ASIA

Benztown, a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company is offering stations of all formats and market sizes its holiday-packed, market-exclusive “Christmas in a Box” audio production library.Stations can get the “Christmas in a Box” library for free with a Benztown library subscription. New this year are 25 highly engaging and fun “Behind the Holiday Hits” features, created by producer Val Garris.Also available from Benztown as a freebie is the Christmas in a Box AudioPack, filled with holiday cheer, including festive SFX and musicbeds sure to bring Christmas cheer to listeners who need a little Christmas now.It is available from now through January 1, 2025.To get the free library with a Benztown library subscription or to purchase the library, contact [email protected] […]

Filipino radio journalist Maria Vilma Rodriguez was shot dead by unknown assailants near her home in home in Zamboanga City on the southern island of Mindanao on October 22.Rodriguez, 56, used to present 105.9 Emedia FM’s news program Barangay Action Center.  She is the fifth journalist to be killed in the country since Ferdinand Marcos Jr became its president in June 2022.It takes to 200 the wider tally of journalists killed in the country since democracy was restored in 1986, according to data from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).Police arrested a suspect on Wednesday, said Zamboanga City police official Kimberly Molitas, but declined to identify the individual. Police were looking at a family feud as a potential motive, she added.NUJP Zamboanga City said: “We condemn this atrocious attack against a journalist and a woman at that. We are urging the Zamboanga City Police Office to probe deeper into this, unmask the killers and their masterminds, and put them behind bars. We don’t need a tale of another unsolved case that ended up as archives or statistics.”The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “The IFJ strongly condemns the killing of journalist Maria Vilma Rodriguez. The Marcos Jr. Government must do more to ensure the safety of Filipino journalists and media workers. The Federation urges Philippine authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into her murder, determine the motive behind the attack, and hold those responsible to account.”“These kinds of vile and atrocious acts have no place in our nation, which values freedom, democracy, and the rule of law above all,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement, describing the attack as barbaric and calling upon the authorities to conduct a swift and impartial probe into the incident.“The killing of radio reporter Maria Vilma Rodriguez shows that the murderers of journalists remain undeterred in the Philippines,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. “Until President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s government firmly moves to end impunity, these heinous crimes against the press will continue.”

The Philippines ranked eighth on CPJ’s most recent Impunity Index, a global ranking of countries where journalists’ murderers are most likely to go free. […]

The Rush Hour with JB & Billy is being expanded to South Australia and WA – while Marty Sheargold will now drive NSW and Queensland listeners home – as Triple M unveils its new Drive show line up for 2025.Sheargold will continue to be heard nationally across the Triple M network, from 3-4pm, Monday to Friday.Then, in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and all Triple M regional markets in New South Wales and Queensland, The Marty Sheargold Show will continue across the Drive shift from 4-6pm.Triple M’s Rush Hour with JB & Billy will now be heard from 4-6 p.m Monday to Friday across Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Triple M’s regional stations in the southern states.The new Triple M line up for 2025 marks the end of the Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth Rush Hour shows.It comes just days after Queensland’s Rush Hour show – hosted by Annabelle ‘A.B’ Brett and Elliott Lovejoy – achieved its first #1 result in the latest Townsville survey, up 2.9 to 21.4.Last month came the news that Adelaide’s top rating Rush Hour drive show – hosted by Andrew Jarman, Bernie Vince and Greg Blewett – would be winding up, along with the Perth show, which had Andrew Embley and Katie Lamb at the helm.

SCA says “These shows have featured an exceptional group of broadcasters and Triple M acknowledges the hard work and commitment that the teams have dedicated over several years.”  Sheargold says he looks forward to returning to the Drive shift for NSW and Queensland listeners in 2025 and giving them the extended version of the show.“I also wanted to thank the teams from the Sydney, Brisbane/Gold Coast and Queensland Rush Hour shows who have all had amazing stints and been hugely entertaining. I’m committed to carrying on their legacies.” James Brayshaw and Billy Brownless said “We’re excited that our live show will now be extended for our listeners in South and Western Australia, which are legendary footy states with an incredible history of successes.”“We also want to acknowledge the Adelaide and Perth Rush Hour teams, many of whom are great mates, and congratulate them on their shows. We don’t underestimate the opportunity we have been given and we are focused on creating a show that honours them and their listeners.” SCA Chief Content Officer Dave Cameron also acknowledged the teams these shows will be replacing.“We sincerely thank our existing state Rush Hour shows for their hard work and commitment over the last few years and look forward to a different approach nationally in 2025 with more exciting announcements to come soon.” The 2025 Triple M Drive line-up commences across the Triple M network in January 2025. […]

You’re thinking about Halloween, Christmas and the end of year at the moment.You’re not even thinking about next year’s RadioDays Europe conference yet.But you should, just for a moment. It will save you money.If you’ve already decided to go to Athens for the RDE25 conference on 9-11 March 2025, just book your tickets and accommodation now,  then forget about it again until next year.As in past years, thanks to our special relationship with RadioDays, radioinfo readers can save about €50 on the ticket price by using our readers discount code (see instructions at the bottom of this article).You can buy two and three day tickets. If you are travelling from Asia, just make it worthwhile, bite the bullet and buy the three day ticket, you won’t regret it, there’s so much to see and do and so many people to talk to.The standard Early Bird 3 day price is €614, but for our readers the price is €564. That rate is available until 1st December, after that prices increase gradually as the date gets closer. Our readers discount can be applied to any price point until 1st March 2025, when all discounts end.The conference will be held at Megaron Athens International Conference Centre

Leoforos Vasilissis Sofias and, Kokkali 1, Athina 115 21, Greece  (click map to book)Hotels and AirBnBs close to the venue usually book out fast or prices increase hugely if you leave it too late.Here’s how to register:
Go to the Register Now tab on the Radiodays site
Choose your ticket type (get the 3 days one)
Select number of tickets you are buying and press OK
Fill in personal details, tick T&Cs, select Next
Choose Summit session attendance
You will reach the summary/payment page, locate the Promotional Code box
Put this code    RDI25ATH   into that box, the price will drop
Proceed to payment
Then book your hotel
Then go back to thinking about Christmas 🙂
As in part years, we will be there to cover the world’s best radio, podcasting and audio conference.See you there in March 2025!RDE24 Exhibitors[embedded content]All previous RDE Coverage videos.The 2024 reporting team […]

Orban Europe GmbH announced the appointment of JAA Systems as Master Distributor for Southeast Asia effective November 1, 2024.Orban provides professional audio processing and state-of-the-art audio solutions for large performance venues and content creators as well as radio, TV and Internet broadcasters. Applications include radio and streaming audio processing, loudness measurement and control, multichannel sound audio rendering, and digital audio processing and monitoring for industry leaders including ABC, BBC, CBS, Disney, ESPN, FOX, iHeart, NBC, NHK and SKY. […]

The DRM Consortium and ATSC, the Broadcast Standards Association, have just signed a mutual institutional partnership agreement. This gives each of the two international, not-for-profit organisations equal access and rights in the DRM Consortium and ATSC organisation, respectively. This is also expected to open the door to close collaboration between the respective standard bodies, the ultimate goal being the adoption of both standards worldwide for the benefit of broadcasters and listeners alike.The over 100 members of the DRM Consortium are promoting the global adoption of Digital Radio Mondiale™ (DRM), the only universal, openly standardised digital radio system for all broadcasting frequencies and coverage needs. The standard is being demonstrated, ready to launch or being used in countries around the globe from India, China, Indonesia to South Africa, European countries etc.As recently presented in Indonesia, India and in Turkey (at the ABU General Assembly) DRM offers innovative solutions to deliver better audio and data programmes with multimedia enhancements. DRM enables the delivery of information, entertainment, education and emergency warning while saving spectrum and energy. This has been demonstrated with the ultra-efficient DRM-Multichannel signals broadcast from a single wide-band transmitter in the VHF bands.ATSC, the Broadcast Standards Association, aims to develop voluntary standards and recommend practices for digital terrestrial broadcasting. As a new force to be reckoned with in the broadcasting industry, ATSC guides the seamless integration of broadcast and telecom standards to drive the industry forward. As recently mentioned by the ATSC President: “ATSC 3.0 broadcasts are being tested in India, Canada and Mexico, and Brazil has identified key ingredients of the ATSC 3.0 system for their next-generation system, joining South Korea, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S., which are on-air or planning near-term launches.”“We are excited to formalize our collaboration with the Digital Radio Mondiale Consortium through this reciprocal institutional membership agreement. This partnership not only enhances our commitment to advancing broadcasting technologies but also paves the way for ongoing efforts to carry Digital Radio Mondiale services over ATSC 3.0 transmissions, expanding access to high-quality digital radio and expanding opportunities for ATSC 3.0 broadcasters. This is especially important in countries such as India, where Digital Radio Mondiale has an established base of users, and also other locations that are studying options such as Brazil and Indonesia,” said Madeleine Noland, President, ATSC.The DRM Chairman, Ruxandra Obreja, welcomed the signing of the DRM-ATSC institutional membership agreement saying that: “There are clear synergies between our two not-for-profit organisations, as well as geographical overlaps in our activities since our innovative solutions could be beneficial in giving a 21st century digital future to media in developed and developing countries. Getting blended, robust end-to-end and ready-to-use solutions is an aim DRM and ATSC share fully. This is why I consider this institutional membership agreement as very significant for all our members. I am very excited about our next joint initiatives.” […]