• JAPAN
  France 24, the English News Channel from TF1 and France Television, has gained access to some 55 million mobile phone users in Japan. The company has a new distribution deal with NTT DoCoMo, whose programming is available free to the Japanese mobile operator’s subscribers both live and on-demand via 3G.
  Source: C21Media.net

• CHINA
  A Baptist World Alliance (BWA) delegation has just returned from a four-city tour of China at the invitation of the China Christian Council. The delegation was BWA President Dr David Coffey from the UK; Dr Chu Wood Ping, President of the Asia-Pacific Baptist Federation from Hong Kong; Douglas Inglis from the Baptist Union of Scotland and Blake Killingsworth of BWA Emerging Leaders Network in the United States. The Team visited Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Shanghai. The official figure for the Christian Church in China is 16 million believers but it is thought that in reality there could be as many as 80 million - many in unregistered Churches. Contact: bwapresident@tiscali.co.uk

• CAMBODIA
  TWR is broadcasting in Khmer to women, youth, children and the Oral community in Cambodia, through a combination of FM radio programmes and on-the-ground follow-up. Programmes include “Happy Children’s Garden” – a 15 minute weekly programme; “It’s Yours” – 30 minutes for young people; “Learning through Listening” – communicating Biblical messages through storytelling and songs and “Women of Hope” – a 30 minute weekly programme for women.
  Visit www.twr.org

• TURKMENISTAN
  The first Christian TV programme in Turkmen was broadcast on 18 January 2010 on the Turkish TV channel Kanal Hayat, run by IBRA Media and its partners. It was called “Diri Sozler” which means “The Living Word“. Two programmes are broadcast each morning and then repeated in the evening.
  Contact: info@ibra.se
  

AUSTRALASIA

• Building extensions are underway at 4CRB’s studios in Queensland. The $250,000 expansion will allow the Gold Coast station to establish an extensive local news service. Around 18 volunteers will be involved in producing Local News for the station.
  Source: Squawk, Christian Media Australia

• RHEMA FM Newcastle, NSW, is celebrating the renewal of its licence for another five years – following submissions from churches, individuals and community organisations. It was the first Rhema station established in Australia in 1985 and was awarded its full-time licence in 1999.
  Source: Squawk, Christian Media Australia

EUROPE

• EUROPEAN UNION
  The new body of Telecoms Regulators (BEREC) met for the first time in Brussels in January. With 12 fixed and 10 mobile telecoms companies offering services in EU Member States and many service providers operating across borders, BEREC will play an important role in strengthening the single telecoms market. Consistent regulation across Europe is expected to help ensure fair competition. In 2008, Europe’s Telecoms sector revenues accounted for 351 billion Euros.
  Source: European Union

• UK
  TWR is to launch on DAB Digital Radio on 1st April 2010. They will broadcast on the MXR Multiplex in the North West of England reaching from Nantwich as far north as Windermere. They currently broadcast on Astra Satellite Channel 0138, Freesat channel 790, online at twr.org.uk and at selected times on short and medium wave.
  DAB is now received by over 85% of the UK population. Russell Farnworth, CEO of TWR UK said, “This is a major and exciting development for TWR – and an important first step towards national DAB coverage.”
  Email: hcombe@twr.org.uk

• EUROPEAN UNION
  The President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek has launched a Twitter account: http://twitter.com/jerzybuzek. He is the first President of the European Parliament to use Twitter – and already has an active Facebook account: www.facebook.com/jerzybuzek. Buzek said, “It is a pleasure and a need to use all forms of communication. The European Parliament is increasingly influential and must be increasingly present. Modern technology, including Social Media gives people the opportunity to interact and have their say.”
  Visit: www.ep-president.eu/view/en/the_president.html

• UK
  The UK Government has decided to allow paid-for Product Placement on British Television. In a written statement, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw said that continuing to legislate against such funding would damage the industry’s finances. The new rules exclude alcohol, tobacco and certain food products. Product Placement will also remain banned in News, Current Affairs, Children’s, Consumer and Religious programming.
  Source: C21Media.net

• EUROPEAN COUNCIL
  The President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy (Belgium), took part in a recent seminar entitled, “Which language, which culture in a universe of the digital and entertainment?” organised by the Alliance Francaise. He said that Europe is a result of a dual movement of unification and diversification “because diversity is our historical wealth; universality is our political message.” The EU has not adopted a single language because the Member States “want to be together; they do not want to be one.” The President promised to, “manage as best he can the tension between unity and diversity both on a political and a cultural level.”
  Source: Robert Schuman Foundation

• UK
  UK Independent Broadcaster ITV has appointed Adam Crozier as its new CEO. Crozier will replace Michael Grade and will take up his role later in 2010. He formerly worked for Royal Mail, the Football Association and Advertising Agency, Saatchi & Saatchi. ITV Chairman, Archie Norman, said, “Adam is a very strong leader with a great track record in delivering transformational change. He has worked successfully in talent-driven organisations, with government and regulators, and has a thorough understanding of the media, advertising and branding industries.”
  Source: C21Media.net

• ROMANIA
  After sixteen years of working in the Romanian Christian Media and four years after the launch of the first Romanian Christian TV Channel, Alfa Omega TV has experienced much growth in Romania and Moldova. It is now faced with the need to extend its production capabilities. It is looking forward to moving to a new location, the Alfa Omega Communications Centre, a building that requires further funding for studio equipment and offices. Alfa Omega TV distributes weekly Christian programmes to 39 local secular TV stations as well as broadcasting 24/7.
  Contact: tudor.petan@alfaomega.tv

• UK
  The Bible Society is organising a series of Conferences in the UK during February and March 2010, in preparation for the 2011 launch of “Biblefresh“, a national initiative to restore lost confidence in the Bible. The series has been planned to coincide with the 400th anniversary celebrations of the King James’ Bible next year.
  Visit www.biblefresh.com

• SPAIN
  According to ACPress.net, the Spanish Government still plans to approve its revision of the Law of Religious Freedom before the summer, so that it goes to Congress in the current parliamentary session. However, indications are that the government will run out of time and it is therefore more likely that the Bill will be approved by the Council of Ministers towards the end of spring 2011. The most controversial point of the Bill will probably be the more detailed regulation of the presence of Religious Symbols in public buildings and at State ceremonies.
  Source: ACPress.net

• UK
  The Festival Church Trust has launched a new community Radio Station, “Mountain FM” – for people in the South Wales valleys. At the moment it is restricted to Webcasting, but will develop further as soon as a new Licence can be obtained. It has chosen a slogan of “Lifting you higher” and plays music with a “feel-good” factor and suitable for family listening. The station is based in a Church and supported by local Churches. It will also interact with Foodbank Ebbw Vale, a community project which supports clients in crisis situations.
  Visit: www.mountainfm.co.uk

• GERMANY & UK
  UK’s news and factual content producer ITN is moving into foreign-language production for the first time, producing a German showbiz channel for video-streaming portal YouTube. The new channel will be known as Promi411 and will feature celebrity news from around the world, gathered and packaged by a German producer for ITN.
  Source: C21Media.net

GLOBAL

• THE FUTURE OF IPTV
  According to Terry Back, Digital Media Partner at Grant Thornton UK, there will continue to be a steady erosion of the traditional broadcast audience, as young people seek programmes on their laptops using applications like the BBC iPlayer and downloads, rather than using traditional TV schedules. Since the beginning of TV, the power of broadcasters as gatekeepers has been absolute, until slightly reduced by satellite and cable. This will be further reduced by IPTV. Broadcasters are now fighting back and using their financial strength, brand awareness, back catalogue, industry knowledge and ability to both innovate and forge technology partnerships to maintain their position, ahead of smaller players and content producers, who tend to have agility and imagination but less financial resources. Most IPTV Channels have so far been unable to break viewers away from the dominance of established broadcasters.
  Source: C21Media.net

• BSKYB
  Nearly half a million customers signed up to BSkyB’s HD TV package in the last 3 months of 2009, following a pre-Christmas marketing push. The number of households in the UK receiving Sky+HD passed the 2 million mark, with 482,000 net customer additions in the quarter, an increase of 1.3 million in the past 12 months, lifting profits by 4%. Nearly a fifth of customers take broadband and telephone services as well as TV channels.
  Source: Broadcastnow

• SONY PICTURES
  Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is laying off 6.5% of its workforce – 450 of its approximately 6,800 staff – in a second round of job cuts that will start in March. The cuts will affect all divisions of the company, including the television and digital production wings. SPE is blaming piracy and a downturn in DVD sales for the cuts. Co-Chairman Amy Pascal said, “Our industry is affected by two things. It’s affected by the economy and technology. Over the last two years, they have changed people’s DVD-buying habits, which has had a huge effect on our company and the industry at large“.
  Source: C21Media.net

• TWITTER
  Micro-blogging site Twitter has hired a second executive from Al Gore’s Current TV Channel, in an effort to foster stronger relationships with established media companies. Robin Sloan, formerly VP of Strategy at Current TV, will join Twitter at the end of February and will work with former colleague Chloe Sladden, Twitter’s director of media partnerships.
  Source: C21Media.net
  
  

MIDDLE EAST

• SAT-7
  Rita Elmounayer, Executive Director for the SAT-7 Arabic and SAT-7 Kids Channels says that “the broadcast media play a vital role in shaping the minds of people at an early age. It’s important to shape children’s minds with the love of God, rather than with the messages of hate and violence kids see on so many other TV Channels.” Rita, and the team working to create programmes for SAT-7 Kids, seek to create a safe media zone where children can learn more about God’s love for them. Many viewers have written to say how glad they are to know that they can trust their children with SAT-7 Kids. Recently, Rita began using the slogan, “Where your Kids are Safe” as a way to attract new viewers to the channel. “In many areas, like Iraq and around Palestine, many children can’t play outside, so we want to provide a refuge for them, where they can learn about God’s love and also have educational, intellectual and even physical activities.”
  Visit www.sat7.org

• FEBC
  FEBC have been using one hour of daily broadcast time given by an Iraqi Church with an FM Licence. Hoping to get a separate Radio Licence and frequency, their application has been working its way through bureaucratic channels for almost three years. FEBA staff were sent to Northern Iraq in 2009 to receive additional training, to prepare them to write and broadcast multiple programmes. Now the new FM Station is on the air.
  Contact: info@febc.org

• LEBANON
  

  Official Country Name	Lebanese Republic
  Region	Middle East
  Population	3,627,774
  Languages	Arabic, French, English, Armenian
  Literacy Rate	86.4%
  Size	10,400 sq. km
  GDP	16,488 (US$ millions)
  Number of TV Stations	15
  Number of TV sets	1,180,000
  TV Sets per 1,000	325.3
  Number of Radio Stations	46
  Number of Radio receivers	2,850,000
  Radio Receivers per 1,000	785.6
  Number of individuals with computers	175,000
  Number of individuals with Internet access	300,000
  Internet access per 1,000	82.7

NORTH AMERICA

• SOCIAL NETWORKS
  Elisabeth Murdoch spoke at the NATPE Conference in Las Vegas and told TV companies they need to embrace social networks – and warned that resisting them would be akin to having ignored the switch from black and white TV to colour. She said that the key to the future is following the viewers. “We in the television business have to catch up with what our audience is doing”, she said. “That means not running from social networking but embracing it as a way to drive viewers and revenue. Social networks are a tool with which we can tell our stories.” She also said that Twitter and Facebook were bringing about a profound paradigm shift in the way audiences engage with content.
  Source: Los Angeles Times

• NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS
  The NRB holds its Annual Convention from 27 February to 2 March 2010 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Centre. Harvey and Marlies Thomas will represent FEB at Booth #226. Other FEB Members will be represented, including CNL TV at Booth #420, with CNL Pastor Maxim Maximov, and International Director Mark Patterson. The NRB Programme includes an International Reception and Luncheon and Keynote addresses from American Christian Leaders Del Tackett, Al Mohler, Kay Arthur, Tony Perkins and Chuck Colson.
  Visit: www.nrbconvention.org

• FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
  Focus on the Family are producing a “Focus on Marriage” Simulcast Event on Saturday 27 February 2010, which is intended to bring a fresh perspective to encourage couples to stay strong in their commitment. This follows National Marriage Week, from 7-14 February 2010.
  Contact: family@mail-family.org
  

DIARY DATES

• SLOVENIA: Jonathan Frank, Chief Executive of FEBA will be a Plenary Speaker at the next FEB Conference from 11-14 NOVEMBER 2010 at the City Hotel, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Register and pay online at www.feb.org




• UK: One day Conference, “Awake, Arise O Church!” Saturday 20th March 2010, 10.00-4.30pm, Emmanuel Centre, 9-23 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3DW, with Speakers including Baroness Cox on “How to get involved in Public Life” and Andrea Williams on “The State of the Nation“.
  Visit www.ccfon.org/awake.php

• UK: Internet Evangelism Day will be held on Sunday 25 April 2010. Churches are encouraged to use Internet Evangelism Day resources to create a presentation for members – and to help the world-wide church understand the issues and use the Web to share the gospel. Resources include free downloads of video clips, powerpoint, handouts, drama scripts, music and posters.
  Visit www.internetevangelismday.com