This week, DW is showcasing its wide range of programming options at DISCOP Africa in Johannesburg. The conference is billed as the “No. 1 event dedicated to the commerce, the production and the distribution of multiscreen, television content across Africa.”

DW will showcase its 24-hour English-to-Africa channel as well as DW’s switch to a SES-5 satellite transmission, which makes DW programming available for free, direct-to-home. The lineup of documentaries available through Transtel will also be presented. Discop Africa takes place from October 31 to November 1.

DW Transtel will be covering a vibrant spectrum at this year’s MIPCOM with new shows like The Allure of Nature, Art Beats and Beyond Progress, as well as a range of new episodes from favorites like Ecopia and Struggle for Survival.

“Our strength has always been in the areas of documentaries, infotainment and European culture – and we continue to find different ways to inspire and capture the imagination of our audiences worldwide,” said Petra Schneider, DW’s Director of Distribution. “Our viewers may have different backgrounds, lifestyles and interests, but what they have in common is a need for interesting, new insights and viewpoints not available from other sources.”

New programming titles

• The Allure of Nature casts a spotlight on the breathtaking images of nature from the most unusual perspectives. The color and texture of the natural world is captured from unexpected angles to reveal not only its beauty but also the power it wields.
• Beyond Progress casts a critical light on the scientific and techno-logical achievements of our time and discusses their ecological, eco-nomic and ethical impact and questions the value and price of those achievements.
• Art Beats celebrates the unsung heroes of culture; street musicians and graffiti artists, samba and tango virtuosos, masters of caricature and satire and their power to unite nations and peoples.

For more information, visit us at Booth 19.14. at MIPCOM 2012 from October 8-11.

DW’s Director of Distribution Petra Schneider will be attending this year’s Jornadas in Buenos Aires from September 26-28. She will be accompanied by two distribution executives responsible for Latin America. DW will be highligting its new channel as well as its whole range of programming for Latin America – including Euromaxx. The Spanish version of DW’s life and style program is being hosted by Linda Guerrero. If you are in Buenos Aires – stop by and say hello.

DW is teaming up with 63 radio stations throughout Pakistan to broadcast DW’s Leaning by Ear program in Pashtu and Urdu. Learning by Ear is a distance education program with a lively mix of in-depth reports, radio dramas and feature stories targeted to 12- to 25-year-olds. Fifty-three Pakistani stations are initially set to begin broadcasting the program, with ten more getting on board in the coming months. Learning by Ear will reach more than 90 percent of radio listeners in Pakistan, which has a total of about 120 independent radio stations.

“We are thrilled so many Pakistani stations wanted to broadcast Learning By Ear,” said DW’s Head of Distribution for Asia Anne Hufnagel. “We hope it will enhance their programming line-up, and win some new fans for DW.”
DW will send Learning by Ear content to partner stations via CD. Learning by Ear covers topics from children’s rights and family planning to conflict resolution and the media, and comes in series of ten-minute-long installments.

Pakistani fans of Learning by Ear will be able to participate in quizzes put on by partner stations, as well as receive supplementary books provided through DW’s distribution office in Pakistan.

Along with Hufnagel, the Head of Asia Programming Alexander Freund was in Islamabad, Pakistan, to officially announce the Learning by Ear for Pakistan at a press conference. FM 100 Pakistan, a leader in Pakistani FM radio, is the first partner to start broadcasting.

As all 63 stations start using Learning by Ear, DW will make the program available to NGOs, educational institutions and other organizations in Pakistan interested in the show.

For the 12th year in a row, Deutsche Welle (DW) will be taking part in CANITEC in Acapulco, Mexico. DW’s Director of Strategy, Marketing and Distribution, Guido Baumhauer, will be attending the event and highlighting the major changes that DW has put in motion in 2012. DW has introduced a new channel featuring 20 hours of Spanish programming for Latin America and is continuing to focus on regional partnerships and coproductions to increase its presence in the region.

“We have also experienced a dramatic rise in our fan base in Latin America, where viewers are becoming more and more interested in our brand of pro-gramming – the European perspective of world issues and international trends,” says Baumhauer. “This all contributes to our recent success and increased viewership in Latin America.”

With Claves, DW is offering a new talk show that focuses on the special chal-lenges for Latin American countries in a globalized world. Hosted by Gonzalo Cáceres, this show is a collaboration with broadcasters throughout the region – like ARTV in Chile, SJRTV in Mexico and RTVC in Colombia. Baumhauer believes that this show in particular “really highlights DW’s successful partnerships and expansion in Latin America”.
DW has also created a good mix of experienced and young on-air personali-ties to bring life to the schedule – including Ana Plasencia, Carolina Chimoy and Paco Furio.

“We are especially looking forward to going to CANITEC to present our re-vamped new schedule and programming and our innovative new design,” says Baumhauer. “It has been very well received so far and we are sure that it will only add to our increased success in Latin America. We are excited about being able to receive direct feedback from viewers and partners alike.”
CANITEC is taking place in Acapulco, Mexico, from May 30 to June 1. Deutsche Welle will be participating as an exhibitor (Stand 102).