Category: Software

NEW DELHI: Doordarshan will not need to shift to another satellite for augmenting its DD Direct Plus DTH platform to 150 channels in the first phase by the end of this year.

DD sources told indiantelevision.com that efforts were on to increase the capacity of the existing transponders and, thus, DD may at the most need one more transponder on the same satellite – Insat 4A.

Early last month, Prasar Bharati approved the expansion to 250 channels, encouraged by the success of the e-auction of the slots on the free-to-air DD Direct Plus. This will be done in two stages: 150 channels by December 2011 and another 100 channels in the next calendar year. This figure includes the slots for which e-auctions were held.
 
Doordarshan recently e-auctioned and allotted 26 slots to private broadcasters on DD Direct Plus, bringing in Rs 630 million. This is more than three times the amount generated before migrating to the e-auction mechanism two months ago (charging Rs 8 million per slot). 
  
Meanwhile, the sources said that the existing 54 channels including the ones that are on air and the ones for which auctions have been held will remain on MPEG 2, and the rest of the 96 channels will be on MPEG 4. Thus any subscriber wanting the channels that are on MPEG 4 will have to buy a new set-top box, which will cost around Rs 1200 and will be compatible for both MPEG 2 and MPEG 4.

NEW DELHI: JAK Communications, an independent cable TV provider in Chennai, has selected an end-to-end solution from NDS to enable the launch of its digital pay-TV platform.

The new digital platform from JAK Communications will provide
subscribers with access to hundreds of digital channels including those currently available through their analogue service, interactive functionality and a wide portfolio of games.

The enabling technology for over 195 million devices worldwide, NDS’ MediaHighway will provide the technological underpinning for the new service from JAK Communications, including an NDS designed electronic programme guide (EPG) and the framework to introduce new functionality and services as subscriber demand dictates. The platform will be
secured by VideoGuard conditional access (CAS).
 
NDS will also manage the deployment of devices for JAK Communications with ongoing maintenance and support.
JAK Communications managing director J Kamalesh said, “Digitisation poses great opportunity for us to enhance our platform with new functionality and services, and with the help of NDS we are well positioned to meet our target of one million subscribers in the next three years.”

NDS India country head and general manager Jayant Changrani added, “As we move towards the digital switchover in India, operators such as JAK Communications are taking the initiative to launch with value added features to differentiate their offering and we are dedicated to supporting them through the transition.”
 
NDS creates innovative customised solutions that enhance the viewing experience for pay-TV subscribers in India and around the world. NDS will continue to work closely with JAK Communications to deliver a raft of affordable and innovative solutions and services to their growing subscriber base.

MUMBAI: US broadcaster CBS and Warner Bros. Television Group have stitched a licensing agreement with Netflix. This will allow US members of Netflix to instantly watch previous seasons of scripted series that air on The CW from its current schedule through the 2014-15 season.

As part of this four-year output deal, Netflix has licensed the rights to stream more than 700 hours of previous-season episodes of The CW’s young-skewing dramas as well as future programs. These rights extend for four years after each series, current or future, ends its broadcast run on the network. The CW content can also be made available via traditional syndication windows, electronic sell-through services and, on a partial-season basis, through authenticated cable providers.

Programming available to Netflix members will include the eight dramas on The CW’s Fall 2011 schedule, including new series ‘Ringer’, ‘Hart of Dixie’ and ‘The Secret Circle’; returning shows ‘The Vampire Diaries’, ‘Gossip Girl’, ‘90210’, ‘Supernatural’, ‘Nikita’ and mid-season series ‘One Tree Hill’.
 
Previous seasons of ‘The Vampire Diaries’, ‘Gossip Girl’, ‘One Tree Hill’ and ‘Nikita’ will be available to watch instantly on 15 October, with previous seasons of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘90210’ beginning in January 2012. Episodes of all scripted series airing on The CW this broadcast season will premiere for Netflix members in Fall 2012. In addition, all episodes of future scripted series appearing on The CW through the 2014-15 season will be available to stream from Netflix through a commensurate window.
With this agreement, Netflix members can catch up on prior seasons of the network’s addictive serialised dramas streaming from Netflix as well as watch new episodes on The CW during their in-season broadcast.

CBS president, CEO Leslie Moonves said, “This is a forward-thinking agreement for a network whose programming occupies a unique space in the content marketplace. It is a model that opens a new door for The CW programming to expand its audience reach through the terrific Netflix service, and creates a brand-new window for CBS and Warner Bros. to be paid for the content we supply the network. It also further illustrates how new distribution systems are providing premium content suppliers with additive revenue streams while still preserving traditional monetization windows.”

Warner Bros. chairman, CEO Barry Meyer said, “This proves once again the overriding importance of content in our business, while showing how emerging platforms such as Netflix are adding value to the traditional TV ecosystem. And to open a new window like this for our television product strengthens the increasing value of our powerful, deep and growing portfolio.”

Trace Sports HD is now available in High Definition to all distributors across the Asia-Pacific region via AsiaSat 5.
 
The CW president Mark Pedowitz said, “This deal works across multiple levels for us. Not only will we be able to recruit new viewers for our shows through the powerful reach of Netflix, but it also makes The CW an even more attractive option to the creative community.”

MUMBAI: Trace Sports HD is launching in Thailand.

From 1 November, Trace Sports HD will become part of TrueVisions’ Silver and Platinum package offerings
 
TrueVisions broadcasts 124 channels which reach up to two million viewers across the country.
Trace Sports HD is now available in High Definition to all distributors across the Asia-Pacific region via AsiaSat 5.
 
Trace Sports HD provides its viewers with behind-the-game information and news on their favourite sports heroes. It includes lifestyle and entertainment programmes which give an exclusive look into the lives of global stars like Manny Pacquiao, David Beckham and Yao Ming. All content is produced in high definition.

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has confirmed that the global BBC iPlayer App has been launched in Finland, Sweden and Demark – available exclusively on iPad from the App Store www.bbc.com/iplayer/tv.

The global BBC iPlayer is a video-on-demand pilot subscription service, which launched in 11 Western European markets in July and Australia in September. From today, it will also offer viewers in Finland, Sweden and Denmark a greater opportunity to delve into an archive of classic and contemporary British TV programming upon which the BBC‘s history and heritage is built.
 
Subscription costs €6.99 a month (or €64.99 for an annual subscription) and viewers will be able to sample carefully selected content for free before subscribing.

The global BBC iPlayer provides access to a range of English language BBC programmes across eight genres: News Specials and Documentaries; Entertainment; Drama; Comedy; Science and Nature; Family and Kids; Music and Culture and Lifestyle, drawn from its 70 year history of producing great television.

Around 100 hours of new programming will be added to the service each month along with themed collections curated from the BBC‘s archive, including David Attenborough and the story of the Royal Family.

The global BBC iPlayer will also give users a greater opportunity to access the BBC‘s music archive. A rich selection of the ‘best of British‘ music performances will be available to subscribers including captivating live shows by Paul McCartney, Oasis and Robbie Williams at the BBC Electric Proms from 2007 – 2009, Blur – Live at Hyde Park and Dire Straits – Arena.

Designed to be intuitive and easy-to-use, a key feature of the app allows subscribers both to stream and to download shows for offline viewing for when Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity is unavailable. The stylish and simple interface enables users to build a personal library of shows as well as navigate the archive by genres and curated collections. 
 
BBC Worldwide President of Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer Jana Bennett said, “This unique Video On Demand product combines the classic with the contemporary and allows subscribers to mine [the best moments of/highlights from?] seventy years of brilliant BBC programmes, wherever and whenever they want.

“We launched the global BBC iPlayer because we think there‘s an untapped market for the ‘best of British‘ shows, both for Brits living abroad and for all those people we know have a love of great British television.”

Global iPlayer GM Matthew Littleford said, “We‘re proud to be one of the first international broadcasters to give access to our shows in a perfectly packaged app. Reviews of the app have been overwhelmingly positive since its launch in 11 other Western European countries and in Australia earlier this year.”

“The extension into Finland, Sweden and Denmark is an important step in our strategy of pursuing multiple platforms for our programmes and brands, taking British programmes to new digital audiences around the world in an innovative, creative and easily accessible format. During this pilot phase we have an exciting vision for what this service could become and will develop it based on feedback from within all markets.”

The global BBC iPlayer App is now available to download for free from the App Store on iPad at www.bbc.com/iplayer/tv.

The global version of the BBC iPlayer app is an extension of a pilot phase for the service. It became available in Australia in September 2011, following the launch to 11 markets in Western Europe in July 2011.

MUMBAI: Hulu will stop its pursuit of finding a buyer. The owners of the popular online video website have decided not to sell the property that has been under attack from several competitors.

The new decision was taken after months of negotiations between its owners like Walt Disney Co, News Corp , Comcast Corp‘s NBC Universal and Providence Equity and potential buyers.

Hulu ditched an initial public offering last December that might have raised up to $300 million.
 
All the owners of the site said in a statement on Thursday that they had collectively decided against a sale of the video service. “Our focus now rests solely on ensuring that our efforts as owners contribute in a meaningful way to the exciting future that lies ahead for Hulu,” they said.

This is the second instance that Hulu‘s owners had envisioned a full or partial exit strategy that could not bear fruit.

Bids for the website ranged from as low as $500 million to as much as $2 billion, it is understood. Among the prospective buyers were Google Inc, Amazon.com Inc , DirecTV and Dish Network Corp. In fact, Google had offered more than $4 billon for the site, but wanted longer-term guarantees to its video content. The owners did not agree to this.

MUMBAI: The top three listed multi-system operators (MSOs) will require a funding of Rs 5.5 billion in the first phase of digitisation but expect their business models to strengthen due to a massive jump in subscription revenues.

Hinduja-controlled IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd (IMCL) is looking at investing Rs 2.5 billion while Den Networks will require Rs 2 billion. Hathway Cable & Datacom, which has already seeded two million set-top boxes (STBs), will need Rs 1 billion to digitise one million homes.

IMCL will borrow Rs 2 billion even as it plans to seed two million STBs in Delhi and Mumbai. “We have already seeded 0.5 million boxes. We have an investment plan of Rs 2.5 billion in the first phase of digitisation, out of which we will take Rs 2 billion as debt. We will need 1.3 million STBs in Mumbai and 700,000 in Delhi. We also plan to expand in Kolkata where we have a licence to operate but have no presence yet. We could look at making an acquisition in that market,” said IMCL MD and CEO Ravi Mansukhani.
 
The Cabinet today cleared the proposal for an ordinance to commence work on digitisation of cable television to meet the 31 March 2012 deadline in the four metros.

Den Networks president, strategy and business development MG Azhar feels that execution rather than funding will be a challenge for the MSOs. “We are sitting on a cash of Rs 2 billion and have lined up debt of Rs 2 billion,” he said.

Den has ordered for two million STBs, in addition to 500,000 that is already lying with it. “Our backend infrastructure is in place as we knew that the government is going to mandate digitisation. We will require to seed 1.5 million STBs in Delhi and 700,000 in Mumbai. We have recently acquired a small network in Kolkata and will need to service that market too,” said Azhar.

Hathway will need one million STBs for the Mumbai and Delhi markets in the first phase. In Kolkata, it has a presence through its joint venture company, Gujarat Telelinks Pvt Ltd (GTPL), which acquired a 51 per cent stake in Kolkata Cable and Broadband Pariseva. 
 
Hathway expects its revenues to jump 2.5 times in the fully digitised markets. “Our subscription revenues would go up much higher but there would be a drop in carriage income. We feel the carriage revenue will shrink by 70 per cent in these markets. Along with a revenue share with the cable operators, our Ebitda should be at 20 per cent. Dovetailed with broadband Ebitda, we should have an Ebitda of 25 per cent in the first two years of digitisation,” said Hathway Cable & Datacom managing director and CEO K Jayaraman.

Den expects its revenues to grow by four times. “We expect our subscription revenues to jump by 8-10 times after full digitisation. We do not expect any drastic fall in carriage revenue if we are able to hold our ground. Our Ebitda should be at around 35 per cent,” said Azhar.

Mansukhani warns that cable TV companies could be at a disadvantage if certain issues are not addressed. “Digitisation can‘t work without the entire Trai recommendations, including fiscal incentives, being passed. Pricing of channels for digital cable and revenue share should be defined. Unlike DTH, the cable TV chain has intermediaries like distributors and the local cable operators,” he said.

NEW DELHI: The Government wants to encourage spectrum audit and spectrum pooling and sharing for optimal and efficient use of spectrum, according to Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Milind Deora.

Deora said the draft National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2011 has indicated that a Spectrum Act will provide more teeth to the Spectrum Management Authority to deal with reframing and withdrawal of allotted spectrum, cancellation and revocation of spectrum licenses.

The Minister was speaking at a week-long Meeting of Working Party 5D of ITU-Radio Sector on issues relating to International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) in Goa.
 
He said India is taking all necessary steps to maximize use of spectrum for mobile and broadband services in the country. Speaking about regulatory provisions, he mentioned that spectrum could be considered for delicensing for certain technical parameters which shall not cause interference to existing usages in the band.

In this connection, use of white spaces in the broadcasting bands are being considered for delicensing of the same for limited technical parameters, he added.
 
Deora also mentioned that India has established an Institute of Advanced Spectrum Engineering and Management Studies (IARSEMS) for undertaking research and studies on radio spectrum engineering management and radio monitoring to enhance use of spectrum for commercial and strategic usages by private and Government sectors in the country.

Ms. Sadhana Dikshit, Member of the Telecom Commission said India has registered phenomenal growth in the mobile sector and today India’s telephone network with 893 million phones of which 858 million are wireless is the second largest in the world.

She said telecommunications have been playing an ever increasing role in the socio-economic development of countries as the Radiocommunication is a most important pillar in the modern era with more and more dependence on mobility, convergence and information.

Radiocommunications are changing the way people live and the way societies organize themselves, thanks to mobile telephony, mobile internet access, satellite television and satellite Radionavigation, which are able to connect virtually everybody in the World, to provide instant access to information and to deliver a wealth of new important applications.

Dr. Ashok Chandra, Wireless Advisor to the Government, spoke of initiatives taken including promulgation of National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP-2011) and salient features of draft New Telecom Policy-2011 relating to the IMT applications

MUMBAI: Home2US has renewed its long-term capacity agreement on SES-1 and expanded its international DTH platform serving ethnic audiences across the US.

In conjunction with a new multi-year, multi-transponder deal on SES-1, Home2US has added six new television networks and five new radio channels from Greece and Cyprus to its DTH lineup featuring top programming from around the world.

Home2US is broadcasting over the SES platform utilising MPEG-4 DVB-S and S2 compression technologies, which enable efficient channel growth, HD and hybrid TV delivery, and a strategic expansion into markets throughout EMEA. 
 
â€?The Greek and Cypriot channels are important new channels on the Home2US lineup in North America, which is expected to add at least another two dozen networks by early next year,” said Home2US CMO Nancy Dube. “Our renewed agreement will take us well into the second decade of our partnership with SES, setting the stage for advancements in HD and interactive TV delivery as well as an exciting extension of our DTH platform into Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”

“The Home2US lineup of the best international programming has really struck a chord with a broad range of diverse, multi-cultural audiences living and working throughout the US,” said SES Sr VP Global Sales Scott Sprague Scott Sprague. “The next chapter of our alliance with Home2US should see many exciting developments in how and where Home2US DTH programming is delivered.”

Many of Greece‘s popular TV networks have been added to the Home2US lineup, including Mega Cosmos, the channel that features everything from reality and news shows to movies and documentaries. Alter Globe, Star International, RikSat and GMTV are among the other Greek channels exclusive to Home2US DTH audiences.
 

MUMBAI: It has been on the anvil for quite some time. Senior executives in the broadcast, cable and satellite TV industry have been talking about the Union government pursuing the passage of an executive order to push digitisation of cable TV in India.

Section 4A – which calls for CAS or conditional access systems – was to be done away with and a new regulation enabling the rollout of digital addressable systems in the country was to be introduced. The sunset date for the four major metros is likely to be revised from 31 March 2012 to mid-2012.

Well today, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni announced that the Union Cabinet had indeed cleared the change and the new ordinance would now move to the Indian President for promulgation. She had not announced any further details at the time of writing. But industry and ministry sources say the new regime will permit pay TV or free-to-air TV channels, conditional access systems, subscription management systems and encryption of signals.
 
 
The new rules will also permit right of access and way to cable TV operators, and provide infrastructure status to the 60,000 cable TV operators who supply television to the 80 million odd cable TV homes. This apart an enabling provision has also been added to allow for revision of the foreign direct investment limits in CATV, DTH and other distribution platforms.

The department of industrial policy & promotion is slated to issue a note in the coming weeks to allow players in this space to be able to attract 74 per cent equity investment. 
 
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), on the other hand, has to come with new quality of standards and interconnect regulations to allow for the new digital addressable regime. Sources indicate the MIB has written to the Trai to move ahead on the same, and the latter has responded to it, saying it will be complying. Current Trai rules allow the existence of unencrypted signals, hybrid systems in the CATV space.

Sources indicate that the pricing issue will be dealt with later as the issue is in court. Currently, there are caps on pricing of channels which have been put in place by Trai to ensure that private CATV and DTH operators do not make cable TV too expensive for the lay Indian TV viewer.

“But clearly, the caps will be lifted, allowing broadcasters and platform operators to price their channels at whatever the market can bear,” says an observer. “Prices, however, will not go too high as operators will want to increase their subscriber bases. And in the worst case scenario if they do, viewers can always subscribe to DD Direct which is extremely consumer friendly in pricing terms.”