ITV

Category: News Headline

  • BBC Worldwide plans to launch bbc.com for users outside UK

    BBC Worldwide plans to launch bbc.com for users outside UK

    MUMBAI: Online medium is growing to be a powerful mode of communication, providing unlimited opportunities to extend interactions. BBC Worldwide is proposing to launch bbc.com to capitalise on the popularity of BBC content abroad.

    The BBC website for users outside the UK is likely to have advertisements, according to the corporation’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide. The corporation is looking at launching bbc.com in spring 2007.

    According to information posted on the bbc.co.uk, a spokesperson said a ‘limited level’ of ads would be ‘a very viable option’. TV shows could be sold to international users on the new site.

    It must first be approved by the BBC Trust, which will replace the corporation’s governors. Before that, proposals will go through the BBC’s internal journalism board and executive direction group. But it will not be subject to the public value test, which will ensure the BBC’s non-commercial ventures do not adversely affect commercial markets in the UK.

    “Our hope would be to have the site fully up and running in a year’s time,” the spokesperson continued. The site is also proposing to offer ‘video on demand’. According to BBC Worldwide, the bbc.com site will not feature pop-up promos, animated commercials or the sort of ads that “give the web a bad name”.

    The television news channel BBC World, which is broadcast outside the UK, carries advertisement and could be used as a model.

    The corportion is also hoping that in due course, the site will offer direct consumer downloads via the proposed Integrated Media Player, or iMP. “At a later date it might become a portal for video on demand for international users,” the BBC Worldwide spokesperson said.

    iMP is an application in development offering UK viewers the chance to download TV and radio programmes they may have missed for up to seven days after they have been broadcast.

  • Mobile to dominate on day 4 of MIPTV

    Mobile to dominate on day 4 of MIPTV

    MUMBAI: Sessions on mobile TV takes center stage on day four of MIPTV featuring MILIA, kicking off with Convergence of Mobile & TV: What’s Happening in Japan?

    Set to take place at 9 15 pm., the session will see NTT DoCoMo’s senior VP and managing director of multimedia services Takeshi Natsuno, discussing the company’s plans for mobile television, including business models and relationships with content providers.

    That session is followed at 10 am by Mobi Wars!: Mobile TV Business Models & Value Chain Evolution, exploring the various models that content companies can utilize in the mobile space. Moderated by freelance journalist Mark Halper, the session will feature MediaCorp Studios’ MD Melvin Ang; Walt Disney Internet Group VP and MD Attila Gazdag, Jamba VP of marketing and COO Martin Ott, Virgin Mobile head of corporate development Gwyn Roberts, Ericsson Mobility World VP Kurt Sillen, SFR EVP of marketing and mass-market customers Jean-Marc Tassetto and ITN Multimedia MD Nicholas Wheeler.

    At 1130 am, Jessica Sandin, a senior consultant at Fathom Partners in the U.K., will moderate Mobility & Content: Entertainment Everywhere!, exploring new distribution platforms. Panelists include TV Norge’s head of new media Thomas Houge; Google Video EMEA’s head of content partnerships Patrick Walker and Nokia SVP of multimedia experiences Ilkka Raiskinen

    Afternoon sessions include Interactive Mobile TV, The Next Frontier? at 2 30 pm, to be moderated by Endemol U.K.’s MD of digital media Peter Cowley, and featuring 3 Italia’s director of digital content Massimiliano de Carolis; 3’s director of content partnerships Mark Nichols and NRK’s director of mobile content and services Bjarne Andre Myklebust, among others.

    At the same time, Brian Seth Hurst, the CEO of The Opportunity Management Company, will moderate User Generated Content: The Next Big Thing in Media. Panelists include Channel 4’s new media managing editor Andy Grumbridge and Extreme Sports’ MD Phil Jones, among others.

    Asia, in particular India, takes center stage in the 4 pm panel Mobile Content Distribution & Revenue Opportunities, moderated by Ferhan Cook, the president of MediaPlay International. The second panel at 4 pm, Developing & Delivering Content Across Platforms, What Does it Take? will be moderated by the American Film Institute’s SVP of media and technology Nick Demartino. Panelists include the chairman and founder of The Interactive Channel Robert Chua and Enteraction TV’s business development director James Penfold.

    At 5 15 pm, Headway International partner Serge Schick will moderate Information & News At The Forefront of Broadband Content Genres: What Are The New Deals, And How Are They Shaking Up The Broadband Content Value Chain? Panelists are APTN’s MD Nigel Baker; Yahoo! Europe’s VP of media and communications Jon Gisby and France Televisions Interactive’s GM Laurent Souloumiac.

    Also taking place are the Content 360° pitching sessions for multimedia content. The BBC is hosting its sessions at 115 pm (Rich Media-Made for Mobile); 2 30 pm (Web 2.0-Next Generation Collaborative Web Concepts); and 5 15 pm (Total Mobile & User Generated Content). KBC will host its session, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), Mobile Content and Applications, at 4 pm The pitch sessions culminate with the Content 360° Zapping Show at 7 pm, when the winning projects selected by the BBC, KBS and NFB will be announced.

  • Zee TV launches a giant of a portal

    Zee TV launches a giant of a portal

    Zee Telefilms’ subsidiary E-Connect has launched its portal www.zeenext.com on 22 March 2000. The B-2-C and C-2-C portal covers everything from entertainment to business. The horizontal portal is going head to head in competition with most general Indian portals, including rediff.com, indiainfo.com, and satyamonline.com. It features more content than any other portal and is also involved in unique services like ‘Mobilenext’ which is a messaging tool connecting to about 260 mobile networks globally.

    ZeeNext boasts of having over 1,30,000 e-mail subscribers and over 1,000 Mobilenext downloads during the beta phase of the portal. The company is ready with broadband content which will be launched within a month and half. It is currently converting its entire programme library into streaming video.

    ZeeNext President Sunil Jasuja says it will expand its content by acquiring and purchasing content through strategic alliances with other portals and content providers. The company says the site has 128-bit encryption and hence has a high level of protection, which will serve it well in the case of e-commerce transactions. It is in the process of obtaining a security certification from VeriSign.

    On the company’s plans to attract surfers hooked to other popular portals such as rediff.com, satyamonline.com, etc, E-Connect President Sunil Jasuja says, “Zee is a brand which is trusted and which reaches 30 million people worldwide.”

    E-Connect will launch dial-up Internet access services in Mumbai on 26 March costing Rs 499 per month. Net-over-cable TV, which is to be launched soon will be priced at Rs 1,500 per month for unlimited access. The cable modems are currently priced at Rs 10,000. Jasuja is however optimistic about it matching the price of conventional telephone modems. This will increase the penetration of Cable-over-Internet services of E-Connect, which will be enabled through SitiCable.

    The company has invested Rs 250 million in the last three months of operations. E-Connect officials are confident of maintaining the budget of Rs 4 billion as decided earlier by the Zee management.

    The revenue model of E-Connect is a combination of access, advertising, direct e-commerce and e-commerce facilitation. The major chink of revenues would come through the Internet access services. E-commerce revenues would also be significant The company hopes to break-even within three years of its operations.

    The content and access mix of E-Connect will prove to be an advantage over many other Indian portals. It is likely to stand head and shoulders above most other portals in the broadband era thanks to its huge library of television software.

  • Zee Café to launch four shows, adds local glam series’View from the Top’

    Zee Café to launch four shows, adds local glam series’View from the Top’

    MUMBAI: The English general entertainment channel Zee Café has lined-up four new shows for the month of April, with – Candid Camera, Oz, The Gig (Musical concert) and View from the Top.

    View from the Top is yet another local show featuring the lifestyles of the rich, the famous and the achievers.

    The show will launch on 23 April at 6 pm. It is Zee Cafe’s second local show- the first being Bombay Talking.

    Zee Café business head Neil Chakravarti says, “Our endeavour is to showcase the best of English entertainment, we are now adding four new shows in the month of April to our existing line-up of award winning programmes. We are positive our viewers will find them as appealing as the earlier shows.

    He adds, “Shows like Candid Camera, Oz, The Gig (Musical concert) and View from the Top, are targeted at a wider audience.

    “We have extended our programming to provide a mixed bag in order to cater to varied tastes of the ever-growing English audience.”

    Starting from 1 April, the channel brings in the reality-comedy show Candid Camera to air at 7 pm.

    On 7 April, the channel will air the series Oz at 10 pm, chronicling the daily activities of an unusual prison facility and its criminal inhabitants.

    Showcasing some of the outstanding concerts from different corners of the world by some renowned artists of the music industry, Zee Café has lined up a series of 13 concerts in The Gig that includes the likes of Shakira, Usher, Destiny’s Child, Pink Floyd, Santana, Maroon 5 and many more.The Gig will air from 8 April at 2:30 pm.

  • Animal Planet teams with WWF for eco-reality series ‘Planet Action’

    Animal Planet teams with WWF for eco-reality series ‘Planet Action’

    MUMBAI: Around the globe, pollution, global warming, deforestation, fishing practices, all play a part in endangering the world’s wildlife. Most often, the danger comes as a result of human behaviour. In a mission to show viewers how they can help the conservation cause, Animal Planet and WWF, the global conservation organisation, present Planet Action – an eco-reality series which takes on these crises in a brand new way.

    Starting 2 April, the six-episode series Planet Action will air on Animal Planet every Sunday at 9 pm. The series will premiere globally on Animal Planet.

    The series takes an unique approach in addressing some of the current
    issues facing wildlife and eco-systems today. The series follows an
    international team of seven enthusiastic amateur environmentalists as they are immersed in six different conservation projects. Working under the pressure of strict deadlines and tight budgets in remote locations, the team must work together to accomplish each mission.

    Over six weeks, we see conservation in action as the team tackles projects to make a real difference. The journeys range from saving endangered leatherback turtles in Panama to planting 100 trees in the heart of Borneo’s rainforest to help the orangutans fight for survival.

    Animal Planet Brand Director Raja Balasubramanian said, “Animal Planet has presented many entertaining programmes, both from India and abroad, to increase the understanding on wildlife extinction and environment deterioration. Planet Action is an eco-reality programme that, besides informing, will entertain viewers by presenting them all the emotion and drama of a group of amateur environmentalists tasked with real-life challenges.”

    The diverse group of participants from Venezuela, Vietnam, Sweden,
    Australia, Brazil, UK and USA came together to pursue a common cause. WWF experts are on hand as ‘mentors’ during each challenge, as the team learns firsthand about the realities of conservation while at the same time coping with extreme conditions, unfamiliar cultures and the pressures of protecting wildlife.

    Can the team put personal issues aside and cooperate as a group to undertake these important challenges? Planet Action captures all the emotion and drama as tempers fray and moods swing while the team works together towards their ultimate goal – protecting the future of the animals with whom we share the planet.

    WWF-India SG and CEO Ravi Singh said, “Planet Action is a great example of active media partnership to showcase the tough work of conservation to the world. I am hopeful that more and more people will be sensitised about the threats to the environment and to it’s species and the urgent need to conserve the same.”

    WWF-India is the largest and one of the most experienced conservation organizations in the country. And, with almost five million supporters distributed throughout five continents, WWF has a global network active in over 90 countries and has played a major role in the evolution of the international conservation movement. Their mission is to stop the degradation of the planet and to help people live in harmony with nature.

  • Liberty eyeing investment in Indian cable company

    Liberty eyeing investment in Indian cable company

    MUMBAI: As the CAS story firms up, so too does the interest with which big international cable companies view the Indian scenario.

    The most active on this front appears to be John Malone’s Liberty Media Corp, which is eyeing an investment into the cable TV business in India. The company has initiated talks with Hinduja-owned IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd (IMCL) but no breakthrough has been reached thus far, sources say.

    Late last year, a senior team visited IMCL headquarters in Mumbai but talks have stalled after that. A preliminary agreement on the valuations couldn’t be reached, sources say.

    When contacted, Hinduja TMT Ltd MD K Thiagarajan said the cable business of the company was attracting a “lot of interest from strategic and financial investors.” But he refused to comment on whether the company was in talks with Liberty Media. “I can’t comment specifically on any investor,” he said. IMCL, which operates the cable business under Incablenet brand, is a subsidiary company of HTMT.

    Sources say HTMT was looking at a valuation of around $900 million for its cable TV business. Interestingly, Zee Telefilms Ltd chairman Subhash Chandra said, in an interview to a business channel, that the value of his cable assets ought to be in the region of $800-900 million.
    Liberty, however, is waiting to see how conditional access system (CAS) rolls out. Investors feel digital cable TV will help organise the industry and bring subscribers under the addressable system. Average revenue per users (ARPUs) would also go up.

    If Liberty does make an entry into India, then it will be Malone’s second big entry into the Asian market after Japan. According to the latest report by Hong Kong-based Media Partners Asia (MPA), Liberty-controlled J:COM, the most successful broadband cable TV operation in Asia and in Japan, will April 15 launch HDR services (High Definition Recorder capabilities with a High Spec Double Tuner Recorder), a new J:COM digital service available in all J:COM franchises, which pass 7.9 million homes.

    Zee Telefilms has already announced its plans to de-merge Siticable, a wholly owned subsidiary, into a separate company called Wire and Wireless (India) Limited (WWIL). This would bring specific focus into the cable business and be attractive to investors.

    Queried by Indiantelevision.com earlier as to whether he saw the demerged cable business (Siticable) and the direct consumer services business (Dish TV) as being the most likely to invite international interest for strategic and financial partnerships, Chandra had replied in the affirmative.

    HTMT is also planning to de-merge the company’s IT/BPO and media businesses into separate entities. “It couldn’t be done this year because of certain taxation issues. The programme is still alive and we hope to de-merge early next fiscal. A committee of directors are looking into the issue,” said Thiagarajan.

    When asked whether HTMT would de-merge after selling its stake in Hutchison Essar Ltd, Thiagarajan said he wouldn’t like to comment on the issue. HTMT, together with its wholly owned subsidiary InNetwork Entertainment Ltd, is holding 91.54 per cent of IndusInd Telecom Network Ltd (ITNL) corresponding to a 4.68 per cent effective stake in Hutch. HTMT plans to exit from the telecom business and sale out its entire stake before Hutchison Essar goes for an initial public offering (IPO).

    With Zee de-merging its cable subsidiary, foreign companies may now turn their eyes on WWIL. And with CAS rollout imminent, Liberty, Comcast and Time Warner Cable may seriously look at setting up a footprint in India.

  • Star News’ 3rd anniversary launches interactive service Khabar Hamari, Faisla Aapka

    Star News’ 3rd anniversary launches interactive service Khabar Hamari, Faisla Aapka

    MUMBAI: Star News turns three years old this 31 Mrach. Post the divorce with the then content provider New Delhi based NDTV, now turned news broadcaster, the MCCS managed Star News celebrates its third anniversary by launching an interactive service — Khabar Hamari, Faisla Aapka.

    The service has been designed as a 24-hour viewer feedback number that elicits active viewer participation. With this feedback mechanism, the viewers can call in and express their views, opinions, suggestions or questions on a news story.

    In an official statement issued today, this method of eliciting viewer interactivity reinstates Star News’ position as the ‘people’s channel’. The journey of three years for Star News has been studded with commendable achievements and appreciable milestones.

    The major breaking stories includes the Mumbai deluge, the Shankaracharya controversy, the exclusive interview of Abu Salem’s first wife, Samira Jumani, and the MP (LAD) sting operation, ‘Chakravyuvh’.

    The channel has moved from strength to strength and has grown to command a significant viewership in the industry. Today, Star News has international footprints in South East Asia, Central Asia, UK, USA and Australia. The channel has set precedents in investigative journalism, lateral programming and unique on-ground properties that have been accepted by the viewers and emulated by competitors.

    MCCS CEO and editor Uday Shankar says, “Our journey over the last 3 years has been filled with challenges which we have successfully overcome. And the affection & unstinting support we have received from our viewers & strategic partners makes it a fruitful and memorable one too. Going forward it will be our constant endeavour to live upto their expectations just as we have in the past.”

    He further added “And on the occasion of our 3rd Anniversary milestone, we are taking our promise to our viewers to the next level by introducing Khabar Hamari, Faisla Aapka, a first-time viewer interface with the channel where Star News will get to solicit their views, opinions and response on a news story. The objective is to provide the viewer a direct voice on Star News and change the existing scenario by making them an active part of the news. It is one more step in the direction of our commitment of being the people’s channel.”

    The statement informs that the viewer feedback is a vital ingredient of a channel’s success and is probably the only means for a channel to gauge acceptability and interest levels among its audiences. With Khabar Hamari, Faisla Aapka, Star News will provide the viewers a phone number wherein a viewer can call in to voice their ideas, opinion or questions on a news story.

    The central idea for the launch of this first of it’s kind initiative is to change the current scenario wherein the viewer plays a passive part by just listening/ watching the news, to the viewer being an active participant by giving them a chance to be a part of the news and voice their feelings on the channel.

    The viewers can dial 022-5663 0099 to voice their opinions, suggestions, views or questions through Khabar Hamari, Faisla Aapka.

  • CASBAA, PCTA sign anti-piracy agreement

    CASBAA, PCTA sign anti-piracy agreement

    MUMBAI: The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) and the Philippine Cable Television Association (PCTA) have signed an agreement reinforcing their partnership to promote and protect intellectual property rights in the pay-TV industry.

    CASBAA CEO Simon Twiston Davies said, “Our commitment to support the growth of the domestic market in the Philippines and to protect its viability in the face of rampant piracy gains strength with our partnership with the PCTA. Through cooperative efforts, CASBAA and the PCTA aim to attain real results in the coming months.”

    CASBAA and the PCTA plan to jointly organize a Philippine Pay-TV Summit this year in order to raise industry and public sector awareness on intellectual property issues for cable, satellite and broadband markets in the Philippines.

    They have also agreed to work with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) on an educational training scheme designed to help law enforcement and government officials as they work to combat piracy.

    PCTA President Antonio Selda said,”We at the PCTA have long been vocal in the campaign against all forms of copyright infringement. Signal theft, in particular, has a negative impact on the industry in the long-term. Legitimate cable operators are finding it difficult to survive in this climate, and the industry as a whole stands to suffer if piracy continues. Increasingly piracy stunts the industry’s growth in terms of programming and technological development. The number of illegal cable connections in the Philippines is close to overtaking the number of legal subscriptions.”

  • NASA and HDNet announce HDTV broadcast partnership

    NASA and HDNet announce HDTV broadcast partnership

    MUMBAI: NASA and HDNet have joined together to provide high definition TV coverage of space shuttle launches through 2010. The agreement ensures the remaining shuttle lift-offs and landings at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida will be broadcast in the highest quality television format available.

    NASA administrator Michael Griffin and HDNet chairman and president Mark Cuban will discuss formal details of the agreement during a news conference on 6 April in Colorado.

    “We appreciate the financial investment and technical expertise HDNet has brought to the table to help us reach audiences interested in this next generation of television,” Griffin said.

    HDNet will broadcast the flights in high definition TV, known as HDTV, which has at least twice the resolution of standard television formats. HDNet also will provide the agency a standard broadcast signal of launches for use by media networks and NASA TV. When possible, it will air HDTV coverage of NASA’s expendable rocket launches on its network.

    “This is an exciting deal for HDNet. Every shuttle launch is a unique and historic American experience. For the next four years, the place to watch this full live broadcast experience in high-definition will be on HDNet. We are proud that NASA has partnered with HDNet for this important role,” Cuban said.

  • Esha News introduces Archives system for broadcasters

    Esha News introduces Archives system for broadcasters

    MUMBAI: News monitoring agency Esha, which tracks more than 90 channels beamed into the country, has introduced a new service targeted to the channels – Archives.

    The Archives are a tailor-made solution meant for channels that wish to maintain their telecast.
    Under Archives, Esha News takes the responsibility of maintaining such archives.

    The programmes that are aired by the channel are classified under different categories and allows easy retrieval under various permutations and combinations, in the shortest possible time to the client.

    Esha News is the only monitoring services in India that is offering this tailor-made services. The company has offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.