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.

Two DW productions were awarded with gold prizes at the 16^th annual World Media Festival in Hamburg. DW’s youth-oriented documentary format Life Links won a gold award in the “web-based new media” category. Winning a gold medal in the “E-learning and education” category was the DW Global Ideas production, A school for orangutans: learning to survive in the wild.

Life Links impressed jury members with well-produced and intimate personal portrayals of challenges that are similarly faced by young people around the world. The format combines a televised episode with an attractive website that expands on the issues in focus and invites the audience to discuss ideas.

A school for orangutans: learning to survive in the wild is another successful example of the interactive web documentary format. This emerging medium brings together stunning graphics with entertaining interactive features that create an entertaining learning process. This year’s gold-winning web documentary feature was produced in cooperation with the Federal Environment Ministry of Germany.

Asia

DW has a new radio partner in Afghanistan. Radio Arakozia will now be broadcasting the evening program from DW Pashto daily. The Afghani partner is one of the most popular radio stations in Afghanistan with one of the largest broadcasting ranges in the country and a strong presence in Pashto-speaking areas.

Representatives from DW were at the Asian Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Digital Broadcasting Symposium in Kuala Lampur. The representatives from DW’s technical operations department presented DW’s potential new distribution channels to a large assembly of international experts at the three-day conference. DW and ABU have a long history of cooperation.

 

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.

 

DW is a valued destination for millions of German-language learners worldwide and a new agreement with the Goethe Institut is set to further combine the learning resources of the two partners.

The agreement will open the door for cooperative program development, expanded media partnerships and sharing of resources. Concrete plans include embedded links to English, German and Spanish-language TV streams from DW on Goethe Institut country portals. Language-oriented links to these portals could also be integrated into DW websites. On-demand video from DW in multiple languages will also be available for use by the Goethe Institut.

Both partners will be helping promote the other’s language learning platforms. This will place links to DW’s free language learning courses on the Goethe Institut website, which will provide valuable exposure of DW content to fans of German language and culture.

The Goethe Institut is a long-time DW partner and the largest international German-language institute with 160 locations all over the world. Their latest cooperation with DW was the 2013 online project “Ticket nach Berlin”.