Gunmen kill VOA reporter in Pakistan

Gunmen in northwest Pakistan have shot and killed a reporter working for the Voice of America. Mukarram Khan Aatif, who filed reports for VOA’s Deewa Radio, was attacked today at a mosque near his home in Shabqadar. The town is located roughly 35 kilometers from Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Local police say two assailants on motorcycles arrived at the mosque during evening prayers. One of the men entered the mosque and shot Aatif in the head before fleeing.

Mr Aatif was hospitalized in critical condition, before succumbing to his injuries. Friends of the journalist, who was in his 40’s, tell VOA that Mr Aatif had received threats from militants in the past. He and his family had been forced to move to Shabqadar from their home in Mohmand agency due to the threats.

Mr Aatif also worked for the private Pakistani Dunya TV. Media right activists in Pakistan are condemning Mr Aatif’s killing and criticizing the government for not doing enough to protect journalists. Reporters Without Borders named Pakistan as the deadliest country for journalists for two years in a row, with 10 killed in the country in 2011.

(Source: voanews.com via Media Network Weblog)

2003 Bangkok Declaration: What Next?

The Bangkok Declaration was endorsed at the 1st Conference of the Ministers on Information and Broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region, hosted by the Government of Thailand in May 2003 in Bangkok. The declaration offered recommendations to address challenges of media globalization, cultural diversity, public service broadcasting, information divide and human resource development could respond to the changing media environment.

After nine years since then, in order to examine the leverage of its strength, AIBD convened the first Steering Committee Meeting on 13th January 2012, which was hosted by Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Mr Yang Binyuan, Director, AIBD stated the objectives of the meeting was to lay the groundwork and to determine expectations for the session on “Bangkok Declaration: What Next” - a parallel session to be deliberated at the forthcoming Asia Media Summit in Bangkok in May this year.

Full Story with Photo

(Source : Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development)

World TV Awards 2012 - Call for Entry

WORLD TV AWARDS 2012

The World Television Awards are open to all broadcasters in Asia, Pacific, Europe, Africa, and North & South America from public, private sector and freelance producers.

For 2012, the two World TV Awards categories are:

1) Category Humanity for the Best Documentary on Promoting Religious Understanding and Tolerance" -
2) Category Science/Environment for the Best Programme on "Preserving Ozone layer and Protecting the Earth" 

The deadline for programme submission is 16 April 2012.

Criteria & Entry forms available under "Form & application"

The World TV Awards are supported by United Nations Environment Programme OzonAction, Arab States Broadcasting Union, France 24, Radio France International, Monte-Carlo Doualiya, Radio TV Malaysia and Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

(Source : Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development) 

Azadliq Broadcasters Win Azeri Media Awards

Vusula Alibayli and Huseynbala Salimov, correspondents with RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, both won the prestigious "Media Key-2011" award during a January 10 awards ceremony in Baku. Radio Azadliq, as the service is known locally, is the first international news outlet to receive the award, which recognizes excellence in Azerbaijan's domestic media. Previously in 2009, two Radio Azadliq reporters also won a “Media Key” award for their reports exposing corruption and modern women’s issues.

Alibayli, Radio Azadliq’s "queen of comedy," was honored as "Investigative Journalist of the Year" for her reporting on government waste and the plight of illegal migrant workers in Azerbaijan and for her work as the moderator of Azadliq’s satire show, "250 Seconds +." Similar in format to "The Daily Show” in the United States, the show was recognized for “innovation in new media” at last year's "Blogosfer" convention in Azerbaijan.

Salimov, who is a current affairs analyst for Radio Azadliq, won the award for "Political Commentator of the Year." According to Salimov, "The fact that this nomination exists shows that our society is in need of serious journalism, analysis and interpretation of events."

The “Media Key” award is considered to be one of Azerbaijan's most prestigious journalism prizes. It has been awarded since 1997 by the Azerbaijan Union of Journalists, a media advocacy group, and "Yeni Nasil,” or “New Generation,” one of Azerbaijan's most active media advocacy groups.

“The government in Azerbaijan cannot criticize us because we follow professional standards of journalism and stand out within the local media environment,” explains Radio Azadliq’s director, Kenan Aliyev.

Radio Azadliq’s coverage of local issues has garnered international as well as local attention. Radio Azadliq’s reporters risk their lives in order to report on issues that matter to ordinary citizens.

See Radio Azadliq’s Alibayli and Salimov accept their awards in this video of the award ceremony.

(Source : Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Channel Africa Highlights

Channel Africa: Producing and Broadcasting innovative and dynamic programming that informs, educates, entertains, and empowers African citizens. 

Mandate:

Channel Africa is an International Public Service Radio station whose mandate is to support South Africa’s Foreign Policy enshrined in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s – Vision and Mission and contribute to the development of Africa, support peace, democracy and good Governance through the production and broadcast of innovative, dynamic and stimulating news, current affairs and informal knowledge building content in English and other major African languages.

SOUTH AFRICA'S INTERNATIONAL RADIO SERVICE

Since the advent of the new democratic dispensation in 1994, Channel Africa, the international radio service of the SABC has been engaged in the process of redefining itself and repositioning itself so that it is in line with the new democratic values underpinning the new South Africa. During this period, Channel Africa was faced with the task of formulating a vision and a mission that would cast the station as a major role player in the field of continental and international broadcasting.

WORLD CLASS PLAYER

Although the preceding years have seen much effort to bring about this turn around (above), it is only in 2001 that significant strides were made towards the realization of these objectives. In its vision, Channel Africa states that it is "The Voice of the African Rennaisance”. In its mission statement, Channel Africa pledges “To promote the rejuvenation of Africa through the production and broadcast of dynamic, stimulating and interesting programmes. To provide programming that informs, educates, entertains, and empowers African citizens". The vision and mission of Channel Africa has, therefore, qualified Channel Africa as one of the world class players in international broadcasting.

WINDOW TO SOUTH AFRICA

As a station based in South Africa, Channel Africa recognizes that it has the responsibility to provide a window into the new democratic South Africa as well as a role to play in showcasing the democratic dispensation in the country. This also entails promoting a culture of respect for human rights as enshrined in our constitution.  In the globalising world of today, the role of communication is pivotal to the survival and progress of the developing countries. As an African broadcaster Channel Africa is in the forefront of this struggle for development and the promotion of the ideals of the African renaissance.

COMMITIMENT TO AFRICA'S RENAISSANCE

It is in this context that Channel Africa states in its mission that it is "The Voice of the African Renaissance” and that it will endeavor in its programming “to reinforce Africa’s dignity, pride and sense of self worth.”  Channel Africa, as a role player in the field of international broadcasting has been thrust onto the forefront of the struggle for Africa’s development and revival.

BROADCAST PLATFORMS

Channel Africa broadcast live on three platforms; Shortwave, Satellite, and Internet. Its broadcasts are in Chinyanja, Silozi, Kiswahili, English, French and Portuguese. The Satellite broadcast is via PAS 10 and is accessible through SENTECH's vivid decoders.

The Shortwave broadcast covers the south, east, central and west Africa. The Satellite broadcast covers the sub-Saharan region although it can be picked as far as London. The Internet broadcast covers the entire world.

(Source : Channel Africa)

Radio Inka from the Peruvian Andes heard on 1610 AM

From high up in the Andes, Radio Inka (or Inca) has begun broadcasting on the frequency of 1610 kHz mediumwave. Radio Inka is based in the town of Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca. The station was first reported heard by Peruvian DXer Alfredo Cañote. No further information about the station is known.

(Source : DXing.info, January 15, 2012)

BBC appoints David Shukman as Science Editor

The BBC has appointed David Shukman as its new Science Editor.

David joined the BBC in 1983 and has worked as Northern Ireland reporter, Defence Correspondent and World Affairs Correspondent. He is currently the Environment and Science correspondent.

David has reported from more than 90 countries and has made a dozen trips to the polar regions. Most recently he covered the launch of the last space shuttle and filmed inside the exclusion zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

As well as reporting on science stories for BBC News, the new post will also involve working with science programme makers across the BBC.

Fran Unsworth, Head of Newsgathering, said: “I’m delighted to appoint David as Science Editor. His ability to make complex scientific issues accessible will be a great asset in this new role and ensure that our audiences get the most out of the BBC’s science coverage.”

David Shukman said: "It's a privilege to be given this new role as part of the BBC's drive to enhance its science coverage. The science story has never been so compelling and I'm delighted to be given this opportunity to lead our reporting and analysis of it."

The appointment is a new role, created as a result of recommendations made in an independent review of the BBC’s science coverage, published by the BBC Trust in 2011.

The review was carried out by Professor Steve Jones, Emeritus Professor of Genetics at University College London, and included in-depth content analysis by Imperial College London for two separate periods in 2009 and 2010.

The role was advertised externally and the wider BBC science community were involved in the recruitment process, contributing to the job specification and sitting on the preliminary and final interviews.

(Source: BBC Press Office)

As of February 1 Radio Bulgaria will be able to find and listen in the Internet

As of February 1 our media stops broadcasting on short waves, 76 years after the first emission in this frequency range. The reasons are both financial and related to our wish to keep pace with new trends. Programmes in Balkan languages will keep coming in medium waves. As of February 1 you will be able to find and listen to us in the Internet at http://bnr.bg/sites/en/FullEmissions/Pages/default.aspx. This gives the start to a new stage of Radio Bulgaria’s development. We hope that the relations of trust and friendship kept up for many years would persist. We would be with you again – our long-time listeners and those who would join the large family of Radio Bulgaria from now on. 

(Source : Radio Bulgaria)

Glasgow community radio station Celtic Music Radio goes digital for event

Glasgow community radio station Celtic Music Radio is available on DAB across much of southern, eastern and central England for the next few weeks – as well as in Ayrshire and South East Wales.

The station is using Now Digital’s ‘Pop Up’ channel on 19 local multiplexes to bring the Celtic Connections music festival to millions of potential listeners from later this week.

Celtic Music Radio started as an RSL station in 2006, covering the world-famous event. It was awarded a full-time community radio licence in 2007 and has just had its licence extended by a further five years to January 2018. It broadcasts on 1530AM in Glasgow.

The Celtic Connections festival starts on Thursday (19th January) and runs until 5th February with its main stage in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

Celtic Music Radio went live on the Pop Up Radio channel this morning (Monday) and will be available on digital until 6th February.

Founder Bob McWilliam said: “This is great opportunity for digital radio users across the country to get a taste of Celtic Connections and Celtic Music Radio local programmes. All they have to do is select Pop Up on their digital radio display and they will get Celtic Music Radio from Glasgow.”

Pop Up Radio is on the following Now Digital multiplexes: Ayrshire, Berkshire & North Hampshire, Bristol, Cambridge, Cornwall, Coventry, Essex, Kent, Leicester, Norwich, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, South East Devon, South East Wales, Sussex Coast, Swindon, West Wiltshire and Wolverhampton.

(Source : Radio Today, UK)

ABU Launches Radio Song Festival

The ABU is launching a new and exciting initiative - the ABU Radio Song Festival. The first edition of the Festival will be hosted by the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) and will take place at the ABU General Assembly in October 2012.

The ABU Radio Song Festival aims to showcase and recognize the diverse, undiscovered musical talent of nations within Asia and the Pacific regions. The Festival is to foster understanding, awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity that exists across the region. The ABU Radio Song Festival will introduce unsigned local artists to an international audience and would celebrate the musical and artistic diversity of the Asia-Pacific region.

The ABU encourages its radio members to participate in the ABU Radio Song Festival by selecting and sending to the ABU “Bank of Songs” some of the best music and songs of fresh young singers. The objective of the activity is to discover, encourage, introduce and promote new song compositions by unknown and upcoming artists among ABU member countries, provide an international gateway for the winning artists and to promote greater collaboration and partnership among ABU radio broadcasters. 

(Source : Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)