ITV

Category: Television

  • Interactive TV portal solution for Dutch channel launched this football season

    Interactive TV portal solution for Dutch channel launched this football season

    MUMBAI: chellomedia Interactive Services has launched a new interactive TV portal in the Netherlands on Sport1, this soccer season.

    Digital premium channel Sport1 now offers its subscribers on the UPC cable platform (UPC Digital TV) the option to switch between four Sport1 channels presented on one TV screen.

    The launch of the interactive portal fits in with chellomedia’s strategy to offer new digital services to cable network operators in Europe as well as to broadcasters and other platform owners.

    While watching a match, viewers are able to call up for extra information such as match results, current scores, player statistics, an interactive quiz and a dedicated World Cup section.

    chellomedia Interactive Services exwecutive VP Noel Leslie says, “We are developing these kind of interactive solutions for operators and broadcasters in order to help them increase and retain channel audiences and to create opportunities for new revenue streams. These converged TV and internet solutions give viewers more and more control: they have more to choose from, can access content on-demand and even participate in programmes.”

    Sport1 GM Jeroen Oerlemans says, “The launch of our Sport1 TV portal will provide great added value to our premium sports channel in the Netherlands. With this easily accessible interactivity and the possibility to view a mosaic with multiple live channels, the viewer becomes more powerful and gets more choices. We think this portal will fulfil a great need.”

    chellomedia develops and facilitates these services using its authoring and deployment solution chello mistral. This solution enables quick and simple development by members of a creative team across multiple platforms and middlewares. It is also accredited by BSkyB to deliver interactive advertising, for which chellomedia has partnerships with leading UK broadcasters and ad agencies.

    chellomedia interactive services delivers entertainment-focused, interactive applications and content which strengthen digital TV and PC-based, broadband Internet offerings.

  • Rupert Murdoch is Australia’s most influential person: Survey

    Rupert Murdoch is Australia’s most influential person: Survey

    MUMBAI: Media mogul and News Corp chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch has been named the most influential Australian of all time. This appeared in a survey conducted by the Bulletin magazine containing a list of 100 candidates that includes athletes, entertainers and people from many other professions.

    Murdoch who beat out the likes of Sir Don Bradman said, “When I look at the list of scientists and doctors and people on the list who have done a great deal more to improve the whole world, I am very, very humbled to be chosen today. This is a great honour and a great moment for me.”

    In another report in The Age, Murdoch was quoted urging the Australian government to expand its overhaul of media ownership rules or dump planned changes altogether. He said that the government should use its cross- and foreign media ownership reforms to make Australia’s media industry a more open playing field.

  • Disney Records celebrates 50 years; unveils classics on iTunes, ‘The Music Behind the Magic’ CD & exhibition

    Disney Records celebrates 50 years; unveils classics on iTunes, ‘The Music Behind the Magic’ CD & exhibition

    MUMBAI: In celebration of the 50th anniversary, Walt Disney Records has lined up a preservation and restoration process for the label’s earliest classic recordings and an archival CD collection and exhibition titled The Music Behind the Magic.

    As part of this celebration, the label will begin releasing these restored titles and will be available through digital outlets, including iTunes, marking the release of Disneyland and Buena Vista records. The vast quantity of archive song material consists of classic Disney songs, original material performed by popular artists of the day and movie soundtracks. These songs will be digitally restored beyond the sonic brilliance of the original masters, allowing them to sound better than they did when they were first issued nearly 50 years ago, informs an official release.

    Walt Disney Records’ The Archive Collection is a special iTunes digital-only release featuring 50 WDR recordings from a wide range of artists including, Cliff Edwards (voice of Jiminy Cricket), Mary Martin, Hayley Mills, Burl Ives, Louis Prima, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Armstrong, Little Richard, Peter Frampton, They Might Be Giants, The Cheetah Girls and many more. The Archive Collection will be available on iTunes beginning November 7.

    In addition to the digital releases, the label will also unveil a special two disc commemorative edition, Disney’s The Music Behind the Magic. The collection highlights 50 of the most loved musical classics from movies, television shows, theme parks, Broadway musicals and unique WDR recordings.

    These will include, Some Day My Prince Will Come from Snow White (first soundtrack), When You Wish Upon a Star from Pinocchio (theme song for TWDC), The Ballad of Davy Crockett (first single from a television show), Tall Paul by Annette Funicello (the label’s first teen sensation), tracks from Mary Poppins (album held the #1 position on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart for 14 weeks) and Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King (soundtrack earned WDR its first Diamond Award from the RIAA, certifying sales of 10 million units), adds the release.

    The 50th anniversary celebration will continue as Walt Disney Records’ and The Walt Disney Company’s legacy is brought to life with an exhibit, also titled Disney: The Music Behind the Magic. Opening 5 November, the exhibit will be housed at Seattle’s Experience Music Project (EMP) for one year before traveling to cities across the U.S. and around the world.

    Disney: The Music Behind the Magic claims to be the first comprehensive exhibit devoted to exploring and examining the role music has played in The Walt Disney Company’s successes and its cultural impact over the past 80 years.

    “There is no other record label in the history of the industry with as diverse and eclectic a catalog as Walt Disney Records,” said Walt Disney Records Sr vice president/general manager Robert Marick. “Our catalog is comprised of 15,000 recordings including releases from a variety of superstars from every era — from Louis Armstrong to Peggy Lee to Annette Funicello and Christina Aguilera.”

    Marick adds, “Music has always played an integral role in the success of all facets of The Walt Disney Company. The Experience Music Project exhibit captures, for the very first time, the lasting legacy and impact Disney has made in the music industry and pop culture around the world. The exhibit, along with our catalog preservation efforts, Commemorative Edition two-disc release and Billboard Tribute Issue are terrific ways to celebrate the label’s 50th Anniversary.”

    Since its launch as Disneyland Records by Walt and Roy Disney in 1956, the label has earned more than 275 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards from the R.I.A.A., 22 Grammys and 18 Academy Awards. The label started as an extension of The Walt Disney Company’s film, television and theme park projects. Well-known offerings such as High School Musical (3x platinum), the Disneymania franchise (3 million units), The Lion King franchise (15+ million units) and Mary Poppins (3x platinum) showcase the enduring popularity of WDR’s catalog, with several releases ranking among the top-selling singles and soundtracks of all time.

    Details of the label’s contribution to the music industry and The Walt Disney Company for its 50th celebration will be featured in the forthcoming Billboard Magazine Tribute issue, on sale 4 November.

  • Celebrate Christmas with the magic of Star Movies

    Celebrate Christmas with the magic of Star Movies

    Mumbai, November 30, 2006: Come December and Star Movies takes you through a joyous and action-packed ride! For the first time on Indian television, Star Movies presents Star Wars: The Complete Saga featuring all six titles for six spectacular weeks every Sunday night from December 17th onwards!

    Celebrate Christmas with a special line-up of movies that truly reflect the spirit of the festival of joy, taking viewers through all the festivities with the best movies from Hollywood! And of course from Friday Night Premiere of the latest Hollywood blockbusters to the exclusive limited series presenting action-packed drama and mind-blowing adventure, it is all happening on Star Movies. So, get hooked to your television sets and celebrate festivities this December with the magic of movies!

    The all-time favourite science fantasy saga Star Wars airs exclusively on Star Movies this month! Every Sunday at 9 p.m. from December 17 to January 21st, Star Wars: The Complete Saga features all six titles in the US$3.5 billion franchise airing in sequence for the first time on Indian television. Kicking off the Star Wars mania will be The Phantom Menace on December 17th and The Attack of the Clones on December 24th. And that’s not all, catch the exclusive premiere of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith on December 31st only on Star Movies!

    On Christmas day, Star Movies presents a special line-up of movies including 12 Dogs of Christmas, The Grinch, Crazy for Christmas, Noel and Surviving Christmas that are sure to make you believe in miracles, be thankful and forgiving and just be joyous this holiday season!

    This month, Star Movies also presents the exclusive limited series – Covert One: The Hades Factor and Ring Of The Nibelungs. On December 2nd & 3rd at 9 p.m. make sure you catch Covert One: The Hades Factor, a thrilling action packed drama that pits the law enforcement agencies against the threat of biological warfare. The series quite accurately depicts the global crisis facing today’s world. Ring Of The Nibelungs, which will air on December 9th and 10th at 9 p.m. is a mind-blowing adventure based on the Germanic myth “Das Nibelungenlied” and the Nordic “Volsunga Saga” which also inspired the four-opera cycle by Richard Wagner and J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic “The Lord of the Rings”.

    Every Friday night this month, Star Movies premieres the latest Hollywood blockbusters starring superstars Mike Myers, Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Alec Baldwin, Robin Williams, Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry and Mel Brooks. Tune-in to watch the exclusive premieres of Fantastic Four, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The Hat, Dungeons and Dragons 2, Robots, and Spymate every Friday night.

    And if that’s not enough … catch an exclusive sneak peek into the soon-to-release Hollywood movie, Eragon on December 10th as Opening Night gives you an up-close and intimate view before the release.

    So this December tune in to Star Movies and catch all the fun, action, excitement and adventure, all through the month.

    About Star
    STAR is a leading media and entertainment company in Asia. STAR broadcasts over 50 television services in nine languages to more than 300 million viewers across 53 Asian countries. STAR channels cover all genres including general entertainment (Star Plus, Xing Kong, Star Chinese Channel, Star One, Star Utsav, Star World, Vijay, Phoenix Chinese), sports (ESPN, Star Sports), movies (Star Chinese Movies, Star Gold, Star Movies), music (Channel [V]), and news and current affairs (Star News, Star Ananda, Phoenix InfoNews Channel). STAR controls over 20,000 hours of Indian and Chinese programming and also owns the world’s largest contemporary Chinese film library, with more than 600 titles, featuring superstars including Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Bruce Lee. In partnership with leading companies in Asia, STAR businesses extend to filmed entertainment, television production, cable systems, direct-to-home services, terrestrial TV broadcasting, wireless and digital services. STAR is a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation. www.startv.com

    For further information please contact:
    In Mumbai
    Zeenat Khan
    Asst. Vice President – Publicity
    STAR (India) Ltd
    Tel No. 91-22-28523880

    Shiraz Bhavnani / Aditi Chada
    Vaishnavi Corporate Communications
    Tel: 91-22-6656 8787
    Fax: 91-22-6656 8788
    Email:sbhavnani@vccpl.com / achada@vccpl.com

  • JENNIFER LOPEZ on ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ on Pix

    PIX, Sony’s new English movie channel is all set to bring home to its viewers the best of Hollywood stories and shows. The popular Hollywood talk show, Inside the Actors Studio launched successfully on PIX with ANGELINA Jolie the celebrity guest. So, get ready as PIX airs another exciting episode of ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ with Jennifer Lopez as she chats up with James Lipton this Sunday, 30th July at 7.00pm only on PIX.

     

    About Inside the Actors Studio

    This unique talk show has been on air in the US for more than eleven years and is now broadcast in over 125 countries. James Lipton, the host and the Executive Producer of “Inside the Actors Studio” since its conception in 1994, has interviewed more than 200 of the world’s most talented and accomplished artists – ranging from actors and directors to musicians and comedians. While other Hollywood talk shows focus on gossip and glitz, Inside the Actor’s Studio focus’s on the craft of acting. The penetrating and extremely fascinating interviews of celebrities have led to countless awards including 11 Emmy award nominations and The New York Festival Award for the World’s Best Talk/Entertainment.
     
  • WWE Armageddon explodes on Ten Sports

    WWE Armageddon explodes on Ten Sports

    MUMBAI: Ten Sports 2006 coverage of WWE will finish with an almighty bang this Sunday when it brings exclusive coverage of WWE Armageddon.

    Headlining the explosive bill will be the tag team match of the year when King’s Court made up of King Booker and Finlay face up to two champions in WWE Champion John Cena and World Heavyweight Champion Baptista.

    There has been no love lost between the two teams with tension brewing for the last couple of months but the big question is whether the veteran pairing of King’s Court will be able to gel as a team in order to hold off what is sure to be a ferocious onslaught from the double World Champions.

    Another highlight will see Kennedy attempt to make it three victories in a row over The Undertaker in a Last Ride match where victory can only be secured by putting your opponent into the back of a hearse and driving out of the arena. Kennedy, one of WWE’s most vocal stars has pulled off two big surprise victories over the veteran Undertaker in recent months but how will he fare in a match that favours the veteran Phenom.

    Kane takes on MVP in an inferno match in another much anticipated contest while Chavo Guererro tries to capture Chris Benoit’s United States title; Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms faces Jimmy Wang Yang and WWE Tag Team Champions Brian Kendrick and Paul London face Dave Taylor, William Regal, MNM and the Hardys in a Ladder Match.

  • Tune in to the exclusive premiere of ‘Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat’ this Friday night at 9 p.m. only on Star Movies

    Tune in to the exclusive premiere of ‘Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat’ this Friday night at 9 p.m. only on Star Movies

    MUMBAI: This Friday night, Star Movies has an entertaining treat in store for its viewers!!! Watch the adaptation of a classic children’s book, starring Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston and Dacota Fanning.

    Tune in to watch the wily talking cat with a tall striped hat and more than a few tricks up his sleeve in the exclusive premiere of Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat this Friday night, December 8th at 9 p.m. only on Star Movies.

    Set in a colorful make-believe world, the film tells the classic tale of a sister and brother, Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin), who pass a rainy afternoon with their crotchety baby sitter Mrs. Kwan (Amy Hill), during which they receive a visit from the mysterious Cat in the Hat (Mike Myers), who leads them on a series of colorful, illogical, silly misadventures.

     

    Meanwhile their mother (Kelly Preston), her paranoid boss (Sean Hayes), and her phony boyfriend (Alec Baldwin), present obstacles for the children as they become part of the Cat’s chaotic world. At first it’s all fun and games, until things get out of hand, and The Cat must go, go, go, before their parents get back!!!.

    While the basic plot of the live-action adaptation of The Cat in the Hat rotates around the same as that of the book, the film has added new subplots and characters quite different from those of the original story.

    With candy colored sets that pop off the screen and zany special effects, this bright and happy film is packed with dazzling stunts and is entertaining from start to end. The moral of the.

    So don’t forget to tune in to the exclusive premiere of Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, this Friday, December 8th at 9 p.m. only on Star Movies.

  • Hysteria in Bigg Boss house as John Abraham meets housemates

    MUMBAI: For the housemates its another day in the Bigg Boss house with tasks to do and household chores to complete. The tension has begun…who will be evicted this evening? There’s Rahul Roy, Deepak Tijori, Rupali Ganguly, Anupama Verma.

     

    As they are engaged in their daily routine imagine their surprise when John Abraham decides to take a halt at the Bigg Boss house, meet the housemates ,as his Kabul Express is ready to take off. Imagine the excitement seeing John in their midst. Not just the girls but even the guys just swooned over him.

     

    From kababs, made by the guys, to the girls trying to impress John with their belly dancing, Bigg Boss house was simply bustling with activity.

  • Sun channels to be priced Rs 5 for Cas areas in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata

    Sun channels to be priced Rs 5 for Cas areas in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata

    MUMBAI: TRAI had issued press releases on 15/10/06, 25/10/06, 14.11.2006, 30.11.2006 and 14.12.2006 placing the details of Maximum Retail Prices fixed by the broadcasters in respect of CAS areas on the basis of the reporting done by them in terms of clause 7 (ii) of the Tariff Order of 31/8/2006.

    Subsequently, the Authority was informed that some of the pay channels listed in the website are not pay channels in some of the notified areas and also some new pay channels for the CAS notified areas, have been reported. A list of such channels as per reporting done now given below:-

    Name of the Broadcaster and Channel Remarks

    M/s SUN TV Limited

    i) Sun TV

    		 Pay channel at a price of Rs 5/- (excluding of taxes) in notified areas of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata. The channels will however be free to air in Chennai CAS area

    M/s Udaya TV Limited

    i)Udaya Movies , ii) Udaya Varthegalu

    		 Pay channel at a price of Rs 5/- (excluding of taxes) in notified areas of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata. The channels will however be free to air in Chennai CAS area

    M/s Gemini TV Limited

    i) Gemini Music, ii) Gemini News, iii) Gemini Cable Vision

    		 Pay channel at a price of Rs 5/- (excluding of taxes) in notified areas of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata. The channels will however be free to air in Chennai CAS area

    An updated list has been placed on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in

  • South African Airways Open Live on Ten Sports

    South African Airways Open Live on Ten Sports

    MUMBAI: Ernie Els heads a high-class entry list for the South African Airways Open, which is being broadcast, live on Ten Sports beginning Thursday 14th Dec’06.

    Surprisingly the Big Easy has won the event only once before despite it being played in his home country and he will find it tough to increase that number against a top quality field.

    Fellow countryman Charl Schwartzel is in the form of his life presently and will be desperate to make amends for missing out in the Alfred Dunhill event last week where he looked to be on course for victory before putting his second shot into the water on the 18th hole.

    That mistake allowed rookie Alvaro Quiros to snatch victory and give him entry into this weekend’s European Tour Event where he will be competing against not only Els and Schwartzel but also Lee Westwood, Angel Cabrerra, Scott Drummond and two time winner Trevor Immelman.

    For the first time the event will be held at the challenging Humewood Golf Club in Port Elizabeth and as always it is the course that is the biggest obstacle for any of the players seeking to claim first prize.

    Ten Sports coverage gets underway on Thursday at 17:30 hrs

    South African Airways Open Schedule:

    DAY DATE EVENT TELECAST
    Thursday 14/12/06 EPGA: South African Airways Open Day 1 Live
    Friday 15/12/06 EPGA: South African Airways Open Day 2 Live
    Saturday 16/12/06 EPGA: South African Airways Open Day 3 Live
    Sunday 17/12/06 EPGA: South African Airways Open Day 4 Live