ITV

Category: News Headline

  • Walt Disney brings ‘High School Musical’ to India

    Walt Disney brings ‘High School Musical’ to India

    MUMBAI: The Disney channel original movie High School Musical will premiere in India on the channel on 24 September at 11 am. Customized for India’s kids, tweens and families, the dialogue and hugely popular songs are re-recorded in Hindi with Indian instruments added for Bollywood flair.

    Walt Disney Television International (India) executive director programming & production Nachiket said, High School Musical symbolises all that Disney Channel means for kids in terms of following ones dreams and believing in oneself. Millions of kids across the globe have not just cherished the movie, they have adopted it into their lives. They have learnt the dance steps, sung the songs and relate their dreams and aspirations in those of the characters and the plot of the movie.”

    “We have made the music all the more relevant to our Hindi audiences across India by adding the artistry of music industry stars including Sunidhi Chauhan, Naresh Kamath, Shweta Pandit, Neuman Pinto, director John Stewart and programmer DJ G & John Stewart”, Nachiket added.

    Disney Channel will also provide an interactive experience for kids to express themselves through a nationwide music video dance contest, My School Rocks, with announcement of audition venues and dates to be detailed Sunday, September 24 on Disney Channel, states an official release.

    Walt Disney Television International (India) Marketing & Communications director Tushar Shah said, “Research has shown the universal appeal of song and dance among all Indian kids. My School Rocks will be a first of its kind event that will celebrate the talent of kids while providing them a nationwide platform for translating their dreams into reality. We are excited about the response this event has already garnered among advertisers and sponsors.”

    The initiative includes dance along interstitials, a viewer poll and ultimately, the televising of the winning school’s music video. My School Rocks will be offered to 500 schools in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta, Ahmedabad and Amritsar wherein principals and arts teachers will be presented with the High School Musical kit complete with the VCD, lyric sheets, instructional dance moves and more, the release adds.

    The events in each metro will be spread across two days, videotaped by Disney Channel and judged by celebrity choreographers who will designate individual city winners. Those winners will travel to Mumbai, receive professional dance training and have their school music videos open to a viewer poll. The winning school’s team will then star in a special My School Rocks music video to premiere Monday, December 25th on Disney Channel.

    Packed with laughter, memorable songs and spectacular dancing, High School Musical tells the story of two high school students – Troy, a popular basketball player and Gabriella, a shy, brainy newcomer – who share a secret passion for singing. When these two seemingly polar opposites decide to join forces and go out for the lead roles in the school musical, it wreaks havoc on East High’s rigid social order. In a desperate effort to maintain the status quo, the school’s various cliques conspire to separate the pair and keep them from performing. But by defying expectations and pursuing their dreams, Troy and Gabriella inspire other students to go public with some surprising hidden talents of their own.

    Since its premiere on January 20, the movie televised 14 times on Disney Channel US and was seen by over 40 million unduplicated total viewers, approximately 21 million households, 11.0 million Kids 6-11 and 11.6 million Tweens 9-14. The TV movie has delivered best-ever ratings on Disney Channels in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. It has also been licensed by free to air broadcasters including Australia’s Seven Network (where it was #1 in the timeslot) and in December, will air on the BBC in the UK. By the end of the year, it will reach over 100 countries.

    In the US, the Platinum-selling High School Musical soundtrack is the #1 album of the year, having sold more than 3.5 million units. It is also Platinum-selling in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines and Mexico and Gold selling in Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, Argentina, Chile and Colombia, the release further informs.

  • Star explores localised branding to market ‘Nach Baliye 2’

    MUMBAI: Apart from the regular advertising and hoardings, Star One’s marketing strategy for the brand new celebrity dance show Nach Baliye 2 has a lot to do with ‘localised branding’.
    The channel has picked 10 grocery stores in the residential localities of each of the 10 Nach Baliye couples (Jodis) to generate excitement in their localities and personalise their popularity.

    The Jodis have made their neighbourhoods proud with posters that have quotes like ‘Malad Ki Shaan Gauri aur Hiten’ plastered across. Branding is extended from the entrance to the interiors and identified areas around the store with special messages highlighting the ‘Jodi’ and their importance of being from that area, informs an official release.

    A contest via personalised couple’s postcards at the stores will involve every customer in rooting for their number one Jodi. The winners of the contest get to watch their favourite Jodi’s perform live in the episodic shoot, the release adds.

    Nach Baliye 2, the sequel to Star One’s most successful 2005 property Nach Baliye, is launching on 25 September.

    MUMBAI: Apart from the regular advertising and hoardings, Star One’s marketing strategy for the brand new celebrity dance show Nach Baliye 2 has a lot to do with ‘localised branding’.
    The channel has picked 10 grocery stores in the residential localities of each of the 10 Nach Baliye couples (Jodis) to generate excitement in their localities and personalise their popularity.

    The Jodis have made their neighbourhoods proud with posters that have quotes like ‘Malad Ki Shaan Gauri aur Hiten’ plastered across. Branding is extended from the entrance to the interiors and identified areas around the store with special messages highlighting the ‘Jodi’ and their importance of being from that area, informs an official release.

    A contest via personalised couple’s postcards at the stores will involve every customer in rooting for their number one Jodi. The winners of the contest get to watch their favourite Jodi’s perform live in the episodic shoot, the release adds.

    Nach Baliye 2, the sequel to Star One’s most successful 2005 property Nach Baliye, is launching on 25 September.

  • Cartoon Network to set up interactive Internet sites

    Cartoon Network to set up interactive Internet sites

    Cartoon Network plans regional websites in different regions across the Asia Pacific. The network will launch a site for Australia by mid year. Other sites planned are for India in English, Taiwan in Mandarin and so on.

    Turner International’s Hema Govindan said that the key difference between the TV channel and the site will be new, interactive elements introduced via the World Premier Tool.

    “For instance, hypothetically speaking, in a chat room, Johnny Bravo will have a dialogue with people visiting our website. It will also be specific to the country the website is being built for. The cultural cues will be very , very different. The characters we champion, the interactive elements will be different.” Govindan said that the net could consider regional sites in Indian languages at a later stage, similar to it’s channel strategy.

    She added that the channel penetration’s was 10 million at present, and plans were to extend penetration beyond urban India. “The tune in will only come with more localisation and customisation. We are also looking at initiatives like Get Tooned, when we actually animated five Indian kids and put them on air as interstentials.”

    The channel has featured five kids in Australia and New Zealand, five in South East Asia, 5 in Taiwan and five in India. Research has shown that Indian kids would like to see winners. Because of that, the channel plans to showcase more Indian kids as winners in cartoon form in the new future.

  • ESS brings English Premier League & Spanish Football League on weekends

    ESS brings English Premier League & Spanish Football League on weekends

    MUMBAI: Espn Star Sports will telecast live and exclusive top soccer action from the English Premier League and the Spanish Football league this weekend. The network will showcase its proprietary properties Premiership Saturday and Super Sunday showcasing taction from the world’s best football leagues.

    Liverpool will host Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday which will be the match of the weekend with both clubs looking for three points after indifferent starts to the season. Liverpool fresh from mid week victory at home over Newcastle will look at three much needed points this weekend. Londoners Fulham will host Champions Chelsea who thwarted Liverpool’s challenge last weekend. The Blues are third on the table with only Manchester United and surprisingly Portsmouth leading them.

    Manchester United will also be in action on Saturday as they visit the newly promoted Reading who have shown grit and work man ship like qualities to be sixth on the table early in the season. United can not afford slip ups after they were defeated by old rivals Arsenal last weekend. The Gunners also take to field against lowly Sheffield United who are still looking to register their first win in the Premiership. All eyes will be on the return of Thierry Henry and if Arsene Wenger partners him with Adebayor up front.

    In the Primera Liga, Defending Champions Barcelona, host Valencia with the two powerhouses of soccer tied at nine points from three games. Though very early in the season, victory will certainly give the winner a psychological edge in the Spanish league. The Real Madrid Galacticos will tune themselves to face Real Betis late on Saturday.
    English Premiere League

    23 Sep 06 Liverpool Vs Tottenham Hotspur (L) 5:10 ESPN
    23 Sep 06 Fulham Vs Chelsea (L) 7:25 ESPN
    23 Sep 06 Arsenal Vs Sheffield United (L) 7:25 STAR Sports
    23 Sep 06 Reading Vs Manchester United (L) 9:40 STAR Sports
    23 Sep 06 Manchester City Vs West Ham United (S) 10:00 ESPN
    24 Sep 06 Newcastle United Vs Everton (L) 8:25 ESPN
    Spanish Football League
    24 Sep 06 Real Betis Vs Real Madrid (L) 01:25 ESPN
    25 Sep 06 Barcelona Vs Valencia (L) 00:25 ESPN

  • NGC-science ministry film project ‘Science Safari’ unveiled

    NGC-science ministry film project ‘Science Safari’ unveiled

    NEW DELHI: India’s ministry of science and technology and the National Geographic Channel today unveiled the Science Safari, a film that showcases Indian science and technology through the Nat Geo perspective, which encourages viewers to ‘think again’.

    The film is a part of the year long campaign announced by the ministry and the NGC earlier this year.

    The 48-minute film produced by All Time Productions in close association with National Geographic Channel is an eclectic mix of scientific achievements across India and presents various innovations made by well known Indian scientists and some unknown inventors in an interesting travelogue format.

    The film will premiere on the National Geographic Channel on 26 September at 9 pm. and will be telecast four times during the first month and subsequently once every month in the following one year.

    The film will also be telecast on Doordarshan. Both Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Geographic Channel will promote the film extensively with the film being telecast in Hindi and English initially and then later being dubbed in other Indian regional languages to reach out to a wider audience pan India .

    A year-long 360-degree campaign encompassing both on-air and off-air initiatives to promote the film will be also launched.

    On air promotion initiatives will include programme promos on National Geographic Channel and The History Channel pre and post the premiere of the film and telecast of a special compilation of the channel’s best science and technology programming .

    The channel will also run informative scrollers, factoids, vignettes and 15 short films throughout the year on Indian science and technology.

    An extensive school outreach programme will also be initiated to generate further interest about Indian Science and Technology through this film.

    Specially commissioned Science Safari audio visual merchandise including DVD sets, CD sets, t-shirts and bags will be given out to school children during screening of the film in various public and private schools.

    “India is making great strides in the field of science and technology today, innovation and creativity are the most important assets for our future. Through this programme, we want to create more awareness amongst the people of our country, especially children about our achievements in this field and to encourage the spirit of scientific inquiry,” commented Kapil Sibal, minister for science, technology and earth sciences.

    Speaking at an event today, NGC India MD Nikhil Mirchandani said it is a constant endeavour to make viewers ‘think again’ about the world.

    “Science Safari is an extension of this philosophy. Through this initiative we look forward to stimulate the intellect of our viewers and encourage them to expand their thought horizons beyond the cognitive by exploring new frontiers of science and technology from an Indian perspective,” he added.

  • Vuico and B2’s combined mobile video technology feeds live entertainment events to mobile devices worldwide

    Vuico and B2’s combined mobile video technology feeds live entertainment events to mobile devices worldwide

    MUMBAI: Vuico Inc. and B2 Networks announced a strategic alliance to deliver live events and highlights to cell phones and mobile devices via B2 Networks worldwide broadband and mobile network.

    B2 will use Vuico technology as a core component coupled with other B2 technologies to broadcast live events to the customer base of the revolutionary broadband network.

    Vuico and B2’s combined Mobile Video Technology will serve as a platform to broadcast more than 2,000 events during the next 6 months.

    Live events will be broadcast worldwide from B2 Networks system of arenas, stadiums and entertainment venues. Additional future product innovations are being developed by the alliance.

    “B2 Networks is the leader in the global broadband broadcasting market for TV and direct to home broadcasting. With this new mobile video alliance, Vuico and B2 Networks are taking the delivery of live content to cell phones and mobile devices around the world,” said Vuico President and CEOVui Le.

    The new alliance brings unprecedented capability for consumers to watch sports and entertainment from major stadiums and venues on mobile and wireless devices.

    “With Vuico’s mobile video technology coupled with B2 technology delivering our live events and programming, B2 Networks can now offer live mobile TV to the cell phones of our customers. Our partners, whether they are arenas, stadiums, local venues, clubs, schools or churches can leverage our end-to-end systems to reach their constituents,” said B2 Networks Owner and CEO Greg P Bell.

    The combined technologies have already been deployed to recently broadcast the World Professional Fighting Championship from Las Vegas and live entertainment from The Palm in Las Vegas to viewers on three continents.

  • Rediffusion DY&R ropes in Mahesh Chauhan as president

    Announcing the change Rediffusion DY&R chairman Diwan Arun said, “I am absolutely delighted to have Mahesh at the helm of affairs at Rediffusion. He is one of the finest advertising professionals in the industry today, and the ease with which he turned around Everest in a short span of three years, is indeed remarkable. Mahesh not only brings with him leadership and dynamism, but also youth, vitality and a fresh perspective – just the qualities we were looking for in a person who would lead Rediffusion in the years to come.”

    With fifteen years of advertising experience, Mahesh has worked in agencies like Ogilvy & Mather and Rediffusion DY&R, before taking over as president of Everest Brand Communications.

    Under his three year leadership, Everest has not only grown but also bagged creative recognition both in India and worldwide. Besides winning businesses such as Hitachi, LIC, Kinetic, ING Vyasa, MIRC Electronics and Elder Pharma, Chauhan was also responsible for turning around the creative product of the agency during his tenure. Everest was ranked No2 at the Abby’s in 2005 and No 3 this year. It was also ranked in the top 5 in the AAAI, and recently did India proud by winning a Bronze this year at Cannes and a Silver at the One Show, informs an official release.

    Commenting on his new role, Chauhan said, “Rediffusion DY&R is one of the most exciting brands in the industry today. What perhaps stands out is the agency’s philosophy toward advertising – Not puffery under the garb of creativity, but creating advertising that works! The fact that the agency has partnered some of the most elite set of corporates in their path toward growth is no coincidence. I am hence extremely excited at this opportunity.

    “Human Capital is the only asset in this business. Identifying it, channelizing it in the right direction and nurturing it, hold key. Sensitivity and seriousness in managing Human Capital, will be the foundation on which Rediffusion DY&R will create its competitive advantage in the years to come,” adds Chauhan.

    This change has been necessitated due to the movement of Preet Bedi, who led the agency for three years prior to moving out in pursuance of otheropportunities. “Under Preet, Rediffusion DY&R had resurrected itself to emerge as one of India’s foremost agencies both in terms of strategy and creative output. While we will be loosing an immense valuable resource in Preet, we respect his decision to reinvent himself,” added Nanda.

  • Aegis new business record boosts H1 profits

    MUMBAI: Media, market research and digital advertising group Aegis has posted a record amount of new business in the first half of the year, due to contract wins from sports equipment giant Adidas-Reebok and the Abbey National bank.
    The company, being stalked by Havas chairman and largest shareholder Vincent Bolloré, notched ?685 million ($1.3bn; €1.01bn) in new business, while pre-tax profit rose 8.9 per cent to ?38m, states an official release.

    Organic revenue growth increased 7.2 per cent, beyond analysts’ expectations of around 6 per cent, fuelled by the rapid rise in online advertising. The figures put the group at the top end of the industry growth league table, adds the release.

    Aegis, which owns the Carat media buying network, market research firm Synovate and digital agency Isobar, said in a statement, “Our strategy of putting digital marketing services and communications planning at the heart of Aegis Media is delivering clear benefits to our clients.”

    Isobar showed organic revenue growth of 30 per cent in H1 and accounts for 19 per cent of its parent company’s income.

    The group says it is trading in line with expectations and is set to make most of its profit in the second-half due to the increasingly seasonal nature of its business.

  • Apple unveils new iPod shuffle

    Apple unveils new iPod shuffle

    MUMBAI: Apple has introduced the new iPod shuffle, nearly half the size of the original, it claims to be the world’s smallest digital music player. It is half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a all-new aluminum design and a built-in clip.

    The new iPod shuffle contains one gigabyte of flash memory which holds up to 240 songs, and is more affordable than ever at Rs. 5,600.

    “It’s hard to believe the new iPod is a real music player when you first see it,” said Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs. “But it is real, and holds up to 240 songs in an incredibly compact and wearable design that weighs just half an ounce.”

    iPod shuffle is based on Apple’s popular shuffle feature which lets users enjoy their songs in random order. Or listeners can simply flip a switch to listen to their songs in order, such as when listening to a new album. iPod shuffle features up to 12 hours of battery life.

    Users connect the new iPod shuffle to their Mac or PC with the included dock, and iTunes’ innovative AutoFill feature automatically syncs the perfect number of songs from their music library. Seamless integration with iTunes 7 and the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) allows customers to choose from a selection of over 3.5 million songs from the digital music store.
    The new iPod nano models are now available through Apple authorized resellers across the country for Rs. 5,600 (INR).

  • McDonald’s opens third store in Bangalore; plans Rs 4 billion expansion

    MUMBAI: As part its 10th anniversary in India, McDonald’s food service retailer has launched its third restaurant in Bangalore at Brigade Road.
    With a network of 94 restaurants across the country McDonald’s – West and South (Hardcastle Restaurants) is embarking on a major expansion drive in the Southern markets of India. The company will invest Rs 3 – 4 billion for expansion in the South and West, with South being an important part of the expansion plans in the next 3 years.

    The third outlet in Bangalore will have two floors, spread over 3380 sq. ft. with a total seating capacity of 134. It will also have a special section for children’s birthday parties with a seating capacity of 50, a popular feature among McDonald’s customers, informs an official release.

    Commenting on the launch, McDonald’s India (West & South) MD&JV Partner Amit Jatia said, “Enthused by the tremendous response received from our Bangalore customers, we are establishing a stronger presence here so that more Bangloreians can have the McDonald’s experience. We want to make our presence felt in the southern India in the next three years by adopting a focused approach. Initially we will intend to focus on Bangalore and Hyderabad and then spread across the region. Our approach will be to open more stores in one city rather than one store in many cities.”