Category: Technology

MUMBAI: The deadline set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for multi-system operators (MSOs) to sign content carriage agreements with television broadcasters passed on Tuesday with very few deals being inked.

The major cable TV networks have crossed the 21 August deadline carrying the load of inconclusive commercial agreements with broadcasters. Both the parties are engaged in long-drawn bargaining as the settled pricing terms will largely determine the content cost of MSOs and the subscription revenue of broadcasters in digitised India.

A related part of the pact would be carriage fees that the cable TV operators charge from the broadcasters to distribute their channels on their networks.

Crucial for meeting the government‘s deadline of 31 October for ending analogue cable in the four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the inter-connection agreements would determine the retail price consumers would have to pay for watching these channels.

MSOs have said that the slow offtake of set-top boxes (STBs) is primarily due to the absence of deals with broadcasters as they have been unable to create channel packages and their pricing structures. “When we approach our subscribers, we need to tell them what packages they can take and at what pricing. Consumers should know the products and their costs before they decide to buy. This is the basic rule of purchase behaviour anywhere in the world,” said the CEO of a leading MSO who did not want his name to be revealed.

The low STB penetration had led the government to extend the digitisation deadline by four months. Information and Broadcasting ministry had stated in early August that Mumbai looked the most prepared with 50 per cent of cable TV homes already having digital STB installations. But Delhi and Kolkata seemed to be struggling with the rate of STB installations around 25 per cent while Chennai lagged way behind.

Trai had earlier made it clear that in case of failures, it would have to intervene to decide the tariffs and carriage norms. The broadcast sector regulator had indicated that it would not tolerate further delays in inter-connection agreements.

Sameer Manchanda-promoted Den Networks is, perhaps, the only big MSO to have finalised contracts with a majority of broadcasters. Among those who have signed the commercial agreements are Media Pro which distributes the Star, Zee and Turner group of channels; MSM Discovery that has the channels of Multi Screen Media, Discovery and Neo; ESPN Star Sports; and UTV.

“We are comfortably placed with respect to commercial deals with a majority of content aggregators,” says Den Networks chief operating officer MG Azhar.

The only big broadcasting network not under the web of any deal with the big MSOs is IndiaCast, the company that distributes the TV18 group of channels including Colors. The company also distributes the Disney and Sun channels in the Hindi speaking markets.

IndiaCast was recently formed with TV18 having 75 per cent stake and media conglomerate Viacom holding the remaining 25 per cent.

“We will be announcing a few deals in very short time,” says IndiaCast Group CEO Anuj Gandhi.

Outside Den, the other big MSOs have yet to stitch their content deals. These include Hathway Cable & Datacom, Digicable and IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd (IMCL). WWIL, owned by Subhash Chandra‘s Essel Group, earlier said it has signed with Media Pro.

Incidentally, Media Pro is a distribution company floated last year by Star Den Media Services and Zee Turner and has the largest bouquet comprising 70 channels, including flagship Hindi general entertainment channels Star Plus and Zee TV. As both have equal stake in the JV, Zee gets a majority holding. In the old outfits, Star and Den each had 50 per cent stake in Star Den while Zee held 74 per cent and Turner 26 per cent in Zee Turner.

“We are in the last stages of our deals with the broadcasters. We should be able to conclude in the next few days,” says Hathway Cable & Datacom MD and CEO K Jayaraman.

Even IMCL is hopeful of concluding the inter-connection agreements with the broadcasters soon. “We are in deep negotiations. We are hopeful that we would complete them soon,” says IMCL CEO and MD Ravi Mansukhani.

The MSOs and broadcasters are being extra cautious in signing agreements that will decide their business models in the new era of digitisation. “It is important to smell better deals. Commercial agreements are not about speed but about sense,” says the head of a leading MSO on condition of anonymity.

MSM Discovery president Rajesh Kaul is optimistic that there would be no further delays in digitisation. “We have signed up two major cable networks including Den, and a host of other independent operators,” Kaul tells Indiantelevision.com.

Senior executives in Media Pro were not available for comment.

The early trend is to get more into the nature of fixed fee deals, though all kinds are taking place. The sector regulator has not allowed fixed fee commercial agreements between the MSOs and the broadcasters. “There are many kinds of deals taking place. But fixed fee agreements are easier to conclude,” a senior executive said.

Another trend is to conclude deals with the bigger broadcasters first as this will allow the cable networks to bargain with the smaller ones.

MSOs and broadcasters have sent out the details of their progress with the inter-connection agreements to Trai late Tuesday night. It remains to be seen how the sector regulator reacts to the failure by broadcasters and MSOs to meet the 21 August deadline.

MUMBAI: Late Steve Jobs‘ brainchild Apple has surpassed techie contemporary Microsoft in becoming the most valuable public company of all time.

On Monday, Apple‘s market value reached $623.14 billion. Microsoft‘s hitherto held record was of $620 billion, which was way back in 1999. Apple shares were up 2.63 per cent at $665.15 at close having gained more than 8 per cent this month.

Media analysts attribute this surge in market value to the anticipation surrounding the latest version of Apple‘s iconic product the iPhone on 12 September later this year. The rise in the stock price before a product launch has been a long observed trend in the case of Apple.

On the other hand, Facebook‘s shares lost value in the morning session to $18.75, though they did bounce back in the afternoon to $20.

Last year, Apple became the biggest public company in the world when it overtook Exxon Mobil.

MUMBAI: Google Sites ranked as the top destination in June 2012 reaching nearly 95 per cent of the online population, while social networking reigned as the top online activity accounting for 25.2 per cent of all online minutes, revealed comScore study on the top online sites and activities in India from its comScore Media Metrix service.

In June 2012, Google Sites ranked as the top online destinations in India reaching 57.8 million people age 15 and older accessing the Internet from a home or work computer. Facebook.com followed with 50.9 million visitors (83.4 per cent reach), followed by Yahoo! Sites (65.5 per cent reach) and Microsoft Sites (48.1 per cent reach).

Local web properties secured several spots in the top 10 ranking, including Times Internet Limited, reaching 33.7 per cent of the online population, Network 18 (29.3 percent reach), Rediff.com India (25.2 per cent reach) and NIC.in (21.8 per cent reach).

Among the top properties, visitors were most engaged on Facebook.com, spending an average of nearly four hours on the site in June. Visitors spent two-and-a-half hours on Google Sites, with YouTube accounting for a strong share of time spent on the property. Among local brands, Network 18 led as the most engaging property with visitors averaging 31.6 minutes during the month.

Analysis of the top online activities in India found that social networking accounted for 25.2 per cent of all time spent online in June, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the previous year, as social media continues to be a primary driver of people‘s daily digital media consumption. Entertainment sites ranked second, accounting for 10 per cent of minutes (up 1.2 percentage points from the previous year), while portals accounted for 8.8 per cent of total minutes. Although it represented just 2.0 per cent of total minutes, time spent on retail sites grew 0.5 points in the past year as online shopping continued to gain adoption.

New Delhi: The government has ordered blocking of around 245 web pages for carrying morphed images and videos, purportedly of communal violence in Assam.

The images and videos on these websites – most of which the government claims originated from Pakistan – have been blamed for incitement of Muslims and the resultant mass exodus of people who are natives of the north-eastern states from New Delhi, Bangalore and Pune back home.

The images and videos were morphed with some of them originally from earthquake affected sites in China. Morphing is a process that morphs (or changes) one image into another.

This is the first time India has faced cyber warfare on such a scale and the government is also considering taking up the findings of CERT-In (Computer Emergency Response Team-India) at the international forum.

On the recommendation of Home Ministry issued under section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000, 76 web pages were blocked on 18 August, 80 web pages on 19 August and 89 web pages on Monday. These intermediaries and international social networking sites were also requested to provide registration details and access logs of the persons who uploaded such content.

India has conveyed its concerns to Pakistan and has been assured the matter will be looked into if evidence if provided.

The objectionable content was first posted on 13 July and fake profiles were created for spreading morphed pictures, according to a Home Ministry report, prepared in the wake of the mass exodus following rumours about a possible attack on them.

Considering the sensitivity and after effects of such inflammatory and harmful content hosted on social networking sites, the Department of Electronics & Information Technology had issued an advisory on 17 August 2012 to all the intermediaries including national and international social networking sites, advising them to take necessary action to disable such inflammatory and hateful content hosted on their websites on priority basis.

The department also called a meeting of the representatives of international social networking sites based in India and advised them to take all possible action to disable such content immediately.

The initial response from international social networking sites indicates that such content has been hosted from outside the country and to a large extent from the neighboring country.

MUMBAI: Chinese pay-per-view (PPV) and video-on-demand (VOD) platform, You On Demand, has signed a distribution agreement that covers both Transactional Video On Demand (TVOD) and Subscription Video On Demand (SVoD) with cable operator Dalian Tiantu Cable Network.

Dalian currently has 1.6 million cable subscribers who will have access to You On Demand‘s SVOD service by the end of 2012.

Subscribers to You On Demand‘s “YOU Cinema On Demand” SVOD service will get hundreds of hours of Hollywood films with new titles added every week.

Dalian customers will also be among the first to access You On Demand‘s “CHC Cinema On Demand” service, which provides the ability to choose among hundreds of award winning domestic movies each month.

You On Demand chairman, CEO Shane McMahon said, “We are very excited to welcome Dalian to the YOU On Demand family of cable operators. You On Demand is actively focused on continuing to grow our distribution platform as we deliver the world‘s best content to customers in the comfort of their homes.”

You On Demand currently has content deals in place with Hollywood studios including Warner Bros., Disney and Paramount Pictures.

MUMBAI: Sports entertainment company WWE has launched the official WWE flagship app for iOS and Android mobile devices and tablets, including the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and Samsung Galaxy SIII.

The entertainment app provides a 24/7 platform for the WWE Universe on-the-go, as well as a second screen TV companion experience that activates during Monday Night Raw with live polls and content.

WWE senior VP digital operations Jason Hoch said, “Our fans have proven they want to consume WWE content day and night and now, through our new mobile app, they can stay completely connected to the action wherever they are”.

The new application will also offer videos and content, plus pull in the social media streams for every WWE Superstar and Diva. The latest WWE.com news can be accessed through the app and will be updated constantly, keeping fans informed at all times.

Using mobile location technology, users can also order tickets to local events, buy authentic WWE merchandise via WWEShop.com and follow social conversations happening in their area.

The WWE flagship app powered by Bottle Rocket Apps is free and can be found in Apple’s iTunes App Store and Android Marketplace.

MUMBAI: BBC America, featuring British programming and home-grown original series that embrace the intersection of US and UK culture, is now available in high definition on Verizon‘s IPTV service Fios TV. BBC America Verizon VP content strategy, acquisition Terry Denson said, “We are thrilled that we are now able to make BBC AMERICA HD a part of our Fios TV lineup. Fans of BBC America will now be able to enjoy their favorite programming in HD via Fios TV‘s 100 per cent fiber-optic network to the home.”

Verizon also plans to add BBC America HD to its FiOS TV Video on Demand (VoD) offering soon.

BBC Worldwide, America executive VP network distribution Sandy Ashendorf said, “We‘re excited that FiOS TV customers are now able to enjoy BBC America programmes in HD. With the series premiere of our first original drama, ‘Copper‘ and new seasons of ‘Doctor Who‘ and ‘The Hour‘ around the corner, the timing for the launch of BBC America HD on Fios TV couldn‘t be better.”

NEW DELHI: Local cable operators (LCOs) are demanding the creation of a separate Cable Television Regulatory Authority of India to deal with issues relating to broadcasting on the ground that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) comprising experts in telecom is ill-equipped to deal with their issues.

The LCOs have suggested that all cable TV operators should become members of the Council of Cable TV of India which should be given recognition and representation by the Government on all relevant platforms.

Attempting to form a united stand on common issues, the LCOs have said that the issuance of licences should move away from the post offices to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry as this would ensure no unruly elements come into the business. They have also blamed the post offices for refusing to issue licences to LCOs after registering them.

The LCOs protested against the Trai‘s Tariff Order for digital addressable cable which had fixed a revenue share of Rs 45 from the basic service tier, saying that it was highly unjust since they were already getting Rs 82 under the Cas-mandated system.

The LCOs were attending a two-day conference of cable TV operators from different parts of the country.

The National Conference of Indian Broadcasting and CATV Industry had been organised by the All India Aavishkaar Dish Antennae Sangh with the aim to apprise the LCOs from all over the country with the latest developments in digitisation and to also form a united stand on common issues.

Dr A K Rastogi, president of the Sangh, said that all channels should flash the rates of encrypted (pay channels) clearly so that the viewer and the LCO is aware of the rate to ensure transparency.

Senior consultant V C Khare lashed out at Trai for not having coming out with a clear-cut rate card for pay TV under DAS.

He also regretted that while the amended Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act referred to right of way for LCOs and said they can use electricity poles, there was nothing about this in the Rules issued under the Act.

Khare also said it was surprising that cable TV was not listed on the Central Government list when broadcasting was a central and not state subject.

Rastogi stressed the need to train cable TV technicians, and the announced training by the Broadcasting Engineering Consultants (India) Ltd. (BECIL) had not yielded any tangible results. He urged all LCOs to hold meetings with their subscribers and Resident Welfare Associations to apprise them about the need for installing set-top boxes (STBs).

He said both Mumbai and Delhi now had adequate STBs to go digital, but the state governments in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu were not keen on going digital. This may create impediments in the first phase of digitisation slated for 1 November.

LCOs should form district-level committees to ensure speedy implementation of digitisation, Rastogi added.

He called for an exemption of import duty on new STBs and a tax holiday for at least ten years for all work relating to digitisation.

The cable TV should be recognised as an information infrastructure industry, Rastogi added.

MUMBAI: Digital cable TV seems to be winning over direct-to-home (DTH) in this first round of digitisation covering the four metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

The share of DTH in total digital cable TV homes has slipped in Mumbai and Kolkata as consumers of analogue cable convert to digital ahead of the 1 November digitisation deadline.

This is the finding of a study conducted by TAM Media Research to capture the changing digitisation scenario in the four metropolitan cities.
 
According to the study, the share of DTH in total digital TV homes in Mumbai dropped to 34 per cent in June 2012 from 38 per cent in January 2012 and in Kolkata to 29 per cent from 48 per cent.

The share of digital cable TV homes has remained flat in Delhi (40 per cent) and Chennai (26 per cent). The fall in the proportion of DTH homes in Kolkata was steep as the share of digital cable TV homes rose by a sharp 18 per cent in the eastern city.

Among digital TV homes, DTH was a dominant platform in Delhi (with 60 per cent share) and Chennai (with 74 per cent share). DTH‘s share in Mumbai was 34 per cent and in Kolkata 30 per cent. This scenario is likely to change.

The study suggests that most of the cable TV homes which are still hooked on to analogue cable TV prefer or would prefer to continue with the services of their local cable operator when they shift to digital cable TV services. The study reveals that the percentage of analogue homes which intend to shift to digital cable TV is overwhelming led by Mumbai (92 per cent), Kolkata (89 per cent), Chennai (84 per cent) and Delhi (81 per cent).

The four metros selected for the study are the cities chosen by the government for phasing out analogue cable TV services. All television homes are now mandated to shift to digital TV, either via DTH connections or through digital set-top boxes (STBs) provided by local cable operators (LCOs) by 1 November.

The government had to extend the deadline by four months as majority of homes have still not shifted to either of the digital platforms.

According to the monthly study based on a sample size of 4,600 homes, Mumbai leads in terms of digital penetration with 33 per cent of the homes having digital TV connections (as of June 2012), followed by Kolkata (25 per cent), Delhi (24 per cent) and Chennai (20 per cent).

The Information and Broadcasting ministry stated in early August that Mumbai looked the most prepared with 50 per cent of cable TV homes already having digital STB installations. But Delhi and Kolkata seemed to be struggling with the rate of STB installations around 25 per cent while Chennai lagged way behind.
 
According to the TAM study, digitisation in Mumbai and Kolkata was across all SECs (socio-economic classifications) but the interest was less in SEC D&E homes in Delhi and Chennai.

Among the multi TV homes in all metro cities, the digital TV penetration is high. The share of digital connections in multi TV homes was the highest in Mumbai (about 52 per cent), followed by Chennai (about 48 per cent), Kolkata (40 per cent) and Delhi (35 per cent).

The medium that played a big role in creating awareness about the requirement for shifting to digital was television itself. The other source was newspapers and friends.
 

MUMBAI: To leverage the social media to promote its recently launched mythological show ‘Ramayan‘, Zee TV has launched a Facebook app.

The channel has created a ‘virtual‘ temple on the Facebook page of its mythological show.
 
According to the channel, the virtual temple holds the promise of a few moments of daily spiritual solace for netizens. The imagery, the colors and the music used have a calming effect and can easily transport a devotee to a harmonious, divine space.

The temple is a re-creation of the Ram Durbar showcasing Lord Rama, Lakshman and Sita with Lord Hanuman. It has features like the user can ring the bell, light a diya, play a choice of aartis, shower flowers and smear haldi kumkum on the deities, break a coconut and rotate the aarti ki thali.
 
In the coming days, Zee TV has plans of creating a mobile application that will make the virtual temple available to smartphone users and let them interact with ‘Ramayan‘ through aartis and chaupaayis.

‘Ramayan‘ airs every Sunday at 11 am on Zee TV as well as Doordarshan.