Category: News Headline

ECB launches broadband TV channel

MUMBAI: The Indian cricket board may be making noises about launching its own television channel but it is its British counterpart that has gone ahead and “walked the talk”. The England and Wales Cricket Board today launched its official broadband TV service, ECBtv, coinciding with the start of the first npower Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.

The ECB has signed a three-year deal with digital rights company, Premium TV, to produce the broadband channel – as an addition to ecb.co.uk, according to the board website.

In addition to exclusive interviews, the ECBtv console will stream live video coverage of all home npower Test matches and NatWest one-day internationals to identified territories in Europe, South and Central America, Japan and Africa, which are not covered by current ECB television deals.

ECBtv users can also access live audio commentary on all England’s home internationals, with BBC Radio’s Test Match Special being relayed through the channel.

The ECBtv console is a key development for the ECB, which sees broadband as a crucial platform for cricket in England and Wales to build on the popularity enjoyed by the sport during the npower Ashes series in 2005.

The ECB will also be encouraging England players to create their own content for the website.

Also embedded in the ECBtv channel will be a searchable video archive (SVA) that allows fans to view extended highlights of England’s classic moments on home soil, such as great matches, innings and wickets from as far back as 1970 – meaning classic moments such as Botham’s Ashes in 1981 can also be included.

Another feature of ECBtv will be the ‘Active Zone’, where fans will be able watch tutorials on all key aspects of the game from England players past and present, and see video clips of key grassroots initiatives such as NatWest CricketForce 2006.

It will also house ecb.co.uk’s own multimedia archive of video and audio clips, bringing continuing coverage of all aspects of the game outside of the international arena.

Premium TV will work alongside the ECB’s broadcast partners to ensure that the online broadcasts are geo-blocked in areas where any conflict with TV broadcast deals exists.

Oliver Slipper, CEO of Premium TV, said: “The ECB signing is yet another example of how PTV can help sports organisations exploit their digital rights by creating a unique service for a very popular platform.

“It also demonstrates how digital rights deals complement rather than compromise TV deals.”

May 11, 2006
Worldspace Q12006 revenues up 35% to $3.5 million

MUMBAI: For the first quarter of 2006, satellite radio player Worldspace reported revenues of approximately $3.5 million, representing a 35 per cent increase compared with revenues of approximately $2.6 million for the first quarter of 2005.

Subscription revenue doubled to approximately $1.6 million for the first quarter of 2006 compared with subscription revenue of approximately $0.8 million for the first quarter of 2005, the company said in an official release.

Worldspace recorded a net loss for the first quarter of 2006 of $29.2 million, or $0.79 per share, compared with a net loss of $9.2 million, or $0.40 per share for the first quarter of 2005. Sequentially, the net loss improved from the fourth quarter 2005 results of $33.2 million, or $0.90 per share. Worldspace had an EBITDA (earnings before interest income, interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization) loss of $31.2 million for the first quarter of 2006, compared with EBITDA of $1.5 million for the first quarter of 2005, and an EBITDA loss of $44.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, the release adds.

The company said it finished the first quarter of 2006 with 153,437 subscribers. The Company added 38,131 subscribers in the first quarter of 2006, an increase of 109 per cent over the 18,233 subscribers added in same quarter of 2005. In India, the Company had 111,723 subscribers at the end of the first quarter of 2006, up 50 per cent from 74,574 at the end of the fourth quarter of 2005 and a five-fold increase from 21,730 at the end of the first quarter of 2005, it said in a release.

At the end of the first quarter of 2006, Worldspace had rolled out its satellite radio services in ten cities in India – Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, and Kolkata. It also signed Indian music impresario AR Rahman as a brand ambassador in India.

Globally, Worldspace introduced three new programming channels, including Fox Sports Radio, and Ranin and Min Zaman, the latter two targeted to listeners in the Middle East, bringing the total number of channels broadcast on Worldspace’s global system to 223 by the end of the first quarter of 2006.

May 11, 2006
Yahoo joins forces with Telemundo for new website

MUMBAI: Yahoo Inc. has partnered with Telemundo to form a co-branded web site, Yahoo Telemundo. Its content primarily targets the growing U.S. Hispanic audience. This new website, will replace Spanish-language internet portals previously operated by both companies.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will merge staff and share advertising revenue, but neither will make any equity investment in the other. However, the details of the profit split were not disclosed.

According to NBC Universal COO Randy Falco, “This merger provides us with an excellent platform to position Telemundo for the future.”

Yahoo Telemundo will include content from Telemundo programming including sports, music and entertainment, directed towards Hispanics through Spanish-language, bilingual and English-language content sections.

The companies are banking on higher advertising revenue from the merger to allow advertisers to extend their reach to the estimated 11.5 million Hispanic population in the United States.

However, Spanish-language versions of Yahoo’s online service that cater to international markets will not be cobranded, Yahoo said.

“This partnership is a natural evolution of the larger strategy Telemundo and its digital media team have been developing during the last eight months, a strategy that is strongly anchored on providing relevant original programming to the U.S. Hispanic consumers through multiple platforms,” said Telemundo president Don Browne. “We looked for a partner with superior audience reach, a respected brand, excellent technology and a shared vision of where the business is going. Yahoo! definitely represents all these.”

A unit of NBC Universal Television Group, Telemundo Communications Group Inc. is a Spanish-language television network that reaches 93 percent of U.S. Hispanic households in 142 markets through its 16 owned-and-operated stations, 36 broadcast affiliates and nearly 684 cable affiliates.

May 11, 2006
Worldspace satellite radio to launch in Italy

BANGALORE: Worldspace satellite radio announced that WorldSpace Italia S.p.A. has received approval from the Italian ministry of communications to launch a subscription satellite radio service in Italy.

With this authorization, the ministry has granted WorldSpace Italia the right to provide a subscription-based satellite radio and data service to consumers in Italy, and to use the frequency band 1479.5-1492 MHz for the operation of the corresponding hybrid satellite/terrestrial network.

WorldSpace Italia anticipates launching the satellite digital radio and data service to portable and vehicular devices in 2007, using one satellite already in orbit, and a terrestrial gap-filler network to be rolled out in all major cities throughout Italy.

WorldSpace Italia S.p.A. is a majority-owned subsidiary of Worldspace’s European holding company, Viatis Satellite Radio. WorldSpace Italia’s other partner is New Satellite Radio S.r.l., an Italian company whose primary shareholder is Class Editori S.p.A., an Italian financial, media and broadcast corporation based in Milan.

According to an official release, New Satellite Radio, which holds a 35 per cent interest in WorldSpace Italia, has been instrumental in obtaining the Italian regulatory authorization and is expected to play an integral role in operational execution of the service in Italy, including distribution arrangements, such as OEM partnerships, content supply and acquisition and marketing.

WorldSpace Italia intends to start rolling out this complementary network as soon as its installation plan, currently under finalization, is approved by the Ministry. At the service’s maturity, subscribers in Italy will have access to approximately 50 channels of diversified sports, talk and commercial-free music programming, the release adds.

“We are very pleased to receive these authorizations from the Italian Ministry of Communications for the launch of our service,” says WorldSpace, Inc. chairman & CEO Noah Samara. “We look forward to working closely with our partner, New Satellite Radio S.r.l., to implement our service and establish a new generation of WorldSpace subscribers across Italy. Italy is an attractive market for us. Our research shows it to be one of the two top markets for satellite radio in Europe.”

According to Samara, the strategy has been to roll out a European service on a sequential, country-by-country basis. “Our goal was to obtain our first terrestrial authorization in one country in 2006. We have accomplished this in Italy, which we consider to be the best near-term market for a mobile satellite radio service. We will continue to seek similar approvals in the rest of Europe to achieve our goal of a pan-European satellite radio service.”

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with WorldSpace at this exciting time for satellite radio in Italy,” says CEO and director of New Satellite Radio S.r.L. and board member of Class Editori S.p.A. Luca Panerai. “We are confident that coupling Class Editori’s extensive Italian media experience and broadcast capabilities with WorldSpace’s technology and unique platform offerings will provide a first-of-its kind listener experience in Italy. The authorization also paves the way for the Italian car manufacturing industry to be the first in Europe to provide digital satellite radio service.”

Italy’s population is more than 58 million and nearly two-thirds of these are within the target age demographic for satellite radio service.

May 11, 2006
Zoom, Reliance in interactive deal for Glam Awards

MUMBAI: Lifestyle and glamour channel Zooms goes interactive. In a unique tie-up with Reliance, Zoom’s first Glam Awards can be viewed by subscribers of Reliance World.

Speaking to Indiantelevision.com on the initiative, Zoom’s national head, marketing and sales, MK Anand said, “The Glam Awards is a signature event showcasing that glam in India has finally arrived. Interactive Marketing has always been high on Zoom’s agenda, and the tie-up with Reliance is yet another achievment on that front.

“In the first phase of this tie- up, we had partnered with Reliance for a contest prior to the Glam Awards where subscribers voted for the ‘Best Glam Music Video’. They could download the full music videos selected in this category and vote for the best video. The winner in this contest was a special invitee to the Glam Awards, held recently in Mumbai. Details of the contest were aired on Zoom. Now, in the second phase, we are sharing content for the ‘Curtain Raiser’ and the ‘Glam Awards’ will be telecast on Zoom on 14 May at 9 00 pm.”

Zoom is the first entertainment channel that will now be included in the Reliance Mobile TV bouquet. So far the only channels who have been in the bouquet have been news channels Aaj Tak, NDTV, CNBC and Times Now.

Saying that for Reliance, this was a WAP tie up for its subscribers, Anand adds,”We are essentially targeting the upwardly mobile viewers, the imagery that can be downloaded is targeted to the youth from 15 to 34 years who also constitute our target audience. There is, therefore, a lot of synergy with Reliance.”

“We are redefining the marketing activities by going beyond just print, online and ground initiatives for the Glam Awards. Glamour is also about high technology so this is a step in that direction. The time lag between the airing of the Awards on 14 May and being able to download the special clips it on the cell is just a few minutes,” says Anand.

The first Glam Awards can be viewed by 5 million subscribers of Reliance World. Whether it is Kareena thanking her “best friend’ on stage or John and Bipasha’s very evident real life chemistry at the awards – it will now be accessible to the Reliance world customers. Snippets such as memorable moments, terrific performances and acceptance speeches will be content that Reliance users can avail.

The first annual Zoom Glam Awards were held in Mumbai on 30 April.

May 11, 2006
Zee expands South presence with Zee Kannada launch

BANGALORE: Zee Group launched its much anticipated Kannada channel Zee Kannada on 11 May. The 24-hour channel hit the airwaves at 5 am.

In an official release, Zee South said the new channel was slated to capture the needs, moods, sentiments and aspirations of Kannadigas. Zee Kannada is the second south Indian language channel that Zee is launching after Zee Telugu, which was launched in May 2005.

Says ZTL director Punit Goenka, “It’s a real delight to be in Bangalore, Zee Kannada is a tribute to the spirit of “Kannadigas”. As Karnataka happens to be the gateway of South India, it will be our constant endeavor to make it the most admired channel in South. We promise to deliver you best service and quality programs throughout our transmission and aspire to be the number one Kannada channel within an year.”

Zee was seen promoting the launch through outdoor advertising and direct contact programs with viewers across Karnataka. Kannadigara Kanmani will be the tagline for Zee Kannada.

Speaking on the initiative, Zee South channels head Ajay Kumar offers, “The Southern region has always been our priority. Launch of Zee Kannada is in continuance with our Zee South initiative. This is the first time in the television history that a channel, whose programs are fine tuned as per the viewer’s feedback, is launched.”

Zee Kannada business head Venkat Giridhar adds, “Zee Kannada is a dream come true for us .We are highly grateful to the viewers across Karnataka whose feedback has been of immense help in deciding on the content and quality of our programmes. We are sure that our people of Karnataka will be proud to see the channel of their choice.”

May 11, 2006
‘Nick News’ with Linda Ellerbee turns 15

MUMBAI: The Emmy, duPont and Peabody award-winning Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, the longest-running and most-watched kids’ news show in television history, celebrates 15 years on Nickelodeon in May 2006.

Informed by a philosophy that ignorance is not bliss, that kids deserve and need information about the world and events that shape it, Nick News has covered major world events and other issues that affect kids in a way that no show on television ever has, earning the respect of parents, educators and, most important, kids.

To celebrate this milestone, Nickelodeon will air Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Celebrating 15 Years of Nick News on 28 May.

The half-hour, commercial free special is a retrospective of 15 of Nick News’ most compelling stories over the last decade and a half, and a fast-forward to meet some of the players and see what their life is like today, when they’re grownups. It shows how Nick News — and kids-have never shied away from talking, in no-nonsense language, about the crucial issues of our time-war, AIDS, terrorism, natural disasters, gay parenting, homelessness, racism, genocide-and how kids have responded by working to change their world for the better.

“No other show gives kids the opportunity to speak their minds on important issues quite like Nick News. Nick News and Linda Ellerbee present stories about issues in a manner that empowers kids and enables them to take action. The show provides a great way for kids to initiate a dialogue with their parents. Nickelodeon is proud that for the past 15 years, we have been able to offer our audience a unique outlet like Nick News to help them do that,” said Nickelodeon Television president and MTVN Kids and Family Group head Cyma Zarghami.

“I am the luckiest journalist in television. We tried to teach kids about life. Instead, they taught me what life is all about. I look forward to my continuing education on Nick News,” said Nick News host and executive producer Ellerbee.

A sneak peek of Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Celebrating 15 Years of Nick News will be broadcast on TurboNick, Nickelodeon’s broadband video service on Nick.com, two weeks before the on-air special.

May 10, 2006
Comcast and CareerBuilder.com launch new job search channel on Comcast.net

MUMBAI: Comcast and CareerBuilder.com have teamed together to launch a comprehensive online Jobs Channel on Comcast.net. CareerBuilder.com is the exclusive content provider for the Comcast.net Jobs Channel, which now connects the nation’s largest broadband customer base to the nation’s largest online jobs database.

Comcast’s more than nine million broadband customers can now enjoy easy and immediate access to more than one million CareerBuilder.com job postings, plus online career services and tools. Users can go to Comcast.net and click on “Jobs” to enjoy this quick, convenient access.

Comcast.net, Comcast’s broadband portal, provides 24/7 access to the latest sports, entertainment, music, news/reviews, and communication tools. CareerBuilder.com offers comprehensive job search experience, spanning national and local positions, niche industries, and newspaper partnerships.

“Comcast combines top speeds, a reliable network, and best-in-class content and applications to provide our customers the best broadband experience. We are pleased to add even more value to our service by launching the new Comcast.net Jobs Channel with CareerBuilder.com,” said Comcast senior vice president of internet product development Charlie Herrin.

“We are pleased to join forces with Comcast, the nation’s largest broadband provider. The new Comcast.net Jobs Channel offers a valuable resource for employers looking to reach a vast audience of potential employees. Along with the added exposure for the jobs posted on CareerBuilder.com, millions of Comcast broadband customers now have convenient access to a complete online recruitment resource,” said CareerBuilder.com CEO Matt Ferguson.

The site enables job seekers to locate jobs in virtually every industry, field and job type, post up to five different versions of their resume, and get expert career advice. International positions and Spanish language search options are also available. CareerBuilder.com also features a Recommended Jobs page, which automatically lists positions that match users’ resumes and search behavior to quickly pinpoint the right opportunities. Users can also sign up for regular email alerts on new, relevant listings.

May 10, 2006
TiVo in deal with Brightcove to offer Web TV

MUMBAI: Digital video recording (DVR) pioneer TiVo Inc. is joining hands with online video service provider Brightcove to deliver web-based programming to TiVo’s broadband television boxes. This will enable TiVo users to record internet-based videos from Brightcove’s content partners.

Initially, all content will be offered for free to TiVo subscribers and advertising will be carried within the content.

Brightcove’s technology gives producers the solution to create online videos and then syndicate them through Brightcove’s distribution channels, of which TiVo has become the latest.

Brightcove also has a deal with Time Warner Inc. to start distributing videos this summer on AOL’s Web portal.

May 10, 2006
Qualcomm, BSkyB to conduct MediaFLO Technology trial in UK

MUMBAI: Qualcomm Incorporated and British Sky Broadcasting Limited (BSkyB) today announced that the companies have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to conduct technical trials of Qualcomm’s MediaFLO technology in the United Kingdom.

Expected to begin during the summer of 2006, the technical trial will feature 10 channels of BSkyB content on a small number of non-commercial devices provided by Qualcomm. The technical trial is intended to allow BSkyB to closely evaluate the performance capabilities of FLO technology, an open, cellular network-agnostic wireless multicasting technology, as it continues to explore the growing number of opportunities to deliver video services to mobile devices in the UK.

FLO technology, a multicast innovation and key component of the MediaFLO system, is an air-interface technology designed to increase capacity and coverage, and reduce cost for multimedia content delivery to mobile handsets.

The BSkyB technical trial is expected to be the first such trial of FLO technology in Europe. In addition to this technical trial, Qualcomm and KDDI have formed a joint venture to explore the deployment of MediaFLO services in Japan. Also, MediaFLO USA, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, is working with Verizon Wireless to deploy wireless multimedia services based on FLO technology in the US.

“BSkyB is committed to offering customers flexible ways to enjoy our services. We have led the way in the delivery of mobile TV over existing platforms and we look forward to working with Qualcomm in this technical trial to evaluate the potential of MediaFLO,” said BSkyB group director of business development Stephen Nuttall.

“As one of Europe’s largest, most successful and best-known multichannel television platform operators, BSkyB is the ideal company to team up with Qualcomm on our first MediaFLO trial in Europe. We expect this trial to demonstrate a strong validation of the value Qualcomm believes FLO technology offers both in Europe and other markets around the world. The openness of the MediaFLO system, as well as its significant advantages with respect to coverage, power consumption and cost, set MediaFLO apart from other competing technologies,” said Qualcomm Internet Service and MediaFLO Technologies president Peggy Johnson.

Engineered specifically for the mobile environment, FLO technology is intended to offer several advantages over other mobile multicast technologies, including higher-quality video and audio, faster channel switching time, superior mobile reception, optimised power consumption and greater capacity concurrently as compared to other multicast technologies.

In addition, FLO technology-based multimedia multicasting will complement wireless operators’ CDMA2000(R)/EV-DO and WCDMA/HSDPA cellular voice and data services, delivering content to the same cellular handsets used on these 3G networks.

May 10, 2006