.
Meanwhile, the Post-Intelligencer will feature TV Guide's editorial content on the front page and entertainment section of SeattlePi.com. The TV Guide content includes breaking news, "Hot List," TV show recaps, and other feature stories.
TV Guide also recently announced syndication agreements for its various products and services with the New York Post and other media companies.
MediaBlab by Peter Olszewski appears daily on Dow Jones' Factiva, soon to become News Corp's Factiva
MURDOCH SAYS NOT INTERESTED TO NOTION OF BUYING AUSTRALIA’S TEN TELEVISION NETWORK
Rupert Murdoch has put the kybosh on any notion that News Corp may be harbouring a notion to buy Australia’s Ten Network, adding that the company was not interested in buying any free-to-air TV stations.
According to AAP, Murdoch said, “It would be a matter of price, but Ten was unjustifiable."
At a shareholders' meeting in Adelaide, Murdoch also said he was not aware of any proposed further changes to Australia's media ownership laws, beyond the round introduced this year by the Howard government.
Murdoch also said the group's specialty television channels are proving to be a growth engine, and the channels are "in total making very fast rise in profits".
INFORMATIVE BULLETIN MAGAZINE TO CARRY ADD-ON LUXURY PUBLICATION
Australia’s most established and pre-eminent current affairs and business magazine, The Bulletin, will launch its first-ever separate magazine, Ultimate Luxe, this week.
On sale November 14, the 72-page luxury magazine, will be available with the main magazine and has major advertiser support, including Rolex, Hugo Boss, L’Oreal Prestige, Raymond Weil, Accor Hotels and Qantas.
“This has been a remarkably successful project with tremendous support from advertisers. It goes to show that the market will respond to innovative new media environments,” said Mike Buckley, The Bulletin group national advertising manager.
The Bulletin will be a 96-page issue and will sell for the usual cover price of $6.25 with Ultimate LUXE.
The Bulletin, akin to Time and News Week, is Australia's longest running magazine and the country's only weekly magazine devoted to news and current affairs
MACQUARIE COMMUNICATIONS BUYS MORE OF UK’S ARQIVA
Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group has acquired a (further 3.27 percent interest in Arqiva in the UK from Cheyne Special Situations Fund LP, a minority investor in Arqiva, for a net consideration of £63.3 million (A$142 million).
The acquisition follows the exercise of a call option agreed between Cheyne and Macquarie at the time of the original Arqiva acquisition in January 2005, increases Macquarie’s economic interest in Arqiva to 47 percent and is in line with its strategy of building its position in Arqiva.
The A$142 million will be funded from a combination of existing cash reserves and drawing on a new debt facility with the ANZ. The drawing on the debt facility is anticipated to be repaid over the next two years.
Macquarie chief executive Scott Davies said the company is, “Pleased to be able to build its investment in Arqiva. It is a high-quality asset and increasing Macquarie’s interest increases our ability, and our security holders’ ability, to benefit from the significant revenue streams arising from Arqiva’s long-term contracts with blue-chip clients and the ongoing rollout of digital television in the UK.”
CHANNEL SEVEN SUCCEEDS WHERE OTHERS HAVE FAILED –
IT’S MUZZLED THE CHASER WITH A COURT INJUNCTION
Channel Seven has prevented ABC-TV’s program The Chaser's War on Everything from screening a segment featuring the Today Tonight host, Anna Coren, this evening following a NSW Supreme Court injunction last night.
The Sydney Morning Herald today reports that two Chaser presenters, Chas Licciardello and Andrew Hansen, were detained by security guards at Seven's studios in Martin Place yesterday.
They had asked Coren to feature in a sketch which lampoons tabloid television.
Coren agreed to be in the skit, and invited the pair into her office after they had apparently wandered into the building. But Seven producers and other staff intervened, and the pair was prevented from leaving for an hour and a half.
RADIO AUSTRALIA TO HOST LIVE BROADCASTS IN PHNOM PENH CELEBRATING CAMBODIA’S WATER FESTIVAL
Radio Australia’s Khmer and English services will broadcast live from Phnom Penh on Friday November 23 as part of the celebrations and festivities at the annual Water Festival in Cambodia this month.
The broadcast commences with Breakfast Club program host, Phil Kafcaloudes, sharing a traditional ‘noodle cart’ breakfast with local audiences on the banks of the Mekong River.
Executive producer of Radio Australia’s Khmer service and Australian of the year finalist, Seda Douglas, will commence Radio Australia’s daily one hour Khmer broadcast at midday, joined by local Cambodian pop star Preap Sovath.
Later, the Radio Australia team will join forces with the Phnom Penh International University of Cambodia and popular local identity Khat Sokhim to host a reality style quiz focusing on English learning.
This complements Radio Australia’s bi-lingual English language learning materials available via download from the Radio Australia website.
For three days up to a million Phnom Penh citizens and people from various provinces gather in the capital to celebrate the Water festival on the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers.
Participation and attendance at the Water Festival builds on the growing links Radio Australia has established with audiences and partners in Cambodia, and highlights the appeal of Radio Australia’s Khmer service which is broadcast over 90 percent of the country through a myriad of partner rebroadcasters, as well as the English language service available locally on 101.5FM in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
NEW NARCO-STATE GUINEA-BISSAU IS BAD FOR JOURNALISTS’ HEALTH
Guinea-Bissau is a putative narco-state where news of the cocaine trade is a national taboo and Reporters Without Borders says there is evidence that some of the military are linked to the drugs trade.
Journalists who dare to investigate the cocaine trade have faced death threats, been forced into hiding or have even fled the country, it says. And it details specific instances of press harassment by senior officers.
Researchers visited Guinea-Bissau last month and spoke to officials, journalists and human rights activists.
Their report quotes Guinea-Bissau's national interpol director Carvalho Aucarie saying, “On an individual basis certain Guinea-Bissau officials strike deals with drugs traffickers.” The NGO notes that it is not only journalists who are struggling to find out the truth. Even the justice minister has reportedly received death threats.
BUNFIGHT OVER FILM INSTITUTE AWARDS NIGHT IN AUSTRALIA
The Australian Film Institute has instigated some major changes to the broadcast of its annual awards to be held in December, which ABC TV feels shows a lack of respect for the television nominees, and seriously diminishes the role television plays in the ceremony.
ABC TV has withdrawn its support for the awards, and as a result, the network will not be attending either The AFI Industry Awards (December 5) or the on-air AFI Awards Dinner ceremony (December 6) or funding the attendance by any nominees.
ABC’s director of television Kim Dalton said, “We have not taken this decision lightly. The AFI has removed a number of major television awards from the broadcast night. Some categories remain part of the Award Dinner, while others have been moved to the Industry Awards, effectively splitting up some program teams.
“The AFI alone has selected those they believe are the highest-profile faces to attend the broadcast, while other members of the team do not receive an invite to the dinner/broadcast. Instead they are invited to view the telecast on a large screen elsewhere.
“As we all know, making television is a team effort, and ABC TV cannot support this move which favours some over others,” he said.
The major TV nominations being moved include Best Comedy Series, Best Light Entertainment, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Children’s Drama, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, and Outstanding Performance in a Television Comedy.
“We have spoken with the AFI to see if there is any way they will address our concerns, and they have advised us that changes can’t be made. Therefore, ABC TV management has decided, with regret, that we are unable to support this year’s AFI Awards,” said Dalton.
AMERICANS WORRIED ABOUT MEDIA REPRESSION IN AZERBAIJAN
Dow Jones Newswires reports that the US has expressed concern about treatment of the media in Azerbaijan.
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack urged Azerbaijan "to comply with its stated commitments to respect freedom of speech and rule of law and to support the development of an independent media."
The US has been cautious about criticising Azerbaijan because of its strategic value in an oil-rich region.
The State Department statement mentioned Eynulla Fatullayev, the founder and editor of two independent newspapers that stopped publication this spring under government pressure.
He was sentenced recently to 8 1/2 years in prison because of an article that alleged the former Soviet republic could support a US attack on neighboring Iran.
NEW ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DAILY LAUNCHES IN DELHI IN ANTICIPATION OF NATION-WIDE ROLLOUT
The India Today Group has announced the launch of the English-language Mail Today, a newspaper venture in collaboration with Associated Newspapers, the publishers of Daily Mail.
The 48-page Mail Today is expected to hit the Delhi market by the end of this week, and the group plan’s are to gradually increase editions for a nationwide presence, according to exchange4media.
With a number of newspapers already in the market, India Today and Daily Mail have decided to adopt a different look for the newspaper with a completely different approach towards its packaging and content creation. The idea is to target the middle class Indians, and give them what the other newspapers haven’t been providing.
Aroon Purie, chairman and editor-in-chief, India Today Group, said, “It was 32 years ago when India Today expanded into TV, radio, music and books. We never got a chance to be among the newspapers. We are now delighted to officially announce the launch of Mail Today in India with the Delhi edition going upfront.”
He said there was a need of a paper that was bold, easy to read, compact and more importantly, one that would take a clear stance.
Purie also explained that content for women was an area uncovered by the existing newspapers, and that Mail Today would have it as a differentiating factor along with content for young and aspiring professionals..
Bharat Bhushan, editor, Mail Today, stressed that the content would concentrate on taking a stance. He said, “We believe we have hired people who are the best in the business. On the content side, there is clear focus on considering moral issues and taking a stance. Through innovation in style and look, and by setting high quality journalism standards, we think that Mail Today will make its own mark in the market.
“Our readers are those who have great social concern, who are intelligent, young and professional middle class people.”
TWO THIRDS OF EUROPEANS ARE FAVOURING ONLINE NEWS REPORT REVEALS
Almost two thirds of internet users in Europe are trading other forms of media for online, a survey by the European Interactive Advertising Association suggests.
It says 62 percent of those surveyed are now turning to the internet as a main source of news rather than traditional media. The association’s Mediascope Europe Study, which interviewed 7,008 people from the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Belgium in September, found that 65 percent of European internet users access news sites at least once a month.
News sites came top in the list of websites visited at least once a month by users in the study above local information (52 percent) and travel sites (51 percent), reports Journalism.co.uk.
In addition 28 percent of the respondents admitted to reading newspapers less frequently as a result of the availability of news online. A further 40 percent said they watched less television, while 22 percent found they were listening to the radio less. Listening to the radio and watching television or video clips online, however, featured in the top ten most popular online activities across Europe with 31 percent of those surveyed having listened to radio on the web and 30 percent having streamed television or video.
In its analysis of the results, the association said it predict this trend to continue growing in favour of online sources.
CHINA DEFENDS DATABASE INFORMATION COLLECTION ON 30,000 FOREIGN JOURNALISTS COVERING THE OLYMPICS
Chinese Olympic officials yesterday defended the collection of information on journalists, saying such databases would be used to help the media at Beijing 2008, not to create blacklists or hinder reporting.
The comments came a day after state media said authorities were building a database of information on about 30,000 foreign journalists accredited to cover Beijing 2008.
Reporters Without Borders reported that while Chinese authorities have reacted to an outcry over its recent decisions to create files on foreign journalists covering the Olympics, everything suggests that keeping files on journalists opens the way for every kind of abuse.
It said, “We are also outraged by the Propaganda Department's orders to the Chinese media about coverage of preparations for the games. This dashes our hopes of greater editorial freedom in the run-up to next August. When the organisers of the games and the Beijing authorities misbehave in this manner, the International Olympic Committee should react and should firmly remind them of the undertakings given in 2001."
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that the Propaganda Department last week sent a directive to the leading Chinese news media asking them to avoid publishing negative stories on matters affecting the games such as air pollution, a dispute over Taiwan's inclusion in the Olympic torch relay, and public health issues.
The government newspaper China Daily meanwhile reported that the authorities, in particular the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) was compiling files on the approximately 30,000 journalists expected to get accreditation for the games.
The official reason given was the need to identify "fake journalists" and to help Chinese officials respond to interview requests. But the government has not said what kind of information will be gathered. The GAPP has been campaigning against "fake journalists," accusing them of being a "threat to society," and Liu Binjie, the minister in charge of the GAPP, has promised they will be severely punished.
A campaign was launched in August against "fake journalists" who use bogus accreditation with foreign news media, including Hong Kong media, to practise extortion and disinformation.
Reporters Without Borders is aware of four recent cases of arrests of "fake journalists." The most recent case was this week in the north-eastern province of Liaoning, where those arrested were two of the editors of The Social News, a newspaper regarded by the authorities as illegal. It is very hard to independently verify the facts when the authorities accuse journalists or news media of being fake.
The authorities have just announced that this campaign, which is due to continue until March, has netted 150 "fake journalists" and 300 unlicensed news media. Several independent journalists and Chinese intellectuals have condemned a new crackdown on journalists who are not directly affiliated to any news organisation or to China's sole official journalists union.
Finally, the authorities have refused to relax the regulations on foreign news agencies operating inside the country. In response to questions by the European Union, Canada, Japan and the US before the Word Trade Organisation, China said yesterday that it had not signed any provision requiring it to open up the business news market.
When the government reinforced the state news agency Xinhua's control over the distribution of foreign news agency content in China in September 2006, Reporters without Borders described Xinhua as a predator of free enterprise and the freedom to report the news.
TELSTRA SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH CHINA NETCOM AND SEVEN NETWORK TO BROADCAST LIVE IMAGES OF CHINA OLYMPICS
Telstra has signed agreements with China Netcom and Australian rights holder, the Seven Network to broadcast live images of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Telstra will monitor the international broadcast feeds as they travel from Beijing across more than 15,000 kilometres of submarine optic fibre cable, to the Seven Network studios. Seven will then use Telstra's Digital Video Network for carriage to the television transmitter sites for delivery to television screens across the country.
Telstra International's managing director, Drew Kelton, said the increasing popularity for high definition digital plasma and LCD TVs in Australia was driving the need for high bandwidth connectivity from overseas.
Research conducted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Digital Media in Australian Homes 2006, revealed the household penetration of digital free-to-air television had more than doubled to 30 percent since the July 2005 level of 13 percent.
Kelton said Telstra had a great track record of delivering major sporting events to fans throughout the world.
"In the last decade, Telstra has been contracted by the Seven Network for wideband services for the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, 2004 Athens Olympics, and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
"In addition, Telstra has also beamed the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games to Asia, Europe and the Americas and the 2006 FIFA World Cup from Germany to the Asia Pacific."
Telstra International has more than 500 people spread across 20 offices in more than 10 countries, and provides voice and data solutions to half of the world's top 500 companies.
AL JAZEERA SAID FINANCIERS AND GOVERNMENTS SHOULD GET OUT OF THE NEWSROOM AND OPEN UP MEDIA TO DIVERSITY OF VIEWS
Media in the Arab world is "suffering from four major defects", the director-general of Al Jazeera today warned delegates at the Arabian Business Media and Marketing conference in Dubai.
Arabianbusiness.com reported that speaking to a packed crowd, Wadah Khanfar said that 24-hour news was "obsessed by breaking news", suffering from a "severe lack of historical context", was "betraying" the masses, and should focus on diversity as the key to future success.
"We are suffering from immediacy and are obsessed by being the first to break news, we should have something called 'slow journalism' which digs deep and understands the consequences,” said Khanfar.
"We should go more in-depth in our stories and have more investigative journalism. Often we do not understand or study the historical context of the region before arriving there and writing about a situation such as Iraq and Afghanistan and this is a grave problem."
Khanfar explained that the mass media had begun to "betray the masses" and suggested that it is now "much closer to the elite than the people themselves".
"We have to disassociate ourselves from the elite. Rather than having political or commercial agendas we should act as people responding to reality and give people the context of reality. We, as journalists, are a tool to empower people and to give them a voice and not the tool of dominance," he urged.
"Diversity is also key. Before Al Jazeera was launched in 1996 the majority of voices in the region were Western. The concept of diversity is one of the key secrets to success. We have Muslims and Christians, we have men and women and we have a huge age and experience range with people who have 35 years experience at the BBC and others who have only known Al Jazeera," he added.
"We should always try to embrace diversity and distance ourselves away from one colour and one religion."
Khanfar also urged "those who finance media" and who want to make an instant return on their investment to "distance themselves from the newsroom".
"The Qatari government understood this from the beginning and more than any other government in the region. Journalism should be left alone from governments."
SINGAPORE’S THE NEW PAPER LAUNCHES SHIFTING PUBLICATION SCHEDULES
Singapore Press Holdings newspaper, The New Paper, is introducing a rather radical new publishing schedule. The former afternoon paper will become a “full-fledged breakfast paper, seven days a week,” but on two days of the week, it will produce two editions of the paper: the usual morning edition and a noon sports edition.”
“We're customising the paper twice a week to cater to different tastes,” Ivan Fernandez, editor, told the Straits Times.
Readers who enjoy the TNP-style news and features, plus its in-depth sports analysis, tips and graphics, can opt for the morning edition.
Sports lovers who crave the latest results of overnight matches on the same day can choose the lunchtime sports edition.
“Our lunchtime editions are now more targeted,” said Fernandez. “We zero in on the big matches on Mondays and Thursdays, in particular English Premier League and Champions League clashes.
“Of course, during big soccer tournaments such as Euro 2008 and the World Cup in 2010, we'll have regular lunchtime editions during these periods.
“And when there's other big breaking news, like a major disaster, TNP will keep you updated in a special afternoon edition.'
The Straits Times said an indication of the demand for a 'bright-and-early' edition was seen when The New Paper on Sunday was launched in April 1999. Last year, an average of about 144,000 readers bought the paper every Sunday, mostly in the morning.
The Saturday edition became a morning one in 2004 and the Friday edition followed suit last year.
During a break in the soccer season in July, TNP became a morning edition paper for six weeks. Sales were consistently higher during this period. TNP now reaches about 531,000 readers daily.
The latest Nielsen media survey also noted that TNP was making greater inroads among condo-dwelling readers.
Most of its readers are younger spenders: working adults with a median age of 33, against the national average of 36.8.
TV GUIDE IN THE US SYNDICATES CONTENT TO OTHER MEDIA
The US TV Guide magazine is, as the Americans would say, desperately trying to save its ailing ass by syndicating its content to newspapers and other media outlets.
Editor & Publisher reported that Gemstar-TV Guide International announced yesterday that it has signed several agreements for syndication of its program-listings grid, editorial content, and videos.
Among the agreements are ones with the Star Tribune of Minneapolis and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The Minneapolis paper will have the right to use the TV Guide listings grid on StarTribune.com and in the daily print and electronic versions of the Star Tribune. TV Guide's talk-show highlights content will also accompany the Star Tribune print grids.
In addition, TV Guide is entering a marketing partnership with the Minneapolis paper to sell TV Guide magazine to Star Tribune subscribers who want a stand-alone TV listings source. The newspaper recently discontinued its TV listings book.
Meanwhile, the Post-Intelligencer will feature TV Guide's editorial content on the front page and entertainment section of SeattlePi.com. The TV Guide content includes breaking news, "Hot List," TV show recaps, and other feature stories.
TV Guide also recently announced syndication agreements for its various products and services with the New York Post and other media companies.
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