Category: Television

BBC to make big screen wildlife film on ‘The Meerkats’

MUMBAI: BBC Films will collaborate with the BBC Natural History Unit to produce their first ever feature film together, The Meerkats.

The film is set to start principal photography this month in the Kalahari Desert. The Weinstein Company are co-financing the project, and will distribute the film internationally.

The Meerkats is directed by James Honeyborne, with Joe Oppenheimer and Trevor Ingman as producers. BBC Natural History Unit head Neil Nightingale and BBC Films head David M Thompson will serve as executive producers with co-president of production, Michael Cole and director of development and production Rhodri Thomas overseeing the project on behalf of The Weinstein Company.

The BBC Natural History Unit has been involved in feature films emanating from their own television series – Blue Planet and the forthcoming Planet Earth. But this is the first time such a project has been produced as a feature film right from the outset, asserts an official release.

The Meerkats is a revealing look at one family’s daily struggle for survival in the harshest environment on earth. But what makes these natives of the African plains even more remarkable is a family dynamic which bears an uncanny resemblance to our own.

Whether they are going through the routines of daily life or locked in a very real battle to stay alive, The Meerkats is a look at how one family’s connection to each other and their surroundings stands as a model of resilience and fortitude.

Talking about the film Thompson said, “This is a tremendously exciting collaboration. The Natural History Unit is the best in the world at what they do and we’re really thrilled to be working with them at last. The film has huge emotional appeal and will really travel internationally. It’s a great story, with a fantastic team behind it, and we hope this will be the start of a great partnership for the future.”

Nightingale added, “I am very excited about the potential of this film project, combining the talents of the BBC Natural History Unit and BBC Films. With a strong and emotional story, featuring some of the most charismatic of wildlife characters, this film will appeal to a very broad cinema audience, in Britain and around the world.”

BBC Films is the feature film-making arm of the BBC, developing, producing and financing an average of eight feature films each year.

November 3, 2006
Carl D. Folta is Viacom executive VP, corporate communications

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom has appointed Carl D. Folta as executive VP, corporate communications.
Folta, who will serve as Viacom’s chief communications strategist and spokesperson, will report to Viacom senior executive VP and chief administrative officer Thomas E. Dooley. Folta, most recently served as executive vice president, office of the chairman.

In his new role, he will be responsible for Viacom’s overall communications activities, both internally and externally, as well as the coordination of communications at the Company’s operations, including MTV Networks, Bet Networks, the Paramount Motion Picture Group and Famous Music. Folta will have oversight for all financial communications, and will direct the Company’s media relations activities for industry issues and public affairs, including regulatory, legislative and legal matters.

Additionally, he will be responsible for managing corporate events and overseeing the Company’s philanthropy activities and public affairs programs, including Know HIV/Aids, the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning cross- platform public education partnership with CBS and Kaiser Family Foundation, which he initiated in 2003.

Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman said, “Carl is a consummate communications professional who understands the strategic and financial complexities of our businesses and the industry. I know he will make a big contribution to Viacom in the future as we continue to expand and embrace the opportunities of the digital age. I am also pleased that I will have the opportunity to continue to work with Carole and that Viacom will continue to benefit from her knowledge, experience and talent as she moves to her new role at MTV Networks.”

Dooley said, “Carl is a highly effective leader and a seasoned communications councelor with more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of the public relations field, including financial and investor communications. I couldn’t be more pleased to be teaming up with him again.”

November 3, 2006
Carl D. Folta is Viacom executive VP, corporate communications

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom has appointed Carl D. Folta as executive VP, corporate communications.

Folta, who will serve as Viacom’s chief communications strategist and spokesperson, will report to Viacom senior executive VP and chief administrative officer Thomas E. Dooley. Folta, most recently served as executive vice president, office of the chairman.

In his new role, he will be responsible for Viacom’s overall communications activities, both internally and externally, as well as the coordination of communications at the Company’s operations, including MTV Networks, Bet Networks, the Paramount Motion Picture Group and Famous Music. Folta will have oversight for all financial communications, and will direct the Company’s media relations activities for industry issues and public affairs, including regulatory, legislative and legal matters.

Additionally, he will be responsible for managing corporate events and overseeing the Company’s philanthropy activities and public affairs programs, including Know HIV/Aids, the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning cross- platform public education partnership with CBS and Kaiser Family Foundation, which he initiated in 2003.

Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman said, “Carl is a consummate communications professional who understands the strategic and financial complexities of our businesses and the industry. I know he will make a big contribution to Viacom in the future as we continue to expand and embrace the opportunities of the digital age. I am also pleased that I will have the opportunity to continue to work with Carole and that Viacom will continue to benefit from her knowledge, experience and talent as she moves to her new role at MTV Networks.”

Dooley said, “Carl is a highly effective leader and a seasoned communications councelor with more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of the public relations field, including financial and investor communications. I couldn’t be more pleased to be teaming up with him again.”

November 3, 2006
‘Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses’ hits mobile content in India

MUMBAI: Mobile content based on Barbie’s latest movie, Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses has been launched across mobile networks in India including Hutch, Airtel, Idea, BSNL, MTNL, Reliance and Tata.

Wallpapers, animations, themes, mono tones, poly tones, SMS tones, true tones, video clips and MMS Clips / M-cards will also be available and can be accessed by any GPRS enabled phone, informs an official release.

Speaking on Barbie’s latest marketing initiative Mattel Toys India managing director Sanjay Luthra said, “The range of 12 Dancing Princesses: the dancing Barbie doll, the other doll characters, a musical castle, a stretch-limo Carriage etc. supported by lifestyle consumer products – takes every little girl deeper into the world of brand ‘Barbie’ and enhances her magical experience and interaction with her favourite Doll. Mobile content is one more avenue to reach out to parents’ who are trying to keep up with their tech-savvy Kids!”

He added, “While Experiential Marketing has always been an important element of our Brand’s Strategy; 360 Degree programs such as these, merely help to build our consumer’s loyalty and inclination to “live in” Barbie’s world with Barbie and for parents who want to teach their children, traditional family values and togetherness that that we respect as part of our Indian beliefs, Barbie brings alive the same, through story and example.”

Speaking on the mobile content offering the digital content production and distribution company, Rajshri Media (P) Limited managing director Rajjat A. Barjatya said, “We have been enthralled at the response to Barbie mobile content over the last one year and are delighted to release yet another property on the mobile phone. In fact very soon, we have plans to bring Barbie a lot more close to you, by launching the Barbie MobiWorld on our short code and a series of mobile games too. We are quite confident that the new initiatives we are taking, along with Mattel, will be well accepted.”

In addition, this entertainment property is also supported by lifestyle consumer products such as: the animation movie content on VCD and DVD from Universal Pictures and distributed locally by SaReGaMa, and other licensed consumer products such as storybooks from Euro Kids and Sterling Publishers, role play toys and costumes, My Size jigsaw puzzles and tableware from Mahindra Intertrade , play cosmetics from Magicwell, bags from Genius Leathercraft, innerwear from A-Klass Fashions, nightwear from SD-Lounge and bed linen from Portico, adds the release.

November 3, 2006
Star One, Star Gold to debut in UK this Nov-Dec

MUMBAI: After Japan, it’s the turn of the UK for Star India channels to spread their wings. Star India has entered into a syndication deal with BSkyB to launch Star One and Star Gold.

Entertainment channel Star One and movie platform Star Gold will debut in the UK later this month or early December on BSkyB, which is over-35 per cent owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.

Star One is already available on US-DirecTV along with, Star Plus, Star News and Star Vijay. Speaking to indiantelevision.com Star India official spokesperson refused to comment on when will Star Gold be available to DirecTV subscribers.

While, on BSkyB, only two of channels –Star Plus and Star News are accessible.

According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, the decision has been taken and most formalities are said to be been completed. The reason for taking these two channels, apart from already existing ones, to the UK is that there’s a sizable Indian-origin population residing there who would pay to watch Indian fare, especially Hindi movies.

However, the programming on Star One and Star Gold may not be a photocopy of what’s seen back home. Reason: copyright issues. Especially those related to the satellite rights of Hindi movies.

Earlier this week, Star had announced launch of five Indian and two international channels in Japan on a new IPTV and community platform World on Demand (WoD). On WoD, Star has launched Star Plus, Star One, Star News, Star Utsav and Vijay, along with Sky News and Fox News.

November 3, 2006
NDTV launches opt-out tech for Delhi with ‘Fight for Delhi’

MUMBAI: After launching the opt-out technology in south-only and Kolkata-only shows, NDTV has announced to use its opt-out technology to launch a special show for Delhi.

NDTV 24X7’s Delhi viewers will now have a 30-minute show dedicated to the news that affects the capital. Using its opt-out technology, starting 6 November. The channel will broadcast Fight for Delhi at 7.30 pm on weeknights. While the capital watches this show, the rest of the country will watch NDTV 24X7’s national beam.

Fight For Delhi will bring the people of Delhi face-to-face with their elected representatives so they can get an immediate response to their concerns, states an official release.

“It’s a problem-solving show that forces bureaucrats, ministers, anyone who’s in charge to commit on air, to making the change that people want. And we will follow up on the promises that they’re made. It’s a show that campaigns for Delhi and its people,” says NDTV 24X7 managing editor Sonia Singh.

“Sheila Dikshit, has committed to meeting voters once a week on this show. Our viewers will share their issues with her, and she will appoint a person to help them out by a fixed date,” comments NDTV chairman Prannoy Roy.

The statement issued by the company stated that NDTV’s opt-out program in South India, ‘Southern Edition’, generated a huge response in the four states it airs every night at 7 pm. Viewers in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu watch their own local news on this show, while the rest of the country receives NDTV 24X7’s national beam. Once a week, southern viewers also get their own edition of “The Big Fight”, an NDTV hallmark. With the use of the opt-out technology, viewers in Kolkata also watched city-specific programming during Durga Puja.

Opt-out technology, developed by NDTV, enables geographical areas to receive an independent video signal. It’s based on automatic satellite transmission without any manual intervention. There are individual boxes that are programmed to receive and switch frequency at the desired time to shift out of the regular feed and again switch back to the main feed when the opt-out is over.

November 3, 2006
Infomedia & Reed Business Information partner to launch Hotfrog.in

MUMBAI: Infomedia India Ltd., special interest and directory publishing company has joined forces with the Australian business to business publisher Reed Business Information, and its online division, Catch, to launch Hotfrog.in in India.

Hotfrog.in is a free business listings site where the content is driven by its users and is maintained and updated by its users. Users are able to update their listings with press releases announcing news for their business, as well as listing products and services and linking back to external websites, informs an official release.

“Being India’s largest Yellow Pages and having healthy partnership with Reed Business Information, it was a logical step to launch an Indian-based site as it’s such a rapidly growing and vibrant online market,” Infomedia managing director Prakash Iyer said.

“HotFrog is one of the most exciting new web developments which gives users control. We are happy and confident that with the strong database of Infomedia Yellow Pages, Hotfrog will reach out to the right target audience in Indiam,” said Catch managing director Andrew Dent.

Hotfrog.in is the 10th Hotfrog site to be launched around the world and its is estimated that Hotfrog.in already has 450000 listings. Launched in Australia in May 2005, HotFrog.com.au currently has around 900000 businesses listed.

November 3, 2006
‘L’il Champs’ finale rockets Zee to top of ratings charts

MUMBAI: The tykes really did a number for Zee TV with their chart-busting ratings performance. The Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs finale live event on 28 October fetched Subhash Chandra’s flagship channel a whopping 11.1 TVR, rocketing it to the top of the charts.

What was quite remarkable about the numbers, which is for the HSM 4+ TG, is that this is the average TVR the show generated over the full three-and-a-half hours it was on air and it was still well ahead of the perennial number one – Star Plus’ half-hour queen of soaps Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi – which registered a 10.3 TVR. The peak rating L’il Champs achieved was at 10 pm – of 15.4.

The performance of L’il Champs gave Zee TV a reach of 30 per cent taking the channel to 350 GRPs, while Star Plus and Sony had 454 and 151 GRPs respectively.

An elated Punit Goenka business head Zee TV remarked, “We are thrilled with the ratings of the finale. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs has been a very successful series since its inception. We have been overwhelmed by the response the show has garnered over the past few weeks. It provides an impetus to strive harder and clearly boosts the morale of the team. We will continue to put in our best efforts into making other shows such a grand success. As the average break TVR was 8.4, the show garnered high visibility for our partners as well.”

Title sponsor Hero Honda would certainly be pleased by that bit of news of course.

Expectedly, the highest ratings came in from the home cities of the three finalists.
* Kolkata – Rating 15.8 and reach 39 per cent.
* Mumbai – Rating 13.9 and reach 29.6 per cent.
* Delhi – Rating 11.4 and reach 29 per cent.

The Sa Re Ga Ma Pa story seems to be just getting better for Zee, much like American Idol has been for Chandra’s one time partner and now bitter rival in India Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Network.

November 3, 2006
MGM partners with Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner to revive United Artists

MUMBAI: United Artists (UA), the studio founded by movie greats Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith some 85 years ago and responsible for delivering film franchises as Rocky, Pink Panther and James Bond will be reborn.

This is being done through a partnership formed between Cruise, Wagner and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which was announced by MGM chairman and CEO Harry E. Sloan.

Cruise and Wagner were previously with Paramount before they parted ways earlier this year ending a 14 year relationship.

Along with their substantial ownership, Cruise and Wagner will have control of setting the company’s production slate, from development to production greenlighting ability, subject to certain parameters. Wagner will serve as chief executive officer of United Artists alongside her longstanding producing partner Cruise, who will star in as well as produce films for United Artists and also be available to appear in film projects for other studios, asserts an official release.

Cruise last teamed up with the original UA in Rain Man in 1988. In establishing United Artists as a new entity, MGM and Cruise/Wagner will look to return the studio to its former roots by recognising what made UA great in the first place — studio management by creative talent who can best encourage and support other creative talent.

The studio will be reborn as a place where producers, writers, directors and actors can thrive in a creative environment, developing and producing entertaining film projects. The plan would allow artists throughout the community to pursue their creative visions outside of the traditional studio system, adds the release.

The studio plans to have a production slate of approximately four films each year, which may increase in the future. Worldwide marketing and distribution will be handled by partner MGM. UA will be a major supplier of feature films to MGM, with production and development of UA movies being fully financed by MGM and its partners.

Sloan said, “Tom and Paula are the modern versions of the iconic founders of United Artists — Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and D. W. Griffith — and our partnership with them reaffirms our commitment to providing creative talent with a comfortable home at United Artists and a dedicated distribution partner in MGM. ”

Cruise said, “Paula and I are very respectful of the rich history and tradition of United Artists, and we welcome the opportunity to contribute to that legacy by providing a wide range of releases that appeal to all audiences. It’s our desire to create an environment where filmmakers can thrive and see their visions realized.”

MGM COO Rick Sands said, “Providing Tom and Paula with the ability to greenlight films under the UA banner validates MGM’s commitment to and recognition of independent producers as the true creative nucleus of Hollywood filmmaking.The resurgence of United Artists will take us another step closer to realizing the full revitalization of MGM. Harry and I are personally thrilled to be working with Tom and Paula.”

November 3, 2006
MindShare promotes Pratibha Vinayak to managing director – Sri Lanka

MUMBAI: MindShare has announced that Pratibha ‘Pat’ Vinayak, currently national director – investments for Unilever at Mindshare, will move to Colombo as MindShare Sri Lanka managing director.

MindShare North, East, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh MD Sundar Raman said, “Pat is one of the most respected media professionals in the industry and we are fortunate to have such a high calibre professional in Pat to lead the MindShare business in Sri Lanka. We are looking forward to the same high level of enthusiasm, drive and innovation that she brought to the business in India.”

Vinayak is a media professional with experience across agency, publishing and broadcasting businesses. She spent over a decade with Reader’s Digest managing research and marketing before joining JWT to handle media responsibilities on Unilever under the newly formed JWT Fulcrum where she spent over five years.

She also spent time with Sony entertainment television and Carat before returning back MindShare Fulcrum to manage Unilever investments in 2004. A strong industry advocate, Pat has served on the technical committee of leading industry studies, states an official release.

It has been said that over the years Pat and her team have been instrumental in bringing discontinuous trading practices in managing investments for demanding clients.

Commenting on her new role, Pat says “I am looking forward to working with a fantastic management team which has built MindShare into the best agency in the region, and helping consolidate our leading position in Asia.”

November 2, 2006