ASIA

More speakers have been announced for Podcast Day Asia, which takes place on Tuesday, September 5, and is part of Radiodays Asia.Guang Jin Yeo, CEO, 1 Up Media, SingaporeAfter starting his career in Procter & Gamble, developing deep expertise in digital and traditional media Guang Jin spent time all over Asia developing strategies for media such as TV and TikTok.  Nowadays he is the founder of award-winning podcast production house 1 Up Media, which is distributed regionally, commanding a multiple-lingual set of Asian audiences.Norman Chella, Podcast Librarian, Podchaser, MalaysiaAs the current Podcast Librarian at Podchaser, Norman is in-charge of organising, crediting, and documenting the 5.4 million podcasts that are on Podchaser. When not ensuring your podcast is credited properly for opportunities and business inquiries, he’s analysing the Asian podcast markets to elevate them to greater heights, equal to regions around the world.

Kym Treasure, CEO and Founder, Audacia Audio, Singapore and AustraliaKym began her career in audio advertising during her tenure at Spotify in Singapore.  She identified a gap in the Audio Advertising industry, leading to the creation of Audacia Audio, a global audio marketplace offering premium services including programmatic, strategy, creative, measurement, and attribution. The company has offices in Singapore, the Philippines, and Australia, and is available across 60 countries worldwide.You can register for the whole three-day Radiodays Asia conference, or you can register just for Podcast Day Asia. […]

As the main broadcasting agency for the Paris 2024 Olympics, China Media Group (CMG) is set to offer the first ever full 8K ultra high-definition signal of the games.Formed in 2018 through the merger of three major state media organizations – China Central Television, China National Radio, and China Radio International – CMG has a wealth of experience in broadcasting major events.China Central Radio and Television will set a record scale for the Paris Olympics broadcasting coverage, processing more than 11,000 broadcasts and distributions through channels, frequencies, and new media clients.The main station will invest a production and broadcast team of more than 2,000 people to undertake the production of international public signals with a live broadcast duration of more than 400 hours.CMG will produce public signals for four sports during the Paris Olympics: Table Tennis, Badminton, Gymnastics and Rock Climbing, which are among the most popular games followed in the country. According to an in-depth analysis by YouGov utilizing data from Global Fan Profiles, Table Tennis is the top sport that 32 percent consumers in China are most likely to follow. Badminton and Swimming are next with 24 percent, followed by Basketball with 23 percent and Soccer with 19 percent.Earlier this week, CMG also launched its sports news program, “Morning Sports,” in east China’s Shanghai Municipality for the 2024 Olympics.Shen Haixiong, president of CMG, and Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), attended the launch ceremony of the program at which CMG’s Paris 2024 logo was released and its broadcast team was recognised.In his speech at the, Bach said he’s happy to see the new pattern CMG has presented for broadcasting the Olympic Games with latest technologies including artificial intelligence and immersive audio. […]

Inovonics has promoted Mukesh Chaudhary to Regional Sales Manager for Asia-Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East-Africa (MEA). In addition to his current responsibility for South Asia, Chaudhary will work to engage channels in numerous new international markets.In collaboration with Inovonics headquarters in Felton, California, Chaudhary will help implement the company´s mission “to expand worldwide sales so more and more customers can use, experience and enjoy Inovonics products.”“As Regional Sales Manager for APAC and MEA, Mukesh can capitalize on his extensive professional experience to explore additional international markets in Asia, the Middle East and Africa,” said Sales and Marketing Manager Gary Luhrman. “Located in Delhi, Mukesh is ideally suited to represent Inovonics and introduce our products to new dealers and radio broadcasters in these parts of the world.”Chaudhary continues to report to Luhrman, who is based at the company´s headquarters. International customers that are presently managed by Luhrman will continue to work with him directly as before. Both Luhrman and Chaudhary work together in a collaborative fashion to ensure good communications with Inovonics’ international customers.Photo: LinkedIn […]

The Taliban General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) has shut down the private radio station Kawoon Ghag, which has been operating in the in eastern Laghman province for about two decades, claiming that it is “property of the government”, according to the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC).On June 13, Laghman Provincial Intelligence Department members entered the station’s office in the presence of representatives from the local administration and the Information and Culture Department and took it off the air, according to a local source.The station’s managing director Inqilabi Yousefzai has filed a complaint with the Taliban-run Ministry of Information and Culture, but it has not produced any results.According to Yousefzai the station was established in 2005 in Mehtarlam, the capital of eastern Laghman province, with financial support from InterNews , and in accordance with an agreement with the local administration, a piece of land was allocated for it and a one-story building was constructed.He said that the radio holds licenses from the Ministries of Information and Culture, Communications and Information Technology, and Industry and Commerce. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s investment license is issued in the name of Yousafzai, and the Ministry of Communications’ license categorizes the radio as “private”. Yousafzai confirmed that taxes have been paid continuously based on these licenses. However, the license issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture in 2016 lists the Laghman Scientific and Cultural Association as the owner, with Inqilabi Yousefzai serving as the managing director.Article 4 of the Afghanistan Media Law, stipulates that no natural or legal person can prevent, sanction, censor, or restrict the free activities of news or information media, or interfere in their affairs and publications.AFJC condemned the shutting down of Kawoon Ghag radio as a clear violation of press freedom and  urged the local Taliban authorities in Laghman to promptly allow for its immediate and unconditional reopening.The Media Complaints and Violations Commission, led by Khairullah Khairkhah, the Taliban’s acting Minister of Information and Culture, is scheduled to investigate the matter this week. […]

A new one-off fund for arts and culture podcasts has been announced in New Zealand.Creative New Zealand, NZ On Air and RNZ are working together to support the development of new podcasts in response to research that shows a deficit in media coverage about arts and culture in Aotearoa.The New Mirrors research, undertaken by Rosabel Tan and James Wenley, shows a lack of arts and culture media across New Zealand, while also outlining ways to address the problem; in response, the three agencies have created a one-off fund to generate new arts media opportunities.Tracey Monastra, Creative New Zealand’s Manager, Advocacy, says the research shows a need for new ways to develop coverage of the arts.“We want to see a stronger and more visible arts sector, where artists’ voices are reflected across our media landscape. The New Mirrors research highlighted the deficit in coverage across the sector broadly and the need for better arts and culture coverage in the regions, for ngā toi Māori, Pasifika arts and a need to strengthen our reviewing culture,” Monastra says.The fund, which opens on 22 July, will support the development of up to four podcasts, exploring New Zealand arts and culture from new and inventive perspectives, that cater to audiences and artforms that are not well served by the current arts media.“As an agency that funds diverse, high-quality content for Aotearoa audiences, we lament the scarcity of arts-focused stories,” says NZ On Air Acting Co-Head of Funding, Kelly Davis.“Working in partnership with other agencies who also want to see more coverage of the arts in our media, is one way we can support and stimulate this so more of our distinct and unique arts and culture stories can be told,” says Davis.

Strong media coverage of arts and culture is essential for the creative sector to thrive. The media acts as a crucial bridge between artists and the public—giving artists a platform to amplify their stories.RNZ’s Māori Commissioner, Jana Te Nahu Owen, will work as a strategic advisor alongside Rosabel Tan to support podcast makers, says she hopes for a wide range of applications from artists and content creators that reflect our diverse arts and culture sector in Aotearoa.“This fund gives producers and artists creative license to come up with fresh and innovative approaches to the podcast medium. By working collaboratively on this mahi, we will strengthen our ability to tautoko the arts community and open up more pathways for ngā toi Māori, Pasifika artists and all creatives from across the motu. We want all your whakaaro and hope to see applications that cover a raft of issues and topics from different perspectives,” she says.“RNZ’s award winning podcast and audio teams are available to manaaki the projects and produce high quality audio programmes that address the key points of the New Mirrors report,” says Te Nahu Owen.Applications will be assessed by representatives from CNZ, NZ On Air and RNZ.Learn more about the arts and culture podcast co-fund: https://creativenz.govt.nz/funding-and-support/all-opportunities/arts-and-culture-podcast-co-fund […]

Sumana Jayathilaka, a distinguished radio journalist and former Additional Director General of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), has passed away.Jayathilaka was renowned as the inaugural presenter of the highly acclaimed “Handa Mama” programme on SLBC, where she was fondly known as Handa Nanda.Her career in broadcasting began in 1963 when she joined SLBC as an announcer and rose to the position of Additional Director General before retiring in 1984.She also acted as the Programme Manager of regional radio services such as Ruhunu Sevaya and Mahanuwara Sevaya.Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said that Jayathilaka was a courageous woman who fulfilled a national mission by working with foresight to prepare the Sri Lankan future generation with great potentials to transform society for the better.“When I was the education minister, she gave us a lot of strength as a consultant on children’s programmes and children’s affairs,” he said. […]