Milestones
2010 | ||
April |
WRN unveils new corporate identity, WRN Broadcast, to reflect its commitment to providing services to all broadcasters, with a special focus on television and new portfolio of managed services, including content management and playout. |
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January | WRN's brand new state-of-the-art Media Centre is completed, incorporating the latest in broadcast technologies. WRN's significant investment into enterprise class hardware and software means that clients benefit from Pharos Mediator 4 media management system, Omneon Video Networks, Harmonic Encoding and Multiplexing and Evertz Monitoring and Alarm Systems. | |
WRN doubles size of Technical Team. |
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WRN wins major content management and multi channel playout deal for Top Up TV, the UK's leading DTT pay TV service. WRN created a bespoke end-to-end tapeless workflow, including acquisition and file management from over 20 distributors, library management, ingest, file delivery, remote editorial compliance review, storage and archive, playout and distribution. | ||
WRN wins major contract with Mitsuminet Cable Vision, Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of Wananchi (Group) Holdings, Ltd. in order to provide encoding, multiplexing and fibre delivery of in excess of 12 channels for distribution on the triple play African platform ZUKU. Content clients include MSNBC, Eurosport, Nickleodeon and Bloomberg. | ||
2009 |
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August | WRN completes a mass ingest and encode project and the instigation of a bespoke asset management solution for Manchester United TV. | |
WRN signs deal with Pharos Communications to create a custom workflow for the management of all WRN client content and service delivery. | ||
July |
WRN starts a complete refurbishment of its ingest, content management, transmission and playout facilities, with the creation of a brand new state-of-the-art media centre in Vauxhall, London, UK. |
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WRN provides encoding and streaming solution for NME Radio to facilitate its iphone application launch. | ||
April |
WRN acquires TSI Broadcast, the TV ingest and playout company, enabling it to offer clients comprehensive ingest, transcoding, encoding and playout solutions using industry leading hardware and software. The acquisition of TSI Broadcast adds Top Up TV, Warner Bros, Ocean Finance, Rocks and Co. and Konta MTV to the WRN client portfolio. |
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February |
David Treadway appointed Managing Director of WRN. |
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WRN joins the HFCC the High Frequency Coordination Committee - the international body that co-ordinates the shortwave frequency allocation worldwide. | ||
2008 | WRN's most successful ever commercial year. | |
November | WRN North America becomes available on XM Channel 135, adding value for customers on the existing network which already includes Sirius Satellite Radio. | |
August | WRN Europe launches on Freesat Channel 728, allowing WRN network customers to be a part of the latest digital, subscription-free technology. | |
April | WRN launches a new ad hoc channel, Ignition Radio, on Sky Channel 0203 for use by start up stations, RSLs and other broadcasters wishing to access the Sky platform. | |
2007 | WRN's 15th Anniversary Year. | |
September | WRN launches TV ingest and playout service for Sky Channels KICC and Faith TV providing full turnkey solution for these UK TV broadcasters. | |
2006 | ||
November | NHK commences "historic" digital satellite radio broadcasts of its daily Arabic programme via WRN. | |
October | WRN awarded ISO 9001 certification. | |
WRN provides broadcast and satellite services for Sky launch of the Word Network, the US urban religious television channel. | ||
Radio Romania International (RRI) commences its first ever broadcast using DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) the international standard for digital Medium Wave, Long Wave and Short Wave, with the assistance of WRN. | ||
September | WRN holds "New Platforms, Fresh Futures", an exclusive one day Digital Radio Forum, bringing together speakers and industry experts from the UK to discuss and debate the future potential and impact of key digital radio platforms for the UK radio industry: Sky, Digital Radio Mondiale and mobile. | |
July | WRN launches Sawt Al Alam ("Voice of the World") its Arabic language radio station available to listeners in the Middle East via Arabsat, North Africa via NileSat and Europe via Hot Bird. | |
March |
WRN webcasts four online Interactive Forums with industry practitioners from around the world joining the debates. | |
January | WRN announces the launch of its online Interactive Forums, which will create a roadmap for the future development and strengthening of international radio. | |
2005 | ||
December | WRN passed its first three year re-assessment and retained the prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Standard that provides a national framework for improving business performance and competitiveness. | |
December | WRN's two DRM services start broadcasting. The first is a test and developmenmt licence for London at 26 Mhz and the second is a European service from Bulgaria. | |
November | WRN hosts media forum entitled "International Radio: The Next Generation" in Bratislava, Slovakia which is attended by international public broadcasters from across Europe. | |
September | WRN announces its plans for broadcasts to London and Europe using DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale), the digital AM radio system with near-FM quality sound. The first project will test transmission of DRM at 26MHz in London whilst the second project offers broadcasters European regional DRM coverage. | |
May | WRN starts hosting Virgin Radio Classic Rock on its ‘RADIO' channel on Sky Digital. | |
January | UK Radio Aid, the unique UK radio event that raised money for children affected by the Asian Tsunami, is beamed around the world via satellite by WRN. | |
2004 | ||
October | WRN announces the launch of its latest innovation for radio stations on Sky: "On Air" is described as the UK's first fully serviced radio channel on the Sky digital platform. | |
September | WRN unveils its new corporate identity with a new name, new brand and a new claim to support its expansion plans into new areas of media activity. | |
February | Trans World Radio (TWR), the international Christian broadcaster producing radio programming in more than 180 languages and dialects throughout the world, transfers its satellite services for Sky Digital to the Eurobird satellite via WRN. | |
WRN awarded local AM licence in Moscow by Press and Media Ministry of the Russian Federation. |
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January | Radio Romania International (RRI) Romania's radio voice to the world, concludes an historic agreement with WRN for international distribution. | |
2003 | ||
December | WRN is awarded a prestigious FM licence in Berlin on 97.2 MHz and starts to relay its German language service, WRN Deutsch, to the German capital. | |
August | Radio Korea International, the international radio voice of Korea, marks its 50th anniversary with the inauguration of satellite broadcasts for its daily English, French, German and Russian language programmes via WRN. | |
June | Radio Guangdong, one of the leading radio groups in China, chooses WRN for the international distribution of its weekly new English programme. | |
May | WRN joins the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium with WRN's Chairman Karl Miosga heralding DRM as the way forward for "increased choice in radio listening combined with digital audio quality." | |
January | WRN launches new website. | |
2002 | ||
December | WRN awarded the prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Standard that provides a national framework for improving business performance and competitiveness. |
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February |
WRN's international English language radio service becomes available to Americans on the move via Sirius Satellite Radio. | |
January | WRN's international English language radio service starts broadcasting across North America on Intelsat Americas 5 ku band digital satellite. | |
2001 | ||
December | Overnight service from WRN begins on Spectrum Radio 558AM across London and the South East of England. | |
November | North Dakota Public Radio becomes 50th NPR station to take WRN Overnight service. | |
May | WRN hosts international radio conference in London under title "New Directions for International Broadcasting." | |
April | WRN debuts on WorldSpace's AsiaStar service. | |
2000 | ||
December | WRN Français launches across Europe and Africa. | |
WRN pilots Russian network. | ||
September | WRN launches its radio multiplex on Eutelsat Hotbird 5 giving broadcasters access to the huge European market. | |
June | WRN takes delivery of its Philips DVB multiplex as part of transmission services expansion. | |
May | WRN starts broadcasting on Skydigital to UK and Ireland. | |
1999 | ||
November | WRN starts broadcasting on WorldSpace AfriStar. | |
October | First Birthday of WRN from NPR Overnight - party held at British Embassy in Washington. | |
September | Tim Ashburner, WRN's Director of Technical Operations, wins Engineer of the Year at IBC. | |
1998 | ||
December | WRN's 5th birthday coincides with hosting of its 2nd international radio conference. | |
September | WRN commences the WRN from NPR Overnight service in the USA. | |
WRN awarded Internet Broadcaster of the Year at IBC. | ||
1997 | ||
February | WRN relayed across South Africa via SAfm Overnight. | |
1996 | ||
October | Launch of WRN's Africa/Middle East and Asia Pacific services. | |
1995 | ||
August | WRN German service starts. | |
January | WRN moves to HQ in South-West London. | |
1994 | ||
July | Start of live streaming audio distribution via the Internet. | |
January | WRN begins broadcasting via Galaxy 5 satellite and cable to North America. | |
1993 | ||
October | WRN begins broadcasting via Astra satellite and cable to Europe. | |
1992 | ||
December | Contract with Vatican Radio for satellite distribution. | |
April | Trial transmission of global news and information channel on Astra satellite. | |
March | Plan to start WRN announced to international radio conference in Canada. |