DW has received permission from the Russian media regulatory authority, Roskomnadzor, to continue broadcasting in Russia. DW is an important source of international news and information in Russia, where independent media is under pressure and unbiased information is becoming harder to access. Russia currently ranks 152 out of 180 countries in the 2015 Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders.

The new 10-year permit is an extension of a 2005 broadcasting license allowing DW to broadcast in German and English via satellite and cable partners. DW is currently present in the Russian media market with DW (Europe), broadcasting a 24-hour television program in English and German via the Hotbird  satellite.  DW (Europe) will be replaced on June 22 by the new 24-hour English-language channel, DW.

The license extension comes amid tightening of media law in Russia, aimed at making it more difficult for foreign broadcasters to operate. The new laws, which were passed last October, allow foreign broadcasters very limited ownership of media transmitted in Russia.

DW broadcasts in Russia through local distribution partners and via satellite. DW’s main cable partners in Russia are Trikolor TV, MTS, Rostelekom and BeeLine. The new license also makes DW Russian content available to online audiences.

A group of international DW Akademie trainees from the 2012 to 2014 program has won the 2015 CNN Journalist Award in the “online” category. “Meine Oma, das Regime und ich (My grandma, the regime and me)” is a German-language multimedia project that shares the stories of six women from around the world who have all lived through dictatorships and social upheaval. The jury recognized both the production quality and the effect of the powerful narratives, all of which provide a rich example of how to tell stories using a combination of journalistic mediums online.

Stories from countries as far removed as China and Brazil all open an intimate window on history and culture while expressing a common tone  of adversity and perseverence which resonates with people all over the world.  The success of the project and its global significance is indicative of how DW Akademie combines a wide diversity of young talent with innovative methods of teaching and producing journalism.

The CNN Journalist Award distinguishes the best and brightest young journalists who work with international news. The prize was given out at an awards ceremony on March 24 in London.

Out of all the recent sacrifices made in the name of freedom of speech, the tribulations of the Saudi Arabian activist Raif Badawi poignantly exemplify the precarious condition of free speech in some parts of the world today. This year Badawi is the recipient of the first DW Freedom of Speech Award, which is being presented by DW in conjunction with “The Bobs- Best of Online Activism” awards.

Badawi was arrested in 2012 and charged with insulting Islam through electronic channels via his website, Free Saudi Liberals, which provided a public forum for social criticism in Saudi Arabia.  In May 2014 Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes to be carried out 50 at a time for 20 weeks. He was publically flogged 50 times in January. It is feared that he will die if subjected to the full extent of his sentence.

With this award, DW is actively taking part in the international protest against the treatment Badawi is receiving simply for publicizing his opinion. Amnesty International  has started a campaign calling for his immediate release. On social media , supporters have gathered around the hashtag , #iamraif. A group of academics and social activists from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom even offered to each take 100 of the lashes that would have been administered to Badawi rather than “stand by and watch him be cruelly tortured.”

Badawi will be regognized by DW at The Bobs awards ceremony during the 2015 Global Media Forum in Bonn on June 23.

For the past 11 years, The Bobs is where DW has honored the world’s most courageous, creative and compelling international online activists and bloggers.

The 2015 competition is kicking off with new categories that introduce a fresh focus on how digital activism is changing the world. The Bobs jury categories will now put the spotlight on the critical issues of privacy and security, arts and media and social change. Judges will determine how contestants have used their digital skills and activism to create positive impacts within these fields. The new format also allows for more than one contestant to stand out for their exemplary work.

How can a digital crusader improve economic development and living conditions? Who is producing the most innovative or avant-garde formats to speak out online? What is the most cutting-edge software for protecting data and digital privacy? On June 22 at the Global Media Forum in Bonn, we will all get the chance to find out.

The core values of the Bobs remain the same, even if they will now be presented more directly. Last year’s winner of best blog was the Egyptian photo blogger, Mosa’ab Elshamy, who showed courage combined with a brilliant eye for powerful imagery. His blog is an example of where fine art meets journalism. In 2013 the “grand prize” winner was the Chinese blogger Li Chengpeng, whose tireless efforts for freedom of speech made him a digital celebrity in China and a salient example of contemporary activism as well as a trendsetter for those living under oppression. No matter the year or the format, the Bobs have always looked for the bravest and the best.

If you are a blogger or online activist you can submit your website now. You have until March 12 to enter your submissions.

The future of developing smart TV is caught between what audiences are used to and what the user experience can actually provide. Even the best models are held back by cumbersome Internet browsing with a television remote or poor user interface combined with an overwhelming number of applications that complicate entertainment choices.

But people consume information differently than they would entertainment. And a recent study suggests that news apps for smart TVs are among the most popular. Audiences want direct and clear access to broadcast news that isn’t constrained by the scheduling of linear television or made tiresome by typing into a web browser. Consumers are buying more smart TVs and even if they don’t use the device’s full potential, the apps which succeed are going to get enormous exposure.

DW is establishing its place alongside other top international news broadcasters on smart TVs with the continual development of user-friendly apps. The latest development is a deal making the DW for Smart TV app available on all Sony Smart TVs via the Sony entertainment network.  Sony is among the top three manufacturers of smart TVs worldwide.

DW’s app unlocks the full potential of smart TV with an attractive layout and on-demand access to the best DW programming and world-class news broadcasting. DW’s multilingual and culturally-tailored content knows no borders and will reach high-end market users of this state-of-the-art entertainment technology.

There are also other options for converging the Internet with television. Set-top-boxes are an alternative to smart TVs for providing audiences with a connected entertainment experience. Some critics consider even them to be a more adaptable and  superior alternative. DW is also available on Amazon Fire  set-top-boxes via the Opera Store ,with on-demand content on any television with a Amazon fire box.The DW for Smart TV app is also available via a Google TV set-top-box.

The next step for DW is a planned rollout of the DW app for Android TV. The horizon for innovation stretches far and wide. In the future it is likely that every living room will eventually have a smart TV and DW will be right where the audience is looking.