ITV

Category: Software

  • Global pay TV revenues hit $184 billion in 2012, Pay TV shows growth in last five years

    Global pay TV revenues hit $184 billion in 2012, Pay TV shows growth in last five years

    NEW DELHI: The number of pay TV households (analog and digital) reached 772 million by 2012, according to a new report from Digital TV Research. The figure had been 585 million in 2008, according to Digital TV Research.

    Asia Pacific increased by 126 million – or two-thirds of the global additions – during this period to bring its total to 433 million. North America (112 million) was the second largest region, although it only added four million.

    India stood at the second place with 116.7 million households, after China with 232.8 million households, and followed by the United States with 100.2 million households.

    The other countries in top 10 pay TV countries at end-2012 were Japan (25.1 million), Russia (23.6 million), Germany (21.8 million), Brazil (16.2 million), South Korea (16.1 million), the United Kingdom (14.4 million) and Mexico (13 million).

    Pay TV revenues reached $184 billion in 2012, up by 28.5 per cent from $143 billion in 2008. Cable (analogue and digital combined) generated the highest revenues by platform, with $87 billion in 2012. However, cable revenues are flattening and DTH will overtake cable soon. IPTV revenues reached $12.0 billion in 2012, up from $2.8 billion in 2008.

    North America generates about half the world‘s total pay TV revenues.

    About 404 million digital homes were added around the world between 2008 and 2012. This took the digital TV household total for the 97 countries covered in the Digital TV World Databook to 786 million. Digital TV penetration of TV households climbed from 28.6 per cent at end-2008 to 54.7 per cent by end-2012.

    However, there were still 652 million analogue TV households by end-2012, although this was down from 956 million at end-2008. There were still 411 million analogue terrestrial homes (down by 56 million year-on-year) and 242 million analogue cable ones (down by 33 million) at end-2012.Digital cable was in 273 million homes (up by 43 million on end-2011), followed by 178 million pay digital DTH (up by 20 million) and 118 million free-to-air digital DTH by end-2012. Pay IPTV brought in another 69 million households (up by 18 million).

    Meanwhile, primary free-to-air DTT homes reached 138 million (up by 26 million), with pay DTT accounting for a further 9 million. From the digital homes added between 2008 and 2012, 83 million came from primary DTT [homes taking DTT but not subscribing to cable, DTH or IPTV]. Digital cable contributed a further 151 million additions; pay DTH 75 million, with pay IPTV providing an additional 56 million.

    The universe is not static as 100 million TV households were added between 2008 and 2012 to bring the total to 1,439 million. Of these additions, 69 million came from the Asia Pacific region.

    From the 404 million digital TV households added between 2008 and 2012, 229 million were in the Asia Pacific region, bringing its total to 342 million. China became the largest digital TV household nation in 2010; rising to 187 million digital TV homes (24 per cent of the world‘s total) by end-2012.

  • Amkette’s EvoTV to have BoxTV application for OTT services in India

    Amkette’s EvoTV to have BoxTV application for OTT services in India

    BENGALURU: Times Internet‘s video-on-demand service BoxTV will be available on Amkette‘s flagship product EvoTV in India, announced BoxTV through a press release.

    Amkette assistant VP Nikhil Bapna, while emphasising his company‘s cooperation with BoxTV, said “Amkette is an innovative company that is always on the lookout for new challenges to develop innovative technologies for. Considering the rapid rise of online video consumption in India, we have designed EvoTV so that it is easy for users to watch OTT content on the television screen. BoxTV has the widest range of high-quality video content, making it ideal for use in India for OTT services.

    EvoTV is a device that converts any TV to a smart TV and more. It offers a customised one click access to all the user‘s favorite apps, social networking sites, browser and games. It seamlessly turns the user‘s existing TV into a gaming station, a movie and music on demand theater and a learning and education hub.

    BoxTV has been working with EvoTV through EvoTV platform applications to provide users with a large library of content. BoxTV claims to have more than 10,000 hours of content, which includes popular movies, TV shows, short films and documentaries that a consumer can watch on television with Amkette‘s EvoTV that has the BoxTV application.

    EvoTV platform‘s BoxTV application has several special functions including those that allow users to quickly access content recommended by the BoxTV editorial team with a single click.

    Also Read:

    Times Internet plans to launch service akin to Hulu

    Times Internet launches BoxTV

    BoxTV partners Sony Pictures & Disney UTV for content

    IPL 6 kicks off with a bang

    Times Internet sees 52 per cent growth in viewership for IPL

  • PK Online launches Hello1.in

    PK Online launches Hello1.in

    MUMBAI: Digital media company PK Online has launched Hello1.in, a content distribution product. The product which is accessible on multiple devices like feature phones, smart phones, PC and smart TV, currently features Live TV, Movies, Music, Apps, and Games. The portal in future will include eBooks and magazines.

    Hello1.in currently supports both, pay per use/download and subscription based services. This service is on self developed content delivery platform. PK online earlier has also been behind many successful content distribution products like Hello TV and also runs Adchakra which is a cross channel ad network.

    PK‘s ad network business complements this initiative by acting as the audience acquisition engine for the service. Their current content partner include leading players like Zee, Universal, UTV, Reliance and Times Music and is looking at adding more Indian and international partners. The real time and transparent revenue reporting feature enables content partners to stay updated on the performance of their catalog.

    Hello1‘s monetisation strategy is based on operator distribution and direct to consumer model. It is currently integrated with leading operators like Vodafone, MTNL and Idea as an off deck service and is open to license the platform to content owners who want to set up their own digital destination.

    The company is also looking to capture audiences using the social platform. Keeping this in mind, Hello 1 has its presence even on Facebook and users can directly register on Hello1‘s FB application http://goo.gl/V4okL.

    Other than this the company also plans tie ups with all leading ISPs, MSOs and Mobile operators to offer consumers to pay through operator accounts in coming months. The other important features about this new media innovation is that it is a one stop destination for all types of digital content with a single account and subscription for all devices, a digital cloud based Vault for re-downloads, an automatic device adaptation for seamless rendering across 7000 feature phone models and it is a native app for Android and iOS.

    Commenting on their latest project, PK Online co-founder and VP Cauvery Adiga said, ‘We are trying to bring all our learning in one comprehensive product which provides a good user experience and ease of payment to end users. Hello1.in aims to be the choice of destination for ‘legal and paid‘ consumption of digital content by enabling micro-transaction for Indian market.”

  • US state department spends $630,000 to boost Facebook ‘likes’

    US state department spends $630,000 to boost Facebook ‘likes’

    MUMBAI: The US state department has in a bid to boost its Facebook fan base has spent USD 630,000 on its Facebook strategy. The strategy has helped the state department in increasing its Facebook followers from 100,000 to more than two million in a span of two years between 2011 and 2013.

    Describing the social media strategy, the US state department report stated, “The strategy is simple. It involves buying fans who may have once clicked on an ad or ‘liked‘ a photo but have no real interest in the topic and have never engaged further.”

    Defenders of this plan argued that Facebook page discovery is difficult enough to merit the use of Facebook ads ‘to increase visibility.‘

    The US state department may be content that after its six figure investment, each of its four Facebook pages had 2.5 million fans that were acquired through advertisements and viral photos, but a funds-rich social media strategy doesn‘t necessarily mean that they‘ve acquired loyal fans. The rate of engagement would be the judge of that.

    No surprise here: Just two per cent of fans were found to be engaging with these Facebook pages, which also meant that there were few people who are actually paying attention to the U.S. state department‘s Facebook presence. And that has to sting, given that the department felt they were worth spending quite a bit of cash on.

    “Engagement on each posting varied, and most of that interaction was in the form of ‘likes.‘ Many postings had fewer than 100 comments or shares; the most popular ones had several hundred.”

    The State Department acknowledged in the report that buying fans wasn‘t a terribly worthwhile investment. Maybe that will be a lesson to everyone buying Facebook fans out there: The state department shelled out and look where it got them. Apparently you really can‘t buy popularity.

  • Google brings IIFA home, SRK and Shahid to host the event once again

    Google brings IIFA home, SRK and Shahid to host the event once again

    MUMBAI: Millions of Bollywood fans gear up for one of India‘s biggest Film Awards to be held in Macau this weekend, the International India Film awards (IIFA). This year, IIFA is making Google its home, bringing Bollywood and all its glamour to users with a unique digital experience.

    Google hopes to enhance the IIFA experience by bringing the weekend action to users through Google+, YouTube and Search. Bollywood stars will join a Hangout On-Air live from the Green carpet, YouTube will capture the glitzy pre-event parties and Knowledge Panels across Search will showcase everything the viewers need to know about the nominees.

    From discussing the Union Budget with the Finance Minister to getting to chat with their favorite cricket star – Hangouts are everywhere and after so many successful ones hosted in areas such as politics, film promotions, spirituality and sports, it comes as no surprise that the platform is being taken to the next level with IIFA this year.

    YouTube, too, after just wrapping up the IPL, will bring behind-the-scenes sneak peeks from the IIFA Weekend to fans. And it doesn‘t end there, now, when searching for Shah Rukh Khan or Barfi! Knowledge Panels tell you everything about the movie from within Search, without clicking on a link.

    Speaking on this association, Google India marketing director Sandeep Menon said, “We are extremely excited to bring IIFA home this year. With this association we hope to ensure a never before experience to all Indian movie lovers. Since the very beginning, Google has always focused on providing the best user experience possible. We take great care to ensure that all our products ultimately serve the audience. We will be using Google+, Google Search Trends and YouTube in order to provide a great experience to the IIFA watchers. This association will help us to reach out to millions of IIFA fans and bring live action from IIFA 2013 to their desk tops and mobiles.”

    The superstar of Indian Cinema, Shah Rukh Khan will play host at the upcoming 14th IIFA Awards at The Venetian Macao along with Shahid Kapoor. This year along with the impressive line-up of performances by the biggest stars in the Indian Film Industry, IIFA 2013 will also see a host of prominent personalities attend the event including Irrfan Khan, Vidya Balan, Anil Kapoor and many more.

  • Cloud based television services company Magine gets $19mn funding

    Cloud based television services company Magine gets $19mn funding

     BENGALURU: Magine, a Swedish cloud-based television operator, announced today that it has obtained an additional round of funding to the extent of $19mn that will enable it to expand the supply of its recently launched service of television content online (OTT).

    Michael Werner, Matthias Hjelmstedt, Erik Wikstrom, Xavier Ritort and Hakan Tranvik, founders of Magine, obtained the funds through an agreement with a group of Swedish and international investors.

    The funding will help Magine to accelerate significantly the time for the implementation of the platform at the international level. Within a few a few months the service will expand from Sweden and will be launched soon in its key television markets of Germany and Spain. It will be available for users across at least five other markets before the end of the year says Magine.

    Magine president Michael Werner says “Magine is not just another television platform, but a whole new way to access and enjoy content. It is a service that requires a subscription and has been designed to make people return to following television programs. Because of this, broadcasters and content providers are very likely to use it. Magine helps them to create new forms of monetization while respecting the system of existing copyrights. Our investors realized immediately the extraordinary potential for discovery of content and social interactions available to users, and the service’s ability to generate new revenue streams.”

    In Sweden, Magine hosts some of the most famous brands and channels in the world. These includr Discovery, CNN International, BBC, Eurosport, National Geographic, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, in addition to the national broadcasters SVT and TV4. The company has also initiated talks with numerous media and international groups engaged in the entertainment industry, and expect further announcements in this regard later this month.

    Last April, Magine was presented to the international television and community members for content production during MIPTV (International market of television), one of the major international events in Europe dedicated to the entertainment industry. The presentation of the service has been hailed as the highlight of the event by commentators, journalists and leading figures in the industry.

    Magine is the new television. It is not a new device to follow television programs, but a service that offers absolute freedom to follow live TV, pause or resume viewing at a later time for all channels and all devices at any time, in compliance with the existing copyright. It offers high speed, excellent quality and images protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management, Digital Rights Management) through any type of Internet connection available. It is currently available on Apple devices and the Samsung smart TVs. Soon it will be possible to use the service on other television platforms and tablets with Android operating system.

    Also read:

    Mipcom unveils keynote line-up reflecting the new golden age of television

    MipTV: growing stronger in 50th year; India registers increased presence

  • T-Series crosses one billion views on YouTube

    T-Series crosses one billion views on YouTube

    MUMBAI: T-Series, is hitting another high note. The music company has crossed an unprecedented one billion video views for their official YouTube channel.

    T-Series has become the latest Indian entertainment entity to cross the coveted one billion video views on YouTube in a short span of just over two years with over 2.3 million subscribers. Just recently during the first week of February 2013, T-Series‘ channel reached over one million subscribers and continued to rise, hitting the two-million subscriber mark within the following 15 weeks, and now crossing over one billion video views on its main channel.

    CMD Bhushan Kumar said, “I would like to dedicate this success to all our fans all over the world who have helped us reach this milestone. I would like to congratulate my entire in-house digital team and the YouTube team for this tremendous feat. We look forward to achieving greater heights with our dedication and passion to offer quality content and experience to our discerning consumers worldwide”.

    Commenting on the milestone achieved, YouTube APAC head of music partnerships Anthony Zameczkowski said, “The Internet is the global distribution channel of the future and T-Series‘ recent momentum is a great example of how music labels are using YouTube to innovate online and find new audiences around the world.”

    T-Series‘ official YouTube channel offers a wide choice of content to its discerning fans ranging from Bollywood song videos, audio juke boxes, lyrical Videos, Bollywood twisters, behind the scenes, making of films / songs / videos etc and has been consistently building up a strong community on social networks like G+, Facebook and Twitter etc.

  • Immortalize your lovers name on ‘Virtual’ monuments

    Immortalize your lovers name on ‘Virtual’ monuments

    MUMBAI: Love birds can now stop inscribing their names on heritage monuments. Instead, use the ‘virtual‘ heritage monuments to immortalize your love. Jodha Akbar, the historical magnum opus aired on Zee TV has launched a Facebook app that allows couples to do just that.

    The show through the app will support the preservation of the vast Indian heritage. The app gives users a choice between four different monuments where they would like to have their names inscribed.

    Once the user has typed their name and the name of their partner, the app gives them a choice between posting an image of their ‘immortal space‘ on their Facebook page and sending their significant other a more detailed love note via a message.

    The app provides lovers with an interesting space to express their love in the virtual arena

    “Very often, one finds people in India using the facades of national monuments to engrave their names alongside their lover‘s as a sign of eternal love. However, it is important that India takes adequate and timely measures to conserve its national heritage rather than allow its own citizens to deface historically significant monuments with graffiti. This is what prompted us to come up with a unique solution whereby we provide lovers with an interesting space to express their love in the virtual arena,” says Zeel head-marketing, national channels Akash Chawla.

    Besides the app, Zee TV‘s marketing campaign for ‘Jodha Akbar‘ has seen several innovative initiatives. In the pre-launch phase, the channel created boards on Pinterest to familiarize viewers with the architecture, monuments, artifacts, clothes and jewellery from the Mughal era.

    The channel also plans to organise edutainment excursions for school children where they will watch the shoot of the show and be taken on a guided tour of the ‘Jodha Akbar‘ sets that resemble Jodha and Akbar‘s palaces, showcasing replicas of the costumes, jewellery, weapons used in the Mughal era that are currently being used in the show.

    The app can be accessed on Zee TV‘s official Facebook homepage https://www.facebook.com/ZeeTvIndia

  • Reliance Games launches two action-packed mobile games for Google Play

    Reliance Games launches two action-packed mobile games for Google Play

    MUMBAI: Mobile gamers across the world can now experience virtual time travel with Reliance Games‘ two new engaging mobile games Borderwar Galactic Warfare and Cosmo Combat. Reliance Games, one of the leading developer and publisher of mobile games globally has launched these games, one based on an ancient alien race and the other 2D casual tower defense game, primarily for Google Play.

    The Borderwar Galactic Warfare mobile game is an extension of Reliance Games‘ popular action and adventure mobile game franchise, Borderwar. The mobile game is a 2D casual tower defense game set in the future, sometime after the year 3000. The upgrades also play a vital role as without them it will be quite difficult to proceed beyond certain levels.

    Cosmo Combat allows gamers to join Captain Barros on his first mission into the deep recesses of our galaxy and fight an ancient alien race hell bent on destroying other civilizations. Gamers can earn star points by destroying the enemies and use it to purchase various offensive and defensive upgrades.

    Commenting on the launch of the games, Reliance Games Business Head – India Chaitanya Prabhu said, “With the growing popularity of Android devices and Google Play as a platform, we have launched two highly action-packed and immersive mobile games on the platform, that have excellent graphics and engaging gameplay. With Borderwar franchise of mobile games receiving good number of downloads, we decided to extend the franchise and launch ‘Borderwar Galactic Warfare‘. The other game Cosmo Combat is an adventurous and thrilling mobile game that challenges the gamers and keeps them hooked to it. With these launches, I am certain that gamers who enjoy action genre based mobile games will definitely like Borderwar Galactic Warfare and Cosmo Combat.”

     

  • Robosoft picks up investment from Kalaari Capital to hasten growth

    Robosoft picks up investment from Kalaari Capital to hasten growth

    MUMBAI: Robosoft, a leading developer of mobile apps and games, announced that the company has received funding from Kalaari Capital (formerly IndoUS Venture Partners) to accelerate growth and fund expansion. The new investment is a push to Robosoft’s rise as one of the premier mobile application developers. It also boosts the company’s vision to be the Partner of Choice to implement and enhance mobile experiences to leading brands and enterprises the world over.

    Robosoft builds engaging applications for the iOS, Android, and Windows platforms. The business had traditionally focused on the US market but is now gaining traction in Europe, Middle East, and India too.

    “Robosoft has established some great partnerships in the last few years in the mobile space. We’ve achieved this with our focus on customer delight, engineering excellence, and investment in our people,” said Robosoft Founder and CEO Rohith Bhat. “The new investment from Kalaari will help us turbocharge our growth in new markets and industry segments, add new sales, design, engineering talent to our team, and help us move toward a full-service model.”

    Commenting on the investment Kaalari Capital MD Kumar Shiralagi said, “Robosoft’s wealth of engineering talent, their successful track record of building consumer facing products for some of the best brands in the world and their leadership position in the mobile services segment got us interested. Equally enticing were their initiatives in building global IP like ‘WordsWorth’, ‘Camera Plus Pro’, ‘Game your Video’, ‘Boom’, and the amount of traction they already had there. Their clear vision for the future got us interested and we are confident about their ability to execute on that potential.”