ITV

Category: Television

  • Brett Lee to offer his experties on Times Now’s ‘League of Champions’

    Brett Lee to offer his experties on Times Now’s ‘League of Champions’

    MUMBAI: Times Now ropes in Brett Lee for its show League of Champions. Times Now brings the world’s fastest bowler up close and personal to all viewers with an exciting contest which will give them a chance to face his deliveries upfront.

    League of Champions, the special show on ICC Champions Trophy, will showcase Lee’s review of the match from the midst of all the action, straight from the cricket field. Everyday the game is analyzed by experts in the studio like Sanjay Manjrekar, a test double-centurion and the world famous commentator and ex-chairman of selectors of the Indian Cricket Team, Kiran More, according to an official statement.

    Winner of the Wisden Young Cricketer of the Year Award, Brett is admired in the cricketing world for his never-say-die attitude and brave performances with both the bat and the ball. Commenting on the association with Lee Times Now editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami said, “Brett Lee is not only the world’s fastest bowler, but also one of the most dynamic personalities in world cricket. Times Now viewers enjoy his candid analysis on television.”

    The channel has been hosting contests for the viewers wherein one can win right from premium tickets to ICC Champions Trophy cricket matches to cricket balls personally autographed by Brett Lee or even a personal appointment with the bowler. The audience can SMS LEE to 8888!, informs the release.

  • Adlabs Films Q2 net profit up 224 per cent at Rs 204 million

    Adlabs Films Q2 net profit up 224 per cent at Rs 204 million

    MUMBAI: Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group controlled Adlabs Films’ net profit stood at Rs 204 million for the quarter ended 30 September as against Rs 62.86 million for the same period last year.

    The second quarter total income recorded an increase of Rs 595.97 million from Rs 246.82 million for the July-September quarter 2005.

    Operating profit stood at Rs 309.51 million as against Rs 110.04 million for the corresponding period last year .

    The company’s expenditure for the quarter closed at Rs 286.45 million as compared to the previous fiscal period Rs 136.79 million.

    Recently, the company picked up 51 per cent stake in Siddharth Basu promoted Synergy Communications. The company also launched its radio stations in Delhi , Hyderabad , Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore, under the brand name Big 92.7 FM.

  • Universal Music sues content sharing sites Grouper, Bolt

    Universal Music sues content sharing sites Grouper, Bolt

    MUMBAI: The world’s largest recording company, Universal Music Group is charging the operators of two video-sharing Web sites for illegal downloading.

    The company has filed lawsuits against Grouper Networks which operates Grouper.com, and Bolt which runs Bolt.com.

    Grouper.com was recently acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment for $65 million. Media reports indicate that the suit charges that both grouper and Bolt.com had built traffic by encouraging users to share music videos from its artists without their permission. In one incident, it claimed a video for the Mariah Carey song “Shake it Off” was viewed more than 50,000 times on Grouper without the company’s permission.

    Earlier Universal had threatened to sue YouTube. However later on the two parties signed a deal to distribute music videos. YouTube agreed to pay a small licensing fee for the material and to share associated advertising revenues. Universal says that prior to filing the suit had looked to reach licensing deals with both Grouper and Bolt.

  • Cartoon Network Enterprises unveils ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’ merchandise

    Cartoon Network Enterprises unveils ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’ merchandise

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), the global licensing and merchandising division of the Network has announced the launch of consumer products featuring the Galli Galli Sim Sim characters including Elmo, Biscuit Badshah, Bharat, Ernie across four categories. In their efforts to extend the magic of the series, Turner International wants to give children a chance to touch, feel and own the characters outside of their TV sets.

    The first phase of the Galli Galli Sim Sim merchandising programme will commence with the launch of an entire range of apparel, publishing, plush and home furnishing for which CNE has partnered with Liliput, Euro Kids, Scholastic, Mattel and Portico.

    Cartoon Network Enterprises – India and South Asia director Jiggy George said, “The objective of Cartoon Network Enterprises is to mirror the success of the channel off-air. The fabulous response received for the revolutionary pre-school series Galli Galli Sim Sim along with the instant popularity being enjoyed by the show’s Muppets are reasons enough for us to offer kids’ merchandise centered around these new stars of kids’ programming.”

    “We are bullish about the Indian market and endeavour to consistently expand our products portfolio by constantly adding newer characters, brands, categories and retail partners.”

    Targeted at 2 – 8 years old, the Galli Galli Sim Sim range of apparel merchandise will be manufactured and distributed by Lilliput and will be available in 60 Liliput stores across India and multi-brand outlets.

    Euro Kids will offer eight storybooks across 25 cities while Scholastic will offer six titles across the Book Club catalogue to be sent to 2200 schools across 500 cities as well as various book fairs.

    Mattel will manufacture and distribute non-toxic Classic Sesame plush across multi-brand outlets and toy stores in over 20 cities. The range will introduce a Hindi-speaking plush for the first time in the country.

    Home furnishing merchandise will be manufactured and distributed by Portico and will include bedsheets, pillow covers, duvets and quilts featuring the Galli Galli Sim Sim Indian Muppets.

    Priced between Rs. 70 to Rs. 1399 across categories, the products will be available in multi-brand retail chains such as Lifestyle, Shoppers’ Stop, Pantaloon, Piramyd, Landmark and Hypercity. Galli Galli Sim Sim branded merchandise will be launched across several other categories in 2007.

    With this, Cartoon Network Enterprises continues to strengthen its retail presence with over 700 products currently available in over 13 categories such as apparel, plush, home furnishings, home décor, party products, stationery across 3000 plus counters and 20 cities, including branded in-store Cartoon Network corners in retail chains such as Lifestyle, Piramyd, Pantaloon, Shoppers’ Stop, Liliput, and others.

  • Infront, Dentsu launch football media services JV

    Infront, Dentsu launch football media services JV

    MUMBAI: The joint venture between Infront Sports and Media and Dentsu, created to handle the distribution of Asian broadcast rights to the 2010 and 2014 soccer Fifa World Cups and all Fifa events between 2007 and 2014, has been officially launched.

    The new company, called Football Media Services (FMS), is a result of Fifa’s award of the Asian rights to the Infront and Dentsu joint venture earlier this year. It was in March that Dentsu and Infront came together to form a joint venture to ward off a daring attempt by Nimbus Sport to get the rights,

    FMS has its headquarters in Singapore. It will handle the marketing of all television, radio, broadband internet and mobile broadcasting rights to the 2007-2014 Fifa events including the 2010 and 2014 Fifa World Cups in key Asian territories.

    The company is headed by Michael Francombe, who used to be an executive director with Infront in Switzerland.

    FMS has already been active in the sale of Fifa events in Asia. It will shortly announce a substantial new contract for a major Asian territory setting a new benchmark in the region and covering broadcast rights for all 2007-2014 FIFA events.

    Dentsu CEO Tomoharu Tsuruda said, “We have known and worked with the Infront team over many years, both as partners and friendly rivals. We have much respect for their abilities and believe that this joint-venture will deliver the best possible results for FIFA.”

    Infront, president and CEO Philippe Blatter says, “We are exited about our partnership with Dentsu. Our joint know-how provides a strong foundation to meet the expectations for successful distribution of the Asian broadcast rights. The results of FMS’s early initial negotiations in some of the major territories in Asia are already leading to very promising results.”

  • Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’

    Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’

    MUMBAI: Optimystix Entertainment’s format ‘Nirvana’ has been picked by Broadcast Magazine as one of the top five formats of Mipcom 2006.

    Whereas India is now a big player in sourcing formats from the world market, this will be the first time an Indian content producer has created content for the world market, informs an official release.

    Executive chairman of Optimystix, Sanjiv Sharma said “This is a format what we pitched to our fellow members at the Sparks Network at MIP TV in April this year. Whereas the format was extremely well received, it really exciting to be picked as one of the top five formats of the world’s biggest content market. We have serious interest for Nirvana from Networks in the US, France, Finland, Belgium, Poland and Italy.”

    Nirvana is a format where seekers from a country will come to India to seek spiritual solutions that will help them cope with modern life, the release adds.

    Managing Director and Head of Creative Services at Optimystix, Vipul D Shah said “This is matter of pride for the entire country. Whereas India will continue to consume creative ideas from the world market, it is very important to create content which can be pitted against the best of the best in the global arena.”

    Chairman of the Sparks Network, Nicola Soderlund said “This is the first time an Indian Format has hit the international TV market and this proves that Optimystix can compete with global players. We are very proud that Sparks has played a part in this achievement and expect several more original and ground breaking ideas to come out from this talented team. This is just the beginning.”

  • Animax India’s website goes from strength to strength

    Animax India’s website goes from strength to strength

    MUMBAI: Earlier this year in June animation channel Animax underwent a repositioning. While previously it used to target kids now it targets youth 15-24.

    It made a paradigm shift from kids’ entertainment to general entertainment animated series with mature content to be enjoyed by the urban youth.

    It launched its website www.animaxindia.com a couple of months ago. The Animax viewer can log on to obtain updates on the latest buzz words in all things animation. There are Animax forums and chats that discuss everything from Animax shows and animated characters to the exclusive gossip on anime box office and music.

    Animax now claims that since its inception there has been a 237 per cent rise in the page views indicating a page view of 255,262 in the month of September 2006 from 75,636 in the month of August, 2006. The number of unique visitors to the website has also increased at least one-fold from 3,327 in August 2006 to a substantial 8,241 in September, 2006.

    The channel says that since it is now grown up, the Animax viewer is a hip young adult that spends time at coffee shops, browsing the net for the latest in animation, gaming, gadgets and gizmos.

    Animax adds that the Indian youth today want to experience a daily life that is dynamic, fun and full of creativity. It is addressing this need through the site.

    Fans can be updated with all the schedules of their favourite Animax features. The website gives a voice to all the fans with its Animax Forum where they can log in and post their thoughts.

  • Big 92.7 FM unveils big diwali patakha contest

    Big 92.7 FM unveils big diwali patakha contest

    MUMBAI: Big 92.7 FM has geared up to celebrate the festival of lights – Diwali on an exciting note and sizzling note with Big Diwali Patakha Contest. This four-day campaign will witness a flurry of fantastic activity based on various innovative themes.

    The activity commences on 18 October, wherein the best comic artists in town will get together to give you a never-before-heard laughter experience all day long, according to an official statement. 

    Listeners can participate and win exciting gifts on the show by sending in their funniest Diwali stories and Diwali. The renowned comedians joining us on the airwaves would be Nazhar Khan,Ashish Roy Basu , Sunil Grover along with our own celebrity RJ Sunil Pal .

    19 October would be a day of predictions and prophecies with All Day Luck astrologers and tarot readers talking about various zodiac signs, birthday dates, and tips on numerology. The prominent astrologers making predictions on Big would be Suniel Naik, Atal Bhambhi and Sunita Menon.

    The third day brings in the nine hour All Day Loot contest, based on the theme of Filmy Patakhas like Neha Dhupia, Koena Mitra, Diya Mirza, Sameera Reddy and Bipasha Basu, wherein listerners will get to hear patakha Songs, patakha celeb bytes and patakha trivia. Nine lucky winners from the contest will be taken to a mall to grab whatever they can in 92.7 seconds. And if this is not enough, some of the winners can also bag a voucher worth Rs 9270 to shop. There will also be hourly winners of gold coins and silver coins from 7 am till 11 PM

    On the eve of Deepawali, Big 92.7 FM celebrates with All Day Tradition a show dedicated to the traditions, customs and rituals of Diwali followed in your city, full of trivia on spirituality and traditions woven around the pious occasion of Diwali. On the auspicious timing of Puja, Big 92.7 FM will air live aartis sung by celebrity singers.

    A day long contest will also be on, wherein the listeners cajole our Celeb RJs to visit their home and join them for the Diwali Aarti in the evening, and lucky winners will see Celeb RJ’s visiting their homes, performing evening Pooja and burst crackers with the lucky Big Family.

  • Optimystix’s ‘Nirvana’ rated amongst top 5 Mipcom formats by ‘Broadcast Magazine’

    MUMBAI: Optimystix Entertainment’s format ‘Nirvana’ has been picked by Broadcast Magazine as one of the top five formats of Mipcom 2006.

    Whereas India is now a big player in sourcing formats from the world market, this will be the first time an Indian content producer has created content for the world market, informs an official release.

    Executive chairman of Optimystix, Sanjiv Sharma said “This is a format what we pitched to our fellow members at the Sparks Network at MIP TV in April this year. Whereas the format was extremely well received, it really exciting to be picked as one of the top five formats of the world’s biggest content market. We have serious interest for Nirvana from Networks in the US, France, Finland, Belgium, Poland and Italy.”

    Nirvana is a format where seekers from a country will come to India to seek spiritual solutions that will help them cope with modern life, the release adds.

    Managing Director and Head of Creative Services at Optimystix, Vipul D Shah said “This is matter of pride for the entire country. Whereas India will continue to consume creative ideas from the world market, it is very important to create content which can be pitted against the best of the best in the global arena.”

    Chairman of the Sparks Network, Nicola Soderlund said “This is the first time an Indian Format has hit the international TV market and this proves that Optimystix can compete with global players. We are very proud that Sparks has played a part in this achievement and expect several more original and ground breaking ideas to come out from this talented team. This is just the beginning.”

  • Brilliant Entertainment appointed as official event mgmt. agency for IFFI 2006

    Brilliant Entertainment appointed as official event mgmt. agency for IFFI 2006

    MUMBAI: Brilliant Entertainment Networks (Ben) has been appointed as the official event management agency for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2006, to be held in Goa this November. The Delhi based company was selected after an elaborate three month selection procedure.

    Out of seven applicants three firms were short-listed by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), which is the state owned nodal agency associated with organising International Film Festivals. These included two Mumbai based firms, Wizcraft and 360 degrees Times Infotainment and Delhi based Brilliant Entertainment Networks.

    The IFFI-2004 and IFFI-2005 were handled by 360 degrees and Wizcraft respectively, however Ben walked away with the maximum scores this year. From a total of 100 points in marketing and technical expertise, Ben outscored the others two by a huge margin, the scores being: Ben – 96.4, Times Infortainment – 56 and Wizcraft – 44.

    The state government has been entrusted by the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and therefore, this will be the first time that an event management agency will take care of the inaugural and closing ceremonies too. ESG chief secretary J.P.Singh said, “The firm has been selected because of their creative design and marketing strategy.”

    Ben Director Raman Raheja added, “This is one of the biggest projects of our Events industry. IFFI-2006 gives us an opportunity to use our technical and creative expertise to take this event to the level of Cannes Film Festival.”