ITV

Category: News Headline

  • Zee scrip gains following TDSAT verdict

    Zee scrip gains following TDSAT verdict

    MUMBAI: Sector regulator TDSAT’s direction to Star India, to make available all its channels to Dish TV, today boosted Zee Telefilms’ fortunes on the bourses.

    The Zee Tele scrip recorded a gain of 5.49 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), up by Rs 13.70 to close at Rs 269.70, after hitting an intra-day high of Rs 272.15 early on.

    At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), Zee went up by Rs 14.05, to close at Rs 269.85. The prices have almost touched Zee’s 52 week high of Rs 273.9 (BSE) and Rs 274.85 (NSE). This is the highest level the scrip has reached in the last one month.

    BSE saw Zee Telefilms recording a volume trade of 1,709,876, while, at the NSE the volume traded stood at 1,978,618.

    In an order passed this morning, TDSAT, while directing the sector regulator to set a benchmark for channel prices for DTH services, said that Star channels should be available to Dish TV at half the price at which they are available to cable operators. The reason for this, according to TDSAT, is that DTH is an addressable system where loss of revenue down the value chain is negligible if not zero.

  • Star World looks to tantalise viewers with Criss Angel’s freaky illusion

    Star World looks to tantalise viewers with Criss Angel’s freaky illusion

    MUMBAI: In a bid to add further excitement to its programming lineup, English general entertainment channel Star World will air the show Criss Angel: Mindfreak every Tuesday at 8 30 pm from 18 July.

    From levitating ordinary American citizens, to literally dangling by his skin from a helicopter one thousand feet above the Valley of Fire in Las Vegas, magician Criss Angel brings his talents to the streets of America, live, unstaged and without the use of any camera tricks.

    Each episode captures the creative genius at work, preparing and training for his often death-defying feats. The 16 episodes will have several elements – reality, focusing on Angel’s street demonstrations and the way people are mentally affected; surreality, a look into Angel’s mind’s eye as he contemplates his upcoming feats; and behind-the-scene glimpses – a candid and captivating look into the trials and tribulations that Criss and his team face from the moment he conceives of impossible, death-defying stunts to the actual performances of those stunts.

    In the first episode, Criss Angel takes on levitation. He executes maneuvers, such as levitating up an escalator while not touching any part of it, and grabbing people off the street and completely levitating them off the ground. The other mind-blowing demonstrations this season include Burned Alive, Bullet Catch (which will have Angel catching a bullet in a cup held by his mouth), and Body Suspension (featuring Angel suspended from a helicopter by four fish hooks through his skin while being flown over the Nevada desert).

    Special celebrity guests, such as rock group Korn’s Jonathan Davis (who also co-produced the show’s theme music), Rob Zombie, Amazing Jonathan, Mandy Moore, Penn & Teller and Lance Burton will take part in the series.

    In the US, A&E Network will pick up the show for a third season.

  • TDSAT to Star: give channels to Dish TV

    TDSAT to Star: give channels to Dish TV

    MUMBAI: In another 15 days time, all Star channels may well be made available to the country’s only private direct-to-home operator Dish TV.

    Subhash Chandra’s DTH service Dish TV has won a favourable judgment from by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) in this regard. As per the tribunal’s directive, Star India will have to distribute the signals of all its channels to Dish TV.

    In an order passed this morning, TDSAT, while directing the sector regulator to set a benchmark for channel prices for DTH services, said that Star channels should be made available to Dish TV at half the price at which they are available to cable operators.

    The reason for this, according to TDSAT, is that DTH is an addressable system where loss of revenue down the value chain is negligible if not zero.

    An interpretation of this observation on rates would mean that all Star channels (comprising bouquets I & II) will cost Dish TV Rs 27 exclusive of taxes, as against the cable operators paying Rs 54 per subscriber/per month.

    While issuing the order, which had been kept reserved since 5 July when arguments concluded, TDSAT said, “We have no basis to lay down the actual rates per channel, which we feel is the prerogative of Trai. However, to begin with, we feel that 50 per cent of the rates being charged for cable platform be made applicable to the DTH platform.”

    Reacting to the developments, a jubilant Zee Telefilms vice-chairman and Dish TV business head Jawahar Goel said, “The verdict vindicates our position. We will be sending a letter to Star by tomorrow requesting them to conclude an agreement for their channels.” Everybody should respect the law of the land, Goel added.

    Said a Star India spokesperson, “We have received the judgment of the TDSAT in the matter of ASC Enterprises vs. Star India Pvt. Ltd. earlier today and we are now in the process of examining it in detail.

    “The judgment comes at an opportune time as we believe it will help in clearing the air on a number of critical areas that impact addressable systems in general and DTH in particular and will be a positive impetus to their development. However, it appears to us that there may be some specific areas within the judgment that will require further clarification.

    “Our intention is to seek clarification on these areas at the earliest opportunity and make a response accordingly. Star has been and will continue to be an active supporter of all addressable platforms and will work with them to ensure that the viewer’s interests are best served.”

    Interestingly, TDSAT has also said that no minimum guarantee needs to be given by Dish TV for the Star channels and the payments would be made on actual number of subscribers.

    It directed Dish to submit a list of subscribers from the subscriber management system (SMS) every month to Star — a model that TDSAT said would be applicable to all DTH operators entering into commercial deals with broadcasters.

    Respondent Star had pointed out that the minimum guarantee requirement is an internationally prevalent norm in the DTH industry as it incentivizes the DTH operator to ensure higher subscribers.

    TDSAT, in its order has said that in case of any denial of the signals, the DTH operator may approach the tribunal for further relief.

    For the record, Chandra’s ASC Enterprises, which holds a DTH licence, had moved TDSAT alleging that Star India was delaying making available its channels in breach of a regulatory order that states all content should be made available to all platform on a non-discriminatory basis.

  • Lifeline KBC2: Star holds on with re-runs

    Lifeline KBC2: Star holds on with re-runs

    MUMBAI: It is official now. Star Plus is not discontinuing Kaun Banega Crorepati 2 (KBC2) even though it has exhausted its fresh bank of episodes. Instead, the channel will telecast re-runs of KBC2, starting 20 February on Fridays and Saturdays.

    “We are not winding up KBC2. We are expecting the show to make a come back with fresh episodes by March. To fill the void, we will air re-edited versions of some of the interesting KBC2 episodes for the next four weeks,” Star India EVP marketing Ajay Vidyasagar told indiantelevision.com.

    However, Vidyasagar refused to give any timeframe on Bachchan’s re-appearance to shoot for KBC2.

    “You gotta wait for me”
    As reported earlier, Star Plus aired the 61st episode of KBC2, the last fresh episode in its hold, on 13 January. Anchor Amitabh Bachchan, originally committed to shoot 85 episodes, was unable to continue shooting after his recent illness. Reportedly, Bachchan is expected to resume shooting for the remaining 24 episodes next month.

    Vidyasagar feels that, such a break (of fresh episodes) will be good for the show’s popularity. “It will create a lot of expectations across the nation. Hence, when KBC2 makes a comeback, we expect it to deliver better ratings. That would be good for advertisers as well,” he says.

    Star India had earlier re-scheduled its popular game show following Bachchan’s illness to twice a week (Friday & Saturday) instead of the original thrice a week run with effect from 2 December. In between, the channel also re-ran celebrity episodes. The channel has filled the Sunday slot left vacant by KBC2 with the serial Sai Baba.

  • Discovery US manages double digit ratings increase

    Discovery US manages double digit ratings increase

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster Discovery has announced that it managed to achieve double-digit ratings gains in households and average primetime audience in both the second quarter of 2006 and June 2006.

    For the quarter, Discovery garnered a year-over-year primetime household ratings increase of 13 per cent (0.9) and the network delivered an average primetime audience of 1,143,000 viewers (P2+), also representing a 13 per cent increase over the year-ago timeslot average.

    The performance was helped by the return of the show Deadliest Catch, averaging nearly 2.6 million viewers over its second-season run. Mythbusters averaged 1.3 million viewers P2+. New shows Perfect Disaster and Future Weapons also contributed to the ratings gains.

    The debut of Egypt’s New Tomb Revealed on 4 June and Krakatoa: Volcano Od Destruction on 11 June each logged significant increases in households (1.8 household rating; Egypt; 1.8 household rating, Krakatoa) and total viewers (2.3 million P2+ each for the two shows.)

  • Disney set to cut down on costs with fewer films

    Disney set to cut down on costs with fewer films

    MUMBAI: Despite the fact that the Pirates of The Carribean sequel set a record by crossing the $100 million mark in the first three days of release, US media conglomerate Disney is set to cut the number of films made each year from 18 to eight.

    Media reports indicate that the trend among Hollywood studuios is to reduce their overall costs, whether it is in production, marketing, distribution or legal costs. Disney’s plan is to make less films under both Touchstone and Miramax. It will focus on making films under its own brand name.

    The number of people employed in its film division will be reduced by upto 25 per cent. Disney is said to be looking to focus more on family films as there is more revenue potential there in terms of merchandising opportunities.

    Apart from the Pirates sequel, The Chronicles of Narnia did really well last year. At the same time, there were failures with Alamo bing the biggest. Media reports indicate that studio revenue is being affected by production and marketing costs. The DVD market is also slowing down.

  • Oxygen puts a new twist to the relationship reality genre

    Oxygen puts a new twist to the relationship reality genre

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster Oxygen will put a twist on the relationship reality genre with Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty.

    The television star comes to the rescue of men and women who are unable to muster up the courage to break off their toxic relationships with bad boyfriends/girlfriends, frenemies, or tyrannical bosses.

    Doherty joins forces with people in relationship peril who want to get out but just cant seem to do it on their own. She will listen to the plight of her new client and put their mates to the test by creating a fictitious situation caught by a hidden camera – to determine the true character of the relationship.

    If the test is failed, Doherty then helps put the relationship out of its misery. In each episode, Doherty will then help mastermind the break-up, and be on the scene to deliver the news and resolve the break-up. The goal at the end is for both parties to agree that its all for the best and its time to move on.

    Oxygen says that Doherty is the ideal addition to its roster of funny and fascinating women.

  • Content differentiation key for FM radio business

    Content differentiation key for FM radio business

    MUMBAI: Radio has the potential to grow at a compounded rate of 30-35 per cent over the next 10 years. “In India, radio has the potential to become a 13 per cent medium. Currently, its share is just 3 per cent while the world averages 7-8 per cent,” said Radio Mirchi deputy CEO Prashant Pandey while speaking at the India Radio Forum 2006 here today.

    Several issues, however, need to be addressed, Pandey pointed out. “Spectrum needs to be freed, infrastructure needs to be set up. Radio operators must be given the permission to operate multiple frequencies in a city. Music royalty has to be settled. The government should also open AM for privatization too,” he added.

    Speakers at the Forum agreed that FM radio stations had to fix a differentiation strategy. “FM radio has to strive for differentiation while targeting an aggregated mass of listeners. In India it is difficult to carry out a segmentation by genre or even, perhaps, by era,” said Radio One CEO Rajesh Tahil.”

    Red FM COO Abraham Thomas stressed on difference in the delivery and advertising revenue should not be the only support, but to look for alternative revenue stream. Being aware that music is the only content available amongst the operators, thus bringing a differentiation in content is a task.

    Lintas Media Group chief strategy officer Raj Gupta pointed out that, 22 per cent of products advertised cater to youth. This accounts for 59 per cent of total adverting.

    He also said, 61.2 per cent of the population is below the age group of 30, and hence, the youth constitutes the main audience segment for any medium. “The Youth reach and spend more time on radio and hence, radio holds a lot of potential for the advertisers in terms of youth appeal. Radio has moved from background to foreground and has become relevant to the youth,” opined Gupta.

    Gupta also threw light on commodised content. “This has led to undifferentiated content and similar audiences,” he said.

    The session was moderated by Banyan Tree chief managing director Anish Trivedi.

  • ‘Big Brother’ comes a knocking on Sony this November

    ‘Big Brother’ comes a knocking on Sony this November

    MUMBAI: Big Brother, Endemol’s top format show of 2005 in terms of turnover, is all set to launch on Sony Entertainment Television this year.

    Likely to hit the air waves right after the Champions Trophy ends in November; the show will have 12 celebrities from the films, television, music, modelling and sports frat under house arrest for 100 days and that too under constant surveillance by 35 cameras. Some of the personalities that the channel is in talks with are Pooja Bedi, Simone Singh and Arshad Warsi, to name a few.

    Big Brother, which contributes to over 25 per cent of Endemol’s revenues internationally, also has a lot of scope for spin-off segments. “We can have segments with psychiatrists talking about the behaviour of people who are participating in the show. There will also be an eviction talk show, wherein people who are voted out in each episode can speak about what transpired inside and why they feel they were voted out. More such spin-offs on the show like Big Brother’s Little Brother, Big Brain and Big Mouth will also be there,” says Endemol India managing director Rajesh Kamat.

    What’s more, Sony will also be looking at streaming Big Brother episodes on the internet. “Web streaming is definitely a possibility and we are looking at it very seriously,” says SET India senior vice president and programming head Anupama Mandloi.

    “In India we have seen that soaps and stories that are told well, deliver. Big Brother is a queen of all soaps and is very unpredictable too. We are sure that it is going to be huge and will break the clutter. The show will also be toned to match Indian sensibilities and culture,” Mandloi adds.

    Apart from Big Brother, preparations are also underway to launch Extreme Makeover some time early next year, which is being produced by Miditech. The call for entries began on 4 July and will continue till 18 July.

    And if you thought that was all from the Sony stable, think again! Shooting for the second season of Fear Factor India is also currently under way in Argentina. While last time we saw telly actors participating in the show, this time round one can look forward to some Bollywood actors doing some real time stunts – minus the body doubles – in Fear Factor India. Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgan are two action stars who come top of mind… well we’ll have to wait and watch if they’re there!

    So it’ll sure be another reality bonanza on Sony!

  • Radio City dominates inaugural edition of 2006 Promax India Radio Awards

    Radio City dominates inaugural edition of 2006 Promax India Radio Awards

    MUMBAI: The first edition of the 2006 Promax India Radio Awards, which reward creative brilliance in radio, unfolded the Indian talent in radio marketing and promotion.

    Radio City stole the limelight by bagging seven awards which included three gold and four silver awards. The radio station pocketed the gold awards for best promotional item for a radio station or programme (Musical-e-Azam), best original music composition for a promo (Namma Naadu Karunaadu) and best promotional campaign by a radio station or programme (Musical-e-Azam).

    The brand took home silver awards for best original music composition for a promo (RC song), best promotional item for a radio station or programme (Musical-e-Azam), best interactive promotion for a radio station (city bajao car le jao) and best use of outdoor advertising (Asha Bhosale live on Musical-e-Azam).

    The newly re-launched Radio One, which was formerly called as Go FM, took home two gold for best print piece for a radio station or programme (Legends) and best interactive promotion for a radio station (The Go FM website). The station picked up one silver award for best promotional campaign by a radio station or programme (Jaggu’s Mission 10k).

    Radio Mirchi pocketed a silver award for best radio promo in-house; music station/programme (Mirchi Delhi Bollywood under arrest) and gold for best use of library music for a promo (Mirchi Delhi cricket India England ’06 series promos).

    Red FM won the gold for best radio promo in-house; music station/programme (Prayas-Breaking News) and silver for best use of library music for a promo (Anda Mix).

    O&M bagged gold for the best use of outdoor advertising for its Worldspace campaign Unwind. The agency also won the best print piece silver for a radio station / programme for its work Genre Based for Worldspace.

    The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the inaugural Living Legend Award, which has been presented to the eminent radio personality Ameen Sayani. The living legend award has been jointly constituted by the Ficci and the India Radio Forum.

    The awards statuette presented to the award recipients renders a human figure reaching skyward in triumph. The award jury included Abraham Thomas (Red FM), Arun Raman (Media Futures), G Sharath Chandra (Radio Mirchi), Gaurav Narula (Deep Emotion Music), Jaikishin Chhaproo (Hindustan Lever), Kahlid Sayed (IMG), Kartik Mani (Madison Communications), Nirupam Sonu (Adlabs), Vikas Varma (Radio City) and Vishnu Ahtreya (Radio One).