ITV

Category: Technology

  • Nehru’s ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech on YouTube

    Nehru’s ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech on YouTube

    NEW DELHI: The historic ‘Tryst with destiny’ speech of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has been put on YouTube.

    This has been done by the Tourism Ministry under instructions of Minister K Chiranjeevi, who wants the Ministry to upload all archival audio and video material in its possession.

    The speech has been digitally restored and can be heard at the end of the sound and light show on Red Show. It is followed by a historic recording of the National Anthem.

    These can been viewed on www.youtube.com/india.

  • Cable digitisation: IMCL makes third purchase in Kolkata

    Cable digitisation: IMCL makes third purchase in Kolkata

    MUMBAI: IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd (IMCL) has made its third acquisition in Kolkata as it plans to expand in that marketplace where it sees a lot of demand coming from small-sized cable companies who are unable to fund for digital set-top boxes (STBs).

    “We have acquired 51 per cent stake in a small cable TV network in Kolkata. We are looking at seeding 100,000 STBs through this company. This is our third purchase in Kolkata,” IMCL chief executive officer Nagesh Chabria told Indiantelevision.com.

    In 2012, IMCL had picked up 51 per cent stake in two cable networks – Hooghly-based Advance Multisystem Broadband Communications (AMBC) and Skyvision.

    Advance Multisystem Broadband Communications Limited (AMBC) has become a subsidiary of IMCL with effect from 9 November 2012. IMCL had on 18 May acquired AMBC by subscribing to 51 per cent of the paid up equity capital of AMBC by provision of STBs and digital head-end valued at Rs 80.1 million.

    Meanwhile, Hinduja Ventures Limited (HVL) has reported a fall in its third quarter profit before tax from its media and communications segment (IMCL) to Rs 50.81 million from Rs 199.9 million in the trailing quarter.

    The revenue from this segment, which houses the HVL’s cable TV business InCablenet, is Rs 1.52 billion compared to Rs 1.36 billion in the second quarter of the fiscal.

    The media and communications business resides in IMCL, a subsidiary of HVL.

    HVL has exercised the put option to increase its holding in subsidiary IMCL to 61.71 per cent from 61.17 per cent as a result of conversion of seven years, 12 per cent Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preference shares aggregating to Rs 150 million into 1.03 million equity shares of Rs 10 each, at a premium of Rs 135 per share.

  • Gaana.com bolsters regional library with SIMCA tie-up

    Gaana.com bolsters regional library with SIMCA tie-up

    MUMBAI: In a move to further reach out to audiences in South India and other regional markets, Gaana.com, Times Internet Limited‘s music streaming service, has tied up with SIMCA (South Indian Music Companies Association).

    The tie up gives Gaana access to over 55,000 songs covering the best of Film, Carnatic and popular devotional music from Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.

    With the likes of Shruthilaya Music, Melody Music, Star Audio, Amudham Music, Satyam Audio, 5 Star Audio, Millenium Audio and Symphony Recording Company and 90 other labels coming on board through this deal, the website will be able to cater to young and old audiences alike, offering some of the best old classics of artist like Illayaraja, S.P.Balasubramanyam, K.J.Yesudas, Chitra and M.S.Subbulakshmi to new film songs.

    Speaking about the tie up, Gaana.com Head Avinash Mudaliar said, “Gaana is constantly expanding its catalog of music, and our association with SIMCA demonstrates our increased commitment to expand into the regional markets, particularly South India.

    We‘ve seen that nearly 28 per cent of our consumption on our website and new mobile apps comes from South India, and we hope to serve our users there better.”

    Amongst the company’s recent tie ups are INRECO and Magnasound, two labels with significant regional music catalogues.

  • Yahoo’s deal with Microsoft not performing: Mayer

    Yahoo’s deal with Microsoft not performing: Mayer

    MUMBAI: At the 2013 Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer said the search partnership that Yahoo did with Microsoft three years back was in order to challenge Google. But instead of growing share, the companies have simply traded share with each other.

    Microsoft had 16.3 percent share and Yahoo had 12.2 percent share in December, a reversal of two years earlier. Google‘s share has remained unchanged at over 60 per cent. Yahoo is also looking to grow impressions by reducing the number of mobile apps from 60 to 12. “We don‘t want to overload people by expecting them to download too many distinct, individual apps” she said. Impressions means the number of times an ad appears on a webpage. Clicks then generate revenue.
     
    Interestingly she also said that she thinks about who could be doing a better job on her management team. Since joining Yahoo she has already replaced the COO, CFO and CMO. “I think about who could be a better COO. I think about who could be a better CFO.”

    One good thing that has happened is that Yahoo stock price has risen by over 30 per cent since Mayer took charge last year.

  • You On Demand expands to IPTV platform for VoD service in China

    You On Demand expands to IPTV platform for VoD service in China

    MUMBAI: Pay-Per-View (PPV) and Video On Demand (VOD) platform service in China YOU On Demand, has signed a distribution agreement with Tianjin IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), which covers households across 16 major districts and counties in the greater Tianjin metropolitan area.

    You On Demand will officially launch with Tianjin IPTV immediately following the completion of the Chinese New Year celebration which began on 10 February, 2013.

    IPTV is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal and cable television formats.
    The signing with Tianjin IPTV represents an expansion of YOU On Demand‘s services from cable to the IPTV platform, thus increasing the number of customers who can view the wide variety of films YOU On Demand delivers each month through its Transactional Video On Demand (TVOD) and Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) packages.

    You On Demand chairman, CEO Shane McMahon said, “You On Demand is always seeking to partner with new and exciting distribution platforms in order to deliver the highest quality entertainment experience to the broadest reach of existing and potential new customers.

    “We are honored to partner with Tianjin IPTV and are looking forward to reaching this new consumer base.”

    You On Demand currently has content deals in place with studios including Disney Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and Miramax Films as well as a selection of content from Chinese filmmakers.

  • Comcast in distribution pact with Fox Networks

    Comcast in distribution pact with Fox Networks

    MUMBAI: Comcast Corporation and Fox Networks (FN) have reached an agreement for a new distribution pact to deliver Fox Broadcasting’s (Fox) and Fox Television Stations’ (FTS) wide array of entertainment, sports and local news content to Comcast Xfinity TV customers across televisions, computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and internet-enabled televisions.

    The renewal supports the companies’ mutual goal to deliver the most popular video content to customers across multiple platforms.

    The agreement provides video service to nearly 22 million Xfinity TV customers of both live and on demand programming from 20 FTS broadcast stations (13 Fox and 7 MyNet) as well as FX, FX Movie Channel, SPEED, Fuel TV, Fox Soccer, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild, MundoFox, Fox Deportes, and Fox Business Network.

    Financial terms were not disclosed. However, the agreement also includes a framework for both companies to continue to collaborate on new multiplatform offerings so that the companies can take advantage of new technologies and programming through the life of the deal, including Comcast’s advanced advertising and ad systems integration services.

    There are also longer-term plans to make available next-day full episode streaming of select Fox programming online to authenticated Xfinity TV customers for viewing whenever and however they wish to access them.

    In addition to live and on demand streaming, authenticated Xfinity TV customers will soon be able to access long-form, full episodes on Fox Now – a suite of TV apps across multiple digital platforms that are designed to provide Fox viewers with enhanced interactive and social capabilities around their favorite Fox shows.

    “This unprecedented TV Everywhere agreement enables us to take advantage of the innovative technologies and platforms we’ve developed to deliver the best content to our customers,” said Greg Rigdon, EVP, Content Acquisition for Comcast Cable. “Together with Fox, thanks to the leadership of Peter Rice, Mike Hopkins and his team, for the first time we are unlocking the value of some of Fox’s best content by making it available to Xfinity TV customers through new applications and devices.”

    Added Fox Networks President Distribution Mike Hopkins, “Neil Smit, Greg Rigdon and their team are on the cutting edge of the burgeoning ‘TV Everywhere’ space and were great partners throughout this process. This agreement will bring Fox’s brands and content to Xfinity TV customers on all platforms and we are excited to begin this journey with Comcast.”

  • Star Plus to hold web premiere of Saraswatichandra

    Star Plus to hold web premiere of Saraswatichandra

    MUMBAI: On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, Star India’s Hindi GEC Star Plus will be premiering its upcoming romantic serial Saraswatichandra on the internet.

    The show, which also marks ace director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s entry into the television space, goes on air on 25 February. It will be aired from Monday to Friday at 7.30 pm.

    With the web premier, Star Plus is hoping to reach out to a large number of digital audiences and create even more anticipation for the eventual launch of the show on television. The premiere will happen today at 3 pm.

    Star Plus vice president marketing Nikhil Madhok said, “Saraswatichandra is a really unique love story and we feel that it will find great traction amongst the youth. The promos for the show have created a lot of buzz and we were flooded with requests from people asking to bring forward the launch of the show or give them access to more content. So we decided to do a web premiere of the show, where the digital audiences will get to see the show much in advance of its TV debut. Valentine’s Day provided the perfect timing to do so for a love story.”

    Saraswatichandra is a modern day adaptation of the book by the same name. It is a love story between Saraswatichandra and Kumud.

  • BIS certification mandatory for all STBs from 3 April

    BIS certification mandatory for all STBs from 3 April

    NEW DELHI: Cable TV networks will need to have their set-top boxes (STBs) conformed to the standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) by 3 April. If they fail to do so, the STBs will not be valid.

    An order issued in October last year that all specified electronic goods including STBs have to conform to standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards will come into effect from 3 April this year.

    The order of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology had said on 3 October 2012 that all specified electronic goods including STBs imported or domestically manufactured must bear a self Declaration “Confirming to IS…….. Registration Number”.
     
    This covers video games, LCD and LED Plasma television sets, visual display units, laptops, optical disc players, amplifiers, and electronic music systems among other things.

    Thus after 3 April, it would be illegal to place these goods in the market without BIS clearance.

  • Times Internet launches Speaking Tree app for iPad

    Times Internet launches Speaking Tree app for iPad

    MUMBAI: Times Internet Limited (TIL) has launched spiritual networking website speakingtree.in as an application for iPads.

    The application hosts a plethora of useful spiritual information such as tips on meditation, spiritual blogs, forums, master discourses and, most importantly, it enables one on one conversation between spiritual seekers and masters.

    The Speaking Tree app is quick and easy to use even for users who are not technology savvy. Users can create and share their personal spiritual diary with friends and acquaintances and help spread words of wisdom.
     
    “The Speaking Tree iPad application enables one click access to spiritual conversations. We hope that it will revolutionize the accessibility of spiritual information on the web and help users gain answers to pertinent questions in today’s materialistic world,” said TIL VP Archana Vohra.

  • CBS in content licensing deal with Amazon for Under the Dome

    CBS in content licensing deal with Amazon for Under the Dome

    MUMBAI: Amazon Instant Video, the digital video streaming service, has entered into a content licensing agreement with CBS for its television series Under the Dome, establishing an in-season, online subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) window for the show on Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service.

    Prime Instant Video will be the exclusive online subscription home for Under the Dome.

    The serialised drama from Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television, based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel of the same name, will premiere on the CBS Television Network on 24 June.

    Amazon Prime members will have unlimited streaming of all the series’ episodes four days after their initial broadcast on CBS, at no additional cost, and will be able to enjoy them on hundreds of compatible Amazon Instant Video devices including Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Wii U gaming console. Episodes of Under the Dome will also be available for purchase and download exclusively at Amazon Instant Video.

    Under the Dome tells the story of a small New England town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. Under the Dome earned widespread critical acclaim and No. 1 best-seller status when it was first published by Simon & Schuster‘s Scribner in 2009 and was an Amazon.com bestseller in both Books and Kindle Books in 2009.

    “Amazon has the distinct combination of having a terrific video service with a huge fan base among their customers for Stephen King’s book, making them the perfect partner for this summer programming event,” said CBS Corporation Chief Corporate Content Licensing Officer Scott Koondel. “With this innovative agreement, we’re giving fans more options to watch and stay current with this serialized series, and doing so in a way that protects the Television Network’s C3 advertising window.”

    “With creative forces of Stephen King and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television behind Under the Dome, we think our customers will love this new show and we’re excited to be able to offer this ighly-anticipated series at no additional cost to Prime members,” said Amazon Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition Brad Beale.

    “Adding a current season major network TV series like Under the Dome to the Prime Instant Video library so shortly after its live airing enables us to increase our exclusive selection of great TV shows and give customers access how, when and where they want to watch it.”

    Just last week, Amazon announced that Prime Instant Video will soon become the exclusive online subscription home for PBS hit Downton Abbey.

    The Prime Instant Video library now features more than 36,000 movies and TV episodes including shows such as Downton Abbey, Fringe, and The West Wing and blockbuster movies including Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Rango and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, for Amazon Prime members to stream, commercial free at no additional cost on Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Wii U, among other devices.

    Under the Dome is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. Neal Baer,

    Stephen King, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider and Brian K. Vaughan, who wrote the television adaptation, will serve as executive producers. Acclaimed director Niels Arden Oplev will direct the first episode.