ITV

Category: Software

  • ‘Rise of the Zombie’ ties up with Techzone for mobile, WAP-based content

    ‘Rise of the Zombie’ ties up with Techzone for mobile, WAP-based content

    MUMBAI: TechZone, aggregators, developers, publishers and distributors of entertainment content, has entered into a strategic alliance with the movie ‘Rise of the Zombie’ for providing its Value added services.

    ‘Rise of the Zombie’ is the first ever zombie film. The consumers can download its songs like ‘Dil Pukaare’ and ‘All Alone’ and set them as their CRBT.

    Additionally, they can also get an access to the exclusive videos of making of the movie, its best scenes, dialogues, wallpapers by just SMSing “ROTZ” to 56060.

    Techzone MD and CEO Naveen Bhandari said,” We are very excited about this collaboration. ROTZ is an interesting movie and has a differential concept. Needless to say, its music is also experimental.The WAP and CRBT service of ROTZ is being very well received. I am extremely glad of this association and am proud that Techzone is a part of this next-gen Indian cinema.”

    Lead actor and co-director Luke Kenny added, “ROTZ is a one of its kind movie with exceptional music rendered by the biggest names in the Indian independent music scene. It being a horror-drama makes music an essential part of the movie. This successful differentiation is clearly visible from the positive feedback of the audience. We want ROTZ’s movie to be available all over across all platforms and our alliance with Techzone is one of our endeavours for the same. Our teams have worked closely to bring out various exciting and innovative ways of promoting the content across all platforms. We are very positive about our association.”

    Rise of the Zombie is India’s First Zombie Origin Film releasing on 5 April. The story follows the transformation of Neil Parker, a wildlife photographer, as he is clenched into the darkness to only rise again as a monster.

  • Lalit Bhagia quits Star TV to turn entrepreneur

    Lalit Bhagia quits Star TV to turn entrepreneur

    MUMBAI: Lalit Bhagia has decided to quit from his post of vice president and head-digital (internet & mobile) at Star TV after a stint of almost three years.

    Bhagia is serving his notice period and will be with the company till month end.

    He is quitting Star India to pursue his interest of being an entrepreneur and launching a website.

    Prior to joining Star TV in 2010, he was with Digitas for around eight years. He has also worked Times Internet Limited (TIL) and NIIT.

  • Four cities go fully digital ahead of sunset date: MIB

    Four cities go fully digital ahead of sunset date: MIB

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has said that 67 per cent digitisation target has been achieved in 38 cities with four cities – Hyderabad, Amritsar, Chandigarh and Allahabad – achieving nearly 100 per cent digitisation.

    Eight other cities – Jodhpur, Thane, Aurangabad, Jaipur, Pune, Faridabad, Nashik, and Ghaziabad – have achieved 75 per cent digitisation.

    Another 28 cities have achieved digitisation of more than 50 per cent individually, the MIB said. These cities are Ludhiana, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Allahabad, Jodhpur, Thane, Aurangabad, Jaipur, Pune, Faridabad, Nashik, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Vadodara, Sholapur, Kanpur, Varanasi, Bangalore, Indore, Ranchi, Lucknow, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhopal and Howrah.

    As on 23 March, a total of 10.8 million set-top boxes (STBs) have already been installed in Phase-II cities against the target of 16 million, as per the data received from the DTH operators and the MSOs.

    The sunset date for the phase II of digitisation is 31 March after which analogue signals will be switched off in these 38 cities. During phase I, the three metro cities of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata have gone digital. In Chennai, digitisation could not be completed as the Madras High Court issued a stay order on a petition filed by local cable operators.

    The MIB said it has been consistently monitoring the progress made towards digitisation during Phase II of the process with I&B Minister Manish Tewari reviewing the progress on a daily basis.

    The Task Force set up by the MIB has also been meeting every week to take stock of the progress of digitisation in Phase-II. The Ministry has already conducted second round of meeting with nodal officers of 38 cities on 8 March to ascertain preparedness in these cities.

    As part of the public awareness campaign to sensitise the consumers on the benefits of digitisation, the Ministry has also stepped up the Public Awareness campaign through print and electronic media. All India Radio as well as private FM broadcasters have been broadcasting radio jingles on its National and regional networks for creating public awareness.

    The Ministry has already brought out a print advertisement in all 38 cities in the respective regional languages. SMS campaign is presently underway in these cities.

    As part of the awareness initiative, television channels have been frequently running video spots, black out advertisements, and scrolls to make the people aware regarding the benefits of the process and the deadline of the switch over from analogue to digital in the 38 cities set to be digitised under Phase II.

    The Control Room of the Ministry, which also has a toll free number, has been receiving a number of calls from consumers of Phase-II cities.

    In order to facilitate a seamless transition on the due date of 31 March 2013, the Ministry has asked major MSOs to depute their representatives in the Control Room to address and clarify various queries relating to acquisition of STBs, various schemes of purchase of STBs and package rates offered by MSOs.

  • Lionsgate likely to sell 50% of TV Guide Network to CBS

    Lionsgate likely to sell 50% of TV Guide Network to CBS

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster CBS is said to be looking to acquire a 50 per cent stake in TV Guide Network.

    The company is currently co-owned by Lions Gate Entertainment and One Equity Partners.

    The likely price is around $100 million, according to media reports.

    TV Guide Network will probably re-brand and move from just being seen as a listing source.

  • Lionsgate in deal with M-Go

    Lionsgate in deal with M-Go

    MUMBAI: US digital entertainment service M-Go, which is a JV between DreamWorks Animation and Technicolor and entertainment company Lionsgate, are partnering to bring Lionsgate‘s movies and TV shows, including ‘The Hunger Games‘ and ‘Twilight‘ film franchises, ‘Tyler Perry‘s Madea‘ films and the TV series ‘Mad Men‘, to M-Go customers for purchase or rental.

    M-Go has already secured direct content deals with many of Hollywood‘s studios and now adds Lionsgate. M-Go adds that this partnership further boosts its library of the newest releases of movies and TV shows. The two companies will also explore new content delivery models as part of their shared commitment to best serve their consumers. To kick off the partnership, M-Go will offer the ‘Mad Men‘ series catalogue so that people can discover the show for the first time.

    Fans can also catch up on missed episodes. Lionsgate president of worldwide television, digital distribution Jim Packer said, “M-Go is exactly the kind of entrepreneurial partner with whom we like to be in business, and our partnership underscores the growing spectrum of digital and traditional platforms available for monetising our content.

    “We‘re pleased to give M-GO access to our full range of content because they share our commitment to being at the forefront of home entertainment initiatives designed to meet the changing needs of our consumers.”

    M-Go CEO John Batter said, “Getting Lionsgate content was a top priority for M-Go. Being the ‘people-friendliest‘ digital entertainment service means never resting until we have secured the entertainment people want most at their fingertips such as their hot content like ‘Nashville‘, ‘Anger Management‘ and ‘The Impossible‘.

    “We look forward to working with Lionsgate to lead the industry by pioneering new ways to maximize the benefits of digital by providing amazing entertainment instantly and earlier than ever before for consumers in the US.”

    M-GO is available for at home or on the go viewing on platforms and functions on operating systems ranging from Android to iOS to Windows. M-GO will be pre-loaded on LG Electronics Smart TVs, Samsung‘s Smart TV‘s, Blu-ray players and Wi-Fi tablets, Vizio‘s Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, Wi-Fi tablets and digital media players, and Intel® Ultrabook devices.

  • BBC commissions BBC Three drama strand for BBC iPlayer

    BBC commissions BBC Three drama strand for BBC iPlayer

    MUMBAI: BBC has commissioned a BBC Three drama strand exclusively for BBC iPlayer.

    The drama strand is a venture between BBC iPlayer, BBC Three and BBC Drama Production to commission six original short films over two years, written and directed by the best up-and-coming writing and directing talent from across the UK.

    This new drama strand builds on BBC iPlayer‘s strategy to showcase more exclusive content within the service in 2013 and on the BBC Writersroom‘s ongoing commitment to bring the best new writers to UK audiences.

    Last year the BBC brought selected online-only programmes to audiences via BBC iPlayer. These included BBC Three ‘Feed My Funny‘ new talent comedy pilots, a Doctor Who mini-series called ‘Pond Life‘ and curated archive programmes for BBC Four. These proved popular on BBC iPlayer, with Pond Life receiving over five million requests, the BBC Three comedy pilots over one million requests and the BBC Four archive programmes receiving over 2 million cumulative requests.

    BBC head of IPTV, TV online content Victoria Jaye said, “This ambitious new strand builds on BBC iPlayer as a creative platform to bring original British drama to audiences online, and explores storytelling outside of a scheduled TV slot or duration. Audiences will be able to discover, share and enjoy these dramas whenever and wherever they choose.”

    BBC Drama executive producer Hilary Salmon said, “This is a precious opportunity for BBC Drama Production to produce original content for the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Three audience and to build relationships with writing and directing talent that is on the way up.”

    BBC Three controller Zai Bennett said, “As a youth channel, BBC Three is at the forefront of new ways to commission and view programmes and to find up and coming talent both on and off the screen. This new drama strand is exactly the kind of venture BBC Three is all about.”

  • CBS, Avex expand on demand mobile video deal

    CBS, Avex expand on demand mobile video deal

    MUMBAI: CBS Studios International and Japan‘s Avex Entertainment have announced the expansion of their multi-year licensing agreement to include CBS programming on SoftBank Mobile‘s subscription video-on-demand service, Uula.

    The Uula service, a joint venture between Avex Entertainment and Softbank, will now include content for SoftBank‘s smartphone and tablet subscribers from CBS‘s extensive television library, including early seasons of current hits such as ‘NCIS‘, ‘NCIS: Los Angeles‘ and ‘90210‘ and full seasons of classic series such as ‘Star Trek‘, ‘Star Trek: Enterprise‘, ‘Medium‘ and ‘The 4400‘.

    The Uula service joins Avex‘s existing “dVideo” subscription on-demand service, available to customers of mobile carrier NTT Docomo.

    CBS Studios International executive VP Barry Chamberlain said, “We‘re excited to expand this content licensing agreement and provide UULA subscribers the flexibility to watch CBS programming on their mobile devices. The international digital space continues to provide more choice for viewers and additive revenue opportunities for content providers.”

  • Vserv.mobi to help US app developers monetise in emerging markets

    Vserv.mobi to help US app developers monetise in emerging markets

    MUMBAI: Vserv.mobi, a global mobile Ad network for app developers, publishers, advertisers and telecom providers, has announced the appointment of Lance Johnson as VP business development, US. This appointment comes at a time when the company plans to add over 100 employees this year across the globe.

    Vserv.mobi CEO, co-founder Dippak Khurana said, “Apps and games of developers based in USA are increasingly being downloaded by users in emerging markets. With Lance coming on board, developers in North America will be able to leverage Vserv‘s extensive network in emerging markets to monetize such App users effectively. We are excited to have a mobile industry veteran like Lance join our company at this critical juncture and wish him a rewarding and successful stint.”

    Lance has over 10 years of experience across US, Europe and Latin America in the Mobile Ecosystem and will establish Vserv‘s presence in the Silicon Valley. He will focus on forging and strengthening strategic partnerships with developers, publishers and advertisers across the US.

    He started his career at Yahoo where he held several senior level positions across Munich and London. He subsequently led the advertising business for Nokia globally and his last assignment was with MIH group where he focused on group M&A activities and building portfolio-company relationships in the US.

    Vserv.mobi VP business development US Lance Johnson said, “I am excited to be a part of the Vserv.mobi team, at a stage when the company is growing rapidly and expanding globally. I look forward to engaging with the mobile ecosystem stakeholders in North America to expand their horizons and help them tap the massive opportunity in emerging markets.”

  • BookMyShow.com is official ticketing partner for six IPL teams

    BookMyShow.com is official ticketing partner for six IPL teams

    MUMBAI: Entertainment ticketing portal BookMyShow.com has announced its association with the SunRisers Hyderabad team for IPL 2013, making it the official ticketing partner for six out of nine IPL teams this season.

    With this development, BookMyShow.com will be managing 60 per cent of the ticketing inventory for IPL 2013, making it the largest ticketing provider this season.

    BookMyShow.com has been associated with IPL teams for four consecutive years and will be the official ticketing partner for Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad this season.

    BookMyShow.com founder, CEO Ashish Hemrajani said, “We are happy to be long standing partners for these IPL teams, witnessing a year on year increment of around 18 – 25 per cent in revenues for our organisers each season. Online sales have become an essential element for every IPL team with 85 per cent of IPL sales in high internet penetration markets derived from online sales. Even low internet penetration markets have emerged with 75 per cent of tickets sold online last season, showcasing a 35 per cent growth in online sales since its inception

    “Being market leaders‘ in this space, we understand the sensitivity of each market and implement different and effective marketing strategies in accordance to the same. We are associated with 6 IPL teams this season, managing more than 15 lakh tickets for the IPL 2013 teams and we hope to partner with two more teams in IPL 2014.”

    In order to extend its reach among customers, BookMyShow.com has tied up with leading brands including Café Coffee Day, BMW, Mercedes Benz and more. Apart from being the official ticketing partner, BookMyShow.com will also manage the on-ground operations for all six teams which would encompass strategy and planning, ticket printing with security features, ground sales, home delivery, inventory management, stock distribution, cash collection, corporate and package sales, online marketing, gate entry validation plus management and reconciliation (post event). BookMyShow.com has also been awarded with accreditation management for four IPL teams – Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors India and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

    Apart from booking tickets online, customers can also view details such as seating arrangement, venue, offers, players‘ information, ticketing outlets and delivery tracking of tickets. One can also purchase the official teams‘ merchandise on the website. BookMyShow.com also has a customer support that can be reached online, on the phone or through its retail outlets for addressing any ticketing issues.

    Tickets for Delhi Daredevil, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad are currently live on BookMyShow.com. Tickets for Pune Warriors India will be live from today 25 March.

  • 26% of US consumers are digital omnivores: Deloitte

    26% of US consumers are digital omnivores: Deloitte

    MUMBAI: 26 per cent of US consumers are digital omnivores. They own a laptop, smartphone and tablet.

    Deloitte’s State of the Media Democracy survey, now in its seventh edition, reveals that US consumers are undergoing a dramatic transition in how, when and where they engage with content, devices and each other.

    Tablet ownership increased 177 per cent over the past year, with almost a third of tablet owners viewing it as one of their top three most preferred consumer electronic devices.

    Tablet owners stream movies 70 per cent more often than non-tablet owners.

    • More than 80 per cent of consumers are multi-tasking while watching TV.
    • The survey reveals that 93 per cent of Americans place Internet access as the most valued household subscription.
    • More than half of all consumers are willing to pay a premium for faster Internet connection with tablet and smartphone owners more inclined to pay for faster connections

    The survey takes a multi-generational look at how consumer preferences vary. More importantly, learn how they are evolving within the changing landscape of device ownership, subscription services, advertising platforms, social networking adoption and emerging payment models.

    Fielded by an independent research firm in November 2012, the online survey reached more than 2,000 US consumers to help companies understand consumer preferences today and where they might be moving in the future. The analysis yields clues and provides insights to help companies make smart, well-timed business decisions and investments.