ITV

Category: Television

  • MTV US, Kaiser Family Foundation launch interactive media community to take Aids fight to the next level

    MTV US, Kaiser Family Foundation launch interactive media community to take Aids fight to the next level

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation have announced the creation of Think HIV. This is a multi-platform, interactive community for this first generation of Americans who have lived their entire lives during the Aids epidemic.

    This initiative is part of their Sexual Health campaign with support from the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (Nastad), WebMD.nd WebMD.

    The initiative seeks to provide a platform to foster dialogue and active engagement on the topic of HIV/Aids and especially its impact on young people, as well as provide information and resources to young people about HIV/AIDS. According to UNAIDS, about half of new HIV infections worldwide are among those under the age of 25.

    MTVN Music Group president entertainment Brian Graden says, “The MTV audience has never known a day without HIV, and young people around the world are at the center of the epidemic. We have a long history of educating and empowering our audience on this issue, and while progress has been made, there is still work to be done. think HIV will offer our viewers a new, interactive and safe place to learn about and fight it.

    Think HIV will have several components. One of them is a documentary. MTV and Kaiser – will produce Think HIV. This is a documentary in which young people themselves tell the story of how their generation has been impacted by the virus. Part memorial, part testimony, these short vignettes filmed entirely by infected or affected young people will paint a raw, intimate, and informative portrait of the epidemic’s impact on their lives. The half hour show will premiere on MTV on 18 August 2006—the last day of the International AIDS Conference in Toronto.

    Then there is the think HIV Online Community. This will serve as an interactive community that will launch following the premiere of the documentary . The site will be an engaging and interactive, safe space for young people to share their personal stories through videos, photos and blogs and text about HIV/Aids. The user-friendly site will also provide easy access to information and resources about HIV/AIDS including prevention and testing as well as how to get involved in the global fight – including access to health information, resources and the online community at WebMD.

    Think HIV builds on both MTV and Kaiser’s long-term commitment to educating and empowering young people in the fight against HIV/AIDS, in part through their 10-year partnership, currently called think: Sexual Health. To date, the Emmy and Peabody Award winning partnership has garnered more than 100 million viewers to its documentaries, 1.2 million calls to the toll-free hotline and has distributed more than 450,000 informational guides.

  • Sony-Discovery reach agreement with Dish TV

    Sony-Discovery reach agreement with Dish TV

    NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: It’s been a long time coming but after endless rounds of discussions, India’s first direct-to-home service Dish TV has finally reached mutually agreeable terms with the Sony-Discovery One Alliance distribution bouquet to carry their channels.

    The two parties arrived at a memorandum of understanding today and the official signing will happen anytime in the next few days, sources close to the developments tell Indiantelevision.com.

    The One Alliance channels will begin beaming off the Dish platform within the next few days and the billing cycle is effective from 1 July on. The financial terms that the two parties have agreed to were not available at the time of filing this report.

    For Dish TV, this resolves one half of the problem it has been facing ever since its launch – its inability to offer subscribers channels from the One Alliance and Star bouquets.

    With the addition of the Sony bouquet, Dish TV can look forward to a major ramp up in subscriber numbers. Two key events that are expected to drive acquisitions in the immediate term are the ongoing India-West Indies Test series and the Fifa World Cup. The Word Cup kicks off in Munich, Germany, on 9 June while the second Test in St Lucia, West Indies, will take place between 10 and 14 June. ESPN Star Sports (already on the Dish network) has exclusive rights to the World Cup while Ten Sports – part of the One Alliance bouquet – is exclusively airing the cricket in the Caribbean.

    A contentious issue that automatically gets resolved with Sony’s sign-up on Dish is the legal spat that Subhash Chandra’s DTH service has been having with Viacom channels MTV and Nick since last year. Both channels are part of the One Alliance.

    In a letter sent to the information and broadcasting ministry last month, Dish TV had petitioned that despite the sector regulator’s directive on making available content to all platforms and a favourable judgement from disputes tribunal TDSAT, the “conduct of MTV” has been “clearly in violation” of the interconnection regulation of 2004.

    Dish TV’s parent ASC Enterprises’ contention was that despite carrying on commercial negotiations with MTV Networks India for several months, the content provider and its distributors in India (One Alliance) had stalled any fruitful conclusion of such talks.

    ASC Enterprises, an Essel Group company, holds the licence for a DTH service in the country, which is marketed under the brand name Dish TV.

  • US House of Representatives pass bill to allow telecom firms into cable TV

    US House of Representatives pass bill to allow telecom firms into cable TV

    MUMBAI: The US House of Representatives have passed a bill that makes it easier for American telecom firms to enter the American cable TV market.Media reports indicate that lobbying by telecom firms AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth could have influenced the Representatives.

    The Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006 was pased.

    BellSouth VP governmental affairs Herschel Abbott says, “We congratulate and thank Chairman Barton and Representative Rush for shepherding this legislation through the House. We look forward to Senate action so that legislation can be signed by the President this year.

    “Completion of video franchise legislation will allow faster rollout of a video service that can provide another competitive alternative to cable, offering the kind of customer service and quality that customers demand.

    “Given the amount of debate over so called ‘net neutrality’ during consideration of this bill, let me again assure consumers that BellSouth will not block or degrade access to any legal content on the internet. Net neutrality is a phony issue and it ought to be laid to rest by this vote.”

    The bill will allow national video franchising for Internet Protocol television (IPTV) providers in hopes of spurring competition in the US pay television market. The Cope Act removes regulatory barriers for video service providers to enter the market. Additionally, the legislation allows municipalities to deploy broadband and provide video services on a transparent and nondiscriminatory basis, thereby removing barriers for another competitor’s entry intro the marketplace.

  • Zoom appoints Sunil Sahjwani as chief creative & programming officer

    Zoom appoints Sunil Sahjwani as chief creative & programming officer

    MUMBAI: Lifestyle and glamour channel Zoom’s latest appointment is in keeping with the new initiatives planned for the next quarter. Sunil Sahjwani has been roped in as chief creative and programming officer for Zoom. The programming, production and on air promos (OAP) teams at Zoom will now report in to him.

    With this, Sahjwani will be moving from his current corporate role as chief creative consultant for Bennett & Coleman Co Ltd., ( BCCL) and takes charge of all creative and programming responsibilities at Zoom.

    Commenting on the appointment, Zoom CEO Suresh Bala said, “As Zoom prepares to meet the challenges of becoming a high impact channel, it needs a new dimension of creative leadership to rejuvenate its growth engines and take it to the next level. I believe Sunil Sahjwani, with his experience and expertise is the best person for this role.”

    Sahjwani says, “I am indeed very happy to take up this assignment. Zoom is at a very dynamic stage currently and I think it will be very challenging and exciting to take it forward from here. Zoom has created a unique position for itself in the television space. I’m confident that Zoom will touch even greater heights of success in the days to come.”

    With over 27 years in the areas of advertising, film, radio and television, Sahjwani has worked on several international productions which include shows for BBC’s Channel 4 and CNN.

    Amongst others, he has directed the immensely popular BPL Oye for Channel [V], for which he has won the RAPA, Lions and Screen awards. Sahjwani has also worked with ETC Networks as director of programming as well as VP Creative for Reliance Entertainment. Prior to joining BCCL, Sahjwani was the CEO of the Percept Picture Company.

  • TV Today mulls Mumbai Aaj Tak

    TV Today mulls Mumbai Aaj Tak

    MUMBAI: TV Today Network is now eyeing a Mumbai-centric news channel after having recently launched Dilli Aaj Tak, which serves the National Capital Region (NCR).

    On the sidelines of a book release function here today, sources in TV Today Network confirmed that Mumbai Aaj Tak is very much on the cards, but a time frame cannot be given at the moment.

    The sources said the fate of Mumbai Aaj Tak channel would be formally decided after evaluating the numbers delivered by Dilli Aaj Tak.

    What is more important, TV industry observers point out, is that the Aroon Purie-controlled network does not still have a full fledged infrastructure in Mumbai to support a 24-hour local channel.

    The function yesterday marked the release of a Hindi book, Anchor and Reporter written by Aaj Tak deputy editor Punya Prasun Bajpai.

    With the launch of Dilli Aaj Tak, TV Today Network has now successfully launched Hindi news space market leader Aaj Tak, English sibling Headlines Today and a Hindi version of Headlines Today called Tez.

    While Dilli Aaj Tak has competition in S1, Sahara Samay NCR and Total TV, in Mumbai the field is more open since apart from Sahara Samay Mumbai, there are only cable news channels run by MSOs and cable ops.

    TV Today Network posted an increase of 66.86 per cent in net profit at Rs 110 million for the quarter ended 31 March 2006 as against Rs 66.1 million for the corresponding quarter last year.

    The total income of the company increased 25.83 per cent to Rs 514.4 million for the same quarter from Rs 409 million in a year ago period.

    The TV Today scrip opened today at Rs 85 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

  • Nick Jr. debuts original mini pilots on wireless carriers

    MUMBAI: Nick Jr. has launched three original mini pilots across multiple platforms with the first window kicking off on wireless carriers starting 6 June.


    The mini pilots, originated from Nick Jr.‘s Institute of Applied Play, premiered on wireless carriers marking the network‘s first-ever launch of original short-form content on a wireless platform.


    Nick Jr. will continue the multi-platform roll-out of the mini pilots — Pass the Pinha, Jinny Starfly and All Aboard — on Nick Jr. Video, Nick Jr.‘s broadband video service available on Nickjr.com and on-air on Nick Jr. television. Each of the mini pilots range in length from one to three minutes.


    The Institute of Applied Play is Nick Jr.‘s creative lab, where the network partners with new talent including illustrators and writers on a variety of projects. The Institute explores a fantastic array of production techniques to produce innovative interstitials for multiple platforms. On an average, Nick Jr. produces over 15 shorts per year.


    “The Institute of Applied Play is Nick Jr.‘s playground for meeting new creators and artists. We‘re excited to showcase their handiwork across all of these platforms,” said Nickelodeon Preschool Television executive creative director Brown Johnson.


    The multi-platform schedule for the launch of the three mini pilots is as follows:


    “It‘s not magic — it‘s science!” In the live-action and animated short Jinny Starfly, produced, written and directed by Syr-Ivan Bennett, two kids patiently wait for a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly. But their patience begins to wane. Is it make-believe? Nick Jr.‘s animated science expert Jinny Starfly flies in to show them how the caterpillar changes and that it‘s not magic — it‘s science!


    In the animated short Pass the Pinha, created and directed by Elanna Allen, Bing the musical bird and her siblings find a Brazilian fruit called a pinha which makes a super samba Brazilian sound when shaken. But little Bing rocks out so much that she drops the pinha, which shatters. They sadly gather around the broken fruit, until Bing nibbles on a piece and sings her conga sound. The others join in, munching and dancing to their samba song.


    In the animated short All Aboard, created by Nancy Wolff, a billy goat and a raccoon turn a boring morning in to a choo-choo train game. They discover that all you need are some friends and imagination to turn a seemingly boring day into an exciting ride.


    The shorts that come out of The Institute of Applied Play have a history of being used as back-door pilots. Nick Jr.‘s original hit series The Wonder Pets! which premiered in March 2006 started out as a series of interstitials called Linny the Guinea Pig. Ni Hao, Kai-lan an upcoming new animated series slated to premiere in fall 2007 began as a series of shorts called Downward Doghouse. Additionally, Nick Jr.‘s short-form series Mighty Bug 5, started out as an interstitial called The Grumpy Bug. All these are available on Nickjr.com.

  • Nick Jr. debuts original mini pilots on wireless carriers

    Nick Jr. debuts original mini pilots on wireless carriers

    MUMBAI: Nick Jr. has launched three original mini pilots across multiple platforms with the first window kicking off on wireless carriers starting 6 June.

    The mini pilots, originated from Nick Jr.’s Institute of Applied Play, premiered on wireless carriers marking the network’s first-ever launch of original short-form content on a wireless platform.

    Nick Jr. will continue the multi-platform roll-out of the mini pilots — Pass the Pinha, Jinny Starfly and All Aboard — on Nick Jr. Video, Nick Jr.’s broadband video service available on Nickjr.com and on-air on Nick Jr. television. Each of the mini pilots range in length from one to three minutes.

    The Institute of Applied Play is Nick Jr.’s creative lab, where the network partners with new talent including illustrators and writers on a variety of projects. The Institute explores a fantastic array of production techniques to produce innovative interstitials for multiple platforms. On an average, Nick Jr. produces over 15 shorts per year.

    “The Institute of Applied Play is Nick Jr.’s playground for meeting new creators and artists. We’re excited to showcase their handiwork across all of these platforms,” said Nickelodeon Preschool Television executive creative director Brown Johnson.

    The multi-platform schedule for the launch of the three mini pilots is as follows:

    “It’s not magic — it’s science!” In the live-action and animated short Jinny Starfly, produced, written and directed by Syr-Ivan Bennett, two kids patiently wait for a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly. But their patience begins to wane. Is it make-believe? Nick Jr.’s animated science expert Jinny Starfly flies in to show them how the caterpillar changes and that it’s not magic — it’s science!

    In the animated short Pass the Pinha, created and directed by Elanna Allen, Bing the musical bird and her siblings find a Brazilian fruit called a pinha which makes a super samba Brazilian sound when shaken. But little Bing rocks out so much that she drops the pinha, which shatters. They sadly gather around the broken fruit, until Bing nibbles on a piece and sings her conga sound. The others join in, munching and dancing to their samba song.

    In the animated short All Aboard, created by Nancy Wolff, a billy goat and a raccoon turn a boring morning in to a choo-choo train game. They discover that all you need are some friends and imagination to turn a seemingly boring day into an exciting ride.

    The shorts that come out of The Institute of Applied Play have a history of being used as back-door pilots. Nick Jr.’s original hit series The Wonder Pets! which premiered in March 2006 started out as a series of interstitials called Linny the Guinea Pig. Ni Hao, Kai-lan an upcoming new animated series slated to premiere in fall 2007 began as a series of shorts called Downward Doghouse. Additionally, Nick Jr.’s short-form series Mighty Bug 5, started out as an interstitial called The Grumpy Bug. All these are available on Nickjr.com.

  • BBC World launches ad campaign to generate buzz in New York City

    MUMBAI: BBC World launched in the US on 1 June 2006. To support the launch, the channel is running an ad campaign in New York City. The outdoor campaign created by BBDO New York communicates ‘unbiased international news’, through three thought-provoking and impactful creative approaches.

    The first –Develop a Point of View- is an interactive digital billboard situated on the corner of Broadway and 50th Street. The first-of-its-kind billboard displays dramatic news photographs and invites people to text in their votes on key news issues. New Yorkers and visitors can vote whether illegal immigrants should be considered ‘citizens’ or ‘criminals’; US soldiers, ‘occupiers’ or ‘liberators’; bird flu, ‘imminent’ or ‘preventable’ and China ‘befriend’ or ‘beware’.

    The votes will appear on the billboard in real-time and the updated tallies will be broadcast twice daily on WFAN’s “Imus in the Morning” show, as part of the BBC World radio promotion.

    The second approach -See Both Sides of the Story- uses poster sites featuring photographs creatively wrapped around building corners, with the entire story becoming clear only when the viewer sees both sides of the image.

    The poster site imagery takes an impartial look at a Jewish settler struggling against Israeli security officers during a West Bank settlement evacuation; an American soldier guarding a burning oil well in Iraq; French protestors fighting the Paris police force; U.S. border patrol facing Mexican immigrants and an Iraqi family following President Bush’s interview in front of a television set.

    Whilst the first and second creative approaches communicate BBC World’s core strength of impartiality, the third focuses on the truly global content the channel will bring to US viewers. News Beyond Your Borders is about reminding Americans that there is news outside America and that BBC World gives its viewers that global perspective. It has been appearing from 5 June onwards, via posters and interior cards on commuter rail network.

    Each ad is a puzzle, which at first glance appears to be a vaguely familiar map, but on further examination reveals a new and arresting image – a soldier with a gun; a health worker holding an infected bird; a hostage being detained and a city under water. The execution will also appear as an insert in the Financial Times and Newsday in June.

    BBC World head of marketing Seema Kotecha said: “BBC World has decided to develop an unprecedented, bold and interactive campaign to generate buzz around New York and spark debate around some of the key global news issues that affect all of us. These powerful images highlight the global perspective and the impartiality of coverage, for which BBC World is known around the world.

    “Research shows us that American viewers are increasingly interested in international news, yet most U.S. news networks are spending less airtime on international news stories. We hope to fill this gap in the market and are delighted to have the opportunity to bring our 24-hour global coverage and analysis to North American shores for the first time.”

    George Alagiah, a BAFTA award-winning journalist and one of the BBC’s most respected and well-known news anchors, is in New York this week to help officially launch BBC World channel in the U.S. Mr. Alagiah will also be hosting a media breakfast to launch BBC World News Today, a new hour long news programme to be broadcast globally from 3 July.

    The 24-hour BBC World channel is available to all iO: Interactive Optimum digital cable customers throughout Cablevision’s New York metropolitan service area on channel 104.

  • Shemaroo celebrates Fifa WC with release of Beckham video

    Shemaroo celebrates Fifa WC with release of Beckham video

    MUMBAI: Home video maker Shemaroo has released a video Really Bend it like Beckham this football season.

    The video has the inside details and is the definitive video of his soccer skills. Fans can now have a never-before-seen view of his various skill sets, on technology that manages to capture and dissect his every move like never before. The video also features Beckham’s football highlights of matches like an England versus Argentina match.

    Shemaroo VP Hiren Gada said, “It is baffling that in a nation of a billion people, young talents aren’t making it to the international arena. Really Bend it like Beckham is an excellent video for two reasons. First, it will be a great learning opportunity for emerging players, almost like learning from the legend himself, and prove to be a great encouragement. Second, it is an excellent video that will be enjoyed by all Soccer fans.”

    The DVD has been sot on High Definition. It features multi camera angles, super slow motion and time slice footage. 

    It has been broken into easy to use sections – control, space making skills, passing and working for space, turning skills, forward play, crossing, closing down and defending, finishing and free kicks and much more.

    The DVD also has behind the scenes with David Beckham, Kids Q&A with Beckham and a Kids Football game with Beckham.

  • Fox Sports Intl inks mobile content distribution deal with Media Gateway

    Fox Sports Intl inks mobile content distribution deal with Media Gateway

    MUMBAI: Media Gateway, an international digital rights content aggregator for premium content has announced a deal with Fox Sports International.

    Media Gateway will distribute sports programming on mobile phones and via the Internet in the UAE, Sweden, Norway, Luxembourg, Estonia and Latvia.

    The programming provided by Fox Sports International includes motor sports programs Raceworld and Moto+ as well as action sports shows such as Sports Unlimited, a weekly magazine program featuring action sports from snowboarding and freeskiing to ironman and adventuring racing, and Watersports World, covering major watersports events and activities such as premier international sailing events, windsurfing, kite surfing, power boating and beach sports.

    Media Gateway CEO Karri Zaremba says, “Through mobile phones and the Internet, we’re now able to offer your favourite sports events and programs, as seen on Fox Sports, right into the palm of your hand or desktop. This makes the experience more personal and up-close for the millions of sports fans across these regions.”

    Fox Sports International sales manager Bruce Wolfowitz said, “We work hard to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of new developments for how people can enjoy their favourite sports. We are delighted to be extending our stake by sealing this digital distribution deal with Media Gateway, which will ensure that sports fans have more ways to access programs aired on Fox Sports channels.”

    Media Gateway is an international content clearing house for digital media license rights of regional and international TV, film, music, radio and games content. The company ensures these rights are fully exploited by securing alternative modes of distribution, with a focus on live signal streaming or server-based video on demand play-out via IPTV, PC Broadband, Video on Demand, Mobile Telephony, and PDAs