Category: Software

MUMBAI: Consumer electronics and consumer durables company Onida has unveilled a range of ‘Movie TVs‘ comprising USB 2.0 that enables consumers to watch movies, view photographs and listen to music directly from its USB port.
 
The Ultraslim Movie TVs come in variants such as Onida 21 Ace 300 USB, Onida 21 Carbon 300 USB, Onida 21 Aria 350 USB and Onida 21 Thunder 1200 USB.
   
The different variants of the Movie TV come with the following features:
USB Playback: Directly enables to plays music, movies and share pictures from flash drive

Music Mode : Allows the user to listen to music without the picture being on

Surround Sound : Helps the user to experience Surround Sound in Hall Mode and Theatre Mode

ZAP! or Timer Return: Zap! key helps to skip advertisements while watching the TV

Digital Eye: Adjusts the contrast or brightness of the TV as per the room ambience

Wrap Sound Technology: This technology comes with the hidden speakers enabling the wide range amplified pure sound spread across an entire room

Onida GM marketing Anand Ramadurai says, “The expected growth rate of CTVs is positive and on a rise even with the end of the Football World Cup 2010. While the LCD prices have been dropping consistently over the last 18 months or so, the Ultra Slims TVs are growing fastest in the CTV space. We are expecting to almost double our contribution from this range in the current fiscal year.”

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) today deferred the hearing of the petition by Viacom18 alleging material breaches, misrepresentation and under-reporting of subscriber base by the MSM Discovery distribution bouquet. 
 
The bench headed by Chairperson SB Sinha listed the case for tomorrow as new documents were filed by both parties in the matter.  
 
The case has arisen out of a dispute following the decision by Viacom18 to pull out its four channels – Colors, MTV, Nick and Vh1 – before the expiry of a three-year contract which had come into effect from 1 April 2009. Viacom18 has decided to shift its channels to Sun18, a newly formed joint venture between Sun Network and Network18.

MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has formed a joint venture company with Geodesic for content monetisation on the mobile and online platforms.

Zeel will have a 60 per cent stake in the joint venture entity, ITM Digital, as it seeks to tap into the convergence and mobile Vas (value-added services) market that is expected to see rapid growth in future years.

Mundu TV, part of Geodesic‘s business that provides live television streaming on mobile phones and desktops, will be brought into the JV, according to a source familiar with the development.

Zeel will offer its wide range of entertainment assets while Geodesic, a provider of content, communication and collaboration solutions, will bring in the technology.
 
“Zeel has already digitised most of its entertainment content. The JV will not require much investments,” adds the source.

The new company will launch real time and on-delivery entertainment applications for the mobile and Internet enabled devices.

Says Zeel MD and CEO Punit Goenka, “The combination of Zee’s expertise in content and programming strength, across media properties and Geodesic’s cutting edge technology is aimed to provide consumers a world of exciting user experiences. This alliance will enable us to deliver optimised levels of Internet integration across our range of assets and product categories. With this venture, we aim to capture the unexplored power of this medium that the Indian audience is fast adapting to.”

As the first step in this collaboration, ITM Digital will launch content-rich and interactive Internet TV on the mobile and desktop platforms.   
 
The application will stream over 20 live television channels and several on-demand video channels. Consumers across all telecom networks will be able to download the application, discover, access, and schedule content through an easy-to-use interface using their data plans (GPRS /EDGE / Wi-Fi) on their mobile phones, desktops and across the web.

“The alliance will allow both companies to drive new growth opportunities and has the potential to ultimately transform the way mobile and digital value added services are consumed by users at large. Geodesic and Zeel are engaging at technology, marketing and business levels to bring information, entertainment and the power of the mobile platform to consumers across India,” says Geodesic MD Kiran Kulkarni.

The two companies are exploring opportunities in extending the alliance to combine Zeel group’s other entertainment assets and Geodesic’s extended mobile products portfolio.

ITM will provide consumers a range of content rich entertainment applications that promises to enhance user experience and provide value and choice to consumers on their mobile phones and desktops.

The Essel group had earlier floated Digital Media Convergence Ltd as part of the network‘s foray into digital entertainment. The activity of integrating digital content aggregation and delivery technology has been brought under Zeel.

MUMBAI: UTV World Movies, which showcases global cinema, has revamped its website.

The features include:

– Drop down menus, excel sheets and maps put to better use
– An intuitive interface for the user to find out what film to watch
– The Cine Map- This helps fans choose the films from the database and learn where they are from
– The Film Club is a lounge

In additon, the schedules are powered by Burrp TV. The site also offers among other things reviews and blogs about all things cinema.
 
According to UTV, World Cinema has always been considered as something for the elite cinemagoer, with stories and camera angles that twist and turn like the many proper pronunciations of the names of the directors that made them. The Movie-o-Dex aims to put that to rest. Using an interface, an user can now find out what film he wants to watch, with three clicks of a mouse. Once he‘s found a film of his choice, he can share his discovery across social networks.

The CineMap uses the exact geo-coordinates of where the films in the channels database are from. By using a single click interface, users can find films of their favourite genre, country or by the name.
 
Film Club is a lounge that the broadcaster says extends the experience beyond the virtual realm into the real. This is a place where fans can save their favourite movies using the Watch and Share feature. They can also get invited to World Movies events, play social games and flip through Insignia, the complimentary World Movies magazine.

MUMBAI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) will on July 21 hear Viacom18‘s petition alleging material contractual breaches, misrepresentation and under-reporting of subscriber base by MSM Discovery.

Viacom18 has also sought damages of Rs 1.27 billion from MSM Discovery.

In the petition, Viacom18 also wanted some interim reliefs from the tribunal. The company, when asked, did not specify the reliefs sought from the tribunal.
 
Viacom18 is a joint venture equally owned by Network18 and media conglomerate Viacom.

The dispute has arisen following the decision of Viacom18 to terminate its distribution contract with MSM Discovery and shift its four channels – Colors, MTV, Nick and Vh1 – to a new joint venture between Sun Network and Network18 called Sun18. The contract with MSM Discovery was for a three-year period starting from 1 April 2009. 
 
The petition is being heard by a division bench of the tribunal comprising chairperson SB Sinha and member GD Gaiha.

In a parallel move, MSM Discovery had moved the Bombay High Court against Viacom18‘s decision to shift its television channels to Sun18, but the court did not grant interim relief. The high court will hear MSM Discovery‘s petition on 17 August. Viacom18 has agreed to give a copy of its agreement with Network18 to MSM within seven days from 16 July.

MUMBAI: Invision, which provides advertising, planning and sales solutions to the US media industry, has announced that Current TV has chosen its DealMaker software to manage its ad sales operations across traditional and new media channels. Current will use Invision‘s DealMaker solution across both linear and digital media, and it joins a growing number of existing Invision clients who are testing or implementing the cross-platform solution.

Current Media is a media company that explores stories. With a fully integrated television and online platform, Current connects its audience with what‘s going on in their world through its blend of original and acquired productions. Current adds that it has also been at the forefront of user-generated advertising, engaging its creative community to create authentic and effective ads, called VCams.
 
Invision CEO Lynda Clarizio says, “Managing separate ad planning systems across multiple platforms is expensive, duplicative, and inefficient, so we are working closely with Current TV and our other clients to help them consolidate and streamline their ad management systems across every distribution channel. Our next-generation solution will help our clients improve efficiency and strengthen their bottom lines through an all-inclusive system that manages their ad sales operations across both new and traditional media.” 
 
Offered on both an enterprise and hosted basis, Invision‘s software-based solutions manage the sale of more than $13 billion in annual television advertising inventory, helping media outlets increase the revenue yield on available advertising inventory. Invision represents over 45 media outlets such as Comcast, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Television, and Univision.

MUMBAI: Online video advertising network Vdopia has appointed Lovnish Bhatia as GM, business development for its India operations.

As part of his new mandate, Bhatia will be responsible for strategic and operational leadership of Vdopia’s growing business operations within the region, including business development.
  
Bhatia joins Vdopia with over 10 years of experience in the media industry. During his tenure, he has been associated with several projects within the internet and television divisions of Viacom18, NDTV Media and Sony Entertainment.

Vdopia VP India Debadutta Upadhyaya says, “Lovnish comes with a strong record for building successful business plans and strategies, along with vast experience across functions and media industries like the internet and television. With our aggressive growth plans in the online and mobile video advertising space, Vdopia will benefit immensely with Lovnish’s addition.” 
 
Bhatia added, “I’m excited to join the Vdopia team as it continues to push the innovation envelope with its ad network and technology initiatives in video advertising.”
Prior to joining Vdopia, Lovnish was Viacom18 senior manager, business development. He was earlier associated with NDTV Media and prior to that, Sony.
 

NEW DELHI: Dish TV India has roped in ESPN Star Sports India head RC Venkateish as its chief executive officer.

Venkateish‘s contract with the sports broadcasting network recently got over, offering him an option to join a rival media company. He will be handling the direct-to-home (DTH) business of the Essel Group which also has two sports channels, Ten Sports and Zee Sports.
 
Venkateish was serving as the ESPN Star Sports managing director for India and South Asia and was responsible for business operations in these regions.
 
 
Says Dish TV India MD Jawahar Goel, “Venkateish has had an excellent track record while heading leading brands, his experience gives him a well seasoned perspective which perfectly complements Dish TV’s needs as a rapidly growing company with the highest market share. I am confident in his abilities to enable Dish TV to take the next big leap.”

Bringing with him a wealth of over 27 years’ experience, of which 12 years have been in senior international positions, Venkateish has worked with global brands like Smithkline Beecham, Nestle India, Gillette and Kellogg India.

Venkateish holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from IIT – Madras and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

MUMBAI: Encouraged by the response to its high definition offering for the soccer World Cup, Dish TV has done a deal with Ten Sports.

The DTH operator will be showing the on-going India versus Sri Lanka series in HD.
 
Ten Sports, part of the Zee Group, has inked a multi-year deal with Dish TV.

“European football will be in HD and many other properties including Indian cricket. Right now this facility is exclusively with Dish TV. But we will be looking at other DTH operators,” says Ten Sports CEO Atul Pande. 
 
Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor says that the company received positive traction with its HD feed of the soccer World Cup.

“The big difference to conventional feed is the sound and picture clarity. We are also offering feed in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada,” says Kappor.
 

MUMBAI: For MSM Discovery, it is a sweet deal gone sour for no fault of theirs. After getting a termination notice from Viacom18, the distribution company operating under the OneAlliance brand has moved the Bombay High Court.

MSM Discovery‘s grouse is that Viacom18 has decided to pull out its four channels – Colors, MTV, Nick and Vh1 – before the expiry of a three-year contract effective 1 April 2009.

“We have moved the Bombay High Court. We believe we have a strong case and will get relief from the court,” MSM Discovery president Rajesh Kaul tells Indiantelevision.com.
 
MSM had entered into a pact to distribute Hindi general entertainment channel Colors while renewing its contract to distribute the other three channels. The company had agreed to pay a minimum guarantee (MG) of Rs 3 billion over the three-year period, according to sources familiar with the transaction.

Colors was to turn pay from 1 April and decided to align with TheOneAlliance bouquet. Besides getting a lucrative MG, it also weighed in the fact that the bouquet would have Max as a driver channel with its compelling IPL content during the 45-day period starting 18 April. Colors ran less risk of being blacked out from cable TV networks as it initiated the process of collecting pay-TV revenues.

For TheOneAlliance, the inclusion of Colors, the second most-watched Hindi GEC then, meant more muscle to the bouquet even after the end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) playing window. It was, in other words, a deal that best suited each other at that time.

“We have a watertight contract valid till March 2012. We have been fulfilling all the contractual obligations and there is no way the Viacom18 channels can walk out of our bouquet. There is no material breach on our side,” Kaul says.

When contacted, Viacom18 spokesperson refused to comment on the issue. 
 
Viacom18 has decided to shift its channels to Sun18, a newly formed joint venture between Sun Network and Network18 that hopes to start with the distribution of 33 channels. Network18 Group has a 50 per cent stake in Viacom18 (through IBN18), the remaining half being held by partner Viacom.

Media observers feel Viacom18 will be able to get more than what it would have got from TheOneAlliance, now that Colors has established its success. “Colors is an established channel now. The revenue potential of Viacom18 from subscription is bright,” says an analyst who is tracking the company.

On the other side of the boundary, Star India has plenty of reasons to be upset as the Network18 group of channels (including CNBC TV18 and CNN IBN) have demanded exit from Star Den. Star had formed a 50:50 joint venture with Den Networks in January 2008 and the Network18 channels had signed a long-term distribution contract with Star Den.

“This is the first time in the distribution business that a broadcaster has terminated its contract with the distribution service provider before the full term is over. This will create a lot of ill-feeling in the market,” says a senior executive of a leading distribution company who did not want his name to be revealed.

Network18 officials did not want to comment on the issue, including the possibility of material breaches committed by the distribution partner.

The formation of Sun18 marks the entry of Network18 Group into the Indian television distribution space. In an official statement announcing the joint venture, Sun18 had said it would be the “first truly pan-India distribution company” and aim at “becoming one of the dominant players in the approximately Rs 160 billion pay-TV subscription market over the next 2 years.”

MSM Discovery is not amused. “Wait and watch. The game is not over yet. We will fight till the end,” says Kaul.