Category: Software

MUMBAI: There is a worldwide shift towards broadcasting on advanced, addressable and interactive platforms. While the session Transforming Television: from HDTV, Interactive TV, PVRS, VOD and Beyond brought points and counterpoints on to the table, there was clearly one theme emerging: that adoption of technology, particularly digitalisation in the Indian context, was beneficial for all.

The panel consisted of Bharti Telemedia Director and CEO Ajai Puri, South Asia Turner International India VP and Deputy GM (Distribution and Business operations) Siddharth Jain, NDS VP and Chief Marketing Officer Nigel Smith, Bridge Consulting founder and CEO Aline Rutily, Quantel director of sales (Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, South Africa and India) Richard Craig, Dolby Laboratories country head Pankaj Kedia and Intel Corporation global media and standards strategist Ravi Velhal. 
 
Smith started off the session with a presentation touching on how new platforms like High Definition (HD) and Digital Video Recording (DVR) had changed dynamics of the business particularly in the US and UK. According to him, a major push is expected in DVR penetration to the tune of 100 per cent of US households and 70 per cent of UK/European households.

Smith remarked, ”Companies that adopted HD in the US grew, while those who delayed in doing so were left behind in the growth path”, proving his point with figures, particularly citing the example of Comcast that lost 575,000 subscribers in one year due to delay in introducing HD TV. In the Indian context, he said, ”DTH will change advertising in India”.

Commenting on future market changes, Smith named addressable advertising (sending adverts targeted to the viewer group), advanced user interfaces and interactivity as game changers.

Demonstrating how technological advances may change TV watching and online interaction, Velhal quipped, “Computing, communication and content are converging”.
Rutily provided the French example, saying that IPTV had caught on quickly in France and that presently one out of four households in France have IPTV after its launch on 2002.  
 
The Indian digitalisation push found a strong voice in Ajai Puri. According to him, ”Digitalization is the buzzword for India. DTH will make people buy TVs”.

Puri said that the main hurdles currently were high tax and high cost of content. He pointed out the benefits of DTH saying that the medium gives “over 50 per cent revenue to broadcasters even though it (DTH) covers only 15 per cent of the households. If the system becomes addressable, broadcasters will make a lot more money.”

A fine balance was introduced into the discussion by Jain. He pointed out that broadcasters needed to spend significantly to bring forth the technological changes, christening the latest mediums “beyond television”.

MUMBAI: Traditional media owners need to form a partnership with user generated content (UGC) sites to serve their consumers.

This was a point that came out at a session at Ficci Frames that looked at User generated Content: Seizing the Opportunity.
 
The speakers were Viacom 18 senior VP corporate strategy and business Anuj Poddar, NDTV Networks and NDTV Convergence CEO Vikram Chandra, Anand and Anand head of copyright and entertainment law Jagdish Sagar and Intel Software and Solutions Group director Asia Pacific Narendra Bhandari.

Balika Vadu, for instance, is one of the top viewed videos on Youtube in India, demonstrating how traditional media can pull new media.

Copyright, however, remains a challenge and there is a lack of value flowing back to content owners. Solutions, though, are evolving. UGC has set across norms, including the filtering of content that has a copyright. 
 
There is no distinction being made between user created and user generated content, notes Sagar. In the first case, the content creator surrenders all rights he has when he puts it up on a site. Many things can be done to that content like translation which the owner cannot control. In the second instance, somebody else uploads the content which the content owner may not be aware of.
The key to get out of this quagmire is to find a user friendly way to empower copyright owners. Sites like YouTube promote copyright infringement, Sagar notes. Getting an injunction is not a complete solution as it can only work for large content owners. One could look at a copyright society or having a licensing mechanism.

Dwelling on the opportunities and challenges of UGC for traditional media, Chandra said traditional media companies can get feedback and have user engagement which is what NDTV Social enjoys. There is also citizen journalism where news channels get tip offs and photos from disasters. But the challenge lies in finding a business model, Chandra adds.

NDTV has a channel on YouTube and there is revenue sharing for ads. However if NDTV content is uploaded outside this channel, then there is leakage that happens.

Bhandari noted that new media devices like the mobile would get smaller and smarter in the coming 24 months, allowing for HD level video to come from phones. UGC sites could benefit from an open source model technologically, he added.
 

MUMBAI: Yahoo! India is now the official online partner of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

As part of this agreement, Yahoo will host a separate section on its cricket site providing exclusive CSK content including off-ground coverage and help build user engagement for CSK fan communities through its leading cricket site. Yahoo! will also host a daily trivia contest with prizes and a grand prize where the winner will get a chance to meet their favourite ‘Super Kings’.
 
Helping drive its relationship with Cricket users with a first of its kind initiative within the online space, Yahoo! will also host a daily cricket talk show – Yorker – inviting cricket enthusiasts to post comments, ask questions and exchange views on ‘special moments’ from all matches in the ongoing season.

The Cricket Season on cricket.yahoo.com has several elements
Become a fan: Become a fan of as many teams as you wish

Cheer for team: Be recognized as the biggest fan of your team by cheering for them at every opportunity

Fan Shout: Participate and shout out your feelings on the match action

Polls: Follow the match on Yahoo! Cricket and express yourself by taking part in the multiple polls that are launched throughout the match

Others: Review, post comments, share articles / photos / videos via various social destinations, send articles / photos / video links via email. 
 
‘Yorker’, a 5-day-a week show on cricket.yahoo.com provides users a platform to post their thoughts and ask questions during live interaction between 4 pm to 5 pm. The host on the main viewing window will moderate all relevant comments; relevant questions picked and responded as well. Cricket experts like Amit Verma and other eminent cricket commentators will jointly host the show and answer queries from fans and cricket aficionados.

Yahoo! India managing editor Prem Panicker said, “As the leading cricket portal, cricket.yahoo.com has always provided innovative and engaging platforms to its consumers. Cricket is a game where every fan carries an opinion. ‘Yorker‘ is a unique way of giving viewers a chance to voice their point of views. Think of ‘Yorker’ as an online Sports Bar, where Cricket will be discussed and consumed with passion. We are also delighted to partner with Chennai Super Kings and provide a platform for fans to interact with their cricketing icons.”

Yahoo! has also signed a 3-year partnership where International Cricket Council (ICC) is the exclusive online destination for all ICC tourneys including the ICC World, Twenty20, ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Cricket World Cup.
 

MUMBAI: The data revenues for mobile operators are bound to grow in the years to come with media consumption devices that are technologically consumer-friendly. However, operators have to find a way to monetize this.

This was one of the points that came out during a session at Ficci Frames. The speakers were Nokia India marketing director Vineet Taneja, Intel Global content and policy manager Gary Mittelstaedt, Turner International India director – wireless and interactive content development and distribution, (South Asia) Troy Lobo, Dolby Laboratories marketing director (Mobile) Rolf Schmitz, Tata Teleservices’ Pankaj Sethi, and Comviva VP (mobile content solutions) Milind Pathak.
 
Sethi said his company had just launched netbooks with high speed net access. “We are seeing more net led content being consumed and not just operator generated content”.

Lobo claimed that 10 per cent of Turner India’s revenues come from digital devices. This covers net, mobile and retail. The company is planning to launch SMS based alerts for CNN later this year. It is also looking at a news application. “The challenge is to fix standards for different devices. We adopt a multiple system of content distribution.” A deal was recently struck with Tata Photon+ for Pogo and Cartoon Network. Nokia, Samsung and Sony are some of the mobile device manufacturers that Turner works with globally.
 
Mittelstaedt said that at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year, Intel had introduced the 32 nanometer product which offers more power to high end mobile devices. A point made at the session was that content for the mobile has to be contextual and relevant. It would be useful if there was a system through which someone could buy a film song for the mobile after seeing a film rather than just having a memory card. Intel also set up the App Up so that application developers have access to a broad product category.
It was felt that content publishers often do not understand the intricacies of what goes into building an app in India. There is not much expertise at the moment in terms of how one can publish TV content as widget in India. Some investment has to go into app developers. The lack of quality content is a reason for low Vas revenues at the moment.

Pathak said the depth of mobile consumption has to grow, and a buyer should be able to get Vas like music for a year along with the device. One should build apps that are exclusive. The mobile market should also be segmented according to spending and SEC. Even phones with a 2 GB camera, Facebook connectivity etc. could be considered.

MUMBAI: Structural development and incentives for digitisation of cable are necessary if the Indian television industry is to mature according to international standards.

Channels also need to reduce their dependence on ad revenues as some of this may migrate to online space in coming years. Greater investment is also needed in content and non linear services.

These were some of the points made during a session on ‘Through The Looking Glass: Has Indian television matured?’ at Ficci Frames.
BBC Worldwide Channels MD Darren Childs, Turner Broadcasting System International President Louise Sams, UTV Global Broadcasting CEO M.K. Anand and Absolutely Independent CEO Patty Genesis spoke at the session moderated by Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari.
Childs said many channels had to pay carriage fees due to the analogue structure and so broadcasters were being forced to divert budgets meant for content.
 
In the US, the broadcaster gets around 40 per cent of the subscription revenue while in India it is only 15 per cent. Indian channels have to find a way to reduce their dependence on advertising. In the US, 20 per cent of ad budgets have been diverted towards new media. That could happen in India as well in a few years.

At the same time, TV channels have to develop brands that can travel to non-linear media as well as catch viewers who have migrated. Childs felt that the BBC could have made a bigger push in the previous decade when there was a boom in Indian television. Now it is trying to find the right place for its channels.

Genesis said TV formats have to think beyond the idiot box if they want to make money. Anand said it was easier for niche channels like Discovery and MTV to own non-linear content and build a brand that is bigger than what is being seen on television, and this will help them make better ad revenue as compared to mass channels. 
 
He reiterated what Childs said about ad leakage happening for traditional media. “The key lies in branding media experiences. This will allow channels to move from the TV to the net to the mobile. In the future, the distribution pipe owners will be the movers and shakers. Broadcasters could become a part of distribution companies.” He noted that Indian TV had not matured as very few channels were making money. However, they are more likely to morph than mature, he added.

Channels that are making money include Cartoon Network and Pogo, claimed Sams who said Turner’s largest investment last year was in India. At the same time, she felt foreign media companies needed to have patience, persistence and flexibility to succeed abroad. She was bullish on Imagine TV, recently acquired from NDTV. As far as the Indian TV industry was concerned, she said there was need to keep an eye on technological developments in the West. While online video platforms are growing, there is a question mark over how they can generate revenue. She said this was because the youth were used to getting free content online in India unlike in the US.
 

MUMBAI: MSM Discovery, the distribution company that operates under the One Alliance brand, has appointed Makarand Palekar as senior vice president – sales and affiliate relations.

As a key member of the senior management team, Palekar will be responsible for the all-India sales and affiliate relations. 
 
Prior to MSM Discovery, Palekar was with ESPN Star Sports where he was heading sales.

“We are delighted that Makarand has joined us. He brings with him a rich experience of distribution and is a man behind many success stories in the past,” says MSM Discovery president Rajesh Kaul. “I am thrilled that he has joined us at a time when we are poised to achieve an explosive growth. He has excellent team management skills and the right combination of experience and expertise to guide the team to achieve greater heights.” 
 
Palekar comes with over Years of experience. “TheOneAlliance is the next logical step in my career. I look forward to working with the team to drive the business to another level.” 

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has after considering the views of different stakeholders issued a consultation paper highlighting various issues on whether the government should permit more television channels and DTH platforms in the country.
 
Noting that the television and broadcasting industry has grown tremendously during the last two decades, Trai says the industry has changed the way of life of masses of the country. In the last few years, number of satellite television channels has increased many fold from 136 channels in year 2005 to close to 500 channels today. At present various satellite TV channels of different genres and languages are available to the public.

The consultation paper on “Policy issues on uplinking/downlinking television channels in India ” has been issued following a letter on 8 October last year by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry seeking an opinion on cap on number of satellite television channels, eligibility criteria for and process of granting permission and guidelines to develop the country into a teleport/hub for uplinking/turnaround of TV channels which are not meant for viewing in India. 
 
The Ministry’s reference had been placed on Trai website to solicit preliminary views of the stakeholders on the subject, and the consultation paper has taken into account the preliminary views of the stakeholders
The Authority has invited all stakeholders to respond to the issues raised in this consultation paper by 5 April, 2010. Comments will be posted on Trai website as and when received. Counter comments, if any, to the comments received may be sent to Trai by 15 April.

MUMBAI: Ubiquitous access, simpler production tools, and the falling costs of technology have made sure that the boom of the Internet is here to stay, unlike in 2000 when net 1.0 burst.

Google President (Global sales operations and business development) Nikesh Arora feels that users having laptops or personal computers expect net access through Wi Fi. “This feature has gone from ‘nice to have’ to ‘must have’. Secondly the tools of production have become simple. Earlier you needed a camera to take photos. Today you have camera mobile phones that allow you to work on the fly. Thirdly, the cost of technology is steadily falling.”

Speaking at the Ficci Frames 2010, he said 30 to 50 per cent of content will be digitally distributed five years down the line. The time people spend on the web will grow and result in ad spends shifting towards the online medium. At the same time, the net has changed the mode of distribution.
 
There are differences in terms of how the net facilitates content delivery. “In India, the net will be pushed by the mobile. The advantage for us at Google is that it allows us to take Indian content like the IPL to a global audience,” he added.
The Internet is also affecting consumer behaviour and consumers want information immediately. Figures show 150 billion emails are sent everyday.  
 
But there are challenges like maintaining users’ privacy and respecting copyright, he said.

NEW DELHI: The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is expected to provide 8,88,832 wire-line Broadband connections to individual users and Government Institutions and set up 28,672 Kiosks by 2014, according to a Memorandum of Understanding signed last year with the Universal Service Obligation Fund.
 
The subsidy disbursement is for broadband connections, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), Computer/Computing devices; and setting up of Kiosks for public access to broadband services. The estimated subsidy outflow is Rs. 15 billion in 5 years time that includes subsidy for 900,000 broadband connections, CPEs, computers/computing devices and kiosks.

As on 31 January 2010, 106070 broadband connections have been provided and four kiosks have been set up in the rural and remote areas. 
 
Parliament was informed that the Government has taken various measures to provide telecom facilities in rural areas of the country. As a result, the rural teledensity has become 21.19 per cent as on December 2009 against the target of 4 per cent teledensity in rural areas by 2010.
The Indian Telegraph Rules have been amended, and stream IV has been added under the title “Provision of broadband connectivity to villages in a phased manner” to bring provisioning of broadband connectivity to the rural areas under the purview of the USOF.
 

MUMBAI: In a bid to support its international growth strategy and expand its global footprint, Facebook has opened shop in Hyderabad, India. 
 
Facebook’s new operation center in Hyderabad will supplement operations supported out of Palo Alto, California, Dublin, Ireland and a recently announced location in Austin, Texas.

The Hyderabad office, like others, will also house online advertising and developer support teams. Facebook aims to have multiple support centers in a variety of time zonesin an attempt to provide users and advertisers around the world with round-the-clock, multi-lingual support.
 
Initially, Facebook will recruit a small team and anticipate further growth as the office expands.
Said Facebook Director – global online operations Don Faul, “We expect our new office in Hyderabad to tap into the region’s strong pool of talented people who understand operations and technology, and help us more effectively serve the needs of our users, advertisers, and developers around the world.”