ASIA

A storied chapter in Dielectric’s history closes next week as longtime sales leader Christine Zuba officially retires, concluding an impressive 49-year career that genuinely broke barriers. Michael Sharpstene, who joined the company in January in preparation for Zuba’s departure, officially steps into Zuba’s longtime role as the dedicated Regional Sales Manager on July 1.Zuba’s broadcast career began on the station level as a college intern with WVIA-TV, a PBS member station serving the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre market in northeast Pennsylvania. She soon transferred to Penn State University as an electrical engineering major, with the combined experiences setting the stage for a broadcast career. She joined RCA upon graduating, accepting an engineering role in the company’s antenna division. She briefly left the company, gaining experience in cellular radio and broadcast consulting before rejoining RCA’s antenna division.Dielectric acquired RCA in 1986, and the rest is history in every sense of the word. Zuba held roles of increasing responsibility in engineering and product management before accepting the Director of Sales and Marketing role in 1989. Five years later she became National Sales Manager —  a role that she has held since — standing apart from most field sales specialists thanks to her advanced technical knowledge of complex RF systems.That expertise, combined with her exceptional relationship building skills, is a big reason why Dielectric enjoys most of the US high-power TV market share.“I never really wanted to be in sales,” shares Zuba, “yet it is one of the best decisions I have made. I always enjoyed the challenge of listening to customers, learning the unique parameters of their projects, and with our engineers, developing concepts that solve problems and address their needs. The triple-stack antenna we produced for installation atop the Sears Tower in Chicago during the US DTV conversion is a prime example.”“Broadcast Antenna and RF inaccurately carries a reputation as a dinosaur full of aging people set in their ways. Dielectric has many long-time employees with years of experience who continue to innovate, and they are finding new inspiration in the many young, talented engineers who have joined Dielectric over the last 10 years. This is a company that continues to come up with new ideas and designs that challenge the broadcast industry’s modus operandi.” […]

RØDE has introduced a new white edition of the RØDECaster Pro II, the world’s most powerful audio production console for creators. It joins its smaller sibling, the RØDECaster Duo, and a number of other products in the RØDE White Collection, including the PodMic microphone, PSA1+ studio arm, NTH-100 headphones and the recently released Wireless ME Dual Set.The RØDECaster Pro II is RØDE’s flagship audio production console for creators. Combining revolutionary features with superior sound quality, endless customisability and unmatched ease of use, the RØDECaster Pro II is the ultimate all-in-one solution for podcasters, content creators, streamers and musicians.Now, with the white edition of the RØDECaster Pro II, creators can bring a bright, clean aesthetic to their desktop, bedroom or studio, and introduce a splash of colour to their space with the customisable RGB lighting. When paired with the rest of the RØDE White Collection, creators can build an entirely white setup to better suit their style, whether they want to stand out on-camera or simply make their workspace their own.The RØDECaster Pro II in white, along with the rest of RØDE’s White Collection, is shipping globally now. […]

MBC LOUD FM, Saudi Arabia’s first English commercial radio station by MBC GROUP, celebrated its first birthday in the capital, Riyadh.To celebrate, in the run up to its birthday bash, the station featured a whole host of special programming, announcements, and giveaways, including recaps of the station’s impressive accomplishments so far. Loyal fans were also able to catch up on special shout-outs and testimonials from listeners and key personalities.Featuring a live performance by Saudi singer Tam Tam – during which she performed her new single, “Liars Can’t Hide” – the birthday bash was hosted by MBC LOUD FM’s Station Head and presenter, Alex Agishev, and featured several special guests and influencers.30 MBC LOUD FM listeners were invited to the event, who got to meet and interact with the likes of Byron Cooke, Sana Kothari, Andrew Harrison, Jay R, and Danah.Ziad Hamza, Group Director of Audio, Music and Radio at MBC GROUP, commented: “Today, MBC LOUD FM enters confidently into its second year, as it continues to switch up radio and podcast consumption patterns in the Kingdom. We’re grateful to have earned the trust of major brands targeting English-language speakers, and we have sparked unprecedented engagement among young listeners who crave a fresh contemporary hit radio [CHR] format.” […]

Radiodays Asia, the leading radio and podcasting conference in the Asia-Pacific, has announced more speakers for its 2024 edition.Mediha Mamood, CEO, Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of MalaysiaMediha Mahmood is a legal and regulatory professional with more than 20 years of post-qualified experience in top legal firms and public listed companies. Adept at navigating regulatory landscapes, shaping policies and managing strategic collaborations, she has established a solid reputation as a policy-maker and strategic communicator.Shuka Muranishi, Podcast Inventory Manager, Otonal Inc., JapanShuka Muranishi is a Podcast Inventory Manager at Otonal, a leader in the Japanese audio advertising market.  Shuka has been involved in campaign management, having helped popular Japanese podcasters monetize their content and connect them with domestic and international advertisers across various industries.  Shuka looks forward to sharing the latest trends in the Japanese podcast market on the day.Simon Lee, APAC Audio Marketplace Operations Director, Triton Digital, MalaysiaIn his current role to connect audio, audience, and advertising, Simon works closely with broadcasters, music services, and podcasters to maximize their revenue. He engages with programmatic DSPs, agencies, and trading desks to provide strategic and tactical guidance for digital advertising campaigns. Simon is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and has prior experience in broadcast technology, sales, and operations.The event will be held 2-4 September in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Register for the conference here. […]

French radio journalist Sebastien Farcis said he was leaving India after more than 13 years, as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) refused to renew his work permit.He is the second French national in four months to have been denied work permit and the third foreign journalist reportedly forced to leave the country this year.Farcis had served as the South Asia correspondent for Radio France Internationale, Radio France, Liberation and the Swiss and Belgian public radios.He is married to an Indian woman and has Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status, which allows him to live and work in the country but requires a special permit for missionary activities, mountaineering or journalism.He said that no reason had been provided “despite formal and repeated requests” and that he had applied for a new work permit.Farcis, in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), said the MHA had notified the denial on March 7 this year, not allowing him to cover the country’s recently concluded general elections.Describing the decision as an act of “incomprehensible censorship.“, Farcis wrote on X:“After 13 years working as a correspondent in India, the authorities have denied me a permit to work as a journalist. I have thus been forced to leave the country,”

“It was communicated to me on the eve of the Indian general elections, the largest democratic elections in the world, which I was hence forbidden to cover. This appeared to me as an incomprehensible censorship,”“This denial comes in a worrying context of increasing restrictions on the work of foreign journalists: after Vanessa Dougnac I am the second French journalist in four months having to leave India under these conditions. At least five OCI [Overseas Citizen of India] foreign correspondents have been banned from working as journalists in less than two years,” he added.In February, French journalist Vanessa Dougnac left the country after the government revoked her OCI card. Dougnac, a contributor to several French-language publications, including the weekly magazine Le Point, came to India as a student 23 years ago, worked as a journalist, married and raised a son.Vanessa revealed that the Ministry of Home Affairs sent her a notice in January, stating her work was “inimical” to national interests, leading to the cancellation of her permanent residency.Two months later, Avani Dias, the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), said she had been forced to leave India on April 19, the day the general elections started, after the government objected to her reporting on the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.The ABC had said Dias was informed of the decision by an official from the Ministry of External Affairs, who said her most recent Foreign Correspondent episode on Nijjar “crossed a line.” […]

Lytus Technologies Holdings PTV. Ltd., which operates as a platform services company in India, has  launched a regional Indian audio streaming platform called Radio Room.Radio Room will offer an array of audio dramas that encompass a variety of genres such as classic literature, crime thrillers, romance, and children’s stories, all tailored for the Indian diaspora worldwide.The platform aims to become a pivotal player in the audio streaming sector, which delivers content directly over the internet to consumers (“over-the-top” or OTT), bypassing traditional distribution.Lytus plans to rapidly scale up operations of the newly launched platform, targeting four million subscribers in its first year.By leveraging Lytus’ existing customer base, Radio Room is poised to accelerate its growth and extend its reach across numerous Indian regional languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Eezha Tamil.Additionally, efforts are underway to expand into other regional Indian languages such as Marathi and Bengali, as well as international languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and German.Dharmesh Pandya, CEO of Lytus, stated: “Launching Radio Room underscores our mission to leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance user experiences. We are confident that Radio Room will redefine the audio OTT landscape and transform how audiences connect with audio content. Lytus management’s strategic support, large user base, and industry expertise will enable Radio Room to fundamentally transform the audio OTT space, offering a rich tapestry of engaging content that resonates with listeners worldwide.” […]