changhong.pdf

CoMpanY report emergency relief
Satellite television
providing information for earthquake Victims
Picture this: A devastating earthquake
has not only taken the lives of countless
people, but has also destroyed much of
the existing infrastructure. All communication
channels relying on cables are
dead, and power outages are the rule
rather than the exception. Yet, this is
a time when those affected are in need
for information and coordination – how
should they deal with the situation, and
where can they turn to for help?
Those scenes may sound like straight
out of a disaster movie, but this is exactly
what happened twice in recent years
to residents of the Sichuan region in
China. The first terrible quake occurred
on 12 May 2008, had a magnitude of 10,
and caused more than 20,000 deaths
near the city of Wen Chuan. A similarly
catastrophic earthquake happened only
very recently, on 20 April 2013 in the
city of Ya An, which is also located in the
province of Sichuan.
In both cases Changhong offered help
and assistance immediately. The company
is one of the largest manufacturers
of TV panels and satellite receivers
and provided complete satellite sets to
those that were hit hardest. But Changhong
did not stop there. According to
a company spokesperson “Changhong
organised an immediate response team
right on the night of the big earthquake
in 2008. The group set off to the city of
Bei Chuan right away, a place that was
almost entirely destroyed. Food, water
and tents were supplied by Changhong.”
Almost all schools in the area
were destroyed as well, which is why
Changhong converted its own training
centre into a makeshift school, so that
kids were able to continue their school
education in the weeks and months that
followed. “Changhong supplied clothing
and food to school students and even
organised teachers until regular schools
were able to open again,” according to
the company spokesperson.
When history repeated itself with a
second devastating earthquake in 2013,
Changhong did not hesitate for a moment
to offer its help and assistance
once again. In addition to humanitarian
aid, the company also provided satellite
equipment. “We shipped satellite
receivers and satellite dishes to the affected
region, as well as TV sets, batteries
and sources of light. This way
people in need were able to watch the
news on satellite channels to find out
■
Changhong staff
have decided to
immediately offer help
to the victims of the
Sichuan earthquakes.
what’s going on around them.”
It is extreme situations like the two
Sichuan earthquakes that lend living
proof to the importance of satellite
communication. Fixed-line infrastructure
was destroyed or at least out of
work, while those affected could
still turn to their satellite reception
systems to watch
the news and – more importantly
– find out about
help and relief available
to them from various
organisations and initiatives.
Changhong
offered valuable relief to people in need
and demonstrated yet again that satellite
technology, in particular, has countless
benefits that are all too frequently
swept under
the carpet.
ë
Mianyang, Sichuan
198 TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 09-10/2013 — www.TELE-audiovision.com www.TELE-audiovision.com — 09-10/2013 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志 199