Acclaimed Chicago vocalist and songwriter Dee Alexander has joined the growing band of international artists who have discovered the joy of singing with a DPA d:facto Vocal Microphone.

Ms Alexander was encouraged to try DPA’s d:facto hand-held vocal microphone at the Umbria Winter Jazz festival, which took place in Orvieto, Italy in December 2012.

“I’m always willing to try something new. I was introduced to the d:facto during sound checks for the festival and wasn’t at all nervous about giving it a go,� she says. “I was impressed with its sleek look, the way it felt in my hand and the natural pure sound quality that allowed me to vocalize with ease and comfort. It was like tasting something sweet for the first time!�

Salvatore Zocco, product manager at DPA’s Italian distributor Casale Bauer, says: “Gianni Grassilli, whose PA rental company provided equipment and FOH sound engineers for the festival, has long been a fan of DPA microphones and was keen to try the new d:facto vocal microphone on a major project. We provided him with a couple of microphones and he encouraged the artists to use them and give feedback. Dee, who was one of the festival’s headline acts, really embraced the microphone and found it perfectly suited to her technique. On some occasions she was almost three feet away from the microphone, yet it still captured the dynamics of her performance and the amazing precision of her vocals.�

Although Dee Alexander’s talents span every music genre, from Gospel and R&B through to Blues to Neo-Soul, her real love is Jazz, which she delivers with a style and passion that is truly her own. Besides being a phenomenal headliner in her own right, Ms Alexander has performed as the opening act for many of her musical peers, including David Sanborn, Earl Klugh, Gerald Albright, Roy Ayers, Joshua Redman, and the O’Jays.

Dee Alexander’s Evolution Ensemble completed a CD entitled Sketches of Light, which was recorded and produced by Umbria Jazz. She is now working on a project focusing on classic songs by artists such as Gloria Lynn, Sarah Vaughan, and Nancy Wilson.

“I used the DPA d:facto for all of my performances in Orvieto and loved it,� she adds. “I can’t thank Gianni enough for introducing me to the d:facto. It captured the essence, quality and natural sound of my voice and I did not have to work hard at all. It truly is a microphone of excellence.�

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Editors’ information:
DPA Microphones is the leading Danish Professional Audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments. All DPA microphones and components are manufactured at the company’s purpose-built factory in Denmark.
For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com

Spain’s national broadcaster TVE has made a significant investment in Jünger Audio’s loudness control technology, which it is using to normalize the audio across a number of its television channels.

TVE has been using Jünger Audio technology since 2003, but during 2012 it actively embraced High Definition broadcasting and as a result upgraded its Jünger Audio B40 and B46 processors to incorporate SDI boards, thus making them more compatible with its existing Dolby products.

TVE has also invested in an additional nine Jünger Audio frame-based C8000 systems, bringing the total number of C8000 systems in use at its broadcast facilities to 35.

The new equipment is primarily being used for play-out and for the editors’ rooms at TVE’s Torrespaña broadcast tower in Barcelona. A number of systems have also been installed in TVE’s production centre in San Cugat del Vallés, Barcelona.

Alberto Palazón, commercial manager at Jünger Audio’s Spanish distributor ASPA, which supplied and installed the new equipment, says: “TVE initially chose Jünger Audio equipment because it was looking for a transparent processor that could normalize audio across various channels without compressing the signal or distorting the sound. Jünger Audio’s LEVEL MAGIC™-based C8000 system proved to be the ideal solution as it didn’t alter the original sound of the audio in any way.

Palazón adds that, with audio coming in from many different sources, TVE also wanted a system that would make it easy to decode and encode Dolby signals and reposition their audio content into their SDI signal path.

“The Jünger Audio equipment has achieved the results they were looking for and they can now reorder audio, regardless of whether the original source was mono, stereo or 5.1 surround sound,� he says.

Paloma Sampedro, head of TVE’s audiovisual production unit, adds: “We are very happy with the Jünger Audio C8000 systems and with the upgrades we have made to our B40 and B46 units. With Jünger Audio, we now have a complete solution that allows us to decode SDI signals, process audio and sum and code again. This is a great solution and one that is incredibly easy to use. Jünger Audio’s Loudness control technology is very stable and delivers high quality audio. These factors, combined with the support we have received from ASPA, made our decision to invest in more processors an easy one to make.�

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About Jünger Audio
Established in Berlin in 1990, Jünger Audio specialises in the design and manufacture of high-quality digital audio dynamics processors. It has developed a unique range of digital processors that are designed to meet the demands of the professional audio market. All of its products are easy to operate and are developed and manufactured in-house, ensuring that the highest standards are maintained throughout. Its customers include many of the world’s top radio and TV broadcasters, IPTV providers, music recording studios and audio post production facilities. www.junger-audio.com

DPA Microphones were present in abundance at the Gran Rex Theatre in Buenos Aires when world-renowned keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman played two concerts featuring his best-selling albums Journey to the Centre of the Earth and The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

The concerts were the culmination of a South American tour that also included six band-only shows in Brazil, Chile and Argentina. The final two sell-out concerts in Buenos Aires involved two different full orchestral shows, complete with a five-piece rock band, a choir, narration and solo singers.

Front of House sound engineer and co-production manager Ian Barfoot, who has worked with Rich Wakeman on numerous occasions since 1985, was given the task of specifying the audio equipment for the tour.

“The two orchestral concerts in Buenos Aires involved more than 90 channels, of which more a third used DPA microphones,â€� Ian Barfoot says. “Although some of the equipment I wanted was not available in South America, I did insist on DPA microphones, especially for the orchestra. I used DPA IMK4060 Instrument Microphones for the harp and all the high strings such as violas and violins, while for the cello and bass we used DPA d:voteâ„¢ 4099 Instrument Microphones. We needed so many – over 30 in total – that we couldn’t source them all locally and had to ship the majority of them with us from the UK.â€�

For this tour, Barfoot and his co-production manager Erik Jordan also specified DPA’s d:facto™ Vocal Microphone, which was used by the two main vocalists Ashley Holt and Cecilia Barba.

“The DPA d:facto Vocal Microphones were supplied by DPA’s UK distributor Sound Network, who I often work with and always get great service from,� Barfoot says. “The d:factos were simply great and didn’t give us a moment’s trouble. They are very honest microphones and, to my ears, quite uncoloured. They don’t suffer from proximity effect and they coped just as well with the restrained orchestral shows as they did with the full-on band shows, which were very old school Rock and Roll. Once the monitor engineers got used to them, they were more than happy to use them in stage wedges. During the last two orchestral shows the delicate and highly accurate nature of the microphones could be fully appreciated by the singers and the band as, to assist me, they switched to In Ear Monitoring to keep the stage levels down to a minimum.�

Barfoot adds that Rick Wakeman’s long-time vocalist Ashley Holt was especially pleased with the DPA d:facto’s performance.

“He was a little reluctant to use one at first because it was ‘different’ and not what he was ‘used to’, but after a couple of rehearsals he became a firm fan and I think he was hoping that Santa Claus would deliver one to him on Christmas morning.�

As a firm fan of DPA microphones, Ian Barfoot says he always insists on having a good selection available for every show he does because they consistently deliver a great sound and are also incredibly durable, especially on tour.

“In an ideal world I would have liked a few DPA 2011 twin diaphragm cardioid microphones to scatter around these orchestral shows, but as I couldn’t source them locally we managed with what we had,� he says. “Making sure the strings are properly covered is always my main concern with orchestral shows, but as we were using DPA IMK 4060s on those I knew I wouldn’t have any problems.�

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Editors’ information:
DPA Microphones is the leading Danish Professional Audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments. All DPA microphones and components are manufactured at the company’s purpose-built factory in Denmark.
For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com

DPA Microphones played an integral part in recording the audio for the film version of the hit musical Les Miserables, which features an all-star cast including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Samantha Barks and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Nominated for nine BAFTA Awards, including one for Sound, Les Miserables used an innovative technique that involved recording vocals live on set with the cast singing to a live piano accompaniment played to them through earpieces. The orchestra was recorded later in post-production, with the musicians taking their lead from the performances of the cast.

This break with tradition enabled the director Tom Hooper to create a truly emotive experience for audiences watching the film. Production Sound Mixer Simon Hayes, who was responsible for capturing the film’s entire audio content, says it was a truly unique way of working and one that would not have been possible without exceptional microphones, in particular DPA 4071 lavalier microphones.

�When judging different lavaliers I had always considered the differences in sound between various brands of lavalier to be a matter of taste rather than a clear cut situation of one brand being superior,� Hayes says. �That was until I listened to a DPA up against the competition. In my opinion the DPA is better, more open sounding, less chesty and sounds more like a boom mic than any other lavaliers I have heard.�

Hayes had 50 DPA 4071 lavalier microphones at his disposal during the filming of Les Miserables, all of which were supplied by Richmond Films in conjunction with DPA’s UK distributor Sound Network.

“Normally when I am recording a film I prioritise boom mics, especially if the scene is being shot with a single camera. But with Les Miserables, Tom wanted all the angles covered from all sides to capture the perfect performance. This meant we couldn’t rely so heavily on the booms because the wider angle coverage would stop them getting close enough. Our solution was to come at the recording from a different angle and make lavalier microphones our priority.�

Abbey Road engineers checked the sound quality of the DPA 4071 lavaliers to make sure they were the best choice for vocals. Hayes says they were impressed with the results.

“We tested various models and found the DPAs were clearly the best. In fact nothing else came close. The sound quality, frequency response and dynamic range were easily good enough to master and they were able to handle very high SPL levels from vocals without sounding harsh as they approach their maximum SPL. I have never heard a vocal make them square off, yet such is their dynamic range and sensitivity that they can faithfully reproduce even the smallest ‘breathed’ vocal.â€�

With Abbey Road happy with his choice of lavalier, Simon Hayes’ next task was finding a way of using them that gave the best sound but still allowed them to remain invisible to audiences.

“We collaborated with the costume designers to conceal cables within the clothes and to disguise microphones that were positioned on the outside of the costumes,� he says. “DPA’s mini concealers allowed us to mount them perfectly so they were virtually undetectable. This solved the problem of clothing rustle and, on the rare occasions when they were in shot, we were able to paint them out afterward using post production techniques.�

Le Miserables took 15 weeks to shoot and an additional seven weeks were spent rehearsing with all the actors miked up so that the audio could be sent to Abbey Road for feedback. Simon Hayes says he is delighted with the sound and believes what was achieved wouldn’t have been possible without the DPA lavaliers.

“They are the only lavaliers that could cope with what we were trying to do,� he says. “Apart from their exceptional audio quality and dynamic range, they were also incredibly durable and gave us no problems, not even when we got them soaking wet during the scenes we shot in the rain. We simply swapped them around and dried them out with a hair drier before using them for the next take.

“Normally I record dialogue, not music, so this was a very different kind of project for me, but I absolutely loved it. Lots of people thought what we did wouldn’t be possible, but we pulled it off and I am very proud of what we achieved.�

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Editors’ information:
DPA Microphones is the leading Danish Professional Audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments. All DPA microphones and components are manufactured at the company’s purpose-built factory in Denmark.
For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com

DK-Technologies has appointed Uffe Kjems Hansen to the position of Product Marketing Director, with responsibility for promoting the company’s entire range of audio and video metering and monitoring products, including the award-winning DK Meter family.

Kjems Hansen joins DK-Technologies from digital processing manufacturer TC Electronic, where he held a number of positions over a 17 year period, culminating in Vice President, Business Management and Marketing. As a key member of TC Electronic’s management group he was instrumental in driving the company’s international growth through market and product focus, aligned with strategic marketing and communication.

Karsten Hansen, CEO of DK-Technologies, says: “Uffe has extensive business experience and this, combined with his in-depth knowledge of our industry, makes him the ideal person to assist DK-Technologies with its future growth strategy. He joins the company at an exciting time as we push forward with the development of our DK Meter family – a range of audio and loudness metering products that have been exceptionally well received by broadcasters and post production facilities.�

Uffe Kjems Hansen adds: “DK-Technology has always been synonymous with extreme accuracy and high quality products. The addition of the DK Meter family to the product range expands the company’s reach significantly and I am very excited to be joining at a time of great potential growth. I look forward to working with the DK-Technology team to take the company to the next level.�

Kjems Hansen will work alongside Jacob Hänel Christensen, who was appointed as Sales Director of DK-Technologies in September 2012. They jointly replace Richard Kelley, who has left the company to pursue new business opportunities in the broadcast and telecommunications field.

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About DK-Technologies
DK-Technologies develops and produces audio meters, video sync and test signal generators, as well as video waveform monitors and colour analysers both for LCD and CRT monitors. Alongside its worldwide distributor network, DK-Technologies also operates branch offices in Denmark, Germany, UK and USA. www.dk-technologies.com

DPA Microphones has expanded the remit of its Spanish distributor SeeSound to encompass Portugal. The change, which came into effect on January 1st 2013, will ensure that Portuguese customers now benefit from SeeSound’s renowned service and technical support.

Susanne Seidel, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for DPA Microphones, says: �SeeSound has had great success with the DPA brand in Spain and we are delighted to be extending this relationship to cover Portugal. SeeSound offers a solution portfolio for the audio industry and is highly pro active at driving activities such as product roadshows, product seminars and training sessions. This expansion of our sales network will significantly stengthen DPA’s position and development in the Portuguese market place and provide excellent customer service and support to our existing and passionate DPA customer base.�

Nacho Alberdi, CEO of SeeSound says: “We are very happy to expand our relationship with DPA by covering Portugal. We have been very successful in Spain representing DPA and we now see a lot of potential for their equipment in this new market.�

Established in 2004, SeeSound is a dedicated pro audio distribution company that provides complete technical solutions to the pro audio, installation and live sound markets. Based in Barcelona, SeeSound has a Sales Department staffed by a team of specialist with extensive industry experience, a cutting-edge R&D Department consisting of several engineers, and a strong administration and logistics department.

The company’s main driving force is to offer its customers the best advice, service and technical support together with the best brand portfolio. It views DPA as an integral part of its offering because the company’s products fit SeeSound’s philosophy of only delivering the highest quality audio equipment.

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Editors’ information:
DPA Microphones is the leading Danish Professional Audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments. All DPA microphones and components are manufactured at the company’s purpose-built factory in Denmark.
For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com

<img src="http://blog.svconline.com/briefingroom/wp-content/uploads/2013/01%2

Recording at high altitudes is not something most sound engineers tackle every day, so when Danish producer and engineer Hans Nielsen, of Focus Recording Studios, was asked to record a choir of 500 monks in a Chinese temple that was over 4,000 meters above sea level, he knew he would need a very resilient microphone to cope with the challenging conditions.

“I’ve always been a big fan of DPA Microphones and have used them regularly for over 25 years,� Nielsen says. “When I realised this project involved recording at high altitude I knew I had to take my DPA microphones with me because they were the only mics I could rely on to capture the high quality sound I wanted in such extreme conditions.�

Hans Nielsen was recording the album with internationally acclaimed folk singer and song writer Sa Ding Ding. A mix of Han and Mongol ancestry, Sa Ding Ding sings in a number of languages including Mandarin, Sanskrit and Tibetan, as well as an imaginary self-created language that evokes the emotions of her songs. She also plays traditional instruments such as the guzheng and matougin (a horse-head fiddle).

“Sa Ding Ding wanted to include the Monk’s choir in her album, so we travelled to the temple, which was high up in the mountains near Tibet,� Nielsen says. “The monks were singing a mass and we captured their performance using nine DPA 4006A omnidirectional microphones and one DPA 4011A cardioid. Then, later that night, we used the same microphones to record a choir of 100 monks so that their singing could also be incorporated into two of Sa Ding Ding’s album tracks.�

Two days later, and this time at an altitude of 2,000 meters, Nielsen recorded a 50-strong Christian choir for the album, again using DPA microphones.

Nielsen says he chose the DPA 4006A and 4011A microphones because he was confident they could deliver the impeccable sound he was looking for.

“I did have other microphones with me but only the DPAs were able to cope with the extremely thin air. Everything else I tried was just too noisy and couldn’t cope with the atmospheric conditions. I was incredibly happy with the results we achieved using the DPA microphones – and so was Sa Ding Ding.�

Nielsen completed the album in Beijing, recording some traditional Chinese instruments as well as Sa Ding Ding’s lead vocals. The final mix took place in London and the album, which is entitled The Coming Ones, has now been released in Asia by Universal Records.

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Editors’ information:
DPA Microphones is the leading Danish Professional Audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments. All DPA microphones and components are manufactured at the company’s purpose-built factory in Denmark.
For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com

DPA Microphones’ new hand-held d:facto™ Vocal Microphone delivered fantastic results for Sting, who used four of them on his recent Back to Bass tour throughout Europe and the Far East.

Sting’s front of house engineer Howard Page says: “The d:facto’s definition and clarity was a huge update on our Sting shows and worked just as well for the in-ear monitors that Sting listened to. It is an absolutely unique microphone that has an amazing transient response and just the right amount of proximity without the normal problems of on/off tonal differences.�

Page, senior director of engineering at Clair Brothers in the USA, was recommended the DPA d:facto Vocal Microphone by recording engineer Donal Hodgson, who had been using it with great success to record Sting in the studio.

“Donal knew that I had been looking for a later technology microphone for Sting on our live shows,� Page says. “If Donal was happy with it in the exacting environment of a recording studio, then I knew I certainly would be as well.�

Sting’s long working relationship with Howard Page meant that he was also happy to try the d:facto in a live environment. “Sting and I have a very good relationship and he trusts me on all things audio, so when I asked him to try the d:facto he was more than willing to go with it,� Page says.

Four DPA d:factos were ordered from DPA’s UK distributor Sound Network and these were delivered to Clair’s European office in plenty of time to be included in the equipment packages for the tour. Sting has ‘A’ and ‘B’ simultaneously touring systems, each containing two d:factos – one as the main microphone and one for back up.

“We did shows in France, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Lebanon, Korea, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta, so it was a huge amount of travelling,� Page says. “On this most recent leg of the tour I have been in some venues with real long reverb times and the d:facto just cuts through perfectly without losing the tight, natural (real!) full range tone I need for Sting’s voice.�

Page adds that even without Donal Hodgson’s recommendation, he would have been happy to try the DPA d:facto Vocal Microphone because he has previously had such good experiences with DPA technology.

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Editors’ information:
DPA Microphones is the leading Danish Professional Audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments. All DPA microphones and components are manufactured at the company’s purpose-built factory in Denmark.
For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com

Salam Media Cast (SMC), the region’s leading Media Systems Integration company, has announced two further appointments at its Doha headquarters. The appointments will help further strengthen SMC’s capabilities in the region.

Joining the company as Sales Manager is Roger Barton and Janez Žigon joins as Head of Technical Services. Roger and Janez both join a diverse international team that is rapidly expanding across the region, with offices in Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In August 2012 SMC opened its first European headquarters in London.

Paul Hennessy, CEO of SMC, said: “SMC is strengthening its businesses locally and internationally. We are focusing on the development of our team, acquiring international talent to deliver the highest quality customer experience possible. We are delighted to welcome Roger and Janez to the team at this exciting time, as we embark on our next stages of growth.�

Roger will help cement Salam Media Cast’s reputation as the go-to SI in the MENA region, leading an experienced sales team to deliver customers with the latest solutions, innovative products and services. He joins SMC following a successful career spanning more than 20 years, including five spent in the Middle East. He previously worked at twofour54 Intaj, Abu Dhabi, and Q2 Arabia, Dubai. Roger’s previous career highlights include launching from concept Adstream in the Middle East and heading up Adstream Broadcast Services in the UK.

Roger comments: “It’s exciting times ahead for Qatar and the region, with the FIFA World Cup
2022 and the Qatar 2030 Vision. As a Qatari owned company, it’s extremely important that we do our part to contribute to the future growth of Qatar and I’m very much looking forward to leading the opportunities that exist and helping to develop the Salam Media Cast business.�

Janez joins SMC with 20 years of experience in broadcast systems integrations as Managing Director of Pro Motions in Slovenia. He has spent the last three years in Hong Kong, where he was responsible for media innovations across 14 European territories as Regional Sales Manager for Lighthouse Technologies. In his role at SMC, Janez will manage operations from a technical perspective from bid creation to execution and maintenance.

Janez comments: “I’m looking forward to working as part of an exceptional team in Doha with an organisation that has established a strong regional presence and reputation. I hope to transfer my international expertise to my new role and help further SMC’s technical capabilities, fostering a real technical team that will ultimately increase revenues.�

SMC has over 35 years’ experience of systems integration in the Gulf region. The company represents many worldwide manufacturers such as Avid Technology, Quantel, SeaChange, Leitch, Vinten Broadcast Ltd, Telestream, Vizrt and EVS Broadcasting. It also serves TV channels and networks, movie studios and network operators in the region, providing telecommunications, broadcasting, integrated systems and state-of-the-art security.

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About Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad & Sons Group Holdings

Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad & Sons Group Holdings (GSSG) was founded by Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad in 1993 and incorporated in 2007. Today it is one of Qatar’s most successful private sector business groups, making a major contribution to the country’s economic growth.
GSSG has enjoyed steady growth and success in many fields and industries locally and international. GSSG’s diverse portfolio gives it strength and enables its companies within the group to maximise global business opportunities wherever and whenever they arise.
The founder, Mr. Ghanim bin Saad al Saad, has enabled the group to grow to over 40 companies around the world. As an inspirational business leader, he has steered the group to achieve its success in industries that include aviation, maritime, automobiles, oil & gas, real estate, manufacturing, contracting and trading, finance & asset management, engineering, education, fitness, hotels, hospitality and fashion, information technology and telecommunications.
In addition to its corporate headquarters in Doha, GSSG also has five international offices located in London, Zurich, Cairo, Singapore and Dubai.
www.gssg.com

Salam Media Cast (SMC)
Salam Media Cast is a proven Media Broadcast and Communications Technologies solutions provider, serving the Media, Telecommunications, Security, Education, Hospitality and advertising industries in the Gulf region for nearly 40 years. In 2010, SMC joined GSSG Holdings as part of its Media Group, with offices in Qatar, UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
Salam Media Cast pioneers not only in equipping professional television stations and studios, master control rooms, newsrooms, concert stages and theatres providing light and sound technology, but also equips whole multivendor environments. SMC provides solutions from safeguarding national security such as in government operations, creating the best venues for education such as museums and classrooms, enhancing sports environments and revolutionizing health facilities and satellite telecommunications.
To support the workflow and innovation demands of our valued customers, we have recently expanded our team with new local and international talent. We use our expertise to help realise your goals and ambitions – we listen, advise, design and build great workflows that work for you. Our ambition is to be your trusted partner in the Gulf region.
www.salammediacast.com