ITV

Category: News Headline

  • ‘Krrish’ strikes digital gold with UFO Moviez digital cinema screens

    ‘Krrish’ strikes digital gold with UFO Moviez digital cinema screens

    MUMBAI: UFO Moviez, the digital cinema network launched by Valuable Media Pvt Ltd. (an Apollo International subsidiary), announced the release of Krrish, the latest blockbuster starring Hrithik Roshan, directed and produced by Filmkraft Productions (India) Pvt. Ltd.

    Krrish went out on 87 UFO screens in the first week and 90 UFO screens in week two. These UFO screens account for 15 per cent of the total number of screens that the film opened with and also marks the biggest ever digital release of a Bollywood blockbuster on a single digital network platform.

    The movie has received one of the biggest openings in the history of Indian cinema – grossing close to Rs 700 million in its first week alone. Krrish opened at theatres across the world with 790 prints, 250 of them in overseas screens alone.

    Also, Krrish was released for global digital screening with 925 cinema screens exhibiting the film worldwide. Thus, the network has made its presence felt by accounting for 10 per cent of the total digital film screens in the world to exhibit Krrish since its release two weeks ago.

    UFO Moviez, spearheaded by founder directors Raaja Kanwar, Sanjay Gaikwad and Usman Fayaz, plans to create the largest chain of digital cinemas houses worldwide by 2007 in India. It is part of Group Apollo’s Media Initiative and was launched by the company’s chairman and managing director O S Kanwar and Yash Chopra in November 2005.

    Having initially set up 500 digital movie halls by August 2006 at an investment of Rs 800 million, UFO plans to scale it up progressively to 2000 cinema halls across the country at a total investment of Rs 3 billion.

    UFO International CEO Aditya Shastri said, “It is has been our privilege to be part of this success and bringing the latest in digital projection technology has surely been an advantage. We are proud of our association with Krrish and remain committed to ensuring pristine quality images with perpetual life with no compromise in quality. With Krrish’s trouble free shows under our belt, we can definitely stake our claim to a stable and rugged technology of digital viewing. The overall response towards digital cinema has been extremely positive and will be a constant source of motivation for us.”

  • India to host 2011 Cricket World Cup final

    India to host 2011 Cricket World Cup final

    MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council conference held in London has reached a final decision on certain key points pertaining to the 2011 Cricket World Cup venue distribition between India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

    While India will stage the final match, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will stage semi-finals. The opening ceremony has gone to Bangladesh.

    “It has been decided that all four should evenly play a part in hosting the major events of the tournament,” Pakistan Cricket Board director Abbas Zaidi has been quoted in media reports as saying. Pakistan hosted the final of the World Cup, last played in Asia 10 years ago.

    “Traffic will come to a stop in the four countries in 2011. There will be more than a billion television viewers in the sub-continent, and another billion in the rest of the world,” adds Inderjit Singh Bindra of India.

    The 2011 World Cup will see India staging 22 matches, Pakistan 16, Sri Lanka nine and Bangladesh six. The venues being considered for the final include Eden Gardens in Calcutta, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore and the Feroz Shaha Kotla in Delhi.

  • Zee’s Q1 net shows a marginal rise of 5%

    Zee’s Q1 net shows a marginal rise of 5%

    Zee Telefilms along with its subsidiaries has registered what could be its lowest Q1 net profit in the recent past. The company showed a rise of a meagre 5% in its net profit for the first quarter of the year 2000-2001. The consolidated net profit for the current quarter is Rs 32 crore as against the corresponding figure of Rs 30.5 crore for the same period of the last year.

    Various reasons can be stated for this poor performance. To begin with, the unaudited results of the company reveal that a large amount has been written off for the total operating profit of 50 crore. Zee has hived off Rs 18.3 crore as “exceptional items”. Of these exceptional items, Rs 9.8 crore has been written-off on account of the film library sold by ZTL to its subsidiary. It can be mentioned that a lot of controversy was generated when this sale was shown by ZTL as a profit in its books in the previous financial year. And according to analysts, it is likely that the remaining amount from the sale of the library might be written-off over a period of time, which in turn might mean that Zee might show lower net profits for the remaining quarters as well.

    Also the company has accrued losses on account of its new interactive services like E-Connect and Zee Interactive Learning Systems. Zee has registered losses of 5.2 crore and 1.4 crore respectively on the two new subsidiaries.

    Interestingly, the company has shown other income as Rs 10.9 crore. This is a five times increase from the previous years figure of Rs 2 crore. Had it not been for this income, the consolidated net profit would have been even lower.

  • Zee Jagran sports new look; repositions itself

    Zee Jagran sports new look; repositions itself

    MUMBAI: Enriching Lives! That’s the new tag line of Zee Jagran, the spiritual TV channel from the Zee group, which is looking at repositioning itself.

    The new positioning statement – Enriching Lives – exudes the essence of Zee Jagran. Enriching Lives is a sum total of seven elements called hope, joy, peace, celebration, balance, silence and awakening. The right mix of these elements helps a person in experiencing life in its true colours.

    In order to break the perception that the channel is aimed at elderly people, the new positioning is targeted to all those who want to connect to their souls and live life to the fullest.

    In an official statement issued, the new positioning of Zee Jagran will be reflected in the overall aesthetics, look and feel of the channel, innovative channel packaging, colorful promos, all new range of programs and a lot more.

    The programmes designed for the channel are divided into thematic time bands, which will highlight the seven elements that lead towards enriching lives. These programmes are full of variety and cater to almost all age-groups and profiles of people who want to celebrate the festival called life, everyday.

    Starting from 2 pm, the first time band with the theme – Hope – showcases alternative healing programs like Tarot, The Good Food Show, Lifestyle Gurus, Beauty Mantras, etc.

    Joy will air at 2:30 pm showcasing serials like Ramayan, Vishnu Puran and Jai Ganesh. From 3 pm to 3:30 pm the channel will air Silence, which features programmes like Mano ya na Mano and Anant, which unveils the truth about various superstitions, evils and demons that affect life at one point or the other.

    The channel will also air shows like Celebrate, Jahan Jahan Ram Charan Chali Jahin (JJRCCJ), Namaste India, Home Healers, Green Mantra, mystical show Peace, Balance, Awakening from Monday to Thursday.

    Weekends will showcase inspirational movies. The channel recently aired hard hitting realities of the country in the form of documentaries made with the support of NGO’s like Prayaas, which are working hard for the upliftment of the underprivileged. Also there was a special feature on Bhopal Gas Tragedy victims, who are still struggling for their rights.

    The channel will also air special programmes on various festivals through a range of celebrations in the form of film festival, live shows and special features.

  • Texas Instruments holds seminar on adoption of mobile television

    Texas Instruments holds seminar on adoption of mobile television

    MUMBAI: Mobile sports fans around the globe are experiencing the first major international sporting event being broadcast live to mobile phones worldwide, from Europe to South Africa to North America, in the palms of their hands. Texas Instruments which manufactures wireless semiconductors hosted a press event yesterday 4 July 2006 on the potential of mobile digital TV in Munich, Germany.

    Today there are approximately 16 countries with Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H) mobile TV networks in place. DVB-H is an open standard developed by the DVB Project with broad industry support among hundreds of companies worldwide. The advantages of DVB-H compared to other mobile TV standards were addressed in a panel discussion led by David McQueen, principal analyst for Informa Telecoms and Media, with representatives from TI and Nokia. The panel also discussed the potential of the emerging mobile Digital TV (DTV) market with on-the-go consumers who are hungry for content to fit their interests. Following the panel, attendees were able to experience how sports fans’ lives are changing with mobile TV from demonstrations of TI’s Hollywood DVB-H single chip and Nokia’s N92 mobile device.

    McQueen says, “2006 is the year the mobile DTV picture will start to become clear with strong industry traction and international sporting events serving as the catalyst for mobile DTV growth. In fact, Informa expects $300 million in operator revenue to come just from users accessing streaming and broadcast services in June and early July to watch their favourite team play in international competition.”

    In order for mobile DTV handsets to be embraced by the mass market, the service and the technology must be affordable. Nokia director, Multimedia Harri Mannisto says, “At Nokia we firmly believe that mobile DTV will deploy beyond the initial uptake the market is currently experiencing. From the numerous consumer pilots in which Nokia has been involved, it has become clear that mobile TV is a very exciting and interesting mobile service which consumers are ready to pay for.”

    Christian Dupont, European director for TI’s Wireless Terminals Business Unit, indicated that while the market’s real growth will take place in the next five years, major international sporting events are sparking shorter term development. “This year we expect a substantial increase in consumer awareness for mobile broadcast TV that will in turn drive broader adoption of mobile DTV with DVB-H.

    “We are seeing the impact the first live mobile TV broadcast of a major global sporting event is having which is evidence that the entire ecosystem has taken a major step together to bring mobile TV to consumers worldwide outside of initial trials.”

    At every level of the mobile DTV value-chain, carriers, handset providers, infrastructure owners, content providers, broadcasters and semiconductor suppliers are putting increased efforts behind their mobile DTV plans supporting DVB-H. Informa believes for good reason – they predict 210 million mobile TV subscribers by 2011 and that by then ten percent of all mobile handsets sold will have a broadcast receiver, with DVB-H accounting for 63 per cent of broadcast receiver sales.

    Demonstrations shown at the press included:

    * Nokia showcased live broadcasts on its innovative Nokia N92 mobile device, the first DVB-H enabled device in the Nokia Nseries portfolio.

    * TI demonstrated its Hollywood technology – the industry’s first single-chip mobile DTV solution on the market – and its high performance OMAP2420 processor to provide a crisp, clear viewing experience. This demonstration was displayed using a DLP Pocket Projector linked to a demonstration unit and used technology from TI’s partners PacketVideo and Silicon and Software Systems Ltd. (S3).

  • Trai withdraws paper on IPTV

    Trai withdraws paper on IPTV

    NEW DELHI: In view of divergent and contradictory view from broadcasting and telecom industry, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is set to withdraw a consultation paper on IPTV that it had issued some time back.

    Though this can be viewed as a small victory for the broadcasting and cable community, which was resisting pressure from telecom companies to take IPTV out of the ambit of Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act.

    The decision of Trai, which was seeking opinion of the industry on IPTV at an open house today in Delhi, also means that it would not be submitting any recommendations to the government on this particular consultation paper.

    However, the step is being seen a “positive one” that would facilitate inclusion of IPTV and even mobile TV in a Broadcast Bill that the government was proposing to bring in, Indusind Media and Communication Ltd executive director corporate services and MSO alliance president Ashok Mansukhani said.

    In its consultation paper, Trai had asked whether it’s feasible to take IPTV out of the purview of the Cable TV Act and have separate licensing norms for it for its growth.

    The basic intention behind the proposed amendments in the Cable Television (Regulation) Act, 1995 was to keep the IPTV service outside the definition of `cable services’.

    Today’s development notwithstanding, the regulator played down the issue. “The chairman has indicated that probably the consultation paper needs to be revised. We would take a final decision soon,” a Trai official told Indiantelevision.com in the evening.

    The consultation paper on IPTV had drawn varied comments from stakeholders with broadcasters and MSOs saying IPTV should not be separated from cable TV and laws regulating it.

    On the other hand, the likes of Internet Service Providers’ Association of India and telecom companies wanting a slice of IPTV had pitched for separating it from cable services.

  • ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’ left out of Emmy Awards

    ‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives’ left out of Emmy Awards

    MUMBAI: Nominations for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in the US were announced by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

    Among the networks, HBO got 95 nominations. ABC got 64 nods while CBS managed to get 47 nominations. Surprisingly, ABC’s two hit shows Lost and Desperate Housewives failed to be nominated in the main categories.

    The awards presentation telecast awarding Emmys in 27 categories before a black-tie audience will be televised by NBC on 27 August from the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium and will be hosted by talk show host Conan O’Brien.

    The nominees for best drama series are Grey’s Anatomy, House, The Sopranos, 24 and The West Wing. Competing in the comedy series are Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, Scrubs and Two and a Half Men.

    Discovery’s The Flight That Fought Back is competing in the television film category along with A&E’s Flight 93, and three HBO films The Girl in the Cafe, Mrs. Harris and Yesterday.

    The nominees for actor in a drama are Denis Leary for Rescue Me, Peter Krause for Six Feet Under, Christopher Meloni for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Kiefer Sutherland for 24 and Martin Sheen for the Presidential drama The West Wing.

    The actresses nominated are Kyra Sedgwick for The Closer, Geena Davis for the now cancelled ABC show Commander in Chief, Mariska Hargitay for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Frances Conroy for Six Feet Under and Allison Janney for The West Wing.

    The comic men who have ben nominated are Larry David for Curb Your Enthusiasm, Kevin James for The King of Queens, Tony Shalhoub for Monk, Steve Carell for The Office and Charlie Sheen for Two and a Half Men.

    Among the women, the nominees are Lisa Kudrow for The Comeback, Jane Kaczmarek for Malcolm in the Middle, Julia Louis-Dreyfus for The New Adventures of Old Christine, Stockard Channing for Out of Practice and Debra Messing for Will and Grace.

    The nominations have received a mixed response from critics. Some feel that the snub of Desperate Housewives which is a non traditional comedy might mean less glamour. There seems to be some agreement though that the drama shows nominated are better than Lost.

  • BBC commentator John Barrett to step down after 36 years following Wimbledon

    BBC commentator John Barrett to step down after 36 years following Wimbledon

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that commentator John Barrett will step down after 36 years following the Wimbledon Ladies’ Final. He will commentate alongside with John McEnroe and Tracy Austin.

    Barrett said, “It will be a great thrill. I have always enjoyed commentating on the Ladies’ Final and there have been so many great ones – producing champions like Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova – and I’m sure this year’s winner will be equally exciting.”

    Jimmy Connors, John Lloyd and Andrew Castle will commentate on the Men’s Final BBC’s Wimbledon executive producer Paul Davies said, “Jimmy Connors, John Lloyd and Andrew Castle did a great job last year and we want to stick with that successful combination this year.”

    In 2005 the Ladies’ Final was watched by 6.8 million viewers and the Men’s Final achieved 5.8 million viewers. In recent years, the BBC has used a number of different commentators to call the singles finals including John Barrett, Chris Bailey, Andrew Castle, Barry Davies and David Mercer.

    BBC Head of General Sport Barbara Slater said, “We always leave the decision on who will commentate on the finals until the second week and it’s always a difficult decision because of the strength and depth of the team. The two singles finals obviously have equal status and in fact last year’s Ladies Final lasted longer and achieved higher viewing figures than the Men’s Final.”

    He has worked with the BBC at Wimbledon since 1971 – and feels that now is the right time to enjoy some more time off-court. Barrett adds, “It’s been a great privilege to work at Wimbledon over the past 35 years, and to have worked with so many truly talented individuals in a strong BBC team has always been a pleasure.”

  • AXN to unveil action award winners on Sunday

    AXN to unveil action award winners on Sunday

    MUMBAI: One of AXN’s initiatives for the year is the AXN Action Awards. This seeks to reward work done by Bollywood’s action stars. The show which will be hosted by Dino Morea airs on 9 July at 8 pm.

    With Bollywood always having action as a part of a formula that is served along with drama and romance, it is only recently that there are blockbuster pure adrenaline racing action movies, a la Hollywood, breaking away from the sugary romances and the family dramas.

    Morea will go on the sets of each of the action stars to felicitate them with their new prized possession. The award categories include: Best Action Movie, Best Action Director, Best Action Sequence in a Movie, Best Action Actor and Best Action Actor in a Negative Role

    As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the channel received over 200,000 votes for different action categories in the first ever Indian Action Awards.

    SPE Networks South Asia director of marketing and sales, Rohit Bhandari says, “Indian cinema produces some of the best action heroes in the world. So how could AXN resist helping our viewers to felicitate the brawniest stars of them all? Thums Up and AXN are both brands that symbolize adventure, endurance and extreme challenge. The AXN Action Awards will be a never before seen comprehensive look at the action heroes, the movies and the people behind them!”

    The AXN Action Awards is presented by Thums Up with associate sponsorship by Mahindra Scorpio & Sony Ericsson K750i. The retail partner for the event is Inox, the multiplex chain.

  • Optibase IPTV platforms enable Real-Time Video Traffic Monitoring in Korea

    Optibase IPTV platforms enable Real-Time Video Traffic Monitoring in Korea

    MUMBAI: The California-headquartered Optibase, Ltd., one of the leading providers of advanced digital video solutions, has announced that Korea Highway Corporation (KHC) has integrated the Optibase MGW 5100 carrier-grade IPTV streaming platform to enable live video monitoring of the country’s highways.

    The KHC has stationed analog video cameras alongside the highways to collect traffic information in real-time. The video feeds containing this information are delivered over a fiber network to centrally control information for processing and analyzing. The Optibase MGW 5100 encodes the feeds into both H.264 and Windows Media format for the delivery of high quality video streams, in real time, to KHC’s Regional Control centers, monitoring the traffic conditions from afar, informs an official release.

    Additionally, an on-board Windows Media Server, fully supported by the advanced architecture of the MGW 5100 platform and WMT encoders, enables viewing of traffic conditions on the KHC Web site using any PC or PDA running a Windows Media Player. This provides drivers with maximum traffic information before they approach the highways. Samsung Networks provided integration for the video deployment, the release adds.

    “KHC needed a solution that would enable streaming a large number of channels in low bit rates while maintaining superior quality,” says S.T. Kim, GM of Diginix, Optibase’s partner in Korea. “The system had to be extremely stable as we rely on it to provide accurate information in real-time. The Optibase platform provided us with high quality encoding and streaming, and high availability and reliability, all packaged in a compact chassis that results in lower operating expenses. Furthermore, we can now easily monitor traffic conditions using a single management system which is a significant benefit.”

    “We are pleased to have an opportunity to demonstrate how our IPTV streaming solution is not only a major requirement of Telecom operators for IPTV deployments worldwide, but is also sought by corporations and agencies such as KHC that need high quality and high stability video applications,” says Yossi Aloni, VP of marketing at Optibase. “Through close cooperation with our partners, we have provided a sophisticated video system tailored to KHC’s needs.”