ITV

Category: Software

  • Zapak gets Shard Sharma as the National Sales Head

    Zapak gets Shard Sharma as the National Sales Head

    Mumbai: Zapak Digital Entertainment, the India gaming business by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, has announced the appointment of Shard Sharma as the national sales head of all businesses under Zapak.

    In his new role, Sharma will be managing teams in Mumbai and Delhi. He will be reporting to Zapak Digital Entertainment business head – India Chaitanya Prabhu.

    Prabhu said “We are happy to welcome Shard Sharma as the Nation Sales Head for Zapak. Shard brings along with him vast experience of monetizing various internet properties and we are looking forward to working closely with Shard in tapping the monetisation opportunity in exponentially growing free to play gaming category in India across mobile and PC.”

    Sharma joins Zapak from Sify as regional manager- North, East and West.

    With over 14 years of work experience in sales and business development, he has been associated with names like Rediff.com, Moneycontrol.com, Zee Network and Webdunia.com in the past.

  • Vh1 India celebrates 2 million likes on Facebook

    Vh1 India celebrates 2 million likes on Facebook

    MUMBAI: Vh1 India has become the first English entertainment channel in India to have two million fans on Facebook.

    The international music channel has built a continuous relation by connecting with its viewers through birthday celebrations, dedications, paying homage to famous artists and by presenting the best in international music.

    Recently, the channel has launched a music streaming app – Vh1 Pulse for the music lovers. The app has a series of contests like the ‘Ticket 2 Ride‘ where the winner gets a chance to attend concerts of different artists and to become a part of different events abroad.

    Concert tickets, official merchandise and meet and greets are some of the other things that fans have been able to enjoy over the years.

    Talking on the achievement Ferzad Palia English entertainment Viacom18 senior VP and GM said, “A big thank you to all our ardent fans for helping us reach this mark. It truly feels wonderful to know that the channel has got 2 million likes on our Facebook page which only goes to prove their loyalty. Vh1 India re-affirms the endeavour to provide its fans with cult entertainment.”

    Digital Media VP and business head Rajneel Kumar added, “This is definitely a time for us to celebrate. We are extremely thrilled at reaching this milestone figure. Vh1 has always been a leader in engaging with its fans on digital platforms. This just goes to prove that our efforts have paid off and our fans like the content. We really can‘t thank them enough.”

    To celebrate this occasion, Vh1 has lined up some plans for its fans. The channel will be holding a two-week ‘Superfan Contest‘ to find the biggest fans of the channel. These fans will be shortlisted on the basis of their knowledge of music and the latest trends. Ten lucky winners will get a chance to win gratifications such as free passes to Vh1 associated events and much more. Few winners will also be able to cover Vh1 events across India and reviews new albums and videos.

  • Vserv.mobi brings social sharing, A/B testing to HTML5 Mobile Ads

    Vserv.mobi brings social sharing, A/B testing to HTML5 Mobile Ads

    MUMBAI: Mobile ad network for app developers, publishers, advertisers and telecom providers Vserv.mobi has announced that it has strengthened its HTML5 rich media solution offering by introducing features of social sharing and A/B testing.

    The company further announced that it will offer free HTML5 creative services to allow marketers to discover the mobile medium. Through this end-to-end rich media offering, which includes ad creative development, distribution, social capabilities, analytics and measurement, the company will enable brands to leverage mobile rich media effectively.

    Vserv.mobi director – global marketing, product Binay Tiwari said, “Our rich media ad platform allows advertisers to create engaging moments that consumers love, and we have now natively built in social sharing options to enable ‘virality‘ of this engagement. The addition of A/B testing functionality makes running parallel campaigns a breeze, thereby allowing advertisers to experiment more and take more informed decisions based on real-time user engagement metrics. Our unique mobile rich media offering, combined with our premium full screen App media will allow advertisers to breathe life into their mobile ad campaigns.”

    IDC recently highlighted key milestones in the rapidly evolving mobile HTML5 space, suggesting that there will be more than 1 billion HTML5 mobile browsers in the market in 2013. HTML5 ads are already providing marketers with highly interactive, impactful and intuitive engagement methods such as touch, click, drag, scratch, 360 degree view functionalities, thus enabling consumers to experience a brand in a much more human and relevant way than ever before.

    Mindshare APAC regional digital leader Sanchit Sanga said, “We continue to see a surge in interest for rich media solutions from brands, and the Vserv.mobi rich media platform has allowed us to create unique and out-of-the-box HTML5 ads and mobile microsites. The additional capabilities of A/B testing and social sharing, will allow us to innovate with even lesser friction, to create brand experiences that mobile consumers absolutely love.”

  • Netflix, Disney/ABC Television Group in multi-year licensing deal

    Netflix, Disney/ABC Television Group in multi-year licensing deal

    MUMBAI: OTT subscription service provider Netflix and Disney/ABC Television Group have announced a new multi-year licensing agreement that will make Netflix the exclusive US subscription television service for the Disney Junior show ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates‘, as well as the Disney XD show ‘Tron: Uprising‘.

    In addition, Handy Manny, special agent Oso and JoJo‘s Circus will also be available for members in the US to watch instantly later this month.

    Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said, “Disney and Netflix have shared a long and mutually beneficial relationship and this deal expands on the incredible line-up of Disney content already available for our members. Families love Netflix and we know they especially love the imaginative and high-quality TV shows and movies from Disney. We‘re excited to bring Jake and the Never Land Pirates, a terrific show for families with preschoolers, to our members.”

    Disney-ABC domestic television president Janice Marinelli said, “We are delighted that Netflix‘s members and their young children will be able to experience a selection of tremendously popular original series from Disney Junior and Disney XD. Netflix is a highly valued partner and a terrific platform for families to enjoy these heartfelt characters and entertaining stories.”

    Disney Junior‘s series, ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates‘ is a music-filled interactive treasure hunt that introduces a crew of kid pirates — leader Jake and pals Izzy and Cubby — and follows their Never Land adventures as they work to outwit two infamous characters, the one and only Captain Hook and Mr. Smee, from Disney‘s Peter Pan. Like all Disney Junior programming, ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates‘ is guided by an established curriculum that nurtures multiple areas of child development: physical, emotional, social and cognitive; thinking and creative skills, as well as moral and ethical development.

  • TRAI orders MSOs and payTV b’casters to file interconnect agreements

    TRAI orders MSOs and payTV b’casters to file interconnect agreements

    NEW DELHI: There has been a hue and cry over the last month or so that broadcasters and MSOs have been extremely slothful in signing channel agreements with each other. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has taken note of this and asked all of them to furnish the names of the MSO or the service provider with whom the interconnection agreement has been entered into along with the service area covered and the validity period of the said agreement by the week beginning 13 May.

    The directives were sent individually to all pay broadcasters/ aggregators and MSOs on 6 May.

    TRAI has also directed the pay broadcasters/aggregators and MSOs to produce in writing the terms and conditions of their interconnection agreements with MSOs or other service providers wherever they are is providing cable television services through digital addressable systems (DAS).

    The direction has been sent under section 13, read with sub-clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 11 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act 1997 for implementation of Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems.

    Regulation 5(3) of the regulations provides that every broadcaster has to, within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of request from the multi system operator, enter into an interconnection agreement or modify the existing interconnect agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Reference Interconnect Offer published under these regulations or as may be mutually agreed.

    Regulation 5(6) provides that it shall be mandatory for the broadcasters of pay channels to reduce the terms and conditions of the interconnection agreements into writing; and Regulation 5(7) provides that no broadcaster of pay channels shall make available signals of TV channels to any multi system operator without entering into a written interconnection agreement.

    Prior to this notice, TRAI had held meetings with broadcasters and MSOs on 22 March, 2 April, 12 April and 18 April on issues relating to implementation of the phase II of implementation of DAS systems wherein the broadcasters and MSOs were asked to expedite the signing of interconnection agreements and submission of the information of the same to the Authority.

  • Airtel DTH: Q4 2013 revenues & subs up, losses down

    Airtel DTH: Q4 2013 revenues & subs up, losses down

    MUMBAI: That the DTH market in India is doing well, is something that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) latest quarter report turned up. This is reflected in Bharti Airtel’s digital TV services financials for Q4 and financial year ended 31 March 2013 which were announced earlier this week.

    The division’s revenues are up even as average revenue per user (ARPU) has moved northwards (albeit marginally) and losses southwards. But the business is obviously burning cash – though lower than earlier – as competition is forcing DTH players to expand their reach nationally and offer newer services. All this – without being able to pass on costs to subscribers.

    Q4 2013 revenues are up 24 per cent to Rs 441.90 crore as against Rs 356.5 crore in the previous corresponding quarter of 2012. The company continues to be EBITDA positive with the number rising to Rs 29.6 crore (Rs 20.9 crore in Q4 2012). Its operating losses are down to Rs 178.4 crore (Rs 194.4 crore). It incurred a capex of Rs 132.6 crore (Rs 98 crore) during the quarter. Its cumulative investments in the DTH business up to end March 2013 stand at Rs 4036.6 crore (Rs 3298 crore).

    The good news is that ARPU is also up to Rs 184 in Q4 2013 (Rs 166 in Q4 2012). The company says this was “achieved through product innovations, pricing corrections and up-selling.” Its subscriber base grew 12 per cent from 7.2 million in Q4 2012 to 8.1 million (Q4 2013). The company attributes this increase to the digitisation drive across the four metro cities of the country and it expects this to accelerate further with phase II digitization.

    The DTH business’ revenues for the whole year rose 26 per cent to Rs 1629.4 crore (Rs 1296 crore up to March 2012). Its EBITDA numbers were down three per cent to Rs 45.2 crore (Rs 46.5 crore). Its operating loss rose from Rs 719.8 crore to Rs 815 crore. And its operating free cash flow requirement improved seven per cent from a negative Rs 763.4 crore to Rs 709.6 crore.
    The company says it is doing pretty well on its HD set top box rollout (HD), digital TV recorders with 3D capabilities, and in providing a superior customer experience. It currently offers 373 channels and services including 15 HD channels and six interactive services. It says it is the first Indian DTH player to “provide real-time integration of all the three screens viz. television, mobile and computer enabling our customers to record their favourite TV programs through mobile and web.”

  • IPTV version launched by PTCL in Pakistan

    IPTV version launched by PTCL in Pakistan

    NEW DELHI: A new website mytv.com.pk has been launched in Pakistan akin to Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) which has a number of movies and TV shows for grown ups and a complete entertainment package that includes kids corner as well.

    The entertainment portal has been launched by the Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL) for its web customer.

    Other items in its entertainment package include updates of important events in Pakistan, fashion news, horoscope, sports, books, culinary and general news. Users of any broadband service can utilize this entertainment service though it is paid content.

    Users are required to SMS MYTV from a Ufone number to 9479 which will give a passkey to enter at the site to watch the video.

  • TRAI to hold open house on Cross Media Ownership this month

    TRAI to hold open house on Cross Media Ownership this month

    NEW DELHI: After having received forty responses and counter-responses, the telecom regulatory authority of India (Trai) has decided to hold an open house to take views of stakeholders on media ownership.

    The open house has been slated for 18 May in Delhi. It had earlier been slated for 11 May but was postponed by a week.

    Interestingly one of the counter-responses is from the administrative staff college of India, which had triggered the second consultation paper by Trai on the issue.

    Trai had set 29 April as the last date for stakeholders to offer their cross-comments. The paper had been issued on 15 February but the final date had been extended in view of the ‘complexity of the issue‘.

    The paper among other issues has sought comments on devising ownership rules for vertical integration between broadcasting and distribution entities.

    The paper will also devise rules/restrictions in case of mergers and acquisitions in the media sector, and media ownership rules within and across media segments.

    Methodology to measure ownership or control of an entity over a media outlet, identification of genres to be considered while framing media ownership rules and prescribing norms for mandatory disclosures by media entities are some other issues.

    Trai has also discussed in its paper issues relating to identification of media segments wherein media ownership rules are to be prescribed, and identification of relevant markets for evaluating various parameters to be used for devising ownership rules and the methodology for measuring these parameters.

    At the outset, TRAI said the paper had been issued at the request of the information and broadcasting ministry earlier last year following a report of the administrative staff college of India, in Hyderabad.

    Trai said that it was felt that reasonable restrictions may need to be put in place on ownership in the media sector, to ensure media pluralism and to counter the ills of monopolies. It pointed out that such restrictions do exist in many international markets.

  • SC admits LCOs plea against Tdsat’s DAS order

    SC admits LCOs plea against Tdsat’s DAS order

    NEW DELHI: The supreme court today admitted for hearing an appeal by united cable operators welfare association (Ucowa) challenging the revenue sharing model under the digital addressable system (DAS) for cable television.

    Chief justice Altamis Kabir, justice Vikramjit Sen and justice S A Bobde also issued notice to the telecom regulatory authority of India (Trai) and the information & broadcasting ministry.

    The court also decided to list for hearing this appeal along with the appeals filed earlier by Incable and Digicable.

    All the three appeals are against the judgment of the telecom disputes settlement and appellate tribunal (Tdsat) of 19 October last year.

    In its petition, the Ucowa said the tariff order and regulations were aimed at helping the television broadcasters and the direct-to-home platforms.

    They said it was also clear that the channels were deliberately not revealing their retail tariff per channel.

    The counsel stressed that they were not opposed to introduction of digital DAS but some infirmities had to be corrected.

    The LCOs had failed to get any relief from Tdsat on their plea that the revenue sharing pattern of 55:45 on the basic service tier (free to air television channels) of Rs 100 and 65:35 on the upper tier of Rs 150 (combination of FTA and pay channels), and their appeals were dismissed.

    The appeals by the MSOs had been filed against the unfair fixation of the wholesale rate the price broadcasters can charge of channels for DAS at not more than 42 percent of the non-Cas area rate. The MSOs are concerned about the rate that would be fixed after DAS is implemented countrywide (by December 2014).

  • DTH, internet register growth till end Dec ’12: Trai

    DTH, internet register growth till end Dec ’12: Trai

    MUMBAI: DTH TV in India is doing very well thank you. Bouoyed by the mandated digitisation of India’s cable TV sector and increased marketing activity by the six direct to home television service providers, the number of subscribers to DTH has climbed to 54.52 million subscribers. That’s the finding of The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in its latest quarterly report ending December 2012.

    These numbers were achieved half way through phase I digitisation.

    The report also says that the maximum TV channels being carried by any MSO nationally is 267, while traditional analogue cable TV operators were carrying 100 channels. It adds that India has close to 823 private satellite TV channels – in addition to the state owned broadcaster Doordarshan. 184 of these are pay TV channels. The data for the report was collated from 26 broadcast distributors.

    The report also says that Indians are taking to the internet more and more with the number of subscribers increasing to 25.33 million from 24.01 million in end September 2012 – registering a quarterly growth rate of 5.49 per cent. The Top 10 ISPs together hold 95.42 per cent of the total internet subscriber base. As far as broadband is concerned, the number of subscribers increased by 2.02 per cent to 14.98 million as against 14.68 million up to end September 2012. Almost 84.82 per cent of these subscribers are using DSL. However, the share of broadband subscription to total internet subscription decreased from 61.16 per cent (end September 2012) to 59.15 per cent (end December 2012).