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NEW DELHI: All the stalls at the BES Expo 2007, to be inaugurated
on 1 February, are packed. BES estimates it would need to
add 20 per cent more space in the coming year, a significant
rise in global visibility for the lone Indian broadcast engineering
show, says AS Guin, President, BES at a press conference here
today.
Three hundred participants are here this year, among them
16 which are coming here for the first time, Guin, who is
also All India Radio's engineer-in-chief, states.
In fact, two major participants, Joseline Josiah of Unesco's
adviser in communication and information in Asia and Ed Homan,
director of operations, Ideal Systems Asia Pacific, specifically
mentioned that it is the phenomenal growth of BES as an organisation,
just one among the three broadcast engineering institutes in
the world, that made them participate in this year's Expo.
Homan made a brief but sharp point in stating that there
were earlier only two major such Expos, IBC and NAB. "The
fact that people like us have decided to come here is because
BES has earned tremendous respect as an institution and is
seen globally for the tremendous work they have done in the
field.
Though Josiah's project on community radio is the socially
most exciting among the ones to be showcased here during the
three-day exposition, Nokia stole the show, as a partner of
Doordarshan's project on mobile television project that is
under trials at the moment.
In fact, Pawan Gandhi, Nokia's Singapore based head of mobile
TV and Video Experience division, was practically mobbed by
the media for a dekko at the mobile set he was carrying to
demonstrate the ongoing project under trial. The crystal clear
image and the easy channel surfing system surprised many.
Gandhi said that the system could carry ten channels per
band and in its dialogue with DD, they have felt it necessary
to run at least 30 channels. The sets are at the moment not
available in India, and the ones launched in Vietnam costs
$700 to 800, and is a high-end product.
Guin added that, as in the case of DD's DTH, DD Direct Plus,
which initially cost a packet per household, so in the case
of DD's mobile TV project, "prices are bound to come
down as the demand rises," hence, those who want will
be able to afford this equipment in the coming days.
Ashish Bhatnagar, honourary secretary of BES, said: "The
government has silently ushered in a revolution in the form
of community radio to be operated by NGOs." He said that
this is among the most promising projects in hand and will
see thousands of radio centres coming up across the country.
The government's programme with Unesco is to make people
aware and empower and train them to handle radio stations
on their way, Adhikary added.
Josiah, asked to address the media, spoke of an amazing range
of products, especially those with multiple facilities, including
what she described as "more than a radio", rather
a community multimedia centre with provisions for radio, Internet
and other forms of communication.
Josiah said that Unesco has been working for the past 30
years in the field of community radio and developed models
relevant to various countries and cultures. These will be
on show at the pavilion and there will be presentations and
demonstrations.
Another advancement BES is seeking to make is to help launch
broadcast engineering courses in universities, under affiliation
to the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the apex body in the
region.
Dialogue is going on this, Guin said, and the BES hopes to
see this happen very soon. Guin also said that though the
BEShas been holding these Expos for the past 12 years, from
this 13th year, they would send reports to the government
about participation and developments and results achieved
at the fairs.
The expo will be inaugurated by information and broadcasting
minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi tomorrow, at Hall No. 7D,
Pragati Maidan, Delhi.
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