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North Korean media claims launch success
North Korea’s state media has claimed success in its attempt to put a satellite in orbit. Here’s the KCNA bulletin that ran just after noon local time: The second version of satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 successfully lifted off from the Sohae Space Center in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province by carrier rocket Unha-3 on Wednesday. The satellite…
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China modernized North Korea’s TV news
The sudden refresh of North Korea’s staid state TV evening news appears be thanks to help from China’s state TV broadcaster. China Central Television, the government-run broadcaster of China, donated 5 million yuan (about US$800,000) of equipment to North Korea’s Korea Central Television to help improve its news broadcasts, according to a Chinese news report. There…
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More on KCTV’s new-look news
More video of the new-look evening news on Korea Central Television has emerged and it reveals the 8pm newscast has a new introduction in addition to new set. Gone is the familiar opening theme replaced by a new theme that is every bit as grand. The opening sequence has also been renewed with more complex…
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KCTV’s evening news gets an update
North Korea’s main evening news bulletin has gotten a visual refresh. The TV program, which ranks as one of the government’s most important tools in information dissemination — both domestically and internationally — has had a few minor updates over the last year but the most recent refresh is perhaps the biggest. The paintings that…
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ABU set to negotiate Olympic TV deal for North Korea
The ability of North Koreans to watch their athletes compete at the 2012 Olympics looks set to be decided this week, just in time for the opening of the games. A official from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), an organization of major broadcasters in the Asia Pacific, is due to travel to Pyongyang to discuss…
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TV presenters have new double-Kim pin
Sometimes it’s the little things that mark larger changes in North Korean society. [This post has been updated, see below] As the nation celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of national founder Kim Il Sung this Sunday, April 15, announcers on state television have begun wearing new pins that have two faces on them.…
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Pyongyang News website offers archived TV news
A website in Japan has begun offering an archive of several days worth of North Korean TV news broadcasts. [Updated: see below] The Pyongyang News website appears to be affiliated with a handful of sites operated by the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (sometimes known as ‘Chosen Soren’ or ‘Chongryon’) (??????????, ??? ??? ????). At…
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KCTV adds computer-generated backdrop to evening news
North Korea’s state broadcaster, Korea Central Television, has given its evening news a new look. The changes are small, but represent a leap forward in presentation style for the staid broadcaster. The new look has news readers presenting items in front of a computer-generated background. A graphic to accompany the story appears above the right…
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China’s CCTV interviews Ri Chun Hui
China Central Television (CCTV) scored something of a scoop on Monday when it interviewed North Korea’s most influential news anchor woman, Ri Chun Hui, as part of its Lunar New Year programming. The piece, which ran on the CCTV news channel, saw the station’s Pyongyang reporter go inside the Korea Central Television news studio to meet…
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Kim Jong Il’s death – monitoring North Korean TV and radio
The news of Kim Jong Il’s death has all eyes focused on the Asian nation. Unlike many other countries, there’s only a handful of official news outlets and getting direct access can be difficult. North Korean TV (KCTV) can be watched live through the Thaicom 5 satellite throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa and some…
