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News Archive
John Harding Appointed NABA Secretary General |
 Toronto, CANADA (March 2010) - At the recent North American Broadcasters Association’s (NABA) Annual General Meeting, John Harding was appointed the new Secretary General of the organization. Mr. Harding has been serving as NABA’s Executive Director since August 2008 where he has applied a unique set of skills, depth of knowledge and organizational leadership that has served the Association well during a time of great industry change.
Speaking on the new appointment, Leonardo Ramos, Director of High Technology Televisa and President of NABA said "the NABA Board of Directors is very pleased with this appointment of Mr. Harding as Secretary General. It recognizes the many contributions he has made over the past 18 months to the Association, and our confidence that he will continue to make an impact in his new and important position.” Mr. Ramos continued "Mr. Harding is a respected thoughtful leader recognized for driving consensus, building relationships and managing change in rapidly shifting environments."
Prior to his involvement with NABA, Mr. Harding served in the broadcast industry as President of the Radio Marketing Bureau and before that as Executive Vice President of the Institute of Communications & Advertising.
Mr. Harding will continue to work out of NABA’s headquarters in Toronto.
ABOUT NABA
NABA is a non-profit association of the most influential broadcasting organizations throughout North America committed to advancing the interests of broadcasters at home and internationally. Network broadcasters, both public and private, in the United States, Mexico and Canada, work together to provide a common voice for the North American broadcast community. As a member of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU), NABA creates the opportunity for North American broadcasters to share information, identify common interests and reach consensus on issues of an international nature. NABA provides representation for North American broadcasters in global forums on topics including journalism issues, protection of content, spectrum related concerns, the territorial integrity of broadcasters’ signals, and digital transmission issues.
For more information, contact Jason Paris (+1-416-598-9877 / jparis@nabanet.com)
 Download Press Release
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Satellite Interference Still a Problem for Broadcasters |
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EBU headquarters in Geneva…the meeting venue. Photo by Alan Williams (Asiavision, ABU). |
Geneva, SWITZERLAND (December 2009) - Interference to satellite signals continues to be a serious problem for many broadcasters, an international meeting in Geneva has heard.
Speakers at a forum of the World Broadcasting Unions International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) said most interference was unintentional, but some was deliberately done for political reasons or caused by military activity.
Stewart Sanders of SES, one of the world’s leading satellite operators, said interference was often caused by operator error or poor maintenance. One way to tackle the problem was through training and certification of uplink operators, he said.
The meeting also heard calls for the installation of ‘identifiers’ in encoders that would help trace the source of rogue transmissions.
The WBU-ISOG Chairman, Dick Tauber of CNN, said it was reassuring to see that many satellite operators had got together to fight the problem and share data.
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A session in progress at WBU-ISOG. Photo by Alan Williams (Asiavision, ABU). |
“They should all be involved in this, and I think they will all be within the next six months,” he said. “WBU-ISOG has the same concerns that you have.”
On another issue, the meeting was told that high definition television equipment manufacturers had made good progress in enabling HD satellite feeds to be transmitted globally using encoders and decoders from different manufacturers.
A programme of MPEG-4 interoperability tests sponsored by WBU-ISOG involved 12 major equipment manufacturers and a range of HD video and audio formats.
Of the 1,024 video tests conducted, 848 were successful – an unconditional pass rate of 83 percent. Manufacturers want another round of tests, possibly in 2010.
The meeting also heard that the demand from broadcasters for satellite space during the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa is higher than at any previous World Cup.
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ABU members at the Geneva forum. Photo by Alan Williams (Asiavision, ABU). |
Rhys Morgan of Intelsat said the demand was being driven partly by plans by European broadcasters to cover the tournament in HD.
Sabrina Cubbon of Intelsat also noted an increase in HD feeds of sports events to Asian broadcasters.
The two-day meeting at European Broadcasting Union headquarters on 30 November-1 December attracted about 80 participants.
Organised by the world’s regional broadcasting unions including the ABU, it brought together broadcasters, satellite operators and other broadcasting service providers.
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High Definition Video/Audio Tests Lead to Global Connectivity for News and Sports |
Toronto, CANADA, 15 October 2009 - Toronto, Canada (October 15, 2009) The World Broadcasting Unions International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) released the results of an 18-month interoperability testing program, with participation by 12 leading HD encoder/decoder vendors to ensure that HD video feeds are transmitted seamlessly. The test results were announced by Tom Gibbon, WBU-ISOG Chair of the project, at the SATCON satellite conference in New York City. The 12 vendors participating in the tests were: ADTEC, ATEME S.E., Cisco, Comtech TV, Evertz Microsystems Inc., Fujitsu, Harmonic, Inc., International Datacasting, NTT Electronics Corporation, Sencore, Inc., Tandberg Television, and Thomson Grass Valley.
According to Mr. Gibbon, the tests showed that HD equipment vendors have made great strides in permitting HD feeds to be transmitted globally using encoders and decoders of different vendors. “The WBU-ISOG test program”, he said, “has undoubtedly made it easier to transmit live HD video news and sports around the world, especially from remote locations.” Mr. Gibbon works for NHK Japan Broadcasting Corporation, the national broadcaster of Japan.
The test results showed that most MPEG-4 HD encoders could be used with most MPEG-4 HD decoders. MPEG-4 is a new compression standard that permits HD video transmissions to be more efficient and use less bandwidth. Although the results were generally positive, Mr. Gibbon said that the tests showed that there was still much work to do.
The MPEG-4 Interoperability Program is sponsored by WBU-ISOG, an organization of international broadcasters whose goal is to examine and resolve technical issues concerning international video transmissions. The tests were hosted in Ottawa by Telesat, the fourth largest fixed satellite services operator. The Communications Research Centre (CRC), the Canadian government’s primary laboratory for R&D in advanced telecommunications, provided support to Telesat and the manufacturers throughout the testing.
Dick Tauber, VP, Transmission Systems and New Technology, CNN News Group and Chairman of WBU-ISOG said, “This demonstrates the strong desire of these leading industry companies to ensure that their equipment is interoperable, thus allowing users to benefit from higher quality and efficiency in their contribution video transmissions. This program is expected to provide similar benefits to the successful MPEG-2 interoperability testing that WBU-ISOG performed two years ago which simplified the transmission of television signals worldwide.”
The detailed results of the tests may be viewed at http://www.nabanet.com/wbuarea/library/documents.asp#sub_interoperability.
About WBU-ISOG
Founded in 1985, the International Satellite Operations Group is a committee of the World Broadcasting Unions. ISOG provides a global forum for members of the WBU to exchange information, outline requirements and resolve common operational problems.
WBU-ISOG's mission is to identify, evaluate, and implement solutions for all operational matters associated with transmission (by satellite or any other means) of video, audio, and broadcast-related data material from sites of news, sports, special events and entertainment, and to work with all international groups, institutions, organizations, and appropriate bodies to achieve these solutions.
For further information, please contact: Tom Gibbon at tgibbon@thomasgibbonlaw.com
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EBU Appoints New Director General |
EBU Appoints New Director General:
Ingrid Deltenre from Swiss Broadcaster SRG SSR Idée Suisse
Geneva, 5 June 2009 - Following an international search, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)* today announced the appointment of Ingrid Deltenre** to succeed Jean Réveillon as its Director General.
Ms Deltenre is expected to take up the post at the beginning of 2010.
“Ms. Deltenre is a high-calibre professional who will be a great asset to the EBU. Her strengths and open approach will serve all EBU’s Members, and public service media in today’s competitive environment,” said the EBU President, Jean-Paul Philippot (RTBF/Belgium).
“Under Ingrid Deltenre’s leadership the EBU will help Members to overcome the technical, editorial and financial challenges of the digital age and the current economic climate. She will pursue the EBU internal reforms launched under Jean Réveillon’s leadership”, added the President.
Jean Réveillon became chief executive of the EBU on 1 February 2004. He decided not to seek an extension to his six-year mandate, which ends on 31 January 2010.
Note to Editors:
*European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the largest association of national broadcasters in the world (75 active Members, 43 associate Members). The EBU helps public service broadcasters to deliver unique high quality programming to their audiences. It offers Members technical, operational and legal services, and coordinates a growing supply of quality content for radio, television and new platforms. It provides Members with information and analysis on media trends, and training designed to meet their needs. The EBU works to secure recognition of the crucial role of public service broadcasters in the digital audiovisual environment.
For more information: http://www.ebu.ch/
** Ingrid Deltenre’s Biography
Director of Schweizer Fernsehen since 2004, born 1960, Dutch nationality. Ingrid Deltenre studied teaching and journalism before working as Secretary general of the Verband Schweizer Presse press association, project manager in the Business Development department of Ringier AG, publishing director of the Cash business newspaper and as chief marketing officer at Swisscard AECS AG. Before taking office at SF, she was Director of Publisuisse SA.
Directorships: Publisuisse SA, Swiss TXT (chairwoman), Telepool GmbH (chairwoman), TPC AG (chairwoman).
For more information
Avril Mahon Roberts
Head of Communications, EBU
Tel: +41 22 717 2014
Email: mahon@ebu.ch
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Super Hi-vision on Show at WBU-ISOG |
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The ABU President, Yoshinori Imai, addresses WBU-ISOG participants at an NHK reception. Photo by Alan Williams (Asiavision, ABU). |
Tokyo, JAPAN (May 15, 2009) – The latest high-definition technologies were on show when broadcasters, satellite operators and service providers from around the world met in Tokyo in May.
Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, hosted the meeting of the World Broadcasting Unions International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) on 13-15 May. It brought together nearly 100 people.
The meeting focused on the latest in newsgathering technologies. It included a visit to NHK’s Science and Technical Research Laboratories for a look at Super Hi-vision, an experimental digital video format under development by NHK.
With 4,000 scanning lines, the format offers large, wide-screen images that make viewers feel as if they were at the broadcast site.
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Participants visit NHK’s Science and Technical Research Laboratories. Photo by Alan Williams (Asiavision, ABU). |
The meeting also looked at the challenges facing broadcasters in the digital age, including the problem of interference to their satellite signals. WBU-ISOG’s Chairman, Dick Tauber of CNN, said the problem was continuing to get worse.
“In a digital world, it doesn’t take much to mess up your signal,” he said. “Broadcasters need to act in unison on this. We need to keep doing what we can.”
Participants heard that causes of satellite inference included Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) systems, poor equipment standards, improper installation and a lack of incident coordination.
Representatives of major satellite companies Intelsat and SES said they were working together to fight the problem. Patty Constantino of Intelsat said it was important for the industry as a whole – satellite operators, their customers and broadcasters – to join the fight.
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NHK staff with the broadcaster’s latest satellite newsgathering vehicle. Photo by Alan Williams (Asiavision, ABU). |
Among the steps needed to combat satellite interference were better training and certification for uplink operators and more effective ways of tracing the source of interference, the meeting heard.
On the cost of leasing satellite space, representatives of three satellite operators predicted that C-band capacity would cost more over the next few years because of high demand.
Other topics covered at the meeting included mobile video applications, portable satellite broadband, digital broadcast systems and new developments in fibre optic services. The BBC and CNN were among the presenters.
To the envy of many, NHK presented its latest satellite newsgathering (SNG) vehicle for high-definition television. A smart four wheel drive topped with a mini antenna and packed with equipment, it weighs only half a traditional SNG truck and is much easier to manoeuvre.
[Article and photos by Alan Williams (Asiavision, ABU)]
ABOUT WBU
The World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) is the coordinating body for broadcasting unions who represent broadcaster networks across the globe. It was established in 1992 as a coordinating body at the international broadcasting level. Since then, the WBU has provided global solutions on key issues for its member unions. The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) acts as secretariat for the WBU.
The broadcasting unions who belong to the WBU are the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), the International Association of Broadcasting (IAB/AIR), the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), the Organización de la Televisión Iberoamericana (OTI), and the Union des radiodiffusions et télévisions nationales d'Afrique (URTNA).
For further information contact:
WBU Secretariat
+1 (416) 598-9877
info@worldbroadcastingunions.org
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John Harding Appointed NABA's New Executive Director |
August 18, 2008 / TORONTO, Canada - The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) is pleased to announce the appointment of John A. Harding as Executive Director effective August 26th, 2008. NABA’s Board of Directors is confident that Mr. Harding’s unique set of skills, depth of knowledge and organizational leadership will serve the Association well at this time of great change in the industry.
In the new appointment, David Baylor, NABA’s Secretary General, to whom Mr. Harding will report, said: “John brings extensive experience in serving the needs of broadcasters. He’s a creative leader who will assist NABA in addressing the changing broadcast environment.”
Recently, Mr. Harding served as the President of the Strategic Marketing Group. Prior to that he was President with the Radio Marketing Bureau where he was recognized for driving revenue and membership growth during a period of tremendous industry consolidation. Mr. Harding has over 20 years experience in highly visible leadership roles with a consistent record of dramatically exceeding goals. Mr. Harding takes over the role from Carol Darling who served as NABA’s Executive Director since 2004.
Mr. Harding lives in Toronto with his family and attended Ryerson University for Business & Commerce. Mr. Harding is also a former Committee Member of the Bureau of Broadcast Measurements and a former Director for both the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and the Canadian Association of Broadcast Representatives.
ABOUT NABA
NABA is a non-profit union of the most influential broadcasting organizations throughout North America committed to advancing the interests of broadcasters at home and internationally. Network broadcasters, both public and private, in the United States, Mexico and Canada, work together to provide a common voice for the North American broadcast community. As a member of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU), NABA creates the opportunity for North American broadcasters to share information, identify common interests and reach consensus on issues of an international nature. NABA provides representation for North American broadcasters in global forums on topics including journalism issues, protection of content, spectrum related concerns, the territorial integrity of broadcasters’ signals, and digital transmission issues.
For further information contact:
Jason Paris, NABA
+1 (416) 598-9877, jparis@nabanet.com
www.nabanet.com
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Telesat Appointed to Serve as Test Contractor for MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) Contribution 1080i/720p Codec Interoperability Program |
Toronto, Ontario, Canada (July 9, 2008) - The World Broadcasting Unions’ International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) is pleased to announce the appointment of Telesat as the Test Contractor for the MPEG-4 AVC (H. 264) Contribution 1080i/720p Codec Interoperability Program. WBU-ISOG believes that codec vendors, video carriers and broadcasters will all benefit if these new codecs are interoperable. If they are not, the adoption of this new technology and its promising efficiency and improved quality will be unnecessarily curtailed.
The interoperability tests will be conducted for high definition formats using bit rates from high quality contribution to SNG content. Test parameters will include video and audio formats, lip sync and high to SNG levels of latency.
International codec manufacturers have been invited to participate. Tom Gibbon, acting for NHK Japan Broadcasting Corporation, will be the Project Chair for this round of testing. Further details will be available as the test program progresses over the next few months. Telesat has agreed to be the test contractor once again
following the three successful rounds of tests conducted for MPEG-2 interoperability between 2005 and 2007 at their labs in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
About WBU-ISOG
Founded in 1985, the International Satellite Operations Group is a committee of the World Broadcasting Unions. ISOG provides a global forum for members of the WBU to exchange information, outline requirements and resolve common operational problems.
WBU-ISOG's mission is to identify, evaluate, and implement solutions for all operational matters associated with transmission (by satellite or any other means) of video, audio, and broadcast-related data material from sites of news, sports, special events and entertainment, and to work with all international groups, institutions,
organizations, and appropriate bodies to achieve these solutions.
About Telesat
Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with offices and facilities around the world, Telesat is the fourth largest fixed satellite services operator. The company provides reliable and secure satellite-delivered communications solutions to broadcast, telecom, corporate and government customers. Telesat is privately held. Its principal shareholders are Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board and Loral Space & Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: LORL).
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The SUIRG Releases Findings of Field Test Report on C-band Sharing - Satellite and WiMax Spectrum Sharing Not Compatible Report Finds |
Punta Gorda, FL, March 3, 2008 - The Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group (SUIRG) announced today the formal findings of a field test on the compatibility of Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) and WiMAX services sharing the C-band spectrum. The test, conducted in the latter quarter of 2007, conclusively demonstrated that WiMax communications pose a significant interference threat to satellite signals transmitted in the C-band frequency.
SUIRG, a non-profit association comprised of both private and public sector satellite organizations, is dedicated to combating the increasing and costly problem of satellite radiofrequency interference (RFI). The field test was performed with support from several key industry organizations. Its purpose was to validate previous tests and to provide conclusive results on the incompatibility of C-band spectrum sharing between fixed frequency service (FSS) satellite transmissions and WiMAX services.
The primary objective of the plan was to measure interference levels generated by fixed WiMAX transmissions into an FSS satellite receiving station. The method employed taking measurements of C/N (carrier/noise), I/N (interference/noise), BER (bit error rate), and spectrum plots of a satellite down link video channel. Testing was performed in 2 phases:
- Phase 1: The FSS antenna remained in a fixed location while a WiMAX base unit was moved to several locations operating at various angles and distances from the FSS antenna to simulate subscriber waveforms. This test modeled WiMAX subscribers in a nomadic deployment affecting FSS. Tests conducted within the immediate area (up to 1 km away) showed that the digital signal was rendered unacceptable for use.
- Phase 2: The WiMAX base antenna was fixed at a height of approximately 50 meters on top of a water tower. The FSS antenna was positioned at several different locations and at various angles and significantly greater distances from the WiMAX antenna (up to 12 km) than during Phase 1 testing. This was to model WiMAX base units being deployed on cellular towers.
The results of the testing showed that the WiMAX transmit signal could cause significant problems to a satellite digital signal well in excess of 12 km distance. At the extreme measurement distance, the video program was fully operational with the WiMAX carrier centered on the video carrier. However, the data BER was degraded from a nominal 10-8 to a BER of 10-4. This is an unacceptable quality of service in the digital telecommunications industry.
Subsequent calculations based on the initial measured data, and scaling with ITU criteria for WiMAX output power along with additional path loss, resulted in a required separation distance of 278 km to reduce the level of interference to meet the -10 dB specification. Combining the two analyses, from a flat non-blocking terrain to a wooded hilly terrain, results show that the criteria whereby FSS antennas cannot co-exist with WiMAX systems ranges from 50 to over 200 km dependent upon the local terrain and the WiMAX output levels.
“The C-band is in many ways the lifeline of the satellite industry and protecting that spectrum from the threat of interference posed by sharing it with Broadband Wireless Access services is of paramount importance,” said Robert Ames, SUIRG President. “The tremendous support of the SUIRG member companies and the industry as a whole in making this test a viable platform to aid decision makers at WRC-07 was extremely gratifying. The results of the test are a firm testament to the need for clearly defined spectrum allocation.”
The full text of the WiMax frequency sharing with FSS earth stations Field Test Report and detailed Test Plan & Procedures are available on the SUIRG website at www.suirg.org.
ABOUT SUIRG
SUIRG is an international assembly of parties with representation from both the private and public sector organized to combat the increasing and costly problem of satellite RF interference. Members disseminate information and actively pursue programs to reduce radio frequency interference incidents.
Formed over ten years ago as an informal group working to reduce radio interference, SUIRG incorporated as a 501(c) (6) trade association in September 2003. The Group’s membership is comprised of satellite operators, users, uplinkers, service providers, equipment vendors, and other organizations with a stake in combating radio frequency interference. SUIRG also collects interference incident data from satellite operators on its web site to clearly define the specific areas that need focus to reduce the number of incidents.
SUIRG’s objective is to stop interference before it starts, pursuing a number of remedies, among them: signal Identification, which involves working with uplink equipment vendors to modify their equipment to provide a unique ID for cross-reference in a database when interference occurs; uplink training, procedures and certification; improved detection and identification tools, and continuous sharing of information and solutions among the SUIRG membership.
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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Longbottom Communications:
Phone +1 (301) 926-3523 or email orly@longbottomcommunications.com.
Or visit: www.suirg.org
Click here to download the press release.
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Global Forum Calls for UN Special Rapporteur on Protection of Journalists |
December 14, 2007 - 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 least 172 news media staff killed so far as a result of their work.
The forum, which brought together broadcasters, journalists, policy makers, academics and others, noted the importance of freedom of expression to human rights.
It urged states to implement in letter and spirit UN Resolution 1738, adopted by the Security Council in December 2006. The resolution calls on states to end impunity for those who kill journalists and other news professionals, to investigate incidents of violence against news media, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The forum also called for greater efforts to preserve the world’s endangered audiovisual archives.
It urged broadcasters throughout the world to cooperate with the Archives at Risk group, which brings together several leading organisations, and called on industry partners and institutions to sponsor and support archive reservation projects, via the Archives at Risk initiative.
The group on Archives at Risk was created in February 2006 after the second meeting of the World Electronic Forum (WEMF2) in Tunis in November 2005. Its members include the United Nations, UNESCO, the World Broadcasting Unions, the European Broadcasting Union and the International Federation of Television Archives, FIAT/IFTA.
WEMF3 also said broadcasters must maintain their core values and principles in the face of rapid technological change. It was possible to hold on to core values of good journalism such as accuracy, objectivity and ethical reporting in spite of embracing new media technology, the forum said.
Broadcasters should strive to embrace and harness the new media and new technological platforms to benefit fully from all the new opportunities they provided through increasing flexibility of media consumption, interactivity, participatory communication and access.
In this changing media landscape driven by market forces, it was critical to support and strengthen public service broadcasting and community media which played a crucial role in informing, educating and empowering citizens, the forum said.
Calling for action to bridge the accessibility divide, the forum urged Information & Communications Technology (ICT) regulators around the world to consider having wireless Internet access free, initially in main cities, as a public service.
It called on broadcasters to use innovations in technology to serve the consumers of their services with special needs, such as the sight and hearing impaired and the elderly.
The two-day forum took place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and attracted more than 200 participants.
Among the speakers were leading representatives of Aljazeera English, the BBC, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, the Korean Broadcasting System, Radio Netherlands, Young Asia Television and regional broadcasting unions from Africa, the Arab world, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, North America and South America.
WEMF3 was an event of the World Broadcasting Unions and was organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) and the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC). It was supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) as cooperation partners.
The first and second World Electronic Media Forums were held in conjunction with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which was held in two phases in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005).
For more information, please contact Alan Williams at alan@abu.org.my or tel +603-2282-7033.
About the WBU
The World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) is the coordinating body for broadcasting unions who represent broadcaster networks across the globe. Members include: Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), African Union of Broadcasters (AUB), Asociación Internacional de Radiodifusión (AIR), Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), and Organizacion de la Television Iberoamericana (OTI). For more information, please see http://www.nabanet.com/wbuarea/.
About the ABU
The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is a non-profit, non-government, professional association of broadcasting organisations, formed in 1964 to facilitate the development of broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region and to organise co-operative activities amongst its members. It currently has over 170 members in 53 countries, with its broadcaster members reaching a potential audience of about 3 billion people. For more information, please visit www.abu.org.my.
About the AIBD
The Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) is a unique regional inter-governmental organisation servicing countries of the Asia and Pacific region in the field of electronic media development since 1977. It is hosted by the Government of Malaysia. The AIBD is mandated to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia-Pacific region through policy and resource development. The institute has 26 full members and 53 affiliate members. More information is available at www.aibd.org.my.
About AMIC
The Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) is Asia’s premier media research, publication and resource centre. For over thirty six years, AMIC has spearheaded the development of Asian media through its wide range of publications, training workshops and events. More information is available at www.amic.org.sg.
About the SDC
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In operating with other federal offices concerned, SDC is responsible for the overall coordination of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as for humanitarian aid. SDC employs a staff of around 550 people to carry out its activities in Switzerland and abroad, with an annual budget of CHF 1.3 billion (2006). The Agency undertakes direct actions, supports programmes of multilateral organisations, and helps to finance programmes run by Swiss and international aid
organisations in the following areas:
- Bilateral and multilateral development cooperation
- Humanitarian aid
- Cooperation with Eastern Europe
Bilateral development cooperation concentrates on 17 priority countries and eight special programmes in Africa, Asia and Latin America. At multilateral level, SDC collaborates in particular with UN organisations, the World Bank, and the regional development banks. For more information, please visit www.sdc.admin.ch.
About the GKP
Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) is an international network of over 100 organisations from all sectors – public, private and civil society – bound by the two common principles of sharing knowledge and building partnerships. Members and partners work in concert through the GKP network to promote innovation and advancement in Knowledge for Development (K4D) and Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) in seven operating regions: Africa, Central & Eastern Europe, East Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, Middle East & North Africa, Oceania and South Asia. For more information, please visit www.globalknowledge.org.
Click here to download the press release.
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IAB Elects New Authorities for 2007-2009 Term |
October 24, 2007 - The IAB XXXVII General Assembly took place in Manta city, Ecuador, on October 4 - 6, organized by the Ecuadorian Association of Broadcasting and the Association of Television Stations of Ecuador.
The new President is Luis Pardo, a Chilean broadcaster, President of the Broadcasters Association of Chile – ARCHI - and President of the Media Federation in Chile. The new Vice-Presidents are Alfonso Ruiz de Assín from Spain and Alejandro García Gamboa from Mexico.
Click here for the complete IAB Authorities lists.
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WBU-ISOG Releases Interoperability Test Results for June 2007 |
October 11, 2007 - WBU-ISOG have released results of the 1080i/720p Interoperability Test Project conducted in Ottawa in June 2007. For the full test results, please see the Documents section of this website.
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NOW AVAILABLE: Digital Radio Guide |
 August 21, 2007 - The World Broadcasting Unions Digital Radio Guide is for use by engineers and managers in the radio broadcast community worldwide. It covers a wide base of digital radio technology and services, written by the technical experts who work with them. Along with gaining an understanding of digital radio, readers will also acquire insights into international digital terrestrial and satellite tranmission systems including:
- Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)
- Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB - Eureka 147)
- Japan's Digital Radio Broadcasting (ISDB-TSB)
- iBiquity's HD Radio System (IBOC)
- WorldSpace
- Sirius and XM Satellite Radio
- Mobile Broadcasting Corp. and TU Media Corp.
- Internet Radio
The guide includes references to relevant sources and websites with technical descriptions of the aforementioned systems.
The Digital Radio Guide has been compiled by the World Broadcasting Unions Technical Committee. Download it today from our website by clicking on the cover! If you would like a hard copy, please contact your respective union.
The Guide should be cited as a reference if any of its content is used in other publications.
Click here to download the 2007 Digital Radio Guide (DRG-2007)
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NHK Journalist Named New Vice-Chair of WBU-ISOG |
 July 30, 2007 / Toronto, Canada - A senior journalist at Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, has been elected Vice-Chair of the World Broadcasting Unions’ International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG).
Hiroyuki Nasu, Senior Producer, Circuit Planning and Management, NHK News Department, was unanimously chosen for the post by the world’s broadcasting unions. He was the ABU’s official candidate.
A veteran NHK journalist, Mr Nasu spent four years reporting from Moscow and the far eastern Russian port city of Vladivostok.
A veteran NHK journalist, Mr Nasu spent four years reporting from Moscow and the far eastern Russian port city of Vladivostok.
WBU-ISOG brings together members of the broadcasting unions, satellite operators and other service providers to discuss issues of common interest. Its Chairman is Dick Tauber of CNN. The other Vice-Chair is Kazimir Bacic of Croatian Radio-Television, HRT.
The group usually meets twice a year. Its next meeting is in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on 22-23 October.
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WEMF 3: Asia to Host Global Electronic Media Forum |
The WBU is pleased to announce that WEMF 3 will be held on December 10 - 11, 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Please see the following press release.
May 17, 2007 / Kuala Lumpur - The third World Electronic Media Forum (WEMF3) will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 10-11 December 2007, the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) announced today.
The meeting is expected to attract broadcast executives, policy makers, academics, journalists, visionaries and decision makers from around the world. The agenda will include the safety of journalists and preserving the world's audiovisual archives.
WEMF3’s lead organiser will be the Kuala Lumpur based Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) and the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC). The event is being supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) as cooperation partners.
WEMF3 will be held at the new Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre where the GKP’s third Global Knowledge Conference (GK3) on “Emerging People, Emerging Markets, Emerging Technologies” will be held on 11-13 December. Both events will benefit from synergies.
In order to ensure a strong participation from throughout the developing world, SDC will be providing financial assistance to facilitate representation by speakers and delegates at both the WEMF3 and GK3 events.
WEMF2 in Tunis in 2005 was attended by more than 300 people from 70 countries. A similar attendance is expected at WEMF3. The agenda and speakers will be announced in the coming months.
Secretary-General of the ABU, David Astley, said he was grateful for the support of the SDC and GKP to enable the third WEMF to be staged in Asia, which would benefit the many broadcasters in the developing countries of the region that did not have the opportunity to participate in the first two events in Geneva and Tunis.
Director of the AIBD, Javad Mottaghi, said WEMF3 was a unique opportunity for the world media decision makers to exchange their views and find the way forward to address the crucial challenges that were threatening the world stability. The Asia-Pacific region had immense potential to open the door to information access and exchange on an unprecedented scale.
Secretary-General of AMIC, Dr Indrajit Banerjee, said that he was delighted to be a co-organiser of this important event. He believed that it was extremely relevant to host WEMF3 in Asia given the dynamic expansion and vibrant growth of broadcasting across Asia.
Director-General of the SDC, Walter Fust, said the key role of the media as an independent actor within the global Information Society to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) had been recognised and confirmed during the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) in 2003 and 2005. Recent trends in the rapid evolution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) were enhancing this crucial role even further.
According to Mr Fust, “WEMF3 offers an important platform to link this specific debate within the media with a broader development audience and context to help further define the role of media in the development equation. It is expected that key decision-makers, policy-makers and practitioners will embrace this chance to debate, deliberate and decide on concrete steps forward on how the media can make a tangible contribution towards the MDGs.”
Head of the Information and Communication Technology for Development Division of the SDC, Dr Gerolf Weigel, said: “The media world is undergoing tremendous changes due to the interplay between technological innovation and the growing role of the audience in content production. The world’s leading broadcasters, innovators, practitioners and thinkers will discuss at WEMF3 the latest trends, lessons and perspectives. This will include reflection about the future role of media in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). After the outstanding performance at the first two WEMF events in 2003 and 2005, we expect the WEMF3 to continue this tradition and provide a unique forum for exploring the latest trends in the interface between media innovation and socio-economic development.”
Background information for editors
The first and second World Electronic Media Forums were held in conjunction with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which was held in two phases in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005). WEMF is fundamentally a World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) event. In association with host organisers, the World Broadcasting Unions and World Electronic Media Forum Association, the European Broadcasting Union hosted WEMF1 and the Arab States Broadcasting Union WEMF2. The ABU is serving as lead organiser of WEMF3, with partners, on behalf of its sister unions in the WBU.
The WSIS was organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in conjunction with the Swiss and Tunisian Governments and various UN agencies. The objective of the WSIS was to bring together Heads of State, executive heads of United Nations agencies, industry leaders, non-governmental organisations, media representatives and civil society in a single high-level event to share views on how the accelerating convergence between telecommunications, broadcasting multimedia and information and other communication technologies (ICTs) could best be harnessed to benefit the world community.
In conjunction with the WSIS, the two-day WEMF was held to examine more closely the impact that these changes may have on ‘traditional’ ICTs such as radio and television broadcasting, and to discuss how the fundamental transformations that were taking place in the global information society may affect the role of the electronic media in knowledge dissemination, social interaction, economic and business practices, political engagement, media, education, health, leisure and entertainment.
WEMF1 in Geneva affirmed the vital importance of radio and television in the information society and produced a report that was distributed to public broadcasters around the world.
WEMF2 in Tunis built on this affirmation through focused discussions on the role of the electronic media in the digital age – for example in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, in guaranteeing cultural diversity, in preserving audiovisual archives and in promoting the safety of journalists in zones of conflict.
Although the WSIS concluded in Tunis, it was recommended that the WEMF continue to be held every two years, and it was suggested that it be held in Asia in 2007 and Latin America in 2009.
Following the success of WEMF2, the leaders of the World Broadcasting Unions decided to organise further meetings in the series independent of the WSIS. After WEMF3 in Kuala Lumpur, WEMF4 is expected to be held in Latin America in 2009.
About the WBU
The World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) is the coordinating body for broadcasting unions who represent broadcaster networks across the globe. Members include: Asia- Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), African Union of Broadcasters (AUB), Asociación Internacional de Radiodifusión (AIR), Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), and Organizacion de la Television Iberoamericana (OTI). For more information, please see http://www.worldbroadcastingunions.org.
About the ABU
The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is a non-profit, non-government, professional association of broadcasting organisations, formed in 1964 to facilitate the development of broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region and to organise co-operative activities amongst its members. It currently has over 170 members in over 53 countries, with its broadcaster members reaching a potential audience of about 3 billion people. For more information, please visit www.abu.org.my.
About the AIBD
The Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) is a unique regional inter-governmental organisation servicing countries of the Asia and Pacific region in the field of electronic media development since 1977. It is hosted by the Government of Malaysia. The AIBD is mandated to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia-Pacific region through policy and resource development. The institute has 26 full members and 53 affiliate members. More information is available at www.aibd.org.my.
About AMIC
The Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) is Asia’s premier media research, publication and resource centre. For over thirty six years, AMIC has spearheaded the development of Asian media through its wide range of publications, training workshops and events. More information is available at www.amic.org.sg.
About the SDC
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In operating with other federal offices concerned, SDC is responsible for the overall coordination of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as for humanitarian aid. SDC employs a staff of around 550 people to carry out its activities in Switzerland and abroad, with an annual budget of CHF 1.3 billion (2006). The Agency undertakes direct actions, supports programmes of multilateral organisations, and helps to finance programmes run by Swiss and international aid organisations in the following areas:
- Bilateral and multilateral development cooperation
- Humanitarian aid
- Cooperation with Eastern Europe
Bilateral development cooperation concentrates on 17 priority countries and eight special programmes in Africa, Asia and Latin America. At multilateral level, SDC collaborates in particular with UN organisations, the World Bank, and the regional development banks. For more information, please visit www.sdc.admin.ch.
About the GKP
Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) is an international network of over 100 organisations from all sectors – public, private and civil society – bound by the two common principles of sharing knowledge and building partnerships. Members and partners work in concert through the GKP network to promote innovation and advancement in Knowledge for Development (K4D) and Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) in seven operating regions: Africa, Central & Eastern Europe, East Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, Middle East & North Africa, Oceania and South Asia. For more information, please visit www.globalknowledge.org.
Click here for the press release.
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World Broadcasters Appeal for Release of BBC Journalist |
April 11, 2007 / Geneva, Switzerland - The European Broadcasting Union (EBU)*, together with the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU)** today launched an appeal for the immediate and unharmed release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston abducted on 12 March 2007 in Gaza. The veteran reporter is now in his fourth week of captivity, the longest a kidnapped foreigner has been held in Gaza.
Broadcasters from all over the world recognise the fundamental value and importance of freedom of the media. Today's appeal for the immediate liberation of Alan Johnston, underlines their role in helping ensure press freedom everywhere.
Mr. Jean Réveillon, Secretary General of the EBU, declared that, "there can be no freedom without freedom to inform the public from wherever there is a story to tell." He went on to say that, "the media can exercise this freedom by giving voice and visibility to people in conflict zones but journalists must never become the victims of their own profession."
The EBU – operator of Eurovision, the world's largest provider of international transmission and production services for live news events – is committed to journalist safety. The organisation has successfully campaigned with the WBU, the International News Safety Institute (INSI) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) for the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution on journalist safety (Resolution 1738/2006).
Note to Editors:
*European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the largest association of national broadcasters in the world (74 active Members, 43 associate Members). It offers Members technical, operational and legal services, and coordinates a growing supply of quality content for radio, television and new platforms. The organisation works to secure recognition of the crucial role of public service broadcasters in the digital audiovisual landscape. The EBU also provides Members with information and analysis on media trends, and training designed to meet their needs. One of the training courses that the EBU provides is a Hostile Environment and Safety course for journalists operating in conflict zones. For more information: http://www.ebu.ch/.
**World Broadcasting Unions (WBU)
The World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) is the coordinating body for broadcasting unions who represent broadcaster networks across the globe. The broadcasting unions who belong to the WBU are the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), the International Association of Broadcasting (IAB/AIR), the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), the Organización de la Televisión Iberoamericana (OTI), and the Union des radiodiffusions et télévisions nationales d'Afrique (URTNA). More information on: http://www.worldbroadcastingunions.org.
Contact: Michelle Roverelli, Senior Communications Officer, EBU, Tel +41.22.717.2204, Mobile: +41.79. 647.17.24, Fax: +41.22.747.42.04, E-mail: roverelli@ebu.ch.
Click here for the press release.
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EBU Applauds UN Resolution on Journalist Safety |
December 24, 2006 / Geneva, Switzerland - The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) warmly welcomed the unanimous adoption of a resolution, on journalist safety by the United Nations Security Council on 24 December. The resolution, which was first tabled at UN Headquarters on 5 December 2006 by France and Greece and backed by Britain, Slovakia and Denmark, urges states to do their utmost to prevent crimes against journalists and to investigate all crimes committed against media professionals. Increasing numbers of journalists and media staff are being killed in pursuit of their profession and very few cases of murder are ever pursued.
"We are delighted that the UN has recognised the importance of journalists' safety," said Jean Réveillon, "The protection of journalists in conflict zones is crucial to ensuring freedom of expression and opinion. The media can give a voice and visibility to peoples suffering in conflict zones. The resolution will help ensure full and balanced reporting".
The EBU has campaigned for more than two years with INSI and the International Federation of Journalists for a Security Council resolution on journalist safety. It also runs a course, Hostile Environment and Safety Training, for its Members, which aims to help journalists operate securely in a conflict area.
Click here for the press release.
[Source: EBU News]
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INSI Welcomes UN Action to Safeguard Journalists |
Brussels - The International News Safety Institute today welcomed an historic action by the United Nations Security Council to protect journalists working in conflict zones.
The Council on Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning deliberate attacks on journalists and called for an end to such practices.
To ensure that the issue remains on the Security Council agenda, the resolution asks the Secretary General to address the safety and security of journalists in his regular reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
"The resolution is a vitally important step in addressing the spiralling death toll of journalists and other news media staff covering conflict," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder.
"It could not come at a more critical time, with 2006 heading towards an all-time record number of news media killed trying to tell the story."
As of 21 December, INSI counted 147 journalists and critical support staff killed as they tried to keep the world informed. Most were local journalists working in their own countries and the great majority were murdered.
The Iraq war continues to exact a heavy price with 161 dead since the start of the conflict almost four years ago.
INSI congratulated the Greek government, which leaves the Security Council at the end of the year, for having joined with France in leading the push on the Security Council for action. Although UN agencies like UNESCO have drawn attention to problems facing journalists over the years, this is the first time one of the main bodies of the United Nations has taken up the matter.
A draft resolution on journalist safety was drawn up by the International Federation of Journalists, the European Broadcasting Union and the International news Safety Institute. The three organisations had been lobbying for support for almost two years.
The draft was presented to outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan a year ago at the World Electronic Media Forum, alongside the UN Summit on the Information Society.
The resolution as adopted "condemns intentional attacks" against journalists" and calls upon "all parties to put an end to such practices."
The Security Council stresses that the deliberate targeting of civilians "may constitute a threat to international peace and security" and reaffirms its readiness "to consider such situations and, where necessary, to adopt appropriate steps."
The resolution "urges all parties involved in situations of armed conflict to respect the professional independence and rights of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians."
It also urges warring parties "to do their utmost to prevent violations of international humanitarian law against civilians, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel."
The resolution emphasises that there are existing prohibitions under international humanitarian law against attacks intentionally directed against civilians, including journalists, "which in situations of armed conflicts constitute war crimes."
The resolution asks the Secretary General to address the safety and security of journalists in his regular reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Hailing the resolution, IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said: “This last point is significant. From now on we can expect the United Nations to identify and highlight those nations that are failing to protect journalists.”
Any questions about this news release should be addressed to Rodney Pinder rodney.pinder@newssafety.com or mobile +44 7734 709 267
See the UN Security Council Resolution 1738 (on the INSI website)
[Source: INSI (International News Safety Institute)]
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ASBU Elects New Director General |
 December 16, 2006 - The Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) has elected a new Director General at its 26th General Assembly which concluded in Tunis today.
The new Director General is Saleheddine Ma’aoui who will take up his four year term on 1 January 2007.
Mr Ma’aoui is currently the Tunisian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He was formerly Minister for Communications (2001-2002) and Minister for Tourism (1995-2001).
Prior to that he was Political Advisor to the President of Tunis (1992-1995) and Director General of Tunisian Radio and Television (1989-1992).
Mr Ma’aoui replaces Abdelhafidh Harguem who has held the post of Director General for the past eight years. Mr Harguem could not seek re-election as under ASBU’s convention the Director General can be elected only for a maximum of two terms.
ASBU members paid tribute to the work and leadership of Mr Harguem during his years at the helm of the Union, and he received a standing ovation at the end of the General Assembly.
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NEW FEATURE: "News Archive" Added to WBU Web Site |
August 2, 2006 - The WBU web site now has a News Archive section. Old news articles and Press Releases will be available in the archive for future reference.
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WBU Launches Brand New, Redesigned Web Site |
March 22, 2006 - Welcome to the new World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) web site! This redesigned web site is easier to navigate and more informative. It is designed to provide key WBU information and provide the communication bridge between the WBU Members and the Secretariat.
Some of the new features include:
- Events Calendar that highlights upcoming WBU and affiliated union events as well as other events of interest to our membership.
- Newsroom with press releases, announcements and conference information pertinent to the WBU member unions.
- Documents section featuring documents released by various WBU Committees
- Redesigned committee pages with more information, documents and industry links.
- ...and much more!
Members are invited to submit upcoming events, news and announcements for the web site to
info@worldbroadcastingunions.org.
Questions or comments about the web site should be directed to:
Vineet Mathur
IT and Web Administrator
World Broadcasting Unions (WBU)
vmathur@nabanet.com
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WBU-ISOG Releases Interoperability Test Project Results |
January 27, 2006 - WBU-ISOG have released results of the 1080i/720p Interoperability Test Project conducted in Ottawa in
2005. For the full test results, please see Documents.
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World Broadcasters Call on Heads of States and Governments to Help
Bridge the Digital Divide |
November 18, 2005 / TUNIS, Tunisia - The 300 participants in the World Electronic Media Forum (WEMF II) gathered in Tunis
this week on the key role of broadcasting in bridging the digital divide between developed and developing nations globally.
They expressed commitment to an open and participative information society and called on heads of states and governments attending
the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) for specific actions:
- to develop the information society in the spirit of freedom of expression, media pluralism, cultural diversity, and public
service as set out in the WBU Broadcasters’ Declaration of 2003;
- guarantee free and open access to editorially-independent media outlets;
- support development of technology, software and open standards to enable quality, low-cost media content tailored to needs
of local populations;
- promote training and restructuring initiatives to take advantage of “digital dividend” offered by new technologies;
- provide support for urgent action to preserve the world’s audiovisual heritage of local social and cultural history;
- affirm the vital role of the media as communicators of information and dialogue between cultures;
- foster different forms of local media including associative radio to improve dialogue and democratic participation
particularly in rural areas with poor infrastructure;
- encourage transfer of competence and technology through regional and international cooperation and solidarity, particularly
through the worlds broadcasting unions;
- collaborate with broadcasters in addressing global development and humanitarian issues; and
- promote before the UN Security Council an initiative to improve the security and physical integrity of journalists, media
collaborators and associates in situations of armed conflict, and support practical efforts, such as safety training, for all
situations where journalists are at risk because of their work.
WEMF II was held 15-16 November leading into the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), 16-18
November 2005.
The World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) is the coordinating body for broadcasting unions who represent broadcaster networks across
the globe. Members include: Asia- Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), Asociación Internacional de Radiodifusión (AIR), Arab States
Broadcasting Union (ASBU), Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), North American Broadcasters
Association (NABA), Organizacion de la Television Iberoamericana (OTI) and Union des Radiodiffusions et Televisions Nationales
d’Afrique (URTNA).
Message from the World Electronic Media Forum II to the World Summit on the Information Society (16 November 2005)
English |
French
For more information, contact:
Chris Laursen
Executive Assistant
World Broadcasting Unions (WBU)
+1 (416) 598-9877, claursen@nabanet.com
World Electronic Media Forum: http://www.wemfmedia.org/
Includes video in English and original languages from all panels during the Forum.
World Summit on the Information Society: http://www.itu.int/wsis/
World Broadcasting Unions: http://www.worldbroadcastingunions.org
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David Baylor Named NABA Secretary General
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TORONTO, CANADA (October 10, 2005) David A. Baylor has been named the North American Broadcasters Association’s Secretary General.
Mr. Baylor brings over 30 years of experience as a broadcast executive to the leadership of NABA. Mr. Baylor’s work history contains many “firsts.” In 1992, he was recruited as the 34th employee of DIRECTV, creating a television distribution arm for Hughes Electronics as they entered the direct-to-home satellite business. As DIRECTV’s Executive Vice-President, Technology and Operations, Mr. Baylor led technology
and systems development and operations in the United States and Latin America. Under Mr. Baylor’s leadership, DIRECTV was awarded three Technical Emmy Awards, and he was named Black Engineer of the Year in 1997 for his career achievements.
As Vice-President, Broadcast Operations NBC from 1986 to 1992, he directed the enhancement and operation of network television’s first and only Ku-band satellite distribution system and was responsible for all technical and production operations at NBC’s New York studios. During his tenure at PBS from 1973 to 1986, he pioneered Line 21 closed captioned for hearing impaired viewers and implemented U.S. network television’s first satellite distribution system.
“David is recognized within the North American broadcasting community for his leadership in dealing with challenges and opportunities presented by technological change,” said NABA President Peter Smith. “We are very happy to have an experienced NABA Board member to assume the Secretary General post,” he added, noting that Mr. Baylor represented Associate members on the NABA Board from 2000 to 2004.
About NABA
The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) is a union of the most influential broadcasting organizations throughout North America. Network broadcasters, both public and private, in the United States, Mexico and Canada work together with their colleagues to provide a common voice for the North American broadcast community. As a member of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU), NABA creates the opportunity for North American broadcasters to share information, identify common interests and reach consensus on issues of an international nature. NABA provides representation for North American broadcasters in global forums on topics including journalism issues, protection of content, spectrum related concerns, the territorial integrity of broadcasters’ signals, and digital transition issues.
For more information, contact:
Chris Laursen, Executive Assistant, NABA
(416) 598-9877, claursen@nabanet.com
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