ASIA

Futuri, the leader in AI-powered software solutions for the media industry, has announced the formation of a new partnership with RCS, the world’s largest broadcast software company. Now, in addition to RCS automation Zetta fully integrating with Futuri AudioAI™ (formerly known as RadioGPT), the company will now resell that product and SpotOn, Futuri’s end-to-end solution for creating spec spots, commercials, and promos, in markets outside the US.
The partnership comes as Futuri continues its global expansion. Since the February 2023 launch of Futuri AudioAI™, the company has entered into several new agreements with partners like Audiotainment Südwest in Germany and Maison FG in France. The addition of RCS to Futuri’s network of international resellers provides additional support to help drive the company’s rapid growth.
“Futuri has driven the conversation about the adoption of AI in the broadcast industry, and the response we’ve had from companies worldwide that want strategic AI solutions has been vast,” said Futuri Founder and CEO Daniel Anstandig. “We’re proud to partner with Philippe Generali and the fantastic team at RCS to help bring our solutions to the global markets that need them.” 

Generali, President and CEO of RCS, states: “Expanding upon our collaboration with Futuri, we leverage our respective strengths to propel new technology on a global scale. This partnership represents a noteworthy milestone in the evolution of audio creation and consumption. We are excited to reshape the media landscape, a tradition we have upheld for decades.” […]

BBC Studios has launched BBC Podcasts Premium, its exclusive Apple subscription podcast service for listeners in 166 new countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean (full list here). The service offers early access and ad-free listening for a range of the BBC’s most popular titles.  The international rollout of BBC Podcasts Premium coincides with this week’s launch of The Global Story, a brand-new daily news podcast from BBC Studios and BBC World Service. Hosted by Katya Adler, it drills deep into a single story everyday offering unrivalled context and deeper insight, drawing upon the BBC’s best global journalists and expertise from all over the world. “Audio is core to the BBC’s heritage. We’ve been doing it for over a century and it forms part of our fabric as a global newscaster and storyteller,” said Louise la Grange, SVP – Audio Distribution, BBC Studios. “With a wide, inventive slate of audio content that includes everything from daily news to sports analysis to pop culture to fiction and more, we’re incredibly excited to continue to expand our relationship with Apple to reach more listeners globally. Through BBC Podcasts Premium, we’re inviting new audiences around the world into this seamless, premium listening experience to hear the very best of our audio journalism and storytelling.” 

The global expansion of BBC Podcasts Premium follows earlier launches in Australia in May and New Zealand in March of this year and in the U.S. and Canada in 2021. Since its initial 2021 launch, BBC Podcasts Premium has been a regular fixture in Apple’s Top 10 subscriber channels and its podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service was named one of Apple Podcasts ‘Shows We Love’ for 2023. BBC Podcasts Premium’s international rollout marks the latest step forward for BBC Studios’ expanding audio unit. Earlier this year, the BBC announced the move of audio production in selected genres including factual, entertainment and drama from the BBC’s in-house production team to BBC Studios. BBC Studios’ new audio production unit will be headed up by Richard Knight, while international audio distribution and monetization is led by Louise la Grange. With BBC Podcasts Premium, subscribers unlock ad-free, early access to the BBC’s best shows including Good Bad Billionaire, Infinite Monkey Cage, and Intrigue and ad-free versions of popular shows across news, true crime, pop culture, history, science, and fiction including BBC Global News Podcast, The Global Story, World Business Report, and Dua Lipa: At Your Service. Content highlights include:Americast – The authoritative weekly US news and politics podcast from BBC News, Americast investigates the social and cultural issues that define America today.  BBC Global News Podcast – The day’s top stories from BBC News. Delivered twice a day on weekdays, daily editions on the weekend. BBC Global Story – Hosted by Katya Adler, each episode focuses on one story and draws upon the BBC’s best global journalists with a fresh sound and a smart take on the biggest stories of our time. From Beijing to Boston, Baghdad to Bangalore, our unrivalled reach will take you beyond the headlines on a journey of understanding and exploration. Business Daily – The daily drama of money and work from the BBC. Dua Lipa: At Your Service – Pop powerhouse Dua Lipa has candid, uplifting and insightful conversations with the people who inspire her most about topics like reinvention, sex and relationships, psychedelics, and more. Football Daily – Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates, Steve Crossman, Darren Fletcher and the Football Daily team bring you the latest news, insight, analysis and big name guests from the Premier League, WSL and the Football League, plus Scottish, International and European football. Good, Bad, Billionaire – Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng find out how the richest people on the planet made their billions, and then they judge them. Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? Infinite Monkey Cage – Professor Brian Cox and Robert Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists’ eyes. Intrigue: Million Dollar Lover – Million Dollar Lover tells the unlikely, true love story between Carolyn, 80, a wealthy Cayucos resident, and Dave, 57, a homeless ex-convict. While Carolyn’s daughters and onlookers debate the merits of Carolyn and Dave’s romance, BBC investigative journalist Sue Mitchell uncovers the sordid secrets and horrors hidden in Dave’s past  Just One Thing with Michael Mosley – If time is tight, what’s the one thing that you should be doing to improve your health and wellbeing? Michael Mosley reveals surprisingly simple top tips that are scientifically proven to change your life. Lady Killers With Lucy Worsley – Lucy and a crack team of female detectives investigate the crimes of women from the 19th and 20th Century from a contemporary, feminist perspective. People Who Knew Me – Emily Morris uses 9/11 to fake her own death and run away to start a new life in California as Connie Prynne. Fourteen years later, now with a teenage daughter by her side, Connie is diagnosed with breast cancer.  She must decide how to explain her lies, her secrets, her selfish decisions – and ultimately her ‘widowed’ husband. Starring Rosamund Pike and Hugh Laurie, based on the novel by Kim Hooper. Vishal – Vishal is a true crime podcast into the unsolved murder of an 8-year-old London school boy who disappeared on the day of the Royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, over 40 years ago. Hosted by BBC investigative journalist Colin Campbell, the 9-part podcast series unravels the workings of an extensive pedophile network operating in London and the English countryside. World of Secrets: The Abercrombie Guys – The stories they don’t want told. Global BBC investigations and gripping storytelling – holding the powerful to account. Delve into a World of Secrets.  […]

Radio personality Sam YG announced his last day on radio station Magic 89.9 after 17 years in an Instagram post last week.“Today marks my last day on Magic 89.9. I consider myself lucky to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Though the feeling may be bittersweet, it has been an amazing 17-year journey but we must accept the end of something in order to begin to start something new,” he wrote.Sam, whose real name is Samir Gogna, has been on air for Magic 89.9 co-hosting the evening talk show Boys Night Out since 2006.

The show became popular among Pinoy radio listeners for its funny and entertaining discussions about a wide range of topics, including those that are not safe for work or taboo on daytime radio.Sam expressed his appreciation for his fellow DJs Slick Rick, Tony Toni and Gino Quillamor and also made a special mention to Magic 89.9’s Chief Operations Officer Andrew Santiago.“You’ve seen me grow from a college kid to who I am today. I will forever be grateful for all the lessons you have taught me,” he said.He also thanked every Boys Night Out listener, saying that they inspired him to always give his best on air.“Sometimes life is about risking everything for a dream no [one] can see but you. And you can’t always wait for the perfect time. You have to go out and dare to do it because life is too short to wonder what could’ve been. Thanks for the memories,” he ended.Photo: Instagram […]

Radiodays Europe 2024 has added more speakers to its line-up.These include:
Arielle Nissenblat, Community Marketing Manager, Descript, USA and all about audio all of the time
Producer of project Gott navždy (Gott forever, 2023)  Lukáš Sapík, Creative Producer, Czech Radio which used AI generated voice of famous Czech singer Karel Gott
Vivian Mohr, President of Audio, Bauer Media, UK who has a proven track record of significantly improving operational and financial performance of businesses
AI and marketing automation specialist Hermann del Campo, Managing Director, Zaibr Innovations, Germany
Expert on leading work at the intersection of sound, documentary art, technology and journalism
Kara Oehler, Executive Director, Institute for Climate Sound & Society at metaLAB Harvard | Freie Universitët Berlin
Experienced media executive Ben Latimer, Head of Audio, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Editor, creator and format developer Selina Gaiser, Editor, Hessischer Rundfunk, Germany
Maarten Brand, Internship guru,  Owner, Bureau Brand, Netherlands
Independent journalist and creator of audio series “Quouïr”, Rozenn Le Carboulec, Journalist, France
The event will be held from March 17 to 19, in Munich, the capital of the German state of Bavaria.

Register now at Early Bird Prices here. […]

Registration is open for the next ABU Digital Broadcasting Symposium, which will be organised from March 4 to 7, 2024, at Kuala Lumpur.With the theme “Navigating AI Horizon”, Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes the spotlight at the DBS2024. It offers a sneak peek into a future where AI transforms broadcasting into a more personal, efficient, and engaging medium.The symposium, through its conference sessions, panel discussions, focused workshops and masterclasses, presented by eminent experts across the globe, will address challenges, find solutions and share experiences related to digital transition, technology implementation, creative content ideas, and enhancing user experiences. It will explore opportunities the changing media business can provide and find effective ways how broadcasters and media organisations can collaborate to future proof their operations.

The DBS2024 event will provide international and regional exposure to our members, broadcasters and the media industry alike. The event attracts over 1200 participants including media experts, top managers and decision makers from broadcast and media organisations, regulators, government institutions, academia, solution providers and other stake holders from the region and beyond.To register and for more information, please visit the DBS official website at www.abu.org.my/dbsymposium. […]

The ABC has established a new FM transmission service for ABC Radio Australia in the second largest urban population hub in the Solomon Islands, the town of Gizo in Western Province. Residents of Gizo and surrounds on its island of Ghizo will now be able to enjoy the full suite of ABC Radio Australia’s content and program offering.The addition of Gizo to ABC Radio Australia’s transmission footprint is a key deliverable for ABC International Services under the Federal Government’s enhanced funding for ABC services across the Indo-Pacific. Prior to the Gizo service, ABC Radio Australia has been available only to residents of Honiara on 107FM.In the coming months, further transmission locations will be added across the region including in PNG, Nauru, Kiribati and other locations in Micronesia.

ABC International Services Head Claire M Gorman said: “We welcome Gizo and Ghizo Island to the ABC Radio Australia family and are delighted that its residents will have access to a rich new offering of news, information, entertainment, sport and music content. The commencement of broadcasting in Gizo marks an important milestone in the ongoing expansion of ABC Radio Australia’s footprint across the Pacific.”Ghizo Island residents will now have access to ABC Radio Australia’s flagship regional current affairs program Pacific Beat, in addition to its weekday morning program Nesia Daily and newly launched culture, science, music and sports shows including Climate Mana, Culture Compass, Pacific Scientific, In The Fale, Off The Record and Fresh Off The Field.ABC Radio Australia programs can now be heard on 107FM on Ghizo Island and in Honiara. […]