Category: Software

MUMBAI: The rise of ‘second screening’ – the use of other screens, such as laptops, smartphones and tablets while watching TV in the US and Europe – is a source of excitement and concern for many in the TV and technology industry.

According to a new report from Deloitte, nearly a quarter of all respondents (24 per cent) use second screens. The most active second screening takes place among young people, nearly half of all 16-24 year olds use communication tools such as messaging, email, Facebook, or Twitter to discuss what they are watching on TV. The vast majority of over 55s (79 per cent) never talk about what they’re watching on TV on the internet.

There is muted appetite for interaction with TV programmes. Only one in ten people browse the internet for information about the programme they are watching. Some viewers (40 per cent) like being able to send their comments in to a live programme. However, 68 per cent would not want the websites for products, personalities or adverts that have just been shown on television, to automatically appear on their computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Deloitte director of technology, media and telecommunications research Paul Lee said, “Second screening’s impact is far greater in driving conversations about a programme, as opposed to interaction with it. Second screening may well end up with a similar status as eating in front of the TV: an everyday experience for some; absolutely unthinkable for others. One thing is certain: it is here for good.

“Browsing the web whilst watching television is undertaken “frequently” by a third of the sample. This might be a brand new technology-enabled distraction or it might simply represent the swapping of an analogue distraction for a digital one. Browsing while watching television typically means flitting between a preferred set of websites, often comprising news, sports, e-commerce. Time spent on these may be a substitute for reading newspapers and magazines, or looking through catalogues.”

Assessing the return on investment: Any investment in second screen content is likely to reduce resources for the first screen, television content. So programme makers face a predicament. Should they invest all their funds and creative energies in making main screen content as good as possible? Or should they blend the first and second screen experience, creating more impact in the currency of additional or more attentive viewers, and, therefore, greater revenue potential?

Lee concludes, “The challenge for second screen content today is that it is likely to be relatively expensive as we are still in an experimental, bespoke phase. Every pound spent on second screen content may be a pound diverted from the first screen; in order to justify the investment content creators need to get the balance right between all screens.

“In time, creating official second screen experiences should become more formulaic and more easily reduced to a template. The more standardised second screen content creation becomes, the easier it should be to attain a positive return on investment.”

MUMBAI: Asian satellite operator, Asiasat, has reported a 37 per cent jump in its first six month‘s turnover to HK $1 billion due to a new finance act in India.

The turnover includes a one-time payment of HK $296 million from customers affected by a new finance law enacted in India, where Asiasat sells satellite bandwidth.

The new Indian Finance Act adds what could be a substantial new tax on foreign satellite fleet operators for certain commercial transactions deemed to be sourced in India. Excluding this one-off item, the turnover was similar to that of during the same period last year.

Profit attributable to shareholders for the six months ended 30 June 2012 rose by eight per cent to HK $395.16 million.

The addition of Asiasat 7 satellite opens up opportunities for near-term business growth before it replaces Asiasat 3S in 2014. New satellites Asiasat 6 and Asiasat 8 under construction, will bring additional capacity for core business growth. Expansion of Tai Po Earth Station enhances capability to provide a wider range of value added services to customers.

Asiasat chairman Ju Wei Min said, “During the first half of the year, the Asia-Pacific region was largely able to weather the economic storms currently being felt in Europe and the United States. In the second half of 2012, there is the possibility that we may begin seeing signs of slower growth, especially given the nature of our industry which tends to lag economic trends, both negative and positive.

“Nevertheless, we remain confident in our ability to deliver sustainable growth based on our reputation for providing highly reliable satellite services and technical excellence as well as our commitment to serving our customers in a professional and responsive manner.”

NEW DELHI: The central government on Thursday notified the social media usage guidelines for its agencies and citizen engagement for e-governance projects.

The guidelines have been developed for all e-Governance projects currently under National e-Governance Plan, whether being implemented at Central or State level. In addition, it will be applicable to all new e-Governance Projects being developed by any department or line ministry of central government.

The motive of these frameworks and guidelines is to enable various agencies to create and implement their own strategy for the use of social media, the government said.

According to the guidelines, persons handling the social media channels must take care “to avoid propagation of unverified facts and frivolous misleading rumours.”

They should not “comment and respond unless authorised to do so especially in the matters that are sub-judice, draft legislations or relating to other individuals.”

“When any information is shared or guidance given online, it is necessary to ensure that all relevant records are captured, trail is generated and records are managed appropriately,” the guidelines stated.

The guidelines says that the official pages of departments “must reflect the official position, some measure of control must be included in the flexible design of communication.”

“Just as rules and regulations exist for interaction with traditional media, similar rules must be created for engaging with social media,” it said.

To avoid a possible conflict, the guidelines states, “it is important to define whether the engagement may be undertaken through official accounts only or the officials may be permitted to use personal accounts also for posting official responses.”

“It determines who says what on behalf of your organisation and in what form it is published. It also outlines how each piece of published information is presented where it is published. The most important aspect is whether the responses are in Official or Personal Capacity. Also, it must be defined whether the responses can be posted through the official and/or persona accounts,” it stated.

To overcome language barrier, the guidelines suggest that “care must be taken so that people can communicate in their own language, and due cognizance of the views expressed in local languages is taken.”

While creating a policy for responses the guidelines state that “not all posts/comments need to be responded to immediately and individually. Also, wherever a response is required all posts should be kept short and to the point.”

“While employees are free to post response in their personal capacity, it is mandatory that while they are doing so, they must clearly identify themselves, confidential information must not be divulged and should not be seen to represent “official view” unless authorised to do so.”

The government has attached some key caveats to the guidelines like all accounts must be created and operated in official capacity; agencies must also have dedicated team that can monitor and respond to queries on a 24-7 basis; there should be congruence between responses on social media and traditional media; and relevant provisions of IT Act 2000 and RTI Act must be adhered to.

Mumbai: Increase in expenses for digitisation in the four metros and rising cost of borrowings has weighed down profitability of Hathway Cable & Datacom Ltd, a multi-system operator (MSO) with a national footprint.

Mumbai-based Hathway reported a loss of Rs 159 million in the first quarter ended June 30, 2012, 71 per cent more than in the previous quarter ended March 31, 2012 and 30 per cent higher than a year earlier. Loss of Rs 46 million on account of fluctuation in foreign exchange rates enlarged the loss in the first quarter.

HDFC Securities, in a research note, said increase in interest cost due to higher inventory of set-top-boxes (STBs) and increase in interest rates caused widening of Hathway‘s loss in the first quarter.

The company‘s finance cost in the first quarter was Rs 133.38 million, up 18 per cent from the previous quarter and 39 per cent from a year earlier.

In Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata analog mode of delivery of television channels to homes will be phased out from November 1. Hathway has a total of 2.1 million subscribers in the four metros and has so far 1.1 million subscribers have been provided with set-top-boxes (STBs).

Hathway expects to install STBs at homes of another 0.7-0.9 million subscribers by the end of October 2012, according to a research note by Sunidhi Securities & Finance Ltd. Hathway also has 0.41 million broadband subscribers, with 7,000 added in the first quarter.

The company‘s revenues at Rs 1.36 billion in the first quarter were flat compared to the previous quarter and up 12 per cent from a year earlier, on the back of higher fee on activation of STBs and addition of broadband subscribers.

Its EBITDA in the first quarter at Rs 238 million was 2 per cent higher than in the previous quarter and up 25 per cent from a year earlier. Its EBITDA margins in the first quarter were 17.5 per cent, 29 basis points more than in the previous quarter and 187 basis points higher than a year earlier.

MUMBAI: Jupiter Telecommunications, the largest multiple system operator (MSO) in Japan, has deployed Concurrent‘s MediaHawk VX unified content delivery solution to deliver its new TV everywhere service, branded Xvie.

The service will allow J:COM subscribers to view J:COM On Demand video programming anywhere, anytime, on a wide range of IP connected consumer electronics devices, including Apple iPads, iPhones, and Android devices. This service allows programs to be started on one screen, paused, and continued on any other screen, enabling seamless video viewing on-the-go.

“J:COM was interested in deploying a flexible, high performance HTTP delivery solution that could help us support next generation TV Everywhere services,” said J:COM Manager Service Development Hidetaka Haga.

Concurrent president and chief executive officer Dan Mondor said, “We believe J:COM‘s selection of the MediaHawk VX platform is an excellent showcase of our capabilities and expertise in delivering premium quality video to any screen, over any network. Our flexible software solutions support ever-changing market demands, providing greater value to our customers and their subscribers.”

MUMBAI: Social media users screamed ‘censorship‘ as the Indian government blocked 14 Twitter accounts including that of two journalists apart from blocking 310 web pages that it considered inflammatory.

The government action comes in the wake of violence in Assam and exodus of people hailing from north eastern states from Bangalore, Delhi and Pune, following rumours that the community would be attacked in retaliation to Assam violence.

Among those in the government‘s line of fire included former Pioneer journalist Kanchan Gupta and Headlines Today deputy editor Shiv Aroor.

Meanwhile, Twitter has told the government that it was facing technical difficulties in blocking certain web pages. However, the government has hardened its stance by threatening punitive action against the micro blogging site for failing to do so.

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate News Corp has announced that the chief digital officer since 2009 Jonathan Miller will leave his post at the end of September as the company moves towards its proposed separation into two distinct companies.

Miller will serve as an outside advisor to News Corporation on digital issues through fall 2013.

During his tenure, Miller revamped News Corp‘s digital strategy as the company transitioned away from standalone owned-and-operated web properties and refocused on digital content distribution and the monetisation of its existing brands on emerging platforms.

Miller was instrumental in strengthening News Corporation‘s relationships within the technology industry and also oversaw a number of key investments in the U.S. and abroad, most recently stakes taken in Roku and Bona Film Group.

Miller also represented News Corporation on the Hulu Board of Directors.

News Corp chairman, CEO Rupert Murdoch said, “Jon Miller is a visionary in the digital media industry, and his commitment to News Corporation over the last three years has driven us to truly evolve the way millions of people use new platforms to consume news and entertainment. As we prepare for our proposed Company separation, I respect Jon‘s desire to return to an operational, entrepreneurial role with a standalone company. He will be missed and I can‘t thank him enough for his efforts and many valued contributions.”

News Corp president, COO Chase Carey said, “Jon is a seasoned technology veteran and we‘ve benefited enormously from his insights and deep relationships in Silicon Valley and beyond. We wish him the best of luck on his new ventures.”

Miller commented, “This has been a fantastic three years and we‘ve made real progress across a number of fronts. I am grateful to Chase, Rupert and James for the opportunity to work across such a great canvas of businesses at a time of real industry change and transformation. While my time spent has been productive, it feels like the right time to exit. I look forward to pursuing new ventures that will lead me back into an operational role.”

MUMBAI: Raghav Bahl-promoted media conglomerate Network 18 group has sold a 20 per cent stake in entertainment ticketing website Bookmyshow.com to venture capital firm Accel Partners for Rs 500 million.

Accel Partners will invest another Rs 500 million in Bigtree through a primary issuance but the amount of stake it will get for the direct investment has not been disclosed.

The transaction on completion will add Rs 450 million to the pre-tax profit of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. The transaction values Bigtree, the holding company of Bookmyshow.com, at Rs 2.5 billion.

Network18‘s stake in Bigtree will drop to 40 per cent from 60 per cent now, the company said in a statement. After the primary issuance, Network18 group‘s stake will further reduce.

Bigtree, established in 1999, started by setting up India‘s first entertainment online ticketing business, with the help of a profitable investment made by Chase Capital Partners JP Morgan.

The sale of stake in Bigtree is in line with Network18‘s stated objective of reducing stakes in digital and other non-broadcasting assets to create value for the Network18 shareholders and allow infusion of growth capital in these assets.

The stake sale at Bookmyshow.com is the second in a series of asset monetization transactions by Network18. Earlier during the year, Network18 had profitably sold its stake in one of the Capital18 investee companies – NetworkPlay to Bertelsmann.

The Network18 group operates a portfolio of digital content and e-commerce assets including moneycontrol.com, ibnlive.com, in.com, firstpost.com and HomeShop18.com. Network18 also holds a minority stake in Yatra – leading travel booking estinations.

Announcing the transaction, Network18 MD Raghav Bahl said, “After a phase of investment in building our digital and other non-broadcasting businesses, we believe that many of these assets have reached an inflection point and can now help in creating value for all our stakeholders. The dilution in one of our premier digital commerce assets – bookmyshow.com is a reflection of our commitment to profitably monetise these assets for the benefit of our shareholders and also facilitate the growth of these businesses to the next level.

“We are confident that the Indian digital story is just beginning and many of the digital commerce and content assets like bookmyshow.com, Homeshop18, the content properties under Web18 and the Capital18 investee companies; that we have nurtured over the past decade are now on track for the next phase of their growth journey.”

MUMBAI: iNovo Broadband, an Atlanta-based start-up specialising in service provider centric Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), has appointed Michael Harney as chief executive officer.

iNovo‘s co-founder and COO Jack Miller said, “No one is more qualified to lead us than Michael. The addition of a senior executive with his record of success is a significant milestone for our organisation.”

Harney added, “Bringing new technologies to market successfully demands an intimate understanding of the installed base.” He noted that iNovo‘s core technical group made substantial contributions to nearly every major breakthrough in the digital era. And while standardisation now affords service providers more CPE choices than ever before, “There is always room for suppliers who can execute, and this team has proven that they can.”

Bowick Group president Chris Bowick added, “Michael has long been one of the most respected executives in the cable television industry. His addition to their existing strong team further establishes iNovo as a credible alternative to legacy suppliers.”

Harney recently led Cisco‘s Service Provider Video Technology Group. He has also worked at Scientific-Atlanta where he was working as corporate SVP and president of their flagship Subscriber Networks Group.

MUMBAI: Netflix, the Internet subscription service for TV series and films, has hit the one million member milestone in the UK and Ireland within seven months, faster than in any other territory it has launched.

To put that in perspective, that‘s four times faster than it took Twitter to hit one million users globally and nearly twice as fast as it took Facebook and Foursquare globally.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said, “This membership milestone is evidence that Netflix has rapidly gained popularity in the UK and Ireland. Our British and Irish members clearly enjoy the ability to instantly watch a large variety of TV shows and films streaming from Netflix on their favourite devices whenever they want.”

Consumers are spending more time enjoying entertainment online, according to a survey by YouGov for Netflix. Ten per cent of the UK population now dedicates two hours or more of their day to watching their favourite TV show delivered through the Internet.

On Netflix, comedy and drama are the top genre choices among UK and Irish members, whose favourite time of the week to enjoy their streaming entertainment is on a Sunday night.

TV presenter and gadget expert, Pollyanna Woodward said, “Consumers are beginning to spend more time enjoying entertainment online, streaming TV and film, and this trend is only growing. With services like Netflix, consumers can watch their favourite TV shows and films when and how they want.”

Netflix is available on over 800 devices. Brits spend ?565.21 a year on new electronic gear, according to YouGov, meaning that it is likely that any given household has at least one device that can stream TV shows and films from Netflix.

Netflix members can look forward to new TV shows and movies coming soon including ‘50/50‘, ‘2012‘ and ‘Iron Man 2‘. Members can also look forward to ‘Covert Affairs‘ and the next season of ‘Breaking Bad‘ on Netflix.