Posts from ‘May, 2007’

UK communications regulator Ofcom today introduced new regulations to extend wireless broadband access across the country, including in rural areas.
The regulations cover the 5.8 GHz band, currently used by a number of operators to provide fixed wireless broadband services in the UK. Under the new regulations, which come into effect today, the operators will be [...]

The BBC has reached agreement with the developer Peel Holdings over the detailed terms under which it will occupy buildings in the mediacity:uk development at Salford Quays. The BBC Trust has today approved the terms of the deal, meaning that the BBC’s proposed move of five of its London-based departments to the North of England [...]

The traditional mass media still have advantages despite the rapid spread of new media, a top Japanese broadcaster has said. Toshiyuki Sato of Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, said the old media could still reach viewers and readers in great numbers and at the same time.
The participatory new media - such as blogs, wikis and podcasting [...]

Amsterdam City Council is looking at ways of reducing noise from building sites in the city, and one option is to ban the use of radios. The suggestion is contained in the city’s Environmental Plan for 2007-2010. There is already a national law to regulate the amount of noise coming from building sites, but Amsterdam City Council says it [...]

According to a report on the journalism.co.za website, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is due to launch its own 24-hour television news service, branded SABC News International. The channel is to be beamed across Africa and test transmissions are scheduled to start on 6 June.
“SABC News International will provide on-the-hour news bulletins and news [...]

The Chinese government is backtracking on new rules that allow much greater freedom to foreign journalists, and is continuing to deny comparable freedoms to Chinese journalists, Human Rights Watch said today. The Chinese government is already failing to deliver on its pledge to fully lift restrictions for foreign journalists ahead of the Beijing Games. Moreover, there [...]

The Dutch broadcaster behind a TV show in which a terminally ill woman will choose a candidate to receive her kidney says  such bad-taste television was needed to publicise organ donation. ”We came up with this bad taste show to get media attention. That way many people will watch it and it will get the discussion going,” [...]

Although Dutch commercial radio station 100%NL has been on the air for almost a year, there was still an outside chance that its licence could be withdrawn again. That’s because RTL FM, who were originally awarded the licence in 2003, and the two other applicants - Radio Nationaal and Arrow - had set in motion [...]

Text of report by Cambridge-based Broadband TV News website on 30 May
Regular high definition transmissions have begun on the Swedish digital terrestrial television network. Transmission company Teracom began broadcasts in the Malaren Valley on Saturday [26 May] and will eventually extend to over one million households in Stockholm, Vasteras, Uppsala and Sodertalje. This represents [...]

The number of regional broadcasters will increase in Azerbaijan in the nearest future, said the National Television and Radio Council chairman Nushiravan Maharramli. He added that new regional television companies will be established in regions of Ali Bayramli, Shamakhi, Imishli, Saatli and Bilasuvar. He noted that 14 regional broadcasters have been licensed.
Maharramli said some gaps [...]

As many as 14 out of 29 local public radio stations in Macedonia failed to present the capital transformation evaluation within May 29 deadline. Jordanka Dojranlieva, the head of the Association of Local Private Radio Stations, told Makfax news agency that almost half of radio stations failed to comply with the deadline due to lack [...]

A story we published yesterday, from a normally reliable Dutch source, said that CNN International was ending its analogue satellite service via Astra at 19.2 degrees East. We have now been informed by Matthijs Spits, Public Relations Manager for CNN Benelux, that the story is incorrect. CNN will continue broadcasting its analogue service. We apologize for [...]

Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has decided to launch a radio channel to help foster domestic production and support exporters. According to the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), the Ministry of Commerce will cooperate with IRIB to launch the Commerce Channel, which aims to boost exports and help Iranian exporters better identify global markets for [...]

Satellite radio provider WorldSpace has been barred from making a presentation during the subscription broadcasting hearings in South Africa until the government clarifies whether the multinational should be bound by existing empowerment requirements. 
Last week the Minister of Communications, Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, asked the Independent Communication Authority of SA (Icasa) to consider that WorldSpace continue offering services [...]

Text of report by Cambridge-based Broadband TV News website on 30 May
International news channel Al Jazeera English is to join the Multichoice DStv platform in Africa. The channel will go live tomorrow (31 May) at 10.00 Central African Time and take channel 62 in the Multichoice EPG.
“We are pleased at the addition of Al Jazeera [...]