[September 28, 2009] AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, media and advertising briefs Tweet Sep 28, 2009 (AME Info - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- TWOFOUR54 INTAJ LAUNCHES NEW PRODUCTION FACILITES: The Abu Dhabi-based content creation community, Twofour54, has announced the launch of Twofour54 Intaj, production and post-production facilities, media asset management, digital archiving, playout and broadcast services. Twofour54 Intaj offers five high definition (HD) production studios equipped to support production in a range of fields. The production facilities are complemented by 22 fully equipped post-production suites including audio, video, graphics and high-end finishing as well as media asset management and full broadcast services including play-out, satellite uplink and downlink. ART TO CANCEL IRDETO BOXES: The largest Middle East pay-TV platform, Arab Radio & Television (ART), is in the process of switching from Irdeto to Viaccess conditional access in an attempt to curb local piracy. The broadcaster will begin the switch-out of its Irdeto encryption on June 1 next year, just days ahead of the important 2010 FIFA World Cup football tournament. However, ART's subscriber services company (MultiChoice Middle East) has said it will continue to simulcrypt Irdeto conditional access for the foreseeable future, and aims to see 95 percent of its audience to have new Viaccess boxes before any final Irdeto switch-off is concerned. KUWAIT BLOCKS TERRORIST WEBSITES: Kuwait's communications ministry has blocked a number of internet blogs and websites with links to terror cells and groups, Kuwait Times has reported. The ministry has also blocked sites deemed offensive to God and the Amir and which undermined what it called national unity, in addition to sites promoting pornography. AL HILAL GROUP OPENS OFFICE IN ABU DHABI: Bahrain-based media group Al Hilal has expanded its operations in the UAE with the opening of a new office in Abu Dhabi Media Zone, twofour54. The office will be headed by Simon O'Herlihy, who has previously worked with Al Hilal Group and Motivate Publishing. To see more of AME Info, go to http://www.ameinfo.com. Copyright (c) 2009, AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]