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Category: News Headline

  • Peace Arch Entertainment & Genius Products reach US distribution deal for Archetype Genre Films

    Peace Arch Entertainment & Genius Products reach US distribution deal for Archetype Genre Films

    MUMBAI: North America’s Arch Entertainment Group Inc. and Genius Products, Inc. have entered into an exclusive agreement for Genius to distribute a new slate of cutting edge horror and thriller films from Peace Arch’s Archetype Films division. The announcement was made by Genius CEO Trevor Drinkwater and Peace Arch president John Flock.

    Under the agreement, Genius has acquired exclusive US DVD distribution rights to five new films from Peace Arch’s Archetype Films label, which focuses on the horror, thriller and action and science fiction genres:

    * “Warriors of Terra” stars Edward Furlong (“Terminator 2”) as a member of an animal rights group that penetrates a biotech facility and mistakenly releases a monster within.

    * “5ive Girls” stars Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”) as a Catholic school priest who helps five teenage girls with supernatural powers battle the ancient demon Legion.

    * “The Last Sect” starring David Carradine (“Kill Bill”) as a vampire hunter tracking a group of female vampires who use an Internet dating service to line up their victims.

    * “Ultimate Killing Machine” starring Michael Madsen (“Sin City”) as the head of a top-secret U.S. military operation that turns misfits and wash-outs into genetically engineered ultimate soldiers.

    * “Troubled Waters” starring Jennifer Beals (“The L Word”) as a determined detective with psychic powers investigating the suspicious kidnapping of a rich man’s daughter.

    “We are very excited to be getting into business with Genius just as they are emerging as one of the best independent home entertainment distributors in the country,” says Flock. “We believe that these five films will be excellent additions to their growing lineup of top quality productions, and we expect to continue supplying Genius with additional productions from our growing pipeline, whether first run productions from our film and television divisions, family and children’s product from our kaBOOM! Entertainment subsidiary or desirable catalogue content from the Castle Hill/Dream Library, which we recently agreed to acquire.”

    “We are thrilled to be in business with Peace Arch Entertainment and John Flock, who in a very short time established his company as a premiere producer of quality films with high commercial value. This is a terrific deal for both companies and hopefully, the start of a long and successful relationship as Genius Products continues to build its library with top quality titles in the horror and thriller genres,” adds Genius CEO Trevor Drinkwater.

  • Vh1 ties up with Big Fish Games & Midway to provide online games

    Vh1 ties up with Big Fish Games & Midway to provide online games

    MUMBAI: Vh1 has announced the launch of Vh1 Games the online gaming destination for gamers, puzzle experts, and pop culture fans. For this initiative, Vh1 has teamed up with the game developer and distributor Big Fish Games and the interactive entertainment software publisher and developer Midway.

    Big Fish Games has been tapped for their expertise in the downloadable game market, game publishing, and merchandising. Through its licensing agreement with Vh1, Midway is providing authentic arcade classic games to the hub.

    “We have created a gaming site that extends the Vh1 brand by playing off of Vh1’s distinct programming,” said Vh1 VP digital media Tina Imm. “Our original games and ‘Vh1 Classic Arcade’ give our viewers and the enormous numbers of casual online gamers a great mix of old and new games, editorial content, and industry news.”

    In addition to a broad collection of word games, action games and puzzles, the Vh1 Games hub offers original games from Vh1, top downloadable games, and popular classic arcade games from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s that are part of Vh1’s on-air and broadband programming.

    Vh1 Games also provides gaming news and commentary through its dedicated blog, ‘Vh1 Game Break’. Vh1 Games introduces the ‘Vh1 Classic Arcade’– a collection of authentic online versions of old-school arcade classics like Spy Hunter, Joust, Defender, and Rampage.

    In the classic arcade section of the site, the games will be packaged together with editorial content relevant to the time when these games were originally released.

    Vh1 Games also offers original games based on Vh1’s hit TV shows and pop culture, as well as classic-inspired games including Vh1’s new mini-game compilation, The Arcade Strikes Back. Vh1’s original games include titles such as Escape the Paparazzi, Sudoku Fortunes and I Love Toys.

    Players can download one hour trials of the games or purchase the full versions for $19.99.

  • Star India buys world satellite rights to three PNC films

    Star India buys world satellite rights to three PNC films

    MUMBAI: Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd has announced that the world satellite rights to its latest productions, Ankahee, Pyar Ke Side Effects and Bow Barracks Forever have been purchased by Star TV Network. The company didn’t divulge the financial details of the deals.

    Ankahee, directed by Vikram Bhatt, stars Aftab Shivdasani, Esha Deol and Ameesha Patel. Pyar Ke Side Effects, a romantic comedy, is directed by Saket Chowdhury. The movie features Mallika Sherawat and Rahul Bose in the title roles. Anjan Datta’s Bow Barracks Forever, which is also scheduled for release this summer stars the likes of Neha and Lilette Dubey, Victor Banerjee and Moon Moon Sen.

    The india distribution rights for Ankahee is shared between Raj Enterprises (Bombay), Sahyog Films (Nizam) and PVR Pictures (Delhi and Punjab). Inox Leisure has acquired four territories, Mysore, Rajasthan, West Bengal and CI. Venus Tapes & Records have acquired the overseas territory. T Series has already released the film’s music.

  • News Corp. Q3 profit up 100%; India drives Star’s ad revenue growth

    News Corp. Q3 profit up 100%; India drives Star’s ad revenue growth

    MUMBAI: News Corporation recorded a clear 100 per cent increase in its profits for Q3 2006. The net income doubled to $820 million from $400 million a year ago.

    The company recorded a third quarter operating income of $1.0 billion, an increase of 14 per cent over the $889 million a year ago on revenues of $6.2 billion, up $155 million from the $6.0 billion reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2005.
    In an official release, News Corp., attributed the growth to good performance by its television, cable network programming and magazines and inserts segments, and have a $90 million improvement at SKY Italia.

    The television segment reported third quarter operating income of $286 million, an increase of $65 million, or 29 per cent, versus the same period a year ago, primarily reflecting higher contributions from the Fox Broadcasting Company (FBC) and Star.

    Star’s third quarter operating income increased 28 per cent as advertising revenue growth, mainly from India, drove total revenues up 14 per cent. Advertising gains were led by weekend programming initiatives at Star Plus and by the growth of Star One and Star Gold.

    Commenting on the results, chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said, “We are obviously pleased with the 14 per cent operating income growth and two-fold increase in net income we delivered this quarter. Our growth was as diverse as it was deep: continued subscriber expansion at SKY Italia; ratings success at our broadcast network; sustained momentum across our array of cable channels; and a dramatic increase in equity earnings from DIRECTV.

    “This quarter also saw accelerated progress in our new media evolution. MySpace expanded to over 70 million registered users, solidifying its prominence as one of the fastest growing sites on the Internet. We also launched Mobizzo, a comprehensive new destination for mobile content, putting us in the vanguard of this exploding new platform. And we reached agreement with our broadcast affiliates on repurposing network content, thus allowing us to aggressively develop new ways of distributing and monetizing our programming across the full range of new media platforms.

    At the same time, as we invest in these new opportunities, our strong balance sheet has enabled us to continue aggressively with our stock repurchase program. We have completed close to $2.5 billion of the original $3.0 billion buyback program we initiated last June, and today we announced that the Board of Directors has approved an increase in the stock buyback program to $6.0 billion. This $3.0 billion step up clearly reinforces our view that repurchases of News Corporation shares are among the best uses of our cash in today’s environment,” says Murdoch.

    At the FBC, third quarter operating results were profitable versus a loss a year ago as ratings momentum and higher pricing drove primetime advertising revenue growth, the company said. The higher primetime advertising revenues in the current year were partially offset by increased programming costs for several returning series including American Idol and 24, which, along with House, fueled ratings growth of 17 per cent among adults 18-49 for the quarter. Additionally, the third quarter a year ago included a loss associated with the broadcast of Super Bowl XXXIX.

    Fox Television Stations (FTS) third quarter operating income declined only 4 per cent despite the benefit a year ago from FBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl XXXIX. Primetime ratings strength and the continued success of local news drove advertising revenue growth which was partially offset by increased local sports rights and the further expansion of local newscasts, said an official statement.

    Sky Italia reported third quarter operating income of $69 million, an improvement of $90 million compared to a year ago on local currency revenue growth of 17%. This improvement primarily reflects the addition of 472,000 net new subscribers over the past 12 months, bringing Sky Italia’s subscriber base to 3.71 million at quarter-end.

    The Filmed Entertainment segment reported third quarter operating income of $225 million versus the $251 million reported in the same period a year ago. The year on year decline is primarily due to comparisons with record results a year ago led by the home entertainment performances of Alien vs. Predator, Napoleon Dynamite and I and Robot.

    According to News Corp., the third quarter film results were largely driven by the domestic home entertainment performances of Walk the Line and Transporter 2 and by the continued success of Fantastic Four in the international home entertainment market. Twentieth Century Fox Television (TCFTV) had increased contributions versus the third quarter a year ago, primarily reflecting continued momentum in home entertainment sales, most notably from Family Guy and 24.

    Cable Network Programming reported third quarter operating income of $211 million, an increase of $39 million over last year’s result. The 23 per cent growth primarily reflects advertising strength at the Fox News Channel and affiliate revenue growth at the Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), the release adds.

  • I&B ministry to bring Optical Disc Law to counter priacy

    I&B ministry to bring Optical Disc Law to counter priacy

    NEW DELHI: The government today said that copyright enforcement cells have been set up in most of the States and Union Territory administrations to check violation of copyrights of films.

    Information and broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi today informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) that his ministry has made suggestions for restricting incidence of piracy in the film and music sector while considering the on going amendments to the Copyright Act.

    The ministry, he said, has also received a proposal to enact an Optical Disc Law to counter piracy in the entertainment sector.

    The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has been entrusted with the task of determining the need for a separate legislation for manufacture of optical discs.

    Apart from this, I&B ministry has taken measures like organizing training programmes for police personnel on copyright issues in the film sector.

    The National Film Development Corporation Ltd has been commissioned to produce an anti piracy campaign and a film against piracy has been made by Public Service Broadcast Trust on behalf on the government for telecast on Doordarshan, the minister said.

    The Copyright Act, 1957, which falls under the purview of the ministry of human resource development, contains, inter alia, legal provisions regarding copyright in cinematograph films and music.

    The responsibility for dealing with offences under the Copyright Act rests with the State Governments and Union Territory administrations.

    According to entertainment industry estimates, revenue loss from film piracy is about Rs 12 billion annually.

  • TV Today’s Delhi Aaj Tak likely to launch mid-May

    TV Today’s Delhi Aaj Tak likely to launch mid-May

    MUMBAI: Amidst all the debate around uplink and downlink the Aroon Purie-promoted TV Today Network Ltd is set to launch yet another channel in an already cluttered news space. Launching some time in the middle of this month under the name Delhi Aaj Tak is a 24-hour news channel servicing the news needs of the national capital region (NCR) of Delhi.
    Barring any technical glitches, the fourth channel from TV Today stable is expected to begin beaming by mid-May.

    The channel will be headed by one of the old guard of the network Amitabh, who has been with the company for a decade, while the special project head for the channel is Alok Verma. Earlier, Verma was associated with Zee News as its editorial head and had done a stint with Star TV Interactive division in Bangalore, apart from having worked with other media companies at the national and regional levels.

    But a senior executive of TV Today remained tightlipped about the progress of the channel and the launch date, stating that the channel launch will happen in May.

    The channel, which received its uplink clearance in the last quarter of 2005, has been positioned on the plank of Delhi Aaj Tak: aapka sehar, aap tak (Delhi Aaj Tak: your city, up close). The team which will oversee the news channel is already in place, with a fresh pool of talent as well.

    On the technical side, all the news channels from the TV Today stable (including the newest baby) are likely to shift their beaming base from Insat-2E to Pas-10.

    Delhi Aaj Tak will have to battle for viewership with a host of news channels already catering to the NCR region. The players presently operating in this segment include Sahara NCR, S1 and Total TV. NDTV is also planning a new product to service the metros, including Delhi.

  • Ortel plans to raise Rs 600-700 million

    Ortel plans to raise Rs 600-700 million

    MUMBAI: Ortel Communications Ltd, the leading multi-system operator (MSO) in Orissa, is scouting for investors to raise Rs 600-700 million to fund its expansion plans which include commercial rollout of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

    The company has approached merchant bankers and is even looking at raising funds through a private placement. “We are looking at all options including a mix of equity and debt. Our fund requirement for expansion is Rs 600-700 million,” Ortel Communications promoter Jagi Mangat Panda tells indiantelevision.com.

    Ortel has recently issued redeemable preference shares to Finlay Corporation Ltd. (FCL), an overseas corporate body incorporated in the Bahamas and its subsidiary, of Rs 44 million with 8.50 per cent dividend per annum for a period of five years. FCL has 16 per cent stake in Ortel, sources say.

    While VoIP is a main line of business activity the company wants to enter, other projects designed are digitalisation, expansion to other towns and upgradation to triple play services (voice, data and video).

    Ortel has conducted a successful trial of VoIP telephony and plans to launch it commercially. The company also wants to expand operations from seven to 14 locations in Orissa and increase its broadband subscriber base. Ortel has over 180,000 cable TV and 7,000 data services customers.

    The company holds a stake of below 25 per cent in Orissa TV which runs a local channel OTV with in-house news and current affairs programming. A second channel focuses on local origin entertainment and selected Hindi movies.

    Cable TV service is marketed under the brand name of Skyview Home Cable. Data services are provided under the brand name of Ortel.net. HFC cable networks are designed and constructed with return path capability.

    Ortel’s main problem is to prop up revenues through value-added services in a state where the average revenue per user (ARPU) is more or less flat. Ortel has built and is operating a hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) broadband communications networks to provide cable TV, high speed internet access and possibly telephony services in future. In cities like Bhubaneswar, it is charging a monthly cable TV subscription fee of around Rs 250.

  • Star channels back on cable networks in Kolkata

    Star channels back on cable networks in Kolkata

    MUMBAI: The Star group of channels are back on the cable networks in Kolkata. After Manthan Cable Network, it was the turn of Indian Cable Net (which was bought out by Siticable) to reach an agreement today with Star.

    “Our channels are being carried by Indian Cable Net from today. They have agreed to carry our second bouquet which includes Star One. We have also resolved issues with Mathan and they have cleared our outstandings,” says a Star spokesperson.

    The Star channels were blacked out last month by several cable networks in Kolkata who were protesting against a seven per cent rate hike. Another issue in contention was the imposition of Star’s second bouquet. Cablecom and Purvalaya Communications, however, were carrying the Star channels.

    Star had switched off signals on 15 March to Manthan after claiming outstandings of over Rs 20 million. Following this the last mile operators blacked out carriage of the Star channels, led by the Forum of Cable Operators and Cable Operators Sanjukta, two association bodies of the last mile operators in the city.

  • 14 more TV channels apply for downlink okay

    14 more TV channels apply for downlink okay

    NEW DELHI: Fourteen more TV channels have applied for downlinking permission in India taking the total number to 55 as the deadline shutters down on 11 May.

    According to information posted on the website of the information and broadcasting ministry as of 11 May 1.10 a.m., the likes of ESPN, Star Sports, Reality TV, BBC World, Fashion TV and God TV were amongst those seeking landing rights in India.

    The government had stated all TV channels wishing to be downlinked into India will have to apply for landing rights after fulfilling various norms by 11 May 2006.

    The government had also clarified that from 11 May, all TV channels uplinking from outside India and having applied for registration with the government by that date could be carried on cable networks for the next six months or till the time government decides on their applications.

    The TV channels that have applied, according to the I&B ministry website, till 10 May include TV5 Monde, ESPN, Star Sports, BBC World, Fashion TV (that has applied under the entertainment category), Voyages Television, Miracle Net TV (entertainment), God TV(entertainment), Reality TV (entertainment), ABC Asia Pacific, Zee Arabia, Goal TV-1, Goal TV-2, MGM.

    The channels that sought landing rights earlier include Star Utsav, Star Plus, Star World, Star Gold, Star One, Star Movies, Channel V, Deutsche Welle TV, Angel TV, Hallmark Channel, Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Star Vijay, Sony TV, SET Max, Animax, SET Pix, SAB(Sony), AXN, National Geographic Channel, The History Channel, MTV, Nick,Vh 1, MTV2, Ten Sports, Channel News Asia, B4U Music, B4U Movies, Discovery, Discovery Travel & Living, Animal Planet, Zee Studio, Zee Café, Zee Trendz, CNN International, HBO, POGO, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network and Boomerang.

    The ministry has informed TV channels that those who have obtained uplinking permission from India before 2 December, 2005 are not required to file with the government for downlinking.

    These channels will also not be required to pay an initial fee of Rs. 500,000 on grant of permission agreement or the annual downlinking fee of Rs. 100,000 per channel.

    However, those TV channels obtaining uplink permission from the government after 2 December, 2005 are required to submit some additional information relating to downlink okay, but are exempt from any processing and annual fee.

  • WorldSpace names Gregory B. Armstrong and Alexander P. ‘Sandy’ Brown as Co-COO

    WorldSpace names Gregory B. Armstrong and Alexander P. ‘Sandy’ Brown as Co-COO

    MUMBAI: The satellite-based digital radio services, WorldSapce Satellite Radio has announced that Gregory B. Armstrong and Alexander P. ‘Sandy’ Brown have been appointed co-chief operating officers for the company.

    Armstrong and Brown will be dividing the company’s six core operational functions along the lines of their professional expertise. Armstrong will oversee WorldSpace ‘s sales, customer care, technology and distribution functions, while Brown will guide the company’s marketing and content departments, and will drive market development activities in Europe, China and other new markets.

    WorldSpace chairman and CEO Noah Samara said, “The appointment of Greg and Sandy represents an important next step in that process. Sharing operational responsibility between two co-COOs will contribute to the management capacity to provide deep focus across our complex business. With two new senior leaders, I believe WorldSpace can achieve the level of detailed focus required to step up our implementation, while maintaining the rapid pace required for execution of our strategy.”

    In June, Armstrong will join WorldSpace following his tenure as Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd executive VP and COO.

    Brown will join WorldSpace early next week. Previously, he has held international leadership roles with a variety of major content companies in the media industry, most recently serving as president and CEO of CNBC Asia Pacific.

    At ESPN, he launched the company’s first operations in Asia and grew the business to over 50 million subscribers with a large presence in India and China. Brown was instrumental in securing key content rights for ESPN (including cricket in India) as well as operating ESPN’s joint venture with NewsCorp’s StarTV.

    Prior to his Asia-focused roles at ESPN and CNBC, Brown oversaw all international television sales at the National Basketball Association (NBA) International Ltd.

    Armstrong and Brown will take over the duties previously held by Andy Ras-Work who will provide transition support to the incoming executives before pursuing other interests.

    Noah Samara further said, “We appreciate Andy’s contribution to our development over the past four years and his willingness to aid in an efficient transfer of responsibility. We collectively wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.”