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Category: News Headline

  • Internet ad revenues grow 30% to $12.5 billion in ’05 in US

    MUMBAI: Overall internet advertising revenues in the US for 2005 totalled $12.5 billion, a new annual record exceeding 2004 by 30 per cent, according to a survey done by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

    The report states that search, classifieds, display and rich media all continue to grow at a healthy rate. The Q4 2005 internet advertising revenues totalled a record $3.6 billion, representing a 34 per cent increase over same period in 2004.

    “Interactive Advertising continues to experience tremendous growth as marketers experience its overall effectiveness in building brands and delivering online and offline sales. We are confident that this growth trend will continue as more marketers find Interactive to be an imperative and additional platforms including broadband video, gaming, IPTV and others continue to emerge as real opportunities,” said Interactive Advertising Bureau CEO Greg Stuart.

    “The Internet continues to be a vibrant and ever-changing channel, providing advertisers with broad offerings that enable them to promote their brands using a highly cost effective platform. This year’s record figure of annual Internet advertising revenue demonstrates the enduring enthusiasm for the medium as a whole,” said PwC partner, assurance David Silverman.

    “Continued strong growth in online advertising documents that an increasing number of advertisers and marketers see the Internet is an essential brand-building component in their media planning. The Internet delivers the right audience at the right time, a winning combination for all types of marketers. We expect to see continued growth in Internet advertising spend,” added PwC director, advisory Peter Petrusky.

    Conducted by the New Media Group of PwC, the “Advertising Revenue Report” represents data from all companies that report meaningful online advertising revenues. The survey includes data concerning online advertising revenues from web sites, commercial online services, free e-mail providers and all other companies selling online advertising.

  • Visa official sponsor for ICC World Cup, Champions Trophy

    MUMBAI: Credit card major Visa International has been awarded the regional official sponsorship rights for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in India in October 2006 and the ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in West Indies in March-April 2007.
     
     
    As regional official sponsor, Visa International will receive on-ground sponsorship benefits in the South Asia region including category exclusivity, branding and signage, tickets and hospitality, special events and programs, broadcast and media related benefits and other rights, benefits and protections.

    For this territory, Visa becomes the second after Indian Oil to get (by virtue of the oil major’s deal covering all broadcast territories globally) official sponsorship status. According to sources close to the developments, two more official sponsors are expected to be signed on for the south Asia region, which will take the number of official sponsors up to four.

    Before this deal, ICC had four official global partners in LG, Pepsi, Hutch and Hero Honda and two official sponsors Indian Oil and Cable & Wireless.

    The sponsorship deal with Visa was negotiated by Nimbus Sport, acting as worldwide exclusive marketing agency for Global Cricket Corporation (GCC), the commercial partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
     
    Visa International Asia Pacific EVP Marketing Rajiv Kapoor said that the company would be rolling out a series of campaigns, promotions and supporting marketing activities to make use of the occasion.

    “We plan to make the most of our sponsorship as our principal marketing platform for the next year, as we believe it will deliver incomparable exposure for the Visa products and services in the region. Visa is committed to this sponsorship and we are ,” Kapoor said.
     
    ICC president Ehsan Mani said, “Cricket’s ability to attract a world-renowned brand such as Visa to become an official sponsor is a demonstration of the game’s robust health and its global appeal. This agreement is excellent news for all concerned and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial association with Visa.”
    GCC MD Ian Frykberg said, “We are delighted to welcome Visa to the family and have them add the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 to its impressive list of major sports sponsorships.”

    Nimbus Sport CEO Digvijay Singh said, “This is the first time that a major payment card has been an ICC cricket sponsor and Nimbus is proud to have played a key role in securing this path-breaking new sponsorship”.

    Adds Visa International country manager Santanu Mukherjee, “We believe this is a great opportunity for Visa to enhance the visibility of our brand and cut across borders and boundaries. Visa has nearly 40 million cardholders in South Asia and we plan to reach out to them in unique ways to build on their passion for the game over the coming months.”
     
     

     

  • IPTV still at seeding stage

    IPTV still at seeding stage

    MUMBAI: Even as the framework of the digital landscape is being drawn by the various industry stakeholders, the most prepared seem to be cable TV and direct-to-home (DTH) service providers.

    Telecom operators who have plans to offer IPTV are grappling with last mile and technology issues at this stage.

    IPTV is at the seeding stage and will take 1-2 years for a serious rollout in India, according to Bharti Tele-ventures new technologies head Sriram TV.

    “Broadband has just begun. IPTV can be used as one often acquisition tools for increasing broadband penetration,” Sriram said while speaking at FICCI-Frames 2006 on TV NexGen.

    Though IPTV still lacks large subscriber base across the world, the technology for its mass deployment is in place. Telecom giants like Verizon, British Telecom and SBC are in various stages of deployment.

    “IPTV is the horse that we are backing,” said Microsoft TV group product manager Hemang Mehta.

    Elaborating on the advantages of IPTV, Mehta said the delivery platform had the ability to offer personalised content. Unlike cable TV and direct-to-home (DTH), consumers could select devices rather than be forced to buy set-top boxes (STBs) from the service operators. “The next generation of TV sets will be enabled for IP and broadband. Consumers need not buy the STBs,” he pointed out.

    On being queried by Indiantelevision.com on whether IPTV STBs were expensive, Mehta said they were available at below $100.

    As for big daddy Reliance Infocomm, the bet is on mobile TV around which the digital story will ultimately converge. This was the view expressed by Reliance Entertainment president Rajesh Sawhney.

    Speaking at the session, HTMT executive vice president Ashok Mansukhani said cable TV was well geared to meet the challenge from DTH and IPTV with its digital service. “Cable TV will offer the lowest cost digital platform. It also has the ability to offer over 300 channels,” he pointed out.

    Zee Group vice chairman Jawahar Goel said new delivery platforms were emerging which would provide choice to consumers.

  • MIPTV day two to have keynotes by Burnett, Miller

    MIPTV day two to have keynotes by Burnett, Miller

    MUMBAI: One of the driving forces behind reality television and a visionary TV producer Mark Burnett and AOL chief Jonathan Miller headline the conference activities on the second day of MIPTV, alongside panels on on-demand viewing and Asian television trends.

    AOL chairman and CEO Miller will speak at 5 15 pm on 4 April. His keynote, The Internet and the Future of Television, will look at what effects new media will have on traditional viewing, and what AOL’s place is in this evolving landscape, using as a case study the Internet company’s coverage of Live 8.

    Immediately following Miller’s speech, at 5 50 pm Burnett will deliver The New Reality: Entertainment Everywhere, looking at what it takes to create multiplatform content.

    Following, at 615 pm, KenRadio Broadcasting in the U.S’ Ken Rutkowski will host a Q&A session with both Miller and Burnett.

    Earlier at 10 am on 4 April, Rutkowski also moderates the On-Demand TV SuperPanel: Evolution of Media Business Models, Threats and Opportunities. Exploring alternative revenue streams for broadcasters, content providers and advertisers, the panel will include Nielsen Analytics SVP and GM Larry Gerbrandt; Sparrowhawk Media/Hallmark Channel CEO David Hulbert; Brightcover chairman and CEO Jeremy Allaire; BBH U.S’ former chairman Cindy Gallop; CEO and co-founder of Sling Media Blake Krikorian and the CEO and chairman of Video Networks Roger Lynch.

    Three sessions take place at 11 45 am. Mobile Video On-Demand: Turning Grey Time to Prime Time, organized with Digital Rum, will include, among others, the head of mobile data products at O2 Hugh Griffiths; the head of interactive at MTV Networks for the U.K. and Ireland Matt Kershaw; the director of strategy and business development at Nokia Juha Lipiainen and the director of Sky Interactive at BSkyB Ian Valentine.

    In the Asian Television Market Update, ImaginAsian TV’s VP of programming and acquisition, David Chu, will moderate a session with the chairman of The Interactive Channel Robert Chua; the head of the global strategy team at KBS Mun-Ki Eun; the president of China’s Pegasus & Taihe Entertainment International Jianjun Sun; Animax Japan Maseo Takiyama; and the CEO of MediaCorp TV12 Singapore Alice Tan.

    Meanwhile, In Fresh Around the World, WIT’s Virginia Mouseler will look at some of the trends in television around the world.

    The afternoon sessions include Internet TV Comes of Age and Docu Drama: What Is It Really? at 3 pm. The latter will be moderated by TF1 reporter Loïck Berrou and will include the documentary acquisitions manager at RTI/Mediatrade Daniela Bagliani; editor in chief at CCTV Jason Chen; producer at France’s Boréales-Winds Frédéric Fougea; Granada International’s Noel Hedges and the VP of historical programming at The History Channel Carl Lindahl.

  • Wake up call for broadcasters: Jain, Kalle

    Wake up call for broadcasters: Jain, Kalle

    MUMBAI: “My time is prime time. Today consumers want to watch television at their own time, place and convenience. The scenario is moving from a phase when the broadcaster used to define prime time… now it’s the consumer who takes the call,” said The Walt Disney Company India managing director Rajat Jain.

    Jain attributed this phenomenon to the changing times, dynamic technology, the changing consumer, changing media scenario and rise in consumer friendly technological devises.
    He also stressed on the three screens that will gain importance in the future: television, mobile and computer. “India has 80 million phones, 37.5 million internet and broadband users, 4.3 million computer and 473,000 laptops. The buying power among Indians is also on the rise and there is an emergence of a new tribe ‘Technobabies’ who are born to be wired and tech savvy. They do their homework online and also buy CDs and books online,” he said.

    Jain reiterated the point that technologies like IPTV, DTH, TiVo and broadband will make the environment more dynamic with interactivity coming in. He gave examples of BBC and ITV teaming up in a “multicasting” trial to broadcast their main channels over the Internet for the first time.

    Jain emphasized on the breakthrough iPod technology, wherein television shows could be downloaded on the iPod for 99 cents. However, Sony Pictures Television International vice president international networks Superna Kalle pointed out that while it was brilliant that people were downloading and watching shows on the iPod; but it also meant that they were not watching them on their television sets and hence broadcasters and advertisers were both losing out. “These disruptive technologies are reshaping the broadcast landscape. Broadcasters have to rethink their strategy,” Kalle emphasized.

    She further added, “Channel brands do not matter anymore as most people in the US are using the TiVo technology where you can zap ads and watch what you want to watch. It is the shows that are becoming a brand now.”

    Kalle also pointed out the various opportunities in digital broadcast. “Do not alienate existing audiences but continue to march towards the inevitable future. Each approach requires a different device and each changes viewers in a different way. Emerging digital technologies can be an opportunity or a threat for broadcasters,” she concluded.

    “Consumers today want seamless availability of content for their personalized viewing. They want control over time and place of viewing content and pay per view could well be the new norm in the near future,” Jain said.

    He signed off by quoting The Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger as saying, “Technology also powers creativity and innovation. Across our company, we are using technology to improve our product and remain on the leading edge of entertainment offerings. We firmly believe in a platform agnostic approach to distribution. Applying technology to enhance our content and extend its distribution enables us to get closer to our increasingly more sophisticated customers worldwide.”

  • TV industry needs to address structural issues to absorb capital

    TV industry needs to address structural issues to absorb capital

    MUMBAI: The media and entertainment industry will be able to receive large doses of capital only after sorting out several issues, investment bankers at a seminar today said.

    Size, consolidation and scale are hurdles that prevent serious investments into the filmed entertainment business, said Carlyle Asia Investment Advisors managing director Rajeev Gupta, while speaking at FICCI-Frames 2006 on “Financing options for Indian Entertainment Industry.”
    The industry will not be able to absorb capital if the structural issues are not addressed. “Size will be able to deal with volatility. Consolidation pressures are there. Scale also has to be built up, particularly for single theatres. Everybody is so sub scale that the top six listed film entertainment companies earn just Rs 2 billion,” he said.

    With such issues dogging the industry, Waygate Capital is investing in ventures like animation and gaming where technology meets entertainment. “The outsourcing model in animation is not right for India which is about 20 years behind other Asian markets. China, Philippines and Korea have developed a maturity. The focus should be on an IP-driven approach,” said Waygate Capital managing director Rajesh Jog.

    On the gaming side, however, India can be at the forefront of the outsourcing model. There is a rich domestic market to tap too. “In mobile gaming business, we have the chance of becoming leaders. Online gaming is also likely to see growth,” Jog said.

    Waygate is planning to float a film content fund. “We are in talks. We haven’t yet decided on the corpus,” Jog added.

    Which sector is receiving private equity financing? “Broadcasting and print is where capital is going as there are several organised players and scalability is possible,” said GW Capital Private Ltd partner Vikram Narula.

    The last mile business like film exhibition is seeing capital infusion. Once addressability is in place, there will be investment opportunities in Cable TV. Direct-to-home (DTH) will also attract investments.

    “Film and TV content businesses have not seen much private equity. Radio is a new area which can lure in investors,” Narula said, whose company acquired Star’s stake in Radio City.

    Poor performance by many listed media companies have pulled down the credibility of investors in the sector. But what will generate interest in film financing? “Tax structures have to come down to bring down prices and create more demand. The sector needs consolidation. Special verticals like film funds have to be floated,” said Ambit Corporate – Finance Pte Ltd managing director Ashok Wadhwa.

  • Frames debates the merits of the studio versus the independent filmmaker

    Frames debates the merits of the studio versus the independent filmmaker

    MUMBAI: The relationship between studios and independent filmmakers was a subject discussed at an afternoon session of Frames, the convention for the business of entertainment. The speakers were Sahara One CEO Shantonu Aditya, filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt,Govind Nihalani and Bobby Bedi and Adlabs Films chairman Manmohan Shetty.

    Nihalani pointed out that studios and independent filmmakers have their strengths and both parties should look to work with each other. “Artistically released commercially successful films can be made.

    Corporates should realize that creativity is equity. The independents should realize that money is as important as creativity. Studios should know that sometimes small risks pay off big time. That is because audiences like to be surprised.

    “A studio basically operates on calculated budgets and big stars to secure an ROI. Scripts are chosen if a star is attached. This ensures a long run. An independent filmmaker, on the other hand, feels that an idea and a directors treatment of that idea is what creates value. Lavish sets, big stars add value. However, they do not create value. There is a way to bridge the two and both should realize that they need each other.”

    This point was echoed by Shetty who noted that in the West independent filmmakers go the studio route to release their films. In India, there are studios like Yash Raj Films. However, important directors like Karan Johar still call the shots and studios chase them for the rights to distribute their films. “Reliance buying Adlabs means that more films will be made. Fortunately we have not suffered any losses till now.”

    Bhatt spoke on the benefits and challenges of being an independent filmmaker. “Movies that do not have personal supervision of an idea are doomed to fail. One does not only make movies. You need passion and religious fervour. There is talk of delivery systems but you need to invest in ideas. Otherwise these systems will be parched of good content. It is important for a filmmaker to keep himself lean and thin. A studio executive unfortunately only understands a Shah Rukh Khan. He does not understand the value of an idea. I would argue that studios are victims of hype. An independent filmmaker, though, has to pay off any debts incurred. He cannot hide behind abstractions.”

    Bedi said that indepdents are better incubators of ideas. “In the West studios do not incubate ideas as it is too expensive. An independent filmmaker approaches a studio with an idea. The studio then works that idea to a maturity level where one is able to confidently approach exhibitors.”

    Aditya says that Sahara One has had success as it concentrates on its strengths of marketing and distribution. “We have made 14 films as projects. There have been start dates and finish dates. We have also spent quite a bit on marketing. We have worked in different genres. We picked up Page Three when nobody wanted to touch that film. At the same time, it is difficult to know which idea will work. We get 70 ideas a week. Of course, each presenter of the idea is confident in it. Once an idea is given the go ahead, we do not interfere with the creative process other than keeping a check on how the work is progressing. The writer is given freedom.”

  • Al Jazeera hosts international television production festival from 27 March

    Al Jazeera hosts international television production festival from 27 March

    MUMBAI: The second Al Jazeera International Television Production Festival, under the patronage of the chairman of the board of directors, Aljazeera Network H E Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, is to be held from 27 to 30 March at the Doha Sheraton.

    The festival’s aims is to promote better cooperation and understanding among people and cultures, by offering a platform for cross-cultural communication and interaction, as well as bringing the work of independent film makers to the forefront.

    In a press conference Al Jazeera channel’s public relations and media department director Jassim Ibrahim Fakhroo, managing director’s administrative assistant Mohamed B al-Sada, and Al Jazeera Production Centre’s director Abbas Arnaout outlined the networks plans for the festival.

    The competition will cover four categories: Documentaries that portray facts through the use of video tape or cinema technology; Current Affairs including investigative programmes that tackle political or social issues with analysis of their various aspects; and features that convey a clear picture of an event. There is also an opportunity to promote a channel or a programme through promotion category.

    As many as 94 films from various countries will be screened at the festival “This includes 34 films in the competition section, and Chinese, Iranian, French, and Latin American films,” officials told a press conference.

    The competition films are from satellite channels, television stations, production institutions and independent filmmakers. Gold, silver and bronze awards will be provided to the following categories: 3 for non-Arabic documentary films; 3 for non-Arabic investigative reports; 3 for non-Arabic features, 3 for Arabic documentary films; 3 for Arabic investigative reports; 3 for Arabic features and 3 for promotions.

    “A salient feature of the festival is that entry is free to all screenings,” the officials explained. The competition films are being shown in Sheraton’s Majlis hall from 28 to 30 April, whereas others would be screened in Salwa 1, 2 and 3 halls, starting from 10 am and going on up to 10.15 pm.

    Last year’s golden award winning films are to be shown on 28 March. They are ‘Road to a Lesser Sunset,’ ‘El-Tantora,’ and ‘Living Among Us,’ all in Arabic with subtitles in English. There will also be a book fair in which Arabic and non-Arabic books, and documentaries on CDs will be available to the public.

  • Ashok Amritraj looking to form JV with animation firm

    Ashok Amritraj looking to form JV with animation firm

    MUMBAI: This is a time when foreign entertainment firms are looking at ways to get a foothold into India. American film producer Ashok Amritraj is no exception.

    Hyde Park Entertainment chairman Amritraj spoke at the convention for the business of entertainment Frames this morning. The event attracted 1500 delegates from 17 countries.

    He says that his firm is looking to form a joint venture (JV) with an Indian animation company.“I am also looking to make an Indian film in December. The problem though is that Indian films are not marketed properly abroad. One has drive for an hour in the US to reach a theatre showing an Indian film.

    “The other issue is that we need stricter anti-piracy laws in India. In Chennai, it is a non bailable offence. The same should apply for the rest of the country. There should also be better copyright enforcement. It should not be that Indian films keep being inspired by a successful Hollywood product. I found it interesting to see a non-white Ang Lee win the Oscar for best director. Filmmakers are facing the threat not just from television channels, but also form new forms of entertainment like the iPod. Therefore it is important that we make better films and at more cost effective prices.”

    Ficci president Saroj Kumar Poddar noted that Frames had evolved over the years and has added new dimensions. “It has gone from fundamental policy changes with broad brush approaches in entertainment to a deeper exploration of emerging facets in this industry. It is a matter of satisfaction for us at Ficci that having started from films, music and broadcast, we have moved into animation, gaming, visual effects, digital entertainment and this year into media. The challenge is in anticipating the technological revolution that lies ahead of us.

    “In the realm of emerging technologies, it is the digital technology whether in radio, television, gaming or films that will drastically alter the face of the industry. Nine of the top 10 box office grossing films worldwide are richly endowed with special effects. Digital technology while opening up new vistas of revenue will also challenge piracy. It will also usher in a great demand for IT professionals in India. With our vast pool of software engineers and creative storytellers, India is poised to leapfrog from a mere outsourcing destination to the holders of new intellectual property.

    “Ficci is humbly facilitating this process through instruments like Ficci Animation and Gaming Forum and Ficci Visual Effects Community. The Indian entertainment industry is witnessing phenomenal growth and is slated to grow at 19 per cent per annum to Rs 83,740 crores in 2010 from its current size of Rs 35,300 crores. The key driver will be technology,” said Poddar.

  • ‘Create high impact content to unite audiences and then monetise’: Nair

    ‘Create high impact content to unite audiences and then monetise’: Nair

    MUMBAI: “Distraction is a one night stand, attraction is a marriage,” said Star Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair. Speaking at FICCI Frames on ‘Attraction in the age of distraction,’ Nair stressed on the fact that creating compelling content for an audience who is constantly on the move and has multiple choices available was of utmost importance.

    “Content will continue to remain king. A new generation of media consumers has risen who want and demand content delivered to them when they want it, how they want and where they want it. Power is moving away from the old elite in our industry,” Nair said.

    Nair stressed on the fact that the broadcasters required to create high impact content to unite audiences and then monetise the fragments over time, space and applications. Examples of these that Nair mentioned were The Simpsons, which gained popularity with the television series and also proved to be a rage in the U.S when it diversified into various areas like merchandising and T-Shirts. Also, another example was The Walt Disney Television International with its various divisions like theme parks, merchandising, publishing, licensing, television, theatre, television production and distribution.

    “The number of television channels in the country has also grown tremendously in the last few years. Almost a 100 channels were launched in the last four years,” Nair said.

    He also threw light on the different delivery platforms namely IPTV, DTH, broadband, mobile SMS, multiplexes, gaming, internet that more and more consumers were accessing increasingly.

    Some formats that have worked well for the Star India network are Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Nach Baliye and The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (TGILC). Star launched mobisodes around TGILC, went online with the KBC game on their website and garnered a huge response from the audiences around the shows. “The important thing is to use 360 degree communication in order to reach unified audiences in a fragmenting environment,” said Nair.