MENA Broadcast Trendsetter

Dubai Media Inc.

Dubai Media Inc. has been an unlikely candidate in the past for any pathbreaking efforts but this year, the state-backed broadcaster stumped the jury by showcasing a range of solutions it had created to deliver content to mobile viewers. Besides creating apps to watch DMI's programmes on the iphone and ipad, and more recently, the Blackberry, the state broadcaster has also streamed most of its local productions online. DMI launched its smart TV application, developed by its in-house IT engineers, during GITEX. Without any doubt, this broadcaster offered the most uncomplicated and user-friendly way of viewing its productions and has delivered on the promise of anytime, anywhere. Hassan Chahine, tech advisor at Dubai Media Inc. received the award.

Best Entity Promoting Local Film Production

Abu Dhabi Film Commission

This award was created essentially to salute any media entity that had gone out of its way to invest in this region and its people and undertaken initiatives that would help improve people's skill sets while also gearing them up to be part of the international filmmaking arena. The Abu Dhabi Film Commission fit this slot better than anyone else for backing local filmmakers, taking them to international film festivals, establishing grants and more importantly, investing continuously in training and mentorship opportunities that are essential to empower aspiring filmmakers with techniques and skills to make sophisticated films. Pictured here is David Shepheard, Abu Dhabi Film Commissioner and Marcelle Aleid, deputy director of Abu Dhabi Film Commission.

Innovative Project Award

Jeddah Radio Complex

We do not hear of many broadcasters investing in radio in the region anymore although it continues perhaps, to be the most popular medium of entertainment here. The jury upheld that the newly launched Jeddah Radio Complex was the most deserving of this award for several reasons. Besides the fact that it comprises 19 studios and 21 control rooms, it also incorporates the MENOS exchange system, a satellite receiver and a fantastic central archive. In addition, this building has been prepared to have a direct link with Riyadh Radio. The sophistication of the solution at the Radio Complex impressed the jury. The award was handed over by Mohammed Al Marhouby, Director General of Engineering, Oman MOI (2nd from left) to the Saudi MOCI team.

MENA Special Recognition Award

intaj, twofour54

Although the jury deliberated for a long time about this nomination for Innovative Project, it felt that there was not enough 3D activity in the region to merit recognition in this category. At the same time, the jury felt that front runners were essential in all fields to ensure that someone took the risk to invest in a technology that had great potential. Twofour54 has done that. Despite knowing that 3D does not yet have a future in broadcast transmission, the media entity has invested in a 3D lab that enables industry professionals to learn, test and experience production in stereoscopic 3D. This, according to the jury, deserved the Special Recognition Award. Hasan Sayed Hasan, head of twofour54 intaj received the award.

Best Tech Production

Real Image TV Production

By integrating 3D computer animation and live action into a hybrid two-minute film, Real Image has produced a HDTV hybrid stereoscopic film in the UAE. For this TVC. A combination of specialised stereoscopic camera equipment, 3D graphics, compositing, editing software and hardware were used to finalise the picture for large screen projection. The production workflow included using the Phantom camera system with stereoscopic lens adapters for high speed sequences, and using traditional tracks and cranes to mobilise the camera Bijou. A 3D tracking software was employed during post to match the 3D animated camera with the live action camera for both left and right eye. Several different software apps were used in post to achieve the final result. The live action film was digitised and colour graded at PACE, which also graded Avatar for stereo projection. Pictured here is Aiham Ajib, CEO of Real Image TV Production.

Best Director of the Year

Ahmad Ibrahem, Ashorooq TV

Although we received quite a few nominations in this category, the works of two directors stood out and if we had the ability to give away two awards, we would have given one to Mahmoud Kaabour, director of Teta Alf Marra as well. What a unique style of presentation! The jury insisted that we make a special mention of Kaabour's work. However, the winner of the night was Ahmad Ibrahem, director at Ashorooq TV, whose special documentary on Sudan was very impressive and well received by the jury. Michele Dwayk, head of Marketing and Operations, Harris Broadcast Division Middle East and South Asia (MESA) gave the award away on behalf of Said Bacho, VP of Harris MESA to Ahmad Ibrahem, Ashorooq TV.

Best Arabic Drama Production

Hindistani, OSN

What a riot of colours, what outstanding dances, what gorgeous women and what a story! Hindistani, a comedy shot mostly in India but based in Saudi Arabia and on the lives of people in the GCC, won the best Arabic Drama Production of the Year. OSN recently launched Yahala, an Arabic language channel and invested in 300 hours of Arabic content to populate the channel. The award salutes the broadcaster's investment into highquality Arabic content that has been produced in the region for this region. Receiving the award from Paddy Roach (right), general manager and director of Hitachi Kokusai Europe is David Butorac (left), CEO of OSN.

Best Sports COVERAGE

Abu Dhabi Media

The ability to acquire the rights to one of the world's most sought-after games is one thing. The ability to put up a good how after that is quite another. But Abu Dhabi Media, in partnership with Endemol Middle East, brought for the first time to the region an EPL programme tailored to the Arabic audience. Rather than resting on the laurels of international feeds, the team created a beautiful set in house, did live studio productions every day including chat shows, entertainment, live wraparounds and more importantly, ensured that there was a team on site to provide Arabic reportage. Some of the best EPL talent was interviewed and all of this made the production very rich and provided a unique coverage for this region. The award was given away by Tarif Sayed, regional manager Dolby MEA to Siobhan Berry, head of production, Endemol Middle East, who is production partner with Abu Dhabi Media for the English Premier League.

Best systems integrator

Qvest Media

This award was one of the most hotlycontested categories. After much discussion and debate, the jury decided that two companies deserved to share this award as both had gained a reputation in the MENA region for bringing not just excellence in terms of consultancy but also providing workflows and after service support. Dubai-based systems integrator Qvest Media received the award for undertaking to build an entirely tapeless editorial newsroom system for Al Jazeera Sport. The project included the upgrade of the tapeless and HD-capable ingest, editing and playout capacities. In close cooperation with the specialists from Al Jazeera, Qvest Media was responsible for all stages of the project such as analysis of the existing technical infrastructure, consulting, development of an overall concept with the specification of workflows, product sourcing as well as integration, commissioning and on-site support for the on-air phase. The award was received by Ahmad Hadi Alkayal, executive sales manager of Qvest Media.

Best systems integrator

TSL Middle East

No endorsement is perhaps more commendable than those that come from customers. TSL Middle East could not be ignored as all of the nominations that came in for this company came from end users it had serviced including twofour54, First Media and OSN. Most of the endorsements seem to suggest that a certain challenge or issue needed to be addressed and TSL came in as a consultant, looked at the issue, suggested possible remedies, got the work done, did a post analysis report and in some cases, was retained to provide after service support. Andrew Davies, business development manager at TSL Middle East received the award from Richard Judd, managing director of CPI.

Technical Achiever of the year

Nick Barratt, MBC

Although MBC was looking to mirgate to a tapeless environment, it wasn't until late 2010 that the project started in earnest. Nick Barratt, senior broadcast manager, was tasked with re-engineering the workflows of the many MBC departments and functions, and with leading the broadcaster's technical team to meet a very tough deadline. And, he delivered. On July 1, 2011, MBC HD was born. MBC repeatedly delayed making a full transition to tapeless architecture for fear of the risk and disruption it would create. Many areas within the business were dependent on linear tape-based environments. Nick's most significant contribution was his ability to convince end-users of the value of the project, design workflows tailored to their needs, and to manage their transition to these new workflows. Nick Barratt (r) received the award from Ulrik Samuelsen, MD of Best Broadcast Hire.

MENA Business Excellence Award

First Gulf Company, Saudi Arabia

The jury felt that the nominations in favour of this company showed that it had delivered a range of projects in Saudi Arabia that required varying skill sets within broadcast. First Gulf Company was commended for securing more than 80% of the business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for partnering with the right companies and bringing the right skills to the table for each of the projects it worked on whether they were OB vans or OB SNG vans, HD studios, the MENOS project in the Kingdom or transmission facilities. The award was received by Naim Saidi, CEO of First Gulf Company and Habib Kazan, marketing officer, FGC.

mena Entrepreneur of the Year

Irshad Contractor, Chairman, ICHD

This is an Editor's Choice Award and was awarded to Irshad Contractor, chairman of ICHD this year for conceiving and putting in place an infrastructure that could potentially expand the pay TV market in the Middle East and North Africa. He has always pointed out that if countries like India and China, where disposable incomes are a lot lower, can invest in pay TV, surely the MENA region can do the same if the pricing and offering is right. As part of those efforts, he has secured his first deal with MBC Group that allows people to watch the broadcaster's HD channels only on Technosat boxes. His intention is to ensure that more HD content becomes available on the ICHD card so that eventually there will be enough premium content to woo viewers away from the free TV model to a more affordable and low pay TV platform in the region.

Broadcast Achievement Award

al aan tv, dubai

Al Aan TV has been deploying several new technologies and undertaking initiatives that continue to increase its customer base in the region. Besides its broadcast-to-web deployment last year, the broadcaster was one of the first to step into Libya and launch a radio service from scratch with the fall of the Gaddafi regime. The behind-the-scenes story was not just remarkable and impressive; they were almost heroic.. Receiving the award from Raz Islam (l), commercial director of CPI is Muhammad Irfan, who saw the projects through from start to finish.

Broadcast Visionary of the Year

Dr. Riyadh Najm, Deputy Minister of Information Affairs, Ministry of Culture & Information, Saudi Arabia

This again was an Editor's Choice Award. Never in my editorial career have I met a dignitary who is as well versed with the technical side of programming and broadcast, and international regulatory policies as he is with regional government affairs. Dr. Riyadh Najm, Deputy Minister of Information Affairs at the Ministry of Culture and Information, Saudi Arabia and Vice President of the Arab States Broadcasting Union has gone the extra mile to encourage more dialogue and collaboration between broadcasters in the region in terms of both technology and content practices. Even as he remains committed to encouraging these practices through the Arab HDTV Group and ASBU, he continues to remain faithful to the Kingdom's greater objective of using technology and mass media to reach out to the masses. This award pays tribute to the remarkable way in which Dr. Najm has handled the multi-faceted nature of his work in the Ministry while also remaining committed to the cause of building a more robust broadcast i dustry in the pan Arab market. Dr. Riyadh Najm received the award from Jamal Al Sharif (l), managing director of Dubai Studio City and Dubai Media City.