Broadcasting
ITU Says Broadcasting is Key Communication Medium in Emergencies
A new ITU report has highlighted the importance of international cooperation needed to enhance the reach of broadcasting in emergency situations, such as in the Philippines, which was recently devastated by Typhoon Haiyan and the cyclones that have battered the coastal districts of eastern India.
According to ITU, the Report on Emergency Broadcasting on the essential role of terrestrial radio and television broadcasting will be finalized by April 2014 and made available online free of charge.
The Report will be compiled by co-Rapporteurs to Study Group 6, Lynn Claudy (National Association of Broadcasters, USA) and Gary Stanley (Babcock International Group, U.K.).
“Emergency broadcasting plays a critical role in the rapid dissemination of information to the public, and is a key element in helping save lives in the aftermath of natural disasters,” said Hamadoun I. Touré , ITU secretary-general.
“The ITU Report on Emergency Broadcasting will provide broadcasters, first responders and the general public important information on how to prepare for natural disasters and their aftermath.” He added
For many decades, radio and television broadcasters have been the primary source of critical information to the public in the event of disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, snowstorms, earthquakes, tsunamis, and even terrorist attacks and industrial catastrophes. Due to their wide coverage, broadcasting services are more likely to survive such events than other communication networks.
Radio and television broadcasting provides reliable point-to-multipoint delivery of essential information and safety advice to the public as well as to first responders and others via widely available consumer receivers, both mobile and fixed.
Even in cases where electricity and mobile-phone base stations are no longer available, reception of broadcast signals is still possible with battery-operated receivers in cars and in hand-held devices such as mobile phones equipped with a radio or TV receiver.
“The Workshop addressed key issues related to broadcasting as a means of communicating to the public during emergencies and how it fulfils these requirements most reliably and effectively,” said Mr François Rancy, director of ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau.
“With the number of natural disasters and other large-scale emergency situations on the rise around the world, as we have seen with the devastation caused by the recent Typhoon Haiyan, it is absolutely essential that the public is provided the necessary emergency information quickly, comprehensively and accurately,” said Christoph Dosch, Chairman of ITU-R Study Group 6 (Broadcasting service).
“Terrestrial television and radio broadcasters provide the fastest, reliable and most effective means of delivering information to the public in these critical situations.
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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