Overview
The ABU's activities include:
- a daily satellite TV news exchange (Asiavision)
- co-production and exchange of programmes
- negotiating rights for major sports events and organising coverage
- technical, programming and management consultancy services
- advising members on copyright and legal matters
- rights-free content acquisition for developing countries
- representing members in international forums
- international frequency planning and coordination
- organising seminars, workshops and training courses
- annual competition for radio and television programmes (ABU Prizes)
- a robot competition for engineering students (Robocon)
- publication of ABU News and Technical Review
- starting 2012: ABU TV and Radio Song Festivals
The ABU works closely with the regional broadcasting unions in other parts of the world on matters of common concern, and with many other international organisations, to exchange information on the latest developments in broadcasting, undertake activities to improve the skills and technologies of its members, and encourage harmonisation of operating and technical broadcasting standards and systems in the region.
The ABU is funded primarily by annual subscriptions from members. The Union has an elected President and three Vice-Presidents, who serve three-year terms. The current President is Yoshinori Imai of NHK-Japan.
The ABU Secretariat is located in Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It has over 30 staff, of whom 12 are broadcast professionals recruited from among the ABU members within the region. The head of the Secretariat is the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly. The current Secretary-General is Dr. Javad Mottaghi.
The Asia-Pacific region is defined in the ABU statutes as countries within areas of Asia and the Pacific that lie substantially between the longitudes of 30 degrees east and 170 degrees west. On the map, this region stretches from Turkey in the west, to Samoa in the east, and from Russia in the north, to New Zealand in the south. All of the ABU's full members operate in this region.
Most of the ABU's associate members are European and North American broadcasters, many of whom have operations in Asia, and pay-TV and cable operators in the Asia-Pacific. Its affiliate members include satellite providers, telcos, production companies, equipment vendors and regulators.
The ABU is the third largest of the world's eight broadcasting unions, but covers the largest geographic area of the world.
Read more about this topic: Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union