MUMBAI: American cable network AZN Television, which caters to the Asian American populace, has reached a deal with Los Angeles-based production outfit IRP to air four episodes of Cooleyville.
This is an animated series created by and for Asian Americans.
The show, created by Stephen Bay and Tony Wang, launches next month. It follows the adventures of a suburban Chinese American family living in the town of Cooleyville
The show takes an irreverent approach to race issues and stereotypes.
MUMBAI: Complete Communications Corporation (CCCL), the parent company of television production firm Celador Productions and Celador International, has announced that it is making the worldwide intellectual property rights and UK programme library of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, its globally successful quiz show format, available for sale.
If a sale of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is agreed, the parent company will encourage and support a management buyout of both Celador Productions and Celador international.
CCCL has employed the services of corporate finance advisory house, LongAcre Partners, to advise on the sale.
CCCL chairman, Paul Smith said, “I have been at the helm of Celador for over 20 years and it is no secret that I have, for some time, wished to reduce my responsibilities within the television division to allow me to focus my attention on opportunities within radio broadcasting and film production. I also wish to allow myself more leisure time. To that end I have been pursuing a partial exit and succession strategy for the past 18 months.
“I have already significantly downscaled my day-to-day involvement with Celador Productions and Celador International by devolving responsibility to the managing director of each company. Both are led by motivated and accomplished management executives, have healthy current projects as well as a number of exciting developments in the pipeline, and prosperous futures ahead of them.”
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? was launched in September 1998 in the UK on ITV1 and quickly became a ratings phenomenon. In India, it changed the fortunes of Star in its local avatar Kaun Banega Crorepati? The format has won over 60 awards globally and been licensed to 105 countries. Now in its 19th season in the UK, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is a mainstay of ITV1’s Saturday night schedule, regularly attracting audiences of over seven million viewers.
Alongside its on-air success, the format’s reach extends into a range of hugely popular consumer products and pioneering interactive applications.
Although renowned for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Celador has enjoyed success spanning two decades and has earned a reputation for producing innovative and original programming for broadcasters at home and abroad, and distributing and licensing entertainment brands across a global platform.
Celador Productions’ factual entertainment format, You Are What You Eat, became one of Channel 4’s highest rating shows when it launched in 2004. Now in its third series, the completed programme or format has been sold to 17 countries and spawned a range of successful consumer products including a series of best-selling books.
The company is currently producing a brand new factual entertainment series, Turn Back Your Body Clock, for transmission on UK’s Channel 4 in May, which will be launched internationally at the television event MipTV in Cannes, France next week.
A tenth series of Commercial Breakdown recently concluded on BBC1 having consistently won its slot with an audience share of over 20 per cent, and a new six-part comedy for BBC3 Live! Girls!, has just commenced production. Celador Productions is also expanding its operations to a regional office, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.
Celador International’s portfolio of successful game shows includes Talking Telephone Numbers, The People Versus, and Brainiest. Last year the company acquired the rights to the kids animated show Roobarb & Custard, the new series of which is currently showing on Five’s Milkshake strand and on Boomerang, as well as ABC in Australia and Ireland’s RTE. It has also just been released on DVD in the UK.
Celador International also holds the merchandising rights to the new Tales of the Riverbank movie, which has recently commenced principal photography.
MUMBAI: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) has launched a new media division. Douglas A. Lee will oversee the new unit as executive VP.
Lee will oversee MGM’s digital distribution strategy. He will also spearhead the studio’s broadband and wireless efforts and shepherd new digital media growth.
MGM chairman, CEO Harry E. Sloan said, “MGM will be making significant moves in terms of new platforms, ranging from TV and the Internet to wireless, mobile and more. Doug has a wealth of senior management experience culled from several major media companies including Fox, HBO and Universal. This and his proven track record in new media will be a great benefit and addition to MGM’s already outstanding team. I am thrilled to have him at the helm as we capitalise on the myriad opportunities in the digital space.”
MGM COO Rick Sands says, “Doug is an expert at navigating the new media space and identifying key opportunities. He will also be working closely with our strategic partner, Sony Corporation of America, which is at the forefront of Blu-ray and major electronic and digital initiatives.”
Lee says, “There are numerous opportunities to grow and extend the MGM brand in the new media age. We will look to mine the library for new opportunities and also create new productions and initiatives for the plethora of new media opportunities that currently exist, as well as plan for new and emerging possibilities.”
With over 20 years experience as a senior executive in the global entertainment business, Lee’s career highlights include the launch of HD Cinema 10 for Voom, the creation of Noggin, the first educational children’s network and a joint venture between Sesame Workshop and Nickelodeon; a founder of Crime, a broadband platform that was sold to USA Cable; and he was instrumental in spearheading News Corp.’s acquisition of Star-TV.
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that Doctor Who viewers are in for an extra treat when the new series launches next month.
In addition to watching 13 new adventures – with David Tennant as the Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose – viewers in the UK will be given the opportunity to download thirteen 60-second mini-episodes via their mobile phones, or stream them on broadband as part of the BBC’s TV Plus trials.
The Tardisodes, which are part of the BBC’s trials exploring ways of broadening the output of leading brands, offer the audience an insight into what’s going on in the Doctor Who universe that week. These downloads will be available on Saturdays after the main show has gone out.
They will include footage that won’t be seen on TV, and show the characters and adventures coming up in the next episode – from meeting the Cat Women who can cure all illnesses, joining Mickey as he discovers some alien activity in a local school, to witnessing the Cybermen upgrade process.
BBC director of television Jana Bennett says, “What better way of travelling with the Time Lord than to have a Tardisode come to you on your phone or PC? The Tardisodes are an exciting development, delivering mini-episodes which will let viewers access the vortex and explore new worlds before the Doctor arrives himself.
“We know that there is a huge appetite for Doctor Who and we want to make the whole experience bigger and better for viewers. These TV Plus trials will continue to help us understand more about the different ways in which viewers want to enjoy Doctor Who.”
Created by the team behind Attack of the Graske, the Christmas interactive mission, the mini-episodes will have the same high quality elements as the main show.
Tardisodes co-producer Jo Pearce says, “Our aim, when planning the development of all these projects, is to make the interactive content around Doctor Who series two compelling, exciting and intriguing as well as enticing a broader audience to Doctor Who by positioning it on different platforms.”
The Tardisodes are part of the BBC’s TV Plus pilots, offering audiences a new way of engaging with BBC TV programmes to enhance their viewing experience. The pilots include preview clips on mobile phones, programme premieres on broadband a week ahead of their TV transmission, and a rich interactive experience on-demand through broadband and digital TV.
From 1 April 2006, the audience can text the word Tardis to 81010 to subscribe to the service. The user will then be sent a text message with a link to the download (this text will cost between 12 and 15p). They will then be asked to bookmark the link and to come back every Saturday at the end of the Doctor Who programme to see the new Tardisode.
If the user does not have a compatible handset they will be told before they download the content and asked to go to the Doctor Who website to watch the Tardisode. The BBC does not charge for its mobile content. However, the operators charge for using the internet on your phone and for the text messages to access the service will apply.
Costs vary from operator to operator. Operators may charge for time spent browsing or amount of data downloaded. Registering for the service is simple, participants will be asked to subscribe via text message and then will receive a weekly alert to inform them that new content is available.
NEW DELHI: The CAS story limps along with an early solution not in sight, as industry stakeholders are yet to find a common ground. This was evident in today’s meting on the issue called by the government.
Though the MSOs did make a proposal on sequence of CAS implementation and one particular MSO provided some additional data relating to the Chennai market where CAS has been implemented, lack of data from others, notably the broadcasters and local cable operators, didn’t help matters much.
The government, which is also under pressure due to a Delhi court direction on CAS rollout by the first week of April, could use the data provided by the MSOs to force the pace, a government official said, adding this could include mandating individual prices of TV channels.
The official did admit that at the two meetings on CAS held till now, there has been a sense of “resistance” from the pay broadcasters to come out with a la carte pricing of channels, which is “complicating the matters a bit.”
According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, some of the MSOs have proposed a plan, which envisages a phased preparation for CAS with a blackout of TV channels — not going through a set-top box — after 5 July.
The MSOs today said that for CAS rollout, 5 April should be taken as the zero hour. The preparatory phase should last till 20 May. The time between 21 May and 21 June should be treated as transition phase, while the final implementation of CAS should start from 5 July onward when all TV channels would have to go through boxes on a mandatory basis or face the threat of a blackout.
The MSOs also suggested that the government should mandate the maximum retail price (MRP) for individual channels as also bouquets — a proposal that did not go down very well with broadcasters — if a consensus is not arrived on this.
While the MRP issue is being pushed by consumer bodies too, the MSO said that if a consensus on this is elusive, then the sector regulator (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) could be asked to address the issue.
What is making matters difficult for the government is that some pay broadcasters have raised valid doubts on piracy of signals and the technology that would be used for conditional access. Country’s biggest broadcaster in terms of revenue has raised 16 issues that should be addressed before CAS is rolled out.
According to some people who attended today’s meeting, a suggestion relating to revenue share for subscription money in the ratio of 50:25:25 (broadcasters: local cable operators: CAS operators and independent ops) was also made.
A demand that all commercial contracts amongst broadcasters and MSOs and MSOs and cable ops be standardized was echoed today again.
In the wake of divergent views on CAS still persisting, the information and broadcasting ministry made it clear to industry stakeholders that
ambiguities would only lead to more confusion and wastage of time.
With today’s meeting ending relatively inconclusive, the government has scheduled another one on Monday (3 April) to get down to serious sequencing of CAS rollout
MUMBAI: Kids with their endless curiosity have taken to the internet like fish to water, and they may be getting in way over their heads. This virtual world — just like its physical counterpart — has things that are good, things that are a waste of time, and things that are downright dangerous.
“Take blogging, an internet activity that has become all the rage with kids. There is a very good chance that your child has a blog, and that it may contain some fairly shocking personal or made-up content. For example, we are seeing some children creating seductive adult personas, and these fictitious alter egos are matched by predators passing themselves off as kids. It’s time to make blogging and online communities safe for kids,” said Industrious Kid founder and CEO Jeanette Symons.
Lacking such places, kids eagerly seize free space and blog-building tools and publish their online diaries — web logs, or “blogs” — on sites such as MySpace.com and LiveJournal. These sites are intended for adults and are full of adult content, but that just adds to their attraction. Kids can simply lie to get around the age restrictions, and studies show that many do.
There are already millions of kid-authored blogs today as baby bloggers try to one-up each other and make their individual creations stand out from the crowd. The password protection feature makes it seem like access to their blogs is quite limited, but in reality the kids are baring their souls and personal information to the world.
Technology entrepreneurs like Symons are working with educators to make blogging safe for kids. They are creating blogging domains that combine strong protective measures and controls with the kind of content, applications, and dynamics that make the environment compelling and exciting to kids.
The details for such kid-friendly, parent-approved blogging environments are still being hammered out, but experts have identified three key ingredients:
Strongly authenticated access that creates a controlled ecosystem through identification of users, which weeds out the undesirable elements and limits the scope of publishing.
Powerful tools for parental monitoring and control of the “who, what’s and how often’s” of their children’s activities.
Dynamic age-appropriate content and applications to interest and stimulate the audience.
Many people simply want to ban blogging for kids, but it actually has many positive aspects. Instead of yakking on the phone or meeting at the mall, children online are creating something, expressing themselves in new ways, communicating with the written word, and becoming computer- and Internet-savvy — all important skills that have much broader applications.
“We can’t stuff the online Genie back in the bottle,” said Symons. “The digital landscape with all its faults is a permanent backdrop to our kids’ lives. We need to engage this new reality and create on online environment that is not only safe and constructive, but a place where our children simply want to be.”
MUMBAI: China is offering another version of the reality show The Apprentice – minus Donald Trump. The show Win in China is being produced by China Central Television (CCTV). It is a show where would-be entrepreneurs compete to win positions as CEOs of new businesses.
The executive producer of the new version, Wang Lifen, said the show shares some similarities with the popular US series, but there are essential differences as well. Win in China will debut in May, and viewers will take on the New York businessman’s role of deciding who gets fired by voting electronically for their favourite, according to producers.
Lifen said, “I think The Apprentice show is driven by money, which is hard to accept in Chinese culture. What we’re looking for is the talent of self-management and entrepreneurship.The program matches very well with the country’s current situation.”
The American show has contestants vying for a job as apprentice to millionaire businessman Trump. Contestants are given tasks that test their skills in sales, marketing, advertising and finance. They compete against each other, often to see who can make the most money. At the end of each show, Trump whittles down the applicant pool by declaring “You’re fired!”
Win in China will be a much more dramatic and interactive program since the audience will participate. Chinese participants will also endure rigorous business tasks that test their tenacity to withstand hardship. Viewers will vote for the winner, and some will even become shareholders in the new company, according to CCTV.
In the Chinese version, the top winner is given the reins of a new business with a registered capital of no less than 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million), while the other four winners will get to run smaller firms. The startups are being funded by Asian and international venture capital firms.
MUMBAI: Japanese advertising giant Dentsu Inc and Swiss sports event marketing major Infront Sports & Media AG have won the Asia broadcasting rights for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and for all soccer games to be organised by the sport’s world governing body Fifa between 2007 and 2014.
The rights cover television, radio, broadband Internet and mobile telephony.
Dentsu and Infront came together to form a joint venture to ward off a daring attempt by “upstart” entrant into the soccer telecast game Nimbus Sport, which put in a bid worth a reported $ 269 million for the same rights. Sister concern Nimbus Communications was recently in the news when it won the telecast rights to India cricket for four years running from 1 March, 2006 to 31 March, 2010 with a monster bid of $612.18 million.
A point of note is that Dentsu acquired the Japanese broadcasting rights for the same events in 2005. Following the new announcement made by president Tateo Mataki on Saturday, Dentsu’s control over Fifa events now effectively extends to most of Asia.
Dentsu did not say how much it paid for the rights, nor which countries the rights covered, but information available with Indiantelevision.com indicates that the consortium bid made by Dentsu and Infront, which was the incumbent, is estimated to be worth between $300-310 million. The 29-country deal covers the whole of Asia east of Iran and excluding Japan.
In terms of a value proposition, four countries that make up North Asia account for 55-60 per cent of the bid amount. This includes China, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. South and South East Asia would take up the remaining 40-45 per cent of the bid value and include Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Philippines and Singapore as major territories.
Commenting on the deal, Dentsu MD international headquarters Haruyuki Takahashi said, “This expanded role is the result of our long and rewarding partnership with Fifa. As Fifa’s sales representative, Dentsu, together with Infront Sports and Media, will enhance its role as a communications company by contributing to the expansion of the world of football.”
Infront Sports and Media president and CEO Oscar Frei said, “Both parties are strong in Asia and understand the Fifa property very well based on our successful histories of working together with Fifa. This decision also recognises Infront’s growing presence in the critically important market of Asia and we are grateful to Fifa for entrusting the Dentsu/Infront partnership with this important growth market for football.”
News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch seems to have made a lot out of his Mumbai visit. The media baron held a series of meetings in Mumbai. He touched base with his old friends, colleagues, to-be business partners, ex-partners, and important local political heavyweights.
On Tuesday morning, he had a meeting with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, wherein he reiterated his commitment to further his investments in Maharashtra, and also voiced his interest in taking part in the information technology revolution that the new NCP government is trying to bring into the state. The meeting was followed by an impromptu press conference.
The previous day he had meetings with petrochemical and telecom baron Dhirubhai Ambani, his old partner turned rival Subhash Chandra, and the Baramati badshah and leader of the National Congress Party Sharad Pawar, apart from the Star TV staff.
Reportedly, the meeting with Subhash Chandra was a courtesy call and no business was discussed. A large part of his day was spent at the Star TV office in Andheri. He is also seriously considering Sam Pitroda’s WorldTel venture of spreading cyber cafes all over the country at par with the STD booths.
He is expected to meet Ratan Tata who recently announced his Infotech plans. Discussions could cover a Joint venture whereby Murdoch would provide content for Tata’s IT network. Murdoch’s agenda also includes meetings with Ashok Hinduja, Remi Hinduja and his old friend Nusli Wadia. The Hinduja-run cable network IN CableNet could do business with News Corp as IN Cablenet needs content and News Corp needs distribution. This can tackle the threat from the Zee group which owns SitiCable and which also has the content power.
The media giant, earlier, was pretty impressed with Bangalore city. He had held preliminary talks with some portals and he is expected to fund a couple of ventures. One on the list includes a portal by the Pradip Kar owned Microland Group and the other is a Bangalore-centric portal Explocity.com. Murdoch also announced that Bangalore might be the second city to have a production studio apart from Mumbai.
Murdoch will fly to Delhi from Mumbai and is slated to meet the Prime Minister, the Infotech Minister Pramod Mahajan apart from attending the “Janata Ki Adalat” bash in the capital.
The shrewd businessman has made sure to make the most out of his India trip and he is expected to make big announcements within a few
MUMBAI: Noted Hollywood filmmakers Barrie Osborne and Michael Peyser have ambitious plans in India. Along with Indian VFX producer Madhu Sudhanan, they are going to partner with a local visual effects studio to float a company, Vayu Digital.
The company plans to pump in $20 million to create a visual effects facility in Chennai. “We are in negotiations with a domestic visual effects studio to become a joint venture partner. The company aims to go operational by May-June,” Madhu Sudhanan said.
Vayu Digital will have an outsourcing business model, tapping Hollywood clients for carrying out the visual effects work in India. The facility initially will house 50 artists with a mix of western and local talent. It aims to ramp up the capacity to 250-300 seaters over two years.
“We will create an international pipeline to attract outsourcing work from Hollywood. Vayu would serve as second in line to the VFX majors. We are not going to compete but create a complementary facility to the Hollywood visual effects major studios with cost-effective solutions,” said Madhu Sudhanan.
Said Peyser,”To begin with, we are going to provide our services in VFX, mobile repurposing and animation to some of the best film makers worldwide. Long term, we also plan to produce our own content at Vayu.”
By outsourcing visual effects from India, Hollywood studios save 30-40 per cent of their costs. “Hollywood requires communications, deliverables and quality. The biggest problem in India is the limited talent pool that we have as all of us are digging into the same well,” said Madhu Sudhanan.
Osborne, producer of Lord of the Rings, is planning to co-produce films in India which will be targeted at the international market. Peyser, producer of Speed 2, is also eyeing at outsourcing visual effects work from India.
Madhu Sudhanan has produced domestic movie visual effects for more than 60 motion pictures and three Hollywood films. Currently he is heading the FrameFlow facility in Chennai.