ITV

Category: Software

  • Funai Electric acquires Philips lifestyle ent biz

    Funai Electric acquires Philips lifestyle ent biz

    MUMBAI: Royal Philips Electronics has sold its Lifestyle Entertainment business which includes audio, video, multimedia and accessories to Japanese consumer electronics company Funai Electric.

    Under the terms, Funai will pay a cash consideration of 150 million euro and a brand license fee, relating to a license agreement for an initial period of five and a half years, with an optional renewal of five years.

    The deal for the Audio, Multimedia and Accessories businesses is expected to close in the second half of 2013. The video business will transfer in 2017, related to existing intellectual property licensing arrangements. The gain on the transaction will be recorded at the closing date.

    The agreement does not impact any of Funai‘s existing brand licensing agreements with Philips, the company said.

    The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory filings and works council procedures. The remote control activities, which are predominantly business-to-business, are excluded.

    Philips CEO Frans van Houten said. "With this transaction we are taking another step in reshaping the Consumer Lifestyle portfolio and transforming Philips into the leading technology company in Health and Well-being. I am confident that today‘s agreement with Funai, our partner for over 25 years, will create a promising future for Philips Audio, Video and Entertainment, and continuity for our customers. It will leverage Philips‘ strong brand, strength in innovation, and leadership position in these businesses, with Funai‘s strong presence in North and Central America – and Japan, and its supply and manufacturing expertise."

    Funai president, CEO, Tomonori Hayashi said. "This is truly an exciting time for us at Funai. This transaction will allow us to continue moving forward and grow as a global company. We will benefit from Philips‘ legendary know-how and innovation, as well as the excellent talent they have in place around the world, allowing us to work as a team to leverage and grow the Philips brand in Audio, Video and Entertainment. Additionally, this will give Funai the opportunity to meet our goal of expanding our business into markets including Brazil, Russia, India and China."

    Philips Audio, Video, Multimedia and Accessories make up the Lifestyle Entertainment business group within Philips Consumer Lifestyle. This business group is headquartered in Hong Kong and employs approximately 2,000 people worldwide.

  • C&S shows double-digit growth in 2012: IRS Q3

    C&S shows double-digit growth in 2012: IRS Q3

    MUMBAI: Cable and satellite (C&S) television has posted double-digital growth in 2012, according to the latest figures by Indian Readership Survey (IRS).

    The C&S sector‘s reach grew from 488.642 million in second quarter 2012 to 499.437 million in the third quarter. It saw a 10.5 per cent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from Q1 to Q3 in the calendar year of 2012, according to the findings of IRS Q3 2012, released by the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and Hansa Research.

    Media consumption for Internet continued to show the fastest growth at 27.5 per cent CAGR from 2012 Q1 to 2012 Q3. The users climbed from 39.94 million in Q2 to 42.32 million in Q3 of 2012.

    The reach of television also showed positive growth from the second quarter’s 563.43 million to 571.426 million in the third quarter. The CAGR of the reach of television for the same time period is 6.1 per cent (Q1-Q3).

    Radio saw a CAGR of 6.4 per cent, with increase in listenership from 158.165 million in Q2 to 159.820 million in Q3.

    Meanwhile, cinemagoers grew at a CAGR of 17.2 per cent to 81.4 million in quarter three as compared to 79.25 million in the second quarter.

    Newspaper readership grew by just 0.7 per cent CAGR with its reach increasing from 352.004 million in Q2 2012 to 353.33 million in Q3 2012.

  • TV18’s IndiaCast, Disney UTV form distribution JV company

    TV18’s IndiaCast, Disney UTV form distribution JV company

    MUMBAI: India is witnessing a consolidation in the distribution business for television channels. In the latest round, TV18 Group and The Walt Disney Company are floating a joint venture company to distribute their television channels across analogue and digital platforms, including cable TV and direct-to-home (DTH), in India.

    IndiaCast, TV18 and Viacom18‘s multi-platform, global distribution company, will have 74 per cent stake in the JV while UGBL, a Disney UTV firm, will hold the remaining 26 per cent.

    The new entity will distribute 35 channels from the TV18, Viacom18, Disney UTV and A+E Networks, making it the second largest distribution company in terms of bouquet of channels after Media Pro Enterprise India.

    Anuj Gandhi (IndiaCast CEO) will be the chief executive officer of the joint venture company.

    The yet-to-be-named company will be responsible only for distributing the channels in India while international operations will be handled independently by the two companies.

    IndiaCast will move its domestic distribution business into this new venture, while continuing to manage its other content monetisation businesses which include international distribution, ad sales & content sales as well as the new media distribution for TV18, Viacom18, A+E Networks | TV18 and Eenadu channels.

    Disney UTV will also move its domestic distribution activities for its bouquet of all nine channels (Disney, Hungama, Disney XD, UTV Stars, Bindass, UTV Movies, UTV Action and the newly launched preschool channel Disney Junior) to the new entity.

    The joint venture will become operational post the necessary regulatory approvals and will provide the channels to cable, DTH and Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) platforms in India.

    Says Gandhi, “This partnership will build a strong distribution company that will offer a broader and more diversified range to platforms giving us a foothold across genres – including in general entertainment, general and business news, movies, youth and kids genres. We have had a great first year for IndiaCast and this JV will give our domestic distribution business scale and wider reach.”

    Strength of the JV

    The combined entity will particularly be strong in the youth (MTV, UTV Stars and Bindass) and kids genres (with the Disney and Nick channels). IndiaCast will also get a presence in the movie genre with UTV Movies and UTV Action.

    Says MK Anand, managing director – Media Networks, Disney UTV, "There are some clear and unique synergies in this partnership. The new bouquet is a more comprehensive offering from the viewer’s perspective that gives the combined entity an edge in the marketplace."

    In the news businesss, the JV will have the TV18 group of channels including CNBC TV18, CNN IBN, IBN7 and CNBC Awaaz. The Hindi general entertainment channel Colors will continue to remain as a big driver while the niche channels will give the bouquet a wider presence. It will also have regional-language channels with ETV a part of the pack.

    "IndiaCast fills up the gap of a Hindi movie channel in its bouquet while Disney gets the support of a stronger platform. The Disney UTV movie channels, however, have to gather more steam to match the other two main distribution companies (Media Pro and TheOne Alliance) in this space. The strength of the new JV will be more obvious in the youth and kids space," says a media analyst.

    Sports will be a gap in the bouquet. Only MSM Discovery (which operates through TheOne Alliance brand) has sports in its bouquet with Sony Six and the Neo channels. Media Pro, the JV between Star Den and Zee Turner, does not get to distribute Star‘s (Star Cricket, Star Sports, etc) and Zee‘s sports channels (Ten Sports, etc).

    The fate of the Sun TV group of channels, which are distributed by IndiaCast in the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM), is uncertain at this stage. If Sun TV agrees, then it will be the first set of external channels distributed by the JV.

    TV18 to hold majority in the JV

    TV18 will continue to hold majority economic interest in both IndiaCast and the new step-down joint venture through a combination of its direct holding through TV18 and the indirect holding through Viacom18. TV18’s effective economic interest in IndiaCast is 75 per cent and 56 per cent in the new venture.

    Says Network18 managing director Raghav Bahl, “The Indian television industry in on the throes of a transformation on the back of digitisation. The distribution joint venture of TV18 and Viacom18 with DisneyUTV is a landmark deal and will help in shaping the future course of the domestic distribution landscape. At TV18, we have always believed that as industry leaders we should not only forge and nurture successful partnerships but also spearhead initiatives that accrue benefits to all stakeholders.”

    Consolidation in the distribution business

    The trend started years ago when Zee Turner and Set Discovery (now MSM Discovery) formed joint venture companies to add strength to their distribution businesses and ramp up subscription revenues. The biggest move in this direction came in mid-2011 when Zee Turner and Star Den merged their distribution businesses to create an elephant that marginalised the smaller players.

    "With this new JV, there will almost be no space for individual players. Media Pro is at the top followed by TheOne Alliance and then the IndiaCast-Disney UTV JV so far as revenue figures go. We will see further consolidation in the industry," says a media analyst.

  • Times Now and Zoom launch in Canada on Cogeco

    Times Now and Zoom launch in Canada on Cogeco

    MUMBAI: Times Television Network (TTN) Tuesday said it has launched Times Now and Zoom in Canada on Cogeco Cable to take the international reach of the two channels to 45 countries across four continents.

    TTN will be extending its international presence further this year with its launch in Europe.

    With a mix of localised marketing and programming events in respective international markets, TTN aims to strengthen connect with the Indian diaspora.

    TTN MD and CEO Sunil Lulla said, "Times Television Network has found great resonance with the viewers from the Indian Diaspora. Despite having launched only quite recently in some of the markets, the brands have gained the same stature and respect as they have here. We expect to penetrate more geographies shortly."

    TTN is also in discussion with other content owners and broadcasters in India and South Asia for alliances that will see TTN taking its content and channels to other markets.

  • RIM lines-up music and movie content providers for BlackBerry 10

    RIM lines-up music and movie content providers for BlackBerry 10

    MUMBAI: Research In Motion (RIM) has said its new BlackBerry World storefront for BlackBerry 10 will feature the best of TV shows, movies and music from world‘s leading content producers and music publishers.

    The new BlackBerry World will include an extensive catalog of songs as well as movies and TV shows, with most movies coming to the store the same day they are released on DVD, and next day availability of many current TV series.

    The offering will feature content from all major studios, music labels and top local broadcast networks. Customers will be able to preview tracks and access the content using multiple payment options.

    "Music and video content is an integral part of a rich mobile experience. People want easy and convenient access to their favorite music, movies and TV shows wherever they are," said RIM CMO Frank Boulben.

    "RIM is committed to working with content providers to bring the best, most up-to-date content to our customers with BlackBerry 10, and to make it easy for them to get what they want."

    The video download and rental section in BlackBerry World will initially be available in the US, UK and Canada.
    Varying by region and distributor, customers will have access to movies from the following studios and independents: 20th Century Fox, Entertainment One (eOne), Lionsgate, MGM, National Film Board of Canada, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, StudioCanal, The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures (UK), Warner Bros.

    Customers will also have access to TV shows from the following broadcasters and studios: ABC Studios, BBC Worldwide, CBC/Radio-Canada, CBS, DHX Media, ITV, National Geographic, NBCUniversal (UK), Nelvana, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Univision Communications Inc, and Warner Bros.

    The BlackBerry World storefront‘s DRM-free music download section will feature an extensive catalog from all major and independent labels including: 4AD Records, Domino Recording Company, finetunes, Matador Records, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, Rough Trade Records, Sony Music Entertainment, The Orchard, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, XL Recordings and Zebralution.

    The music section will initially be available in 18 countries: Canada, USA, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

  • Tewari to meet LCOs on Wed over revenue sharing under DAS

    Tewari to meet LCOs on Wed over revenue sharing under DAS

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Manish Tewari will meet a delegation of Delhi-based local cable operators (LCOs) on Wednesday to hear their complaints with regard to the ‘unreasonable‘ revenue sharing under the digital addressable system (DAS).

    The minister agreed to meet the LCOs after around 300 LCOs from different parts of Delhi forced their way into the venue of the Broadcast Engineering Services (India) Expo this morning and shouted slogans against Tewari and I&B secretary Uday Kumar Varma, who was also present.

    Tewari was heckled as he attempted to leave the venue after his inaugural address at the three-day conference. The minister then asked the LCOs to meet him in a delegation at his office Wednesday morning.

    A S Kohli, a leading cable operator and part of the protesting LCOs, told indiantelevision.com that he expected around 1,000 LCOs from all parts of Delhi to gather on Wednesday.

    Cable Operators Federation of India President Roop Sharma who will also meet the Minister tomorrow told Indiantelevision.com that it was unfortunate that the pleas of the LCOs for a more rational share in the tariff, and the recent blackout in parts of East and North East Delhi had failed to make the government react.

    She said that consumers who wanted both pay and free-to-air channels under DAS regime would have to pay anything between Rs 250 to Rs 300 or even more against amounts ranging between Rs 80 to Rs 150 that they have been paying under analogue.

    LCOs in Delhi have been complaining against the revenue sharing between LCOs and MSOs. LCOs from east and north-east Delhi recently resorted to a day‘s blackout of cable TV to draw the government‘s attention to the revenue sharing formula, which they claim is unfair for the LCOs.

    Another LCO Ashok Pandit said several representations have been made to both the ministry and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) about how the revenue sharing under DAS was unworkable. The revenue sharing ratio is 55:45 between MSOs and LCOs in the basic service tier of Rs 100 for 100 free-to-air (FTA) channels, and of 65:35 in a mix of pay and FTA channels.

    He pointed out that even the MSOs had admitted that it was the LCO who did the entire work of fitting the connections or climbing electricity poles to lay the cable TV wire, and added that it was, therefore, wrong to deprive the LCO of his rightful share. Furthermore, he said many subscribers in east Delhi were paying as low as Rs 75 despite the fact that some of them had more than one TV set in their homes, and would therefore refuse to pay more.

  • Table No. 21 to premiere online on Eros Now

    Table No. 21 to premiere online on Eros Now

    MUMBAI: In less than three weeks after its theatrical release, Director Aditya Dutt‘s Table No. 21 film will now be available online through movie-on-demand platform Eros Now.

    Eros Now has made the film available to its subscribers.

    Table No. 21 stars Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae in the lead roles. The film is a twisted tale about a couple out on a lavish holiday and how they end up on Table No. 21 sitting across from a mysterious man played by Paresh Rawal.

  • DigiVive in deal with IndiaCast to live stream 20 channels

    DigiVive in deal with IndiaCast to live stream 20 channels

    MUMBAI: IndiaCast, the distribution joint-venture between TV18 and Viacom18, is swiftly increasing the presence of TV18 and Viacom18 bouquet on digital platforms.

    After signing a deal with OTT platform Ditto TV and online TV service provider istream.com, the distribution company has signed a deal with mobile TV platform nexGTv to live stream twenty national and regional channels.

    The channels include – Colors, MTV, CNBC-TV18, IBN7, CNBC Awaaz, IBN Lokmat, CNN IBN, History TV18, ETV Gujarati, ETV Marathi, ETV Bangla, ETV Kannada, ETV Oriya, ETV UP, ETV MP, ETV Rajasthan, ETV Urdu, ETV Bihar, ETV and ETV2. nexGTv had recently added History TV18 channel to its existing bouquet.

    The partnership further enhances nexGTv regional channels bouquet which comprises of more than 100 channels which includes top channels from Star and Sony bouquet.

    The mobile TV platform has features like – replay TV, EPG guide, on screen controls, option of deleting and listing the channels as per their choice. It also boasts of adaptive streaming feature which enables seamless live streaming even on 2G network.

  • Tvinci to power MediaCorp’s OTT platform Toggle

    Tvinci to power MediaCorp’s OTT platform Toggle

    MUMBAI: Tvinci, the Israeli pay-OTT platform provider, has been selected by MediaCorp, Singapore‘s leading media company, to power its new cross-device lifestyle service, Toggle.

    The deployment is Tvinci‘s first in the Asia-Pacific market as it looks towards expansion in the region.

    Toggle will be available on PC, iPhone, iPad and connected TV, available to consumers as a subscription service or as a pay per view service, offering linear and video on-demand (VOD) content and access to a library of over 1000 hours of programming.

    "Consumers are increasingly using connected devices as both companion devices and second screens, so we made a strategic decision to make Toggle not only a direct way for them to watch MediaCorp content anytime, anywhere, but also a gateway to a new TV experience," said MediaCorp Convergent Media Division MD Philip Koh.

    Toggle provides rights protected content across iOS, Android and Windows devices using Tvinci‘s multi-DRM capabilities: supporting Microsoft PlayReady and Google‘s Widevine DRM simultaneously. Tvinci also allows Toggle users to rate, share and interact around TV shows, with Twitter and Facebook integrated from the backend level to the interface.

    "We are excited to have launched Toggle with MediaCorp as our first project in the pan-Asian region, and are looking forward to deploying our platform in other territories in 2013," Tvinci CEO Ofer Shayo.

  • Kolkata could go completely digital by 1 February

    Kolkata could go completely digital by 1 February

    MUMBAI: Kolkata could go completely digital by 1 February with the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry, the broadcasters and most of the multi-system operators (MSOs) pressing for a blackout of analogue delivery of television channels.

    The MSOs met the West Bengal state government minister to get the support for an effective implementation.

    Though technically Kolkata has gone digital along with the four other metros since 1 November, analogue signals have continued amid seeding of digital set-top boxes (STBs) as the Mamata Banerjee government has refused to support a total blackout.

    "The state government of West Bengal has given an unofficial nod to MSOs in Kolkata to switch-off analogue cable completely beginning 1 February," the CEO of a MSO who attended the meeting said on condition of anonymity.
    There is one big MSO in Kolkata who is still waiting for digital set-top boxes (STBs) to arrive and is continuing with analogue transmission. Some cable operators are also saying that STB shortage is still there in some pockets of the city.

    In the backdrop of this, the support of the state government is crucial. "The state government is fine with the analogue switch-off as long as there is no law and order problem," a senior executive representing a MSO said on condition that his identity not be revealed.

    In any case, most of the MSOs have switched off most of the channels except the Bengali entertainment and news channels. The city was expected to go digital from 28 December after initial hiccups. However, an unrelenting state government had warned MSOs against complete switch off.

    The MSOs had begun the process of switching off analogue signals from 16 December with English entertainment channels.

    The Bengali channels were the last to be swtiched off from 27 December but the Information & broadcasting ministry‘s efforts to implement complete digitisation came to a nought due to state government‘s tough posturing.

    "Kolkata should be able to go totally digital by 1 February. We have also been told by the I&B ministry verbally that they will take action if we do not switch off analogue signals," said Manthan director Gurmeet Singh.