ITV

Category: News Headline

  • Star Movies to present a recap of ‘Lost’ tomorrow

    MUMBAI: Fans of the action adventure show Lost which airs on Star Movies can catch up if they have missed certain episodes.

    On 7 September 7th at 9 pm the channel presents Lost: Revelation. This offers a recap of the first season and what has happened so far in the second season in a one-hour package. This special episode offers viewers a fresh perspective of the show.

    For the uninitiated the show deals with survivors of a plane crash who are stranded on an island. Viewers will discover the complete story of the grueling first 48 days on the island for the fuselage survivors and tailies after the crash of Oceanic flight 815.

    The channel says that since the beginning, Lost has mystified and intrigued viewers with its characters and storytelling. The first season dealt with the fuselage survivors, the hatch and a failed attempt to get off the island. Season two continues these stories and also introduces viewers to the survivors of the tail section.
    Lost: Revelation puts these two seasons together in a linear fashion that provides an illuminating view on one compelling story. See the sequence of the aftermath of the failed raft attempt, the opening of the hatch, how the tail section and fuselage survivors lived separately and the unwitting intersections of their lives, and how both groups ultimately collided in one catastrophic moment.
     

  • Breakthrough Animation forays into multi-platform programming

    MUMBAI: Breakthrough Animation Inc., a Canadian animation production company, announced at Mipcom 2006 that it will create cutting-edge multi-platform vignettes for three of its most popular animated series, Atomic Betty, Miss BG and Captain Flamingo.

    As announced by Breakthrough Animation Inc., executive producer and managing partner Kevin Gillis, the company is creating high-quality, original programming to ensure that they remains at the forefront of the industry as audiences gravitate toward diversified platforms for entertainment.

    Breakthrough Entertainment will distribute the content to broadcasters and Breakthrough New Media will distribute the mobile content to telecommunication companies and content aggregators for the mobile market, informed an official release.

    The vignettes developed for Atomic Betty will be a combination of humourous, space-based science facts, blooper reels, animated interviews and music videos. Along the lines of the original series, Miss BG’s vignettes will highlight her unconventional perspective on the world, her family and friends. While Captain Flamingo disseminates 101 ways to attain superhero savvy by revealing a sneak-peek into his extraordinary talents.

    “As audiences move toward accessing their content beyond the traditional television broadcast platform we want to provide unique programming for these new mediums. Traditional television content was intended to be viewed on an all-encompassing wide screen format to bring the audience into the program’s world. The advent of portable personal devices has created the opportunity for a one-on-one experience between our characters and our audience. Produced for the mobile screen, we have designed our multi-platform programming to provide distinctive content for these mediums because we believe global audiences will be looking for an original viewing experience that differentiates it from re-purposed fare,” said Gillis.

    Atomic Betty is a co-production between Atomic Cartoons, Breakthrough Animation Inc., and TeleImages Kids, the comedy-adventure animated series has already been licensed worldwide to major broadcasters in over 120 territories. Atomic Betty follows the adventures of Betty, whose double life as “Galactic Guardian and Defender of the Cosmos” takes her on a whirlwind journey through space. Extensive merchandising and licensing deals have been signed including Penguin Books for publishing and Hallmark for greeting cards.

    Miss BG is adapted from the acclaimed “Gudule & les Bébés” book collection authored by Fanny Joly and illustrated by Roser Capdevilla. Miss BG is a co-production between Ellipsanime, Breakthrough Animation, TVO, TFO (Canada) and France 5. Aimed at kids aged 5-8, the 3-D animated TV series centers around the world of Miss BG.

    Captain Flamingo is a co-production between Breakthrough Animation, Heroic Film Company, Atomic Cartoons and Pasi Animation, the animated hit is an original production for YTV Canada. Captain Flamingo follows the adventures of Milo Powell who, tired of being overlooked by big kids, dons his terrycloth cape as Captain Flamingo and saves the day for kids everywhere.

     

  • Reliance Communications’ Falcon Cable System becomes operational

    Reliance Communications’ Falcon Cable System becomes operational

    MUMBAI: Reliance Communications owned Falcon Undersea Cable System has started its operational from today unleashing international bandwidth between India, Middle East and Europe.

    The Flag Telecom Global Network would be the world’s largest undersea cable system covering 65,000 route kms, with the launch of Falcon. The current bandwidth on India-Europe route is controlled by VSNL and Bharti.

    “Falcon will have an equally powerful impact on the economic front, driving higher levels of trade, commerce and global integration,” Reliance ADA chairman Anil Ambani said.

    The vision at Reliance ADA group is to ‘give millions of ordinary people across the world the means to realize their dreams, the power to shape their destiny, the chance to fulfill their true and diverse potential,” Ambani added.

    The Flag Global Network bridges the distance between 35 diverse developed and developing economies, connecting the global economic hubs in USA, UK, Germany, France, Middle East, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Japan to name a few.

    The Company’s Flag is the first global network of this scale to provide integrated connectivity on one seamless network to the three highest growing regions; India, Middle East and China; in terms of international bandwidth demand.

  • Toyota Innova unveils new TVC featuring brand ambassador Aamir Khan

    MUMBAI: Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Innova is all set to unfold a new ad featuring brand ambassador Aamir Khan from 6 September. In an extension of their previous ad campaign “Everyday, Many roles, One Car”, this 30 second advertisment emphasizes the ‘versatility’ of the three row sedan.
    The new ad will be appear on all prominent news channels as well as Star Plus and regional channels such as Asianet, during the prime time band. The ad has been produced by Ravi Udyavar, also responsible for the earlier Innova Aamir advertisements, while Dentsu is the creative AOR.

    In addition to the TVC, the brand will also promote the theme of ‘versatility’ via print ads, in the Times Of India, Hindustan Times along with major regional publications like Hindu, Deccan Chronicle and Deccan Herald.

    Sources say, the brand is also in the process of finalizing several customer-related ground level activities to further their marketing initiatives.

    In the first set of ads released last year, the “All you Desire” theme featured the actor playing all his popular film characters. The theme of the second set of advertisement was “Everyday, Many roles, One Car” wherein the versatility of the vehicle was communicated by portraying Aamir playing roles of a businessman, a son and a brother.

    This time round a touch of humour has been added to the same theme and Aamir is portrayed in various day to day roles – ranging from a parent, a bridegroom and an executive.

    “The versatility of Innova has been further made relevant by depicting Innova’s usage in various day-to-day events in the campaign. Innova’s brand ambassador Aamir Khan plays multi faceted roles depicting Innova as an anytime, anywhere car suitable for all occasions. The humour element in these set of ads is what helps build the emotional connect with the brand,” explains T Ino director – marketing TKM.

    Toyota Innova which recently touched the 50,000 landmark figure claims to be the fastest selling car in the MPV and sedan segments in the Rs.5 lakh to Rs.12 lakh range in the country.

  • K Sera Sera buys out Jhankar TV

    K Sera Sera buys out Jhankar TV

    MUMBAI: K Sera Sera is buying out Hamara Samay TV News Network, the company that owns and operates music channel Jhankar TV.

    The acquired company will be renamed K Sera Sera Entertainment. It will become a subsidiary of K Sera Sera Productions Ltd, the listed company.

    The promoters of Hamara Samay TV News Network will be given around 20 per cent stake in K Sera Sera Entertainment. “We have applied for a change in shareholding. Hamara Samay promoters will hold close to 20 per cent in the subsidiary company,” says a source in K Sera Sera.

    Sapna Chaturvedi is going to head K Sera Sera Entertainment. Chaturvedi also owns a media company, Eternal Dreams.

    Jhankar TV will be given a new name and the channel will be relaunched. “We have not yet finalised on the name but it may be called K Sera Sera. Chaturvedi will be the managing director of the company and the channel is being revamped by Diwali,” says the source.

    K Sera Sera’s idea of running a music channel is seen as a strategy to synergise with its movie production business. The company spends substantial amount of money for promoting its movies on music channels. “We will still use the general entertainment channels for promoting our movies. But we don’t have to spend on music channels,” the source says.

    K Sera Sera also plans to ramp up its movie production business. The company yesterday approved an enabling clause to raise debt of up to Rs 5 billion. “We have big plans for our movie business. Having a music channel makes strategic sense,” says the source.

    Though K Sera Sera was also weighing options of launching the music channel on its own, it decided on the acquisition route. “Jhankar already enjoys distribution. We realise the problems we would have to face in distributing a new channel,” the source adds.

  • Adlabs likely to pick up stake in a TV production house

    Adlabs likely to pick up stake in a TV production house

    MUMBAI: Adlabs Films Ltd is in talks with a television content production company to acquire a controlling stake. If the deal sails through, Adlabs will be able to make an entry into TV production.

    “We are in negotiations not for a total buyout but a majority stake,” says Adlabs Films chairman and managing director Manmohan Shetty.

    He, however, did not disclose the name of the company. “All that I can say is that it is not a listed company and produces 3-4 shows with a good balance sheet,” says Shetty.

    Though Adlabs has been funding a few TV content companies, it has never directly been engaged in the business. One among the companies it has financed is Pankaj Parashar’s Mazaa Films, the creator of the popular TV serial Karam Chand.

    “We have been funding some TV content production companies for some specific programmes, even in the past. We have acted like debt providers. We have, however, not been very aggressive. Even now we would not like to focus on TV content in a more aggressive manner, either on our own or as co-productions,” says Shetty.

    The TV content business will function as a division of Adlabs. “At present all activities of TV content are functioning as a division of Adlabs. We will see how it grows,” says Shetty.

    Adlabs, meanwhile, has put on the backburner its plans to enter the home video segment. The talks for acquiring stake in Mumbai-based Excel Home Videos have been called off. “The deal didn’t happen. We will enter the home video segment on our own once the distribution network is in place. The project is now relegated to the backburner,” says Shetty.

    Will Adlabs take the acquisition route like Inox to ramp up its multiplex business? “We are aggressively expanding exhibition screens on our own,” says Shetty.

  • Open TV comes out with integrated solutions for mobile TV

    Open TV comes out with integrated solutions for mobile TV

    MUMBAI: OpenTV, which provides enabling technologies for advanced digital television services and mobile technology firm weComm, have announced a partnership.

    They will provide integrated mobile television solutions to OpenTV’s worldwide pay TV customer base and to other broadcasters and programmers interested in providing an experience across traditional broadcast television and mobile TV.

    OpenTV senior VP and MD Europe, Middle east and Africa Ben Bennett says, “We are delighted that we will be able to offer a seamless solution to our customers that bridges the pay TV experience with the mobile phone experience in a user-friendly manner.

    “This integrated solution is intended to make it easy for our customers to extend their TV experience across multiple platforms and devices, and to allow those viewers to personalise that experience in ever more compelling ways. One simple example of this Mobile TV is to enable OpenTV’s PVR users to record programmes seamlessly and remotely from the mobile handset.”
    The integrated solution combines features and functionalities from OpenTV’s advanced digital television software, in particular its middleware offering, and weComm’s wave technology. The solution extends OpenTV’s middleware features into the mobile environment, allowing direct access on the mobile phone to electronic programming guides (EPGs) that have been ported to OpenTV’s platform.

    The solution also enables mobile phone users to remotely programme their PVRs and to view live or on-demand television programming by navigating through the EPG resident on their phone.

    weComm COO Oliver Sturrock says, “Integrating weComm’s Interactive Mobile TV technology with OpenTV’s industry-leading technologies offers a solution that will seamlessly extend TV-based interactive services to the mobile phone. We think that these solutions will help broadcasters and operators extend their content and services to a younger and more mobile audience.

    “And we think that by combining OpenTV’s and weComm’s expertise and technologies, we can do that in an effective and seamless way that will eventually lead the market.”
    The weComm solution is available on Symbian OS, Microsoft Windows Mobile and Java phones and has been ported to over 100 handsets, including Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, LG and the RIM Blackberry.

  • ADAG’s Big FM radio to roll out its first phase in six metros

    ADAG’s Big FM radio to roll out its first phase in six metros

    MUMBAI: The Reliance ADA Group has finally officially announced today that it will soon launch its radio station under the brand Big FM, which will broadcast on the full powered common frequency of 92.7 across its 45 stations.

    According to an official statement, the first phase will cover the six metros of Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, later spreading to the virgin territories like Jammu, Srinagar, Aligarh and Bikaner.

    In an attempt to offer a fresh new approach to the medium, the Big FM will indulge in high amount of interactivity on the station. Adlabs Radio COO Tarun Katial points out, “We will use it as a platform for consumers, taking on issues which are word of mouth and bring listener emotions to the fore.”

    Adopting a two-pronged launch strategy, Katial says, “While the metros are ideal to establish brand recognition and recall, the other virgin markets are completely new and fresh to explore, giving us an opportunity to provide an entertainment medium to the listeners.”

    “It is our endeavor to enthrall the local audiences and build a brand that connects at the grassroots. Credibility, maturity, relevance, entertainment and aspirational are our pegs for content as a product that reaches into every home and is of relevance to every listener.”

    By early next year, Big FM will be present across India from Srinagar to Trivandrum and Surat to Guwahati. This FM radio station will have its presence in 1000 towns and 50,000 villages across India – reaching 200 million listeners, informs the statement.

    The ADAG has geared up to tap the tremendous market share that is present. This leading corporate house known for its groundbreaking success in very business that it enters, will be positioning its stations in a unique and contemporary way that appeals to more mature audiences.

    The RJs that will give Big FM the voice and personality, have been selected via a careful and selective nationwide hunt. The station will present itself in a larger than life avatar and all morning slots will boast of highly acclaimed celebrity jockeys.
    With an investment of Rs 4 billion dedicated to transmission equipment, infrastructure and licensing, the proposed network for Adlabs Radio will be the largest ever, the release states.

    The overall manpower strength will stand at 1500 employees nationwide. The IP protocol technology being utilized for Big FM has been sourced from AXIA, USA making this station amongst the first to utilize such superior gear in Asia. Extensive research on consumer tastes and moods will ensure that the content aired complements the listeners’ tastes and provides them a dynamic, interactive platform.

  • Media2win and Times Now launches Bangaloretommorrow.com

    MUMBAI: News channels are increasingly adopting to interactive tool to amplify its brand recall amongst audience. Times Now and Media2win, a full service interactive agency have jointly launched www.bangaloretomorrow.com to serve as the online platform for the show Bangalore Tomorrow. Action Today. For Tomorrow initiative.

    The interactive website has been designed to provide Bangaloreans an online platform to voice their opinions on Bangalore’s identity, places and its future. The site bangaloretomorrow.com will carry messages, features; survey based stories, interviews, consumer voice, interactive exercises and ground activation with the people of Bangalore and the news makers of the city, according to an official release.

    Media2win CEO Krishna Kumar says, “Consumer generated content is fast becoming an important element in the media space. The site bangaloretomorrow.com with its unique interactive platform helps consumers of Times Now voice their concerns and opinions about this wonderful city and share them with others”

    Commenting on the launch of the website, Times Now VP and business head Partho Dasgupta adds, “Presenting people’s point of view is the essence of ‘Bangalore Tomorrow. Action Today. For Tomorrow’ initiative, www.bangaloretomorrow.com is one of it’s kind forum for Bangloreans to speak up for their city and present their views. The website compliments the ongoing television, on-ground and mobile campaign by Times Now.”

    The site, www.bangaloretomorrow.com is being promoted by online banners. The user has the option to post a comment, view or experience related to Bangalore City using icons pertaining to what they love, wish, think, did and will do for the city.

    Visitors will find easy navigation of the Bangalore map on the site.they can also send a viral mail to their friends inviting him/her to read the message posted by them and post their opinions on the website. Visitors to the website can read any posted message and give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down. There are also links to blogs and vox pops pertaining to the city, informs the official release.

  • Nimbus appoints Shashi Kalathil as CEO of Neo Sports

    Nimbus appoints Shashi Kalathil as CEO of Neo Sports

    MUMBAI: Nimbus has appointed Shashi Kalathil as Chief Executive Officer of its sports broadcasting business Neo Sports. This will be effective from October this year.

    Kalathil comes to Nimbus from the Tata Group and brings with him experience from the FMCG and telecom sectors. Prior to this he has served at Pepsi as executive director-marketing and has also had a stint with VSNL.

    In addition to Shashi, Scott Ferguson has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer and will be based in Singapore. Within the next few days, Nimbus expects to make more appointments in its sports broadcasting business.

    Commenting on his induction, chairman Harish Thawani said, “I have known Shashi over the years as a client (when he was at Pepsi) and apart from his obvious pedigree as a cutting-edge professional, above all he brings with him a level of integrity and values that are universally admired.”

    Shashi added, “My mandate will be to lead a world class and passionate management team that has amazing depth of sports expertise, to greater consumer focus and to deliver outstanding value to Neo Sports’ advertisers and viewers through innovative use of technology.”

    As previously disclosed, Nimbus shall be launching the first of its Neo Sports channels in the last quarter of 2006. Nimbus is constructing a state-of-the-art production and broadcasting facility in Mumbai’s western suburbs and expects to use several technological innovations to enhance the quality of sports broadcasting in India and be ready with interactive services by early 2007.