ITV

Category: Software

  • SiliconIndia.com appoints new CEO & COO

    SiliconIndia.com appoints new CEO & COO

    MUMBAI: SiliconIndia.com, a news and media company, has promoted two of its employees to the position of CEO and COO.

    Pradeep Shankar has been appointed as the chief executive officer while Alok Chaturvedi is the new chief operating officer.

    Shankar succeeds SiliconIndia founder and CEO Harvi Sachar who will be serving as the executive chairman of the company.
    Prior to this, Shankar was serving SiliconIndia as the editor-in-chief since 2008. According to the company, he has been instrumental in setting up an editorial team and steering content strategy for the portal. He also steered the events division of the company.

    Meanwhile, Chaturvedi has been responsible for all operations and online sales since the company was launched. In his role as the COO, he will oversee the operations, finance and sales of all online products.

    Shankar said, "I am excited about growth potential of SiliconIndia as we build out our media sections around news, email newsletters, events and different professional cities. The core competency which we have built around online media and events is being well recognised in India, especially given the strong brand advantage that SiliconIndia commands. We are extremely focused on driving revenue growth, online presence and establishing our brand leadership over the next few years."

  • Kudelski Group launches Kudelski Security

    Kudelski Group launches Kudelski Security

    MUMBAI: The Kudelski Group, which offers media content protection and value-added services technology, has announced the launch of Kudelski Security, its new Cyber Security division.

    Kudelski Group CEO André Kudelski said, "Having dealt with security for a few decades and having fought piracy on behalf of our customers for the last 20 years, we have developed an unmatched talent pool with a unique skill set that we want to leverage by offering a new protection paradigm to anyone exposed on the internet. In an increasingly connected world, companies, families, individuals are all targeted by the new cyber threats and action is needed now."

    Kudelski Security senior VP, head Christophe Nicolas said, "The purpose of Kudelski Security is to deliver tailored cyber security solutions and services to enterprises, financial institutions, government administrations and our media customers. Initial focus will be Europe, before expanding the offering worldwide, such as for our existing media customers".
    The Kudelski Security offering consists of a set of services initially focusing on assisting companies to assess risk and vulnerabilities in order to ensure privacy and confidentiality of their data and analytics as they move their business processes and applications in a cloud dependent ecosystem. The offer will include monitoring the evolution of the threats and keeping consumer data secured, while access to data becomes more dynamic and mobile, through new consumer devices like smartphones and tablets.

    Kudelski Security adds that it goes beyond a pure technology security offering by combining technological know-how and legal expertise, compliance, field investigation and crisis communication into a new type of global Cyber Alert Response Squad.

  • BBC and University College London announce new strategic partnership

    BBC and University College London announce new strategic partnership

    MUMBAI: BBC Research and Development has announced a new strategic partnership with University College London, to drive innovation, and collaborate on a wide programme of R&D activity.

    Building on the BBC‘s history of partnerships, this venture will bring together some of the brightest minds in the UK to discuss and tackle the challenges for digital media and the creative industry at large.

    Over the next four years, the new partnership between BBC and UCL will focus on an ambitious programme of research work that seeks to advance state-of-the-art communications technologies, Internet research, content production, user experience (UXD) and access services. The outcomes of this research will also be shared with the wider industry.

    As part of the partnership, the BBC and UCL will share facilities and resources, and create new opportunities for students, graduates, staff and third parties with a range of sponsored studentships for doctorate level research, internships, student placements and a staff exchange programme. This initiative will form the foundation for future collaboration with other academic and industrial partners and as such will act as a catalyst in accelerating UK performance in this sector.

    A new, joint space at 1 Euston Square will also be established. 80 researchers from BBC R&D and UCL will co-locate in a new, permanent home that will act as a gateway for participation with other universities and organisations.

    BBC R&D has a history of partnerships, working alongside the industry and universities in order to maximise research, share knowledge and influence emerging new systems and standards. The BBC and UCL have both committed to supporting the Connected Digital Economy Catapult (CDEC) and look forward to sharing knowledge and applied research.

    BBC R&D controller Matthew Postgate said, "BBC R&D is an industry-leading department with a rich heritage and history of innovation, and I am delighted to announce our new partnership with UCL. By bringing together two world-leading research institutions, this partnership will inspire new ideas, help position the UK as a leader in media technologies, and act as a gateway to further innovation. It will also lay the foundations for further collaboration across the industry in the future."

    Professor Anthony Finkelstein, Dean of UCL Faculty of Engineering, said, "UCL Engineering is committed to delivering research that changes the world. Applying our expertise in cutting-edge computing to create new ‘digital experiences‘ is an excellent example of one way university research can have a real impact on people‘s lives. BBC R&D is the ideal partner as they provide both technical excellence and a fantastic platform for exploiting the results of innovation."

  • Global fixed broadband penetration to reach 49% by 2017

    Global fixed broadband penetration to reach 49% by 2017

    MUMBAI: A survey by Digital TV Research has revealed that the need for speed as people make increased use of over-the-top (OTT) and managed IPTV services will drive the fixed broadband market to reach 745 million homes by 2017.

    The survey called Fixed Broadband Household Forecasts says this will be a significant rise from the 473 million homes in 2010 and the 578 million expected by the end of 2012. In other words, global fixed broadband household penetration will be 49.2 per cent by 2017. It was 33.5 per cent in 2010 and 40.3 per cent by the end of this year.

    According to the study, China will continue to be the top nation by fixed broadband households in 2017, with 251 million homes, while the US is likely to retain second place with 101 million homes.

    Another revelation of the survey was that three-quarters of fixed broadband households received download speeds of less than 10Mbps in 2010, with only 2.3 per cent above 30Mbps. It is expected that the under 10Mbps proportion will have fallen to 58 per cent by the end of 2012, and to drop to 31 per cent by 2017. The percentage of homes getting faster than 30Mbps speed is projected reach 7.2 per cent by end-2012, rapidly advancing to more than a quarter of the total by 2017.

    The author of the reported Simon Murray has been quoted as saying, "Perhaps just as interesting as the overall increase in fixed broadband household numbers is the shift of homes subscribing to faster download speeds. Many governments have initiated national broadband network projects, which involve extensive capital expenditure to build out modern (usually fibre) networks. In other countries, greater competition has encouraged operators to construct fibre networks from their own initiatives."

  • Comcast Xfinity TV Player updates for iOS, Android Mobiles

    Comcast Xfinity TV Player updates for iOS, Android Mobiles

    MUMBAI: US-based Comcast has added an update to its service that provides video-on-demand streaming to the subscribers‘ mobile devices. The update by the cable television and broadband internet services provider to Comcast Xfinity TV player, launched early last year, allows the option to download somes content for offline viewing.

    Available simultaneously on iOS and Android, the Xfinity TV Player apps support downloads from premium channels Showtime (which was also one of the first up for streaming), Starz, Encore and MoviePlex.

    The user has to be logged in and have any of those channels in the subscribed package. The option to download is next to the usual stream button with options available for two different levels of picture quality.

  • Chennai cable ops to file fresh petition challenging Govt‘s notification on DAS

    Chennai cable ops to file fresh petition challenging Govt‘s notification on DAS

    MUMBAI: The Chennai Metro Cable Operators Association (CMCOA) is all set to file a fresh petition challenging the notification of digitisation issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) in April this year.

    CMCOA General Secretary M R Srinivasan told Indiantelevision.com that the two member bench of Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Aruna Jagadeesan told the cable operators to file a fresh petition against the government notification of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 2012.

    "We will file a new petition challenging the government‘s notification order," Srinivasan said.

    The CMCOA had filed a petition seeking postponement of cable digitisation in Chennai by at least three months till 31 January citing shortage of set-top boxes (STB). The deadline for the first phase of digitisation in the four metro cities was 31 October.

    The Madras High Court had on 31 October stayed the digitisation in Chennai till 5 November. The Court again extended the deadline till 9 November following which it was again put off till 19 November.

    The Court had on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of CMCOA‘s petition to Wednesday due to recusal of Justice P.P.S. Janarthanaraja from the case. The judge recused himself from the case citing possible conflict of interest since his son works for Sun TV, whose lawyer is representing one of the respondents in the case.

    Justice Janarthanaraja, along with Justice Paul Vasanthakumar, was expected to hear the petition. This will now be heard by the new bench comprising Justice Dharma Rao and Jagadeesan.

    CMCOA‘s Srinivasan said that the local cable operators (LCOs) in Chennai are a confused lot since state-run Arasu Cable, the dominant MSO in the state, is yet to receive a DAS (digital addressable system) licence for Chennai.

    The cable operators like in other parts of Tamil Nadu can‘t align with any other MSO other than Arasu. He also reasoned that the LCOs will not buy STBs from any other MSO fearing that if Arasu gets the licence then all their investments would go waste.

    "LCOs in Chennai have no choice but to go with Arasu. The I&B ministry should take a decision whether or not it wants to give a licence to Arasu. This will at least bring some clarity," he lamented.

    As many as 11 MSOs have got DAS licence to operate in Chennai.

    In the event of Arasu failing to get a DAS licence, the LCOs would take a call independently on their MSO partner, Srinivasan said. But for that the government needs to take a decision immediately, he added.

    As Indiantelevision.com had reported, the MIB is having second thoughts on granting licences to Arasu fearing that similar demands might come from other state governments.

    Add to that the latest diktat by MIB to the broadcast sector regulator Trai to bring rules in place to keep a check on monopolies in the cable TV distribution space at a local, state and regional level.

  • NDS to deploy its advanced solutions for SCTV in China

    NDS to deploy its advanced solutions for SCTV in China

    MUMBAI: NDS, a subsidiary of Cisco, has collaborated with one of China‘s largest cable operator Sichuan Cable TV Network (SCTV) to deploy advanced functionality that will provide an enriched subscriber experience with greater flexibility for over 15 million subscribers.

    SCTV will employ a number of solutions from NDS, including NDS MediaHighway set-top box middleware, XTV DVR technology, an electronic programme guide (EPG) and NDS Dynamic advanced EPG advertising. VideoGuard, the world‘s leading conditional access (CA) technology, secures SCTV‘s service to ensure revenues and provide anti-roaming protection between regional operations.

    According to NDS, the deployment, which addresses 131 branches and 15 million subscribers, is one of the largest feature upgrades of its kind in China and will enable access to HD services across the entire province.

    SCTV GM Guo Jianxin said, "We have been working with NDS for over a decade and are delighted with what we have achieved together – an advanced platform that truly utilises our network to get the best for the subscriber. NDS has shown strong technology and support capabilities in enabling such an exceptional user experience." He added "We look forward to NDS‘ continued support as we evolve our service."

    NDS Asia Pacific VP and GM Sales said, "SCTV are taking great steps to provide their subscribers with the best possible experience across their entire network – a substantial task, and one that we are extremely proud to be working with them on in such close collaboration. With underpinning technologies from NDS, SCTV have the foundations to enable continued innovation and enhancement of their service and we are excited to support them in their next endeavour."

  • Tata Sky to make equity infusion of Rs 5 bn every year over medium term

    Tata Sky to make equity infusion of Rs 5 bn every year over medium term

    MUMBAI: Direct-to-home (DTH) television service provider Tata Sky has planned equity infusion of over Rs 5 billion every year over the medium term to meet its capital expenditure and for serving its debt.

    The additional equity will be raised from investors other than the promoters and will result in dilution of Tata Sons‘ shareholding from the current 60 per cent but is expected to be gradual.

    Tata Sons would remain the single largest shareholder in Tata Sky after the equity infusions over the next few years. Tata Sons holds 60 per cent stake in Tata Sky while News Corp. has an effective stake of 29.8 per cent.
    CRISIL, which has rated its bank facilities and debentures, believes that management control will remain with Tata Sons and Tata Sky‘s association with the Tata brand will continue even after its stake gets diluted.

    Tata Sky has Rs 17.01 billion of bank facilities and recently raised Rs 1.6 billion through a debenture issue.

    The Indian DTH industry is characterised by the presence of few dominant players, leading to intense competition. The competitive intensity is reflected in frequent launches of special offers and discounts and high marketing spends by these players, whose primary goal is to increase their market share. While the industry has witnessed healthy subscriber additions, the overall profitability remains low. CRISIL believes that Tata Sky’s operating performance will improve over the medium term. It also believes that the company’s financial risk profile will remain weak over the same period, marked by negative net worth and stretched debt protection metrics.

    Tata Sky narrowed its net loss in the year ended 31 March 2012 from a year earlier, on increasing subscriber numbers.

    Tata Sky’s net loss in 2011-12 was Rs 2.98 billion, 36 per cent less than Rs 4.7 billion a year earlier. The company‘s net loss in 2009-10 was Rs 6.26 billion on total income of Rs 11.10 billion. The company‘s net sales were up 18 per cent to Rs 15.9 billion from Rs 13.5 billion a year earlier.

    The continuing losses have resulted in piling up of accumulated losses. Tata Sky‘s accumulated losses as on 31 March 2012 would amount to Rs 43.03 billion with the addition of loss in 2011-12 to the accumulated losses of Rs 40.05 billion as on 31 March 2011.

  • Justice Janarthanaraja recuses himself from Chennai digitisation case

    Justice Janarthanaraja recuses himself from Chennai digitisation case

    MUMBAI: The Madras High Court has adjourned the hearing of Chennai cable operators petition for extension of digitisation deadline to Wednesday due to recusal of Justice P.P.S. Janarthanaraja from the case.

    Justice Janarthanaraja recused himself from the case citing possible conflict of interest since his son works for Sun TV, whose lawyer is representing one of the respondents in the case.

    Janarthanaraja along with Justice Paul Vasanthakumar formed the two-member bench that would have decided the fate of the petition filed by cable operators.
    The case was expected to come up for hearing today after it got adjourned on Monday.

    The court had on 9 November extended the stay on digitisation in Chennai till 19 November seeking details of the number of digital set top boxes available and seeded.

    The petition by Chennai Metro Cable Operators Association (CMCOA) through its general secretary M R Srinivasan is seeking extension of digitisation deadline by three months.

    Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar, who was hearing the petition filed by CMCOA, said the matter should be heard by a division bench since it involved a larger public interest.

    The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry had told the Madras High Court that it was prepared to give an extension for implementation of digitisation in Chennai till 31 December provided the stakeholders gave affidavits that they will implement it by then and not seek further extension.

  • Disney to discontinue online movie service

    Disney to discontinue online movie service

    MUMBAI: Disney will discontinue its movie streaming website by the end of this year after failing to generate revenues and audiences.

    The service allowed users to rent or purchase movies on its site and watch those via streaming.

    “The digital environment is rapidly evolving and Disney Movies Online does not have the flexibility that many users today demand. We made a business decision to close the service until we are able to provide the greatest value and experience to our customers,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.

    As part of this change, purchases, upgrades, and Magic Code entries can no longer be made on the Disney Movies Online website. One can continue to stream his existing movies until 31 December, the company said.

    However, one can still enter Magic Codes on DisneyMovieRewards.com, and Disney Movies Rewards services will not be interrupted. Users can also continue to use their Disney member name and password to access other Disney websites.

    In addition, if one has purchased a Disney Combo pack with Digital Copy, his Digital Copy can still be transferred and watched from either iTunes or Windows Media Player.

    Disney is planning to launch its replacement service, Disney Movies Anywhere, but the date of its launch is not known.