ITV

Category: Television

  • INDIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION

    INDIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION

    Unlike last two years where the league had two tiers with five teams each, the third edition of the PHL will have the top seven teams from the last years’s edition battiling for the country’s top Hockey team.The team have been chosen on the basis of their perfomance in last years PHL – namely, Sher-e-Jalandhar, Chandigarh Dynamos,Maratha Warriors, Banglore Lions and Hyderabad Sultans,the top two teams from Tier ||,that is,Orissa Steelers and Chennai Veerans will be playing in the Preimier division.

    The Premier division will have the seven teams play each other twice, in 42 matches, followed by a best of 3 play-off final between the top two teams in the league like last year. The total number of matches in all will be 45 and will span a period of two months.

    This edition of PHL will also see it move to a multi venue format with Chennai to play host for the PHL for the first month, followed by Chandigarh in the second. All matches will under lights as before and be covered LIVE and and exclusive by ESPN STAR Sports.

  • Qualcomm to host ‘Brew 2006’ India

    Qualcomm to host ‘Brew 2006’ India

    MUMBAI: Qualcomm Incorporated a developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies and mobile data solutions, has announced that it will host the second annual Brew Developers Conference – India.

    The conference will be held in Mumbai at The ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton on 29 November.

    The theme for this year’s conference ‘Brew Your Way’, is about discovering the limitless possibilities of the Brew solution. Targeted toward the wireless community in India, Brew 2006 – India will focus on bringing together distinguished members of the industry, both from within the country and around the world, asserts an official release.

    Qualcomm India and SAARC president Kanwalinder Singh said, “Last year, Brew 2005 – India was a huge success and was attended by more than 250 industry professionals, including leading operators and developers. Encouraged by the tremendous response to last year’s event, Qualcomm is excited to once again host the conference for India’s growing wireless community.”

    “Following a year of notable milestones, deployments and successes for the worldwide Brew community, this conference promises to reflect India’s distinct perspective on the progress of data services, as well as potential new trends within the industry,” Qualcomm India senior director sales and business development Vishal Gupta added.

    Brew subscribers would benefit from several offerings, which include: uiOne for rich, integrated and dynamic user experiences with fast access to high revenue services on wireless devices; deliveryOnefor differentiated and tightly integrated, operator-managed support and delivery of advanced wireless data content and services; and marketOnefor a quick-to-market, hosted, scalable content delivery service that includes media titles, flexible management and monetization, content provider settlement and business intelligence services.

    Qualcomm offers this comprehensive set of Brew offerings to meet the needs of companies delivering mobile products and services around the world, adds the release.

  • Zee Cine Awards heads to Bangkok; to be held on 3 March

    Zee Cine Awards heads to Bangkok; to be held on 3 March

    MUMBAI: Zee Network is gearing up for its 10th edition of its prestigious event property Zee Cine Awards. The media house has chosen Bangkok as the venue for this year’s awards.

    Zee Cine Awards 2007 will raise a toast to its meteoric rise through 10 eventful years and the exciting future ahead on 3 March 2007 at Impact Arena, Bangkok, informs an official release.

    Announcing the launch of ZCA 2007, Zee Telefilms CEO Pradeep Guha said, “Zee Cine Awards has been going international for three years now, but what continues to make it special is that going beyond the mere exotic value of foreign locales, each.
    ZCA has done its bit to take Bollywood to the world. And going by the enthusiastic response we get each time, the appetite has only gotten bigger and better! We hope Bangkok will set new records.”

    Zee Cine Awards honours the best of Bollywood. As per an official release, ZCA over the years has come to be one of the blue-chip yardsticks of creative and technical excellence coupled with being the biggest showbiz spectacle ever. Last year’s edition of ZCA was held in Mauritius and the event was participated by Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan to Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherji and Priyanka Chopra to name a few.

  • The History Channel special ‘Ape to Man’ wins top nod from National Academies

    The History Channel special ‘Ape to Man’ wins top nod from National Academies

    MUMBAI:Ape to Man, the two-hour special that premiered on the History Channel in August 2005 is set to receive the top prize from the National Academies in the category of TV/Radio.

    The History Channel is one of the cable television networks featuring original, non-fiction specials and series that bring history to life across multiple platforms.

    The National Academies award recognises excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering and medicine to the general public. The winners will be honoured during a ceremony on 9 Nov at the Academies’ Arnold and Mabel Beckman center in Irvine, Calif. , asserts an official release.

    The production team for Ape to Man is a recipient for works published or broadcast in 2005, among a field of 252 print, radio, and broadcast entries. They are: director Nic Young, producer Anna Thomson and executive producer Bill Locke.

    The award is given for The History Channel and Lion Television’s Ape to Man, an accurate overview of human evolution made accessible to broad audiences.

    Previously Ape to Man won the Emmy award for outstanding achievement in a craft: writing (writer: Nic Young). Ape to Man executive producer for The History Channel is Marc Etkind, adds the release.

  • INDIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION

    INDIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION

    Unlike last two years where the league had two tiers with five teams each, the third edition of the PHL will have the top seven teams from thelast years’s edition battiling for the country’s top Hockeyteam.The team have been chosen on the basis of their perfomance in last years PHL – namely, Sher-e-Jalandhar, Chandigarh Dynamos,Maratha Warriors, Banglore Lions and Hyderabad Sultans,the top two teams from Tier ||,that is,Orissa Steelers and Chennai Veerans will be playing in the Preimier division.

    The Premier division will have the seven teams play each other twice, in 42 matches, followed by a best of 3 play-off final between the top two teams in the league like last year. The total number of matches in all will be 45 and will span a period of two months.

    This edition of PHL will also see it move to a multi venue format with Chennai to play host for the PHL for the first month, followed by Chandigarh in the second. All matches will under lights as before and be covered LIVE and and exclusive by ESPN STAR Sports.

  • Cartoon Network to unveil first original movie ‘Re-Animated’ in December

    Cartoon Network to unveil first original movie ‘Re-Animated’ in December

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network’s first original movie Re-Animated, which is a two hour mix of animation and live-action, is set to premiere on 8 December at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

    The movie tells the story of a 12-year-old boy whose life is turned upside-down after an accident at an amusement park. When seventh-grader Jimmy Roberts requires an emergency brain transplant after a collision with a park trolley while visiting the famous Gollyworld theme park, his world is changed forever. Gollyworld doctors give him the frozen brain of the famous cartoonist Milt Appleday (comedy veteran Fred Willard).

    Now, wherever Jimmy goes he sees all of Milt Appleday’s cartoon characters in the real world. Golly Gopher, Dolly Gopher, Crocco the Alligator and the rest of the Appleday cartoon gang come to life, but only in Jimmy’s (or Milt’s) brain. While they can’t change anything in the real world, they certainly make life crazy for Jimmy.

    Jimmy has a sister who’s an alien with green skin, a dad who acts like a toddler, a mom who is an astronaut, and a villain whose best friend is a bag of cash. It’s a world that sometimes feels so cartoony that the cartoons in Jimmy’s head are the only part that feel sane, states an official release.

    Re-Animated is created and written by Adam Pava and Tim McKeon, who were writers on Cartoon Network’s hit series Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and The Life & Times of Juniper Lee. The film is directed by New York-based filmmaker Bruce Hurwit and produced by Renegade Animation, Appleday Pictures and Cartoon Network.

    A three-minute special preview trailer of Re-animated can be viewed at www.cartoonnetwork.com/reanimated_preview.

  • BroVis wireless networks announces global expansion

    BroVis wireless networks announces global expansion

    MUMBAI: Brovis Wireless Networks (BroVis), a global provider of next-generation broadband wireless infrastructure systems and solutions, has started sales, marketing and manufacturing operations in the south east asia region comprising of 10 countries.

    As part of this global expansion initiative, BroVis has signed a comprehensive strategic partnership with Iconbase SDN BHD, Malaysia, a provider of telecom and wireless products, with regional offices in many south east asia regions.
    Iconbase will distribute and support BroVis products in 10 south east asia countries including Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. BroVis will establish its second production unit (the first being in Chennai) in Kuala Lumpur for local consumption as well as exports, asserts an official release.

    BroVis has completed its series B financing of US$3 Million led by Parakletos at Ventures, based in Menlo Park, CA, USA. The investment will fuel global expansion as well as product development activities.

    In conjunction with this funding and expansion, Silicon Valley Venture capitalist and head Parakletos at Venture Dr. Paul Kim has joined the BroVis board of directors as chairman. The other two board members are , BroVis founder and CEO Muthu Logan, and BroVis technology strategist and founding investor Babu Mandava.

    “Fresh investments pouring in would strengthen our expansion activities and also enable us to invest in acquiring necessary resources. Value addition through R&D is indispensable and we would continue to excel in the same” said BroVis founder and chief executive officer Muthu Logan.

    The Brovis broadcell and radio-zone solutions deliver a comprehensive solution for telcos, service providers and corporate campus network managers, enabling fast deployment and simple integration into existing networks. NLOS capabilities allow operators to reach more customers while reducing overall costs.

    Brovis is getting aggressive in the Indian market as well as expanding in the newer regions. The firm is set to launch a whole new range of wireless products by this fiscal year end. The new product line includes enhanced version of its current product line as well as new product lines like wireless dynamic mesh routers and Wi-Max based solutions, added the release.

  • ABU slams changes in Beijing 2008 Olympics schedule

    ABU slams changes in Beijing 2008 Olympics schedule

    MUMBAI: The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) has added its weight to the rising chorus of protests against the recent rescheduling of key events for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

    IOC’s decision, announced last week, to reschedule the swimming and gymnastics finals to the morning, Beijing time, instead of holding them in the evening as is traditional, is seen as being a result of the pressure exerted by the powerful “US lobby”. Television network NBC, which paid $3.55 billion for the US telecast rights for the Olympics, wants to ensure that these events are seen at prime-time in North America.

    ABU President Genichi Hashimoto made the protest call at a news conference in Beijing yesterday on the eve of the ABU’s annual General Assembly.

    “We are very disappointed and strongly regret the changes that have been made to the time schedule for swimming and gymnastics,” said Hashimoto, who is also president of Japan’s public broadcaster NHK.

    “The Olympic Games is a highly-anticipated event which everyone all over the world is looking forward to watching. We have to give serious consideration to this matter so that such a regrettable incident will never happen again in the future,” added Hashimoto.

    Les Murray, ABU Sports Group chairman and editorial supervisor for SBS Sports, Australia, said the majority of the press has described this “as the worst decision by the International Olympic Committee in recent memory and one that is obviously designed to only benefit the giant US television network NBC.”

    The move could cost Asian broadcasters millions of dollars in lost ad revenue, said ABU’s head of Sports John Barton.

    “We want the Olympic family to be strong. We want to see a true partnership of equals regardless of commercial muscle,” ABU secretary-general David Astley said in a speech to the sports group meeting that preceded the general assembly.

    How the IOC responds to the ABU’s protests, which follow those made earlier by the European Broadcasting Union, will be watched closely. Asian broadcasters, which include the host of the 2008 Games, would likely have a more telling influence in the matter.

  • Sony ships new ‘American Idol’ music creation software

    Sony ships new ‘American Idol’ music creation software

    MUMBAI: Sony Media Software, a provider of music creation programs for the PC and FremantleMedia licensing worldwide, the licensing division of FremantleMedia, international creators and producers of programmed brands in the world, have announced the availability of American Idol Jam Trax and American Idol Extreme Music Creator software, two new applications that let users create music just like the stars of American Idol.

    American Idol Jam Trax software is an easy- to-use music creation and recording software application that comes with over six hundred music loops and samples which can be mixed together to build original songs. Users can lay down an instrumental background track, plug in a microphone and record their vocals live. Additionally, the software can change the tempo and key of a song and can even email the finished results to others right from within the program and is available at a price of $19.95, asserts an official release.

    American Idol Extreme Music Creator software offers more advanced music- making features for aspiring musicians and singers who are serious about the chance at their turn as America’s next superstar. Users can record their vocals, remix their own favorite songs or burn them to a CD to share with others.

    The software includes hundreds of royalty-free music loops and samples in multiple genres making the creative possibilities endless. Extreme Music Creator also comes with a free Randy Jackson’s Producer’s Pack bonus disc, providing over 250 additional pop music loops and samples. With up to six prearranged projects, users can simply lay down their vocals and create a song and is available at a price of $49.95.

    Music producer and one of the judges on American Idol Randy Jackson said, “This software is the bomb, working with American Idol Extreme Music Creator software is a great way for anyone to discover their hidden musical talents. With my producer’s pack you can access even more loops that will help you create your own tracks and remix your favorite songs. Then you can share your new music creations with the world.”

    American Idol Jam Trax and American Idol Extreme Music Creator software (which includes the bonus Randy Jackson’s Producer’s Pack) are available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, Office Depot, Amazon.com and other major retail stores nationwide.

    Future editions of the Randy Jackson’s Producer’s Packs, add-on loops and music samples for American Idol Extreme Music Creator software, will hit the shelves before the holidays for a price of $24.95, adds the release.

  • Educational TV has positive effects on toddlers, preschoolers

    MUMBAI: A new study in the US suggests that educational television programmes are successful in broadening young children‘s knowledge, affecting their racial attitudes and increasing their imaginations.


    A study has been published in the November issue of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.



    Researchers Dimitri A. Christakis, Michelle M. Garrison and Rupin R. Thakkar, MD, of the Child Health Institute, conducted a systematic literature search and identified a total of 376 articles dealing with children and television. Of these, 12 met the criteria of being a controlled trial. The 12 studies were conducted between 1973 and 2000 and focused specifically on television content viewed by children under age six and its impact on learning, racial preference, aggression, pro-social behaviour, self-regulation and imagination. None of these studies looked at infant television viewing or examined the content of videos designed for
    children.


    The research found that there is evidence to suggest that educational television programs, such as Sesame Street and Mister Rogers can aid in the acquisition of general knowledge plus improve overall cognitive knowledge among young children.


    There is also evidence in the literature
    that children‘s imaginative play can be positively affected by television content. Furthermore, there is evidence that educational television programming that emphasizes diversity can improve children‘s racial attitudes.


    On the negative side, there is evidence that television viewing can increase a child‘s display of aggression. Children who watch aggressive programmes and cartoons with lots of violence can be more likely to engage in
    aggressive behavior than those that do not.


    Dr. Christakis says, “The bottom line is that content is key — high-quality educational programming can have a positive effect on children under age six. However, much more research is needed. It was disappointing that there are so few rigorous controlled trials of something that is so important and so prevalent.”

    The study‘s researchers also stress the importance of AAP recommendations that parents avoid letting their children under age 2 watch television and that parents exert caution — such as setting limits on TV viewing, helping children develop media literacy skills to questions, analyze and evaluate TV messages, and taking an active role in their children‘s TV viewing — for children over age 2.