Deutsche Welle (DW) was once again recognized for its documentary “The Beethoven Project” – this time from the “Hot Bird TV Awards 2011”. “The Beethoven Project” won in the category “Best Program” at an award ceremony in Venice on November 25. More than 150 stations from 10 countries submitted entries for the awards in 10 categories. This is already the 14th award that DW has picked up for “The Beethoven Project”. The documentary is now also available on DVD from Sony Music.

“The Beethoven Project” focuses on star conductor Paavo Järvi and selected members of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. They show their enthusiasm for music – in rehearsal, in concert and behind the scenes.

Online
As part of an agreement with the second-largest TV manufacturer, LG Electronics will begin programming apps for DW that will be available on so-called smart TVs. These apps will make it possible for customers to access multilingual content from DW right from their living room.

Latin America
DW is now available GVT, a pay TV platform from Vivendi, dramatically increasing its presence in Brazil. On October 1, DW was made available on the pay TV platform, which makes use of a hybrid broadcast (DTH/IPTV). This is the first platform of its kind in Brazil. It makes it possible to receive programming via DRH and, at the same time, use interactive elements like video-on-demand via IPTV. GVT offers more than 140 channels in three different packages – and Vivendi is expecting a lot of growth in this sector in the next year.

Africa
DW has signed an agreement to work with DBS TV in Cameroon, a station that is based in Douala and available in Africa, Europe, North and South America. Along with taking on DW programming, DBS TV will work with Germany’s international broadcaster on a weekly coproduction in the future.

Asia
TempoTV in Indonesia has integrated several of DW’s television shows into its line-up, including In Focus, Bundesliga Kickoff, European Journal, Kino, Global 3000, in good shape and tomorrow today. TempoTV is available nationwide and specializes in educational programming. It is available on AORA – a DTH satellite platform – and reaches approximately 400,000 subscribers.

Also in Indonesia, IPTV provider Groovia has been broadcasting DW-TV ASIA+ since July after signing an agreement with DW. Groovia has more than 100 TV channels.

Europe
DW’s is now available on Crystal TV – an online provider. The platform makes it possible for customers with PCs, Macs, smartphones, tablets and iPods to access video DW’s video live stream.

 

Deutsche Welle and Al Hayah TV have officially started their cooperation tby producing the first episode of Shababtalk in Cairo. The coproduction is one of four new, regionalized talk shows that focus on the Arab world.

Shababtalk is a talk show for the future, which brings together young representatives from the democratic movement in Egypt with their German counterparts from youth organizations, political parties and other associations. The 30-minute show will alternate being produced in Berlin and Cairo each week and broadcast on DW-TV ARABIA and Al Hayah TV.

“I am especially pleased that we are able to work with Al Hayah TV on Shababtalk. It brings a new focus to the dialogue on regional issues – and DW-TV and Al Hayah TV are on the forefront of productive cooperation between Europe and North Africa,” says Christoph Lanz, Director of DW-TV. “It is extremely important to exchange information and learn from one another in today’s day and age. With our new talk show, we will be providing a weekly, lively contribution to the transformation in Egypt – and beyond.”

“We aren’t just talking about dialogue – we are making it happen,” says Naser Shrouf, DW’s Head of Distribution for Africa/ Middle East. “Shababtalk shows how the media can get involved in the exchange of information between cultures and examines the ideas that the leaders of tomorrow are bringing to the table.”

This new coproduction is just part of Deutsche Welle’s international strategy. By introducing new, regionalized productions, the broadcaster is helping improve the connection to its viewers around the world.

Along with Shababtalk, DW-TV ARABIA is also introducing a range of new talk shows, each covering a different facet of modern life.

DW and Palestine Public Broadcasting Commission (PBC) signed an agreement of cooperation on Thursday, September 15. Samah Khader, General Director of International Relations, and Mahmoud Mizher, General Director of Administration and Finance, were on hand at DW’s headquarters in Bonn to clarify the details. PBC TV will now be including several DW programs in its line-up, including in good shape, In Focus, Kick off! and Kick off! Countdown, as well as selected episodes of euromaxx. PBC’s radio station will also begin broadcasting some of DW’s radio programming covering topics like science and technology.

This partnership will increase DW’s presence in the Middle East. PBC TV is available in Palestine, but also in several neighboring countries due to its inclusion in the Arabsat and Nilesat networks. Palestine Radio is available in Palestine, Israel, Jordan and parts of Egypt.

DW relaunched its channel for the Arab world yesterday, with a new focus on dialogue and programming in Arabic. Audiences from Morocco to Oman can tune in to DW-TV ARABIA for a six-hour block in Arabic – always in primetime. English-language programming will complete the channel’s 24-hour line-up. Up until now, the schedule alternated hourly between Arabic, or German with Arabic subtitles, and English.

This is just a continuation of DW’s strategy of introducing new, regionalized productions to help improve the connection to its viewers around the world.

Along with new Arabic versions of DW’s shows GLOBAL 3000 and Arts.21, the new DW-TV ARABIA also features four new talk shows, each focusing on different facets of society.

• Shababtalk is a co-production with Al Hayah TV, the leading station in Egypt. Young representatives from the democratic movement in Egypt join in on discussions with their German counterparts from youth organizations, political parties and other associations.
• On the Pulse brings Arab and German experts together to discuss issues related to democratization, politics, economics, the role of the government, justice and religion.
• Talking to the Press is a roundtable discussion with German and European editors-in-chief and their Arab colleagues.
• Guest of the Week offers the chance for public figures to come into the studio to discuss current developments in the Arab World.

DW also launched its new YouTube channel for Arabic yesterday, making its Arabic content available online to viewers around the world.