ITV

Category: MAM

  • Idea Cellular launches Easy Mail

    Idea Cellular launches Easy Mail

    UMBAI: IDEA Cellular Ltd an Aditya Birla Group cellular company, has announced the launch of simple to use push based e-mail service called Easy Mail.

    This personalised email solution targets all customers who have GPRS enabled handsets. Its a clientless service with which any individual or enterprise subscriber can access emails as an MMS on their handset anytime anywhere, asserts an official release.

    With Easy Mail, any IDEA GPRS subscriber can access his personal emails with all features like reply, forward with free POP3 access and no hassles on infringement of security. The service can be customised to receive emails from select recipients only.

    Commenting on innovation Idea Cellular Ltd chief marketing officer Pradeep Shrivastava said, “Easy mail is an exciting product for those of us who wish to remain accessible on the move. The product does indeed redefine email access and provides an easy to use interface for every IDEA GPRS user. I am certain that Easy Mail will prove beneficial especially to our small and medium enterprise customers.”

    Easy Mail has been priced at Rs 3 for all outgoing emails and Rs 1 for incoming emails. To get started, all a customer needs to do is to type an MMS ‘GET’ and send it to 2222. All MMS’s sent and received from 2222 will be toll free.

    Easy Mail’s helpful features include several simple to use commands:

    – HELP: Provides help on commands and their use.

    – STOP: Temporarily stops all e-mail from being pushed to the mobile phone

    – START: Resumes e-mail push

    – ALIAS: Creates a personalised e-mail address for your mobile number

    – FROM: Sets the name and address that appear on your outgoing mails.

    – SET: Generates a WAP push to view and configure your settings

    Idea also offers other push based e-mail services like Idea Mail, targeting business users using any range of the Symbian and Windows enabled mobile devices with GPRS connectivity. This service offers true push technology with real-time synchronisation of mail on mobile devices with the corporate email server, adds the release.

  • NT Media to distribute its music on eMusic

    NT Media to distribute its music on eMusic

    MUMBAI: NT Media Corp, a media and entertainment company, has announced that it has signed an agreement to distribute its music on eMusic, the retailer of independent music and numerous other digital music stores, including mobile platforms and subscription services.

    NT Media Corp. announced the launch of its Music Division in September 2006 and recently announced the signing of Mikey Mo the MC. He is scheduled to be the first of NT Media’s music artists to be distributed on eMusic, asserts an official release.

    NT Media Corp. CEO Ali Moussavi said, “When we launched our music division, we made the decision to focus on digital distribution. We are very excited to have our first artist to be distributed on eMusic.”

    The distribution deal with eMusic is through a collaborative distribution agreement with shelter from the storm records and includes numerous internet destinations and mobile download platforms, adds the release.

  • Rediff.com acquires minority stake in Tachyon Technologies

    Rediff.com acquires minority stake in Tachyon Technologies

    MUMBAI: Rediff.com India Ltd. has acquired a minority stake in Tachyon Technologies, a Bangalore-based software company for an undisclosed sum.

    This is part of Rediff’s strategy to invest in start-up companies with innovative technologies.

    Says Rediff.com chief executive officer and founder Ajit Balakrishnan, “we aspire to encourage promising start-ups to develop innovative world class products that support our business. As a part of such efforts, we are delighted to have an opportunity to invest in a promising start-up company, such as Tachyon Technologies.”

    Adds Rediff.com chief technology officer Venki Nishtala added “The predictive text input technology developed by Tachyon is based on sophisticated machine learning techniques and is an improvement on simple phonetic maps and specialized language keyboards, thus enabling millions of Indians to benefit from the internet.”

    Tachyon Technologies has built a product named Quillpad, which enables users to type in English alphabets to input words in other languages (in the respective scripts) with ease on the basis of phonetics, allowing them to communicate in their language of choice. Rediff.com has adopted this technology in its Rediffmail email and Rediff Bol messenger service.

    Commenting on the Rediff’s investment in Tachyon, Tachyon Technologies CEO Ram Prakash has this to say:”Rediff.com’s investment in Tachyon Technologies should provide us with the capital we need to enhance our development infrastructure. Hopefully, this will help us to realise our ultimate goal of developing great products.”

  • Microsoft’s Xbox adds ‘Gears of Wars’ and ‘Viva Pinata’ to its gaming titles

    Microsoft’s Xbox adds ‘Gears of Wars’ and ‘Viva Pinata’ to its gaming titles

    MUMBAI: Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division has announced the launch of Gears of Wars (GoW) and Viva Pinata for their next generation gaming console Xbox 360.

    The launch was complimented by the announcement of some of the forthcoming gaming titles Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, Lost Planet, Superman Returns, Call of Duty 3 on Xbox 360.

    Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division country manager Mohit Anand said, “We are delighted to bring to our Indian gaming enthusiast’s the two biggest and most anticipated games Gears of War and an unusual game about habitat, Viva Pinata from Xbox 360. GoW is one of the best games visually available on Xbox 360 and one of the finest games available on any platform today. Viva Pinata, on the other hand is more of a family game where gamers have to turn a misused plot of land into a beautiful garden overcoming various challenges. Xbox 360 today has over 35 titles of different genres available and will additionally be releasing more innovative and enthralling games for the gaming enthusiasts in times to come.”

    The titles will be priced at Rs. 2,510 each and will be available to gamers through Microsoft’s network of resellers across major cities in the country.

    An official release issued by the company stated that Gears of War sold about 1 million copies worldwide within two weeks of its launch and has been the fastest selling game on Xbox 360 in 2006 and ever on Xbox 360 platform. It is a third-person tactical action/horror game and is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.

    GOW thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet and utilizes the breathtaking new Unreal Engine 3 to create cinematic, beautifully rendered interactive environments with high-definition visuals for a gaming experience that truly ushers in the next-generation.

    Viva Piñata is created by video game developer Rare Ltd. and Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.Viva Piñata invites game-players to escape to Piñata Island, where wild-roaming, living piñata animals are looking for a home. Viva Piñata from Rare and Microsoft Game Studios is rated “E” for Everyone and is available exclusively on Xbox 360.

  • Google, Baidu look to create online video solution in China

    Google, Baidu look to create online video solution in China

    MUMBAI: The world’s most valuable media firm Google is competing with rival Baidu.com to find China’s answer to global online video social site YouTube.

    Both the companies are looking to develop online video services in China.

    Media reports indicate that the two firms have independently had early discussions with some local video Web sites for potential business cooperation or possible acquisitions.

    However, neither Internet giant has secured a specific target yet.

    Google has two options. It could just translate its YouTube site into Chinese or build up a brand new ‘YouTube China’, possibly through the acquisition of a local video-sharing Web site.

  • Nokia, IMI join hands for Legends Of India offering

    Nokia, IMI join hands for Legends Of India offering

    MUMBAI: Mobile communications service provider Nokia has announced a tie up between its sub multimedia brand Nokia Nseries and the Indian Music Industry (IMI) for a music offering Legends of India. This will be preloaded into the Nseries music edition devices (Nokia N91, N73 and N70).

    100 digital rights management *DRM(compliant songs will be provided of over 10 music greats including Jagjit Singh. The genres range from film music to ghazals, devotional songs and remixes. Nokia India di4rector multimedia Vineet Taneja says, “The new initiative will enable us to deliver a premium music experience to our consumers. Music forms a core part of Nokia Nseries’ value proposition and consumers can now listen to their favourite artistes on the go anywhere at the click of a button.

    “We are confident that our new initiative will contribute towards promoting he music eco-system at large and help the music industry regularise the distribution of legal music content. Mobile music is expected to breathe new life into the country’s music industry, which has shrunk from Rs. 1400 crore to Rs.1000 crore in the last four years. Globally mobile music is 10 times larger than iTunes and four times bigger than gaming.”

    Nokia Nseries devices comply with the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) 2.0 DRM Standard and as a part of Nokia Nseries mobile strategy to safeguard the interests of consumers and the industry at large. Nokia Nseries has entered into agreements with d8iffernt firms to provide music solutions on its music devices. OMA 2.0 the firm says is customisable, allowing rights and usage rules to vary based on the content owners requirements.

    Artists present on the album include Jagjit Singh, Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar, A.R. Rehman, R.D.Burman. IMI chairman Subroto Chatopadhyay says, “We are pleased to partner with Nokia Nseries and would like to thank them for coming forward with this value proposition for the Indian music industry. Music piracy is a growing menace in most markets including India and has grown at an alarming 5rate of 58 per cent in 2005. Our partnership with Nokia Nseries will go a long way in creating a new revenue stream for the industry at large as well as helping curb illegal distribution of music content.”

    Tips, SaReGama India, and Universal Music and the record firms that have associated themselves in the deal. Taneja adds, “Music on the move plays a key role in enhancing a consumers mobile exoperi9ence and we have endeavoured to offer customers a superior music experience. For instance every Nokia Nseries multimedia device incorporates a music player, high memory capacity and an FM radio. All Nokia Nseries support a wide range of digital music formats including MP3, M4A, AAC and WMA. This allows consumers to interact with their favourite radio station using visual radio.

    “With Nokia Nseries users can instantly find and purchase music over the air and download it on their devices from various music stores. They can also simply drag and drop their personal music collections from the computer to their Nokia Nseries device. They can also synchronise their recent music purchases with their computer.”

    He adds that WiFi enabled Nokia Nseries devices also extend podcasting applications. This allows users to find, subscribe to and download podcasts over the air. For the uninitiated podcasts are digital audio files that can be downloaded and played on mobile devices and computers. Nokia has collaborated with Bose, JBL and Sennheiser for an optimised music experience. Next year Nokia globally will launch the Nokia music experience. This will give consumers devices, applications and the possibility to purchase music in one place.

    Taneja adds that Nokia has partnered with HP, Hutch and Radio Mirchi to provide visual radio. He says that globally mobile music will provide a more effective marketing channel than the traditional physical distribution of CD singles. However innovative distribution models are needed to accelerate consumer adoption. The US of course is one of the biggest markets for digital music services with over 18 per cent of fans willing to pay $15 for downloads.

    Mobile music is expected to generate revenues of $ 6 billion this year globally. 29 per cent of US consumers own portable music players and 16 per cent are willing to purchase online music. Mobile music is expected to contribute 23 per cent of the Indian music industry’s revenues by 2010. Right now traditional channels contribute 92 per cent to the Indian music industry’s revenues. Today ringtones form a large chink of the mobile music market. There are 70,000-80,000 ringtone downloads each day.

    Music companies pocket 25 per cent of the revenue that each download generates. 45 per cent goes to the mobile operator. 15 per cent goes to the government. Three per cent goes to the creators of the ringtones. 12 per cent goes to the mobile service providers. Young, single male consumers use digital music the most.

  • FremantleMedia sells shows to Asian channels at ATF

    FremantleMedia sells shows to Asian channels at ATF

    MUMBAI: Following its attendance at the recently concluded Asia Television Forum (ATF), television format creator and distributor FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced a number of deals concluded at the recent market in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

    In the Philippines celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s shows were sold. Jamie’s Kitchen, Jamie’s Great Italian Escape and Oliver’s Twist were sold to ABS-CBN’s Lifestyle Network, marking the first time that Jamie will appear on a Filipino network. Jamie’s shows form part of a larger lifestyle package sold to ABS-CBN, which includes a range of other programmes from FremantleMedia Enterprises’ star-studded line up.

    FME VP, sales, Asia Pacific Paul Ridley tied up a deal seeing a package of entertainment, factual, reality and drama programming going to Onmedia a pay TV operator in Korea. The package includes American Idol, Project Runway, Jamie At Home, Jamie’s Return to School Dinners, The Apprentice, Martha, How Clean Is Your House, Property Ladder, Falcon Beach, The Janice Dickinson Modelling Agency.

    In Malaysia the focus was on reality, where broadcaster Media Prima acquired some of the biggest US ratings hits including American Idol, The Apprentice, Project Runway and American Inventor.

    Tying up the deals concluded at the ATF is the raft of programming on its way to Mediacorp TV in Singapore, which acquired a mix of reality and factual programmes, with programmes such as Project Runway, American Idol, The Apprentice, Prehistoric Park, Bills Food, and Jamie at Home heading to Singaporean screens.

    FME CEO David Ellender commented, “Such an impressive list of sales is a credit to both Paul and Ganesh, whose commitment to building and fostering key relationships in the Asia Pacific region is reapinggreat benefits for FME, both in terms of sales and development. After such a successful ATF, we now look forward to continuing that momentum as we look towards Natpe and beyond into 2007.”

  • Comprehensive law to impose on exaggeration advertisements









    MUMBAI:Some instances of exaggeration in advertisement of many products, which do not really reveal the potential of their products, have been brought to the notice of the Government.



    With a view to look into the violations of the Programme and Advertising Codes the central Government has constituted an Inter-ministerial Committee under Section 20 of the Act to look into any such violation.









    The Committee either suo-moto or on receipt of complaints, examines cases of violation of the Code and if any such violation is noted by the committee the same is communicated to the Government and action is taken against the TV channel as per rules thereafter.



    As far as electronic media is concerned, all programmes and advertisements of satellite TV channels transmitted or retransmitted through cable service are required to adhere to the provisions of the Advertising Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the rules framed there under.

    The consumers who are affected/aggrieved have an option to seek redressal before a Consumer Forum established under Consumer Protection Act, 1986 against such unfair trade practices.


    The Act also empowers the State or the Central Government, as the case may be, to seek redressal in a Consumer Forum against such unfair trade practices either in individual capacity or as a representative of interests of consumers in general.


    The Press in India is free from Government control. The Press Council of India (PCI) is a statutory authority established for preserving the freedom of the Press and for maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India.


    PCI has built ‘Norms of Journalistic Conduct‘ , which cover principles and ethics with regard to journalism, which states that Editors should insist on their right to have the final say in the acceptance or rejection of advertisements.


    The advisories issued by the PCI, however, carry only moral force and are not enforceable in a Court of Law. Misleading advertisements issued with the objective of attracting consumers by companies come under the category of unfair trade practices under Section 36A of the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act (MRTP Act). On receipt of complaint, action is taken by the MRTP Commission.


    This Information has been given by Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs P. R. Dasmunsi in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

  • Times of India Group to invest Rs 211 million in Mid-Day

    Times of India Group to invest Rs 211 million in Mid-Day

    MUMBAI: The print industry is seeing strange marriages. If traditional rivals The Times of India and Hindustan Times formed a joint venture to publish a newspaper in Delhi, Mid-Day Multimedia Ltd, publishers of a popular tabloid in Mumbai and Bangalore, today announced its new strategic alliance.

    Bennett Coleman Co. Ltd (BCCL which owns the Times Group) will own 6.65 per cent in Mid-Day Multimedia for Rs 211.1 million. The holding will be routed through a preferential allotment of Mid-Day shares at Rs 60 per share.

    Mid-Day said today it would issue and allot on a preferential basis 26,85,000 equity shares at a price of Rs 60 per share to Banhem Financial & Investment Consultants Ltd, an affiliate of BCCL. It would further issue 8,33,333 convertible preference shares to Banhem Financial & Investment Consultants at Rs 60 per share.

    “We have signed a business cooperation agreement. This alliance will benefit both organisations through cooperation in printing, circulation and advertising sales,” Mid-Day said in a statement.

    The promoters of Mid-Day are enhancing their investments in the company to support the company’s growth in print anf FM radio in metro markets across the country. Mid-Day will issue and allot on a preferential basis 29,27,333 equity shares at a price of Rs 60 per share to Ferari Investments and Trading Co Pvt Ltd, a promoter Group company. It will also issue 8,33,333 share warrants at a subscription price of Rs 6 per warrant (10 per cent of an exercise price of Rs 60 per warrant) to Ferari Investments and Trading.

    Mid-Day promoters will, thus, put in an incremental investment of Rs 225.6 million. The promoters will own 51 per cent while BCCL will have 6.65 per cent after both rounds of investment, the release said.

    It may be recalled that the Indian Express had bought a 10 per cent stake in Mid-Day for a little over Rs 250 million while BCCL held about 8 per cent. Subsequently, both had sold their stakes in the open market.

    In a joint statement, BCCL executive director Ravi Dhariwal and Mid-Day Multimedia managing director said: “The Times of India with its leadership position in the morning broadsheet market and Mid-Day with a successful formula for the middle-of-the day, are in fact complementary plays. With this alliance, we will endeavour to garner a larger market share of both readers and advertising in major metros of the country.”