ITV

Category: Technology

  • Rohit Arora quits ESS to join TheOneAlliance

    Rohit Arora quits ESS to join TheOneAlliance

    MUMBAI: MSM Discovery, the distribution joint venture company between Multi Screen Media (MSM) and Discovery Communications, is strengthening its team as India‘s cable networks move from analogue to digital mode of delivery.

    The company, which operates under TheOneAlliance brand, has appointed Rohit Arora as Senior Director – Business Development. Himanshu Dhoreliya was occupying this post earlier.

    Arora, who was earlier with ESPN Star Sports, will be heading the direct-to-home (DTH) business of TheOneAlliance. He will report to MSM Discovery president Rajesh Kaul.

    Confirming the new appointment Kaul said, "In this digitisation era, where the industry is evolving at a faster pace, Arora brings with him 12 years of rich and diverse experience in the industry at various levels and functions. He will be playing a significant role in providing strategic direction to the DTH business. I am confident that TheOneAlliance DTH business will scale new heights under his leadership and experience."

    At ESPN Software India Limited (ESIL), Arora was Marketing Director looking after the trade related communications. He was closely associated with Affiliate Sales and strategy for both analogue and DTH businesses.

    Arora, who had spent almost 12 years at ESIL, had joined the sports broadcasting company in 2000 as Area Sales Manager. He rose to the rank of Marketing Director in 2004, a position that he held till the time of quitting the company.

    Along with MSM and Discovery channels, TheOneAlliance also distributes outside channels such as Headlines Today, Aaj Tak, Neo Prime and Neo Sports.

  • Zovi.com launches app for Android phones and tablets

    Zovi.com launches app for Android phones and tablets

    MUMBAI: After launching a shopping application built specifically for Windows 8 based PCs and tablets, e-tailer Zovi.com has now introduced the Zovi.com Android App for mobile phones and tablets.

    Through the app, users can view the entire Zovi.com catalogue on an intuitive interface and buy immediately with simplified checkout process using the Cash On Delivery option. Users will be updated directly through the app about new launches and will not miss any offer. In addition, there will be exclusive offers available for users who shop on the app. Customers can enjoy privileged customer service as the app can connect the users directly with the Zovi.com customer help line.
    Zovi.com CEO Manish Chopra said, "The launch of the Zovi Android app is in line with our plans to be mobile ready and to capitalise on the m-commerce potential for Zovi.com."

  • Bharti Airtel launches mEducation services

    Bharti Airtel launches mEducation services

    MUMBAI: Bharti Airtel has launched mEducation services to bring education on the mobile device.

    The new service platform now enables Airtel mobile customers across the country to easily access a host of education services including courses for language skills, entrance exam preparation and career counseling from the best of universities and professors in the country with their mobile phones.

    Bharti Airtel president – consumer business K Srinivas said, "In many parts of the country, access to formal education is still restricted. Mobile platform has the potential to bridge this restriction using technology. Airtel mEducation service uses technology-enabled platforms to address the challenging issues of education with an endeavor to enrich the lives of our customers. Airtel mEducation has been designed to replicate a classroom experience for a mass market and enable learning at a convenient, accessible and affordable platform."
    With the service, customers can now improve their capabilities with new skills and build self-confidence by improving their use of English language, through test preparations for entrance exams or personality development sessions. Regular assessment tests also help customers to evaluate their progress. Additionally, customers can also easily access the details of campuses and the scholarships on their fingertips.

  • Amazon in content licensing deal with A+E Networks

    Amazon in content licensing deal with A+E Networks

    MUMBAI: Amazon.com, has signed a content licensing agreement with A+E Networks to add prior seasons of popular series from A&E, bio, History and Lifetime to the Prime Instant Video service.

    Prime Instant Video now features more than 33,000 movies and TV episodes for Amazon Prime members to stream instantly, at no additional cost, on Kindle Fire HD or any of the hundreds of compatible Amazon Instant Video devices, including iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Wii U.

    "In a year we have more than doubled the Prime Instant Video selection for our Prime members," said Amazon Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition Brad Beale. "We remain focused on adding TV episodes and movies to Prime Instant Video that we think our customers will enjoy. A+E Networks has some of the most popular shows on television and we know our customers will love streaming the A+E content with Prime Instant Video."
    The deal with A+E Networks will bring Prime customers more TV episodes from some of their highest rated television programming including Pawn Stars, Storage Wars and Dance Moms, which are also available for purchase through Amazon Instant Video.

  • Ubitus to launch cloud gaming services on Google TV

    Ubitus to launch cloud gaming services on Google TV

    MUMBAI: Ubitus, a cloud gaming solutions provider, has said that it is bringing console and MMO games to Google TV with low latency mode and broad range of gaming controller devices in the market.

    As bandwidth quality keeps improving, Ubitus foresees opportunities to satisfy consumers‘ demand beyond existing TV/movie streaming services.

    By deeply optimizing for the Google TV platform to achieve low latency cloud gaming mode, Ubitus can enable OEMs to offer over-the-top (OTT) cloud gaming services to their customers at ease and timely.

    Going forward, any Smart TVs and Set-top-boxes running on the combined solution will allow end users to access cloud gaming services with a single click of button.

    "Google TV is an ideal platform for cloud gaming and we have tackled the obstacles to achieving low latency streaming game experience with multi-gaming controller devices support on Google TV," said Ubitus CEO Wesley Kuo. This brings tremendous benefits to consumers, particularly with the increasing adoption of Smart TVs and new generation of Set-top-boxes in every consumer‘s home."

  • Videocon d2h’s Arpu in 2012-13 first half at Rs 135

    Videocon d2h’s Arpu in 2012-13 first half at Rs 135

    MUMBAI: The average revenue per user (Arpu) per month of Videocon d2h, the direct-to-home (DTH) television service of Bharat Business Channel, was Rs 135 in the six months ended 31 October 2012, up from Rs 113 in the fiscal year beginning 1 April 2011.

    Videocon d2h‘s gross subscriber base as on 31 October was 6.62 million, up 21 per cent from 5.48 million as on 31 March 2012.

    The company‘s subscriber acquisition cost in the first half of 2012-13 was the lowest at Rs 2,021 per subscriber as it procures set-top boxes (STBs) locally from a group company.

    Videocon d2h will buy from group firm Trend Electronics Ltd (TEL) 1.6 million standard definition STBs at Rs 1,400 per piece, 0.4 million high definition STBs at Rs 1,700 per piece and two million outdoor units and accessories at Rs 627 per unit.

    Bharat Business Channel has filed a draft prospectus for an initial public offering (IPO) to raise Rs 7 billion.

    Videocon d2h has the highest subscriber addition rate with a 25 per cent share in the total additions by DTH players in the first half of 2012-13. In the whole of 2011-12 too Videocon d2h had the highest share of 24.4 per cent in new subscriber additions.

    The company‘s monthly churn rate too was lower at 0.89 per cent in the first half of 2012-13 from 1.16 per cent in the whole of 2011-12.

    Airtel DTH and Dish TV, the competitors of Videocon d2h, had monthly Arpu of Rs 171 and Rs 154, respectively, while the monthly churn rate of Airtel was 1.9 per cent and Dish TV 0.8 per cent in the first half of 2012-13.

  • Sun Direct launches SD Digital Recorder box service

    Sun Direct launches SD Digital Recorder box service

    MUMBAI: Sun Direct, South India‘s leading DTH player, has launched a Standard Definition Digital Video Recorder box service, Sun Direct+, with unlimited recording facility that brings the features of pause, record and rewind at virtually the same price as the regular SD set-top box (STB).

    The new Sun Direct+ boxes will allow customers to attach external storage devices like a USB drive and gain full control of their TV viewing through functions like ‘Pause’ live TV, ‘Record’ programs for later viewing and ‘Rewind’ for reviewing any program.

    Features of Sun Direct+: recording programs you like from a channel as you watch it, schedule recordings up to a week in advance, pause any program on live TV and resume where you left and rewind and watch your favourite episodes or movies any number of times.

    Consumers opting for Sun Direct+ for Rs 1590 pack can avail of three months of super value pack free, while those selecting Sun Direct+ for Rs 1990 pack will get seven month of Super value pack free.

    Sun Direct+ is available with free subscription to the newly launched Super Value Pack four regional languages. Over and above the Tamil content and exclusive Cinema Club services, this pack also offers the best of Hindi language channels like Star Plus, Zee, Sony, Max, Star Gold, Zee Cinema and many others at Rs. 189 per month.

    Speaking on the new launch, Sun Direct MD Mahesh Kumar said, “We, at Sun Direct, strive to put great content and services within the reach of the widest cross-section of consumers. The contemporary, world-class features of pause, record and rewind will now be within reach of every consumer. True to our claim of being the best value DTH brand, Sun Direct + will bring these features at virtually no extra cost."

  • MCV selects Rentrak to provide mobile TV measurement service

    MCV selects Rentrak to provide mobile TV measurement service

    MUMBAI: Mobile Content Venture (MCV), a joint venture consisting of 12 major broadcast groups that operates the Dyle mobile TV service, has selected Rentrak to provide the first-ever mobile broadcast TV measurement for local markets.

    MCV will leverage Rentrak’s Mobile Essentials solution in combination with Rentrak’s StationView Essentials solution to help MCV members align traditional TV ratings with broadcast mobile TV performance.

    As opposed to other measurement services that provide sample-based data, Rentrak will offer MCV members census-level data, giving them insight into the entire population using live mobile TV services.

    MCV represents 35 markets across the US and more than 93 stations from broadcast groups including Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television Inc., Media General Inc., Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations Inc. and Raycom Media, all of which are part of the standalone entity known as Pearl, LLC, as well as Fox, ION Television and NBC.

    “With more than 200 station clients, Rentrak is proud to provide members of MCV with the opportunity to capitalize and monetize multi-platform advertising sales opportunities by having broadcast mobile TV performance aligned directly with TV ratings,” said AMI Division at Rentrak Corporate President and President Cathy Hetzel.

    “Rentrak’s advanced capabilities – which provide detailed TV viewership measurement for all screens, including mobile TV – will enable stations, advertisers and networks to gauge the incremental value of live TV viewing from a mobile device.”

    With the launch of Dyle mobile TV – a service offering consumers a new, easy way to experience and enjoy live broadcast television on their mobile devices at home or on-the-go – there is an immediate need for local stations to have viewership data across mobile devices in order to determine how consumers are interacting with live mobile TV.

    Rentrak has the unique ability to integrate massive amounts of mobile viewing activity with the linear viewing behaviors from a correspondingly massive linear viewing database. This combination will provide a better understanding of how best to incorporate mobile for future campaigns and advertising initiatives.

    “Live mobile TV is an emerging medium, so it’s critical that we take the necessary steps to ensure it will scale as traditional TV has over the years. This new data will provide valuable insight into consumers’ mobile viewing habits, which will be leveraged to drive continued growth for the ecosystem of devices and applications enabling live mobile TV," said MCV co-General Managers Salil Dalvi and Erik Moreno.

  • Zee TV launches app to promote new show ‘Housewife’

    Zee TV launches app to promote new show ‘Housewife’

    MUMBAI: Zee TV has announced the launch of an online app on Facebook to promote their recently launched prime-time fiction property ‘Housewife‘.

    Aiming to give housewives appreciation for their hard work, the app allows them to upload pictures of their personal achievements and exchange notes with other housewives about the same.

    According to the channel, the idea of the app for ‘Aaj Ki Housewife Hai … Sab Jaanti Hai‘ is that only a housewife would rightly be able to appreciate the achievements of another.

    The app is available on Zee TV‘s Facebook page.
     
    The show that has launched on 31 December highlights how being a housewife is not just a respectable choice but a challenging job that calls for resourcefulness, creativity and tact.

    Set in Allahabad, the show features Sona, a journalist who consciously decides to leave her job and be a housewife on getting married. The show will explore how she applies her intelligence to being a smart housewife, plays her cards well and sets an otherwise dysfunctional family back on track.

  • 130 Million Mobile Internet Users by March 2014: IAMAI

    130 Million Mobile Internet Users by March 2014: IAMAI

    MUMBAI: India will have 130.6 million mobile internet users by March 2014 according to the Mobile Internet Report by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB).

    According to the report, in December 2012 there were 87.1 million mobile internet users. Meanwhile, in October 2012, there were 78.7 million mobile users who had accessed internet in the last one month, which include Laptop with dongles, tablet, dongles that connects to Internet. Of this number, there are 61 million Off-Deck Users (accessing sites other than sites of the operator), 15 million On-Deck Users (accessing only sites specified by the operator) and the rest 2.7 million users accessed the internet using dongles (i.e. connected to Internet using 2G, 3G or high-speed data cards).
     
    The report further reveals that an average monthly bill of a user who access Internet on mobile devices is Rs 460. Of which, the user spends Rs 198 towards Internet expenses.

    According to the company, this is a very healthy trend as it shows willingness of the users to spend nearly 40 percent of the bill towards Internet access. The rest is spent on voice services.

    Email, social networking services (SNS) and messengers have high usage among mobile internet user. Accessing online videos, games or reading online news are done approximately 2-6 times a week. While online games are accessed by nearly 50 per cent of the Mobile Internet users, less than 30 per cent of users read online news and watch online videos.