Representatives from DW are at the 2014 NATPE conference in Miami to promote a selection of content from the DW Transtel programming catalog. Highlighted at the conference will be a wide variety of DW Transtel programming focused on Brazil in anticipation of the World Cup this summer. The multi-lingual programming package from DW Transtel will include a special in-depth look at Brazilian soccer culture with Joga Bonito – It’s all about Football!. The series illustrates how everyday Brazilians feel about hosting the World Cup and explains the important role soccer plays in Brazilian life.

Other highlights include Inside Brazil – A country on the move, which provides insight into how Brazil wants to present itself during the World Cup and important aspects social and technical development in Brazil. Features – All eyes on Brazil, delivers a colorful mix of popular Brazilian themes like Samba dancing, Copacabana beach culture, the wilds of the Amazon and exotic animals. Also featured with the package will be excerpts from DW’s award-winning environmental series Global Ideas with a focus on Brazil. The program covers important issues such as developing solar power and rain forest conservation.

DW Transtel offers international partners everything from documentaries to sports, music and children’s shows in English, Arabic, Russian, French, Portuguese and Spanish. The annual NATPE market and conference is the only event of its kind in the United States aimed at the global television market with over 7,000 content providers, executives and buyers expected to attend this year.

For a half-century DW has delivered quality news and information to Hausa speaking audiences in West Africa. To celebrate the occasion, a delegation of directors and editors from DW traveled to Niamey, Niger and Abuja, Nigeria to meet with local leaders and media representatives. Highlights of the events included keynote speeches and discussions centered on the role of international media in Africa and what can be done to assist with human rights and conflict resolution.  DW has been praised for providing a voice of freedom in times of political struggle as well as providing an example for the local media to follow. “We can’t always trust our own media,” said a representative from Dallol FM, a local radio station.

As one of the few international broadcasters with Hausa content tailored for local populations, DW plays a unique role in helping people improve their lives by providing them with a world-class news service alongside programming that advocates learning. A new part of this mission is Crossroads Generation, the latest series from the successful educational radio program, Learning by Ear. The new series was presented at both locations and received much acclaim. “With its educational programming and informative broadcasting, DW makes an essential contribution to education in Niger,” said Brigi Rafini, Prime Minsiter of Niger at the meeting in Niamey.

DW will also be seeking to expand its services for African audiences that comprise more than half of DW’s total global audience of 100 million.  “Deutsche Welle has been a large part of the media landscape in Africa for decades where we are seen as a reliable source of information” said DW Director General, Peter Limbourg, “Africa is a successful market for DW with excellent prospects.”

At the height of the 2011 Egyptian revolution there was hope that Egypt would emerge with increased freedom for journalists. But as the wave receded, a reconstruction of the same oppression was all that was left behind. On November 29, DW-Akademie and ARD will be hosting an expert discussion at the ARD studios in Berlin to address the power struggle on the Nile that is affecting and polarizing the Egyptian media.

There is an acute problem for journalists in Egypt. The country ranks 158 out of 179 on the Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters without Borders. Egyptian journalists are under constant threat of arrest and imprisonment. In August 2013, Al-Jazeera’s Egyptian TV station was raided and shut down by security forces under the pretense of “posing a threat to national security” and “fabricating allegations and rumors”. After the 2013 coup d’état which effectively placed the military in control of the country, the Egyptian constitution was suspended and the situation for journalists has become progressively worse.

DW has always been a global advocate for democracy and freedom of the press. By increasing awareness it can give hope to journalists in oppressive countries who are suffering just for doing their jobs. Shedding light on these issues during the discussion will be Raniah Salloum, Mideast reporter for Spiegel Online, Jürgen Stryjak a Cairo correspondent for ARD and Mazen Hassan, Germany correspondent for the Egyptian newspaper, Al-Ahram. Moderating the panel will be Jaafar Abdul-Karim, host of Shababtalk, DW’s talk show for the Arab world.

Finding new and creative ways to teach the German language is something that DW has focused on heavliy over the last few years, with formats like Jojo sucht das Glück and the new Bandtagebuch. This weekend, DW’s language team will be in Berlin for the the leading language learning convention in Germany, Expolingua.  They will be presenting DW’s award-winning interactive learning tools and will also be presenting the successful learning format, Ticket nach Berlin. The presentation at the convention will introduce the format and its didactic concepts on November 16 at 3 pm. The series is a game show featuring learners of German as they complete different challenges on a trip across Germany.  DW’s language learning services are very popular worldwide. The Facebook page DW-Learn German, has over 230,000 fans and the language course websites get around 6 million clicks every month. Every year around 13,000 people visit Expolingua to check out the 150 displays from 25 countries. Around 50 languages are there to be sampled. If you can make it to the convention, be sure to pay us a visit.

 

DW’s distribution executives are in in Johannesburg, South Africa this week looking to find new ideas for Africa-oriented television programming. DW has been a trusted voice on the radio for decades in Africa and is now seeking to go deeper into the television market with programming tailored for African audiences. For the past year, DW’s flagship English channel has been available via DTH satellite in Africa.

DISCOP Africa was launched in 2008 and this year’s convention in Johannesburg, South Africa is expected to attract 2000 delegates from 70 countries. International content producers will gain insight and access into African markets and African based producers at the convention will have a platform to promote their content for international distribution.
DW has consistently been a valuable part of the African media landscape– bringing reliable news, entertainment and education to every corner of the continent. For 50 years DW has been broadcasting radio in Kiswahili and also provides news services in Hausa and Amharic. Educational radio programs like Learning by Ear shed light on social issues and help improve people’s lives. If you’re at the convention be sure to stop by and see everything DW has to offer in Africa.